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 Ancient Warriors

The Vikings

Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback

 Credits
Designers
Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback

Editor
Rosa Gibbons

Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC

9111 242nd St SW
Edmonds, WA, 98026
www.necromancers-online.com

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 Table of Contents

Introduction................................................................................................................................4
Who are the Vikings?...........................................................................................................4
Vikings: the Legend...............................................................................................................4
Vikings: the History..............................................................................................................6
Viking Adventures.................................................................................................................8
New Archetypes......................................................................................................................8
Viking Berserker (Barbarian)...............................................................................................8
Inspiring Warrior (Bard)....................................................................................................11
Gothar (Druid).....................................................................................................................12
Viking Warrior (Fighter)....................................................................................................13
Tavern Brawler (Monk).....................................................................................................14
Viking Raider (Ranger).......................................................................................................16
Volva (Witch)......................................................................................................................17
Prestige Classes.......................................................................................................................18
Berserker................................................................................................................................18
Housecarl..............................................................................................................................23
Jomsviking............................................................................................................................28
Introduction
Viking. It’s a powerful word that conjures
a very specific and descriptive image of a fierce
and powerful warrior. Depending on your
exact knowledge of Vikings, it may also imply
connotations of uncontrollable rage, a proud and
noble warrior culture, terrible hygiene, or half a
dozen other things. There is perhaps no single
ancient culture that evokes such a strong and
specific image as the Vikings, even though the
Viking age ended almost 1,000 years ago.
More importantly, Vikings, and Norse
mythology and world view in general, have a huge
influence on the modern fantasy genre, as it was
these source from which Tolkien drew inspiration
for his elves and dwarves, among other things.
Even the underlying attitude of the average party
of adventurers (that is, kick in the door, kill
everything that moves, and take everything that
isn’t nailed down) has undeniable parallels to
Viking raiders, just as deliberately seeking out
more and more powerful monsters to kill (just for
the fun of it) is reminiscent of the actions of many
of the heroes of Viking sagas. That said, it seems
only natural to dedicate an entire book to nothing
but Vikings.
In this book, you will find a brief
examination of the Vikings, from both a historical
view and the view of popular culture and opinion,
as both the fact and the myth of Vikings can be
of use to anyone interested in a fun and engaging
Viking game. You will also find some highly-
detailed archetypes for a variety of classes,
designed to give those classes a bit of the Viking
magic. Finally, you’ll find three new Viking-
themed prestige classes: the terrifying berserker,
the stalwart housecarl, and the proud jomsviking.
Who Are the Vikings?
Vikings are, at the same time, a very well-
known and also very mysterious people. While
most readers will be familiar with the caricature
of Vikings that has been handed down to us
through the ages and that is now part of our
cultural identity—an idea found in books, movies,
TV, comics, and even the names of football
teams—this image is only a tiny fraction of the
full story, and historical records of the Vikings
are frustratingly vague, leaving us with mostly
guesswork and estimation in order to piece
together the actuality of Viking life.
While an academic book devoted to
the Vikings would take pains to debunk the
various inaccuracies and myths of the modern
interpretation of Vikings, in order to allow a
better understanding of what real Vikings were
actually like, this isn’t an academic book, and,
for the purposes of roleplaying and having fun at
the game table, the myth is at least as good as the
legend, if not better.
For that reason, the following section will
examine not only a very brief look at the Vikings
as they actually were, but will also include an
examination of the way that popular culture and
modern myth and lore perceive and portray the
Vikings, as both of these viewpoints, the fantastic
and the factual, were drawn upon in the creation
of this book.
Please note that this is not a history book,
and it is sadly far beyond the scope of this book
to provide a full examination of Viking history
and culture, whether factual or imagined. If you
are interested in learning more about Vikings, we
strongly recommend that you check your local
library, as many excellent books have been written
on the subject.
Vikings: The Legend
Vikings have long held a special place
in the hearts and imaginations of the western
world. Despite the fact that Vikings haven’t been
around for hundreds of years, we remain a strong
cultural image of what Vikings are. You don’t
need to be particularly interested in history or
fantasy to know that the warrior wearing furs
and a horned helmet, wielding a huge axe and
shouting for the blood of his foes from the prow
of a dragon-headed longship is a Viking. There is
a certain image of Vikings that has been culturally
preserved and handed down to us, through
movies, books, comics, and other various media.
To most, Vikings are savage warriors,
hardened by the harsh and unforgiving climate
of the cold, barren north. They are, to a man,
barbaric, with nothing but contempt for
civilization and all that it entails. They are dirty,
with no concern for even the already low medieval
standards of hygiene, and they are ruled primarily
by their lusts. While the most famous of these is
their bloodlust (more on that below), the Vikings
of myth are also well-known for their other lusts,
both their unquenchable appetite for mead and
other alcohol, and their rapacious nature towards
women.
The true defining characteristic of the
mythological Viking is his prowess as a warrior.
By far the most famous and iconic image of the
Viking is the berserker. These warriors are well
known for flying into a frenzied, uncontrollable
rage in battle, for being unbelievably strong and
even more tough—their rage allows them to ignore
even deadly wounds, and they keep fighting long
after lesser men would have collapsed from their
wounds. These raging warriors completely lose
control, and quickly devolve into savagely attacking
anything that moves, even if it happens to be one
of his allies. In effect, these savage warriors must
simply be pointed in the direction of the enemy
and “let loose,” with the hope being that they kill
more of the foe than each other.
At this point, myths about the Vikings tend
to diverge into two different paths: that of the
noble savages, on the one hand, and of the unholy
scourge, on the other. These two represent the
extreme ends of a complex spectrum, and in the
tapestry of modern lore and myth about Vikings,
the majority of examples will fall somewhere in
between, and borrow from both archetypes, but
these represent the two major approaches to the
way that we perceive Vikings today.
Vikings of this sort are generally likeable
people, who may enjoy a good party and a few
drinks of mead with friends, perhaps accompanied
by some good-natured boasting and tall tales of
their accomplishments, but that doesn’t mean
that they are wild hooligans. Far from it, for their
warrior culture values personal honor above all
else, and Vikings who are cowardly or dishonorable
are the lowest of the low: the word of a Viking is
worth far more than the word of less honorable
warriors.
Similarly, these Vikings may fight for the
challenge or the joy of the fight, and as such they
may seem to enter into battles indiscriminately, but
they do not have any true interest in fighting the
weak or cowardly, and innocent bystanders need
not fear being hunted down and slain by attacking
Vikings.
Vikings as Unholy Scourge
A view that has been slowly decreasing in
popularity over the course of the last few hundred
years, this interpretation of Vikings portrays them
as, quite literally, an unholy scourge sent to punish
and destroy the good, peaceful, Christian peoples
of medieval Europe.
This portrayal of Vikings leaves it clear that
their primary motive in their constant unprovoked
attacks and raids on peaceful settlements, above
and beyond any wealth or plunder (including

Vikings as Noble Savages

An increasingly common way of envisioning

Vikings, this school of thought depicts Vikings
as being technologically primitive, yes, but
underplays or even idolizes this simplistic
lifestyle, making the Viking life out to be an ideal
alternative to the more complicated, less-genuine
world of today. In many cases, this primitive
lifestyle is a conscious choice, as the Vikings
reject more “civilized” cultures in favor of their
own proud warrior traditions. These Vikings are
known for their honor and pride, and for being
valiant and steadfast warriors who value courage,
straightforwardness, and manliness in general.
They deliberately cultivate and take great pride
in their beards and facial hair, and often engage
in great tests of strength, courage, fortitude, and
other manly pursuits.
Image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / dclipart
slaves) that they may gain, is to rape, kill, maim,
and otherwise inflict horror upon the poor civilians
that they terrorize.
To a man, these Vikings are cruel, dumb
brutes who live for nothing but the chance to
fulfill their sadistic pleasures. Not only do they
heartlessly slay women, children, the elderly and
the infirm when they go raiding, they regularly
perform ritualized human sacrifice, and perform
any number of terrible atrocities. When these
Vikings set their sights on your town, you must
fight them off at all costs, for if you allow the
Vikings within your walls, you are inviting your
entire town to be slaughtered in the worst possible
manner.
Vikings of this sort remain primitive
because they are too barbaric to appreciate and
make use of any of the trappings of civilization.
They have beards—often matted and tangled and
caked in the blood of their victims—because they
don’t understand or appreciate how to use a razor.
The secret of their strength and fighting skill isn’t
so much that they are acclimated to it by their
environment, but instead, in some cases, that they
are truly inhuman monsters (in many cases sent
by the Devil himself), who deliberately made them
into unstoppable killing machines in order to make
them that much more effective at devastating their
unsuspecting Christian victims.
Vikings: the History
In actuality, real-world historical Vikings
were a bit different from the way that most people
these days perceive them. For one thing, they didn’t
wear horned helmets, but there are also many
differences that are somewhat more substantial to
our view of Vikings.
Cultural Identity
In reality, there were no actual “Vikings.”
There were, of course, warriors from the north
who famously raided Western Europe (and a
surprisingly large amount of territory beyond),
but they didn’t call themselves “Vikings.” In fact,
no one did. They were frequently referred to as
Nordmanni, Ascomanni, Rus, Dani, Finngail,
and a host of other names, depending on who
was doing the referring. More to the point, the
people referred to today as “Vikings” actually
covered a large deal of territory, including modern
Scandanavia, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark,
among other places, and while their cultures have
a number of similarities, they would probably not
have considered themselves a single people.
In actuality, the word “Viking” was originally
a nautical term (a measurement of distance,
and later a term the Vikings themselves used to
describe their long raiding trips), which, over time,
eventually came to be associated with the northern
raiders due to their exceptional skill and expertise
with sailing. Like most Europeans at that time,
Vikings were far more likely to think of themselves
in terms of their local region and community than
anything else, and while, especially towards the
end of the Viking age, several charismatic Viking
kings began to unify larger territories under their
rule, there was never truly a single Viking nation,
and even these unification attempts met with
limited success.
Raiding
There’s no point in trying to deny that,
historically, Vikings did their fair share of raiding,
and there is a reason that this is perhaps the
number one thing that Vikings are known for
today, raiding was hardly the cornerstone of their
culture that modern Viking myths would lead
us to believe. Many of the folk that we would
categorize today as “Vikings” were, in fact, farmers,
fishermen, and others who never went “a-viking” in
their lives. Even those who did regularly go raiding
also had homes and families, and in many cases
farms or other sources of legitimate livelihood.
Further, raiding only truly characterized
the Vikings’ interactions with other cultures for a
very short period of time. Prior to the Viking age,
the Vikings were actually known in Europe (as well
as elsewhere—Vikings traveled as far south and
east as Constantinople, at least, and engaged in
trade with Arabs and even far-off China through
the silk road, even if they didn’t necessarily reach
those lands), but rather than known as an unholy
scourge, they were known as traders. While the
beginning of the Viking age was characterized by
quick raids for treasure and slaves, later on the
Vikings began wars of conquest, and actually held
large parts of modern day England and Ireland for
an extended period of time.
In fact, even when the Vikings were at the
height of their raiding, many of their victims would
simply pay them to go away and not sack their
city, which had the unfortunate effect of causing
the Vikings to return regularly for more money,
essentially making them one of the first peoples
to engage in a protection racket. One somewhat
more effective method of bribing the Vikings
(depending on your viewpoint) was attempted by
the French king Charles the Simple, who granted
the Viking leader Rollo (later known as Robert of
Normandy) a tract of land in northern France that
would eventually come to be known as Normandy,
after the “Normans” or “north men” that now lived
there.
Surprisingly, this actually gave the Vikings
settling in Normandy an incentive not to cause
trouble, and eventually they even closed their ports
to their fellow Vikings, and stopped sheltering
them during the winter. In fact, more or less
throughout the Viking age, any Vikings, regardless
of where they lived, were very unlikely to go raiding
their neighbors—Vikings might raid other Vikings,
and they didn’t see anything wrong with this, but
only ones that were suitably far enough removed.
In essence, the Vikings preferred to do their
fighting far away, instead of making enemies close
to home.
Religion
Surprisingly little record is left about Norse
religion as far as things like methods of worship
are concerned, and much of their religion remains
a mystery to us today. The vast majority of what
we do have information on is various myths and
legends about the actions of the Norse pantheon,
and we actually know more about what deities
like Thor were supposed to have done, than we do
about how they were worshipped.
There is a good deal of evidence that a major join on raids put together by whoever happened
aspect of Norse religion involved ancestor worship, to have a boat (usually the local lord). Raiding
where members of a given Viking household would wasn’t a year-round activity, though, as the weather
venerate and make offerings to the spirits of their
departed ancestors. Similarly, a Viking gained a
great deal of pride and respect from the great deeds times. As a result, most of the raiding took part
of his ancestors, and Vikings who could not name
a single noteworthy accomplishment from his
family’s history would be very ashamed, indeed,
while one who added to his family’s legacy with his intense warrior-centric culture of the Vikings
deeds would have quite a bit to be proud of.
Like many ancient religions, worship of
the gods was seen as a sort of pact or bargain: the
Viking would worship the god and give offerings
(in the form of animal sacrifices, mainly, though
in some cases human sacrifices) and prayers, and
in exchange the god was expected to intercede
on their behalf and offer some kind of benefit. In
some cases, a Viking who suffered great misfortune
might forsake one or more gods, feeling that the
deal had been broken, and this was not something
that would attract the ire or concern of his
neighbors.
Those with a little bit of familiarity with the
Norse pantheon (whether from older roleplaying
supplements or popular movies) may be surprised
to learn that the deity who was ascribed the most
importance, seemingly by quite a bit, was Thor,
rather than Odin, who was supposedly the leader
of the gods. Thor was the warrior god and the god
of strength, however, so it’s natural that a society
dominated by conceptions of manliness and war,
and who worshipped primarily in order to gain
favors, would be more interested in Thor.
Warrior Culture
One of the most enduring and well-known
aspects of Viking culture is the high value that
they placed on war and fighting in their society.
All able-bodied men were expected to be able
and willing to fight, and even farmers, fishermen,
and other primarily non-combatant Vikings
would be called upon to fight in defense of their
homestead. Many Viking men would become full-
time warriors, either by joining a warrior society
(essentially a mercenary camp), or else becoming a
housecarl in the service of a local lord.
Those Vikings who were able (usually
housecarls, who weren’t too busy with a farm or
other duties that required their attention) would
during the Winter, and some parts of Autumn and
Spring, made it too dangerous to sail during those
during the summer.
There is perhaps no better evidence of the
than the concept of ergi. A Viking word which can
loosely be translated to “girliness,” accusing a man
of ergi was a challenge that was expected to be met
immediately with violence. If the accused did not
immediately attempt to kill his accuser, then this Olaf Skötkonung, the king of Sweden from 980 –
was taken as proof of the claim, and the accused 1022, that the people, not the king, held power in
himself would likely be considered an outlaw, and Sweden, a stance which proved correct when Olaf
either killed or driven out. eventually capitulated on the issue in question. In
the latter parts of the Viking age, when the Vikings
Viking Achievements began conquering and settling, instead of just
raiding, they brought this democratic approach
The Vikings may be best known for their with them where they went.
spirited and powerful warriors, but they actually
achieved a number of very impressive feats, and
demonstrated a surprising degree of cleverness
Viking Adventures
and ingenuity. As previously mentioned, the
In many ways, it can actually be very
Vikings had the most advanced naval technology
difficult to set apart a “Viking adventure,” with
of the time, as their longships were not only
a special focus on Vikings and/or Norse culture
swift and seaworthy, but due to their relatively
and mythology in general, from other fantasy
flat bottoms, they were also capable of going up
games, due to the fact that Norse mythology and
rivers, while most other ships at that time were
the pop-culture image of the Viking are already
designed to travel either on the ocean or on rivers,
fairly well integrated into the modern fantasy
but not both. In addition to being of incredible
genre. That said, there are definitely some ways in
utility during their raids, and allowing them to
which tweaking the standard fantasy formula for a
strike unsuspecting targets far from the ocean,
specific focus on Vikings can enhance your game.
these ships were also part of the secret of the
Some specific suggestions are outlined below.
Vikings’ abilities to travel incredibly far, for their
time period, and, again, as mentioned above, the
Viking Raiders
Vikings reached far enough to get Chinese silk
from the silk road, and even attempted to raid
Perhaps the most obvious ways to make
Constantinople.
a Viking adventure is to have your group roll up
some Viking warriors, give them a boat and a crew,
More surprising than that, though, Viking
and then set them loose on your unsuspecting
explorers are not only responsible for founding
campaign setting. While many GMs cringe at the
both Iceland and Greenland (and, for those who
idea of watching your party sack, loot, and destroy
have ever wondered why they seemingly have their
your beloved campaign setting, or are wary that,
names switched, as Greenland is much colder than
given the Viking reputation and the historical
Iceland, the answer is that the founders of Iceland
evidence, that this adventure would be little more
discovered it during the winter, while the founders
than the PCs quickly devastating everything in
of Greenland deliberately named it misleadingly
their path (not actually the most fun way a game
in order to attract more settlers), but there is
can go, for either the GM or the players), this can
substantial evidence that the Vikings not only
actually make for a very fun campaign.
discovered, but actually settled in North America.
While the settlement was eventually abandoned
A key thing to remember about the Vikings
or died out (the exact reason why is unclear), there
is that one of their major sources of success in their
is no doubt that the Vikings were accomplished
raids, at least, was that they didn’t stick around for
sailors and explorers.
too long. Despite all the hype and legend, Viking
warriors weren’t actually that terribly much more
More surprisingly, Vikings were also a
difficult to kill than the people that they preyed
relatively democratic people, handling much of
upon, and so much of Viking raids involved finding
their local governance and legal disputes by vote
weakly-defended communities, striking fast, and
at a general assembly known as a thing, which was
then getting out of the way before a real resistance
presided over by a lawspeaker, who memorized
could be mounted.
and recited the laws of the land. These things
could wield a large amount of power, and, in
In your campaign, the towns the PCs raid
fact, at one point, in a democratic triumph more
could have defenders that are a roughly appropriate
than 500 years before the rise of democracy in
challenge for them (and, as they increase in level,
Western Europe, one famous lawspeaker, told
this would allow them to more safely raid larger
and larger settlements). They might also find
opposition in the form of pirates, other Vikings
who don’t appreciate the competition, paladins
and other holy warriors out to put a stop to their
raiding ways, and, of course, various sea monsters,
trolls, and other fantasy foes.
One concern you will need to address
with your players, however, is just how rapacious
they are when they do start raiding. Different
groups (and different people within groups) will
have different comfort levels when it comes to
things like killing, looting, and raping, and it’s
important to make sure that no one at the table
is made uncomfortable. Talk with your players
about what they expect to be able to do and what
they want to play out at the table, and what they
aren’t comfortable with, and find a compromise
where everyone is happy. Despite their terrible
reputation, the Vikings were people too, and
so while playing as Viking raiders may well fall
into the category of an “evil” campaign, it should
probably be notably lower on the evil scale than
most such campaigns tend to.
Vikings as the Enemy
Surprisingly, one of the most enjoyable
ways to make Vikings a central part of your game
can be to make sure that all of your players aren’t
Vikings. As much fun as can be had playing heroic
Viking warriors travelling to places unknown and
engaging in acts of manliness and bravery, playing
as members of a quiet, unsuspecting European
coastal town suddenly under attack by Vikings can
be fun as well.
On the surface, this doesn’t appear to be a
particularly new or exciting idea, as most fantasy
settings already have a Viking analogue of some
sort, usually in the form of orcs, and it seems like
everyone and their cohort has run a campaign
where the orcish hordes suddenly stir into life and
start invading nearby kingdoms, a plot that has
quite a bit in common with the way that historical
Vikings, seemingly out of nowhere, suddenly
began looting and pillaging all across the civilized
world.
Making the enemies Vikings, instead
of demi-humans, can actually do a lot for the
premise of the adventure, though. For one thing,
the average player is likely to respect and fear a
Viking than he is an orc: Vikings, after all, are
known for being terrifying and vicious warriors,
and few players would bat an eye at the idea of
Viking raiders having enough barbarian levels to
reach high CRs. While, in theory, the same players
understand that orcs can also gain class levels and
theoretically reach high CRs, most players consider
orcs and similar races to be “low-level” monsters,
and will naturally assume that an orc barbarian will
cap out at about CR 5 or 6.
Perhaps more importantly, though, Vikings
are human, and, as a result, the horrible cruelty
and viciousness associated with Viking raids (at
least, in the eyes of medieval Europe) can have a
much more profound effect on players than the
same atrocities committed by orcs, simply because
orcs are “always chaotic evil,” and so we expect
it from them. In a game where fighting demons
isn’t actually that uncommon, the idea of the
enemy as a horrible demonic scourge becomes
less frightening and more routine, but putting
that kind of truly savage ferocity in a place that
the party won’t expect it from quite as much can
go a long way towards shock and awe. And, if your
players aren’t terribly well-informed on Viking
culture and history, you can further shock them by
giving them an opportunity to see how peaceful
and normal the Vikings are when they’re at home,
instead of abroad.
Mythic Quests
Viking mythology and poetry is full of
famous and glorified Viking warriors who took
it upon themselves to go out and undertake
extremely difficult tasks or fighting incredibly
deadly enemies, not because it was the right thing
to do, or to save their community, or even just for
gold and treasure, like so many fantasy adventurers
do, but rather just because it was there, and
they wanted to test their warrior prowess, and
demonstrate just how great they truly were. Many
of the myths and legends about the god Thor
involve him travelling through Jotunheim fighting
giants more or less just for the fun of it.
In many ways, this has a lot in common
with your kick-in-the-door game, with the players
killing things and basking in glory rather than
killing things and taking their stuff (and, let’s not
forget, they’ll probably still take the stuff. Vikings
are hardly ascetics). That said, if your group is in
the right mindset, this sort of Viking “bravado”
campaign can be a lot of fun, and not only creates
easy plot hooks (“there’s a powerful monster in
the Forbidden Forest, you say? I shall slay it and
wear its head as my new helm!”), but can also lend
a bit of a light-hearted air to a campaign without
necessarily undercutting its seriousness.

New Archetypes
The following section presents new
archetypes for a variety of classes. For more
information on the rules for selecting and applying
archetypes for a character, see the Advanced
Player’s Guide. The following archetypes are
presented alphabetically by the name of the class
that they modify.

New Barbarian Archetype: Viking

Berserker
Viking berserkers are known for their
complete fearlessness and overwhelming
bloodlust. They often wade into battle without
armor, for they derive strength and ferocity from
any wounds they take.
A viking berserker has the following class
features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A viking
warrior is not proficient with medium armor.
Unkillable (Ex): A viking berserker gains
Endurance and Diehard as bonus feats at 1st level.
This ability replaces the fast movement class
feature.
Battle Fury (Ex): Beginning at 2 level,
nd
a Viking berserker channels the rage and pain
of his wounds into destructive power. As long
as the Viking berserker’s current hit points at
the beginning of his turn are less than 1/3 his
maximum hit points, he can rage that turn without
it counting against the number of rounds per day
that he can rage. This applies whether the Viking
berserker was already raging or if he begins raging
on his turn.
In order to benefit from this ability, the
Viking berserker’s hit points must be less than
1/3 his maximum hit points at both the beginning
and end of his turn. If the Viking berserker
regains enough hit points during his turn so
that his current hit points are equal to or greater
Image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / bigredlynx
than 1/3 his maximum hit points, then unless he
subsequently takes enough damage to leave him
with less than half his maximum before the end of
his turn, he will not benefit from this ability that
turn.
At 10th level, the Viking berserker gains this
benefit as long as his current hit points are less
than half his maximum hit points. This ability
replaces the Viking berserker’s 2nd-level and 10th-
level rage powers.
Furious Spirit (Ex): At 2nd level, the
Viking berserker’s will to survive makes him fight
that much harder when he is close to death. As
long as his current hit points are less than 1/3 his
maximum hit point total, he gains a +4 morale
bonus on all saving throws, as well as a +4 dodge
bonus to AC. This ability replaces uncanny dodge.
Extremely Tough (Ex): At 3rd level, a
viking berserker gains an additional hit point per
barbarian level he possesses. This bonus continues
to increase as he continues gaining levels in
barbarian. At 9th level the amount of additional
hit points increases to twice the viking berserker’s
barbarian level, and at 15th level the amount of
additional hit points increases to three times the
Viking berserker’s barbarian level. This ability
replaces trap sense 1, trap sense 3, and trap sense 5.

Furious Strike (Ex): At 5th level, a Viking
berserker can draw on the pain of his wounds to
fuel his attacks. As long as the Viking berserker’s
current hit points are less than 1/3 his maximum
hit point total, he gains a +2 morale bonus on
damage rolls. At 14th level, this bonus increases to
+3 and he gains it as long as his current hit points
are less than half his maximum hit point total.
This replaces the improved uncanny dodge and
indomitable will class features.
Tough Skin (Ex): At 6th level, a Viking
berserker’s skin is so covered in callouses and scar
tissue that it becomes extraordinarily tough and
durable. As long as the Viking berserker is not
wearing any armor, his natural armor bonus to AC
is increased by +2 (if he does not have a natural
armor bonus from another source, it becomes
+2). The Viking berserker can use shields (but not
tower shields) and still gain this benefit, but if he
wears armor of any kind, he loses all benefits of
this class feature until the armor is removed. At 12th
level, this bonus increases to +4, and at 18th level, it
increases to +6. This ability replaces trap sense 2,
trap sense 4, and trap sense 6.
New Bard Archetype: Inspiring
Warrior
While most bards inspire their companions
by singing songs, telling tales, or even through
things like interpretive dance, inspiring warriors
lead their allies to greatness by being great, and
leading by example.
An inspiring warrior has the following class
features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency (Ex):
An inspiring warrior is proficient with all simple
and martial weapons, and with light and medium
armor and shields (except for tower shields).
Bardic Performance: An inspiring warrior
can use bardic performance for only 2 rounds
+ his Charisma modifier per day at 1st level, and
gains only one additional round per day for each
bard level after 1st. Otherwise, this is identical to
the bard class feature, except that some of the
individual uses of bardic performance are removed,
as outlined below.
Inspiring Resilience: At 1st level, whenever
an inspiring warrior succeeds on a saving throw,
he grants a +2 morale bonus to the saving throw of
each ally affected by the same effect he successfully
saved against. This bonus applies to any ally who
is forced to save against the same effect at the
same time (determine the result of the inspiring
warrior’s saving throw first, then apply the bonus,
if applicable, before determining the saving the
result of the saving throw for any allies who might
be affected). This ability replaces the countersong
bardic performance ability.
Obvious Target: At 1st level, an inspiring
warrior can tempt an opponent to attack him,
instead of another target. As a move action, the
inspiring warrior can force a single creature within
60 feet of him to succeed on a Will save (10 + 1/2
the inspiring warrior’s bard level + the inspiring
warrior’s Charisma modifier) or be unable to
attack any creature but the inspiring warrior for a
number of rounds equal to the inspiring warrior’s
Charisma modifier. If the target is unable to attack
the inspiring warrior (he can’t see or hear him, or
he is behind a wall of force, or similar), then this
restriction does not apply. The inspiring warrior
being out of reach does not count as being “unable
to attack” him for this purpose: if the target can
only make melee attacks, if he is able to reach the
inspiring warrior, he must do so if he wants to
make any attacks for the duration of the ability.
The inspiring warrior can use this ability a number
of times per day equal to 1/2 his bard level. This
ability replaces the fascinate bardic performance
ability.
Accomplished Warrior (Ex): At 5th level,
the inspiring warrior gains Weapon Focus and
Weapon Specialization as bonus feats. He must
meet all the prerequisites for these feats, except
for the fighter level requirement of Weapon
Specialization (he must still have taken Weapon
Focus for whatever weapon he selects for Weapon
Specialization). This ability replaces the lore
master class feature.
Inspiring Blow (Ex): Beginning at 6th
level, whenever the inspiring warrior confirms a
critical hit, he may choose to use this ability as a
free action. If he does so, each ally within 60 feet
gains a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage
rolls for a number of rounds equal to the inspiring
warrior’s Charisma modifier. The inspiring warrior
can use this ability once per day at 6th level,
plus an additional time per day at 10th level, and
every 4 levels thereafter. This ability replaces the
suggestion bardic performance ability.
Inspiring Rage (Ex): Beginning at 12th
level, the inspiring warrior can enter a rage, as the
barbarian class feature, for a number of rounds per
day equal to 1/2 his class level (rounded down).
As long as he is raging, any ally within 60 feet
may choose to rage as well, in which case that
ally gains the benefits of the rage spell for as long
as the inspiring warrior continues to rage. This
ability replaces the soothing performance bardic
performance ability.
Battle Frenzy (Ex): Beginning at 18th level,
whenever an inspiring warrior slays an opponent,
he may choose to use this ability as a free action.
If he does, each ally that is within 30 feet of him
benefits from this ability, and for the next three
rounds, whenever those allies use the full attack
action, they can make an extra attack at their
highest base attack bonus. This does not stack with
haste, or other effects that grant additional attacks
(except for Two-Weapon Fighting, Rapid Shot, and
similar). The inspiring warrior can use this ability
once per day, plus an additional time per day at
20th level. This ability replaces the mass suggestion
bardic performance ability.
Inspiring Return (Ex): At 20th level, you
are so inspiring that you can allow your allies to
stave off death. Whenever an ally within 30 feet of
you who can see and hear you would be reduced to
0 or fewer hit points or slain by a death effect, he
is instead reduced to exactly 1 hit point, and alive.
Each ally can only benefit from this ability once
per day (even if more than one allied inspiring
warrior is around: a creature can only benefit from
this ability once per day, regardless of the source).
This ability replaces the deadly performance bardic
performance ability.
New Druid Archetype: Gothar
Gothars are the shamans and priests of the
old ways, and have mastered the art of gaining
boons through sacrifice, including grisly rituals of
human sacrifice.
A gothar has the following class features:
Norseman (Ex): At 2nd level, a gothar
gains a bonus on Initiative checks and Knowledge
(geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival
checks equal to 1/2 her druid level in cold or icy
terrain, and she cannot be tracked in cold or icy
terrain. This ability replaces woodland stride.
Sacrificial Offering (Su): Beginning at 3rd
level, a gothar can sacrifice animals she summons
with summon nature’s ally spells in order to
gain a benefit. This is a full-round action which
provokes attacks of opportunity, and requires that
the gothar touch the animal. Additionally, if the
summoned animal has already acted this round,
then the sacrifice has no effect. If the summoned
animal was not the only animal summoned by the
summon nature’s ally spell that summoned it (for
example, using a summon nature’s ally IV spell
to summon 1d4+1 dogs), then the sacrifice has no
effect unless all of the animals summoned by that
spell are sacrificed (this can still be performed with
a single full-round action, but the gothar must still
touch each creature to be sacrificed).
As soon as the gothar touches the animal, it
is immediately consumed by supernatural flames,
filling an area within 30 feet with a greasy, hazy
smoke that does not obscure vision, but instead
grants bonuses to each of the gothar’s allies within
this area as they breathe in ths smoke. This smoke
dissipates almost immediately, so only allies that
are within this range at the time of the sacrifice can
benefit from this ability.
The exact nature of the benefits provided
by the sacrifice depends on the power of the spell
used to summon the sacrificed animal, as outlined
on the table below. The sacrifice grants the benefit
listed for the appropriate spell level, as well as the
benefits of all the lower-level versions of the spell
to each allied creature within 30 feet of the animal
when it is sacrificed.
Regardless of the type of creature sacrificed
or the benefits gained, the benefits of this ability
last for as long as the summon nature’s ally spell
that summoned the sacrificed creature would
have lasted (so if a 12th-level gothar cast summon
nature’s ally IV, which has a duration of 1 round/
level, and then sacrificed the summoned creature
on the second round, the benefits would last
another 11 rounds. If he instead sacrificed the
summoned creature on the 5th round, the benefits
would last another 7 rounds, and so on).
The gothar may use this ability once per day
at 3rd level. He can use it an additional time per

day at 11th level and again at 19th level. This ability
replaces trackless step.
Wild Shape (Su): A gothar gains this ability
at 6 level, and it functions at her druid level
th
-2. Further, he is never able to use wild shape to
transform into an elemental creature (although he
still gains the ability to use it to transform into a
plant creature).
Human Sacrifice (Su): At 13th level, the
gothar can sacrifice a willing or helpless humanoid
creature in order to gain a benefit. This ritual
sacrifice requires a full minute to perform, and
the creature to be sacrificed must be either willing
or helpless for the entire duration of the ritual.
While participating in the ritual, the gothar, and
anyone else that the gothar allows to take part in
the ritual, must spend a full-round action chanting
and making ritual gestures, and are treated in all
ways as though they were casting a spell (including
having to make concentration checks if they are
damaged, provoking attacks of opportunity, etc.).
If a concentration check is failed by any of the
participants, the ritual must start over from the
beginning.
At the end of the ritual, the gothar must
make a coup de grace action on the sacrificial
creature. He must continue making this action
each round until the sacrificial creature dies, or the
ability has no effect.
Once the ritual is complete and the sacrifice
is dead, each participant gains a number of
luck points equal to 1/2 the sacrificed creature’s
Hit Dice, or equal to the participant’s Hit Dice,
whichever is lower. The participants can spend one
or more luck points as a free action to gain a luck
bonus equal to the number of luck points spent on
a single d20 roll (such as an attack roll, skill check,
ability check, or so on). A participant cannot spend
more luck points on a single roll than 1/4 his Hit
Dice, and he cannot have more luck points than his
Hit Dice at any one time. Luck points remain for
one week, and if they are not spent before this time
they are wasted.
Sacrificing an unwilling creature or a
creature that has been made willing through
deceit or mind-affecting effects is an overtly evil
act, and may cause an immediate alignment shift.
Even the act of sacrificing a truly willing creature
will be seen as evil by some, and is not an action
to be taken into lightly by those who consider
themselves good.
This ability replaces the a thousand faces
class feature.
New Fighter Archetype: Viking
Warrior
Viking warriors are among the most feared
melee combatants in the world. Lightly armored,
they have no fear of death, and often fly into
terrible rages. Further, they take perverse delight in
slaying their foes, and each opponent they kill only
serves to make them fiercer combatants.
A Viking warrior has the following class
features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Viking
warrior is proficient with all simple and martial
weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields,
but not with heavy armor or tower shields. He is
also proficient with any one exotic weapon of his
choice that belongs to the Viking weapon group
(see below).
Viking Weapons: A Viking warrior is well
versed in the types of weapons favored by vikings.
When selecting a group of weapons for his Weapon
Training ability, he can select Viking Weapons as a
group.
The Viking Weapons group consists of the
bastard sword, battleaxe, dwarven waraxe, glaive,
greataxe, handaxe, heavy mace, hooked axe,
javelin, longsword, short spear, throwing axe, and
warhammer.
Killseeker (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a
Viking warrior revels in each of his kills, making
him a particularly fearsome warrior. Whenever
the Viking warrior slays an opponent, he gets a +1
morale bonus on attack and damage rolls for one
round. At 6th level, and every four levels thereafter,
this benefit lasts for one additional round (to a
maximum of 5 rounds, at 18th level). Additionally,
at 10th level, this bonus increases to +2, and at 18th
level, it increases to +3. This ability replaces the
bravery class feature.
Warrior’s Rage (Ex): At 3rd level, a Viking
warrior gains the rage ability as the barbarian class
feature, but his barbarian level is considered to
be his fighter level –2. This ability replaces armor
training.
Rage Powers: At 8th, 14th, and 20th levels,
the Viking warrior gains a rage power for which
he meets the prerequisite. His barbarian level is
treated as his level -2 for this purpose. This ability
replaces the bonus feats gained at 8th, 14th, and 20th
levels, respectively.
New Monk Archetype: Tavern Brawler
Tavern brawlers live for drinking, partying,
and fighting, not necessarily in that order. While
most monks focus on controlling their emotions
and finding inner peace through rigid order, tavern
brawlers are just looking for a good time, and their
idea of a good time involves a lot of booze, and a
lot of bruises.
A tavern brawler has the following class
features.
Alignment: A tavern brawler can be of any
alignment.
Hit Dice: The tavern brawler uses a d10 Hit
Dice.
Skills: The tavern brawler adds Knowledge
(local) to his list of class skills, but removes
Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (religion).
The tavern brawler gains only 2 + Intelligence
modifier skill ranks at each level.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The
tavern brawler is proficient with all simple
weapons, and with light armor, but not with
shields. Though the tavern brawler is proficient
with light armor, when wearing armor of any kind,
using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load,
a tavern brawler loses his AC bonus and flurry of
blows abilities.
Flurry of Blows: The tavern brawler
cannot make a flurry of blows with special monk
weapons. He may only use this ability with his fists.
Otherwise, this functions as the monk class feature
flurry of blows.
Ready for a Fight (Ex): At 3rd level, the
tavern brawler gains a +4 bonus on initiative
checks. At 6th level, and every 3 levels thereafter,
this bonus improves by +1. This bonus does not
stack with the Improved Initiative feat. This ability
replaces fast movement.
Drunken Ki (Su): At 3rd level, a tavern
brawler can drink a tankard of ale or strong alcohol
and gain one temporary ki point. The act of
drinking is a standard action that does not provoke
attacks of opportunity. The tavern brawler can have
a maximum number of drunken ki points equal
to 1 plus one additional point for every two levels
thereafter (5th, 7th, and so on). The tavern brawler
can gain this temporary ki even before he gains a ki
pool at 4th level. These drunken ki points last for
1 hour or until spent, whichever is shorter. As long
as he has at least 1 drunken ki point, the tavern
brawler can spend 1 ki point as a swift action to
gain a +1 morale bonus to attack and damage rolls
until the end of his turn.
This ability replaces the still mind class
feature.
Fighting Spirit (Ex): This is identical
to the monk class feature ki pool, except that
the maximum number of points in the pool is
equal to 1/2 the tavern brawler’s class level + his
Constitution modifier, and at 10th level, instead of
treating his unarmed attacks as though they were
lawful weapons, he increases the critical multiplier
of his unarmed attacks by 1 whenever he makes a
ki strike (typically, this would give them a critical
 This ability replaces the high jump class
feature.

Drunken Strength (Ex): At 5th level, a

tavern brawler can spend 1 point of ki as a swift
action to inflict 1d6 extra points of damage on a
single successful melee attack. The tavern brawler
can choose to apply the damage after the attack
roll is made. At 10th level, the tavern brawler may
spend 2 drunken ki points to increase the extra
damage to 2d6. At 15th level, the tavern brawler
may spend 3 drunken ki points to increase the
extra damage to 3d6. At 20th level, the tavern
brawler may spend 4 drunken ki points to increase
the extra damage to 4d6. The tavern brawler must
have at least 1 drunken ki point to use this ability.

This ability replaces the purity of body class

feature.

Drunken Vigor (Ex): At 7th level, a tavern

brawler can spend one point of ki as a swift action
to gain a number of temporary hit points equal to
his Hit Dice. After 2d6 rounds, the temporary hit
points fade, leaving the tavern brawler nauseated
for 1 round. The tavern brawler must have at least 1
Image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / dclipart drunken ki point to use this ability.
multiplier of x3).
This ability replaces the wholeness of body
class feature.
Resilient (Ex): At 4th level, a tavern brawler
gains Endurance and Diehard as bonus feats. This
Staggering Steps (Ex): Beginning at 12th
ability replaces the slow fall class feature.
level, the tavern brawler is able to take advantage
of his drunkenness to move erratically and avoid
Athletic (Ex): At 5th level, the tavern
his opponents’ attacks. As long as he has at least
brawler can spend 1 point from his ki pool as a
three points of drunken ki, the tavern brawler does
swift action to gain a +10 bonus on any Acrobatics,
not provoke attacks of opportunity for leaving
Climb, or Swim check.
a threatened square (he still provokes attacks
of opportunity for other actions, like drinking a
Balls of Your Feet (Ex): At 5th level, the
potion standing up from prone).
tavern brawler is able to move at his full speed
whenever he uses Acrobatics to move through
This ability replaces the abundant step class
a threatened square without provoking attacks
feature.
of opportunity without increasing the DC of the
Acrobatics check. Further, the DC for Acrobatics
Drunken Will (Ex): Beginning at 13th level,
checks made to avoid attacks of opportunity
a tavern brawler is able to use the alcohol clouding
remains the same regardless of how many
his mind as a shield against mental intrusion.
opponents are avoided.
As long as he has at least five points of drunken
ki, the tavern brawler is immune to charm and
compulsion effects.
 This ability replaces the diamond soul class
feature.
Knockout Punch (Ex): Starting at 15th
level, a tavern brawler can deliver a devastating
blow capable of laying an opponent low with a
single punch. As a full-attack action, he may make
a single attack with his unarmed strike. If the
attack hits, in addition to dealing normal damage,
the target must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10
+ 1/2 the tavern brawler’s monk level + the tavern
brawler’s Strength modifier) or immediately take
an amount of nonlethal damage equal to their
maximum hit points.
This nonlethal damage isn’t subject to
damage reduction or other effects that would
reduce the amount of damage taken, but if the
target is immune to nonlethal damage, it has no
effect. Creatures that have nonlethal damage in
excess of their current hit points immediately fall
unconscious.
The tavern brawler can use this ability three
times per day. This ability replaces the quivering
palm class feature.
Distraction (Ex): At 19th level, as a swift
action, a tavern brawler can spend 3 points from
his ki pool to attempt to distract his foe, either with
a feint, or by fooling him into turning his attention
elsewhere. The tavern brawler makes a Bluff check
to feint the opponent (as described under the
Bluff skill in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core
Rulebook), and adds his monk level to the result of
his check (the DC remains the same).
This ability replaces the empty body class
feature.
New Ranger Archetype: Viking Raider
Viking raiders are feared by coastal
communities everywhere, not only for their ability
to strike swiftly and without warning, but for their
brutal efficiency in combat, and their terrifying
disregard for the value of human life.
A Viking raider has the following class
features:
Favored Terrain (Ex): A Viking raider may
only select cold, forest, mountain, and water as
favored terrains. This ability otherwise functions as
the standard favored terrain ranger class feature.
Bonus Feats (Ex): At 4th level, the Viking
raider gains the Weapon Focus feat as a bonus feat
for any weapon of his choice that he is proficient
with. At 7th level, he gains the Diehard feat as
a bonus feat. At 10th level, he gains the Weapon
Specialization feat as a bonus feat for any weapon
he has Weapon Focus for. At 13th level, he gains
the Greater Weapon Focus feat as a bonus feat
for any weapon he has the Weapon Focus feat for.
Finally, at 17th level, he gains the Greater Weapon
Specialization feat as a bonus feat for any weapon
he has Weapon Specialization for. The Viking
raider may take these feats even if he does not
meet the prerequisites, as long as he meets all the
conditions outlined as part of this ability.
This ability replaces the ranger’s spells
class feature, as well as his hide in plain sight class
feature. Viking raiders do not gain any spells or
spellcasting ability, do not have a caster level, and
cannot use spell trigger and spell completion magic
items.
Viking Rage (Ex): At 4th level, a Viking
raider gains the rage ability as the barbarian class
feature, but his barbarian level is considered to be
his ranger level –3. This ability replaces hunter’s
bond.
Raging Stride (Ex): Beginning at 7th level,
as long as he is raging, the Viking raider ignores
difficult terrain of all kinds, and can move through
it as though it were normal terrain. Other effects
that impede movement, but are not specifically
treated as difficult terrain (such as a deep or
shallow bog, or attempting to exit a trench) affect
the viking raider normally. This ability replaces the
woodland stride class feature.
Terrifying Scourge (Ex): At 12th level, a
Viking raider is so fearsome that a mere glance can
practically disable his foes. Whenever the Viking
raider makes an Intimidate check to demoralize a
favored enemy, if the check is successful, the target
suffers twice the normal penalty for being shaken
as a result of the check (for a total -4 penalty to
attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability
checks). Although the penalties are increased, the
target is still only considered to be shaken. This
ability replaces the camouflage class feature.
New Witch Archetype: Volva
These mysterious practitioners of the old
ways have powerful divination magic at their
disposal, and are widely respected among the
Vikings for their ability not only to predict the
future, but also to influence the battlefield from a
great distance through subtle fate-weaving magic.
A volva has the following class features.
Internalized Spellcasting: A volva does
not prepare her spells in the same way as a normal
witch. She does not rely upon a familiar for her
spells, but rather learns the spells in the same way
that her familiar normally would. In this way, the
vulva learns and prepares spells just like a normal
witch, except that she need not commune with her
familiar to prepare spells.
Because she has no familiar, she cannot add
spells to her familiar. She can learn spells from
a scroll in the same way that a witch’s familiar
normally would, except that it is the volva who
consumers the resulting powder, rather than
the familiar. A volva cannot learn spells from a
familiar or from another volva in the manner that a
witch’s familiar can teach another witch’s familiar,
however. Even if the volva gains a familiar from
another source, her familiar cannot learn spells like
a normal witch’s familiar.
Patron: A volva must choose her patron
from one of the following patron themes:
ancestors, animals, death, enchantment, occult,
portents, winter, or wisdom.
Wand (Ex): A volva possesses a powerful
wand, which aids her in her magic. These wands
are often elaborately carved to resemble sewing
implements, or, in some cases, are overtly phallic in
appearance. Three times per day, while the volva is
holding her wand, she can choose to increase the
saving throw DC of a spell that she casts by +1. This
is a free action made as part of casting the spell,
but the volva must declare that she is using this
ability before the spell is actually cast.
This ability replaces the familiar class
feature.
Vision of Star and Wind (Su): At 4th
level, the volva learns the art of divining the future
through a special trance-like state induced by
sitting perfectly still, exposed to the elements, for
extended periods of time.
In order to use this ability, the volva must
spend from dusk until dawn outside and exposed
to the elements. She enters a trance-like state
wherein she is perfectly aware of the world around
her, but if she moves or takes any action during
this time, the attempt fails and she gains no benefit
from the time spent out of doors. If she is exposed
to adverse weather conditions, she must make
concentration checks as though she were casting
a spell, but she need only make one such check
for each hour she is exposed to the condition.
If she takes damage during this time, she must
succeed on a concentration check as though
she were casting a spell. If she fails any of these
concentration checks, the attempt fails and she
gains no benefit from the time spent out of doors.
If the volva successfully completes the
ritual, she is affected as though by the spell contact
other plane, with a few exceptions. First, the volva
need never make an Intelligence check to avoid
Intelligence or Charisma damage, and never has
her ability scores decreased in this way as part of
this ability.
Second, the effect is capable of limited
prediction of the future. The volva can choose to
substitute one of her questions in order to ask
the outcome of a specific action. If she does, the
question is answered with “weal,” “woe,” “weal and
woe,” or “nothing,” as described in the spell augury,
but everything else about the answer (such as the
chance of getting a correct answer, the possibility
of a false answer, and so on) still use the rules for
contact other plane.
Finally, the volva does not choose what type
of plane she contacts. This is instead determined
by her level, as indicated on the table below.
 This replaces the volva’s 4th-level hex.
Weave Fate (Su): At 12th level, the volva is
able to weave her magic into the tapestry of fate,
allowing her to affect targets with spells or hexes
that she would not normally be able to. Once per
day, she may choose to use this ability to cast a
spell or use a hex on a target that is not present.
Doing so requires 10 minutes of uninterrupted
meditation, at the end of which the volva casts the
spell or uses the hex in question.
The spell or hex in question must have one
or more targets. If it has more than one target, it
only affects a single target when used in this way.
For the purposes of this ability, the spell or hex can
affect the target regardless of range. If the spell
requires an attack roll, the volva must still make
the roll, but does not suffer any penalties for the
distance nor for being unable to see the target (this
applies even to spells with a range of touch). The
target is allowed a Will save to resist the effect. This
saving throw is subject to all the same bonuses and
penalties outlined in the spell scrying. This saving
throw is in addition to any saving throw normally
offered by the spell.
This replaces the volva’s 12th-level hex.
Prestige Classes
The following prestige classes provide a
variety of options for characters to become elite
Viking warriors, embracing everything it means to
be a true Viking. They are presented in alphabetical
order.
Berserker
Araagh!
Fjorn Firetusk, berserker.
Berserkers are terrifying warriors who
can enter a trance like state of uncontrollable
fury, which drives them to fight with reckless
abandon. Clad in animal skins, berserkers fight
their battles in similar fashion to the wild beasts
they resemble, killing on instinct and behaving in
a fashion unfathomable to most opposing forces.
Since berserkers fight completely without concern
for their own life, only the very strongest and best
of these famed warriors survive large, drawn out
battles, but their complete disregard for their own
life allows even a single berserker to turn the tide of
battle, decimating the enemy ranks and panicking
even veteran soldiers, and ensuring that the
berserker’s glorious death in battle earns his spirit
a place in the famed golden hall of warriors in the
next world.
Whether for religious or spiritual matters,
a quest for personal glory, or a simple problem
controlling one’s temper, men become berserkers
for a variety of reasons. Berserkers are often
welcome in the hirds (or elite soldiers) of kings and
lesser lords, for their value as shock troops and for
the prestige that commanding such uncontrollable
men can bring. Still other berserkers find work as
mercenary warriors, as part of a group or alone,
bringing their uncontrollable battle frenzy to the
highest bidder.
Making a Berserker
Bersekers are warriors at the very core of
their being, and emphasize combat prowess above
all else. The exact skills of individual berserkers are
diverse, and encompass everything from extensive
classical combat training to simple brute force.
In the end, the only thing one truly needs to be a
berserker is an absolute commitment to the fight,
without care of the outcome.
Requirements
To qualify to become a berserker, a character
must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Intimidate 5 ranks
Special: Must single handedly kill either a
bear, a boar, or a wolf (or, at the GM’s discretion, a
similar creature to one of those three) and take the
pelt of that animal, which serves as the berserker’s
totem, and affects numerous class abilities.
Ability Scores: A berserker is an out-of-
control fighter who places a strong emphasis on
physical ability scores. Of chief importance to the
berserker is a high Strength score, which allows
him to inflict more damage in melee combat and
thus slay more of his foes. As unarmored melee
fighters, a high Dexterity is important to berserkers
who wish to avoid the blows of their opponents
and live on to see other battles, however Dexterity
becomes less important to powerful berserkers
whose berserkergang allows them to shrug off
more and more lethal wounds. A high Constitution
is critical to all berserkers, as it affects the power
of their berserkergang and allows them to survive
their famed rage to live another day. While mental
abilities are less important to berserkers, a high
Wisdom can allow berserkers to throw off the
mental magics which could turn them against their
friends and companions, while high Intelligence
or Charisma scores can increase the value of the
berserker outside of his combat role.
Alignment: Because berserkers are
constantly on the border of insane rage, most tend
towards generally chaotic personalities. While
commonly portrayed as evil, bloodthirsty warriors
bent on nothing but slaughter, berserkers can
just as often have strict moral codes which govern
when and where they choose to fly into their battle
frenzy and when to stop killing, creating a diverse
picture of morality, and allowing for berserkers of
every alignment type.
Hit Dice: d12
Class Skills
The berserker’s class skills are Craft (Int),
Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Swim (Str)
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Intelligence
modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the
Berserker.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A
berserker gains no new proficiencies with any type
of weapons or armor.
Totem Shirt (Su): Berserkers have an
innate connection to a wild and bestial spirit and
must be clad in a shirt or robe made from the
whole or partial hide of the wild beast which he
killed to qualify as a berserker in order to enter
the trance-like state known as berserkergang (see
below). A berserker cannot wear any armor while
wearing his totem shirt, but can wear it along with
other clothing normally. If the berserker’s totem
shirt is destroyed, he can create a new one, but
must first slay a creature of the same sort as the
creature he used to qualify for the prestige class.
Berserkergang (Su): At first level the berserker
gains the ability to enter a primal state of pure
rage. While in such a state, the berserker gains
incredible power, but has only limited control over
his actions as he is overcome with an insane animal
bloodlust. A berserker can only enter a state of
berserkergang while wearing his totem shirt, and
he cannot willingly remove the totem shirt while in
a state of berserkergang.
A berserker can enter this state once per
day for each berserker level he possesses. Once
a berserker enters a state of berserkergang, the
berserkergang lasts indefinitely until either the
berserker ends it, or until there is no one left to
fight. Entering berserkergang is a swift action
which does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
While in a state of berserkergang, the
berserker gains a number of temporary hit points
equal to 10 x his Constitution modifier. If his
Constitution modifier is modified as a result of
entering a state of berserkergang (see below),
he uses the adjusted modifier when calculating
how many temporary hit points he gains. These
temporary hit points are lost when the state of
berserkergang ends.
While in a state of berserkergang, the
berserker must make a melee attack each round.
The berserker can take any action that involves
making a melee attack, including the charge
action, the full attack action, or special actions like
those provided by the Vital Strike feat to meet this
requirement, but he must make at least one melee
attack against a creature each round if there is a
creature that he can reach, even if that creature
is an ally. The only way to avoid this restriction is
to succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + the berserker’s
berserker level + the berserker’s Constitution
modifier). The berserker can make this save as a
free action on his turn, and if he succeeds then he
does not need to make a melee attack that round,
although the berserkergang ends immediately.
If there is no creature to attack (he cannot reach
a creature this turn), then the berserkergang
automatically ends.
When a state of berserkergang ends, the
berserker becomes incredibly drained as the primal
fury leaves him. When the berserkergang ends,
the berserker must succeed on a Constitution
check (DC 5 + the number of rounds spent in the
berserkergang) or else take 1 point of Constitution
damage for each round he spent in berserkergang.
A berserker must wait at least one full minute after
ending a berserkergang before he can begin a new
one.
Finally, entering a state of berserkergang
bestows a number of other benefits upon the
berserker, which improve as he increases in level,
and which are based on the creature chosen for his
totem shirt, as outlined below.
Bear
Might of the Bear (Su): When a berserker
with the bear totem shirt enters berserkergang, he
gains a +4 enhancement bonus to his Constitution
score for as long as he remains in a state of
berserkergang. At 5th level, this bonus improves
to +6, and at 9th level it improves to +8. This
increase in Constitution grants the berserker
extra hit points as appropriate for his Hit Dice.
These extra hit points disappear at the end of
the berserkergang, and are not lost first, unlike
temporary hit points.
Turn Blades (Su): At 3rd level, when a
berserker with the bear totem shirt enters a state
of berserkergang, he gains DR 5/bludgeoning for
the duration of the berserkergang. At 7th level, this
damage reduction improves to 10/bludgeoning.
Turn Fire (Su): At 7th level, when a
berserker with the bear totem shirt enters a state
of berserkergang, he gains energy resistance 10 to
a single energy type of his choice. This choice is
made each time he enters the berserkergang.
Boar
Ferocity of the Boar (Su): When a berserker
with the boar totem shirt enters berserkergang,
he gains a +4 enhancement bonus to his Strength
score for as long as he remains in a state of
berserkergang. At 5th level, this bonus improves to
+6, and at 9th level it improves to +8.
Boar’s Charge (Ex): Beginning at 3rd
level, whenever a berserker with the boar totem
shirt uses the charge action while in a state of
berserkergang, he may choose to apply any feats
he knows that he can use when he uses the attack
or full attack actions (such as Vital Strike or
Whirlwind Attack), even if he would not normally
be able to use those feats as part of a charge action.
Boar’s Fury (Ex): Beginning at 7th level,
whenever a berserker with the boar totem uses the
charge action while in a state of berserkergang,
he may make a full attack as part of that charge,
instead of just a single attack. If he chooses to
do so, the penalty to AC imposed by charging is
increased to -5.
Wolf
Wolf’s Prowess (Su): Whenever a berserker
with the wolf totem shirt enters a state of
berserkergang, he gains a +4 enhancement bonus
to his Dexterity score for as long as he remains in
a state of berserkergang. At 5th level, this bonus
improves to be +6, and at 9th level it improves to
+8.
Precision Strike (Ex): At 3rd level, a berserker
with the wolf totem shirt adds his Dexterity
modifier in addition to his Strength modifier to
damage with melee and thrown weapons as long as
he remains in a state of berserkergang.
Embody the Pack (Ex): At 7th level, when a
berserker with the wolf totem shirt may makes a
full attack action while in a state of berserkergang,
he may move 5 feet after each attack before making
the next attack. This movement does not provoke
attacks of opportunity.
Berserker’s Fury (Ex): At 2nd level, the
primal rage of a berserker allows him to fight on
when others could not. The berserker remains
conscious while at negative hit points, and can act
normally during that time. He is treated as stable,
and does not continue to take damage each round
that he acts. He still dies when his negative hit
points exceed his Constitution score.
Blood of the Berserker (Ex): The angry
blood of the berserker allows him to heal wounds
much more quickly than other characters.
Beginning at 4th level, the berserker recovers 1 hit
point every minute, and 1 point of ability score
damage every hour.
Terrifying Presence (Ex): The berserker is
one of the most fearsome forces on the battlefield,
and starting at 6th level, whenever he enters a state
of berserkergang, he can attempt to use intimate
to demoralize all living creatures which can see
him. This is a free action that functions as normal
for the demoralize use of the Intimidate skill,
except that he rolls his Intimidate check once and
compares the result to the DC of each creature
that is able to see him to see if he affects that
creature. The berserker cannot choose to exclude
certain individuals from this effect, but the DC to
demoralize an ally in this way is increased by +4.
Berserker Ferocity (Ex): Truly legendary
berserkers are nearly impossible to kill, fighting on
long after a normal man would have died. At 8th
level a berserker no longer dies when his negative
hit points exceed his Constitution score, but
instead dies when his negative hit points exceed
twice his Constitution score. Additionally, the
berserker gains a +8 bonus on saving throws made
to resist death effects.
True Berserker (Ex): Only the truly
heroic berserkers live to reach the height of their
trade, but those that do become acclimated to
living in a state of berserkergang. At 10th level,
the berserker no longer suffers any penalty when
his berserkergang ends. He must still wait a full
minute after ending a berserkergang before he can
begin a new one, although he can circumvent even
that restriction by spending a full-round action
trying to force a berserkergang early. To do so, he
must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 20). If he
succeeds, he enters the state of berserkergang. If
the berserker enters the berserkergang in this way,
he does not need to make a melee attack this round
to maintain the berserkergang (although he must
do so in future rounds).
Playing a Berserker
A berserker is a warrior on the verge of
uncontrollable bloodlust. They live for the fight
and relish the chance to die in glorious combat.
Often serving as special forces or elite troops in
military units, berserkers can turn the tide of any
battle.
Races: Humans make up the majority of
berserkers, with their naturally shorter life spans
and reckless natures making them more likely than
other races to be attracted to berserking. After
humans, half-orcs are the most likely, as their
chaotic blood leads them towards this reckless
path. Half-elves sometimes become berserkers,
but are somewhat less likely than humans to do
so. Berserkers of other races are less common.
Elves cherish their long life spans and emphasize
elegance and civility, which means that few elves
hold the values of the berserker in high regard, and
dwarves are often too dour and reserved to become
berserkers, and prefer a more cautious style of
combat, in any case.
Religion: Berserkers are often religiously
motivated, being devoted followers of gods of war
and death. Traditionally ulfheðnar (berserkers with
a wolf totem shirt) wre considered to be blessed by
Odin himself. Some berserkers have primal faiths,
believing in the animal spirits which they embody.
Other berserkers have no particular faith or are
actively atheistic, believing only in themselves and
the power of their intense rage.
Other Classes: Berserkers often get along
well with barbarians, with whom they share a
special kinship. Typically berserkers who spend
time serving in military organizations often find
that they interact well, at least socially, with other
martially-inclined characters, though many take
the attitude that those warriors less committed
to the battle than the berserkers themselves are
weak or cowardly. While berserkers rely on clerics
and druids for their long term survival, unless
the two parties are members of the same faith,
the berserker typically finds little interest in the
company of such individuals. Berserkers often
find themselves at odds with rogues and arcane
spellcasters, whose emphasis on trickery and
planning runs contrary to the berserker’s desire
to smash through the enemy, though this needn’t
necessarily be the case.

Berserkers in the World

We had 500 men clad in mail, and they were
down to the ragged dozen dressed in animal skins.
We quickly surrounded them; victory was in our Image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / dclipart
grasp. Then, suddenly, they bit their shields and
rise from the already extraordinary ranks of the
howled like wild beasts. They moved like lightning
berserker, and pass into legendary status.
about our lines, killing men and horses alike with a
single blow, and no weapon could harm them! They
Bjorn Byarson, though surely now long
killed until the ground ran red with blood, and then
dead, is still perhaps the best remembered of all
when the last of my men were dead, they raised
berserkers. His tale began ordinarily enough: as
their spears to the sky and then suddenly died.
a man obsessed with challenge and possessed
~Lord General Smythin Malkius
of limitless resolve, Bjorn took to wandering the
wilds searching for ever greater foes to face. His
Daily Life: The daily life of the berserker
skill in battle was legendary, and he conquered
varies somewhat based on the individual and his
against odds which would lead even brave men
situation, but typically focuses on consuming
to retreat. His greatest challenge came to him
vast quantities of food and alcohol. Many
while exploring a vast cavern, in search of the fire
berserkers travel the land plundering and taking
giants who had been threatening the surrounding
what they want and leaving a trail of destruction
area. He was confronted by a terrible red dragon
in their wake, assured in the knowledge that
of immense stature. The beast, confident in its
eventually they will die in glorious battle, but
power, thought to destroy Bjorn with a single blast
until then they will live as kings. Other berserkers
of its wicked flames. Though the flames burned
seek a life of isolation away from people they
hot enough to destroy Bjorn’s axe and mail, the
might inadvertently hurt. While there are a
man himself survived relatively unscathed, and
few exceptions, most berserkers do not spend
naked and unarmed, Bjorn gave a furious scream
any amount of time in formal combat training,
and charged the monster. The dragon, surprised
preferring a more natural approach to battle,
but undeterred, devoured the charging warrior
though many find time for a good fight as often as
whole, before he could reach his body. Even then
possible.
Bjorn did not surrender: rather, in a fit of pure rage,
he tore one of the dragon’s fangs from his mouth
Notables: While songs and poems
before the creature could swallow him. Tumbling
of mighty berserkers are fairly common, few
down the dragon’s throat, Bjorn lashed out with
berserkers live long enough to be remembered
the dragon’s own fang, slicing a ring in the dragon’s
by name, other than by their closest kinsman.
neck, effectively beheading the beast to facilitate
Even those berserkers who do achieve notoriety,
his escape. Naked and scorched, Bjorn used the
either for their impressive martial skill or extreme
dragons fang to fashion an armored shirt from its
insanity, rarely achieve any kind of recognition
hide.
until after their death, making notable berserkers
From that day onward whenever Bjorn
something of a rarity. Even so, a few such men do
entered battle he would fight with the strength and
fury of a dragon, and no man or beast could stand challenge a berserker to combat, either because
against him, and no weapon or magic could harm they find his behavior to be uncouth or because he
him. Eventually Bjorn had fought every foe and wants to test his own skill. Few such men live to tell
overcome every challenge in his own land, and he of the experience.
set across the sea to seek his fortune elsewhere. It is
unknown if he ever found a new land or if he sunk Lore: Characters with ranks in Knowledge
at sea, but that was the last anyone ever heard from (local) can research berserkers to learn more about
Bjorn. them. When a character makes this skill check,
read or paraphrase the information from the table
Organizations: Berserkers, despite their below, including entries for lower DCs.
erratic and chaotic natures, can often form or
become part of larger organizations. Berserkers
often end up as elite shock troops in large
armies fielded by kings and great jarls. In such
organizations, berserkers are afforded great respect
both because battles often hinge on their ability to
break the enemies’ ranks, and because lesser men
are terrified of what a berserker might do when he
is treated poorly. As a result, berserkers tend to be
set apart from other troops.

A more common organizational structure

for a berserker is as part of a band of similar
berserk warriors. In such cases, the berserkers
form close friendships with their fellows and
travel together for extended periods. Such groups
commonly work as mercenaries when men have
need of their services, or as brigands when there
isn’t a better offer on the table. These smaller
bands tend to have little in the way of formal
rules and structures, but rather serve as a sort of
adopted family who share in each other’s company,
and watch out for one another. In extreme
circumstances, or regions where berserkers are
plentiful, they sometimes form lodges and similar
fraternal societies, where a great emphasis is
placed on following a particular code or structure.
Such organizations tend to have archaic rules and
complex hierarchies based on achievement, age, or
skill at arms. Housecarl
NPC Reactions: With the exception of The Jarl is dead, but our loyalty did not die
those who employ such men, and those who are with him. We will slaughter until his enemies are a
supremely confident in their own combat abilities, feast for the ravens, or until we meet him again in
most people are terrified of berserkers. Usually Valhalla!
this fear and suspicion is fairly justified, as angry ~Sjorn Skalison, Housecarl to Jarl Hakaan
berserkers tend to kill indiscriminately. When Forkbeard.
they have the ability, many NPCs try to isolate
berserkers from the rest of the community, sending The housecarl serves his lord in many roles,
them into the wild where they are less likely to as his steward, his courier, and his bodyguard.
harm people they care about. In other places, most The housecarl is the fiercest and most committed
people treat the berserker much the same as they defender of his lord, and he is both his servant
would visiting frost giant: with panic. Occasionally and his companion in arms. This loyalty causes
local champions and noteworthy warriors will housecarls—already chosen for this honor because
of their elite warrior abilities—to bring their
combat ability to new heights.
Unlike similar men in other lands, the
housecarl is not a servant in the traditional sense,
beholden to his lord as a thrall, but rather is a free
man who has chosen to devote his life and talents
out of friendship, kinship, or for profit. His actions
are his own, and he is beholden only to his honor
and to his respect for his lord. For most Viking
rulers, housecarls make up the greatest of their
forces, as they are the lord’s most skilled and loyal
warriors, better trained and equipped than even
their brethren, and thus are better respected and
honored.
Making a Housecarl
While all housecarls choose to serve a
lord or crown larger than themselves, each is a
freeman capable of and expected to make his own
decisions. He gains prestige for his skill at war, and
for performing notable deeds, as such successful
housecarls spend much of their time honing their
martial skills, and, when not directly fighting for
their lords, can be found performing valorous
deeds which bring fame to themselves, and, by
extension, their lord.
Requirements
To qualify to become a housecarl, a
character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Weapon Focus (great axe)
Weapon Proficiency: Must be proficient
with all martial weapons, and with at least one type
of medium or heavy armor.
Special: Must give their solemn oath of
service to a lord or patron, and own and maintain a
suit of medium or heavy armor, and a masterwork
great axe.
Ability Scores: A housecarl is among his
lord’s best fighters, entrusted with protecting his
very life, and thus favors a high Strength score,
allowing him to more swiftly dispose of those who
would harm his lord. A high Constitution score is
important to a housecarl, ensuring he can stay in
the fight long enough to prove his worth to his lord
and the gods before he dies. A high Dexterity is less
important to a housecarl than to other fighters,
since it is considered by most Viking cultures to be
less honorable to kill their foes from a distance (on
the other hand, archery is often a required skill in
the early stages of sea battles, so housecarls who
spend the majority of their fighting time on ships
will gain more from a high Dexterity). Intelligence
is important for mastering the administrative skills
which often fall to housecarls, but is less important
to a man on campaign than in the infrequent times
of peace when such duties are called for. Charisma
is important for housecarls who find themselves
leading other troops in their lord’s service, but
is generally considered to be of only minimal
important to man who makes his living with his
axe.
Alignment: Housecarls can come from
many backgrounds, though since an oath of service
is required, most housecarls tend to have lawful
leanings. Most often a housecarl’s alignment
closely resembles that of his lord, though this not
always the case, especially if his lord’s deeds have
managed to earn the housecarl’s respect, perhaps
causing him to overlook his general philosophy in
order to serve this great figure.
Hit Dice: d10
Class Skills
The housecarl’s class skills are Craft (Int),
Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Intelligence
modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the
housecarl.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A
housecarl gains no new proficiencies with any type
of weapons or armor.
Housecarl’s Oath: A housecarl must
swear his service to a lord and conduct himself
in that lord’s name. The exact specifications of
these oaths are unique to each housecarl and his
lord, but are typically very loose and informal
arrangements, requiring a small blood tribute on
behalf of the housecarl and a solemn oath that he
will follow his lord into battle, and not murder
any other of his lords housecarls or actively betray
him, but are rarely much more strict than that. In
general should his lord have no need of his service
in arms or as an administrator, the housecarl is
free to do whatever he whishes. As a free man, a
housecarl can end this arrangement honorably at
any time, but if he does so he may no longer gain
any levels in the housecarl class (he still retains any
benefits he already possessed). Similarly, should
the housecarl violate his oaths, or his lord die,
he cannot gain any more levels in the housecarl
class. An ex-housecarl who convinces another lord
to take him as a housecarl, he can resume taking
levels in the housecarl class.
Superior Training (Ex): A housecarl is
the most skilled of his lord’s fighters, and, through
constant training in martial techniques, can fight
with skill only possessed by the greatest champions
of lesser warrior cultures. For the purposes of
qualifying for feats, a housecarl is treated as a
fighter of his housecarl level. If he already had
levels in fighter before becoming a housecarl, then
those levels stack for the purposes of qualifying for
feats (for example if Sven is a lv 5 fighter and a lv 6
housecarl, he counts as an 11th level fighter for the
purposes of qualifying for feats).
Daneaxe Fighting (Ex): Every housecarl
is trained in the use of massive axes requiring two
hands to wield, and can use such weapons to great
effect, making them far more dangerous than even
men armed with two weapons. At 2nd level, when
the housecarl makes a full attack action while
wielding a greataxe, he can choose to suffer a -4
penalty to all attack rolls made this round in order
to make an additional attack at his highest base
attack bonus. At 10th level, his mastery over the
daneaxe combat style improves further, allowing
him to make a third additional attack at a -10
penalty (for a total penalty of -14).
Bonus Feat: A housecarl is an excellent
warrior whose deeds are legendary beyond
measure. At 3rd level, and every 3 levels thereafter,
the housecarl gains a bonus feat, which can be any
combat feat for which he qualifies.
Fight For Your Lord (Ex): At 4th level the
housecarls loyalty to his lord makes him a powerful
force on the battle field when fighting to defend
him. As long as the housecarl remains within 30
ft. of his lord, he gains a +2 morale bonus to AC
and to attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th
level, this bonus improves to +4. Additionally,
three times per day, as a swift action, the housecarl
can declare his devotion to his lord to gain these
benefits for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 his
housecarl level (rounded down, minimum 1), even
if his lord is not present.
Improved Daneaxe Fighting (Ex):
Beginning at 5th level, the housecarl’s mastery
of this fighting style improves, allowing him to
make a second additional attack a -5 penalty (for a
total penalty of -9) whenever he uses his daneaxe
fighting class feature.
Housecarl Armor Training (Ex): A
housecarl is required to maintain his own
equipment, and after many battles spent living in
and caring for his armor, he learns to wear it more
effectively. Beginning at 7th level, the housecarl’s
moves at his full speed regardless of the type of
armor he is wearing.
Morale (Ex): A housecarl is more than
just a warrior in his lord’s service: he is a symbol
of strength and honor to all who see him. At 8th
level, a housecarl’s devotion to his lord makes the complex social structures of elven hierarchy
him unshakable and unwavering, granting can sometimes devolve into a more traditional
him immunity to fear effects. Additionally, the feudal system, and in such cases it is not
housecarl’s example inspires those around him, uncommon for elven kings and princes to adopt
making them more brave, and effectively granting the most skilled of their people into their homes
them a bonus equal to the housecarl’s class level on as guards and administers, though they rarely use
Will saves made to resist fear effects. the word housecarl itself for this practice. Few
other races have the discipline and warrior culture
Die For Your Lord (Ex): At 10th level, traditionally necessary to support housecarls,
the housecarl makes a second oath to his lord, though members of other races are sometimes
swearing to die either protecting his life, or adopted as housecarls by kings of other races.
avenging him. For many housecarls this second
oath is little more than a formality, but still the Religion: Traditional housecarls adopt
housecarl gains power from the oath. So long as whatever religion their lord follows, and not
he is within 30 ft. of his lord, the housecarl fights doing so can sometimes be seen a slight upon
with an additional ferocity, allowing him to remain the housecarl’s lord. In cases where religious
conscious even at 0 or negative hit points (he controversy is emerging it is not uncommon for the
still dies at his negative constitution score), and housecarl to publicly adopt their lord’s faith, while
allowing him to make an additional attack at his secretly keeping their own. Housecarls whose lord
highest base attack bonus whenever he makes a does not follow a particular deity, or for whom
full attack with a melee weapon. If the housecarl’s religious faith is not an issue, generally favor gods
lord is ever slain, the housecarl still gains these of war and protection.
benefits, but only when he is actively fighting to
avenge his lord’s death. Other Classes: Housecarls function
remarkably well with members of other classes
Superior Daneaxe Fighting (Ex): At 10th when left to their own devices. Fellow housecarls of
level, the housecarl becomes a true master of course are held in highest regard, though not much
daneaxe fighting, allowing him to make a third more so than other fighting men, particularly
additional attack at a -10 penalty (for a total penalty the fighter and barbarians which make up the
of -14) whenever he uses his daneaxe fighting class majority Viking armies. Though some housecarls
feature. are slow to trust rogues because they believe them
to be treacherous or cowardly, most recognize the
Playing a Housecarl usefulness of such men on the battlefield and don’t
concern themselves with the rogue’s methods,
A housecarl is an important member of his so long as he is stabbing the housecarl’s lord’s
lord’s household, in many cases as close as kin, and enemies in the back, and not the housecarl or
his primary interest is in his lord’s wellbeing. Most his lord. Like all Vikings, housecarls hold bards
housecarls are in service to a great king or to an (particularly proper skalds) in high regard for both
influential jarl, and make up the elite guard of their their entertaining stories, and also for their ability
armies. While housecarls may adopt many duties to tell tales of the housecarl’s own deeds, so that he
in their service, skill at arms and battle prowess are might remain immortalized in song. Spellcasters of
the most valued skills of any housecarl, so most all sorts tend to receive warm welcomes, as long as
housecarls turn their aims towards military ends. they don’t let their magic make them arrogant, and
they cast their spells in the housecarl’s favor.
Races: Originally all housecarls were
humans, though this is no longer the case. They That said, if their lord has particularly
can originate from a wide variety of cultures, as strong opinions about one or more classes, such as
Viking kings adopt members of other cultures a distaste for wizards, it is not uncommon to find
into their armies, as long as they show exceptional that the housecarl sharing that same opinion, at
skill. Dwarves are as likely as humans to become least until the offending class proves itself worthy
housecarls, largely in service to clan leaders and in his eyes.
other influential community leaders, and many
dwarven communities maintain this tradition.
Where the elves are called to make war frequently,
Housecarls in the World
Thorvald places this stone for Erik his
housecarl who was a great warrior and commander,
and who sailed east and when they sat around our
hold there he slaughtered until his death to break
them.
~runestone placed by king Thorvald outside
of Himskir pass.
Daily Life: The average housecarl spends
much of his time with the lord in his household,
though the tradition varies somewhat from place
to place. For some housecarls, being a housecarl
is very similar to being kin, sitting at the lords
table and eating with him, joking with him and in
general living life very much like his brother. For
others, its more akin to being a common soldier,
separated from lesser troops only by superior
weaponry, training, discipline, commitment, and
likely a grant of land or gold. For others still, being
a housecarl means being his lord’s champion
riding on his behalf and acting as his agent in the
world. For all when the time for battle comes he is
at his lord’s side in the core of the army or in the
front ranks, laying his life down for his oath and
bringing swift death to his lord’s enemies.
area to area, with informal armed bands being
the most common, but large regimented armies
governed by simple codes or even complex laws are
not unheard of.
NPC Reactions: The general reaction
towards housecarls tends to relate largely to who is
doing the reacting. At home, housecarls are treated
with a great deal of respect by carls, landsman,
and jarls alike, renowned for their bravery and
commitment to their lords. In some places,
they are regarded cautiously, as would be any
considerable armed force in service to a foreigner.
In other places, far from the lands of their lord,
in the places where their lord sends them to raid
and pillage, they are known to be bloodthirsty
killers who commit atrocities so horrendous as to
be unmentionable, and are feared and hated more
even than demons and dragons.
Lore: Characters with ranks in Knowledge
(local) can research housecarls to learn more about
them. When a character makes this skill check,
read or paraphrase the information from the table
below, including entries for lower DCs.

Notables: Few housecarls aren’t known at

least locally, and rune stones carved to the fallen
litter the landscape after a major battle. However,
with so many local heroes, it becomes difficult to
separate hosuecarls of true notoriety.

An exception to this tendency can be found

in the story of Bari the Faithful, who is considered
by many to have been the greatest of housecarls.
When his lord Syorri was betrayed by his brother,
and all his other retainers had abandoned him,
Bari remained true, and at the entrance to his
lord’s hold, he stood against truly impossible odds,
killing 400 men before Syorri, sure that defeat was
inevitable, took his own life. The shock of such an
act gave Bari pause, and a spear found his heart.
If rumors are to be believed, his ghost still haunts
Syorri’s hold, allowing none to pass the threshold.

Organizations: Housecarls are generally

military men, and serve in the core of their lord’s
armies. Depending on their lord’s influence, they
might belong to a small group of bodyguards,
be left to lead hundreds of troops, or be but one
of thousands of men in a standing army. The
discipline of these units also varies greatly from
Jomsviking
These men who have been arrayed against
us think they know war. They think they know what
it means to be a warrior. They are wrong. They have
never faced Odin’s sons, they have never faced men
of true conviction, and they have never fought the
men of Jomsborg! And they will not live to tell of
what it is like.
~Helting the Strong, Jomsviking
Jomsvikings are perhaps the greatest of
fighting men. Elite warrior societies, jomsvikings
are collections of warriors who come together
to form a community devoted to nothing but
warfare, in an attempt to recreate the legendary
warrior-society of Jomsborg. Together, these great
warriors strive to challenge themselves, and each
other, into becoming the best possible warriors the
world has ever seen, combining constant training
with regular campaigning and mercenary work.
True jomsvikings, it is said, require only battle
for sustenance, for they eat, drink, and sleep war.
Combing technical training and skill at arms
with natural strength and primal aggression, the
jomsviking is martial perfection. Unlike many of
their contemporaries, jomsvikings are a disciplined
force with a rigid code of conduct, making them
more than a mere band of warriors.
Guided by the principles of the old ways,
jomsvikings are warriors in service to their
ancestral faith, and devoted to preserving those
same traditions. Their skill at arms is the stuff of
legends, and poets and where they go men tremble
for their presence. Unconcerned with political
gains and the ambitions of the weak, jomsvikings
lend those legendary skills only to those who truly
earn their respect, or at least pay their exceptional
fees.
Making a Jomsviking
Jomsvikings are more than mere warriors,
they are the very height of martial craft,
emphasizing in equal measure strength, skill, and
discipline. To the jomsvikings the measure of a
man isn’t what he can do, as much as it is what
he actually does, and those who would join their
honored ranks must first prove themselves worthy,
and it is said that those who have joined already
must prove themselves again with every breath.
Image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / dclipart
Requirements
To qualify to become a jomsviking, a
character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Weapon Specialization (any melee
weapon)
Class Features: Rage
Special: In order to join the ranks of the
jomsviking, one must prove oneself by performing
an act of great strength. This typically takes place
in the form of a holmgang (honor duel) with an
existing jomsviking. As is traditional, the exact
rules of these duels are left up to the participants,
but are only rarely lethal with “significant
bloodying” (or reducing a target to ½ his hit
points) being the norm. In addition to proving
oneself, other requirements are often laid upon
those wishing to join the ranks of the jomsvikings,
and vary from stronghold to stronghold. In the
legendary Jomsborg, applicants must be men
between the ages of 18-50, and they must have
seen combat before. In addition to these basic
requirements one is required to swear the oath of
the jomsviking (see below) in order to maintain
their membership.
Ability Scores: Jomsvikings are warriors of
the highest caliber, and greatly emphasize personal
strength. As a result, a high Strength score of
critical importance to a successful jomsviking.
This is especially true since jomsvikings focus
specifically on melee combat. Constitution and
Dexterity are considered to be equally important
to jomsvikings, as the former grants the hit points
and fortitude saving throws necessary to stay
alive throughout their career, while the latter not
only allows access to certain combat feats the
jomsviking may find useful, but improves his
acrobatic ability, which can become of critical
importance, as he will frequently be called
upon to balance while fighting on a longship.
For the jomsviking, Intelligence is by far the
most important mental ability score, as it useful
for a number of different combat feats and for
understanding complex tactical situations.
Alignment: The strict ethical codes
required by jomsvikings, as well as their rigid and
regimented lifestyle means that the majorty of
jomsvikings do not have a chaotic alignment, and
since the primal rage which jomsvikings demand
of their members typically precludes a lawful
alignment, most jomsvikings are neutral. While
jomsvikings can be either good or evil, the majority
are neither, preferring neutrality instead.
Hit Dice: d12
Class Skills
The jomsviking’s class skills are Acrobatics
(Dex), Craft (Int), Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha),
Profession (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Intelligence
modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the
jomsviking
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A
jomsviking gains no new proficiencies with any
type of weapons or armor.
Jomsviking’s Oath: In order to join
the jomsvikings, one must swear to uphold a
strict set of moral conditions by which to live
their lives. A typical set of codes is similar to the
following: To never harm or speak ill of another
of the jomsvikings, to show no fear or doubt, to
never forsake the true gods, to never be beyond
jomsborg’s walls for more than three days without
the permission of the jomsvikings, to hold always
the council of the jomsvikings in the highest
regard, to never flee from equal or inferior
numbers, to never allow a woman in the places
where training or combat occur, or where she
could interfere with the focus of a soldier, and to
distribute all the spoils of battle evenly among all
the jomsvikings. Different jomsviking strongholds
may have different rules and codes of conduct.
A jomsviking that violates these oaths is
punished by his fellows with exile, and in extreme
cases with death. Additionally, a character who
breaks these oaths cannot gain further levels
in the jomsviking class until such a time as the
jomsvikings take the offender back into the
organization, a feat which will likely require
extensive efforts on behalf of the offending
character.
Combat Dicipline (Ex): A jomsviking’s
rigid discipline and excessive training make him
a versatile and nearly undefeatable warrior. A
jomsviking has a number of warrior points equal to
his jomsviking level. Each round, as a swift action,
the jomsviking can allocate these points to gain a
number of benefits. The jomsviking never expends
these points, and can always reallocate them later
with another swift action. All of the benefits gained
by this class feature last until the beginning of
the jomsviking’s next turn, so in order to continue
gaining any benefit, the jomsviking must continue
to spend a swift action each round to allocate his
warrior points.
At 1st level, the jomsviking can allocate
his warrior points to become more resistant to
fear, or more resistant to exhaustion. For each
warrior point he allocates to be more resistant
to exhaustion, he gains a +1 morale bonus on
Fortitude saves made to resist the fatigued or
exhausted conditions. For each warrior point he
allocates to be more resistant to fear, he gains a
+1 morale bonus on Will saves made to resist fear
effects.
Beginning at 3rd level, the jomsviking may
choose to allocate warrior points to resist charm
and compulsion effects. For every warrior point he
allocates to this end, he gains a +1 morale bonus
on Will saves made to resist charm or compulsion
effects.
Beginning at 5th level, the jomsviking may
choose to allocate warrior points to improve his
defenses. For every two warrior points he allocates
to this end, he gains a +1 morale bonus to AC.
Beginning at 7th level, the jomsviking
may choose to allocate warrior points to improve
his accuracy. For every three warrior points he
allocates to this end, he gains a +1 morale bonus to
attack rolls.
Beginning at 9th level, the jomsviking may
choose to allocate warrior points in order to deal
massive damage. For every three warrior points
he allocates to this end, he gains a +2 bonus on
weapon damage rolls.
Combat Training (Ex): A jomsviking must
be an expert in combat techniques and weaponry.
Starting at 1st level, a jomsviking counts as a fighter
of his level for the purposes of qualifying for
feats (for example a character who was a 4th-level
fighter and 5th-level jomsviking would count as a
9th-level fighter when determining whether or not he
qualified for feats that require a certain number of
fighter levels).
Controlled Frenzy (Ex): A jomsviking
must be able to tap the primal rage of his heritage
for power, but must not let that power dampen his
combat skills and awareness. At 1st level, and every
level thereafter, the jomsviking gains 2 additional
rounds of rage each day. Additionally, whenever
he enters a rage, he retains use of his mental
faculties, and can use Dexterity-, Intelligence-, and
Charisma-based skills, as well as abilities requiring
concentration and focus, while he is raging.
Warrior’s Accuracy (Ex): A jomsviking
can draw on his innate primal fury, channeling
it towards more disciplined and equally deadly
ends. At 2nd level, he can expend 1 round of his rage
ability in order to gain a primal insight into striking
his target, granting him a +2 morale bonus on
the next attack roll he makes this round. He may
use this ability as a free action made as part of the
attack, but must declare that he is using this ability
before the attack roll is made.
Warrior’s Strike (Ex): At 4th level, a
jomsviking’s ability to channel his rage improves,
allowing him to strike more keenly when he scores
a life-threatening blow, effectively allowing him to
expend 1 round of rage in order to gain a +4 morale
bonus on an attack roll made to confirm a critical
hit. This is a free action made as part of the attack
roll, but the jomsviking must declare that he is
using this ability before the confirmation roll is
made.
Warrior’s Focus (Ex): At 6th level, the
jomsviking channel an exceptional fury in order
to make an attack which is likely to cause grievous
wounds. He can expend 2 rounds of rage in order
to double the critical threat range of a weapon he
is wielding for his next attack. This is a free action
made as part of the attack, but the jomsviking
must declare that he is using this ability prior to
making the attack roll. This ability does not stack
with itself, nor with the Improved Critical feat, the
keen weapon, or similar effects.
Warrior’s Punishment (Ex): At 8th level,
the jomsviking can channel great frustration into
his attack. By spending 3 rounds of rage, he can
increase the critical multiplier of a weapon he is
wielding by 1 for the next attack he makes (for
instance a battleaxe, with a critical multiplier of
x3, would be treated as though it had a x4 critical
modifier). The jomsviking can use this ability as
a free action as part of making an attack with the
weapon, but must declare that he is using this
ability before the attack roll is made.
Warrior’s Frenzy (Ex): At 10th level, the
jomsviking can truly focus a frenzy into a potent
offensive explosion, allowing him to expend 5
rounds of rage to make an additional attack at his
highest base attack bonus. Activating this ability is
free action made as part of an action that involves
a melee attack (such as the charge action, the full
attack action, or the attack action). The jomsviking
can only use this ability once per round.
Fearless (Ex): At 10th level, jomsvikings
learn to shake their fear entirely, becoming
immune to fear effects.
Playing a Jomsviking
A jomsviking is a disciplined warrior,
committed to serving his brothers in arms and
fighting for honor, glory, and gold.
Races: In legendary Jomsborg, only
humans were permitted to join the ranks of
the jomsviking, with extreme prejudice applied
to those not of Viking descent, and those of
differing religious beliefs banned entirely. In
modern times, the majority of jomsvikings are
still humans, but a desire for fame and glory
has motivated warriors of all stripes to seek out
these legendary warriors. Humanity’s natural
organizational skills and military discipline,
combined with their racial penchant for religious
zealotry make humans exceptional jomsvikings.
Apart from humans, dwarves, with their love of
discipline and exceptional warrior skills, make
excellent jomsvikings. Half-elves often find the
adoptive family environment of the jomsvikings a
welcome change from the social ostracization that
they’re used to. Half-orcs often join up as a way of
proving their merit, and challenging their natural
combat skills. Elves, gnomes, and halflings of a
warrior nature sometimes join the jomsvikings but
generally take better to less rigid environments,
and must work harder than the above races
in order to earn the acceptance of jomsviking
communities.
Religion: The jomsvikings of legendary
Jomsborg were staunch pagans, worshiping the
Norse pantheon of gods, and actively fought
against the encroachment of other gods into their
homeland, going to any length to keep their pagan
practices alive. Religion played a major role in
their day-to-day life, and signs from various Norse
gods played a major role in the decisions of the
hierarchy. Members of other faiths wishing to join
the jomsvikings were either flat out refused, or
required to convert. Even today, jomsvikings hold
similar strict religious traditions, but may have
less archaic beliefs. Jomsvikings of today tend to
worship gods of warfare, and local, or ancestral
gods, above all others.
Other Classes: With the exception of
clerics and shamans of their faith, jomsvikings
have little tolerance for non-martial classes, and
even then tend to scorn association with warriors
who are not themselves jomsvikings. Of course,
as mercenaries, jomsvikings often find themselves
working alongside armies composed primarily of
non-jomsvikings. In such situations, jomsvikings
value fighters for their defensive skills, barbarians
for their fearlessness, rangers for their scouting
capabilities, and paladins for the morale they
bring to battles. They place little interest in arcane
magic, believing it to be a poor substitute for real
martial skill, and have nothing but contempt for
those who sneak about like cowards.
Jomsvikings in the World
Nothing more than a myth I say! These so
called jomsvikings are preposterous. A city full of
warriors with no women? Ha! A harbor with 300
ships? Laughable. Warriors even the Vikings fear?
Pure jest. I assure you, lord Tallius, we have nothing
more to fear of these so-called jomsvikings than we
do the great and mighty “mauve dragon.”
~Sellius Machiuvus to lord Tallius, 3 days
before the sacking of the royal city.
Daily Life: Jomsvikings live incredibly
regimented and structured lives, with an emphasis
placed on strict military discipline. No women
were allowed within the legendary warrior-city
Jomsborg, and while some of the jomsviking
citadels of today may be more relaxed in this
respect (in fact, at least one such community
of jomsvikings is comprised entirely of female
warriors, who allow no men beyond their walls),
most still forbid their members from taking
families, and romantic entanglements within
the strongholds walls are almost always strictly
forbidden. Instead, an emphasis is placed on
discipline and training: the men of a jomsviking
community literally live for the fight, spending
every waking moment preparing for martial
struggle, or steeling their courage at the meadhall.
When not within their stronghold’s walls,
jomsvikings are typically on campaign, fighting in
one or more engagements. Jomsvikings typically
fight for the coin of foreign powers, either as high
priced mercenaries or as dangerous raiders.
While the majority of jomsvikings remain
with their warrior community for constant training
and military campaigns, it is not uncommon for
modern-day jomsviking communities to grant
permission to individual jomsvikings to leave for
extended periods of time to pursue great quests
and earn glory for themselves, and, by extension,
the community as a whole. Most adventurer
jomsvikings fall into this category. That said, the
leaders of the jomsviking community keep a close
eye on the warriors that they grant this freedom
to, and such individuals are expected to produce
a steady stream of glorious accomplishments and
strive to ever-greater heights, and if the other
jomsvikings ever suspect that their prodigal
companion is going soft, they are quick to bring
him back into the fold for rigorous and merciless
training.
Notables: The ranks of the jomsvikings
are filled with kings and princes, as well as with
great heroes all. In legendary Jomsborg, great
men such as Harold Bluetooth, Sweyn Forkbeard,
Plantoke, and Stybjorn the Strong were all said to
have been chieftains. The city itself is said to have
been an imposing and unassailable fortress made
of pure steel, and each of its thousands of warriors
supposedly more fearless, heroic, and fearsome
than the last. In all the myths of Jomsborg, it is said
that no force could possibly hope to conquer the
city, and, in some legends, it is even said that the
stronghold’s residents withstood an assault by the
armies of the very god of war himself.
Jomsborg, however, vanished long ago, if
indeed it ever existed, a matter about which many
scholars of today are doubtful. While a handful of
modern-day jomsviking strongholds claim to be
built on the location of the fabled warrior-city, or
to have in their possession certain relics from the
original jomsvikings, most such claims are dubious
at best (although they are rarely challenged within
striking distance of the jomsviking making the
claim). Theories abound about the disappearance
of the mythical city, with some claiming that it
was swallowed by the sea, or that it was melted
down in order to make incredible magic armor
and weapons. The most popular claim is that a
wizard who made himself an enemy of Jomsborg,
knowing he had no hope of defeating its warriors,
opened a portal to the abyss beneath the city,
which fell through, and remains to this day, with
the descendants of the original jomsvikings
engaging in constant battle against demonic
hordes.
Organizations: All jomsvikings belong to
one warrior society or another, a group of warriors
which separates itself from the rest of society,
usually in a walled stronghold, and devotes all of
its efforts to warfare and martial training. These
strictly-regimented societies, for the most part,
model themselves on the fabled ancient society of
Jomsborg, from which modern jomsvikings draw
their name. Each jomsviking society is its own
distinct entity, however, complete with its own
codes of conduct and its own hierarchy, based on
skill in combat time in the brotherhood, and the
great deeds of one’s ancestors (and, of course, one’s
own deeds).
Usually a society of jomsvikings will offer
its services as mercenaries, and such warriors are
often in high demand and claim even higher prices
for their skills. If no mercenary work is available,
jomsvikings often turn to raiding or conquest.
During the bad months, when neither war nor
raiding is a possibility, the jomsvikings spend all
their time training and collectively preparing for
the next year’s wars.
NPC Reactions: The majority of those who
have heard of Jomsborg believe it to be nothing
more than a legend, with precious little evidence
of its existence beyond a few runestones and poetic
verse. Few make the mistake of believing that there
are no such thing as jomsvikings, however, for a
great number of warrior-societies have sprung up
to embody and recreate the ideals of that mythical
city, and there can be no denying that jomsvikings
themselves are real, even if the city that they strive
to emulate may be nothing more than a pretty
story.
 Image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / dclipart

For the most part, jomsvikings are treated

as any other group of mercenaries. Those who pay
attention to such things will no doubt be aware
that jomsvikings have a reputation for excellence
among mercenaries, and would likely have a
greater respect—and healthier fear—of a band
of jomsvikings than of the average mercenary
band, but even then most consider them little
more than extremely efficient and extremely
well-disciplined soldiers. Only poets, and those
who idolize warrior cultures see the romance of
the ideals that the jomsvikings uphold. This can
occasionally lead to difficulties for those who
unwittingly insult the ideals of the jomsvikings, as
the warriors themselves are very passionate about
their reclusive, almost religious devotion to martial
training.

Lore: Characters with ranks in Knowledge

(local) can research jomsvikings to learn more
about them. When a character makes this skill
check, read or paraphrase the information from the
table below, including entries for lower DCs.
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personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments,
creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs;
and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner
of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark”
means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself
or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor
(g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and
otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee
in terms of this agreement.
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that
the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such
a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this
License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any
Open Game Content distributed using this License.
3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the
terms of this License.
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant
You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License
to Use, the Open Game Content.
5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game
Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient
rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License
to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying,
modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s
name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as
to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of
each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with
any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content
except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or
Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a
challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open
Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of
the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this
License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open
Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open
Game Content You Distribute.
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the
name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License
with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental
regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein
and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall
survive the termination of this License.
14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be
reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan
Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce
R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary
Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. Copyright 2009, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Jason Bulmahn,
based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
The Book of Experimental Might. Copyright 2008, Monte J. Cook. All rights reserved.
Tome of Horrors. Copyright 2002, Necromancer Games, Inc.; Authors: Scott Greene, with
Clark Peterson, Erica Balsley, Kevin Baase, Casey Christofferson, Lance Hawvermale, Travis
Hawvermale, Patrick Lawinger, and Bill Webb; Based on original content from TSR.
Liber Vampyr Copyright 2010, Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua
Zaback, and Justin Holloway.
Into the Armory: The Complete Guide to Weapons, Armor, and Equipment Copyright 2010,
Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
The Book of Beginnings Copyright 2010 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors: Alex
Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
The War of the Goblin King Copyright 2010 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors: Alex
Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
Advanced Arcana Volume I Copyright 2010 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors: Alex
Riggs, Joshya Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: The Book of Purifying Flames Copyright 2010 Necromancers of the
Northwest, LLC; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Marchen der Daemonwulf Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the
Northwest, LLC; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
The Ebon Vault: Secrets of the Staff Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC;
Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
Ancient Warriors: Way of the Ninja Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC;
Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
Necromancers of the Northwest Presents: The Blackshire Mercenary Company Copyright 2011
Necromancers of the Norhtwest, LLC; Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
The Ebon Vault: Orbs of Power Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors:
Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: The Book of Faith Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Spirit Warriors Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
Ancient Warriors: Sons of Sparta Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors:
Joshua Zaback, Alex Riggs, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: The Fabricant Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC;
Authors: Justin Holloway, Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: The Art of Traps Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway, Rosa Gibbons
The Ebon Vault: Swords of Legend Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC;
Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Secrets of the Witch Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors: Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Faces of the Rakshasa Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the
Northwest, LLC; Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway, Rosa Gibbons
GM’s Gallery: Useful and Interesting NPCs Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
The Ebon Vault: Adamant Armors Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC;
Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Paths of the Druid Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Marchen der Daemonwulf II Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the
Northwest, LLC; Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
Advanced Arcana Volume II Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors Alex
Riggs, Joshua Zaback
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Steeds and Stallions Copyright 2011 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Spirit Warriors II Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors: Justin Holloway, Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Mysteries of the Oracle Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the
Northwest, LLC; Authors Joshua Zaback, Justin Holloway, Alex Riggs
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: The Wonders of Alchemy Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the
Northwest, LLC; Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Masters of the Gun Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors Alex Riggs
The Ebon Vault: Power of the Ring Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors
Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback
Necromancers of the Northwest Presents: Knights of the Crucible Copyright 2012 Necromancers
of the Northwest, LLC; Authors Alex Riggs
Character Guide: The Gentleman Thief Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC;
Authors Joshua Zaback, Alex Riggs, David Mesick
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: The Secret of Herbs Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the Northwest,
LLC; Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback
A Necromancer’s Grimoire: Bows of War Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC;
Authors Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback
Advanced Arcana Volume III Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors Alex
Riggs, Joshua Zaback
Ancient Warriors: The Vikings Copyright 2012 Necromancers of the Northwest, LLC; Authors
Alex Riggs, Joshua Zaback
END OF LICENSE
 A-
Viki
ng W eW i
llGo!
Viki
ngs.Theseanci entwarri ors,seafarers,and
explorershaveleftan undi sputablemarkon thecourse
ofwestern hi story.Throughoutthemi ddle- agesthey
werefeared and hated throughoutEuropeasan
unstoppablescourgeofrabi d barbarians.In theEast,a
groupofVi ki
ngsformed oneofthemosteli temi li
tary
unitsin theByzanti neEmpire.Theywerefarahead of
theirtimei n termsofseamanshi p,and thei r
extensivetravelsbroughtthem to nearlyeverycornerof
theworld,long beforemostofthei rcontemporari es.

Now you,too,can harnessthepoweroftheVi ki

ng.This
booktakesalookatwhati tmeansto beaVi king,both
from ahi storicalperspective,provi
ding information on
Vikingsin thewaythathi storicalevi
dencei ndicates
theyreallywere,and from amythologi calperspecti
ve,
providing i
nformati on on themodern myth ofthe
Viking,and thewaythatVi kingsareseen todaybymany
people,regardlessofwhetherornoti t’saccurate,and
also providessomeadvi ceand suggestionsforrunni ng
Viking-themed adventures.

Even better,though,Anci entWarri ors:TheVikings

providesseven brand new and hi ghlyexpansi veand
detailed archetypesforavari etyofclasses,allowing
them to bring outthei rinnerberserker.On topofthi s,
thebookcontai nsthreeprestigeclasses—theberserker,
thehousecarl,and thej omsvi king—each ofwhi ch not
onlyhasnew and exci ting mechani csthatmaketheclass
comeali ve,butalso contain detailed background
i
nformati on and ti
pson roleplayi ng characters
ofthatclass.

I
fyou’reafan ofVikings,thisbooki sagreattool
towardscreating atrulymemorableVi king experi
enceat
thetable.I
fyou’
resomehow notafan ofVi kings,that’
s
fi
netoo:bytheti meyou’redonewi th thisbook,
you willbe.