Root of All Evil v1

AFAREZIRS:
ROOT OF
ALL EVIL
Dark Rethem Adventure 2
Alun Rees
AFAREZIRS:
ROOT
OF ALL
EVIL
Credits
WRITER
Alun Rees
based on an original concept by Garry Hamlin
CONTRIBUTORS
Anders Bersten and his players,
Andy Gibson and Neil Thompson,
the HarnWriters Team, and
the players at IviniaCon 2009
MAPS
Alun Rees
THANKS
to N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games for HÂRN,
to Anders Bersten for sponsorship of the NPC art
& the Player Handout, and to John Southgate for his fanon
Atlas Maps of the Afarezirs
NOTICE
This is a self published HârnFanon work, created by Alun Rees. It is a
derivative work of material published by Columbia Games Inc. and is
released for free distribution and personal use by Alun Rees without
the permission or endorsement of N. Robin Crossby, his estate, or
Columbia Games Inc.
This document is available for download free from www.lythia.com.
If you have been asked to pay for this document, either as a download
or as a hard copy, you have been robbed.
AFAREZIRS: ROOT OF ALL EVIL 1
INTRODUCTION Sequence of Events
Afarezirs: The Root of All Evil is the second adventure in
the Dark Rethem series. It follows Peran: Heart of Darkness ACT I: TO GOLOTHA
and will be followed by Golotha: The Deeper Dark and Meje- Scene 1: Run out of Town
tus: Ancient Shades.
Scene 2: The Trident Inn
Adventure Outline Scene 3: The Breyta?
Peran: Heart of Darkness was timed to take place in the
Summer of 720TR and to be completed by early Autumn at Scene 4: The Scholar?
the latest. It is assumed that the player characters (PCs) Scene 5: Information?
have spent the rest of the Autumn and Winter in Tormau
Scene 6: Specialist Help?
being kept busy by Jamys of Abrant who always has work
for reliable freelancers.
The Root of All Evil begins after the Spring thaw of
721TR and sees a group of PCs travel to Golotha where ACT II: ABOARD THE BREYTA
they are offered a significant reward by the Guildmistress Scene 1: To the Tirsas
of Courtesans in Shiran if they can find and harvest a rare
plant found only in the distant Afarezir archipelago. Scene 2: To Cape Vikod
The journey is not easy and once they make landfall on Scene 3: Landfall!
the first of those wind scoured islands they realise they are
searching for a needle in a haystack. In seeking word of
„Crimson Sethimyael‟ from the indigenous Nolgind Kubora ACT III: AMONG THE ISLANDS
they begin to pick up pieces of a story from long ago in the Scene 1: Akova
tribe‟s history. Gradually their search for the plant and the
tales told by the clans become interwoven and lead them Scene 2: Merem
to the fate of a lost Nolgind Clan. Scene 3: Ardir
Even when they finally discover the location of the Scene 4: Kand
plant they seek it refuses to yield that which it guards easi-
ly. Scene 5: Movel
Essential Resources Scene 6: Kib
 Peran:Heart of Darkness; The White Stoat Inn; The Trident Scene 7: Sholo
Inn; The Tirsa Pirates; Movel Gamle Hem; Clan Sholen; Scenes 8 & 9: Aldrie & Qulf (optional)
Cynswyr Ariensyn; Gwaed Island; and fanon Atlas Maps:
B3, C 1, C2, C3, D1, D2, D3 and E1, by John Southgate (all Scene 10: Hafeg
available at Lythia.com).
 Afarezirs, and Herblore (available from Columbia Games)
and a version of the HarnMaster Rules (available from ACT IV: THE LOST CLAN
Columbia Games or Kelestia Productions). Scene 1: Return to Sholo
Helpful Resources Scene 2: Gwaed Island
 Golotha; HarnMaster:Barbarians; Tribes of the Kubora;
Scene 3: Pella
Peran; Aquatics; and Seals.
 This adventure will be easier to play if the GM also has
access to HarnMaster: Magic and HarnMaster: Religion as EPILOGUE
well as Mamaka, Master of Steel and Warriors of Mameka.
 If the GM wishes to play out the sea voyages in detail
they will also need access to The Pilot‟s Almanac.
APPENDIX I: MEREDATH’S DIARY
All these resources are available from Columbia Games.
APPENDIX II: THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL
APPENDIX III: FRIENDS IN THE
SOUTH?
A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

HârnWorld
ACT I: TO GOLOTHA way from Tormau for a while, rather than have their
throats cut; or have to cut them himself.
Overview There is always the chance they can return when things
Jamys of Abrant of the White Stoat Inn needs to get the have quietened down again, but for now either they leave
PCs out of the way for a while at the behest of the Earl of or it is likely they will disappear.
Tormau. Coincidentally he has received a letter from the He will provide a recommendation for them which
Golothan Lia-Kavair seeking recommendations for a group should allow them to get a job in Golotha. He can even
of talented individuals with successful wilderness experi- arrange for free travel to the city and the name of a contact
ence to undertake a job based in Golotha. They could ex- who he‟s heard has a job for which the PCs would be well
pect to be busy for several months. suited.
Accepting the need to take a trip away from Tormau for Folklore: will remind the PCs that Golotha has a terri-
a while the PCs travel to Golotha on Captain Sharo‟s ble reputation for crime, fraud, evil and death. Such a visit
coastal trader carrying Jamys‟ letter of recommendation. to the „City of Screaming Spires‟ is not to be undertaken
Once they arrive they have the opportunity to take up lightly.
the well remunerated offer made by a Golothan litigant. If they choose not to accept … then either they
They then have only a short time to make any prepara- should leave of their own accord or they can expect an ac-
tions, ask any questions, and identify any potential help cident to befall them over the next week which would
they may need. probably involve the castle garrison and some very damp
SCENE 1: RUN OUT OF TOWN cells. If this happens then this adventure is likely to come
to an end for them unless Jamys intercedes and has them
Overview sent to Golotha, in irons if necessary.
The PCs are asked to a meeting with Jamys of Abrant, If the PCs take up Jamys’ offer … then they can
freemaster innkeeper of the White Stoat at Tormau (see leave tomorrow at mid-day when Captain Halyn of Sharo‟s
Peran: Heart of Darkness and The White Stoat Inn) at the end coastal Nivik, the Serenela‟s Fancy will be going south.
of a day in the Spring of 721TR.
If asked about the nature of the job … all Jamys
GM Aims can tell them is what he knows: A letter arrived from a con-
 To reinforce the sense the PCs have always had of Ja- tact in Golotha seeking a group of discrete n‟er-do-wells
mys as an „honest rogue‟ who has nothing to gain by ly- with wilderness experience and a taste for risk.
ing to them, but is none-the-less a bad enemy to make. The job the PCs did for him last year proved they could
 To get the PCs to accept a free trip to Golotha with the handle themselves in the wilderness and they have, so far,
possibility of a job at the end of it. proved discrete in all their dealings with him. If they ac-
cept this offer then he will send a letter with them as rec-
 If necessary to help the PCs understand that Jamys is
ommendation.
doing them a favour by helping them leave Tormau for
a while. The Serenela’s Fancy
Halyn of Sharo‟s 29 foot nivik will carry anything, and
PC Outcomes anyone, worth the price of carriage up or down the coast
They accept that for the time being their presence in
from Alesen in Emesa Hundred to Golotha in the south,
Tormau is a problem for Jamys and take the free boat trip
and back again. Mostly his trade relies on carrying any-
to Golotha. Their trust in Jamys should be increased as he
thing that‟s in surplus along the north coast of Rethem to
takes them into his confidence about the risks of staying in
Golotha where it might make a good price. On the return
Tormau.
trip he carries the sorts of urbane luxury that the northern
Description of Events hundreds cannot source locally.
Jamys explains that Vavryse Lynnaeus, the Earl‟s The round trip takes anything up to 20 days depending
brother and constable of Caer Tormau, has become con- on the weather, wind and tides, calling briefly at Ithius and
cerned that the PCs as the only people who know anything then Shostim. His return route re-visits those ports before
about what happened to Coln of Kutz. He has told Jamys calling at Tormau again and then continuing north to the
to get rid of them. The innkeeper has no idea what has small dock operated for the Warriors of Mameka at Alesen.
prompted the Constable‟s decision. His guess is that Travel aboard the Fancy is never luxurious but Halyn
Vavryse has only recently realised that the PCs are still knows his trade and understands his route like the back of
around. his hand. Food is basic hard bread, dried meat and cheese,
While Jamys is not by nature soft-hearted he likes the leavened with whatever a passenger can pick up during the
PCs and would prefer to give them a chance to get a long brief calls at towns on the route.
A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

HârnWorld
The GM can use The Pilot‟s Almanac to plan the journey
in detail or can assume a quiet voyage that delivers the PCs SCENE 2: THE TRIDENT INN
at Golotha‟s South Haven between 5 and 7 days after leav- Overview
ing Tormau. The PCs arrive safely at Northhaven wharf and will
Link to the next scene have no difficulty locating the Trident Inn. They are
introduced to their would-be employer‟s „man of business‟
Assuming they take the offer then Jamys tells them that
and have the details of their mission described to them; an
when they arrive in Golotha they should present them-
attractive offer that they accept.
selves at the Trident Inn in Sewertown, the easternmost
district within the walls of Golotha. There they should ask The Trident Inn provides maps and details of the Inn, its
to speak to Nobar of Rushez. When they meet Master No- employees and its business.
bar they should hand over the letter of recommendation GM Aims
from Jamys.
 To provide a convincing hook for the adventure and to
Their voyage south and their expenses for the journey make it sufficiently well remunerated to engage the
are covered by Jamys so they should arrive at Golotha no players. No precise reward is described to allow the
poorer, nor richer, than when they left Tormau. GM to come up with something that fits the needs of
the players without destroying campaign balance.
 To play Nobar accurately as a man who is being well
paid to do what he does and who believes what he is
telling the PCs is true.
 To provide some threads for the PCs to follow before
they depart for the far north.
 To completely hide the true facts of the mission de-
scribed in Appendix II.
PC Outcomes
They accept the offer of the job and begin what prepa-
rations they have time to make.
Description of Events
If this is the first time the PCs have visited Golotha then
the GM should give these country bumpkins a sense of a
city many times larger than anywhere they‟ve been before.
Here, entire rows of houses rise three, or even four,
floors above the street to the point where those living in
the attic rooms can practically shake hands with their
neighbours across the street just by leaning out of their
windows.
The windows themselves are a wonder; The White
Stoat is the only building in Tormau with glass in some of
its windows (though they say there is some glass in the
Earl‟s rooms). Here three or four houses in a row will boast
the same. The PCs should be careful as they gaze up at the
windows lest on open suddenly and a torrent of night soil is
emptied into the street from above!
Then there are the streets themselves! They are as
busy as Tormau market at festival time; crowded and with
endless comings and goings through the city gates. Every-
where the PCs are jostled in the narrow crowded thorough-
fares by the never ending tide of humanity swilling about
this fearsome and intimidating place.
This may be a good time to relieve the PCs of some of
their money so as to make the subsequent job offer more
attractive. Additionally or alternatively there are plenty of

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chances to get lost in the warren of streets that is Sew- Kardis knows Nobar very well so a farthing will quickly
ertown. Investing in a beggar to guide them might be lead to the dispatch of a pot-boy in search of the
something they should consider. litigant. Within 10 minutes Nobar arrives at the Inn; all
Certainly half a dozen children in various stages of deg- smiling affability, enquiring what it is he can do for the PCs.
radation will flock around them when they come ashore If they explain that they have heard he is recruiting
offering almost any service the least reputable PCs might for a job that requires wilderness experience and
desire. discretion … then he will ask that they accompany him to
his nearby place of business. On the way he exchanges
On reaching the Trident Inn civil words with any number of people in the crowded
When the PCs arrive at the Trident and enquire about street, suggesting that he is well know and reasonably
Nobar of Rushez they are approached by Freemaster respected.
Kardis of Ernaldin, the innkeeper (see The Trident Inn).
Name: Nobar of Rushez Race/Sex: Human/Male
Name: Kardis of Ernaldin Race/Sex: Human/Male
Occupation: Litigant Born: 12 Savor 679, Tai
Occupation: Innkeeper Born: 14 Azura 669, Hirin
Appearance: Aged 41, height 5‟8”, medium frame, weight 153 lbs/size 6,
Appearance: Aged 51, height 6”1‟, light frame, weight 158 lbs/size 6, aver- plain appearance, dark complexion, brown hair, hazel eyes
age appearance, medium complexion, blonde hair, green eyes
Str 11 Agl 08 Sml 14 Aur 11 Cml 08
Str 12 Agl 13 Sml 10 Aur 13 Cml 11 Sta 14 Eye 07 Voi 12 Wil 12 End 12
Sta 13 Eye 11 Voi 10 Wil 14 End 13 Dex 15 Hrg 15 Int 16 Mor 07 Mov 15
Dex 13 Hrg 11 Int 12 Mor 10 Mov 13 Medical/Psyche: Greedy
Medical/Psyche: none Religion: Ritual (Halea) 14, Piety 15
Religion: Ritual (Agrik) 11, Piety 14 Skills: AWARENESS 48, CLIMBING 44, Folklore (Golotha) 51, INTRIGUE
Skills: AWARENESS 52, Brewing 44, CLIMBING 45, Cookery (Baking) 34, 70, JUMPING 36, Law 76, ORATORY 82, Physician 14, RHETORIC 84,
Folklore (Golotha) 65, INTRIGUE 52, JUMPING 55, Law (Golothan) 36, SINGING 39, STEALTH 42, Swimming 12, THROWING 44
ORATORY 22, Physician 12, RHETORIC 48, SINGING 30, STEALTH 50,
Languages: Harnic 76, Jarin 76
Swimming 26, THROWING 56
Scripts: Lakise 84
Languages: Harnic 72
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 44, DODGE 40, UNARMED 44, Dagger 36
Scripts: Lakise 82
Money/Valuables: well set up guildsman whose tastes exceed his income
Armour/Weapons: cloth shirt, breeches, robe, surcoat , skull cap and leg-
Money/Valuables: He has a stash of valuables hidden at the Trident as well gings, leather shoes; dagger at his belt.
as a well filled purse.
Other Equipment: the tools of the litigant‟s trade: scrolls, pen and ink, tomes
Armour/Weapons: cloth shirt and trousers, leather apron and shoes; dagger
of Golothan law etc. all at his home/place of business
at his belt.
Load: 17.3 lbs Encumbrance Penalty: 0
Other Equipment: the Trident has everything an Inn needs to continue in
business, including a bake oven! Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P
Load: 16.5 lbs Encumbrance Penalty: 0 Head butt   44 44  1  
Hand/Arm   44 49 -05 0  
Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P
Foot/Knee   49 49 -05 1  
Head butt   52 52  2  
Dagger 1 11 41 41 -05 1 2 4
Hand/Arm   52 67 -05 1  
Foot/Knee   57 57 -05 2   Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F
Dagger 1 11 29 29 -05 1 2 4 Skull C  1 1 1 1
Face      
Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F
Neck      •
Skull      
Shoulder CCC  1 2 1 2
Face      
Upper Arm CC  1 2 1 2
Neck      •
Elbow CC  1 2 1 2
Shoulder C  1 1 1 1
Forearm CC  1 2 1 2
Upper Arm C  1 1 1 1
Hand      
Elbow C  1 1 1 1
Thorax CCC  1 2 1 2
Forearm C  1 1 1 1
Abdomen CCC  1 2 1 2
Hand      
Hip CCCC  1 2 1 2
Thorax C (L front only)  2 4 3 4
Groin CCCC  1 2 1 2
Abdomen C (L front only)  2 4 3 4
Thigh CCC  1 2 1 2
Hip CCL  2 4 3 4
Knee CCC  1 2 1 2
Groin CCL  2 4 3 4
Calf C  1 1 1 1
Thigh CL  2 4 3 4
Foot L  1 3 2 3
Knee C  1 1 1 1
Calf C  1 1 1 1 Invocations: none Spells: none
Foot L  1 3 2 3 Convocations: none Psionics: none
Invocations: none Spells: none Notes: see Golgotha, G2
Convocations: none Psionics: none
He offers the PCs a cup of watered wine when they are
Notes: see Golgotha, G1
comfortably seated on stools in the office that constitutes

HârnWorld
the front room of the ground floor of his solidly built town up to a total of half the full fee agreed when the PCs depart
house. He then explains that he has been asked to inspect on their voyage. The remaining half will be paid on their
any recommendations of potential employees. successful return.
If the PCs show him the letter from Jamys … then If the PCs accept … then Nobar will break the seal on
he will confirm their names are those mentioned in the let- a second letter from the Guildmistress and hand it to them
ter and declare himself happy with what the letter contains. (or read it to them).
He produces a note which he has been instructed to The Letter from the Guildmistress
give to any potential employees. He explains that his in- The Shiran Guild intends to corner the market on an
structions require him to stay while they read the letter and extract of a previously unknown plant with exceptional
then take it back. If they are unable to read he has been in- qualities as an aphrodisiac.
structed to read the contents to them.
While a variety of the plant is common in many parts of
It is from the Guildmistress of Courtesans in Shiran. In Harn, and has some medicinal properties, those of the new
it she explains that she is in search of a handful of brave variety are most remarkable.
souls, including a scholar of herblore, who will travel to one
of the most uncivilised parts of the Harnic Isles on a mis- The guild has learned that a rare form of the plant
sion for her and her guild sisters and brothers. The note Sethimyael grows among the bleak Afarezir Islands. The
says little more except that they will be paid well and all PCs are to travel there and harvest as much of the rare
their expenses on the journey will be provided for. It ends form of the plant as they can. It says that a scholar, capable
by instructing them to discuss their price with her agent in of conducting a test that can distinguish the new variety
Golotha, Nobar of Rushez, and to give him their decision. from the common form, will accompany them to ensure
they collect the right plant.
Nobar has had no more information than is contained in
what they have just read (or had read to them). He will ex- The letter goes on to explain that the Guild‟s agent in
plain that he has been instructed to determine if the poten- Golotha, Nobar of Rushez, has been instructed to hire a
tial applicants are serious in their interest in the job before suitable ship and crew. The ship‟s charter is to carry them
going any further. He adds that he has already met a num- to the Afarezirs and back to Golotha.
ber of potential employees but their experience was not as The letter ends by making it clear that this quest relies
strong as that of the PCs. Nor were their letters of recom- on discretion if other Guilds are to be denied access to the
mendation so fulsome. So, if the PCs are interested in the potent aphrodisiac. Finally the letter instructs Nobar to tell
job, he is prepared to offer it to them. the ship captain that his passengers are ready to depart.
If the PCs accept the job in principle … then Nobar After they have read the letter Nobar will offer to an-
has been instructed to give them a second letter that not swer any questions he can but points out that this is the
even he has read which details the mission. If they cannot first time he has heard the details of the mission.
read then he is happy to read it to them. If they ask about their ship or captain … Nobar
If the PCs ask about the ‘scholar of herblore’ … was instructed to seek a reputable vessel with experience
then Nobar explains he has already been approached by a of northern waters. His enquiries led him to and Ivinian,
suitably qualified individual so the PCs need not worry that Grim Olmoding, captain of the Breyta. He has a sound
they are without the necessary training. reputation for sailing the north coast and had enough busi-
If one of the PCs do have training in herblore … ness contacts in Golotha to convince Nobar that he is as
then Nobar explains that be that as it may he has already honest as most northmen. Nobar also confirms that Cap-
accepted the application of a young journeyman seeking tain Olmoding has agreed to accept the PC‟s instructions
his fortune. He did not expect to find a herbalist among so long as they do not imperil his ship or crew.
those prepared with „rough wilderness skills‟. If they ask about the scholar … Nobar can tell them
If the he PCs ask about remuneration … Nobar will that a journeyman herbalist, Aslin of Err, has left the name
use all his skills as a litigant to ensure his employer pays as of a nearby brothel as the place he can be contacted. It is
little as possible but he will not risk the PCs walking away probable that he has already introduced himself to the cap-
from the deal. In truth he has had less interest in the job tain of the Breyta.
than he has implied. The Afarezirs are a very long way When their business is complete Nobar sees them to his
away! door saying that he will contact Captain Olmoding on the
The GM is left to determine the financial arrangements morrow and tell him where to find them. His advice is that
so as to attract the PCs without ruining the campaign‟s bal- they stay at the Trident so he can find them quickly. Alter-
ance. Nobar is empowered to cover any reasonable ex- natively they might wish to seek the Breyta themselves at
penses incurred in Golotha up to about a quarter of the fee Northaven.
agreed. He has been told to hand over the remaining sum

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If the PCs don‟t look for Captain Olmoding then No-
bar will return the following morning to say that the Cap- SCENE 3: THE BREYTA?
tain believes that if the weather continues fine, and the Overview
winds answer, then the ship will leave within three days. The PCs have the chance to meet the man who will
They should be ready to leave at 2 hours‟ notice. take them north.
Link to the next scenes GM Aims
The simplest approach for the GM to take is to ask how  To introduce captain Olmoding as a bluff and capable
the PCs will use the next few days?. There is no prescribed northman.
route through the rest of the Act.
If the PCs keep an eye on Nobar they will see him walk
PC Outcomes
They should feel they can trust Olmoding with their
to the docks and board a knaar. With care they may be
lives during the voyage.
able to confirm that he is in discussion with a burly bearded
northman. This provides a direct route to Scene 3. Description of Events
Alternatively the they may want to seek out the scholar, It is not difficult to find Northhaven wharf or to identify
taking them to Scene 4. the Breyta. Captain Olmoding seems an amiable enough
If they first want to find out more about the Afarezirs or fellow with an excellent, if accented, grasp of Harnic.
look for expertise they do not possess, then they can pro- If asked about the voyage … Olmoding confirms
ceed to Scene 5 or Scene 6 respectively. that he was approached by the litigant, Nobar, and is being
There are sufficient links between the scenes to ensure paid well to carry passengers among the Afarezir Islands.
the PCs have the opportunity to cover all these possibili- He has not been told the nature of the expedition but is be-
ties, and if they split up they can cover more ground more ing honest with the PCs when he asks them what they will
quickly. be doing among the islands; he wants to be as well pre-
pared as possible when they get there. The less he knows
Some PCs will, of course, opt to ignore the practicalities
the more likely he is to be surprised and surprises are to be
and seek „big city entertainment‟ instead. The Trident‟s
avoided in dangerous northern waters.
innkeeper, Kardis, can recommend all manner of enter-
tainment including a brothel and gambling house only 5 If the PCs decline to give him details … he will
minutes away. It is run by „Madame Derine‟ (Golotha, shrug and hope they don‟t come to regret their decision.
G4). He may not know, and certainly won‟t mention, that If they take him into their confidence … he will of-
Derine and Nobar have a lucrative arrangement in fer sound advice about the equipment they will need, in-
which one of her girls makes a complaint against a visitor cluding tents and rations for any journeys across the is-
and then the litigant takes money to defend them before lands. Perhaps the best advice he offers is about how to
advising a quiet settlement 'before it gets to court'. win the consent of the Kubora to any investigations. He
If the PCs visit Madame Derine‟s house of ill repute knows what trade goods would be most effective in build-
then they may come across the scholar who is to accom- ing a good relationship with the natives.
pany them, or his favourite among the girls, Red Gwena. If asked about the length of the voyage … he will
Of course they may not recognise him until they meet him estimate that at this time of year it should take between 12
later. and 18 days to reach the nearest of the Afarezir Islands.
It is important that they visit the Breyta before they de- If asked about preparations … he can advise on
part, if only to find out what additional equipment they how the PCs could spend some of their advance payment
might need but that is easily achieved by having Nobar or on sealskin boots and capes to stay dry and on other
Captain Olmoding summon them. equipment they might need among the islands. The PCs
The GM could also make use of the Urban Encounter may simply pay him to provide the necessary wilderness
tables from HM3 to spice things up, but should beware of equipment based on his knowledge of the islands. While
crippling the PCs before their quest begins. more expensive than seeking out equipment themselves it
will save them a watch of enquiries and ensures their
equipment will be as good as that Olmoding would buy for
himself and his crew.
If the PCs allow him to provision for them … then
they will have everything the GM would judge they would
routinely need for travel in the wilderness: tents for shelter,
lanterns/torches, ropes and sacks, tools to harvest the
plant they seek etc. Even a pole measuring almost twice
the height of a man can be obtained.

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If the PCs don’t trust Captain Olmoding with Nolgind Kubora of the islands will add more risk to their
obtaining what they may need … then they can spend trade.
a watch finding and comparing suppliers and a second Name: Grim Olmoding Race/Sex: Human/Male
watch bargaining for the necessary goods and equipment. Occupation: Ship Captain Born: 8 Morgat 687, Lado
With a population officially counted as in excess of Appearance: Aged 22, height 5‟10”, heavy frame, weight 176 lbs/size 7, at-
6,000, Golotha offers a wide range of items for sale. How- tractive appearance, fair complexion, brown hair, blue eyes
ever, enchanted items are rare across Harn and are no Str 15 Agl 11 Sml 09 Aur 07 Cml 15
more common in the city. Items requiring individual fitting Sta 13 Eye 13 Voi 05 Wil 13 End 13
Dex 11 Hrg 13 Int 15 Mor 11 Mov 11
and crafting, such as armour, will not be ready prior to de-
Medical/Psyche: Scar on his right cheek
parture. Religion: Ritual (Sarajin) 13, Piety 13
Skills: AWARENESS 58, CLIMBING 58, Drawing 36, INTRIGUE 36,
JUMPING 58, Mathematics 28, Metalcraft 26, ORATORY 36, Physician 26,
Piloting 80, RHETORIC 33, Seamanship 45, Shipwright 34, SINGING 32,
STEALTH 46, Swimming 15, THROWING 52, Timbercraft 24, Weaponcraft
13, Weatherlore 62
Languages: Ivinian 71, Trade Ivinian 56, Harnic 46, Old Jarinese 34
Scripts: Runic 96
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 58, DODGE 55, UNARMED 56, Dagger 48,
Handaxe 56, Roundshield 52
Money/Valuables: The knaar Breyta and promissory notes sufficient to out-
fit her anywhere in Harn, most of Ivinia or Chelemby
Armour/Weapons: Cloth shirt and breeches, leather tunic, trousers and calf
boots. Plate halfhelm and ring byrnie are only worn when battle is imminent
or risk is very high.
Other Equipment: The tools of the pilot‟s trade
Load: 30.1(fully armed:66.1) lbs Encumbrance Penalty: 0 (3)

Head butt   51 51  2  
Hand/Arm   51 66 -05 1  
Foot/Knee   56 56 -05 2  
Dagger 1 11 48 48 -05 1 2 4
Handaxe 4 11 61 56 -10 5 7 
Roundshield 7 14 52 67  2  

Skull C (+P: 7 10 8 5 )  1 1 1 1
Face      
Neck C  1 1 1 1
Captain Grim Olmoding
Shoulder C L (+R: 6 6 3 3 )  2 4 3 4
If the GM has access to Golotha he can play through Upper Arm C L (+R: 6 6 3 3)  2 4 3 4
preparation for the journey in detail, but could equally well Elbow C (+R: 6 6 3 3)  1 1 1 1
abstract it to a series of die rolls which can be recorded and Forearm C (+R: 6 6 3 3)  1 1 1 1
Hand      
used to determine whether a particular piece of equipment
Thorax C L (+R: 6 6 3 3)  2 4 3 4
is among what they have bought or if it fails at a vital mo- Abdomen C L (+R: 6 6 3 3)  2 4 3 4
ment later in the adventure. CCLL
Hip  2 5 3 5
(+R: 6 6 3 3)
If asked about the Afarezirs … the Captain says he CCLL
will be happy to share his knowledge of the islands once Groin  2 5 3 5
(+R: 6 6 3 3)
they are underway. He isn‟t prepared to discuss that Thigh CLL  2 5 3 5
knowledge in port. It is too valuable to spread where Knee CLL  2 5 3 5
Calf LL  2 5 3 5
competitors might be listening; a pilot‟s knowledge is his
Foot L  1 3 2 3
greatest treasure.
Invocations: none Spells: none
If asked about trade … he can advise the PCs on the Convocations: none Psionics: none
sorts of trade goods the Kubora of the islands value:
Notes: Grim Olmoding is good at what he does and has a good reputation in
metalwares, wool blankets in bright colours they cannot almost all the ports he visits regularly. He is not Grim by nature, enjoying a
manufacture themselves, and beads, trinkets and drink when ashore, but at sea he concentrates on keeping his crew and his
beloved Breyta safe.
ornaments. They have a taboo against things that are
He keeps his helm, byrnie and axe in his sea chest. He knows better than to
coloured bright red but other bright colours are very wear them aboard ship except when the Breyta is about to be boarded.
welcome. He counsells against metal weapons as he and
his fellow sealer captains have agreed that to arm the

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If asked about departure times … Olmoding will
explain that now he knows who they are, and how many, SCENE 4: THE SCHOLAR?
he can provision the ship. Then it is just a matter of tide Overview
and wind. Tides will be advantageous in two days time The PCs have a chance to find the schoolar they have
and for a further 2 days after that. Winds, he is less certain been told will accomany them.
of, but the PCs can expect a full day of leisure before
there‟s a chance of a departure. After that it could be any GM Aims
time from 1 to 4 days more. He will expect them aboard  To give the PCs a chance to find Aslin of Err and dis-
within a watch of summoning them. cover something of his background;
If asked about ‘the scholar’ … Olmoding has been  To allow the PCs to see connections between his ac-
approached by a „spotty youth‟ claiming to be the scholar tions and their supposed sponsor;
Nobar has recruited. He gave his name as Aslin of Err and  To ensure they can‟t get past the carefully designed
a contact address: „the House of Mistress Derine in prick wall they will encounter at the end of their enquir-
Sewertown‟ (Golotha G4). Olmoding is told by his crew ies.
that it‟s a brothel. The boy accepted Olmoding‟s offer to
buy his equipment and the captain gave him the same PC Outcomes
instructions for joining the ship that he‟s given the PCs. They will see sufficient links to Shiran and „courtesans‟
to reassure them about the origin of their mission.
The PCs should be allowed to make a connection
between their sponsor, the Guildmistress of Couresans, and Description of Events
a scholar who frequents brothels. If they have visited the If the PCs seek him at the brothel … they will find
brothel already then they may even make a connection the young man fitting the description they have been given
between the description Olmoding gives them, of a young there every night from dusk until dawn. He pays for the
man with a face marked by disease, and a man they saw time of Red Gwena, a flame haired beauty of substantial
there. build, whenever he can, and moons after her when she is
Link to the next scene busy with other clients.
If they want to seek out the scholar they can go direct Intrigue will reveal that he is called Aslin of Err and is
to Scene 4. a regular who has always coveted Gwena. Recently,
though, he has been able to pay for much more of her time.
If they first want to find out more about the Afarezirs or
look for expertise they do not possess, then they can If watched for long enough the PCs will be able to
proceed to Scene 5 or Scene 6. follow him back to his place of employment, the House of
Rabarian, in Arena Town (Golotha, H3).
If the GM intends to introduce the NPC descibed in
Scene 6 then they may wish to do so in one of the other Intrigue in Arena Town will reveal that he:
scenes.  has been employed by Rabarian for some time, arriving
from „out of town‟;
 patches up the slaves Rabarian trains for the arena;
 will also prepare poultices, healing potions and herbal
remedies for the locals in return for a few pennies;
 seems to have more money just now. He is spending
more time in the brothel than his apparently modest
employment would suggest he can afford.
If they follow Aslin for a watch during the day …
they will see that he visits an expensive perfumer off Chafin
Square (Golotha, F20). Intrigue reveals that the perfumer,
Borana of Promel, has close links with Shiran and is said to
have trained there as a courtesan before taking up a more
respectable trade.
If the PCs approach Borana … she will admit
knowing Aslin but refuses to speak about the detail of her
connection to him. The GM should help the PCs suspect
she is a connection to the Shiran guild of Courtesans. She
is certainly a devout worshipper of Halea and will be seen
attending services if one coincides with the PCs‟ visit to
Golotha.

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 it‟s also why he is negotiating with Mistress Borana over
a particular scented soap that he wants to give Gwena
as a wedding gift when he proposes to her on his return;
Name: Aslin of Err Race/Sex: Human/Male
Occupation: Herbalist/Apothecary Born: 4 Navek 700, Masara-Skorus
Appearance: Aged 20, height 5‟6”, scant frame, weight 116 lbs/size 5, plain
appearance, medium complexion, brown hair, grey eyes

Sta 08 Eye 10 Voi 12 Wil 11 End 08
Medical/Psyche: Noticeable pox marks on head, shoulders, back and chest
Religion: Ritual (Agrik) 12, Piety 15
Skills: Alchemy 16, AWARENESS 36, CLIMBING 55, Ceramics 33, Herblore
44, INTRIGUE 36, JUMPING 44, Lovecraft 11, Mathematics 26, ORATORY
20, Physician 48, RHETORIC 39, SINGING 46, STEALTH 30, Swimming 13,
THROWING 44
Languages: Harnic 72
Scripts: Lakise 82
Money/Valuables: very little other than the advance he has received for the
mission.
Armour/Weapons: cloth shirt, tunic, and breeches, leather shoes. He has
been given a heavy woollen robe and a leather „boat-cloak‟ for the journey,
both of which he will wear all the time as he feels the cold keenly.
Other Equipment: His journal where he makes notes that will help him to-
wards his „master‟s piece‟, parchment, quill and ink. Also a bag full of mysteri-
ous ceramic pots which contain the „alchemical means by which to test the
desired plant when we find it‟.
Load: lbs Encumbrance: 0

Hand/Arm    0  
Foot/Knee    1 v 
Head butt    1  
Dagger 1 11  1 2 5

Skull C  1 2 1 2
Face (ears) C  1 2 1 2
Neck C  1 2 1 2
Shoulder CCCL  2 4 3 4
Upper Arm CCC  2 3 2 3
Elbow CC  2 3 2 3
Forearm CC  2 3 2 3
Hand      
The „scholar‟ Aslin of Err Thorax CCCL  2 4 3 4
Abdomen CCCL  2 4 3 4
If the PCs approach Aslin … he will be nervous and Hip CCCCL  2 4 3 4
ill at ease. This is his normal state when not enagaged in Groin CCCCL  2 4 3 4
his daily work or in the company of Red Gwena, who Thigh CCCL  2 4 3 4
Knee CCCL  2 4 3 4
makes him feel much more self assured. He has been told
Calf C  1 2 1 2
not to discuss his voyage with anyone. Foot L  1 3 2 3
However, if he can be convinced that the PCs are to ac- Invocations: none Convocations: none
company him and help him find the plant they seek then he Spells: none Psionics: none
will freely admit that he: Notes: Aslin is a freshly minted journeyman apothecary/herbalist making a
living as a „physician‟. His ugly pox-marks sap his confidence and he is often
 has been told by his employer, Urdail of Rabarian, that nervous; something betrayed by his stammer and high nervous laugh.
he is to travel to the north in search of a particular plant
that resembles Sethimyael but that it will have red  has been given a complex alchemical test to identify the
foliage &/or fruits; right plant.
 is being paid a substantial bonus for the voyage and that The test is, in fact, meaningless, though Aslin doesn‟t
this is why he is able to spend more time with Gwena; know that. His Alchemy extends only as far as being able
to complete the test. The test has been included by the

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mission‟s sponsors to stop any enterprising character (PCs be cultivated locally. If what he has read of sethmyael is
or crew) finding the plant without Aslin and keeping the also true of Crimson Sethimyael then it is likely to be too
location to themselves. early in the season to use this method.
Aslin is also unaware that Urdail of Rabarian has been Instead he suggests that healthy examples could be
paid by the Order of the Octagonal Pit to send him North. uprooted and planted in casks filled with soil from where
The PCs should be left to believe that the Guildmistress in they take the plant. A canvas top would protect the plant
Shiran has commissioned Urdail to provide a herbalist, within and could be removed to water it and give it some
though they may find the choice of middle-man unex- sun.
pected.
Link to the next scene
If the PCs seek out Urdail of Rabarian … he will This can seem like a dead-end but Scenes 3 and 5 can
not discuss the nature of Aslin‟s employment. The former be prompted if Nobar or Grim summon the PCs to the
slave-gladiator has sufficient swords at his disposal to en- Breyta and focus them on preparing for their voyage.
sure this is a dead-end for the PC‟s enquiries. He has been
paid for Aslin‟s time and paid enough extra to ensure he
will not to reveal who his employers really are. He also re-
lies on licences from the Order who control the Pamesani;
to betray them is simply unthinkable.
If the PCs enquire about Rabarian in the locality they
can find out what the text of Golotha, H3 has to say but no
more.
If the PCs ask Aslin about the plant … Aslin will tell
them all he knows. It is, apprently, a previously unknown
variety of sethimyael. The only variety that Aslin knows
anything about is called „the ochre creeper‟ and is a rare
native of shady, boggy ground. The leaves are grayish
green and the creeping stems have small nasty thorns that
make it difficult to harvest. The small pink blooms it bears
in the Summer smell of rotting meat and attract flies,
wasps, and the occasional small carnivores. In late
Summer the base of each flower swells to form large yellow
berries weighing as much as an ounce when freshly picked.
They have a waxy skin and a strong and unpleasant taste.
Western Harnic hebalists have no use for the plant or its
fruit. Aslin has heard that the crushed berries are used by
Ilviran priests to make a potent sweet wine called Ilvir‟s
Crook. He has never tasted any or seen the recipe to make
it.
Aslin has been told that the variety they seek is red,
rather then yellow; he thinks of it as „Crimson Sethimyael‟.
GM Note: tribal shaman chew the dried berries of the
ochre creeper and experience a numbing sensation of the
lips, gums, and mouth. Mild but colorful visions build
gradually for about one hour, then fade over the next 2–3
hours. After-effects include dehydration and exhaustion.
The visions are interpreted as messages from the spirits
and their gods. Drinkers of Ilvir‟s Crook have claimed out-
of-body experiences that the priesthood claims are the first
steps of the death journey that will see their soul return
within an Ivashu.
If the PCs ask Aslin how they can ensure that
anything they harvest survives the voyage home …
he will suggest that collecting fruits and seeds would be the
simplest way to bring samples home. Then the plant can

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SCENE 5: INFORMATION? travelling away from our temple and so we have nothing we can
tell you‟.
Overview If the PCs include a devout K’noran … then
Each of the lines of enquiries below should be allocated pressing the order‟s gatekeeper and explaining that they
a minimum of a watch of 3 hours duration. If the PCs split are travelling into the North, will lead him to reveal that
up they can increase the number of lines of enquiry they Lorn of Aele is compiling myths and legends about Peran
can pursue. and that she might pay them a small sum for whatever they
The total time available should not be shared with the learn on their journey. She is somewhere north of Tormau
PCs beyond the vague timings given by Captain Olmoding. so the PCs would have to travel there and find her if they
The GM should feel free to curtail the time available to have any specific questions for her.
maintain pressure and inject pace into the start of the If the PCs include an ordained priest of Save
adventure. K’nor … they will be given access to the temple‟s archives
It is left to the GM‟s discretion to determine how much dependent on their seniority within the order. Their
of the information described below can be discovered by companions will be given no such access.
the PCs. Liberal use of money and ale interspersed with This should allow the PCs to obtain a poetic map of the
Oratory or Rhetoric will influence how much they learn. Afarezirs, and a summary of the geography and history of
Intrigue can supplement these efforts. the islands (see Afarezirs) but nothing on the current
It is more likely that time will limit the number of situation among the Nolgind Kubora clans.
avenues they can pursue rather than the lack of The Agrikan Warriors of Mameka …
possibilities …
Though the Mamekans are known to be old enemies of
GM Aims the Kubora their Order punishes loose tongues with torture
 To give the PCs a chance to answer questions they may and death. The only Warriors in Golotha are those that
have as asked Nobar or Captain Olmoding; provide the personal guard of the Agrikan Primate and
what passes for the Golotha City Watch. In that role they
 To avoid revealing the truth behind the mission and the
rarely patrol further afield than Rusu Island or, sometimes,
involvement of the Octagonal Pit;
the Nemiran district of the city.
 To use the sub-scenes to provide natural introductions
Intrigue will, however, allow the PCs to approach one
for any of the NPCs from Scene 6 that the GM would
of the apprentice masons currently reparing a wall at the
like to accompany the PCs.
Order's hostel on Rusu Island.
PC Outcomes In his cups the youth claims, falsely, to have heard a lot
They should feel they have had a chance to answer from the Warriors about their expeditions into the forests
some of their questions. They should also understand that of Peran. He tells the PCs that the Kubora:
the Afarezirs are even less well travelled than Peran.  are an unpredictable and fierce people who are as likely
Description of Events to welcome travellers as guests as they are to demand
liberal gifts from those passing through their territory,
The Temple of Save-K’nor … or to attack apparently unprovoked;
The local temple of the Order of the Hyn-Aelori
(Golotha, D4) has a significant archive of letters, diaries and  are primitive savages that speak no civilised tongue;
official papers from the time when the Corani Empire  despise weakness, so the best way to avoid being raided
occupied much of Peran. is to maintain such a high state of vigilance that you
They are even more jealous of the knowledge they have earn their respect;
and even more secretive than most of their fellow priests  live for battle and practice torture and self-mutilation;
across Harn. They are barely tolerated in Golotha and  trade with some traitorous middle-men, like that half-
assume any approach is a trap to catch them interfering in breed „Scarlet Daq‟.
local politics. A few years ago one of their most
This is little more than what any Rethemi could tell
distinguished scholars, Adel of Mertin, had to escape
them of the Kubora, but the claimed association with the
Golotha in secret for prying too deeply into the history and
Mamakans should add some sense of authenticity to what
origins of the Agrikan Order of Mamaka the Master of
he says. Having completed Peran: Heart of Darkness the
Steel.
PCs should be sceptical of such a simplistic picture of the
Her favoured acolyte is currently in the north of Rethem Kubora.
continuing her work so the most likely excuse for telling
If the PCs approach a priest of Mamaka … then
the PCs nothing is that „… our only authority on Peran is
the PCs discover the priests are even more closed mouthed
than their Warriors! They not only torture any of their own

HârnWorld
who speak of their secrets but routinely feed any nosey will come upon the story of a sealing ship that suffered
seekers after such forbidden knowledge to the Holy Flame terribly among the islands.
beneath the Agrikan Temple (Golotha, B9). The Ivinian ship was called the Wav Dansen and it
If the PCs include an ordained priest of Mameka limped into Golotha late in the previous Autumn. It had
or a Warrior of Mameka … then the GM can provide barely managed to survive its journey from the North;
information about the Kubora of the river valleys of Peran battered by wind and weather and the crew barely able to
but little about the Nolgind (see Tribes of the Kubora). bring her to port. The survivors brought with them a tale
that was soon being repeated in every dockside tavern.
Scarlet Daq … Were the PCs to offer the dock worker they are talking to a
Scarlet Daq (Golotha, F14) maintains very close trading meal and a drink he will be happy to re-tell it …
relationships among his father‟s people; travelling into the
Peran wilderness each Summer. The rest of the time he The Tale of the Wav Dansen
spends keeping his contacts in Golotha up to date or The ship was Ivinian and sailing among the Afarezirs for
travelling more widely across Rethem, and sometimes the first time in search of whales and seals. The crew had
Tharda; to ensure his trade networks stay intact. barely set up camp on one of the islands when they were
If the PCs seek him out they will find he has left the city approached by a party of Nolgind Kubora tribesmen
on just such a trip and is not expected back for some time. seeking to trade seal pelts for metalwares. The Nolgind
were friendly enough and advised the sailors to leave
His servant will direct the PCs to the taverns around the
before nightfall lest „the Lost Ones‟ found them. The
Golotha arena if they wish to find a Kuboran. They
warriors would not be any more specific and departed well
congregate where the wild beasts traded out of Peran are
before dusk. The Ivinians were left to calculate the profit
sold.
they would make with the skins they had paid so little for.
Kuborans … There was some drinking around the fire on the beach
They are the best source of intelligence about Peran in that night so, when the alarm was raised, they were slow to
general. However, as the Nolgind Kubora of the Afarezirs arm and defend themselves. At first they thought the
are among the most isolated of tribes, the chance of Kubora had returned and in the confused fight around the
meeting a Kuboran who has met a Nolgind, let alone fire they wondered at the tribesmens‟ strength and wild
travelled through the island chain, should be very small. rage. It took 10 of them to subdue even one of the
With their very fierce reputation Kubora are in demand attackers before the raiders were driven off into the night.
in Golotha as gladiators. Some make a decent living as free It seemed impossible but the wild savage they had
men travelling from one games to another fighting for their captured still had fight in him despite having his hand
bed and board, but most are slaves kept by the Order of severed from his arm and other wounds that would have
Demon Pameshlu, or patrons of the Games. The more brought any normal man to their knees.
successful slave-gladiators are given more freedom and it is With dawn they got a better look at their assailant and
not impossible to find them enjoying a drink alongside their he was clearly not of the group that they had traded with.
free brethren in the pot-houses of Arena Town. Dressed in little more than a loin cloth he appeared poorly
The Kubora make poor house slaves unless they have nourished and sickly. All the more surprising, therefore at
been taken as children and brought up to servitude. Even the savagery with which he had fought. He died gabbling
then the men are considered too great a risk unless gelded. what the crew later took to be a curse.
The same fierce nature makes the women valued as When they left the island the curse took hold. One of
pleasure slaves by some „civilised‟ folk. Almost every the crew was siezed by a berserk fury following a mild
brothel in Golotha boasts one or two Kubora who cater to exchange of insults with others among the crew. The
the particular tastes of some patrons. berserker set about his fellows with axe and sword,
Any other Kuboran in Golotha is rare. The tribes have a maiming one and wounding several others before they
number of natural resources the south demands, not least could subdue and bind him. A few hours later the rage had
wild beasts for the arena, but most are sold to traders at the left him and he had only hazy memories of what he had
Emesa Beast Fayre. Some half-blood Kubora, like Scarlet done.
Daq, choose to bring their wares direct to the city. More The next morning the Wav Dansen departed for islands
often than not these half-breeds are never fully trusted by further down the archipelago but the curse was not finished
either culture but useful to both. with them.
The Seaman’s Guild … A fearsome storm blew up out of nowhere and,
If the PCs spend time gossiping with local seamen and undermanned as they were, they had to run before it out
dock workers near the Seaman‟s Guild (Golotha, E1) they into the Haonic Ocean. The ship suffered damage and two

HârnWorld
more crew were lost. So it was that they limped into boats and barges that comprise the floating town beneath
Golotha rather than making their way north to Ivinia. Golotha‟s Southaven; the Southaven Underworld (Golotha
If the PCs seek more detail … the docker will provides details of the Northaven Underworld which the
embellish bits of his story with what he thinks the PCs want GM can use to flavour any encounter beneath the southern
to hear but knows nothing more. wharves). A further success with Intrigue will lead them to
Cenid who now inhabits a narcotics den.
The GM should take care not to allow these
embellishments to allow the PCs to make any connection In his lucid moments, Cenid turns the odd coin by
to the herb they are seeking. retelling the tale of his „exploits among the wild Kubora‟.
He has cobbled together a tale of derring-do from bits and
He will be able to say that some of the sailors were
pieces he has picked up about the Kubora to pad out his
badly injured when they arrived and some died of their
own experiences.
wounds.
He will describe how the crew was attacked and worn
If they seek out other dockers or spend time in
down by constant raids. The Kubora took scalps as
the docks … they will get more or less the same story but
trophies and tortured some that they took captive. Woven
the embellishements will differ. This might allow the PCs to
into this fantasy, of how he saved the crew only to be
pick out the core truth of the tale that circulated during the
abandoned in this Ljarl-forsaken place, is the single nugget
autumn and winter and throw some doubt on the more
of truth: the description of the „possessed berserker
outlandish embellishments such as „the horns the savage
warriors‟ of the islands.
bore‟, or the fact he „was a giant‟, or „half-wolf‟.
In his less coherent moments, Cenid will mistake some
If they seek out someone who might have treated
party members for Kubora or rave about the attack. „Why
the injured … they will find their way to the two
won‟t he die! Take off his other hand – for Sarajin‟s sake kill
physicians in town.
him again …‟
Horab of Ardiras (Golotha, B7), is commonly regarded
as a reputable healer. He knows nothing of the Wav Link to the next scene
Dansen or her crew. Most of the NPCs in Scene 6 are best introduced as the
Shorka of Larsi (Golotha, F21) is a quack and too afraid PCs work their way through Scene 5, but any the GM
that the characters are investigating his work to say wants to include (or the PCs decide they need) can be
anything useful without bribes and an inordinate amount of picked from Scene 6 and used as separate encounters.
reassurance. With enough persuasion, Shorka will admit
that he amputated the right leg of one of the Wav Dansan‟s
SCENE 6: SPECIALIST HELP?
crew below the knee. The man, named Cenid, survived the Overview
surgery and Shorka was paid for the service by other As the PCs find out more about the Afarezirs they may
members of the crew. Shorka does not know whether feel they need some specialist help. This Scene introduces
Cenid departed with the Wav Dansan. a number of potentially useful NPCs each providing some
If the PCs try to find out if Cenid survived … then skill, experience or knowledge that the PCs may find help-
Intrigue may lead them to Boraga of Karil (Golotha, F7). ful.
The embalmer will initially resist telling the characters Each can also fulfil an additional, secret, role in the ad-
anything but if paid will reveal what a good memory of his venture if the GMs wishes. Before introducing these NPCs
clients he has. He is paid by the city to dispose of any the GM should read the Appendix, „Friends in the South?‟
pauper bodies who are either unclaimed or cannot be and decide whether to use any the options presented there.
approporiately committed to their gods by friends or If an NPC is recruited then the GM can invite the
family. One of the crew was too ill to leave when the Wav players to run the NPC as well as their characters. If a PC
Dansen left and subsequently died of a corrupted green- becomes injured or incapacitated, or the party splits up to
stick fracture of the thigh received during the storm. The further their search then a player can be kept in the game
man was called Tersi. by being given one of the accompanying NPCs to play.
Boraga sold the corpse to the local Guild of Arcane
Lore (Golotha, I2) . He had hopes of another of the injured GM Aims
crew turning up dead but that one, called Cenid, survived.  To present each NPC as a potentially helpful and trust-
worthy associate.
Boraga does not know for certain what became of him
but knows the man became addicted to a cocktail of  Avoid making any of the NPCs seem to be a „plant‟.
narcotics to stave off the pain of his amputated leg. PC Outcomes
If the PCs search for Cenid … then Intrigue will They may have recruited some useful allies.
inform them that most of the lowliest narcotic dens are to
be found among the poor souls living in the labyrinth of

HârnWorld
Ovik of Hossil …
… is a scholar of history and geography who is Name: Ovik of Hossil Race/Sex: Human/Male
particularly well-informed about the North. He will seek Occupation: Scholar Born: 19 Ilvin 695, Skorus
out the PCs, perhaps after they have tried and failed to get Appearance: Aged 25, height 5‟9”, medium frame, weight 157 lbs/size 6,
any additional background information from the priests of handsome appearance, dark complexion, black hair, hazel eyes
Save K‟nor. Alternatively rumour will have reached him of Str 14 Agl 12 Sml 10 Aur 18 Cml 16
an expedition heading north. Sta 14 Eye 14 Voi 06 Wil 16 End 14
Medical/Psyche: Hidden scars on his back from scourging
Religion: Ritual (Agrik) 33, Piety 30
Skills: AWARENESS 68, CLIMBING 66, Drawing 60, Folklore (Peran) 40;
Herblore 24, INTRIGUE 63, JUMPING 62, Law 12, Mathematics 25,
ORATORY 24, Physician 30, RHETORIC 52, SINGING 24, STEALTH 52,
Swimming 15, THROWING 50
Languages: Harnic 94, Old Jarinese 21
Scripts: Lakise 98
Money/Valuables: While not richly dressed he appears to have a significant
line of credit which he explains as resulting from his bastardy. His father is
rich and pays him well to stay away from him and his family.
Armour/Weapons: Cloth shirt and breeches, robe and tunic. Leather calf
boots.
Other Equipment: A leather satchel in which he keeps his supply of parch-
ment, pens and ink. He will buy any specific travelling and wilderness equip-
ment that he needs.

Head butt   51 51  2  
Hand/Arm   51 66 -05 1  
Foot/Knee   56 56 -05 2  
Dagger 1 11 55 55 -05 1 2 4

Skull C  1 1 1 1
Face      
Neck      
Upper Arm CCC  1 2 1 2
Elbow C  1 1 1 1
Forearm C  1 1 1 1
Hand      
Ovik of Hossil
Abdomen CCC  1 2 1 2
Hossil has travelled from Tharda to carry out research Hip CCCC  1 2 1 2
for a book he intends to write on the mysteries of Peran. Groin CCCC  1 2 1 2
Thigh CCC  1 2 1 2
He heard about the PCs planned voyage into the North
Knee CCC  1 2 1 2
while collecting tales of Peran from sailors and dock- Calf CL  2 4 3 4
workers. Foot L  1 3 2 3
He is seeking passage with them to the Afarezirs; an Invocations: none Spells: none
opportunity to visit the distant archipelago is unique. He Convocations: none Psionics: none
could not afford to provision such an expedition himself so Notes: He can draw maps of the islands or sketch anything that needs record-
would be limited to second hand accounts. To visit the ing, including the plant they are seeking. While not encyclopaedic Ovik can
still be very useful to the PCs and offer them sound advice based on his
islands himself would give his book enormous authority. knowledge of Peran and its inhabitants.
This is why he is willing to pay the PCs for his passage and
to help them during their expedition. How much he is
prepared to pay is left to the GM to fit with campaign
norms.

HârnWorld
Talar …
… is a Delerni Kuboran who was once a slave gladiator Name: Talar the Kuboran Race/Sex: Human/Male
in the Golothan arena. Since winning his freedom he has Occupation: Former gladiator Born: He doesn‟t know
served as a bodyguard-for-hire, and adopted some Appearance: Aged 30-ish, height 6‟1”, medium frame, weight 175 lbs/size 7,
southron ways. plain appearance, medium complexion, black hair, hazel eyes

Medical/Psyche: Kuboran Arus
Religion: Ritual (Kuboran Gods) 10, Piety 02; Ritual (Halea) 13, Piety 18
Skills: Acting 22, Animalcraft 35, AWARENESS 66, CLIMBING 60, Fishing
23, Folklore (Mainland Kubora) 60, Folklore (Nolgind Kubora) 20, INTRIGUE
30, JUMPING 54, ORATORY 27, Physician 33, RHETORIC 27, SINGING 27,
STEALTH 42, Swimming 45, THROWING 56, Tracking 40, Weaponcraft 45
Languages: Old Jarinese 59, Harnic 39
Scripts: none
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 58, DODGE 75, UNARMED 66, Dagger 49, Axe
65, Sword 60
Money/Valuables: He is tricked out in a good quality, embroidered, south-
ron tunic and tooled leather boots which don‟t suit him. His only other valua-
bles are four quite valuable rings; has little or no cash.
Armour/Weapons: Cloth shirt, breeches and good quality tunic with good
leather calf boots; scale vest with kurbul ailettes and bracers. Despite advice
he refuses to remove his armour at sea, perhaps because it is the most valua-
ble thing he owns. He says his good quality clothing are gifts from a grateful
wealthy patron.
Other Equipment: It seems that everything he owns is in the cloth sack he
carries.

Head butt   61 61  2  
Hand/Arm   61 76 -05 1  
Foot/Knee   66 6 -05 2  
Dagger 1 12 49 49 -05 1 2 4
Handaxe* 3 12 70 65 0 4 6 
Shortsword 3 12 65 60 -10 3 5 4
*Talar is naturally left handed and trained to use his axe right-handed in the are-
na;; hence no „off-hand‟ penalty.

Skull      
Face      
Neck      
Shoulder CCSK +1 7 11 6 6
Upper Arm CC +1 2 3 2 3
Talar the Kuboran Elbow C +1 1 2 1 2
He is best introduced when the PCs have failed to Forearm CK  5 5 4 4
Hand      
make contact with Scarlet Daq or when they are seeking Thorax CCS  6 10 5 5
Kuborans in Arena Town. Perhaps they find him in a Abdomen CCS  6 10 5 5
drunken stupor lamenting the lost forests of his childhood. Hip CCC +1 2 3 2 3
Groin CCC +1 2 3 2 3
He was bright enough to plan his exit from the arena
Thigh CC +1 2 3 2 3
before it took his life. He has grown used to the civilised Knee CC  1 1 1 1
ways of the south but often becomes sentimental about his Calf L +1 2 4 3 4
home in the Peran wilderness. It is that sentimentality that Foot L +1 2 4 3 4
drives his offer to accompany the PCs. Invocations: none Spells: none
He is obviously useful to the PCs as he is of Kuboran Convocations: none Psionics: none
origin, speaks the language, and understands the culture. Notes: Talar has forgotten a lot of the forest lore he learned as a child and
That may be sufficient recommendation for him to be youth. After a decade in the south his recollections of his homeland are ro-
manticised.
given a berth among them, though as a mainland Kuboran
even he will find the Nolgind foreign.

HârnWorld
Sir Hovan Mindar …
Name: Sir Hovan Mindar Race/Sex: Human/Male
… is a wandering „sword for hire‟; down on his luck and
Occupation: Knight-at-Arms Born: 24 Nuzyael 687, Ulandus
in need of friends. He will seek to go North with the PCs as
an alternative to increasing poverty in Golotha. PCs with Appearance: Aged 33, height 5‟11”, medium frame, weight 164 lbs/size 6,
plain appearance, medium complexion, brown hair, grey eyes
an approporiate background should spot his clan name and
accent as from Kanday. That‟s not a reason for him not to Str 13 Agl 13 Sml 08 Aur 08 Cml 08
be in Golotha but it might explain why he is unemployed. Dex 15 Hrg 09 Int 14 Mor 14 Mov 13
He was brought up a Laranian and tries to hold to his Medical/Psyche: none
principles. Religion: Ritual (Larani) 22, Piety 16
Skills: Agriculture 30, AWARENESS 56, CLIMBING 64, Dancing 42, Foraging
56; Heraldry 24, INTRIGUE 53, JUMPING 65, Law 22, ORATORY 20, Physi-
cian 39, RHETORIC 22, Riding 98, SINGING 24, STEALTH 33, THROWING
48, Weaponcraft 26
Languages: Harnic 61 (Kandayan accent)
Scripts: Lakise 33
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 72, DODGE 60, UNARMED 80, Dagger 78, Axe
70, Sword 70, Shield 90
Money/Valuables: He has a single suit of clothes that show the signs of hav-
ing been worn for too long. He sold his horse and will soon have to sell his
hauberk. He is proud of his weapons which he looks after religiously, even
though they are not of particularly high quality. He carries his broadsword
and kite shield as evidence of his knighthood and these would be the last to be
sold.
Armour/Weapons: Cloth shirt, breeches and tunic, leather knee boots and a
long ring mail hauberk and hood with a quilt arming cap that he will remove at
sea.
Other Equipment: travelling equipment: blanket, flint steel, cook pot etc.
Load: 28.9 (fully armed: 54.4) lbs Encumbrance Penalty: 0 (2)

Head butt   80 80  2  
Hand/Arm   80 95 -05 1  
Foot/Knee   85 85 -05 2  
Dagger 1 11 83 83 -05 1 2 4
Handaxe 3 11 80 75 -10 4 6 
Broadsword 4 12 85 80 -15 4 6 4
Kite shield 8 14 95 115  2  

Skull  (+QR: 6 7 4 5)     
Face (ears)  (+QR: 6 7 4 5)     
Face (jaw)  (+R: 3 6 3 3 )     
Sir Hovan Mindar
Neck  (+R: 3 6 3 3 )     
He is best introduced by having him help the PCs out Shoulder C C(+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 2 1 2
of a situation where a little extra muscle would be helpful Upper Arm C C(+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 2 1 2
or where his height and bearing can defuse a potentially Elbow C (+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 1 1 1
Forearm C (+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 1 1 1
dangerous confrontation. A bar fight or an attack by
Hand      
footpads on a lone PC are helpful ways of having this poor Thorax C C(+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 2 1 2
soldier come to their aid and win their trust. Abdomen C C(+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 2 1 2
Hip C C(+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 2 1 2
Groin C C(+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 2 1 2
Thigh C C(+R: 3 6 3 3 )  1 2 1 2
Knee C L(+R: 3 6 3 3 )  2 4 3 4
Calf L  1 3 2 3
Foot L  1 3 2 3

Notes: Sir Mindar is just what he appears to be: honest, trustworthy, princi-
pled and good in a tight corner.

HârnWorld
ACT II: ABOARD THE BREYTA Description of Events
These are provided in the form of extracts from Captain
Overview Grim‟s log as the Breyta makes her way north. A number
The voyage could be an adventure in itself if the GM of entries include not only a description of events but how
wishes to use the full rules for maritime travel found in the the GM might involve the PCs in them, as well as potential
Pilots Almanac. Randomly rolled maritime encounters can consequences.
be used but the GM should be careful that they neither
interfere with the arrival of the PCs among the Afarezirs or
maroon them somewhere else in Peran.
Alternatively the voyage can be a series of vignettes of
varying complexity, or a journey described in a couple of
uneventful sentences and ending with landfall in the
Afarezirs. This latter approach will mean that there will be
fewer opportunities for any accompanying NPCs to
become functioning members of the group.
GM Aims
These depend on whether, or how, events during the
voyage are used. They can be just colour or a gritty test of
the PC‟s resilience. However the GM uses them they must
be careful not to weaken the PCs too much before they
reach the Afarezirs. For this reason suggestions are pro-
vided of ways in which the events can be completed with-
out too many bones being broken.
A cunning GM will find ways to increase the trust
between the PCs and any NPC accompanying them.
There‟s nothing like having a suspicious seeming NPC save
the life of a PC who is expecting exactly the opposite.
Remember that none of the infiltrator options detailed in
Appendix III require the PCs to be killed.
An alternative approach is to play the voyage with
increased potential lethality and leave the PCs having to
return to Golotha and re-group. That might be a strategy
for focussing a PC group that wasted its time in Golotha
onto more complete research or recruitment. Discovering
the disadvantages of not following Grim Olmoding‟s advice
could be a salutory lesson, this approach will require
additional GM preparation.
PC Outcomes
These are as variable as the approaches taken by the
GM. Above all they should provide the players with some
opportunities for a mental and physical work-out prior to
arriving at the Afarezirs so the pace and interest in the
adventure is sustained. They will have spent much of Act I
on social tasks while the voyage can provide opportunities
for more physical tests.
The voyage also provides an opportunity for Captain
Olmoding to share some of his general knowledge of the
Afarezirs, though he will retain much of what he knows
about each island for their arrival there.
The Breyta heads out of Boka Bay

HârnWorld
Vigdis Grimkall … When they arrive among the Afarezirs she will offer to
carry the injured Aslin ashore and in this way become an
… is delegated to look after the passengers and keep NPC for the party. As with Ovik, Talar or Sir Mindar, the
them out of trouble. She is a competent sailor and effective GM can give her character sheet to a player who might
warrior. She is also ambitious and keen to make influential otherwise not be involved in an encounter. Vigdis‟ other
friends. The PCs clearly have friends capable of hiring the advantage is that she speaks enough Jarinese to become
ship so that makes them good people to get to know. the PCs‟ interpreter if they need one.
Just because her motives are mercenary doesn‟t mean Name: Vigdiss Grimkall Race/Sex: Human/Female
she isn‟t genuinely friendly, good company and helpful. Occupation: Sailor/Shieldmaiden Born: 18 Nuzyael 693, Ulandus
She will do everything she can to make the PCs her friends,
Appearance: Aged 27, height 5‟7”, medium frame, weight 149 lbs/size 6, the
perhaps even making amorous approaches to one of them. epitome of northern beauty: fair complexion, blonde hair, blue eyes
She knows the value of a promise of future ecstasy, though,
and will only hint at what the PCs can expect on their Sta 16 Eye 12 Voi 10 Wil 05 End 16
return to Golotha. Dex 11 Hrg 11 Int 09 Mor 11 Mov 11
Medical/Psyche: easily flattered
Religion: Ritual (Sarajin) 12, Piety 16
Skills: AWARENESS 48, CLIMBING 80, Fishing 30, Herblore 28, INTRIGUE
27, JUMPING 64, Mathematics 16, ORATORY 24, Physician 11, Piloting 22,
RHETORIC 32, Seamanship 56, Shipwright 24, SINGING 30, STEALTH 33,
THROWING 52, Timbercraft 34, Weatherlore 44
Languages: Ivinian 78, Jarinese 58, Harnic 48
Scripts: none
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 46, DODGE 45, UNARMED 64, Dagger 48,
Sword 70, Shield 56
Money/Valuables: She has a share of the profits of the Breyta, as do all the
crew.
Armour/Weapons: Cloth shirt, breeches and tunic, leather shoes and a mail
haubergeon inherited from her father that she will remove at sea.
Other Equipment: little more than what she stands up in.
Load: 26.2(fully armed: 48.8) lbs Encumbrance Penalty: 0 (2)

Head butt   64 64  2  
Hand/Arm   64 79 -05 1  
Foot/Knee   69 69 -05 2  
Dagger 1 11 53 53 -05 1 2 4
Shortsword 3 11 80 75 -10 3 5 4
Round shield 7 14 61 76  2  

Skull      
Face (ears)      
Face (jaw)      
Neck      
Shoulder C C(+M: 2 8 6 1)  1 2 1 2
Upper Arm C C(+M: 2 8 6 1)  1 2 1 2
Elbow      
Forearm (right)  (+K: 4 4 3 3)     
Hand      
Thorax C C(+M: 2 8 6 1)  1 2 1 2
Abdomen C C(+M: 2 8 6 1)  1 2 1 2
Hip C C(+M: 2 8 6 1)  1 2 1 2
Groin C C(+M: 2 8 6 1)  1 2 1 2
Thigh CC  1 2 1 2
Knee CC  1 1 1 1
Calf      
Foot L  1 3 2 3

Vigdis Grimkall
Notes: Vigdis is not happy, but she doesn‟t quite know why. She feels there
She can be used to hint at the concerns some of the should be more to life than seeing her complexion ruined by a life at sea!
crew will express about the PCs during the difficult journey
north. This should help secure the PCs‟ trust.

HârnWorld
SCENE 1: TO THE TIRSAS exchange for news and an undertaking to visit Movel and leave
offerings.
Overview AND … details of Bjari Hirsen‟s settlement are presented
The Breyta completes the first stage of her journey with in The Tirsa Pirates. A visit here provides a reason to visit
a stop among the Tirsa Islands at the steading of some the abandoned colony on Movel Island when the Breyta
Ivinian „pirates‟ known to Captain Olmoding. reaches the Afarezirs but if the GM doesn‟t wish to make
this visit, or has already fleshed out the pirates in a different
GM Aims form, then Captain Olmoding can explain that he is bound
 To get the PCs used to the rhythm of life aboard the by an oath to an old friend to leave some offerings on
Breyta.
Movel in memory of the lost Orbaalese colonies there.
PC Outcomes If the PCs do visit „Valhakar‟ Bjari they will experience
The PCs learn to live with the frustrations and monoto- good Ivinian hospitality. Those with appropriate local
ny of shipboard life. knowledge may be surprised that Bjari and his people look
more like farmers than pirates.
… as described in the log of the Breyta: Captain Olmoding heard rumours that the legendary
leader of the Brotherhood of the Black Dragon had settled
Day 1: A late start due to a sudden storm crossing the estuary among the Tirsa Islands. He carries a letter that has
then slow progress out among the islands where we anchored to followed Bjari these last 5 years; handed from ship to ship
weather a second blow. on the basis of rumour as to the Brotherhood‟s location.
AND … The GM should have the PCs roll against The letter contains the news that Bjari‟s sister, Rulyn,
AGILITYx3 to avoid stumbling during the stormy weather along with a husband and two children he did not know
the Breyta encounters. This is a good time to explain the existed, were among the colonists that disappeared in 716.
risks of moving about the cramped ship in metal armour or
otherwise encumbered, and encourage them to follow the Bjari will be distraught at the loss of „little Ru‟ and will
crew‟s advice about stowing armour during the voyage. sacrifice a sheep to Sarajin in the hopes the god has
gathered in her spirit and those of her family. The sheep‟s
Day 2: Prevailing SW winds freshening to a gale so reduced head and entrails are left on the broad stone that
sail to weather it. Whales sighted to SW late in the day but too runemaster Korri Gyerden has erected half a league from
far off to launch the boats. the thran. The rest of the sheep makes a fine feast for
Day 3: Slow progress alternately beating and hauling into the Captain Olmoding, his crew, and his passengers.
wind to get beyoned Weseda sands and out into Boka Bay. Bjari is of a mind to visit Movel himself, but the Dragon
AND … A Right Whale pod is potentially very profitable if is not yet fully fit for a voyage around Cape Vikod. He
one could be taken by stealth and then towed to a beach settles for gifting the Breyta with two lambs, so long as one
where it could be rendered down for its valuable oil. (see is sacrificed at Movel Gamle Hem, as a further propitiation
Aquatic Bestiary for details of Right Whales). to Sarajin.
This vignette could be inserted into any day but if it is Grim Olmoding is honoured to be trusted in this way
used it will extend the voyage. It could be used to get the and assures Bjari that he will ensure suitable rites are
PCs to an Island in the Tirsa‟s or onto the mainland if the carried out when they touch at the old colony site.
GM wanted to stretch them in the early stages of the
adventure with an encounter with the Tiraen Kubora. It
might also make a link to the fanon Trading Post in Kobeon
Kubora territory (available at Lythia.com).
The GM should take care that a detour to the Peran
mainland is not seen as an opportunity for the PCs to set
out to find Scarlet Daq. His half-brother maintains the
trading post in the Kobeon range and this may reinforce
player misunderstanding of a visit to the Trading Post.
While the GM may be happy for the PCs to set off into the
Peran forests on a wild goose chase after the half-breed
Kuboran trader, it will delay the rest of the adventure,
possibly permanently!
Day 4: Steered North and West towards the Tirsa Islands and
made landfall at Bjari Hirsen‟s thran. Offered hospitality in
A warm welcome in Bjari Hirsen‟s Hearth

HârnWorld
Scene 2: TO CAPE VIKOD  To develop the trust and friendship of the PCs with
Vigdis and any other NPC, and use her to advise against
Overview any pre-emptive action against the crew.
The Breyta struggles further north and the PCs find PC Outcomes
themselves less welcome than they were. The PCs should feel sufficiently worried about their
GM Aims reputation with the crew to offer to help during this difficult
 To help the PCs understand that they are entirely reli- leg of the journey but in doing so make themselves even
ant on the crew and that the crew is becoming nervous less welcome! It is important they don‟t do anything rash.
of their presence;
Rounding Cape Vikod
Description of Events AND … This is a poor sequence of weather and might

Day 5: Awaited dawn to take leave of Valhakar Bjari and it result in the crew looking suspiciously at the PC „Jonahs‟.
was hard work beating into the north west. These waters are This, in turn, might drive the PCs and any NPC they have
never easy! Some Kubora spotted towards the larger Tirsa brought along closer together and present opportunities for
Island where Bjari told us they have a village. them to get to know one another better. If the PCs offer to
help with the bailing then ensure AGILITY tests give them
AND … The GM may want the Tiraen Kubora that are the chance to make fools of themsleves or get in the way of
sighted to get closer before they are spotted or have them the crew, hence reinforcing any developing resentment.
arrive at dusk in a raid. They will not stand and fight but
simply grab anything not tied down on the deck and make- Day 8: Gales continue but now out of the North bringing
off over the side. This can be a good time to releive the freezing hail. Flooding made worse when passeners „help‟ –
PCs of anything the GM would prefer they didn‟t have. damn their eyes. Crew still waterlogged as a result. Crew spirits
raised when passengers flooded out too! Are these people bad
Day 6: Beset by gales from NW and SW. Some flooding and luck or is it the reason for the voyage which is angering the seas?
damage to rigging.
AND … It might provide additional tension if a PC were
Day 7: Gales continue to hamper progress – worse than usual able to read Runic and got brief access to the Captain‟s log,
at this time of year. Flooding has soaked many of the crew but „stealing‟ a captain‟s log might be stupid! Instead,
chests so spirits are low which is not helped by having to bail Vigdis can bring word of what she heard Grim saying to
through the night! Turned North towards the Vikod Strait this another member of the crew. She could express concern as
afternoon. she‟s new to the crew too and fears they may also see her
as a bad omen. From this point onwards Vigdis will

HârnWorld
regularly share a meal with the PCs rather then with the
crew and might show some amorous interest in one of SCENE 3: LANDFALL!
them. Overview
Day 9: Beating into the teeth of this Northerly gale again – but The Breyta finds fairer weather as she makes her way
this one cost us Tordi – lost overboard before anyone could along the north coast of Peran to Kadag Strait and from
reach him. He‟s been my second for 3 years. Damned bad luck there to her first landfall among the Afarezirs.
for a Summer voyage. This and failing to sight the „Southern
Guardian‟, the island that marks the southern entry to the strait
GM Aims
 To reduce any tensions between crew and passengers.
today when my rutter says we should have. Are these people
bringing a curse on us? PC Outcomes
AND … Vigdis can bring daily updates of what Grim is The PCs may get their first experience of an encounter
saying to the crew under the pretense of bringing the PCs with Kubora from the north.
their food.
Day 10: Fog! Reduced sail and crept north for fear of running Day 11: What a day! Perhaps Tordi has reached Sarajin‟s
onto the rocky Minrath Islands but then the visibility increased. table and begged his help for us. Wind came around behind us
Land sighted to our NE. Looks like an island but will be careful as we rounded the cape and then it followed us down the coast
– the Peran coast is treacherous here. At dusk confirmed it‟s the towards the Nej. The breeze from the South is hot and heavy
„Northern Guardian‟! We must have passed the southern one in with the smell of that damn forest. The Kubora came out at
the night or in the fog. Perhaps there is some good luck to be dusk so we pressed NE rather than risk them coming aboard in
had on this voyage. the night.
AND … The fog can provide good atmospheric conditions AND … Finding a pretext for a landfall on the Peran
for role-playing, particulalrly if the PCs have come to mainland would give the PCs a chance to confront the Neji
believe they are unwelcome guests aboard the Breyta. Kubora. This may demonstrate that the crew hold no
Either huddled under the awning at the stern or straining lasting ill-feeling towards the PCS when one of them
for any sight of land in the bows a PC might mistake a intercedes to stop a Neji attacking a PC from behind. Al-
crewman‟s clumsiness for an effort to either knock them ternatively, or additionally, a skirmish while the Breyta
unconscious or tip them overboard. takes on fresh water allows a PC to save one of the crew.
If any PC ostentatiously prayed for Tordi then some of
the thanks for Sarajin‟s intervention will rub off on the PCs.
Day 12: Made up for yesterday with a hard won day‟s passage
north into headwinds but then sea fret led us astray and we
grounded on a shoal. It‟s the southernmost Afarezir and the
damage was minor. More embarassed than harmed. Tordi
took revenge on the passengers by having one of them take a
fall! He never liked them.
Waited out the fogs while we did some repairs. Concerned
we‟ve emptied the lockers of new rigging and some hull bracers.
The islands had best be kind to us and the return trip easier than
coming North.
AND … it must be Aslin who takes the fall which badly
strains his left knee. This will make him even more of a
liability and will mean the PCs have to make more use of
Vigdis‟ offer to carry him when ashore.
Day 13: Almost no wind and what there is blowing into our
teeth out of the North.
Day 14: Perhaps Sarajin didn‟t want us to beach on the 13th
day of the voyage! Akova hove out of the dawn exactly where
she was supposed to be and we beached in a cove I know on the
SE tip of the island. We‟re far enough away from their usual
camping ground, a league or two up the East coast, but they‟ll
know we‟re here within a few hours.
AND … the PCs can prepare for their first encounter with
the Nolgind Kubora.

HârnWorld
Landfall among the Afarezirs
ACT III: AMONG THE ISLANDS Time and Travel

The GM can use the Pilot‟s Almanac to plot travel be-
Overview tween islands or assume that it takes a watch to navigate
The captain has been paid well to deliver the PCs safely into any two open sea or coastal hexes among the islands.
to the Afarezirs. His instructions are that when they arrive This may be a little slow but can be explained as due to
his actions are to be guided by them and he will comply so treacherous currents, tides, and finding the best anchorage.
long as it does not put his ship or crew in danger.
Equally the GM can track and record the time for each
Grim will suggest a route through the islands which will encounter with the Nolgind or assume that, generally, a
make best use of wind and currents at this time of year. watch is sufficient to enable contact to be made and a fur-
The PCs can ignore this advice but he will stress that it is ther watch for reactions to be judged and any trade of
his preferred route. It will also enable him to undertake goods or information completed.
some sealing when the PCs are ashore, and trade with
Where scenes involve travel across an island a reason-
some of the Nolgind clans as well. While he has been paid
able assumption is that it takes 2 watches to cover a hex of
enough to break even on the expedition he is keen to in-
the rough, broken, terrain that makes up most of the is-
crease that profit through some free enterprise.
lands.
While Scenes 1 to 6 could be played in any order there
If the PCs work their way through the Islands in the or-
is a logic in playing them as written. Scenes 7 and 8 (set on
der written and are not unduly delayed then they will be
Aldrie and Qulf islands) may not be played at all as the PCs
back at the tip of Akova, ready to sail home to Golotha be-
are likely to find out enough in the first 6 Scenes, plus their
tween 15 and 20 days after they arrived.
visit to Sholo, to see Hafeg island as their target. Scenes 9
and 10 (Sholo and Hafeg) must be played in sequence to The return voyage can be played in detail if the players
ensure there is a smooth transition to the final Act. and GM wish, or they can assume that 14 days later they
will dock at Northaven wharf in Golotha. They will have
Whatever the order in which Scenes 1 – 6 are played
been away for about 45 – 50 days, much less than two
the PCs will get a chance to hear parts of the folktale told
months.
among the Nolgind Kubora about the „Beast of Blood‟. This
should be communicated to the PCs in bite sized pieces Scene Structure
with increasing amounts of detail as they visit more of the Some encounters with the Kubora of the islands will be
Nolgind clans. neutral/friendly, others will be more hostile. However,
The PCs must have heard all the instalments by the even in a hostile encounter tribesmen, other than the
time they get to Sholo (Scene 7). Even if they visit the is- Hafen, will withdraw after a single warrior is wounded.
lands in a different order the GM must deliver the tale in They cannot afford a full-blown battle unless the stakes are
the sequence described. Equally, if their actions mean they very high. They do not have a large enough population to
don‟t hear a particular instalment then it can be added to risk the death of even a few warriors. Attacks will, there-
the front of the next instalment. If all else fails then fore, tend to be hit and run, from ambush.
Wenowina can tell it all when they meet her.
What Captain Olmoding Knows …
The other mystery the PCs will get hints of, but proba- Grim Olmoding has spent 5 seasons among the
bly cannot make sense of until they have completed the Afarezirs and has built up some understanding of the is-
adventure, is that of Pella (see Act IV). They will get hints lands and their inhabitants. It is best if the PCs are not
about her fate at various points from visions and seers. simply given sight of Afarezirs. The GM should use that ar-

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ticle to interpret the geography and the knowledge Captain The Nolgind Kubora are fine sailors using hide covered
Olmoding has built up. Specific information from the cap- boats to fish from, and even to take whales. However they
tain is included in each Scene as a guide as well as the map rarely hunt outside the Sea of Tirpal, south of the archipel-
he has drawn of each island. Those maps show places he ago. For this reason Grim will always prefer to anchor off
has encountered the Nolgind as well as safe anchorages he the North or East coast of an island so the chance of an en-
has found. counter with the tribes at sea is lessened.
The Breyta will usually be spotted by the Nolgind long Finally Grim Olmoding has certain rules to ensure his
before any ship‟s boat lands. However they will only ob- ship and crew stay safe:
serve from the forest edge as people and goods disembark.  He will never beach the Breyta. Anyone going ashore
From this point forward, while tribal organization is insuffi- will go in one of the ship‟s small whale boats while he
cient to manage continuous surveillance, anyone ashore keeps the knaar anchored in shallow water close to
should expect to be observed most of the time. Word will shore;
spread quickly across an island, and often between islands,
of the Breyta and the activities of her crew and passengers.  He is prepared for the PCs to spend the night ashore
but none of his crew will be allowed to. The only ex-
Grim‟s advice is to act with care towards the clans lest later
encounters are coloured by early errors. ception is Vigdis as she has volunteered to help the in-
jured Aslin.
The attitude of the Nolgind is never consistent but, gen-
erally speaking, the further north the island, the less con-  Whenever the PCs are away from the ship he will take
tact they have with outsiders and the less predictable they the opportunity to find a seal colony, kill as many of the
are. Anyone going ashore should bear that in mind. It usu- creatures as possible quickly and then get back to the
ally takes a clan no more than a watch (3 hours) to assem- boat within an hour or so to reduce the risk of the Nol-
ble its warband – sometimes much less. gind attacking them. This is why, whenever the PCs
ask to go ashore, Grim deposits them within easy dis-
tance of a promising seal colony.
The Afarezirs at Dawn

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Attitude of clan Akoven to visitors
SCENE 1: AKOVA The Akoven have more metalware than their neigh-
GM Aims bours and Druhn Dirnet castes covetous eyes on the metal
 Help the PCs see that the Nolgind Kubora can be ap- weapons his visitors carry. He wants to be the first Druhn
proached if there is mutual benefit. In this case trade is to wield a sword but knows that trying to take weapons by
a means of opening relations with clan Akoven. force would put further visits at risk. Clan Akoven benefits
from the trade and they will never be the first to move from
PC Outcomes trade to violence.
Get some feel for how to trade for information with the
clans of the Nolgind Kubora. The clan‟s strength is shown below:
Clan Akoven Warband
H/h: 14 Prime Youths Old
17 6 6
Specific Encounter
Olmoding explains the common practice of the Nolgind
in trade. If a visitor wishes to trade then he will set up a
small camp on the beach just after dawn and lay out some
trade goods 50 paces away. If the local clan accepts the
offer to trade then they will arrive to inspect the offered
goods, leaving what they believe would be a fair exchange,
usually some seal skins. Then they sit and wait 20-30 pac-
es away while the traders approach and examine the of-
fered exchanges. It is considered bad manners to have
more people on the beach than the Nolgind have brought.
There is a risk in this as the tribe can more easily secrete
additional warriors nearby than can the traders but the ad-
vantages of metal weapons and armour are not lost on ei-
ther side. The Nolgind will rarely try to influence the trade
by threatening the traders with the arrival of more warriors.
If the Nolgind attack it will be without warning from am-
bush. Finally captain Olmoding explains that the PCs
should avoid going ashore in a group of 11, a number the
Nolgind consider unlucky, the way Lythians view 13.
If the visitor believes the Nolgind offer isn‟t enough he
removes some of the trade goods before backing away 20-
30 paces and sitting while the clan examines the new deal.
This might lead the Nolgind to pick up all their offered
skins and leave in disgust; or add more in the expectation
the trader would return some goods to the offer. The ob-
ject is to narrow the gap between what both sides want and
are prepared to offer. The Nolgind signal increasing satis-
faction with the deal by waiting closer to the goods; closing
the distance each time until, at the point of final agreement
the two parties are sitting opposite one another across the
Description of Events goods being exchanged.
What Captain Olmoding knows … Hunting, available from Columbia Games, includes
Whenever he passes through the islands he makes sure game mechanics for valuing various native and civilised
he stops off at Akova as the tribesmen are always keen to goods in such an exchange.
trade for metal goods or trinkets. He can also get a feel for When both parties are satisfied the Nolgind will share
the temper of nearby clans from the Akoven. There was a some local gossip with Olmoding and the PCs. This in-
clanhouse not far from a deep inlet where the Breyta can sit cludes advice on the recent weather and tides and what
safely while he takes the PCs ashore. Captain Olmoding will later confide is an almost traditional
warning to visitors to avoid Movel island lest they meet the
same fate as those Orbaalese settlers who have disap-

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peared over the years. He isn‟t certain but thinks the Ako-
ven issue this warning simply to discourage trade with their SCENE 2: MEREM
larger neighbours, the Moven Nolgind.
Every Nolgind Grim has ever met craved new stories to
embellish through their long bleak winter and will trade
those just as willingly as seal skins. They only tell small
parts of any story in the hope the visitor will return some
other time for more.
Information available …
Olmoding is happy to help the PCs ask questions:
If the PCs ask about a plant like Sethimyael, but
red coloured … they will discover that Olmoding‟s facility
with the Old Jarineses dialect of the Nolgind combined
with their understanding of „Trade Ivinian‟ is enough to al-
low reasonable, but not sophisticated, communication.
The gentle western shores of Merem
If the PCs have a native Kuboran travelling with them
then the communication can go more smoothly but the
GM Aims
Nolgind dialect is difficult even for other Kubora so poly-  Making sure that if the PCs misbehaved among the
syllabic words and complex concepts should be avoided. Akoven the Meren know about it and are more suspi-
cious that they might otherwise be.
Without Olmoding, or someone with similar skill, in Jar-
inese the GM can limit the PCs to the use of single syllable PC Outcomes
common words without the benefit of connecting gram- Learn a little more of the Beast of Blood.
mar. Hence „we are looking for a red plant with hallucino-
genic properties‟ would become „us – look – red - plant –
head – sway‟. Usually PCs will get the hang of this limita-
tion without having to play out every sentence unless that
is to the group‟s taste.
The Nolgind taboo around the colour red will be-
come apparent if the plant in described. The Nolgind do
not have a word for that colour, using the same word as for
„blood‟ – gwaed. If the PCs gesture to something of theirs
that is red then the Nolgind will say that it is insulting to
discuss blood with friends. They will explain the Nolgind
distaste for „gwaed‟ by referring to the Beast of Blood, the
Usgrubel Gwaed.
This will provide the PCs with their first example of story-
trading. As long as they have the seed of a story to tell the
Nolgind will offer snippets of their folk epic. The GM can use
Oratory and the value enhancement rules to value the story
THE BEAST OF BLOOD PART 1:
Long ago, a great sea beast visited the islands of the
Afarezirs. Bigger than any creature the clans had seen on land
or sea and coloured like blood it swept through the island bring- Description of Events
ing death and destruction in its wake. Since those times the
What Captain Olmoding knows …
clans of the Nolgind foreswore the „colour of blood‟ as the „Beast
of Blood‟ had stained too much of the islands that colour. Since Clan Meren appear subservient to the Akoven so if
that time even the trees have taken on the colour of the Beast as things have gone well on Akova then they usually go well
a warning that winter is coming. Nature itself remembers the on Merem. The Meren are keen to trade with anyone.
Usgrubel Gwaed Attitude of clan Meren to visitors
Note: This last reference is to the change in leaf colour Their attitude will reflect events on Akova. If the trad-
to the ruddy hues of Autumn each year and reflects how ing went well there then the visitors will be welcomed on
portentous the colour red has become to the Nolgind. Merem. If the Akoven felt badly done by in trade then the

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Meren will refuse outright to meet with the visitors lest
they offend the Akoven. SCENE 3: ARDIR
The clan‟s strength is shown below: GM Aims
Clan Meren Warband  Contrast the welcome received in the previous Scenes
H/h: 5 Prime Youths Old with the refusal to engage in any trade here;
5 1 1  Use what Captain Olmoding can tell them as a hook to
The PCs won‟t know that some of the the trade goods explore the island and encounter the mysterious Whale
that clan Meren gain from any encounter will find their way Cult.
to Akova as tribute to the senior clan. That is less of a loss
than the food and fuel for the winter that would otherwise PC Outcomes
be demanded by the Akoven. Take the hook and explore the island where they are
presented with a mystery.
Specific Encounter
A typical trade encounter should be played through so
long as the Meren are friendly/neutral.
The clan do know of the plant described – they call it
Ymdeithir (which translates as „Traveller‟) and it is used by
boys on the day they become men and in other Shaman
and Crone rites. It helps them see their path through life.
But „Ymdeithir is a deep, wholesome, green, not „bloody‟.
In return for additional gifts a warrior of clan Meren will
escort the visitors to where they can see Ymdeithir growing.
There the PCs will find the normal variety of sethimyael
growing densely across a sheltered, boggy, valley. Taking
Aslin to the plant (or the plant to Aslin) will confirm that it
is no different from the sethimyael found across Harn,
though it appears to be much more common among the
Afarezirs.
During their encounter the Nolgind will take the oppor-
tunity to exchange stories, though they tell aspects of their
tribal epic, „The Beast of Blood‟, with much greater reti-
cence, so frightful is the tale.
THE BEAST OF BLOOD PART 2: What Captain Olmoding knows …
The Beast of Blood was made of more than skin and flesh so
that when it crawled out of the sea onto land it took on a new Clan Ardiren would not be high on Grim Olmoding‟s list
and fearsome form. It had many legs and a scaly shell from of trading partners. There are some wild holy men on the
which sharp barbs protruded. Many a brave Nolgind hero died smaller island to the south and the clan is very protective
on those barbs as he tried to break through the creature‟s shell of them. The Ardiren assume that any visitor is a threat to
and strike at it vitals. them so they have never accepted his offers of trade.
The Beast moved from island to island: always Seaward Attitude of clan Ardiren to visitors
and Dawnward. Clan Ardiren has a traditional distrust of strangers
Note: The Nolgind have no use for the usual compass which, as Olmoding suggests, is based on their role as pro-
points. Instead North is „Seaward‟ (mor, toward the open tectors of the Whale Cult. He will have no luck enticing the
sea); South is „Treeward‟ (coyd, towards the mainland); clan to trade.
West is „Duskward‟ (gwith, toward the setting sun), and The clan‟s strength is shown below:
East is „Dawnward‟ (wawr, toward the rising sun). Clan Ardiren Warband
16 3 5+7*
* the 7 experienced whalers of the cult are only found at the cult‟ settle-
ment on the Isle of Whales.

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The clan will make every effort to discourage the PCs spouts caused by the waves crashing onto the rocks below.
from travelling south, stalking and trying to herd them back He ignores them is they approach him and even if they call
north in an effort to keep them away from the Whale Cult. to him.
They will shout insults and declare themselves „protectors They must approach almost within touching distance
of the Cult of Whales‟ – the Lanau Morfil. This should only before he turns and, in the Urdu dialect of Old Jarinese,
serve to convince the PCs that the Whale Cult is even more says „The waters speak of you and your search for blood. Be-
worthy of investigation! However, they may decide to ap- ware that which drowned in blood and coloured the land. She
proach by sea rather than confronting the warband. was a child when the land took her but now she is old and she is
Specific Encounter angry‟.
Approaching the island of the Whale Cult by sea the If the PCs can‟t speak Old Jarinese then they will un-
Breyta encounters a pod of 2-5 Killer Whales (described in derstand less of this and the old man is unable to speak any
Aquatics, available from Columbia Games) which will har- other language. He is Urnos Oarsman leader of the Cult
asses her and any boats that try to land on Whale Isle. and has never had any contact with outsiders. If it is clear
Olmoding has never seen such odd behaviour and this the PCs do not understand him he will lead them to a patch
should further whet the PCs‟ appetite. of wet sand among the rocks and draw a picture of what
The Cult itself offers no threats to visitors. Its members could be a young child drowning in waves that look a lot
merely withdraw to the hidden complex of sea caves below like spiny vegetation of some kind.
their settlement until the visitors depart. The PCs can also get a further instalment of the Tale of
Information available … the Beast of Blood from Urnos if they are polite, ask the
right questions and understand him.
If they get to Whale Isle then they will find the caves
occupied by the Whale Cult to be deserted though the peat Urnos can do no more for the PCs and will return to the
fires are warm suggesting they have not long departed. caves above the rocky shore. If they seek to do Urnos
harm then he will accept his fate as the will of Grandfather
As the PCs leave the caves to return to the Breyta they Whale. As they depart they will see the rest of the Cult
see a single figure standing on a narrow headland staring emerge to observe their departure.
out across the rocks to the sea beyond; studying the water
Do the water spouts of Whale Isle tell the future?

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THE BEAST OF BLOOD PART 3: SCENE 4: KAND
Only Qulf, Aldrie and some of the other „Seamost and
Dawnmost‟ islands were spared before the Beast went „Tree-
wards‟ to attack the People Left Behind (the Urdu) of the main-
land.
Giving thanks that they were spared further slaughter the
clans of the Nolgind barely survived the winter – so reduced
were they.
Then to their horror the Beast returned!
This time a Nolgind Hero, „Whale Caller‟, went far out into
the Sea and begged Grandfather Whale for his aid. At the Place
of Winds, on Kand Island, an ancient Crone heard the voice of
Kadag telling her to heed the warnings from the „Waters of
Ardir‟. Within days word was spreading that the Elders of the
Whale Cult had left their caves in search of higher ground. The
clans of the Nolgind did likewise for only in the face of the direst
of warnings would the Whale Cult abandon their home. Most approaches to Kand are guarded by merciless cliffs
When the Nolgind who had listened had found safety on the
hills and crags of their islands Grandfather Whale rose out of his
GM Aims
 To ensure the PCs go hunting for Mountain Ram guided
watery home and threw himself back into the depths. The wall
by a Kuboran youth;
of water he created swept towards the Beast of Blood and drove
the creature on to a rocky shore and smashed it to pieces.  To present another clue involving the fate of a young
child;
 To offer a further hunting expedition to the shore in
search of Mammoth Seal.
PC Outcomes
Leave Kand with another intriguing reference of some-
one drowning in blood!

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Name: Coric Far-seer Race/Sex: Human/Male
Occupation: Hunter Born: 24 Nuzyael 703, Ulandus
The Kanden can be unpredictable. During the 719 sea- Appearance: Aged 18, height 6‟1”, medium frame, weight 175 lbs/size 7,
son the captain took an arrow in the bicep before getting handsome appearance, medium complexion, brown hair, green eyes
15 Agl 17 Sml 08 Aur 17 Cml 16
his men back to the boats! The year after things looked dif- Str
ficult until a Nolgind youth intervened and convinced the Dex 15 Hrg 13 Int 14 Mor 12 Mov 17
hunters to trade. The young man spoke decent Orbaalese Medical/Psyche: none
and Grim even wondered if he could have been one of the Religion: Ritual (Kuboran Pantheon) 30, Piety 20
lost colonists from Movel Island, though he had the look Skills: Animalcraft 26, AWARENESS 60, CLIMBING 68, Fletching 26, Folk-
and scarring of a typical Kuboran. lore (Nolgind) 75, Foraging 60; Hidework 24, INTRIGUE 39, JUMPING 80,
ORATORY 30, RHETORIC 48, SINGING 42, STEALTH 42, Survival 48,
THROWING 56, Tracking 60
Languages: Old Jarinese (Nolgind) 74, Trade Ivinian 24
Scripts: none
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 66, DODGE 60, UNARMED 68, Bow 56, Dag-
ger 52, Spear 60, Axe 28
Money/Valuables:.Nolgind clans hold most wealth in common so, apart
from what he stands up in Coric has nothing that is not clan Kanden‟s.
Armour/Weapons: Like most Nolgind his clothing is a patchwork of sealskin
supplemented by furs or mountain ram fleece for warmth: sealskin shirt,
breeches and shoes with a fur cape over his shoulders.
Other Equipment: little more than what he stands up in.

Hand/Arm   68 68  2  
Foot/Knee   68 83 -05 1  
Foot/Knee   73 73 -05 2  
Knife 1 11 57 52 -05 0 1 4
Hatchet 4 9 33 33 -10 3 4 
Spear 4 11 80 70 -20 4  6
Short Bow 1 10 56 56  2  
Short Med Long Ext

Missile Wpns AML
(0) (-40) (-60) (-80)
Shortbow 56 10/4 20/3 40/2 80/2

Skull      
Face      
Neck      
Shoulder LF  6 4 3 5
Upper Arm LF  6 4 3 5
Elbow L  1 3 2 3
Forearm L  1 3 2 3
Hand      
Thorax LF  6 4 3 5
Coric Far-seer Abdomen L  1 3 2 3
The reason Olmoding perseveres with Kand is that it is Hip LL  2 5 3 5

Groin LL  2 5 3 5
home to several Mammoth Seal colonies. The pelts are
Thigh L  1 3 2 3
valuable because of their size and they have blubber almost
Knee L  1 3 2 3
as good as some whales. He wants to render a carcass or Calf      
two and will take the PCs to a deep inlet on the NE coast Foot L  1 3 2 3
near the colonies. Mammoth seals are described in Seals,
(available from Columbia Games).
Convocations: none Psionics: Prescience 75
Grim will also say that the mutton he traded for here Notes:. Coric is the open and friendly young man who intervened to help
was exceptional but expensive. The clan said that the Captain Olmoding when he last visited the island. There is pressure to make
him the Kanden Hanuhn and beneath his affable exterior he thirsts for that
Mountain Rams of Kand are not only the most dangerous opportunity. His Prescience is currently uncontrolled and subject to trigger-
but the tastiest to be found among the islands. Fresh meat ing.
would be a welcome change from fish and seal!

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Attitude of clan Kanden to visitors The huge beast stands almost as tall as a man and gives
A random d% will give a sense of Clan Kanden‟s initial every appearance of seeing the PC approach but distaining
view of any visitors. Higher scores indicating greater to recognise them as a threat. Then, when the first PC gets
friendliness. Coric Far-seer will be recognised by Grim as almost close enough to try a shot with bow, sling or javelin,
the youth he has spoken about. Whatever the d% Coric will the animal turns neatly on its heel and trots out of sight.
convince the other hunters to trade and illustrate his influ- Coric hurries them up to the ridge line to see the ram halt-
ence over them. ed out of range, again.
The clan‟s strength is shown below: This continues over the next hour, each time the ram
moves away towards the higher ground whenever a PC
Clan Kanden Warband gets close to having a shot at it. However Coric reassures
H/h: 7 Prime Youths Old them that the final rise leads up onto the highest point of
10 3 3 the island so they should have a clear shot with little cover
Specific Encounter for the ram. They might even give up all pretence of stealth
The hunters will be unwilling to trade for the carcass of and rush the beast!
ram, but when the PCs ask about sethimyael Coric will of- AFAREZIR MOUNTAIN RAM
fer to guide them to the peat bogs where it grows profuse- Str 17 Agl 17 Sml 19 Aur 03 End 17
Sta 15 Eye 16 Voi - Wil 15 Mov 09
ly. He has never seen one coloured as they describe, but Dex - Hrg 15 Int 01 Mor -
he‟s happy to help them look. Coric will make the offer Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 80, DODGE 85, Headbutt 80, Horn/Gore 60,
Trample 40
even more appealing by saying that the route he has in
mind will take them across the high ground where the best Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P
rams graze; there they can kill one for themselves. All he Head butt   85   6*  
asks is the head; the horns make for a fine trophy. Horns/Gore   60     4*
Trample   40   3  
Coric leads them up towards the spine of hills running *+1 per 6‟ up to 24‟that it charges
up and down the island. In doing so he crosses a number of Strike Location AQ B E P F
sheltered valleys where sethimyael is common, but none of 01 – 22 Head  6 5 2 3
it is red. 23 – 27 Neck  5 4 1 3
28 – 47 Fore Leg  5 4 1 3
When they have looked everywhere on their route 48 – 62 Chest  5 4 1 3
where sethimyael could be found he turns his attention to 63 – 72 Abdomen  5 4 1 3
finding them a ram for the pot. 73 – 87 Hind Quarter  5 4 1 3
88 – 00 Hind Leg  5 4 1 3
As they make for the higher ground Coric points out a
ram on a low ridge ahead, well out of bow shot. The GM Notes: Male rams are highly territorial and particularly pugnacious during the
can use the Hunting rules available from Columbia Games mating season. The females, found in harems of up to 10 around the males,
are almost as aggressive in defence of their young.
to moderate efforts to approach close enough to fire at it.
They emerge onto the bleak moorland, broken up by
scattered boulders, they pause at the sight of dozens of
grazing mountain rams. Their prize stands proudly at the
centre of the flock perhaps 50 paces away.
Whatever plan the PCs adopt to kill him, the rest of the
flock will scatter. He, though, holds his ground and will
fight if he must or, more likely, be brought down my mis-
siles. Coric will be first to the carcass and immediately
bleed the beast with a swift cut to its throat.
At the moment the warm blood flows out over his hand
and knife and pours onto the boulder beside it a gust of
wind almost sweeps the PCs off their feet (STR x 3 to suc-
ceed in staying on their feet). Coric gets no such chance, he
drops the knife clutches his head in his hands, and falls
prone. His Prescience has been triggered.
In the few more moments that it takes for the pulsing
blood of the ram to die away to a dribble Coric rises and
says, awed: „I have heard the voice of Kadag‟. The PCs may
A majestic ram awaits the PCs already have heard of Kadag, and Coric will add that this is
„The Place of Winds‟, a place sacred to Kadag.

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Information available … That is all he has seen and all he can tell them but the
Coric explains that the Place of Winds is where the PCs could make a connection to what they may already
voice of Kadag, first Hanuhn of the Nolgind tribe, can still have learned from the Whale Cult of Ardir.
sometimes be heard. Though he passed to the hunting Coric can also relate another part of the Beast of Blood
grounds of Kemlar many, many, generations ago he choos- before leading them back to the coast.
es this place to speak to his people.
Coric has heard his voice, and it told him that the PCs When Grandfather Whale drove the Beast onto the rocks it
„have come for one reason but have another task they should low he apart into foul scurrying creatures. These „Children of the
complete: they can free a child from torment, and free a people Beast‟ crawled away and hid among the rocks but were hunted
from enslavement.‟ down by the Nolgind until they were all killed.
The words came with a vision: „… of a young girl child, Their flesh, though, was so polluted the very rocks and sands
killed by love, but buried when she was not truly dead. Her rage of the island that its people were forever tainted by the foulness.
brought a blood red curse to the land around her and that is the Babies were stillborn and men ran mad. They began killing their
curse the visitors can put right. It is that curse that enslaves a own and anyone that strayed near the island. They seemed to
people‟. be invincible.
The Place of Winds
SCENE 5: MOVEL This encounter is not intended to close off GM creativi-

ty with respect to the lost colonies of Movel Island so GMs
GM Aims with clear ideas about what happened here should feel free
 To give the PCs a flavour of an iconic canon location. to integrate their concepts into this encounter if it helps
build tension, uncertainty or mystery.
 To frighten them with what may be present here or
nearby. What is essential is that the PCs have the chance to find
the ancient stone circle nearby.
 To give them a clue that will mean something later.
The Log of the Wind Pony article in Tomes and Scrolls and PC Outcomes
Afarezirs present some background information about this They will leave convinced of the enigma which is Movel
enigmatic site, while Movel Gamle Hem describes the colo- Island and probably less than keen to return. They will,
ny site in detail. though, have another piece of the jigsaw they will need to
make sense of the climax of the adventure. For the first

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time references to a child drowning in blood are linked to portant trade with outsiders is becoming and will not risk
the number 11, or its erasure. the dissent of other clans by seeking retribution for the at-
tacks by Ivinians and Orbaalese since the colonies were
Description of Events lost. The clan bears surprisingly little ill will to visitors;
What Captain Olmoding knows … they have their own explanations for what happened to the
Most Orbaalese, and many Ivinians, know the stories of colonists and seem resigned to the occasional revenge at-
Movel Island. It is a place of ill omen and anyone who lost tack by relatives of colonists who were lost.
relatives among the colonies will feel little but enmity for Any member of clan Moven encountered will simply
the local Nolgind clan who are typically blamed for the dis- warn visitors to leave before they meet the fate of all those
appearances. There is an unofficial boycott of trade with strangers who visit Movel. They never trade themselves.
clan Moven among some captains; Grim is not so choosy.
Clan Moven Warband
Attitude of clan Moven to visitors H/h: 23 Prime Youths Old
The clan is broadly Neutral. As the „senior‟ clan among 29 7 7
the Nolgind Kubora the clan elders understand how im-

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Specific Encounter whether there is a ring of standing stones NW of the aban-
The captain will insist that they visit the deserted colo- doned colony.
ny site so that he can fulfil his promise to Bjari Hirsen. This When they explore then they will find a group of 11
is a chance for him to recount the history of the colonisa- standing stones in a valley running west to the sea (see
tion of the Afarezirs if that would add hooks for later, or Movel Gamle Hem). They are all carved with abstract pat-
atmosphere for now. terns and symbols; the style is primitive and naïve. One of
The PCs and crew will find the deserted thran eerie; a the stones has had the symbols and markings that were
flat silence seems to envelope it. Their discomfort is rein- carved into it all but erased by crude chips being struck
forced when a sudden squall forces the Breyta and her crew from its face.
to stand off from the island until it blows itself out.
Grim insists on sacrificing Bjari Hirsen‟s lamb, which is
becoming panicked by the sheets of rain sweeping in off
the ocean. It‟s a clumsy offering and the captain finishes it
covered in blood spray and with gore up to his elbows. The
only shelter from the increasingly violent storm is in one of
the abandoned longhouses; Grim decrees the largest long-
house is the most appropriate place for „the celebration of
the sacrifice‟.
He supervises the building of a fire in the long unused
pit at the heart of the hall and begins butchering, and roast-
ing, the lamb. An offering to Sarajin should be accompa-
nied by good cheer and Grim has brought several skins of
ale and mead to ensure the atmosphere is conducive.
However, by the time he‟s finished telling the tale of the
lost colonies, and of „mad Stersi Gyersen‟, the hall seems
more threatening than cheery. The Stones of Movel
Information available … Walking among the stones triggers a check against
When the characters have eaten their fill of what turns Mental Conflict; failure means the PC hears a child‟s cry-
out to be stringy under-cooked joints, and drunk what there ing carried on the wind from the North East. When the
is to drink, they will drift off into an uneasy sleep. The final character leaves the stones, the crying stops. Setting out
evacuation of the colony stripped it of anything resembling into the NE is a waste of time; they quickly find themselves
bedding, and what was left has long since rotted, so they overlooking the sea again, and spot the Breyta making its
curl up around the dying fire wrapped in their cloaks. way back towards the colony.
Roll against Mental Conflict for each PC to determine If they persevere and find any Moven the Nolgind will
if any is receptive to a dream-sending from Crador the only advise them to leave warning them that outsiders
Blind, the mad god of the Kubora. If no PC dreams, then have make the mistake before of following sounds sent to
Grim Olmoding can receive the sending. entice them.
MF/CF will present a vision of a group of rough hewn Note: The dream is intended to let them see 11 becoming
stones. There are 11 standing stones in a valley outlined 10, something that will be important later. It is also meant
against a backdrop of a stormy sea. As the PC watches to guide them to the stone circle described in The Log of the
one of the stones seems to crumble away into the sea leav- Wind Pony and Movel Gamle Hem. They should be encour-
ing 10. Behind the PC is the colony's watchtower. They aged to connect the defaced 11th stone with the metaphor
are propelled towards the stones and find themselves sur- in the dream, when one stone crumbled away. Finally, the
rounded by a barren windswept peat bog coloured blood crying child which seems to be to the NE will later become
red. Above the wailing wind they hear a child crying plain- a clear reference to Pella and her fate.
tively either in fear or pain. Then a crewman arrives to say the Breyta is back and
When they wake at dawn and look outside, the stock- the tide is turning so they must hurry! The PCs will learn
ade‟s watchtower is very reminiscent of the vision. Looking nothing more on Movel.
at the watchtower and its relationship to the sea allows
them to work out approximately where, inland, the stone
circle from their dreams might be; if it exists. Any dream-
ers have a deep urge to confirm, one way or another,

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Specific Encounter
SCENE 6: KIB Hanuhn Memeran appears after a single round of com-
bat – bellowing commands at the warriors who will quickly
break from the fight and run, as much from him as from the
PCs. If Druhn Tharthin is able he too will run but then turn
and hurl insults at the PCs while Memeran calms the situa-
tion.
Memeran will ask what he can do to make amends for
the actions of his Druhn. If asked about Crimson Sethim-
yael he can tell them no more than any other Nolgind they
have so far encountered. He does, though, know all the
parts of the tale of the Beast of Blood and can be a helpful
means to remind the PCs what they have heard elsewhere.
The final part of the tale makes suggestions about the
fate of children among the Lost Clan:
Some say: The Lost Ones raid the Nolgind clans and fre-
quently take young children, whether to feast upon or to replace
their numbers as their women are barren is debated. What is
certain is that no child taken by them is ever seen again.
Others tell that: The women of the Lost bear monstrous
children, part Beast and part man, who live in caves beneath the
sea where they seek to rebuild their Beastly ancestor and raise it
again so it can continue its ravaging of the Nolgind.
Still others tell that: the children of the Lost are eaten at
birth and their numbers replaced by children stolen from other
islands.
Kib is difficult to approach
All that is certain is that The Lost are friends of no sane man
GM Aims but a curse upon the garden of delights that the Afarezirs would
 This is an opportunity for the PCs to face a physical otherwise be.
challenge and hear the last part of The Beast of Blood.
A PC Handout on Page 61 presents the entire story.
PC Outcomes
See off a poorly planned attack and place the clan‟s
Hanuhn in their debt.
This is not the sort of place for a sealer to sit at anchor.
The cliffs are high and precipitous and the bays narrow and
clogged with reefs. The only place to land is where Grim
has seen seal colonies near the North Sound.
Attitude of clan Kiben to visitors
The hot-headed Druhn, Tharthin, ambushes the PCs
with 7 other warriors in their prime – to „prove his bravery‟.
The attack should be so naïve that the PCs might even take
pity on the poor fellow! Alternatively they may not!
Clan Kiben Warband
8 1 1

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SCENE 7: SHOLO in Rethem and Kanday where mammoth seal tusks are rare
and other forms of ivory unknown. He‟s heard that Re-
GM Aims themi traders have started to export prime examples to the
 To present an encounter with the Hafen Kubora that eastern kingdoms.
shows them in all their bestial savagery. The thought of trading for songs and stories should en-
 To offer a chance to win friends among clan Sholen. courage the PCs to want to visit. If they don‟t then Olmod-
ing will want to trade for carvings.
 To gain confirmation that the Hafen are users of Crim-
son Sethimyael. Attitude of clan Sholen to visitors
 To make a solid link between the Lost Clan, the Beast There is a settlement NE of Kib that the natives call
of Blood, and Hafen Island. Sholengor and they are normally as open to trade as the
captain suggests.
 To prompt a visit to Hafeg Island in search of Crimson
Sethimyael. Clan Sholen Warband
PC Outcomes 19 4 4
Understand how the Tale of the Beast of Blood links to However when the PCs visit …
the Hafen, and set out to visit Hafeg Island despite the
Hafen‟s depraved reputation and actions. Specific Encounter
When the Breyta‟s boat comes ashore at dawn near
Description of Events Sholengor there is no sign of any Nolgind. A detailed de-
What Captain Olmoding knows … scription of the settlement can be found in Clan Sholen.
The Sholen welcome trade as much as the Akoven but When they investigate the PCs will need Grim‟s help to
have more interesting things to sell including songs, stories spot the turfed longhouse of the clan. He‟s surprised
and carved ivory. They carve the ivory tusks of mammoth there‟s no sign of anyone and that nobody approaches
seals with great skill and there is a market for the carvings when he lands. They are usually very keen to trade.
The beach near Sholengor
When they approach a little closer they will see the been detached by a crude blade and an enormous twist to
body of an old warrior in front of the entrance to the long- separate it at the elbow. Whatever did this is strong.
house. His skull has been crushed, his belly opened, and Looking inside they find the clan‟s meagre possessions
him left arm hacked off at the elbow. There is no sign of thrown around as if there has been a cursory search.
the severed limb.
Tracking reveals that the fire is still hot and that there
Physician shows there are signs that chunks of his liver are footprints leading to the far end of the communal living
have been torn away as if by teeth and the forearm has space and through a low arch into a smaller space. From

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there tracks run out though an escape tunnel and towards Information available…
the tree line. If the PCs intervene they will gain credit for their efforts.
The tracks run inland towards a large stand of scrubby If they save the baby then that credit will be much higher.
trees. About 200 paces from the village the PCs hear loud Either way the PCs will be told that the savage crea-
guttural calls and whistles coming from among the trees tures were Hafen who live on a desolate island to the
and the crying of children. Northeast of Sholo. The PCs will also get the final piece of
When they approach a bestial scene is revealed; a squat the jigsaw allowing them to make a link between the Beast
nearly naked „creature‟ is casually chewing meat from a of Blood and the Lost Clan:
human forearm. Pausing to lick the blood from his fingers Over generations the Nolgind clans banished the „Lost Ones‟
he makes guttural calls to another savage standing be- from their islands lest their curse spread. Today the poor wicked
tween him and a small group the Nolgind women and chil- creatures are a scourge upon the other clans, particularly those
dren. to the Sea and Dawnward end of the island chain.
The second figure turns to respond to it. Equally naked Clans Qulfen, Aldrien and Sholen have long suffered most
he is capering, whistling and gesturing. Held tightly in the from the depredations of the „Lost Clan of Hafeg Island‟. They
crook of his left arm is a Nolgind baby! This may explain believe that the blood of the beast made the clan warriors mad
why one of the clan‟s young women in kneeling at the front with lust, but lust for blood and violence, not lust for their wom-
of the group weeping inconsolably. The other women seem en. As their capacity in war grew so did their depravity. Now,
strangely resigned and are standing back from the keening any other Nolgind is just meat to them.
woman.
The Hafen are dangerous neighbours, intolerant of visitors
The two savages are Hafen warriors who have come to and aggressive to all. They do not take part in the exchanges of
the village in search of a child to take back to Hafeg Island. wives common among the islands preferring to raid for women.
Having watched the village for a day and a night they saw Their greatest sin, though, is to steal children, something very
the warriors depart to hunt and fell on the longhouse when rare among the Kubora. While all the clans see raiding as a
it was most vulnerable. The dead man was the single old
necessary part of Kuboran culture the Hafen use it as the only
warrior left as a hearth guard, and killed as he tried to buy
means of interaction with their neighbours. It is considered bad
time for the women and children to escape. He lived long
luck to talk about the Hafen as saying their names too often
enough to scream a warning which sent the women and brings them to your island.
children running from the longhouse into the trees. The
Hafen pursued until the villagers turned at bay here. To Note: This should solidify the link between the Lost
avoid further death the baby has been handed over. Clan, the Beast of Blood and Hafen Island.
Anyone who has heard tales of the ferocity of Kuboran It is to be hoped that the PCs will feel they now have
women in defence of their hearth will be surprised that the enough evidence to set off for Hafen Island, perhaps on a
women and young girls don‟t just overwhelm the intruders rescue mission but certainly to find Crimson Sethimyael!
and subdue them by sheer weight of numbers. It is their If they do so, Scenes 8 & 9 can be ignored.
fear of the savage Hafen that keeps them rooted to the If the PCs insist on completing their grand tour of the
ground. Afarezirs then Scenes 8 & 9 can be played as written.
Left to themselves the two Hafen will take the child, re-
turn to the village and joint the dead warrior for meat.
Then they will head back across the open water to Hafeg.
If the PCs disturb or attack them the Hafen priorities
will be, in order, to:
 escape to their curach hidden 400 paces up the coast.
 carry the baby away.
 complete jointing the warrior and carry the man-meat
away.
They will not hesitate to put the babe in harm‟s way of
they think it will distract any pursuit. While the Hafen are
fierce and largely impervious to pain and fatigue they are
not stupid and will recognise a group of armed and ar-
moured warriors as more than a match for the pair of them.
Carved seal tusk showing a curach at sea

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Specific Encounter
OPTIONAL SCENES 8 & 9: A group of Umbathri (see the HarnMaster ruleset of
ALDRIE & QULF choice) are harassing an old woman.
GM Aims Information available…
 If the scenes are played in the order written then these If the PCs drive off the Ivashi then the woman will be
two scenes may not be needed. If necessary the GM grateful and tell them the tale of the lost clan (see Scene 7,
can use them to fill in gaps that remain in the PCs above). She will add the information that her father was
knowledge by making the clans more friendly and once among a band of warriors that subdued and killed a
communicative than they are likely to be in reality. Hafen and he said they found leaves „stained with blood‟
worn as a charm. This last hint is intended to give the PCs
PC Outcomes one last chance to be convinced that they will find crimson
There are no specific PC outcomes other than to have a sethimyael on Hafeg Island.
last opportunity to put some pieces of the jigsaw together.
By the time they complete these scenes they should
have heard all of the Tale of the Beast of Blood; have re-
ceived some visions of a girl child „drowning‟ in a „red sea‟
(of sethimyael), and be pretty convinced that Hafeg Island
is where they can collect the plant!
Clans Aldrien and Qulf are bitter rivals and Grim
Olmoding would prefer not to venture to either. If they
trade with one the other is likely to attack them and if they
trespass without trading both may attack them.
Attitude of clan Aldrien & Qulfen to visitors
If the PCs visit either then things will run as Grim pre-
dicted but not before the Specific Encounter on the first of
the two visited.
Clan Aldrien Warband
13 2 4
Clan Qulfen Warband
10 1 3

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Attitude of clan Hafen to visitors
SCENE 10: HAFEG Hafen warriors who are in their prime take regular
Overview doses of the crimson sethimyael extract and gain the
By the time this Scene is ready to be played the PCs advantages of a standard dose. Youths are not permitted
should have sufficient circumstantial evidence to connect
crimson sethimyael to the Hafen of Hafeg Island. However,
it is possible that the PCs will decline to take the bait either
because they conclude that crimson sethimyael in not any-
thing a courtesan would be interested in, or they fear the
Hafen.
In the former case Grim Olmoding will remind them
that they, and he, stand to be well paid for every crimson
sethimyael plant they take back to Golotha. He couldn‟t
care less if the plant does what a bunch of whore‟s claim. If
they get it he gets paid his bonus!
He‟s equally clear, though, that the Hafen are danger-
ous. However it will be possible to get ashore, find the
plant, and get it back to the ship before the natives catch
them. He will even be prepared to bolster the party with
some of his own men if that stiffens PC resolve.
If the PC resolutely refuse to take the bait then the next
act can begin with the return of Wenowina, the Sholen
to take the extract prior to their manhood ceremony, and
Crone, to the „village‟ of Sholengor, and Act IV begins
older men take it only at times of ceremony such as during
without a trip to Hafeg.
shuntul. Appendix II includes details.
GM Aims
 Present an opportunity to search for crimson sethim-
yael on Hafeg Island.
 Give every impression that the players are reaching the
adventure‟s climax;
 Help the PCs locate the perfect place to find the plant,
find plenty of sethimyael but find that none of it is crim-
son!
 Discover they have come to an obvious, but incorrect,
conclusion, and risked their lives in the process.
PC Outcomes
Find several places that crimson sethimyael should
grow but find only the ordinary variety before having to
flee for their lives.
Grim has only landed on Hafeg once, when he first
sailed among the islands. Above the beach where he land-
ed was an animal skull mounted on a pole. A brief explora-
tion showed that elsewhere it was human heads that were
displayed. That was enough to send him on his way to
Sholo! He has a map of the coastline and has marked
where he believes the clan lives based only on smoke he
has seen rising from the centre of the island.
The Hafen do not welcome visitors

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By the time a youth begins taking the extract he is already If they fail to notice the risk, then the fact that he is howling
brutalised by the life the Hafen lead. The extract simply like a dog should draw their attention and hint that they are
gives him the physical capacity to express that brutality. By in danger!
the time an old man stops taking the extract the frail shreds When he disappears behind the ridge they will probably
of his sanity will have been blown away on a tide of need no encouragement to make haste back the way they
depravity leaving him a drooling savage. have come. The sound of howls and whistles will reach
Women in their prime, and maidens after their first them on the wind and they will see what looks like the
menstruation, take the extract regularly and gain its entire Hafen warband crest a ridge about 1 mile away.
advantages – they also quickly stop menstruating. Older They are coming on at a steady jog so the PCs will have
women also take it regularly. While the younger girls who little time before they are upon them!
are yet to menstruate are not subject to the effect of the THE HAFEN Race/Sex: Human/Male or Female
extract they are routinely beaten and abused in a way that Appearance: All the Hafen appear to be barely human savages. Though they
renders them devoid of the normal feelings of a child long are lightly built they as surprisingly strong and have exceptional stamina.
Their hair is matted and their eyes wild.
before their bleeding starts.
The tribe has a single response to any visitor: ATTACK! Sta 12 Eye 10 Voi 10 Wil 13 End 12
Clan Hafen Warband Medical/Psyche: insane
H/h: 5 Prime Youths Old Religion: Ritual (Larani) 22, Piety 16
Men 19 4 4 Skills: AWARENESS 55, CLIMBING 60, Folklore (Hafen) 33, Foraging 55,
Women 15 7 8 JUMPING 60, Physician 24, Seamanship (Curach) 75, STEALTH 72, Survival
72, Swimming 42, THROWING 62, Tracking 60, Weatherlore 60
Description of Events Languages: Old Jarinese (Nolgind) 40
Scripts: none
The attitude of the Hafen to the PC’s search
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 65, DODGE 60, UNARMED 80, Hatchet or
Given that the PC‟s previous experience of the Hafen Club 70, Buckler 90
they are unlikely to consider trading for the plant. Instead Money/Valuables: nothing but the strength to fight the others for the next
they will have to strike out for the high heathland and fend meal.
off the Hafen if they encounter them. Armour/Weapons: Sealskin vest, breech-clout and shoes; stone hatchet or
club and skin buckler.
Searching for Crimson Sethimyael Other Equipment: what they stand up in.
Wherever the PCs land they will find the coast marked Load: 22.2 lbs Encumbrance Penalty: 0
with warding symbols – either human or animal skulls
mounted on poles.
Head butt   80 80  2  
The PCs will have learned enough about the habitat for Hand/Arm   80 95 -05 1  
sethimyael from their visits to the other islands to be Foot/Knee   85 85 -05 2  
confident they can find that terrain on Hafeg. The high Hatchet 3 8 75 75 -10 4 5 
Club 4 8 85 75 -10 4  4
boggy heathland valleys near the centre of the island are
Buckler 3 13 95 105  1  
the ideal place to find sethimyael. Grim‟s map of the island
lacks detail but it does show where the high ground is.
Skull      
This will enable the PCs to outline a route for their search. Face (ears)      
The PCs should be allowed to follow the high ground Face (jaw)      
from one end of the island or the other. The GM should Neck      
Shoulder      
allow them plenty of time to find several large patches of
Upper Arm      
green sethimyael, exactly where they would expect to find Elbow      
it, before they get close to the supposed site of the Hafen Forearm      
village. Hand      
Thorax L  0 2 1 2
At some point the PCs are likely to pause and review Abdomen L  0 2 1 2
the evidence that has brought them this far. As they Hip L  0 2 1 2
contemplate their next move the Hafen will make it for Groin L  0 2 1 2
them. Thigh L  0 2 1 2
Knee L  0 2 1 2
The Hafen Hunt Calf      
While the PCs have been searching the Hafen will have Foot L  0 2 1 2
been gathering their strength while having scouts observe Invocations: none Spells: none
the intruders. Convocations: none Psionics: none
The first sign of the Hafen that the PCs should see is a Notes: The Hafen are barely human savages bolstered by the effects of the
single warrior half a mile away, outlined against the skyline. elixir they brew from Gwaedeithir, crimson sethimyael.

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The GM can keep up the pressure by having the Hafen
keep on jogging towards the PCs who will certainly be
ACT IV: THE LOST CLAN
more encumbered and much more prone to fatigue. Overview
If Aslin has been carried with them then they will The PCs return to Sholo to be told the true story of the
certainly have some difficult choices to make. Even if they Lost Clan. This leads them to a different island where they
an all able-bodied then having the clan slowly gain on the find not only Crimson Sethimyael but the reason it has
tiring PCs should build a lot of tension. Ideally they should such unusual properties.
arrive at the beach gasping for breath to find the Breyta has
disappeared. As they make what desperate defensive SCENE 1: RETURN TO SHOLO
preparations they can she heaves into sight around a
nearby headland.
GM Aims
 To paint Wenowina as mysterious but not sinister;
Her boats are quickly in the water and heading into the
beach in an effort to get the PCs off. There can be a  To get the PCs to accompany her to Cynswyr Ariensyn;
desperate fight in the shallows between the PC rearguard  To enable them to put together the jigsaw of infor-
and the quickest Hafen. mation they have gained to make the correct conclu-
If necessary Grim can come to their aid, forming a sion;
shield wall to protect the boats as they edge out through  To ensure they receive, and keep, the „Heart of the
the surf, but more surprisingly, the PCs will be joined by Beast‟, Meredath‟s Diary (Appendix I), but that they
some Nolgind warriors. With their help the PCs can only have time to examine the easily readable pages.
scramble into either the Breyta‟s whale boats or the Sholen
curachs.
PC Outcomes
Having accompanied Wenowina to Cynswyr Ariensyn –
Wenowina, the Crone of clan Sholen, has brought her „The Ancient Pledge‟ they will understand why 11 is a sign
warriors to the PC‟s aid! of bad luck among the Nolgind and why the tribe have
Link to the next scenes sought to erase any significant representation of that
Back onboard the Breyta, perched on on of the crew‟s number. They will also discover the truth of the Hafen and
sea chests is Wenowina. She was away from the village on the Lost Tribe.
one of her periodic sojourns along the cliffs of Sholen and Description of Events
so knew nothing of the PCs until after they had left. Once back at the Sholen village Wenowina will insist
She told the villagers only that she must save the people that the PCs, and the Breyta‟s crew, join her and her people
who had saved her people and demanded a boat and for a meal so that proper thanks can be given to Heneryne
escort to follow them to Hafeg. When she meets the PCs, for the PC‟s intervention and then their rescue. Captain
after they have been rescued from the Hafen, she will Olmoding will attend with Vigdis, the rest of the crew will
explain why she undertook this unprecedented action … be sent food but remain onboard the Breyta.
when they are safely back on Sholo. There is drumming and poetry and story-telling into the
If the PCs insist that they must return to Hafeg to night. Finally, when the PCs are ready either to threaten
find the plant they seek … Wenowina will threaten her for the explanation she promised, she insists they get a
them with useless death at the hands of the Hafen. good night‟s sleep for they have a difficult journey to make
If that doesn’t get them back to Sholo … she will in the morning.
seek to convince them that if, after they have heard what Before dawn Wenowina rouses the PCs and leads them
she has to say on Sholo, they still wish to continue theiir along the „Crones Path‟ (see Cynswyr Ariensyn) towards the
serch of Hafeg, then she will lend them the aid of her cliffs to the east of Sholengor. By dawn they have made
Warriors to do so. the gradual climb up to the cliff tops and find themselves at
a circle of standing stones.
The stones are very weathered but the carvings on their
surface are clearly of warriors. A detailed description of
the site can be found in the Cynswyr Ariensyn article.
Wenowina makes a fire among the stones and insists
the PCs take their ease and share a meal which she
prepares in front of them. Her broth is delicious despite
having been made from nothing more than a handful of
roots and leaves she carried with her or collected along the
clifftops.

HârnWorld
If they are suspicious of the broth… no evidence the 11 Warriors at Cynswr Ariensyn has been crudely
that it is anything but wholesome will be found. defaced in an effort to obliterate it.
Name: Wenowina Race/Sex: Human/Female Sensitivity will give a PC the feeling that this is an old
Occupation: Crone of Henryne Born: long ago in Azura, Hirin place and a powerful place.
Appearance: Very aged, height 5‟2”, light frame, weight 117 lbs/size 5, plain
appearance, medium complexion, grey whispy hair, cloudy blue eyes

Medical/Psyche: none
Religion: Ritual (Kuboran Pantheon) 56, Piety 16
Skills: Animalcraft (Sea Mammals) 42, AWARENESS 52, CLIMBING 32,
Cookery 67, Dancing (Tribal) 82, Folklore (Nolgind Kubora) 94, Folklore (Clan
Sholen) 112, Foraging 66; INTRIGUE (Tribal) 73, JUMPING 35, Mental Con-
flict 74, ORATORY 67, Physician 60, RHETORIC 78, SINGING 44, STEALTH
38, Survival 43, Swimming 36, THROWING 40, Weatherlore 56
Languages: Old Jarinese (Nolgind dialect) 62, Harnic 32.
Scripts: none
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 46, DODGE 50, UNARMED 42, Club 33
Money/Valuables: The Nolgind hold most of their wealth in common so
she has very few personal possessions. Those she does have are charms
against evil, tokens of Heneryne‟s favour, or small propos for her evocative
story-telling.
Armour/Weapons: She wears only a thick sealskin kilt during the Summer
months, supplemented during Spring and Autumn seasons with a sealskin
cape stitched so finely as to be absolutely waterproof. In Winter she wraps
herself in a huge white bearskin passed on to her by her long dead father. De-
spite its age it was expertly cured and holds warmth like nothing any Nolgind
has ever seen.
Other Equipment: nothing but the stick she uses to aid her walking.

Head butt   42 42  1  
Hand/Arm   42 57 -05 0  
Foot/Knee   47 47 -05 1  
Stick 1 11 48 38 -10 3  

Skull      
Face      
Neck      
Shoulder      
Upper Arm      
Elbow      
Forearm      
Hand      
Thorax      
Abdomen L  2 1 2 1
Hip L  2 1 2 1
Groin L  2 1 2 1
Thigh L  2 1 2 1
Knee L  2 1 2 1 Wenowina, the Crone of clan Sholen
Calf       If questioned about the standing stones…
Foot      
Wenowina will only say they are 11 heroes. She is quite
Invocations: all Heneryne‟s Spells: none precise: „they are‟, not „they represent‟, 11 heroes.
If the PCs express surprise that there are an
Notes:.Wenowina is driven by a single motive – the protection of clan Sholen; unlucky number of heroes … rememebring that 11 is an
for which she would happily give her life.
unlucky number for the Nolgind, she will smile
To anyone who received the dream-sending from enigmatically and say: You begin to see what you have seen.
Crador at Movel Gamle Hem the scene is reminiscent of These were unlucky heroes indeed … at which point she tells
the stone circle they dreamed of and of the Stones of The Tale of Falor the Tall (see Cynswyr Ariensyn). The
Movel. There are the same 11 stones over-looking the sea same fate, to be turned to stone, awaits any Nolgind that
that they dreamt of. Also like the stones on Movel, one of visits the place Falar visited and returns into the Sun.

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The Warriors of Sholo at dawn

Only once since Falor and his warband descended into Once they reach the lower terrace above the sea and
the underworld has a hero travelled to that sacred place. find the passageway into the cliff face they will be able to
He went to undertake a great task and knew he could not pass in single file along it to the hemispherical chamber
return and live. He did not expect to return; and he did not within.
return. The chamber walls shows signs of the same skill in
The clans avoid spending time at this place. Sholen stone working that is hinted at in the complex of structures
children are brought here to pay their respects to the outside. The 11 niches cut into the walls of the chamber
heroes, but only from a distance. Once a year, at the are, though, much cruder, appearing to be natural fissures
winter solstice, Wenowina leaves offerings of food at the in the chamber wall which have been crudely excavated to
feet of the Warriors, asking that spring return quickly. Only make them larger.
at times of great importance does she spend time among In each of 10 of the niches stands a wooden figure in a
the stones. This is such a time. very primitive style but surprisingly unaffected by the
If asked why one figure has been defaced… she elements or the passage of time time. Their sheltered
will simply gesture to the cliff-edge and say that the answer location has even preserved some of the colour with which
to that question lies below … in the sacred underworld. they were once stained. The PCs should be encouraged to
When they have finished their broth (and she will insist see the link with the figures mentioned in the Tale of Falor
they do finish it as it is important that folk go well fed to meet the Tall.
the ancients), Wenowina leads them to the cliff edge and The chamber is otherwise empty except for the ancient
gestures to weathered steps cut into the cliff face. bones of a man; the remains of a stone Nolgind axe; and
It is clear she expects them to descend. Her final words some fragments of wood lying near the bones.
are quite precise. She says: Each wooden figure, the largest of which is about 3 feet
„The answer of the question you seek lies below, in the high, cunningly exploits the original shape of the driftwood
underworld. from which they were carved:
Go, look, but disturb nothing; everything must remain as it  One is from a short, thick piece of wood with a knot
was left. You will only be able to return at all because you are stained to resemble what might be a small shield (a
not Nolgind but the longer you remain below the greater the hunter/warrior);
chance that the ancients will believe you are Nolgind, and treat  A pear shaped piece of wood gives the impression of an
you as they would treat any Nolgind – to remain an eternal exaggeratedly pregnant woman (a fertile woman);
guardian to this place. Go – but be quick‟.  A branching shape gives the impression of two figures
Details of what they find are found in Cynswyr Ariensyn. holding hands, placed in adjoining niches (a wife and
husband);

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 A much smaller piece of wood resting on four short  11 niches but only 10 figures;
branches (a child crawling on all fours);  11 standing stones but only 10 left un-defaced both here
 Another piece of wood, this time placed so that a small and on Movel;
branch sprouts up and out, like an erection (a youth), di-  The unlucky nature of 11 among the Nolgind.
rected towards …
Then she leads them to the cliff-edge and gestures out
 An inverted Y shaped piece of wood with two knot over the sea and demands they tell her where they have
holes where breast might be (a maiden); visited. She will count off each island they mention on her
 The largest figure is an upright piece of wood the bark fingers, adding those they have not visited, until she has
of which creates the impression of a figure wrapped in a reached 10.
large animal skin (a chieftain); Then she returns to the circle and points to each hero in
 A similar figure, but slightly smaller, and with knots de- turn naming each in turn: Akoven, Meren, Ardiren, Kanden,
noting breasts (his wife or other high status female); Moven, Kiben, Aldrien, Qulfen, Sholen, and even Hafen, for in
 A very twisted branch, bent almost double (perhaps re- their day the Hafen were among the greatest of the Nolgind
sembling an old man or woman). clans.
EYE x 3/Awareness/Woodcraft: It seems certain that Then she points at the 11th hero and looks questioningly
the pieces of wood around the skeleton were splintered at the PCs.
with the stone axe. It is possible that before he hacked it If they don‟t make the connection she will say – there is
apart the wood constituted an 11th figure as some of the an 11th island as there was once an 11th clan among the
fragments are stained just like the surviving figures. Nolgind: The island was called Peroc and it was the home of
Physician: There are no signs of any violence on the clan Peren, and this in their tale...
bones of the skeleton though there is evidence that some of The Tale of Clan Peren (see Gwaed Island)
the smaller bones have been carried away but small mam- Peroc was a land of milk and honey: small but sheltered;
mals, and the larger bones have been gnawed by them. with good fishing and excellent sealing. Then the Beast of Blood
If the PCs are tempted to spend more time in the crashed onto its shore, carried by the wave of Grandfather
chamber … The GM should ensure that the PCs remem- Whale‟s making. Since then, if it is spoken of at all, Peroc is
ber that Wenowina warned them that time was important. called Gwaed (Blood) Island.
In fact how long they spend here will have no effect on Its history is lost to all but the Crones of each clan but the
them when they return to the cliff-top – but they can‟t be PCs need to hear its story. If they tell this tale to any living soul,
sure of that. though, Heneryne will send her harpies to pluck out their eyes,
If the PCs are tempted to remove any of the fig- tear out their tongues, and sever their genitals from their loins.
ures, or the skeleton … The GM should remind them (It is left to the GM to moderate Heneryene‟s „Vengeful
that Wenowina warned them to leave everything as they Harpy‟ aspect, using Kubora 14 for inspiration, if it be-
found it. If, despite that warning, they remove anything comes necessary).
then as long as Wenowina doesn‟t know they have taken
The tale told of the Beast of Blood is true as far as it
anything she will treat them if they have followed her in-
goes. Its journey through the islands, its return, and its de-
structions.
struction; all are true. As is the pollution of one of the
Woodcraft or appropriate mercantyler experience: clans; it is simply that the PCs, like most Nolgind, assume
The figures have no intrinsic value. They show none of the that the clan polluted by the Beast‟s blood were the Hafen.
subtlety with which clan Sholen carve mammoth seal tusks.
In fact the Beast was driven not onto Hafeg but onto
If they flaunt anything they have taken… Peroc. It was clan Peren which hunted down the „Spawn of
Wenowina will look sadly at them but otherwise do as de- the Beast‟. When the killing was done they found a single
scribed below … for now. prisoner; a Nolgind girl child who must have been swal-
If the PCs followed her instructions and returned lowed whole by the creature. She had survived within the
to the top of the cliff empty handed … she will wait belly of the Beast only to be murdered by one of the Spawn
until the last PC returns before leading them back to the that had carried her off into the hills.
standing stones. Once seated among the Warriors she will Her body was still warm when they found her so they
ask them what they have learned. knew the murderer must be near at hand. Setting off to find
If they describe what they found in the chamber the creature that had sucked the life out of her they found it
below the cliffs accurately … she will tell them they al- trapped in one of the treacherous bogs nearby. They taunt-
ready have the answer to a question they have been asking. ed it for his evil but it unnerved them for it continued to
She will go on to probe their understanding of what mutter beneath its breathe and to gesticulate wildly even
they have seen: though it seemed in a trance. The air itself seemed to

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crackle with the creature‟s evil. Fearing it would die too the underworld by Falor the Tall. That brave Hafen warrior
easily in the mire they dragged it from the bog and tortured descended into the dark of earth knowing he could never
it until dawn when its death denied them further sport. return.
During the torture they had split the creature‟s carapace
and found a strange object where its heart should have
been. They left the creature‟s remains for the beasts of the
island but took the „Heart of the Beast‟ as a trophy.
They buried the child in the peat among the Ymdeithir
that would open the way for her journey to the spirit world
where Heneryne, the fruitful mother, would welcome her
as she welcomes all lost children. The place was called
Rhosgenethig, or „Little Girl‟s Heath‟.
Songs were sung of the Peren in those distant days.
Songs of their bravery in destroying the Spawn of the Beast
and the kindness they showed to the single innocent victim
they had discovered.
But over the years the Peren changed. It was an if the
Blood of the Breast began to run in their veins. They be-
came poor neighbours, killing in raids not just stealing
women. They took, instead of trading. When opposed they
killed out of pleasure, not necessity. They brought shame
to the Nolgind Kubora.
Even greater shame, though, attached to the other
clans, for they refused to join together and attack the
Peren. They feared that they would be tainted by whatever
had afflicted the clan.
Only one clan chose to confront the Peren.
They were the noblest of the Nolgind.
They had travelled furthest in search of their island
home.
They had endured greater tribulations in that journey The pursuit of the Peren by the heroes of clan Hafen
but that had only made them stronger just as Kemlar had The 11 clans became 10 and symbols of 11 were
predicted. changed to become 10. Over the years 11 became a num-
They were clan Hafen and they were the embodiment ber not spoken of and blamed for bad luck if it was. It was
of all that was best among the Nolgind. the symbol of the good Peren that had turned to evil.
It was the Hafen who brought axe and arrow to the Would that the story ended there with a noble conquest
Peren. They it was that hunted down every man, woman by the mighty Hafen over an evil foe. Sadly it did not end
and child of that cursed clan and, when they would not there.
change their ways, killed them. The Hafen claimed Peroc island for themselves by right
Killed them all. of conquest. It was a long way from Hafeg, though, so they
It was the Hafen who found the Heart of the Beast never settled there. They did, though, exercise their hunt-
among the possessions of a Peren shaman. ing rights on and around the island and it was that which
It was one of the Hafen heroes who brought the Heart was their downfall.
of the Beast to the Crone of the Sholen and asked her to It was the same doom that overtook the Peren. It was
place it where it could never do harm again – protected by Gwaedeithir – the plant the Crones call the „Path of Blood‟.
the Warriors of Sholo at Cynswyr Ariensyn. In return for this The Crones believe that in hunting on Gwaed Island, and
honour the Hafen demanded the right to deface the Warri- collecting Gwaedeithir to fuel their ceremonies, the Hafen
or that represented the Peren and to send warriors to any became as polluted as the Peren before them.
islands in search of anything that might represent the 11th The Blood of the Beast runs through the plant and when
clan. the Hafen used it as the Nolgind have always used Ymdei-
He also claimed the right to descend into the „dark of thir they were seduced by the Beast.
earth‟ to find and destroy all sign of clan Peren placed in

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It began as it had begun with the Peren: bad tempered If the PCs returned any of the wooden figures to
trading; then killing raids; but it became much worse. the top of the cliff … then while the PCs examine the
The women began to fight like warriors and gave up „Heart of the Beast‟ Wenowina will quietly gather up the
Heneryne; they ate their children or sent them to the Beast figures and carry them back to the chamber below.
below the sea. Instead of bearing and raising children they If pursued she will be found sitting beside the bones in
began stealing them. So it has gone on for generation upon the chamber with the figures around her. She will refuse to
generation. The Hafen have become the Spawn of the leave believing that she will be turned to stone if she climbs
Beast and the Nolgind live in fear of them. back to the cliff-top.
No clan dares to confront them lest the curse pass to She is equally convinced that the PCs will be turned to
them as it passed from the Peren to their conquerors. stone if they climb back up. Even if they claim to have re-
That is why the clans do not speak of Peroc Island or turned to and from the cliff top without turning to stone,
clan Peren – they are a shameful secret and they brought she will not believe them. She will sit there until she dies.
down the wrath of the Beast onto the Heroes of the Nol- If the PCs forcibly carry her to the top of the cliff
gind – the Hafen. That is why the Peren are a lost memory … she will wander away, back to the village, take to her
to all but the Crones who are charged with recollecting the bed, sicken and die within weeks. She will never speak an-
lessons of the past. other word to anyone, her world view having been crushed
Now though, strangers have come asking of a blood red beyond recovery.
plant; asking of the Beast‟s Blood. The PCs, though, can do what they will with the Heart,
Wenowina has decided that with the Heart of the Beast whether Wenowina survives or not.
in their hands the strangers may finally purge the Beast The Heart of the Beast
from the islands. They were brave enough to seek it even If a PC examines the ‘Heart’ without unwrapping
on Hafeg Island. They are … the PCs!
it … they will learn nothing, though a PC with experience
Wenowina has determined that they are Heneryne‟s as a scholar, or perhaps a thief or suitably specialised mer-
servants and they have come to put an end to the Beast‟s cantyler, will (INT x 3) be able to judge that the bundle is
curse once and for all. What no Nolgind can do for fear of very old because of the discolouration and staining of the
being polluted by the Blood of the Beast these outsiders cloth.
can do. That is why she has told them of clan Peren. She If a PC handles the ‘Heart’ … then DEX x 3 will al-
expects them to travel to Gwaed Island and rid it of its low them to judge that the bundle probably contains
curse. parchment or paper of some kind.
Whether the PCs decide that it is their mission to lift the If a PC unwraps the ‘Heart’ … then DEX x 4 or the
curse or not is irrelevant. What matters is that they have a sheets of parchment within will spill out. If they take par-
firm lead to a plant that is blood red in colour, and it‟s not ticular care the DEX test is unnecessary.
even guarded by the Hafen!
The sheets of parchment were once sandwiched be-
That should get them to Gwaed Island.
tween two boards covered in embroidered fabric. What
If they ask Weonowina where they can find the that embroidery showed is long lost as the fabric is well
Heart … Wenowina will carefully pace out some distances rotted, as is the binding that once held the pages together.
from two of the standing stones then gesture to the spot at Despite the wrapping most of the pages appear to have
her feet and say, „Dig‟. been rendered unreadable over the centuries by damp
Using their weapons and hands the PCs must excavate seeping into the pages.
a pit almost four feet deep before they strike stone. Mov- If a PC tries to read any of the document … sec-
ing the soil aside they find a rough slab about a foot across. tions of it were almost certainly written using an archaic
Once the slab is levered up a small cavity constructed from form of Lakise. The language is an early form of Harnic;
five similar stores is revealed and within it a bundle ap- reading is at a 10% penalty.
proximately 4” wide by 6” long and 2” deep, tightly
wrapped in what looks like ancient oiled cloth. Making sense of any fragments will require hours to be
invested but an initial impression to anyone who has a
There is a look of awe on Wenowina‟s face an she background in scholarship, or contact with tomes or
declares: „Behold the Heart of the Beast, take it and use it to scrolls, will suggest it might be a dated set of written notes
bring an end to the shame of the Nolgind‟. She will not touch it similar to those kept by journeymen in some guilds.
and will retire beyond the edge of the circle before the PCs
handle it. She demands that it is kept away from any If a PC, who can speak Harnic and read Lakise,
Nolgind lest they are infected by it. spends a watch working on the bundle of pages … a
page near the front of the document makes it clear that it is
the diary of a Satia-Mavari called Meredath. In it he kept

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records of his arcane study with a master of the Shek P‟var guage! The child cries for food and shelter. We will move in-
he does not name. land and find somewhere to hide from the savages until they
Much of the rest of the diary is undecipherable or give up their hunt. I have salvaged a cloak and cuirass from one
lapses into using scripts, languages or codes the PCs can- of the dead marines for warmth and protection.‟
not understand. Many pages are stuck together and much, These final diary entries show all the signs of being
much more time, and perhaps the services of a specialist in very hastily written and tell of the events following a ship-
the restoration of books, will be required to make them wreck.
readable. One reads: „They are truly barbaric, these scarred savages.
However the last page of the diary is much more easily I watched as they tortured one of the surviving marines in some
deciphered ritual. So far my Art keeps us hidden, but I tire.‟
If a PC carefully examines that page… it becomes Another confides: „Even I must sleep and last night the
clear that Meredath, his master, their party and someone child woke screaming. Not even my Art could silence her or keep
called Pella, who appears to be a young child, travelled the noise away from our pursuers.‟
downstream to the mouth of the Pemetta river from where The final entry is even more hurried: „They have found us
they took ship „… with one of the priests who had accompa- – she woke again. I cannot leave her to her fate among these
nied us, for our voyage back to Coranan. primitives and yet cannot escape with her. I will use my powers
Meredath speculates „… there my master will surely take to save her spirit and return to recover it when I have evaded
the Grey, for his feats these last months have been remarkable. them. Restored to a body she can still learn the art and be a
Perchance he will recommend me for preferment when his place great master. I have little enough with which to accomplish this
in Chantry becomes available. He has suggested I might take but with luck and skill the vessel will hold her safe until I return‟.
on the child Pella as my first apprentice, convinced that if her The last words written are „Look after the soul of the child
teaching begins in childhood then she has enormous potential. I if you find this and I fail in my effort to save her.‟
am sceptical, she seems nothing but a child to me, and a bad
tempered one at that.‟ Link to the next scene
At this point the hand in which the diary is written The GM should help the PCs link visions and dreams
changes: „Poor Meredath I could not save both he and Pella they have experienced among the islands with the fate of
when the ship foundered. I will keep his diary as it is one of the Pella. This, plus the trust the Crone displayed should get
few things that the storm has left me – though I am shocked at them to Gwaed Island.
what my foolish satia-mavari has been recording in plain lan-
The cliffs north of Cynswr Ariensyn

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SCENE 2: GWAED ISLAND
The pink tinged vegetation on the dunes of „Blood‟ Island
GM Aims
 To get the PCs safely to Peroc (Gwaed) Island;
 To ensure they notice that even at the beach some of
the dune plants have a pinkish tinge;
 To ensure they notice the unusual behaviour of the an-
imals on the island;
 To lead them to the sheltered heath where great
swathes of crimson sethimyael carpet the ground.
PC Outcomes
They will find what they have been searching for but
discover that harvesting it is a challenge.
What captain Olmoding knows…
He will circle the island and map it. He has never
landed there. The sealing is poor and whales are rarely
found close to shore. Crews that have camped here to
render blubber to oil have reported vicious animal attacks.
Wenowina told them that the Beast of Blood was killed
on the rocky southern shore. That, combined with the
account in the diary, will lead them to the south end of the
island. There are several sheltered bays along the southeast
coast were the Breyta could anchor and put a boat ashore.
Foraging or Herblore: The beach where the Breyta‟s
boat lands is fringed by dunes on which clumps of grass
grow. The grasses have a very slight pink tinge to their foli-
age but otherwise seem to be common grasses. Looking
inland shows all the vegetation to have a pink tinge, per-
haps getting darker in the distance. It is as if the island is
bathed in the red light of a setting sun, or in blood.

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The Animals of Gwaed Even more disturbing is that one ram continues to
The GM should roll on the standard Encounter Table attack even when its opponent in driven to its knees. The
(see Afarezirs) to generate animal encounters. Treat any attack continues until the downed animal in dead. Then the
human encounter as an encounter with a snake and replace victor begins to tear at the dead animal‟s flesh! Such
any inland seal or similar encounter with a mountain ram. behaviour is entirely unnatural but caused by grazing on
Any encounter demonstrates that the animals of Gwaed the pink stained vegetation.
Island are significantly more belligerent than their Searching for Crimson Sethimyael
equivalents elsewhere. It should be possible to The high boggy heathland near the centre of Gwaed
demonstrate this aggressive behaviour without actual Island is ideal terrain for sethimyael to grow. If that
combat but that is left to the GM. doesn‟t lead the PCs in the right direction then the slight
The objective is to help the PCs connect the peculiar increase in the intensity of the pink stained leaves of other
behaviour of the local fauna with the behaviour of the plants will help.
Hafen. This need not lead to actual combat unless the GM Link to the next scene
believes it will sharpen the PCs perception of the risk they Crimson Sethimyael cannot be mistaken for the ochre
are taking being here. No prize that is easily won has creeper found in marshy heaths across Harn.
value, after all. Animals may just try to close with the PCs
even if that would be an unnatural, or even suicidal, Therefore, when the PCs crest a low ridge near the
strategy. centre of the island and are confronted with a sea of
crimson there can be no mistake. They have found what
Even if no encounter is rolled the GM should ensure the they have been searching for.
PCs see a group of mountain rams aggressively butting and
goring one another. Though Survival reveals this sort of As they approach they discover the heath is surrounded
behaviour is common between male herd animals during on all sides by dangerous peat bogs. It was in these that
the mating season this behaviour is much more extreme. Meredath‟s master died.
Crimson Sethimyael growing among the blood tinged bogs of Rhosgenethig with ruddy hills in the distance

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SCENE 3: PELLA PELLA’S SPIRIT Race/Sex: Human/Female
Born: 30 Nolus, 459, Ahnu
GM Aims Appearance: Aged 261with no physical characteristics but she was an attrac-
tive 5 year old child with a scant frame, fair complexion, red hair and green
 To help the PCs connect the scene before them with the eyes.
visions and dreams they have had described or experi- Str - Agl - Sml - Aur 19 Cml -
enced themselves. Sta - Eye - Voi - Wil 06 End -
Dex - Hrg - Int 05 Mor 05 Mov -
 To play Pella‟s spirit like an angry 5 year old. Medical/Psyche: while not truly insane, Pella displays many of the charac-
teristics of the insane. She is irascible and has lost what little understanding of
PC Outcomes right or wrong she had when she was entombed.
Religion: none
They may free Pella from her imprisonment, perhaps Skills: Mental Conflict 60, Sensitivity 80, Telepathy 80, Telekinesis 80.
only by having to destroy the artefact which in stopping Languages: Old Jarinese 15 (the language of a 5 year-old), Harnic 05 (she was
her completing her death journey. taught some rudimentary Harnic of an ancient Corani dialect)
Scripts: none
Description of Events Combat 1: Pella will first use Telepathy to frighten each character harvest-
ing Sethimyael. She can only attack 1 character per round and can only attack
At the core of the mystery surrounding the existence of each character once. She attacks randomly them with the following effects:
Crimson Sethimyael is the disembodied spirit of a five-year
Character WIL x 5
old child with sufficient arcane potential to attract the in-
Pella’s
terest of a powerful mage. He confined her spirit in a vessel Telepathy
CF MF MS CS
in the hope of preserving her life. The mage‟s dying spell CF Fear 1 Fatigue +1 Fatigue +2 Fatigue +3
caused the child‟s spirit to form an association with the lo- MF Fear 2 Fear 1 Fatigue +1 Fatigue +2
cal vegetation and her anger is the reason for the occur- MS Fear 3 Fear 2 Fear 1 Fatigue +1
CS Fear 4 Fear 3 Fear 2 Fear 1
rence of the red tinged variety of sethimyael and its unique
Fatigue effects apply to Pella.
properties.
Fear effects apply to the character cumulatively as described below:
Pella’s Spirit … Fear 1: A clear sense of unease which makes the PC cautious and
slows the rate at which they are collecting sethimyael. A PC will not
… is still five years old (INT 05) and will not increase in initiate combat and cannot couterstrike if attacked;
cognitive ability unless given the opportunity to grow up in Fear 2: The PC experiences a sudden loss of all their senses for a sin-
a physical body. She is easily distracted (WIL 06), but re- gle round (Pella is projecting her own sense of isolation). The victim is
likely to look for something to blame (and hit) or retreat from what
sponds to threats with her strongest emotion: rage. they were doing (collecting sethimyael). The PC will not initiate com-
Her low morality score reflects her limited understand- bat but will aggressively attack if attacked (only counterstrike as a de-
fence).
ing of right and wrong. She has no physical skills or attacks Fear 3: Pella sends a convincing sensation of being tortured with hot
but cannot be harmed by anything but psionic/magical at- irons or being eaten alive. This is Pella‟s feeling of having sethimyael
tacks that might injure an ethereal. plants torn up. The PC will stop digging up plants and refuse to return
to the work.
Pella‟s spirit has lost any clear sense of self-identity. Fear 4: The PC gets a convincing sensation of being torn limb from
During the centuries she has been buried here, Pella has limb that will feel like a limb being amputated. Shock Roll (6d6 vs.
END or unconscious for at least 1 minute). Then Shock Roll every
forged a mental link with the only living things she has minute (3d6 vs. END) to recover senses.
been able to reach: the sethimyael plants that dominate the
Combat 2: If there are still any characters collecting sethimyael after she has
peat around where Meredath‟s master buried the vessel tried to frighten them, then Pella will animate the „Sethimyael Golem‟, below.
holding her spirit. His last arcane effort rendered them sus-
ceptible to contact from Pella‟s soul. If a PC harvests a single crimson sethimyael plant
… Pella will perceive this as a threat. In response she
Through this link she is able to feel physical sensations
sends out a continuous non-verbal telepathic scream.
(sunlight, breeze, rain, etc.) but Pella also feels a sensation
Characters with Sensitivity are very susceptible to this „at-
akin to pain whenever a sethimyael plant is damaged,
tack‟. The Hafen shaman who travels to Gwaed every sea-
whether by foraging insects, wildlife or the effects of the
son to harvest Gwaedeithir, interprets these „screams‟ to
year‟s first frost.
mean the extract will be more potent. Non-sensitives will
Should the characters be able to see Pella in her ethere- experience nothing.
al form, she will appear to them as a small, screaming child
If this doesn’t frighten the PCs off … and they con-
with flaming red hair and piercing green eyes, ringed with
tinue to collect the plants then Pella will begin to actively
red as if from endless crying. Other than her name, Pella
attack them using Telepathy vs. WILx5 (Combat 1,
has by now forgotten almost all the language she once
above).
knew, so that even if the characters establish contact, they
will need to communicate in mental pictures or emotions. If that doesn’t work … she will resort to Combat 2
Pella will not want to be separated from the plants that (above); Pella‟s rage will explode. Every frustration she has
provide her only stimulation and physical sensation. They experienced during her imprisonment is vented in a physi-
are her only body. cal attack against the PCs. Her rage and Telekinesis will

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animate the Crimson Sethimyael plants with which she has
developed a unique relationship. She makes her „body‟ Character Mental Conflict
move for the first time, creating the „Sethimyael Golem‟. Pella’s Mental
CF MF MS CS
Conflict
The Sethimyael Golem CF D +1 B +1 A +1 A +2
The players will first become aware as the plants be- MF D +2 D +1 B +1 A +1
come increasingly difficult to uproot and then the earth be- MS D +3 D +2 D +1 B +1
CS D +4 D +3 D +2 D +1
neath them will quake and Pella‟s body, preserved in the
A1/2: Fatigue apples to Pella.
peat will erupt in front of them, wrapped in a writhing mass
B1: Fatigue apples to both Pella and the character.
of sethimyael and peat that begins to lash out at any char-
D1/2/3/4: Fatigue applies to the character.
acter within range.
Pella has no idea what effect her attack might have, it is an instinctive re-
Awareness will allow the PCs to notice a leather bag sponse to danger.
about the size of a large fist knotted into the animated veg-
If the PC loses the conflict …
etation. Pella will possess their body for 2d6 hours before the character can attempt to
THE SETHIMYAEL GOLEM dislodge her back into the vessel. Attempts to dislodge her will be at +10%.
Meanwhile the PC will inhabit the pot, but with none of the links/sensation
Appearance: a shambling mound of soil and vegetation from which barbed that have sustained Pella. It is left to the GM to determine if any phobias to
strands of sethimyael radiate to lacerate anyone within reach. The golem has no dark enclosed spaces result.
strike locations, it must be hacked apart to destroy it.
While in control of the PC body Pella will probably be in shock. She was 5
Str 25 Agl 08 Sml - Aur 19 End 19
when she last had a body and has spent centuries disembodied! She will go
Sta 19 Eye - Voi - Wil 06 Mov 08
where she is led. She will cry and scream constantly occasionally mumbling
Dex 05 Hrg - Int 05 Mor 05
the only words she can remember in Nolgind Kuboran or a heavily accented
Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 55, DODGE 20, Grapple 70 (one target per round), classical Corani dialect of Harnic: „Help!‟.
Lacerate 50 (up to 3 targets per round within 5 feet).
NB: the golem has no senses of its own – it is animated and acts on what Pella If Pella loses the conflict …
can sense in the environment around her. She will sit quiescent inside the artefact for 2d6 hours but then attack anyone
touching it again.
Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P If Pella remains in possession of the character’s body …
Grapple   70   10   Even if she does not retain possession of the character‟s body the PCs may
provide a new body for her spirit to inhabit. The morality of the PCs may de-
Lacerate   50    4 
termine the source of such a body!
Strike Location AQ B E P F However, Pella will never settle into her new existence and any host body will
01 – 00 „Body‟  7 5 8 7* sicken and die within a matter of weeks as she simply loses the will to sustain
* the peat is very damp! it. When the body dies her spirit will suffer the same fate as any other soul at
NB: The sap of the plant will splatter anyone making a successful Edge attack. It the point of death and begin her Death Journey.
causes an itchy rash on exposed skin, and will temporarily blind a character if it
gets into their eyes. The itch causes a -5% physical penalty.
Description of the Ceramic Vessel
Notes: A pint-sized, unglazed clay vessel with some signs and
Each point of impact damage reduces Grapple by 1% until it reaches zero when it symbols crudely scratched into its surface.
will be impossible for Pella to maintain its coherence and the Golem will subside
into a mound of peat, roots and leaves.
If the characters try to run away … they will find

that the sethinmyael they are trying to run through twines
its spiny runners around their legs. This halves their rate of
progress. It also increases the effort, and fatigue, required
to move at all. They will also remember the dangerous
peat bogs that surrounded the Crimson Sethimyael.
All the time the Golem is advancing towards them so
their best hope may be to scatter and hope it pursues only
one of them!
If they destroy the golem … they will find that the
mummified remains are those of a girl of 5 or so years. Her
shock of red hair retains some of its colour.
Pella’s last resort Pella‟s pot
The destruction of her golem will drive Pella into quies- The vessel is sealed with a sheet of leather secured by
cence within the vessel that contains her soul. Anyone what looks like natural, but remarkably well preserved,
touching the pot, which is in the leather bag the PCs will twine. Thanks to the enchantments improvised at the time
find near the mummified remains, will be attacked by her both pot and leather are stronger than they should be; they
Mental Conflict (see Combat 3, below), though by now she are both able to resist up to 20 points of damage.
may be very fatigued.

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Shaking the pot suggests there is something soft inside
it and that, whatever it is, it is not very dense. If it is EPILOGUE
smashed it will be found to contain a lock of honey-blond If the PCs return to Wenowina … and describe what
hair; some child-sized finger- and toe-nail clippings; and a has happened then she will be convinced that they have
small, soiled shift that would probably fit a child of 4 or 5 laid the Curse of the Beast to rest. She will insist on a cele-
years. bration and send news to the other clans. Given her reputa-
tion she will believed.
The Peren warriors happened to bury Pella near where
the mage buried the pot. Whether the perverted plants and animals of Gwaed Is-
land return to normal depends on whether Pella has been
The mage hoped that Pella‟s spirit would remain asleep
removed; Appendix II includes some of the possibilities.
during the time it was bound within the vessel but sadly his
assumption was wrong. The rushed nature of his spells an Wenowina will not accept the return of the „Heart of the
perhaps his fatigue meant that Pella‟s spirit woke shortly Beast‟, preferring that the PCs take it far from the islands.
after he died and has remained self-aware and awake for Captain Olmoding will wish to make good time back to
250 years, locked in a prison she can neither understand Golotha. He will refit there for a trip into southern Harnic
nor escape. waters before Autumn strays into Winter so that he can go
The details of how the vessel was enchanted are left to sealing as he makes his way around the south of Harn.
the GM. The ad hoc nature of the effort to save Pella‟s Then he plans heading to mainland Lythia to sell skins and
soul, and the failure of the spells to operate entirely as oil. The voyage South can be played in detail or abstract-
planned should indicate that the spells used were impro- ed. An uneventful voyage can allow the PCs can examine
vised. If necessary the GM can define variations on some Meredath‟s diary (see Appendix I).
of the typical spells necessary to capture a soul into an ob- There are a number of things that the PCs may want to
ject and then strengthen the object against the vicissitudes do on their return to Golotha.
of time. If the PCs have the spirit of Pella with them …
GM Information they may have to find somewhere to keep her (if she is still
Using the few possessions he had left Meredath‟s mas- entombed within the vessel) or for her to live safely (if they
ter improvised a series of spells to create an artefact into have found a body for her). What happens then is beyond
which to seal Pella‟s sleeping soul until such time as he the scope of these adventures. Any plans they may have
could return and save her. Having completed the spells he will be interrupted by the next adventure in the sequence,
held the small girl as she died. Her sleeping spirit migrated Golotha: The Deeper Dark.
into the vessel prepared for it and he buried it in a dense If they want advice on what to do with Pella …
patch of Sethimyael. Then he fled for his life with they should discover on their first day back in Golotha that
Meredath‟s diary safely inside the hardened leather cuirass the best advice is to be had in Coranan, as no one in Golo-
(the „carapace‟ described by Wenowina), he had salvaged tha has the necessary expertise. This is to ensure that they
from the wreck. are not present in the city for a month before Golotha: The
He might have survived and returned to save Pella had Deeper Dark is timed to start but return to the city on the
8th of the next month.
he not stumbled into one of the mires that surround the
heath. There he was found by the searching Peren hunters If they have returned without much Crimson
much as described in Wenowina‟s description. Sethimyael … they can still claim the remains of their fee
As a last effort to protect the girl‟s spirit he pushed what for the journey from Nobar of Rushez.
remained of his power out into the heathland begging that If they do have some Crimson Sethimyael … then
the heath protect the child. delivering it to Nobar will get them the agreed bonus.
When the Peren pursuers came upon Pella‟s still warm If they need somewhere to stay in Golotha … the
body they were moved to pity and buried her where they PCs know the Trident Inn, and the next adventure assumes
found her. They commended her soul to Heneryne – not that is where they will stay.
knowing there was no soul for the hearth mother to gather If any of the various agents from Appendix II re-
in; it was bound to the vessel only a foot away from her turn with the PCs … they will maintain their cover and
grave. Over the years they began to venerate the place appear to return to their normal business – disappearing
they had found the tiny girl‟s body calling it Rhosgenethig from the PC‟s lives, for now.
(the Little Girl‟s Heath). That veneration led them to espe- They will, of course, report what they have learned to
cially value the sethimyael found there for their ceremo- their patrons. That may provide the GM with hooks for
nies. As Pella began to influence the plants, so clan Peren later adventures and will influence events in the final ad-
began its descent into savagery. That descent has been venture in this series, Mejetus: Ancient Shades.
carried into the present day by clan Hafen.

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PC Benefits and Potential Plot Hooks APPENDIX I:
 PCs should improve Old Jarinese & Folklore (Kubora)
in addition to any other skill development. MEREDATH’S DIARY
 Sufficiently talented PCs could spend some time re- It is important that this interpretation of the diary is not
cording their memories of the journey onto a Poetic made available to the players before the end of the adven-
Map of the Afarezirs. The GM should secretly roll the ture. If it is it is only likely to distract them. Ideally they
Drawing skill check and note the level of success which should have the opportunity to decipher these sections of
can be used as a reflection of the map‟s accuracy and the manuscript on the voyage back to Golotha, so that the
the effect on the journey of a buyer who uses it to avoid knowledge it contains is available before they start the next
getting lost: adventure.
CS: 30% chance of getting lost while following it; The sections of the diary that can be understood given
sufficient time to describe how Meredath accompanied his
MS: 60% chance of getting lost;
master, who had been recruited by the Morgathian church,
MF: 90% chance of getting lost; to ward a location deep in a forest wilderness. It is unclear
CF: certain to get lost! why; the only explanation infers that the Morgathians seek
 The PCs might seek out scholars interested in rumours to imprison some evil harbouring there. In return his mas-
and information about the Kubora. They might pay for ter was promised not simply material gains but also access
what the PCs know. to the resources and protection of the church wherever he
chose to travel on completion of his task.
 The reputation of the PCs among the Nolgind Kubora
may mean they can sell their services as guides. There is a brief consideration of whether his master‟s
actions in any way contravene the code of the Shek P‟var.
Meredath‟s view is that it does not as the commission is to
contain some evil and the benefit to his, and his master‟s,
future study can only be for the betterment of their Art.
With care the reader can put together the following out-
line of events taking place 250 years ago …
Through the Afarezirs
In 462TR Meredath was one of a small group of satia-
mavari who travelled with their master around the coast of
Peran to the mouth of the River Pemetta. From some of
Meredath‟s comments it becomes clear his master was
very close to „taking the Grey‟. He was certainly practiced
in several convocations.
They travelled in a well-protected convoy of ships to
the Afarezirs. There Meredath describes making landfall
on several of the islands and how the Corani marines were
attacked by the primitive natives. The scarlet cloaked ma-
rines with their organised shield wall and tactics were more
than a match for the natives and easily saw off any attacks;
taking some slaves as they went. Meredath‟s diary, then,
tells the tale of the Beast of Blood from the Corani perspec-
tive.
Among the captives was a 5 year-old girl child that
Meredath‟s master took a particular interest in. He ex-
plained to Meredath, who comes across as something of a
favourite to his master, that the girl had remarkable arcane
potential and called herself Pella.
Up River to Mejetus
On reaching the Pemetta Estuary the Shek P‟var were
given permission to examine sites of spiritual importance
to the tribes living east and west of the river; an island in
the estuary where a number of burial mounds were ob-

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served. There are notes in the diary of a conversation with things! It is almost as if he were there, such is the vigour of his
one of the accompanying Morgathians proposing a future description‟.
expedition to excavate these mounds and others that had The journey is described in significant detail and a
been found on the mainland, at a place called Kustan. number of landmarks are detailed which might allow
Meredath and his party were transferred to a series of someone who had the account an increased chance of fol-
securely escorted river barges for the journey up river to a lowing the route taken – so long as they could find Mejetus
legionary camp. It had been built to demonstrate the reach and begin from there.
of the Empire, but rumour on board suggested it was being The journey takes about a week during which time the
prepared for a visit by Emperor Mejenes himself. The Shek P‟var deployed a range of protective spells to reduce
place had been christened Mejetus in his honour. the chance of the local tribes coming upon them. The par-
At Mejetus ty travelled on foot though the priests and mages, and all
Meredath describes Mejetus as „… built on a round- the equipment and supplies, were carried by mules. The
topped hill in the foothills of the Rayesha mountains overlooking need to avoid contact with the local hunters seems to have
slowed the journey.
the River Suthen into which one face of the hill has crumbled. It
comprises a substantial wooden stockade with barracks for a The journal includes a quite detailed description of their
full Corani legion, as well as engineers and all that is needful for arrival at the place where the wards were to be set.
the legions on their march‟. „After the forest came two days of travel through limestone
He does not describe any stone buildings but adds that gullies awash with drainage water from the surrounding high-
„…an architect accompanies us who is to build the imperial lands. The priests regularly stopped to consult a map they were
headquarters. He has confirmed that Emperor Mejenes will lead reluctant to share with us.
the legions into the lands called „Equeth‟ in a year or so and will We finally reached a remarkable location. It has an unfamil-
require a suitable field palace‟. iar arcane aura of uncertain potency but somewhat discomfort-
Meredath then describes the site for the palace: „When ing. Its scale is undoubtedly impressive; a cluster of limestone
initially surveyed the engineers believed they had found a sur- pinnacles rising hundreds of feet in the middle of a natural am-
prisingly flat slab of naturally occurring granite. However closer phitheatre.‟
examination revealed the granite was not natural but the roof of The Task
a subterranean structure that my master believes is of Khuzan
Meredath then describes his work, and that of the other
build. The craftsmanship is exquisite and there are extensive
satia-mavari, in aiding his master to caste a number of pre-
vaults beneath the granite which will support the emperor‟s
viously created spells in, under, and around the limestone
lodging‟.
pillars.
He also points out the dramatic location of the fort: „…
„We are not allowed to wander freely through the passages
on the highest hill top for a league in any direction and above
and chambers within what the priests call „the Claws‟. Instead
the valley of the River Suthen. There the engineers are already
our legionary escort has been set to work excavating a new pas-
planning a bridge to carry their emperor across to new con-
sage into the very heart of one of the larger pinnacles‟.
quests. Some giant must have caste some of the stones fallen
from the slopes above into the river where they form a conven- Once the excavation is complete Meredath describes
ient string of boulders running from bank to bank. They will his master as creating „… a portal into a dimension of water
form the bridge supports. whence we summoned forth a continual stream to be channelled
into the chamber the legionaries had excavated. From there the
Perhaps most dramatic is the view of the mountains. In the
water runs through a hole drilled through the floor into a space
sinking sun the peaks take on the likeness of a man‟s face lying
below. I can only speculate on why the priests wished this done,
in profile staring up into the stars‟.
but such a continuous drip of water will certainly cause deposits
Meredath notes his master‟s regret at the necessity of of limestone to form in whatever chamber is beneath this one‟.
leaving „young Pella‟ safe in the household of the com-
He makes particular note of the fact that „… though the
mander at Mejetus, „where she is to be taught the rudiments of
legionaries did the hard work of excavating the chamber it was
a civilised tongue‟. He then goes on to describe travelling,
the priests who then set to work drilling the hole through the
with the other mages and a group of priests under heavy
floor into the space below. Once the water had begun to flow
escort, into the Peran wilderness.
then only the priests were allowed into the excavated chamber.
Into the Forest One legionary who strayed there while on guard duty was im-
Meredath is clearly quite comfortable in the company of paled the following morning as an example to the others. How
the Morgathians and describes one in particular as „remark- the priests knew he had entered the chamber no one could say.
ably well informed on matters historical‟, commenting that he Thereafter the legionaries only entered any of the passages when
„expounded on the early years of the Agrikan Church, of all ordered to do so‟.

HârnWorld
The next task was to call an earth spirit into existence the Shadow of Incarnate Evil, Wreaker of Chaos … Hear our
deep in the foundations of the „Claws‟ after which there Supplication.”
were regular vibrations in the ground and tremors among “We have had wards caste around this place so that the
the pillars. Lord of Fires is denied this portal as the Gurim has ordained.
„The spirit was bound to „the Claws‟ as if to the body of a We have warded it with elements that are anathema to the Fiery
golem. The spell was most elegant but also more difficult than I One and his evil servants and intend that over time the portal
believe my master expected. The strange Aura in this place that was opened here will be sealed by the flow of his greatest
caused a perturbation in our manipulation of the energies neces- enemy, water. We have taken care not to risk the Concordat
sary and the creature we have created is less than we had working the Gurim‟s will only through the Shek P‟var.”
hoped. It is certainly strong and persistent but it lacks any but “Only the Unlamented Dead that we sense beyond the portal
the most meagre of hunting instincts. Those instincts are, can open the door and they are caged there. As they cannot
though, enough to deny us further easy access to the lower pas- journey to this side of the portal then none of them can ever be-
sages; it does not recognise us as its masters‟. come the Gatekeeper.”
Then, all manner of lizards and snakes were summoned “We will consecrate a shrine at Mejetus so that the Emperor
from the gullies and passages around the amphitheatre. and all his legions will guard The Key we will make. With no
They were „… bound to the Claws as corporeal guardians lest. Key and no Gatekeeper then the Lock we have created will keep
Were a return to the Claws allowed it would be fascinating to the Lord of V‟Hir contained”
know if the geas weakens with the passing of generations or if it
“Hear our Supplication. We have no hope of an answer but
has some other effect upon them‟.
in our faith we know you listen”.
The final task was to summon a spirit of the air and
Meredath ends this section of the diary noting that one
bind it high among the pinnacles to stop any creature de-
of the priests who entered the Claws was carried out, as if
scending among the pillars from above. Meredath notes: „I
injured or sick. He lay lifeless on a mule for much of the
consider this one of my master‟s greatest feats for while the ele-
journey back to Mejetus and remained weak and with-
mental is potent he has also captured some intelligence into it;
drawn. “I know not what happened to him but it set my mind
enough that I could converse with it. We had the legionaries
on the tales told of the Morgathians …”.
construct a rope way up to its high eerie and there told it of its
purpose and that of its fellow spirits. It struggled with some of There are then some pages describing the uneventful
the details but I am encouraged to believe it would be able to return journey to Mejetus.
keep the others spirits in order were they to stray from their If the PCs ask Captain Olmoding to take them to
tasks‟. any of the places mentioned in Meredath’s diary …
There is only one hint of friction between the satia- he will firmly decline. He has no taste for some wild ad-
mavari and his master: „there was one aspect of each casting venture into the Peran wilderness. He also has no inten-
which my master has refused to explain. Small blocks of bronze, tion of landing the PCs in Peran. He‟s been paid to carry
copper and silver were included in each spell but not consumed them home and will not risk his reputation by returning
by them. Instead they were handed over to the priests when the with his passengers mysteriously absent.
casting was completed‟. The Breyta therefore coasts into Golotha under the
On the final day before they left the Claws there is a power of her oars at dawn on the 8th of the next month –
passage of particular note: the date is important for the next adventure in this series
Golotha: The Deeper Dark.
„We were not allowed among the Claws today. The priests
braved the risk from the earth elemental and made a final visit If events during the voyage south make this return date
to whatever lies beneath the chamber of the water spirit. It was impossible, then the GM should find a way to delay arrival
no great task to create a tiny point of clairaudience to follow until the 8th of the next month. A storm might drive them to
them. take shelter at Tormau or Ithius and delay them.
Though they were certainly engaged in some ritual the de- Further Research on the Diary
tails were impossible to determine as there was a great flux in GM may choose to treat the diary as a record of
the fabric of the Aura which distorted my spell. They were re- Meredath‟s development of his Art.
peating some question over and over, but what they asked and If so then further research can yield some spells appro-
whether there was an answer, I do not know. However, when priate to the PCs. The diary doesn‟t say which convoca-
the flux settled I could hear their words and, though their mean- tions Meredath had studied so any spell that might be
ing is obscure, I record them here as precisely as I can: known by an experienced Satia-Mavari could be included
“Tormentor of the Unlamented Dead, Master of the Princi- as well as any unique spells Meredath had created. The
ple of Evil, Lord of the Gulmorvin of the Black Pit, Wielder of choice is left to the GM to reduce the risk of the found
spell(s) altering campaign balance.

HârnWorld
APPENDIX II: roll is made at double the number of d6 which would oth-
erwise have been required; HR5 to recover.
THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL Changing the dose has the following effects:
The plants among which Pella‟s vessel was buried are Dose Duration Shock Recovery
sethimyael which is fully described in Herblore (available 2 drops of the 40+3d10 min HR5
from Columbia Games). standard prepa-
The vine-like „Ochre Creeper‟ is native to shady, boggy ration taken on
soils. The leaves are greyish green with waxy yellow fruit the tongue
and pink blooms that smell of rotting meat. Small thorns 3 drops 2x(40+3d10) min HR4
make the plant difficult to harvest, and the noxious sum-
mertime blooms attract flies, wasps, and the occasional 4 drops 4x(40+3d10) min HR2
small carnivore. Large yellow berries appear in late sum- Administering more than a double dose typically results
mer from which Nolgind shamans prepare a euphoric to in convulsions and sometimes death, generally from cardi-
promote or enhance religious visions. This is why they call ovascular collapse (4d6 Kill roll).
it Ymdeithir; „the Traveller‟. Regular consumption of the extract causes first in-
Sethimyael dominates the heathlands of Gwaed Island creased irritability and then paranoia and the threat of
but it is now greatly changed. It has become Gwaedeithir – pathological violence at the least provocation. Women who
„the Path of Blood‟. Superficially the same as sethimyael its take the preparation regularly stop ovulating and become
leaves and berries are bright crimson. The properties of sterile.
Gwaedeithir have also been changed by association with Animals feeding on the pink tinged vegetation over the
Pella‟s angry, frightened, spirit and whatever magics rest of the island develop some of the same aggressive
Meredath‟s master unleashed at the time of his death. tendencies, but there is much less effect on their fertility.
Over the decades of her imprisonment – she doesn‟t
know it was a means of protection – Pella has changed the
Gwaedeithir without Pella
properties of the plant and its appearance. Should Pella be removed from Rhosgenethig, either
through her destruction or rescue, then the plants will re-
Whether it was the improvised nature of the spells cast vert to their natural state over the decades ahead and no
or the mage‟s wish, channelled as it was on the wave of longer produce the effects described.
power released at his death; the plants in the vicinity were
somehow attuned to Pella and her situation. A mental link Plants bred from those harvested at Rhosgenethig will
developed with the only living things near her: the sethim- show a much more rapid decline in potency with each suc-
yael. cessive generation of plant.
The tinge of madness that Pella has imparted to the Berries gathered from Rhosgenethig retain their potency
plants extends beyond the heath where she is buried. Even after harvesting until they rot. The Nolgind preserve the
plants near the shore have a faint pinkish tinge. berries of ochre creeper in honey. Other parts of the plant
can also produce the same effects but at lesser potency.
Ingesting Gwaedeithir Foliage If Pella‟s spirit is kept in its pot and placed near plants
Tasting the leaves of Gwaedeithir causes numbness to brought from Rhosgenethig, then the plants will retain their
the lips and tongue. Extended skin contact with the foliage potency for as long as they survive. A talented plantsman
causes an itchy rash. Ingestion of an ounce or so of the who has Rhosgenethig accurately described to him will be
plant (two or three plump berries, for instance) will result in able to cultivate the plant. However the same risks to hu-
nausea and diarrhoea with any more risking shock and mans ingesting the plant and effects on even domesticated
death. It is these characteristics which have discouraged animals will exist.
animals from grazing on the Gwaedeithir plants and led to
Were Pella „transplanted‟ and placed among ordinary
the increasing dominance of the crimson variety across
sethimyael she would have no effect on them. The plants of
Rhosgenethig (the Little Girl‟s Heath).
Rhosgenethig were rendered susceptible to Pella by the
Properties of Gwaedeithir Berries mage; an effect that cannot be reproduced, though huge
Contrary to the letter received in Golotha the true value resources could be wasted trying!
of Gwaedeithir is as a combination of painkiller and stimu- The Fate of the Hafen
lant. Prepared as sethimyael has been prepared by the Nol-
Those harvesting Gwaedeithir after Pella‟s departure will
gind for more than a millennium the blood red berries can-
sense a lack of power but it will take decades before ochre
cels the effects of fatigue (no fatigue penalty) and halves
creeper dominates Rhosgenethig. In the meantime Nolgind
the effects of injury (half physical penalty) until the effects
myth will have new heroes and the Crones will keep the
wear off in 40+3d10 minutes later, at which point a shock
faith; one day the Lost Ones will return to the Nolgind fold.

HârnWorld
APPENDIX III Agents of The Octagonal Pit
Most of the information presented to the PCs in Golo-
FRIENDS IN THE SOUTH? tha is false. The true sponsoring organization for the expe-
The adventure can be complicated, or enriched, by hav- dition is the Agrikan Order of the Octagonal Pit, and their
ing a number of NPCs travel North with the party each of interest has nothing to do with the erotic.
whom has a particular motive for making the journey. It is Late in the previous Autumn an Ivinian ship, the Wav
possible to use them all with a little ingenuity on the part of Dansan, limped into Golotha having barely managed to
the GM but managing their individual agendas may be a survive its journey from the North. However, as well as the
challenge; so be warned. tale told in the dockside taverns (and described Act I) there
None of the NPC agents have a way of communicating were some details known only to the Dansan‟s captain,
with their master or mistress in the south once the Breyta Saarli Veron.
sets-out so the only way they can reveal anything they dis- After the attack on the crew‟s camp and the capture of
cover is by surviving and returning south with the PCs. one of the attackers Saarli stayed up late into the night
Therefore they should play their hand very subtlety, in watching his unusual prisoner. He was trying to puzzle out
most cases aiding the players as a means of ensuring their how this man, crippled as he was, had taken so many of
own survival and safe return. On the other hand they will them to subdue. How, even after he had lost his hand,
have no compunction about removing one another if they could he have paused only to tie off the blood flow with a
discover another NPC‟s true, or believed, mission. This rag before killing poor Uldi and knocking Gnarson uncon-
could breed a sense of foreboding if NPCs begin turning up scious?
dead or start disappearing during the adventure. There are, While it was miraculous that the man had survived at all
though, risks in distracting the PCs who may come to be- he still seemed to have some fight left in him. The savage
lieve they are on and adventure in which their task is to continued to strain to reach something tied to his crude
uncover a serial killer!
hide belt until he finally died. The captain took the small
Some NPCs would be perfectly happy to do away with wooden tube, firmly stoppered with a leather bung, from
PCs if they felt that would result in any fruits of the expedi- the man‟s belt and kept it for later examination.
tion ending up in their hands, and thence those of their pa- By then it was dawn and the Nolgind warriors returned
tron. In playing them the GM should remember that they to the camp where they made signs of warding towards the
start with no concrete information about the purpose of the corpse. This, they said, was „one of the lost‟ and the crew
expedition other than what the PCs may have shared dur- were lucky to have survived the attack with so few casual-
ing their recruitment and the rumours that have led their ties.
patrons to take an interest in the voyage. They should act
on that basis, or on what PCs tell them during the voyage. When Saarli made a pretense of seeing them away from
The GM should take care not to make them omniscient. the camp he showed them the vial he had taken. Their re-
action was to cower away from it, make more signs of
GM Aims warding. Their leader gestured that the captain should
To decide whether Vigdis Grimkal, Ovik of Hossil, Talar throw it into the sea before it did him harm. He spoke
the Kuboran, &/or Sir Hovan are agents of forces interest- enough Orbaalese to claim that the contents of the vial
ed in the voyage. were made from a plant which „fed on blood‟ and which
Having made that decision, to play the selected NPCs „possessed anyone drinking it with a spirit of blood and
as described in Act I, while knowing their secret agenda death‟; „The Spirit of the Beast‟.
and any other skills they might be able to deploy. They He said the vial contained an extract from a plant simi-
must be convincing in their chosen „disguises‟ without lar to one that was important to the Nolgind. However the
making it impossible for them to turn their coats if neces- extract came from a variety of the plant he described as
sary. „stained by the Beast‟, which was harvested by the „lost
The subtlest approach is probably to play the NPC as ones‟ and was polluted and taboo to all the other clans.
described in the body of the adventure, giving them to the The old Nolgind told Saarli that once a warrior was pos-
PCs to play. Only when the PC uses the character in a way sessed by the plant extract he became invulnerable to harm
that runs counter to their agenda should the GM intervene, from even the sharpest of weapons. It took all the Nol-
and then only with care. In this way their agenda can be gind‟s efforts to protect themselves from even a small
ignored until the GM choses to reveal some sign of it, if number of such warriors when they raided - clear evidence
they so choose. of its potency.
Again he bade Saarli to throw the foul thing into the sea
PC Outcomes „lest it possess you as it possessed the lost one‟.
Ideally the PCs will only understand the significance of
their actions when the adventure is over, or even later.

HârnWorld
Curious about the vial, and interested in whether it An agent of Klyrdes Bisidril
might have trade value, the captain made it look as if he It is the possibility of an invincible fighting force that
had thrown the vial away while concealing it in his purse. has attracted the interest of the Agrikan Primate, Klyrdes
When they were underway to the next island he added a Bisidril. His Order, of Mamaka the Master of Steel, has an
drop of the pinkish liquid to the crew‟s pottage.
effective intelligence network that extends through every
He was horrified when one of the crew was seized by a stratum of Golothan society. That network has revealed
berserk fury that cost the lives of more of his men. Believ- the nature of the Octagonal Pit‟s recent experimentation
ing it might have some value he kept the extract until he and their plans for an expedition.
sold it to the Octagonal Pit in Golotha. The Mamakans have kept themselves at the top of the
The priests of the Octagonal Pit identified the sickly Agrikan hierarchy in Rethem for a generation through their
smelling extract as similar to a preparation made from discipline and the strength of their Warriors. Klyrdes is
sethimyael and used as an hallucinogen. concerned that, in the wrong hands, this potent drug could
Experimentation with the few remaining doses of the disturb that precarious balance of power. If anyone is to
extract confirmed that it had properties very different from have the advantage this new variety of sethimyael he is de-
sethimyael including increases in aggression, endurance termined it will be him. The Master of Steel has a reputa-
and resistance to wounds. The slave they gave it to did not tion for the creation of fearsome alchemical weapons of
notice wounds but kept fighting with his bare hands even war and this extract promises them new avenues to ex-
when hamstrung by the knights of the Demon Pameshlu plore.
who were set to kill him. Ovik of Hossil is one of the 8 Akhularai of Klyrdes‟ or-
The Order‟s interest is in obtaining enough of the plant der (see Mamaka, Master of Steel). Also called „The Silent
to allow for the staging of spectacular combats in the Golo- Ones‟, they are responsible for rooting out heresy within
than arena. They have also speculated on the near invinci- the order and are used more widely as agents for its lead-
bility on the battlefield of Agrikan warriors dosed with the ership in their effort to stay at the top of the Agrikan
extract. Church in Harn. The Silent Ones are selected from among
The PCs are the unwitting agents of the Octagonal Pit acolytes of the order early in their time with the Master of
in this adventure. They are being sent to harvest enough Steel and, as well as their clerical training, receive addi-
Crimson Sethimyael so the priests can make more of the tional tuition in subtefuge, torture, the use of drugs and
extract and further their investigations. poisons and the arts of assassination. They have many of
the skills the order learned from the Navehan‟s during the
Other interested parties … dark times of the Theocracy.
There are a number of Golothan powerbrokers, and an- Hossil‟s claim, that he is from Tharda, is very difficult to
other from beyond Rethem, with an interest in the expedi- prove wrong; it would take an encyclopaedic knowledge of
tion. the Republic to catch him out.
The GM can adopt any one of the following variations His skills in deception are exceptional and he is trained
to the NPCs that might accompany the PCs acceptable by to deliberately hide his capacities. The character sheet in
simply handing over the „player‟ version of the character the adventure shows reduced MLs for some skills while
sheet (found in Act I) and inviting a PCs to run them as omitting others entirely. His true characteristics as an agent
well as their own character. of the Apalankh are shown below.
If a PC becomes injured or incapacitated, or the party Ovik’s strategy on the expedition … he will seek to
splits up to further their search then a player can be kept in be very helpful to the PCs and become close to them by
the game by being given one of the NPCs to play. offering well chosen advice based on the knowledge his or-
der has of Peran and its inhabitants. The GM must be care-
ful not to make him unrealistically encyclopaedic but he
can still be very useful to the party.
Clues to his true purpose … Any PC who has a
chance to see him naked will see that Ovik‟s back is
scarred from regular scourging. There is also scarring high
on his left thigh. Though the Silent Ones are excused the
Mamekan „sacrifice of blood and pain‟ while under-cover
they carry the signs of its application through their training
and ordination.
Folklore (Mamekan) would allow this evidence to raise
a PC‟s suspicions. If questioned Ovik will attribute this to

HârnWorld
the cruelty of the father who now pays him to stay well Name: Ovik of Hossil
Race/Sex: Human/Male
Agent of Klyrdes Bisidril
away from home. If confronted with concrete evidence
Occupation: Priest Born: 19 Ilvin 695, Skorus
that these are signs of Mamekan worship he will appear to
Appearance: Aged 25, height 5‟9”, medium frame, weight 157 lbs/size 6,
crack and confess he was sent to live among the handsome appearance, dark complexion, black hair, hazel eyes
Mamekans as a boy, only escaping a year or two ago. In Str 14 Agl 12 Sml 10 Aur 18 Cml 16
this tale he will beg the PCs not to reveal his secret as the Sta 14 Eye 14 Voi 06 Wil 16 End 14
Mamekans are known to hunt down any runaways. Medical/Psyche: Hidden scars on his back from scourging
Ovik carries a small octagonal metal charm around his Religion: Ritual (Agrik) 54, Piety 30
neck inscribed with the symbol of Agrik. He will admit to Skills: Animalcraft 22, AWARENESS 78, CLIMBING 76, Cookery 18, Drawing
60, Folklore (Peran) 40; Heraldry 48, Herblore 24, INTRIGUE 73, JUMPING
being a casual worshipper and claim it is a good luck 72, Law (Agrikan) 36, Mathematics 25, Mental Conflict 70, Metalcraft 46,
charm; all he has with which to remember his dead mother. ORATORY 44, Physician 30, RHETORIC 62, SINGING 24, STEALTH 82,
Swimming 15, THROWING 80, Weaponcraft 55
However, the charm is cunningly crafted by Mamekan Languages: Harnic 94, Old Jarinese 21, Surikal 38, Ashekal 48
smiths to hinge open to reveal an inscription: „the bearer is Scripts: Lakise 98
protected by the power of the Agrikan Church‟. If a PC dis- Combat Skills: INITIATIVE 90, DODGE 60, UNARMED 76, Dagger 75,
covers this Ovik will feign convincing amazement, claiming Sword 60, Shield 60, Axe (sickle) 76,
Money/Valuables: While not richly dressed he appears to have a significant
he never new the charm opened. Only if the PCs have al- line of credit which he explains as resulting from his bastardy. His father is
ready encountered another Silent One, all of whom carry rich and pays him well to stay away from him and his family.
such a charm, will it be difficult for him to sustain the lie. Armour/Weapons: Cloth shirt and breeches, robe and tunic. Leather calf
boots; dagger
Even then he will look confused and hold to his story that
Other Equipment: A leather satchel in which he keeps his supply of parch-
the charm was given to him by his mother. ment, pens and ink. He will buy any specific travelling and wilderness equip-
He will reveal the inscription only if he is in dire need ment that he needs.
and believes that the person he shows it to will both under- Load: 29.5 lbs Encumbrance Penalty: 0
stand it and have the power and will to act on what it de- Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P
mands. Anyone living in Rethem or expecting to make any Head butt   76 76  2  
part of their living there will certainly take it very seriously. Hand/Arm   76 91 -05 1  
Foot/Knee   81 81 -05 2  
Only if … Ovik‟s cover appears about to be broken will Dagger 1 11 80 80 -05 1 2 4
he act to silence the character that is putting him at risk. Sword 4 13 75 70 -15 4 6 4
He will always seek to make any death look like an acci- Handaxe 4 11 86 81 -10 5 7 
dent or the responsibility of someone else. He is entirely Roundshield 7 14 65 80  2  
indocrinated in the Mamakan faith and will die (in silence) Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F
for his master. However if he dies then the Apalankh learns Skull C  1 1 1 1
nothing so he will kill to survive, perhaps revealing that he Face      
Neck      
has many more skills than the PCs believe. If death is inev-
itable he will look for some way to further his master‟s Upper Arm CCC  1 2 1 2
cause, perhaps by sabotaging the expedition so that no one Elbow C  1 1 1 1
else benefits from anything the PCs find. Forearm C  1 1 1 1
Hand      
On his return … Ovik will leave the Breyta at Golotha
and expect never to see the PCs again. He will be dis- Abdomen CCC  1 2 1 2
patched north to Emesa Hundred after he has passed on Hip CCCC  1 2 1 2
everything he has found out. There he is to search for what Groin CCCC  1 2 1 2
the Mamakan hierarchy believes may be evidence of here- Thigh CCC  1 2 1 2
Knee CCC  1 2 1 2
sy among the Warriors of Mameka …
Calf CL  2 4 3 4
Foot L  1 3 2 3
Invocations: Common, Agrikan and Mamekan invocations of Circles I - III

Spells: none Psionics: none
Notes: One of the Mamekan Silent Ones. As an ordained priest he has a con-
secrated Mamekan Blade in the form of a sickle but the Akhularai are never
allowed to carry these with them when under cover.

HârnWorld
An agent of the Gurim An agent of the Queen
The Morgathian Primate in Golotha has equally good King Chafin of Rethem spends little time in Golotha, but
reasons to take an interest in the expedition. He wishes to his wife, Queen Erela, prefers Caer Chaftar to the royal seat
contain the secular power of the Agrikans and see his at Shostim. She is well connected to many of the intrigues
church re-established as the most powerful in the West. that infest the city and it has come to her attention that the
He too has extensive intelligence gathering assets which Octagonal Pit is staging a „secret‟ expedition.
have brought word of the Octagonal Pit‟s experiments to She knows only that it is to travel north into Kuboran
his ear. He sees a parallel between the apparent powers of territory. While the Order has always taken an interest in
the extract and the abilities of his undead servants to resist the wilderness as a source of wild beasts for the arena they
the effects of wounds. are being very secretive about this particular expedition.
Perhaps it is the Shadow of Bukrai that gives the extract She wants to know why and intends to find out.
its power. If that is the case then it would be the harshest Talar was indeed once a gladiator in the Golothan are-
sacrilege to allow it to fall into the wrong hands. na but since winning his freedom he has served the Queen
Vigdis Grimkall sold her belief in the Ljarl for the self- as a discrete enforcer. He is never visible at any state occa-
ish benefits of apparent immortality. The Morgathian‟s of- sion or seen in her company but when she is displeased
fered her something that appealed to her vanity and ap- with someone it is he that makes that displeasure clear,
peared to fill the void of dissatisfaction at her core. She is though never declaring his mistress‟ name.
now a free-willed Amorvus of Morgath having accepted the He gained his current place by recognising that the
Shadow of Bukrai as a replacement for her soul. The shad- Queen, a well-known fan of the Pamesani, would be the
ow remains weak in her so it has no outward effects. most powerful patron he could aspire to. He went out of
Vigdis’ strategy on the expedition … she will be- his way to dedicate his victories to her so she accepted his
have exactly as described in Act I, it is only her motive that offer of service when he went freelance. However, he has
is changed. Her character sheet also remains the same grown used to the civilised ways of the south and is less
though the GM will have to use the rules for damage as than happy at being commanded to infiltrate the expedition
they apply to Amorvin. as a „guide‟. His liking for, and knowledge of, civilisation
As Aslin‟s nurse, and crutch once he is injured, she re- might get him caught out.
mains close to the PCs when they are away from the knaar. Talar’s strategy on the expedition … Talar has no
Clues to her true purpose … Events during the voy- wish to remain marooned in the North and so will do eve-
age may lead to hints of her true nature: a wound that she rything he can to ensure the PCs find what they are looking
binds up tight and refuses to let anyone else examine, lest for and get home safely. Like Vigdis he has no skills that
they notice how little blood flows from it and how poorly it need to be kept secret.
heals; or the surprising recovery from drowning. Clues to his true purpose … Talar may get senti-
She never takes shock rolls caused by physical trauma mental over his life in Golotha and boast of his „powerful
or accrues Fatigue but 14 injury levels will „kill‟ her. Then friends‟ in the city. He is not very clever and may not real-
she will crumble into dust, reforming back in Golotha (un- ise that if he lets slip some knowledge of noble life he may
less slain by a non-Morgathian consecrated weapon). appear suspicious. If picked up on such an error he will
play the „..ahh! but I‟m a gladiator and we hear a lot …‟,
Only if … She has found out precisely where the plant
card.
they seek is located will she act differently. She has been
told what will happen if she „dies‟ and wonders of she can Only if … Talar is faced with a direct choice of his own
arrange for a way to get herself killed in some way, to en- death versus that of a PC will he act to harm a PC either
sure she dies. In her plan it will be best if the accident that directly or indirectly. They are his ticket home.
kills her took place in a way that would ensure that the ab- If he believed he was at serious risk of not making it
sence of any body (but not equipment) could be explained! back to civilisation, then he might choose to share what he
The priest that recruited her and explained this miraculous knows with the PCs in order to buy his return trip, though
power did not explain that she has a limited number of he may choose to travel on in secret rather than remaining
„lives‟ to use in this way, or that the wounds she suffers in in Golotha. He knows all too well that the Queen‟s temper
this life will remain on her body when it reforms back in can kill a man.
Golotha. Getting herself crushed to death and knocked in-
to the sea will result in an ironic surprise when she „recov-
ers‟ and considers herself in a mirror back in Golotha!

HârnWorld
An agent of the Laranian church A Variation on a Theme
When the Wav Dansan left Golotha captain Saarli A GM that needed to fit Root of All Evil into an existing
judged that his understrength crew would chart a safer campaign that saw the PCs linked to one of the factions
course home by heading south around Harn. Calling at the described above might replace that faction‟s agent with the
Kandayan port of Sarkum he told his tale again in return for PC group. A group with Laranian or Agrikan loyalties or
drink and it reached the ears of the Laranian Church. They obligations might find themselves at the centre of the
had his ship impounded on a pretext and imprisoned him adventure. This approach has not been play-tested but the
and his crew interrogating them to discover more about the adventure could still play out largely as described.
extract he had described. Saarli was quick to tell them eve-
rything he told the Octagonal Pit when threatened with be-
ing put to the question and having the „Holy Instruments of
Faith‟ applied to him.
The Laranian Church have every reason to fear appar-
ently invincible Agrikan hordes on the northern border of
Kanday. They have sent a knight of the Laranian Order of
the Chequered Shield to Golotha to determine what truth
there is in the story they have been told.
Sir Hovan Mindar has, over his years of service to his
order, mastered the art of appearing to be a wandering
„sword for hire‟. While his mission does not require him to
do more than find out if there is any truth to the tale Saarli
recounted he will take advantage of any offer to travel with
the PCs having heard they are travelling north. He doesn‟t
know they are the unwitting dupes of the Octagonal Pit,
but he is interested in the coincidence that they too are to
search for an unusual red plant.
He is a true believer in his faith and will seek to hold to
his principles even while spying on the PCs. That doesn‟t
mean he is a fool but it does mean he should be used in
ways appropriate to Laranian creed. Only if he came to
believe that the PCs were willing supporters of Agrik or
Morgath and demonstrating the worst aspects of those
faiths, would he act directly against them.
Sir Hovan’s strategy on the expedition … Hovan
has a simple agenda of information gathering. The GM
should intervene if it appears a player is about to throw
away the knight‟s life before he can return to the south with
what he has learned. Additionally if a player is about to in-
volve the knight in actions which would challenge the prin-
ciples of his faith the GM should intervene. However that
can be with a relatively light touch, simply reminding the
player that Sir Hovan is from Kanday and all Kandayan‟s
are known to be squeamish about their honour. In this way
his oaths to Larani need not be revealed, particularly if the
PCs include Agrikans or Morganthians.
Clues to his true purpose … Sir Hovan has the sim-
plest cover story and so is least likely to act out of charac-
ter.
Only if … Hovan is faced with a clear moral choice will
he take up arms against the PCs. Were they to begin to
threaten helpless women or children then he could not
stand by without intervening.

HârnWorld
The Beast of Blood
Afarezirs. Bigger than any creature the clans had seen
Long ago, a great sea beast visited the islands of theA
on land or sea and coloured by blood it swept through the island bringing death and destruction in its
wake. Since those times the clans of the Nolgind foreswore the ’colour of blood’ as the ’Beast of Blood’
had stained too much of the islands that colour. Since that time even the trees have taken on the colour of
the Beast as a warning that winter is coming.
The Beast of Blood was made of more than skin and flesh so that when it crawled out of the sea onto
land it took on a new and fearsome form. It had many legs and a scaly shell from which sharp barbs
protruded. Many a brave Nolgind hero died on those barbs as he tried to break through the creature’s
shell and strike at it vitals. The Beast moved from island to island: always Seaward and Dawnward.
Only Qulf, Aldrie and some of the other ’Seamost and Dawnmost’ islands were spared before the Beast
went ’Treewards to attack the People Left Behind (the Urdu) of the mainland. Giving thanks that they
were spared further slaughter the clans of the Nolgind barely survived the winter - so reduced were they.
Then to their horror the Beast returned!
This time a Nolgind Hero, ’Whale Caller’, went far out into the Sea and begged Grandfather Whale
for his aid. Then, at the Place of Winds, on Kand Island, an ancient Crone heard the voice of Kadag
telling her to heed the warnings from the ’Waters of Ardir’. Within days words was spreading that the
Elders of the Whale cult had left their small island home in search of higher ground on Ardir. The clans of
the Nolgind did likewise for only in the face of the direst of warnings would the Whale Cult abandon
their island home.
When the Nolgind who had listened had found safety on the hills and crags of their island homes
Grandfather Whale rose out of his watery home and threw himself back into the depths. The wall of water
he created swept towards the Beast of Blood and smashed the creature on to a rocky shore and broke it to
pieces.
The dying Beast was not yet finished. Its foul ichor was caste up on the beaches beyond the rocks that took
its life. Wherever that foul fluid ran the children of the beast were spawned; scurrying and crawling over
the island.
These foul creatures the Nolgind hunted down until they were all killed. But their flesh so polluted the
very rocks and sands of the island that its people were forever tainted by its foulness. babies were stillborn
and men ran mad. They began killing their own and anyone that strayed near the island and seemed to
be invincible.
Some say: The Lost Ones raid the Nolgind clans and frequently take young children, whether to feast
upon or to replace their numbers as their women are barren is debated. What is certain is that no child
taken by them is ever seen again.
Others tell that: The women of the Lost bear monstrous children part Beast and part man who live in
caves beneath the sea where they seek to rebuilt their Beastly ancestor and raise it again so it can continue
its ravaging of the Nolgind.
Still others tell that: The children of the Lost are eaten at birth and their numbers replaced by children
stolen from other islands. All that is certain is that The Lost are friends of no sane man but a curse upon
the garden of delights that the Afarezirs would otherwise be.

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A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P

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A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

Str 11 Agl 11 Sml 09 Aur 09 Cml 06

Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P

Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P

Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

Str 13 Agl 15 Sml 09 Aur 11 Cml 08

Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P

Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P

Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F

Invocations: none Spells: none

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

The Breyta heads out of Boka Bay

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P

Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F

Invocations: none Spells: none

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

Rounding Cape Vikod

Description of Events AND … This is a poor sequence of weather and might

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

Landfall among the Afarezirs

ACT III: AMONG THE ISLANDS Time and Travel

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

The Afarezirs at Dawn

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

Do the water spouts of Whale Isle tell the future?

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011

Melee Wpns Wt WQ AML DML HM B E P

Short Med Long Ext

Location Armour Layers AQ B E P F

The reason Olmoding perseveres with Kand is that it is Hip LL  2 5 3 5

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011.

A Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games, Inc., © 2011