Dead

Horse
Blight

A Night Borough
Adventure by

Glynn
ENnie gold award winning

Seal
Part 1 of 3 in the Orrery Adventure Series
 Dead
Horse
Blight
A blight is rampaging through Brakenbau.
Black fungal spores have been appearing on grasses across the
fiefdom causing them to wither and die, leaving patches of
bare earth. Cattle and horses feeding on the affected grasses
shed their fur and coats and their blackened skin shivers
before they eventually lay down and expire.

Farmers and merchants across Brakenbau are becoming

restless. Some have lost hundreds of cattle and their
livelihoods are in ruins. Merchants are in uproar as the effect
on the availability of horses, mules and other draft animals
has become a significant issue, causing rising prices in the
transportation of goods.

The Duke of Brakenbau, Lucas Braken III, is under significant

pressure to sort out the problem not only from the farmers
and merchants of Brakenbau and the populace at large who
are seeing the economic effects of the situation, but also from
the Grand Duke who wants everything done to keep the
blight contained within Brakenbau’s borders. Surrounding
fiefdoms are growing increasingly anxious, watching their
borders for signs of the black spores.

Something must be done!

Part 1 of 3 in the Orrery Adventure Series

 Dark Stars Universe
A Night Borough Adventure:

Dead Horse Blight

Credits
Writing, Cartography & Layout: Glynn Seal
Night Borough Setting: Morgan Lean (Setting Goblin)
Editor: Victoria Kerr
Artists: Joe Bonito, Dean Spencer, Aleksa Stajsic, Cao Viet

Table of Contents
THE FIEFDOM OF BRAKENBAU
����������������������������������������4
Towns and Cities�������������������4
Monasteries���������������������������6
Villages�����������������������������������6
Locations of Interest�������������6
Nobles������������������������������������� 7
Notable Noble Families�����7
Taxation����������������������������������8
Justice�������������������������������������8
THE BLIGHT��������������������������9
Dead Horse Blight Disease���9
Blight Origins����������������������� 10
ORDER OF EVENTS��������������� 11
GETTING INVOLVED������������ 12
Captain Henning������������������12
The Missing Guardsman�����13
THE TOWN OF ALTVAGEN��� 14
Meeting the False Captain�� 14
Following Varg's Men����������15
THE VAGENWALD��������������� 16
Hagen's Woodland Camp��� 16
Gnarlstone Watchtower����� 19
BRAKENHAFEN������������������� 23
Brakenhafen�������������������������23
Seeing the Duke�������������������23
Before Koregg Ruins�������� 23
After Koregg Ruins���������� 23
RUINS OF KOREGG��������������24
Exploring the Ruins�������������24
SCHWEIRHAFEN�����������������30
The Contact��������������������������30
ROTE COPPER MINES���������� 32
Mining Terminology�����������32
Exploring the Copper Mines
�����������������������������������������������32
THE VOID BEYOND�������������� 36
Through the Breach������������36
The Cure�������������������������������38
Seal the Breach��������������������38
ADVENTURE COMPLETION� 39
Destroying the Sphere��������39
Audience with the Duke of
Brakenbau����������������������������39
Further Adventures�������������39
APPENDIX�������������������������� 40
Old One Remnant��������������� 40
Hollag Grimma (Human)��� 41
Varg's Mercenary (Human)42
Varg's Mercenary (Lake Troll)
�����������������������������������������������43
Varg Hagen (Human)����������44
Blackened Eye Lookout
(Human)�������������������������������45
Blackened Eye Thief (Wood
Elf)����������������������������������������46
The Hood (Wood Elf)����������47
Mergal Holst (Human)������ 48
Blackened Eye Mine Guard
(Human)�������������������������������49
Hoth Faust (Tainted Human)
�����������������������������������������������50

All Rights Reserved. Faeries Wear Boots ® is Epiphany Entertainment’s Trademark name for
its Fantasy Adventure Role Playing Game. The terms Beyond the Black Sea and Faeries Wear Boots!
Setting are trademarks of Epiphany Entertainment. All Rights Reserved under Universal Copyright
Convention. All incidents, situations, and persons portrayed within are fictional, and any similarity,
without satiric intent, of characters living or dead is strictly coincidental.

1
Dead Horse Blight
This is the first adventure in a three adventure arc. Dead Horse Blight is the advenure you hold
in your hands or are reading on your screen. It can be played as a standalone adventure, or part of
the arc. The second adventure is called Awakening a God, and the concluding third part is called
The Orrery of the Void.
The blight featured in this adventure is a plot by the Tsar of Moravik to sew unrest within the
Duchy of Brakenbau, and lay the foundation for an invasion. Whilst the Tsar is responsible,
hidden machinations of a Carcosan god, Astur, and his devout followers had influenced the Tsar
and his advisors without their knowledge. Seeking to bring a physical manifestation of Astur into
the world of Night Borough, they plan to wreak havoc and gain more power so that Astur may
rise to his full glory once again in Carcosa and the realms of Aldebaran.

The destruction of the portal in the Rote Copper Mines of this adventure allows disrupted energy
to manifest into one end of a Greater Portal in the Deepwater Circle, needed as part of Astur’s
attempt to manifest into Night Borough. However, the Greater Portal needs more energy from the
power of an ornate relic called The Orrery of the Void, which models the strange motions of the
planets, using special artifacts as the planets, known as ‘The Planetary Artifacts’.
To do this, Astur’s devout followers have rebuilt an ancient gate at the bottom of Great Lake Hali
which forms the other end of the Greater Portal, as well as structures and a temple that house the
chassis of the orrery. It just needs the planetary artifacts in place and a working orrery so that
his followers can perform the rituals needed to bring Astur’s manifestation through the Greater
Portal into Night Borough.

Six more planetary artifacts are needed to complete the orrery.

1. The Phoenix Egg: Adventure 2, Awakening a God.
2. Ambergris of the White Whale: Adventure 2, Awakening a God.
3. Acorn of Everliving: Adventure 3, The Orrery of the Void.
4. Star of Kalladari: Adventure 3, The Orrery of the Void.
5. Eye of Vulgaris the Mad: Adventure 3, The Orrery of the Void.
6. Starstone: Adventure 3, The Orrery of the Void.

Astur’s machinations are at work behind the scenes in all the adventures, manipulating forces
to bring the six planetary artifacts to Carcosa, despite many in the safekeeping with the elves of
Aelfheim who are sworn to keep them in their realm.
A human prophecy—a manipulation by Astur—foretells that a Great Old One will breach into
the world and wreak death and chaos unlike any ever seen, and not even the Dryad’s protective
magic can prevent it. An artifact of old—The Orrery of the Void, long broken apart and mainly
scattered across Aelfheim is the only hope of stopping it.
The Grand Duke of Fecklemare, as well as his advisors, seers, and prophets believe the prophecy,
wishing to find these pieces and help close the breach (the Greater Portal at the Deepwater
Circle), by passing through the gateway and installing them onto the Orrery ...exactly into the
location where Astur and his devout followers need them, but to fool Astur’s ambitions, the
Player Characters must destroy the powered orrery and return back through the portal before it is
destroyed once and for all. Sealing Astur to his fate in Carcosa.
Before the breach is destroyed, Astur’s manifestation partly comes through and causes mayhem
before being destroyed in the collapsing portal, thus concluding the final adventure in the series.

2
3
THE FIEFDOM OF
BRAKENBAU
The fiefdom of Brakenbau is ruled by Duke
Lucas Brakenbau III, son of the previous Duke
and of the same line that has steadfastly ruled
here for over two centuries. Prior to that, wars
forced changes in rulers every few decades—
some benevolent, some malign. The staunch ally
of the Grand Duchy of Krieangburg, Brakenbau
enjoys military and economic benefits from the
alliance.
The forests of the Vagenwald and Urwald are
sprawling, dark and ancient. Not many people
wander far inside the ancient, shadowy, and
bracken-carpeted floors of these dangerous
places. Logging camps, trappers, and hunters
take care not to awake slumbering tree spirits or
worse.
Brakenbau thrives on its woollen and wooden
products. Rich hardwoods taken from the forest
edges are crafted into all manner of opulent
products such as furniture, statues, ornate
doorways, and regal-looking carriages. The
grasslands are strewn with farmsteads, manors,
and old fortifications.
Lake Braken is ringed with fishing
communities that provide food from the
abundant waters. The southern waters of the
lake are mineral rich, picking up rainwater than
drains northwards from the Vier Hills.
Lake Deeping is the second largest lake in the
Grand Duchy of Fecklemare, and an important
trade route for connecting all but one of the
eastern duchies.
The Vier Hills are the most prominent
mountains in the duchy, reaching elevations
of just over 5,000 feet. The four dominant
peaks were renamed fifty years ago after
prominent members of the ducal household.
In order of prominence, they are Mount
Lucas, Mount Bertrand, Mount Mathilda, and
Mount Charlotte. The old names are still used;
Scharfespitze, Flachespitze, Gross Rot, and
Grauerzahn.
4
The duke has a circle of twelve advisors, versed
in all manner of specialities such as warfare,
agriculture, welfare, tithes, justice, religion, and
trade. Together, they are known as the Hoch
Braken.
Brakenbau is divided into five baronies; these
are the Baronies of Vagenwald, North Brakenbau,
Schloss, Hochalden, and Brakenhafen, the largest
towns being the centres for local administration.
These are the seats of the Barons (or Countesses)
and Lords (or Ladies) and they answer to the
Hoch Braken in all matters.
T owns and C ities
Altvagen: Sitting within the Barony of
Vagenwald, Altvagen is a small town of 4,000
inhabitants and was founded over a hundred
years ago on the edge of the Vagenwald. The
forest edge has since receded northwards due
to logging operations, but the town has grown
sufficiently to maintain its position. Merchants
haggle over wagons creaking with prized
hardwoods before they slog their way through
the streets and onto the trails eastward. The
current ruler of the Barony of Vagenwald, Lady
Blaufuer, resides in Altvagen.
Brakenhafen: A fortified port city and ducal
capital of 30,000 inhabitants, Brakenhafen sits
on the eastern edge of Lake Deeping. Ships take
woollen and wooden products across the lake
and through the river systems to the Duchy of
Krieangburg. Duke Brakenbau rules the whole
duchy from his pale stone, fortified palace
overlooking the lake from a promontory of rock
known as The Wall. The day to day running of
the Barony of Brakenhafen is tended to by Lord
Kairos.
The Church of the God of All Things and
10,000 Saints has a powerful foothold in
the capital, and they have become adept at
machinations within the duke’s court.
5
 Galzburg: A trading town of 2,000
inhabitants, this is a waystop for travellers
heading into Salz, and also those heading north
into Brakenbau. Both Salz and Brakenbau
merchants sell their wares here at keen prices
and despite the Salz merchants being taxed more
heavily, the business is lively and cutthroat.
The current ruler of the Barony of Schloss, Lord
Hulthengar, resides in Galzburg.
Hochhalden: A fishing and mining town
of 5,000 inhabitants, known for its crayfish.
The Crayfishmen of Hochhalden have formed
their powerful guild within the town, and
this holds sway over many other areas of life
for the Hochhaldens. The current ruler of the
Barony of Lake Braken, Baron Seethur, resides in
Hochhalden.
Ulfstein: A fishing town of 3,000 inhabitants,
this is a popular stop with traders heading south
from the Commonwealth of Tartarazn. Unusual
finds from the northern mountains abound in
the marketplaces: rare minerals, strange furs,
and even items laced with sorcery. The current
ruler of the Barony of North Brakenbau, Lady
Vallan, resides in Ulfstein.
M onasteries
Order of the Faceless Monk: A colony of
darkening-tainted monks, whose abbey sits in
the north-western Vier Hills. They are shunned
by the populace, although Duke Brakenbau has
exempted them from tithes and sends them a
monthly wagon filled with supplies. The current
abbot is Father Niedriger. They worship a saint
with no facial features.
The Dolmen Watchers: Not far from the
Winter Dolmens, a group of white-cloaked
wood elves, once from the Urwald, reside in a
fortified manor house. They carry out rituals and
maintenance to the Winter Dolmens, believing
them to be a defensive mechanism for an
upcoming war.
6
V illages
Hamlets and fortified villages surrounded by
farms are scattered across the landscape. Not
too far away are the fortified manor houses
owned by knights, nobles and other landowners
favoured by the lords and barons. Most
populations are of no more than 250 souls.
L ocations
of
I nterest
Major Ley Lines: Brakenbau is crossed by a
number of major ley lines and dotted with some
significant stone circles. The north-south ley
lines are: Seegermire, Alterene, and Harrow. The
east-west ley lines are: Deerghost, Kergal, Hoch,
and Larmusk. At the intersection of some of
these ley lines sit large arrangements of menhirs,
dolmens, trilithons, and sarsens.
Deepwater Circle: In the middle of Lake
Braken, over three hundred feet below the
surface, is a set of standing stones protruding
from the silty bottom like talons reaching
upwards. These are the standing stones known
as the Deepwater Circle and part of the Harrow-
Kergal ley lines.
Garlen Stones: Amongst the dense trunks and
canopy-cast shadows of the Vagenwald is a large
set of standing stones now wrapped in vines
and thick lichens, rarely having seen flickers of
sunlight in centuries. Ancient runes are carved
into the stones in a script no longer understood.
Part of the Alterene-Deerghost ley lines.
Gnarlstone Watchtower: In the dungeons
beneath this ancient stone watchtower, a circle
of stones sit within a fungi-illuminated chamber.
Part of the Seegermire-Kergal ley lines.
Winter Dolmens: The winter dolmens are
made of white stone, hence their name. One of
the most intricated sets of standing stones in
Brakenbau, they are a set of four concentric rings
of stones, with the inner set comprised entirely
of dolmens. Part of the Seegermire-Larmusk ley
lines.
 Ruins of Koregg: The Castle of Koregg fell
into ruins millennia past. No one knows who
built it and how long it stood. Its name comes
from an old ruler of legend, said to have sat
upon a golden throne in its great hall. These
ancient lakeside fortifications hark back to a
time when the lake levels were higher. Now a
series of crumbling stone walls and collapsed
towers perched in the foothills of the Vier Hills,
the dungeons, cellars and escape tunnels are
relatively intact.
Rote Copper Mines: Although in Salz, these
are mentioned here for the sake of the adventure.
The Rote Copper Mines are found in the Rote
Hills in Salz. The workings are centuries old, and
now abandoned as despite copper still being
found in the deep seams it became expensive
to extract. Copper is still mined in Salz, but in
smaller quantities as iron, gold and silver are
much more useful commodities.
7
N obles
Nobles have their titles bestowed upon them
through family lineage or are granted them
through heroic deeds and actions, such as
bravery in wartime. These titles come with land
and responsibility for those whose land they
own. Some nobles are unscrupulous, whilst
others are fair and even-handed. Nobles are
expected to keep a retinue of armed men and
women prepared to fight to defend the duchy
from any threats domestic and external.
N otable N oble
F amilies
House Lang-Roth: A rich trading family of
mixed elven and human ancestry, they make
their wealth from trading woollen products as
well as seafood. They operate from within the
city of Brakenhafen and have 6 merchant vessels
and 2 protection frigates each with 12 cannons.
They also operate a network of wagons and
haulage across the duchy as well as 100 pikemen
and 100 dragoons to help protect them.
Weiss-Muller: The Weiss-Muller family can
be traced back to the lands of Tomrel. These
towering red-haired humans are believed to
have fire giant ancestry to account for their
unusual appearance. No one knows the truth.
The seat of the Weiss-Mullers is a fortified keep
and manor near Hochhalden called the Höllefast.
Their wealth derives from gambling houses and
pleasure establishments. Their establishments
are scattered across the duchy and are protected
by 300 guardsmen.
Altbecken: The Altbeckens are a human noble
family that made their wealth through logging
operations in the Vagenwald and Urwald. They
donate large sums of money to the COAT. They
own land across the duchy, but their castle,
Schloss Altbecken, sits on the southern border
of the Barony of Vagenwald about 10 kilometres
south of Altvagen. The Altbeckens command a
force of 750 pikemen and 50 dragoons, and have
access to 6 cannons.
T axation
Taxes are collected from all the residents of Brakenbau unless they have special exemption. The job
of collecting taxes falls to the landowners, who are in turn required to pass a large percentage on to
their lord or baron, who again passes on a large percentage to the Duke of Brakenbau. Tax collectors
are generally loathed amongst the populace.

J ustice
Crimes are managed at a local level by representatives of the barony. These sheriffs are appointed by
the baron or lord and are usually given jurisdiction over an area within the village or town boundary,
which usually includes outlying farmsteads.
• Witchcraft (minor): imprisonment or serfdom for a length of time.
• Property Damage (minor): serfdom for a proportionate duration.
• Property Damage (major): Imprisonment or serfdom for a proportionate duration.
• Theft (minor): imprisonment or serfdom for a proportionate duration.
• Other crimes: are considered on a case-by-case basis.
More serious crimes with possible death sentences are handled by the Justices of Brakenhafen, a
council of thirteen men and women versed in the laws of the land. There are no juries.
• Treason against the Duke or Grand Duke: Death.
• Murder: Death or imprisonment.
• Witchcraft (major): Death, or imprisonment or serfdom for a
length of time
• Theft (major): Death or imprisonment.

8
THE BLIGHT
A blight is rampaging through Brakenbau.
Black fungal spores have been appearing on
grasses across the fiefdom causing them to wither
and die, leaving patches of bare earth. Swathes
of grassland being blighted would be less of a
problem if it wasn’t for the cattle and horses that
need to feed on this important resource. Once
animals eat the affected grasses, the spores grow
rapidly inside their hosts. Within days, their fur
and coats have shed and their blackened skin
shivers before they eventually lay down and
expire.
Farmers and merchants across Brakenbau are
becoming restless. Some have lost hundreds of
cattle and their livelihoods are in ruins. Merchants
are in uproar as the effect on the availability of
horses, mules and other draft animals has become
a significant issue, causing rising prices in the
transportation of goods. The Duke of Brakenbau,
Lucas Braken III, is under significant pressure to
sort out the problem not only from the farmers
and merchants of Brakenbau and the populace at large who are seeing the economic effects of the
situation, but also from the Grand Duke who wants everything done to keep the blight contained
within Brakenbau’s borders. Surrounding fiefdoms are growing increasingly anxious, watching their
borders for signs of the black spores.
Signs of the blight were first noted two months ago in Altvagen on the borders of the Vagenwald,
leading many to believe that a disease often found on trees had migrated to grasses with devastating
effect. Since then, the blight has spread quickly, being carried by infected animals travelling up and
down the fiefdom and by the carrion that feed on the blight-affected carcasses. Patches of infertile
earth radiate out from the Vagenwald, spreading through the arterial routes as far north as Ulfstein
and as far south as the Vier Hills.

D ead H orse B light D isease

Dead Horse Blight only affects equine (horses, mules, etc), ovine (sheep) and bovine (cows, oxen,
etc) animals. Specifically affected animals are at the Game Master’s discretion. It is currently not
contagious to humans, Dwarves, Elves, Trolls, Folk or Ophidians. The blight does affect Old Ones.
Disease FP/HP FP Recovery HP Recovery Attribute Potency
Damage
Dead Horse Blight 6d6 2d6 1d6 Con, Dex, Str 2

The Grand Duke has demanded an investigation and forced Duke Braken into action to stop it
spreading further into the duchy, and impacting food sources and the entire population of the duchy.
Duke Braken has dispatched a dedicated blight investigation team from Brakenhafen to Altvagen to
find out more about the blight’s origin and how to stop its spread.

9
B light O rigins
The blight is not what it seems. It is part of a sinister plot to overthrow the Grand Duke, destroy the
economy of Fecklemare and pave the way for an invasion by the armies under the control of the Tzar
of Moravik.
An enclave of thieves and sorcerers based in the town of Schweirhafen in Salz known as the
Blackened Eye are loyal to the Tzar of Moravik. They operate through a shadowy network of
middlemen and spies who work to undermine the Brakenbau authorities. A learned group within the
Blackened Eye, whose interest lay in diseases and poisons, had found a dangerous strain of fungal
spores that inhabited the Void Beyond long since forgotten by most. Whilst safe to humanity, its
effects on animals made them realise that with some modifications to its longevity, it could have a
detrimental effect on economies that rely on cattle for food and animals for transportation.
After years of striving, and working on a cure in parallel, the Dead Horse Blight spores were ready for
whatever their master in Moravik could use them for.
The Tzar and his most loyal circle formulated a master plan around the fungal spores: release, wait,
and invade.

10
ORDER OF EVENTS
The following is the order in which the
adventure is expected to run:
1. Start in Grubdorf.
2. Meet Captain Henning and learn about
missing guardsman.
3. Find the body of Guardsman Fischer and his
horse. Fight the wolf pack.
4. Head to Altvagen to meet with Captain
Henning and get payment. Captain Henning
and his group have been killed by Varg
Hagen and his bandits working for the
Blackened Eye, who are now pretending to
be Captain Henning’s group. He will initially
refuse to pay them.
5. The PCs will know that the man pretending
to be Captain Henning is not him and
likely arouse suspicion. They can track the
movements of some of Varg’s men who
travel into the Vagenwald at night to their
woodland camp.
6. At Hagen’s Woodland Camp, the PCs find
the bodies of Captain Henning’s company
and the dying Captain Henning who tasks
the PCs with finding out what’s going on,
believing it to be related to the blight, and
reporting to the duke. They find clues to a
further location at Gnarlstone Watchtower.
7. At Gnarlstone Watchtower, the PCs find
that a shadowy group called the Blackened
Eye are behind Captain Henning’s death,
and in the dungeons beneath they find a
member of the Blackened Eye called the
Hood as well as an indestructible floating
black sphere that sits on a conjunction of ley
lines, powering the continued growth of the
blight. Clues to a location in the Vier Hills
near Brakenhafen suggests the Blackened
Eye might have a base of operations in the
Ruins of Koregg.
11
8. At the Ruins of Koregg, the PCs find the base
of the Brakenbau arm of the Blackened Eye.
It is here that they discover a secret location
exists where the blight has been developed,
known only to a contact in Schweirhafen in
Salz.
9. Schweirhafen: The contact in Schweirhafen
can be forced to tell of the Rote Copper
Mines in the Rote Hills where the fungal
spores of the blight were discovered deep in
the tunnels. He also knows that the floating
black sphere powers the blight and can only
be destroyed by a ‘cure’.
10. At the Rote Copper Mines, the PCs stumble
across the breach that allows the fungal
spores to be collected from the Void Beyond.
This is also where the cure is kept. PCs must
venture into the Void Beyond to get it. They
fight the dying remnants of an Old One who
protects it. They must also seal the breach.
The head sorcerer at the Rote Copper Mines,
Hoth Faust, is the architect of the blight. The
PCs find that it is part of a plot by the Tzar of
Moravik to eventually invade Brakenbau.
11. The cure can then be used in the dungeons
of Gnarlstone Watchtower to destroy the
floating black sphere and reverse the blight
and its effects. The plot can be relayed to
the Duke and his advisors to thwart any
further attempts to bring down the Duchy
of Brakenbau.
GETTING INVOLVED
The player characters start in the small hamlet
of Grubdorf, eight kilometres southeast of
Altvagen. How they came to be here is up to the
Game Master and the players. Here are some
suggestions, feel free to pick or roll randomly:
R eason for
being in
G rubdorf
Roll Reason
1d10
1 Visiting a relative of one of the player
characters.
2 Delivering a package to a prominent
villager.
3 Looking for work.
4 Looking for a wanted criminal.
5 On their way to Altvagen and staying
here briefly to rest.
6 Finding plant ingredients for a
prominent herbalist.
7 Just travelling the lands looking for
adventure.
8 Hunting a dangerous beast that has
been plaguing farmland.
9 Have been magically transported there
from Stygia by an unknown entity.
10 Woke up here and have no recollection
of where they are.
On their way to Grubdorf, the player characters
could have encountered the effects of the blight
already in the following ways:
• A farmer burning blight-affected cattle
carcasses.
• A farmer burning patches of blight-affected
grass.
• Dead sheep by the roadside (emaciated,
coatless, and black skinned).
• A farmer asking for work, as his farm and
livestock have been ravaged by blight.
Grubdorf is a simple hamlet surrounded by
farmland. The hamlet has a few tradesmen and
12
craftsmen, but its redeeming feature is the old,
whitewashed coach house and inn called the
Home From Home.
It is suggested that the player characters are
staying at the inn or at least having a meal or
refreshment there. The player characters are
likely to have heard rumours of the blight, even
if they haven’t encountered it, especially if they
have been in the region of Brakenbau for more
than few weeks. Here’s what they know at the
start of the adventure:
1. A blight is ravaging Brakenbau (true).
2. It’s killing cattle and horses (true).
3. The blight originated in the Vagenwald
(partially true).
The rest of the patrons in the bar area of the
inn are mostly farmers telling their tales about
the blight.
Travel Note: On horseback, in normal terrain, a
character can travel approximately 80 kilometres
per day (10 hexes). That’s 1 hex per hour for a 10-
hour travel day. On foot, a character can travel ap-
proximately 32 kilometres per day (4 hexes). That’s
0.5 hex per hour for an 8-hour travel day.
C aptain H enning
At some point during their time at the inn (or
even outside near the stabling), at sunset, the
doors open and seven men armed and wearing
light armour and muddy travelling cloaks enter.
Their tabards bear the Brakenbau coat of arms
marking them as the duke’s men.
This is the duke’s blight investigation team.
Their leader is a man of fifty winters who
introduces himself to inn staff as Captain
Henning. The player characters can overhear that
he and his men are on their way to Altvagen on
the duke’s business and that they have lost one
of their group after they were stalked by wolves
earlier in the day. As such, they are looking to
stay here for the evening and find someone who
can go and help look for him while they continue
their journey to Altvagen in the morning.
 The player characters can approach the captain
and offer their services, or he will come to their
table and ask the PCs if they are interested in
aiding him. He will offer 200 silver coins if the
players can find his colleague and his horse and
aid them back to Altvagen, even if the worst
befell them. Some other things he may divulge
are:
• The group were stalked and chased by a
pack of wolves that attacked them, running
parallel to the main road about an hour
and a half east of Grubdorf, not far from
a toppled stone waymarker on a rise in
the roadway. The horses got spooked and
bolted.
• They last saw him struggling with his
spooked horse, fleeing north into the broken
and rocky terrain.
• The missing man’s name is Wolfgang
Fischer, and he was a human guardsman.
• He was riding a dapple-grey horse with a
black mane and white forelock.
• His men are off to investigate the recent
blight on the orders of the duke.
• The rest of the Captain’s group are Sergeant
Otto Schmidt, Guardsman Heinrich Muller,
Guardsman Karl Kraus, Sage Werner Jalgen
(a fungal specialist), Ranger Johanna Kruger
(a woodland specialist), and Albrecht Haas
(a human sorcerer). They are all human.
• They will be based at the Woodsman Inn in
Altvagen by tomorrow afternoon.
T he M issing
G uardsman
The roadway from Grubdorf heads east
and eventually (after three hours travel on
horseback) the player characters will see the
toppled stone waymarker. They can head north
off the roadway and into the rugged terrain
looking for clues. After quarter of an hour,
an active search and successful Recon skill
check will enable them to spot signs of grey-
white horse fur, skin and blood on some sharp
boulders. Another successful Recon skill check
will spot hoof prints in the dried dirt continuing
13
north. From this point, the ground is trickier,
and if on horseback the PCs will struggle to
steer their mounts safely and risk injuring their
horses.
After another quarter of an hour following the
tracks, up ahead amongst the weatherworn and
tumbled stones is a dark cave opening. Before it,
the half-eaten bodies of a man and horse lie still,
blood and innards lie across the dirt. These are
the bodies of Guardsman Fischer and his dapple-
grey horse.
If any of the players still have their horses
with them, they become agitated and will bolt
unless the character makes a successful Pilot
(Equestrian) skill check. If any player characters
get within 5 metres of the dead guardsmen, a
snarling wolf leaps from the darkness of the cave
entrance. Six more wolves appear all around,
hunched on the rocks and then pounce at the
player characters.
If the player characters posted a lookout, then
they have an opportunity to spot the wolves
approaching with a successful Recon skill check
and ready themselves for the attack.
W ol f
Str 6; Dex 6; Con 6; Siz 3; Att 1; Int 2; Edu 1;
Cha 3; Emp 2; SCt 5; Ess 13; Hum NA;
Skills NA; MCDB 2; HP 18; FP 12; Init 3; Mv
10 walking.
Attacks: Claws (AP 1; Dmg 1d3); Fangs (AP 2;
Dmg 1d6)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 2 / 6; 2-4 Body
Upper 2 / 9; 5-6 Body Lower 2 / 9; 7 Leg Left
Front 2 / 6; 8 Leg Right Front 2 / 6; 9 Leg
Left Rear 2 / 6; 10 Leg Right Rear 2 / 6.
Special Notes: None.
Skills: 90% Recon; 60% Unarmed Combat;
40% Stealth; 20% Navigation, Athletics.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Night Eyes,
Keen Senses.
The player characters must find some way
of taking the body of the guardsman (not the
horse) back to Captain Henning in Altvagen. The
messy remains of the body weigh 90 pounds.
THE TOWN OF ALTVAGEN
The journey from Grubdorf to Altvagen is
short (an hour on horseback). Along the way, the
players will encounter more signs of the blight,
especially from burning cattle carcasses.
Altvagen is a fortified town protected by a
wooden palisade perched atop a mound of earth
with ditches to its outer perimeter. Wooden
watchtowers protecte these ditches, and the
walls are more heavily fortified around each
of the two entrance gates: one north heading
off into the Vagenwald beyond, and one south
leading back towards the rest of the duchy.
The town supports around 3,000 inhabitants
and is busy all times of the day until the gates
are closed at nightfall, after which they require
special authorisation from Lady Blaufuer to be
opened. Guards watch the gates and towers in
the Lady’s tabards, which bear the hardly of
Brakenbau, but also depict the blue keep of the
Blaufuer family. Atop a huge earthen mound
sits the stone keep of Lady Blaufuer, known as
Blaustone. Wagons and animals pack the streets,
busy with a throng of haggling merchants and
wagoners.
The main streets within the town are mostly
paved to allow heavy use and good traction for
draft animals and wagons. Just inside the south
gate sits a two-storey timber-framed structure
with cracked wattle and daub walls painted off-
white. A crudely painted and creaking wooden
sign carved into the shape of an axe swings on
two rusty chains proudly proclaiming it in white
lettering as the Woodsman Inn.
Outside the Woodsman Inn is a large stable
managed by a young stableman called Noah.
Inside the inn is a large taproom which serves
ales, meads and wines as well as a hearty menu
of cooked meats, cheeses, breads and broths. The
mood seems sombre, but busy. In the corner, a
group of eight men and women dressed in the
uniforms of the Duke of Brakenbau sit around
a hearth drinking ale. At first glance, the player
characters believe them to be Captain Henning
and his group. Hollag looks vaguely like Captain
Henning, with unkempt sun-bleached hair
14
and a weathered face, except for having a very
squashed nose.
M eeting the F alse
C aptain
These mercenaries are under the command
of Varg Hagen and being led by Hollag Grimma
taking on the role of Captain Henning. The
mercenaries are a ragtag mob of men and women
who are down on their luck but heeded the call
of Varg and bought into the idea of freedom that
living outside the law offers. They have already
ambushed and captured Captain Henning and
his group, taking them to their woodland camp,
and are wearing their uniforms to act as the
duke’s men. Varg’s men are under instruction to
maintain the pretence of being here under the
duke’s command to investigate the blight, but
to prevent any actual investigation into matters.
Varg’s men know nothing of Captain Henning’s
request that the players find Guardsman Fischer
and bring him back to Altvagen for payment.
Game Master’s Note: When meeting with
Varg’s mercenaries, the GM should play it as
such that the Hollag Grimma thinks the players
are trying to pull a fast one on him and get
money out of him as part of some scam. Hollag
will respond to anyone addressing him as
Captain Henning, and also address his group as
the people they are replacing, as well as being
required to do the duke’s bidding to investigate
the blight. The PCs can attempt to succeed at an
Empathy skill check to note that they are being
lied to.
If the PCs start a fight with Varg’s mercenaries
in the town, then at least two will flee Altvagen
and head to the woodland camp on horseback. A
fight here will attract the town watch and likely
involve in the arrest and temporary detention of
the PCs with the authorities believing the ‘duke’s
group’ (Varg’s mercenaries).
F ollowing V arg ' s
M en
If the PCs decide to keep an eye on Varg’s men,
then two will leave the town at midnight and
head to the woodland camp. Note that they have
authority to leave granted by Lady Blaufuer, who
believes these men to be on the duke’s business.
The PCs will need to escape the town as the
watch will not allow them to leave via the gates,
which will remain shut.
H ol l a g G ri mma (1)
Str 6; Dex 5; Con 9; Siz 7; Att 4; Int 4; Edu
3; Cha 7; Emp 4; SCt 5; Ess 20; Hum 40;
Skills 320; MCDB 4; HP 32; FP 25; Init 2;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Long sword (AP 2; Dmg 2d6+3
Thrust = +2 AP, Cut = +2 Dmg)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/9; 2–4 Chest
8/16; 5–6 Abdomen 8/9; 7 Left Arm 3/6; 8
Right Arm 3/6; 9 Right Leg 0/12; 10 Left Leg
0/12.
Special Notes: Wears breastplate and
reinforced leather vambraces. Carries 26
silver coins, and an emerald worth 30 silver
coins.
Skills: 80% Speak & Read Language
Native; 60% Melee Combat; 50% Unarmed
Combat, Persuasion & Manipulation; 40%
Graft (Bribery); 20% Stealth, Recon, Pilot
(Equestrian), Projectile Weapons.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Unnatural
Health, Haymaker, Feinted Strike, Riposte.
15
V a rg ’ s M e rc e na rie s , H u ma n (6)
Str 5; Dex 7; Con 6; Siz 5; Att 4; Int 4; Edu
4; Cha 4; Emp 4; SCt 5; Ess 17; Hum 40;
Skills 330; MCDB 3; HP 22; FP 21; Init 3; Mv
3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Short sword (AP 2; Dmg 1d6+4
Thrust = +2 AP); Crossbow (AP 4; Dmg
1d6+2)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/6; 2–4 Chest
5/11; 5–6 Abdomen 5/6; 7 Left Arm 3/4; 8
Right Arm 3/4; 9 Right Leg 0/8; 10 Left Leg
0/8.
Special Notes: Wear reinforced leather
tunics. Carry 1d10 silver coins.
Skills: 70% Speak & Read Language Native;
40% Unarmed Combat, Melee Combat,
Projectile Weapons; 30% Graft (Gambling),
Professional Skill (Carpentry), Stealth,
Recon, Herder, Farming; 10% Persuasion &
Manipulation, Athletics.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: No Mercy,
Luck of the Leprechaun.
THE VAGENWALD
Straying off the logging trails of the Vagenwald
and heading into the darkness can get you in
trouble deeper than you expected. Here are
some likely encounters to be found if the player
characters stray more than a kilometre off the
trail. Roll 1d6 once per day and once per night;
on a 6, an encounter occurs. Roll or pick from the
table below.
the meddling player characters, and posted a
lookout on the south trail who will alert the
camp with a specific owl hooting sound and be
ready to attack the player characters from their
hiding locations in the tree line. The lookout
can make Recon skill checks to spot any PCs
attempting to sneak up to the camp (a successful
opposed Stealth skill check required).

V agenwald E ncounters
Campfire: If the camp is approached at night,
the light of the large campfire will be seen
Roll Daytime Night-Time casting an orange glow up ahead.
1d6 Encounters* Encounters* The camp itself is in a small clearing in the
1 Ape Men (4) Hobgoblin Patrol (6) trees with the trail continuing northwest.
p. 11 p. 72 In the clearing are seven tents clustered into
2 Dire Wolf (1) Giant Spider (2) two groups around a central campfire with a
p. 182 p. 190 succulent-looking boar spit-roasting above it.
If the two mercenaries from Altvagen made
3 Giant Spider (1) Ogres (2) it to the camp, they will be standing by the
p. 190 p. 97 campfire unless given warning by the lookout.
4 Cave Bear (1) Centaur Patrol (2) Refer to the following information for numbered
p. 174 p.19 locations irrespective of day or night. Only
5 Wolf Pack (6) Mothran, injured (1) ambush conditions change the locations of the
p. 212 p.92 mercenaries:
6 Troll (1) Nightmare Spawn (1)
p. 130 p. 96 1. Mercenary Tent (Human): Two of Varg’s
mercenaries are inside here sleeping on
woollen blankets and covered with furs.

H agen ' s W oodland

2. Mercenary Tent (Human): One of Varg’s

C amp
The journey from Altvagen to Hagen’s
woodland camp takes about 2 hours. The trail
through the edge of the Vagenwald is single file
for horses and needs to be taken carefully due
to the tree roots and low branches that straddle
the trail. As the trail gets further into the forest,
the trees and canopies get denser. The two
mercenaries are too lazy to hide their tracks, so
they are easy to find with a successful Recon skill
check.
Ambush: If the two mercenaries made it
to the camp, they will have warned them of
* Page numbers refer to the entries in the Beyond the Black Sea
Bestiary.
mercenaries is inside sharpening his sword.
The tent contains his bedding and buried in
a small hole in the ground is a leather pouch
containing 50 silver coins.
3. Mercenary Tent (Lake Troll): A Lake Troll
mercenary is inside, sleeping.
4. Supplies Tent: This tent contains kindling,
cooking equipment, and crates with
bedding, spare weapons and armour. There
are 1d6 of any weapons and armour carried
by the mercenaries to be found here.
5. Mercenary Tent (Human): Two of Varg’s
mercenaries are inside here playing cards on
an upturned crate. Their bedding is piled up
to act as comfortable seating.
6. Varg’s Tent: Varg sits in this tent reading
the latest communique from the Blackened
Eye. As well as more luxurious bedding and

16
 a comfortable chair, there is a locked chest
which contains 230 silver coins, letters from
the Blackened Eye, and the key to the cage
(9). The key to the chest is on a leather cord
around Varg’s neck.
The letters found in Varg’s tent, and inside the
locked chest, are numerous instructions on:
• ‘…ensuring that there is no interference up
at Gnarlstone’, and
• ‘…doing whatever is necessary’, and
• being ‘…rewarded handsomely for your
services’.
All letters are signed off with the image of a
black eye. This is the symbol of the Blackened
Eye, but they are not mentioned by name.
7. Patrol Tent (Human): Usually this tent is
used by two of Varg’s mercenaries, but they
are patrolling the camp, and are currently
two hundred yards up the north trail. They
will run back down if they hear sounds of
17
fighting.
8. Bodies: The naked bodies of Captain
Henning’s group are here. All have had their
throats cut.
9. Cage: A wrought iron cage which is locked
with a formidable padlock. It can be
unpicked with a successful Engineering
(Mechanical) skill check or Intelligence
attribute check at -3. Inside here is the
naked form of Captain Henning who is on
the verge of death and slipping away fast
(1 HP). Captain Henning, through blood-
speckled spit, manages to beg the player
characters to find out what is going on and
get word to the Duke when they know more.
He insists they go to the duke personally,
and he slips them his silver signet ring as
proof. He also begs them to avenge his dead
comrades. He is sure these mercenaries are
related to the blight in some way, and they
are suppressing any attempts to investigate.
He has seen them head further up the trail
often.
V a rg ’ s M e rc e na ri e s , H u ma n (7) V a rg H a ge n (1)
Str 5; Dex 5; Con 6; Siz 5; Att 4; Int 4; Edu Str 7; Dex 7; Con 6; Siz 6; Att 7; Int 7; Edu 6;
4; Cha 4; Emp 4; SCt 5; Ess 17; Hum 40; Cha 11; Emp 5; SCt 7; Ess 30; Hum 50;
Skills 330; MCDB 3; HP 22; FP 21; Init 3; Mv Skills 380; MCDB 4; HP 24; FP 23; Init 3;
3 walking. Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Short sword (AP 2; Dmg 1d6+4 damage); 2-H Great Sword (AP 2; Dmg
Thrust = +2 AP); Crossbow (AP 4; Dmg 2d6+3, 1.5× MCBD bonus, Thurst = +2 AP,
1d6+2) Cut = +2 Dmg)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/6; 2–4 Chest Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/7; 2–4 Chest
5/11; 5–6 Abdomen 5/6; 7 Left Arm 3/4; 8 8/12; 5–6 Abdomen 8/7; 7 Left Arm 8/4; 8
Right Arm 3/4; 9 Right Leg 0/8; 10 Left Leg Right Arm 8/4; 9 Right Leg 8/9; 10 Left Leg
0/8. 8/9.
Special Notes: Wear reinforced leather Special Notes: Varg wears a breastplate and
tunics. Carry 1d10 silver coins. plate greaves and vambraces. He carries 139
Skills: 70% Speak & Read Language Native; silver coins.
40% Unarmed Combat, Melee Combat, Skills: 90% Speak & Read Language Native;
Projectile Weapons; 30% Graft (Gambling), 70% Persuasion & Manipulation, Graft
Professional Skill (Carpentry), Stealth, (Bribery), Melee Combat; 30% Social &
Recon, Herder, Farming; 10% Persuasion & Style, Professional Skill (Merchant), Recon,
Manipulation, Athletics. Unarmed Combat; 10% Athletics, Stealth,
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: No Mercy, Projectile Weapons.
Luck of the Leprechaun. Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Toughness
×2, Crushing Assault, Stamina.
V a rg ’ s M e rc e na ri e s , L a k e T rol l (2)
Str 7; Dex 7; Con 6; Siz 11; Att 3; Int 3; Edu
3; Cha 2; Emp 4; SCt 4; Ess 13; Hum 40;
Skills 310; MCDB 5; HP 34; FP 23; Init 3; Mv
3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Great Hammer (AP 8; Dmg 2d6
1.5× MCBD used 2-H)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/10; 2–4 Chest
0/17; 5–6 Abdomen 0/10; 7 Left Arm 0/6; 8
Right Arm 0/6; 9 Right Leg 0/13; 10 Left Leg
0/13.
Special Notes: Immune to disease. Breathe
underwater.
Skills: 65% Unarmed Combat; 50% Speak &
Read Language Native; 45% Melee Combat;
25% Survival, Athletics, Recon, Projectile
Weapons; 10% Graft (Bribery), Persuasion
& Manipulation, Basic Ground Navigation,
Stealth.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Weapon
Breaker, Haymaker, Jab, Toughness.

18
G narlstone
W atchtower
The player characters will now have discovered
the name Gnarlstone. Any characters passing a
Basic Ground Navigation skill check will recall
that they have seen that name on an old map. It
is an old watchtower on the ancient border wall.
The tower is about an hour or two up the trail
on the Yergenbau border. If the character makes
a special success on their skill check, they will
also recall that it sits at the junction of two ley
lines. A further Intelligence attribute check will
recall that these are the Seegermire and Kergal
ley lines.
At the end of the trail, remnants of the ancient
crumbling wall stand, split by a dilapidated grey
basalt stone tower still standing sentinel against
long-forgotten foes.
Approach: Lookouts in (3) will be watching
the approach, although they won’t be expecting
19
anyone other than Varg or his mercenaries.
Lookouts can make Recon skill checks to spot
any PCs attempting to sneak up to the camp
(a successful opposed Stealth skill check is
required).
Pit Fall: The entrance to the tower itself, via
a locked doorway into (1), is trapped. A pit has
been dug into the ground 4 metres deep and
covered with a loose, but convincing scatter
of light debris. A Recon skill check by anyone
actively checking for traps will spot something
unusual. Anyone touching or standing at the
doorway will fall into the pit below unless they
make a successful Dexterity attribute check.
Failure results in 3d6 HP of damage.
Access: The way in and out of the tower is by
a long wooden ladder that sits on the walkway
of the wall on the south side of the tower. This is
lowered and raised by the lookouts as required.
Areas 1, 2, and 4–7 are lit with torches in iron
wall sconces.
 1. Storage: The door to the ground floor is
locked and requires a successful Engineering
(Mechanical) skill check or Intelligence attribute
check at -3 to unlock. Inside a set of hastily
repaired wooden stairs wind up the area (2).
A wooden trapdoor is set in the corner of the
flagstone floor and is unlocked. The room has
been used to store empty and broken crates,
rotten vegetables and broken weapons and
armour. Small pieces of rubble litter the floor.
The area from the stairs to the trapdoor looks
well-trodden, and if opened, iron rungs set into
the stonework lead down towards this area (4).
2. Lookout Rest Area: Three Blackened Eye
lookouts rest here. Two are playing cards, and
the other is resting on his blankets. The room
contains a small table and piles of dry grass
bedding laden with blankets to sleep three. A set
of wooden stairs lead down to area (1).
3. Lookout Post: Two Blackened Eye lookouts
are keeping watch on the trail. On the stone
20
floor, they have a small fire constantly burning
away day and night, which casts an amber light
at night. Upon it, a small cauldron of broth is
bubbling away. If they spot anyone approaching
the trail, they will signal to the lookouts in area
(2) below with a whistle.
4. Mostly Empty: The climb down the iron
rungs leads to a corridor with a short set of
flagstone steps down to an unlocked doorway.
Beyond, distant voices can be heard as well as
distant clanking and thumping and hissing.
Inside, the room is empty except for dirt and
small pieces of rubble, and some offcuts of
copper tubing. Another door is slightly ajar, and
voices can be heard talking beyond. For those
wanting to listen, a Recon skill check will reveal
that there are four distinct voices.
5. Thieves’ Barracks: Five Blackened Eye
thieves are resting here, unless a lookout above
has managed to alert them. Four are talking
about their masters and their ‘…opportunities
back at Koregg’, the other is sleeping. The clanking, thumping and
hissing is louder here.
The Hood will be flitting around between areas 6, 7, and 8. The
noise comes from the measuring equipment.
6. The Hood’s Quarters: This room is the personal quarters of
the Hood, a prominent member of the Blackened Eye’s operation
at Gnarlstone. The darkening has tainted the Hood, and he
wears his black cloak with the hood always pulled up, hiding his
pustulent face in shadow. He is overseeing the operation of the
sphere and monitoring its power using the measuring equipment
in area (7). The chamber contains a comfortable sleeping cot, a
wooden desk and an upholstered chair. A small shelf holds some
books about alchemy and geology.
A locked drawer in the desk can be forced open with a Strength
attribute check. Inside are letters and journals with information to
suggest that the Hood is a member of an organisation called the
Blackened Eye and they have a base of operations in the Vier Hills
near Brakenhafen known as Koregg (the Ruins of Koregg).
7. Measurement Chamber: From the other side of this
chamber, the sounds of the measuring equipment can be
heard hissing, thumping and clanking. Strange copper
pipes, wires, glass tubes and vessels with bubbling
liquids, pistons pumping, and all manner of strange
contraptions weave throughout this room. Several valves
hiss steam, and dials show hovering needles just below red
thresholds. A breach in the wall leads into a darker chamber
into which many of the copper pipes lead. Damaging the
measuring equipment will have no effect on the sphere or the
fronds.
8. Sphere Chamber: Inside this rough natural chamber, a giant
pit drops down into inky blackness. On the other side of the pit,
hovering above the uneven ground is a floating black sphere that
sits on a conjunction of invisible ley lines. The sphere gives off a
strange feint green miasmal glow. Copper pipes weave around
the fronds and the sphere, measuring its power fluctuations.
The Sphere: Fronds of black energy sprout from the sphere’s
surface disappearing into the walls, ceiling, and floor of the
chamber all around it. This infernal device is powering the blight.
All attempts to break the sphere are unsuccessful. The writhing fronds repair immediately if severed
and will break through anything placed in between the cavern walls and the sphere if it cannot get
around it. The fronds reach far into the earth infecting the grass and the earth kilometres away and
expanding. This is the source of the blight, and it is indestructible. Touching the sphere or fronds will
result in being drained of 1d10 Essence for each touch or per turn if touching continually.

21
 The Pit: Jumping across the pit requires a
successful Athletics skill check. Failure results in
a fall to the character’s death hundreds of feet
below.
Informing the Duke: At this stage, the player
characters could decide to get word to the duke
about matters, as Captain Henning requested,
and let him handle it, especially as the Ruins of
Koregg are closer to Brakenhafen than the player
characters are.
The Game Master should remind the player
characters that Captain Henning handed them a
silver signet ring and told them to visit the duke
personally. The signet ring will be enough proof
the duke needs to know that the matter is of
importance.
B l a c k e ne d E y e L ookouts , H u ma n (5)
Str 8; Dex 5; Con 6; Siz 5; Att 5; Int 4; Edu
4; Cha 4; Emp 4; SCt 5; Ess 17; Hum 40;
Skills 330; MCDB 4; HP 22; FP 24; Init 2;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); 1-H Mace (AP 4; Dmg 1d6+3);
Shortbow (AP 2; Dmg 1d6+4)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/6; 2–4 Chest
6/11; 5–6 Abdomen 6/6; 7 Left Arm 6/4; 8
Right Arm 6/4; 9 Right Leg 0/8; 10 Left Leg
0/8.
Special Notes: They wear chain hauberks.
Skills: 70% Speak & Read Language
Native; 60% Stealth, Recon; 50% Projectile
Weapons; 40% Melee Combat; 30% Graft
(Streetwise), Survival, Athletics, Unarmed
Combat.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Shocking
Assault, Stamina.
22
B l a c k e ne d E y e T hie ve s ,
W ood E lve s (5)
Str 5; Dex 11; Con 8; Siz 5; Att 6; Int 7; Edu
7; Cha 6; Emp 6; SCt 8; Ess 27; Hum 60;
Skills 390; MCDB 3; HP 26; FP 23; Init 4;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Dagger-Main (AP 2; Dmg 1d3);
Dagger-Offhand (AP 2; Dmg 1d3 -10% Melee
Combat)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/7; 2–4 Chest
2/13; 5–6 Abdomen 2/7; 7 Left Arm 2/5; 8
Right Arm 2/5; 9 Right Leg 0/10; 10 Left Leg
0/10.
Special Notes: They wear leather jacks
under their cloaks.
Skills: 70% Speak & Read Language
Native; 60% Melee Combat, Stealth; 20%
Persuasion & Manipulation, Recon; 10%
Graft (Bribery), Graft (Streetwise), Graft
(Fencing), Unarmed Combat, Projectile
Weapons.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: All In, Two-
fisted, Luck of the Leprechaun, Unnatural
Health, What This? This Is Nothing!
T he H ood , W ood E l f (1)
Str 4; Dex 9; Con 8; Siz 5; Att 3; Int 10; Edu
8; Cha 5; Emp 5; SCt 8; Ess 28; Hum 50;
Skills 430; MCDB 3; HP 26; FP 22; Init 4;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Pistol (AP 8; Dmg 1d6+2); Dagger
(AP 2; Dmg 1d3).
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/7; 2–4 Chest
3/13; 5–6 Abdomen 3/7; 7 Left Arm 3/5; 8
Right Arm 3/5; 9 Right Leg 0/10; 10 Left Leg
0/10.
Special Notes: none
Skills: 90% Speak & Read Language Native;
70% Science (Phsyics), Science (Alchemy),
Engineering (Mechanical); 40% Projectile
Weapons; 30% Stealth, Recon, Pilot
(Equestrian); 10% Unarmed Combat, Melee
Combat.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Rich, Skilled
Crafter, Thrifty Crafter, Master Alchemist
Jobs: Apprentice Scion, I Speak for the
Guild.
Darkening Taints: Warts and pustules.
BRAKENHAFEN
The player characters can make the journey
from Gnarlstone Watchtower to Brakenhafen or
the Ruins of Koregg (on horseback) in around 2-3
days.
B rakenhafen
Brakenhafen is the fortified port city and ducal
capital of the duchy. With 30,000 inhabitants,
it sits on the eastern edge of Lake Deeping.
Ships take woollen and wooden products across
the lake and through the river systems to the
Duchy of Krieangburg. Duke Brakenbau rules the
whole duchy from his pale stone, fortified palace
overlooking the lake from a promontory of rock
known as The Wall. The day to day running of
the Barony of Brakenhafen is tended to by Lord
Kairos.
The Church of the God of All Things and
10,000 Saints has a powerful foothold in
the capital, and they have become adept at
machinations within the Duke’s court.
S eeing D uke
the
Whether the player characters decide to visit
the duke before or after going to the Koregg ruins
will have a bearing on how easy it is to be in the
Duchy of Salz in the later parts of the adventure.
The player characters can find food and
lodging here and recuperate, or head to the
duke’s palace straight away. Fields and farmland
surround the outskirts, with the farmland
diminishing and making way for small clusters
of settlement as the white walls of the city
come into view. Beyond the banner-draped and
guarded gatehouses, the city is bustling and has
all the things you would expect to find in a ducal
city. Wide paved main streets packed with city
folk and traders, giving way to narrow cobbled
streets that wind up the promontory to the white
stone walls of the palace.
The palace guards, in full chainmail and
bearing ducal tabards and spears tied with ducal
pennants, will restrict all access unless they have
23
permission from their commander or are shown
a Letter of Authority. If they show the guards
Captain Henning’s silver signet ring, the guards
will go and fetch Commander Ottaheim who
will in turn lead them to a white-washed stone
building just outside the palace keep, where
they meet with one of the duke’s advisors, Lady
Thrachia.
If the player characters relay the whole matter
to Lady Thrachia, she will arrange an audience
with Duke Brakenbau and his advisors where the
situation can be explained in full.
B efore K oregg R uins
Once the player characters have shown the
duke Captain Henning’s silver signet ring, he
will let the player characters investigate matters
further, although at this stage there is no
knowledge of the need to enter Salz in the duke’s
service (see later sections), so they will not have
a Letter of Authority.
Without the letter, the player characters will
be hampered by the authorities in their later visit
to Schweirhafen and the Rote Copper Mines.
They will have no authorisation from the Duke
of Salz, and the Dukes of Brakenbau and Salz do
not always see eye to eye, making matters tricky.
A fter K oregg R uins
This is the best option, as assuming the player
characters can provide Captain Henning’s silver
signet ring and the letters and journals found in
the Hood’s quarters at Gnarlstone Watchtower,
and the letters and journals and tarnished
silver eye medallion found in the Blackened Eye
chambers beneath the Ruins of Koregg, the duke
will offer the player characters a signed Letter of
Authority with the Grand Duke’s seal, meaning
they will be left unchallenged by the authorities
whilst investigating the contact in Salz.
RUINS OF KOREGG
E xploring the
R uins
About halfway up the southern slopes of the
Vier Hills, the ancient lakeside fortifications of
the Castle of Koregg hark back to a time when
the lake levels were higher. Now a series of
crumbled stone walls and collapsed towers, they
are blanketed in bracken, lichens and thorny
blackberry bushes.
The ruins are expansive so finding them is easy,
although getting to them is a three-hour horse
trek from Brakenhafen. Horses can be led all the
way to the ruins. A section of the ruins that once
formed part of the inner bailey stands taller than
the rest, and it is here that the Blackened Eye
found a hideaway close to Brakenhafen within
which to conduct their business.
24
The easiest approach to the area is from the
southwest where the collapsed walls are the
lowest. Wisps of smoke come from within area
(4). All doors below ground are wooden and have
been recently replaced and are unlocked unless
noted otherwise.
1. Old Atrium: This old courtyard and atrium
is filled with thigh-high bracken. Two Blackened
Eye lookouts are positioned behind old pillars
that once supported parts of a long-gone roof
structure, although lichen-clad fragments of red
clay tiles can still be unearthed in the soil below.
The lookouts can make Recon skill checks
to spot any PCs attempting to use an opposed
Stealth skill check to penetrate through the
wall line into area (1). They will spot any player
characters not attempting to be stealthy because
of the large amounts of vegetation. Lookouts
spotting player characters will alert the other
lookouts in areas (3) and (4).
A successful Recon skill check will find that
much of the bracken has been trodden down,
with clear paths between the entryways into
areas (3) and (4).
2. Collapsed Hall: This area used to be a hall
of the castle, but its roof has been open to the
sky for millennia. A cave bear lairs in the circular
tower to the south, and anyone approaching
amongst the vegetation within 20 feet of the
tower will be attacked. The lookouts are aware
of the beast and give this area a wide berth,
preferring to let it eat any intruders that come
interfering. They have set a string of wire and
bells across the entrance into area (2) to alert
them of the bear moving into their area. The
lookouts from areas (3) and (4) will come to
assess any intrusions.
Player characters making a successful Recon
skill check can spot the wire trap and prevent its
activation.
Within the cave bear’s lair, the remains of
several previous lookouts can be found including
a tarnished silver eye medallion, 195 silver coins,
and a coif of Essence. This coif is magical and
raises the Essence attribute of a character by 10
points.
Note: The significance of the tarnished silver
eye medallion is noted in area (10)’s description.
3. Square Watchtower: This is a lookout
rest area. The walls of this watchtower rise to
a height of about 5 metres before they crumble
away, making its original height guesswork. The
old roof structure has long since tumbled down,
but a makeshift roof of branches and bracken
has been made to keep the two Blackened Eye
lookouts below dry. One is sleeping on a pile of
bracken and the other is reading a letter from
his wife in Odensburg by the light of a lantern.
An opening in the flagstone floor drops down
into the tower cellar below. Rusty hinges are
still embedded into the floor, yet the wooden
trapdoor is gone. Iron rungs lead down into
darkness.
25
3A. Watchtower Cellar: This old cellar sits in
1 foot of water. It’s wet, dank and the walls are
covered with lichen, moss, and mould. Player
characters making a successful Recon skill check
can spot a section of wall that can be dislodged,
revealing a crawlspace through into a roughly
hewn tunnel propped up with old rotting
timbers.
Part way down, the tunnel is partially
collapsed, and requires 30 minutes to clear dirt
back to the watchtower cellar. Eventually, the
tunnel stops at a solid stone wall that can also be
dislodged into area (4). Player characters making
a successful Recon skill check can hear faint
voices the other side of the wall.
4. Old Stables: Once the old stables, these
ruins are now open to the elements, the walls
now roughly 2 metres in height. Inside, amongst
the footing of the old stall walls, a small campfire
burns, sending wisps of smoke skyward.
Player characters making a successful Recon
skill check can find a trapdoor in the southeast
corner roughly covered in bracken. This leads
down a stone stairwell into area (4A). Voices
echo up from below.
Two Blackened Eye lookouts rest here playing
cards.
4A. Guardroom: If anyone comes into the
room from the tunnel (3A), the Blackened Eye
thieves stationed here will attack the intruders.
There are six Blackened Eye thieves here. The
leader of the six wears a tarnished silver eye
medallion around his neck.
5. Old Wine Cellar (Storage): This area
is used to store crates and barrels filled with
supplies: foodstuffs, extra clothing, wine and ale,
lantern oil, the odd small melee weapon, pieces
of armour (of AP3 or less), and a horn full of
gunpowder.
6. Old Wine Cellar (Empty): The Blackened
Eye who spend time here, as well as any visitors,
use this as a toilet area, and it stinks. Nothing
nice is to be found here.
7. Escape Tunnel: An archway leads into a
chamber roughly hewn into the stone, which
leads off down a snaking corridor. This is an old
escape tunnel that leads down the slopes about
half a kilometre from the ruins, emerging into
thorny vegetation.
8. Antechamber: This small chamber is
decorated with cracked carved friezes worn
smooth by time. Rising damp and mould have
taken their toll. Two iron wall sconces hold lit
torches.
9. Tomb of the Sons of Koregg: This damp
and mouldy chamber contains two looted
sarcophagi. The lids lie on the floor broken into
large pieces. The worn effigies on the lids appear
to show two young knights with flowing hair
dressed in plate armour and clutching shields
with the boar imagery of the Koregg family.
10. Catacombs: This large room is supported
by eight pillars holding up a low vaulted ceiling.
Burial niches are carved into the walls with
skeletal remains resting within. A large white
marble altar sits in the middle, stained with both
26
old and recent blood. Of the twelve niches, five
contain skeleton warriors that will rise up out
of their niches and attack anyone not wearing a
tarnished silver eye medallion.
11. Tomb of Lord Koregg: This room contains
a single black marble sarcophagus, its lid in place
and bearing the effigy of the Lord of Koregg. A
powerful-looking man, Lord Koregg’s image is
dressed in ornate plate armour and helm, his
hands clasped together as if praying. A Strength
attribute check at -2 can move aside the lid of the
sarcophagus. The sarcophagus is empty. Around
the chamber, worn decorative panels show signs
of battle.
Player characters making a successful Recon
skill check can find a circular recess in the north
wall. A tarnished silver eye medallion can fit
inside this recess and open the secret door into
area (12). This section of wall can be forced open
with a Strength attribute check at -3. Anyone
forcing this door will alert the occupants of area
(12).
 12. Blackened Eye Meeting Room:
A meeting is taking place here between
Mergal Holst and several Blackened
Eye thieves. A long wooden table sits
in the middle with seven chairs placed
around it. Mergal and six Blackened Eye
thieves are having a heated debate about
payment. All occupants wear tarnished
silver eye medallions.
Once the occupants of the room
become aware of intruders, one of the
Blackened Eye thieves will attempt to
open the door to the kennel and let the
mastiffs out to attack.
13. Sleeping Quarters: This area
contains six sleeping pallets and some
storage for any visitors to the ruins. It is
currently empty whilst the meeting is
taking place.
14. Kennels: Barking comes from
within. Six hungry, slobbering mastiffs least keep the breach protected and the blight
are locked in this room. They will charge out as manifesting until we no longer need it open.
soon as the door is opened. Whilst Mergal rests, Yours obediently, Mergal Holst.”
the doors are opened and the dogs are free to
roam areas (8) to (12). There are many copper mines in Salz and
Brakenbau, so the player characters will need to
15. Mergal Holst’s Quarters: The door to find out which one by finding Petar Norhoff and
this room is always locked except when Mergal forcing the information out of him.
is within. It requires a successful Engineering
(Mechanical) skill check or Intelligence attribute
check at -3 to unlock, or the key on a silver
chain around Mergal’s neck. The door can also
be forced with a Strength attribute check at -4.
Mergal’s quarters are opulent, with fine leather
upholstered chairs, a mahogany desk, a four-
poster bed filled with soft cushions, and a chest
of clothes and other personal belongings. No one
is allowed in here without Mergal’s permission.
The chest contains 433 silver coins’ worth of
valuables and a pile of letters and journals.
One particularly key journal entry from three
months ago reads:
“… the two cannons were shipped to the docks
at Schweirhafen from the Tzar himself, and we
are just waiting for that snivelling idiot Petar
Norhoff to get them out of hiding and transport
them to the copper mine. Then, we can at

27
B l a c k e ne d E y e L ookouts H u ma n (6)
Str 8; Dex 5; Con 6; Siz 5; Att 5; Int 4; Edu
4; Cha 4; Emp 4; SCt 5; Ess 17; Hum 40;
Skills 330; MCDB 4; HP 22; FP 24; Init 2;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); 1-H Mace (AP 4; Dmg 1d6+3);
Shortbow (AP 2; Dmg 1d6+4)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/6; 2–4 Chest
6/11; 5–6 Abdomen 6/6; 7 Left Arm 6/4; 8
Right Arm 6/4; 9 Right Leg 0/8; 10 Left Leg
0/8.
Special Notes: They wear chain hauberks
Skills: 70% Speak & Read Language
Native; 60% Stealth, Recon; 50% Projectile
Weapons; 40% Melee Combat; 30% Graft
(Streetwise), Survival, Athletics, Unarmed
Combat.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Shocking
Assault, Stamina
B l a c k e ne d E y e T h i e ve s W ood E lve s
(12)
Str 5; Dex 11; Con 8; Siz 5; Att 6; Int 7; Edu
7; Cha 6; Emp 6; SCt 8; Ess 27; Hum 60;
Skills 390; MCDB 3; HP 26; FP 23; Init 4;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Dagger-Main (AP 2; Dmg 1d3);
Dagger-Offhand (AP 2; Dmg 1d3 -10% Melee
Combat)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/7; 2–4 Chest
2/13; 5–6 Abdomen 2/7; 7 Left Arm 2/5; 8
Right Arm 2/5; 9 Right Leg 0/10; 10 Left Leg
0/10.
Special Notes: They wear leather jacks
under their cloaks.
Skills: 70% Speak & Read Language
Native; 60% Melee Combat, Stealth; 20%
Persuasion & Manipulation, Recon; 10%
Graft (Bribery), Graft (Streetwise), Graft
(Fencing), Unarmed Combat, Projectile
Weapons.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: All In, Two-
fisted, Luck of the Leprechaun, Unnatural
Health, What This? This Is Nothing!
28
C ave B e a r (1)
see p. 174 of the Beyond the Black Sea Bestiary
Str 18; Dex 8; Con 12; Siz 24; Att 1; Int 2;
Edu 1; Cha 3; Emp 2; SCt 7; Ess 8; Hum NA;
Skills NA; MCDB 11; HP 72; FP 30; Init 3;
Mv 10 walking.
Attacks: Claws (AP 2; Dmg 1d6+3); Bite (AP
3; Dmg 2d6+3)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 6/24; 2–4 Body
Upper 6/36; 5–6 Body Lower 6/36; 7 Leg
Left Front 6/24; 8 Leg Right Front 6/24; 9
Leg Left Rear 6/24; 10 Leg Right Rear 6/24.
Special Notes: None.
Skills: 80% Unarmed Combat; 70% Recon;
50% Navigation, Athletics, Stealth.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Night Eyes,
Keen Senses.
M a stiffs (6)
see p. 212 of the Beyond the Black Sea Bestiary
(Large Hound)
Str 6; Dex 6; Con 6; Siz 3; Att 1; Int 2; Edu 1;
Cha 3; Emp 2; SCt 5; Ess 13; Hum NA;
Skills NA; MCDB 2; HP 18; FP 12; Init 3; Mv
10 walking.
Attacks: Claws (AP 1; Dmg 1d3); Fangs (AP 2;
Dmg 1d6)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 2/6; 2–4 Body
Upper 2/9; 5–6 Body Lower 2/9; 7 Leg Left
Front 2/6; 8 Leg Right Front 2/6; 9 Leg Left
Rear 2/6; 10 Leg Right Rear 2/6.
Special Notes: None.
Skills: 90% Recon; 60% Unarmed Combat;
40% Stealth; 20% Navigation, Athletics.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Night Eyes,
Keen Senses.
S k e l e ton (5)
see p. 114 of the Beyond the Black Sea Bestiary
Str 6; Dex 8; Con 16; Siz 6; Att 0; Int 3; Edu
3; Cha 0; Emp 0; SCt 10; Ess 17; Hum 0;
Skills 310; MCDB 3; HP 44; FP 46; Init 4;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Claws (Dmg 1d4); Spear (AP 10;
Dmg 1d6+3); Gladius (AP 10; Dmg 1d6+4).
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 2/13; 2–4 Body
Upper 2/22; 5–6 Body Lower 2/18; 7 Arm
Left 2/8; 8 Arm Right 2/8; 9 Leg Left 2/18; 10
Leg Right 2/18.
Special Notes: Never loses Fatigue.
Skills: 55% Athletics; 50% Unarmed
Combat, Recon, Stealth; 40% Melee
Combat, Ballistic Combat.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Night Eyes,
Wounding Strike, Life Sense.
29
M e rga l H ol s t , H u ma n (1)
Str 7; Dex 10; Con 7; Siz 6; Att 4; Int 6; Edu
6; Cha 7; Emp 4; SCt 7; Ess 24; Hum 40;
Skills 370; MCDB 4; HP 26; FP 24; Init 4;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Pistol (AP 8; Dmg 1d6+2); Rapier
(AP 6; Dmg 1d6+2, +10% Riposte, Thrust =
+2 AP)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/7; 2–4 Chest
5/13; 5–6 Abdomen 5/7; 7 Left Arm 6/5; 8
Right Arm 6/5; 9 Right Leg 3/10; 10 Left Leg
3/10.
Special Notes: Mergal carries a Ring of
the Serpent which allows him to interact
favourably with Ophidians and Ophidian
Hybrids.
Skills: 85% Speak & Read Language Native,
Melee Combat; 60% Graft (Racketeering),
Projectile Weapons; 50% Athletics,
Unarmed Combat; 40% Stealth, Recon; 30%
Persuasion & Manipulation.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: ESP
(Darkening taint), Gift of Ancestry (Serpent
Artifact), Villain, Riposte, Wounding Strike,
Toughness x2.
Jobs: Guido Shot First or at Least You Did,
Get Your Just Desserts
Darkening Taints: Third Eye.
SCHWEIRHAFEN
Schweirhafen is a large port town in the Duchy
of Salz. Perched on the banks of Lake Deeping, T he C ontact
it thrives on trade both with Brakenhafen and Petar Norhoff is a merchant based in
across the lake further eastwards. As the time Schweirhafen who operates Norhoff Cargoes.
spent in Schweirhafen is intended to be short, He has links to the Blackened Eye and does their
the Game Master is free to make up the details bidding by virtue of spinelessness. He is weak
of the town and let the player characters obtain and submissive, fearing the wrath of those who
supplies and things that they need. Allow them control him.
to be harried by the town guard, especially if
Petar can be found in his warehouse (during
they do not have the Letter of Authority.
the day) or in the Shady Cavalier tavern near the
Letter of Authority: If the player characters docks (at night).
have the Letter of Authority with them whilst If in the tavern, or walking the streets of
within Salz, they have the following immunities Schweirhafen, Petar will not to be far from the
and benefits for one month from the date of the town guard. Always looking over his shoulder,
letter: Petar will pick up the pace against anyone he
• Free food and lodging at any inn for up to suspects of following him.
two consecutive nights. Once confronted directly, Petar will attempt
• Provision of a fresh horse at any stables to run, firing his pistol wildly over his shoulder
bearing the Grand Ducal seal. as he does so (always missing). Once caught he,
• To be unhindered by any subject in the will shout for help from the town guards, who
employ of the duke of the duchy. will come to his call.
• Immunity from being detained by any
subject in the employ of the duke of the
duchy.
• Unimpeded access is granted within all
ducal fortifications and strongholds.
• The Grand Duke has final validity
over this letter and may terminate its
benefits and immunities at any time.
Without the letter, the player characters
will be hassled frequently by those in
the employ of the Duke of Salz. How this
happens is up to the Game Master and
adventure pacing.

30
• The town guards will walk away if shown a
Letter of Authority, and Petar will run again.
• If a player character can pass an opposed
Persuasion & Manipulation skill check
against the guards’ Empathy skill (assume
65%), the guards will also walk away leaving
Petar to make a run for it. If the check fails,
the guards tell the player characters that
‘you aren’t from round here are ya?’ and tell
Petar to be on his way. They then attempt to
apprehend the player characters for ‘being
from outside the duchy and attempting to
abduct or commit harm to a Schweirhafen
resident’.
If there is combat between player characters
and the town guards, use the stat blocks for the
Blackened Eye Lookouts, but exchange the 1-H
Mace for a 1-H Long Spear (Bulk 3, AP 4, Dmg
1d3+3, Sz L, Rge C/C, SP 8) and a Small Wooden
Shield (Bulk 3, AP 0, Dmg 1d3, Sz M, Rge C/C, SP
15).
Once caught, Petar will sing like a canary to
anyone that passes a Persuasion & Manipulation
skill check. He will tell the player characters all
he knows whilst he snivels and grovels for his
life:
• He was employed by a wood elf from near
Brakenhafen, who wore a black makeup
around his left eye. He doesn’t know his
name, but he heard him mention the names
Mergal and Hoth.
• He was asked to transport two cannons
and numerous gunpowder barrels from the
docks at Schweirhafen to the Rote Copper
Mines, in the Rote Hills south of Odensburg.
• He thought the mines were abandoned but
it looks like they were using one of the shafts
which has a horse gin still operating its
winch. He unloaded next to the mineshaft
and left.
• He was watched intently from a guardhouse
by men in cloaks with eyes painted black.
• He got paid 1,000 silver coins on delivery
(which he has spent).

31
ROTE COPPER MINES
The Rote Hills were once rich with minerals,
with copper being especially abundant. Over
time, new seams became harder to find, and
eventually the risks outweighed the rewards and
many of the miners left to explore other areas.
Mine workings still dot the landscape, with
abandoned and still open shafts presenting a
danger to unwary travellers and explorers.
High up on the slopes of the hills, the Rote
Copper Mines still stand, now surrounded by
vegetation and littered with rotting shoring
timbers and rusting cart rails. Old horse gins,
once used to raise and lower the ore, lie collapsed
around two of the old shafts, with a third still
in operation. The extracted ore was taken down
the hills in overladen carts to smelting furnaces
further down the hills.
Anyone approaching the mines without care
will attract the attention of the mine guards
within the mine guard hut (4).
M ining
T erminology
• Drift: The horizontal tunnel branching out
from the shaft.
• Face: The area at the end of the drift where
ore is extracted.
• Gin: A horse drawn pulley used to raise
and lower the miner’s cage and ore-filled
buckets.
• Ore: The rock containing the copper
minerals.
• Seam: The bands of minerals found in the
rock.
• Shaft: The vertical hole dug down in which
the miners and ore is raised and lowered.
• Smelting: The melting of the rock and its
minerals, which can then be poured as
ingots of the desired material.
• Sump: The bottom of a vertical mineshaft,
often filled with debris that has fallen down
the shaft.
32
E xploring the
C opper M ines
1. Abandoned Shaft 1: This abandoned vertical
shaft is 3 metres in diameter and plunges to
a depth of 260 metres to the bottom of the
sump. It has six drifts at varying heights. Much
of the ore has been extracted from this shaft.
Vegetation-covered, rotting timbers and rusting
iron wheels and buckets show this mine has not
been used for well over a hundred years. A fall
down the shaft would be fatal.
2. Abandoned Shaft 2: This abandoned
vertical shaft is also 3 metres in diameter and
plunges to a depth of 320 metres to the bottom
of the sump. It has four drifts at varying heights.
There is still ore in the seams of this shaft if
anyone is prepared to make the considerable
investment to extract it. The old horse gin used
here is collapsed and rotten beyond use. A fall
down the shaft would be fatal.
3. Working Shaft: This 4-metre diameter
vertical shaft still appears to be in operation.
The horse gin looks to have been constructed
recently, and a draft horse munches from a bag
of grain beside it. The shaft plunges 666 metres
to the bottom of the sump, with seven drifts
leading off at various heights. All the drift seams
have been worked and most are dug out of ore. A
fall down the shaft would be fatal.
Three Blackened Eye mine guards stand
around the shaft awaiting instructions from
below (a tug on the ropes).
Two sturdy ropes drop down the shaft, one
attached to a miner’s cage that can hold up to
three people, and the other attached to a heavy
iron bucket, used to raise and lower equipment.
When one end of the rope is at the top of the
shaft, the other is towards the bottom and
vice versa. The single huge rope coils around
the horse gin, and the horse is led around in
whichever direction is needed to raise or lower
the required end of the rope. The ends of the rope
pass each other at the 333-metre mark.
 The miner’s cage is currently at the fifth drift
at 582 metres, whilst the bucket end of the rope
is at 84 metres deep. A player character looking
down the shaft will see faint illumination
coming from the fifth drift.
How player characters decide to get down the
shaft to the fifth seam is up to them:
• A successful Persuasion & Manipulation
skill check as well as enough silver coinage
might be sufficient to get one of the mine
guards to switch allegiance and operate
the horse gin for the PCs, especially if his
comrades have been killed.
• As only three PCs can use the miner’s cage at
a time, they may decide to leave additional
PCs at the top of the shaft to operate the
horse gin.
• Alternatively, they may decide to use any
rope they can find that is long enough and
use it to lower themselves down one-by-
one. This is the most dangerous method, as
it will require three successful Athletics skill
33
checks in succession. Two failed skill checks
in succession will result in the character
falling to their death.
4. Mine Guard Hut: The wooden mine guard
hut is where the mine guards are stationed. Rows
of bunks line the walls and a chimney at one end
takes away smoke from an ever-burning hearth.
Four Blackened Eye mine guards while away the
hours here eating, sleeping and gambling. They
will quickly don their hauberks and grab their
weapons from near the hearth if their comrades
outside shout any warnings.
Additionally, beside the guard hut, are supplies
of 600 metres of rope and timber beams for
shoring unsafe-looking tunnels.
5. The Fifth Drift: The fifth deepest drift, at
582 metres, is lined with lit torches. It is very
cold down at this level. Iron cart tracks lead
down the drift tunnel. The whole tunnel is
shored up with timber and the dripping of water
and faint echoing of voices can be heard from
deeper into the tunnel.
6. Supply Area: This area has been hollowed
out and shored up with timber to provide a
space for recently lowered supplies. A wheeled
iron cart sits on the tracks here and can be freely
pushed or pulled. Timber, nails, picks and other
mining equipment are stored here.
7. Mine Chamber (dug out): This shored
chamber is where an old seam of copper ore was
dug out. A single mine cart toppled on its side,
once filled with rocks, lies where the iron tracks
end.
8. Carts: The cart tracks split off in two
directions here. Three mine carts can be found
here: one on the tracks, and two off to the side in
storage. The one on the tracks is filled with four
wrought iron cannon balls.
9. Mine Chamber (still workable): This
shored chamber still has a viable copper
34
seam although it hasn’t been mined for over a
hundred years. Two carts are filled with copper
ore. Puddles of black water lie throughout the
chamber.
10. Collapsed Chamber: Cart tracks lead
into this chamber before splitting into two. The
north end of this chamber has collapsed into a
pit spanned with a wood and rope bridge wide
enough for two men to cross. It disappears into
another chamber.
A wooden hut has been erected here, and six
Blackened Eye mine guards stand around it,
ordering two huge figures (ogres loyal to the
Blackened Eye) to heft cannon balls and kegs of
gunpowder from mine carts to either side of the
bridge, where two large iron cannons have been
placed pointing into the cavern beyond.
Inside the hut, the tainted figure of Hoth Faust
sits at a large table covered with tomes. He wears
a red robe embroidered with strange symbols
in silver thread which covers his patches of
scaled skin. On top of this he wears gothic plate
breastplate and a horned plate helm. He bears
a third eye on the palm of his right hand, and in
his long beard grow tiny, writhing tentacles. He
is in a trance but will become alert if the door
opens and shout to alert the guards and trolls
who will rush to defend him.
Beside him, in a cage is a baby Nightmare
Spawn that fell through the breach, which he
decided to save and keep as a pet. It hasn’t yet
reached the size to become a danger to him and
the cage ensures it cannot use its powers should
they become active. If the Spawn is released for
any reason, use the stats at 25% (round down)
of those stated in the Beyond the Black Sea
Bestiary, page 96.
Example: Strength 4, MCDB 2, Hit Points
22, Melee Combat 22%, etc. For each Perk and
Combat Manoeuvre, roll 1d6. If the result is a 5 or
6, it has gained that ability.
• The Cure: Within the thick tome on the
table, writing in fresh ink tells of the
discovery of the cure for the blight which
relies on ‘green crystals’ found in the Void
Beyond which destroy the blight spores and
fronds when they contact them.
• The Plot: Additionally, within a locked
chest requiring a successful Engineering
(Mechanical) skill check or Intelligence
attribute check at -3 to unlock, or Strength
attribute check at -4 to force, the player
characters can find information revealing
the involvement of the Tsar of Moravik, who
is funding the Blackened Eye’s endeavours
to spread the blight and destroy the
economy of the Duchy of Brakenbau in
preparation for an invasion.
11. Breach Chamber: This chamber is filled
with strange creatures lying dead on the floor
before a huge upright pulsing black void. These
bizarre creatures have slipped through the
breach from the Void Beyond and were shot
with cannons or ripped apart by the ogres. The
chamber is a mass of viscera, blood, pulpy flesh,
and slime-covered tentacles.
35
B l a c k e ne d E y e M ine G ua rd s , H u ma n
(13)
Str 8; Dex 5; Con 6; Siz 5; Att 5; Int 4; Edu
4; Cha 4; Emp 4; SCt 5; Ess 17; Hum 40;
Skills 330; MCDB 4; HP 22; FP 24; Init 2;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Short 1-H Spear (AP 3; Dmg 1d3+3,
thrust = +2 AP); Crossbow (AP 4; Dmg
1d6+2); Wood Shield Small (AP 0; Dmg 1d3;
Parry).
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 0/6; 2–4 Chest
6/11; 5–6 Abdomen 6/6; 7 Left Arm 6/4; 8
Right Arm 6/4; 9 Right Leg 0/8; 10 Left Leg
0/8.
Special Notes: They wear chain hauberks
and black tabards.
Skills: 70% Speak & Read Language
Native; 60% Stealth, Recon; 50% Projectile
Weapons; 40% Melee Combat; 30% Graft
(Streetwise), Survival, Athletics, Unarmed
Combat.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Feinted
Strike, Stamina.
O gre s (2)
Str 20; Dex 10; Con 20; Siz 20; Att 2; Int 5;
Edu 5; Cha 5; Emp 5; SCt 8; Ess 28; Hum
50;
Skills 300; MCDB 10; HP 80; FP 50; Init 4;
Mv 4 walking.
Attacks: Claws (AP 2; Dmg 1d6); Kick (AP
0; Dmg 1d6); Fangs (AP 2; Dmg 1d6); Huge
Sword (AP 3; Dmg 3d6); Huge Javelin (AP 4;
Dmg 2d6+3).
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 2/24; 2–4 Chest
6/40; 5–6 Abdomen 6/36; 7 Left Arm 2/16;
8 Right Arm 2/16; 9 Right Leg 6/36; 10 Left
Leg 6/36.
Special Notes: -
Skills: 70% Melee Combat, Recon, Herding;
50% Unarmed Combat, Athletics, Projectile
Weapons, Speak & Read Language
(Human); 40% Rituals; 30% Ground
Navigation, Social & Style, Empathy.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Crushing
Assault, Falcon Strike, Riposte.
H oth F au s t , T a i nte d H u ma n (1)
Str 5; Dex 6; Con 5; Siz 5; Att 4; Int 10; Edu
8; Cha 8; Emp 8; SCt 5; Ess 31; Hum 80;
Skills 430; MCDB 3; HP 20; FP 20; Init 3;
Mv 3 walking.
Attacks: Punch (AP 0; Dmg 1d3 Fatigue
damage); Kick (AP 0; Dmg 1d6+3 Fatigue
damage); Arquebus (AP 8; Dmg 2d6+3)
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 10/6; 2–4 Chest
10/10; 5–6 Abdomen 10/6; 7 Left Arm 0/4; 8
Right Arm 0/4; 9 Right Leg 0/8; 10 Left Leg
0/8.
Special Notes: Hoth wears a gothic
breastplate and gothic plate helm.
THE VOID BEYOND
T hrough the
B reach
The breach size fluctuates but is 4 metres wide
and 10 metres tall on average. Anything can pass
through it; their whole bodies must pass in one
side before emerging on the other.
Stepping through the breach will deposit
characters into the place known as the Void
Beyond. This part of the Void Beyond has the
following traits:
• Breathable atmosphere.
• Real world physics.
• The platforms are illuminated by an unseen
light source.
• There are no limits on the number of times
the characters can pass back and forth
through the breach.
• The area beyond the platforms and
pathways is black inky void. Flitting images
of ghostly colossal horrors drift within.
• The platforms are made of shattered rock.
The tops have been smoothed flat with the
passing aeons and are scattered with dirt,
slime and small fragments of rock.
36
Skills: 100% Speak & Read Language
Native; 90% Rituals, Speak & Read
Language (Ogre), Science (Biology); 80%
Science (Physics), Science (Alchemy); 60%
Projectile Weapons; 25% Steath, Recon,
Melee Combat, Unarmed Combat.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Sorcerer,
Unnnatural Health, Luck of the Leprechaun,
Soul Gaze Trait, Mesmerism.
Jobs: -
Rituals: (Blood Magic) Healing, Animal
Power; (Black Magic) Stygian Gate,
Demonic Might.
Darkening Taints: Tentacled Beard (-1 Cha,
-1 App), Extra eye on palm of hand (+5%
Recon), Scaly skin (+5HP, -2 App).
• Continual Essence drain effect whilst this
side of the breach at the rate of 1 Essence
point per minute.
• No miracles or spells can be cast.
• Characters will fall for infinity if they jump
or step off a platform unless they tether
themselves.
• All the outer platforms (4, 5, and 6) move
in relation to the central platform (3). They
move sideways, and up and down, and
occasionally they bump into neighbouring
platforms although this should not
be immediately obvious to the player
characters. This is the safest way to get to
all the platforms without being in range of
the Old One Remnant’s touch, however the
time it takes and effect on Essence may force
desperate measures.
1. Arrival Platform: The large arrival platform
drifts in space, tethered by the sinuous pathway
to the central platform. A beam of blackness
emanates from the eye of the being on the
central platform powering the breach gateway.
The beam touches the breach at the top, some 8
metres above them. If anyone touches the beam
they will be drained of 1d10 Essence.
Every 2d6 minutes, platform (4) moves close
enough to touch platform (1). A player character
can leap across without risk of falling. Any
characters attempting to leap across a gap of
more than their height must make a successful
Athletics skill check; if they fail, they can make a
Dexterity attribute check to catch themselves. If
they fail this, they fall into infinity.
2. Nauseating Pathways: These pathways
are made of twisting sinew and haemorrhaging
muscle with droplets floating off into the void.
They are relatively stable to walk across.
3. Old One Remnant Platform: The Old
One Remnant is here anchored to the platform.
A blubbering mass of black flesh, its body is
covered in writhing tentacles that can reach
anyone on the central platform and drain their
Essence with every strike of a tentacle. Attacking
it directly in melee is incredibly dangerous and
foolhardy, but making use of the cannons in the
Breach Chamber (11) of the mines is more viable.
The Old One Remnant will encourage the
player characters to approach it talking using
37
its telepathy and its Persuasion & Manipulation
skill, saying that the platform is safe and their
Essence will not be drained there. Its tongue is
deep, guttural and echoing. Once as many player
characters as possible are near it, it will attack
with its tentacles, wanting to drain them of their
Essence. It will only force player characters off
the platforms and pathways as an angry last
resort.
The husk of a Blackened Eye mine guard still
lies here, her face contorted in terror.
4. Black Spores and Frond Platform: This
platform is partially filled with black spores and
fronds. A successful Intelligence attribute check
at -2 will notice that the edge of the platform
where it touches platform (5) does not have any
spores or fronds. The spores and fronds are not
dangerous to humans and are safe to touch and
handle. Touching them against the green crystals
on platform (5) will immediately vaporise them.
 Every 2d6 minutes, platform (5) moves close
enough to touch platform (4).
5. Crystal Platform: The platform is free
of spores and fronds, but small outcroppings
of rock sprout green crystals that throb with
energy. These are ‘The Cure’, see below.
Touching a green crystal will heal 1d10 Essence.
This can only be done once per day.
Every 2d6 minutes, platform (6) moves close
enough to touch platform (5).
6. Black Spores and Frond Platform: This
platform, like (4) is partially filled with black
spores and fronds. A successful Intelligence
attribute check at -2 will notice that the edge of
the platform where it touches platform (5) does
not have any spores or fronds. The spores and
fronds are not dangerous to humans and are safe
to touch and handle. Touching them against the
green crystals on platform (5) will immediately
vaporise them.
Every 2d6 minutes, platform (1) moves close
enough to touch platform (6).
T he C ure
These green crystals destroy black spores
and fronds and can only be found growing in
the Void Beyond. If dealt more than 10 SP they
will break off into fist-sized chunks. Once they
have been harvested from their growing place
their power to heal Essence will last one week,
whereupon the crystals will become dull and
lifeless. Gathering three or more chunks will be
enough to destroy the floating black sphere at
Gnarlstone Watchtower.
38
S eal the B reach
If the Old One Remnant is killed, its eye will
still power the breach but begin the falter over
the course of 1d6 minutes. The player characters
have until this time to get the green crystals for
the cure, and get back through the breach or be
forever trapped in the Void Beyond.
O l d O ne R e mna n t
Str 18; Dex 6; Con 18; Siz 20; Att 4; Int 3;
Edu 3; Cha 3; Emp 4; SCt 10; Ess 20; Hum
40;
Skills 310; MCDB 10; HP 76; FP 46; Init 4;
Mv 0 immobile.
Attacks: 10× Tentacles (AP 3; Dmg 1d6 + 1d6
Essence drain).
Hit Locations (d10): 1 Head 5/22; 2–5 Body
Upper 5/38; 6–8 Body Lower 5/45; 9–10
Tentacles 5/8.
Special Notes: The Old One Remnant can
attack anyone on its platform with all its
ten tentacles. It can split its attacks as it
wishes if there are multiple targets. Roll
separately for each tentacle. Its tentacles
grow back after in 2 rounds after being
severed. Silver melee weapons and
projectiles causes double damage.
Skills: 100% Speak & Read Language (Any);
90% Persuasion & Manipulation.
Perks & Combat Manoeuvres: Telepathy,
Regeneration.
ADVENTURE COMPLETION
D estroying the
S phere
The player characters have a week to head to
Gnarlstone Watchtower and throw or insert the
green crystals into the floating black sphere.
Three crystal chunks are required.
Once this has been done, the floating sphere
will start to falter, and the fronds will begin to
wither as it belches spores one last time and then
fades as all traces of the spores, fronds and the
blight wither into nothing, the effect radiating
out from Gnarlstone Watchtower. The Blight has
been destroyed and the effects on the economy
of the Duchy of Brakenbau are now largely
averted.
All that is needed now is to tell the duke of the
plot by the Tzar of Moravik.
F urther A dventures
1. Infiltrate an enclave of the Blackened Eye in
Salz for the Duke of Brakenbau.
2. Sabotage a shipyard in Salz on the edge
of Lake Deeping, where they are building
warships with a dangerous new type of
cannon.
3. The Blackened Eye infiltrate the
Brakenhafen palace and cause chaos at the
meal to celebrate the end of the blight.
4. A mission into Moravik to kill an important
military commander.
5. A group of assassins attempt to kill the
player characters at their fortified manor
house.
6. The player characters’ fortified manor house
is set ablaze whilst they are away and they
return to find out who was responsible.

A udience with the

D uke of B rakenbau
The duke and his advisors will be in debt to the
player characters, rewarding them handsomely
for their efforts to avert disaster for the duchy
and wider Grand Duchy.
The rewards are as follows (the Game
Master may wish to change this according to
his campaign needs):
• Letter of Freedom of the Duchy: Allows
the player characters to receive free lodging
for two consecutive nights at any inn within
the duchy and also fresh horses, available
at any of the ducal stables. Awarded to each
player character.
• 5,000 silver coins for each player character.
• Ownership of a small, fortified manor
within the duchy.
• The Duke will throw an opulent meal at
the palace in which the player characters
will be guests of honour.

39
APPENDIX
The following are the full adversary entries for the possible combatants that the characters may face. They are
presented in order that they may appear in the adventure.
These full entries complement the short form statistics entries in the main text.

O ld O ne R emnant S pecial N otes

B asic S tats • The Old One Remnant can attack anyone on its
platform with all its ten tentacles. It can split its
Attributes # attacks as it wishes if there are multiple targets.
Strength 18 Roll separately for each tentacle.
Dexterity 6 • Its tentacles grow back after in 2 rounds after
being severed.
Constitution 18 • Silver melee weapons and projectiles causes
Size 20 double damage.

S kills
Attractiveness 4
Intelligence 3
Education 3
Skills (Grouped by %) %
Charisma 3
Speak & Read Language (Any) 100
Empathy 4
Persuasion and Manipulation 90
Self-Control 10

D escription
Essence 20
Humanity 40
Starting Skills 310
A blubbering mass of thick black flesh covered in
MCDB (Damage Bonus) 10 writhing black tentacles.

P erks & C ombat

Hit Points 76
Fatigue Points 46
Starting Initiative
Movement Speed
4
0 immobile
M anouevres
Telepathy, Regenerate (1 HP per round).
A ttacks
Attacks AP Damage Special
10× Tentacles 3 1d6 Each hit causing
1 or more damage
will also cause 1d6
Essence loss.

H it L ocations (1 d 10)
Roll Location % AP/HP
1 Head 30 5/22
2-5 Body Upper 50 5/38
6-8 Body Lower 60 5/45
9-10 Tentacles 10 5/8

40
H ollag G rimma (H uman )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 6 Combat Skill Bonus 5 Weapons
Dexterity 5 Academic Skill Bonus 4 Long Sword (Bulk 2; AP 2; Dmg 2d6+3; Range C/C; SP 18)
Constitution 9 Social Skill Bonus 5
Size 7 Manual Skill Bonus 8 Armour
Attractiveness 4 Physical Skill Bonus 7 Reinforced Leather Vambraces (Bulk 2; AP 3), Breastplate (Bulk 6;
Charisma 7 Essence 20 AP 8, SI -1).
Intelligence 4 Humanity Points 40 Boons
Education 3 Starting Skills 320 None
Empathy 4 MCDB 4
Self-Control 5 Hit Points 32 Equipment
Fatigue Points 25 26 Silver Coins, and an Emerald worth 30 Silver Coins
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 1
Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres
Speak & Read Language Native 80 -
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation 50 Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy Haymaker, Timed Strike
Graft (Bribery) 40
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival -
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (-)
Engineering (-) Advanced Perks
Professional Skill (-) -
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics)
Stealth 20 Description
Recon 20 Hollag looks vaguely like Captain Henning, with unkempt sun-bleached hair, and a
Manual Skills % weathered face, with the exception of having a very squashed nose.
First Aid
Pilot (Equestrian) 20
Herder
Farmer
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 50
Melee Combat 60
Projectile Weapons 20
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 9
2–4 Chest 16 8 AP (Breastplate)
5–6 Abdomen 9
7 Left Arm 6 3 AP (Reinforced Leather Vambraces)
8 Right Arm 6 3 AP (Reinforced Leather Vambraces)
9 Right Leg 12
10 Left Leg 12

41
V arg ' s M ercenary (H uman )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 5 Combat Skill Bonus 6 Weapons
Dexterity 7 Academic Skill Bonus 4 Short Sword (Bulk 1; AP 2; Dmg 1d6+4; Range C/C; SP 15).
Constitution 6 Social Skill Bonus 4 Crossbow (Bulk 3; AP 4; Dmg 1d6+2; Range S/M; SP 5)
Size 5 Manual Skill Bonus 6 Armour
Attractiveness 4 Physical Skill Bonus 6 Reinforced Leather Tunic (Bulk 3; AP 5/3)
Charisma 4 Essence 17
Intelligence 4 Humanity Points 40 Boons
Education 4 Starting Skills 330 None
Empathy 4 MCDB 3
Self-Control 5 Hit Points 22 Equipment
Fatigue Points 21 1d10 Silver Coins
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 3
Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres
Speak & Read Language Native 70 No Mercy
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation 10 Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy -
Graft (Gambling) 30
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival Luck of the Leprechaun
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (-)
Engineering (-) Advanced Perks
Professional Skill (Carpenter) 30 -
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics) 10
Stealth 30 Description
Recon 30 A ragtag mob of men and women that are down on their luck, but heeded the call of Varg
Manual Skills % and bought into the idea of freedom that living outside the law offers.
First Aid
Pilot (-)
Herder 30
Farmer 30
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 40
Melee Combat 40
Projectile Weapons 40
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 6
2-4 Chest 11 5 AP (Reinforced Leather Tunic)
5-6 Abdomen 6 5 AP (Reinforced Leather Tunic)
7 Left Arm 4 3 AP (Reinforced Leather Tunic)
8 Right Arm 4 3 AP (Reinforced Leather Tunic)
9 Right Leg 8
10 Left Leg 8

42
V arg ' s M ercenary (L ake T roll )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 7 Combat Skill Bonus 6 Weapons
Dexterity 7 Academic Skill Bonus 3 Great Hammer (Bulk 6; AP 8; Dmg 2d6; Range C/C; SP 14)
Constitution 6 Social Skill Bonus 4
Size 11 Manual Skill Bonus 7 Armour
Attractiveness 3 Physical Skill Bonus 7 None
Charisma 2 Essence 13
Intelligence 3 Humanity Points 40 Boons
Education 3 Starting Skills 310 None
Empathy 4 MCDB 5
Self-Control 4 Hit Points 44 Equipment
Fatigue Points 23 None
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 3
Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres
Speak & Read Language Native 50 Weapon Breaker
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation 10 Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy Haymaker, Jab
Graft (Bribery) 10
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival 25 -
Basic Ground Navigation 10
Science (-)
Engineering (-) Advanced Perks
Professional Skill (-) -
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics) 25
Stealth 10 Description
Recon 25 These Lake Trolls have been influenced by Varg’s charisma and are fed up with the
Manual Skills % xenophobia they often feel in Brakenbau.
First Aid
Pilot (-)
Herder
Farmer
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 65
Melee Combat 45
Projectile Weapons 25
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 10
2-4 Chest 17
5-6 Abdomen 10
7 Left Arm 6
8 Right Arm 6
9 Right Leg 13
10 Left Leg 13

43
V arg H agen (H uman )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 7 Combat Skill Bonus 7 Weapons
Dexterity 7 Academic Skill Bonus 7 2-H Great Sword (Bulk 4, AP 2, Dmg 2d6+3, Sz L, Range C/C, SP
Constitution 6 Social Skill Bonus 7 20)
Size 6 Manual Skill Bonus 7 Armour
Attractiveness 7 Physical Skill Bonus 7 Breastplate (Bulk 6, AP 8, SI -1), Plate Greaves (Bulk 4, AP 8, SI -1),
Charisma 11 Essence 30 Plate Vambraces (Bulk 4, AP 8)
Intelligence 7 Humanity Points 50 Boons
Education 6 Starting Skills 380 None
Empathy 5 MCDB 4
Self-Control 7 Hit Points 44 Equipment
Fatigue Points 23 139 Silver Coins
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 1
Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres
Speak & Read Language Native 90 Crushing Assault
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style 30
Persuasion & Manipulation 70 Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy -
Graft (Bribery) 70
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival Toughness ×2
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (-)
Engineering (-) Advanced Perks
Professional Skill (Merchant) 30 Stamina
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics) 10
Stealth 10 Description
Recon 30
Manual Skills %
First Aid
Pilot (-)
Herder
Farmer
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 30
Melee Combat 70
Projectile Weapons 10
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 7
2-4 Chest 12 AP 8 (Breastplate)
5-6 Abdomen 7 AP 8 (Breastplate)
7 Left Arm 4 AP 8 (Plate Vambraces)
8 Right Arm 4 AP 8 (Plate Vambraces)
9 Right Leg 9 AP 8 (Plate Greaves)
10 Left Leg 9 AP 8 (Plate Greaves)

44
B lackened E ye L ookout (H uman )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 8 Combat Skill Bonus 5 Weapons
Dexterity 5 Academic Skill Bonus 4 1-H Mace (Bulk 1.5; AP 4; Dmg 1d3+3; Range C/C; SP 8). Short
Constitution 6 Social Skill Bonus 5 Bow (Bulk 2; AP 2; Dmg 1d6+4; Range S/M; SP 5)
Size 5 Manual Skill Bonus 7 Armour
Attractiveness 5 Physical Skill Bonus 7 Chain Hauberk (Bulk 5, AP 6, SI -1)
Charisma 4 Essence 17
Intelligence 4 Humanity Points 40 Boons
Education 4 Starting Skills 330 None
Empathy 4 MCDB 4
Self-Control 5 Hit Points 22 Equipment
Fatigue Points 34 Dirty Winter Cloak, Rations, Waterskin, Hip Flask of Alcohol,
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 1 1d20 Silver Coins

Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres

Speak & Read Language Native 70 Shocking Assault
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy -
Graft (Streetwise) 30
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival 30 -
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (-)
Engineering (-) Advanced Perks
Professional Skill (-) Stamina
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics) 30
Stealth 60 Description
Recon 60 Lookouts of the Blackened Eye paint a crude black eye on the backs of both of their hands.
Manual Skills %
First Aid
Pilot (-)
Herder
Farmer
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 30
Melee Combat 40
Projectile Weapons 50
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 6
2-4 Chest 11 AP 6 (Chain Hauberk)
5-6 Abdomen 6 AP 6 (Chain Hauberk)
7 Left Arm 4 AP 6 (Chain Hauberk)
8 Right Arm 4 AP 6 (Chain Hauberk)
9 Right Leg 8
10 Left Leg 8

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B lackened E ye T hief (W ood E lf )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 5 Combat Skill Bonus 10 Weapons
Dexterity 11 Academic Skill Bonus 7 Dagger ×2 (Bulk 0.5; AP 2; Dmg 1d3; Sz S; Range C/C; SP 6)
Constitution 8 Social Skill Bonus 6
Size 5 Manual Skill Bonus 7 Armour
Attractiveness 6 Physical Skill Bonus 8 Leather Jack (Bulk 1; AP 2)
Charisma 6 Essence 27
Intelligence 7 Humanity Points 60 Boons
Education 7 Starting Skills 390 None
Empathy 6 MCDB 3
Self-Control 8 Hit Points 26 Equipment
Fatigue Points 23 Black Hooded Cloak, Waterskin, Rations, 1d20+10 Silver Coins
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 4
Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres
Speak & Read Language Native 70 All In
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation 20 Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy -
Graft (Bribery, Streetwise, 10
Fencing)
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival Two-Fisted, Unnatural Health, Luck of the Leprechaun, What This? This Is Nothing!
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (-)
Engineering (-) Advanced Perks
Professional Skill (-) -
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics)
Stealth 60 Description
Recon 20 Members of the Blackened Eye who have reached the status of Thief use makeup to blacken
Manual Skills % one of their eyes.
First Aid
Pilot (-)
Herder
Farmer
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 10
Melee Combat 60
Projectile Weapons 10
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 7
2-4 Chest 13 AP 2 (Leather Jack)
5-6 Abdomen 7 AP 2 (Leather Jack)
7 Left Arm 5 AP 2 (Leather Jack)
8 Right Arm 5 AP 2 (Leather Jack)
9 Right Leg 10
10 Left Leg 10
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T he H ood (W ood E lf )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 4 Combat Skill Bonus 9 Weapons
Dexterity 9 Academic Skill Bonus 9 Pistol (AP 8, Dmg 1d6+2, Sz L, Rge 25, SP 10); Dagger (Bulk 0.5, AP
Constitution 8 Social Skill Bonus 5 2, Dmg 1d3, Sz S, Rge C/C, SP 6)
Size 5 Manual Skill Bonus 6 Armour
Attractiveness 3 Physical Skill Bonus 7 Linen Gambeson (Bulk 2, AP 3)
Charisma 5 Essence 28
Intelligence 10 Humanity Points 50 Darkening Taints
Education 8 Starting Skills 430 Warts and Pustules
Empathy 5 MCDB 3
Self-Control 8 Hit Points 26 Equipment
Fatigue Points 22 None
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 4
Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres
Speak & Read Language Native 90 -
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation 60 Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy -
Graft (-)
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival Rich, Skilled Crafter, Thrifty Crafter, Master Alchemist
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (Physics) 70
Science (Alchemy) 70 Advanced Perks
Engineering (Mechanical) 70 Job (Guild Scion): Apprentice Scion, I Speak for the Guild
Professional Skill (-)
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics) Description
Stealth 30 The Hood is named after his garb. Always wearing the hood pulled up on his cloak, his face
Recon 30 is always shrouded in shadow, preventing those that deal with him seeing his tainted face,
pustulent and disfigured.
Manual Skills %
First Aid
Pilot (Equestrian) 30
Herder
Farmer
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 10
Melee Combat 10
Projectile Weapons 40
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 7
2-4 Chest 13 AP 3 (Linen Gambeson)
5-6 Abdomen 7 AP 3 (Linen Gambeson)
7 Left Arm 5 AP 3 (Linen Gambeson)
8 Right Arm 5 AP 3 (Linen Gambeson)
9 Right Leg 10
10 Left Leg 10
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M ergal H olst (H uman )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 7 Combat Skill Bonus 9 Weapons
Dexterity 10 Academic Skill Bonus 6 Pistol (AP 8, Dmg 1d6+2, Sz L, Rge 25, SP 10); Rapier (Bulk 2, AP 6,
Constitution 7 Social Skill Bonus 5 Dmg 1d6+2, Sz M, Rge C/C, Sp 12)
Size 6 Manual Skill Bonus 7 Armour
Attractiveness 4 Physical Skill Bonus 8 Reinforced Leather Tunic (Bulk 2, AP 3/5); Reinforced Leather
Charisma 7 Essence 24 Vambraces (Bulk 2, AP 3); Reinforced Leather Greaves (Bulk 2, AP
3)
Intelligence 6 Humanity Points 40 Darkening Taints
Education 6 Starting Skills 370 Third Eye
Empathy 4 MCDB 4
Self-Control 7 Hit Points 46 Equipment
Fatigue Points 24 Ring of the Serpent (Gift of Ancestry perk)
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 3
Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres
Speak & Read Language Native 85 Riposte, Wounding Strike
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation 30 Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy -
Graft (Racketeering) 60
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival ESP (Darkening taint), Gift of Ancestry (Serpent Artifact), Villain, Toughness ×2
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (-)
Engineering (-) Advanced Perks
Professional Skill (-) Job (Professional Duellist): Guido Shot First or at Least You Did, Get Your Just Desserts
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics) 50
Stealth 40 Description
Recon 40 Mergal wears fine clothes to offset his tainted facial features. His hair is thinned and sparse
Manual Skills % at the front and sitting in the middle of his forehead is an elongated eye.
First Aid
Pilot (-)
Herder
Farmer
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 50
Melee Combat 85
Projectile Weapons 60
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 0
2-4 Chest 5 AP 5 (Reinforced Leather Tunic)
5-6 Abdomen 5 AP 5 (Reinforced Leather Tunic)
7 Left Arm 6 AP 6 (Reinforced Leather Tunic + Reinforced Leather Vambraces)
8 Right Arm 6 AP 6 (Reinforced Leather Tunic + Reinforced Leather Vambraces)
9 Right Leg 3 AP 3 (Reinforced Leather Greaves)
10 Left Leg 3 AP 3 (Reinforced Leather Greaves)
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B lackened E ye M ine G uard (H uman )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 8 Combat Skill Bonus 5 Weapons
Dexterity 5 Academic Skill Bonus 4 Short 1-H Spear (Bulk 2; AP 3; Dmg 1d3+3; Range C/C; SP 8).
Constitution 6 Social Skill Bonus 5 Crossbow (Bulk 3; AP 4; Dmg 1d6+2; Range S/M; SP 5). Wood
Shield Small (Bulk 3; AP 0; Dmg 1d3; Range C/C; SP 15)
Size 5 Manual Skill Bonus 7 Armour
Attractiveness 5 Physical Skill Bonus 7 Chain Hauberk (Bulk 5, AP 6, SI -1)
Charisma 4 Essence 17
Intelligence 4 Humanity Points 40 Boons
Education 4 Starting Skills 330 None
Empathy 4 MCDB 4
Self-Control 5 Hit Points 22 Equipment
Fatigue Points 34 Black Tabards, Rations, Waterskin, Hip Flask of Alcohol, 1d20+6
Movement Starting Initiative 1 Silver Coins

Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres

Speak & Read Language Native 70 Feinted Strike
Speak & Read Language (-)
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy -
Graft (Gambling) 30
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival 30 -
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (-)
Engineering (-) Advanced Perks
Professional Skill (-) Stamina
Physical Skills %
Athletics (The Basics) 30
Stealth 60 Description
Recon 60 These mine guards are essentially lookouts ordered to protect the mining operations at Rote
Manual Skills % Copper Mines.
First Aid
Pilot (-)
Herder
Farmer
Rituals
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 30
Melee Combat 40
Projectile Weapons 50
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 6
2-4 Chest 11 AP 6 (Chain Hauberk)
5-6 Abdomen 6 AP 6 (Chain Hauberk)
7 Left Arm 4 AP 6 (Chain Hauberk)
8 Right Arm 4 AP 6 (Chain Hauberk)
9 Right Leg 8
10 Left Leg 8
49
H oth F aust (T ainted H uman )
Attributes # Secondary Attributes # Gear
Strength 5 Combat Skill Bonus 6 Weapons
Dexterity 6 Academic Skill Bonus 9 Arquebus (Bulk -, AP 8, Dmg 2d6+3, Sz M, Rge 50, Sp 15)
Constitution 5 Social Skill Bonus 7
Size 5 Manual Skill Bonus 5 Armour
Attractiveness 4 Physical Skill Bonus 6 Gothic Breastplate (Bulk 5, AP 10); Gothic Plate Helm (Bulk 3, AP
Charisma 8 Essence 31 10);
Intelligence 10 Humanity Points 80 Rituals
Education 8 Starting Skills 430 (Blood Magic) Healing, Animal Power;
Empathy 8 MCDB 3 (Black Magic) Stygian Gate, Demonic Might
Self-Control 5 Hit Points 35 Equipment
Fatigue Points 20 Ritual Materials
Movement 3 Starting Initiative 2
Social Skills % Combat Manoeuvres
Speak & Read Language Native 100 -
Speak & Read Language (Ogre) 90
Social & Style
Persuasion & Manipulation Unarmed Combat Techniques
Empathy -
Graft (-)
Academic Skills %
Basic Education Perks
Survival Sorcerer, Unnatural Health, Luck of the Leprechaun, Toughness
Basic Ground Navigation
Science (Physics) 80
Science (Biology) 90 Advanced Perks
Science (Alchemy) 80 Soul Gaze Trait, Mesmerism
Engineering (-)
Professional Skill (-)
Physical Skills % Description
Athletics (The Basics) Hoth Faust wears a red robe embroidered with strange symbols in silver thread which
covers his patches of scaled skin. On top of this he wears gothic plate breastplate and a
Stealth 25 horned plate helm. He bears a third eye on the palm of his right hand, and in his long beard
Recon 25 grow tiny, writhing tentacles.
Manual Skills %
First Aid
Pilot (-)
Herder
Farmer
Rituals 90
Combat Skills %
Unarmed Combat 25
Melee Combat 25
Projectile Weapons 60
Hit Roll (1d10) Location Location Hit Points Armour
1 Head 6 AP 10 (Gothic Plate Helm)
2-4 Chest 10 AP 10 (Gothic Breastplate)
5-6 Abdomen 6 AP 10 (Gothic Breastplate)
7 Left Arm 4
8 Right Arm 4
9 Right Leg 8 50
10 Left Leg 8
Where to now?
If you like what you see here, let us know and
we will continue to expand the setting.

• FWB - Original (1980)

• FWB - Age of Gods (5000BC)
• FWB - Inquisition (1500AD)
• FWB - Age of Revolution (1700AD)
• FWB - Through the Looking Glass
(A Year and a Day into the Future)
• FWB - Beyond the Black Sea
• FWB - Beyond the Black Sea Bestiary
• FWB - Temple of the Black Circle
• Dark Stars - A Space Punk Game
• Dark Stars - Off the Rack
• Dark Stars - Tales from the Block
• BodyCount
• Legend Quest

Thank You for Playing!

www.darkstarsuniverse.com
www.beyondtheblacksea.com

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