War of Blood and Mist

An Iron Edda Setting, Forged in the Dark

War of Blood and Mist​ is set in the world of Iron Edda, Forged in the Dark. The Isles of Mist lay
to the north and east of Midgard. Far from the Ragnarok that plagues their closest continent, the
Isles of Mist face the ripples of that conflict. Unrest has worked its way across the Isles and
amid the chaos are the bards; tellers of tales and weavers of history.

Stories abound across the Isles. In years past, bards told the tales of others. In the chaos rising
from a world-ending set of events not their own, bards have taken to grand deeds, epic actions,
and dire straits to do what was once forbidden them: make themselves into legends.

Stories abound. What will yours be?

Setting
The legends say that the Isles of Mist were once submerged, more part of the ocean than land.
We know we came from the west, what is now known as Midgard by those who live there. We
know that as our ancestors sailed east, they found a series of islands, all with similar features
and animals. The earliest, tired of the long journey, took their boats and transformed them into
dwellings, safe from the wind and wrack of the sea, fast against the rain and mist that pervades
these islands.

Years, labor, and materials transformed those first structures into walled settlements, then,
castles. The Isles continually attempted to ruin these structures, but they were built strong, with
deep bones. Now these castles and fortresses are owned by wealthy landowners, those around
them working the land for scraps from their lofty tables.

In some places, towns and cities have risen around the structures, each a beating heart, each
filled with the ebb and flow of the people who call home this harsh place. In these places, many
different strata of culture have emerged. Wealth came to those who possess no land, but who
instead sell or trade goods and services.

At the fringes of all of this, others work. Their lives differ greatly from the lives of those who live
in the lee of the stable stone structures. They embrace the wildness of the Isles. Theirs is the
way of wood and water, of wind and earth. They have great power available, but only at a cost.
To them, all is balance.

This was our world. It was stable. Harsh at times, but our home.
Someone Else's Apocalypse

Now rumors of war in Midgard shudder across the islands, meandering along the ocean-gaps
between the safe places we call home. Some even speak of rumblings, the ground collapsing,
metal monstrosities rising, albeit briefly. More than a few refugees from Midgard are traveling
through the Isles as well, some of whom carry great power with them.

Those with traditional wealth, power, or both are vying for control; of the people below them, of
the trade that runs near them, of the whole of the Isles. They attempt to gain power through any
means, subterfuge or all-out warfare.

Through all of the rising chaos thread the ones who see, who tell, who document. Across the
Isles of Mist travel the bards.

And you? You are one such.

Bards
Bards used occupy a unique position in the society of the Isles of Mist. "Song and story, the twin
pillars of truth," is a phrase often quoted over drinks or in the face of something unpleasant. And
so it is believed across the Isles. Bards traveled the whole of the Isles of Mist, gathering stories,
learning songs, and telling tales. They found willing shelter, warm food, and raised glasses
wherever they go]]went. They also possessed a great power which they never used for
themselves, until now.

Bards handle the truths of their stories in a wide variety of ways. They can speak on law,
healing, even of the worlds that exist, unseen, alongside what people see every day.
Traditionally, bards tell the stories of others, mediating and assisting. Now, with the world
changing around them, bards have a chance to make their own mark in the world.

Stories abound. Now is the time to tell yours.

The Framing Conceit

The bards in ​War of Blood and Mist​ share a number of similarities with the scoundrels of ​Blades
in the Dark.​ They can lie, steal, commune with spirits, carouse, and generally disrupt the fabric
of life within the Isles. In other words, if you're familiar with ​Blades in the Dark,​ you will
immediately be familiar with ​War of Blood and Mist​.
The key difference is in how the story of your group is told. In ​Blades​, you play to find out what
happens. In ​Blood and Mist​, you play to find out what happened. Your bards are veterans of the
Isles, having journeyed miles, been party to massive betrayals, grand deeds, and stories both
great and small. In a campaign of ​War of Blood and Mist,​ these deeds have been accomplished
and are being told over steins of beer and rich foods in a tavern or a landowner's manor.

The point of playing is to look at who your bards are, the accomplished, well-traveled, capable
people they are, and play to find out how they got to where they are. And, as with all grand tales
told while in a group of fellow storytellers—the people with whom you experienced these
events—exaggerations and fabrications are roundly called out and happily corrected by your
fellows.

To accomplish this, you will make two versions of your character. The first is like a standard
Blades​ caracter, but with the provided playbooks. The second if your current self, which is a
purely narrative character.

This second version of the character is described as narrative for two reasons. The first is
because there are no mechanics directly involved in this version of the character. The scenes
which take place in the present of the game are used to frame the telling of the past stories and
are narrative only in nature. The second reason is because the story-things stated in the framing
scenes will eventually become narrative through play. Through the telling of how your character
came to be where they are, you will make mechanical choices that reflect who your present,
narrative character is.

Character Creation
Character creation for ​War of Blood and Mist​ follows the same process as in ​Blades in the Dark,​
using the playbooks provided. The difference is that you'll also create a second, narrative
version of your character. This is the experienced veteran who's sitting down with their fellows,
telling tales about the path they took to become who they are.

Playbook
Like ​Blades in the Dark,​ ​War of Blood and Mist​ uses playbooks to define each character's
special abilities and XP triggers.

The playbooks are: Lahwita, Naturalist, Outsider, Physiker, Veilwalker, Wanderer, and
Yarn-Spinner
Background
Write a couple of sentence about your character and where they are from. Were they born to
power or money? Are they from a religious family? Are they a native to Isles? Think about
questions like these as you define what's true about your character.

Name, Title, Look

This is the first place where you will describe both the past and present versions of your
character. The past and present versions of your character ​can​ be very similar to one another,
but are often different enough to be notable. You may have started your career as a bard with
wide eyes and a skip in your step. The years on the road could have changed those wide eyes
to hooded one, and your gait may have a limp now.

Consider also that the changes do not have to be negative. As you learned more about both the
world and who you are in it, you could have become more kind, generous, or forgiving. There
are always differences between who we are now and who we once were; playing ​War of Blood
and Mist,​ is the story of reconciling those two people with one another.

Names: ​Aelfric, Aescwine, Ardith, Bradwin, Bron, Brona, Cartimandua, Collibe, Cynewulf,
Denegyth, Dodson, Durwyn, Eadberth, Eadgifu, Engelieth, Freomund, Frideswid, Frithugis,
Gaega, Garren, Gymi, Hamgisl, Hlossa, Hrodwyn, Jeevika, Jerold, Jessen, Kendre, Kinborough,
Kinburga, Lagrud, Llewellan, Lyveva, Merewina, Millman, Monsfort, Newt, Nogrund, Nyth,
Odelinda, Ordway, Oswiu, Pandragon, Peterkin, Pileca, Rawls, Raylan, Ricmaer, Sharette,
Sicga Strang, Taiten, Taya, Twyla, Venn, Vicus, Vonne, Weld, Wulf, Wyrd

Titles: ​Axe-Hand, the Bold, Born of ____, of the Dales, Daughter of ____, Goldenvoice, of the
Hills, the Hopeless, the Joiner, Lankstride, the Loud, Mead-Friend, of the Mount, the Proud,
Riverborn, Silvertongue, Son of ____, Sparrowsong, Spellbound, Swordborn, Traveler, the Vain,
Wanderer, the Wild, Windweaver, the Wrong

Looks: ​Brawny, Breezy, Bright, Dark, Gaunt, Gleaming, Grand, Harrowed, Hooded, Kind,
Lairdly, Maddening, Mousy, Shadowy, Shaggy, Vexed, Weirding, Wild

Action Dots
Action dots are assigned in the same manner as ​Blades in the Dark​.
Friends and Rivals
Unlike ​Blades in the Dark​ you don't make your Friends and Rivals as you create your character.
For ​War of Blood and Mist,​ there are three slots for each. As you play through your scenes and
explore the story of what happened, your fellow players can and should suggest names of
people who are close to you, for better or worse. You are welcome to fill them in as well, but the
spirit of this is collaboration. As well, there are three slots for each because this game explores
the entire story of how you came to be who you are. There is no requirement to fill in all three
spaces, just the opportunity to do so.

Vice
The vices for ​War of Blood and Mist​ are the same as B ​ lades in the Dark​. The differences in
them are reflected in the nature of the setting. The Isles of Mist have a diverse set of options for
all of the available vices, as travelers and traders from across the world make their way to and
through the Isles.

Playbooks

Lahwita
Use the laws to your advantage

Across the Isles of Mist, different legal codes abound. Every landowner worth the title has
different standards by which their territories are governed. You know these rules, inside and out.
And if you don't know them directly, you can intuit them. Loopholes, how to exploit them, which
laws can be circumvented safely and which laws are chiseled in stone and enforced at the end
of a blade.

Not only that, but the world around you obeys laws; let go a rock sitting in your hand and it will
fall to the ground, leave a bucket of water outside over the night in winter and it will freeze into
ice. These are alws, like any other.

The stories you tell are those of nuance, of subtlety. You often appear unassuming, and woe
betide any who hold that opinion for too long.

When you play the Lahwita, you earn XP when you address a challenge by bringing the
local rules and ordinances to bear.​ The law is a tool for you to use as you see fit, and those
left on the wrong side of it, well, they need to learn the rules, don't they?
Starting Actions
** Study
* Sway

Special Abilities

Encoder - ​When you attempt to ​pass a hidden message​ using legal talk and terms, you get ​+1
effect​.

Prosecute - ​You know how to use local ordinances to your advantage. When you ​Command
and cite legal code, take ​+1d​.

Natural Order - ​When you know the rules, you also know how to break them. Take ​2 stress​ to
briefly alter a natural law—gravity, air, mass, etc.—in a localized area. The effect lasts for once
scene.

Cite the Rules - ​When the rules are stacked against one of yours, you know exactly what to
say. When you ​Sway​ and cite legal code, you get ​+1d​.

Know the Code - ​You've heard stories of how each place governs itself. When you ​enter a
​ eclare one local ordinance​ that you feel you can use
territory for the first time​, you get to d
to your advantage. A territory is defined as any place which is governed by a different party than
where you were before.

Obfuscate - ​When confronted with an authority figure, you can talk your way out of most
situations to cover your trail. You can ​push yourself​ to to one of the following: ​implicate the
authority figure in your scheme—push the blame for your actions onto an innocent third party​.

Lobby - ​At the end of each downtime action, you can ​name a new law, rule, or ordinance you
helped bring into being or change​.

Naturalist
One who is connected to the natural world

The hills, seas, mountains, and grasslands of the Isles of Mist are more than just your home.
They are places of power for one who is connected to their rhythms. Life, death, the cycles that
spin one into another, these are the patterns by which you mark your existence. Balance is at
your heart and seeking that balance in the world of humanity often requires you to... adjust
things.
You're not a Druid, but you know of their ways. You walk the line between the purely natural
world and the world which humanity has built for itself. The stories you tell are those of
consequences for action, of the world moving on and leaving humanity in its inexorable wake.

When you play a Naturalist, mark XP when you exert influence of the natural world into
the world of humanity.​ Find ways to to see where the natural world can continue the inevitable
breakdown of the world humanity has striven to create.

Starting Actions
** Hunt
* Wreck

Special Abilities

Decay - ​You know how the creations of man will end. You can ​Wreck​ anything man-made
without having to physically interact with it. All it takes is a look.

Speak to the World - ​You can speak the language of the living world. You can ​Sway​ plants or
animals.

Growth - ​When you ​push yourself​ you can do one of the following: ​manipulate vines, grasses,
or other plants in the area to entangle your foes—double the size of any living being—bring a
planted field or garden to full growth in minutes.

Wrath of the Storm - ​Your attacks are imbued with the fury of a thunderstorm. You get ​+1
effect​ when you seek to deal stress to your enemies.

Venomous Words - ​A person's true nature is the most tender place to strike. You get ​+1d​ when
you ​Sway​ someone you've had a chance to study.

Eyes of the Cat - ​You can see clearly in the dark.

Outsider
In the Isles, but not of them

The Isles of Mist are home, but they are not where you are from. You were born elsewhere and
have traveled, by choice or necessity, to the Isles of Mist. You carry with you stories of the place
of your birth. With those stories come knowledge, hard-earned and of great value.

The people of the Isle may never fully accept you, but that's to their loss and your advantage.
When you play an Outsider, mark XP when your background or heritage provides you
with great advantage or great challenge.​ You know much, but the fact of your background is
a blade which cuts both ways.

Starting Actions
** Survey
* Attune

Special Abilities

(Required) Not of This Place - choose a background from which you come:
Midgardian - ​You get ​+1 position​ when attacking foes larger than you.
Petruvian ​- When you ​protect ​a teammate, take ​+1d​ to your resistance roll.
Brandian - ​You are not affected by areas of extreme heat.
Faegerian - ​When you ​Sway​ to negotiate, you get ​+1d​.
Steppeain - ​You get ​potency​ when acting on horseback.
Jadeborn - ​You have traveled far to live in these lands. You get ​+1 stress box​.

Unexpected Customs - assert a truth about your homeland to unnerve or delight

Foreign Words - communicate with your fellows in ways only you and they understand

Knowledgeable - bring your background to bear

Valuable Resource - use something native to your homeland

Unassuming - use people's prejudices against them

Homeland Traditions - channel power based on your background

Physiker
There is a poetry to the living form, a song sung by the body as it moves, breathes, lives, and
grows. This is the song you know well. The harmonies between blood, bone, and flesh. You can
sign portions of this song to help, to aid. You can create dissonance between the disparate
parts to cause harm, to hinder.

Most see you as a simple healer, you, Physiker, are so much more.
When you play a Physiker, mark XP when you seek to help heal someone without
thought of cost or repayment.​ It is easy to seek recompense for your efforts. It is far harder to
help simply because you can.

Starting Actions
** Finesse
* Study

Special Abilities

Blood and Bone - ​You can ​Tinker ​with bones, blood, and bodily fluids to treat wounds or
stabilize the dying. You may study a malady or corpse. Everyone in your troupe gets ​+1d​ to
their healing treatment rolls.

Unguents and Salves - ​When you invent or craft a creation with ​curative f​ eatures, take ​+1
result level​ to your roll. You begin with one healing recipe already known.

Tear Apart - ​You know how bodies are put together, and how to take them apart. When you
would normally ​Wreck​ an opponent, you can instead use ​Finesse​.

Unknown Malady - ​Choose a disease to which you have become immune. You can ​push
yourself​ to infect someone else with this disease.

Research - ​During ​downtime​, you get ​two ticks​ to distribute among any long term project
clocks that involve investigation or learning a new formula or design plan.

Story of Bones - ​You can take ​2 stress​ to change someone's physical characteristics. You can
use this to heal birth differences, or to cause permanent damage to someone.

Succor - ​You may expend your ​special armor​ to help an ally resist a consequence of fatigue,
weakness, or chemical effects.

Veilwalker
There are worlds beyond what most people see. Places where spirits and gods walk, even in
these troubled times. You can see across the boundary between worlds, and ever travel
between them. This knowledge comes at a price, as such knowledge often does, but someone
needs to be able to sing the songs of the world beyond and tell the tales of the place mortal
typically cannot see.
You may draw suspicion and mistrust, but those who let you into their confidence reap the
rewards.

When you play a Veilwalker, mark XP when you reveal to someone a hidden secret which
changes their life, for better or worse​ The knowledge you carry is deep and often disturbing
to the unprepared.

Starting Actions
** Attune
* Command

Special Abilities

Cross Over - ​You may shift partially into another world, becoming shadowy and insubstantial
for a few moments. Take 2 stress when you shift, plus 1 stress for each extra feature: ​It lasts for
a few minutes rather than moments—you are invisible rather than shadowy—you may float
through the air like a ghost​.

Unveil - ​You can ​push yourself​ to dispel or undo anything hidden by magical or extraordinary
means.

Secret Away - ​You have a pocket within any clothing you wear that allows you to reach into a
small, hidden space in another world. Up to two ​Light​ items can be stored they and they do not
count against your load.

Imbue - ​You can draw energy from beyond the veil. Once per scene, you get ​+1d​ on any one
action of your choice. Describe how this extra power is noticeable.

Song of Spirits - ​You know the secret method to interact with a spirit, regardless of how wild or
feral it appears. You gain ​potency ​when communicating with the supernatural.

From the Land of Bones - ​You know a ritual which allows you to be a gateway across the veil.
You can allow the dead to do two of the following three: ​speak through your mouth, imparting
truths best left unheard—sap the life from one person within sight of you—take a living soul
beyond the veil while still alive.​ When you do this, suffer a ​trauma​.

Wanderer
Yours is the way of roads and rivers. You know the songs of the Isles and stories of countries
far from your own. You are never content in one space.How could you be when there is so
much of the world left to explore? Wherever you can go to find new people to speak to and new
venues in which to sing, you will be content.

Your feet provide the drumbeat for your life and the sounds of the road the song sung by your
soul.

When you play a Wanderer, mark XP when you leave a situation just at the right time. ​The
soles of your feet itch and you've learned to pay attention when they say to move.

Starting Actions
** Prowl
* Tinker

Special Abilities

The Path Ahead - ​When you ​gather info​ to locate a target, you get ​+1 effect.​ When you hide
in a prepared position or use camouflage, you get ​+1d​ to rolls to avoid detection.

Bits and Pieces - ​You know a little bit about a lot. You have one level better of ​position​ when
making a roll based on things you know or claim to know.

I Know You, Right? - ​You've got a familiar face. Take ​2 stress​ to convince someone in a new
place that they knew you, years back.

Yeah, I'm From There - ​When you impersonate someone from someplace else, you get ​+1d ​to
Sway​. This turns into ​-1d​ if you are interacting with someone who is from the place you claim to
be from.

Home and Hearth - ​No matter where you travel, you can find lodging, food, and rest for you
and yours.

Pigden - ​You've picked up a little bit of many languages. You can make yourself understood
wherever you go. This does not mean you won't cause offense.

Yarn-Spinner
The world holds more stories than people, and you want them all. Everyone, from the highest in
station to the most meager, has a story to tell. None are better than you at learning these stories
and none are better than you at adding to and embellishing them. Even whole fabrications
sound more truthful when they come from your mouth.
To call your tongue silver would do a disservice to your tongue... at least, that's your view of
things.

When you play a Yarn-Spinner, mark XP when the tales you tell get a friend into trouble
from which you have to free them.​ Telling stories is good. Telling too many stories to the
wrong people can lead to danger for those around you.

Starting Actions
** Consort
* Command

Special Abilities

If You Liked That One... - ​You get +1d vs. a target who has spent at least one scene listening
to you tell stories.

Flyting - ​If you make prolonged eye contact with someone, you learn a secret of theirs. They
then know you know something about them. Get ​+1 effect​ when you use that secret to your
advantage.

Words in the right Ear - ​Your words are taken literally. Take ​2 stress​ to give someone a
command. The execute the command as literally as possible.

Captivate - ​When you perform, your audience is in the palm of your hand. You allies get ​+1d
when they can use your distraction to their advantage, for one action per ally.

Secret-Stealer - ​When you ​push yourself​, you can gather the foremost thoughts on a person's
mind.

Who Tells Your Story? - ​At the end of each downtime, you can have crafted a ​balad​. This
story becomes common knowledge over the weeks to come, and people believe it to be true, for
better or worse.

I'm With the Band - ​When you use a disguise or other form of covert misdirection, you get ​+1d
to rolls to confuse or deflect suspicion. When you throw off your disguise, the resulting surprise
gives you the initiative in the situation.

Make Your Troupe

Your troupe represents how your bards operate as a collective. Most importantly for ​War of
Blood and Mist​, when you build your troupe, you're setting the framework for the story that
you're going to tell as you play to find out what happened. You will begin with your legend,
decide what the name of your troupe is, and decide what your reputation is. These three items
will help you focus and guide your story as you play with the end in mind.

Legend
You have accomplished great deeds. You have accomplished infamous deeds. Maybe both at
the same time.

To begin creating your troupe, you need to first establish the legend of your troupe. This is the
thing that, when people happen into a tavern and find out who you are, inspire awe and wonder.
The Enders of Baron Forsythe​, ​The Breakers of the Chain of Dogs,​ ​Holders of the Sacred
Lance of Brigitte the Bold​.

The best way to craft your legend is to think of an evocative phrase, one you would wish to hear
whispered about as you pass. This is also the most important aspect of your legend: it needs to
summon up emotions even though you may not know specifically what the words mean.

The given examples do not reference anything extant in the setting of ​War of Blood and Mist​.
They are empty things, targets to aim for, and vessels to fill with story. As you begin play with
your seasoned bards, reminiscing about your glory days, it is not necessary to know anything
about Lord Forsythe, the Chain of Dogs, or Brigitte the Bold and her Lance. As you play, you will
discover the nature of these things, and figure how they helped to build your legend.

A final note: legends are not always true. The real story, and the real fun of playing to find out
what happened, lies in discovering how the legend was formed, not ascertaining its truth.

Name
The world knows you somehow. People need to have a name that they utter with reverence or
derision. The name of your troupe should reflect the legend that you've created for yourselves. It
does not have to be related to story or music. It could be related to a famous or infamous deed
wrought by your hands. It could be a name given to you by those who love or hate you.

No matter the source, this name is the name you have at the end of your story. This is not who
you started out as; this is the name of the troupe you've become.

Location
This story must take place somewhere, yes? Your ventursome bards are sitting near a fire, or
around a table, or in a great hall, recounting their history for their merriment, if not that of a
group of listeners. Where is this happening? Describe this place is as much detail as you wish.
Give name to the sights sounds, smells, and tastes of the environment. Lavish description is
best because these details will help you situation your bards within the context of their own
story. This place is your destination. Describe it well.

Reputation
Beyond the legend formed around your troupe, there is also how people in the world know you.
You are not legends removed from the world. You are present and interact with people on a
daily basis. So. How do these people know you? What do they think about you? Keep in mind
when answering this that the "you" in question is your troupe, not each individual member.
Individual reputations are useful for you to note about your character, but they are most valuable
for how they inform the view of your troupe at large.

Troupe Upgrades

Types of Troupes and Troupe Abilities

Factions and Locations

There are well over 100 distinct islands in the Isles of Mist. Some are so small as to barely
deserve the name, while others are large enough to have multiple towns, farmland, and roads
connecting one to another. This section details the most notable areas and those who control
them. Between these places are blank spaces for you and your group to fill in as needed. The
Isles exist as a space for you to play in.

Factions

Landowners
This faction is not an organized one, as you might recognize such things. Rather, each
individual landowner holds a great deal of power in their individual location and, as a collection
of people who hold power, deserve to be recognized.

The landowners of the Isles of Mist hold a variety of different titles. Lord, Lady, Earl, Duke,
Laird, Liding, Householder, Berun, or any other of a number of forms of address. What this
shows clearly about the landowners of the Isles is that they rarely operate as a unified group.
They, by and large, hold allegiance to themselves and only themselves. There are portions of
the Isles where the titles are mode codified and there are chains of control where one extremely
wealthy landowner has other swearing loyalty to them. Those are the exception rather than the
rule.
One things holds true: there is no one landowner who rules over all others. There are commonly
accepted practice and rules by which most landowners abide. As well, there have been
attempts by upstarts to make war and conquer large amounts of territory across the Isles. Their
rules have been short-lived, and have carried disastrous consequences for them and their
familial lines.

The power of a given landowner is typically passed on from ruling parent to the child deemed to
be the most capable of handling the responsibility. This passage of control is one of the codified
sets of rules to which most landowners adhere. On more than one occasion this has lead to
disputes between siblings as they vie to prove their worth to their parents. In some
cases—where there are no heirs—landowners have been known to "elevate" those who work
their land to positions of ownership. There is not a large amount of social mobility but it is not
unheard of.

The landowners of the Isles are some of the most crucial people in the lives of a traveling troupe
of bards. These are the people whose reputations bards make or ruin. They are also often the
people who provide patronage, extended shelter from the elements, and the best food a bard is
likely to have in their travels. They are the first of the three powerful groups, with ties to all
aspects of life in the Isles.

Notable Landowners

Name: Wulfweard of Linafon Location: ​Linafon

The tale of Wulfweard is one of those that gives hope to the people who work for landowners.
Wulfweard was born poor, their parents farming a small patch of land near Linafon. As they
grew, Wulfweard discovered that their crops grew better when they didn't plan the same things
in the same places year over year. Planting wheat where beans had been the year before, and
similar. The previous Lord of Linafon, Brenna, was a woman who gave credit where it was due.
Wulweard got recognition for their discovery and their name gained weight in the area as more
and more farmers began to apply their techniques.

When Brenna passed to the next world, she left her manor at Linafon to the person who had
increased her crop yield so greatly. Wulfweard now owns close to one hundred acres of land
and is one of the wealthiest landowners on the Isle of Linafon. Rumor has it that they are
continually on the lookout for someone they can raise up as they were raised. However, their
standard are so high, many aspiring youths meet only disappointment as Wulfweard tours their
lands.

Name: Carileph of Brehythe Location: ​Brehythe

Brehythe is a small isle and is known for the rich bogs that cross the whole of its territory. The
thick masses of mud-like material at the bottom of these bogs, known as peat, is harvested up,
dried, and and used as fuel for fires and for toasting grains to imbue them with a rich, smokey
taste. Carileph is the one who owns the entirety of the island and the fortune of her future rest
on the peat her people harvest from the bogs.

Her fortress is on the northern end of the isle and there is a steady stream of people coming and
going. All shipments of peat that leave Isle Brehythe pass through her fortress, which consists
mostly of drying rooms. This has given rise to the colloquial name Castle Smoke. In additional to
drying peat and shipping it across the Isles, Carileph insists that each of her meals include
multiple components which are flavored by peat smoke. Some even rumor that she takes peat
in a pipe and inhales the smoke directly, though to what end none venture to say.

Name: Goldberga of Shipwardine Location: ​Shipwardine

Shipwardine is the largest city on the isle of Bronwen's Crossing, is the largest port in all of the
Isles of Mist, and is ruled by Goldberga. Goldberga is descended from a long line of
landowners, each of whom sought to expand their influence. As of the writing of this, Goldberga
and her family control the entirety of the western portion of Bronwen's Crossing, from the Bron
Hills in the middle of the island, to far out beyond the coast into the ocean between the Isles and
Midgard.

Goldberga is said to be of an even temperament but suffers no fools in her presence. She is
swift to act and regret is not a thing present in her life. She earned the inheritance of her family's
land after having spent years plying the channels between the Isles, taking shipments from port
to port, fighting off raiders, and even plundering Midgardian ships which she felt ventured too
close to the Isles of Mist. There are no kings in the Isles but many voices listen when Goldberga
speaks. Her passing will leave many ripples through the Isles, as she has had no children and
has no direct heir.

Name: Wynflaed of Strathlea Location: ​Strathlea

Strathlea is the site of the most notable battle in the history of the Isles of Mist, the Battle of Split
Swords. A massive Petruvian army sailed around the coast of Midgard and set their sails for the
Isles of Mist. They burned their way through the south-western portion of the Isles. When they
came to the Castle of Cliffs at Strathlea, there they met their match. The Laird of the Cliffs
defended their home, pushing back the Petruvians, now weary from a near-year of constant
warfare. The Castle of Cliffs stands as a testament to the strength and bravery of those of the
Isles of Mist. Would that the same could be said of the person who currently owns it.

Wynflaed is a landowner because of a mistake. At the least, that is what is said about him. It
would be difficult for a bard to sully the reputation of the landowner, as his is so tarnished as to
make coal seem bright. The seventh child of the previous Laird of the Cliffs, Wynflaed gained
the Cliffwatch Seat because he was acting regent while the rest of his family were out in a grand
tour of the Isles of Mist. Their boat capsized somewhere in the Channel of Souls and all hands
were lost. Wynflaed simply did not leave the seat, and the Castle of Cliffs is well-provisioned
and all but impossible to attack. As of now Wynflaed holds his seat, though there are rumors
that many of Strathlea wish to change that.
Name: Ermenburga Taverner Location: ​Isle of Bellhave
Bellhave is one of the most temperate in the Isles of Mist, and one of the largest. Right in the
middle, alongside the River Kent, is the town of Taverns. Ermenburga holds the title of First
Selectman of Taverns and actually convenes a counsel of local workers to help make decisions
about the direction the town will take.

Ermenburga is the son of the son of a line of tavern owners. The Grinning Lion became a
frequent rest stop for those using the River kent to travel across the Isle of Bellhave.
Ermenburger's grandmother, Siobhan, started the tavern and Ermenburger learned much at his
grandmother's side. Over the years, other people began to settle near the tavern to take
advantage of the traffic along the river. All of these factors compounded and eventually other
taverns began to open. Rather than attempt to quash those businesses, Siobhan shepherded
them, teaching all of the other owners how to make a comfortable living by making others
comfortable.

Now, after Siobhan's passing, Ermenburger is the first among equals of these tavern owners
and continues to guide them in ways which benefit all who live and travel through Taverns.

Name: Begild the Cantrell Location: ​Linafon

Begild is in charge of a relatively small amount of land, especially when compared to the Lord of
Linafon. However, she holds a great deal of influence. Begild lives in a small, secluded stone
building, set apart from the rest of the residences of Linafon. By formal agreement or by tacit
approval—none are sure which, truly, the rolling hills which surround her monastery are hers
and hers alone. There she leads a small group of people in a way of religious thinking which is
different than anything else in the Isles.

She still reveres the gods by their names—Woden, Twi, Frey, Gwyn ap Nudd, Pwyll Pen
Annwn—but she is not a druid. She lives a life of quiet contemplation, working the land around
her home only as needed and interacting with people only as she chooses. Wld rumors circulate
about her: she has visions from the gods or fairies or from the court of tir na nog, she holds
some information over the head of the Lord of Linafon, she is actually a Midgardian ​eigi
einhamir​, and is able to change her form to that of a wolf, no, a fox, no, an otter. None know for
sure, or if they do know, they are not saying.

What is known for certain is that her name, whatever it was before she became established in
the hills in the east of Linafon, is that thrice daily can small chimes be heard echoing across the
hills. The purpose of the chimes is unknown but all who hear them are either prompted to peace
of rage at the sound of them. The effects are small, to begin with, but grow the longer anyone is
within range of their sound.

Name: Heregyth of Auchterwick Location: ​Auchterwick

Auchterwick is a mid-sized city on the Isle of Bellhave, upriver from Taverns, at the head of the
River Kent, along Lake Kent. Heregyth is Earl of Auchterwick and is one of the most dull and
boring landowners in the Isles of Mist. He has no stories told of him, no songs written about him,
no scandals to his name, and comes from a similarly stable and unremarkable line of ancestors
before him.

His family began as a stolid fisherfolk on the banks of Lake Kent. Over time, they increased in
size and influence as they began to expand their fishing enterprises. Over time, folk in the
surrounding area began to recognize the value of steady hands on the lines and began to cede
land and ownership to the family. Each head of the family continued on, following the most
reasonable path they could see before them. The result is a mildly prosperous fishing town,
ruled by a man who makes boiled oat mash seem lively.

Name: Nothgyth the Conner Location: ​Isle of the Bairn

One the preeminent breeders of dogs in the Isles, Nothgyth made a name for themselves by
venturing into lands no one else wanted and claiming them as their own. The high bluffs of the
Isle of the Bairn were considered by most to be at least inhospitable, if not impassible. Nothgyth,
child of a wealthy merchant from the Isle of Pound, took a pack of trained dogs, a crew of ten
people, and a load of carts there. After weeks of climbing, they found a pass none had seen
before, and a rich valley of arable land.

Nothgyth proceeded to build a strong fortification, at a remove from many of the major cities of
the Isles. Conner's Valley is now attracting people who want a challenge, as even getting to the
location is still a relatively daunting task. For those who can make the journey, however, the
reward is a life working for a reasonable landowner and the company of some of the best dogs
in the world.

Merchants of Trade
Landowners may rule individual spaces, but merchants? Merchants rule networks. Trade
crosses isles, crosses oceans, crosses the world. The merchants of the Isles of Mist deal in
goods and services of every stripe. From peat farmed in the bogs of the isles themselves to fine
silks brought all the way from the Jade Empire, if it can be purchased, there is a merchant in the
Isles who knows how to get it.

This places the merchants in an interesting position in society. They have money and influence,
to be sure. Some are as rich (or more) than the most wealthy landowners, and others wield as
much influence as the most revered druids. However, there is nothing of tradition to support
them. Some move on to become landowners, with all of the rights and issues those titles bring,
while others fall into obscurity, having overextended themselves and their resources.

Here, then, are the merchants of note, for now.

Name: ​Helgen Wisefellow Location: ​The Deft Channels
Helgen is something of an oddity among the merchants of the Isles. Helgen sells not a single
good, but focuses on the movement of the goods of others. Surely, there are merchants and
landowners who possess ships, have capable navigators, and can see to it that their goods get
to where they are going. None, however, possess the skill and acumen of Helgen.

Helgen operates from a vessel he keeps circulating around the Isles, though he can move often
be found navigating the Deft Channels, a series of almost unnavigable waterways on the south
end of the Isles. He sometimes trusts others to make these runs, but he knows that he is the
best at it, so his travels around the Isles always bring him back to the Channels.

Name:​ Ashe Chandler Location: ​Bridge of the Cross

No matter the season, no matter the state of the Isles, people will need lights in the darkness.
This is the motto passed down to Ashe by her father, and her father's mother before him. Ashe's
Chandlery is located at a particularly well-traveled crossing between the Isle of the Henge and
the Isle of Dales. Every season, druids and those who adhere to the faith make a pilgrimage to
and from the stone circles on the Isle of Henges. Many of the observances require pitched
torches, lanterns, or candles processed from the fat of animals sacrificed the previous season.

Ashe makes all of these items and more. The quality of her wax and wicks is known throughout
the local Isles and has spread even further in some cases. Outside of the Isles of Mist, people of
discerning taste ask their local traders and merchants for Isle Candles, not knowing that the bulk
of them were crafted at the Bride of the Cross by Ashe and the people who work for her.

Name:​ Horace the Bringer Loation:​ Northwain

In the seas along the northernmost Isles, the waters are flush with fish. Many fisherfolk ply those
waters, but none has the reputation of Horace the Bringer. The story goes that Horace was
visited by a spirit of the sea when he was young. The spirit showed him the rich varieties of life
that exist beneath the waves. The spirit insisted that if Horace was going to take that bounty and
bring it to those who lived on dry land, he needed to use some of what was caught to support
those who could not afford to buy food.

This message stayed with Horace, and as he became more and more successful, more people
benefitted from his success. Horace donates a full half of his daily catch to a shop he's set up in
the Isle of Northwain, where any who need food can come and take their fill. The rest of the
catch he sells for a modest profit. Horace isn't the most wealthy merchant, but his catches are
legendary and all who know of the story say that his bounty comes from the blessing of the sea
spirit whose command Horace obeys to this day.

Name: ​Klem Blackbellows Location: ​Isle Hent

The smoke from forgefires hangs over Isle Hent like a choking fog. Here, atop one of the riches
deposits of firestone in the Isles, the Henten Smiths ply their trade. Many of the smiths are
renown for the quality of their goods. Few of the smiths are as renown for their temperament as
Klem Blackbellows.

Klem is the most ruthless, vicious person to be found on Isle Hent and he makes all of his trade
arrangements at the end of a sword. It is said that if you are going to go into a negotiation with
Blackbellows, it would be best to do so armed, armored, and with friends. It surprises some
outside of Isle Hent that Klem is allowed to get away with this strongarm tactics. Those who call
this Isle home, however, know that Klem not only makes quality goods, but he also is connected
to the Laird of Hent and has the best access to firestone out of anyone on the Isle. This
combination of strength and power makes Klem a difficult person to get around when dealing in
any type of good on Isle Hent.

Name: ​Tebitha Gleam Location:​ The Windward Isles

Nowhere in the Isles of Mist is the sand as fine and pure as the group of Isles known as the
Windward Isles. It is no surprise, then, that the finest glass in the Isles is crafted there. Tebitha
Gleam gained her surname because of a technique she developed that allows her glassware to
reflect and brighten even the smallest amount of light. She holds secret a compound of different
sands from across Leeward, including river sand, one the most rare forms found in this part of
the world.

Her lightglass, as she's come to call it, is found in the best lanterns, windows, and even jewelry
in the Isles. Placed properly in a lantern, lightglass magnifies the internal flame by more than
double, allowing for less fuel and more light. Tebitha herself is a soft-spoken individual who
focuses more on her craft than personal interactions. She keeps a small staff of assistants and
salespeople, whom she treats with kindness. Her demeanor and the loyalty of her staff have
helped keep her recipe safe for years, now.

Name: ​Flen Deep-Pockets Location:​ Variable

Few notable merchants travel throughout the Isles, many preferring to operate from a stable
workshop or store. Flen is, however, not a typical merchant. Where most merchants deal in
crafted or harvested goods, Flen deals with money itself. Flen travels throughout the Isles, all of
their liquid currency secured in a well-crafted, well-defended series of wagons, lending money to
those whose situations have left them dry. Flen makes a repeatable circuit across the Isles,
regular enough that one could almost tell the days of the year by Flen's arrival.

They are generous to those who need funds, and their rates of interest are not gouging.
However, if a debt needs to be paid, Flen is fastidious about collecting it. In fact, most of the
people who guard their wagons are those who could not pay Flen back in the coin they
promised. It could be thought that a regular route, wagon loads of money, and a group of
debtors acting as caravan guards would mean Flen's situation is unstable. Far from it. In
addition to making loans to the common folk of the land, it is rumored that Flen finances the
operations of many notable landowners and merchants of the Isles. Without Flen's support,
entire segments of the Isles could fall into chaos. It is security through connection and Flen is
connected more than most.

Druidic Circles
There are dozens of druidic circles throughout the Isles. The druids channel supernatural power
through their connection to the natural world and revere the gods in active, sometimes
aggressive ways. Most druidic circles are small, consisting of three to seven members. Some
are massive, subscribing to definite sets of ideologies that inform how their members interact
with and shape the world around them.

In general, druids live simply, without the protection of stone walls or the structure of towns.
They live within caves, in sheltered copses of trees, or in simple dwellings crafted from trees
that fell naturally. They eat both meat and vegetation and work to ensure that they give more
back to the land than they take. Most druids know of the cultivation of crops, the harvesting of
wild herbs, and how to care for the animals of the world.

A small number of druids live within the confines of a walled settlement or in the town that
surround such structures. These druids operate as the voice of the natural world within these
places. They tend to care for people, treating wounds or illnesses and, in exchange, they are
allowed to bring elements of the wild into a settled area. Their dwellings are surrounded by wild
growth of plant life, or are home to roaming birds and other animals.

There are three major circles of druids who actively work to further their agendas in the world:
the Circle of Shade, the Circle of Claws, and the Verdant Circle.

Circle of Claws​ – By far the most aggressive druidic circle, members of the Circle of Claws
revere the wildness and power of the animals of the world above all else. The fashion weapons
from the bones of creatures and wield them against any they deem to have destroyed nature.
This circle is also best known for the building and use of wicker men.

[box]
Wicker Men
An art which had nearly faded into the mists of time, the practice of building wicker men
returned with tales of the war in Midgard. The tales spoke of massive metal atrocities rising from
the ground. The tales spoke of humans bonding themselves to the bones of long-dead giants to
fight back. Some druids took it upon themselves to revive and redefine the use of wicker men,
should a need arise to defend against such mighty threats.

A wicker man is a wooden construct, some 12 feet high and about the same wide. It is the in the
shape of a humanoid figure, with space inside for five occupants, one inside the torso, and one
in each of the four limbs. The frame of the wicker man is built around the occupants and as form
is added to is body, the wood and the people inside are blessed by powerful magics which bind
the occupants to the wood itself and to each other.

Wicker men lay dormant until activated by a druid. This activation is done by lighting the entire
assembly on fire. Once burning, the druid can direct the collective consciousness of the
sacrifices inside. The wicker man is supernaturally strong, as it bears the combined life-force of
five humans within it. The wicker man then fights with a ferocity that is stunning to behold. This
power continues until the fire burns out, having consumed the frame and the people within it.

The willingness of circle participants to burn to death for their cause is a thing well-documented,
though it is abhorrent to many. There are likely outliers to this willingness but the circles known
for their use also inspire fanatical loyalty.
[/box]

The Circle of Claws is also the most active circle in terms of proselytizing and recruiting.
Members of the circle can be found on nearly every populous isle. Some members act as
advisors to rulers or landowners who wish to be seen as connected to the older, more traditional
ways of the Isles. Some adventurous members of this circle have even taken it upon
themselves to spread their beliefs to new lands, notably Midgard. Large troupes of Circle of
Claws members have traversed the ocean to Midgard and have given their aid to the people
there in exchange for those people adopting circle ways, including the building of new wicker
men.

Circle of Shade​ – This druidic circle actively acknowledges the cycle of life into death into new
life. "From seed to rot to seed," is a phrase heard often on the lips of members of this circle.
Druids of this circle have the largest amount of knowledge about the physical natures of beings
in the Isles. They spend years studying plants and their properties, curative and deadly. This
makes members of the Circle of Shade very valuable to the communities in or near which they
live. As such, most of the druids who live within the confines of the town or structure are
members of this circle.

If there is a concern about the Circle of Shade shared by those who hold power, it is that the
members of this circle know such a great deal about how to cause illness or death. To most
members of the Circle of Shade, this knowledge is just that, and nothing more. Less scrupulous
members have been known to trade poisons, natural venoms, or even items they claim to be
cursed. This has given the Circle of Shade a poor reputation in some parts of the Isles. In such
areas, that reputation can even extend to any druid, regardless of their circle.

The Verdant Circle​ – This is the most widespread and, as a result, the most secular of the
major druidic circles. The Verdant Circle doctrine believes that, though the people of the Isles
are as bound to the natural world as any inhabitant, the people of the Isles occupy the pinnacle
of the chain of living beings. After call, an a person not exercise their power over all of the other
living beings who call the Isles home? Cannot a person forever alter the world around them?
What other being possesses such power?

This person-centric view does not obscure that people than have a responsibility to maintain the
natural world. However, because of its leanings, the Verdant Circle attracts a wide number of
followers. Many of them are the common farmers who ply the land to grow crops and raise
animals. If a local leader wishes to pay lip service to the gods and druidic ideals, this is the circle
they choose, more often than not.

Locations
In the Isles of Mist, there are hundreds, if not thousands of islands, sand bars, and rocky places
that rise up above the waters high enough to be considered large enough to put on maps.
Around half of these places are small, and uninhabitable, save by those who wish both solitude
and hardship for their lives. The places listed here are the largest, most populous, or the most
noteworthy. They also share the distinction of being called by the same name, no matter where
in the Isles one is from. The same cannot be said for the many smaller places, which earn all
type of colorful names, and may be called one thing on one side of a channel, and something
entirely different on the other.

Brehythe
Across the Isles, Brehythe is considered to be nigh-unlivable. Nearly all of the isle is below sea
level. The ground is soft, at best, and is an outright swamp at worst. The bogs, swamps, and
fens that make up the landscape of Brehythe are what make it worth eking out a life there,
however. The peat that is harvested from these bogs is used across the Isles to fire forges, cook
meals, flavor foods, and even preserve bodies after death. Life on Brehythe isn't easy, but those
who call it home and fiercely proud of their Isle.

The largest towns on Brehythe are found on either end of the Isle. Smoketown surrounds Castle
Smoke on the northern end, and is connected by the isle's one maintained road to Bogway on
the southern end. Between these two towns are small huts maintained by the boggers, the
hearty folk who harvest peat from the bogs to send to Castle Smoke for shipment across the
Isles.

Bronwen's Crossing
One of major shipping hubs in the Isles, Bronwen's Crossing also has the largest mountain
range in the whole of the Isles, the Bron Hills. Though no match for the Hnitborg Mountains in
Midgard (prior to their destruction), the Bron Hills nevertheless are difficult to traverse unless
one knows the proper passes through the rocky expanse. The mountains also ensure that the
two sides of the isle have vastly different weather patterns. This contrast means that a wide
variety of goods and crops can be produced and raised on the isle.

Shipwardine, the largest city on the isle, rest in the southern foothills of the Bron Hills, hard
abreast a channel which acts as a major route of passage for ships crossing from one isle to
another. Shipwardine also serves as an overland stopping point, for it had roads which travel
east and west of the city, and then north, allowing it to be connected to both sides of the isle.
Other notable towns include Bainbridge, Mount Cross, and Riverbend on the eastern side of the
mountains, and Delve, and Redbreast Crossing on the western side. These towns are all
notable ports in their own right, sae for Mount Cross and Redbreast Crossing, each of which
serve as a gateway to a navigable route through the Bron Hills.

The Deft Channels

The southernmost isles are the most closely set together, making travel between them difficult.
They are not close enough to build bridges across the waters, but are close enough and with
enough sandbars and rocky protuberances to make navigating them by boat a major challenge.
Those captains who have mastered the routes through these channels are the most deft of
hand on their ships' tillers, leading these channels to their name.

There are more than 12 dozen isles that make up the area known as the Deft Channels. Some
are little more than piles of rocks that have yet to succumb to the sea, while others boast a town
or two as well as roads and some farms. Others are so difficult to travel to and from that they
are considered by any outside the area to be abandoned. Those who lie in and around the
Channels, however, laugh at stories of abandonment, instead telling of the spirits of the dead
sailors who haunt the area, practically daring naive outsiders to go investigate for themselves.

Isle of the Bairn

The rocky shores of the Isle of the Bairn give the immediate impression that no one lives on the
isle, and furthermore, that no one ever should. The isle is home to little but stoney hills and
inhospitable cliffsides, with one exception: Conner's Valley. Almost hidden at the end of a
treacherous pass through the daunting cliffs is a wide, lush valley. It was settled almost a
generation ago and now calls to those who want a challenge in life.

Such a challenge seems to be worth the reward, as the Isle of the Bairn seems to be producing
some of the strongest hounds, leather goods, and warriors that the Isles have seen. As well,
there is a prevailing thought that if there is one rich valley on the isle, there may well be others,
waiting to be discovered by those daring and courageous enough to venture through the cliffs.

Isle of Bellhave
Bellhave is the largest of the Isles of Mist, and is often the place people think of when
considering the name. Covered in green, rolling hills, the low alleys of Bellhave seem to catch
the clouds and keep them contained within. These mists are added to by the presence of the
three rivers that cross Bellhave's rolling expanses: the River Kent, the River Green, and the
Gamboling River. The rivers provide excellent passage across the isle, and through to the
channels that connect the isles, as well as providing a decent amount of fishing and clean water
for those who all Bellhave home.

Despite being the largest isle, Bellhave is not the most heavily populated. Still, the many small
towns that dot Bellhave's rolling hills provide ample rest and produced goods. This is especially
true of the cities of Auchterwick and the City of Taverns. Both act as trade and goods hubs for
Bellhave and the isles which surround it.

Isle of the Dales

A peaceful, idyllic place, the Isle of the Dales has few permanent residents, save for those who
support the Druidic pilgrimages to the Isle of Henge. There are no landowners, exactly, with
individual craftspeople living simple lives in accordance with druidic tradition and they create the
good and supplies that travelers will need on the road. There are also small stone circles which
dot the hills and valleys of this isle, marking it as firmly under the control of the druids.

Isle of the Henge

A mid-sized isle, the Isle of the Henge would be of little note save for the Druidic presence
there. Across the whole of the isle there are stone circles and other arrangements of carved
rock that mark the sacred locations the druids use for their practices. All three of the druidic
circles have space on the Isle of the Henge they call their own, and passage onto the isle is
strictly controlled by the druids. There are few landable shores on the isle as most of the isle
rises above the water on high cliff faces.

The one reliable route onto the Isle of the Henge is across the bridge that leads from the Isle of
the Dales. The bridge is older than any other constructed object in the Isles of Mist. No one
knows who built it or how, as it is made of one seemingly unbroken expanse of stone and has
no visible supports. The druids maintain it, but all they seem to do is walk the length of the
bridge and keep the surface free of dirt and debris.

Isle Hent
Where most of the people in the Isles of Mist use burned peat to fuel their forgefires, Isle Hent
and those around it use firestone pulled from the ground of Isle Hent itself. The soft, black rock
burns hotter, though no cleaner, than peat, allowing the smiths of Isle Hent to create worked
metal goods that surpass any and all in the rest of the Isles of Mist. The persistent use of
firestone means that Hent has a special mist all its own, one made from the choking smoke
produced by the firestone. Those who live outside of Isle Hent often appreciate the goods made
there, while under their breath, they refer to it as "Isle Haze."
Linafon
One of the largest and most prosperous isles, Linafon has a number of cities and small villages,
almost all of which are ruled by the largest concentrated number of landowners in the Isles of
Mist. This means a few distinct things for Linafon: it is the easiest of the Isles to navigate on foot
as the roads between the different landlocked locations are very well maintained, that trade also
thrives here because the landowners compete fiercely with one another, and that intrigue and
political maneuvering are matters as common as air. Landowners continually vie against one
another, forming alliances, back-stabbing their former friends, and generally attempting to
consolidate as much power and influence as possible.

The non-landowning people of Linafon are generally well-educated, prosperous, and live
comfortable lives. There are exceptions to this, of course, but many among the Isles hold up
Linafon as an example of how land-owning and business should be conducted in the Isles.

The Northern Reaches

As one travels further north in the Isles, the temperatures drop, the isles themselves become
more rocky and inhospitable, and you find fewer and fewer people. What keeps the few
residents around is that the waters of the ocean on the northern coasts of the Isles of Mist are
teaming with fish and other sealife. The fishing boats used by these folk are strong and
well-crafted, with stout prows which can break through the ice that chokes the seas in the winter
months.

One of the most populous isles in the Northern Reaches is Northwain. Roads branch out from
the keep there, and all manner of goods and services come and go. Wood and other goods
from the south flow in, and carved bone, fatty cuts of meat from seals and whales head south. If
there is one safe, stable place in the Northern Reaches, Northwain is it.

GM References
Much of the advice about running ​Blades in the Dark​ can be applied to ​War of Blood and Mist.​
The most key difference between the two is the core conceit, discuss on page XX. Two things in
particular deserve some more time and attention.

Stories and Flashbacks

The framing of a campaign of ​War of the Blood and Mist​ as a group of well-seasoned,
experienced bards telling the tale of how they came to be who they are is something that you as
the GM need to keep in mind at all times. Part of what helps facilitate this is that Scores from
Blades in the Dark​ are replaced by Stories.
Bards tell stories. They share their experiences, and that is core to the framing of the entire
experience of ​War of Blood and Mist​. The bards are recounting their experiences, embellishing
events, and even outright lying about what really happened to please their audience.

What happens in the stories of ​War of Blood and Mist​ is similar to what happens during a score
in ​Blades in the Dark​. The group of bards plans out their scenes, goals, and activities, in the
same manner as in ​Blades​. The differences are that the bards are planning something that
happened in the past, and that they can exaggerate what actually happened. That exaggeration,
and the subsequent correction of it by a fellow bard, is handled through a change to how
flashbacks work.

Much like the flashbacks in ​Blades,​ there is ample opportunity for the players to flash back and
forth from their now to their past. In fact, the flashback mechanic from ​Blades​ is used in ​War of
Blood and Mist​ not to flashback directly, but rather for another character to interject and explain
"that's not how it happened. ​This​ is how it happened."

Here's how that works.

When the story is in progress and an action is being narrated by one of the characters, when
someone else's help would make all of the difference, the narrating character can indicate to
another character that they would like that character to step in. This is accomplished either by
verbally suggesting that they need the assistance or giving a non-verbal signal that the group
agrees upon beforehand. However it is accomplished, the character who is being asked for a
flashback interrupts the scene by saying "That's not how it happened. ​This​ is how it happened."
It doesn't have to be those exact words, but the intent needs to be there.

The character who indicated they needed the help takes the stress the GM specifies, just as if
they were doing a flashback in Blades. However, the character stepping in to narrate how things
really went is the character who is responsible for making any needed rolls during their
narration.

Once the "narrative correction" is done, the original narrator takes control of the scene once
more.

The interruptions don't have to be long, but it is important that the GM has enough information
about what "really" happened to give an appropriate amount of stress to the character who is
asking for the correction to happen. If it's as simple as "That's not how it happened. ​I'm​ the one
who distracted the Lady's guards to make sure everyone could sneak past" then the corrected
character will take only a little stress. If it's complicated enough that the narration essentially
takes over the telling of the story, then the aid rendered is significant and the stress should be
higher.