THOUGHT & MEMORY

SAGA
Huginn ok Muninn fljúga hverjan dag
Jörmungrund yfir;
óumk ek of Hugin at hann aftr né komit,
þó sjámk meir um Munin.
Thought and Memory each morning fly
Over the vast earth:
Thought, I fear, may fail to return,
But I fear more for Memory.

ARNAMAGNÆAN CODEX. W.H. AUDEN TRANSLATION

1
 INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Huginn (Thought) and Muninn (Memory) are Óðinn’s
ravens. They once perched on his shoulders and re-
connoitred to the ends of the earth, returning each
evening to whisper him news. That is, until the Skuld
Order captured the Raven God and stripped him of
his spies. From the secrets they stole, they built the
first Thought & Memory Drive. But, as Óðinn might
have warned the thieves, knowledge comes as a cost.
Their unwise incisions also cut loose his wolves, Geri
and Freki, spreading greed and avarice across the
Níu Heimar.
The Sons of Ivaldi, already covetous and deceit-
ful, were driven mad with hunger. They contracted
with Tricksters to destroy the Skuld and their base at
Mímisbrunnr, triggering the cataclysm known as the
Swordfall. In an instant, the mechanists and all their
hubris boiled away to nothingness.
Now, five years after the Swordfall, the Ívalda synir
are as voracious as ever. They have seized the man-
tle of Mímisbrunnr and gained control of the Skuld’s
technologies. Still consumed by wolfish fervour, they
crave even more wealth and wisdom, including the
greatest prize of all: immortality.
Huginn and Muninn, meanwhile, never rest. They
still fly far and wide on pointed wings, searching for
the instruments of their salvation. It just so happens
the ravens have selected the player characters as their
fated champions…
RUNNING THE GAME
Thought and Memory Saga is a campaign designed
for five characters. It uses the rules for the When
the Wolf Comes RPG, based on Robert J. Schwalb’s
Shadow of the Demon Lord. This book is intended
for would-be Game Masters. To run the campaign,
you need a copy of When the Wolf Comes rulebook.
Before you run one of the adventures, be sure to take
a few minutes to read through it and make notes.
Each adventure is a lot like a road map, showing a
final destination and a number of different routes the
characters can take to get there. The player characters
are the heroes of the story; this campaign describes
the foes and creatures they must overcome and the
locations they must explore to bring the adventure to
a successful conclusion. It is left to you to fill in the
details, to find ways to connect the characters to the
story, and to present the world as a believable and
coherent place. This might sound like a lot, but you’re
smart, capable, and more than up to the task. After
all, you’re the Game Master!
2
TEXT BOXES
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read
aloud or paraphrased for the players. It often includes
NPC dialogue or specific information that is import-
ant to convey.
Text that appears in a blue box is designed to of-
fer background information. Feel free to use the
detail provided to add colour to the campaign or
provide context for the players.
Text that appears in a grey box is for your eyes only.
It is intended to highlight vital clues and secrets that
will help your storytelling.
When a monster name or an NPC’s character type
appears in bold, refer to that statistics box to play
the creature. Most of the creatures that appear in this
book are detailed in Chapter 10: Bestiary in When the
Wolf Comes. Monsters new to these adventures ap-
pear in this book’s appendix, while NPCs with me-
chanics have their statistics boxes in the adventures
themselves.
As with all When the Wolf Comes adventures,
Ragnarök is all around. The campaign features the
effects of Surtr’s Sword, Brother Shall Strike Brother,
Thought and Memory Tear, Naglfar Returns, Fimbul-
winter and Fall of Civilization (see Chapter Nine in
the main rulebook). You may, of course, add other
catastrophes to suit your table!
MAKING MISTAKES
Games Masters are fallible, just like everyone else,
and even the most experienced GMs make mistakes.
If you overlook, forget, or misrepresent something,
correct yourself and move on. This is a hefty saga
with lots of interconnecting elements and Viking lore;
no one expects you to internalize or memorize every
aspect of it.
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT
Thought and Memory Saga includes eleven adven-
tures to provide you with a complete campaign. If
you run each adventure in order, you can take your
characters from their humble beginnings to their pin-
nacles of power. You can also take adventures from
this book and connect them to other adventures to
create your own campaign. The characters begin the
adventure at Level 0. The saga begins in rime-scarred
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA
wastes of Heimsslit (literally, ‘the end of the world’ in
Old Norse), the northernmost inhabited remnant of
empire, but ultimately stretches across the Níu Hei-
mar to the binary world of Muspelheim/Niflheim.
SAGA OVERVIEW
The story at the heart of this campaign is a tragic tale
of sacrifice and sorrow, involving the twilight of gods
and menn, as told in the novel The All Father Paradox.
The Jötunn War
A century ago, revolution rocked the Norse Empire.
A fanatic known as the Roarer pledged to free ordi-
nary menn from slavery, using new technology to
twist his disciples into jötnar. War erupted shortly
thereafter, when Jötunheim seceding from the Em-
pire, demanding its freedom with menaces. The em-
peror Dietbald swore to excise the jötnar corruption
with all the might at his command. The counter in-
surgency proved a decades long disaster, at least un-
til the Skuld delivered Thought and Memory Drive.
The technology provided the means to finally cage
the jötnar and changed the course of the war. Tragi-
cally, Dietbald did not live to savour victory: when he
eventually breached the jötnar defences, he was am-
bushed and slain. The imperial fleet rained retribu-
tion down on the surviving rebels: the orbital barrage
brought Jötunheim to ruin, wiping away all trace of
treason.
3
The Swordfall
The Roarer himself went into hiding, hunted across
the Níu Heimar. When he eventually surfaced, it was
to plant the seeds of his revenge. He used his talents
to sow confusion throughout the imperial hierarchy,
convincing them that it was easier to rule an emp-
ty room than a house of potential traitors. The new
empress, Trumba, began to dream of sweeping the
Hindoo slums clean, boiling away the Skuld ants, and
bringing her faithless jarls to their knees. Under the
influence of the Roarer, the Empress transacted with
the ever-grasping Sons of Ivaldi, promising them un-
told riches if they were to help her bring her recal-
citrant empire to heel. The Sons of Ivaldi had long
been jealous of the Skuld, especially their discovery
of Thought and Memory Drive. As hungry as wolves,
they were only too willing to seize the opportunity.
They devised the means to obliterate all the Empress’
problems in an instant: a portable black hole made
of meta-materials, which caused the star Surtalogi to
explode, cleaving the heavens like a blade.
The World’s Ruin
Midgard is the birthplace of mannkind, and the for-
mer seat of the Empire. After the Swordfall, it was left
a frigid wasteland prowled by nightmares—and all
but abandoned by the empress. Now, in the far north,
a new power has arisen amid the anarchy. Under the
pretence of studying the great, sweeping winter, an
Ivaldian magnate named Bangsi has led a group of
his kin to Hjálpmakaar, a small town that has some-
how survived in the shadow of the marching glacier.
 INTRODUCTION

Still goaded by Geri and Freki, Bangsi grasps for
yet more power: the mantle of the gods themselves.
The havoc wrought by the Swordfall has given his
so-called Winter Wise the cover they need to source
the rare metals and minerals for their ascension. They
have opened exploratory mines across the polar ring
worth trillions and are preparing undersea explora-
tion programs, planning to exploit the untouched re-
sources of the region.
The Fimbulvetr
The Swordfall has led to abrupt climate change across
Midgard, the size, extent, and rapidity of which had
not been seen since the Younger Dryas 12,000 years
ago. The average temperature across the imperial
heartlands has plummeted to −5 °C (23 °F), disrupt-
ing the age-old tango between ice and trees. Glaciers
are advancing, and the boreal forest, a crown of nee-
dles and leaves around the northern hemisphere, is
in rapid retreat. Until recently Heimsslit was a series
of islands; now it is connected to Bjarmaland to the
south by a barren, windswept frozen sea.
providing them with the coordinates for the Drift. In
the present day, the rift appears as a crimson scar,
an unexplained aurora in the ionosphere. MIM hopes
to bait the heroes into the past, to expose what truly
occurred on Mímisbrunnr and prevent its future iter-
ation coming online.
Secrets of the Ice
Centuries ago, the original inhabitants of the polar
wilds sold the land around Hjálpmakaar to a mar-
itime explorer named Bjarnarðson. The land deed
has been passed down the generations and, over the
course of the campaign, is likely to end up in the pos-
session of the player characters. Should it come to
light, the deed could completely derail Bangsi Ivald-
ison’s plans.

The Drift

As far as most people in Hjálpmakaar are concerned,

Roðrekr’s Drift is just another failed mining venture,
abandoned during the war. The Sons of Ivaldi bought
the land from the destitute owners and began to con-
struct a great vault in preparation for a future after
the Swordfall. The Drift has proven an ideal location
for their stolen Skuld secrets, far from any conflict,
geologically stable, well above sea level, and drilled
deep into the mountain. The new vault has proven
so secure that Bangsi has persuaded the empress to
move the whole imperial archive there.

MIM 2.0

Under this cloak of legitimacy, the Sons of Ivaldi se-

questered the backup for the supercomputer MIM
into cold storage within. Stolen from under the very
noses of the Skuld, the machine is being regrown and
reconnected in utmost secrecy. When it comes online,
Bangsi’s followers hope to use its vast widsom to ac-
celerate their ascension to godhood.

The Raven’s Song

The Sons of Ivaldi have no idea that Huginn and

Muninn form a part of the consciousness of their new
machine—the Vikingverse equivalent of CPU and
RAM—or that the ravens continue to whisper news
across time and space. Given advance warning of its
destruction, and the treachery of the Sons of Ivaldi,
the original MIM took a risk to attract the attention of
saga worthy heroes. Moments before the Swordfall,
the machine opened a rift between past and present,
catapulting a hijacked orcneas craft through, and

4
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA

SAGA STRUCTURE CHAPTER 6: BLOOD BATH AT RODREKR’S

DRIFT
Thought and Memory Saga is divided into then chap- For 5th-level characters
ters, as shown in the Adventure Flowchart below: The characters must defend an archive from an orc-
neas incursion.
CHAPTER 1: NOBODY DIES IN HJALPMAKAAR
For 0-level characters
CHAPTER 7: SHIP OF THE DEAD
The characters escort a dying man on his last jour- For 6th-level characters
ney only to find themselves drawn into a bitter blood The characters track down a derelict ship, marooned
feud. on the ice.

CHAPTER 2: THE BOOK OF DANIEL CHAPTER 8: THE SCAR ON THE SKY

For 1st level characters For 7th-level characters
The characters are cursed by a jötnar headman and The characters stage a daring rescue and evade an en-
must earn his forgiveness. emy fleet.

CHAPTER 3: THE GHOST SIGNAL CHAPTER 9: THE WELL OF MEMORY

For 2nd-level characters For 8th-level characters
The characters are asked to investigate a mysterious The characters uncover the dark truths behind the
aurora. Swordfall.

CHAPTER 4: FINNBOGI’S WAKE CHAPTER 10: MOTHER’S NIGHT

For 3rd-level characters For 9th-level characters
The characters must clear their names of murder and The characters battle a fracture, sent to repair the
bring the real culprit to justice. timelines.

CHAPTER 5: THE HORROR OF FANGSTONE CHAPTER 11: THE RAVEN ROADS

MINE For 10th-level characters
For 4th-level characters The characters seek to return Thought and Memory
The characters travel to a deserted mining town to to their rightful owner and thwart the Sons of Ivaldi.
uncover its secrets.

5
 INTRODUCTION

GLOSSARY
This orðalista contains some of the key names you’ll
find in the pages ahead. You might be familiar with
the names from Norse mythology, but it is import-
ant to note how they are remimagined for the Vi-
kingverse.
Surtalogi
Surt’s fire, the name given to the star in the Gimir
system. When the star went supernova, it hurled an
immense burst of energy at Midgard known as the
Swordfall. The perpetrators of this planetcide are re-
vealed in this saga, and it is up to the player charac-
ters to bring them to justice.
The Roarer
The nom de guerre of the revolutionary, Mikjáll Hof-
gard, creator of the jötnar. The Roarer is neither mann
nor jötunn, but a unique Fracture. Part avenging en-
gill, part Trickster God, he aims to bring about Rag-
narök thereby restoring the Kristinn (our) timeline.
The Roarer plays only a small part in this saga, con-
tent to use other pawns in his cosmic game.
plans. MIM directly engages with the player charac-
ters in the Well of Fate. Further background on MIM
can be found in the novel, the All Father Paradox.
MIMics
A religion devoted to the worship of MIM. Adherents
believe that science and technology will deliver a way
for mannkind to live forever. In this saga, the Church
of the One Zero is a vigorous new offshoot that plans
to use the MIM backups to achieve immortality.
Sons of Ivaldi
A family of clones who seek to transcend their bio-
logical form through cybernetic augmentation. Many
Ivaldians are devout MIMics, their actions driven
both by greed and faith. The main antagonist of this
saga, Bangsi Ivaldison, has lied, cheated and killed
over the past decade in his pursuit of power, includ-
ing engineering the Swordfall to cover his tracks.
Skíðblaðnir
The finest of ships built by the Sons of Ivaldi, the flag-
ship of their fleet, used to defend their interests.
Gungnir

Geri and Freki The name of Óðinn’s spear, known for always hitting
its target, here recast as a sleek warship used by the
The two wolves that accompany the god, Óðinn. Sons of Ivaldi to send Surtalogi supernova.
Accidentally set loose by the Skuld, these spirits of
greed and hunger have corrupted the Sons of Ivaldi
and caused them to reach for the mantle of the gods.

Huginn and Muninn

A pair of ravens, named Thought and Memory, that

bring information to Óðinn. Ripped from his shoul-
ders, their attempt to return to their master is the
driving force behind the events of this saga. Muninn
appears directly in the campaign in the form of the
Hrafn-hauss artifact.

Óðinn

The widely revered god of wisdom, poetry, death,

divination, and sorcery. Óðinn lurks on the fringes
of this saga, wandering the wastes, shorn of his com-
panions. He will never quite reveal himself to the
player characters, but can be a source of inspiration
— a mysterious stranger who offers timely advice only
to disappear, for example.

MIM

A sentient supercomputer modelled on Mímir’s

head, that recites secret knowledge and counsel to the
imperial elite. The Sons of Ivaldi cover MIM’s power
and aim to use its backup to accelerate their nefarious

6
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA

CREATE THREADS OF FATE

CHARACTERS
The beginning of this adventure throws the char-
acters together, without assuming they are familiar
with each other. The following Threads of Fate are
inspired by the setting and polar legends. They can
Have the players create their characters togeth- be used to give characters a reason to be in the frozen
er. You can download copies of the character sheet north (and help facilitate a sense of loyalty to their
from Vikingverse.com, so have the players print off warband!) and used either instead of, or in addition
their own or print them yourself. Before the players to, those listed in the main rulebook. Each Thread of
choose their origins, make sure to tell them they all Fate comes with a Hidden Effect, that is only revealed
come from Hjálpmakaar and that the saga takes place to the player when they encounter a specific person or
there. Some suggestions on how to fit the origins into event. The GM can expand on these individual story
the community follow: hooks as they see fit – for example, the Firefox hunter
Menn: Mennfólk are the most common inhabitants may hear rumours of a literal shimmering beast or
of Hjálpmakaar, drawn to the World’s Edge for work be fed distractions about the atmospheric anomalies,
or adventure. before realising they are fated to fight the head of the
Dvergar: Most dverg in Hjálpmakaar are used as Firefox Institute. The ‘rune-tongue’ might want to in-
either skimobiles or snowploughs, or employed in vestigate the Troll’s Tongue or come to imagine they
construction and mining. are a god, before finding out how they really fit into
Álfar: The álfar of Heimsslit are often pines, born of the puzzle. Each thread of fate is a ættarstapi of its
the Yfir knot. Specifically charged with the protecting own, a jumping off point for adventure!
the land, some have chosen to partner with menn to
do so.
Jötnar: Jötnar characters might be refugees, settling
in remote Heimsslit after escaping their chains. Most
dwell in the whaling town at Spikborg or live solitary
lives as trappers.
Dökkálfar: The dökkálfar maintain an enclave un-
der the abandoned mining town of Kóngssteinn, and
occasionally send traders out across the ice.
Son of Ivaldi: Ivaldians can be found in the Firefox
Institute or research stations, hoping to reverse the
Fimbulvetr...or so they think.
Járnviðjur: Children who find themselves at the
World’s Edge might have escaped a laboratory cage
at New Kœnugarðr, or come to prove their skills
alongside the jötnar.
Jöfurr: A jöfurr character might be a champion ski-
er or hunter, with a large private estate on the former
archipelago, or a dim-witted second son out to prove
his Hyperborean lineage.
Orcneas: Orcneas are almost unknown on Heims-
slit. A player character is probably an exile or spy and
will have to work hard to keep their identity a secret.
Wanes: The wanes regard the whole of Heimsslit
as a sacred site. Small groups wander out of the Yfir
forest on occasion to visit ancient tombs, locked in the
ice, or to learn directly from the sacred bears.

7
 INTRODUCTION

d20 Threads of Fate Hidden Effects

You have come to Heimsslit to hunt the legendary Firefox: catching

1 The character makes attack rolls against Bangsi Ivaldison with 2 weals.
one would make you rich beyond your wildest dreams.

Like Bragi, you have runes graven on your tongue. You have come to The character is a living clue for The Well of Memory adventure. The
2
Heimsslit to find out why. carved rune on their tongue is Óss.

Every time the character sees Rognvaldr Áss, they must make a Will
You played lead tagelharpa for Svartur Sunnudagr, until they kicked
3 challenge roll or gain 1 Trauma. However, they are immune to the
you out mid-tour in the middle of nowhere.
hypersonic song of fangstones.

The character gains 1 Honour by returning Fenja’s ashes to

Your friend Fenja gave her life for yours. Her last wish was for her
4 Kóngssteinn. If they somehow forget to do so, they instead gain 1
ashes to be scattered in her hometown on Heimsslit.
Shame.

People say you are crazy. but you have come to the World’s Edge to The character gains 3 Honour if they organise a bear cavalry charge
5
race a sled team of ísbjörn. during The Raven Roads.

The character is immune to the Frightening trait of the stoor worm.

6 You flushed a failed anguiform experiment down the drain. However, they will be targeted by the creature if they fall into the
water during the Book of Daniel.

The character makes social attack rolls against the dvergar of Mine 7
You have staked a claim to Mine 7 near Hjálpmakaar and have come
7 with 2 woes. However, they can automatically find the secret elevator
to collect the Mother Lode.
in B-Shaft.

When this character arrives on Mímisbrunnr, they must get a success

Your parents belonged to the Skuld Order. They died screaming on
8 on a Will challenge roll with 3 woes or gain 1d6 Trauma. However,
Mímisbrunnr when it was destroyed.
they are immune to the Horrifying trait of the Nágríma.

You are the original Drunken Sailor, the subject of a dozen sea-
The character cannot be rendered defenceless by jötunn ale in the Book
9 shanties. Your last ship sailed without you, leaving you stuck in
of Daniel or any other recreational drug.
Hjálpmakaar.

“Hail, nīðing! Your balls droop below your dress”. You were
The character cannot participate in the holmgang during Nobody Dies
10 grievously insulted in a flyting but fled to the far north rather than
in Hjálpmakaar or any other formal duel.
fight a duel of honour.

You aim to join the Winter Wise and are pledged to reverse the impact The character makes challenge rolls related to the polar environment
11
of the Swordfall. with 1 weal.

You have compelling evidence that the Firefox Institute thirsts for the
12 The character gains 1 weal on attempts to Intimidate the Sons of Ivaldi.
region’s mineral deposits.

You were married to a ísbjörn, who told you he was a prince who
13 The character is immune to the Frightening trait of ísbjörn.
shape-changed at night.

The character makes attack rolls against ísbjörn with 1 weal. However,
14 You once gifted a she-bear and her two cubs to a local jarl. ice bears cannot be charmed by any means while this character is in
sight.

The character treats all ísbjörn as Horrifying instead of Frightening.

You had a prophetic dream of a bear breaking into your home. The
15 However, they know exactly when the blizzard will strike in Ship of
soothsayers tell you it means a blizzard will descend from the east.
the Dead.

You avenged your dead father by hunting and eating the ísbjörn that The character inflicts double damage on the Bone Mother in the Book
16
killed him. of Daniel.

The Bjarndýrakóngur, the “King of the Bears”, is said have a single

17 If the character obtains Daniel’s sceptre, they gain 3 Inspiration points.
horn on its forehead that you desperately covet.

You were born with hound’s feet after your mother ate bear meat
18 The character ignores difficult terrain related to snow, ice or tundra.
while pregnant.

The character must make a Will challenge roll every time they ride a
You were the inventor of the famed Skíðverg but forgot to trademark
19 Skíðverg or gain 1 Trauma, but make Sleight challenge rolls related to
your motorised toboggan design.
the vehicle with 3 weals.

The character is immune to the Frightening trait of orcneas. However,

You have been infected with a parasitic fungus that threatens to turn
20 they will become compelled by the Roarer during the prison break in
you into a zombie slave. You are desperate to find a cure.
The Well of Memory.

8
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA
THE SETTING
This adventure takes place in Heimsslit (literally, ‘the
end of the world’ in Old Norse), the northernmost
inhabited remnant of empire, and the last best hope
for Jörð to recover from the Fimbulvetr. A group of
the Winter Wise have remained in the frozen north to
study the increasingly harsh conditions brought on
by the Swordfall, making the best of the short, dry
summers. Until recently Heimsslit was a series of is-
lands; now the landmass is connected by a barren,
bleak, frozen sea.
THE WORLD’S EDGE
History
The discovery of the World’s Edge landmass is post-
humously credited to Vilhelm Bjarnarðr, whose ex-
pedition was lost after relentless attacks from the ice
bears who make it their home. Perfectly preserved
journals, found many years later, suggest that the
primitive guns of early pioneers failed to kill the
bears on first or even second shot (unless well aimed
at the heart), and the intense cold made metal weap-
ons so brittle they often shattered or bent.
Politics
The Empire maintains nominal control, but access to
the former archipelago was granted to all signatories
of the Ísbjörn Treaty at the end of the Jötunn War.
The result is a multicultural region with hundreds of
Northmenn, Kvenlanders, Skræling and Khitai eking
out an existence alongside machines and mutants.
Settlements
Long considered “no-mann’s-land,” Heimsslit has
one main town: Hjálpmakaar. The name literally
means “help each other” in Noor and is as much a
recommendation as a noun. Looming above the town
are glaciers. In fact, everywhere to the horizon there
are glaciers. To the north of Hjálpmakaar, there is a
significant dökkálfar presence at Kóngssteinn and ro-
tating groups of Ivaldian researchers at New Kœnu-
garðr. Along the southern coast is a small whaling
settlement, Spikborg.
9
Travel
To the west, Heimsslit is blessed by the Dumbshaf
Drift, a strong but narrow current of warm, salty wa-
ter that creates an ice-free corridor called the Helsund
(Hel Strait). It is an unpredictable stretch of water;
sailors must battle constantly against fierce winds to
reach a mainland port, a journey of three days. Locals
use dog sleds or skíðverg (a modified Niss-E with
snow running attachments) to get around.
SACRED BEARS
Many of the diverse cultures of the Niu Heimar share
the belief that the ísbjörn that roam freely across the
World’s Edge are sacred animals, blessed with pow-
erful spirits. Observing, protecting and occasionally
gifting the bears is part of the reason Hjálpmakaar ex-
ists. The treaty makes it clear: it is prohibited to lure,
pursue or otherwise seek out ísbjörn in such a way as
to disturb them or expose either bears or mennfólk
to danger. For the people of Hjálpmakaar, the ísbjörn
are the kings and queens of beasts, the rulers of the
wild. Many locals refuse to even call them bears, for
fear of offending them, naming them Óðinn’s Dogs,
Old Menn in the Fur Coats, or the Ever-Wandering
Ones. They are seen as wise, powerful brothers, a me-
diator between mennfólk and spirits, a guardian of
the worlds of the dead.
Nevertheless, there is a thriving black market for
bear DNA: it is fashionable for the imperial elite to
pretend they are descended from ísbjörn, and they
go to great lengths to procure the genetic splices to
prove it.
Skalds often refer to the bears poetically, with
names like White Sea Deer, the Seal’s Dread, the
Rider of Icebergs, the Whale’s Bane and the Sailor
of the Floe.
THE TOWN WHERE NO-ONE DIES
There is one very extreme law made by the people
living in Hjálpmakaar: you are not allowed to die.
The town’s Death Law legally prohibits people from
dying and being buried at the settlement. If you’re
close to death, you’re forced to leave. Townsfolk of a
 INTRODUCTION
certain age, or those suffering from prolonged illness
or injury, are taken to the ættarstapi and encouraged
to jump into the sea to their deaths.
There are two very good reasons why this is the
case. The first is the permafrost, which stops bodies
from decomposing. The natural heaving of the per-
mafrost gradually brings bodies to the surface and
dead bodies attract isbjörn, which puts both bears
and settlers in danger. The second is the fear that the
cryogenically preserved bodies may still contain trac-
es of the Rabboon Fever virus that killed seven min-
ers several decades ago. The town’s small graveyard
stopped accepting newcomers after the last outbreak.
Cremations or “Viking burials” are relatively
rare in Hjálpmakaar as firewood is expensive and
must be shipped in. Few plants grow higher than
a few inches this far north. In rare cases of death
by violence or misadventure, corpses are tossed
from the ættarstapi.
PAW PATROL
Hjálpmakaar is the only well-settled area of the ar-
chipelago, and when you leave the town boundaries,
characters are required by law to carry a gun or be
escorted by someone with a firearm. After all, the
last thing anyone wants is to run into a blood-thirsty
mama ice bear and her cubs. While in town firearms
must remain unloaded, and they are not allowed in
stores or taverns.
10
THE WORLDS END
AETTARSTAPI
The ættarstapi is the precipice where townsfolk go
to die. The cliff edge is also known as the Troll’s
Tongue, a flat area of rock that sticks horizontally out
of a mountain, 700 meters from the ground.
KÓNGSSTEINN
The mining town of Kóngssteinn, named for the dia-
mond rich mountain towering over it, has been aban-
doned for over twenty years. The town’s residents
moved out in a hurry after digging into a dormant
dökkálfar colony, leaving cups on tables, newspaper
cuttings on the walls, and skiing equipment in the
hallways. Today its only inhabitants are seabirds,
winter foxes, and the occasional ice bear.
RODREKR’S DRIFT
As far as most people in Hjálpmakaar are concerned,
Roðrekr’s Drift is an abandoned mineshaft. It used
to belong to a prospector by the name of Roðrekr,
who committed suicide by gunshot after he went
bankrupt digging up an empty hill. Better that than
drink himself to death, locals said. The name drift ei-
ther came from the wood that bundled on the nearby
shore, the flurries of snow that piled high around the
empty shaft, or the wanderings of the poor mann’s
broken mind. Many years later the Empire set up the
Sökkvabekkr Data Archive in the abandoned shaft to
preserve vital data.
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA
NEW KOENUGARDR
New Kœnugarðr is military base, originally built as
a launch site for polar exploration and long thought
abandoned. In recent years it has seen significant
investment from the Sons of Ivaldi. It has a harbour
with one large berth for icebreaker ships to dock, a
dozen prefabricated buildings used as barracks, and
a sick house. The buildings are set in a circle around
the state-of-the-art twin telescopes with huge, fast
slewing antennas that the Empire uses to monitor the
Ginnungagap.
MINES
There are seven working mines in the Heimsslit re-
gion, owned and operated by Ivaldian shell com-
panies. The Polar Ring holds large quantities of
minerals, including phosphate (used as fertilizers
throughout the agricultural zones), bauxite, iron ore,
copper, an nickel (an important part of the produc-
tion of steel). In fact, unknown to the townsfolk, the
Sons of Ivaldi are building an expanded icebreaker
fleet and preparing undersea exploration programs,
planning to exploit the untouched resources of the
region.
SÖKKVABEKKR DATA ARCHIVE
Sökkvabekkr is a doomsday vault, specially prepared
for a remote future after Ragnarök. It is also the secret
location of the rebuilt supercomputer MIM. The facil-
ity is a large steel vault located 300 metres below the
ground inside a decommissioned bauxite mine and
secured with a concrete wall and a steel gate.
SPIKBORG
Spikborg (‘Blubber Town’) is made up of sixteen
buildings, including a fort at its centre, built to ward
off interlopers. The alleys between the buildings are
cobbled with drainage gullies. The settlement is built
around the remains of Vilhelm Bjarnarðr’s centuries
old and only partially excavated camp. About forty
jötnar work here, boiling blubber into oil, flensing
whales, and coopering casks to pour the oil into. The
town headman, Daniel, came to the island following
a messianic vision of a great bear risen out of the sea,
and is a bitter rival of the álf Öldungr.
THULE STATION
Thule Station is a coastal útvarp station, research out-
post and meteorological facility comprising an ob-
servatory and several adjoining buildings and ware-
houses.
11
YFIR FOREST
This old growth forest on the southern spine of the
island is known for its millennia-old bristlecone
pine trees. The green pine needles give the twisted
branches a bottle-brush appearance. The trunks have
reddish-brown bark with deep fissures. The Knot is
locked tight and the whole area is cordoned off with
razor wire and warning signs, as an attempt to pro-
tect the trees from glaciation.
HJALPMAKAAR
HIGHLIGHTS
Hjálpmakaar is almost mild during the polar sum-
mer, when the midnight sun dominates the sky.
Beneath the town’s rough, industrial exterior lies
a vibrant community. Reindeer mope in between
the abandoned mining gear that doubles as surreal
monuments at street corners. The air is alive with the
excited yips of the hundreds of huskies that call the
town home and seeing whales swimming in the fjord
from the tavern window is not an uncommon occur-
rence. There is a sickhouse, a bank, newspaper, ho-
tel, temple, dverg garage and general store, a couple
of restaurants, and several bars. The town also has a
research institute for the Winter Wise and their stu-
dents.
HOUSING
Houses are often made of stone and bright paint-
ed aluminium, raised on stilts to avoid melting the
permafrost underneath. Newer homes are mounted
on steel pilings driven 10 to 15 meters into the bed-
rock beneath. Houses tend to be nice, tidy, and large
enough to accommodate families of modest size.
Player characters can claim some of these buildings
based on their starting wealth. Characters that are
Thegns or possess greater wealth might own houses,
while poorer characters might live in trapper cabins
that dot the tundra beyond the town.
TRAPPER CABINS
While the island has few trees in the classical sense
of the word, it isn’t totally devoid of timber. Local
beaches are choked with salt-saturated logs that have
floated down ice laden rivers and been taken by the
summer meltwaters to Heimsslit, where they bundle
together into peculiar building depots. Locals use the
precious driftwood to build small cabins and to pro-
tect existing ones against the more inquisitive bears.
The essential element of every decent trapper cabin is
a pot-bellied stove, which serves as a heater, cooker
and dryer.
 INTRODUCTION
TEMPLE OF THE BEAR
The Temple of the Bear sits slightly apart from the
town proper, accessed by a long gravel track. It is
an expansive wooden building that boasts statues of
Óðinn, Thórr and Jómali, officiated by a lichen-cov-
ered álf by the name of Öldungr. Inside the temple
is a wide, rectangular hall with a fire burning in its
centre to provide much needed heat. The temple dou-
bles as a sanctuary for three orphaned bear cubs who
roam freely inside.
12
THE LAW THING
The Law-Thing is a tribunal of lay judges, the adju-
dicating body of the town council. The current law-
speaker is the young, cultured and well respected
Krapti Thorfridson. The assembly hall sits immedi-
ately opposite the temple, and in summer, votes and
court proceedings often spill out into the street.
THE COOKING KETTLE
This local cookhouse has been a gathering spot for
locals for decades, long before the Swordfall. The
last few miners are still served their meals here be-
tween long shifts, so the establishment is open 24
hours per day. Unusually for a mess hall, a dairy
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA
has been established in the cellar, along with the pay
office where miners and administrators come to col-
lect their wages. The proprietor, Solveig Soðketill
(“Cooking-Kettle”), seems to spend more time fend-
ing off the unwanted attentions of her patrons than
she does managing the business.
GUNNAR’S GUNSTORE
This sporting goods store deals mainly in goods for
the Great Outdoors: tents, sleeping bags, skis, and
hiking equipment. It also sells rifles and other items
vital for self-defence, such as flare guns, tripwire
sets and binoculars. The owner, Gunnar Veðrbel-
gr (“Weatherbag”) actively hates camping and is a
very poor salesman. He also rents and repairs dverg,
which may have influenced his dour demeanour.
13
FIREFOX INSTITUTE
The Firefox Institute is a private facility financed
by the Sons of Ivaldi, ostensibly focused on bore-
al geophysics and technology. The three months of
darkness mid-winter make the Institute the ideal
place for ground-based observations of the Northern
Lights (many locals still maintain these aurorae are
caused by firefoxes, hence the name). The scientists
here, dubbed the Winter Wise, are the reason Hjálp-
makaar continues to thrive – without their patronage,
it might have been abandoned long ago. The Institute
is managed by Bangsi Hvítr Ivaldison, a senior but
reclusive member of the Ivaldi family.
 INTRODUCTION

HJALPMAKAAR BANGSI
Size 1 mannkyn
DIFFICULTY 100

NPCS Awareness 16 (+6); Sightless

Defence 10 Health 25
Might 9 (-1) Sleight 9 (-1)
BANGSI IVALDISON
Wits 15 (+5) Will 12 (+2)
Bangsi Hvítr Ivaldison is the Lector of the Firefox In-
Speed 10 Spirit 2
stitute. A high-ranking member of the Sons of Ivaldi,
and a fervent MIMic, Bangsi uses the Institute as a ATTACK OPTIONS
cover in order to appear as a reclusive, if somewhat
irritable, scholar. In fact, he is an absurdly wealthy Fylgur Fangs: (melee) +4 with 1 weal (3d6)
and utterly ruthless businessman, with designs on
all the energy and mineral riches of Midgard’s po- TALENTS & GIFTS
lar ring. A member of the shadowy cabal who helped
engineer the Swordfall, he has no interest in revers- Deep Minded, Improved Meditation, Guest Coun-
ing the damage it caused. He lacks any natural sense sel, Counterweave, Ancestral Wisdom, Law-
of compassion or empathy and sees life as a series of speaker, Freeze Time, Soul Sight, Mind Fortress,
power games to be won. Yet Bangsi’s arrogance is Dream Stealer
also his weakness. He refuses to acknowledge that he
has limits or flaws, even when it is clear his health is CRAFT
declining.
Player characters with an Honour score of 9 or more Power 4
can see that Bangsi Ivaldison has two fylgjur, which Seidr Concealment, Glamour Sight, Hallow, Boon (5)
take the form of the slavering wolves, Geri and Freki.
Spá Sacrificial Chip, Foresight (2), Kvasir’s Blood (2),
Wish Hour (1), Doom of the Norns (1)

14
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA

BLAINN IVALDISON FINNBOGI

Bláinn Blár Ivaldison is young clone, recently birthed.
Totally subservient to Bangsi, he handles Firefox
public and investor relations, ensuring the smooth
running of the Winter Wise facilities up and down
Heimsslit.
BLAINN DIFFICULTY 50
Even for a jöfurr, Finnbogi Ásbjarnarson is loud-
mouthed, childish, and vain. His family have owned
mines around Hjálpmakaar for centuries, although
most have now ceased operations or been sold to the
Sons of Ivaldi. With his income dwindling, Finnbogi
is desperate to get his hands on the Bjarnarðson land
deed that he hopes will reverse his fortunes.

Size 1 mannkyn FINNBOGI DIFFICULTY 50

Awareness 15 (+5); Sightless Size 1 mannkyn
Defence 10 Health 19
Awareness 9 (-1)
Might 9 (-1) Sleight 9 (-1)
Defence 18 Health 33
Wits 14 (+4) Will 11 (+1)
Might 13 (+3) Sleight 12 (+2)
Speed 10 Spirit 1
Wits 9 (-1) Will 10 (+1)
ATTACK OPTIONS Speed 10 Spirit 1
Pistol: (intermediate range) -1 (1d6+3) ATTACK OPTIONS
TALENTS & GIFTS Hunting Rifle: (extreme range) +2 with 1 weal (3d6)
Deep Minded, Guest Counsel, Counterweave, Free Bear Claw: (melee) +3 with 1 weal (2d6+2)
Form Fabrication, Soul Sight, Mind Tug
TALENTS & GIFTS
CRAFT
Rising Fortunes, Energy Burst, Weapons Handling,
Power 2 Weapons Prowess, Forceful Strike, Brawler,
Shield Bash, Steadfast, Ring Oath, Blood Drinker
Rúnar Finding Runes, Lock Break (3), Sharp Runes,
Speech Runes, Bind Runes (1)
Spá Foresight (2)

15
 INTRODUCTION

GUNNAR
Gunnar Veðrbelgr came to Heimsslit to propose to
Solveig Soðketill, and then lost his nerve. To spare his
blushes and salvage some pride, he invested in the
only business for sale—the sporting goods store—de-
spite hating everything about the snow and ice. Love-
lorn and miserble, Gunnar hasn’t so much as set foot
in the Cooking Kettle in three years, let alone spoken
to Solveig about his feelings.
KRAPTI
Krapti Thorfridson is the town lawspeaker, the third
of his family to hold the position, and by far the
youngest. He had just finished his studies in Jórsalir
when the Swordfall struck, but rather than escape to
the hinterworlds, he chose to return home to Hjálp-
makaar to provide whatever help he could. Univer-
sally respected, Krapti has a keen mind, a ready wit
and a rare appetite for hard work.

GUNNAR DIFFICULTY 25 KRAPTI DIFFICULTY 50

Size 1 mannkyn Size 1 mannkyn

Awareness 11 (+1) Awareness 13 (+3)
Defence 13 Health 16 Defence 10 Health 26
Might 10 (+0) Sleight 12 (+2) Might 10 (+0) Sleight 10 (+0)
Wits 11 (+1) Will 10 (+0) Wits 13 (+3) Will 12 (+2)
Speed 10 Spirit 0 Speed 10 Spirit 1

ATTACK OPTIONS ATTACK OPTIONS

Hunting Rifle: (extreme range) +2 with 1 weal (2d6) Pistol: (intermediate range) +0 (1d6+3)

TALENTS & GIFTS SPECIAL ATTACKS

Moving Target, Quick Hands, Adrenaline Rush, Determined, Song of Praise, Enthralling Perfor-
Gut Feeling, Udal Right mance, Mocking Taunts, Ancestral Wisdom, Udal
Right, Promise Cup

CRAFT

Power 2
Spá hallow, boon (3), sacrifical chip, foresight (2), kva-
sir’s blood (1)

16
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA

NOATUN GAPMENN OLDUNGR

Following the destruction of Mímisbrunnr, the impe-
rial navy took over responsibility for Gap research.
Headquartered at Nóatún, brave menn like Gunnar
Bromhead and Geir Adenþorp maintain a vigilant
guard over the skies of the Níu Heimar. Disruptions
of the space-time continuum, ripples in the void and
changes to the laws of physics are just part of the job.
GAPMANN DIFFICULTY 50
Öldungr is the kindly guardian of the Temple of the
Bear. The álf looks a gnarled and stunted bristlecone
pine, with a dense pale wood. In summer, Öldungr
beams with the pink flowers of moss campion. The
álf has a deep love of ísbjörn, and the preservation of
their island ecosystem is his chief goal. A Songsmith
by trade, he officiates ceremonies in Hjálpmakaar,
but is often found trekking through the tundra to
monitor his charges.

Size 1 mannkyn OLDUNGR DIFFICULTY 50

Awareness 11 (+1) Size 1 mannkyn
Defence 14 Health 38
Awareness 11 (+1); Treesight
Might 11 (+1) Sleight 12 (+2)
Defence 11 Health 22
Wits 11 (+1) Will 10 (+0)
Might 11 (+1) Sleight 11 (+1)
Speed 10
Wits 11 (+1) Will 11 (+1)
ATTACK OPTIONS Speed 10 Spirit 1
Automatic Rifle: (extreme range) +1 with 1 weal ATTACK OPTIONS
(2d6)
Staff: (melee) +1 (1d6)
TALENTS AND GIFTS
TALENTS AND GIFTS
Determined, Energy Burst, Weapons Handling,
Weapons Prowess, Forceful Strike, Headshot, Yggdrasil’s Gift, Guardian Tree, Wisdom of the
Deep Fake, Duck & Cover Ages, Vulnerable to Fire, Deep Minded, Medi-
tation, Guest Counsel, Alfar Mysteries, Dream
Sight, Bird Charms

CRAFT

Power 2
Galdar Sun Song, Biting Charms (3), Secret Path,
Weapon Song (2), Warden Stone (1)

17
 INTRODUCTION
SOLVEIG SODKETILL
Solveig Soðketill is the flash, fast-talking owner of the
cookhouse and bar that bears her name. Solveig used
to be a backing singer for experimental álfsöngr band
Svartur Sunnudagr, but returned home to Hjálp-
makaar after her relationship with the band soured.
Thanks to her effervescent nature and extensive net-
work, the Cooking Kettle is much more than just a
backwater dive, and is full to the rafters most eve-
nings. Solveig has always done things her own way,
and although her bark is usually worse than her bite,
Óðinn help anyone who crosses her!
SOLVEIG DIFFICULTY 10
Size 1 mannkyn
Awareness 11 (+1)
Defence 11 Health 14
Might 10 (+0) Sleight 11 (+1)
Wits 11 (+1) Will 11 (+1)
Speed 10 Spirit 1
ATTACK OPTIONS
Hunting Rifle: (extreme range) +1 (2d6)
TALENTS AND GIFTS
Moving Target, Quick Hands, Udal Right
18
STEINGRÍMUR
Steingrímur Grǿnn Ivaldison is a renowned MIMic
preacher. After years acting as nuncio for his church,
he has come to Heimsslit to convert the local popu-
lace. A firebrand and a demagogue, he thinks noth-
ing of sacrificing his flock for the greater good...of his
own bank balance. The godsman doesn’t interfere
with Firefox business, but works closely with Bangsi,
knowing he will profit from the Firefox’s plans.
STEINGRÍMUR DIFFICULTY 50
Size 1 mannkyn
Awareness 13 (+1); Sightless
Defence 12 Health 29
Might 9 (-1) Sleight 10 (+0)
Wits 12 (+1) Will 11 (+1)
Speed 10
ATTACK OPTIONS
Pistol: (intermediate range) +0 (1d6+3)
TALENTS AND GIFTS
Determined, Song of Praise, Enthralling Perfor-
mance, Mocking Taunts, Cutting Insults, Frith,
Incite to Victory, Soul Sight, Mind Tug
CRAFT
Power 3
Lyf Cure Runes, Leech Hands (4), Life Stone (2), Pre-
serving Runes (1), Disrupt Magic (1)
 THOUGHT & MEMORY SAGA

TECHNICIANS
It takes a certain resilience and resourcefulness to
make a living at the World’s End. Menn like Magnus
Ljósfót and Heimrik Veiða have found a way to make
themselves useful to the Winter Wise, and are always
ready to lend a wrench or hammer to any situation.
Long term inhabitants of Heimsslit, they are full of
idle gossip, technical jargon, and outright smut. If
they join the ranks of the MIMics, it is more out of
practicality than piety, foolishly betting their futures
on the Winter Wise.
TECHNICIAN DIFFICULTY 10
Size 1 mannkyn
Awareness 11 (+1)
Defence 12 Health 14
VAL-TÓKI
VAL-Tóki is a medical dverg able to perform a myr-
iad of surgical procedures. Designed and manu-
factured by Sigmund Systems in the years after the
Doom, VAL-Tóki was built for the Fimbulvetr, with
wide tire tracks and leirstál joints able to handle the
ice and snow. The dverg is directly linked to the sick-
house, using the Evergreen to communicate with the
elevators, automatic doors, and fire alarms—devic-
es it regards much more highly than the ‘meatbags’
it is forced to treat. It should go without saying but
VAL-Tóki has no bedside manner of any description.
VAL-TOKI DIFFICULTY 25
Size 1 machine
Awareness 13 (+5); Infrared

Might 10 (+0) Sleight 10 (+0) Defence 13 Health 16

Wits 11 (+1) Will 11 (+1) Might 9 (-1) Sleight 9 (-1)

Speed 10 Spirit 0 Wits 12 (+4) Will 12 (+1)

Speed 10
ATTACK OPTIONS
Immune disease, poison
Wrench: (melee) +0 (1d3)
ATTACK OPTIONS
TALENTS AND GIFTS
Probe: (melee) -1 (1d6)
Deep Minded, Guest Counsel, Udal Right
TALENTS AND GIFTS
CRAFT
Deep Minded, Guest Counsel, Meditation, Guid-
Power 2 ance, Unravel Magic, Faultless Recall
Rúnar Finding Runes, Lock Break (2), Branch Runes (1) CRAFT

Power 2
Lyf Life Signs, Helping Runes (3), Cure Runes, Life
Stones (2), Healing Herbs (1)

19
 CREDITS

Writing and Design

Ian Stuart Sharpe
Art Direction
Tom Lai

Graphic Design and Layout

Tom Lai

Editing and Development

Robert J. Schwalb

Proofreading
Bill Hopkins

Illustrations
Ger Curti

Viking Ornaments
Jonas Lau Markussen

Published By
Schwalb Entertainment LLC
PO Box #12548
Murfreesboro, TN

Thought & Memory Saga and When the Wolf Comes: A Vikingverse Roleplaying Game are ©
2023 Ian Stuart Sharpe. All rights reserved.
Shadow of the Demon Lord© 2015 Schwalb Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved.

Visit www.schwalbentertainment.com to see more

or follow us on Facebook facebook.com/schwalbentertainment

Visit www.vikingverse.com for more books and comics by Ian Stuart Sharpe