THE BLOODM A RCH

LEAD WRITER
Erik Granström

ADDITIONAL TEXTS
Per Holmström

LEAD ARTIST
Henrik Rosenborg

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Christian Granath

MAPS & GRAPHICS

Niklas Brandt

LAYOUT & PREPRESS

Dan Algstrand

EDITOR & PROJECT MANAGER

Tomas Härenstam

PROOFREADING EVENT MANAGER

Brandon Bowling Anna Westerling

TR ANSL ATION STREAMING

Niklas Lundmark Doug Shute

PR MANAGER CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Boel Bermann Daniel Lehto, Jenny Lehto

ISBN PRINT

978-91-89143-66-1 Standart Impressa UAB

© 2023 Fria Ligan AB

 CONTENTS
THE ARRIVAL KEY PLAYERS 70
OF THE SEVEN 4 Selligar Horne of Havenmark 70
Poansa Moulter 76
INTRODUCTION 8 Colonel Grudenstaal 79
Overview 10 Fiena Fromelei 82
The Seventh 85
THE LAY OF THE LAND 13 Vinhelm Kaal 89
Nature in the Bloodmarch 15 Konana 91
Kin & Gods 16 Vaerefor van Reiben 93
Regions 23 The Dreamstress 96
Octomadria –
MAGIC 27 The Eighth Mother 99
Magma Song 28
Mentalism 31 BESTIARY 101
Oneiromancy 34 Smolderer 102
Magnetism 36 Bloodbeech 103
Drugs & Potions 38 Prune 104
Wingsteed 105
JOURNEYS IN Fraege 106
THE BLOODMARCH 40 Grave Lily 108
New Terrain Types 40 Kton and Fire Wyrm 110
Mecha 112
THE LEGACY OF HORN 52 Salamander 115
Background 52 Sarcoptes 116
The Phases of the Campaign 53 Forest Star 118
Adventure Sites 59 Slime Snail 121
Slithernet 122
ARTIFACTS 60 Sporewalker 123
The Goblet Staff of Have 63 Hover Frog 124
The Helm of Horn 64 Pearlyveine 125
Sella’s Dragonboot 65 Typical NPCs 126
Glasstooth 66
The Arrows of the Fire Wyrm 67 RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 130
The Stonechest of Horn 68
Witherbeam 69

contents
TAREGYLL 148 WATCH OF
Background 148 THE SISTERS 207
Getting Here 149 Background 207
Legend 150 Getting Here 208
Locations 150 Legend 210
Events 159 Locations 211
Events 220
ASHENSTEAD 162
Background 162 TRIBOLIA OF
Getting Here 163 THE KOGLER 221
Legend 164 Background 221
Locations 165 Getting Here 222
Events 172 Legend 222
Locations 222
SALTERSTAY 174 Events 231
Background 174
Getting here 175 AGNOSTICA 232
Legend 175 Background 232
Locations 175 Getting Here 233
Events 182 Legend 233
Locations 233
OXENGELDER 185 The Showdown 240
Background 185
Getting Here 186 AFTERMATH 241
Legend 187 The Situation After the Finale 241
Locations 188 Post-finale Events 242
Events 192
LEGENDS 243
BANN GUELDER 197
Background 197
Getting Here 198
Legend 198
Locations 199
Events 204

contents
 THE ARRIVAL
OF THE SEVEN

A dense fog cloaks the sea, as if the world has not yet come into
being. The emptiness extends indefinitely towards the east
from whence the humans once sailed to Ravenland, guided
by the Raven God with a snake in its talons. Twelve hundred
years later no one remembers what is out there, but now a
rhythm forms in the haze. The silhouettes of seven tall fig-
ures in black emerge from the void, rowing a sloop through the
fog, their oars rising and falling as one at a steady pace. They
show no sign of urgency, nor fatigue, despite the length of their
voyage. Each stroke is performed with purpose.

T
he oarsman on the second bench on the
port side has an injured elbow that clicks
every time he pulls the oar to his chest.
A human would find the noise intolerable after
only a few hours, but for the oarsmen it sets the
pace, like the drops of a water metronome. They
row in silence. No one has spoken for weeks, as
there is no need – they all know where they are
going and what they must do.
The rocky coast of Ravenland looms in the
night. The oarsmen pay it no heed and main-
tain their pace until their sloop crashes into
the rocks. Everyone drops their oars in unison,
not even bothering to pull them onto the deck,
before sliding into the waist-high waves and
wading ashore – still without a word. They do
not tie up the boat that carried them, but let
it drift at the mercy of the sea, as they walk
inland towards a stone circle erected on a coast-
line hill by an extinct noble house in memory
of something long forgotten. Their bodies are
shrouded in black robes. Their faces are hidden,
some by bone plates tied together with leather
straps, another behind a wooden mask, and a
third by woven osiers.
Sigmyn Talleman blows into his hands to keep
them warm while he waits by the stone circle,

chapter 1
scowling into the wind, taking regular swigs of
liquor from a hip flask and swearing just loud
enough for his employer to hear him. There
is nothing to do but wait. The halfling seeks
sympathy from Gerdimer Black, perched on
one of the stones with some dead grass under
his buttocks. The goblin chatters his teeth and
studies the stars in search of bad omens, per-
haps praying to the moon goddess. The two of
them are lovers, and for their mutual affection
they have been banished from their villages,
yet they have never looked back with sadness,
regret, or even anger. The third man present –
their employer – claims to be a halfling as well,
but covers his face for religious reasons which
makes his origins difficult to place. He speaks
in a peculiar manner, but it matters little to
Sigmyn, since the man paid the two merchants
handsomely just to meet some foreigners on
the shore at night.
The oarsmen march silently up the hill, wet
robes flapping around their legs. They stop
before the little ones, towering over them, at
which point the employer walks up to the new-
comers, bows, and quietly steps aside. Sigmyn
Talleman does not scare easily, but the mute
strangers make him uncomfortable. He does
not have the good-natured disposition typical
of his kin. Life has left him hardened, inside
and out, with no patience for nonsense and
foolery. Gerdimer Black grows more watchful
as well and jumps down from the stone, ready
for whatever may come.
“I’m told that you have come to Raven-
land in search of a missing loved one,” begins
the arrival of the seven
Sigmyn, who since the early hours of the night
has had enough of silence. “My friend and I
have long traveled this land, its villages and
strongholds, in daytime and at night. We can
help, but we will need to know more than your
associate has disclosed. Are you from Alderland?”
The tallest of the strangers puts his hands
to his throat under the wooden mask, as if
to make sure that he can still speak after the
voyage. When he does, the voice is deep and
strangely gurgling. Mussels may have nested
in his throat while at sea.
“We are the Seven from beyond the seas.
Where is our stolen eighth mother?”
“The seven what?” sneers Sigmyn, annoyed
that there are in fact eight of them, not seven,
if one includes the halfman who hired them.
“The seven sons of the seventh son, perhaps,
as the tale goes?”
“Yes,” says the man with the wooden mask.
“The seven of the seventh mother.”
While Sigmyn Talleman tries to come up
with a sufficiently acid-tongued insult, one of
the strangers opens a casket. The box appears to
be all they brought with them on their voyage.
The gold inside gleams brightly at the halfling
and clogs up his mind with thoughts of riches.
Meanwhile, one of the oarsmen points at the
goblin standing a bit farther away. The motion
makes his elbow click
“It is not one, but two.”
The strangers all turn to Gerdimer Black.
“He is my partner and tracker, and it is me
you should be talking to,” says Sigmyn irritably.
“So someone has taken your mother? Slavers I
presume? Those dregs are multiplying like lice
in straw beds ever since the Blood Mist lifted.
No problem though, since you carry so much
gold for her ransom. Leave it to us – though
we need to know more in order to buy her free-
dom. What does she look like, little mommy?
Like her sons perhaps?” he grins.
The oarsman with the wooden mask shifts
his eyes back to the halfling.
“Where is the eighth mother, she who
was taken?”
Talleman glares back and spits at the mono-
lith beside him. Has the stranger blinked even
once behind that mask? Who are these lunatics?
Human sectarians, if his merchant instincts
still serve him. You never know with those
people. Had it not been for all that gold, the
halfling would already have gestured for Gerdi-
mer to vanish into the night.
“The parts smell like one,” says one of the
strangers. Then the short-statured employer
steps forward and bows before he speaks.
“None of the parts know anything about
the mother,” the man explains to the masked
newcomers.
“It has masked its own thoughts,” replies the
man in the wooden mask. “The moonstone in
its chest will know. Let us question the stone.”
“Moonstones? Do you also believe the fairy-
tales about Eor casting us into the world in
jealousy of the elves and getting us split into
two? In that case you would be better off seeing
a village priest who shares your views. Those
babbling loons are getting together to seek the
mythical moonstones in the Ashen Vale. Only
death awaits them there, nothing more.”
“Reach into the moonstone in its chest!”
says the man in the wooden mask and the others
move closer.
Gold or no gold – enough is enough.
But with his attention fixed on the tall folk,
chapter 1
Talleman does not notice the smaller stranger
until he is startled by a stab in his side.
“Run Gerdimer! Into the dark!”
Like frightened rabbits the two merchants
run off into the night without any masked
strangers in pursuit.
Gerdimer Black leads the way with his night
vision and plows through the autumn cobwebs
along the ground, opting for speed over stealth.
Only when they reach the forest will they go
silent and disappear. So angry and upset is the
goblin that at first he does not even notice that
Sigmyn has fallen behind, which makes him
curse and head back. Carefully retracing his
steps, Gerdimer finds several of the strangers
crouched over his fallen partner, incapacitated
by the poisonous stab that almost instantly
paralyzed his muscles. One of the oarsmen is
kneeling by the halfling’s side. He has put his
gloves and bone mask aside, but the hood droops
over his face. The stranger sticks two fingers up
Talleman’s nose, and as he pulls back his hand,
the hairs on Gerdimer’s back bristle – the fin-
gers have come loose from the body. The goblin
cannot help whimpering when he sees them
slide of their own accord into his friend’s nasal
cavity. As the stranger turns towards him, the
goblin screams at the top of his lungs and flees
across the moor as fast as his legs can carry
him, for the stranger’s face belongs to neither
human nor halfling, nor any other creature in
the creation, but consists of a crawling mass of
muscles slithering amongst one another.
The figures in black watch as blood starts
pouring out of one, then two, and then all the
halfling’s orifices during the probe of his insides.
Afterwards the fingers do not leave through
an existing exit, but simply burst through the
skin to be reunited with the body from whence
they came. The remains of Sigmyn Talleman
are still shaking, but it is unclear whether he
is conscious or even alive. The strangers do not
care either way.
“There is no moonstone.”
They all look around for the goblin who
disappeared into the night. Maybe they can
still sense him.
“Did we eat any thoughts about the
eighth mother?”
“There was no such thought, but it spoke
true about clerics seeking moonstones in the
Ashen Vale. It is my belief that the thieves
dissolved into two to push away any
memory of their theft.”
“Let us track them down and
remind them of their treachery!”
Without another word the oars-
men start to make their way inland,
leaving the halfling’s corpse
twitching in the stone circle.

the arrival of the seven

 INTRODUCTION

The prophet Fangler’s third eye opened in his forehead.

“Hear the god’s call! Wyrm shall be reborn in the Bloodmarch,
but the pendulum of time has been stolen!” shouted Fangler in
a shrill voice. “Retrieve the pendulum for the sake of our god!”
Ginmyn put down his beer and glanced at the Ad Vipera
officer sitting beside him. “Should we take him now?”
“No.”
Ginmyn made the sign of Lemniscate across his chest.
“Surely you don’t believe that blasphemy about the god’s
rebirth in the Bloodmarch?”
“Lilies often grow out of dung. The prophet’s message
is of interest to the shedder Poansa, Do you question her?”
The officer bared a sharpened corner tooth.
Ginmyn put the tankard to his mouth to drown any
further questions.

T
he Bloodmarch is Ravenland’s neighbor
to the west, known for its barren plains
and proud riders who worship the holy
volcano known as Horn. In Ravenland the coun-
try is often referred to as the Ashen Vale, which
is really just the eastern region. The only known
passageway between the countries is through
Shadowgate Pass in the Thynde Range.
During the wars between King Algarod of
Alderland and his renegade sorcerer Zygofer
three hundred years ago, a horde of demons
were summoned that slaughtered the Alder-
lander armies in Ravenland. After losing control
of the demons, the sorcerer sent them to ravage
the neighboring country of the Bloodmarch
while he himself desperately tried to block the

chapter 2
portals he had opened between the worlds. In
the legends this event is often referred to as
the Demon Flood.
Zygofer managed to close the gates and many
demons perished as the link to their own worlds
was severed. Others remained – some in Raven-
land, others in the Bloodmarch. Afraid that the
demons he had lured to the Bloodmarch would
one day return, the sorcerer made a deal with a
demon prince to close Shadowgate Pass by per-
verting the very laws of nature in the area. The
pass has been blocked ever since, and few there-
fore know what has been going on in the neigh-
boring country for the last three hundred years.
However, during the battles of Vond a few
years ago (see Raven’s Purge) Shadowgate Pass
opened once more. No one knows why – per-
haps the demons guarding it died or found a way
home to their own world. In any event, adven-
turers and settlers are now gathering on the
border of the Bloodmarch, enthralled with curi-
osity after three centuries of separate existence.
How much of the horse people’s country
survived the ravages of the demon horde? Is
there nothing left but desolate wasteland, or
have its villages been rebuilt? Who lives there?
Perhaps there is good soil to farm for those who
can claim and defend a piece of land? Perhaps
the country’s treasures lie scattered among the
bones of the dead, there for the taking for who-
ever gets there first?
The village of Taregyll was founded almost
immediately on the slopes just beyond Shad-
owgate Pass in the east part of the Ashen Vale.
Shacks were built and occupied. Adventurers,
mercenaries, treasure hunters, missionaries,
merchants, and refugees all come here from
Ravenland. Taregyll is really nothing more than
a lawless backwater with a few simple shacks
built around a couple of inns. Aslenes from
the east have also come to Taregyll. Some weep
with joy that the pass has opened to the world,
while others warn strangers not to come here,
especially as a demonic plague haunts the entire
region, where the woods are blood red and alive
and awaiting their prey. Some Aslenes wish to
barter with the newcomers or pay warriors to
cleanse certain areas and take back the land
they once lost. There are rumors that the horse
clans are uniting again under a strong leader
farther inland to drive the demons from the
Bloodmarch once and for all.

RAVEN’S PURGE
This book is chronologically set after the campaign Raven’s Purge which took place
in Ravenland. Some of the events described here began there, but it is not nec-
essary to have played Raven’s Purge before the campaign Legacy of Horn which is
included in this book. If the gaming group intends to play Raven’s Purge at some
point, it would be best to do so before embarking on The Bloodmarch.

introduction
SETTLERS: After the tumultuous events of
Raven’s Purge, many people just want a quiet place
to settle down, build a village, and farm the land.
Perhaps they go looking for it in the Bloodmarch,
where vast areas are said to be deserted and the
soil is fertilized with the volcanic ashes of Horn.
RETUR NING CLA NSFOLK: Quards and
Galdanes, two horse clans originally from the
Bloodmarch, fled to Ravenland before the Blood
Mist made all travel impossible three centuries
ago. Many of them dream of returning to their
homeland now that it has been opened. The
player characters could lead a scouting party
or an entire community to the west.
ELVEN AGENTS: The elves of Ravenland
worry about their Aslene kinsfolk, the red elves,
whom the elders of the Stillmist say are in the
grip of a collective madness that makes them
do the demons’ bidding and dwell in the scarlet,
misgrown forests of the Bloodmarch.
ORC AMBASSADORS: It is said that the orcs of
the Bloodmarch were never subdued, and an orc
ambassador from someone like Emperor Hroka
of the Urhur clan could be sent to seek contact
and form an alliance with them.
12
chapter 2
FROM THE BITTER REACH?
Some claim to have traveled
under the mountains from the
Bitter Reach to the Bloodmarch,
using an old dwarf settlement
called Järnhem northeast of the
Bloodmarch. The tunnels are
supposedly connected to Belde-
rand and offer underground pas-
sage to the Bloodmarch from
the icy Winding Ways of the
Bitter Reach as well as from the
misty mountains of Ravenland.
Whether these stories are true
or not is highly unclear as most
dwarves will not say a word on
the matter.
Before we continue it should be noted that the
first five chapters of this book can be read by
players and Gamemasters alike, while the texts,
illustrations, and maps in chapter 6 onward are
for the Gamemaster’s eyes only.
 THE LAY
OF THE LAND

“The plains of the Bloodmarch once blossomed so abundantly

that hot days would see rivers of nectar flow through the
vales. The mountains yielded ore so pure that shards of
unforged iron could be used for axes. Of course, this was
before the Demon Flood. Ever since the sorcerer Zygofer had
his demonic hordes lay waste to the country ten generations
before us, the land has been dead and deserted, apart from
the twisted nightmares that now roam its plains and forests.
Yet there should be much treasure to find for those brave
enough to face their fears. Some say the demons no longer
howl with hunger as they used to and that the clans are
riding once more to drive the abominations out.”

T
he Bloodmarch is located on the same
parallel as Ravenland and its climate is
similar, only hotter and drier since it is
farther away from the sea. The central plains
have volcanic soil and are rich with dark sand
mixed with fertile ash.
Before the Demon Flood there were many
villages along the outskirts of these plains,
often located close to one another to better
defend against plundering horse clans. There
are also areas resting on white limestone. These
lie outside the horse people’s territory, since
they believe that the volcano god Horn is not
present there.
The Bloodmarch is surrounded by moun-
tains with only a few passes. Tall and strange
rock formations are a common sight, especially
in the east. All the rivers draining the moun-
tains are said to converge in the south, where
they are swallowed by the earth.

13

the lay of the land

 FIRELANDS
Firelands are another geographical feature of the
Bloodmarch. Here the magma flows so close to
the surface that it burns bare feet. In some places
the magma even sees daylight. Entire landscapes
can be ablaze, while boiling water erupts into
the sky. There is not much life in the Firelands,
but since it is considered sacred by the priests of
Horn a couple of temples have been built where
the earth’s crust is thick enough.
ASHLANDS
Ashlands are barren black deserts of volcanic ash.
Traveling through the Ashlands is dangerous since
there is nothing to eat or drink. During droughts
the wind carries so much ash that it impairs one’s
vision. Furthermore, the particles can be toxic
to inhale. Rain turns the ash into black mud. A
light rain is ideal for travel since it binds the dust
while the ground remains firm. Ash merchants
and mineral collectors are often encamped nearby,
only scouring the Ashlands for commodities when
the weather permits. Humans can sometimes dis-
appear without a trace in the Ashlands, and some
say the ashes are crawling with hidden predators.
FOOD AND WATER
Travelers may have difficulty finding food and water
in the hotter, more arid parts of the Bloodmarch
and should replenish their supplies whenever pos-
sible. In the new terrain types, Ashlands and Fire-
lands, food and water are scarce and what little water
they contain is undrinkable (page 41). People
who value their health and sanity should never
drink or eat anything from the Crimson Forests,
though alchemists and obscure thinkers see these
raw materials as opportunities rather than threats.
16
chapter 3
KIN & GODS
This section describes the kin inhabiting the
Bloodmarch and the gods they worship.
THE HORSE CLANS
Most humans in the Bloodmarch belong to one
of the five horse clans that each have claimed one
of the country’s central plains. Being nomads,
the clans have no problem with friendly outsid-
ers visiting their land and taking what they need
to survive, but anything of economic value such
as permanent settlements and trading caravans
requires the approval of the respective chieftains
and a tribute equivalent to one-tenth of the value.
The five horse clans are named after the five
dormant volcanos of the Bloodmarch, which are
thought to be the sons of the volcano god Horn.
These clans are called Houns, Sabirians, Caberi-
ans, Galdanes, and Quards. The clans believe that
they are born from the volcano god Horn, who
gave them their land and the astra to drive out
the indigenous people called Vasnians. A more
historical analysis suggests that the horsefolk
arrived more than a thousand years ago from the
Drawn Lands in the west, expelled the Vasnians,
and adopted the god Horn as their principal deity,
likely influenced by the dwarves of Eldhem. The
clans strongly disapprove of the latter description.
HOUNS: Sella the Liberator who once liber-
ated the Bloodmarch and organized the horse-
folk into clans is thought to have belonged to
the Houns, which makes the clan in question
think of themselves as more special than the
others. There are few of them left, as their clan
was decimated during the Demon Flood and
their territory is largely dominated by Crimson
Forest. They maintain a good relationship with
the horned dwarves of Firestead.
The young Houn chieftain is called Selligar
Horne of Havenmark and is trying to unite
the clans.
SABIRIANS: The Sabirians were warned in
advance of the Demon Flood and had time
to prepare, though they believe that they are
stronger, more virile, and more capable than
the Houns and that they therefore dominate by
right. The Sabirians have formed a loose alli-
ance with the Caberians with many marriages
between the clans. Sabirians think that they are
the best riders and have the best horses, includ-
ing the legendary winged steeds.
The Sabirians’ chieftain is Mommodar the
Gnawer, an aged and cunning warrior. Mom-
modar disapproves of Selligar Horne’s claim to
leadership over the clans and considers himself
a better alternative.
CABERIANS: The Caberians have traditionally
been at war with the Alderlanders, who every so
often would attack through Gander’s Pass before it
was blocked by the Demon Flood. The Caberians
value traditional masculinity. Weapon smithing,
combat training, and the skaldic arts are central
to their way of life. Typical Caberians are easily
offended and quick to challenge someone to a duel.
The Caberian chieftain is Merdekai, a scarred
and imposing horse warrior in his mid-forties.
Merdekai supports Mommodar the Gnawer’s
claim as leader of all the clans.
GALDANES: The Galdanes were hit first by the
Demon Flood as their territory shares a border
with Ravenland. Totally unprepared, the clan
was slaughtered in droves before the legendary
17
the lay of the land
Kanender the Mad managed to break through
the enemy and escape through Shadowgate Pass
into Ravenland, where many Galdanes remained.
Now that their homeland has opened, many have
returned to be reunited with the small number
of survivors who are still scraping by back home.
The leader of the Galdanes in Ravenland
is Kormella Mira of Moldena, a descendant of
Kanender the Mad. Her lineage gives her prestige
among her own people, but the Aslene Galdanes
regard Kanender as a traitor. However, Kormella
is known as one of the finest horse warriors there
is, hard as stone toward friends and enemies alike.
She hates demons and followers of Rust, but seeks
closer relations with the Quards to counter the
alliance between the Sabirians and Caberians.
Trandesso Haveman is the leader of the
Aslene Galdanes. He is an unimaginative tra-
ditionalist who cares more about his own and
his people’s pride than about preparing them
for a changing future.
QUARDS: The Quards have long waged war on
the indigenous Vasnians and never really recov-
ered from the devastation of the Demon Flood.
Quards are often distrustful and mostly want to
be left alone. Groups of Quards have returned
to the homeland since Shadowgate Pass was
reopened, but their Aslene brothers and sisters
think that dishonorable practices like farm-
ing have made them soft. Loyal to their own
kind, the Quards have nevertheless allowed the
returnees to stay in the Crimson Forest by the
lake Greyne, but will not help them cleanse the
area of demonic plague.
The Quards’ chieftain is called Jorgundos Ash,
a quiet man regarded as a just and attentive leader,
though he is notoriously difficult to convince of
anything he does not already know or believe.
 HORN AND HAVE
At the start of the game, Horn is the
only active volcano in the Bloodmarch.
The country’s horse clans and dwarves
worship the volcano as their god and
father. Myth has it that Horn gave the
clans their horses at the time of Sella
the Liberator and later helped them free
the land from Vasnian hordes. Some-
times Horn erupts with fiery rage, but
for the most part he sends out clouds of
fertile ash which allow grass and herbs
to thrive in the Bloodmarch. His sons
are the five dormant volcanoes that lent
their names to the horse clans. Most
of the Bloodmarch rests on volcanic
ground, save for a few smaller areas
around Oxengelder which the power of
Horn cannot reach. As GM you are free
to place the adventure site Oxengelder
anywhere on the map. The hexagon
with Oxengelder and all land within two
hexagons of it have a limestone base.
To the horse clans, Horn is the god of
power, construction, and creation, while
Have has become a goddess of fire and
fertility. The center for worshiping both
deities is the temple of Ashenstead on
Mount Faltenvil, an adventure site you
may place anywhere on the plains.
Despite their differences, the horse
clans get on well with the dwarven fol-
lowers of Horn. As a matter of fact, it was
the dwarves who first encouraged them
to worship Horn and forged Horn’s Astra
18
chapter 3
for Sella the Liberator. Clan legends
state that Horn gave them his astra
for the war with the Vasnians, but the
dwarves simply thought it was safest to
have others test their new and powerful
weapons, which were expected to have
serious side effects. Most of the dwarven
technology that forged Horn’s Astra was
lost during the demon invasion.
The priests believe that Horn in
recent centuries has brought demons
and other ills upon the Bloodmarch
because the horse clans did not get
along after the liberation. Now he puts
their faith and strength to the test one
last time to see if they can unite and
drive out their common enemies. Sel-
ligar Horne of Havemark has accepted
the challenge with the support of Liko-
lapis, high priest of Horn at Ashenstead
on Mount Faltenvil.
Have, “the Blue Goddess,”, is the
horse clans’ fire goddess and wife of
Horn. She ignites the inner fire in people,
whether it be rage, love, or a burning
passion for one’s work. To “have” is to
be filled with Have’s passion, and to “be
having” is to carry a child, a dream, or an
ability. Have is therefore the goddess
of war, love, and fertility, but also the
source of learning and creativity.
Devotees of Have are sworn enemies
of all demons, particularly the demonic
red vegetation that threatens the land
in the name of the god Rubor. The Pyro-
lytes are a cult of demon hunters within
the Church of Have. Their order produces
holy fire and Blue Tar both of which
increase damage to demons. Both can
be picked up at the Temple of Have.
 VASNIANS
The Bloodmarch’s indigenous population are
called Vasnians, named after the region of
Vasnia in the north, which they still inhabit
in great numbers. Vasnians could be found all
over the Bloodmarch before the horse people
arrived from The Drawn Lands in the west.
Vasnians are said to have a bit of orc blood in
their veins, and they live in close contact with the
region’s orcs and wolfkin. The horse clans assert
that the Bloodmarch was given to them by Horn
and that Vasnians were the weed that had to be
removed. Vasnians, on the other hand, maintain
that the clans stole the Bloodmarch from them.
Vasnians are physically strong and sturdy.
They have no written language and cherish the
oral tradition, which has led the clans to look
down on them as a lesser people. But Vasnians
see themselves as part of nature, interconnected
with all living things, rather than individuals.
Like the orcs they worship the goddess Volitia.
Many Vasnians dream of reclaiming their land,
including the prominent leader Konana.
RAVENLANDERS
AND ALDERLANDERS
Besides the horse clans and Vasnians there are
humans of more mixed descent in the Bloodmarch.
Most of them make their living as farmers in forti-
fied villages at the edge of forests, on plains and hills.
SETTLERS: In recent years, settlers have been
pouring in from Ravenland, trying to survive as
best they can under threat from various demons,
plundering riders, or “adventurers” scourging
the land. Some settlers are religious refugees
who have fled their homes to escape persecution
19
the lay of the land
in an unspoiled environment. Most of the ref-
ugees worship the gods Raven or Wyrm.
ALDERLANDERS: Rumor has it that Rust
Churches in both Ravenland and Alderland are
keeping an eye on the newly opened Bloodmarch,
and that they have sent scouts on reconnaissance
missions for a future invasion. The Congrega-
tion of the Serpent in Alderland is also said to
have sent troops to the Bloodmarch – some say
in search of a savior.
ELVES
RED ELVES: The elves of the Bloodmarch are
known as red elves, due to their more or less
red skin, hair, and clothes. Everyone else looks
at them with suspicion. The prevailing belief,
even among elves from Ravenland, is that they
were driven mad by the demonic plague. The
red elves apparently want nothing to do with
anyone else, and keep to themselves in the slimy
gloom of the Crimson Forests.
They seem to be utterly loyal to their leader,
Vaerefor van Reiben, who dreams of a completely
demonified world in the name of the god Rubor.
Red elves are said to believe that red is the only
natural color, while all other colors were created
by the evil god Kolor in mockery of creation.
Red elves often ride on the backs of strange
creatures from the Crimson Forest, mainly sar-
coptes and slimeshells. There are humans who
have joined the red elves’ cause and are serving
as their agents beyond the Crimson Forests.
RAVENLANDER ELVES: Apart from red elves,
one may also encounter regular elves from Raven-
land in the Bloodmarch – visitors who are often
sent to locate, investigate, and perhaps remedy what
has happened in the Bloodmarch, retrieve some
missing object, or root out some unnatural being.
HALF ELVES: Half elves are rare in the Blood-
march and the ones encountered there usually come
from Ravenland. The region’s red elves appear not
to breed with humans, but there may be exceptions.
MOON ELVES: Moon elves are so rare that
some even doubt their existence, but many swear
that there really are moon elves hiding in cer-
tain parts of the Bloodmarch. Moon elves are
said to be humanoid creatures with pale, bluish
skin and white hair. Whether they really are
related to elves is a matter of dispute. According
to myth, they are cursed by the god Wyrm and
carry a moonstone in their chest rather than
the ruby of other elves. Moon elves are skilled
in illusory magic and vanish without a trace
as soon as anyone catches a glimpse of them.
DWARVES
The dwarves of the Bloodmarch are based in Fire-
stead, where they through isolation have managed
to defend their only city, Helya, from the demonic
plague. Aslene dwarves have horns jutting from
their forehead and call themselves Caprids. Kulli is
their derogatory word for hornless dwarves, whom
they consider weak degenerates. Other hornless
creatures such as humans and elves are lumped
together under the name baas kulli – lesser kulli.
In return, hornless dwarves often imply that the
Caprids have horns because their ancestors were
so ugly they had to mate with goats.
Caprids worship the volcano Horn. The
god Horn is also called Warm Huge since the
20
chapter 3
dwarves view him as the malleable aspect of
the stone god Huge.
Aslene priests of Horn have developed a spe-
cial form of Stone Singing called Magma Sing-
ing, which allows them to mold buildings. The
Aslene dwarves abolished their clan system as
clan wars made it possible for demons to invade
Firestead as well.
ORCS
Volitia, Volitia, mother of all
Heed your loyal servant’s call
For the might you our kind gave
I will make your foe my slave
– Orcish lullaby
Unlike their brethren in Ravenland, the orcs
of the Bloodmarch were never enslaved by elves
or dwarves. They believe themselves to be the
oldest and most primordial kin in the world,
molded from the first soil by the creator god
Clay. The orcs worship their goddess Volitia and
male orcs are expected to complete her creation
and purpose, called Étosh.
The Aslene orcs move around in small
family units and make their living hunting,
gathering, and plundering. They hold regular
assemblies where representatives of each group
make pacts and mete out justice. The female
orcs’ position is as strong as it is in Ravenland.
Orcs tend to live in peace with both Vasnians
and the region’s wolfkin.
On the one hand, the Aslene orcs despise
their relatives in Ravenland for allowing them-
selves to be subjugated by dwarves and elves, and
even worse, trying to emulate them. Aslene orcs
believe that an orc simply is, and does not need
to become anything. Anything new will only
dilute the old ideals and the message of Voli-
tia. On the other hand, the leaders understand
the power of unity within their kin, not least
because the orcs in Ravenland far outnumber
the ones in the Bloodmarch.
VOLITIA AND ÉTOSH
The all-mother Volitia is a pantheistic
forest goddess who ordered the cre-
ator Klei (the orcs’ name for Clay) to
create the world simply because she
could and wanted to. The purpose of
the living is to, like Klei, fulfill their roles
according to Volitia’s intentions which
is evident in nature.
The orcs think they are closer to the
all-mother than anyone else and that
their primary duty is to reflect her in
the world – through desire and capac-
ity. The desire is for pride, authenticity,
procreation, power, and independence,
while capacity is the ability to over-
come challenges and dominate weaker
kin. Desire is mainly considered a female
virtue and capacity a male one, but they
are intertwined into a whole.
The religion’s practice is simple,
with orally preserved rituals, trials,
and sacrifices, where old trees, glades,
and rock formations are often used as
alters. At the cult sites they sacrifice
21
the lay of the land
They have common enemies in the plain-
dwelling humans, as well as dwarves and elves.
The only real negotiations between the countries’
orcs are handled by females, since the males
have a tendency to mock and start killing each
other. The Sisterhood of Viraga in Ravenland
has representatives in Vasnia.
creatures and celebrate victories; males
fight for rank and hunts are arranged
where ecstatic females hunt down prey
which are torn apart while still alive and
finally devoured. There are no religious
buildings or scriptures since the orcs
of the Bloodmarch despise all writing.
The Sisterhood of Viraga has no pres-
ence in the Bloodmarch, but the female
orcs wield as much power as they do in
Ravenland.
Étosh is not a god, but a term for
Volitia’s will, intention, and creation.
Males are supposed to embody Étosh
through manly deeds, such as war, song,
competition, procreation, and dom-
ination. They see themselves as the
all-mother’s tools and their accomplish-
ments are what matters. A good male is
capable, commanding, strong-willed, and
produces strong offspring. Worthiness
before Volitia is often displayed through
religious symbols of varying complexity.
It is possible to ritually challenge others
for ownership of such symbols.
 WOLFKIN
There have been wolfkin in the Bloodmarch for
a very long time. They are more confident than
their fellow kinsfolk in Ravenland, and nobody
sees them as the spawn of demons. It is instead
said that the wolfkin of the Bloodmarch were
created long ago by the Nightwalker Guard
for a specific purpose now forgotten,
though it is supposedly hidden in
their noses. Wolfkin in the Blood-
march often mingle with orcs
and will sometimes pro-
duce offspring with
one another, known
as grargs.

GRARGS: Grargs are bulkier, more

aggressive, and more animalistic than
ordinary wolfkin. They also have tusks
which make them look like wild boar
on two legs. Grargs often move around
the dwellings without living in them,
because they are temperamental, ster-
ile, and unable to form packs, but they
can participate in hunts and battles
alongside their relatives on both sides.
The wolfkin keep them on a tight leash
and do not hesitate to kill grargs who
pose a threat to their young. In major
battles the orcs will sometimes arm
grargs with heavy knuckledusters and
other crude weapons, drug them into
a frenzy, and use them as vanguards
on the battlefield where they advance
like flesh-tearing windmills.

22

chapter 3
 THE NIGHTWALKER GUARD
The Nightwalker, who in the Blood-
march is commonly known as the
Nightwalker Guard or simply Guard,
watches from the transitions of life. His
two faces peer into this world as well
as the next. In other words, he exists
between day and night, life and death,
sleep and wakefulness.
Wolfkin in the Bloodmarch refer to
the Nightwalker as the Alpha of Alphas
and see him as the protector of night-
time creatures. Rather than praying to
HALFLINGS AND GOBLINS
There are few native halflings in the Blood-
march, though small groups of them are
rumored to dwell in secluded valleys. They
are very shy, but also much more sympathetic
towards each other than in Ravenland. Perhaps
it is true that moon elves and wolfkin before the
Demon Flood would hunt and kill these two kin,
who never again trusted anyone but each other.
The halflings and goblins encountered in the
Bloodmarch come almost exclusively from Raven-
land. They are pilgrims in search of the moon-
stones that some say were torn from their chests
when their kin was split into halflings and goblins.
23
the lay of the land
the Alpha of Alphas, the wolfkin strive
to become one with him under his lead-
ership. To find one’s place in the pack
and live one’s life accordingly is usually
how wolfkin define the meaning of life.
Worshipers of the Nightwalker
often accept the moon goddess Eor
as the god’s helper, his eyes, and
sometimes his wife. The shadowy mist
creatures known as umbras which can
sometimes be glimpsed at dusk and
dawn are believed to be sent by Guard
to report on what they see and hear.
The god also has his own cult in the
Bloodmarch – the Order of Egression,
who in the name of Guard bring peace
to the dead so that they can move on
from this life.
REGIONS
ASHENVALE
The eastern plain of the Bloodmarch is called
Ashenvale and was traditionally home to the
Galdane horse clan. This part of the Blood-
march was hit hardest and without warning by
the Demon Flood in the year 875 AS, where-
upon the Galdanes who did not make it to
Ravenland were virtually wiped out, at least
in their human form. The clan has recovered
somewhat in recent years, but is still weak and
few in number.

EOR
Halflings and goblins worship
the moon goddess Eor and think
of her as their mother. Other
kin generally dislike the moon,
which they perceive as false and
scheming. In Ravenland mythol-
ogy, Eor was jealous when the
Red Wanderer of the sky cast
rubies into the world and cre-
ated the elves. She therefore
sent down her own moonstones
from which the nocturnal moon
elves were born.
But at the time of the Shift,
when the Raven God divided
the land, the moon elves tried
to trick him. As punishment he
tore the moonstones from their
chests and split their kin into
halflings and goblins. The moon-
stones were allegedly hidden in
the Bloodmarch.
In the Bloodmarch, Eor is only
worshiped by halflings and gob-
lins from the outside world. They
revere salt as holy dust fallen
from the moon. It can penetrate
anything and be ritually purified
into a powder so holy that it
preserves food from rot.
24
chapter 3
Contrary to what some people believe, the
region is not named the Ashenvale after the dev-
astation, but because its soil consists of grayish
black volcanic ashes from the volcano Horn.
This ash is highly fertile as long as it is irrigated.
Many Ravenlanders mistakenly believe that the
entire Bloodmarch is called the Ashenvale, since
they do not know about its more remote areas.
THE BLACK
The Black north of the Ashen Vale is even
blacker with Horn’s volcanic ashes. It also
has cliffs of obsidian – black volcanic glass –
a traditional material for temples, sculptures,
weapons, jewelry, and talismans throughout
the Bloodmarch. The rocky black landscape is
streaked with porous white cinder, which creates
a strange contrast throughout the entire region.
The Black and Vasnia in the north first
belonged to the country’s indigenous people,
Vasnians, and later to the Quard horse clan. The
Quards were at constant war with the Galdane
and Houn clans from Havemark. Six centuries
ago, a large group of Quards emigrated to Raven-
land. The descendants of those who stayed behind,
who were also decimated by demons, still portray
them as weaklings and traitors in their stories.
VASNIA
Vasnia is a more mountainous and less accessible
region dominated by the Bloodmarch’s indige-
nous people, the Vasnians. There are plenty of
orcs and wolfkin as well. The horse clans will
usually not enter Vasnia unless they are many
and well-armed, since they are not viewed favor-
ably there. There are rumors about a few heavily
fortified villages built around ore deposits, but
otherwise Vasnia consists almost entirely of
wilderness. The Quards maintain a nominal
claim on Vasnia, but in practice they have no
control over the region.
HAVENMARK
Havenmark is named after the volcano god’s wife,
Have. The region was once lush and beautiful
with verdant hills and woods where elves and
humans lived in peace with each other. Now the
land is badly tainted with demon plague and the
very center of the unnatural vegetation’s spread.
Most who are not red elves stay away from there.
The Houn clan that once ruled Havenmark
is all but extinct and its few surviving members
tend to avoid both humans and other kin, but
have nevertheless been energized by their strong
young leader Selligar Horne. The consensus in
the Bloodmarch is that Alderland somehow
contributed to the Houn’s downfall through
betrayal. But then again, malicious rumors
about the Alderlanders spread like weeds in the
Bloodmarch.
FIRESTEAD
A river of lava known as Burn flows westward
from the volcano Horn until it crashes down into
the wide gorge called Scorne Gorge. The dwar-
ven realm north of Burn is called Firestead and
coped fairly well with the Demon Flood, since
the dwarves during the worst attacks managed
to hold Heldendrum, the only natural bridge
over the lava river. However, as civil war broke
out between two dwarven clans, the Tarkins
joined forces with demons who thereby gained
25
the lay of the land
a foothold in Firestead as well. But the country
is still relatively unscathed by the demons’ rav-
ages, partly because there is not much to destroy.
The dwarves are relentlessly hunting down all
hateful miscreations and digging lava ditches
through the use of magma singing.
THE WAILING
The wind-swept plain of The Wailing is named
after the goddess Wail. Here, like in the even
stormier Kreysel, the Sabirian horse clan once
rode on their winged steeds. The eastern part of
The Wailing is often called the Forest of Stone
because of its numerous ravines and pillar-like
cliffs. It is believed that the horses who roamed
this area before the humans arrived developed
wings so they would be able to move through
the immense landscape and escape predators.
The Sabirians are now as divided as the other
horse clans in the Bloodmarch.
KREYSEL
The plain narrows toward the west into the
Screaming Land of Kreysel. Here the west wind
howls so strongly and fiercely that few creatures
can survive for long. The enduring plants are
thick and grow along the ground, while animals
in the region have developed turtle-like legs so
as not to get swept away. The wind grew stronger
during the Demon Flood, likely enhanced by
magical means as the sorcerers of The Drawn
Lands beyond Kreysel closed the passage to pro-
tect themselves. Anyone who travels west will
eventually be stopped by the raging hurricane
near the boundaries of The Drawn Lands. No
one knows what lies beyond.
 STRILLING
Strilling mainly consists of arid shrublands
where carnivorous dread raptors prey on wild
horses and whatever else they can find. The
regions of Strilling and Druma traditionally
belonged to the Caberian horse clan, a militant
warrior clan where young children were taught
to fight on horseback before they could walk. In
fact, it is said that Caberian warriors cannot
walk even as adults because they rarely leave
their saddles, which has left them so bowlegged
that they can only waddle along like ducks, to
the amusement of others.
DRUMA
Druma could have been a pleasant, undu-
lating land with lush forests, if not for the
constant battles between the Bloodmarch
and Alderland that were fought there. At
the time of the wars there were a number of
fortifications in the area – not only walls,
palisades, and forts, but specially prepared
plains, cleared and hardened to facilitate cav-
alry charges. Ever since the route to Alder-
land was closed during the Demon Flood,
the region has fallen into relative obscurity
and a certain calm has settled there in recent
centuries. Unfortunately, this calm is not
only suitable to farmers, but also to demons
trying to establish themselves in the world
of humans.
26
chapter 3
VARINA
The southwest corner of the Bloodmarch is hill-
ier than the plains up north. The landscape grad-
ually rises into a highland towards the moun-
tains in the southeast. It is a beautiful place,
but nevertheless avoided by the horse clans who
think it lies beyond the domains of the volcano
god Horn. Furthermore, the region is ill-suited
for riding as stones will often come loose under
the horses’ hooves and cause them to stumble.
HADRUMA
The highland of Hadruma rises towards Gan-
der’s Pass in the southeast. It has been a devas-
tated area for as long as anyone can remember,
populated exclusively by vultures and wild dogs.
On its barren slopes lie the bones and armor
parts of countless generations, withered and
trampled by subsequent armies.
The Gander, a special guild of mages honored
by both sides, watched over the pass for as long as it
was open, but never favored either side in the wars.
The eight wisest of the Gander climbed up the
gigantic pillars that lined the pass and stayed there
for the rest of their lives, at the end of which they
hurled themselves to the ground below. Anyone
who wanted could climb the eight pillars, known
as the Feathershanks, to seek advice and prophecies.
During the Demon Flood, the sides of Gan-
der’s Pass collapsed into several of the pillars and
the pass has been blocked ever since. No one knows
whether the collapse was caused by an earthquake
or if the Gander triggered it themselves.
 MAGIC

Lancer Ergenman woke with a whimper, sweaty on his

bed of straw. He pinched the twigs to regain the sensation in
his fingers
“Now do you recognize the power of the goddess Oneira?”
asked Bretella with a smile that was less than friendly.
“Everyone has nightmares,” answered the warrior sourly.
“That doesn’t mean I believe in dream ghosts!”
The woman eyed him. Suddenly she ripped off the man’s
right hand and took a bite out of it, and from the wound
poured not blood, but wine.
“Beware, blasphemer, and choose your words carefully if
you ever want to wake again, for you are still in the dream
realm of Oneira.”

A
ll spells from the Player’s Handbook in
the base game are found in the Blood-
march as well. In addition, there are
three new schools of magic: Magma Song as
practiced by the country’s priests of Horn, Men-
talism as practiced by the moon elves of the
Bloodmarch, and Oneiromancy as it is taught
by the followers of the Dreamstress (page 96).
Adventurers who were not born in the Blood-
march cannot know these magical traditions at
the start of the game, but must find masters will-
ing to teach them. Each school is a separate talent,
that can be learned by Druids and Sorceres alike.
Furthermore, there are local orders and cults
that can cast spells from already existing magi-
cal traditions. These are the Order of Egression
(Death Magic), the Pyrolytes (Elemental Magic
and Healing), and Ad Vipera (Shapeshifting).
The Order of the Ironbrows from Alderland also
has magnetic abilities similar to magic.

27

magic
 FIRE MEMORY
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Near
✥ DUR ATION: Immediate
✥ INGREDIENT: A fistful of sand thrown
at the stone
You can instantly melt stone into lava. Up to a
cubic meter of stone can be melted per Power
Level. Fire Memory only affects stone that
was once lava – not marble or other kinds of
limestone.
WATER MEMORY
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: Immediate
✥ INGREDIENT: Some form of smoke or
steam in your vicinity
You can make water instantly go from ice to cold
water to warm water to steam or vice versa, one
step per Power Level. The spell can affect up
to two liters of water per Power Level. A con-
tainer whose liquid is vaporized explodes and
inflicts one point of damage per Power Level
to Strength on everyone within ARM’S LENGTH
range. Water that is instantly frozen can shat-
ter a lock or container and cause opponents to
slip unless they succeed with a MOVE roll. The
water inside living creatures cannot be affected.
Bonus: You can heat or cool the beverage
in your cup to a suitable drinking tempera-
ture without spending Willpower Points or roll-
ing dice. Furthermore, you are not negatively
affected by changes in weather temperature.
30
chapter 4
STEAM FLIGHT
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Personal
✥ DUR ATION: One round per Power Level
✥ INGREDIENT: A container of water
carried in one’s arms
You can make steam shoot out of a carried water
container with such force that you are lifted off
the ground, either rising vertically one meter
per round or flying horizontally one zone per
round until the effect wears off or the water
runs out. If aimed at a living creature within
ARM’S LENGTH range, the steam inflicts one
point of damage to Strength per round.
MAGMA CASCADE
✥ R ANK: 3
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: Immediate
✥ INGREDIENT: A fist-sized stone
You can make a fist-sized chunk of volcanic rock
explode in a cascade of magma that burns anyone
standing too close and sets fire to combustible
objects. The stone can explode in the desired
location with a successful MARKSMANSHIP roll;
otherwise the explosion takes place within NEAR
range of the location in question. Alternatively,
you can make a suitable stone on the ground
explode in a magma cascade just as the target
walks by, without making a skill roll. Everyone
within ARM’S LENGTH range of the explosion
suffers one point of damage to Strength per
Power Level.
 FIREWALL
✥ R ANK: 3
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: One turn per Power Level
✥ INGREDIENT: Pulverized coal
You cause a one-meter-thick horizontal or ver-
tical firewall to burst out of a volcanic rock.
The flames stretch one meter from the rock
per Power Level and cover up to three meters
in width per Power Level. Anyone who tries
to pass through the wall suffers one point of
damage to Strength per Power Level.
SUMMON FIRE WYRM
✥ R ANK: 3
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: One turn
✥ INGREDIENT: A spear stuck into the
ground and broken
You can summon a fire wyrm (page 111) from
beneath the earth as long as you are standing
on volcanic ground. Its Strength is equal to the
Power Level times 6. The fire wyrm arrives in
one turn and attacks everything in sight, except
the person who summoned it. The fire wyrm
cannot burst through solid rock.
MENTALISM
The moon elves of Anoma beyond the seas were
masters of mentalism, a magical tradition that
affects the perception, memory, and will of
intelligent creatures. They stole the Eighth
Mother from the worm people and fled, first to
Ravenland and then onwards to Aslene. Modern
moon elves have lost much of this knowledge,
but are still excellent manipulators.

MENTAL STRENGTH
MENTALISM ✥ R ANK: 1
SPELL RANK ✥ R ANGE: Near
Mental Strength 1 ✥ DUR ATION: One turn per Power Level

Wordplay 1
Traceless 1 You can make one allied person or creature per
Power Level resistant to all damage to Wits and
Confusion 2
Empathy, as well as all fear attacks. When tar-
Amnesia 2
geted by magical attacks against these attributes,
Truth Sense 2
the person can make an INSIGHT roll (not an
False Shape 3 action) with a positive modification equal to
Fata Morgana 3 the Power Level to resist the attack. The roll
Geas 3 cannot be pushed.

31

magic
 WORDPLAY
✥ R ANK: 1
✥ R ANGE: Near
✥ DUR ATION: Permanent
You can make one person per Power Level rein-
terpret what is said by using an ambiguous or
homonymous word – i.e. a word or phrase that
sounds the same but means something else.
Example: “So you will give me this animal?”
when you are negotiating to buy a ewe, after
which the farmer gives you the animal for free.
TRACELESS
✥ R ANK: 1
✥ R ANGE: Personal
✥ DUR ATION: One hour per Power Level
Any trace of you and one other person or crea-
ture per Power Level is completely altered for
the duration of the spell. You do not become
invisible, but your appearance, voice, body lan-
guage, scent, and other personal traits change
so that even a trained bloodhound immediately
loses your trail. You cannot control how others
perceive you – that is randomized or decided
by the GM.
CONFUSION
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: One round per Power Level
You can briefly reduce another person’s Wits
to zero, which renders them Broken (without
32
chapter 4
suffering a critical injury) and incapable of
rational thought. The victim must make an
INSIGHT roll (not an action) with a negative
modification equal to the Power Level to resist
the spell. The roll cannot be pushed. Once the
spell wears off the person recovers one point
of Wits per round.
AMNESIA
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: Permanent
You can make one intelligent person per Power
Level forget what happened during the previ-
ous turn. The victim must make an INSIGHT
roll (not an action) with a negative modifica-
tion equal to the Power Level to resist the spell.
The roll cannot be pushed. An affected person
is not changed in any other way, but must reas-
sess the situation.
TRUTH SENSE
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Near
✥ DUR ATION: One turn per Power Level
✥ INGREDIENT: A nut
The spell lets you tell if someone is lying, see
through illusions, and understand what some-
thing hidden or distorted really is. For each
Power Level the GM reveals something signif-
icant about the thing’s true nature.
 FALSE SHAPE
✥ R ANK: 3
✥ R ANGE: Personal
✥ DUR ATION: One turn per Power Level
✥ INGREDIENT: A living pupa which
is eaten
You can change your own appearance, voice,
and smell into those of another living creature
between half and double your original size. You
do not acquire the creature’s attributes or lan-
guage, even if it seems that way to others – it
is only an illusion. Everyone who sees you can
make an INSIGHT roll to understand that it is
an illusion. Each additional Power Level adds
–1 to the INSIGHT roll. A person within ARM’S
LENGTH range who touches you immediately
realizes that it is an illusion.
FATA MORGANA
✥ R ANK: 3
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: One round per Power Level
✥ INGREDIENT: A mirror or polished
piece of metal
You can create an illusion and control it with
your mind. The illusion looks and acts accord-
ing to your will, but is completely immaterial,
has no scent, and leaves no trace. Everyone who
sees the illusion can make an INSIGHT roll to
understand that it is an illusion. Each addi-
tional Power Level adds –1 to the roll. Anyone
who touches the illusion immediately sees
through it. In order to maintain the illusion,
33
magic
the caster must concentrate on it and cannot
perform any other actions. More complex illu-
sions require a higher Power Level. A motion-
less illusion of a wall requires Power Level 1,
but creating a convincing illusion of a person
running around the corner of a house might
require Power Level 3. The GM determines the
Power Level required based on the description
of the illusion.
GEAS
✥ R ANK: 3
✥ R ANGE: Near
✥ DUR ATION: Until the action is per-
formed or one day per Power Level
✥ INGREDIENT: An item from the
creature
Geas forces a creature to perform an action
of your choosing. The creature must be able
to understand you for the spell to work. The
spell can make the creature perform almost
any action, but you cannot force it to commit
suicide or act in a way that leads to its death.
The victim must make an INSIGHT roll (not
an action) with a negative modification equal
to the Power Level. On a failure, the creature
remains enchanted until the action is carried
out, no matter how long it takes. If the action
proves impossible to carry out, the spell is can-
celed after one day per Power Level.
 ONEIROMANCY ONEIROMANCY
Oneiromancy is also known as dream magic. SPELL RANK
The tradition is taught by the Aslene prophet Premonition 1
called the Dreamstress. The Dreamstress is Nightmares 1
a key player in the campaign Legacy of Horn Restorative Sleep 1
(page 96). Oneiromancers usually perform
Dream Visit 2
their magic while dreaming or in a trance, but
Mara 2
a few spells that affects the sleep of others can
Lullaby 2
be cast while awake.
Dream Travel 3
Sand Sleep 3
PREMONITION Prophetic Dreams 3
✥ R ANK: 1, Ritual
✥ R ANGE: Personal
✥ DUR ATION: The day after a night’s sleep
You can affect the sleep of one or multiple living
Once per Power Level, you can make a skill creatures by injecting nightmares into their
roll for an action and only once you have seen minds. The victims suffer damage to Wits equal
the outcome of that action decide whether you to the Power Level. A victim that has its Wits
actually went through with it or chose not to, reduced to zero suffers a critical fear injury.
since you knew beforehand that it would turn For every two additional Power Levels another
out badly. With Power Level 2 and higher, pre- victim is affected. The nightmares also render
monitions can also apply to your allies’ skill the creature SLEEPLESS for the next day. The
rolls, but it only works if they have slept next spell has no effect on monsters.
to you. You do not have to reveal the outcome,
and the person in question decides whether or
not the action is performed. Premonitioned RESTORATIVE SLEEP
rolls cannot be pushed or re-rolled after back- ✥ R ANK: 1, Ritual
ing out. ✥ R ANGE: Personal
✥ DUR ATION: The day after a night’s sleep

NIGHTMARES After a night of restorative dreams you can

✥ R ANK: 1 increase one attribute or skill level per Power
✥ R ANGE: Near Level by one step for the rest of the day. Each
✥ DUR ATION: Immediate attribute or skill can only be increased one step.

34

chapter 4
 DREAM VISIT
✥ R ANK: 2, Ritual
✥ R ANGE: Unlimited
✥ DUR ATION: One turn per Power Level
In your sleep you can travel to any place that
you have previously visited, invisibly watching
and hearing what is going on there. An addi-
tional Power Level allows you to appear before
and communicate with people in that place, but
not act physically.
MARA
✥ R ANK: 2, Ritual
✥ R ANGE: Personal
✥ DUR ATION: One Quarter Day
You can summon a mara and force it to haunt
a victim. For attributes and attacks, see Mara
in the adventure site Oxengelder (page 194).
You decide what form the mara should take, as
long as it is not bigger than a human. But the
figure is always twisted and terrifying, and a
summoned mara always shares some features
with the oneiromancer who conjured it. When
summoning it, the sorcerer slips into a dream
where the victim is visualized for the mara, who
immediately goes after them. The sorcerer must
have a clear mental image of the victim for the
mara to understand who it is supposed to haunt.
The mara does everything in its power to attack
its victim, and everything it sees the sorcerer can
see as well, as long as they remain in the dream.
After completing its task, the mara disappears
back into the shadows. The sorcerer may choose
to wake from the dream at any time, but can
never resume contact with the mara.
35
magic
LULLABY
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: Takes effect in one turn.
Sleep lasts a Quarter Day unless the
sleeper is woken up.
You sing a quiet lullaby that makes humanoid
creatures within range fall into a deep slumber
unless they succeed with an INSIGHT roll (not
an action) with a negative modification equal
to the Power Level. The sleepers can be woken
up, but will stay asleep if left alone. The lul-
laby also affects allies unless they somehow
plug their ears.
DREAM TRAVEL
✥ R ANK: 3, Ritual
✥ R ANGE: Unlimited
✥ DUR ATION: Travel after a Quarter
Day’s sleep
In your sleep, you can travel to any previously
visited location. You bring with you any items
on your person, but no animals or bulky bag-
gage. Each additional Power Level allows you
to bring another sleeping creature with you on
your journey, but only to places that you have
personally visited. You are transported after a
Quarter Day’s sleep and wake up fully rested at
your destination.
 SAND SLEEP You can conjure or repair a non-magical item
✥ R ANK: 3 of moderate value during a night of prophetic
✥ R ANGE: Near dreams. You can also recreate someone’s lost
✥ DUR ATION: Immediate, sleep lasts a body part, heal a condition, or even bring some-
Quarter Day one back from the dead, but only if you have
✥ INGREDIENT: A handful of fine sand not slept since the death or injury occurred.

By throwing a handful of sand around your-

self, you render all living, warm-blooded crea-
tures of human size or smaller within NEAR
range unconscious. Resisting the spell requires
a successful INSIGHT roll (not an action) with a
negative modification equal to the Power Level.
Only you can wake them up while the spell is
in effect. The spell also affects nearby allies.
MAGNETISM
Magnetism is a form of iron-based magic devel-
oped within the Rust Church’s warrior cult the
Ironbrows (page 81). It is typically not taught
to anyone outside of the order.

PROPHETIC DREAMS PATH OF IRON

✥ R ANK: 3, Ritual ✥ R ANK: 1
✥ R ANGE: Near ✥ R ANGE: Near
✥ DUR ATION: Permanent after a Quarter ✥ DUR ATION: One Quarter Day per
Day’s sleep Power Level
✥ INGREDIENT: Bone from a dead
creature You can trace a person carrying iron items up
to one day after the person passed by, since
the weak magnetism of the metal affects the
ground where the individual has walked. Each
MAGNETISM item leaves a unique trace. The trace cannot be
SPELL RANK followed in water.
Path of Iron 1
Iron Will 1
IRON WILL
Stanch Blood 1
✥ R ANK: 1
Attract 2
✥ R ANGE: Near
Repel 2
✥ DUR ATION: One turn
Bloodshock 3

You can manipulate objects that contain metal;

locking or unlocking shackles, unlocking

36

chapter 4
doors without a key, make someone’s sword
temporarily stick in its sheath or shield, and
so on – provided that the components contain
metal. At Power Level 1 you can open or lock
simple locks and manipulate light items. At
Power Level 2 you can manipulate normal-
sized items, and Power Level 3 allows you
to manipulate large, heav y items. The GM
determines which Power Level is required
for heavy items.
STANCH BLOOD
✥ R ANK: 1
✥ R ANGE: Arm’s Length
✥ DUR ATION: Immediate
You can stanch a bleeding wound by manipulat-
ing the iron levels in the blood, automatically
saving the life of a person who has sustained a
fatal critical injury.
ATTRACT
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Short
✥ DUR ATION: One round
You can magnetize an enemy in metal armor so
that it becomes easier to hit with metal weap-
ons and suffers increased damage from such
attacks. The spell adds a number of bonus dice
equal to the Power Level to all attacks with
metal weapons made against the enemy. You can
also use the Power Level to make the effect last
longer – each additional Power Level increases
the duration by one round.
37
magic
REPEL
✥ R ANK: 2
✥ R ANGE: Arm’s Length
✥ DUR ATION: One turn per Power Level
You can make a metal armor anti-magnetic so
that it repels weapons containing metal, includ-
ing arrows with metal arrowheads. A negative
modification equal to the Power Level is added
to all attacks with metal weapons.
BLOODSHOCK
✥ R ANK: 3
✥ R ANGE: Near
✥ DUR ATION: One Quarter Day
You can manipulate an enemy’s blood so that
the victim immediately loses consciousness.
Resisting the spell requires a successful Wits
roll (not an action) with a negative modification
equal to the Power Level. The victim cannot
be woken, but wakes up by themselves once the
magic wears off. You can also use the Power
Level to affect multiple victims at once – every
two steps of increased Power Level causes the
spell to affect an additional victim.
For example, Power Level 3 can affect two
victims and Power Level 5 three victims.

DRUGS & POTIONS
This section describes a number of drugs and
potions found in the Bloodmarch.
BLUE TAR
Blue Tar is produced by stripping the bark from
the holy blue pines of Have and tapping them for
sap. The sap is boiled into a thick, bluish-black
liquid that has healing and cleansing properties,
but is harmful to demons. Boiling Blue Tar
takes time and requires a large stationary facility.
At the temple of Ashenstead on Mount
Faltenvil burns the sacred blue flame of the
goddess Have. If a torch or lantern is lit inside
the temple, its flame also turns blue and holy
and can be brought from there. All priests of
Have can move such holy fire to some other
combustible material and thus keep it burning,
but they cannot spread the holy fire into mul-
tiple flames. For example, if five torches are lit
with holy fire, only one of the six flames will
turn blue and holy – the priest decides which
one, and in the absence of a priest it is decided
at random.
DAMAGE TO DEMONS:
✥ Blue Tar grants +1 damage against
all demons
✥ Combining Blue Tar with holy fire grants
another +1 damage, for a total of +2.
HEALING PROPERTIES:
✥ Halts Crimson Plague which one can
contract in Crimson Forests.
✥ Cures Crimson Plague if the Blue Tar is
first heated on holy fire.
38
chapter 4
OTHER PROPERTIES:
✥ Makes Horn’s Astra glow briefly if they
are smeared with Blue Tar.
✥ Can be used to claim ownership of Horn’s
Astra (see the potion Blue Blood).
✥ Can be used to fuel the mechanical horse
Witherbeam.
✥ Can locally kill demonic vegetation and
neutralize spore tissue on the ground.
BLUE BLOOD
Blue Blood is a mixture of Blue
Tar and one’s own blood in equal
proportion. The fluid is used for
ritual purposes only. For exam-
ple, it is needed in order to claim
ownership of one of Horn’s Astra.
See the introduction of the cam-
paign Legacy of Horn.
REPLENISHMENT: Blue Tar can be purchased
or obtained in several places in the Bloodmarch.
✥ The temple and adventure site Ashenstead
✥ The adventure site Taregyll, as long as the
village still exists
✥ The Pyrolytes if they are friendly
with the PC
✥ Evianda at the temple in the adventure
site Salterstay
✥ The elf Cavaldo in the adventure site
Watch of the Sisters
✥ The Kogler in the adventure site Tribolia
of the Kogler
✥ The merchant Kresos in the adventure
site Bann Guelder
✥ The Inglourious Butchars (random
encounter, page 141)
✥ The druid The Shrike (random encounter,
page 138)
✥ The Guardian Temple (random encounter,
page 147)
LYCOPODIUM POWDER
Lycopodium Powder is stored in a pouch
(TINY item).
WEAPON: Lycopodium Powder can be used
against demons and blown at a demon within
ARM’S LENGTH range. The attack is rolled with
MIGHT. It has base damage 1 and cannot be
parried or dodged. If the attack inflicts damage,
the demon starts burning and suffers one point
of damage per round until the fire is put out.
Putting out the fire requires a successful MOVE
roll (fast action in combat).
HEALING: Burning Lycopodium Powder in
a wound gives a D12 artifact die for HEALING .
However, burning the wound is so painful that
the adventurer must succeed with an ENDUR-
ANCE roll to resist passing out. On failure the
adventurer is unconscious for a Quarter Day.
CRIMSON OOZE
Crimson Ooze is a viscous, red fluid found all
over the Crimson Forests. Some of it is pro-
duced by slime snails, but it also flows through
the veins of the pearlyveines. Crimson Forest
can grow along a trail of Crimson Ooze, which
39
magic
allows it to spread. Anyone who ingests the fluid
contracts Crimson Sickness (see the Journeys
section). An elven ruby placed in Crimson Ooze
(for example inside the giant snail Kasabatoda)
will grow into a red elf.
DENSE WATER
Dense Water is condensed water produced by
the dwarven druids of Aslene. It looks like
ordinary water, but lasts much longer both for
drinking and other uses. The resource die for
water is only lowered on result 1. Dense Water
is also a powerful cleaning agent said to wash
away vermin, mange, tattoos, and even dis-
figuring scars and unfortunate facial features.
The water has therefore become much sought
after in Alderland.
In the campaign Legacy of Horn, Dense
Water is used to wash away the ownership of
Horn’s Astra. It is also used as brake fluid in
the mechanical horse Witherbeam.
The production process is secret and must be
supervised by a master. Among the ingredients
are a live kidney and water run during certain
astrological alignments.
REPLENISHMENT: Dense Water can be
purchased or obtained in several places in the
Bloodmarch.
✥ The Kogler in the adventure site Tribolia
of the Kogler
✥ The adventure site Ashenstead
✥ Kresos in the adventure site Bann Guelder
✥ Master Menasse (the random encounter
Dense Water, page 134)
✥ The Guardian Temple (random encounter,
page 147)
 JOURNEYS IN
THE BLOODMARCH

The dew bound the ash on the ground, just as the guide had said it would.
Now dried by the heat of day, the dust puffed up with every step until no
one could see their feet. They headed towards the volcano Quard in the
north, but soon a wind stirred everything around them into gray. The
dust soured in their throats like stale beer. They decided to wait it out in
their tents, since no one knew where they were going. As they sat there,
the laughter of small voices reached them from the haze, and Bodvar
who was once a slave swore he smelled the scent of hunger in the wind.
Everyone drew their swords, though it gave them little courage.

A
slene, known to many as the Bloodmarch,
is drier than Ravenland, with barren cen-
tral plains where sharp grass and shrubs
are defiantly holding on in the wind. It has no
swamps or marshes, though there are plenty of
streams and rivers flowing to the plains from
the mountains. The soil is often dark with vol-
canic ash and fertile as long as there is water.
NEW TERRAIN
terrain types: Ashlands, Firelands, and Crim-
son Forest. When the adventurers LEAD THE
WAY, FORAGE , or MAKE CAMP in these areas
and suffer a mishap, a roll is made on the spe-
cial tables further on in this chapter.
HUNT: If the player characters HUNT in the
Bloodmarch, use the rules in the Player’s Hand-
book but roll for the type of animal on the table
on page 51. Use the regular mishap table
from the Player’s Handbook. Animals in a Crim-
son Forest are often twisted versions of the

TYPES ones in Ravenland, and their appearance and

behavior can be harder to predict.
The Bloodmarch has forests, plains, hills,
and high mountains, but also three unique

40

chapter 5
 NEW TERRAIN TYPES
TYPE MOVEMENT FORAGE HUNT
Active volcano Blocks movement, — —
but the crater is reachable
Ashlands Open terrain — —
Firelands Difficult terrain −2 —
Crimson Forest Difficult terrain +1 +1

ASHLANDS
The black Ashlands are desert-like plains of vol-
canic ash where nothing grows. In this terrain
type there is nothing to hunt, nor any edible
plants to forage. The only water available is in
the form of poisonous, dead pools (Potency
D6+3). It is not advisable to make camp in Ash-
lands No healing or recovery of attributes can
take place in this hazardous environment.
FIRELANDS
In Firelands, the magma flows so close to the
surface that the ground burns under one’s feet.
There are no edible animals to hunt. It is possi-
ble to forage for heat-resistant algae and certain
edible roots, but it is hard and rarely reward-
ing work. Water is found in geysers and boiling
springs, but it is undrinkable (Potency D6+1).
Making camp in Firelands counts as sleep-
ing on bare ground, albeit in sweltering heat
rather than freezing cold. The adventurers must
make a SURVIVAL roll to get any sleep at all,
and wake up THIRSTY.
Hiking through Firelands requires a success-
ful SURVIVAL roll every Quarter Day in order
not to suffer 1 point of damage to Strength
from the hot ground.
THE MAP
The large map of the Bloodmarch
(sold separately, and available
for free download on the Free
League website) is divided into
hexagons. As with the map
of Ravenland, one hexagon is
roughly 10 kilometers across.
The two maps can be placed side
by side so that their edges line
up at the top.
CRIMSON FOREST
The most peculiar terrain type is the Crimson
Forest – blood-red demon jungles tangled like
spilled entrails in a strange landscape where
grotesque hybrids of animals and plants roam
in search of prey.
In Crimson Forest it is not hard to find
things that seem edible, but whoever eats or
drinks anything off the land must succeed with
an ENDURANCE roll not to contract Crimson
Sickness.

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journeys in the bloodmarch

CRIMSON SICKNESS: Adventurers who enter a
Crimson Forest risk contracting Crimson Sick-
ness. The GM rolls D3 on the table below for
each infected adventurer to determine the initial
symptoms. The symptoms appear after a Quar-
ter Day. Each subsequent morning an infected
adventurer must succeed with an ENDURANCE
roll not to drop one step on the table while
retaining all previous symptoms. However, the
penalties to Empathy do not stack.
The Crimson Sickness can be halted by
drinking Blue Tar (page 38) every day and
cured completely if the Blue Tar has been heated
on the holy fire of Have.

PENALTY TO
D3 SYMPTOM
1 Bloodshot eyes.
2 Blood streaks from ves-
sels in the skin of the
neck and torso.
3 Red, pulsating blood
vessels on all limbs.
4 Red hand with a will of
its own.
5 Growths on the body.
6 Deformation of the face
and hands.
CRIMSON SICKNESS
EMPATHY EFFECT
–1 The victim’s vision is affected so that the
world looks more red.
–1 The victim feels nauseous at the sight of
colors that do not contain red.
–1 The victim cannot see blood without
wanting to lick it up.
–1 The victim must attack creatures that
do not have anything red on them
(including blood).
–2 Small, fleshy growths protrude under the
victim’s skin.
–2 The victim’s face is twisted almost
beyond recognition. The hands become
crooked like talons and all SLEIGHT OF
HAND rolls have a –2 modification.

7 Tentacles on the back –2 A handful of tentacles grow out of the

and hips.
8 Boils and red slime
oozing from the skin and
orifices.
9 The body explodes or
dissolves.
victim’s body. The tentacles attack items
or creatures within ARM’S LENGTH range
of you that do not have anything red on
them.
–2 Anyone who touches the person’s
bare skin gets infected with Crimson
Sickness.
— The person dies. Their remains are
soaked up by the ground and start
spreading Crimson Forest at that spot.

42

chapter 5
 LEADING THE WAY MISHAPS IN ASHLANDS
D66 MISHAP EFFECT
11–12 Unstable The road ahead is blocked. The ground is unstable and riddled
ground with deep sinkholes. You must spend this Quarter Day trying
to find another route before you can leave the hexagon.
13–21 Misstep The pathfinder takes a bad step and sustains a critical injury
– see result 25–26 on the Blunt Force table (page 197 in the
Player’s Handbook).
22–26 Ash hole What you thought was solid ground turns out to be tightly
packed ash as it gives way beneath your feet. Everyone must
make a MOVE roll – those who fail suffer an attack with four
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt trauma).
31–33 Ash wind A could of ash swirls up and burns your eyes. All adventurers
must succeed with a SURVIVAL roll or be temporarily blinded.
Blinded adventurers act as in total darkness for the next
Quarter Day (see page 112 in the Player’s Handbook).
34–36 Poisonous The sky turns pitch black. Your eyes start to sting, and every
ash wind breath is like inhaling fire. All adventurers must succeed with a
SURVIVAL roll or be temporarily blinded. The ash also burns in
your lungs as a lethal poison with Potency 6 (see page 113 in
the Player’s Handbook).
41–45 Sudden The sky opens in a deluge of rain that turns the ashes into mud.
downpour The distance you cover this Quarter Day is decreased by one
hexagon. In difficult terrain you cannot travel at all. In addition,
your equipment is covered with wet ashes, which lowers morale
so that all of you suffer 1 point of damage to Empathy.
46–52 Ash storm You see a dark wall of ash coming towards you, and you are
caught in a dust storm. You must make camp to wait out the
storm, thereby losing your movement this Quarter Day.
53–56 Stray The stench of sulfur penetrates your nostrils, whereupon you
smolderers are attacked by D6 ravenous smolderers (page 102).
61–63 Wounded Further ahead a massive creature is crawling on top of the ashen
kton ground. It slithers swiftly towards you in pursuit of prey. But the
Kton is wounded and only has half its Strength (page 111).
64–66 Sinkhole An underground gas pocket near the adventurers explodes in
a cloud of dust. Everyone must succeed with a SURVIVAL roll
or suffer one point of damage to Strength. If anyone is car-
rying a torch or lantern, the gas flares up and inflicts 1 point
of damage to STRENGTH (cannot be dodged or parried) on
everyone within NEAR range, but at the same time it elimi-
nates the risk of inhaling the gas.

43

journeys in the bloodmarch

 LEADING THE WAY MISHAPS IN FIRELANDS
D66 MISHAP EFFECT
11–12 Unstable The ground is unstable and the risk of stepping through it
ground is high. Anyone who does not succeed with a SURVIVAL roll
steps into hot soil and suffers 1 point of damage to Strength
from the extreme heat, unless they are wearing thick boots.
13–16 Lava Piled up lava or gashes of lava in the earth force you to find
obstruc- an easier way forward. Everyone must succeed with a MOVE
tions or MIGHT roll in order to continue. Those who fail suffer one
point of damage to Strength and must make another attempt.
Those who succeed can help the one who did not. You must
spend this Quarter Day trying to find another route before
you can leave the hexagon.
21–23 Geyser Boiling water bursts up from several geysers around you. The
storm steam burns your skin and all adventurers suffer an attack
with four Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical).
24–26 Downpour Rain clouds fill the sky and the rain that falls is heated by the
hot ground. Soon the air is thick with steam. The heat makes it
difficult to breathe and almost impossible to see. You cannot
travel this Quarter Day. In addition, all adventurers suffer 1
point of damage to Empathy from the foggy gloom.
31–34 Poisonous Sulfurous fumes creep out of the cracks in the ground and
fumes give off a pungent smell. The fumes are a lethal poison with
Potency 4 (page 113 in the Player’s Handbook).
35–36 Acid You have walked right into an acid swamp. The ground bub-
swamp bles and reeks, and everyone must make a MOVE roll to get
out of it unscathed. Anyone who fails suffers an attack with
four Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1.
41–43 Lava river The ground bubbles and burns as a river of lava slowly flows
past. It cannot be crossed. You must spend this Quarter Day
trying to find another route before you can leave the hexagon.
44–46 Geyser A sudden eruption of boiling water bursts out of the ground
where the pathfinder places their foot. The pathfinder must
succeed with a MOVE roll or suffer an attack with eight Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical).
51–53 Fireflies A swarm of fireflies attacks. The fireflies have Strength 4,
Movement 1, and follow the rules for swarms.

44

chapter 5
 D66 MISHAP EFFECT
54–56 Lava Creatures the size of halflings rise from the lava, speaking in
gnomes an unintelligible tongue. Their lava-soaked bodies stagger
forward with their arms outstretched towards you. Some stop
and crack as they are cooled by the wind, but a group equal
in number to the adventurers still remains. The lava creatures
have Strength 3, MELEE 1, and Armor Rating 2. Their attacks
have Weapon Damage 2.
61–63 The Strange lava-covered rocks burst from the ground, and as
ground soon as you notice them the ground collapses under the feet
collapses of the pathfinder, who falls into one of the cracks. A failed
MOVE roll results in a random critical injury (blunt force).

64–66 Earth- The ground starts shaking before it suddenly collapses. All
quake adventurers must succeed with a MOVE roll or fall into a lava
fissure – failure results in an attack with four Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force), plus one additional point of
damage per round until a MOVE roll succeeds.

LEADING THE WAY MISHAPS IN CRIMSON FOREST

D66 MISHAP EFFECT
11–14 Acid The ground is soggy. You have walked straight into a swamp. It
swamp bubbles and stinks, and everyone must succeed with a MOVE
roll to get out of the swamp, or suffer an attack with four Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 1.
15–16 Itching Something sharp prickles your skin from time to time. The
seeds plants in the area seem to be firing needle-sharp seeds that
penetrate your skin and start to itch. Everyone must succeed
with a SURVIVAL roll to resist the urge to scratch their eyes
and skin. Failure means that the adventurer cannot sleep this
Quarter Day or the next, as the itchy seeds are still stuck in
the clothes and skin.
21–22 Shrieking The plants in the area let out a sudden shriek, and all adven-
plants turers suffer a fear attack with four Base Dice.

45

journeys in the bloodmarch

 D66 MISHAP EFFECT
23–25 Sound- The sound of your footsteps attracts the plants around you.
seeking Each of you must succeed with a STEALTH roll to avoid their
plants twigs and branches, or suffer an attack with five Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (stab wound) as they dig into your skin.
26–32 Spiderweb The area is covered in cobwebs and difficult to navigate. The
pathfinder must succeed with a SURVIVAL roll not to get lost
and remain in the hexagon this Quarter Day.
33–36 Slithering The roots begin to wrap themselves around your feet. Every-
roots one must succeed with a MOVE or MIGHT roll in order to
continue. Anyone who fails suffers one point of damage to
Strength and must make another attempt. Those who suc-
ceeded can help those who did not. You must spend this
Quarter Day trying to find another route before you can leave
the hexagon.
41–44 Hallucina- The air is full of spores from the plants’ flowers. You are all
tions affected by a hallucinogenic poison with Potency 5 (see page
114 in the Player’s Handbook).
45–52 Poisonous The flowers of the trees open their petals and release a
flowers strange fluid. You are all affected by a poison with Potency 6.
Full effect means that the adventurer contracts Crimson Sick-
ness (page 42).
53–56 Strangling The trees come alive and swing their red vines at you. Every-
trees one must succeed with a MOVE or MIGHT roll to avoid getting
caught. Failure results in an attack with six Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical) and the adventurer is stuck in
the tree. Each subsequent round the victim suffers one point
of damage to Strength. Everyone who succeeded with their
roll can try to help the adventurer break free with a MIGHT
roll. An adventurer who is Broken by the attack is released by
the tree, but has now contracted Crimson Sickness.
61–63 Obstruct- The entire area is completely overgrown, and before you is
ing plants a wall of red mucus threads that seems impossible to break
through. You must spend this Quarter Day trying to find
another route before you can leave the hexagon.
64–66 Corrosive The forest is dense and the damp twigs of the trees rub
sap against you as you pass. You all suffer an attack with six Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical).

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chapter 5
 FORAGING MISHAPS IN FIRELANDS
D6 MISHAP EFFECT
1 Scorched The ground is so hot that it scorches your fingers. The hand is
useless until the burns heal, which takes D3 days.
2 Water Hiding beneath the meager roots is a pocket of scalding water.
fissure You suffer one point of damage to Strength and must make
a MOVE roll – on failure you sustain the critical injury Slashed
Eye (–2 to MARKSMANSHIP and SCOUTING for 2D6 days).
3 Fire larvae You find one unit of VEGETABLES in the form of seemingly
edible roots. But the roots are infested with fire larvae.
Anyone who eats them is affected by a hallucinogenic poison
(Potency 3).
4 Scorching The ground groans and cracks under your feet. The heat rising
ground from the cracks is unbearable. You must make a MOVE roll not
to cause any larger cracks and fall through them. On failure
you break through the ground and suffer an attack with six
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical).
5 Poisonous Sulfurous fumes seep from the cracks in the ground and bring
fumes with them a pungent smell. The fumes are a lethal poison with
Potency 4.
6 Broken Your clothes are ruined. The hot ground cracks your shoes or
equipment burns your cloak. The clothes can be mended with a successful
CRAFTING roll.

FORAGING MISHAPS IN CRIMSON FOREST

D6 MISHAP EFFECT
1 Growth You prick yourself on something while foraging for food. The
skin immediately swells up into an abscess full of liquid. After
a while the abscess bursts and a strange red growth is now
part of your hand. Removing the growth requires a successful
HEALING roll.

2 Parasites You find some seemingly edible plants which turn out to be
infested with parasites that burrow into your skin, inflicting
one point of damage to Empathy.

47

journeys in the bloodmarch

 D6 MISHAP EFFECT
3 Hunger The area has an extra-thick mist of spores in the air. You are
suddenly overtaken by a great hunger and become HUNGRY.
This hunger can only be satisfied by eating plants from the
Crimson Forest.
4 Poisonous It prickles and stings as you scour the ground for potentially
roots edible roots. You find one unit of VEGETABLES in the form of
roots, but anyone who eats them is affected by a hallucino-
genic poison (Potency 3).
5 Poisonous You find some juicy and delicious-looking plants, but when
herbs you taste to see if they are edible a searing pain immediately
assaults your mouth. The plant produces a lethal poison
(Potency 3).
6 Broken Your clothes are ruined. The sharp plants rupture your shoes
equipment or rip your cloak. The clothes can be mended with a successful
CRAFTING roll.

MAKING CAMP MISHAPS IN ASHLANDS

D66 MISHAP EFFECT
11–13 Spoiled Your food has gone bad because of the poisonous ash in the
food air. Everyone in the group must reduce their resource die for
FOOD by one step.

14–21 Ash storm A powerful ash storm blows in and reduces visibility to zero.
It is impossible to SLEEP without a tent, nor is it possible to
SCOUT during this Quarter Day.

22–24 Mud You wake up soaked and must make an ENDURANCE roll not
to become COLD:
25–31 Lost A random adventurer has lost an item. The GM decides what it
possession is and whether it can be found.
32–33 Hole in Acid has burned through an adventurer’s satchel, which
satchel means that this individual can only take with them items car-
ried on their person. The bag can be repaired with a successful
CRAFTING roll.

34–36 Bad The campsite is poorly located and very uncomfortable to

campsite SLEEP in. No one in the group gets any sleep at all in this place.

41–43 The fire The firewood is wet and your campfire goes out. Everyone in
goes out the group must make an ENDURANCE roll not to become COLD.

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chapter 5
 D66 MISHAP EFFECT
44–46 Fire Suddenly the campfire spreads to your tents, sleeping skins,
outbreak and other equipment. Each adventurer suffers an attack with
five Base Dice (Weapon Damage 1) and must make a MOVE roll
to save their equipment. Failure means that one item (the GM
decides which one) is destroyed.
51–53 Sinkhole The ground was not as solid as you thought – during the night
your entire camp falls into a sinkhole. Everyone must make a
MOVE roll – those who fail suffer an attack with four Base Dice
and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force).
54–61 Acid rain The sky opens in a deluge of rain mixed with acid. All adventur-
ers must succeed with an ENDURANCE roll or suffer 1 point of
damage to Strength.
62–64 Smolderers A group of smolderers, equal in number to the adventurers,
attack have spotted the camp and attack in the night.
65–66 Dead kton The putrid stench of a dead kton (page 110) suddenly sweeps
in during the night. The stench is so foul that you must all suc-
ceed with an ENDURANCE roll or suffer an attack with five Base
Dice (Weapon Damage 1) that causes damage to Empathy.

MAKING CAMP MISHAPS IN FIRELANDS

D66 MISHAP EFFECT
11–13 Spoiled Your food has gone bad because of the heat. Everyone in the
food group must reduce their resource die for FOOD by one step.
14–16 Evap- The water you brought with you has evaporated in the heat.
orated Everyone in the group must reduce their resource die for
water WATER by one step.

21–23 Scorching The ground is so hot that is like sleeping in a sauna. Everyone
ground must succeed with a SURVIVAL roll to get any sleep during
this Quarter Day.
24–26 Bad The campsite is poorly located and very uncomfortable to
campsite SLEEP in. No one in the group gets any sleep at all in this place.

31–33 Severe All adventurers must drink an extra unit of WATER to avoid
thirst becoming THIRSTY.
34–36 Broken One item belonging to a random adventurer is broken – the
equipment GM decides which one. The item can be repaired with a suc-
cessful CRAFTING roll.

49

journeys in the bloodmarch

 D66 MISHAP EFFECT
41–43 Fire Suddenly the campfire spreads to your tents, sleeping skins,
outbreak and other equipment. Each adventurer suffers an attack with
five Base Dice (Weapon Damage 1) and must make a MOVE roll
to save their equipment. Failure means that one item (the GM
decides which one) is destroyed.
44–46 Geyser At irregular intervals, a geyser showers the camp with scalding
water. It is impossible to REST or SLEEP during this Quarter Day.
51–54 Lava You wake up to find that the ground is moving. Lava has seeped
up from the ground and you must immediately move the camp.
It is impossible to REST or SLEEP during this Quarter Day.
55–61 Fireflies A swarm of fireflies attacks. The fireflies have Strength 4,
Movement 1, and follow the rules for swarms.
62–64 Lost A random adventurer has lost an item. The GM decides what it
possession is and whether it can be found.
65–66 Lava Creatures the size of halflings rise from the lava, speaking in
gnomes an unintelligible tongue. Their lava-soaked bodies stagger
forward with their arms outstretched towards you. Some stop
and crack as they are cooled by the wind, but a group equal
in number to the adventurers still remains. The lava creatures
have Strength 3, MELEE 1, and Armor Rating 2. Their attacks
have Weapon Damage 2.

MAKING CAMP MISHAPS IN CRIMSON FOREST

D66 MISHAP EFFECT
11–14 Spoiled Your food has gone bad or been infested with insects. Everyone in
food the group must reduce their resource die for FOOD by one step.
15–22 Poisoned Your water has been contaminated by spores from the plants
water around your camp. It is no longer drinkable and everyone in the
group must reduce their resource die for WATER by one step.
23–26 Plants Something is moving in the forest. The fleshy vines of the
attack trees slither towards the camp and D6+1 thorny vines attack!
The vines have Strength 3 and MELEE 1. Their attacks have
Weapon Damage 1 and cause stab wounds.
31–34 Twisted During the Quarter Day a random item in the camp has been
possession twisted by Crimson Sickness. The item is utterly deformed and
covered with strange spores. The item can no longer be used.

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chapter 5
 D66 MISHAP EFFECT
35–36 Audible The trees make strange noises that sound increasingly like
thoughts voices. It sounds like they are having a conversation, and
eventually you can understand them. Your thoughts are
spoken by the trees. Whatever you are thinking is said out
loud. It is impossible to SLEEP or REST during this Quarter Day,
as the trees are constantly speaking your thoughts.
41–42 Memories A memory of a previous event resurfaces. Out of the forest walk
resurface a number of twisted red plants whose shapes resemble some-
thing from the memory. The event makes it impossible to SLEEP.
43–46 Thieving Red vines quickly spread throughout the camp and cover
vines most of it. In the morning it takes a successful MIGHT roll to
yank loose all the equipment. Even if it succeeds, one item is
missing (the GM decides which one), stolen by the vines.
51–53 Spore The plants move in the wind and the colors of their flowers
sacks seem unusually lustrous. Only after making camp do you
notice the slimy spore sacks crawling on the ground (see
Sporewalker on page 123).
54–56 Red elves While making camp you notice movement in the forest.
A group of red elves (page 129) approaches. A successful
STEALTH roll is required to avoid detection.

61–62 Slime Slime snails have left trails of red slime at the campsite. They
snails may return, if the GM wants them to.
63–66 Spores Just as you finish making camp, the trees around you suddenly emit
every- great clouds of spores. Everyone must succeed with an ENDUR-
where ANCE roll to avoid contracting Crimson Sickness (page 42).

HUNTING IN THE BLOODMARCH

D6 ANIMAL DIFFICULTY REQUIREMENT MEAT RAW MATERIALS
1 Rodent +1 Weapon or trap 1 —
2 Hover frog* 0 Weapon 1 —
3 Badger +1 Weapon or trap 2 1 unit of pelts
4 Young grave lily* −1** Weapon or trap 2 2 units of vegetables
5 Wild boar −1** Weapon Strength/2 2 units of pelts
6 Deer 0 Weapon 5 3 units of pelts and
antlers
* Rules for this creature are found in chapter 9.
** The creature attacks if the hunt fails.
 THE LEGACY OF HORN

“In the beginning, Horn awoke, and his lava flowed hot over
the land of Have so that she bore him five sons: Gald, Quard,
Houner, Sabira, and Cabera. They coveted the Bloodmarch,
where the Vasnians roamed. The sons chose Sella, eldest son
of Houner, to lead the clans. And so Horn gave unto Sella
five astra, legendary weapons that granted him the ability to
take the god’s form on the battlefield. Then, from deep within,
Horn spewed horses with manes of flame and gave them unto
the clans, for the land was vast.
Once the Vasnians had been banished, Sella entrusted each
clan with one of Horn’s Astra. He then cast himself into the
fire of Horn, for the feebleness of age was upon him.”

W
elcome to the Gamemaster’s section
of this book. Players should read no
further! Legacy of Horn is a campaign
set in Aslene, the land west of Ravenland that
many know as the Bloodmarch.
BACKGROUND
Horn’s Astra are the five holy weapons that,
according to legend, the volcano god Horn
once bestowed upon Sella, the first leader of
the Aslene horse clans. These weapons allowed
Sella to conquer Aslene and defeat its indigenous
people, known as the Vasnians.
When the fighting was over, the Astra
were divided between the country’s five horse
clans to prevent internal strife. This gesture
of peace did not work as intended, as the clans
have been fighting each other ever since. When
the sorcerer Zygofer sent an army of demons
into the Bloodmarch three hundred years ago,

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chapter 6
everything fell apart and nobody knows what
happened to the five Astra.
The campaign is about who will find Horn’s
Astra. For the horsefolk, whoever possesses the
weapons would be the obvious leader of all clans.
For the Vasnians, they would help reclaim the
land they once lost. In the Alderlander capital
of Brodelmarg, the Prophet Fangler preaches
about the god Wyrm’s imminent rebirth in the
Bloodmarch, and so groups of holy seekers are
making the journey to Aslene, either to find the
god and bring him home – or to kill this being
before it grows too powerful. Locating and free-
ing (or killing) the god would likely require
one or more of Horn’s Astra. The demons still
lingering in the Bloodmarch have their own
reasons for seeking the Astra, as do the myste-
rious moon elves.
The adventurers can play their own part in
this power struggle, ally themselves with one of
the other key players, or go their own way – in
which case parts of the campaign will serve as
a backdrop for their own adventures in Aslene.
Those competing for power are:
✥ Selligar Horne, self-appointed leader of
the horse clans.
✥ The Shedder Poansa, agent of Ad Vipera
and representative of the Congregation of
the Serpent in Alderland. Possesses one of
Horn’s Astra: the dagger Glasstooth.
✥ Colonel Grudensteel, leader of the Iron-
brows and representative of the Rust
Church in Alderland.
✥ Fiena Fromelei, leader of the Penites,
seeks to reunite the halflings and goblins.
✥ The Seventh, a strange worm people from
the continent Anoma.
53
the legacy of horn
✥ Vinhelm Kaal, sent by the moon elves at
the hidden temple Agnostica.
✥ Konana, leader of the Vasnians, Aslene’s
indigenous people. The Goblet Staff of
Have, one of Horn’s Astra, is under
Konana’s control in Vasnia.
✥ Vaerefor van Reiben, leader of the demon-
tainted red elves.
✥ The Dreamstress, a prophetic demon with
her own goals.
✥ Octomadria, the Eighth Mother, at least
according to the Seventh.
More information on these individuals can be
found in the Key Players chapter. The items
that make up Horn’s Astra are described in the
next chapter.
THE PHASES
OF THE CAMPAIGN
The campaign Legacy of Horn plays out in seven
phases, each beginning with certain events. If
the adventurers themselves do not initiate the
phases, they will be triggered anyway by the
actions of other key players.
Should the adventurers ignore the campaign
and just go around plundering the Bloodmarch,
the campaign will progress without them and
become a backdrop for their escapades.
The seven phases are outlined below. Listed
under each phase are external events that may
occur during the phase. As the GM you may adjust
these events as you please, depending on how they
fit into the developments of the campaign.
 CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW
1. ARRIVAL IN THE BLOODMARCH: The adventurers arrive at the adventure site Taregyll.
2. THE SEARCH FOR HORN’S ASTRA: Adventurers and key players search and fight for
Horn’s Astra. As the weapons are found and claimed, four of Aslene’s five dor-
mant volcanoes – the Sons of Horn – will awake.
3. THE HUNT FOR THE EIGHTH MOTHER: Adventurers and key players search and
fight for Octomadria – the Eighth Mother. The Congregation of the Serpent
and the Rust Church both believe that this creature is Wyrm reborn – a
blessing to the former, a threat to the latter. The moon elves have hidden the
Eighth Mother at their temple Agnostica, the adventure site where the final
showdown of the campaign will likely take place. At the start of the game, only
the moon elves know about Agnostica.
4. TIME IS REBORN: The temple Agnostica exists apart from the world and only
returns once a certain number of Horn’s Astra have been collected and the Met-
rochrone restarted. The Metrochrone is a large clock found at the adventure site
Sisters’ Wake. The Metrochrone can only be restarted once the adventurers have
retrieved its stolen parts from the adventure site Tribolia of the Kogler or crafted
spare parts with the help of the Dreamstress from the adventure site Oxengelder.
5. THE RETURN OF AGNOSTICA: The temple Agnostica emerges when the Metro-
chrone has been restarted and four of the five sons of Horn have awakened.
Agnostica appears in one of the hexagons surrounding the still dormant volcano.
6. THE FINAL SHOWDOWN: The adventurers and at least one key player explore the
temple Agnostica, and the fight between them decides the fate of Octomadria
and the Bloodmarch itself.
7. AFTERMATH: When the dust has settled, one or some of the key players will
be more powerful than the others. The adventurers can experience – or hear
about – the consequences of the final showdown.

PHASE 1:
ARRIVAL IN
THE BLOODMARCH
This phase begins when the adventurers arrive
in Aslene.
At this phase the adventurers arrive at the
village of Taregyll in eastern Aslene. They
are briefed on the kin, history, and political
conflicts of the Bloodmarch. They also learn
that the demons who have plagued the land for
three hundred years have lately grown stronger
and that the leader of the red elves, Vaerefor van
Reiben, seeks their help to conquer Aslene in
the name of the red god Rubor.
The horse clans seek to unite under a
common leader to combat the demons, but
their efforts are hampered by internal strife.

54

chapter 6
The adventurers hear the legend of Horn’s Astra
– the mighty weapons of Sella the Liberator
that were lost and must now be found. They
find out that Horn’s Astra are kept at Ashen-
stead, the main temple of Horn and Have in
Aslene. They also learn that the goddess Have’s
Blue Tar is a known weapon against demons, as
is her holy fire. Key players can be introduced,
either personally or through their agents – see
the section on events in Taregyll.
You can let the adventurers begin the game
in some other location, perhaps as native
Aslenes, but must then make the necessary
adjustments.
PHASE 2:
THE SEARCH FOR
HORN’S ASTRA
This phase begins when the players have visited
two adventure sites.
The players have been told that they must collect
Horn’s Astra in order to save the Bloodmarch.
They might visit Ashenstead and learn how the
Astra are related to each other and that they can
be identified, activated, and owned by coating
them with Blue Blood.
The players see some of the country’s
five dormant volcanoes – the Sons of Horn –
become active when their corresponding astra
are awakened (page 61). They also realize that
others are also seeking the Astra, and might
find them, which awakens the volcanoes.
The phase ends with someone finding and
claiming ownership of three related astra. Note
that this person does not have to be a player
character.
55
the legacy of horn
THE SONS OF HORN AWAKEN
The Sons of Horn is the name of five
volcanoes in the Bloodmarch. They are
dormant at the start of the campaign.
Horn itself is a low-activity volcano.
The first time someone binds one
of Horn’s Astra to themselves (page
61) a Son of Horn awakens. In other
words, the eruptions indicate how
many of the Astra have been found.
When four Astra have been found and
bound to someone at least once, the
temple Agnostica appears (page 232).
All Sons of Horn follow the same
pattern when they erupt. The eruption
starts with rumbles and tremors in
the ground for a Quarter Day. Then
the volcano explodes, spewing copious
amounts of ash, fire, and gas. The roar
of the explosion is heard throughout
the Bloodmarch. After erupting the
volcano enters a high-activity stage.
The effects of the explosion are:
✥ A pyroclastic avalanche of thousand-
degree ash, gas, stone, and lava
flows down the slope and utterly
devastates a random adjacent
hexagon that is not high mountains.
Everyone in that area is wiped out,
but the GM can give the adventurers
a chance to escape. The hexagon
then turns into Firelands.
✥ In a Quarter Day a second adjacent
hexagon that is not high moun-
tains will be flooded by lava and
turn into Firelands.
 ✥ In a day’s time, two hexagons in a
random direction will be turned to
Ashlands by a meter-thick ash rain.
✥ The column of smoke can be seen
from ten hexagons away. THE PROPHET FANGLER

REDUCED VISIBILITY: As more volcanoes

become active, visibility will be
reduced in the entire Bloodmarch
– sunsets will become redder and the
daylight increasingly dull. The red elves
will take this as a sign that the coming
of their god Rubor is near.

PHASE 3:

THE HUNT FOR

THE EIGHTH MOTHER
This phase begins when someone owns three of
Horn’s Astra.

The adventurers have probably already heard

of the Eighth Mother, perhaps from Gruden-
steel, Poansa, Fiena Fromelei, or the Sev-
enth, who are all seeking the creature for
different reasons.
During the third phase of the campaign,
Fiena Fromelei finds a moonstone and is turned,
along with a goblin, into a moon elf. She then
regains the memory of the moon elves stealing
the Eighth Mother, and understands what
is at stake (see The Ancient History of the
World). This can happen in the adventurers’
presence or somewhere else.
Fiena remembers the temple
Agnostica and realizes that she
must find and collect all missing
moonstones in the Bloodmarch and

56

chapter 6
bring them to the temple in order to save it –
and perhaps the entire world – from the worm
people who call themselves the Seventh. But
she does not know where the temple is.
The Seventh learn that a moon elf has
appeared in the Bloodmarch and want to ques-
tion this person about the theft. No one knows
THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE WORLD
What is humankind to the Seventh? A
mockery and a grievous disgrace. Such
shall the Seventh also be to the god
Meat: a mockery and a grievous disgrace.
Many weeks’ sailing east of Ravenland
lies the mysterious continent Anoma.
Today it is all but forgotten, but long
ago humans and other kin lived there
in prosperity. During an expedition
to distant marshlands, the country’s
druids found a kind of leech that
showed signs of primitive intelligence.
Separately these leeches behaved like
simple ringed worms, but as a group
they were able to use tools, understand
commands, and build burrows.
The druids brought the animals
home and started breeding them. They
soon noticed that the worms could be
taught to perform simple tasks. Strong,
durable, and tireless, they were forced
to do menial work for the humans. It
went well, but when the animals grew
into the thousands, all but a handful
suddenly died – of disease, the humans
thought. However, the surviving worms
were stronger and more intelligent
than their predecessors and soon
how to find the temple Agnostica. The Prophet
Fangler is constantly repeating that Wyrm will
be born tomorrow, but tomorrow will not come,
for the clock is frozen and time with it. Someone
recalls that there is a huge and ancient clock at
the temple known as the Watch of the Sisters,
but where is the temple?
started multiplying again. The druids
knew that a new generation had been
born and that the mass death and
rebirth were the worm people’s way
to evolve.
After a couple of lifetimes the
humans lapsed into idleness, as the
worms became more adept at perform-
ing their heavy labor. After only four gen-
erations the worms learned to organize
to a worrying extent. The animals could
gather in large colonies by filling out the
skeletons of the animals they ate, and so
they grew in strength and intellect.
After the worms devoured a farmer
and were seen walking around with
his skeleton, the druids could see
that it had gone too far and decided
to exterminate the worms. A war was
fought, and the humans lost. Now the
worms became their masters rather
than the other way around. By the fifth
generation the worms understood the
concepts of mythology and culture. The
Fifth called their unborn god Meat – the
Crawling Land. They themselves are the
preliminary stages of Meat, whom they
believe will be born from the twelfth
generation of worm people. The worms
 PHASE 4:
TIME IS REBORN
This phase begins when the adventurers arrive at
the Watch of the Sisters.
The dead priestesses at the Watch of the Sis-
ters explain who they are, that Agnostica exists
call this event the Becoming and that is
their ultimate goal.
Beyond the Becoming there will be
only Meat, and all living things will be
part of her. She is omniscient, omnipo-
tent, and crawlingly omnipresent. The
sixth generation learned to control
humans and animals by placing leeches
on them. The seventh generation of
worms even enslaved the country’s
moon elves, a strange kin who mastered
the magic art of mentalism. The Seventh
gave the moon elves a favored status
in return for their help in magically con-
trolling the will and memories of other
kin. As a reward they were promised
a place on Meat’s surface rather than
becoming her entrails like other crea-
tures, in a future where the worm is
everything and everything is the worm.
However, when the eighth gener-
ation was about to be born, the moon
elves decided that enough was enough.
They prayed to the moon goddess Eor
who sent a giant raven to their aid. Once
most of the Seventh had died off as part
of the generational shift, the giant raven
stole Octomadria – the Eighth Mother
who would birth the next generation.
The moon elves fled Anoma on their
ships and followed the raven across
beyond time and space, and that it cannot return
to the Bloodmarch until the great clock – the
Metrochrone – has been restarted. They recount
how the dwarf Kogler murdered them and stole
important parts of the clock to create his own
mechanical world, Tribolia, as he is fed up with
living creatures
the sea. The Seventh sent a fleet of
enslaved humans in pursuit, but the
moon elves twisted their memories
with magic and made them think that
they were following their raven god to
a promised land. So the humans arrived,
twelve centuries ago, in a land they
called Ravenland after the raven god.
The moon elves knew that the worm
people would come for them sooner or
later. Unable to kill Octomadria, they
hid her away at their secret temple
Agnostica which they moved beyond the
world. Since this could not be done per-
manently and they were in a hurry, they
linked the temple’s absence to a clock
that was already in the Bloodmarch: the
giant clock at the House of Winds.
Since moon elves inherit their ances-
tors’ memories, they decided to split
themselves into two ignorant kin – hal-
flings and goblins – while waiting for
the worm people to go extinct. In the
process they tore the moonstones from
their chests and hid them in Agnostica.
Now the Seventh have learned from
their vision that the thieves are in the
Bloodmarch and that the Eighth Mother
is alive. They have assembled into seven
worm creatures on a mission to find and
awaken the mother.
 PHASE 5:
THE RETURN OF AGNOSTICA
This phase begins when the Metrochrone has been
restarted and four Sons of Horn have awoken.
Once someone has claimed ownership of four
Astra, four sons of Horn will have awoken. And as
soon as the Metrochrone is restarted the temple
Agnostica emerges in one of the six hexagons sur-
rounding the last dormant Son of Horn (you can
choose or randomize where the temple appears).
At the same time the Cauldron of Flow is also
activated (page 242). Even if someone owns all
five of the Astra, one Son of Horn will remain
dormant – the one where Agnostica emerges. The
volcano that does not awaken is the one whose
Astra was the last to be claimed.
During this phase a race to the temple
Agnostica begins. The temple can be removed
from the world by activating its altar of time.
PHASE 6:
THE FINAL SHOWDOWN
This phase begins when the adventurers reach
Agnostica at the same time as at least one key player.
The final battle for the temple Agnostica and
the awakening of the Eighth Mother.
PHASE 7:
AFTERMATH
This phase begins when the final battle has
been fought.
This epilogue summarizes the situation in the
Bloodmarch and what is likely to happen next.
59
the legacy of horn
The players receive hints of what might happen
in future campaigns. The road to Alderland –
Gander’s Pass – is opened.
ADVENTURE
SITES
In Forbidden Lands, adventure sites play a major
role in the player characters’ exploits. That is as
true in the Bloodmarch as it is in Ravenland
and the Bitter Reach.
Later chapters of this book describe eight
pre-made adventure sites that all have some con-
nection to the campaign Legacy of Horn. These
can be placed at various locations in Aslene as
described in Chapter 8 of the Gamemaster’s
Guide. But there is one difference – the map
of Aslene only has one type of adventure site:
SETTLEMENT.
You decide which SETTLEMENT will repre-
sent which adventure site. If you have access
to the separate map pack for The Bloodmarch,
you can use the included stickers to mark the
adventure sites on the map as the adventur-
ers learn their locations. However, note that
Taregyll already has an established place on the
map, since it is presumed to be the adventurers’
starting point.
OTHER ADVENTURE SITES: If you need
additional adventure sites other than those
described in this book, you can create them
using the tables in Chapter 8 of the Game-
master’s Guide, and adjust them to the people
and nature of Aslene.
 ARTIFACTS

When Sella the Liberator rose anew out of the magma, he was bearing
Horn’s Astra and his companions kneeled before him, for it seemed to them
that the chieftain emerged stronger and aged in wisdom from the fires of
the underworld. His head was crowned by the Helm of Horn, which spoke
with the Stonechest of Horn around his torso and Sella’s Dragonboot on
his foot. On his belt hung the dagger Glasstooth and in his quiver slithered
the three Arrows of the Fire Wyrm. But in his hand the chieftain held the
Goblet Staff of Have with an all-giving grail at its end. It was said that
possessing all the Astra allowed Sella to wield the divine power of Horn.

A
t the heart of the campaign Legacy of
Horn is the search for the five artifacts
known collectively as Horn’s Astra, a set
of powerful magical items said to be hiding in
the Bloodmarch.
Legend says that the god Horn gave his Astra
to the hero Sella to help him conquer the Blood-
march for the horse clans, which he succeeded in
doing. After the wars each of the five clans took
one of Horn’s Astra into their care. Sella thought
this would preserve the unity between them, but
the peace crumbled almost immediately.
What really happened was that the goddesses
Flow and Wail had sent Sella and his riders from
the Drawn Lands west of Aslene to seek peace
and commerce with the Bloodmarch’s indigenous
population, the Vasnians. But the proud Sella was
offended by some incident during the meeting
and let the peace efforts collapse into open war.
The goddesses were so furious that they
rejected their legates and blocked the road back
to the Drawn Lands with an everlasting hur-
ricane that rages to this day. Now godless, the
horse clans turned to the volcano god Horn,
encouraged by the dwarves of Firestead.
The dwarves gave Sella the mechanical horse
Witherbeam as well as a set of powerful weapons
they did not dare test themselves – Horn’s Astra
– and from this situation the myth arose. The
dwarves’ plan was to let the horse clans drive the

60

chapter 7
Vasnians from the mining districts of Nuggler’s
Harrow. Instead Sella began a war of extermi-
nation, which to the dwarves has become an
historical embarrassment they do not want to
be associated with. The true story is recorded in
the Book of Winds which can be found at the
adventure site Watch of the Sisters (page 207).
For the past three centuries, when demons
have ravaged the Bloodmarch, much has been
destroyed. Four of the five Astra are missing and
only clan Cabera in Strilling are said to still have
their Astra, the dagger Glasstooth, in their posses-
sion (although it is in fact a forgery). But now new
winds are blowing and several key players have for
various reasons started looking for Horn’s Astra.
Each of the five Astra has a Horn rune
engraved into it. The Astra are surrounded by
an aura of faint blue light while they have a
rightful owner, but will also glow for a brief
moment if they are coated with Blue Tar, which
is a way of identifying them. In parentheses are
the clan and volcano traditionally associated
with each item.
✥ The Helm of Horns (Houns, Houner)
✥ Sella’s Dragonboot (Sabirians, Sabira)
✥ The Dagger Glasstooth (Caberians,
Cabera)
✥ The Goblet Staff of Have (Quards, Quard)
✥ The Arrows of the Fire Wyrm (Galdanes,
Gald)
In addition, there is the Stonechest of Horn, a
breastplate that can be summoned once a single
person owns four of the Astra. See the section
Relations Between the Astra below.
The information required in order to make
full use of Horn’s Astra will become available to
the adventurer over the course of the campaign.
61
artifacts
BINDING THE ASTRA
Each Astra can be bound to a person by smearing
the item with Blue Blood – an equal mixture of
Blue Tar (page 38) and one’s own blood. Being
bound to an Astra enhances the powers it confers,
but also accelerates the person’s aging. The person
remains bound to the Astra until they die or the
item is washed with Dense Water (page 39).
Only then can the Astra be bound to a new master.
THE VOLCANOES: The first time an Astra is
bound to a person it awakens one of the volca-
noes known as the Sons of Horn. Read more
on page 55.
RELATIONS BETWEEN
THE ASTRA
Each of Horn’s five Astra is related to two
others, as shown by the pentagram in Sella’s
fresco (page 62). The fresco can be found at
two adventure sites: Ashenstead and Tribolia of
the Kogler. The horse people of Aslene some-
times carry copies of the fresco as a religious
symbol, but the copies are not always accurate.
THE POWERS OF THE ASTRA
Each of Horn’s Astra has three levels of mag-
ical powers.
✥ LEVEL 1 can be used by anyone, without
being bound to the Astra.
✥ LEVEL 2 can only be used by someone
bound to the Astra when at least one
related Astra is within NEAR range.
✥ LEVEL 3 can only be used by someone
bound to the Astra as well as two of its
related Astra.
 THE HELM OF HORN

THE ARROWS
OF THE FIRE
GLASSTOOTH/ WYRM
SERPENT’S
BANE

THE GOBLET
STAFF OF HAVE

SELLA’S
DR AGONBOOT

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chapter 7
 THE STONECHEST OF HORN
Should all five Astra be bound to the same person,
the Stonechest of Horn – a powerful armor – will
materialize around the person’s torso.
If four Astra are bound to the same person,
the Stonechest of Horn can be summoned
through a ritual known to the Horn priests at
Ashenstead or in Firestead. During the ritual
the fifth and missing Astra will be summoned
and bound to the person.
If the bearer of the Stonechest dies, the
armor dissolves into mist and cannot be sum-
moned again. The Stonechest of Horn can only
be summoned once in a generation.
ACCELERATED AGING
A person bound to one or more of Horn’s Astra
ages faster than normal. Their aging accelerates
to ten times its normal rate per total number
of bound Astra multiplied by the maximum
level for bound Astra. This means that people
bound to a single Astra will age ten months in
one month. A person bound to all five Astra
ages 150 times faster than normal (10 × 5 × 3),
i.e. three years in just one week.
According to legend, Sella liberated the Blood-
march in three month and aged 36 years in that
time. When the work was finished he threw him-
self into the volcano Horn because he had grown
so old. This was not a big deal for him, since
Aslene horse warriors consider dying of old age
a shameful way to go. A glorious warrior should
fall in battle, preferably in a heroic fashion.
EFFECT: If the accelerated aging makes a player
character go from young to adult, or from adult
to old (page 31 in the Player’s Handbook), the
player must permanently reduce an attribute of
63
artifacts
their choosing by one step, to a minimum of 1.
A player who owns any of Horn’s Astra should
receive warnings about the rapid aging, for exam-
ple in the form of sudden wrinkles or hair loss.
The rapid aging has no effect on elves.
The rapid aging ceases when the owner loses
or relinquishes ownership of one or more of
Horn’s Astra. In other words, it is possible to
carry Astra inactive and only assume ownership
by smearing them with Blue Blood when heroic
deeds are called for.
THE GOBLET
STAFF OF HAVE
It is said that Horn with his kiss gave Sella the Lib-
erator the gift of speech in order that the clans would
follow their chieftain’s commands without question,
as if they came from the god himself. Then Horn’s
wife, Have, presented the hero with her goblet staff
so that he whose lips had touched the divine would
never have to drink anything but the noblest of bev-
erages. For anything poured into the goblet turns into
exquisite wine and empowering nectar.
The Goblet Staff of Have is the Astra tradi-
tionally belonging to the Quards, linked to the
volcano Quard. When the staff is bound to a
person, Quard awakens.
SUGGESTED LOCATION
The key player Vaerefor van Reiben once owned
the Goblet Staff of Have, before it fell into the
hands of the Vasnians during a war long ago. The
staff can be found in a chieftain’s hall in Vasnia,
mounted on the wall as a prize of
war. Konana is aware of this and is
willing to barter with it. She knows
its worth and that Vaerefor desires it.
Other Vasnians refuse to part with
the staff, so a replica will be required
in the event of a trade.
EFFECTS
✥ LEVEL 1: In one turn, one dose
of liquid poured into the staff ’s
goblet turns into a liquid or bev-
erage of the bearer’s choice – except
for magical liquids or poisons, Blue
Tar, or Dense Water.
✥ LEVEL 2: In one turn, one dose
of liquid turns into any drug, acid,
or poison the bearer desires. The
staff can also create Blue Tar or
Dense Water.
✥ LEVEL 3: Once per Quarter Day,
one dose of liquid can be turned
into any other liquid or into a dose
of Goblet Tonic that heals all inju-
ries (even critical ones), cures all
poisons and diseases, and can even
resurrect a recently deceased person.
DRAWBACKS
Every time the staff ’s magic is used at
level 2 or 3, a D6 is rolled. Rolling a
means that the hexagon where the user is
currently positioned turns into Crimson
Forest. The transformation takes one week and
first manifests itself in the form of spider veins
spreading from an underground source.
THE HELM
OF HORN
The archers marveled at the hal-
fling’s ability to evade every arrow
they fired, but eventually they grew
exasperated, for the game had dented
their pride. Urse sensed deceit – some
said fox blood flowed through his veins.
He wondered why the helmet’s moon-
stone glowed a fiery red, but when the
halfling took it off to look, Urse fired
another arrow that pierced the creature
from shoulder to shoulder.
The Helm of Horns is the Astra tra-
ditionally belonging to the Houns,
linked to the volcano Houner. When
the helmet is bound to a person, Houner
awakens. The helmet is made for a
human, but can be adjusted to fit other
kin at the risk of looking a bit silly.
SUGGESTED LOCATION
The Helm of Horn is missing and can
be placed at any of the campaign’s adven-
ture sites. The helmet has a moonstone
embedded in its forehead. This allows
Fiena Fromelei (page 82) to sense in
which direction it is located, although
l she does not know that the stone sits
in one of Horn’s Astra. Removing the
moonstone stops the helmet from work-
ing as an Astra, though it retains its magic
at level 1. Reinserting a moonstone into the
helmet restores its function.
64
chapter 7
 SELLA’S
DRAGONBOOT
We couldn’t believe our eyes when the rascal ran
off across the rooftops without slipping or stumbling
despite the pouring rain, with the stolen goods tied
around his neck. On reaching the fishing huts he
leapt like a cat from post to post, but finally we
had him cornered against the water with no way
of escape. But was he arrested, you think? Oh no,
right in front of our lowered lances he scuttled
across the water’s surface as if it were solid ground.
A bowshot from the shore there was a boat waiting
for him, which soon sailed off in the night. On the
beach we found a right boot of dragon skin.

Sella’s Dragonboot is the Astra traditionally

belonging to the Sabirians, linked to the vol-
cano Sabira. When the boot is bound to a person,
Sabira awakens. Sella’s Dragonboot is a left boot
EFFECTS but magically summons a matching right boot
✥ LEVEL 1: The wearer can see in the dark. for its wearer.
The helmet has Armor Rating 3.
✥ LEVEL 2: The owner’s Wits is increased
by 1 while wearing the helmet.
✥ LEVEL 3: The helmet provides full pro-
tection against all non-magical ranged
attacks. It also protects against fear
attacks and makes the wearer immune to
MANIPULATION.

DRAWBACKS
Ranged attacks diverted from the wearer instead
hit another creature within NEAR range. The
wearer’s hair turns completely white over the
course of a week.

65

artifacts
 SUGGESTED LOCATION
The Dragonboot is missing and could be found
at any of the adventure sites or with the trav-
eling jester Pottus Tynk who thinks it suits
his stage costume. See the random event Last
Night of the Jesters (page 142). Pottus does
not know that the boot is magical, though it
helps him maintain balance on stage.
EFFECTS
✥ LEVEL 1: Gives the wearer perfect bal-
ance which, for example, allows them to
effortlessly walk a tightrope. The wearer
does not have to make MOVE rolls to keep
their balance and cannot be knocked over.
✥ LEVEL 2: Allows the wearer to walk
on water and lava without suffering
damage or plunging through the
surface.
✥ LEVEL 3: Allows the wearer to
leap to anything within SHORT
range (fast action) and land with
perfect balance. The wearer can
also summon an earthquake
around themselves by stomping
the ground. Everyone within
NEAR range must then make a
MOVE roll not to fall over.
DRAWBACKS
The boot’s power stems from
the principle of universal bal-
ance, which is why all allies within
SHORT range get –1 to all Agility-based
skills while level 2 or 3 of the boot’s
magic is activated.
66
chapter 7
GLASSTOOTH
Glass seems transparent because only half of its being
exists where you think it does. The rest of it sweeps
through the ether in search of sun dust like swallows
hunting mosquitoes in summer. The same is true of
the dagger Glasstooth, also known as Souldrinker.
I have personally seen the weapon in three differ-
ent locations. Transient and ephemeral, the dagger
preys on souls, but when one of its shapes has taken
a life, the parts come together to carve the name of
Sella the Liberator at the site of the kill.
Glasstooth is the Astra traditionally belonging
to the Caberians, linked to the volcano Cabera.
When the dagger is bound to a person, Cabera
awakens.
SUGGESTED LOCATION
At the start of the game, Poansa Moulter
(page 76) or the elf Mahogany of the
Inglourious Butchars (random event,
see page 141) could be in possession
of the dagger. The one who does not
have the actual dagger carries a replica
instead. The person with the real dagger
does not know that it is one of Horn’s
Astra and has not claimed ownership
of the weapon. Poansa and Mahogany
both believe that they are carrying
the profoundly cursed dagger Ser-
pent’s Bane, which allegedly has
the power to “kill sunlight, shadow,
and the soul itself ”. Meanwhile, the
Caberians in Strilling claim that they
are in possession of Glasstooth, but their
revered dagger is a replica. The Caberian
Elders know this, but are keeping it to
themselves because the weapon is crucial for the
clan members’ self-esteem.
EFFECTS
✥ LEVEL 1: Double damage and counts as a
magical weapon.
✥ LEVEL 2: Also inflicts double damage
on creatures normally resistant to phys-
ical violence, such as the key players
Octomadria and the Seventh.
✥ LEVEL 3: Each hit automatically
inflicts a critical injury, in addition
to normal damage. Armor has
no effect. Against Octomadria
its attacks are always fatal, but
then again she has to die eight
times before she can be ban-
ished (page 100).
DRAWBACKS
Glasstooth is a jealous dagger that reduces
the Weapon Bonus of all non-magical
bladed weapons within SHORT range by one.
In other words, affected weapons have a
reduced chance to hit and break more easily.
THE ARROWS OF
THE FIRE WYRM
Stories tell how the Vasnians gave the name-
less rider and his companions a bushel of
gold to slay Sella the Liberator while
he was praying to Horn alone in the
wilds. But the hero was unfazed by
67
artifacts
the traitors’ assault. He nocked an arrow to his bow
and fired at a distance of thirty paces. The arrow
split into two, then four, then eight, then another
eight. And so the attackers fell before the hero’s feet
and only the dust of their final ride could reach him.
The Arrows of the Fire Wyrm are the Astra tra-
ditionally belonging to the Galdanes, linked to
the volcano Gald. When the arrows are bound
to a person, Gald awakens.
SUGGESTED LOCATION
The Arrows of the Fire Wyrm could be
found in three different places. Collecting
all three arrows summons their quiver
and only then do they constitute one
of Horn’s Astra. Other arrows placed
in this quiver will crumble into ashes.
The adventurers may already have one or
more of the Arrows of the Fire Wyrm from
the campaign Raven’s Purge. One could be
down in the magma with the demon Kra-
sylla. The demon was hit with the arrow,
fired by the adventurers or someone else,
and dragged into the magma by the fire
wyrm Erinya. He would gladly barter with
it. See the random event The Penitent in
the Magma (page 135). Additional arrows
can be found at any adventure sites.
EFFECTS
✥ LEVEL 1: The arrow gives the user
a D8 Artifact Die when fired from a
bow, and returns to its owner after
three rounds (to the quiver if it
exists, otherwise on the ground
in front of the archer).
✥ LEVEL 2: All three arrows can be fired
simultaneously at the same target. It is
rolled as a single attack with 3D8 Arti-
fact Dice. The arrows return to the quiver
after three rounds.
✥ LEVEL 3: All three arrows can be fired
simultaneously at three different targets
as a single action. Roll separately for each
target, with a D8 Artifact Die to each
roll. The arrows reemerge in the quiver
after three rounds.
The Stonechest of Horn is an ornate breastplate
that can be summoned once someone owns four
of Horn’s Astra and emerges automatically if
someone owns all five. The Stonechest arranges
itself to fit the owner and remains even after
the person loses their Astra. The Stonechest
dissolves upon the death of its owner.
EFFECT
The Stonechest of Horn has Armor Rating 8
and counts as a light item.

DRAWBACKS
The arrow that was buried in Krasylla
(page 136) attracts the fire w yrm
Erinya, who thinks its owner is the
demon. Roll D6 every Quarter Hour
that the bearer spends in Firelands –
one l means that the fire wyrm attacks.
The bearer can avoid the attack by firing
Krasylla’s arrow, in which case the fire
wyrm goes after it.

THE STONECHEST
OF HORN
But lord Horn told Sella to go and liberate
the land, and the god dressed his champion
in the breastplate of the mountains so the
swords of his foes would hit not flesh, but solid
stone. And the villains’ blades shattered against
the stone, as did their courage. And the rocks of
Horn filled their hearts and minds until they stood
helpless before their deaths.

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chapter 7

WITHERBEAM
Sella the Liberator rode his steed Witherbeam like
a storm wind across the battlefield, where the Vas-
nians fell like wheat before the scythe. It was said
that the horse was bred in the Drawn Lands, as
two desert winds slipped through the hair gap of
Vanna and were squeezed so tightly that their air
became red. In the end Witherbeam fell, but the
dwarves flayed him and filled out his skin with a
mechanical body, powered by Blue Tar and water,
and returned the animal for Sella to ride. However,
to keep the spirits of the machinery alive a living
human must be sacrificed under each full moon.
While Witherbeam is active, the horse can
be extended to carry up to three riders by insert-
ing a couple of side pieces under the edge of
the saddle on both sides while squeezing the
horse on. This is no simple mechanism, but
the Kogler and or some other mechanically
gifted individual can understand it.
Witherbeam automatically gives its rider
the talents Path of the Plains and Path of the
Knight, both at rank 1. If the rider already has
these talents, the rank increases by 1 on Wither-
beam’s back, up to a maximum of 3.
Witherbeam counts as a Combat Trained
Horse but has Strength 8, Agility 4, and Move-
ment 3.

SUGGESTED LOCATION DRAWBACKS

Witherbeam stands on the cliff by the Guardian
Temple, a field temple dedicated to Horn and
Have, from which he overlooks the plain.
See the random encounter The Guardian
Temple (page 147).
If it runs out of Blue Tar, Witherbeam stops
and remains motionless until it is refueled with
Blue Tar. If it runs out of Dense Water
it is no longer possible to brake, and
Witherbeam keeps running until
it runs out of Blue Tar as well.

EFFECT
Witherbeam is steered like an ordi-
nary horse, with reins, legs, and
other aids. The horse is fueled with
Blue Tar which is poured through
the nose after the bigger horn has been
unscrewed. The horse brakes if Dense Water
is poured through the nose after unscrewing
the smaller horn.
Refueling is done by sacrificing Resource
Dice of the respective liquid. The same number
of Resource Dice are then transferred to
Witherbeam. Every Quarter Day that the horse
is used a roll is made for each liquid.

69

artifacts
 KEY PLAYERS

“Only fools break ground alone in the wilderness,” said Colo-

nel Grudenstaal. He sized up the woman under heavy eyelids
lined with rust-colored tattoos. “Bandits wish to steal the cattle
while the farmer sows his seed. Wise are the farmers who work
together, for their strength is doubled and their eyes many.”
“So are you looking for a wife, hand, or slave for your new
farm?” replied Poansa Moulter with a steady gaze. “Our
churches are still bitter adversaries.”
“Have we not been slaves long enough, you and I, albeit
under different masters?” answered the colonel and won the
woman’s slowly growing smile.

S
everal key players in Legacy of Horn
want to get their hands on one or more
of Horn’s Astra, an ancient set of magi-
cal weapons said to have belonged to Sella the
Liberator (known among the Vasnians as Sella
the Butcher). The key players all have their own
intentions, but will likely form alliances with
each other over the course of the campaign
if it benefits them. Several of the key players
behave discreetly and prefer not to reveal their
true identities or agendas to strangers. At the
same time, many of them need all the help
they can get.
SELLIGAR HORNE
OF HAVENMARK
Selligar Horne of Havenmark (the byname Horne
he added himself) is a handsome, charismatic, and
skilled horseback warrior. He is the leader of the
respected but decimated Houns and commander
of the Horn Riders – a growing group of more
or less fanatical horse warriors from all clans.
Selligar rides around to strengthen the alliance
between the horse clans and generate interest in
his cause – to reunite and retake the Bloodmarch
using Horn’s Astra. Selligar claims to be a direct

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chapter 8
descendant of Sella the Liberator, the legendary ancestor Sumber Greatheel alone took responsi-
figure who conquered the Bloodmarch for the bility for the clan and led a small force to hold off
horse clans back when the world was young. It is the demons and give the rest of the tribe enough
an accepted and highly respected lineage. time to kill each other. Sumber’s warriors were
But there are some who question his claims, supposedly slain to the last man, but his pregnant
since the Hours are said to have destroyed each wife Ismaela managed to escape.
other to the last man in a ritual combat during No one knows what really happened three
the Demon Flood three hundred years ago, to centuries ago, but it remains a sensitive issue.
avoid the disgrace of falling in battle against
them – which seemed to be the only
alternative. This would make Selligar
either a false heir or a descendant of
one of the cowards who fled the
honorable internal slaughter.
However, Selligar him-
self maintains that his

71

key players
Selligar has killed several doubters in single
combat. But most of the horse clans still accept
him, realizing that no one else will be able to
unite them. They are running out of time as
more and more foreigners cross their borders.
Mommodar and Merdekai, leaders of clans
Sabira and Quard, would prefer Selligar to go
away so that they could lead the united clans
themselves. However, it is unlikely that either
of them would willingly submit to the other. If
Selligar dies, he can be replaced with these two,
or with their children Stiltellos and Gerbera (see
the adventure site Ashenstead on page 162).
THE HORN RIDERS
The Horn Riders is a group of
Aslene horse warriors who have
pledged allegiance to the unifi-
cation of the clans and the lib-
eration of the Bloodmarch. They
are more loyal to their vision and
their brethren than to their own
clan, which is not looked upon
kindly by more traditional clans-
folk – even though the dream of a
united country predates the clan
structure, which the Horn Riders
are quick to point out. The leaders
of the Sabirians and Caberians
even consider the Horn Riders a
threat and would not shed a tear
if Selligar Horne disappeared and
his booming, seductive voice was
never heard again.
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chapter 8
LEGEND
It is said that the Houns’ chieftain, Selligar Horne
of Havenmark, emerged from his mother’s womb
a capable rider. He mounted the nearest horse, and
with the umbilical cord fluttering in the wind, he
immediately rode off to inspect his domains. Only
afterwards did he return to her breast. The father
was never again allowed near his wife, for the boy
was jealous and believed that further offspring
could only be inferior to himself. He was strong
from birth and slew his first challengers in combat
before he had grown his fourth tooth. Now he rides
across the plains as a proud youth, like his ancestor
Sella the Liberator before him, intent on gathering
the clans so that all foreign malice can be driven
from the Bloodmarch. The seers say that Selligar
is destined to rule Ravenland and Alderland as
well. He means to open the Galder Gorge to Alder-
land, and lifted one of the giant pillars with his
bare arms just to prove himself worthy of such a
task. But the time for doing so has not yet come.
APPEARANCE
Selligar is a tall and handsome rider in his for-
ties, with thick chestnut hair that flows dramat-
ically in the wind as he rides forth (in battle
he braids his hair like any other Aslene rider).
Selligar is lavishly dressed in silver-plated chain-
mail worn under a tunic made of brightly col-
ored silk triangles, adored with bronze and gold.
Sewn on to the tunic are lemon yellow strips
of cloth, which are supposed to flutter behind
him to create an illusion of fire when he rides.
Selligar Horn is loud, hot-tempered, and
enjoys luxury and combat as much as the sound
of his own voice. He is popular with women
and has a number of children spread all over
the country. He claims to be looking for his
future consort, “the lovely Totilla”, but no one
knows if she exists or if anyone would even be
good enough. His adjutants are used to breaking
up fights that their leader gets himself into, as
well as playing down and glossing over his ill-
considered statements, challenges, and promises.
OVERT GOALS
Selligar Horne truly believes that he is Horn’s
chosen one, Sella’s heir, and the destined liberator
of the Bloodmarch. His goal is to collect Horn’s
Astra, wear the holy items, and lead the clans to
drive all demons and other undesirables from the
land. He tolerates foreigners as long as they are
respectful and do not come from Alderland. Alder-
landers are his sworn enemies, and he intends
to wreak vengeance upon his arch enemy once
the liberation has been achieved. In Aslene eyes,
Alderland was responsible for the demon flood
that devastated the country. If Selligar gets his
hands on one of Horn’s Astra, he will never part
with the artifact, believing that it is his by right.
Since his efforts to unify the clans are progress-
ing rather slowly, Selligar has been fraternizing
with the Dreamstress in Oxengelder as a backup
plan. The Dreamstress has promised to dream the
liberation of Aslene into existence, provided that
she can assemble a large enough group of com-
petent dreamers. For her part, the Dreamstress
hopes to obtain Horn’s Astra through Selligar.
SECRET GOALS
Selligar has no secret goals. In fact, he finds it
difficult not to immediately talk about what-
ever pops into his head. They say that he is
73
key players
fluent in all five clan dialects but cannot shut
up in any of them.
MEETING SELLIGAR HORNE
Selligar is active from the start of the game and
resides in Havenmark, but is often visiting the
other clans along with a personal guard of twenty
riders. He never shows up discreetly but prefers to
have his arrival announced by bards and heralds.
RELATIONS
Selligar may exchange favors with all the other
key players, but would not willingly hand over
Horn’s Astra to them.
THE DREAMSTRESS: Selligar Horne is loosely
allied with the Dreamstress who will help him
unite the clans and find Horn’s Astra.
POANSA AND GRUDENSTAAL: Selligar has
never met Poansa or Grudenstaal, but would
immediately consider them enemies if he
learned that they are from Alderland. That
being said, he could quickly change his mind
and work with them if he knew that they wish
to rebel against Alderland and lead an attack on
the country from Aslene.
SELLIGAR HORNE
STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 5, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 3, Marksmanship 3, Move 3,
Animal Handling 3, Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Adaptive, Path of the Companion
2, Horseback Fighter 3
GEAR: Short spear, short bow, chainmail,
riding horse

POANSA MOULTER
The Wyrm priestess Poansa started out as a
dancer and spy in the Alderlander capital of
Brodelmarg. After uncovering what is known
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chapter 8
as “the Rust-Rot Scandal,” where four local
noblemen secretly collaborated with the Rust
Church and were later executed by snakebite,
Poansa was ordained to priesthood and quickly
rose through the ranks of the Congregation of
the Serpent. Now, only ten years later, she is
one of the most senior officers of Ad Vipera –
the sect serving as the Church’s secret police.
She was the first to be interested in the Prophet
Fangler’s speech about the god Wyrm’s rebirth in
the Bloodmarch. She is currently leading a secret
task force of sixty agents sent to Aslene to find,
protect, and bring the god back to Brodelmarg.
LEGEND
You might think that Poansa is called “moulter”
because of her flaking skin. Not so. It’s because she
leaves empty shells of people in her wake. The shells
are not her own, but the remains of those she has
devoured along the way. One of them was Grene-
mer Treba, count of Strula until that venomous
woman seduced him and found his secret Rust
Altar. Once imprisoned he demanded, as a noble-
man, to be executed by iron – for religious reasons
that would become clear later – and appealed to
Ad Vipera on the matter. He was surprised to
find Poansa in one of the council seats. But the
Moulter granted his wish and had him exe-
cuted by iron as requested: they pounded iron
nails through his body until the screams died
down and the blood stopped flowing.
APPEARANCE
Poansa Moulter is roughly 35 years old,
thin and agile, pale, with a rather ordi-
nary appearance and short, dark hair. The
inside of her mouth is completely blackened
to indicate that she is part of the Sisterhood of
the Black Mamba. When she speaks, her teeth
with the sharpened canines look bright white
against the darkness within. She wears strict,
gray clothes of minimalist style and quality.
Her voice is calm and composed, and she is an
excellent singer. Poansa’s movements are bal-
anced and smooth.
OVERT GOALS
Poansa is sent to the Bloodmarch by the psy-
chopomp Vivírula to find, protect, and bring
the reborn god Wyrm back to the Congrega-
tion of the Serpent in the Alderlander capi-
tal of Brodelmarg. She is accompanied and
guided by the Prophet Fangler. They do not
know whether Wyrm is reborn in the form of a
snake, a human, or something else, so they are
not sure what to look for. However, Fangler’s
mentalist spell TRUTH SENSE is always active
as a prophetic ability.
SECRET GOALS
If Wyrm turns out to have a form or tempera-
ment that could harm the Congregation of the
Serpent, or falls into the wrong hands, Poansa
has orders to kill him discreetly. To this end she
carries a powerfully cursed obsidian dagger sup-
posedly able to “kill sunlight, shadows, and the
soul itself.” This dagger is either Glastooth (one
of Horn’s Astra, page 66) without Poansa
realizing it, or a replica. Poansa mistakenly
believes that the dagger can only be used once,
so she keeps it hidden until the right moment.
If Poansa gets hold of Wyrm – that is, the
Eighth Mother – she might keep her for herself
and create a power base in the Bloodmarch with
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key players
AD VIPERA
Ad Vipera is the Congregation
of the Serpent’s secret police in
Alderland. The name is actually an
abbreviation of the organization’s
maxim “Ad vipera, ad versa,” which
translates roughly to “those who
oppose the serpent are our oppo-
nents.” Due to the inflamed politi-
cal situation that has left Alderland
on the brink of civil war, Ad Vipera
has a strong position in the coun-
try and is free to do what it wants,
particularly in southern Alderland
and the capital city of Brodelmarg.
Their primary enemy is the Rust
Church in northern Alderland.
Now that things are stirring
in the Bloodmarch, the Con-
gregation of the Serpent has
become interested in the coun-
try. When the Prophet Fangler
had a vision of Wyrm waiting to
be reborn in Aslene they sent a
strong force of Ad Vipera agents
across the mountains to locate
the god, eliminate any threats,
and find allies in the country.
“the true snake god” in opposition to Alderland
and with her as the god’s supreme priestess. In
that case she is open to alliances which will be
needed against the powerful enemies she would
immediately make in her homeland.
 MEETING POANSA
Poansa and her subordinates are already in Aslene.
They crossed Gander’s Pass on secret paths from
Alderland and continued to Oxengelder, where
Poansa met with the Dreamstress as an ambas-
sador of Alderland. She usually has a double rep-
resenting her in Oxengelder, while she herself
coordinates smaller groups secretly searching
for Wyrm in the Bloodmarch.
Poansa is sweeping the country from south
to north. The adventurers may run into one
of her spies before they even leave Taregyll,
but their first encounter with Poansa herself
will not take place north of the Wailing. She
is often accompanied by the Prophet Fangler
who believes that he can locate Wyrm if he gets
close enough to the god’s new form. Poansa
travels discreetly in a small group posing as a
land surveyor in search of suitable locations for
settlements in Aslene, equipped with basic sur-
veying instruments and the knowledge required
for such a mission.
Poansa Moulter is mainly looking for infor-
mation and is therefore open to conversations
and collaboration with anyone she meets. If she
suspects someone of withholding information
or items of interest, she will try to have that
person taken away and interrogated in private.
RELATIONS
Poansa can accept help from anyone who offers
it, but never loses sight of her own priorities
and is only loyal to them.
THE DR EA MSTR ESS: Poansa Moulter is
loosely allied with the Dreamstress, who she
hopes will be able to locate Wyrm through
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chapter 8
oneiromancy. Communication with the Dream-
stress is mostly handled by her double, who is
also called Poansa and like the original belongs
to the Sisterhood of the Black Mamba.
GRUDENSTAAL: If she decides to steal Wyrm
for herself, Poansa may form an unholy alli-
ance with Colonel Grudenstaal where the two
of them become a couple and found a new sect
that competes with their previous employers.
VINHELM: If Poansa realizes what is really
going on, she may join forces with Vinhelm
Kaal and the other moon elves in the final
stages of the campaign to hide the temple
Agnostica forever. Then everything remains
the same and the rumor of Wyrm’s rebirth
was false, which might suit the Congregation
of the Serpent.
POANSA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 5, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 3, Stealth 3, Move 2, Marks-
manship 2, Lore 2, Insight 3, Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Adaptive, Path of Poison 3, Sharp
Tongue 2
GEAR: Dagger, short sword, short bow,
leather armor
IMMUNE TO POISON: Like all members of the
Sisterhood of the Black Mamba, Poansa is
immune to poison.
SHED SKIN: Poansa can shapeshift into a
black mamba with Strength 1, Agility 7,
Movement 2. In snake form she can move
out of ARM’S LENGTH range without the
enemy getting to attack. In close combat
she has a bite with a lethal or sleeping
poison (Potency 8) – an attack she can
also use in human form.
 COLONEL GRUDENSTAAL
Grudenstaal is colonel of the Ironbrows, an inquisitorial order of war-
riors within the Rust Church in Alderland, headquar-
tered in Raskalma. Grudenstaal has for many years
conducted purges of heretics in northern Alderland
and sent many of them over the edge of the Iron
Lock to live in exile in Ravenland. Through his
agents the colonel has gained a good understand-
ing of recent developments in Ravenland.
After an indiscreet affair with Moilera of
Kantamar, ducal consort and niece of Bretien
the Procreator who was anointed king by the
Rust Church in Alderland, Grudenstaal was
left in the political cold. He has therefore
been sent away to Aslene to investigate the
rumors about the god Wyrm having been
reborn there, as foretold by the Prophet Fan-
gler. Grudenstaal was forced to accept the
assignment, but he is bitter and feels that
the Rust Church has betrayed him after
many years of loyal service.
Once Grudenstaal and his troop of
eighty men had entered the Bloodmarch
on secret paths near Gander’s Pass, the
colonel made the bold move of openly
seeking out the Caberians in Strilling,
the most militant horse clan in Aslene,
who spearheaded the conflict with Alder-
land as its mortal enemies.
The risk of immediate slaughter
loomed when the clan realized who their
guests were, but Grudenstaal’s voice did
not waver as he explained to Chieftain
Merdekai that the long-standing peace
had softened the warriors on both sides of
Gander’s Pass. That was why he had come
to the Bloodmarch – to find out whether the

79

key players
pass could be cleared so the traditional, character-
building wars could be resumed. He turned to the
Caberians thinking that they would understand
his intentions better than anyone.
When the initial astonishment had settled,
a truce was signed to clear the battlefields of
Hadruma for future bloodshed. Under the cover
of this military endeavor, Grudenstaal and his
men are looking for the reincarnation of Wyrm.
LEGEND
Oh yes, I’ve met Colonel Grudenstaal, the man
they call the fist of the Ironbrows. A ruthless man
to be sure, like when Holy Frensia was promised
by the king – the old man feared the reprisal of the
gods, you see – that she would never be exiled to
Ravenland, and Grudenstaal kept the monarch’s
word by personally kicking the seer over the edge
of the precipice. But the man is more than just a
hard heart. He listens to everybody and does not
hesitate to change his mind if he likes your advice.
He is certainly proud, so much so that he always goes
his own way, and nobody knows what he might do.
I suppose that’s why the powers that be in Alder-
land had him sent off to the Bloodmarch.
APPEARANCE
Grudenstaal is in his mid-forties, tall and mus-
cular, completely hairless, with the symbols of
Rust and Heme tattooed around his head. He
wears iron mail every day without exception –
not just for protection, but as a religious uniform
whose weight is meant to strengthen the body
and mind of its wearer. Over the armor he wears
a simple grayish-yellow robe. That way he does
not attract as much attention, while at the same
time making little effort to conceal himself.
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chapter 8
The colonel is a man of quick and bold action.
He never takes his eyes off his goals, both overt
and covert, and can make important decisions
in an instant. He despises fear and thinks it is
better to live and die gloriously with one’s head
held high than to crawl through a life of doubt.
OVERT GOALS
Grudenstaal claims that he has come to the
Bloodmarch to open Gander’s Pass and prepare
the ground for new character-building wars
between Alderland and the horse clans. This is
what the Caberians believe and want to achieve.
If presented with proof that Grudenstaal has been
lying, they could very well attack the Ironbrows.
SECRET GOALS
The Rust Church in Alderland has sent Gruden-
staal to the Bloodmarch to find the reborn
Wyrm and kill the god before the Congregation
of the Serpent gets hold of him. Grudenstaal
has heard rumors that Wyrm can be found with
the help of Horn’s Astra. He also understands
how much these old weapons mean to the horse
clans and could use them to buy their loyalty
for a war against Alderland.
MEETING GRUDENSTAAL
After getting settled, the Ironbrows dispatch
groups of seekers operating from Strilling.
Grudenstaal is particularly keen to make
contact with the dwarves of Firestead whom
he thinks could melt the obstacles blocking
Gander’s Pass into lava. Grudenstaal travels
with groups of his own men, but rarely visits
the country’s villages and taverns himself
– people of interest are instead brought to
his camp, as guests or prisoners.
RELATIONS
Grudenstaal keeps an open mind towards all
the other key players, viewing them solely as
potential opportunities or threats to his own
interests. He judges creatures by their ability
and could not care less about their sex or race.
As a result there are several unexpected associ-
ates that he has recruited in the Bloodmarch.
POANSA: Grudenstaal knows that Poansa of
Ad Vipera has also come to the Bloodmarch in
search of Wyrm. He used to have a mole inside
Ad Vipera, but that agent was executed after
being exposed by the Prophet Fangler’s magic.
Poansa has in turn learned about Grudenstaal’s
secret plans through her spies.
VINHELM: Towards the end of the campaign,
if Grudenstaal has realized the true nature of
the situation, he might join forces with Vin-
helm and the other moon elves to hide the
temple Agnostica forever. In that case every-
thing stays the same and the rumor of Wyrm’s
rebirth turns out to be false, which might suit
the Rust Church.
THE RUST CHURCH: Feeling wronged and
betrayed by the Rust Church, Grudenstaal
might turn against them if the opportunity
arises and try to establish his own power base
in the Bloodmarch. He knows that many Alder-
landers would join him. To this end he could
basically contact and ally himself with any great
power in Aslene, including Vaerefor van Reiben,
Poansa, Vasnia, the Seventh, or the Rust Church
81
key players
in Ravenland. His only moral principle is to
advance his own interests.
COLONEL GRUDENSTAAL
STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Might 3, Melee 3, Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Adaptive, Magnetism 2, Execu-
tioner 2, Defender 1, Horseback Fighter 3,
Sword Fighter 2
GEAR: Broadsword, large shield, pike, chain-
mail, war horse
LANCER: Grudenstaal can wield his pike
with one hand while on horseback.
THE IRONBROWS
The Ironbrows is an order of warriors
with the Rust Church in Alderland.
Their traditional function has been
to hunt down, capture, interrogate,
and punish heretics, as well as bru-
tally suppressing uprisings. When
they learned about the prophecy of
Wyrm’s rebirth in the Bloodmarch,
the Rust Church sent a troop of
Ironbrows to find and destroy the
god before the Congregation of the
Serpent can get their hands on him.
The Ironbrows are proud and ruth-
less in nature, but realize that diplo-
macy is needed in Aslene and are
trying to secure allies for the future,
so they can be patient and even
somewhat friendly with strangers
whom they deem it useful.
 FIENA
FROMELEI
According to legend, halflings and goblins were
once moon elves, with a moonstone in their
chest in the same way that elves have a ruby for
a heart. They tried to trick the raven god (or the
snake god – the myths are unclear on this point)
and as punishment the god tore the moonstone
from their chest and split their kin into hal-
flings and goblins. The moonstones were sup-
posedly left somewhere in the Bloodmarch.
A few months ago, the Ravenlander moon
maiden and halfling Fiena Fromelei had a night-
time vision telling her that the time had come to
find the lost moonstones and unite the two kin.
Since then she can hear the moonstones calling
from Aslene on moonlit nights and is therefore
leading an expedition for the Penites, a cult cen-
tered around the inherited guilt of the halflings.
More precisely, she can sense the direction and
distance to all moonstones while the moon is up.
She is escorted by a bodyguard of goblin wolf
riders led by Crudehack, as well as three hired
wolfkin warriors from Ravenland.
LEGEND
They say that one of the Penites’ powerful moon
priestesses from Belifar has been sent to the Blood-
march to finally eradicate the sin that the cult attri-
butes to halflings and the goddess Eor. The priestess
will seek forgiveness for some wrong committed
by her kin at the time of the Shift, and will do so
at the secret temple of the moon elves, although no
one has ever seen it. Come to think of it, no one has
even seen a moon elf, have they? So how she will
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chapter 8
THE PENITES
The Penites is a cult of penitent
halflings from Ravenland. They wor-
ship the moon goddess Eor and
strive to reunite the goblins and
halflings, while at the same time
atoning for the historical sin that
according to legend divided their
kin in the first place. The Penites
believe that goblins and halflings
were once “wholelings” – a noble
kin of tall, nocturnal creatures who
carried moonstones in their chests.
Egged on by the moon, they
supposedly tried to steal the sun
from the sky god Raven in order to
plunge the world into eternal night,
but the theft failed. The raven god
tore the moonstones from the
wholelings’ chests, splitting them
into halflings and goblins, and
hurled the stones over the moun-
tains into the Bloodmarch.
The Penites seek forgiveness
for their kin’s original sin through
penance, which may consist of
anything from building temples
and caring for the sick and poor to
brutal self-flagellation in the sun.
accomplish this is anyone’s guess. Personally, I’ve
barely even seen a halfling. Perhaps it’s all made
up? Might as well forget the whole thing!
 APPEARANCE a moon elf herself (page 127). Vinhelm will
Fiena Fromelei is a young, doll-like halfling immediately detect the presence and direction
woman with curly red hair. She wears flax- of a new moon elf in the Bloodmarch and hurry
blue pilgrim’s attire with a simple silver band over there. As a moon elf Fiena can, like Salunia,
around her forehead. When she becomes a moon still sense the direction to other lost moonstones.
elf, Fiena assumes the features of that kin but
retains her red hair.
SECRET GOALS
Fiena has no secret goals. Once she becomes a
OVERT GOALS moon elf, she will know the history of the moon
Fiena’s only objective is to find the moonstones. elves and how to summon the temple Agnostica.
She can always sense the direction to the stones
in Aslene, including the one in Vinhelm’s chest,
and makes her way towards the nearest one. How-
ever, she cannot sense the moonstones inside
Agnostica until she obtains one of the lost
stones at which point
she transforms into

OTHER MOONSTONES
In the Bloodmarch there are two lost
moonstones resting in the locations
where their bearers once fell. A third
stone is embedded in the missing
Helm of Horn, one of his Astra, which
nobody knows. A fourth sits inside
Vinhelm. You can place the stones
anywhere you like, randomly or
deliberately, but not too close to
Shadowgate Pass. The remaining 36
moonstones are found in the temple
Agnostica, seven of them inside the
chests of living moon elves, exclud-
ing Vinhelm.
MEETING FIENA
Fiena Fromelei and her bodyguards only travel
at night when the moon is out, in a straight line
from Shadowgate Pass to the nearest moonstone
that is attracting the moon maiden. Once the
first stone has been found, Fiena instead wants
to locate the temple Agnostica in order to keep
the Aslene moonstones safe from the Seventh.
If the adventurers encounter Fiena Frome-
lei’s party, they will probably only notice the
three wolfkin warriors from Ravenland and
possibly the goblin wolf riders. They wish to
be left alone but are also interested in useful
information about the country and what lies
in their path. If the adventurers carry one of
the moonstones, Fiena will approach them to
either trade for it or steal it.
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chapter 8
RELATIONS
VINHELM: Vinhelm has heard that a group of
halflings and goblins has come to the Bloodmarch
to find the moonstones, and is keen to see them
fail. But he does not know where the group or the
lost moonstone are. As soon as Fiena or Salunia
turns into a moon elf, he will sense their pres-
ence and rush over there before the Seventh get to
them. He then wants her help in finding the rest
of the lost moonstones, so that he can take them
and the new moon elf into hiding at Agnostica.
THE SEVENTH: The Seventh know that a
group of halfling priests are on their way to the
Bloodmarch in search of the moonstones, and
are pursuing them. The worm people are not
interested in the group itself, but only to get hold
of a moon elf through whom they can find the
temple Agnostica where the Eighth Mother is
said to be held. One of Fiena’s wolfkin warriors
has been taken over by a worm hiding in the fur
on the back of its neck, capable of calling the Sev-
enth. They know where the warrior is at all times.
GRUDENSTAAL AND POANSA: In an emer-
gency, Fiena can seek refuge with Grudenstaal
or Poansa if she knows that they too are search-
ing for Agnostica. In that case she may offer
them “Wyrm reborn” in exchange for protection
as well as the moonstones.
FIENA FROMELEI
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 4, WITS 5, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Endurance 2, Survival 2, Insight 3,
Healing 3, Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Hard to Catch, Path of Sight 3,
Fast Footwork 1
GEAR: Staff, leather armor
 THE SEVENTH
The Seventh are worm creatures – the remains of the
people who were once masters of humankind on the
continent of Anoma beyond the sea, east of Raven-
land. Each creature consists of roughly one hundred,
foot-long, flesh-colored worms gathered in a colony
around the skeleton of some creature they devoured.
Seven worm creatures have recently arrived in
Aslene. They are the last of the seventh generation
of worms, hence “the Seventh.” You can read more
about their background on page 4. Separately
the worms are no smarter than animals, but
together they become both intelligent and strong.

MEAT
“May his flesh awaken in your flesh!”

The worm people worship Meat, a

god they believe is resting inside
all living things, waiting to be born.
Meat will emerge along with the
twelfth generation of worms, at
which time everything living will
be gathered inside the god’s body.
According to the Seventh, individu-
als and kin are only passing phases
of development, just as their own
figures consist of individual worms
who are worthless on their own. For
the worm people their search for
the Eighth Mother is a search for the
meaning of life itself. The next gen-
eration on the path to Meat – the
Eighth – can only be birthed by her.

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key players
 LEGEND
I’ve been told that a handful of stern-looking priests
recently arrived in Ravenland from beyond the
seas, having made the same journey as the humans
who first landed on our shores. The priests are on
a mission from the snake god to make sure that the
humans honor the god properly. Apparently no one
can endure the sight of their faces, which is why
they’re all wearing masks.
The priests are said to be carrying strong shack-
les on their belts, with orders to once more enslave
the humans if they have not proven worthy of the
freedom they received as a test from the god. They
leave the skeletons of the tried and rejected in their
wake, but cannot die themselves. When these terri-
ble judges heard of Fangler’s prophecy, that Wyrm
had been reborn in Aslene, they headed west to
worship the god in his new form and pronounce
their final judgment on humanity. If you cross their
path with an impure mind, beware.
APPEARANCE
The assembled form of the worm creatures
roughly takes the shape of the skeleton they
use. In human form they look like a human
corroded by fleshsoot, so they wear clothing
that fully covers their bodies and face masks
in order to blend in. In animal form they do
not care about their appearance and look like a
skinned version of the animal or monster whose
skeleton they inhabit.

THE SEVENTH’S FORMS

At the start of the game, the Seventh act in seven collectives of one hundred worms
each, gathered around seven human skeletons. They can split into smaller groups or
merge around larger skeletons if the opportunity arises and it serves their purposes.
See the table below. The Seventh count as monsters and all forms use the same mon-
ster attacks. The forms have different attribute values depending on the size of the
skeleton and the number of worms it contains.
#WORMS FORM STRENGTH AGILITY WITS ATTACK DAMAGE TYPE
10 Cat 2 5 1 Claw 1 Slash
50 Wolf 4 4 3 Bite 1 Slash
100 Human 8 3 5 Weapon Varies Varies
350 Horse 16* 2 6 Kick 1 Blunt
700 Giant 32* 1 7 Tree trunk 2 Blunt
* Attacks with twelve Base Dice.
IMMORTAL: The Seventh exist in multiple worlds at once and are virtually immortal as
long as Octomadria (page 99) is alive. Until the Eighth Mother is eliminated, they
can only be defeated temporarily. Even if seemingly obliterated, the Seventh regener-
ate in D6 days.

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chapter 8
 The colony can switch to a new skeleton if
one of their worms finds its way to the back of
a sleeping creature’s neck and paralyzes it. Then
the colony devours the victim and replaces its
soft tissue with themselves. The process takes
one day. Discarded skeletons are stripped so clean
that they almost look carved. For example, the
colony can take over a wolf in order to run fast,
or a large bird or fish in order to fly or swim.
The Seventh have collective thoughts so
that they all immediately know what one of
them knows. If they manage to take over a
creature by placing a worm on the back of its
neck, everyone immediately learns what the
victim knows, but the worms lack a fundamen-
tal understanding of other creatures and can
therefore misinterpret information or overlook
important details.

THE SEVENTH’S MONSTER ATTACKS

D6 ATTACK
1 GATHER STRENGTH! The Seventh gather themselves and draw power from their
otherworldly origin, thereby recovering D6 Strength.
2 WEAPON ATTACK! The Seventh perform a weapon attack in their basic form. For
damage and type, see the table on the previous page.
3 PSYCHIC SHOCKWAVE! The Seventh send out a psychic shockwave, which is a fear
attack with nine Base Dice that targets everyone within NEAR range.
4 PARALYZING WORM BITE! The Seventh throw some of their worms at everyone
within NEAR range, and unless the victims succeed with a MOVE roll (not an
action), a worm attaches itself to their skin. Victims affected by the worm’s mucus
lose all their actions in the next combat round, but can still function normally in
the current round. Then the worm falls off and the victim can act as usual.
5 CONTROLLING WORM BITE! The Seventh throw some of their worms at everyone
within NEAR range, and unless the victims succeed with a MOVE roll (not an
action), several worms attach themselves to their skin. Victims affected by the
worms’ mucus fall under the power of the Seventh, who control their every
action until the victims succeed with an INSIGHT roll. Victims can make an
INSIGHT roll once per round, on the Seventh’s turn. The roll cannot be pushed.
Through this attack the Seventh also learn everything the creature knows
about the Bloodmarch, the key players, and Horn’s Astra. If the same victim is
hit by this attack a second time, the effect is the same as result 6.
6 TAKE OVER SKELETON! A swarm of worms hit a victim, who suffers an attack with
eight Base Dice and damage 1. The victim’s armor is reduced by half (rounded
down) as the worms wriggle under it. If the victim takes damage from the attack,
they automatically sustain a critical injury (stab wound). Each subsequent round
the Seventh automatically perform an attack on the victim, on the Seventh’s
initiative. The attacks continue until the Seventh are defeated or the victim dies.
In the latter case, the Seventh can choose to take over the victim’s skeleton.

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key players
 The Seventh have no emotions and no con-
cept of good and evil. They are entirely practical
creatures and will do anything to further the
dominance and prosperity of their kind, includ-
ing forming alliances. Furthermore, they are
highly resistant to physical violence as well as
magic and need neither sleep nor rest.
OVERT GOALS
The Seventh have no overt goals per se. They
see no reason to talk about their intentions –
they simply get on with it. They are not secre-
tive, just quiet about their activities.
SECRET GOALS
The Seventh want to find the Eighth Mother
and through her spawn an eighth generation of
worms. They themselves will die in the process,
which does not bother them. If they fail their
kind will eventually go extinct anyway.
They know that moon elves inherit the
memories of their kin and want to get hold
of one in order to find out where the Eighth
Mother is hidden. The worm creatures’ ultimate
goal is to reach generation twelve and thereby
give shape to their god Meat. This, they believe,
is end of history and the meaning of everything.
If the Seventh get their hands on the Eighth
Mother, they will produce the Eighth and later
try to conquer Aslene, Alderland, and Ravenland
by enslaving humans and other kin. They may
form alliances with others, but always consider
themselves superior to everyone else.
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MEETING THE SEVENTH
The Seventh arrive in Aslene from Ravenland
through Shadowgate Pass around the same
time as the adventurers, and then go looking
for moon elves and by extension the Eighth
Mother. The adventurers could encounter these
unpleasant creatures early in the campaign, but
any alliances or confrontations should be dealt
with at a later stage.
Among humans, the Seventh pretend to
be ill with skin rot and claim to have come
to Aslene in search of a demon prince whom
they heard would be able to cure them. They
are interested in receiving information and
assistance, and can help their allies in return.
THE SEVENTH AND
OTHER KEY PLAYERS
The worm people have no moral or emotional
barriers and can forge and break alliances if it
furthers their cause. Once they understand that
others are looking for Horn’s Astra, they might
try to find them as well and later use them
as a bargaining chip. They soon realize that
others are seeking the Eighth Mother under the
name “Wyrm Reborn,” and they will happily
play along to gain the seekers’ trust.
VAEREFOR: Vaerefor van Reiben might con-
vince the Seventh that the sticky vegetation of
the Crimson Forest is a precursor to the god
Meat and form an alliance with them. Both
sides look after their own interests and will
break the alliance when it is beneficial to do so.
 LEGEND
VINHELM None. Vinhelm is largely unknown and wants

KAAL to remain that way.

The moon elf Vinhelm was a brilliant but reck-

less young mentalist at the hidden moon temple APPEARANCE
of Agnostica. His talents were encouraged by If one manages to catch sight of him, Vin-
the elders until he started experimenting with helm looks like a bald and somewhat chubby
narcotic mushrooms as a way of discovering fourteen-year-old boy with mottled gray skin.
new spells and insights. The skin reflects light, so he avoids all light
During a fateful dream session a few months sources and wraps himself in covering garments.
ago, Vinhelm made contact with three unknown The reflection does not really go away even when
consciousnesses and accidentally let them know how he casts VISAGE .
Agnostica hides the moonstones and the Eighth
Mother, whom some interpret as Wyrm Reborn.
Unbeknownst to Vinhelm, these conscious-
nesses belong to the Prophet Fangler from Alder-
land, the moon maiden Fiena Fromelei from
Ravenland, and worst of all – the Seventh from
beyond the seas, the same worm creatures from
whom the moon elves stole the Eighth Mother
and fled twelve hundred years ago.
The seven elder moon elves were both furious
and devastated when they learned what had hap-
pened, as their entire lives since the escape had been
focused on staying hidden. They blocked parts of
Vinhelm’s memory and cast him into the world
to make things right. All knowledge of Agnostica,
the moonstones, and the Eighth Mother must
be eradicated!
Vinhelm has been traveling the Bloodmarch
ever since, accompanied by the thief Orehanne
and the druid Sisella, in an attempt to salvage the
situation. He is friends with the Dreamstress and
has, as the genius he is, quickly learned the art of
oneiromancy. Moon elves normally inherit their
ancestors’ memories, but since some of these have
been blocked, Vinhelm feels a bit empty and lost.

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key players
 LEGEND
Konana is the salt of the mountains. The blood
of the country flows through her veins with the
power of the ancients. She is the coming of spring
after a bitter winter, the ray of sunlight that cuts
like a sharp blade through the fleeing darkness of
the storm. In her I put my trust, for she will lead
the Vasnians back to our stolen plains, break the legs
of the horses, and cave in the skulls of their riders.
APPEARANCE
Konana is a tall and heavy-set woman with
short ash-blonde hair, dressed in simple but
effective soldier’s attire. She knows how to use
a sword and shield, and also carries a crossbow
on her back. She is almost a full-blooded orc
and accepted as one by the Aslene orcs based
on her scent, but she can just as well pass for
a human among humans, though her canines
are just a little too long and sharp.
OVERT GOALS
Officially, Konana presents herself as a profes-
sional warrior without scruples, willing to take
on missions for the highest bidder.
SECRET GOALS
Konana is secretly trying to find Horn’s Astra
and bring them to Vasnia. She is also looking
for a group of orcs from Ravenland – it is the
Urhur clan who has sent an envoy to propose an
alliance. The collaboration is hampered by the
fact that Aslene orcs traditionally despise their
fellow kin in Ravenland ever since they allowed
themselves to be enslaved by elves and dwarves.
MEETING KONANA
Konana is based in Vasnia in northern Aslene. She
and her closest adjutants are posing as mercenaries
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who have accidentally blown in from the Drawn
Lands in the west. Stranded in Aslene, they are
now looking for work. In reality they are seek-
ing Horn’s Astra. They know nothing about the
Drawn Lands and make things up when necessary.
RELATIONS
Konana can collaborate with anyone she thinks
could be useful in the restoration of Vasnia,
including the Seventh. However, she is reluc-
tant to hand over Horn’s Astra and would rather
keep them as a trump card. Konana will never
work with the horse clans or their allies – too
much blood has been spilled between them for
that to be an option.
KONANA
STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Might 3, Endurance 3, Melee 3,
Crafting 1, Move 2, Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Unbreakable, Path of the Shield 3,
Sword Fighter 2
GEAR: Broadsword, light crossbow, large
shield, studded leather armor
THE SECRET PATHS OF VASNIA
Konana knows secret paths in
northern Aslene – one that cuts
through the mountains between
Vasnia and the Pitwolds, and one
that goes from the Pitwolds to
Firestead. The terrain along these
paths is mountainous, and if
she tells allied player characters
about them, they can take short-
cuts through these otherwise
impassable hexes.
 ago. Vaerefor does not long to get back to his
VAEREFOR homeworld Harachne and would quite like

VAN REIBEN living in Aslene if there were not so many colors.

Vaerefor appears in the guise of an elven druid,
but is really one of the immortal demon princes
left behind in Aslene when Zygofer
sealed his nexus 300 years
In the lush jungles of Harachne everything
is red, and Vaerefor’s plan is to rule Aslene and
its neighboring countries, while rearranging
them to his taste. For many human generations
he has been cultivating and adjusting plants
from Harachne so they can finally grow and
branch out in the human world as
well. Now he is spreading them
over larger and larger areas.
Vaerefor has tricked the
elves of Aslene into believing
that he is a prophet of the Red
Wanderer, the star from which the
elves once fell into the world in the
form of rubies. Now the elves think that
the demonic red vegetation is primor-
dial and must be spread throughout the
world under Vaerefor’s leadership. Vaer-
efor claims that the Red Wanderer is
synonymous with the god Rubor.

LEGEND
I once saw the lord of the red elves with
my own eyes. He stood on top of a giant
slug that crawled its way through the pass
where cousin Welia and I were picking
bird’s eggs on the mountainside. Vaere-
for van Reiben they call him, and that
face of his might as well be made
of bark. They say he lives among
the growths of the crimson for-
ests – the ones that have gotten
bigger lately, as you’ve prob-
ably heard. I believe he has
something to do with it!

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key players
 RUBOR AND KOLOR
Rubor is another name for the red
wanderer of the sky – the origin of
elvenkind. In Aslene the demon prince
Vaerefor van Reiben has created a reli-
gion around Rubor, the red god. Rubor’s
counter-force, Kolor, stands for evil and
is represented by all colors other than
red (white and black do not count as
colors in this context).
Vaerefor presents himself as an
ancient elf and claims to be Rubor’s
prophet on earth. The elves of Aslene
have allowed themselves to be duped
and follow him blindly. According to
Vaerefor, the sky god Rubor sowed the
earth with red seeds to cover the world
in Crimson Forest where he could rest
in between his wanderings.
But Kolor, the evil colorer, tainted
his creation and twisted it into one
of multiple colors. The multicolored
APPEARANCE
Vaerefor has assumed the form of a lanky elf of
indeterminate age, with red skin and eyes. He is
often in an excellent mood and likes to throat-
sing to a strange, serpentine dance which he is
happy to perform in front of others.
His skin is furrowed and his hair consists
of grass, leaves, and vines, which could mean
that Vaerefor is part plant. He himself claims to
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world is called Polychromia, and it is
the task of the red elves to turn it back
into Monochromia. Until this task is
completed Rubor will wander restlessly
across the sky, but once the whole
world has turned crimson and Kolor has
been defeated, the red god will descend
onto the earth and live among his true
believers in everlasting love, joy, and
harmony.
Until that day, hate, duty, and
cleansing will reign, with the red elves
of Aslene as the god’s instruments. The
red elves are suspicious of everyone
else, especially those who add other
colors than red to the world. Such crea-
tures are the evil henchmen of Kolor,
whose worldly manifestation is the
rainbow. Red elves are sworn enemies
of the goddess Have with her Blue Tar
and blue fire.
have chosen this appearance because he serves
all living things on behalf of the Red Wanderer.
Vaerefor has even formed a ruby in his chest,
modeled after the elven ones.
Vaerefor van Reiben dresses in luxurious
but practical garments and often wears red
glasses to avoid the risk of seeing other colors,
as they make him nauseous, particularly
outside the Crimson Forests. His servants
always carry spray bottles with red paint so
that they will quickly be able to cover other
offensive colors.
OVERT GOALS
Vaerefor’s stated objective is to cover Aslene and
eventually the entire world in demonic red veg-
etation according to the Red Wanderer’s divine
plan. Nature, in its present condition, has been
corrupted by Kolor, the evil colorer. All colors
other than red must be suppressed and erased.
Only when the world deserves it will the sun-
light shine clear and red once more.
SECRET GOALS
In reality, Vaerefor just wants to rule a world
that is pleasant to him; a red world covered in
vegetation from Harachne. He is an aesthete
through and through. He would like to get his
hands on one of Horn’s Astra – the one called
the Goblet of Blood (the Goblet Staff of Have)
– as it would help him achieve his goals.
MEETING VAEREFOR
Vaerefor is often found in areas with Crimson
Forest, lands which the red elves collectively
refer to as Reiben. He can leave the demonic
vegetation in an emergency, but not without
disgust and only if it is absolutely necessary.
If he needs to contact anyone, Vaerefor usu-
ally sends elves as messengers. It is said that he
spends most of his time in the living, moving
castle of Kasabatoda. Now and then he visits
the Dreamstress in Oxengelder who dreams her
friend to and from her temple.
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key players
The adventurers are unlikely to encounter
Vaerefor outside the demonic vegetation. To
find the demon, they will probably need elves
to take them to him. However, he does show
up in the adventure site Salterstay.
RELATIONS
Vaerefor can form alliances with other key play-
ers as long as they accept him as their superior
and support his plans to spread the forests of
Rubor throughout the world as the god has
mandated. He also realizes that he needs troops
in order to conquer larger territories such as
Ravenland and Alderland. If anyone accepts
this, he is happy to help them in return. But
he steers clear of the horse clans, knowing that
an alliance with them would never last.
Vaerefor is friends with the Dreamstress.
Vaerefor can convince the Seventh that the
Crimson Forest is a precursor to the god Meat
and thus form an alliance with them.
VAEREFOR VAN REIBEN
STRENGTH 9, AGILITY 5, WITS 4, EMPATHY 5
SKILLS : Insight 4, Manipulation 4
REGENERATION: Recovers D3 Strength per
round.
SYMBIOTIC: Vaerefor’s home is the giant
snail Kasabatoda with a castle on its back.
The two of them are really a single creature
who has placed its intelligence in Vaerefor.
If Vaerefor dies, he can be re-created by
having the ruby inside him pass through the
giant snail. Should this be impossible, the
snail will assume Vaerefor’s face, huge and
twisted, and run amok to devour all living
things in the world and turn them into Crim-
son Forest through its digestive system.

THE
DREAMSTRESS
The Dreamstress is giant demon of philosoph-
ical disposition who founded oneiromancy –
dream magic. She has built a beautiful temple
with a dream tower in Oxengelder where pupils
of different kin come to learn oneiromancy. The
Dreamstress’ temple is one of the most peaceful
and revered sites in Aslene – perhaps the one
place its people are truly proud of.
The Dreamstress has no real enemies. She
does not act or take sides in political issues,
but treats everyone she meets with kindness,
speaking to them and offering advice based on
their own goals. She has a reputation for being
completely trustworthy and never betraying a
confidence.
LEGEND
Your dog ran away, eh? Well then, you should see
the Dreamstress in Oxengelder who knows where
everything is and where everyone’s gone. There, in
the limestone region just below the mountains, she
runs a school for dreamers. They say the Dream-
stress is a giant, bigger than a house but milder
than cream, teaching the so-inclined how to galder
dream, so that the dreams inform them about the
world and can even alter things that displease
them. But me, I prefer a good night’s sleep and to
leave the world as it is.
APPEARANCE
The Dreamstress looks human but is fifteen
meters tall standing up, though she usually
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chapter 8
sits cross-legged or lies on her side to sleep and
dream. She always has her eyes half-closed and
her lips curved in a serene little smile. The
Dreamstress’ skin is bronze, as is the hair on
her head which would reach her waist if she did
not arrange it in such an elaborate style. Her
massive body is wrapped in multicolored fab-
rics with glittering metal ornaments and gems
given to her by her visitors.
OVERT GOALS
The Dreamstress says she wants to help people
understand themselves and take control of
their thoughts and dreams by visualizing
them. She claims that dreams are the soil
from which reality grows and that nothing
becomes real without first being dreamed.
The world, as she sees it, is simply the sleep-
ing vision of the Worlddreamer. Life itself
is made up of aspirational dreams and the
results that come from them.
SECRET GOALS
The Dreamstress came to Aslene during the
Demon Flood, and all she really wants is to
get back to her homeworld Eoni. She wants
to gather and train the dreamers required
to dream this into reality. While teaching
them she plants insidious psychic messages
that will give her complete control over them
when the time comes to collectively dream
her away forever.
The Dreamstress hopes to use her contacts
to obtain one or more of Horn’s Astra. She
will then dissolve them and charge her dream
tower with their power when the day comes to
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key players
dream herself away. Perhaps the Dreamstress’
escape from the world turns out to be a dream.
As a backup plan she would be willing to rule
this world with Vaerefor and spend her time
dreaming beauty into existence.
MEETING
THE DREAMSTRESS
The adventurers can visit the Dreamstress in
Oxengelder, but she could also show up in a
random encounter when she has dreamed herself
to somewhere else in Aslene. She then invites
interested adventurers to her temple to teach
them oneiromancy.
RELATIONS
Several key players have been in contact with
the Dreamstress and she treats them all with
equal kindness, but does not take sides one way
or the other.
Only Vaerefor van Reiben knows about the
Dreamstress’ true plans. They are friends and
have no quarrel with each other. The Dream-
stress can sometimes dream Vaerefor to and
from her temple, in which case she dresser her-
self entirely in red to honor her guest.
THE DREAMSTRESS
STRENGTH 50, AGILITY 2, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
MOVEMENT: 1
ARMOR RATING: 4
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chapter 8
MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 CRUSHING BLOW! The Dreamstress
swings her fist at an unfortunate
adventurer. Roll for the attack with
twelve Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 1 (blunt force). If hit, the
victim is hurled to the ground and
rendered prone.
2 NIGHTMARE ATTACK! The Dreamstress
unleashes nightmares upon all
adventures within NEAR range. Roll a
fear attack with eight Base Dice.
3 STOMP ATTACK! The Dreamstress tries
to stomp two adventurers within
NEAR range. Roll for the attacks with
ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1
(blunt force). Everyone hit by the attack
is knocked down and rendered prone.
4 SWEEPING BLOW! The Dreamstress
swings her arms at all adventurers
within NEAR range. Roll for the attack
with nine Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 2. Everyone hit by the attack
is knocked to the ground and ren-
dered prone.
5 THROW! The Dreamstress has had
enough of an adventurer within
NEAR range and tries to throw them
away. Roll for the attack with eleven
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1. If
hit, the victim is thrown to SHORT
range and lands prone.
6 WHIRL ATTACK! The Dreamstress tries
to stomp and smash the adventurers
with her feet and fists in a frenzy of swift
blows. Everyone within NEAR range
suffers an attack with ten Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). Anyone
hit by the attack is knocked prone.

OCTOMADRIA –
THE EIGHTH
MOTHER
Octomadria – the Eighth Mother – is the
would-be queen of the Seventh, the worm people
from Anoma, and was supposed to birth the
eighth generation of worm creatures on their
way to becoming the god Meat. How the Eighth
Mother fits into the final stage of the campaign
becomes clear at the adventure site Agnostica.
LEGEND
Did you hear the rumor that Wyrm will be reborn
in Aslene? The Prophet Fangler in Alderland, that
fellow with the all-seeing third eye, supposedly had
a clear-cut vision from the gods. Mark my words,
this will only bring calamity upon us. They say the
Congregation of the Serpent has already sent troops
to Aslene to receive their god and that Bretien the
Procreator is mobilizing a defense in Kantamar.
Calamity, I say, and calamity there will be! It’s best
when things return to normal and all that’s turned
upside down is the soil under the farmer’s plow.
APPEARANCE
The Eighth Mother’s first form resembles a
three-meter-long snake with the upper body
of a small child. Her six subsequent forms
appear in turn as twisted women with sim-
ilar features, of the following kin: human,
dwarf, orc, goblin, wolfkin, and moon elf.
Each form that dies is replaced by the next.
All forms have the same stats, and they are
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key players
killed the moment they come into contact
with any of Horn’s Astra.
Octomadria’s final form appears as a twelve-
meter-long snake that ends in a women’s torso
and head with regal posture. She is completely
naked, but demands to be dressed in elegant
clothes. If no one has any clothes for her, she
shuts her eyes and projects exotic garments and
jewelry worthy of an empress or goddess.
OVERT GOALS
The Eighth Mother’s six intermediate forms
all have a burning desire to know who they are.
They have no memory and are stressed, fright-
ened, and aggressive.
In her final form, Octomadria views herself
as an obvious goddess. She does not consider
herself a leader, since everything and everyone
around her is unworthy of divine leadership,
and wants to be worshiped the way she deserves.
She will enter whatever alliance seems like the
quickest route to this exalted position. She will
happily let someone else govern the country as
long as she is treated as a supreme being, with
all that entails.
SECRET GOALS
Octomadria has no secret goals. As a god she has
no reason to lie, pretend, or manipulate, since
that would imply that others are her equals.
MEETING OCTOMADRIA
Octomadria does not appear until the final stage
of the campaign, when the adventurers open her
chamber in the moon elves’ temple Agnostica.

Only after going through her first seven forms
does she become aware of who she is and enter
her final form. If the encounter plays out peace-
fully, Octomadria will go through her different
forms over the course of a day and reach her
final form without bloodshed.
Octomadria must be killed eight times – one
for each form. The final form of Octomadria
can only be harmed by the dagger Glasstooth
(page 66).
OCTOMADRIA’S FIRST FORMS
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 3, Insight 3, Manipulation 3
OCTOMADRIA’S FINAL FORM
STRENGTH 30, AGILITY 5, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Insight 4
MOVEMENT: 2
ARMOR RATING: 3 (scales)
THE FINAL FORM’S MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 SUMMON FORMS! Octomadria sum-
mons her first seven forms who
move towards an enemy within NEAR
range and attack from ARM’S LENGTH
range. Her forms can only exist one
at a time, each emerging when the
previous form is defeated. Repeating
this monster attack while a form
still exists summons a new creature
which contains the slain forms from
the previous summoning.
2 WHIRLING BLADES! Octomadria grows
eight arms, each holding a sword.
She attacks all enemies within
NEAR range with nine Base Dice and
Damage 2 (slash wound). Roll one
attack for each enemy.
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chapter 8
D6 ATTACK
3 POISON SHOWER! Octomadria showers
everyone within NEAR range with
poison. Roll an attack with eight Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (non-
typical) against each victim. Victims
damaged by the attack also suffer
the effect of a paralyzing poison with
Potency 5. Any of Octomadria’s sum-
moned forms who are within range of
the attack are killed instantly.
4 TAIL ATTACK! Octomadria uses her tail
to whip an enemy within NEAR range.
Roll for the attack with twelve Base
Dice and Damage 1 (blunt force). Any
creatures smaller than her who are hit
by the attack are hurled to an adjacent
zone, space permitting, and land prone.
5 LETHAL EMBRACE! Octomadria wraps
herself around a victim and tries to
crush them. Roll for the attack with
ten Base Dice – the effectiveness of
armor is reduced by half, exception
for the Stonechest of Horn which
provides full protection. If the attack
inflicts damage, the victim remains
in Octomadria’s grip and the attack
is automatically repeated in the next
round on Octomadria’s initiative. A
victim Broken by this attack is crushed
to death. The attack continues until
either the victim or Octomadria
is dead. While the attack is active,
Octomadria can also perform an
attack with six Base Dice, Damage 1, at
an enemy within ARM’S LENGTH range.
6 DIVINE JUDGMENT! Octomadria
invokes her status as a god and con-
demns an enemy within SHORT range
to death. This person must succeed
with a roll for their best attribute or
disintegrate into a pile of dust. The
victim may add one D6 to the roll for
each of Horn’s Astra they carry.
 BESTIARY

“Does this blood trail never end?” asked the little peddler, not
because he was afraid of blood, but because inexhaustibility
irritated his business sense as a matter of principle.
“That is not blood we’re following, but the feces of a giant snail”
answered the hunter. “You may be stepping in the dog it fed on.
Now stop blathering and keep moving! We’re getting close.”
No sooner had they stopped than a long, fat larva came
crawling along the red trail they were following.
“Hurry up! The pearlyveine has awakened and its tenta-
cles are coming for us! Soon the Crimson Forest will flourish
around us!”

T
his chapter describes a large number of
beasts and other creatures found in the
Bloodmarch. The rules for monsters
presented in chapter 5 of the Gamemaster’s
Guide apply unless stated otherwise. However,
only the beasts with listed monster attacks
make use of such abilities. Other creatures
attack as usual, and their attacks can be both
parried and dodged.
The chapter concludes with a summary of
typical NPCs the adventurers might encoun-
ter on their travels.

BEASTS OF THE BLOODMARCH

D66 CREATURE D66 CREATURE D66 CREATURE
11–13 Smolderer 31–33 Grave Lily 52–54 Forest Star
14–16 Bloodbeech 34–36 Kton/Fire Wyrm 55–56 Slime Snail
21–22 Prune 41–42 Mecha 61–62 Slithernet
23–24 Wingsteed 43–45 Salamander 63–64 Sporewalker
25–26 Fraege 46–51 Sarcoptes 65–66 Hover Frog
 SMOLDERER
Smolderers are small, dark gray, humanoid crea-
tures with glowing eyes who have thus far only
been found in Ashlands Their warm bodies give
off faint wisps of smoke and smell of sulfur, but
are still cold to the touch, since they draw heat
from their surroundings.
Some scholars claim that they are related
to whiners, which others dismiss as unfounded
speculation. The two creatures
are indeed of similar size
and shape, but that is
where the similarity
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ends. The smolderers are believed to be intelligent,
and the wheezing laughter one sometimes hears
when they show up is most likely their language.
The fact of the matter is that smolderers are
not at all related to the other kin of the Forbid-
den Lands, but sprung from the depths of the
earth instead. They live off heat and may attack
all warm-blooded creatures to suck up their body
heat – not because they need it, since the heat of
the earth is quite sufficient, but living warmth
is clearly considered a delicacy among their kind.
Smolderers tend to attack in great hordes,
often riding on the backs of ktones (page 110). If
they take damage, they disappear into the ashland
and do not return. A
killed smolderer dis-
integrates into ashes.
SMOLDERER
ATTRIBUTES:
STRENGTH 1, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 3, Move 2, Scouting 3
MOVEMENT: 1
GEAR: Short spear
SULFURIC ODOR: Smolderers reek of sulfur,
which makes them unpleasant to be
around. An adventurer who finishes their
turn within ARM’S LENGTH range of a
smolderer suffers an attack with three
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1. The
attack deals damage to Empathy.
DRAW HEAT: Whenever smolderers succeed
with an unarmed melee attack, they can
(in addition to inflicting damage) drain
their victims’ body heat and thereby
render them COLD
 BLOODBEECH
In the outskirts
of the Crim-
son Forest grow
the bloodbeeches
– large red trees
with beautiful
white flowers. But
their beauty is decep-
tive. When their flowers
detect the presence of
warm-blooded crea-
tures, they flap their
petals so that they come
off and fly down to attack
and draw blood. Each
flower requires a few drops of
blood to sustain their seed pro-
duction. The bloodbeech seems
to be aware of how many flow-
ers it has lost and only sends a
suitable amount of them. That
way the same tree can attack
again if more creatures approach.

BLOODBEECH
ATTRIBUTES:
STRENGTH 12
MOVEMENT: —
FLOWER ATTACK: Hot-blooded
creatures who come within
NEAR range are attacked
once per round, each by a
separate flower. Roll for the
attack with four Base Dice
and Weapon Damage 1 (stab
wound). The attack can nei-
ther be dodged nor parried.

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PRUNE
Prunes are red elves whom the priests of Ashen-
stead have sought to “reform” through ana-
tomical procedures and the pumping of Blue
Tar into their bodies. The results are
scrawny, blue-black creatures who
wander around doing what they are
told. Prunes have varying levels of
consciousness, but whatever con-
sciousness they have left is filled with
hatred towards their creators and the
world in general.
Some prunes have escaped or been released,
probably to mock or intimidate the red elves,
and can therefore be found in the Blood-
march near Ashenstead. Elves from Raven-
land are hunting them to cut out the rubies
still embedded in their chests and thereby
recreate the original elves in the Stillmist
in Ravenland.

PRUNE
ATTRIBUTES:
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 2, WITS 1, EMPATHY 1
MOVEMENT: 1
SKILLS: Scouting 1
ARMOR RATING: —
EXPLOSIVE: Prunes explode on contact
with fire. The prune is consumed by the
flames and detonates in a cascade of
burning Blue Tar. Roll for the attack with
eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2
against all creatures within NEAR range.

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 WINGSTEED
On rare occasions a horse in the Wailing and offspring were all born wingless. Mommodar
Kreysel, almost always a gray one, is born is considered too old and fat to ride the horse,
with wings. The Sabirians value these horses and some believe that Barganos should be left
immensely and view them as gifts from the in more suitable hands.
goddess Wail, sent as atonement for betraying
the horse clans when they needed her the most
during Sella’s military campaign.
The Sabirian wingsteeds can take flight
upwind with a few powerful wingbeats, but oth-
erwise they ride the winds like eagles and rely
on updrafts to gain altitude. They cannot carry
out precise maneuvers or fight in the air, and
will fall if they stop moving. Their
ability to fly is therefore mainly
used for exhibitions, delivering
messages, and as transportation
over obstacles on the ground.
They move as well on the
ground as any other horse.
The most famous of the
twenty wingsteeds currently
found in the Bloodmarch is
the stallion Barganos, owned by
the Sabirian chieftain Mommodar
the Gnawer. Mommodar has tried to
breed more wingsteeds, but Barganos’

WINGSTEED
ATTRIBUTES:
STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 4
MOVEMENT: 2 (can fly)
SKILLS: Move 2, Scouting 3
KICK: Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force)

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FRAEGE

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Fraeges are heat-stealing ice demons who always absorbing heat and will also split into two
attack the warmest target around – first lamps, once they reach a certain size.
torches, and campfires, then warm bodies. They
tend to hide in dense vegetation, but their cold FRAEGE
can be felt even a few meters away. ATTRIBUTES:
Some scholars claim that fraeges are STRENGTH 10, AGILITY 3
demon-tainted smolderers, and both creatures SKILLS: Scouting 3
do feed on heat, but fraeges are much bigger MOVEMENT: 1
and more dangerous and sink their teeth ARMOR RATING: 2
into victims to drain their warmth. They
GROW: A fraege that increases its Strength
can freeze and paralyze limbs with their grip to 14 splits into two. The new fraeges
and quickly kill a human with their embrace. both have Strength 7.
Furthermore, they grow in strength after

MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 PARALYZE! The fraege grabs a victim within ARM’S LENGTH range. Roll for the
attack with seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical). A victim who
takes damage from the attack becomes temporarily paralyzed and loses their
next fast and slow action.
2 CHILLING BITE! The fraege reaches for an adventurer within ARM’S LENGTH
range and bites their arm. The victim suffers an attack with six Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (stab wound). If hit, the victim becomes COLD and drops
any item held in that hand.
3 MIGHTY BLOW! The fraege shows its true strength and rises tall! A cold wind
sweeps out from the demon as it swings its arms and strikes with full force.
Roll for the attack with eleven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force).
4 ICY EMBRACE! The fraege wraps its arms around an adventurer in an attack with
eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). Each point of damage
inflicted, if any, increases the fraege’s Strength by 1. If hit, the victim also
becomes grappled and COLD.
5 KICK! The fraege aims a kick at an adventurer. Roll for the attack with nine Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). If hit, the adventurer is knocked down.
6 DRAW HEAT! An aura of cold spreads as the fraege drains the heat from all
warm-blooded creatures and open fires within NEAR range. All affected victims
become COLD and all fires are extinguished. The fraege’s Strength increases by
1 for each affected fire and victim.

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 GRAVE LILY
The Crimson Forests of the Bloodmarch are
not only home to carnivorous beasts, but also
to predatory plants. One of the more
dangerous varieties is the Grave
Lily, which some believe to be a
cross between plant and insect.
The Grave Lily feeds on animals
it catches and dissolves in the
corrosive liquid produced in its
flower-cups.

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 The Grave Lily can move around on four If attacked, the Grave Lily defends itself
insect-like legs, but usually stands completely with its tentacles and sharp claws. It can also
still, sometimes in clusters, waiting for prey with spew its digestive acid at the attacker.
its tentacles raised. When something comes near,
the Grave Lily catches its prey with the tentacles GRAVE LILY
whose thorns secrete a paralyzing poison. Once ATTRIBUTES:
the prey stops struggling, the flower pushes it STRENGTH 10, AGILITY 4
into its flower-cups using the hand-like claws. SKILLS: Scouting 3
The thorns can also be pulled back and forth MOVEMENT: 2
against each other, which means that creatures ARMOR RATING: 4
that are too big can be sawed into smaller pieces.

MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 SPEW ACID! The grave lily’s flowers shoot digestive acid at two victims within
NEAR range. Roll for the attack with six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-
typical) against each of them. The attack can be PARRIED with a shield. The
acid corrodes the victim’s armor, which means that damage blocked by the
armor decreases its Armor Rating by the same amount.
2 PARALYZE! The grave lily slashes an adventurer within NEAR range with its long
tentacles. Roll for the attack with seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2
(slash wound). A victim who takes damage from the attack is also afflicted with
a paralyzing poison with Potency 7. The attack can be PARRIED.
3 SKEWER! The insectoid plant rears up on its two hind legs and skewers two
adventurers within NEAR range as it drops back down. Roll an attack with six
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (stab wound) against each target.
4 SAW! The grave lily scratches a victim with its thorns in an attack with nine
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). A victim who is broken by the
attack automatically sustains the critical injury Severed Arm or Severed Leg
(same chance for each).
5 HOLD! The tentacles wrap themselves around a victim within NEAR range. Roll
for the attack with eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (stab wound). If hit,
the victim is grappled and afflicted with a paralyzing poison with Potency 7.
6 DEFENSE! The grave lily swings its tentacles back and forth to defend itself
against the attackers. Roll an attack with six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1
(slash wound) against everyone within ARM’S LENGTH range.

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 KTON AND FIRE WYRM
Aslene fire wyrms are closely related to abyss
worms. The smaller ones, called ktones, are
particularly ravenous. They are mainly found in
Ashlands where they can move very fast when
hunting prey. If the wind is right, their charac-
teristic odor of acetone can be noticed from afar.
As ktones get bigger, they are called fire
wyrms and dig themselves down to the magma
beneath the volcanic plains, where
they can grow to immense sizes.
Fire wyrms rarely go
above ground, since at
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this stage they mainly feed on fiery minerals.
They are only dangerous to surface-dwelling crea-
tures who go near an open lava fissure or when
summoned by magma singers.
Really old fire wyrms, like the legendary
Erinya, can grow much bigger and are even
stronger and more heavily armored.
Ktones and fire wyrms share the same
monster attacks, but otherwise
they have different stats.
 KTON ARMOR RATING: 10
ATTRIBUTES: EXPOSED MOUTH: Attacks aimed at the fire
STRENGTH 14, AGILITY 2 wyrm’s mouth get a −2 penalty, but on the
MOVEMENT: 1 (2 in Ashlands other hand this part of the creature’s body
is completely unprotected.
ARMOR RATING: 4
AURA: A fire wyrm emits extreme heat. On
FIRE WYRM the fire wyrm’s turn, everyone within ARM’S
LENGTH range suffers an attack with three
ATTRIBUTES: Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non--
STRENGTH 18, AGILITY 2 typical). The attacked cannot be dodged nor
MOVEMENT: 1 parried and armor does not protect against it.

MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 IMMENSE BITE! With a great bellow, the beast throws itself at an adventurer and
snaps its jaws. Roll for the attack with eight Base Dice (ten for fire wyrms) and
Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). If successful, the beast grabs and shakes the
adventurer before they are thrown to NEAR range and land prone.
2 UNDERGROUND ROAR! The beast lets out a deafening roar and all adventurers
within NEAR range suffer a fear attack with four Base Dice (six for fire wyrms).
3 DARKENED SKY! The beast rears up and darkens the sky with its tremendous
mass. It then drops back down to crush all adventurers within ARM’S LENGTH
range. Each adventurer must make a MOVE roll to evade the beast (not an
action). Anyone who fails suffers an attack (blunt force) with ten Base Dice
(twelve for fire wyrms).
4 THREAT FROM BELOW! The giant beast digs itself into the ground and disappears.
A few seconds later you feel the ground starting to shake and then give way under
your feet! Everyone within NEAR range must make a MOVE roll (not an action) not
to fall into the beast’s mouth, which inflicts one point of damage to Strength per
round (three points for fire wyrms). The victim can keep attacking the wyrm from
within, where it lacks armor. If the victim inflicts at least four points of damage
with a single attack, the adventurer cuts their way out of the wyrm.
5 SWEEPING ATTACK! The beast uses its long body to make a sweeping attack
against all adventurers within NEAR range. Roll for the attack with six Base
Dice (eight for fire wyrms) and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). Everyone hit by
the attack is knocked down.
6 COLLAPSING GROUND! The beast burrows down into the earth and its sheer
weight causes the ground to collapse around the adventurers. Everyone within
NEAR range falls 2D6 meters into a sinkhole.

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 MECHA
The dwarven mastersmiths of Firestead con-
structed mechas to perform heavy tasks that
did not require more than simple instructions.
Some mechas are still in working order in Tri-
bolia, and probably in other parts of Firestead
as well.
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Mechas resemble dwarves in size and pro-
portion, but are purely mechanical – built of
bronze, steel, leather, and other materials,
optical crystals for eyes and hydraulic mecha-
nisms for muscles. The spring that drives them
must be wound up every twelve hours with a
key or some other tool that fits into the hole
in the back.
The mechas can be equipped with weapons
and instructed to use them, but the ones
in Tribolia have nothing but hand drills
and fists to fight with, should they be
ordered to. Only dwarven master-
smiths like Kogler can give them
instructions, since doing so requires
precise tinkering with the mecha-
nisms hidden behind the hatch
in the mecha’s back.
 MECHA MECHANICAL: Mechas only take half
ATTRIBUTES: damage from fire and cold, as their metal
STRENGTH 9, AGILITY 2 bodies protects them from the elements.
MOVEMENT: 1 Their artificial eyes can see in the dark and
are not affected by complete darkness.
SKILLS: Scouting 2
DILAPIDATED: The mechas are old and worn-
ARMOR RATING: 8 out. Even with the functional ones, there is
GEAR: Standard equipment for mechas a risk that all the grime and dirt have taken
are drills (Weapon Damage 2, stab wound) a toll on the machinery. Roll D6 each time
and fists (Weapon Damage 1, blunt force). a mecha is about to act. Rolling a l means
Some mechas have been equipped with that something goes wrong – roll on the
weapons such as swords and axes. Malfunction table to see what happens.

MALFUNCTION
D6 EVENT
1–2 OVERLOAD! The mecha’s hydraulic system is overloaded and starts pumping
faster than the mecha can handle. All attacks performed this round are rolled
with double the number of dice. This also harms the mecha, which immedi-
ately after the attack suffers the same amount of damage as the victim.
3–4 SPARKS! Metal hits metal with a grinding screech. Sparks fly in every direction
and risk setting fire to the surroundings.
5 BROKEN! The mecha stops in its tracks. An arm or leg is jammed for D3
rounds, which decreases all monster attacks by two Base Dice.
6 EXPLOSION! The mecha begins to creak and squeak. Its sheet-metal curves and the
hydraulic pumps spew oil all over the place before the mecha suddenly explodes.
Sharp pieces of metal whiz through the air. Roll an attack with seven Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (stab wound) against all creatures within NEAR range.

MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1–2 PUMMEL! The mecha swings its arms at all adventurers within ARM’S LENGTH
range. Roll for the attacks with six Base Dice each and Weapon Damage as
per the mecha’s weapon. The attacks can be parried.
3–4 WEAPON ATTACK! An arm shoots out with tremendous force towards an unfortu-
nate adventurer within ARM’S LENGTH range. Roll for the attack with ten Base
Dice and Weapon Damage as per the mecha’s weapon. The attack can be parried.
5–6 IRON GRIP! The mecha grabs an adventurer within ARM’S LENGTH range and
tries to crush the victim with its mechanical fists. Roll for the attack with
nine Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If it succeeds, the victim
is grappled. The mecha can keep fighting as usual with its other arm and
moves unencumbered despite the weight of the adventurer.

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 SLITHERNET
The Slithernet is a terrestrial, carnivorous plant
whose large leaves have turned into thick nets
which lie hidden among leaves and twigs on
the ground. When someone steps into the net,
the leaves snap shut like a mouse trap so that
the prey is held down on the ground.
Sharp shoots immediately sprout through
the mesh of leaves from the plant’s ground
tissue. The shoots pierce and kill the victim
within a day or two, after which it is left to rot
until the plant can suck up the juices.
The slithernet’s leaves can be cut off and
used as a durable net or rope. If one detects
them in time, it is possible to make the leaves
snap shut by poking them with a long stick or
something similar.
SLITHERNET
ATTRIBUTES:
STRENGTH 12, AGILITY 1
SKILLS: Scouting 5
ARMOR RATING: 3 (only bladed weapons can
damage the net)
NET ATTACK: The slithernet attacks all
victims that come into NEAR range. A
person with a knife or sword can cut
themselves loose with a successful MOVE
roll, but is otherwise restrained so tightly
that they cannot move their arms. The
net can also be cut from the outside.
A victim trapped in the net suffers one
point of damage to Strength each Quar-
ter Day, and dies if broken.
SPOREWALKER
Sporewalkers look like skinny, red humans with
vague facial features. In their arms they carry
dripping bundles of spore substances out of
swamps and thickets to spread the Crimson
Forest. After putting down their burden, they
lie down and decay to nourish the vegetation.
Sporewalkers cannot be regarded as monsters,
since they neither attack nor defend themselves.
They are easily killed, but always keep coming.

SPOREWALKER
ATTRIBUTES:
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 2
SKILLS: Scouting 1
ARMOR RATING: 1
SPORES: One in six sporewalkers ( l on
a D6) explodes upon taking damage,
spreading crimson slime and body parts
around itself. Roll an attack with five Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (non-typical)
against everyone within NEAR range. The
attack can be PARRIED with a shield, but
not dodged. Anyone hit by the attack risks
contracting Crimson Sickness (page 42).

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 HOVER FROG
The birds of the Bloodmarch risk being caught holding six broken hover frog antennae in each
and eaten by hover frogs a predatory amphib- hand, or twelve tucked inside their clothes,
ian that cannot fly, but hover, lifted into the can float off the ground. Unbroken antennae
air by the antennae on its back which seem to can be stored for about a month after being
suspend the law of gravity. The hover frog is harvested from the hover frogs and then they
left hanging in the air, where it slowly paddles stop working. 2D6 antennae can be harvested
its way forward with its webbed claws, catching from each hover frog
birds by shooting out its sticky tongue whenever
one comes close enough. HOVER FROG
The animal is no threat to humans and ATTRIBUTES:
similar kin, but hunted by them for the anten- STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 5
nae on its back which allow them to float in SKILLS: Scouting 5
the air. In order to suspend the law of gravity, MOVEMENT: 2 (hover)
the antennae must be broken in half, after ARMOR RATING: 1
which the effect lasts a Quarter Day. A human

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 PEARLYVEINE
Many view each unbroken patch of Crimson
Forest as a single living creature. Few know
for certain, but it is true that interconnected
veins of viscous red slime are spreading on the
ground in mature Crimson Forests, and that
these veins converge into a glistening white
structure that resembles a large pearl or eyeball
with neither retina nor pupil.
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These pearlyveines are often hard to find,
since they are invariably located in the densest
possible vegetation, preferably in some crevice
or underneath a fallen tree trunk. Some believe
them to be intelligent, and red elves worship
them as the root galls of Rubor from which
the god’s body will one day grow.
It has been suggested that pearlyveines can
direct other creatures in the Crimson Forest,
open and close passages to lead intruders astray
or into traps or give their adherents clear
passage, but no one knows for sure.
The red elves believe that Vaerefor
van Reiben is the first aggregate of
root galls that have formed
the god’s prophet.
 TYPICAL NPCS
This section describes a number of typical NPCs
in the Bloodmarch.
AGENT OF AD VIPERA
Ad Vipera’s agents in the Bloodmarch are led by
Poansa Moulter, and some are traveling with
her. Ad Vipera has also enlisted soldiers with
stats like Alderlander Soldiers, as well as local
pathfinders with stats like Hunters or Clan
Riders. The stats below are for Ad Vipera’s elite
agents – the Sisterhood of the Black Mamba. .
AGENT OF AD VIPERA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 2, Stealth 2, Move 2, Marks-
manship 2, Lore 2, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Path of Poison 2
GEAR: Dagger, shortsword, short bow,
leather armor
IMMUNITY: All Sisters of the Black Mamba
are immune to all poisons.
ALDERLANDER SOLDIER
The Rust Church and the Congregation of the
Serpent have both sent forces to the Blood-
march under the respective command of Colonel
Grudenstaal and Poansa Moulter.
OFFICER
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 1, Insight 2,
Manipulation 2
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TALENTS: —
GEAR: Broadsword, shield, chainmail, riding
horse
SOLDIER
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Endurance 2, Melee 2, Marksman-
ship 2, Move 1
TALENTS: —
GEAR: Broadsword, throwing spear, shield,
chainmail
EGRESSOR
Egressors are members of a necromantic cult
dedicated to the practical handling of the restless
dead, whom they often refer to as their “clients”.
Egressors are usually accompanied by a couple
of these walking dead whose interests they serve,
as well as a couple of miscreants (now undead)
who are serving the Egressor as punishment for
their crimes. The miscreants fight to protect the
Egressor, but the clients do not – it is the Egres-
sor who serves them, not the other way around.
EGRESSOR
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 2, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Slight of Hand 2, Lore 3, Insight 2,
Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Death Magic 2
FEARLESS: Egressors do not roll on the fear
table when dealing with undead.
TRUEHEARING: Egressors can automatically
determine whether someone is telling the
truth in matters concerning their clients.
 GRARG
In the Vasnia region, orcs, humans, and wolfkin
co-exist in relative harmony. Crossbreeds are
not uncommon and the indigenous Vasnians
have traces of orc blood in their veins. Crosses
between orcs and wolfkin are called grargs.
Grargs are more heavy-set and animalistic
than ordinary wolfkin, equipped with tusks
and feared in battle. They can only speak and
understand a small number of words.
Only male grargs are born. The females
probably die at birth, and the males are born
sterile. This means that grargs do not form
their own kin, but are kept as warriors, prefer-
ably a bit apart from more civilized folk because
of their unpredictable temper.
GRARG
STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 2, WITS 1, EMPATHY 1
SKILLS: Might 2, Endurance 2, Melee 2,
Survival 2
GEAR: Spiked knuckleduster (Weapon
Damage 1, blunt force)
CLAN CHIEFTAIN
The horse clans’ chieftains are all experienced
riders as well as leaders.
CLAN CHIEFTAIN
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 3, Marksmanship 3, Move 2,
Animal Handling 3, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Path of the Companion 2, Horse-
back Fighter 2
GEAR: Broadsword, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
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CLAN RIDER
The riders of the Aslene clans all have their own
views of the world, their place in it, and of other kin
– but they generally share the same stats and gear.
CLAN RIDER
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 2, Move 2,
Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 1
GEAR: Broadsword, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
MOON ELF
Moon elves are found in several parts of the
Bloodmarch. They have the same stats, but not
always the same goals.
MOON ELF
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 2, Lore 2, Insight 2, Manipu-
lation 2
TALENTS: Mentalism 2
GEAR: Broadsword, chainmail
SETTLER
The Ravenlander (and occasional Alderlander) set-
tlers present in the Bloodmarch have settled down
in areas that resemble the ones they left behind;
places where they feel at home and their old skills
are useful. Most Aslenes lead a nomadic existence
on horseback, but some have put down roots in a
village or on a farm, often alongside settlers from
Ravenland. There they have largely adopted the
settlers’ lifestyles and learned their skills.
SETTLER
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 4, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Endurance 1, Crafting 2
GEAR: Knife or wooden club
 ONEIROMANCER
Dream mages are trained at Oxengelder and
spend most of their time there, when they
are not traveling on the Dreamstress’ behalf.
Most of the oneiromancers are novices, led by
a master. The renegades who call themselves
the Daydreamers use the same kind of magic,
but in a waking state, which puts great strain
on their bodies and minds.
MASTER
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Lore 2, Insight 2, Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Oneiromancy 3
GEAR: Staff
NOVICE
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Lore 2, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Oneiromancy 1
GEAR: Dagger
DAYDREAMER
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Lore 2, Survival 1, Insight 3, Manip-
ulation 2
TALENTS: Oneiromancy 2
GEAR: Shortsword, leather armor
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IRONBROW
The Ironbrows are Colonel Grudenstaal’s per-
sonal guard and elite army unit. The Colonel
also commands Alderlander soldiers as part of
his mission in the Bloodmarch. The stats below
are for his elite forces, the Ironbrows.
IRONBROW
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Might 2, Melee 3, Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Magnetism 1, Horseback Fighter 2
GEAR: Broadsword, shield, lance, chainmail,
war horse
MAGNETISM: The Ironbrows wield their own
simpler form of magic called Magnetism.
See chapter 4 (page 36).
PENITE
The Penites are deeply religious halflings and
goblins who travel with Fiena Fromelei in pur-
suit of the sacred unification of the two kin.
The stats below are for halflings and goblins,
who complement each other well in terms of
skills and temperament.
PENITE, HALFLING DRUID
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Endurance 2, Survival 2, Insight 2,
Healing 2, Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Path of Healing or Sight 2
GEAR: Staff, leather armor
PENITE, GOBLIN PEDDLER
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Crafting 2, Slight of Hand 2, Scout-
ing 2, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Path of Gold 2
GEAR: Knife, short bow, leather armor
 RAIDER
Many Ravenlanders, as well as Alderlanders and
Aslenes, are pursuing a career as raiders, seeking
quick riches through grave robbing, fraud, or
good old-fashioned thievery. Some mercenaries
also have a background as raiders, or at least
share their attitude and skills.
RAIDER
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 2, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 1, Marksmanship 2, Survival 1,
Manipulation 1
GEAR: Short spear, short bow, leather
armor
PYROLYTE
Pyrolytes are fanatical, fire-worshiping priests
of Have who banish demons through the use of
magma song, Blue Tar and lycopodium powder.
PYROLYTE
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Endurance 2, Melee 2, Insight 2,
Healing 2
TALENTS: Magma Song 2
GEAR: Warhammer, shield, chainmail, Blue
Tar lycopodium powder
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bestiary
RED ELF
Red elves are transformed ordinary elves living
in the Crimson Forests of Alsene, which they
call Reiben. They sometimes leave their forests
for various reasons, always in groups. They are
fanatical followers of the god Rubor – the prin-
ciple of the color red and enemy of all other
colors, which are considered the miscreations
of the evil god Kolor. They revere Vaerefor van
Reiben as Rubor’s prophet and their leader. Red
elves are sensitive (and sometimes addicted) to
concentrated salt, which for them has the effect
of a hallucinogenic poison with Potency 6. An
ordinary elven ruby – with or without flesh
attached to it – that passes through a slime
snail’s insides becomes a red elf.
RED ELF
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Stealth 2, Marksmanship 3,
Move 2
GEAR: Short bow, shortsword, leather
armor
VASNIAN
Humans with orc blood in their veins. They
were once the indigenous population of Aslene,
before the horse clans arrived from the west and
drove the Vasnians to the northern regions of
the country.
VASNIAN
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Might 2, Endurance 2, Melee 3,
Crafting 1, Move 2
GEAR: Battle axe, shield, studded leather
armor
 RANDOM
ENCOUNTERS

Silence overcame them, for the horse that the jackals pursued
was fleshless. Only its skeleton was bolting forth.
“D’ya think them beasties ate the brute on the go?” asked
Trudiner, whom the others found a bit odd. Yet no one was laughing.
“This is sorcery and deception,” answered the thin Meneila.
“Ready your weapons! Point them at the animals, you meathead,
not me!”

T
his chapter contains 27 new random around their feet, the heat from the lava cool-
encounters to inflict upon the adven- ing beneath the basalt surface of the Firelands
turers during their excursions in the or the winds playing wildly in the tall grass on
Bloodmarch. Roll on the table on page 132 the endless plains.
instead of the one in the Gamemaster’s Guide.
TERR AIN TYPES: All

0 NO ENCOUNTER
The wind is your company as you journey across
the vast landscape. Some hills can be glimpsed in
the distance, and beyond them loom the high peaks
of the mountains. Is it clouds gathering over there,
or is it a smoldering volcano?
No encounter takes place, but you should take
the opportunity to describe the landscape to
the players – the dust of the Ashlands swirling
1 THE PORCE-
LAIN DANCERS
A large man in black is sitting by a campfire, seem-
ingly in casual conversation with two glistening
skeletons crouched on their heels. Other skeletons of
both animals and humanoid creatures are moving
around them in some sort of tranquil dance. They
raise one leg and remain standing for a few sec-
onds before they continue, making gestures and

130

chapter 10
clacking their jaws, twisting or bending their backs
to the side, and straightening up again, before
scratching their bony fingers across their chests
with a rattling sound. The dancing skeletons are
remarkably shiny, as if cleaned and lacquered. A
living dwarf woman is tending to some cooking
pots. A bit further away from the fire is a black,
covered wagon hitched to the skeleton of an ox.
Draug of the White is a necromancer and member
of the Egressors. He has taken it upon himself
to follow the Seventh and resurrect the skeletons
they leave in their wake, with the intention of
gathering a rattling army large enough to wreak
vengeance upon the flesh-eaters.
The shiny skeletons have all been picked clean
by the Seventh and glazed by the worms’ juices.
If Draug gets the impression that the player char-
acters are enemies of the Seventh, he is happy to
tell them where the worm people came from and
other things they need to know. Draug knows a
great deal about the Seventh, since the porcelain
skeletons provide him with the details.
The player characters can encounter Draug
of the White multiple times during the game,
and the number of skeletons increases by D6
for each phase of the campaign.
DRAUG’S SKELETONS
All Draug’s skeletons have been
polished by the Seventh, and
their stats are found on page 122
in the Gamemaster’s Guide.
131
random encounters
TERR AIN TYPES: All
DRAUG
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 2, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 1, Lore 3, Insight 4, Manipu-
lation 2
TALENTS: Death Magic 3
GEAR: Dagger
MECHANICAL HEART: Draug has a second,
mechanical heart in his chest, constructed
by a dwarven blacksmith named Kormald.
It repairs his body and brings him back to
life one turn after his death. Crushing the
heart kills him.
MILDELLA
Mildella was Kormald’s wife. She offered to
serve Draug during her five-year mourning
period following the death of her husband
on the condition that he would put the late
Kormald to rest, as he had turned into a death
knight after dismantling a cursed item. Draug
managed to lift the curse, and as a reward the
mastersmith crafted the mechanical heart
before withdrawing into the family crypt.
Mildella knows the Kogler in Tribolia, should
it come up, and can tell the player characters
where to find Tribolia.
MILDELLA
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Might 2, Melee 2, Insight 2, Marks-
manship 2
TALENTS: —
GEAR: Warhammer, crossbow, studded
leather armor
 RANDOM ENCOUNTERS IN THE BLOODMARCH
CRIMSON ASH- FIRE-
D66 PLAINS FOREST FOREST HILLS MOUNTAINS LANDS LANDS
11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
32 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
33 4 0 0 1 0 0 0
34 5 1 0 2 0 0 0
35 6 3 0 4 0 0 0
36 7 4 0 5 0 0 0
41 9 5 0 6 0 0 0
42 10 7 0 7 0 0 0
43 11 9 0 9 0 0 0
44 13 10 0 10 0 0 0
45 14 11 0 11 0 0 0
46 15 12 0 13 0 0 0
51 16 13 0 14 0 0 0
52 17 14 0 15 0 0 0
53 18 15 1 16 0 0 0
54 19 16 3 18 1 1 0
55 20 18 9 20 9 2 0
56 21 19 11 21 11 7 0
61 22 20 14 22 14 8 1
62 23 21 18 23 18 16 8
63 24 23 20 24 20 20 16
64 25 24 21 25 24 24 20
65 26 25 24 26 26 25 21
66 27 26 26 27 27 27 24

132

chapter 10
 2 THE RUNAWAY
BRIDE
You reach a small wood whose chilly temperature is
A screaming cloud of dust approaches across the
plains. Closer up you see a human being dragged
by a large horse, stuck in one of the stirrups. The
dragged person curses the animal in surprisingly
creative language.
In order to help the fallen rider, the player char-
acters must first stop and deal with the highly
agitated horse which is kicking and biting.
The unfortunate individual turns out to be
an Aslene woman of the Galdane clan named
Kromabella. If the adventurers save her, she
cries a little and explains that she is to be “mar-
ried” to one of the Sons of Horn, meaning that
she will be sacrificed to the nearest active vol-
cano. If none of them have been activated yet,
she will be thrown into a lava fissure near the
volcano. The “bride” would very much like to
be rescued by the adventurers, and preferably
dropped off somewhere safe.
If the adventurers gain her trust, Kroma-
bella turns out to be well-informed about the
clans’ activities as she travels extensively and is
welcome anywhere (except among the Galdanes)
with her filthy songs.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Ashlands, Hills
KROMABELLA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 2, Move 2,
Manipulation 5, Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 2
GEAR: Leather armor
TERR AIN TYPES: Forest, Crimson Forest
133
random encounters
3 COLDWOOD
as welcome as it is inexplicable, with the possibility
of finding water. The trees are a darker shade of
green than those one usually sees in the Bloodmarch,
and the type of tree is unfamiliar. Moving closer,
you notice the temperature dropping and silence
spreading, as an oppressive stillness settles around
you. In the distance you hear a dragging sound, like
the bridal train of the dead, from something that
seems to be moving among the trees
A successful LORE roll reveals that the trees are
direglooms, said to hold the souls of creatures
who died unhappy in love. The horse clans believe
that such woods are haunted and best avoided. The
trees are also commonly known as “coldpines”.
An adventurer who makes a successful SUR-
VIVAL roll can instead have heard that good water
can often be found deeper in such coldwoods and
that the talk of dead souls is mere superstition
spread by druids when they want to be left alone.
The fact of the matter is that direglooms are
not linked to the dead at all, but simply have
the ability to lower the temperature inside their
trunk and branches, which causes condensation
to trickle down to their roots and keep them
watered. Indeed, there is usually a freshwater
lake at the center of such woods.
Unfortunately, caution is warranted in this
particular case, since the woods have become
home to a fur-covered forest star (page 118). It
has come to the woods to enjoy the cooler envi-
ronment and feed on deer, humans, and other
creatures drawn to the water. It is its clambering
between the trees that sounds like a bridal train.

4 DENSE WATER
A group of eight horned dwarves have made
camp by a stream where they have set up strange
mechanical equipment of wood, leather, and brass.
A paddle wheel placed in the stream is tipping
a set of one-meter-long brass rods back and forth.
Some of the dwarves reach for their weapons as you
approach, but an older dwarf calms them down
and calls his greetings.
The dwarves have come from Firestead, led by
Master Menasse. They are making dense water
from the stream, which contains just the right
mixture of rain from the south, fallen from
a sky dominated by the wandering star called
the Eye of Dew.
Master Menasse has a problem: he needs a
fresh kidney, taken directly from a living creature,
to filter an important component of his dense
water. The guests would not happen to have a
kidney to spare? Otherwise they could help him
catch a living beast no smaller than a wolf, in
which case he would be very grateful and provide
them with dense water (see the Drugs and Potions
section). A living whiner would also work.
TERR AIN TYPES: Forest, Plains, Hills
MENASSE
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 1, WITS 4, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Crafting 3, Healing 2
TALENTS: —
GEAR: Menasse’s horns are so curved that
they arch out in front of his face. He has
developed a set of optics and instruments
that can be attach to them in order to
keep his hands free.
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chapter 10
DWARVEN GUARD
STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Might 4, Endurance 2, Melee 3,
Scouting 2, Survival 2
TALENTS: —
GEAR: Two-handed axe, plate armor, closed
helmet
5 THE
SLITHERING
HORROR
In the distance you notice what looks like a haystack
moving slowly, surrounded by screaming humans.
Closer up you see a shapeless red mass of tentacles,
eyes, hands, and sharp outgrowths slithering across
the plains. The humans seem to be a handful of
peasants armed with pitchforks, cudgels, and sharp
sticks, trying to drive the creature in some indeter-
minate direction.
If the adventurers move closer, the peasants cry
for help. The red mass is a spore ball from the
nearest Crimson Forest. Spore balls are crea-
tures that crawl off and explode twelve kilome-
ters or so away from the forest, thereby spread-
ing the demonic vegetation. The peasants are
trying to push the ball towards a deep ravine
nearby to get rid of it before it bursts. Shielding
it from sunlight will delay the process.
If the spore ball explodes, everyone within
NEAR range suffers an attack with five Base Dice
and Weapon Damage 1. Anyone hit by the attack
risks contracting Crimson Sickness (page 42).
The ball’s parts are spread across the area and
start to settle into the earth. The hex where the
spore ball exploded turns into Crimson Forest
after one month. The event may be repeated.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills
6 SLAVERS
From a distance you see a handful of Aslene riders
out on the plain. They seem to have noticed you as
well, and they are coming for you
The slavers come from a different horse clan
than the one controlling this territory. In a
drunken rage they killed a couple of local clan
members and must now pay restitution, which
means that they must deliver five slaves to the
local chieftain who is holding a couple of their
friends hostage. The slavers (twice as many as
the adventurers) are desperate and might attack
the adventurers to capture them, but they are
also ashamed and open to other solutions.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Hills
7 THE
DREAMSTRESS
In the distance you see a remarkably pointy hill – it
is shaped like a large pastry. As the hill begins to
move, you realize that it is alive
Adventurers who move closer will encounter the
key player known as the Dreamstress (page 96),
who greets them warmly, tells them about her-
self and oneiromancy, and wants to know what is
135
random encounters
going on in the area. If the player characters reveal
that they are carrying one or more of Horn’s Astra,
she becomes very interested. Otherwise she is
more interested in seemingly trivial details than
in major events, such as the color of some flowers
or the squirrels sniffing the air before they leave.
She welcomes them to Oxengelder (page 185)
if they should ever pass that way, and can point
them in the direction of the adventure site.
The Dreamstress says that she often travels
in other people’s dreams to have a look around.
If the adventurers attack her or point out that
this is not a dream, everything fades away and
they wake up in the same place as they did that
morning. Everything that happened since they
last slept turns out to have been a dream.
When the adventurers begin their day anew,
everything that happened last time repeats itself,
but the adventurers may act differently this time
and any die rolls are rerolled. The Dreamstress
does not appear this time, but the encounter
may be repeated at a later stage.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills, Ash-
lands
8 THE PENITENT
IN THE MAGMA
A voice is calling to the adventurers (possibly in their
dreams) as they pass an open lava flow and asks
for their help. The lava rises and forms a vaguely
human-like figure that introduces itself as Krasylla.
The creature is actually the demon Krasylla
whom the adventurers may already have met
in Ravenland during Raven’s Purge. In that
case the demon might recognize them or make
references to events that took place back then.
K rasylla describes how he was dragged
into the magma as punishment for his
involvement in the Demon Flood. Now he
has atoned for his sin, but remains unjustly
imprisoned in this torturous heat. If the
adventurers help him escape, the demon
offers them his sworn friendship and one of
Horn’s Astra in return.
In order to leave the magma that burns him
unceasingly, Krasylla must take over the fresh
body of a Horn priest. The priest must be killed
at the edge of the lava for this to succeed. It
would actually work just as well with any body,
but Krasylla knows that the fire wyrm Erinya
would not touch an ordained Horn priest and
would therefore prefer one of those.
Krasylla can offer them the Arrow of the
Fire Wyrm with which he was branded in
Raven’s Purge (or later, when the adventur-
ers were not around). If the player characters
accept the offer, the demon will probably wait
until he is free until he tells them that his
fire arrow is only one of the three they need.
Once he is free, Krasylla heads to the adventure
site Oxengelder and its limestone plains where
Horn cannot reach him. Krasylla’s Arrow of
the Fire Wyrm could attract Erinya, if the
GM so desires.
Krasylla will then help the Dreamstress
return to her homeworld Eoni. He might
choose to go with her as an honest penitent,
or enter an alliance with Selligar Horne of
Havenmark to liberate the Bloodmarch and
thus atone for his crimes against the country.
TERR AIN TYPES: Ashlands, Firelands
136
chapter 10
KRASYLLA AS A HORN PRIEST
STRENGTH 8, AGILITY 2, WITS 6, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Lore 3, Insight 3, Manipulation 3
9 THE DEAD
FOAL
Up ahead you see a scrawny animal, perhaps a deer,
wandering around alone and afraid. It is behaving
strangely and seems lost. Now and then it raises its
head and lets out a hoarse, pitiful cry, and then seems
to listen for a response. You soon notice a group of
jackals prowling nearby, probably eyeing the animal
as their next meal. Then you realize that the lone
animal is the undead skeleton of a horse, probably the
remains of a foal. And the jackals are drawing near.
Adventurers who move even closer will have
to fight the jackals, which outnumber them by
two. The jackals will flee once three of them
have been slain. The skeleton foal is agitated
and unruly, but once it calms down it seems to
trust the adventurers and follows them around.
Later in the day, an extravagant black car-
riage emerges from a cloud of dust. It is heading
straight for the foal, rather than the adventur-
ers. Closer up they see that the carriage is pulled
by two adult horse skeletons. The carriage stops
and the skeletons immediately collapse into a
heap of bones through their harnesses. The
foal whinnies happily as it runs over there and
collapses into the same heap.
Out of the carriage steps Mortilla (page 177)
whom the adventurers may already have met, or
might see again, in the adventure site Salterstay.
She explains how worried she has been ever since
little Clatterhoof went missing, and wants to
reward the adventurers for taking care of the foal.
The person she likes most (i.e. the one with the
highest Empathy) receives what looks like a fishing
lure with a hook, enamel plates, and colored feath-
ers. She explains that hanging it on the ribs of an
undead creature will make it obey the person who
put it there as long as the hook remains in place.
Mortilla has a keen interest in exciting and
spectacular deaths and questions the adventur-
ers to find out whether they have something
promising coming up on that front. If so, she
could accompany them for a while; otherwise
she is on the way to watch the last specimens
of an endangered lizard die.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Crimson
Forest, Hills, Mountains
JACKAL
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3
SKILLS: Melee 1, Scouting 5
MOVEMENT: 2
ATTACK: Bite, Weapon Damage 1 (slash
wound)
10 FIRE HARVEST
There are fires raging at the edge of a grove with
tall, slightly strange-looking trees. Humans are
climbing the trees and seem to be harvesting some-
thing into their satchels. Lying on a flat rock is
a naked woman tied up with leather straps in a
supine position. Some other people are torturing
the poor woman with torches and red-hot irons.
She writhes in agony, but does not make a sound.
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random encounters
These humans are pyrolytes (page 129) – fanat-
ical, fire-worshiping priests of Have who are har-
vesting lycopodium powder from the giant trees
of the grove. The woman on the rock is called
Picteca and is not a prisoner at all, but another
pyrolyte who is having ritual burns inflicted
upon her by her colleagues. The leather straps
are there to hold her still during the procedure.
If the adventurers intervene, Picteca will weep
with rage, not knowing whether she will be able
to muster enough courage for another burning.
One resource die of Blue Tar can be purchased
from the pyrolytes, who can also provide assis-
tance in combating demons.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills
11 GLORY
STEALERS
In the distance you see a group of Vasnians (or horned
dwarves, depending on the location) who have made
camp and are roasting pieces of dread raptor over a fire.
They seem to be in high spirits as they help themselves to
the fermented beverages in their waterskins. You are
welcome to share their camp and meal, since there is
more meat than they can possibly eat or even carry home.
The group is in an excellent mood and has no
desire to fight unless one provokes them in
some way. If the adventurers join them, they
start explaining how last week they encountered
some other wanderers who had lived through
amazing adventures. As they recount the story,
the adventurers soon realize that the exploits
being described are their own, albeit embellished
with fantastic details. Someone has clearly taken
credit for their feats.
The event can be repeated with others who
have heard similar stories of other people’s
heroic deeds that were actually performed by
the adventurers. The people taking credit for
the adventurers’ acts can be any of the minor
characters they will encounter in later adventure
sites. As long as the glory-stealers are allowed to
continue, the adventurers cannot – for better or
worse – increase their Reputation since others
are taking credit for everything they do. Con-
fronting and defeating the glory-stealers imme-
diately raises their Reputation score by one step.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Crimson
Forest, Hills, Mountains
12 THE SHRIKE
While you are out gathering firewood, a halfling
suddenly appears from the vegetation, wearing
clothes that look like they have grown to his skin.
He begs you to spare the living trees and only pick
dead sticks for the fire.
The halfling is a member of the Shrikes, a
group of reclusive druids who have taken it upon
themselves to preserve the forests of Aslene.
The druid will not openly attack the strangers
even if they offend him, but he and his rather
numerous group of like-minded halflings and
goblins will make their lives difficult as long
as they are in the same forest area. Militant
members might even seek revenge by treating
wrongdoers as they treated the trees: cutting
138
chapter 10
off limbs, hammering nails into them, and
setting them on fire.
If it fits the story, the key player Fiena Fro-
melei (page 82) could have visited the Shrikes
and found refuge there. If any of the adventurers
is a halfling or goblin, the Shrikes could invite
them to rest at a safe haven in the forest as long
as they behave themselves.
TERR AIN TYPES: Forest
SHRIKE
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 1, Crafting 2, Move 1, Marks-
manship 1, Stealth 2, Marksmanship 1,
Insight 2, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Path of Healing or Sight 2
GEAR: Shortsword or short spear, sling,
leather armor, D6 copper coins
MIXED KIN: Shrikes can be either halflings or
goblins and have the matching kin talent.
13 WHINER’S
NEST
Two huge dread raptors are pecking at what seems to
be an overgrown termite nest. Squeaky screams and
curses are heard from the nest. Small creatures come
jumping out of holes in the ground and throw little
darts at the great birds, without harming them at
all. The dread raptors lunge at them. Whenever they
catch one, they slam their prey unconscious against the
ground, throw it into the air, and swallow it whole.
The raptors (page 23 of Book of Beasts) are trying
to peck their way into some whiners’ burrows
in order to eat them. There is no escape for the
whiners down there, and their friends can do
little to stop the attackers. The adventurers can
choose to engage the birds or walk away. Either
way there is a risk that the birds will notice them
and come for them instead.
If the dread raptors are defeated, the whin-
ers will leave something of value outside their
burrows (after conferring with each other for a
few hours). But they are afraid to speak with or
show themselves to tall folk unless they make
camp in the area, prove themselves harmless,
or leave food for the whiners, thereby gaining
their trust.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills
WHINER
STRENGTH 1, AGILITY 3, WITS 2, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Stealth 3, Move 3
TALENTS: —
GEAR: Short spear
14 SWEET
DREAMS
You see a man and a woman cooking food by a camp-
fire. Next to them is a wagon to which a tail-wag-
ging little dog is tied. The beautiful couple intro-
duce themselves as Noesius and Noema and invite
you to share their meal, which smells wonderful.
They claim to be oneiromancer merchants from the
Drawn Lands, and are curious about your dreams.
Noesis and Noema look real, but are in fact
permanent illusions created during experiments
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random encounters
in Oxengelder. They know what they are, but
want nothing more than to be real and often
ponder their own existence and how it could
become reality.
Meanwhile, they are doing everything they
can to blend in among real creatures and learn
from them. They can tell stories about the mar-
velous Drawn Lands, answer questions, and
explain where to find various places and items,
but it is all made up – they barely know any-
thing at all. While they cannot read minds, they
can read other people’s desires and simply give
everyone what they want.
The food they serve is delicious, but provides
no nourishment as it is not real. Their informa-
tion seems accurate, and occasionally it might
be, but only by coincidence. It is all fabricated
and adjusted to please the person asking about it.
They might even offer to teach the adventurers
oneiromancy, and the lessons seem serious, but
nobody learns anything.
If attacked, the couple appear to sustain a
critical injury, since that is what the attacker
desires, but they soon return to normal.
If the adventurers sleep in the creatures’
presence, they will at some point during the
night have one of their dreams stolen by the
illusions – not out of malice, but to become
more real.
Later in the campaign, Noema and Noesis
will seek out the Dreamstress in Oxengelder
where they can be encountered a second time.
The Dreamstress will help them become real
as she feels a bit guilty for their dilemma. In
return, Noema and Noesis will be loyal to her.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Crimson
Forest, Hills, Mountains

15 FOR DECAY
You come across a seemingly peaceful little settle-
ment of twenty houses surrounded by a palisade.
Soon you notice that its people are unusually quiet
and going about their business with downcast eyes.
Furthermore, they are all wearing hoods and gloves
or have their faces and bare skin painted red. Before
you even step through the gate, a couple of men block
your path and bid you welcome, before asking you to
either cover your skin or paint it red. For this purpose
they keep a large bucket of red slime close at hand. A
faint but foul smell of death comes drifting from the
east. To the west of the village runs a stream, lined
by tall trees entwined with vines.
The village of Redhurst is being watched by
Vaerefor van Reiben’s red elves. Each night there
is a risk (a roll of 1 or 2 on D6) of red elves (twice
as many as the adventurers) arriving to make
sure that everyone follows the rules and that no
other color than red can be seen. More red elves
are fetched if they find anything inappropriate.
The red elves gave Redhurst to a group of
starving refugees from Ravenland a few months
ago so that the pepper harvest could continue.
The previous inhabitants were all slaughtered.
The pepper vines are winding their way up the
trees around the village.
In order to keep their new guests in line,
the red elves claim that the previous inhabi-
tants were killed because they violated the rules
of Rubor which they had sworn to obey, but it
was really about avenging the death of some red
elves who were killed near the village.
In any event, the villagers are terrified, but
had no choice but to obey the red elves’ rules as
the only alternative was starvation.
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THE MASS GR AVE: Adventurers who follow
the stench to a sandy spot east of the village
will find a hastily filled-in mass grave con-
taining the remains of the murdered villag-
ers. There the adventurers must fight a pack
of wild dogs digging in the earth. There is
also mad old lady crawling around naked and
screaming. The woman is utterly insane and
has a worm from the Seventh in her right
armpit, which makes the wild dogs afraid of
her. The Seventh (page 85) will know what
happens to the old woman and what is said
in her presence.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills
16 RESURRECTION
In the middle of nowhere you encounter ten horned
dwarves gathered around a square rock. Lying
on the rock is another dwarf. Some of the others
are brushing flies off her face. A dwarf who has
clearly been keeping watch asks you to be quiet and
not disrupt the ritual.
The woman on the rock is dead. She was a
highborn horned dwarf from Firestead named
Morgena van Lodeglaas. If the adventurers
move closer, they will learn that Morgena
was very wealthy and left specific instructions
in her will that the funeral mass should be
performed in this exact location on this par-
ticular altar.
The stone altar bears ancient inscriptions,
and above Morgena’s head is a carved-out depres-
sion the size of a soup bowl. Once the singing is
over, a black obsidian orb is brought out from
a gilded box. The orb is placed in the hands of
the deceased, and the two Horn priests present
resume their chant. The corpse is not entirely
fresh, as indicated by the smell and flies. An
elegant young dwarf discretely asks to speak
with the adventurers. He introduces himself as
Morgenbard van Lodeglaas, Morgena’s nephew.
Morgenbard claims to have learned that the
ritual is not a funeral mass at all, but meant
to bring Morgena back to life. The rock is a
time altar and the orb is the magical artifact
required to activate the altar if placed correctly
in the depression. Morgenbard sees no need
whatsoever to resurrect his aunt, who was a
stingy old hag when she was alive. In return
for the adventurers’ help, he offers them the
orb as well as payment in gold.
Next time this random event occurs, the
adventurers encounter a group of horned
dwarves who are out to kill them, since Mor-
genbard does not want any living witnesses.
TERRAIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills, Ashlands,
Firelands
HORNED DWARF
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 2, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Might 3, Melee 3, Crafting 2
TALENTS: —
GEAR: Battleaxe, large shield, chainmail,
closed helmet
17 THE FLYING
HORSE
You see a white, riderless wingsteed glide across the
sky and land a bit further away, where it starts
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random encounters
chasing a herd of wild horses, fights two of their
stallions, gets beaten up, and remains standing a
bit further away, stamping impatiently and graz-
ing in anger.
The flying horse (page 105) is Barganos,
owned by the Sabirian chieftain Mommodar
the Gnawer. Barganos escaped after catching
the scent of a mare in heat among the wild
herd. Used to being served a meal every eve-
ning, he is now tired and hungry. He allows
himself to be caught after rearing a few times
to mark his rank.
Eight Sabirian riders are tracking Barganos
to bring him home. They will not be understand-
ing if someone else tries to claim him. Even if
the adventurers manage to keep the animal, most
members of the horse clans will know whose
horse it is when they see it.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains
18 THE
INGLOURIOUS
BUTCHARS
The first time: In the distance you see carrion
birds feasting on bloodied corpses. If you move
closer, the birds reluctantly take flight with angry
squawks. A gruesome sight meets your eyes: the
heads of five red elves are impaled on spikes with
their maimed bodies lying nearby. A healer can
see that the bodies have been cut open and robbed
of their elven rubies. On a stone among the bodies,
someone has written in wax: “The Inglourious
Butchars”.
The second time: You see ten creatures sitting by a
campfire, hands bloody, playing a board game. They
are laughing and feasting and do not seem entirely
sober, although two of them are standing apart from
the others. Three red elf heads on spikes can be seen a
bit further away from the fire. Every now and then the
group raise their glasses at them. The red elves’ bodies
lie discarded in some bushes. Carrion birds are cawing
angrily around the feast, as if telling the living to leave.
The group calls itself “the Inglourious Butchars” –
a signature they leave wherever they carry out their
bloody work. The Inglourious Butchars are hunting
red elves to kill them and cut out their rubies. If
the elves are seen as potential recruits, their rubies
are brought to the masters in the Stillmist for recy-
cling. The others are sold for money to humiliate
their former owners. With a few exceptions, the
group’s members are themselves former red elves
who have been restored – but too quickly, which
caused certain defects in their bodies and minds.
Minia, an ordinary elf who has decided to accom-
pany the group, says that the Butchars’ rubies were
so furious that they hastened the regrowth of the
flesh so that they could immediately return to the
Bloodmarch and take revenge.
The Butchars drug themselves with salt to
cope with their shame and pain. They hate the
Crimson Forest, the red elves, and above all, Vaer-
efor van Reiben. The leader of the Butchars, who
calls himself Mahogany, has a special knife saved
for Vaerefor. The dagger is called Glasstooth and
could be one of Horn’s Astra – unless you have
given that dagger to the key player Poansa. In
that case Mahogany’s dagger is a replica.
There are ten former red elves among the
Butchars, all with wood-related names: Mahog-
any, Birch, Burl, Merbau, Wenge, Jatoba, Katalox,
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Olive, Ash, and Amboyna. They are accompanied
by Minia, a learned elven druid from Ravenland,
and Gaunt, a semi-intelligent prune whom the
Butchars use to scare and torture their victims
before killing them. Only Minia can tell whether
an elven ruby is real – that is, whether it can be
turned into an ordinary elf in the Stillmist – or
whether the ruby was created by Vaerefor with
the Goblet Staff of Have.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Crimson
Forest, Hills, Mountains
INGLOURIOUS BUTCHAR
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Stealth 2, Marksmanship
3, Move 2
GEAR: Short bow, shortsword, leather
armor
19 LAST NIGHT OF
THE JESTERS
You hear music and hooting coming from a horse-
drawn wagon where a troupe of jesters has made
camp. The jesters are performing, but their audi-
ence of a dozen soldiers in field clothes do not seem
very amused. An officer gets up and starts ranting
that the blasphemers must be punished. The soldiers
respond by chanting “Funnier! Funnier!” The jest-
ers are crying, but try their best to entertain them.
Some soldiers start throwing stones at the performers.
Closer up you notice that the soldiers are wear-
ing Alderlander clothes and, judging by the
religious symbols they wear, seem to worship
either Wyrm or Rust (depending on what best
suits the game). Two Aslene riders are sitting
by a campfire a bit further away. They are path-
finders – one hired by the soldiers and one (who
also serves as a bodyguard) by the jesters. They
welcome the adventurers and explain that the
whole thing is an unfortunate affair. The jesters
were careless enough to make fun of the Alder-
landers’ god. The troupe has come to the Blood-
march to spread joy. Their leader, Pottus Tynk,
has an almost religious faith in laughter as a
cathartic salvation and creator of friendships.
The officer, Mengendorm of Trella, disap-
proves of the ruckus and wants the player charac-
ters to beat up the meanest of the soldiers so the
others stop harassing the performers. The officer
can lead the adventurer to their commander –
either Colonel Grudenstaal (Rust Church) or
Poansa Moulter (Congregation of the Serpent).
If they help the jesters, Pottus Tynk will be
most grateful. He does not have any money, but
can offer the adventurers his left shoe, which
allows its wearer to maintain perfect balance
in any situation, even on a slack rope. This is
Sella’s Dragonboot (page 65), one of Horn’s
Astra, though Pottus does not know it. He has
had a matching right shoe made, which obvi-
ously is not made of dragon leather.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest
MENGENDORM
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 1, Insight 2,
Manipulation 2, Animal Handling 1
TALENTS: Sword Fighter 2, Sixth Sense 2
GEAR: Broadsword, shield, chainmail, riding
horse
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random encounters
ALDERLANDER SOLDIER
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Endurance 2, Melee 2, Marksman-
ship 2, Move 1
TALENTS: —
GEAR: Broadsword, throwing spear, shield,
chainmail, riding horse
ASLENE RIDER
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 2, Move 2,
Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 2
GEAR: Short spear, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
20 YOUR
THOUGHTS
OR MINE?
The members of the group start to notice that they
are inexplicably saying things their comrades often
say, or even thinking their thoughts or taking on
their habits. Someone might suddenly find himself
somewhere without remembering how he got there.
It is the moon elf and key player Vinhelm Kaal
(page 89) who is moving in the area to deter-
mine whether the adventurers are of interest,
what they might know about the temple Agnos-
tica, and whether they have found any moon-
stones. The powerful mentalism radiating from
the moon elf is affecting the group’s thoughts.
Depending on what they know, do, and own,
Vinhelm will either leave them alone, follow
them for a while, or make himself known. The
event can be repeated. The moon elf will be more
inclined to interact with them in the later stages
of the game, as he realizes that time is running
short for Agnostica’s return to the world. At that
point he needs the adventurers’ help.
TERR AIN TYPES: All
21 RUST
From a distance you see what looks like a large rock
shaped like the upper body of a human. Someone
has made camp next to the rock and a thin column
of smoke rises from a fire.
The rock is in fact a three-meter-tall iron
statue – the head and torso of the god Rust as
depicted on page 39 in the Gamemaster’s Guide.
The only person there is a hermit named Suder-
man. Whenever someone comes near, he opens a
door in the statue and locks himself in. He has a
spear that he can thrust through various cracks
in the statue, but it is not a very effective defense.
If someone manages to speak with Suder-
man, for example by offering him some food, he
says that he is a rust priest from Alderland and
part of Colonel Grudenstaal’s expedition in the
Bloodmarch. The damned Ironbrows got tired of
carrying the holy likeness of Rust, put the god
down, and walked away, in spite of Suderman
cursing them and invoking Rust’s punishment
on them. The worst of them is Colonel Gruden-
staal himself who is a believer in name only.
Suderman can tell the adventurers about the
Ironbrows and the Colonel (page 79), and their
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mission to find Wyrm Reborn before the Congre-
gation of the Serpent does, but he knows noth-
ing about the rebellion Grudenstaal is planning.
He refuses to leave the iron idol and will remain
there as a hermit, but will gladly accept gifts.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Crimson
Forest, Hills, Firelands
22 THE SHIELD
WALL
From a ridge you see two groups of Aslene riders
mocking each other on the plain and challenging
each other to battle by making pirouettes, rearing
their horses, and shaking their weapons in the air.
After a particularly gross insult, one side lowers
their lances and starts rushing at their malign-
ers. Just as they are about to clash, something
unexpected happens: the attackers charge full-tilt
into a rock face that was not there a moment ago.
Their lances shatter, as probably do their bones and
everything else in great turmoil. The opponents
are nowhere to be seen, but you can hear laughter
coming from somewhere further away. The riders
have heard it too and are looking in your direction.
It is Vinhelm Kaal (page 89) who has sum-
moned a Fata Morgana (page 33) that tricked
the riders. One of the horse warriors spotted
him before the mentalist had a chance to dis-
appear and mentioned seeing what looked like
a fat little pig on two legs – a description Vin-
helm Kaal could not leave unpunished.
Vinhelm will slip away again if possible. A
couple of horse warriors are badly injured and
not even the moon elf finds it very funny. Now
the offended and embarrassed horse warriors
are looking for someone to blame and notice
the player characters.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Hills
ASLENE RIDER
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 2, Move 2,
Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 2
GEAR: Short spear, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
23 THE DWARF
IN THE STONE
You happen to come upon a monolith and notice
that the veining of the stone resembles a dwarf look-
ing out with its hands pressed against the surface.
At the foot of the stone there are some half-wilted
flowers next to a tankard of ale in which two slugs
have drowned. It might be a tombstone.
There is no grave, but imprisoned inside the
stone itself is the dwarf Svolder, a stone singer
who suffered a magical mishap long ago. Adven-
turers who look at the stone the next day will
find that he has moved a bit, but he moves so
slowly that it is barely noticeable.
THE OLD LADY: If the adventurers stay where
they are, an old human woman will arrive
within a Quarter Day with new flowers and
perhaps a herb-filled pipe that she places by the
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stone. She is called Gronena and turns out to
be a Vasnian. She and Svolder were in love and
ran away together many years ago, but as he
defended them from wolves the tragic mishap
occurred.
FREEING SVOLDER: Svolder can be freed
by tapping his wand against the stone, which
causes it to crumble. That is precisely what he
is trying to say, but in order to understand him
one must sit in front of the stone for three
whole days and be proficient in either lip read-
ing or sign language.
Gronena keeps the wand buried near her
cottage not far from the stone. The fact is that
she figured out how to free Svolder fifteen years
ago, but does not want to do it since she has
grown old while he has remained young inside
the stone.
Gronena cannot stand the thought of him
leaving her, which is why she lets him stay there
while telling herself that she is a good and faith-
ful woman. If he is freed, Svolder will yell at and
maybe even kill Gronena before leaving the area.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills
24 ASHSTORM
A tremendous ashstorm hits the country and
remains for D3 days. The visibility is reduced to
NEAR range (same zone). If the player characters
try to travel during the storm, their direction
is decided at random.
TERR AIN TYPES: All
 25 THE CONTEST
A crowd of riders has dismounted and gathered in a
circle. A knowledgeable person can tell that they are
Galdanes. Perhaps they are holding council? Moving
closer, you hear a woman singing in the middle of
the circle, accompanied by someone playing the lyre.
Two people lay claim to leadership of the Gal-
danes. One is Kormella Mira of Moldena from
Ravenland, descendant of Kanender the Mad
who, during the Demon Flood three hundred
years ago, cut through the invading hordes and
led his followers east through Shadowgate Pass.
The other is Trandesso Havaman who was born
in the Bloodmarch. Now the two of them wish
to challenge each other for the title of chief-
tain. They compete in horseback riding, single
combat, and now musical performance, cheered
on by their respective supporters.
IMPARTIAL JUDGES: If the group spots the
adventurers, the strangers are asked to judge the
contest in an impartial manner. Regardless of
your decision, the losing side will question the
judges’ competence, suitability, appearance, and
intelligence, and remember this affront to justice.
The winners, on the other hand, will praise
the adventurers’ excellent taste in music and
want to make friends with them. In the eve-
ning everyone feasts on roasted game meat and
fermented horse milk. The losers still hold a
grudge and might challenge the adventurers or
serve their revenge cold at a later time.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Hills, Ash-
lands
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26 THE RED
RENEGADE
A red elf is fleeing on foot, and you can see a dozen
others in pursuit a few hundred meters behind her.
As you get closer you see that the red elf is bloody.
She waves at you and screams for help.
The seemingly exhausted red elf calls herself
Rubilla. She claims to be a former redrunner
from Ravenland who was captured and turned
into a red elf by Vaerefor van Reiben. For some
reason she herself does not understand, she was
able to retain her memories and has been col-
lecting the rubies of former friends who would
also be turned. She carries them in a belt with
compartments.
She has been looking for a group of elves
from Ravenland who call themselves the Inglou-
rious Butchars, but the pursuing red elves
caught up with her. She begs the adventurers
to help her escape or, should that be impossible,
make sure that the elven rubies are somehow
brought to the Butchars or directly to the Still-
mist so that her friends can be restored.
RUBILLA SAVED: If the adventurers manage
to escape the pursuers with Rubilla, she is very
grateful and can tell them more about Vaerefor,
the Crimson Forest, and the red elves. After a
week or two she leaves them under some pretext
or other, but would preferably have them take
over responsibility for the fate of the rubies.
THE PURSUERS: If the pursuers catch up to
the adventurers, they demand that Rubilla be
handed over to them. They do not seem to know
about the rubies she carries, and Rubilla whis-
pers for her saviors to take the precious stones
to safety and hand her over.
If they surrender her, Rubilla will be taken
to the nearest Crimson Forest under the pretext
that Vaerefor wants to examine why she kept
her memories. If combat ensues, the red elves
will retreat fairly quickly even if they seem to
be the stronger party.
In that case Rubilla suggests that the adven-
turers let them go, claiming that the enemy is
uncomfortable outside the Crimson Forest and
therefore disinclined to fight. If the adventurers
hunt them down, the red elves reluctantly allow
themselves to be killed for the cause.
THE TRUTH: The whole thing is an act to
smuggle a set of prepared elven rubies to the
Stillmist. There the rubies will grow into mur-
derous freaks meant to kill the elven elders. The
plan was devised by Vaerefor himself.
The rubies look just like real elven rubies,
albeit of fairly low quality. If they are brought
to the Kogler in Tribolia, he cannot use them
to craft new Astra and can immediately tell
that they are fake. A peddler can also see that
the rubies are of low quality.
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Forest, Crimson
Forest, Hills, Mountains
RED ELF
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Stealth 2, Marksmanship 3,
Move 2
GEAR: Short bow, shortsword, leather
armor
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random encounters
27 THE GUARDIAN
TEMPLE
In the distance you see a cliff shaped like a 15-meter-
high ramp rising into the sky. At the top of the cliff
is a statue of a horse that gazes out over the plains.
At the foot of the cliff are a few small buildings, and
beyond them some blue woods. Around the cliff and
the temple runs a path that appears not to go any-
where, but forms a loop. Some humans on foot and
horseback can be seen nearby, as well as some yurts.
This is the Guardian Temple of the Aslene riders,
dedicated to horses and horsemanship. Youths
from different clans often come here to learn
and compete in horsemanship, and not least to
court each other and have some fun.
As a rule, there are about ten riders nearby,
two of them experienced warriors and honor
guards. Inside the small temple is a priest of
Have named Valliman and his wife, the Horn
priestess Insinera. In addition to the temple
itself there is a smithy and a simple market-
place for exchanging goods in the area. There is
also the Motherpine, an ancient blue pine that
exudes high-quality Blue Tar which is collected
by the priests. The adventurers can barter for
Blue Tar at the temple, but it requires a signif-
icant donation or favor.
The horse on the cliff is believed to be an old
statue of Sella the Liberator’s horse, Witherbeam.
It is painted and in very good condition. With-
erbeam is actually a fully functioning mechani-
cal horse. See the Artifacts chapter (page 69).
TERR AIN TYPES: Plains, Hills, Mountains,
Ashlands
 TAREGYLL

TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Settlement

You follow the brook upstream through a ravine whose
sides rise steeper and steeper from the surrounding
moor. The brook flows restlessly, its water so steam-
ing hot that veils of mist fill the ravine. Tall, blue
pine trees line the road, and many of their trunks
are smeared with tar. Soon you come upon the living
dead – some of them sitting slumped on rocks and tree
stumps, others leaning against a black building that
seems to be their home while they wait for the grave.
You proceed in silence, and soon the ravine opens
into a long valley between the wooded ridges. Rows
of houses emerge from the mist, some of them new
and sloppily constructed, others built from ancient
timber. The sounds of singing, hammering, and
the slaughter of animals reach your ears. Even
here among the living, the stench of tar and sulfur
is omnipresent. The mist clears as you arrive and
allows you to gaze beyond the wooden shacks. On
a hilltop at the far end of the valley you see some
buildings of stone next to a large fire. People of dif-
ferent origins are going about their daily lives in the
village, shamelessly sizing you up as they walk past.
BACKGROUND
The village of Taregyll is designed to be the play-
ers’ introduction to Aslene, with good opportu-
nities to highlight some of the main conflicts
in the country.
Taregyll is situated on the slopes west of
Shadowgate Pass which once connected Raven-
land and Aslene. The original village, Gully,
was for a long time a remote temple site where
restless dead were laid to rest in the lava vents. A

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temple to the fire goddess Have has stood here
since time immemorial, with priests tending
the kilns and the tar distillery in which the
sacred tar of Have is produced from the local
blue pines.
Since the reopening of Shadowgate Pass,
members of all the different kin have been show-
ing up unexpectedly in the village – foreigners
with unusual accents and tidings so strange
that nothing surprises the locals anymore. All
newcomers seem curious about the Bloodmarch
and what it has to offer them.
Two executioners’ guilds have smelled a
business opportunity and started selling pro-
tection services. Taregyll has quickly become
an almost lawless place of trade between the
countries, for much is scarce in Aslene, while
the craving for excitement, land, and owner-
less treasures is great in Ravenland. The native
population mainly consists of decent, religious
mountain farmers and foresters who often dis-
approve of the foreign rabble coming and going
in their village.
GETTING HERE
The player characters will likely reach Taregyll
from Ravenland through Shadowgate Pass. They
could also be native Aslenes, but in that case
they will probably start the game closer to home.

THE ORDER OF EGRESSION If the restless dead has been wronged in

In Aslene as well as in Ravenland, it is any way, the necromancer might exact
not uncommon for deceased individuals revenge in their client’s name.
to linger on as restless dead. The Order In addition to their “clients,” Egres-
of Egression is a loose gathering of sors often keep a retinue of undead
necromancers, called Egressors, whose who serve them as penance for their
primary purpose is to help creatures sins. People in Aslene generally believe
pass from life to death. that whoever kills or obstructs an
In the villages they visit, the Egres- Egressor will answer to the Nightwalker
sors are respected and feared in equal after their death.
measure. They often spend their nights The Order of Egression serves the
conversing with the restless dead in Nightwalker, but also honors the moon
funeral grounds. They might also raise goddess Eor and Wyrm, whom they call
the actual dead if they sense unfinished “Eating Wyrm.” He is represented by the
business. These conversations often maggots feasting on the flesh of the
result in the dead coming to rest, but dead, and Egressors carry such mag-
sometimes the Egressor realizes that gots with them to be ritually sprinkled
certain matters must first be concluded. on the dead they put to rest.

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taregyll
SHADOWGATE PASS: Shadowgate Pass is a
desolate mountain pass between Ravenland and
Aslene. The route was impassible only a few
years ago, since the geometry itself was dis-
torted, but during the Battle of Vond the pass
lost its power and whatever guarded it disap-
peared. All that remains are creeping remnants
of strange vegetation and odd little brooks flow-
ing between bare rocks and persistent, sighing
veils of mist. It is impossible to heal or sleep
in the pass, which takes a Quarter Day to cross.
LEGEND
It is said that Taregyll beyond Shadowgate Pass
is the last stop of the dead, where demon-tainted
wretches come from all over Aslene to find peace
in the lava. Some even say that the burning fissures
are pathways between life and death.
Visitors who have returned across the pass
claim that this is all nonsense meant to keep for-
eigners away from the riches that lie abandoned
and ripe for the picking in the devastated western
regions of Aslene.
The red forests in those parts are scary alright,
but mostly for demons and other unnatural filth,
which makes it a good place for adventurers to
prepare for expeditions into the unknown.
LOCATIONS
In addition to the settlements on the map,
the area is home to a few farms with meager
crops and sheep. Taregyll is surrounded by
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sparse coniferous forests of spruce and gray-
blue pines, whose trunks have been smeared
with tar to ward off demons. The village is
located at high altitude in a fairly cool cli-
mate. The entire settlement smells of tar and
sulfur, and is often shrouded in rain or fog.
The locals are often completely or partially
smeared with Blue Tar to protect against dis-
ease or possession. The tar is generally viewed
as a universal remedy.
1. THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD
Undead humans with empty stares are sitting or
standing within a fenced area around a tarred
log house. Runes have been painted in tar on their
exposed body parts. Living loved ones are helping
them and performing chores while shedding silent
tears. Someone is playing a mournful tune on a
large bronze horn.
Dead humans from all over Ashenvale are
brought to Taregyll to be lowered into the lava
further up the mountain or be taken to the
Silent Tower at the Temple of Have (#14). The
House of the Dead is the first stop.
The place is run by Kurmena, a necroman-
cer belonging to the Order of Egression (page
149). She speaks with the restless dead, clear-
ing up uncertainties about their lives and pre-
paring them for death. The tar symbols on the
dead are notes written directly on the clients’
bodies to keep track of them and their stories
– a common practice among Egressors.
Relatives of the deceased traditionally help Kur-
mena with cooking, cleaning, and the like. People
come and go in silence. Inside the house are com-
partments that look more like shelves than beds,
where the dead are stacked. Kurmena and Eisendor
live in the small residential part of the building.
Once a handful of living dead are ready, they
are brought in solemn procession to the lava
vents and pushed into them, followed by a few
confused words from the Horn priest Strunde.
Guests accompany the procession playing ket-
tledrums and horns or singing laments. If the
guests cannot play, it is usually handled by Cap-
tain Brock and Hergella of Madam Munna’s Inn.
KURMENA
Kurmena is a stout, middle-aged woman in
rough and practical clothes that smell of death.
She has wispy blonde hair and does not seem to
care much about her looks. Kurmena is calm
and gentle in her work. At most she might
express indignation with a twitch in her eyebrow.
KURMENA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 2, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Sleight of Hand 2, Move 1, Lore 3,
Insight 2, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Death Magic 2
FEARLESS: Egressors are immune to fear
attacks from undead.
TRUE HEARING: Egressors can automatically
tell whether someone is telling the truth
in matters relating to their clients, with-
out making an INSIGHT roll.
SACRED MISSION: While on a sacred mission,
Egressors grow stronger and temporarily
gain the FAST FOOTWORK talent (rank 3).
Their conviction also makes them less vul-
nerable to magic and all forms of manipu-
lation. The Power Level of all magic cast at
Egressors is reduced by D3, and all attempts
at MANIPULATION get a –2 penalty.
GEAR: Staff, SIMPLE find.
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EISENDOR
The big, bald man Eisendor is Kurmena’s assis-
tant and most resembles a sad dog with his
sagging cheeks and red-rimmed eyes. He seems
burdened by memories and torn between var-
ious duties. Eisendor dresses like a monk in
black linen under which tattoos of Rust Church
symbols can be glimpsed.
2. THE TEMPLE OF HORN
AND THE LAVA VENT
An old and worn-down chapel is situated danger-
ously close to a couple of lava vents at the top of a
hill. A stone ramp stretches over the lava. The hill
is bare and windy, with no vegetation other than
some heather and struggling shrubs.
Since Horn priests are required to build
temples wherever lava sees daylight, a small
chapel of stone has dutifully been raised next
to the lava vents. No Horn priest would will-
ingly serve in this godforsaken spot, but the
horned dwarf Strunde has been transferred
there as an alternative to being exiled in dis-
grace. The ramp over the lava can be lowered
with a lever if the dead standing there should
get cold feet and can then be winched back
up again.
STRUNDE THE HORN PRIEST
Strunde has broken his left horn, which is a
source of unbearable shame for horned dwarves.
Chunks of curly copper hair cover most of his
body and he is missing several teeth. Strunde
copes with the shame by drinking. When drunk
he laughs, performs his duties paradoxically,
and gets on people’s nerves. On rare occasions
of sobriety he trembles, hallucinates, and drags
himself through life.
STRUNDE
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 2, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 1, Lore 2, Insight 2, Manipu-
lation 2
TALENTS: Magma Song 1
GEAR: Warhammer, SIMPLE find
3. THE EXECUTIONERS’ GUILD
OF THE IRONCLAD
Outside a dilapidated old merchant house some
spectacular soldiers are posing in a kind of grotesque
parade armor made of shiny black leather, metal
plates, and oversized shoulder pieces. With pomp-
ous faces, they are eying everyone who walks past.
Taregyll’s two executioners’ guilds serve as the
village’s law enforcement and judicial authorities.
Guests and permanent establishments in the vil-
lage usually pay one of the guilds for protection.
Those who do not must fend for themselves.
The guilds insult and shake fists at each other,
but are actually working together under the secret
leadership of Captain Brock. Brock wants two
competing guilds to create some trouble and inse-
curity, which is good for business. All permanent
residents know this, but no one talks about it. The
guilds always join forces against external threats.
The soldiers are mercenaries or troublemak-
ers and are often replaced. Their equipment is
mostly for show. It is not uncommon for caravan
guards escorting travelers in the Bloodmarch to
do some work for the guilds between assignments,
which makes this a good place to ask for a guide.
People who commit crimes in Taregyll are often
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given the chance to atone for their transgres-
sions by paying fines to the guilds or performing
services that someone else is willing to pay for.
CAPTAIN BROCK
Captain Brock is from Ravenland and careful to
dress as a smart-looking officer. He trims his
hair and beard every day and dyes it with black
pomade that makes it gleam like his leather armor
with silver buckles. It is unclear which side Brock
fought on in Ravenland, and some say he deserted,
but nobody dares to speak openly about it.
CAPTAIN BROCK
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 1, Insight 2,
Manipulation 2
GEAR: Broadsword, shield, chainmail
4. TRADER’S HOLD
There are some surprisingly well-stocked shops
in the area west of the steaming brook that runs
through the village.
The shops are called Trader’s Hold and have
flourished in recent years as adventurers and
settlers started coming in. The merchants at
Trader’s Hold have all come from other parts
of the world and can provide most of the wares
listed in chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook.
CORIANDER’S GENER AL STORE: Offers a
wide variety of equipment.
BARTELLA BOLM’S STUFFERY: Sells fresh,
salted, and dried food, beverages, and healing
herbs of varying quality.
WELAND’S SMITHY: Weland the dwarf crafts
weapons as well as everyday tools which, while useful,
are not very remarkable. He also makes bogus jew-
elry without much success. Unlike Aslene dwarves,
Weland has no horns, but comes from the Meroman-
nian clan in Ravenland. He supplies the Horn priest
Strunde with liquor and in return he is allowed to
use the lava outside the temple in his work, which
more serious Horn priests would hardly allow.
PINDELLO’S DY EHOUSE: Weaves, dyes,
and sews, working in textiles as well as leather.
Pindello comes from the refined Varina in the
south and exaggerates his native accent. The
dyeing is performed with colorants, alum, and
ox bile by the warm stream of Galme.
5. MADAM MUNNA’S INN
Below a chalk-white slope stands a well-kept log
house. The gaps in the log walls are caulked with
moss, the roof shingles beautifully installed, and the
paved spot outside the doors is well swept. A middle-
aged woman with a pointy nose is standing by the
door, eyeing everyone who passes by. She mumbles a
prayer and fiddles with a couple of religious symbols.
Madam Munna is a religious widow who rents
out rooms and other accommodations. Her labor
force is made up of two browbeaten daughters
who both dream of running away, but keep a close
watch on each other so as not to get left behind.
Munna is picky when it comes to her guests. She
has a special fondness for priests and other god-
fearing people. It does not matter which god they
worship, as long as they are true believers. The
rooms are clean and the food is good. Revelry is
forbidden and no alcohol is served.
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✥ CREATURES: Madam Munna and her
daughters Sutia and Hergella, as well as a
few tenants.
6. FATHER’S POCKET
Between the shops and the stables stand the ruins of
an old stone fortress that has been renovated and
repurposed into a storage facility. The ground floor
has half a dozen vaults with locked double doors.
At one edge of the building is a small wooden annex
where the midnight oil burns late into the night.
The fortress of Father’s Pocket once guarded
the village’s western entrance, but was later
razed by Galdanes. Frisikos Pyrra of Vivend
bought it cheap when he arrived in Taregyll and
turned it into a warehouse. It is possible to rent
a secure space in the building where many of
the merchants keep their stock. Frisikos is also
the village banker and pawnbroker, and serves
as bookkeeper and scribe whenever important
documents are to be drawn up.
✥ CREATURES: Frisikos Pyrra.
7. THE STABLES
AND SLAUGHTERHOUSE
In the western end of the village, just before the
narrow passage onto the moors, is a shapeless struc-
ture made up of interconnected stables and barns.
From here comes the constant noise of various ani-
mals, mixed with death cries of slaughter. The
smell of livestock, manure, and blood fills the air.
Near the village’s western ridgeline is a meadow
with paddocks and pens where cows, partridges,
pigs, horses, and sheep are kept.
apparent that he gets straight to the point and is
not afraid to speak his mind. He is who he is – a
fence – and does not pretend otherwise.
ANTMAR STICKYFINGERS
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Sleight of Hand 2, Lore 1, Insight 3,
Manipulation 4
GEAR: Dagger, VALUABLE find
9. MEAGER MODLER’S TAVERN
The sound of laughter and revelry cascades from
an old log building in the village square. Inside,
people are dancing rhythmically to the screech of
local musicians. The fast host stands howling on
the stage with his tamed animals or moves among
the guests, slapping backs and telling crude jokes
Taregyll only has a single, fairly large tavern
where wild times are had most evenings. Some
competitors have tried to open other establish-
ments, but vanished without a trace, in some
cases after their homes burned down. The tav-
ern’s proprietor, Modler, used to be an animal
tamer and jester in Ravenland, which is why he
likes to perform in the evenings with his danc-
ing bear and goat. He is happy to hire visiting
bards and storytellers. Bartella Bolm manages
the kitchen in the evenings and Modler brews
his own beer, which is drinkable but not very
tasty. The furniture is as crude as the walls.
10. THE TOWERS
OF HAVE AND HORN
Two crumbling watchtowers flank the ravine lead-
ing into the village. A statue once stood by the north
tower. Its legs have broken off, but what remains
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has been propped against the tower so that the
depicted person appears to be kneeling. Fog flows
like breath from the ravine.
Only the southern tower, the Tower of Horn, is
still in use. Someone from the executioners’ guilds
keeps watch in the night, partly looking for move-
ment on the western moors, partly to detect any
fires in the village. In case of danger, the watchman
sounds the alarm on a hanging bronze cylinder.
11. THE SHACKS
AND THE TABULA SLOPE
A row of sloppily assembled shacks and bunk-
houses has been built below the white limestone
slope that makes up the southeastern wall of the
ravine. During daytime this area bustles with life
as various expeditions are being prepared. Strang-
ers of all kinds mingle with local craftsmen and
inquisitive children.
It is possible to rent a shack owned by various
people in the village: Madam Munna, Antmar
Stickyfingers, Meager Modler, and the Mer-
chants. The standard is atrocious with cold
drafts, dirt floors, and flea-infested straw
benches to sleep on. The prices are kept up by
the competition and correspond to those listed
in the Player’s Handbook (page 180).
12. JAGRA’S
EXECUTIONERS’ GUILD
Outside the well-timbered house at the north end
of the village is a small arena with wooden benches.
Soldiers often spar here during the day and in
the evenings bloodless fencing and wrestling
matches are arranged, with people placing bets on
the winner. Visitors are welcome to participate.
Jagra’s Executioners’ Guild is the second law
enforcement organization in the village and offi-
cially competes with the Ironclad. The establish-
ment is run by the heavily scarred war veteran
Jagra of the Galdane rider clan, but everyone
knows that she really works for Captain Brock.
She introduces herself as a fencing teacher.
The guards of Jagra’s guild all wear an ugly
little tin brooch with a sword over a shield as badges
of affiliation. They use their own equipment, which
is less spectacular than the Ironclad uniforms.
✥ CREATURES: Jagra, 6–8 soldiers.
JAGRA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 3, Marksmanship 3, Move 2,
Animal Handling 3, Insight 2, Manipulation 1
TALENTS: Path of the Companion 2, Horse-
back Fighter 2, Sword Fighter 2
GEAR: Broadsword, short bow, leather armor
SOLDIER
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Endurance 2, Melee 2, Marksman-
ship 2, Move 1
GEAR: Broadsword, throwing spear, large
shield, chainmail
13. THE COAL MILL
The village mill straddles the stream of Galme,
which turns its creaking water wheel throughout
the day. Flocks of birds are constantly swarming in
the steam around the area in search of spillage. A
miller throws a stone at the birds and runs around
with his cane.
Depending on the day, the mill grinds grain,
nuts, or dried bulrush roots into flour, but
also charcoaled logs which are broken into
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manageable sizes. The flour is always dark from
the charcoal mixed into it, which is considered
a local specialty. Behind the mill is a path up
the mountain to the temple of Have.
✥ CREATURES: Miller Tarbeman and his
farmhands.
14. THE FIRE TEMPLE OF HAVE
The great bonfire on the mountain burns with blue
flames that cast their cold light on the masonry
temple buildings where a few priests scurry qui-
etly between their duties. The priests of Have
seem troubled and the looks they give you are more
anxious than welcoming.
The blue flames are fetched directly from the
holy fire constantly raging in the temple of
Ashenstead on Mount Faltenvil, many days’
journey from here. Taregyll’s temple of Have has
stood there since time immemorial to oversee
the production of the sacred Blue Tar that the
local pines give off when kilned. The temple was
completely destroyed during the first wave of the
Demon Flood, but the place was reclaimed as
the Blue Tar turned out to be a potent weapon
against demons.
✥ CREATURES: Second Keeper Ansika,
the priests Fursik, Dilak, and Anscha,
and the Houn warriors Karnikos and
Berhelma.
15. THE SILENT TOWER
A thirty-meter-wide brick cylinder crowned by a
wooden palisade dominates the mountaintop. The
only entrance is locked with chains and a sturdy
padlock. The foul stench of death surrounds the
tower and carrion birds circle ceaselessly up above.
Moving closer, you can hear faint groans and fleshy
thuds coming from inside.
On the tables of the Silent Tower, dead bodies
have since ancient times been exposed to birds
until only the skeletons remain, but no corpses are
received there anymore. When the First Keeper
of the temple, Gest, became demon-tainted, he
had himself locked up in the tower, and now the
growing demonic mass threatens to burst its walls.
✥ CREATURES: The demonic mass Gest,
sometimes one of the priests of Have.
THE DEMONIC MASS GEST
Gest, former First Keeper of the temple of Horn,
was infected by incurable demonic plague while
performing an exorcism. As his body started to
swell and deform, Gest had himself locked up
in the Silent Tower where he continued to grow
and lost all human shape and thought.
GEST
STRENGTH 20, AGILITY 2
SKILLS: Scouting 3
ARMOR RATING: 8 (demon skin)
FOUL: Gest’s shape and stench are so foul
that everyone within ARM’S LENGTH must
succeed with an ENDURANCE roll at the
start of their initiative (not an action) or get
a –1 penalty to all actions on their next turn.
WEAKNESS: Holy fire causes Gest to
retreat.
MONSTER: In combat Gest counts as a mon-
ster (see page 73 in the Gamemaster’s Guide).
MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 MONSTER ATTACK
1 TENTACLE LASH! Half a dozen tentacles
shoot out from the demonic mass
and hit D3 adventurers within NEAR
range. Roll an attack with six Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt
force) against each target. The attack
can be parried. Victims damaged by
the attack are knocked down.
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D6 MONSTER ATTACK
2 ABSORB FLESH! The demonic mass
grows around an adventurer within
ARM’S LENGTH in an attempt to absorb
the victim. Roll for the attack with
eight Base Dice and Weapon damage
1 (blunt force). If hit, the adventurer is
grappled and trapped in the demonic
mass and takes one point of damage to
STRENGTH each turn until the adven-
turer breaks free. Gest has STRENGTH
10 during attempts to break free.
3 EXPLODING GROWTH! Gest’s pulsat-
ing skin swells into growths which
immediately explode in a cascade of
flesh and blood. All adventurers within
NEAR range suffer an attack with nine
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1. The
attack deals damage to EMPATHY
rather than STRENGTH, and armor
does not protect against it.
4 DESTROY WEAPON! The mass grows and
forms a hammer-like arm that strikes at
an adventurer within NEAR range. Roll
for the attack with seven Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If the
attack inflicts damage, the adventurer is
disarmed. The hammer arm absorbs the
weapon and crushes it into pieces.
5 PUPPET! Human shapes form in the
demonic mass, dangling from strings
like puppets. D3+1 shapes are formed
and sent to attack the adventurers. The
shapes cannot move further than ARM’S
LENGTH from Gest. The puppets have
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 1, MELEE 1, and
punch for Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force).
6 FLESH BOMB! Two orbs the size of human
heads shoot out in a sticky cascade
from the demonic mass and land near
two different adventurers. The orbs
grow and explode as they are squashed
by the connective tissue. Adventurers
within ARM’S LENGTH of an orb suffer
an attack with eight Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 2 (stab wound), while
everyone within NEAR range suffers an
attack with six Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 1 (stab wound).
 16. TAR DISTILLERIES
Smoke drifts steadily through the pine trees, around
charcoal kilns and brick tar pots. The smell is pungent
and causes the unaccustomed to cough. Logs are sorted by
tar yield in different stacks and new logs are constantly
being added from sledges pulled by massive work horses.
Some thirty men and women live and work at the kilns.
A primitive rope bridge is strung across the ravine.
Here charcoal is kilned and Blue Tar boiled. In
the final years before they are felled, the blue
pines around Taregyll are treated to yield more tar.
17. THE STREAM OF GALME
The stream that runs through Taregyll is steaming
hot and reeks of sulfur. Red fire fish are sometimes
seen shimmering in the water and flare up as they
jump into the air.
The Stream of Galme springs from the under-
ground a couple of hundred meters north of the
village. Its water is undrinkable but used for a
variety of other purposes, such as cooking, dyeing
textiles, and washing laundry. The fire fish in the
stream are delicious, but devoted to Horn and
protected from fishing by law. They can only live
in hot water. It is impossible to wade through the
water without taking damage, which is why simple
bridges have been constructed over the stream.
EVENTS
Here are a number of events that might occur
in Taregyll.
BACK FROM THE DEAD
One of the adventurers is startled by a hand that
suddenly reaches out from a dark corner and
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grabs them. A seemingly restless dead (page 122
in the Gamemaster’s Guide) tries to say some-
thing, but fails to utter an intelligible word.
The creature seems afraid and is very persistent.
Finally he manages to say “help.”
With the relevant knowledge, the adventurer
realizes that the hand is not cold with undeath,
but rather with fever. The rust priests have
drugged an Alderlander Wyrm priest serving
under Poansa Moulter and hidden him among
the living dead to be taken away and interrogated
at a later time. The adventurers must choose
whether to help the poor man, ignore him, or
return him to Eisendor.
ROCKSLIDE
A major rockslide is suddenly triggered as the lime-
stone is separated from the ground of the Tabula
Slope. Several houses are brought down with
it. Any adventurers inside the houses or at the
bottom of the slope must succeed at a MOVE roll
or suffer an attack with six Base Dice (blunt force).
Witnesses to the event later claim to have
seen the dwarven priest Strunde at the top of
the slope before the rockslide, and it is soon
concluded that the dwarf must have triggered
the rockslide on purpose through magma sing-
ing. An angry mob gathers outside the temple
of Horn to lynch Strunde. The dwarf senses
danger and tries to hide. With a successful
LORE roll, the adventurers realize that magma
song does not even work on limestone.
THE WRATH OF RUBOR
A group of red elves (page 129) attacks Taregyll
to burn down this temple of evil dedicated to the
impure manifestations of Kolor, the multicolored
god. Unless they are stopped, the elves will rout
the guards before setting fire to anything that will
burn – including the blue pines around the village.
 A captured red elf will ramble about the prophet
Vaerefor in holy Reiben and spew religious nonsense
about the god Rubor and his enemy Kolor. These
fanatics are insensitive to pain and impervious to
reason, and would gladly become martyrs.
This event can occur multiple times, each time
with a larger force of red elves, and could eventu-
ally result in a large-scale assault on the village.
ELF AGAINST ELF
A battle involving elves breaks out near Tare-
gyll and the adventurers. It is a clash between
red elves are redrunners, where the latter weep
while fighting because they are so upset by the
fanaticism of their fellow elves.
Redrunner patrols are positioned near Tare-
gyll to capture red elves, either alive or by cut-
ting out their rubies and bringing them back
to the Stillmist where the scholars can analyze
what has happened. This time the hunted red
elf received reinforcements and fighting ensued.
The redrunners have spoken with the priests
of Have, but not with anyone else in the village.
They might collaborate with villagers if it suits
their own purposes, but do not really care about
the fate of the village.
MURDER, MADAM!
The player characters find Madam Munna mur-
dered; she is hanging by her feet with her torso
in the boiling hot Stream of Galme from one of
the washing jetties outside Pindello’s Dyehouse.
There are a pair of thin and well-worn leather
gloves not far from the corpse. Her daughter
Sutia asks the adventurers to catch the killer.
Captain Brock is also summoned to investi-
gate the matter since Madam Munna was under
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the protection of Jagra’s Executioners’ Guild.
But Sutia does not trust Brock since he asked
both her and her late mother to marry him.
There is a rumor in the village that Madam
Munna was planning to open a high-quality
tavern at her inn called “the Finehouse,” which
would not go down very well with Meager Modler.
Another rumor suggests that Antmar Stickyfin-
gers wants to take over the lucrative inn business
in the village by both overt and covert means.
The truth is that Bartella Bolm is sick of
Meager Modler and wants to open her own
establishment. She knows that the innkeeper
would sabotage her plans and is trying to get rid
of him by framing him for the murder.
THE VASNIANS’ DEAD
A large group of Vasnians (page 19) arrives
from the north, escorted by three hired orc war-
riors. A necromancer of the Order of Egression
has told them that a restless dead chieftain will
not come to rest until he is placed in the Silent
Tower like in the olden days. The Vasnians are
very persistent.
The priests of Have refuse to see them or
open the tower, and the atmosphere becomes
increasingly hostile. Finally the delegation
decides to take matters into their own hands and
breaks into the tower. They might try to enlist
the player characters as additional muscle. If you
want, Konana (page 91) could be their leader.
If the situation turns violent and the Vas-
nians lose or are thrown out, they might return
later on with a larger force to take revenge. If the
Vasnians manage to break into the Silent Tower,
the priests’ secret about the demon-tainted First
Keeper will be revealed. See the event “The
Flowing First Keeper.”
 A MEETING OF RUSTY LINKS
A mysterious group of quiet strangers who show
clear signs of being Rust worshipers gathers in
the village and rents one of the houses below the
Tabula Slope which they then fortify and secure
with guards. Then a couple of covered wagons
arrive, whose passengers discreetly enter the house.
The Rust Churches of Ravenland and Alder-
land have convened in Taregyll to negotiate an
alliance and make plans for the future. Colo-
nel Grudenstaal is there, preferably along with
some prominent Rust worshiper from Raven-
land whom the adventurers have previously
encountered and perhaps thought to be dead.
DEMON CATCH
Three demons, chained and smeared with Blue
Tar are brought into the village under heavy
guard by a group of Galdane riders, to be sacri-
ficed to Horn in the lava vents the next day. The
demons are cursing and shouting obscenities.
One of them can read minds, in a primitive
sort of way, and reveals embarrassing secrets
about the spectators. The same demon offers
the adventurers important information if they
help him escape, and can give them a small
sample. Choose some suitable clues it can give
the adventurers in return for their help. It
might be allied with Vaerefor van Reiben or
know that Krasylla is alive in the magma and
yearning to be free. The demons will be kept
at Father’s Pocket for the night.
THE PENITENT IN THE MAGMA
One of the adventurers dreams of a creature down
in the magma. The creature tells the adventurer
to buy some liquor for the Horn priest Strunde,
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wait until he is blind drunk, and take him to the
lava vents. There Krasylla introduces himself (see
random event #8 on page 135), but realizes
that Strunde’s body is not good enough for him,
since the dwarf is not properly ordained. The
demon wants another Horn priest.
THE FLOWING FIRST KEEPER
The adventurers are passing near the Silent Tower
when one of the doors flings open and demonic
tissue comes flowing out! Villagers and Horn
priests hurry there to fight the demonic mass
and force it back into the tower. Finally the Horn
priest Strunde comes running with a lantern of
holy fire and manages to push the demon back
inside – at the cost of the lantern going out.
Now the Horn priests have no holy fire
in Taregyll, and Second Keeper Ansi must
urgently send someone to Ashenstead temple
on Mount Faltenvil to fetch holy fire in a spe-
cial lantern, which she hands to the adventurers
if they accept the mission. The lantern is actu-
ally very useful to adventurers as its holy fire
turns Blue Tar into an even stronger weapon
against demons (page 38). The adventurers
may decide to keep it, but would then leave the
priests of Taregyll to their fate.
Unless something is done (whenever you
deem appropriate), the demonic mass Gest will
cause the Silent Tower to burst. At that point
the demon weighs several tons and is completely
shapeless, but will continue to grow by absorb-
ing animals and other organic life that comes
close enough. After a week or two of freedom
it will slide down into the village like a disgust-
ing avalanche of flesh and gradually occupy the
entire valley. The demonic mass can be stopped
if the adventurers return with holy fire in time.
 ASHENSTEAD

TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Settlement

Your eyes rejoice at the sight of a distant mountain
that breaks the monotony of the Aslene plains. It
rises like a massive anvil, crowned by its flat top
and with its horn pointing east. Only when you
get closer do you realize how high and virtually
impregnable the mountain really is, and yet there
is a climbing route winding its way to the top from
the village at its base. Lots of people and horses seem
to be moving about the village.
BACKGROUND
Ashenstead is situated on Faltenvil, a mountain
whose silhouette abruptly breaks up the sur-
rounding plains. Below is the village of Dunfalt
with its tent camps and pastures. When the
adventurers first arrive, the village is full of
visiting Aslenes – mainly Sabirians and Quards
– who have come to attend the wedding of their
chieftains’ children.
Faltenvil is the holy mountain of the horse
clans, a place of unity and the center of their
worship of Horn and Have, as well as a center
of Aslene learning. Here burns the original holy
fire of Have and Blue Tar is purified to the high-
est quality. Violence is forbidden both on the
mountain and in the village, which also applies
to people heading there on religious errands with
their weapons tucked away in their knapsacks.
Each month a market is held in the vil-
lage at the foot of the mountain, where horses
and other valuable goods are bought and sold.

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 THE PYROLYTES
The Pyrolytes are warrior priests within
the Church of Have, sworn to purge
all unworldly elements from existence
with their holy fire, especially demons.
Pyrolytes are often unreasonable fanat-
ics and pyromaniacs with a tendency
to set things on fire without second
thought. They view fire as the cure for
all ills, including diseases, delusions, and
toxins in food and water.
Many Pyrolytes have disfiguring
scars from self-inflicted burns, since
they think they can predict and influ-
ence the future by reading and shap-
ing the hypertrophic scars from deep
Councils and negotiations, as well as duels and
weddings, are traditionally held on the faces –
the mountain’s three plateaus. Strangers are
welcome as Faltenvil is a mountain of peace,
but they better keep a low profile.
All ordained priests at the temple are mar-
ried couples where one spouse worships Horn
and the other Have, but these roles are not
gender specific. Novices are paired up by the
high priests as they take their vows.
In hopeless situations it is considered hon-
orable to choose death by throwing oneself off
the mountain, and to place one’s dead on the
mountain’s plateaus to be eaten by the birds.
Other solutions are often sought for the restless
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burn wounds – that is, the resulting
contractions, discolorations, and
ridges. They alter the scars by having
pearls and silver thread embedded in
the wound.
Such scars are seen as living maps
of the future and studied carefully by
Pyrolyte scholars. Famous scars are
flayed from the body after the bearer’s
death, framed, and put on display in
the Pyrolyte temple as guidance and
inspiration for future generations. Nat-
urally, the burn and its healing process
must be endured without betraying the
slightest emotion to be considered a
valid document.
dead, as getting them up on the mountain is
difficult, and often dangerous, work.
GETTING HERE
The adventurers can either come upon Mount
Faltenvil by accident on their travels through
the Aslene plains or go there deliberately, for
example to seek knowledge and advice at the
temple, fetch holy fire, or attend a council. They
might also encounter and accompany one of
the horse clans’ wedding processions on their
way to Faltenvil.
 4. THE HORN FACE
The wedge-shaped plateau points to the east, cov-
ered in bushes, herbs, and windswept trees. In the
middle of the plateau is a ten-meter-high step pyra-
mid of stone with an open pavilion at the top. A few
wooden shacks have been built near the pyramid.
The Horn Face is not named after the volcano
god Horn, but is so called because it represents the
horn of an anvil. On the plateau are some simple
shacks where pilgrims and other guests spend the
night, but normally there is no food or service
available. The entire platform is now decorated
for the upcoming wedding and people are kind
and generous with their supplies, even to strangers.
HIGH PRIEST LIK LAUDOS
The fair-haired and fair-bearded high priest
Liklaudos seems quite content with his life at
Ashenstead. Mild-tempered and diplomatically
inclined, he is used to mediating between the
hotheaded horse clans. He is an easy man to
like, although he talks a bit too much and too
preachily about life. Liklaudos wears a simple,
light-colored cowl painted with the symbols of
Horn in the national colors. His wife is Pruno-
filia, a priestess of Have.
LIKLAUDOS
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 5
SKILLS: Melee 1, Lore 3, Insight 2, Manipu-
lation 2
TALENTS: Magma Song 3
GEAR: Warhammer, SIMPLE find
MERDEK AI
Merdekai is chieftain of the Caberians and
scarred by countless battles and hardships. His
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skin is lined and tanned like old leather under
a mop of dark hair, and his bright eyes are as
sharp as a sword. The leader of the powerful and
warlike Caberian clan is used to taking what he
wants and does not back down from anyone. On
the contrary, he likes to provoke people.
MERDEKAI
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 3, Marksmanship 3, Move 2,
Animal Handling 3, Insight 2, Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Path of the Companion 3, Horse-
back Fighter 3
GEAR: Broadsword, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
SILTELLOS, SON OF MERDEK AI
Siltellos, son of Merdekai, is a weak and curly-
haired young man who is utterly oppressed by
his dominant father and therefore barely has the
courage to look other people in the eye. At the
same time he knows what is required of him
and does his best to appear strong, which gives
a conflicting and nervous impression.
SILTELLOS
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 1, Marksmanship 1, Move 1,
Animal Handling 1
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 1
GEAR: Short spear, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
MOMMODAR THE RODENT
Mommodar, chieftain of the Sabirians, was
once a powerful warrior, but has now grown
old and fat. He is still considered one of the
clan’s shrewdest minds, hence his nickname:
the Rodent. Mommodar is a stout man and
usually gives a genial, somewhat grandfatherly
impression, but his calculating gaze is always
there beneath the surface, and Mommodar
never loses his cool or composure.
MOMMODAR
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 3, Move 2,
Animal Handling 2, Insight 4, Manipulation 4
TALENTS: Path of the Companion 3, Horse-
back Fighter 3
GEAR: Longsword, leather armor, riding
horse
GERBER A
Mommodar’s daughter Gerbera is considered
a dark beauty, which she herself does not want
to hear about. On the contrary, she lives for
her horses and dresses like a man to escape the
expectations of being a decorative flower.
GERBERA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 1, Move 2,
Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 2
GEAR: Short spear, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
5. KARDENAS’ WATCH
On the edge of the Horn Face’s eastern tip a tower
balances over the abyss. A lovely female voice is
heard from the top of the tower, singing so loudly
that it reaches the ground on the leeward side of
the mountain.
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ashenstead
The ancient tower is built on a cliff overhanging
a chasm hundreds of meters deep. According to
legend, the priest Kardenas watched Sella’s deci-
sive battle against the Vasnians from the tower.
From there he also saw the demon horde pour
into the Bloodmarch from Shadowgate Pass three
hundred years ago. Melgir, high priestess of Have,
often comes here to sing hymns from the tower.
MELGIR SKYLARK
High Priestess Melgir Skylark is a singer as well
as a skilled rider, even though she has yet to
reach the age of thirty. As a priestess she is a
highly valued advisor and quickly gains people’s
trust through her intelligence and perceptiveness.
Melgir is married to the Horn priest Tordenost.
6. THE STRIKE FACE
On the largest plateau of the mountain you are met
by a vile stench of dead bodies, and flocks of carrion
birds are cawing angrily from the bare, northern
part of the plateau where a few sheds can be seen.
To the west, beyond a small pool of water, rises the
highest face of the mountain with the temple com-
plex and a blue fire.
In the northern part of the Strike Face, corpses
are being eaten by the carrion birds constantly
squawking and squabbling in the area. The
bodies are stored and prepared in the sheds. A
short, rotund priest is running around chasing
all the birds with red feathers, as they are not
deemed worthy of the feast. In contrast, the rest
of the face is very beautiful with creeping trees
and bushes and flourishing flowers, berries, and
fruits. The gnawed-up skeletons are pulverized
and used as fertilizer for the plants.
 7. THE FIRE FACE
Out of the western part of the Strike Face rises
another plateau with the temple complex and a
beautiful blue fire. Besides the priests, there are a
few slender human-like creatures on the plateau.
There seems to be a masonry pool further down on
the south side of the plateau.
Perched on the Fire Face is the temple Ashenstead
– the nation’s center for worship of Horn and Have.
Blue Tar is hauled here to be purified and made more
potent at the temple. This is also where the holy
blue fire of Have burns, which is ritually brought
from here to temples of Have all over Aslene. Three
vazuls – specially initiated priestesses of Have – are
responsible for keeping the fire burning.
BLAUDER OF HAVE
Blauder of Have and other prunes look like the
blue-black remains of a human corpse left to
dry in the sun for a month or two. The flesh
on the emaciated body is drawn tightly over its
bones, and the creature has glossy orbs of obsid-
ian for eyes. He is surrounded by the smell of
turpentine. For stats, see page 104.
8. THE TEMPLE GATE
A three-meter-high wall surrounds the temple area.
Standing on either side of the double gate are blue
marble statues of Horn and Have. Inside the gate
are grass and some free-range chickens and geese.
The wall is not for defense, since it is assumed
that no foe will be able to reach this far up
the mountain. All buildings are made of stone
with roofs of straw or wood. At night the gate
is closed and, like during the day, guarded by
an honor guard from one of the horse clans.
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9. STABLES
You hear animal sounds coming from a stable inside
the temple gate and smell a strange animal scent.
Inside the stable are a handful of mountain
gnus – large climbing goats – which are used to
transport goods up the mountain. They cannot
be ridden. There are also three donkeys pull-
ing mills and such. These were carried here as
foals and cannot be brought down from the
mountain.
✥ CREATURES: Mountain gnus, donkeys,
chickens, and geese.
10. LABORATORY
To the left of the temple gate is a building from
which unpleasant wails and acrid odors seep out.
The entrances are guarded by a couple of strange
human-like creatures. They are tall and wiry with
dark blue skin and almost no facial features at all.
The alchemist Mongelo lives and works at the
laboratory. He supervises the purification of
Blue Tar and conducts experiments, including
the transformation of captured red elves into
prunes. Only he and the Horn priest Tordenost
are allowed access, except for the temporary
assistants who are sometimes called in.
The northern part of the building has three
cells, one of which holds a captured red elf in poor
condition. The southern part is the laboratory
itself, with vials and containers of glass and copper.
On a shelf are jars of Blue Tar of various qualities.
The alchemist sleeps on a simple cot standing in a
corner. Outside, standing by the southern wall, is
a large copper still that steams and splutters. This
is where Mongelo is refining Blue Tar.
 THE ALCHEMIST MONGELO
Mongelo lives for alchemy and could not care
less about his appearance. His curly hair is
therefore a constant mess and his teeth are cor-
roded by the sweet roots that give him energy
during long nights of work. Mongelo wears a
black cowl, pockmarked and blemished by sparks
and acids from his art.
MONGELO
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Crafting 2, Sleight of Hand 1, Lore 3,
Healing 2
TALENTS: Poisoner 2, Alchemist 2 (see Book
of Beasts)
GEAR: Dagger, SIMPLE find, leather pouch
of sweet roots

17

13

18 16
19 15
20
11
21 14

12

22
10
8
 THE HORN PRIEST TORDENOST
The Horn priest Tordenost has short dark hair, a
beard, and a gaze so intense that it is said to burn
with the fire of Horn when he gets angry. He is very
devoted to his magma singing and likes to practice
it openly to impress those around him. Tordenost
is married to High Priestess Melgir Skylark.
TORDENOST
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 1, Lore 4, Insight 2, Manipu-
lation 2
TALENTS: Magma Song 3
GEAR: Warhammer, SIMPLE find
11. KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM
The pleasant fragrance of meat stew comes seep-
ing from this building with a fuming smoke hole,
mixing with the other smells of the temple court-
yard. Outside is a bloodstained chopping block.
Herbs have been hung to dry under the roof.
This is the temple’s kitchen. There is a table with
enough space for a few people, but the novices
usually grab a bowl of food and go somewhere
else to eat. The temple chef, Master Kolme, is
most interested in his work and likes to swap
recipes as well as ingredients and favors.
12. TEMPLE HALL
You enter a comfortably warm temple hall with
wooden pillars and bast cushions on the floor for visi-
tors to sit on. The walls are covered with ornaments
as well as horse skins and weapons. Abstract paintings
in red and yellow are hung here and there. Muffled
singing is heard from some praying novices. A horse
warrior seeks spiritual guidance by one of the walls.
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Prayer and worship are held in temple hall every
morning and afternoon, with participants seated
on cushions on the floor. There is a horned dwarf
lying on his stomach in front of the altar, day
and night, when he is not kissing visitors’ feet.
To the left is a staircase leading up to the vazul
quarters where no man who is not a priest may
enter. The red and yellow paintings turn out
to be burn scars flayed from the skin of dead
pyrolytes.
✥ CREATURES: Novices, a horse warrior
from any clan.
13. VAZUL QUARTERS
Upstairs is the residence of three women who do
not speak to strangers. A novice comes running to
admonish anyone who goes near the staircase. They
explain that the vazuls are tending the sacred fire
on the roof of the temple and must not be disturbed.
The vazuls are three holy women who devote
their entire lives to the sacred fire of Have.
Allowing the fire to go out would cost them
their lives. They live in celibacy and speak only
to the priests. On the roof outside their quarters,
above the temple gate, the blue flames of the
sacred fire burn on logs of golden oak. Golden
oak is a wood that burns for a very long time
and is completely consumed by the flames.
✥ CREATURES: The nameless vazuls.
14. TEMPLE GARDEN
In the middle of the temple is a beautiful pond
with blue carps. It is lined with well-trimmed
bushes and herbs.
The temple garden is managed by Chef Kolme
who grows his spices here. The fish may only be
eaten during the New Year’s meal. Priests and
novices often sit on the garden benches in prayer
or quiet conversation. It is a peaceful place.
15. STORE ROOM
A space with tools and barrels of Blue Tar.
A couple of gliding suits are also stored here.
These allow messengers to throw themselves
off the mountain and get a quick start on their
journey. When necessary, a gliding suit can also
be used to quickly flee the temple.
16. WASH HOUSE
By the stream beyond the wash house some logs have
been set up where the temple residents relieve them-
selves into the water below.
The wash house gets its water upstream of the logs.
17. THE NOVICES’ HALL
An oblong wooden annex that is reached by a stair-
case in the garden.
This is the novices’ dormitory, where guests can
also be accommodated if extra space is needed.
18. LIBRARY
The somewhat cluttered room smells of mold, sweat,
and ink. Its walls are covered in shelves filled with
scrolls and tomes. A group of novices are standing
by some lecterns, copying or studying various texts,
while tiny book scorpions scurry about and pinch
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ashenstead
their toes as revenge for disturbing them. The far
wall of the room is adorned with a cracked and
crumbled fresco. It depicts a rider on horseback.
The library contains educational literature, reli-
gious observations and instructions, historical
accounts, studies of nature, and some poetry.
The fresco depicts Sella the Liberator
equipped with Horn’s Astra, the weapons he
received from Horn to free the country. For
more information, see page 62.
The four most senior priests know all the
legends about the Astra, except the cost of using
them. They all agree that Aslene must be united
under Selligar Horne of Havenmark to drive off
the forces threatening the country. To accomplish
this, the Astra must be found and handed to
Selligar, for together they become an invincible
weapon that turns their bearer into a divine being.
If the adventurers seem worthy of their trust,
the priests also explain that the Astra can be iden-
tified and claimed by smearing them with Blue Tar.
PRUNOFILIA
Prunofilia, priestess of Have, is a thin woman
with long dark hair that almost covers her large,
piercing eyes. She seems reluctant to open her
tight-lipped mouth, whether for food or con-
versation. She is deeply religious and goes about
her duties with downcast eyes. Prunofilia wears
a kimono-like robe of silk embroidered with
greenery – passed down from her predecessor.
She is married to High Priest Liklaudos.
PRUNOFILIA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 5
SKILLS: Lore 3, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Magma Song 2
GEAR: Staff, PRECIOUS find
 19. BED CHAMBER
A modest room with a large double bed. In a corner
stands a locked bookcase. The door is locked during
the day.
This is where Melgir Skylark and Tordenost
sleep. The bookcase contains the apocryphal
scriptures of Horn which only Liklaudos and
Melgir may read. Hanging over the bed are the
symbol of Have crafted in silver and a framed
piece of human skin with an impressive burn
scar – a gift from a nameless pilgrim.
20. DORMITORY
AND MEETING ROOM
Behind the door is a table with eight high chairs.
In the back of the room are some beds and a couple
of desks.
This is where the priests sleep. The large wall
inside the door is painted with a general map
of central Aslene. There is a stove to keep the
priests warm during the winter season.
21. BED CHAMBER
A beautiful room with window shutters facing
south. There is a large double bed and shelves
with texts, as well as a small meeting table with
two chairs.
This is where Liklaudos and Prunofilia sleep.
The room also serves as the temple’s adminis-
trative office, and there is often a scribe sitting
here during the day. Above the bed hangs the
symbol of Horn in hammered silver.
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22. POOL
A stairway leads from the temple garden down
the rock to a ledge whose edges have been built up
into a pool. The pool is full of blue-black tar. There
are novices singing songs and stirring with large
spatulas. A crevice leads into a cave with more
tubs of Blue Tar.
The pool is where the Blue Tar from the kilns in
the forests is prepared and sanctified. The puri-
fied tar is then poured into barrels or refined
further at Master Mongelo’s laboratory. The
priests believe that the process must take place
up in the clear air at the temple. Beyond the
pool is a precipice of great depth.
✥ CREATURES: Novices and possibly the
alchemist Mongelo.
EVENTS
Described below are some events that might
occur at Ashenstead.
THE BOOK OF WINDS
The priestess and librarian Prunofilia timidly
approaches the adventurers. Since she never
leaves the temple herself, Prunofilia asks the
guests to retrieve the Book of Winds which
is said to be found at the Watch of the Sisters
(page 207), an ancient temple to the goddess
Wail. Old writings describe the Book of Winds
as the oldest book in Aslene, dating back to the
time when the horse clans first came to be. The
book defines their mission and explains why
the route to the Drawn Lands is blocked by a
fierce hurricane. The adventurers will be richly
rewarded if they find the Book of Winds and
bring it to Ashenstead. Prunofilia can point out
the approximate location of the Watch of the
Sisters on their map.
THE SLIME SEEKER
The alchemist Mongelo could use some red
matrix, the red slime in which the Crimson
Forest grows, for analysis. He asks the adventur-
ers to bring him some in a container he hands
them. If they would also bring back one of the
slime-producing snails, he would be beyond
grateful. In return he offers them his knowl-
edge, as a teacher or practitioner.
The container Mongelo gives them seems
always to be cold inside and is in fact a very
useful vessel for cooling beverages.
THE GIFTED CLOAK
The Sabirian chieftain Mommodar tried to
invite Selligar Horne of Havenmark to his
daughter’s wedding, but sadly the messengers
could not find him since Selligar is always on
the move. Now the chieftain asks if the adven-
turers would be so kind as to deliver a gift to
Selligar, as is tradition, since they travel around
so much anyway and will no doubt encounter
the Houn chieftain sooner or later. Perhaps
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ashenstead
they already have? They will be given a good
horse or gold for their trouble.
The gift is a splendidly woven cloak, folded
and wrapped in golden rope held together by
what Mommodar claims to be the Sabirian seal.
A simpler fabric shields it from dust and dirt.
The cloak is in fact poisoned and intended to
kill Selligar, since neither Sabirians nor Caberi-
ans wish to unite under that upstart. A person
versed in clan customs (LORE roll) knows that
there is no such tradition of giving gifts and
that the Sabirians have no seal.
FIREBRANDS
One night after their arrival, the adventurers
hear muffled screams coming from the vazul
quarters and can see shadows chasing each other
up there. It is the prune Blauder who has decided
to attack along with a number of other prunes.
They are on their way to the sacred fire on the
roof of the temple and are about to strangle
the novice and the vazuls trying to stop them.
Blauder’s plan is to push the burning golden
logs into the pool of Blue Tar on the southern
side of the temple. That would start a great
fire that could easily spread and cause explo-
sions. The temple would lose their stores of Blue
Tar and the sacred fire would go out. It takes a
couple of months to fetch new fire, which must
be lit on the volcano Horn, and just as long
to transport a batch of Blue Tar to the temple
from Taregyll or some other place.
 SALTERSTAY
TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Settlement
Traveling through the Bloodmarch, you notice a
strange sight in the distance. After a heavy rain the
end of a vibrant rainbow shoots up from an area of
mixed Crimson Forest, but instead of arching across
the sky as one would expect, it writhes like a tortured
serpent with its free end flailing among the clouds.
There is a village nearby and some mine adits can
be seen in the mountainside. Between the village
and the rainbow runs a stream that flows into a lake.
BACKGROUND
Vaerefor van Reiben presents himself as the
prophet and leader of the Aslene red elves, but
is really a demon seeking to paint the whole world
red. Now his loyal red elves have trapped one end
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of a giant rainbow through rune singing. Vaer-
efor is on his way there with his moving castle
Kasabatoda to paint the rainbow completely red
with the creature’s slime, thinking that doing so
will permanently damage the other colors so that
all rainbows in the sky will be red from then on.
The captured rainbow has come to the atten-
tion of the Order of Egression who believe that
it is a bridge by which dead souls can cross over
to the underworld and that it must therefore be
preserved. A group of drakewyrms are equally
upset, since they view the rainbow as their
god Tincturus who must be saved. Moreover,
rumors of a treasure at the end of the rain-
bow are attracting all manner of scum to the
area. The red elves and their sarcoptes guard
the place against intruders while awaiting their
master’s arrival.

GETTING HERE
The player characters could come upon Salter-
stay by accident or meet someone who is headed
there after hearing about the captured rainbow.
It might be Egressors, Zhozhach’s drakewyrms,
the dye thief Arjebee, the hedoness Mortilla, or
robbers. The robbers can imply that a treasure,
or even one of Horn’s Astra, can be found at
the end of the rainbow.
LEGEND
It is said that the nameless sky goddess is too proud
to take any notice of the ground below. And yet she
wants to see it beautiful to emphasize her own
beauty. To put some color on the canvass of the
world she created the rainbow Tincturus, whose
colors are released with the rain to paint the flow-
ers, trees, and rocks in splendid hues. Tincturus
thrives in the sky, so the sky goddess had to lure
the great painter down by hiding treasures in the
earth which the rainbow is searching for like a
truffle pig. One who acts quickly might get there
first to claim the treasure, but would be compet-
ing with drakewyrms and must beware of their
ravenous greed.
LOCATIONS
Described below are the most important sites
around Salterstay.
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salterstay
1. THE CAPTURED RAINBOW
A large number of red elves are moving in the
sparse woods where the rainbow touches the
ground, and you see some of them riding on bloated
eight-legged beasts. Strangely enough, the rainbow
splits into six distinct color bands nearest to the
ground. Each luminous band seems to end in some
kind of pulsing, blood-red tree stump whose roots
tether the color to the ground. Three captured
elves from Ravenland are bound to a demonic
tree by living vines. One of them notices you and
shouts something inaudible. The red elves spot you
as well and wave for you to scram to the other side
of the stream. One of their archers puts an arrow
to their bow.
The six demonic stumps form a hexagon and
tether the six color bands to the ground. The
colors into which the rainbow has been split are
red, yellow, turquoise, green, blue, and violet.
The tethers break if hit by a solid object of their
respective complementary color (red–turquoise,
blue–yellow, green–violet).
The red elves can restore a severed band
in one Quarter Day through uninterrupted
rune singing. Severing all six of them frees
the rainbow, which vanishes into the sky and
slowly fades away. You may want to give the
players a clue by having a salt-drugged red elf
fire a red arrow at the turquoise band which
then breaks. The other red elves yell at the
archer and collectively start rune singing to
reattach the band.
✥ CREATURES: At any given time there
are fifty red elves and a few sarcoptes in
the area.
 Mortilla looks like a woman in her forties
with curly dark hair and exquisite but strange-
looking clothes. She is usually in a cheerful
mood and enjoys poetry, music, and good com-
pany, but above all she loves to watch creatures
die in interesting ways. Mortilla travels in an
elegant carriage drawn by two skeletal horses.
When they are not pulling the carriage, the
animals collapse into a heap of bones between
the shafts.
Mortilla is near immortal and made of
a rubbery substance that is soft to the touch,
but extremely durable, which causes swords to
simply bounce off her. Magic does not take full
effect on her either. She has no weapons, but
is almost unimaginably strong.
Mortilla wears a silver necklace with Lapis
Lazuli, stones that can be used to dissolve the
red color band of the rainbow, and a brooch
with a violet amethyst that can dissolve the
green color band.
MORTILLA
STRENGTH 12, AGILITY 4, WITS 8, EMPATHY 5
SKILLS: Melee 1, Lore 5, Insight 3, Manipu-
lation 3
TALENTS: Death Magic 5
SOFT SUBSTANCE: Due to her rubbery sub-
stance, arrows and POINTED weapons
can never cause more than one point of
damage with a single attack.
MAGIC RESILIENCE: The Power Level of any
spell cast at Mortilla is automatically
decreased by D6
GEAR: Opulent clothes, PRECIOUS find,
silver necklace with Lapis Lazuli and
brooch with violet amethyst.
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chapter 13
HAUDAROS
Haudaros is a long dead chieftain of the horse
clan that controls the area. He was buried in
the Elderhill along with twenty relatives and
his closest warriors, but they were all raised
from the dead by Mortilla to keep her company
when she arrived. They are not pleased with this
and would much rather rest in peace. Whenever
Mortilla is occupied with other things, the
undead are sitting lethargically on the burial
mound or wandering aimlessly in search of long-
gone places and people.
Haudaros was tall in life and wears the
remnants of his chainmail and helmet, but
his sword has rusted into the scabbard. He is
gray, broken, and moldy, with a slightly skew
back as a result of a collapse inside the burial
mound. The chieftain speaks in a hoarse, drawl-
ing voice that often cracks, but only Mortilla or
an Egressor can understand him. If Haudaros
dies, his undead companions also collapse into
piles of bones.
HAUDAROS
STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 3, WITS 2
SKILLS: Melee 3, Marksmanship 2, Move 1,
Scouting 3
ATTACKS: Haudaros can fight with his
sword in its scabbard, but such attacks
only inflict half damage (blunt force),
rounded up.
LINGERING CONSCIOUSNESS: Haudaros can
communicate with Egressors and Mortilla,
but cannot be broken by damage to WITS.
BONY: Arrows and POINTED weapons
can never cause more than one point of
damage with a single attack.
GEAR: Rusty broadsword in a scabbard,
broken chainmail, broken open helmet.
 4. THE BRIDGE
OVER THE SEINDEL
A crude log bridge stretches across the gently flowing
stream known as the Seindel, right by the collapsed
span of an old stone bridge. A couple of red elves
stand guard on the east side.
The red elves have driven everyone in Salterstay
to the west side of the bridge to keep them away
from the rainbow and told them to stay there
without explaining why. However, they need the
bridge intact in order to cross the stream when
necessary. Since no one dares argue with them,
there are only two guards on the bridge, but
they have birch bark horns with which to sound
the alarm. The stream flows into Lake Suna.
5. SALTERSTAY VILLAGE
Beyond a simple log palisade is a village of about
twenty houses on a hill. The humble but sturdy houses
are made of fresh logs – clearly a settler community.
Ruins of stone suggest that there was a village here
long before the current one. The village is beautifully
situated on the shore of a lake, where you can see
jetties with small fishing boats and a larger barge.
The people of Salterstay are settlers from Harga in
Ravenland. The village is made up of fifty adults
with children and animals. They have recolonized
the area which even before the Demon Flood was
a salt mine and fishing village. Now they are dis-
tressed and frightened by the captured rainbow
on the other side of the stream and the aggres-
sive red elves who drove them from the east side.
The village has no inn, but there is an
assembly hall where miners sit around and get
drunk on wine from the temple ridge. The fish-
ermen spend their days down at the harbor,
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salterstay
managing the nets, tackles, and boats without
venturing out on the water. The sheep farm-
ers have driven their flocks into the village,
whose streets are now slippery with sheep dung.
During daytime they herd their animals in the
meager, hilly pastures west of the village, care-
ful not to stray too far from home.
VILLAGE HEADMAN TURENFORT
The middle-aged Headman Turenfort is inde-
cision personified; a large body around a tiny
soul. He is a portly man, dressed in official garb
which he has dyed red to please the red elves
and a soiled Alderlander wig that he acquired
from the merchant Kresos in exchange for a
ridiculous amount of salt. He wears the wig
backwards simply because he does not know
any better. Turenfort has a habit of wringing
his hands and rolling his bulging eyes whenever
decisions need to be made, and does whatever
he can to compromise and procrastinate.
TURENFORT
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Crafting 1, Manipulation 2
GEAR: Knife, leather pouch of salt
MINING CHIEF TALULLIA
Talullia is a tough mining chief in her thir-
ties. She has a firm hand, but is always in a
good mood – even when swinging her pickaxe
or scolding some slacker or troublemaker. She
usually wears her ash blonde hair down, but
pulls it into a bun while underground. Her body
is broad and muscular like that of an ox. Talul-
lia’s greatest passion is gambling, and if anyone
asks for a favor, she proposes that they settle
the matter with a game of chance.
 TALULLIA
STRENGTH 5, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 1, Crafting 3, Insight 1,
Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Builder 1, Sharp Tongue 1
GEAR: Pickaxe and knife
DYE MERCHANT ARJEBEE
Arjebee is an aesthete from Alderland who has
come to collect the pure dyes of Aslene and bring
them back to the weaving mills in his home-
land. He is a handsome man in his forties with
artfully styled hair and a well-trimmed beard.
Arjebee stays clear of red elves, who view him
as a henchman of the evil god Kolor.
ARJEBEE
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Melee 1, Crafting 1, Sleight of
Hand 2, Insight 1, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Sharp Tongue 1
GEAR: A beautiful dagger, brushes,
cosmetics
6. THE TEMPLE RIDGE
On the ridge along the east bank of the stream is
a simple wooden temple built over ruins of white
stone. The wood is blue, painted with the sacred
Blue Tar of Have. There is also a vineyard with
plantations on the southern and eastern slopes of
the ridge. Small quantities of stone are quarried
from a marble cliff that juts out from the sandy
ridge. At night there is a fire burning.
The settlers contacted the nearest horse clan for
permission to re-open the salt mine. The clan
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reluctantly granted their request in exchange
for one third of the profits, since the mine is
situated in their territory. The horse folk them-
selves have no interest in mining and are obliged
to avoid salt, which the Church of Have regards
as an evil mineral from the moon.
The priests were indeed opposed to the idea,
but Headman Turenfort convinced them that
the land of Have would be cleansed by remov-
ing the salt from the area. They explained that
the salt was to be transported in sealed barrels
to be sold in Ravenland and Alderland. The
church finally agreed, on the condition that
the villagers would help renovate the temple
there so the priest could supervise the process
and seal each barrel with the seal of Have so it
cannot be sold in Aslene.
The priestess Evianda has two barrels of
Blue Tar at the temple, but no holy fire. Arrow-
heads dipped in Blue Tar can sever the yellow
color band of the rainbow. The winemaker
Karmenere uses yellow sulfur crystals to sul-
furize his wine. These can be used to detach
the blue color band.
THE PRIESTESS EVIANDA
The silver-haired Have priestess Evianda does
her best to maintain civilization in this remote
location. She is fastidious about her appearance
and apparel, and strictly observes the formali-
ties of social etiquette and religion. Her great-
est joy is arranging suppers with wine from
Karmenere’s vineyard and inviting guests of
adequate sophistication. Underneath the strict
facade is a good heart.
 EVIANDA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 5
SKILLS: Lore 3, Insight 2, Manipulation 2,
Healing 2
TALENTS: Magma Song 2
GEAR: Fine clothes, staff, PRECIOUS find
ZHOZHACH
Zhozhach is a drakewyrm and glittercrawler –
the drakewyrms’ designation for those favored
by the rainbow god Tincturus. He arrived in
Salterstay with eight of his kind, but two were
killed when the group attacked the red elves
guarding the rainbow, so a total of seven slightly
scruffy-looking drakewyrms have now settled
near the temple of Have. Zhozhach’s status is
displayed by his metal collar which glitters in
the six colors of the rainbow. The collar can
serve as a clue about which colors complement
each other. Zhozhach and his group have slith-
ered their way to Salterstay after hearing about
their god Tincturus being captured by red elves.
They intend to free him, but do not know how
to go about it now that their frontal assault has
been repelled.
ZHOZHACH
STRENGTH 16, AGILITY 5, WITS 5, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Scouting 3, Move 2
MOVEMENT: 2
ARMOR RATING: 8
DRAWN TO GLITTER: If the glittercrawler
spots anyone wearing or holding any-
thing that glitters (such as polished
armor or a hand-held mirror), it will
immediately attack that person. If this
person leaves combat, the glittercrawler
will pursue.
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salterstay
MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 BITE ATTACK! The beast targets
the adventurer with the highest
STRENGTH and bites them with sharp
teeth. Roll for the attack with nine
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2
(slash wound).
2 ICY ROAR! The glittercrawler lets out a
terrifying roar that affects all adven-
turers within NEAR range. Roll for a
fear attack with five Base Dice.
3 CLAW ATTACK! The beast swipes its
claws at two adventurers within
NEAR range. Roll for the attacks with
eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage
2 (slash wound) each.
4 ACID ATTACK! The glittercrawler
spews a cloud of corrosive acid at
all adventurers within NEAR range.
Roll for the attack with six Base Dice
and Weapon Damage 1. Anyone hit
by the attack suffers one additional
point of damage per round for
D3 rounds.
5 TAIL ATTACK! The glittercrawler uses
its long body to make a sweeping
attack against all adventurers within
NEAR range. Roll for the attacks with
six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1
(blunt force). Anyone hit by the attack
is also thrown to the ground.
6 TEARING ATTACK! This weapon attack
is performed by two glittercrawlers
and consumes both of their turns
in the round. They attack an adven-
turer and try to tear their victim
apart. Roll for the attack with ten
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1.
An adventurer who is Broken by the
attack dies immediately as their
body is ripped in two.
 7. THE SALT MINE
Three mine adits can be seen in the mountainside
west of the valley. There is an open-pit mine next
to the adits, as well as a couple of sheds. In front
of the mine are five carts on wooden rails that
lead down to the harbor. There seems to be no
work going on.
The mining operation has been suspended
since the red elves captured the rainbow on
the other side of the stream. The five carts
are full of salt and covered with oil-soaked
cloth. Tools and simple beds are available in
the sheds. The adits are only twenty meters
deep, and inside the mountain they grow into
caves with ladders and landings. The walls
sparkle with salt.
8. THE NORTHERN ROAD
The northern route to Salterstay runs through a
beautiful ravine between the mountain in the west
and the temple ridge as it approaches the village.
The road itself is very simple with two wheel ruts.
The muddier sections have been reinforced with
gravel or chipped bark.
If Vaerefor van Reiben shows up, he will arrive
this way on the giant snail Kasabatoda.
EVENTS
Here are some events that might occur in
Salterstay.
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THE ELF IN THE MINE
The Ravenlander elf Zender approaches the
adventurers. He has been hiding in the salt
mine ever since his three companions were cap-
tured by red elves. He asks them to help free
his friends and can in return tell them about
the red elves’ madness and about Vaerefor and
Kasabatoda perverting everything they touch,
which has caused concern among the elves of
Ravenland.
Zender knows that elves who pass through
Kasabatoda turn into red elves, but not that
the demon and his giant snail are on their
way to Salterstay. Zender has a pouch with six
rubies cut from the chests of red elves, which
he intends to see restored in the Stillmist. In
an emergency, he can reluctantly swap them
for his freed companions. The rubies can be
used to dissolve the turquoise color band of
the rainbow.
Zender also explains that his group has been
shooting red elves with arrows dipped in salt, a
substance that disorients them. Zender carries
a green jade dagger, just because it is beautiful.
Its green blade can be used to dissolve the violet
color band of the rainbow.
SALT JUNKIES
The adventurers are contacted by some red elves
who ask if they can get them some good salt
from the mine – “the strong stuff from deep
within the mountain.” In return the red elves
can help them get closer to the rainbow. They
can tell the adventurers more about the red
elves and sarcoptes, and that Vaerefor is on his
way with Kasabatoda to decolorize the rainbow,

SALT AND RED ELVES
Common salt has a narcotic
effect on red elves. They become
intoxicated, start to hallucinate,
and get addicted. A red elf hit by
a salt-coated arrow suffers the
effects of a hallucinogenic poison
with Potency 6. Vaerefor and
other red elf leaders are there-
fore wary of concentrated salt
and throw it into the water to
dissolve it.
but they do not know when he will arrive. They
can laughingly describe how they accidentally
broke the rainbow’s turquoise color band with a
red arrow and got into trouble with their leader
Varchenna.
THE DYE MERCHANT
The dye merchant Arjebee approaches the adven-
turers with a proposition: he will pay them
handsomely to sneak up to the rainbow and
suck some pure rainbow light into his special
leather bellows. Arjebee can answer any ques-
tions they might have about complementary
colors and things of that nature.
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salterstay
THE ROBBERS
Nika and her fellow robbers have come for the
treasure at the end of the rainbow, but realize
that they are not strong enough to confront
the red elves on their own. They would like the
adventurers to join them, and preferably sacrifice
themselves in battle against the red elves while
Nika and her crew do the robbing. Nika’s eyes
widen as she explains that the treasure is whatever
one desires the most – that is how the rainbow
works – and that this is a unique opportunity,
since it is so rare for anyone to reach the end of
the rainbow before it disappears. Nika has bought
several color powders from Arjebee and plans to
cause chaos by spreading them around the rain-
bow. Everyone knows that red elves cannot stand
other colors than red. The hard part is getting
close enough. Nika gladly recounts the legend
of the sky goddess and the rainbow Tincturus.
In reality, there is no treasure.
TO HAVE OR NOT TO HAVE
The adventurers see a group of salt-drugged red
elves (twice as many as the player characters)
crossing the bridge and attacking the white
temple. One of them is riding a sarcopte. If the
temple is burned down or the priestess killed,
sixty riders from the relevant horse clan will
arrive in Salterstay a week later. They will ques-
tion people about what happened and likely burn
down the village as punishment for not coming
to the temple’s aid. The clan riders might be
willing to help the adventurers attack the red
elves. Otherwise they are not very keen on fight-
ing the elves and just perform a mock charge
before riding off.
 DEATH AT LAST
The undead chieftain Haudaros contacts the
adventurers, but it is hard to understand what
he says or wants as the sounds he produces
are scratchy and strange and his movements
jerky. The Egressors Nuntoonia and Dyren-
gaard are in the village and can serve as inter-
preters. The hedoness Mortilla understands
him as well, but cannot help them as she is
the problem.
After speaking to the chieftain, the Egres-
sors explain that he resents the hedoness for
raising him from the dead and that he wants
to die once and for all. In return for the adven-
turers’ help, he will assist them with a specific
task. Killing Haudaros is fairly easy, but keeping
it secret from Mortilla is not – and if she finds
out about it, she will try to stop them. Once it
is done, she will be visibly displeased but resign
herself to the passage of time.
If the adventurers helped Haudaros die,
twelve ghosts on horseback will emerge from
the Elderhill and try to achieve whatever the
adventurers asked of Haudaros. The adventur-
ers cannot communicate with the ghosts other
than through the Egressors. The ghosts will
dissolve after completing their task.
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K ASABATODA ARRIVES
The giant snail Kasabatoda will arrive in Sal-
terstay a few days after the adventurers, along
with Vaerefor, 40 red elves, and five sarcoptes.
They follow the road from the north and pass
between the mountain and the temple ridge,
before crawling across the stream by the bridge
and finally reaching the rainbow. The adven-
turers can slow the giant snail down by turn-
ing over the salt-filled carts outside the mine
just as it passes by. Kasabatoda will then flee in
panic into Lake Suna and remain in the water
for several days to rehydrate.
Upon reaching its destination, Kasabatoda
will position itself to spray red paint at the
rainbow through its rear end. The demonic
red stumps will then creep further up the
color bands, join together, and continue up
the rainbow. Once the red color has devoured
the entire rainbow it dissolves, and from that
day forward every rainbow in the Bloodmarch
will be all red. During this process Vaerefor
will deliver rousing speeches to his followers,
but also to the villagers to let them know
that they are all welcome in his new red world.
Vaerefor can be convinced to spare the rain-
bow in exchange for the Goblet Staff of Have.
 OXENGELDER

TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Settlement

You see people draped in light coming in and out of

a pillared hall whose roof forms a marble plaza
where beautiful youths in light veils dance to the
tunes of flutes. Next to the pillared hall is a pavil-
ion surrounded by greenery. Water from a natural
basin flows down to the marble plaza. The gar-
dens are well kept, and there are people talking or
sleeping under its trees. Others are meditating in
a circle. Beyond the marble plaza rises a conical
tower. People are walking up the spiral ramp of
the tower while others are already asleep on the
landings. Next to the tower is a bejeweled hill that
suddenly changes position; it must be some kind of
huge, living creature.
BACKGROUND
The gigantic Dreamstress (page 96) came to
the Bloodmarch during the Demon Flood three
hundred years ago from her homeworld Eoni.
She is therefore classified as a demon, but has
always seemed like a peaceful creature. She is
also regarded as a prophet of the goddess Oneira.
According to the Dreamstress, Oneira is the
sleeping goddess of existence and the world is
her dream in which we all live. Through onei-
romancy her followers can participate in the
goddess’ visions to understand and influence
the world. The Dreamstress acts as a spiritual
mentor to those wishing to learn oneiromancy,
the art of observing, understanding, and influ-
encing existence through disciplined dreaming
(page 34).

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oxengelder
 KEY PLAYERS IN OXENGELDER
Several key players and their retinues
could come to Oxengelder. If they
happen to visit at the same time, they
might form alliances, exchange infor-
mation, or become enemies. Since the
Dreamstress wants some of Horn’s
Astra for herself, she will try to trick the
key players (and the adventurers) into
handing them over under any pretext
she can think of.
✥ SELLIGAR HORNE wants the Dream-
stress to dream up unity between
the horse clans and locate Horn’s
Astra (which she claims she could,
but does not dare to).
The effect increases with the number of
people who simultaneously share the same dream,
so the Dreamstress accepts anyone as her appren-
tice to gather as large a following as possible.
Together they will dream up a perfect world.
The Dreamstress helps visitors change
things they do not like. For example, she
might restore a lost hand, resurrect the dead,
and uncover secrets in her dreams. What she
cannot see are things created by other divinities,
such as Horn’s Astra. Her secret plan is to get
as many people as possible to simultaneously
dream of her homeworld Eoni so that she can
go back there and never return.
Oxengelder was once a Vasnian place of sac-
rifice named after the white bulls whose blood
were ritually spilt in the limestone basins to
please the allmother Volitia. The place was
deserted when the Dreamstress settled there,
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chapter 14
✥ POANSA MOULTER or her doppel-
ganger is often in Oxengelder to
seek help in locating the reborn
god Wyrm.
✥ COLONEL GRUDENSTAAL wants to
locate the reborn Wyrm and obtain
information about the Bloodmarch.
✥ VAEREFOR is in Oxengelder as the
Dreamstress’ confidant. He comes
and goes alone through the Dream-
stress’ dreams, but has no other
business there.
✥ FIENA FROMELEI could be in
Oxengelder to consult the Dream-
stress about her disturbing night-
mares and seek help in locating the
moonstones in Aslene.
as the horse clans had purged it of Vasnians.
The Dreamstress’ peace reigns in Oxengelder –
people of all kin come here to trade and learn
what is going on in the world.
GETTING HERE
The adventurers can be drawn to Oxengelder
in various ways:
✥ They hear rumors, perhaps from a wan-
dering oneiromancer, of a master teach-
ing dream magic – a magic discipline
they have never come across before.
✥ They are told that the Dreamstress can
alter reality – restoring lost limbs, raising
the dead, resurrecting the dead, finding
lost things or people, etcetera.
✥ They encounter a key player who is on
their way to seek the Dreamstress’ counsel.
✥ If the adventurers have already teamed
up with any of the key players, they
could be sent as legates to Oxengelder to
negotiate with representatives of another
key player.
✥ They are stalked by a mara (see page 194
or the Book of Beasts) and have trouble get-
ting rid of it.
HELP FROM
THE DREAMSTRESS
Lots of people ask for the
Dreamstress’ help, and so can
the adventurers. The consulta-
tion usually involves the Dream-
stress and the required number
of oneiromancers sitting down
and dreaming in the Sky Tower
for a reasonable price. The
Dreamstress can among other
things restore a severed limb
or bring a dead person back to
life – but only does the latter
in exchange for an Astra. The
Dreamstress can also locate any
place, item, or person, except
for Horn’s Astra (although she
says that she can). She can
also advise people on how to
advance their plans.
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oxengelder
LEGEND
Have you heard of Oxengelder – the paradise of
dreams? It’s said that all the country’s peace and
beauty took refuge in Oxengelder as the Demon
Flood raged into Aslene. There the gentle giantess
welcomes anyone of pure heart and open mind to
study oneiromancy, the art of dreaming up a won-
derful life! Would you rather dance than fight?
Rather love than hate? Would you give life a second
chance? Then let the dream come true! If you go to
Oxengelder, be sure to wear flowers in your hair,
for it pleases the Dreamstress.
ASPIRING DREAMERS
Interested Druids or Sorcerers
can apply to study Oneiromancy
at Oxengelder. The usual require-
ments for learning skills and
spells apply. The school does not
accept anyone with Wits higher
than 3 or Empathy lower than 3,
but criteria are kept secret and
applicants are only told that
they have failed the entrance
test and been deemed unsuit-
able to study oneiromancy. How-
ever, adventurers with access to
one of Horn’s Astra are automat-
ically accepted.
 3. THE GARDEN OF NOVICES
A lush parkland with two pavilions. Youngsters
are dancing, playing, smoking, and laughing. Older
individuals are sitting on the grass or at tables,
watching the youths with patience or disapproval.
A wagon is pulled through the paths of the park
by a white ox.
The Garden of Novices is occupied by new-
comers and guests. The latter are expected to
make a small donation in exchange for food and
accommodation. The pavilions are open-plan
with dormitories. There is little to no privacy
at the school, except in the pavilions in the
Garden of Masters.
✥ CREATURES: About twenty novices.
4. THE GARDEN OF MASTERS
A park with trails where a few people are moving
through the strange vegetation of walking trees,
shrubs with mirrors for leaves, and berries shaped
like tiny horses. A couple of women are weaving
dreamcatchers at a table. Next to the stairway
to the Pillar School is a large bronze horn with
the opening facing down. Fruits have fallen out
of the horn and a pool of honey has flowed out as
well. Baskets of delicacies have been placed nearby.
This park is for senior oneiromancers and more
distinguished visitors. The strange plants are
created from dreams as master tests or simply
for the fun of it. Only the best creations are
kept and often replaced as new ones are con-
stantly being added. They dissolve into air if
taken outside the school grounds.
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chapter 14
The Horn of Abundance is constantly filled
up with delicacies that are both tasty and nutri-
tious and make up a large part of the school’s
finer cuisine. The horn itself is not magical and
the delicacies are derived from dreams.
✥ CREATURES: Headmistress Pirimena,
Coloratura Dreamer Ketre Meskalma
PIRIMENA
The school’s greatest oneiromancer and head-
mistress is Pirimena, a half-elf from Raven-
land who has quickly risen in status. Pirimena
takes the utmost care to perform her duties
to perfection and has no other interests than
oneiromancy and running the school. She is
unswervingly loyal to the Dreamstress and
would come up with excuses for anything bad
the giantess might do.
PIRIMENA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 5, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Lore 4, Insight 3, Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Oneiromancy 3 (can cast spells at
Power Level 5)
GEAR: Dagger, beautiful clothes, PRECIOUS
find
K ETRE MESK ALMA
Ketre Meskalma is the school’s foremost colora-
tura dreamer, an oneiromancer specialized in the
minutiae of dreams – the details that make dream
creations believable and unique and therefore pow-
erful. She spends most of her time sleeping, sitting
under a lily maple from where she visits other
people’s dreams to correct and embellish them.
This makes her an important teacher at the school.
 KETRE MESKALMA
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Lore 3, Insight 2, Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Oneiromancy 3 (can cast spells at
Power Level 4)
GEAR: Dagger
5. THE MASTERS’ PAVILION
Two marble pavilions with closed doors at the far
end of the park.
The pavilion closest to the Pillar School is
reserved for senior oneiromancers, while dis-
tinguished guests are housed in the other one
which has three separate suites and a meeting
hall. Each room in the guests’ pavilion has a
dreamcatcher which records everything that is
said and seen so the Dreamstress and her clos-
est disciples will immediately find out about it.
✥ CREATURES: Poansa Moulter’s doppel-
ganger (page 78). Poansa appears to
spend most of her time in the pavilion,
but usually it is in fact her double.
6. THE COUNCIL CIRCLE
The far end of the Garden of Masters holds a cir-
cular lawn with a paved center. On the far side of
the circle is a horseshoe-shaped roof over a number
of seats.
Daytime: A huge, heavily jeweled creature is sit-
ting with her eyes closed in the middle of the circle,
surrounded by supplicants who listen devotedly to
every word that rumbles from the creature’s lips.
Nighttime: A huge creature is lying curled up like
a small hill in the middle of the circle. Her abun-
dant jewelry rustles softly with each deep breath.
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The Council Circle is where the Dreamstress
receive guests and clients, seated in the paved
center of the circle. Ordinary people come
here every morning to ask questions and seek
advice, while more distinguished guests are
welcome to attend council meetings in the
afternoons. During council sessions, all unau-
thorized people are expected to stay away from
the Garden of Masters and keep out of ear-
shot. At night the Dreamstress often sleeps
in the circle.
✥ CREATURES: The Dreamstress
(page 96).
7. THE MARBLE PLAZA
Wide stairways on both sides lead up to a large
marble roof where oneiromancers are sitting deep
in meditation while youngsters play some form
of ball game with a living ball that screams and
laughs as they kick it around. Trees and shrubs have
been planted in the semicircular wall facing the
Sky Tower. Water from the limestone basins flows
in shallow channels across the marble plaza and
plunges in beautiful cascades over the edge into the
streams of the parks below.
The roof of the Pillar School serves as a marble
plaza that often bustles with life. On sunny
days the Dreamstress herself sometimes sits
here, smiling as she watches her adepts rever-
ently bringing out mouthwatering delights and
dreamed-up creations. The meditating individ-
uals are often nudged by their more energetic
peers, but are not angered by this, as ignoring
disturbances is part of their training. Various
exercises in sleep gymnastics are underway – for
example, two teachers are quickly throwing a
ball back and forth to train their apprentices’
rapid eye movements.
 8. THE SKY TOWER
Rising above the Marble Plaza is a 30-meter-
high brick tower with a spiral ramp and land-
ings. There are people walking up the ramp or
sleeping on the landings.
The Sky Tower is built to focus the efforts of
the most skilled oneiromancers. The Dream-
stress herself sometimes takes her place on the
highest landing at the top of the tower, which
she reaches by using the coils of the spiral ramp
as a ladder.
✥ CREATURES: D6 oneiromancers and
twice as many apprentices.
9. THE LIMESTONE BASINS
From the top of the mountain slopes behind the
dream school, clear water flows through a system
of limestone basins whose shimmering blue light
give the entire mountainside a dreamlike quality.
The water continues down to the parks through
the channels of the marble plaza and into the
gurgling streams near the pavilions.
✥ CREATURES: Kalemes.
K ALEMES
Kalemes of the Caberian horse clan is a penni-
less novice tasked with cleaning the limestone
basins. He and his friend Trommel have both
cut ties with their clan and made significant
progress as oneiromancers. But they are child-
ish and unruly and have taken to defiling the
Horn of Abundance.
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KALEMES
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 1, Move 2,
Animal Handling 2, Lore 1, Insight 2,
Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Oneiromancy 2, Horseback
Fighter 1
GEAR: Dagger
EVENTS
Here are a number of events that might occur
in Oxengelder.
THE IMPOSTOR
A junior oneiromancer named Maroosa
approaches the adventurers. She dares not talk
to anyone from Oxengelder, but whispers that
Poansa Moulter (location #5) is not who she
says she is – that a duplicate is impersonating
her. What if no one at the school is real and
all existence is a cruel fiction? Maroosa is right,
since Poansa really is a doppelganger. Pirimena
and the Dreamstress are already aware of this
and have no problem with it.
THE CONTRACT
The key player Grudenstaal (page 79) is here
as the Dreamstress’ guest and seeks out the
adventurers to request that they murder the
Sabirian Chieftain Mommodar and the Cabe-
rian Chieftain Merdekai, since they in turn are
planning to murder Selligar Horne, chieftain
of the Houns, who is needed to unite the horse
clans. As payment the adventurers can ask for
just about anything in his power to give. They
will also have all the help they need, but discre-
tion is of the utmost importance. Grudenstaal
would likely be killed if suspicion fell on him.
The chieftains might also attack the school if
the plan is exposed.
FILTH
All of Oxengelder is outraged that the Horn of
Abundance by the stairs of the Marble Plaza
in recent days has been soiled with blood and
other unclean substances, which meant that
lots of fruits and other delicious treats had to
be thrown away. The Dreamstress thinks that
the soiling was caused by unsound dreams and
urges everyone to be vigilant of their sleep-
ing visions.
A few days later Trommel of Kesla, a junior
dreamer, is found dead in one of the limestone
basins (location #9). His neck has been broken
with such force that the head was almost torn
off and the vertebrae ruptured his skin.
Pirimena wants to hush up the whole affair
and asks the adventurers to discreetly investigate
what happened. They might notice that a junior
oneiromancer and basin cleaner named Kalemes
is very upset and packing up to leave. He could
later be found dead in the same way or approach
the adventurers before he leaves to explain how
he and his friend Trommel dreamed filth into
the Horn of Abundance, but only as a joke.
It turns out that the Dreamstress herself
killed Trommel, and possibly Kalemes as well,
by snapping their necks. The demon simply
deemed them useless, a stain that had to be
wiped out. To her it is no different than pulling
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weeds from a garden. She might even brutally
murder Kalemes in front of witnesses and seem
almost surprised if it upsets anyone.
LOST IN SLEEP
Pirimena seeks out the adventurers. Ketre
Meskalma has disappeared into her dreams and
seems unable to find her way out. The headmis-
tress needs someone to bring her back. Unfortu-
nately that person cannot be an oneiromancer,
as Ketre would assume them to be co-dreamers
which would only disorient her further.
If the adventurers accept the mission, Piri-
mena asks them to sit down by Ketre’s side.
She hands each of them a goblet of drugs that
will help them stabilize the dreaming state.
She then explains that the dream will show
them a mirror which can make the dream-
ing Ketre remember reality if she looks into
it. Part of Pirimena’s consciousness will go
with them in the form of a dream hamster,
but it must not be too conscious, as it might
disrupt the mission.
Once asleep, the adventurers find them-
selves in Ketre’s dream in a random part of an
adventure site they have previously visited. But
the place and its colors are inverted – a mirror
image of reality. Ketre’s dreaming self can be
found where the adventure site’s strongest enemy
was located and looks just like them, but has
Ketre’s mind and is not hostile.
The dreaming adventurers have their usual
gear, a handheld mirror, and a hamster, but the
latter seems unable to do anything but squeak
and point. Along the way they are attacked three
times by a mara. Any adventurer who is killed or
Broken immediately wakes up in the pavilion at
Oxengelder, broken with Wits 0. It is impossible
to head back into the dream. If all adventur-
ers are neutralized, the mission has failed and
Ketre is lost forever.
When Ketre is found, she does not want to
look in the mirror and splits into three versions.
Each duplicate runs off in a separate direction.
The adventurers must find and show the mirror
to all three versions, after which the mission is
completed and everyone wakes up. The adven-
turers cannot wake up by themselves before
the mission is completed or all of them have
been neutralized. Pirimena can wake them,
but chooses not to, knowing that Ketre’s life
depends on their success.
MARA
STRENGTH 12, AGILITY 3, WITS 2
MOVEMENT: 1
ARMOR RATING: None. Maras are immaterial
beings and can only be hurt by magic and
magic weapons. Takes half damage from
fire.
DREAM ATTACK: The mara attacks by
manifesting itself in a nightmare and
straddling the sleeper’s chest. It rides,
scratches, screams, and performs other
types of monster attacks (see below). The
mara only attacks one person at a time,
but switches target if forced to or if the
victim is Broken. An adventurer attacked
by a mara cannot be woken or wake up on
their own. However, other adventurers can
attack the mara through its shadow in the
physical world: a terrifying silhouette of its
demonic dream form, frenetically assault-
ing the sleeping victim. Adventurers in the
same room as the victim can make a WITS
roll once per round. On success they wake
up and realize that something is attacking
their friend.
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MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 RIDE OF THE MARA! The mara straddles
its victim’s chest and starts riding
them with violent movements that
cause the person’s chest to com-
press. Roll for the attack with eight
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1
(blunt force). If the attack inflicts
damage, the sleeper may make a Wits
roll with a +1 bonus for each round
they have been assaulted by the
mara. On success the victim wakes up
feeling an immense weight pressing
down on their chest, and the mara’s
attack ceases – until the next time
the adventurer falls asleep.
2 SCREAM OF THE MARA! The deformed
face becomes twisted with rage and
the mara lets out a hateful scream
that pierces deep into the soul of the
sleeping adventurer, who suffers a fear
attack with eight Base Dice. A suc-
cessful attack leaves the victim COLD.
3 KISS OF THE MARA! The mara leans
over the victim’s face and presses
her shriveled lips against the sleep-
er’s mouth. The adventurer is filled
with swirling dream dust from the
deepest, darkest maelstrom of night-
mares. The victim must succeed with
a WITS roll or suffer the effects of a
lethal poison with Potency 7.
4 BITE OF THE MARA! The mara opens
her drooling jaws and bares her
razor-sharp fangs, aiming a bite at
the sleeper’s neck. Roll for the attack
with nine Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 2 (slash wound). The
wounds are physical and can also be
seen in the waking world. The victim
automatically wakes up if the attack
succeeds.
 D6 ATTACK
5 DREAM CLAWS! The malevolent crea-
ture slams her long, twisted arms
against the sides of the sleeper’s head.
A wave of terror and flashing pain
washes over the victim as the mara’s
dream claws tear deep into their con-
sciousness. The victim suffers a fear
attack with ten Base Dice. If the attack
succeeds, the victim automatically
wakes up unable to do anything but
scream hysterically for D10 rounds.
6 CLAWS OF THE MARA! The mara sinks
her black claws into the sleeper’s
chest. The pain is excruciating as the
evil creature starts digging its way
towards the victim’s heart. Roll for
the attack with ten Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 2 (stab wound).
The wound is physical and no armor
will protect against the attack. If the
victim is Broken, the heart is torn out
of their body. The wound can only
be healed with HEALING HANDS and
other forms of healing magic.
THE SHADOW LEGION
One night Oxengelder is attacked by a foe as
expected as it is strange. All creatures at the
school, including the adventurers, but not
the Dreamstress or the senior oneiromancers,
are suddenly and simultaneously faced with
a twisted copy of themselves that tries to
kill them.
The copies have the same stats and gear as
the originals, but dissolve into thin air once
any of their attributes reaches 0. About half
of all NPCs at the school are killed, except the
Dreamstress and the senior oneiromancers.
When the dust settles, the Dreamstress and
Pirimena explain that the Daydreamers were
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oxengelder
behind the attack – a group of evil dropouts led
by Marika Moonfriend who previously studied
oneiromancy at the dream school. A reward is
put out for the capture of Marika, dead or alive.
Headmistress Pirimena paints the Day-
dreamers as a dangerous group that attack their
former colleagues at Oxengelder and get their
food and other necessities by extorting people
in the area with nightmares. The people at
Oxengelder whisper that Marika Moonfriend
has gone mad and that those who opposed her
were tortured to death through sleep depriva-
tion, illusory violence, and nightmares.
MARIK A MOONFRIEND
Through her daydreams, Marika has realized
that the Dreamstress has a hidden agenda.
Marika does not know what it is, but she intends
to find out and save all the dreamers from…
well, whatever fate awaits them. Marika is tor-
mented by her own daydreaming and some of
the accusations leveled at her are actually true.
MARIKA MOONFRIEND
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 1, Lore 2, Survival 2, Insight 3,
Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Oneiromancy 3, Fearless 1
GEAR: Short sword, leather armor
EXPULSION OF BLASPHEMERS
Troops from the Sabirian and Caberian horse
clans attack Oxengelder, a blasphemous place that
is not of volcanic origin. This event only occurs
if the horse clans find out that Selligar has hired
the Dreamstress or that Poansa or Grudenstaal
has put out a contract on their chieftains’ heads,
or if they are otherwise provoked.
 THE DAYDREAMERS
The Daydreamers are a cult of rene-
gades from the Dreamstress’ school
in Oxengelder. Their leader is Marika
Moonfriend, a gifted oneiromancer
who also uses her magic while
awake, as daydreams. Daydream-
ing is dangerous and always comes
THE DREAMSTRESS’ JOURNEY
The Dreamstress’ goal is to dream herself back
to her homeworld Eoni. To achieve this, she
must perform a travel ritual in a single dream
session that requires a large number of oneiro-
mancers and preferably a couple of Horn’s Astra.
The Dreamstress will try to get hold of the
required Astra by asking others to look for them
and convincing the owners to lend her the arti-
facts “just for the ritual.” But she will not take
them by force. The Dreamstress will claim to
need these Astra to fulfill the owners’ wishes
during a ritual, for example to locate additional
Astra or whatever else their goal may be. Adven-
turers can participate in the travel ritual if they
have learned that magic at the school.
The ritual will succeed unless the adven-
turers disrupt it. First the used Astra dissolve,
then the Dreamstress herself fades away from
the world. The participating oneiromancers
will slowly wake up and wonder what hap-
pened. The Dreamstress has abandoned them,
never to return. The used Astra are consumed
and gone.
Note that the travel ritual can destroy one
or several Astra forever and thus have a major
impact on the campaign. The consequences
may include:
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with a risk of collapse, insanity, and
even death.
The Daydreamers practice the
same oneiromancy as their colleagues
in Oxengelder, but focus on the spells
Nightmares, Dream Travel, and Pro-
phetic Dreams. They cast these spells
collectively, which enhances the magic.
✥ If Vaerefor was present during the ritual,
he bursts out laughing, mocks the partic-
ipants, and explains what the Dreamstress
has done before he too fades away and
returns to his Crimson Forest.
✥ The previous owners of the Astra are furi-
ous and take it out on the oneiromancers,
demanding compensation or instituting a
massacre.
✥ Pirimena stubbornly believes in the
Dreamstress’ return and continues to run
the school as an academy, now with the
goal of dreaming the Dreamstress back to
the world.
✥ The Vasnians take the Dreamstress’ disap-
pearance as a sign that the goddess Volitia
has banished the blasphemer and that they
must take back their holy sites. After a week
they attack Oxengelder in great numbers.
To stop the ritual, the adventurers must dis-
turb many of the dreamers or steal the Astra
from the Dreamstress’ hands. If the Dream-
stress thereby fails to dream herself back to
Eoni, she will leave Oxengelder and join Vaerefor
to dominate Aslene together. If that happens
the Dreamstress no longer smiles, nor helps
anyone else.
 A N N GUELDER
B
TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Settlement
You approach a settlement by a strange freestanding
rock. The mountain seems to consist of two entirely
separate mountains that link together in the middle
of the plain, locked in a constant struggle. Judging
by the garbage heaps, the overgrazed paddocks, and
the wooden shacks, the area has long been home to
horse folk. This is unusual as Aslene riders tend
to be more nomadic. There seems to be little going
on in the village, but a couple of people are having
an argument. As soon as they see you, however,
they stop talking and go back to work as if nothing
had happened. One of them angrily starts picking
the hooves of their horse while the other weaves a
wicker basket.
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BACKGROUND
Bann Guelder is a traditional Aslene burial
mound inhabited by Galdanes or Houns (choose
which one it is depending on where you place
the adventure site). The rock formation itself
is spectacular – red sandstone with patches of
darker volcanic rock, like a forest of standing
stones or the hackles of a wolf.
Most horse folk are constantly moving
through their clan’s territory, but at Bann
Guelder a family group called the Sons of
Nesos with roughly a hundred members has
been encamped for almost two years. Others see
this as both incomprehensible and weak. The
Elderguard with its graying riders are supposed
to be the only permanent inhabitants.
 The mound is named after the edible guelder
rose growing in the area. Its white flowers and
red berries light up the Lushday and Fall-
turn months.
The great secret of Bann Guelder is that
the inhabitants a few years ago discovered an
immense gold deposit inside the burial mound
as new passageways were being dug. The mound
holds tons of pure metallic gold, and its people
have since been gripped by discord and greed.
Some want to leave the gold in the ground
for their ancestors to guard; others want to
mine it and use it to increase the power of their
clan. Still others believe that having more pos-
sessions than can be loaded onto a horse has a
corrupting effect on people.
The issue is by no means settled when the
adventurers arrive at Bann Guelder, where the
atmosphere is tense and forced as everyone does
their best to appear normal and keep the secret
from strangers.
GETTING HERE
The adventurers can find their way to Bann
Guelder by chance or otherwise:
✥ The adventurers come upon a dying man.
He is dressed like a horse warrior from
the local clan, lying on the ground with
crows squawking nearby. The only thing
keeping the birds away is the man’s horse,
which grazes by his side. He dies shortly
after being found and just has time to
mumble unintelligibly and point in the
direction of Bann Guelder. Adventurers
who examine the body will find that his
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left hand has been cut off. The stump
is dressed, but has not yet healed and is
still bleeding. The man has also had his
tongue cut out. On his body the adven-
turers find a piece of unwrought gold
equivalent to five gold coins. The Elder
chopped off his hand and cut out his
tongue for stealing a gold nugget from
the burial mound. After a few days he
managed to steal a horse and escape, but
this was as far as he got.
✥ The adventurers encounter the merchant
Kresos and his two bodyguards. Kresos
is happy to do business, but anyone inter-
ested in his wares will find that they are
sold at five times the normal price. He
refuses to haggle and would rather save
his goods for Bann Guelder, which is
where he is headed. There people are
not afraid to pay up – and in pure gold,
no less!
LEGEND
It’s shameful how the Sons of Nesos have softened
and settled down like common peasants around the
ancestral tombs in Bann Guelder. Their buried
forefathers must be writhing with shame at their
delicate offspring. And Nesos himself has returned
from the grave, they say, probably to drive the young
folk from the village and into battle as befits the
sons of Horn. They’ve grown fat, red-buttocked
from a day’s ride but with plenty of coin, wherever
those came from – not from honest plunder, that’s
for sure. My brother-in-law sold ‘em a couple of hogs
and was paid in pure gold, would you believe it?

LOCATIONS
Described below are the most important places
in Bann Guelder.
1. THE SONS OF NESOS’ YURTS
There are plots of crops near the yurts and small
sheds have been built from planks and sticks. Horses
walk around in a nearby paddock. Two wagons
are parked here as well – one belonging to a ped-
dler and the other seemingly of dwarven make,
guarded by two stern-looking dwarf warriors. A
troll is sleeping a bit further away, tethered to the
ground with a thick chain. The troll is also guarded
by dwarves.
✥ CREATURES: There are about a hundred
people in the settlement, half of whom
can fight. There are roughly as many
horses as there are people.
MERGONELLA AND MESK ELLA
These two tall and hot-tempered clan warriors
are twin sisters. They know about the gold
deposit and are trying to convince the Sons
of Nesos to take it and use it to strengthen
the clan in these troubled times. They have
called their cousin Verdegas to Bann Guelder
for support.
MERGONELLA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 5, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 2, Marksmanship 3, Move 2,
Animal Handling 2
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 2
GEAR: Short spear, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
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bann guelder
MESKELLA
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 5, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 3, Marksmanship 2, Move 2,
Animal Handling 3
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 2
GEAR: Broadsword, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
VERDEGAS
Verdegas is a cautious and indecisive person. He
fears his cousins as much as he fears Elder Korlo
and does not know how to handle the situation.
He can mainly be used to deliver messages to
the chieftain.
VERDEGAS
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 1, Marksmanship 1, Move 2,
Animal Handling 1
TALENTS: Horseback Fighter 1
GEAR: Short spear, short bow, leather
armor, riding horse
K RESOS
Kresos is a Quard merchant who travels around
with his wagon and recently has made good busi-
ness at Bann Guelder. He has figured out that
the Sons of Nesos are hiding a great treasure
in the tombs of the mound, but assumes that
it consists of gold coins, jewelry or hammered
gold nuggets. He has therefore assembled a band
of thugs who are planning a raid on the place.
See the event “Brushfire”.
The adventurers can buy things from Kresos,
but the prices are five times higher than normal
and not open to discussion. He only sells goods
that are otherwise unavailable at Bann Guelder.
Kresos has two bodyguards.
 BLACKSMITH ELDENGRUL
Eldengrul is a dwarven blacksmith from Fire-
stead and still has good relations with his home-
land. The country’s dwarves and horse clans get
along well in general and have been allies ever
since the Demon Flood. The dwarf is extremely
sturdy, almost square-shaped, with a consider-
able belly due to his fondness for replenishing
sweat with beer. It is possible to make him talk
by getting him drunk.
ELDENGRUL
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 3, WITS 3, EMPATHY 2
SKILLS: Melee 1, Crafting 3, Insight 1,
Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Smith 2
GEAR: Simple smithing tools, leather apron
(Armor Rating 1)
3. THE DEMONIC PRISONER
Unfamiliar groans, whimpers, and screams are
heard from behind the Elders’ houses. You see what
looks like a human body, flayed but still alive, shack-
led to a wooden rack in a cross-like position. There
is a fire burning under the creature and some chil-
dren are laughing, throwing stones, and poking it
with sticks.
The captured and tortured creature is an
immortal demon named Legion. The Sons of
Nesos have kept him prisoner for generations,
torturing him as revenge for the Demon Flood
that devastated the Bloodmarch three centu-
ries ago. Children and mean people in general
go there to give him a whack when they have
nothing better to do, while the evening tor-
ture is more ritualistic with people gathered
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around the prisoner. Legion is then seen as a
representation of various creatures that have
harmed the clan, and people even believe that
they are temporarily turning him into these
creatures through certain rites. During these
torture gatherings, the Elders tell stories from
the time of the Demon Flood as well as other
legends. The shackles have been forged onto
Legion and cannot be opened.
✥ CREATURES: D6 villagers torturing
the demon.
LEGION THE DEMON
Legion looks like a flayed, constantly bleeding
human strung up in shackles over a fire behind
the Elders’ houses. The creature actually con-
sists of several demons who could not care less
about the torture, but are there to study human-
kind on behalf of their kind who are planning to
infiltrate the country eventually. Legion often
says strange things to provoke the humans and
takes note of their response.
LEGION
STRENGTH 12, AGILITY 3, WITS 5, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 2, Move 3, Scouting 2, Lore 1,
Insight 2, Manipulation 5
ARMOR RATING: 2 (demon skin)
SEVERAL IN ONE: Legion consists of multi-
ple demons and can split into four if need
be. In combat each demon draws an ini-
tiative card and acts independently of the
others. Legion’s Strength is freely distrib-
uted between the demons.
ATTACKS: Claws, six Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 2 (slash wound). Bite, eight Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound).
 4. ENTRANCE TO
THE BURIAL CAVES
There is a path leading up to a natural cave in
the mountain. Two older men are guarding the
entrance.
The guards will not let anyone through except
members of the Elderguard and people attend-
ing funerals. Inside is a branched cave several
hundred meters long. The alcoves and side
rooms are littered with dried up corpses, and
the smell is less than pleasant. In a cave cham-
ber lives a blood mage named Betsom.
At the end of the caves is the gold deposit in
the form of a solid, gleaming slab of gold that
continues down into the mountain. There are
axes and pickaxes nearby which have been used
to break off pieces of it, but progress is slow –
enough for D6 gold coins can be extracted per
turn with a successful MIGHT roll. The extent
of the deposit cannot be determined, but there
must be tons of pure gold.
5. THE GHOSTLY CLEARING
A shimmering blue creature is dancing on the
mountain at night, in a clearing surrounded by
natural monoliths. Its wails echo through the night.
Climbing the mountain is difficult unless you
know the paths. A botanically inclined indi-
vidual can find shimmering trails of phosleaf
juice on the rocks. And sure enough, the herb
grows not far from here.
✥ CREATURES: Betsom pretending to be
a ghost.
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BETSOM
Betsom is a seventy-year-old Aslene blood mage.
He haunts the mountain at night to keep nosy
people away. All the villagers know he is not
dead, but are forbidden to talk about it. Betsom
is tired of the loneliness of the mountain,
although as a blood mage he has no problem
being around the dead. Korlo usually visits him
every day to cheer him up, as the two of them
are old friends.
BETSOM
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Stealth 2, Insight 1, Manipulation 3
TALENTS: Blood Magic 3
GEAR: Ragged clothes
6. THE SECRET CLEFT
A natural cleft leads down into the mountain
where the two types of rock come together. Some-
one has tried to conceal it with branches and sticks.
The cleft has been provided with steps and lad-
ders and leads down into the cave roughly fifty
meters from the gold deposit.
7. FALLBROOK
A brook falls from the mountain to the village below
and continues onto the plains.
The water is drinkable, but does not taste very
good and dries up during droughts. It is mostly
used to water the horses.

EVENTS
Here are a number of events that might occur
in Bann Guelder.
THE WHEELBARROW
A woman walks off with a wheelbarrow full of tur-
nips from the garden and returns with it empty.
The adventurers find the turnips in a ditch where
the woman has dumped them. No one wants to eat
turnips anymore – they are only grown for show.
EXPENSIVE HABITS
The adventurers notice the villagers eating unusu-
ally good food that is not available in the region
and drinking wines from Alderland and Raven-
land. A few expensive items can be seen, but the
owners quickly hide them if they attract attention.
THE MASTER OF DEATH
Wailing and hooting can be heard from the
mound at night. Luminous figures appear and
disappear at the top of the mountain. Elder
Korlo and his men tell bloodcurdling stories
about curious people who went up there and
were found the next day with their hearts torn
out and unspeakable terror on their faces. Some
say that the blood mage Betsom has returned as
a master of death. He died last year and still con-
sumes raw meat left for him in the burial cave.
I AM LEGION
The captive demon suddenly explodes in red
slime when a group of villagers have gathered
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around to torture him. He has simply com-
pleted his studies. Everyone within NEAR range
is hit by slime and becomes possessed unless
they make a successful Empathy roll. Roll on
the table on the next page.
Those who have shown him sympathy or
kindness are unaffected. The only way of free-
ing the possessed is to have a blood mage cast
BIND DEMON, which cures them all. A blood
mage with access to Blue Tar gets +1 on their
roll, and +2 if the Blue Tar burns with holy
fire. Possessed individuals suffer from a random
effect as set out in the following table.
BRUSHFIRE
One night the alarm is sounded and people start
yelling fire. When they wake up, the adventurers
see that the plain is on fire a kilometer or so
away. The wind is blowing in the direction of
the village. The Aslenes grab their so-called bea-
vertails of horse leather and run off to put out
the flames. The adventurers are clearly expected
to help avert this calamity and the villagers
will not take kindly to those who refuse. The
firefighting lasts one Quarter Day.
Once most people have left the village to
put out the fire, eight riders of the Quard clan
led by the merchant Kresos (page 199) attack
the burial mound from the opposite direction.
They kill two of the elderly guards and enter the
tombs in search of the golden treasure, which
Kresos believes to be hidden in the catacombs.
The raiders have horses and Kresos’ wagon
to transport the gold. They intend to strike
swiftly, take what they can, and hurry off to
get a head start. After finding and marveling
at the treasure they manage to hew negligible
 POSSESSED BY LEGION
D8 EFFECT
1 An itchy rash covers the victim’s body. Max Agility is reduced to 1 during the
possession.
2 The victim’s body feels like wobbly jelly. Max Strength is reduced to 1 during
the possession.
3 The victim suddenly thirsts for blood and must succeed with an INSIGHT roll to
resist the urge to taste an open wound for one round.
4 The victim cannot attack demons or people possessed by demons.
5 The victim randomly switches languages while talking, even to languages they
did not know before the possession. Understanding what the person is saying
requires a successful LORE roll.
6 The victim starts to vomit what seems to be their own bloody bowels, but is
in fact crawling spore tissue from the Crimson Forest. It immediately burrows
into the ground and will eventually develop into new Crimson Forest. The pos-
sessed vomits for a Quarter Day before recovering.
7 The victim starts swearing, spitting, hurling insults, and babbling out the
secrets of other possessed individuals nearby.
8 The possessed loses their mind, thrashing and screaming like a trapped animal.
Max Strength is increased to 5. The victim can make an INSIGHT roll each
round. On success, the possession is lifted.

quantities of gold from the glistening moun-
tain, before realizing that they have to leave.
The raiders are mad at Kresos for putting
them in danger without reward, but also stunned
by the enormous treasure inside the mound.
Now the secret of the golden treasure is out,
which might trigger additional events (see below).
THE SABIRIANS ARRIVE
A band of Sabirians show up to “help” their
weaker neighbors guard the gold – for reasonable
compensation, of course. Their real reason for
being here is to make sure that no one else gets
their hands on the treasure.
THE CABERIANS ARRIVE
A troop of Caberians arrive for the same reason.
Colonel Grudenstaal (page 79) wishes to form
an alliance with those involved. He can get
them capable troops from Alderland in exchange
for some of the gold, so that their alliance can
seize power from Selligar Horne.

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 THE PRINCE’S PROPOSITION
Prince Merdenvil reveals his true identity and
offers to have his dwarves take the gold away to
Firestead before it becomes the downfall of the
Sons of Nesos. In return he can put a host of
dwarven warriors at the clan’s disposal for one
year and help the clan achieve whatever goals
they may have.
He does not specify exactly what kind of
downfall he predicts, but explains with a laugh
that the Sons of Nesos can always wait and see
for themselves. The dwarves do not intend to
ever spend the gold, but only use it to deco-
rate their underground halls. Merdenvil him-
self wants to be remembered as the prince who
inherited a city of stone, but left behind a city of
gold. He has a caravan of sturdy wagons waiting
only a day’s march away.
THE VASNIANS RETURN
A band of Vasnians and armored orcs arrive,
led by Konana (page 91). The Vasnians
believe that the gold belongs to them, since
the land was stolen from their ancestors and
Bann Guelder was a sacred place for their people.
The Vasnians realize that they are in no position
to negotiate, but Grudenstaal or Poansa might
include them in an alliance.
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GOLD INFLATION
If the gold is mined and put into
circulation, the gold market will
quickly become saturated and
inflation will skyrocket. A gold
coin is soon worth no more than
a copper coin in the hex on the
map where the gold spreads and
a silver coin in adjacent hexes.
Vast fortunes plummet in value,
people stop farming their land
and running their workshops
since they “can just buy the
food instead of working.” Goods
become scarce and prices rise.
Soon lots of people will starve
and the ruined rich will furi-
ously look for the culprits who
“removed the damn gold from the
tomb.” If the dwarves of Firestead
take the gold away, no such infla-
tion occurs.
 WATCH OF
THE SISTERS
TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Settlement
The crimson jungle lies before you like living entrails,
its trunks and vines resembling slithering bowels and
tendons. Two weathered statues of women stare
blankly over your heads, as if struggling to believe
that they have finally found a way out of the jungle.
BACKGROUND
The Watch of the Sisters is the name of a very
old temple in the Bloodmarch, dedicated to
the divine sisters Wail and Flow – the respec-
tive goddesses of winds and flowing freshwater.
The forgotten story of the temple is that
horse folk from the Drawn Lands in the west
once rode into Aslene on a mission from the sister
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watch of the sisters
gods to seek a union with the local population –
the Vasnians – so that their peoples could trade
with one another. Instead, the riders started a
war of expulsion and extermination because their
proud chieftain Sella felt slighted at the meeting.
Wail was so enraged by Sella’s arrogance
that she whipped up hurricanes on the plains
between the two countries so that no one has
since been able to return to the Drawn Lands
from Aslene. The proud Sella responded by
renouncing his old goddesses and, encouraged
by the Aslene dwarves, urging his brethren to
worship Horn, the largest volcano in the land.
Sella believed that Horn granted his riders
victory over the Vasnians through the Astra
which the dwarves had given him as gifts from
the god. He divided his people into five clans,
named after the five volcanoes of Aslene, and
gave each of them a part of the land to farm
as their own. Many battles were fought in the
years that followed, between the clans as well
as with Vasnians and Alderlanders from the
neighboring country in the southeast, which
quickly became an archenemy.
The Watch of the Sisters was built on the
Guardian Mountain as a religious outpost in
Aslene back when the two countries were to be
bound together in friendship. The temple still
stands, but is now used to keep watch on the curse
put on the horse clans by the goddesses. During
the first century after the religious break, horned
dwarves were hired to build a monumental clock
in the shape of a bird, called the Metrochrone,
which measures the time until the curse is lifted.
When the Watch of the Sisters was built, the
moon elves, who fled the worm people on Anoma
(page 57), had already split their kin into hal-
flings and goblins and built their temple Agnos-
tica. After a moon elf trueseer dreamed that the
worm people would soon find their hideout, they
wanted to remove Agnostica from the world to
conceal it further. It could be done, but only tem-
porarily. As measurers of time, the moon elves
decided to use the Metrochrone at the Watch of
the Sisters, since the clock was already in place.
For more on Agnostica, see page 232.
When the player characters find the Watch of
the Sisters, the Metrochrone has stood still for a
few years and the temple is deserted. A dwarven
engineer known as the Kogler, who had been in
charge of maintaining the mechanism, is said to
have poisoned the temple’s last three priestesses,
stolen part of the Metrochrone, and disappeared.
The Kogler really did steal a part of the clock, but
did not murder the priestesses. In any event, the
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moon elves’ temple Agnostica cannot return to the
world until the Metrochrone has been reactivated.
The Watch of the Sisters is completely embed-
ded in very dense Crimson Forest, a slithering
jungle that emerged after the Demon Flood.
When the eccentric prince and composer Cavaldo
da Putenze arrived at the Watch of the Sisters a
couple of decades ago, the holy women took him
in since the winds had blown him there from
their native Drawn Lands. Since then the demon
forest has continued to grow and the priestesses
have passed away. What no one knows is that
Cavaldo’s music and passions are attracting the
demonic vegetation and making it thrive.
GETTING HERE
There are several ways for the adventurers to
find the Watch of the Sisters, by chance or
otherwise.
✥ The adventurers are contacted by Konana
(page 91) after she finds out that the
Book of Winds, an old document kept
at the temple, proves that Aslene actu-
ally belongs to the Vasnians. The book
is so precious to them that Konana in
exchange can offer the adventurers the
Goblet Staff of Have, which she keeps
hidden, or something else of great value.
✥ The adventurers encounter Vrendenholm,
an Alderlander scholar who says he is
interested in the early history of Aslene
and wants to hire them as an escort to
the temple. He too seeks the Book of
Winds. The scholar is part of Poansa’s
expedition, but acts on his own initiative
 since none of the Alderlander agents are
interested in history.
✥ The adventurers encounter a bard name
Vheilor and his protégé D’Irae a few hexes
from the temple. Vheilor claims to have
heard rumors of Cavaldo’s musical genius
and seems obsessed with performing
with him. Vheilor really is a bard, but is
secretly also a necromancer of the Order
of Egression (page 149).
THE SCHOLAR VRENDENHOLM
Vrendenholm is who he claims to be – an Alder-
lander historian trying to learn more about the
early history of the Bloodmarch. The aim is to
help the Alderlanders understand and take over
the country. He also seeks allies for his leader
Poansa (page 76).
VRENDENHOLM
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 5, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Lore 5, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
GEAR: Staff, quill and ink, sheets of paper
for making notes.
D’IR AE
D’Irae is a 14-year-old girl, seemingly mute,
with a shaved head and her face painted white
in mourning. She is actually Cavaldo’s daughter
Dhiria, who wants to find her mother and sib-
lings and take revenge on her father with Vhei-
lor’s help.
D’IRAE
STRENGTH 3, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Sleight of Hand 1, Scouting 2,
Insight 1
GEAR: Knife
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watch of the sisters
VHEILOR THE BARD
Vheilor really is a bard, but also a sorcerer of
the Order of Egression. Through D’Irae he
has had vague visions of, and been spoken to,
by the unquiet spirits of the murdered Donna
Mardiena and Carafo. Vheilor has made it his
sacred duty to restore Cavaldo’s memory so
that he realizes and admits that he murdered
his family. Only then will the dead find peace.
Vheilor may then choose to kill Cavaldo him-
self and make him his undead servant, or leave
the prince to be consumed by the shame of his
crimes. Vheilor realizes that the death of the
forest spirit Margarita is a step towards bring-
ing peace to the murdered, but the Egressor has
no quarrel with the forest and believes that the
blame for its actions lies solely with Cavaldo.
VHEILOR
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 3, WITS 4, EMPATHY 4
SKILLS: Sleight of Hand 2, Move 1, Lore 2,
Insight 2, Manipulation 2, Performance 3
TALENTS: Death Magic 2
FEARLESS: Egressors are immune to fear
attacks from undead.
TRUE HEARING: Egressors can automatically
tell whether someone is telling the truth
in matters relating to their clients, with-
out making an INSIGHT roll.
SACRED MISSION: While on a sacred mis-
sion, Egressors grow stronger and tem-
porarily gain the FAST FOOTWORK talent
(rank 3). Their conviction also makes them
less vulnerable to magic and all forms of
manipulation. The Power Level of all magic
cast at Egressors is reduced by D3, and
all attempts at MANIPULATION get a −2
penalty.
GEAR: Instrument, dagger, VALUABLE find

LEGEND
It is said that Aslene was once a barren desert, until
the sister goddesses Wail and Flow sent their servant
Have to make the land lush and green through the
goddesses’ warm winds and flowing freshwater.
The magma god Horn stayed below ground at the
time, but as roots started to pierce down into his under-
ground domain, he grew curious and burst through
the surface as a volcano. Horn was amazed at how the
Bloodmarch had flourished. He delighted in the bird-
song and the dance of the butterflies, and was struck
with love for Have. But when he learned that the Vas-
nians had usurped the land without appreciating the
THE FOREST SPIRIT MARGARITA
The forest spirit Margarita is the collec-
tive subconscious of the local Crimson
Forest. She was born out of Cavaldo’s
music, lives off it, and inspires him as his
most devoted listener. Only to the tunes
of heartfelt music does her conscious-
ness focus into intelligence and manifest
itself in the form of a talking fruit that
can communicate telepathically.
In this concentrated form she can be
killed with any weapon if Blue Tar (page
38) is first thrown at her, which pre-
vents her consciousness from once again
dispersing. Normally Margarita exists
throughout the jungle like a demanding,
capricious, pleasure-seeking force that
communicates emotionally with Cavaldo
as well as with other musicians in the
forest who catch her attention.
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goddesses’ creations, Horn was furious and brought
forth the horse clans from his fire to banish the ingrates.
He took Have as his wife and gave her fire to rule as
her wedding gift. Soon their five volcanic sons sprung
up from the ground, and Horn gave each of them a
horse clan as their personal guard.
But the goddesses Wail and Flow felt that Horn
had seduced their servant and taken both her and
the land out of their hands. In anger they raised an
impenetrable forest around their temple. From then
on, they wanted nothing to do with Aslene anymore.
(Note that the legend of the Watch of the Sis-
ters is told from the horse clans’ perspective.)
When Margarita begins to material-
ize, which could occur as soon as music
starts playing, the nearby jungle takes
the form of living creatures and motifs
from the music. The temperature rises
as well. Shapes resembling Cavaldo’s
family might appear, not knowing where
they are, but begging to be freed from
their life of captivity.
If Margarita is killed, the jungle will
turn into ordinary Crimson Forest grow
sparser, and fade away in some places.
Margarita has the stats of a ghost
(see the Gamemaster’s Guide, page 94).
Each unit of Blue Tar thrown at her
binds Margarita to her concentrated
form for one round, after which she
once again disperses her consciousness
throughout the jungle.

LOCATIONS
The Watch of the Sisters is nestled in the
embrace of a lonely mountain, on a slope sur-
rounded on three sides by high cliffs which
form a wide ravine. It has in recent years been
filled with dense Crimson Forest. The forest
has a primitive consciousness who calls itself
Margarita – “the Pearl.” Prince Cavaldo has
settled in the Watch of the Hermit, a smaller
temple belonging to the Watch of the Sisters.
1. THE STONE SISTERS
Two corroded stone women twice the height of a
human are standing with their backs to the dense
Crimson Forest behind them. A few vines are
twined around their legs. One of the statues is
holding an urn and the other a fan.
On closer examination, the adventurers notice
tears constantly and inexplicably streaming
down the cheeks of one of the statues – the
one of Flow holding an urn. Faint breathing is
heard from the other one, which depicts Wail.
2. THE WAY IN
Beyond the female statues is an old, paved path
that leads through the swelling crimson vegetation.
The path is lined by crumbling animal sculptures
on stone bases. Some of them have fallen over and
remnants of a rusty iron chain runs between the
bases. The passage looks narrow, but not so much
that you cannot get through.
The Crimson Forest has not taken hold in the
gaps between the paving stones which were laid
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watch of the sisters
very precisely by the dwarves long ago. But red
vines and hanging branches are imposing them-
selves from the sides so that the adventurers are
sometimes forced to crawl or push their way for-
ward. After only twenty meters they can no longer
see the sky and must press forward as if through
the bowels of a huge, living body. Anyone with
an animal must succeed with an ANIMAL HAN-
DLING roll for the animal not to panic, run off
into the vegetation, and be lost forever.
After a few hundred meters the vegetation sud-
denly closes behind and in front of the adventurers.
Their presence has triggered peristaltic movements
in the forest which cause the passage to contract
and expand in waves rolling into the forest. The
adventurers can move with the waves or wait and
advance between them. In the latter case they are
gently squeezed through the walls. It is unpleasant
and scary, but does not cause any damage.
3. THE WATCH OF THE HERMIT
After a kilometer or two of uphill walking, you reach
a clearing by a lake. The red vines are kept up by an
ancient dead tree leaning over an ornate little step
pyramid with a house at the top. Exquisite music
is heard from the house. The vegetation around it
seems to take almost humanoid form. Some human-
like creatures are moving around the house.
The creatures by the house are red elves led by the
elven healer Protelas. The red elves regard Cavaldo
as a holy man, whose music causes Reiben – the
red elves’ name for the Crimson Forest – to flour-
ish. They provide him with supplies and will
defend him and themselves against attack.
The house itself is in great disarray, full of
acquired or home-made musical instruments
 PROTELAS
Protelas is no red elf, but an ordinary elf from
Ravenland, and yet he commands the red elves
at the Watch of the Hermit. He claims that
he is still not worthy of becoming one with
the forest and that he wants to understand it
better before taking that step. That way he has
avoided assimilation. Because he is a skilled
healer and an eloquent speaker, the red elves
have accepted this postponement. But now
there are rumors that Vaerefor himself is on
his way to the Watch of the Sisters with his
giant snail Kasabatoda, and the red elves are
talking about Protelas finally becoming one
of them.
Time is running out for Protelas, who is
actually an agent sent by the elves of Ravenland
to identify the Crimson Forest’s weaknesses.
He has noted Cavaldo’s relationship with Mar-
garita and suspects that the spirit might be a
key to the entire forest. Protelas keeps a unit
of Blue Tar hidden in his Aesculapian Staff
– a healing staff with a carved snake coiled
around it – and thinks that the tar can kill
the forest spirit, but lacks the musical abil-
ity to lure her out or communicate with her.
Protelas can confide in the adventurers if he
has reason to trust them, and together devise
a plan to kill the forest.
PROTELAS
STRENGTH 4, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 2, Move 2, Lore 1, Manipula-
tion 2, Healing 3
GEAR: Aesculapian Staff (like an ordinary
staff), SIMPLE find
4. THE TEMPLE GROUNDS
Beyond the area surrounding the Watch of the
Hermit, the Crimson Forest is denser than it was
on the way there. Through the mist on the other
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chapter 16
side of the lake, you see a high mountain with a
temple near the top. You cannot find any natural
paths through the forest, but notice a narrow gap
between the vegetation and the wall which leads
to the temple.
One way of reaching the temple on the Guard-
ian Mountain is through the temple grounds.
THE WALKWAY: Beyond the stairs is a paved
walkway between two walls, but it is completely
clogged with Crimson Forest. During the day
the adventurers can push through between
the wall and the vegetation, but after just ten
meters it becomes impossible. At night the
forest contracts, allowing the player characters
to crawl 50 meters to a ledge by a red pond.
However, a sarcopte (page 116) stalks the
passageway at night.
THE POND: The fountain has overflowed and
covered the round park in red water all the
way to the stairs. The adventurers must swim
roughly 30 meters underwater, but the water
is crisscrossed with slimy strings and mem-
branes which sometimes have to be cut down.
Performing a maneuver underwater, such as
swimming, requires a successful MOVE roll.
Each round the adventurer must also succeed
with an ENDURANCE roll not to drown. On
failure the adventurer starts drowning and suf-
fers 1 point of damage to Strength per round.
Beyond the pond is the bottom of a stairway.
THE SLIMY STAIRWAY: The top end of the
stairway is blocked by jungle, but one can get past
the vegetation by climbing a dead tree. However,
there is thick slime oozing down the tree trunk,
which makes it difficult for the adventurers to
climb and gives them –2 on all MOVE rolls. Once
at the top they find twenty or so white balls, half
a meter in diameter, embedded in slime. These
are slime snail (page 121) eggs laid by a rela-
tive of Kasabatoda. If the adventurers take an
egg with them, it will hatch a week later. The
snail can be tamed as a mount and reaches the
size of an elephant after one year.
THE TEMPLE PORTAL: At the top of the
slimy stairway is a smaller overgrown passage-
way that leads to the temple portal, which has
been partially knocked over. Halfway through
the passageway, the adventurers suddenly feel a
growing chill coming from the left as they are
attacked by a number of Fraeges (page 106).
They are as many as the adventurers.
5. THE RIVER
A river flows into the lake by the Watch of the
Hermit. The river seems to be coming from the
waterfall high up on the Guardian Mountain. The
Crimson Forest forms a tunnel across the river
where it runs closest to the lake.
Another way to get to the temple on the Guard-
ian Mountain is to follow the sacred Abzellan
river, in which the demonic vegetation cannot
grow. There is a small rowboat on the lake by
the Watch of the Hermit, but it is full of water
and must be repaired (CRAFTING roll) since no
one has used it for years.
ABZELLAN RIVER: The vegetation is hang-
ing down towards the river, but there is enough
space to pole or row the boat across. Hiding
among the plants above are D6 sporewalkers
(page 123) who drop bundles of spores on
the adventurers.
UNDERWATER TUNNEL: There is a thirty-
meter-long section where the river runs under-
ground. The water is free from vegetation and
the adventurers can swim with a successful roll
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watch of the sisters
for MOVE and ENDURANCE as per above. The
swimmer resurfaces in the lake below the temple.
A high waterfall crashes down into the far end
of the lake.
THE BOATHOUSE STAIRS: There is a collapsed
boathouse by the lake. From there a narrow
set of stairs leads up to the temple through
Crimson Forest. Anyone who goes ashore is
immediately attacked by a slithernet (page 122).
Halfway up the stairs, the chill of fraeges can
be felt in the vegetation to the right.
THROUGH THE AIR
A third way of getting to the
temple is to fly and thus avoid
the Crimson Forest completely.
This is possible if the adventur-
ers possess some sort of flying
ability. Traveling through the air,
the adventurers are attacked by
a swarm of flowers from a blood-
beech (page 103).
6. THE TEMPLE ON
THE GUARDIAN MOUNTAIN
Up on the mountain above the Crimson Forest you
reach an ancient, almost completely dilapidated
temple of stone. It seems to have stood on some kind
of stone slab which has cracked and left half the
temple leaning down into a brick pond. The build-
ings that once stood there have completely collapsed,
and a massive eight-meter-tall statue has fallen into
the pond. In front of the remaining pavilion stands
a similar statue of a woman with a bird perched
on her shoulder. The place seems abandoned. Doors
have fallen off their hinges, buckets and other debris
litter the courtyard, and crops have decayed.
The Watch of the Sisters is a thousand year old
temple dedicated to the goddesses Wail and Flow.
There dwell the last three of its priestesses –
Hina, Costolena, and Kremiled – unaware that
they are ghosts. Their skeletons rest in their
respective bed chambers. Next to Costolena’s
remains is a music box that still works (see the
text box). Otherwise, the rooms are empty.
A group of Vasnians has come to the temple
in search of the Book of Winds, thinking it will
prove that the horse clans have no claim to the
land. The key player Konana could be among
them. The group climbed down to the temple
from higher up the mountain, and if the adven-
turers befriend them, the Vasnians can help
them leave that way to avoid the Crimson Forest.
✥ CREATURES: As many Vasnians as there
are player characters, and possibly the key
player Konana (page 91).
HINA, COSTOLENA, AND K REMILED
The last priestesses at the Watch of the Sisters,
Hina, Costolena, and Kremiled, are ghosts but
do not know it. Once the Book of Winds has
been retrieved, they regain their memories and
think they were poisoned several years ago by
the Kogler. Vengeance must be taken!
What really happened was that Hina acci-
dentally made a poisonous soup from mush-
rooms she had picked in the forest, killing her
sisters and herself. The forest spirit Margarita
knows this and is proud of having contributed
to their deaths, since the priestesses criticized
one of Cavaldo’s musical pieces.
The priestesses’ ghosts are dismayed that the
Metrochrone has stopped and want the Kogler
to repair it. Early each morning they fade into
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existence and relive the exact same day as the
one before. If destroyed, even by someone cast-
ing PURGE UNDEAD, they still return the next
day as if nothing happened. This is because
they are no ordinary ghosts, but sustained by
the grace of Wail and Flow because their watch
has not yet ended.
The priestesses are kind to guests, but dis-
missive of Aslene horse warriors. They can
change their daily routine if there are visitors,
but do not remember any of it the next day.
If the Book of Winds is taken from its crypt,
the ghosts of Hina, Costolena, and Kremiled
will regain their memories and realize that they
are dead. See the text box on page 219. Only
when the Metrochrone is reactivated and the
curse of the horse clan is lifted do the ghosts
disappear forever.
The priestesses are ghosts as described on
page 94 in the Gamemaster’s Guide.
7. THE HOUSE OF WINDS
On a rock by a precipice near the temple is a single
quadrangular pavilion of stone that is open in all
directions. A ten-meter-long ramp extends from
each opening, and at the end of each ramp sits a
stone animal on its hind legs with its front legs
raised – a bear to the north, a frog to the east, a
dragon to the south, and a bull to the west.
A player character who succeeds with a LORE
roll knows that the animals represent the four
winds in Wail’s mythology.
The pavilion’s interior is square. On the
floor is a locked metal hatch that cannot be
opened by force. Inside each of the four openings
is a stone relief of a tree, so that the entrance
goes through the trunk. Each tree has four
stone slabs shaped like leaves set into the wall,
decorated with four different symbols: a drop,
an oak leaf, a fly, and a flame. The following
verse is inscribed upon the pavilion’s ceiling:
Let the winds feed their children
Let the winds fill their begging hands
Let the blood of the living sate his paws
May the burned bark of trees sate her claws
Let the oak leaves sate his hooves
Let the flies sate her feet
So we can read the writing of the wind
And let time have its course
SOLUTION TO THE CIPHER: To open the
hatch in the floor, the correct stone slab in the
tree in each direction must be pressed at the
same time, which requires four people. The
correct interpretation of the verse reveals which
slab should be pressed in the respective direction
– that is, the opposite direction to the statue
outside. The correct combination is:
✥ South – drop
✥ West – fly
✥ North – flame
✥ East – oak leaf
When the right combination of slabs is pressed
simultaneously, the hatch in the middle of the
pavilion is unlocked. It can then be swung open
on its axis so that someone can climb down into
the crypt where the Book of Winds is found.
If the book is touched by anyone from the horse
8. THE BOOK’S CRYPT
A stone staircase leads down to a closed cham-
ber. On a podium at its center rests an ancient
217
watch of the sisters
THE BOOK OF WINDS
The Book of Winds is said to be
more than a thousand years old
and has the power to lift the
curses of Wail and Flow so that
the horse clans are forgiven and
the routes to Alderland and the
Drawn Lands are opened. The
book is only one half of “the Book
of Winds and Water.” It is also
indestructible.
The Book of Winds begins
with the true story of how
the horse people were sent
to Aslene, which could have
serious consequences if made
public (page 242). The older
parts of the book make no
sense without the Book of
Water. That book is not even
in Aslene, but might feature in
future expansions.
tome. Along the walls lie six mummified corpses
of past priestesses in their alcoves. Animals have
fed on the bodies and died from the embalming
fluid, so there are carcasses of rats, raccoons, and
snakes as well.
clans, or someone who intends to destroy it, a
tupilaq (next page) awakes to defend it. The dead
animals are part of the tupilaq.
 TUPILAQ
Tupilaqs are merged from parts of corpses and
carcasses that have been risen from the dead.
TUPILAQ
ATTRIBUTES:
STRENGTH 24, AGILITY 2, WITS 1
MOVEMENT: 2
ARMOR RATING: None, but takes half
damage from non-magic weapons.
MONSTER ATTACKS
D6 ATTACK
1 NECROTIC BITE! The abomination
opens its decaying jaws, baring
numerous half-rotten tooth stumps,
and bites one of the adventurers. Roll
for the attack with five Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound).
If the attack inflicts damage, the
adventurer is also affected by a para-
lyzing poison with Potency 6.
2 SCRATCH ATTACK! The tupilaq extends
its claws and springs furiously at an
adventurer. Roll for the attack with
six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1
(slash wound).
3 DARKNESS ATTACK! The abomination
produces a strange hum and lets out
an oily, magical darkness that settles
over the adventurers. All adventurers
within NEAR range must make an
INSIGHT roll (not an action). On fail-
ure they are blinded by the magical
darkness and have to fight with a –2
modification according to the rules in
the Player’s Handbook (page 112). The
effect lasts until the same point in
the next round’s initiative order.
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chapter 16
D6 ATTACK
4 ROAR OF ANGUISH! The grotesque crea-
ture contracts its body as if about to
pounce and lets out a cacophonous
roar of anguish from its human and
animal throats. Every orifice in the
revolting mass contributes to this sym-
phony of horror, and all adventurers
within NEAR range suffer a fear attack
with seven Base Dice.
5 TACKLE ATTACK! The raging beast
lunges with full force at an adven-
turer within NEAR range. The repul-
sive mass of cadavers feels as heavy
as lead, and the adventurer suffers
an attack with eight Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If hit,
the victim is knocked down.
6 DISSOLVING ATTACK! The tupilaq wraps
one of the adventurers in an almost
loving embrace and spews out a
stinking, milky-white poison that
soaks the victim from top to bottom.
Roll for the attack with seven Base
Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt
force). On success the adventurer
is GRAPPLED (see the rules in the
Player’s Handbook.) Every round they
remain in the creature’s grip, the
adventurer is attacked with a lethal
poison with Potency 6 (9 against a
designated target).

THE REALIZATION
OF THE GHOSTS
When the Book of Winds leaves
its crypt, the ghosts of Hina, Cos-
tolena, and Kremiled will regain
their memories and realize that
they are dead. They claim that
the Kogler, the dwarf mechanic
who previously looked after the
Metrochrone, murdered them and
stole some components so that
the giant clocked stopped, and
ask the adventurers to retrieve
the missing parts. The Kogler
should be somewhere in Firestead
– see the adventure site Tribolia
of the Kogler. But as mentioned
previously, the Kogler did in fact
not kill the priestesses. They just
think he did.
9. THE METROCHRONE
Beyond the temple is a huge mechanical clock
mounted on the rock face, vaguely shaped like a
stylized eagle. Water from one of the waterfalls
flows between its legs, where a waterwheel of the
overshot type clearly used to be. The wheel is miss-
ing, as is its axis.
The Metrochrone was built long ago by horned
dwarves and most recently managed by the dwarf
mechanic known as the Kogler. When the
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watch of the sisters
temple’s last three priestesses met their unfor-
tunate demise a few years ago, the dwarf took
the clock’s waterwheel to his smithy, Tribolia
– see the adventure site Tribolia of the Kogler.
The temple Agnostica’s absence from the
world is linked to the activity of the Metro-
chrone, and the temple cannot return until
the clock has been reactivated. The adventurers
can restart the Metrochrone by retrieving the
missing part from the Tribolia of the Kogler
and installing it.
10. CAVALDO’S AIRSHIP
On the mountain slope beyond the waterfall with
the giant clock lies the wreckage of a strange, open
ship. Its rigging seems to have been made of thick nets,
now rotten. There is a large propeller in the stern,
connected to an axis which runs along the entire hull.
Around the ship grow what look like large sponges.
Sometimes pieces of them fall off, before rising into
the sky and drifting away like gray clouds.
The wreck of Cavaldo’s airship is found on the
mountain slope beyond the Metrochrone’s
waterfall. Around it a couple of flowering blood-
beeches (page 103) grow.
The ship can be repaired with a successful
CRAFTING roll and a Quarter Day’s work, includ-
ing the crank with the propeller by which the ship
is driven forward and steered. The gas-producing
fungi that lifted the ship have taken root on the
slopes and can be collected. The net that kept
them in place has rotted away, but a new one can
be made from the slithernets (page 122) grow-
ing by the boathouse below the temple.
The ship can only be maneuvered in light or
no wind, but can drift in stronger winds. The
fungi that lift the ship off the ground are grow-
ing and constantly producing a gas lighter than
air. For the aircraft to descend, the adventurers
must climb the net and release the fungi, which
then fly off in the wind (and are later replaced by
new ones). The ship’s anchors were lost back in
the Drawn Lands.
EVENTS
Here are some events that might occur at the
Watch of the Sisters.
THE FURIOUS GIRL
One of the adventurers notices D’Irae speaking
to Vheilor with restrained rage, even though
she is supposed to be mute. “If you kill him,
it all ends here! I’m not sticking around for
that,” responds Vheilor firmly, causing the
girl to hit herself in the face and run off in
tears. Vheilor looks around for witnesses and
can now be pressured into revealing his true
reason for coming here.
THE RED ORCHESTRA
Cavaldo has set up a large instrument in the
Crimson Forest – a table equipped with ringing
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chapter 16
metal rods, whistles, strings, and bells. Branches,
tentacles, and half-formed, human-like out-
growths will soon start playing the instrument
in a growing and never-ending cacophony. Soon
the adventurers notice the forest growing and
closing in around the clearing that surrounds
the Watch of the Hermit. The music intensi-
fies and heat starts radiating from both the
instrument and the vegetation, which makes
it hard to get close.
Unless the adventurers intervene, someone
else will soon express concern about Margarita’s
tunes and argue that the music might escalate
and spread Crimson Forest throughout the
country. The whole thing must be stopped. On
the other hand, the red elves are delighted that
things are finally happening. They will stop
anyone trying to interfere. Unless something
is done, all hexes adjacent to the Watch of the
Sisters will turn into Crimson Forest, after
which the instrument will explode.
THE REDRUNNERS
A squad of elves from Ravenland, twice as many
as the adventurers, arrive at the site. They have
come to fetch the healer Protelas, but also want
to wipe out all red elves in the area and bring
their rubies back to Ravenland to be restored.
The squad may include an old acquaintance
from Raven’s Purge, such as Ulmaya or Alsurso.
 TRIBOLIA OF
THE KOGLER

TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Settlement

A curtain of water falls outside the mouth of the

cave. Inside is a sulfur-smelling chamber lit by
a river of lava flowing down from the volcanic
crater on the other side of the cave. The floor is
littered with debris. Three huge spheres of stone,
seemingly floating in mid-air, are rotated against
each other by gears driven by a paddle wheel in
the lava. What looks like a mechanical horse is
standing nearby next to a crashed airship. The
cave’s ceiling seems to be made of shimmering metal
above the spheres. To the left, where the floor rises
towards the cave wall, human-like creatures are
locked in combat. To the right, across the lava river,
is a large closed gate.
BACKGROUND
In ancient times, Tribolia was one of the horned
dwarves’ largest smithies, but they were forced
to abandon it when it was invaded by demons
shortly after the Demon Flood almost 300 years
ago. The place has been taboo ever since.
The dwarf known as the Kogler has alone
defied the great council’s prohibition and returned
to figure out how the smithy’s machines work
so that he can restart them. “The Kogler” is
not a name, but a professional title. The smithy
was named after the three floating stone spheres
rotating with gears inside the cave.
The Kogler has taken out some of the
smithy’s demons by using Blue Tar and reacti-
vating a group of mechas – mechanical, mind-
less, dwarf-like creatures that were constructed

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tribolia of the kogler

in the heyday of the smithy and did much of
the work. Other than that, he spends most of
his time mapping the cave’s mechanical details.
The Kogler traveled through the great
gates of Tribolia in his airship. Unfortunately
this triggered an old security mechanism that
brought down an iron-bound stone wall in front
of the gate. The dwarven guards damaged the
airship’s envelope so that the light metal seeped
out and floated to the ceiling.
The Kogler can still come and go through
the same entrance as the adventurers, but he is
wanted in Firestead and therefore as suspicious
as he is discreet.
GETTING HERE
Horned dwarves in the area know that a stream
on the mountainside above the now closed gate
of Tribolia used to flow into the smithy, but no
one has tried to get in because of the prohibi-
tion. The adventurers can find the stream after
a bit of searching, follow the water, and find
the stairs leading down into the mist below the
waterfall at location #1 on the map of Tribolia.
LEGEND
In the time of the clans, the grand smithy of Tribo-
lia was the greatest mechanical wonder in Fire-
stead. It was possibly rivaled by the fire fountains
of Mormender at one point, but those days came to
an end with the clan wars. Now Tribolia is said to
be abandoned and tainted by demons, so no dwarf
with any sense will go there. Since the clan wars, the
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dwarves have appointed a guardian of the smithy
– the so-called Kogler. The current Kogler was a
bit odd even before he was appointed, but the title
really went to his head. He became obsessed with
“claiming his domains” and sailed his airship into
the smithy against the council’s orders. The gate
slammed shut behind him and would not budge.
Since no one wanted to come for him, the Kogler had
to stay in his smithy and has probably died by now.
LOCATIONS
Described below are the most important places
in Tribolia of the Kogler.
1. THE WATERFALL
The stream gushes out of the rock into the lava river
below, where it immediately vaporizes. You see the
remains of wooden chutes on the mountain, which
were probably used to redirect the water.
The rock reaches down to the valley floor and
the trail continues across a couple of ravines
via bridges of stone.
2. THE LAVA RIVER
A fiery river of lava falls from a volcanic crater
near the cave’s ceiling on the opposite side of the
valley. The river snakes its way through the cave
and is eventually swallowed by a circular chasm
near the waterfall where you entered. All light in
the cave comes from the lava.
A couple of arched stone bridges lead across
the lava flows.
 3. THE FLOOR OF THE SMITHY
You cross the cave floor through a landscape of waste
heaps, stacks of rotten timber, hard coal and ash,
cracked steamers of patinated copper, flywheels,
trip hammers, treadwheels, wooden chutes, thick
chains, carts, twisted metal beams, and more.
Everything is decrepit with age, but not untidy.
The place seems carefully arranged with wide
streets between heaps and machines.
Some of the coals can still be lit, but the cave
is already warm from the lava.
4. THE SMELTING CHANNELS
Three wide channels of stone and metal lead away
from the lava river where it calms down below the
falls from the crater. The channels are equipped
with floodgates and lined with tracks, with shovels
and a couple of minecarts on both sides. There are
heavy metal chains lying along the sides of the channels.
The floodgates can be raised with two tread-
wheel cranes, but the cordage is rotten and
breaks if anyone tries to use them. If the cord-
age is replaced, the cranes can be operated by
two people walking inside each wheel, provided
that some solidified lava is first cleared from
the floodgates. If the floodgates are raised, the
channel is filled with hot lava.
5. THE HORSE MEKEFALOS
Next to the lava river, in front of the mechanism
that drives the three spheres, stands a huge mechan-
ical horse. Someone has recently been working here,
judging by the fresh metal shavings, tools, and rolls
of rope under the horse. There is a ladder on the
inside of the horse’s front leg.
The horse called Mekefalos, “the Machine
Head,” was one of the last constructions to
be finished before the smithy was invaded and
223
tribolia of the kogler
abandoned. The horse was meant to be a gift
to the horse clans to celebrate the friendship
between them and the horned dwarves of Fire-
stead, but Mekefalos could never be delivered.
The Kogler has installed the flywheel from the
Metrochrone at the Watch of the Sisters (page
219) inside the horse’s body. That is the part
which must be returned to the Metrochrone in
order to activate it. The Kogler has got the horse
running again, only to discover that it is stuck
in hardened lava and would have to be pulled
free with an amount of force he cannot muster.
MEK EFALOS
A giant mechanical horse. A ladder on the inside
of one of its front legs leads to a space inside the
horse’s chest. From there it is possible to climb
back through the torso between various levers
and pistons all the way to the flywheel. One can
also climb forward to the horse’s head where
the machine is controlled through sturdy reins
and more levers and dials. The flywheel driving
the horse is stolen from the Metrochrone at the
Watch of the Sisters (page 219). Understanding
how to operate the horse requires a successful
CRAFTING or LORE roll.
MEKEFALOS
STRENGTH 32
ARMOR RATING: 7 (steel)
MECHANICAL: Operating Mekefalos requires
a successful CRAFTING or LORE roll each
round. This counts as a slow action for
the driver. Only one adventurer can make
the roll, but others can help. If it succeeds,
the horse can either move one zone or
perform an attack with 15 Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force) against
a target within NEAR range. Whenever
Mekefalos takes damage (one point or
more), there is a risk that the horse will
stop working. Roll D6 – if the result is 1,
the horse must be repaired with a suc-
cessful CRAFTING roll.
 6. THE BLOOD SWAMP
At the very back of the cave, where the floor rises, is
a swamp seemingly bubbling with blood. Rivulets
of water trickle down the rock face into the swamp.
There appears to be a constant struggle between thin,
crimson creatures emerging from the swamp and
dwarves fully clad in metal and armed with hand
drills. Some vegetation can be seen around the swamp
and its damp surroundings – fungi, lichen, moss,
demonic vines, shrubs, and the odd flower or two.
The swamp is alive and all that remains of
the smithy’s demonic elements. Sporewalkers
are constantly arising spontaneously from the
goo, before climbing up and trying to carry
the spores away to be spread throughout the
cave. The Kogler’s mechas are fighting them by
drilling into the creatures’ center and thereby
killing them. The fighting takes place in near
silence and without emotion.
✥ CREATURES: D6 sporewalkers (page
123), D6 mechas (page 112).
7. THE GREAT GATE
A wide, paved pathway leads up to a massive stone
gate that blocks the smithy’s main entrance.
The stone gate slammed shut when the Kogler
passed through it in his airship. Unfortunately
it got stuck and has therefore not been used for
a long time. The adventurers can still get out
through the waterfall where they entered, but
the only way to leave with Mekefalos, the airship,
and the Metrochrone components is through
the great gate. Opening the gate requires a kick
from a freed Mekefalos (page 223) or help from
the dwelvers in Blowdwell (#14).
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chapter 17
8. JORMENSUL –
THE WORLD AXLE
A huge paddle wheel in the lava river causes a thick
iron axle to turn. The screw at the end of the axle
drives the cogs on the lowest sphere, which in turn
drives the other two. Strewn around the wheel are
some metal sheets and other scrap.
The dwarves called the axle Jormensul. Next to
the wheel is a simple shed with various shoes
and gloves on wooden shelves, including ther-
mal insulated shoes with thick bast soles and
iron shoes that can be used to walk on the
spheres. There are also thermal insulated gloves
and gloves with long metal rods ending in hooks.
CLIMBING JORMENSUL: The adventurers
can reach the spheres by climbing Jormensul.
They must balance on the spokes of the paddle
wheel (MOVE roll where failure means falling)
to get to the axle, but better wear bast shoes as
the spokes are very hot (otherwise they suffer
one point of damage to Strength). The drive
shaft itself has protrusions and handholds
which they can then climb (make a MOVE roll
with +2). After that they must walk or crawl up
the thread of the screw until they get close to
the Grotewola sphere and can catch one of its
loops using the gloves with the hooks as they
rotate past, so they can get up on the sphere
itself (another MOVE roll).
9. THE GROTEWOLA SPHERE
Above the drive shaft spins the lowest and smallest
of the stone spheres, seemingly floating in mid-air,
circling a horizontal axis. The equator consists of
thick cogs that drive the sphere above. There are
metal loops near the cogs.
Grotewola has a core of solar tin, a metal that
becomes as light as air when heated. The cogged
belt contains iron which pulls Grotewola towards
the Freiwola sphere’s magnetic cogs and keeps
it in place. An adventure with iron shoes can
stand and walk on the magnetic surface of the
sphere without falling off. Next to the cogged
belt are metal loops which the hook gloves can be
attached to. Without any of these aids, it takes a
successful MOVE roll with –2 to climb the sphere.
10. THE FREIWOLA SPHERE
The middle sphere, which also seems to float in
mid-air, is bigger than the one below and has two
cogged belts – one offset against the bottom pole
where it meshes with the sphere below, and one
along the equator which meshes with the largest
sphere. This sphere rotates with the same speed as
the bottom one, but around a more vertical axis. It
shimmers in beautiful metallic blue and consists
of a smoother material than the others.
As with Grotewola, the metal shoes stick to the
sphere’s surface. It too has a core of solar tin
which is heated by the friction and makes the
sphere almost weightless. Both of Freiwola’s
cogged belts are magnetic, holding it in place
against the other spheres’ iron belts. The beau-
tiful blue surface is thin and purely cosmetic.
11. THE WELDEWOLA SPHERE
The largest sphere is kept up by a thick metal axle
running between the floor and the ceiling. It spins
more slowly than the other two as its cogged belt has
more cogs. Near the axle, at the top of the sphere,
there are door and window openings from which
lamplight spills out. Smoke rises from a chimney.
227
tribolia of the kogler
The entire upper part of Weldewola consists
of a circular room that serves as the Kogler’s
workshop and is full of junk. This is where
the adventurers find the Kogler, who is surly
and rude and resents their intrusion. How-
ever, he is not prone to violence and tries
to talk and negotiate his way out of trouble,
well aware of what his expertise is worth. If
attacked, he defends himself with the help
of two mechas he keeps as assistants at the
smithy. The Kogler knows almost everything
about Tribolia and will gladly show off his
knowledge out of vanity. He has not figured
out how to free Mekefalos.
✥ CREATURES: Two mechas and
the Kogler.
THE KOGLER OF TRIBOLIA
Kogler is not a name, but the title of a dwar-
ven master smith. The Kogler of Tribolia is a
grouchy, elderly dwarf mechanic and inventor,
who illegally trespassed into the forbidden dwar-
ven smithy of Tribolia to devote himself to his
craft. Like most Aslene dwarves, the Kogler is
horned, but his left one is prosthetic due to an
accident. The left part of his face along with
the horn is made of brass, its eye a lens that
sees in the dark, while doubling as telescope
and loupe. His left arm is mechanical, which
is not immediately discernible since it is cov-
ered by a sleeve and glove. The master smith
always dresses and sleeps in dirty and stinking
working clothes.
The Kogler is unarmed, but in a pinch he
will defend himself using his tools and his very
powerful mechanical arm. As a person, the
Kogler is headstrong, easily irritated, suspicious
and contemptuous of the slow-witted, which to

him basically is everyone until proven otherwise.
He is cunning and knows when to negotiate and
when to dominate. He feels no loyalty to the
dwarven community since it rejected him, but
loves construction, machines and smart solu-
tions with a passion.
THE KOGLER
STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 4, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Melee 2, Crafting 5, Sleight of
Hand 2, Lore 3, Insight 2, Manipulation 2
TALENTS: Firm grip 2, Smith 3
ARMOR RATING: 6
MECHANICAL EYE: The Kogler can see at
DISTANT range with incredible detail, see
in darkness, and through smoke and fog.
MECHANICAL ARM: The mechanical arm lets
the Kogler perform monster attacks. See
the adjacent table.
ATTACKS WITH THE MECHANICAL ARM
D6 ATTACK
1 GRIP! The Kogler takes firm grip on an
enemy. The victim suffers an attack
with six Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 1 (blunt force). If the attack
hits, the victim becomes GRAPPLED
and automatically suffers the critical
wound Broken Arm (blunt force 44–45).
Neither the Kogler nor the victim fall
to the ground. However, any weapons
held by the victim are dropped. The
Kogler can attack the grappled victim,
or other targets, with his other hand.
2 A FIST TO THE FACE! The mechanical arm
trembles when the Kogler clutches his
fist as hard as he can. With an incred-
ible force the arm shoots through
the air, attacking an enemy. Perform
an attack with eight Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 2 (blunt force). The
attack can be parried with a shield.
3 THROW SCRAP! The Kogler grabs a hold
of a large piece of scrap in the room and
throws it at an enemy at up to NEAR
distance. Perform an attack with seven
Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (the
object determines the type of damage).
The victim must pass a roll for MIGHT
or fall to the ground (no action). Now
stuck under the object, the victim must
spend a short action to break free.
4 CRUSH WEAPON! The mechanical fist
firmly grips an enemy’s weapon,
attempting to break it. Perform an
attack with five Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 1. The attack deals damage to
the weapon instead of the enemy. The
attack can be parried.
5 SHOOT KNIVES! A handful of sharp
blades shoot out from the arm
against D3 targets at up to NEAR dis-
tance. Each target suffers an attack
with five Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 2 (stab wound).
6 KNOCKOUT! With a surgical strike, the
Kogler punches an enemy. Perform an
attack with six Base Dice and Weapon
Damage 2 (blunt force). If the attack deals
damage, the victim falls unconscious and
must make a STAMINA roll (no action) at
the start of every turn to wake up.
 12. THE LIGHT METAL LAKE
Directly above the three spheres, the ceiling seems
to be made of shimmering metal. Those taking a
closer look can see that the surface is not solid, but
rather makes waves as the air moves in the cave
The metal ceiling is not forged, but made of
accumulated light metal. It flows like mer-
cury, but is lighter than air. Most of it comes
from the Kogler’s airship whose envelope was
damaged as he sailed it through the great gate
of Tribolia, which caused the metal to leak
out and rise to the ceiling. The adventurers
can climb up Weldewola’s axle and fetch light
metal in buckets.
13. THE AIRSHIP
Below the largest stone sphere lies what looks like a
small, slightly damaged ship. The rigging appears
to have consisted of a large leather bag fastened
with rope. The bag is ruptured and lies flaccid
next to the hull. Inside the ship is a longitudinal
crankshaft that ends in a propeller.
The Kogler’s airship landed gently and is
in good condition, but cannot fly as all the
light metal has leaked out of the envelope
and accumulated in the cave’s ceiling. The
Kogler cannot climb up and fetch the metal
by himself and the mechas are too clumsy
and stupid. If the leather envelope is repaired
(CR AFTING roll and a Quarter Day’s work), it
can be filled until the ship takes off again. It
is driven forward by hand-cranked propellers
and steered with the rudder. However, the
great gate must be opened before anyone can
fly outside.
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tribolia of the kogler
14. BLOWDWELL
Next to the lava river is a strange little house seem-
ingly filled with what looks like a large bladder
whose translucent membranes bulge out of the doors
and windows. At the back of the house is something
that resembles a large bellows with the nozzle shoved
through a hole in the house. Moving closer, you see
two pale little creatures pressing their noses against
the membranes and waving to get your attention.
The creatures’ names are Bydmer Dribblecliff and
Aramilia Crack, and they are dwelvers from the
depths of the earth. The adventurers may already
have encountered dwelvers in Stonegarden in
Raven’s Purge and learned that they are the
underground ancestors of the dwarves.
The dwelvers’ voices cannot be heard and
they gesture to the people outside by rhythmi-
cally bringing their palms together – this is their
way of telling the adventurers to increase the
pressure in the house by pumping the bellows. If
they do, they can hear the dwelvers’ voices and
communicate through the membranes.
If the adventurers try to cut their way inside,
the dwelvers will be terrified and wave for them to
stop, since the air would kill them (in a Quarter
Day). The membranes in the bladder overlap in
certain places so that food can be sent in through a
primitive airlock. The only way to get the dwelvers
out is to fetch their suits, which are found in the
chapel (#15). See the box on the next page.
BYDMER DRIBBLECLIFF
AND AR AMALIA CR ACK
The dwelvers Bydmer and Aramalia resemble
meter-high fetuses, half-formed and hairless, with
extremely pale skin that shimmers with moisture
and facial features that do not seem entirely con-
stant, but float around over the bones of their faces.
 THE DWELVERS’ STORY
Adventurers who manage to speak with
the dwelvers will learn that they were
trapped by the Kogler. They went up to
Tribolia in peace to see what was going on
when they suddenly heard the smithy’s
safety door close. They wore protective
suits because they are vulnerable to the
gases in the smithy, but the suits were
punctured by the Kogler’s mechas.
The dwelvers almost died, but
managed to inflate their emergency
tent Blowdwell inside the cabin where
they have been trapped ever since. The
Kogler took their suits, without which
they cannot leave Blowdwell. He gives
them food, but experiments with what
they can and cannot eat and questions
them. He has probably repaired their
suits and hidden them in case he ever
needs to take them away.
Adventurers who help the dwelvers
will be offered something in return. For
BYDMER AND ARAMALIA
STRENGTH 2, AGILITY 5, WITS 4, EMPATHY 3
SKILLS: Endurance 3, Crafting 3, Stealth 3,
Sleight of Hand 2, Move 3, Lore 2, Survival 3,
Manipulation 2
15. THE CHAPEL
On a rock ledge above the floor you see a small,
run-down marble chapel with a statue outside
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example, the dwelvers can help blow up
the gate, since they are proficient with
explosives – a technique they will not
share with surface creatures.
The dwelvers can also tell them
more about the Metrochrone – that
it is a narrative clock that brings forth
paradigm shifts in the world. It must be
restarted for the dwelvers to proceed
with certain projects in the under-
ground. For this reason they support
the adventurers and advise them on
how to repair the clock, but will not
willingly go with them to the Watch of
the Sisters.
The dwelvers have no sense of
honor towards surface creatures and
will slip down through some crack in
the mountain as soon as they think
they have shown enough gratitude.
Their suits are as elastic as their bodies,
which allows them to squeeze through
cracks no wider than a hand.
depicting a human on horseback. The statue is
missing its sword arm and is in pretty bad shape
overall. The stairs that once led up to the chapel
have been removed.
Climbing up to the chapel is fairly easy
( MOVE + 2), but one can also use a ladder
found behind the ledge. This is a chapel of
friendship built in the time of Sella the Lib-
erator, and he is the rider depicted by the
statue. The statue was damaged during the
war with the Lusitarians.
On the rock wall inside the chapel is an
exact copy of the Fresco of Sella, which the
adventures may have already seen at the temple
in Ashenstead and that depicts Sella the Libera-
tor with his Astra (page 62). This is actually
the original blueprint from which Horn’s Astra
were created in Tribolia long ago.
The horned dwarves created the artifacts
as an experiment and to get the horse clans on
their side after they were cursed by the goddesses
Wail and Flow. They dared not wield the Astra
themselves due to the severe side effect of accel-
erated aging, but thought it more appropriate
to study the effect on the horse warriors who
do not live very long anyway.
THE DWELVERS’ SUITS: In a cabinet in the
chapel hang two small suits made of strangely
RECREATING ASTRA
The Kogler claims that he can use
the fresco to recreate Astra that
have been destroyed or disap-
peared from the world, on the
following conditions:
✥ He gets five living elven
rubies to work with for each
Astra that is to be recreated.
✥ He gets 10 gold coins worth
of gold for each Astra that is
to be recreated.
✥ He gets one week to com-
plete the task.
231
tribolia of the kogler
elastic material, with some moss growing inside
them. A halfling may be able squeeze into them.
These are the dwelvers’ suits which they need in
order to escape captivity in Tribolia.
16. THE WHISTLE HOUSE
A loud whistling sound shrieks through the entire
cave. You trace the noise to a small building near
the rock wall. There are four metal pipes of dif-
ferent lengths sticking out of it.
The house acts as a four-note steam whistle. Each
note is sounded individually every three hours,
after which the cycle starts again. The process
occurs automatically by means of water that
flows down the rock wall, into the house and is
vaporized by the lava below. As the pressure rises
in its tank, the whistle blows and the mechanism
switches pipes, and then the pressure starts build-
ing up again. The Kogler has divided the cave’s
mechas into four teams, each responding to a
separate note. The teams can be identified by
the paint he has smeared on their breastplates:
red, green, yellow, and white. When the whistle
sounds, the working team goes to rest and wind
each other up while another team leaves the
whistle house and picks up where they left off.
EVENTS
There are no special events at this adventure
site, other than interactions with the Kogler
and the dwelvers. However, if the adventurers
come here late in the campaign, key players
and their associates could arrive to grab the
Metrochrone components and restart the clock.
 AGNOSTICA

TYPE OF ADVENTURE SITE: Settlement

You see a square, heavily weathered, forty-meter-
high pyramid that looks like it has been there
for thousands of years. Rocky ramps on all sides,
which probably used to be stairs, lead up to the
top where a rectangular, black monolith awaits.
Several armies and key players have already
arrived and set up camp around the place. People
seem to be looking for something at the top of the
ruin, digging among the stones and discussing
with each other.
BACKGROUND
Agnostica is the moon elves’ old temple in
Aslene. The name means “that which must
not be known,” which is fitting since the moon
elves have tried to stay hidden ever since they
stole the Eighth Mother from the Seventh. But
the temple’s name goes back further than that.
Once it materializes, the temple seems
suspended in mid-air 70 meters above ground,
perpendicular to the ground with gardens and
everything, hence “the Hanging Gardens of
Agnostica,” which was considered one of great
wonders of the age. There is no explanation as
to how the temple can stay in the air like this
– the whole thing is considered a perfect illu-
sion conjured by long dead mentalist masters.
In ancient times, Agnostica was actually a
constant source of discussion about what distin-
guishes reality from perception, illusion, and inter-
pretation. It was precisely for that purpose that
the temple was built, which explains the name.
Having fled to Ravenland and later to Aslene
with Octomadria 1200 years ago, the moon
elves settled down with their kin in Agnostica,

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but quickly realized that the worm people, the
Seventh, would find them sooner or later. They
could not get rid of Octomadria.
That is why the moon elves made the temple
disappear from the world for a period of time
linked to the Metrochrone, the giant clock at
the Watch of the Sisters. The clock stopped
when the Kogler in Tribolia stole essential parts
of it, and must be restarted for the temple to
return to the world.
GETTING HERE
Agnostica does not materialize until four of
the volcanoes known as the Sons of Horn (page
55) have awakened and the Metrochrone at
the Watch of the Sisters has been restarted. Then
the temple emerges in one of the hexes around
the last dormant volcano in Aslene. Which vol-
cano it is depends on the order in which Horn’s
Astra are found and claimed, since each Astra is
connected to a certain horse clan and volcano.
At first the temple pyramid only appears as it
will look in the distant future – as a crumbling
ruin on the ground. This illusion is connected to
a time altar behind a black monolith at the top of
the ruin. For more information, see location #1.
LEGEND
They say that the moon elves in the time before time
built a temple with wondrous gardens that floated
over Aslene. The temple could only be seen when
the moon was full and never appeared in the same
place twice, but was said to gleam like mother-of-
pearl, so that all who saw it would sit spellbound
in the night until it vanished. The memory alone
is enough to bring tears to the driest of eyes, and yet
nobody can describe what they have seen.
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agnostica
LOCATIONS
Described below are the most important places
at Agnostica.
1. THE PYRAMID
You stand before a crumbling stone pyramid where
the remains of terraces and stairs are the only
indications that it is a building and not just a
pile of rubble. At the top of the pyramid is a black
monolith.
The ruin is not yet real, but merely a projec-
tion of what it will look like in a thousand
years or so. To summon the present-day pyra-
mid the time altar inside the monolith must
be activated.
The monolith appears to be made of black
stone and cannot be moved, since it is imma-
terial. The monolith is six meters high, four
meters wide, and one meter thick. It opens if
touched by one of Horn’s Astra with Level 3
(page 61) or all four of the moonstones found
in Aslene (including those inside Vinhelm Kaal
and Fiena Fromelei).
The monolith opens to reveal a door that is
three meters high and two meters wide. Behind
it is a square, windowless, black room with a
lone altar. If the Astra or the moonstones are
placed on the altar, the monolith turns into a
70-meter-high pillar and the temple Agnostica
emerges along with the Dimension Knot (#2).
The top of the tall pillar which a moment ago was a
monolith holds what looks like a large knot of stone.
Here and there are circular openings towards the
center of the knot. What looks like a stone bridge
protrudes from one side of the knot towards a
temple building seemingly floating in the air, sev-
enty meters above ground and perpendicular to
the ground. An equally vertical garden is hanging
under the temple.
 THE KEY PLAYERS AT AGNOSTICA
Depending on how the game has devel-
oped, you decide which key players come
to Agnostica and when they arrive. Some
may have gotten there before the adven-
turers. The constellations consist of at
least two opposing armies.
The first key players to arrive at
Agnostica only find the ruin of the temple
pyramid. No one understands what to do
or where they can find the Eighth Mother.
The armies position themselves around
the ruin, negotiate with each other, and
decide to exchange ideas. You can use the
key players present for violent confronta-
tions, negotiations, and diplomacy.
✥ SELLIGAR HORNE has no personal inter-
est in the Eighth Mother and is only
here because an ally wants to get hold
of the creature or stop someone else
from doing so.
✥ POANSA MOULTER wants the Eighth
Mother whom she believes to be Wyrm
Reborn. Poansa searches the ruin’s
exterior and examines the monolith. If
the adventurers cannot figure out how
to open the monolith (previous page),
Poansa can do it instead.
✥ COLONEL GRUDENSTAAL wants to kill
the Eighth Mother whom he believes
to be Wyrm Reborn. He too can figure
out how to open the monolith.
✥ FIENA FROMELEI: If Fiena has not yet
gotten hold of a moonstone, she
senses their presence in Agnostica
and seeks them out. If Fiena already
has a moonstone, she can now turn
into a moon elf and get behind Vin-
helm Kaal’s agenda.
✥ THE SEVENTH know that the Eighth
Mother is kept at Agnostica and have
come to reclaim her. This is their only
goal and their sole purpose in life.
Once the floating temple appears,
they will take over a bird’s skeleton
and fly up there.
✥ VINHELM KAAL and Fiena Fromelei will
work together once she becomes a
moon elf and can access his memo-
ries. They head for Agnostica to return
all the moonstones to the temple,
activate its time altar, and make it
disappear forever along with the
Eighth Mother.
✥ KONANA and the Vasnians have no
interest of their own in the Eighth
Mother and are only here because an
ally wants to get hold of the creature
or stop someone else from doing so.
✥ VAEREFOR VAN REIBEN: If Vaerefor
possesses the Goblet Staff of Have,
he thinks he will be able to turn the
Eighth Mother into a red elf, in which
case he would have a god on his side.
Otherwise he could be here because
an ally wants to get hold of the crea-
ture or stop someone else from doing
so. When Agnostica has materialized,
he can summon demonic vegetation
beneath the temple which grows until
the red elves can climb up.
✥ THE DREAMSTRESS will likely come to
Agnostica as an ally of Vaerefor or
someone else, without any personal
interest in the Eighth Mother. When
she arrives, the Dreamstress sits
down to dream of the creature in the
temple and realizes that it is pow-
erful enough to dream her back to
Eoni. She will then make this her top
priority and secretly seek new alli-
ances. This could become a key ele-
ment in thwarting the plans of Vaer-
efor or the Seventh, since the Eighth
Mother under the Dreamstress’ guid-
ance can dream them both away to
Eoni and thus disappear from Aslene
forever.
 2. THE PILLAR OF WRATH
The pillar seems to be made of black stone. It is
smooth and glossy and there is nothing to climb.
The pillar cannot be climbed by level-headed
creatures. But an angry individual can grip
the metal with hands and feet and easily climb
up like a spider (no roll required). The pillar is
designed as a safeguard against the Seventh,
since they do not understand emotions and
therefore cannot climb the pillar.
Play this by asking the players what mood
their characters are in. Until their answer is angry
or irritated, they cannot get a grip on the pillar.

3
b

a e
c

YR AMID
THE P
 3. THE DIMENSION KNOT THE BIRD CAGES: There are two stylized bird
You reach a platform from which a spiral staircase cages at each of Portals A, C, and E; one on
leads into the stone knot’s interior. either side of the gateway. Inside each bird cage
is a carved wooden bird as well as an egg – the
There is only one winding staircase from the side facing the cage floor is of black obsidian,
platform through the knot and it leads out the other is of silvery metal that has spread to
at Portal A, where the first bird cage is found the ceiling, since it is light metal which floats
(see below). The adventurers can then move on upwards. All eggs are engraved with the rune
the upper side to one of the other portals and of Flow and can be picked up.
descend the stairs from there. Adventurers who Since Portals A, C, and E as well as their
move too far out must make a MOVE roll not to eggs each have their own “down,” the adven-
fall off the dimension knot, likely to their death. turers can pick up eggs that fall in six different
directions. One egg of each direction is required
ALTERED GR AVITY: Each time the adven- to activate the orb in the chapel (#10).
turers follow the stairs through the knot, from
Portal B to C and from Portal D to E, the
THE TEMPLE
gravity changes, so that the portal they come AGNOSTICA
out of feels like it is positioned horizontally. In
other words, the adventurers will feel as though
the staircase runs from the underside up to
the ground.
If the adventurers have done it right as
they reach Portal E, the Bridge of Joy (loca-
tion #6) and the temple with its gardens will
be positioned horizontally. The ground below
the temple will then seem like a horizontal wall.
If the visitors take any other route to the
temple, gravity will be normal and the floor
of the temple will be vertical. This means
6 7 8
that moving inside the temple requires
climbing (MOVE rolls where failure
results in falling).
5 9

4
10

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chapter 18
 4. THE BRIDGE OF JOY
The stone bridge appears to be floating in mid-air.
The temple and its gardens await on the other side.
Whether the player characters perceive the
temple as vertical or horizontal depends on
which route they took through the Dimen-
sion Knot (#3).
The Bridge of Joy is another safeguard
against the Seventh who do not understand
emotions, and can only be crossed by people in
a joyful mood. Those who do not feel joy, or
lose their joy midway, will fall straight through
the bridge as though it were made of sand. Play
this by asking the players what mood their char-
acters are in. Unless their answer is joyful or
happy, the bridge will not hold.
If anyone falls from the bridge, the “down-
ward” direction returns to normal and the
unfortunate person falls to the ground 80
meters further down. The person can be pulled
back up if they were secured with a rope.
5. THE HANGING GARDENS
OF AGNOSTICA
After crossing the stone bridge you reach a beautiful
floating garden full of fruit trees and flowers. In
the garden is an L-shaped temple pavilion with a
bell tower. There are no living creatures in sight
except for some birds and bees.
At the end of the Bridge of Joy, the adventurers
reach an exquisite garden that is either horizon-
tal or vertical depending on how they got there.
Either way the garden behaves as if standing
on the ground, with singing fountains, birds,
and bees flying around the trees. In the garden
stands the temple Agnostica.
The garden is lush with flowers and fruits
that can be eaten and gathered as provisions
and immediately grow back after being picked
from their branches. The fruits have different
flavors and some even taste of deliciously cooked
fish or meat.
Fruits picked from a vertical garden feel
strange in one’s mouth as the bite wants to fall
sideways rather than down to the stomach, and
the victim gets a stomach ache after one turn,
since the intestines have trouble digesting the
strange food. Treat it as an attack that deals
damage to Strength, with seven Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 1.
Unlocked doors lead to the Hall of Serenity
(#6), whose far end holds a bell tower.
6. THE HALL OF SERENITY
The doors open into a large hall with long tables.
The far end of the hall is elevated with what looks
like a high seat and table of honor. From the ceiling
hangs chandeliers and ten statues of warriors are
standing along the walls.
This hall is where the moon elves gathered for
meals and assembly, but it is now empty. As
soon as anyone walks one third of the way into
the room, some of the statues (as many as the
adventurers) come to life and start attacking all
intruders. But if the adventurers stand still and
do not defend themselves, the statues’ swords
stop just before hitting their target, after which
they return to their posts.
Adventurers who defend themselves must
instead fight them to the death. The hall can
be bypassed by climbing up the bell tower
and taking the stairs down to the dais. This
can be particularly convenient if the temple
is vertical.
✥ CREATURES: Stone warriors, as many as
the adventurers.
 STONE WARRIOR
STRENGTH 10, AGILITY 2
SKILLS: Scouting 1
ARMOR RATING: 6
ATTACKS: Slash, seven Base Dice and
Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). Stab,
seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2
(stab wound). Parry, five Base Dice.
STONE WEAPONS: The stone warriors cannot
be disarmed, but their weapons can be dam-
aged. If the statues’ Strength is lower than
the number of Base Dice for attack or parry,
their current Strength rating is used instead.
7. THE VISIONARIUM
Beyond the dais you reach a small passageway with
windows on both sides and a door in the far wall.
The windows of the Visionarium show moving
scenes from other worlds, but they are only projec-
tions. Behind the glass is nothing but a stone wall.
8. THE CHAPEL
An empty, windowless chapel. There are rows of
benches on either side of the aisle. In front it hovers
what seems to be a meter-wide marble orb. At the
back of the room is a closed door of stone.
The door cannot be opened with physical force,
but only by activating the orb. It has six small,
round depressions, one on each side. Adventurers
who examine the orb more closely will find the
symbol of Flow at the bottom of each depression.
If the six bird eggs from the Dimension Knot
(#3) are placed in these depressions so that their
direction of fall is toward the orb’s center, the orb
is activated and the door to the Dormitory opens.
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chapter 18
9. THE DORMITORY
You enter a fifteen-meter corridor with six doors
on either side. The far end is a stone wall. Above
each door is a name. High up the far stone wall
is an inscription that reads: “Octomadria is in
our names.”
Starting from the entrance, the twelve names are:
LEFT SIDE RIGHT SIDE
Iacolne Farber
Druer Mazurenda
Sisela Salunia
Zentuner Snetom
Ocroende Totelema
Vinhelm Rumsander
Behind the unlocked door to each alcove is the
moon elf whose name is carved above the door.
They are all decomposed corpses, including Vin-
helm and Salunia (Fiena).
THE SOLUTION TO THE RIDDLE: By open-
ing the following five doors in the correct order,
the name Octomadria forms from the first
two letters of each name: Ocroende – Totelema
– Mazurenda – Druer – Iacolne. When this
happens, another door emerges in the stone
wall at the end of the corridor which leads to
Octomadria’s chamber.
✥ CREATURES: The moment the door to
Octomadria’s chamber appears, the dead
moon elves are restored to the prime of
their lives and confront the intruders.
This does not apply to Vinhelm and Sal-
unia (Fiena), who are instead replaced by
their present-day versions.
 OCTOMADRIA

239

agnostica
 10. OCTOMADRIA’S CHAMBER
Beyond the door at the end of the corridor is a win-
dowless chamber with a semicircular alcove. On
the raised floor of the alcove stands a throne with
three empty seats on either side.
✥ CREATURES: The key player Octomadria
(page 99).
THE SHOWDOWN
Agnostica is the intended location for the final
showdown of the campaign Legacy of Horn.
Below is a summary of what certain key play-
ers might do during the finale. How it all plays
out will of course be largely determined by the
adventurers’ actions.
THE SEVENTH
If the Seventh encounter Octomadria’s earlier
forms, they immediately try to kill them to
summon her final form. Faced with her final
form, they throw themselves at the creature to
assimilate it and turn Octomadria into the god-
dess Meat with power over all living things. This
appeals to Octomadria, but whether she actually
agrees to mother the eighth generation of worm
people depends on whether someone else can
make her a better offer. If Octomadria refuses
their request, the Seventh will simply lie down
to die as their lives no longer have any meaning.
POANSA AND GRUDENSTAAL
Poansa and Grudenstaal may try to kill
Octomadria at first sight, which is only possible
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chapter 18
if the weapons they wield are Horn’s Astra. They
could also offer her the opportunity to take on
the role of Wyrm, after which they intend to
gather believers and subjugate the heretics in
Ravenland, Aslene, and Alderland, and seize
power over the three countries. Konana or
Selligar Horne could be allied with Poansa or
Grudenstaal, but they themselves have nothing
to offer Octomadria.
THE MOON ELVES
Together with the moon elves, Vinhelm Kaal
and Fiena Fromelei (Salunia) do their best to
keep Octomadria in Agnostica until the temple
and the snake woman fade from existence once
more. If there is a risk of her falling into the
hands of the Seventh, they immediately try
to kill her.
VAEREFOR VAN REIBEN
Vaerefor van Reiben can offer to make Octo-
madria godmother of Reiben with the aim of
conquering Ravenland, Aslene, and Alderland.
If the Dreamstress is allied with Vaerefor and
hears of his plans, she will try to sabotage his
alliance with the Eighth Mother. Alternatively,
the Dreamstress may already have realized that
Octomadria has enough power to dream them
both to her home world Eoni and offers to
make the Eighth Mother goddess of all Eoni.
AGNOSTICA FADES AWAY
D6 days after Octomadria’s chamber has been
opened, or whenever you see fit, the temple
Agnostica will fade from the world forever, leav-
ing just the ruin of the terraced pyramid behind.
 AFTERMATH

T
his section describes what might happen in the wake
of Legacy of Horn. It is meant to offer guidance and
tips that you can use based on the choices and alli-
ances the players have made over the course of the game.

✥ Octomadria has either joined the dom-

THE SITUATION inant faction or vanished from the

AFTER THE FINALE world along with the Dreamstress or the

The campaign Legacy of Horn can of course
end in any number of ways depending on the
players’ actions. A temporary and fragile peace
settles over Aslene as the winners consolidate
their power and establish contacts in Raven-
land. Here are some suggestions on what the
situation could look like.
✥ A key player or alliance, with or without
the adventurers, dominates Aslene. Their
rival key players are neutralized, dead,
subjugated, or gone from the world.
✥ The moon elves have either disappeared
along with Agnostica and Octomadria or
chosen to stay because the threat of the
Seventh no longer exists.
moon elves. If she remains in the world,
Octomadria can pose as Wyrm Reborn or
as the Eighth Mother.
✥ At least four of Horn’s Astra have been
found and claimed, but it turns out that
the artifacts can only be used in emergen-
cies, since each use comes at the cost of
accelerated aging.
✥ The dominant faction in Aslene plans to
attack Alderland and seeks military allies
in Ravenland. The winning faction from
Raven’s Purge would be an appropriate
partner. The attack on Alderland becomes
the start of a future expansion set in
Alderland.

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aftermath

POST-FINALE
EVENTS
Here are some events that can occur after the
campaign finale.
GANDER’S PASS IS OPENED
After the conclusion of Legacy of Horn, Gander’s
Pass will be opened to Alderland as the begin-
ning of a future expansion set in the country
to the southeast. Exactly when this occurs does
not matter, so in the meantime you can easily
keep playing in Aslene or elsewhere.
But before the opening of Gander’s Pass a
player character, or perhaps all of them, has a
dream where a woman leads them by the hand
to a door into a mountain. The path to the
door is lined by huge pillars of stone, and a
yellow-eyed vulture caws from its perch on an
altar. The goddess Flow plucks the moon from
the sky and places it on the altar, and then the
door opens. Beyond it is a lush land with lots
of people.
In the dream, Flow says: “This land I give
to you, if you can take it!”
THE CAULDRON OF FLOW
The Cauldron of Flow is a circular, kilometer-
wide lake which can be placed in any hex on the
map. The lake has no function until it awakens,
which it does as soon as the Metrochrone at the
Watch of the Sisters is reactivated (page 219).
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From that point on, anything in the
cauldron ages to destruction in a matter of
moments. Living creatures die, decay, turn to
skeletons, and finally to dust that blows away.
Stones crumble into dust and blow away. Iron
rusts, becomes dust, and blows away.
When the cauldron awakens, its water is
vaporized in a minute, which will cause extreme
rainfall in the area during the week that follows.
All that remains is an empty, hemispherical
crater with a radius and depth of 500 meters.
On the ground in its center is what from
a distance looks like a building shaped like the
symbol of Flow. Anything that comes near it
is annihilated. An observant individual will
recognize that the cauldron is a giant copy of
the depressions in the Altar of Flow.
THE BOOK OF WINDS
BECOMES KNOWN
The Book of Winds can be found at the Temple
of Winds (page 217), but its older parts cannot
be understood without the Book of Water. The
Books of Wind and Water will reappear in a
future expansion, but for now it does not really
matter who gets their hand on the Book of
Winds, since it is currently as indestructible
as it is unusable.
If the book’s existence becomes publicly
known, it will strengthen the Vasnians’ cause
and claim to Aslene. The horned dwarves of
Firestead in particular believe that a substan-
tial part of the country should be returned to
the Vasnians.
 SELLIGAR HORNE
OF HAVENMARK
It is said that the Houns’ chieftain, Selligar Horne of Havenmark, emerged
from his mother’s womb a capable rider. He mounted the nearest horse, and
with the umbilical cord fluttering in the wind, he immediately rode off to
inspect his domains. Only afterwards did he return to her breast. The father
was never again allowed near his wife, for the boy was jealous and believed
that further offspring could only be inferior to himself. He was strong from
birth and slew his first challengers in combat before he had grown his fourth
tooth. Now he rides across the plains as a proud youth, like his ancestor Sella the
Liberator before him, intent on gathering the clans so that all foreign malice
can be driven from the Bloodmarch. The seers say that Selligar is destined to
rule Ravenland and Alderland as well. He means to open the Galder Gorge
to Alderland, and lifted one of the giant pillars with his bare arms just to
prove himself worthy of such a task. But the time for doing so has not yet come.

COLONEL GRUDENSTAAL
Oh yes, I’ve met Colonel Grudenstaal, the man they call the fist of the Ironbrows.
A ruthless man to be sure, like when Holy Frensia was promised by the king –
the old man feared the reprisal of the gods, you see – that she would never be
exiled to Ravenland, and Grudenstaal kept the monarch’s word by personally
kicking the seer over the edge of the precipice. But the man is more than just a
hard heart. He listens to everybody and does not hesitate to change his mind if
he likes your advice. He is certainly proud, so much so that he always goes his
own way, and nobody knows what he might do. I suppose that’s why the powers
that be in Alderland had him sent off to the Bloodmarch.

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 POANSA MOULTER
You might think that Poansa is called “moulter” because of her flaking skin.
Not so. It’s because she leaves empty shells of people in her wake. The shells are
not her own, but the remains of those she has devoured along the way. One
of them was Grenemer Treba, count of Strula until that venomous woman
seduced him and found his secret Rust Altar. Once imprisoned he demanded,
as a nobleman, to be executed by iron – for religious reasons that would become
clear later – and appealed to Ad Vipera on the matter. He was surprised to
find Poansa in one of the council seats. But the Moulter granted his wish and
had him executed by iron as requested: they pounded iron nails through his
body until the screams died down and the blood stopped flowing.

FIENA FROMELEI
They say that one of the Penites’ powerful moon priestesses from Belifar has
been sent to the Bloodmarch to finally eradicate the sin that the cult attributes
to halflings and the goddess Eor. The priestess will seek forgiveness for some
wrong committed by her kin at the time of the Shift, and will do so at the secret
temple of the moon elves, although no one has ever seen it. Come to think of it,
no one has even seen a moon elf, have they? So how she will accomplish this is
anyone’s guess. Personally, I’ve barely even seen a halfling. Perhaps it’s all
made up? Might as well forget the whole thing!

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 KONANA
Konana is the salt of the mountains. The blood of the country flows through her
veins with the power of the ancients. She is the coming of spring after a bitter
winter, the ray of sunlight that cuts like a sharp blade through the fleeing dark-
ness of the storm. In her I put my trust, for she will lead the Vasnians back to our
stolen plains, break the legs of the horses, and cave in the skulls of their riders.

VAEREFOR VAN REIBEN

I once saw the lord of the red elves with my own eyes. He stood on top of a giant
slug that crawled its way through the pass where cousin Welia and I were pick-
ing bird’s eggs on the mountainside. Vaerefor van Reiben they call him, and that
face of his might as well be made of bark. They say he lives among the growths
of the Crimson Forest – the ones that have gotten bigger lately, as you’ve probably
heard. I believe he has something to do with it!

THE DREAMSTRESS
Your dog ran away, eh? Well then, you should see the Dreamstress in Oxengelder
who knows where everything is and where everyone’s gone. There, in the lime-
stone region just below the mountains, she runs a school for dreamers. They say
the Dreamstress is a giant, bigger than a house but milder than cream, teaching
the so-inclined how to galder dream, so that the dreams inform them about the
world and can even alter things that displease them. But me, I prefer a good
night’s sleep and to leave the world as it is.
 THE SEVENTH
I’ve been told that a handful of stern-looking priests recently arrived in Raven-
land from beyond the seas, having made the same journey as the humans who
first landed on our shores. The priests are on a mission from the snake god to
make sure that the humans honor the god properly. Apparently no one can
endure the sight of their faces, which is why they’re all wearing masks.
The priests are said to be carrying strong shackles on their belts, with orders
to once more enslave the humans if they have not proven worthy of the freedom
they received as a test from the god. They leave the skeletons of the tried and
rejected in their wake, but cannot die themselves. When these terrible judges
heard of Fangler’s prophecy, that Wyrm had been reborn in Aslene, they headed
west to worship the god in his new form and pronounce their final judgment
on humanity. If you cross their path with an impure mind, beware.

OCTOMADRIA –
THE EIGHTH MOTHER
Did you hear the rumor that Wyrm will be reborn in Aslene? The Prophet
Fangler in Alderland, that fellow with the all-seeing third eye, supposedly had
a clear-cut vision from the gods. Mark my words, this will only bring calam-
ity upon us. They say the Congregation of the Serpent has already sent troops
to Aslene to receive their god and that Bretien the Procreator is mobilizing
a defense in Kantamar. Calamity, I say, and calamity there will be! It’s best
when things return to normal and all that’s turned upside down is the soil
under the farmer’s plow.

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 TAREGYLL
It is said that Taregyll beyond Shadowgate Pass is the last stop of the dead, where
demon-tainted wretches come from all over Aslene to find peace in the lava.
Some even say that the burning fissures are pathways between life and death.
Visitors who have returned across the pass claim that this is all nonsense
meant to keep foreigners away from the riches that lie abandoned and ripe for
the picking in the devastated western regions of Aslene.
The red forests in those parts are scary alright, but mostly for demons and
other unnatural filth, which makes it a good place for adventurers to prepare
for expeditions into the unknown.

ASHENSTEAD
When Horn wished to forge the holy Astra as weapons for Sella the Liberator
to use against the Vasnian hordes, the volcano god raised Mount Faltenvil like
an anvil from the plains and summoned his blacksmith Ungule from deep
beneath the earth. On the face of Faltenvil the Astra were forged, but so great
was the heat of the smoldering blacksmith that none other than Horn himself
could assist him, and so bright was the forge’s light that no one could even look
at the mountain. But once Ungule returned underground and the mountain
cooled, the horse clans built the temple of Ashenstead on its summit so the priests
could watch over the country and safeguard its unity. So arduous was Ungule’s
work that his hands were blistered and bloodied, and his blue blood remained
on the plains. Horn’s wife, Have, gathered the blood in a bucket and used it to
water her garden so that it would not go to waste, and from it grew the blue
pines of the Bloodmarch, whose sap becomes holy Blue Tar.

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 SALTERSTAY
It is said that the nameless sky goddess is too proud to take any notice of the
ground below. And yet she wants to see it beautiful to emphasize her own
beauty. To put some color on the canvass of the world she created the rainbow
Tincturus, whose colors are released with the rain to paint the flowers, trees,
and rocks in splendid hues. Tincturus thrives in the sky, so the sky goddess had
to lure the great painter down by hiding treasures in the earth which the rain-
bow is searching for like a truffle pig. One who acts quickly might get there first
to claim the treasure, but would be competing with drakewyrms and must
beware of their ravenous greed.

OXENGELDER
Have you heard of Oxengelder – the paradise of dreams? It’s said that all the
country’s peace and beauty took refuge in Oxengelder as the Demon Flood raged
into Aslene. There the gentle giantess welcomes anyone of pure heart and open
mind to study oneiromancy, the art of dreaming up a wonderful life! Would
you rather dance than fight? Rather love than hate? Would you give life a
second chance? Then let the dream come true! If you go to Oxengelder, be sure
to wear flowers in your hair, for it pleases the Dreamstress.

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legends
 BANN GUELDER
It’s shameful how the Sons of Nesos have softened and settled down like common
peasants around the ancestral tombs in Bann Guelder. Their buried forefa-
thers must be writhing with shame at their delicate offspring. And Nesos
himself has returned from the grave, they say, probably to drive the young folk
from the village and into battle as befits the sons of Horn. They’ve grown fat,
red-buttocked from a day’s ride but with plenty of coin, wherever those came
from – not from honest plunder, that’s for sure. My brother-in-law sold ‘em
a couple of hogs and was paid in pure gold, would you believe it?

TRIBOLIA OF THE KOGLER

In the time of the clans, the grand smithy of Tribolia was the greatest mechan-
ical wonder in Firestead. It was possibly rivaled by the fire fountains of Mor-
mender at one point, but those days came to an end with the clan wars. Now
Tribolia is said to be abandoned and tainted by demons, so no dwarf with any
sense will go there. Since the clan wars, the dwarves have appointed a guard-
ian of the smithy – the so-called Kogler. The current Kogler was a bit odd
even before he was appointed, but the title really went to his head. He became
obsessed with “claiming his domains” and sailed his airship into the smithy
against the council’s orders. The gate slammed shut behind him and would
not budge. Since no one wanted to come for him, the Kogler had to stay in his
smithy and has probably died by now.

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 WATCH OF THE SISTERS
It is said that Aslene was once a barren desert, until the sister goddesses Wail
and Flow sent their servant Have to make the land lush and green through
the goddesses’ warm winds and flowing freshwater.
The magma god Horn stayed below ground at the time, but as roots started
to pierce down into his underground domain, he grew curious and burst
through the surface as a volcano. Horn was amazed at how the Bloodmarch
had flourished. He delighted in the birdsong and the dance of the butterflies,
and was struck with love for Have. But when he learned that the Vasnians
had usurped the land without appreciating the goddesses’ creations, Horn was
furious and brought forth the horse clans from his fire to banish the ingrates.
He took Have as his wife and gave her fire to rule as her wedding gift. Soon
their five volcanic sons sprung up from the ground, and Horn gave each of
them a horse clan as their personal guard.
But the goddesses Wail and Flow felt that Horn had seduced their servant
and taken both her and the land out of their hands. In anger they raised an
impenetrable forest around their temple. From then on, they wanted nothing
to do with Aslene anymore.

AGNOSTICA
They say that the moon elves in the time before time built a temple with won-
drous gardens that floated over Aslene. The temple could only be seen when
the moon was full and never appeared in the same place twice, but was said
to gleam like mother-of-pearl, so that all who saw it would sit spellbound in
the night until it vanished. The memory alone is enough to bring tears to the
driest of eyes, and yet nobody can describe what they have seen.

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 ALDERLAND
It is rumored that civil war threatens Alderland beyond the Iron Lock, and
that there are now two kings in the land.
The Algarian dynasty, having been weakened ever since the death of king
Algarod during the fourth Algarian wars, has returned to power, supported
by the Sigalian guild of magicians and the Wyrm Church under the psycho-
pomp Vivírula. She has succeeded Vipera and assumed his role as head of Ad
Vipera, the church’s fanatical secret police.
King Alginor the Mild, a descendant of Algarod, is seen as a puppet of
his allies. The Algarians rule the capital Brodelmarg and the surrounding
southern region. It is rumored that the Sigalian guild intends to protect the
capital by performing large scale human sacrifices on prisoners in order to
raise a magical barrier.
Against the Algarians stands the Rust Church, in support of the Kantamar
dynasty. Bretien the Born has been crowned king. The Kantamarians and the
Rust Church dominate the sea. They control the north part of Alderland from
Raskalma in the mining district.

DAVURA
The expanse of wetland south of Alderland is called Davura. When the
Alderlanders received their land from the Raven God, the indigenous pop-
ulation known as the Boringers were expelled to Davura, where they built
settlements in the swamps and made contact with the natives, reptilian kin
of which little is known. Whether the Boringers are completely human is also
unclear. Merchants who have traveled the area say that the Boringers dream
of reconquering Alderland, led by the crocodile god A-Xanna. This god is said
to be one of a handful of named colossi in the region – primeval creatures who
inhabited the wetlands long before humans and Saurians showed up. Sodetar
the Hermit claims that the primeval creatures regularly gather at large stone
pillars in ruins rising from the swamps, waiting for the “Exudator” to be reborn.
 THE DRAWN LANDS
The Drawn Lands west of Aslene are said to get their name from the days of
King Hilemod the Wise. As the king grew old, his four sons started a fierce
war in competition for the juicy parts of his legacy. After years of battle, the
ducal sons finally asked their father to settle the dispute, but did not respect his
decision and declared war on each other once more. At that point Hilemod
had his sons imprisoned, drawn and quartered. He buried one part of each
son in each quarter of the kingdom to satisfy their greed, and then left the king-
dom to his only daughter Momesia, who turned out to be a just and competent
ruler. It is said that the Drawn Lands have been ruled by a queen ever since.
Long ago the Aslene horse clans roamed the Drawn Lands, pillaging the
wealthy merchant cities and raiding their caravans, but for the last three
hundred years the land has been impenetrable from the east, for the route
was closed by magical means when the demons invaded Aslene in the year
875 after the Shift. Since that day, anyone traveling west towards the Drawn
Lands across the Wailing has been met by ever-stronger winds that soon make
it impossible to continue.
In ancient times the land was called Hâ. The art of raising the dead is said
to have originated there. Stories tell of great ruined cities and entire kingdoms
of walking dead who still rule the Drawn Lands’ vast desert plains with the
old cities Modrawynd and Hâvila, where the dead watch over treasures and
secrets they will never willingly share with the living.

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 THE SPARSE
The vast archipelago east of Ravenland is called the Sparse, especially by people
on the continent. The various inhabitants of the Sparse have always defended
their independence from others, which means that little is known for certain
about the sea dwellers. The bigger islands of Vorenda and Hamaland with
their fringe of skerries traditionally vie for dominance of the outer seas with-
out really being interested in expanding their domains. Beyond them lie the
independent principalities of the Black Islands, the Hammer Islands (called
the Aes in the local language), the Clan Pearls, the Grumblers, and the Blood
Skerries. Less accessible are Neetma of the Dark Sea as well as the Yonder
Shells and the Tooth Reefs, beyond which the sea is said to drop into the abyss.
In addition, rumors speak of living and drifting islands woven of seaweed by
the semi-intelligent crabler kins.
The inhabitants of the Sparse include humans as well as gray elves and
various water-breathing scale kins. There are also numerous beasts, the larg-
est of which are said to swallow entire ships whole, only to spit them out years
later with an undead crew. Equally feared are the Hammer Island pirates
who are always hunting for slaves for their tin and copper mines. Even while
avoiding these dangers, unwary sailors sometimes get caught in the living
streams controlled by the Black Islands’ necromancers, never to be seen again.
Most inhabitants of the Sparse worship the goddess Meera, said to rule
over winds and weather at sea. She is rumored to dwell in a floating crystal
palace somewhere in the Vile Stretches, where the water’s surface is said not
to be flat, but twisted into hills and ravines among which only the most expe-
rienced sailors dare venture. Legend has it that Meera occasionally visits the
underwater cities of certain scale kin tribes in person.

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 IRONSTEAD
Dwarves speak reluctantly of Ironstead, an underground dwarf realm which
can supposedly be reached from Belderand in Ravenland, as well as from
the Bitter Reach and Aslene for those who know where to find the entrances,
which are said to move around. Ironstead is believed to be located in the inter-
mediate rock layers, somewhere between the surface and the deep structures of
the Dwelvers, but flying creatures have told of open, circular vales among ice-
laden mountains, vales whose domes immediately closed upon discovery. The
dwarves of Ironstead are said to worship the goddess Tekne, wife of Huge and
the mother of smithing, crafts, and invention. According to legend, the main
temple of Tekne is located in faraway Polestead, where her priests grease the
rotation axle of the world itself.
Whiteglint, the southwestern region of Ironstead, is famous for its wrought
crystal. Rumor has it that the dwarven masters of Whiteglint have sought to
create artificial life by imitating elven nature, where flesh and minerals grow
into life around a crystal. Rebellious creatures from failed experiments have
laid waste to an entire region in Ironstead, known as Skrena, where rampant
rocks have since grown like cancer in the mountain. Some believe that the
dwarves of Whiteglint are planning to send armies of artificial warriors to
drive all humans from Ravenland and its neighboring countries.

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 TREUWEN
Farther south, the swamps of Davura give way to the jungles of Treuwen,
which become increasingly difficult to pass through where steep mountains rise
high, cleft by deep ravines whose walls are home to hanging elven cities. The
boundary is said to be fluid and imperceptible. Rumor has it that the plants
in Treuwen’s forests are intelligent and their lives so intertwined that the iron
oaks of Mahemma shake with fury whenever a flower is picked from Loroa’s
meadows. Few humans have made more than a short stop in Treuwen. It is
said that all who linger too long in the jungle will carry it with them forever.
A few druids claim that they can move through the humid jungles in har-
mony with the living land. The same druids advise others to negotiate and
sacrifice before harvesting the jungle’s potent healing herbs, unless they want
to incur the collective wrath of nature.

ANOMA
No one really knows what lies beyond the great seas east of Ravenland, but leg-
ends tell of the continent Anoma from whence the humans sailed west twelve
hundred years ago, guided by the Raven god. None of the country’s written
or pictorial documents remain, barely even any legends, but myth has it that
the very bedrock of the land was devoured by a stone worm which forced the
humans to flee.
A couple of Rust Church inquisitors claim to have captured and interro-
gated a mysterious elf-like creature a few years ago. It babbled about an abyssal
menace beyond the seas and secrets that must never come to light. The prisoner
begged to be killed with his memories, and the interrogators granted his wish,
albeit accidentally by overestimating the creature’s vitality. Those responsible
were punished with dismemberment.

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 INDEX
A Dense Water 39 The Helm of Horn Merdenvil, Prince Sand Sleep 36
Adventure Sites 59 D’Irae 209 64 200 Sarcoptes 116
Ad Vipera 77, 126 Draug 131 Hina 216 Mergonella 199 Sella’s Dragonboot 65
Agent of Ad Vipera The Drawn Lands 252 Horn 18 Meskella 199 Selligar Horne 70,
126 The Dreamstress 96, Horned Dwarf 141 The Metrochrone 219 186, 234, 243
Agnostica 232–240, 187, 191, 193, 196, The Horn Riders 72 Mildella 131 Settler 127
250 234, 245 The Horse Clans 16 Mold Stone 29 The Seventh 4–7, 85,
Alderland 251 Dream Travel 35 Houns 16 Mommodar the 234, 240, 246
Alderlanders 19 Dream Visit 35 Hover Frog 124 Rodent 166 Shadowgate Pass 150
Alderlander Soldier Druma 26 Hunting 40, 51 Mongelo 169 Shrike 138
126, 143 Dunfalt 165 Moon Elf 127 Siltellos 166
Amnesia 32 Dwarf Warrior 201 I Moon Elves 20, 127, Slime Snail 121
The Ancient History Dwarves 20 Ignite 28 240 Slithernet 122
of the World 57 Inglourious Butchar Moonstones 84 Smolderer 102
Anoma 255 E 142 Mortilla 177–178 Soldier 157
Antmar Stickyfingers Egressor 126 Ironbrow 128 The Sons of Horn 55
154 Eisendor 151 The Ironbrows 81, N The Sparse 253
Apprentice 189 Eldengrul 202 128 Nightmares 34 Sporewalker 123
Aramalia Crack Elves 19 Ironstead 254 The Nightwalker Stanch Blood 37
229–230 Eor 24 Iron Will 36 Guard 23 Steam Flight 30
Arjebee 180 Étosh 21 The Stonechest of
The Arrows of the Evianda 180 J O Horn 63, 68
Fire Wyrm 67 Jackal 137 Octomadria 99, 240, Stone Warrior 238
Ashenstead 162–173, F Jagra 157 246 Strilling 26
247 False Shape 33 Oneiromancer 128, Strunde 151
Ashenvale 23 Fata Morgana 33 K 188, 189 Summon Fire Wyrm
Ashlands 16, 41, Fiena Fromelei 82, Kalemes 192 Oneiromancy 34 31
43, 48 186, 234, 244 Kasabatoda 95, 184 Orcs 20
Aslene Rider 143, 145 Firelands 16, 41, 44, Ketre Meskalma 190 The Order of T
Astra 61, 231 47, 49 The Kogler of Tribolia Egression 126, 149 Talullia 179–180
Attract 37 Fire Memory 30 227–228 Oxengelder 185–196, Taregyll 148–161, 247
Fire’s Friend 29 Kolor 94 248 Terrain Types 40
B Firestead 25 Konana 91, 206, 234, Tordenost 170
Bann Guelder 197– Firewall 31 245 P Traceless 32
206, 249 Fire Wyrm 110 Korlo 201 Path of Iron 36 Treuwen 255
Betsom 203 Foraging 47 Krasylla 68, 136, 161 Pearlyveine 125 Tribolia of the Kogler
The Bitter Reach 12 Forest Star 118 Kremiled 216 Penite 128 221–231, 249
The Black 24 Fraege 106 Kresos 199–200 The Penites 82, 128 Truth Sense 32
Blauder of Have 168 Fresco of Sella 62, 231 Kreysel 25 Pirimena 190 Tupilaq 218
Bloodbeech 103 Kromabella 133 Poansa Moulter 76, Turenfort 179
The Bloodmarch 11, G Kton 110 186, 191, 234, 240,
13–26, 40 Galdanes 17 Kurmena 151 244 V
Bloodshock 37 Gander’s Pass 242 Premonition 34 Vaerefor van Reiben
Blue Blood 38 Geas 33 L Prophetic Dreams 36 93, 184, 186, 234,
Blue Tar 38 Gerbera 167 Leading the Way 43 Protelas 214 240, 245
Bodyguard 200 Gest, The Demonic Legion 202, 204 Prune 104 Varina 26
The Book of Winds Mass 158 Liklaudos 166 Prunofilia 171 Vasnia 24
217, 242 Glasstooth 66 Lullaby 35 Pyrolyte 129 Vasnian 129
Brock, Captain 152 The Goblet Staff of Lycopodium Powder The Pyrolytes 129, 163 Vasnians 19, 129
Bydmer Dribblecliff Have 63 39 Verdegas 199
229–230 Goblins 23 Q Vheilor 209
Grarg 127 M Quards 17 Vinhelm Kaal 89, 234
C Grargs 22, 127 Magic 27–39 Volitia 21
Caberians 17 Grave Lily 108 Magma Cascade 30 R Vrendenholm 209
The Cauldron of Flow Grudenstaal, colonel Magma Song 28 Raider 129 The Wailing 25
59, 242 79 Magnetism 36 Random Encounters Watch of the Sisters
Cavaldo, Prince 212 Grudenstaal, Colonel Making Camp 48 130–147 207–220, 250
Clan Chieftain 127 161, 186, 192, 205, Mara 35, 194 Ravenlanders 19 Water Memory 30
Clan Rider 127 234, 240, 243 Margarita, The Forest Raven’s Purge 9 Whiner 139
Confusion 32 Guard 188 Spirit 210 Red Elf 129, 147, 212 Wingsteed 105
Costolena 216 The Guardian Temple Marika Moonfriend Red Elves 19, 129, 183 Witherbeam 69, 147
Crimson Forest 41, 69, 147 195 Repel 37 Wolfkin 22
45, 47, 50 Meat 85 Restorative Sleep 34 Wordplay 32
Crimson Forests 15 H Mecha 112 Rubor 94
Crimson Ooze 39 Hadruma 26 Mekefalos 223–224 Z
Crimson Sickness 42 Half Elves 20 Melgir Skylark 167 S Zhozhach 181
Halflings 23 Mengendorm 143 Sabirians 17
D Haudaros 178 Mentalism 31 Salamander 115
Davura 251 Have 18 Mental Strength 31 Salterstay 174–184,
The Daydreamers 196 Havenmark 25 Merdekai 166 248
 The plains of the Bloodmarch once blossomed so abundantly that hot days
would see rivers of nectar flow through the vales. The mountains yielded ore
so pure that shards of unforged iron could be used for axes. Of course, this was
before the Demon Flood. Ever since the sorcerer Zygofer had his demonic
hordes lay waste to the country, the land has been dead and deserted, apart
from the twisted nightmares that now roam its plains and forests. Yet there
should be much treasure to find for those brave enough to face their fears.

The Bloodmarch is an epic campaign module for the Forbidden Lands retro-fantasy
survival roleplaying game, describing the demon-infested lands west of Ravenland.
Contents:
✥ Three new magic disciplines: Magma Song, Mentalism, and Dream Magic.
✥ Rules for travels in The Bloodmarch, including 27 new random encounters.
✥ 16 new monsters, including the Fire Wyrm, Salamander, and Hover Frog.
✥ The Legacy of Horn campaign, including ten key players who all seek to dominate
The Bloodmarch.
✥ Eight complete, illustrated adventure sites, playable in any order.
✥ An epic campaign finale, giving the adventurers the chance to decide the future
of The Bloodmarch.

note: To make full use of this book, we recommend The Bloodmarch Map & Cards
Pack, sold separately.

ISBN 978-91-89143-66-1
FLFFBL017

9 789189 143661
© 2023 Fria Ligan AB