Adventure Pack 4

T WO A DV EN T U R ES FOR SYM BA ROUM

Adventure Pack 4
Writer: Illustrations:
Erik Hylander Gustaf Ekelund

Editor: Cover:
Mattias Johnsson Haake Martin Grip

Translation: Maps:
Niklas Lundmark Lars Strömqvist

Graphic Design: Proofreading:

Christian Granath Brandon Bowling
Johan Nohr

Version: ISBN: Copyright:

1.00 978-91-88805-74-4 Fria Ligan AB 2019

Symbaroum is a registered trademark of Fria Ligan AB.

 Thus spoke Aroaleta

... and the dream was shared by woman and man,

imprinted in minds, incarnate in flesh,
the vision of freedom from bodily boundaries,
the wish to unleash the might of the Gods.
.
They sought to conceive of rites and relics,
to strengthen the clay, and harden the soul,
to shatter the walls of their corporal prisons,
transcending the bounds of the mortal domain.

But vain was their longing, deadly the daydream,

consuming their lives, squandering blood,
for their shell was created with delicate outlines,
that rupture if pressured too hard from within. CA LL OF T HE
DA R K

1 Introduction 8
Background................................................................9
The Player Characters.............................................. 11
The Structure of the Adventure...............................12

2 The Cliff of Korinda 14

Overview................................................................. 14
Establishments......................................................... 15
Rumors on the Cliff.................................................. 18

3 
Act 1: The Light Fades 19
Game Opening..........................................................19
The Journey to Sarli..................................................21

4 
Act 2: The Shadows Gather 25
Exploration.............................................................. 25
Overview of the Barony of Sarli.............................. 25
Inhabitants.............................................................. 26
Shoreby.................................................................... 28
Tarkomal – Seat of House Sarli................................ 29
The Monastery of Maral the Bright......................... 32

5 
Act 3: Darkness Calls 46
The Crypt of House Sarli..........................................46
The Finale................................................................48
Aftermath................................................................48
Who is who............................................................... 49

The Ambrian Realm… 4

2
 RETRIBUTION AP P ENDIX

6 Introduction 52 11 Appendix 96
Background.............................................................. 53 New Rules................................................................96
The Player Characters............................................. 56 Artifacts...................................................................99
The Structure of the Adventure.............................. 57 Handouts................................................................ 100
Player Maps............................................................ 104
7 Kurun 58
History..................................................................... 58
Districts................................................................... 58
Housing & Entertainment....................................... 63
Authorities & Factions............................................. 65
Adventure Seeds......................................................66

8 
Act 1: Paying a Debt 68
The Missing Spy.......................................................69

9 
Act 2: Time is Running Out 79
In Belraya’s Tracks................................................... 79
The Sovereign’s Oath Picks Up The Trail................84
With Knowledge Comes Responsibility.................. 85
Onward to Mederen!...............................................86

10 
Act 3: The Cost of Jealousy 92
In Mederen............................................................... 92
Finale at the Wedding Venue................................... 93
Aftermath................................................................ 95

3
 The Ambrian
Realm…

4
… is plagued by internal strife. The troubling tendencies are not new, but in
this time of unrest they grow increasingly worse. The war against the Sovereign’s
Oath is testing the resolve of the Queen’s armies, while scheming nobles and
traditionalists within the Sun Church are challenging the Royal Sekretorium.
More and more factions seek to gain power and influence for themselves, rather
than looking out for the common good; discord spreads across the land, among
high and low, leading to conflicts and struggles indicating that Ambria is slowly
but surely descending into chaos.

The adventures in this book deal with signs Once the characters put the pieces together and
of this escalating decline. In Call of the Dark, the realize what is about to happen, they have the
House of Karnak plots against the landless fam- option of traveling to Mederen. If they are quick
ily Sarli, aiming to have them removed from the enough, maybe they can avert the tragedy, or at
list of nobles – just to anger and make trouble for least help its victims deal with the aftermath.
House Argona, Sarli’s long-time protector, and As always, there are different ways for the
win favor with one of the Queen’s cousins. Facing characters to get involved in the adventures. A
the threat of losing the family’s privileges, Irena number of suggestions are made in the texts (see
Sarli embarks on a perilous journey to their lost page 11 and 56), but are only meant as inspirational
barony in Alberetor, seeking to prove the House’s guidelines. As Game Master, you can (and should)
status. The player characters get involved as Irena’s always make the necessary adjustments in order to
traveling companions, either as trusted friends or adapt the story to the play style and preferences of
as a contracted escort. Many dangers await in the your gaming group. The game world of Symbaroum
dead, darkened lands south of the Titans, while is yours to mold to your liking.
threats within Irena Sarli’s expedition bide their
time and wait for an opportune moment to strike.
The second adventure, called Retribution, pri-
marily takes place in Kurun. It revolves around a
scheme concocted by the Sovereign’s Oath, aiming The Adventure Packs
to aggravate the relations between Ambria and This book is the fourth in a series featuring
Clan Zarek. Their ultimate goal is to thwart the standalone Symbaroum adventures, each
union between the daughter of Mederen’s Mayor suited for two to four gaming sessions. The
and the son of a Zarekian Chieftain. By utilizing previous episodes were printed in limited edi-
the jealousy of a young woman, they hope to tions, but can always be purchased as e-books
unleash the powers of an ancient, corrupting arti- where you find PDFs of Free League’s other
fact, turning the wedding feast into the spawning products (for instance at drivethrurpg.com).
ground for a rampaging abomination. In this case, Aside from treating you to thrilling adventures,
the player characters will get involved as they the Adventure Packs are created to introduce
investigate the disappearance of Belraya, a bar- areas of the game world not covered by the
barian fortune hunter – a tool of the Sovereign’s Chronicle of the Throne of Thorns.
Oath who suffered from remorse, and managed to
reveal part of the conspiracy before being killed.

5
 o
nce the conversation dies, silence
falls like a heavy blanket over the world.
The sudden cracks of the fire resound
like hammer blows in your ears. To make
any noise at all feels like a violation of
the unnatural stillness. The world is
absolutely quiet, mute like the dead.
In the darkness beyond the wavering ring of light cast by your
campfire, even the moaning of the wind has ceased.
As long as you were on the road, the silence was hidden
behind the sounds of the journey – stomping boots, creaking
backpack straps, clattering cookware. But even then, the
surroundings were eerily lifeless. Not even the buzzing of
insects could be heard. Irena says she saw a bird passing north
during the afternoon; the rest of you nod agreement, none of
you truly believing it.
This is northern Alberetor, on the border between civilization
and the dark. You have not traveled very far from the Cliff of
Korinda, but still it is a wasteland, abandoned by both humans
and wildlife. The only creatures you can expect to meet are
the dead that have risen again. They are out there, somewhere.
Somewhere in the darkness, in the silence.

6
 ADVENTURE 1:

CALL OF
T H E DA R K

7
 Introduction
In the beer halls of Yndaros and Thistle Hold, the people of Ambria speak with
dread about the fallen kingdom of Alberetor, the scourges plaguing the land, and
the distortion of its inhabitants. Most remember only the bad times. Those who
recall the happy days before The Great War gloomily shake their heads, while
those with more recent experiences tend to bury their memories deep inside,
hiding from the pain they cause. Besides, who would want to draw attention to
their own proximity to the dark influence of The Eternal Night?
But along the mountain ranges of the Ravens in northern Alberetor, Queen
Korinthia’s people – though she may no longer see them as such – soldier on with
their lives. The blackness is relentlessly eating its way toward them, from the
south as well as the east, but if nothing else, there is still a living to be made.
It is a place inhabited by stubborn Alberians refusing to abandon their native
land, refugees who were too slow to leave, those too poor or blight-stricken
to be allowed through Prios Pass, opportunists hoping to create something
of their own beyond the reach of traditional authorities, and merchants and
fortune hunters still thinking they can make a profit from the old country.

This adventure follows one such fortune a first one that sets up the story, introduces the
hunter, Irena Sarli, and her search for items hid- guide Dobaro, and portrays the journey to Sarli; a
den at House Sarli’s old estate – heirlooms of great second describing the barony of Sarli, the import-
importance to her family’s future. This initial ant adventure locations in the area, and the groups
chapter presents the adventure’s background and operating there; and finally a third act in which
course of events, and offers ways for the player Dobaro’s true intentions are revealed and the
characters to be drawn into the story. The text player characters must decide how to tackle the
then provides a description of the adventure’s situation. Finally it should be noted that you can
starting location, the Cliff of Korinda, followed by find relevant rules, handouts and player maps in
three chapters outlining the acts of the adventure: an appendix, at the back of this book.

8
 CALL OF THE DARK

Background
The Once Noble On the Brink of Disaster
Not very long ago, before The Great War, the One family of the kind described above is House
kingdom of Alberetor was a vast, rich and pros- Sarli, once barons of Sarli on the north-eastern
perous land. While the common folk toiled in the border of Alberetor at the foothills of the Titans.
fields, as common folk always have, many families They held on for a long time, struggling with failing
secured good positions and gained fiefdoms and crops, farmers and crofters leaving their homes,
titles. Even noble houses without much influence and abominations coming in from the darkened
could live comfortably in the remote corners of plains in the south. But when the family patriarch
the realm. The Great War, and particularly the Ogdeno died in year 14, his sons and daughters lost
subsequent colonization of the new homeland, their fighting spirit – soon there would be no people
wrecked all this. for them to govern anyway, and when the family
Ambria is small and cramped in comparison, estate was destroyed in a fire shortly thereafter,
squeezed between the forest in the north and the that was all they could take. The family packed
mountains in the east and south, with often hostile what valuables they could and set off north toward
natives to deal with. This land’s scarcity soon became Ambria. Thus, the only ones left in Sarli were a few
apparent to the new nobility being formed, and the villagers and a group of stubborn Black Cloaks who
creation of new duchies, counties, and baronies refused to abandon their monastery.
became a question of grabbing as much land as The subsequent years have been hard on the Sarli
possible. Too many wanted a piece of the pie; first, family. Achieving a satisfactory status in the new
of course, the Queen’s relatives and confidants, then country has proven more difficult than they expected.
the wealthiest and most prestigious houses, then Sure, they still have enough thaler to live halfway
important allies of said groups, then those who had decent lives, and they have established good relations
distinguished themselves during the war, and so with houses such as Dresel and Vereo, but the truth
on. In the end, hundreds of Alberian noble houses is that no significant progress has been made toward
were reduced to some 50 Ambrian ones, and many being reinstated as a noble house. And the day when
families who had enjoyed their privileges for centu- their money runs out, along with their access to high
ries suddenly found themselves without any formal society, is inevitably approaching. What is more, a
status whatsoever. new threat has arisen that could destroy any hope for
Some of these families, particularly those from their house’s future – its place in the Nobility Register
the northern and western regions, have remained has been called into question!
in Alberetor, unwilling to abandon their lands and Porgalo Sarli, Ogdeno’s oldest son, does not know
the titles that go with them. Others are said to have the exact details, but it is clear that some attentive
sought their fortunes in the west, in the City States
or even the Realm of the Order. Nevertheless, most of
them have relocated to Ambria, partly out of necessity
due to the blight sweeping through Alberetor, but
also out of reluctance to give up the authority that The Nobility Register
once guaranteed their status. There they live with
nothing but their names, their social position, and in The Register of Ambrian Nobility, or simply the Nobility Register, is the official
some cases the wealth that could be brought across list of the country’s noble houses, kept in the House of Nobles in Yndaros: it
the Titans, to keep them from fading into anonymity. states when they obtained their privileges and fiefdoms and which monarch
This gives rise to constant conflicts between that granted them, and lists the current members of each house. Since the
different families in the same precarious situation. Queen still resided in Alberetor until year 7, the register includes an Alberian
They maneuver to win the favor of an established section in addition to the formal Ambrian one. The notaries have done their
noble house or secure a marriage into another, or best to maintain and update it as a matter of tradition. However, the rights of
perhaps – as the ultimate goal of all their efforts and nobility only apply to people in the Ambrian section, with two exceptions: the
schemes – to be considered when the time comes right to enter Ambria at Prios Pass, and access to the various Halls of Knights
for the Queen to assign new fiefdoms. They are all scattered throughout the new land. The ability to go to one of the Halls of
jealously watchful of anything that might damage Knights and socialize with their peers, or the loss of that privilege, has become
their reputation or threaten their family’s place as a life-defining issue for all the families who were robbed of their old positions.
a recognized noble house, listed in the so-called
Nobility Register.

9
 reader has pointed out that the information in the and his siblings, making him Irena’s uncle. But it is
Nobility Register regarding House Sarli’s privileges not a newfound love of family or a wish to vindicate
is incomplete. It lacks exact dates and does not spec- his house that fuels his search.
ify which of the two Alberian kings named Oragan Dobaro grew up far away from Sarli, raised in
Argona issued them – the renowned warlord or his poverty by his mother, and only knew his father by
son, Oragan II. An investigation by the House of Nobles name. The reason why Ogdeno abandoned them never
will therefore re-evaluate Sarli’s right to remain in the interested him; instead he worked hard, with his own
register. Regardless of the background, this threat must hands and mind, to create a dignified life for himself.
be countered decisively, and thus a simple yet bold Although the path was sometimes hard and winding,
plan has been devised. The family will send agents to Dobaro never gave in to despair, and when he met
the lost barony of Sarli and bring back irrefutable evi- Milena shortly after the end of The Great War and they
dence of its position, such as the Royal Charter, which eventually had children, his happiness was complete.
unfortunately was not brought across the mountains. When many others were leaving Alberetor, Dobaro
This will clarify their rights once and for all. Porgalo and Milena stayed behind, doggedly clinging to the
appointed his daughter Irena to lead the mission, and piece of the world they had made their home. Their
so she loyally gathered whatever resources the family bliss lasted a few more years, but eventually darkness
could provide and set off across the Titans. came for them as it had so many others. About five years
ago, Milena and the children succumbed to undeath.
The Scheme Dobaro was not affected, but the grief from seeing
Naturally, Porgalo suspects malicious intent behind his loved ones in that state has almost driven him to
these obvious attempts to smear his family’s name, madness. Like many before him, he has since searched
but though he is partially correct, the truth is more frantically for a way to cure the undead condition,
banal. Sarli has fallen victim to the plotting of other while at the same time hiding and protecting his family.
houses, namely the young Bermeon Karnak’s wish The search has led him down the dark path of sorcery,
to ingratiate himself with the Queen’s young cousin, for which Dobaro has shown a natural talent. And he
Rilia Kohinoor. The main purpose is to publicly dis- has finally found what he thinks is a solution to his
grace House Argona by repealing one of their ances- problem – a ritual codex he picked up in the eastern
tors’ royal decrees. House Sarli, and the somewhat borderlands of Alberetor, in a ruined stronghold said
sloppy notes about its status in the Nobility Register to have been used as a base by the invading armies of
which Bermeon happened to stumble upon, simply the Dark Lords in the early stages of the war. The Cliff of Korinda is
became a suitable tool to that end. Supposedly, the ritual draws the corruption from often crowded, making
Although Bermeon is actually quite indifferent to the undead and binds it in the earth. But the magic it very difficult to keep
the fate of House Sarli, he does not want anything to requires certain odd ingredients, the most important track of everyone moving
thwart his plan. While doing everything in his power being bones from the undead’s ancestors, and the about inside the walls..
to influence the notaries of the House of Nobles, he only ones Dobaro has yet to find are the remains of
also takes measures to frustrate Irena’s efforts once his own father, Ogdeno. For that reason, he sought
the rumors of her journey begin to spread. Through knowledge about Sarli and, after realizing it was
his contacts with Galeia’s trading house, he has sent abandoned, about Ogdeno and, when he turned out
carrier pigeons with a message which preceded Irena to be deceased, about his descendants, all in the hope
to the Cliff of Korinda, offering a substantial reward of locating his father’s resting place through them.
to anyone who stops her from reaching Sarli.
Bermeon is neither able nor interested in con-
trolling how his request is handled, and besides,
he sees no reason to attract unwanted attention by
making Irena’s journey from Ambria even harder.
The Ritual
If someone accepts his offer, great, otherwise she From a scenario standpoint, the magic Dobaro wants to use does not neces-
will probably be killed by the lurking threats of the sarily have to be functional. The ritual (which, by the way, could just as well
Titans or Alberetor – with or without any additional be a ceremony without Dobaro realizing it) might be a fake, a theory, or so
effort on his part. experimental that it destroys all participants. Moreover, Dobaro might not
be capable of performing the magic, even if it actually does work as intend-
The Father’s Anguish ed. If the players find themselves wanting to search for the codex, Dobaro
One of those who has heeded Bermeon’s request is has hidden it in his home, a few weeks of dangerous travel south from the
a man named Dobaro, who has his own reasons to Cliff of Korinda
go looking for House Sarli. He is the bastard son of
Ogdeno Sarli and younger half-brother of Porgalo

10
 CALL OF THE DARK

His research pointed toward Ambria, which led him it is his hope that Irena will unwittingly lead him
to the Cliff of Korinda where he soon heard about to the right location. When she and the rest of the
Bermeon’s offer regarding Irena’s journey. group have served their purpose, Dobaro will have
no qualms about leaving them behind.
Dobaro’s plan
As far as Dobaro is concerned, things seem to The Outlaws
be moving in a favorable direction, so instead of Dobaro is obviously not the only one who has
traveling to Ambria he decided to wait at the Cliff caught wind of Bermeon’s offer. Even though the
of Korinda. If he can infiltrate Irena’s group much representative of Galeia’s trading house has not
ground will have been gained, as that would take gone to much effort to spread the message (see
him to Sarli along with someone well-versed in the the description of the establishment in the chap-
house’s history. Dobaro is a competent pathfinder ter about the Cliff of Korinda), some of the more
who knows more than most about the dangers of ruthless brigands and sellswords in the region
Alberetor, and hopes this fact will convince Irena to have been thinking of ways to interrupt Irena’s
choose him as her group’s guide. It is a job few others journey. One of the bolder bandits is named Olmira
would be interested in anyway. As long as they can the Black, who has waited there for some time for
navigate around any bounty hunters hoping to collect the group to arrive from Ambria. She hopes to stop
Bermeon’s reward, the journey to Sarli should go them before they even leave the Titans, and puts
more or less smoothly. And once they have arrived, her plan in motion during Act I.

The Player Characters

The plot of the adventure is basically a kind additional opportunities for the Game Master
of treasure hunt, which should be relatively to complicate the story if so desired. The idea is
accessible for mos t ga m i ng g roups, w it h that it should work both as a shorter scenario

11
 for groups who, for whatever reason, pass the Moving up the ladder
Cliff of Korinda, or as the basis for a smaller Another option is that a faction close to the player
Chronology campaign centered around the Sarli family’s characters has some kind of stake in House Sarli’s
Call of the Dark can eas- struggle for vindication. fate and asks them to help. Maybe the Sarlis are
ily be adjusted to take devoted members of a factions that the player char-
place at any point in the Incentives acters support or owe a favor to? Perhaps a young
game world’s recent As always, the Game Master decides how to best member of one of the established noble houses the
history, without making involve the player characters in the story and player characters have a relationship with wants
any major changes. All which changes and adjustments must be made to to marry Irena’s younger brother/sister, which
you need is some form the written material. That said, there are a number would be impossible if the family lost its place in
of central authority of more general entry points that might be suitable the Nobility Register? Perhaps Bermeon Karnak has
in Ambria for House for a gaming group. enemies who want to see him fail? House Argona
Sarli to deal with; the might see the entire affair as an attack on them
other motivations in the Hired help and be willing to aid Irena’s efforts by hiring the
background can simply An obvious plot hook is that the player charac- player characters to assist her.
be given to other actors ters are hired by Irena to help with her expe-
(or be omitted entirely dition. If the player characters have developed Fortune hunters
as suggested under a reputation during previous adventures, for Although the adventure is not designed for it, it is
the Fortune Hunter example through their travels in Davokar, Irena entirely possible to exclude the plight of House Sarli
heading on page 12). For might well seek them out even before leaving altogether. If so, the player characters should start
completely new gaming Ambria. If the adventure instead starts at the their journey at the Cliff of Korinda and instead be
groups, the adventure Cliff of Korinda, Irena has fewer people to choose enlisted by Dobaro as his assistants. This would
can also serve as an from and will naturally turn to the seemingly likely lead to a different finale – Dobaro might not
introduction, especially reliable adventures who happen to be there. In reveal the purpose of the expedition, and he may
for those wishing to play that case she will have traveled the first stretch or may not decide to abandon them in the end.
The Promised Land. with only her faithful servant Adso and passed Otherwise it should be possible to use the adventure
Irena could then engage the Titans with a caravan. Note that the Sarlis landscape as it is written.
the player characters are not rich and that any promises of rewards
in exchange for later should ref lect that. Experience and abilities
helping them cross into Call of the Dark is designed for player characters
Ambria at Prios Pass A player character instead of Irena between the levels of Experienced and Veteran,
(as described in more One good way to start the story, if any player character meaning that they have amassed up to 100
detail in The Howling of has the right background, is to have Irena entirely or Experience beyond the starting level. There are
Damned Gods, featured partially replaced by a player character. If the char- two enemies – the abomination Kraal and the
in Adventure Pack 3). acter’s family is in a similar position as the Sarlis, the spirit of Baron Telgon – who offer Strong resis-
Game Master only needs to change a few names and tance, but they are mostly acting alone. Other
possibly adjust the geography and a few relationships. potential adversaries, such as the Orderlanders
This could work even if none of the player characters and the dragouls, may also pose a serious chal-
are nobles, provided they have served a noble house in lenge, but can be handled without combat or even
the past, in which case it would be possible for Irena become allies. As always, the Game Master must
to remain in the story if so desired. adjust the difficulty to suit the gaming group.
The idea above is also viable if the player As for specific abilities, any mystical powers
character/family in question is par t of an that deal damage to spirits and undead will prove
established noble house, but then the Game useful, although the adventure includes artifacts
Master should add some other factor that casts that might help the player characters overcome
further doubt on their noble status. After all, such obstacles. Otherwise the adventure does
the privileges of Ambrian nobility are granted not require any particular abilities or boons,
by Queen Korinthia herself and do not depend and should be playable with a wide variety of
on the history of Alberetor. player characters.

The Structure of the Adventure

Call of the Dark is divided into three acts – the the third a presumably action-packed finale taking
first being quite linear, the second open with vari- place after the characters have reached certain
ous places for the player characters to explore, and points in Act II.

12
 CALL OF THE DARK

Act I: Light Fades

In this act the player characters have reached the
campsite called the Cliff of Korinda where they
are contacted by Irena Sarli, a young noble from
an old house without fiefdoms in Ambria, on the
way back to the family’s old barony in Alberetor Timeline
to search for lost heirlooms. She hires them as
guards and helpers on the dangerous journey –25
to the darkened land. They are introduced to Porgalo is born, son of
the guide Dobaro, who has his own agenda for Baron Ogdeno Sarli.
joining the expedition, and they may interact –23
with the camp’s inhabitants. The next day the Dobaro is born, bastard –3
group heads east, and in a narrow passage in son of Ogdeno, grows up Ralea is born in an
the mountains they are attacked by outlaws. far away from the barony. unknown location to poor
The journey then continues east through the parents.
increasingly blight-stricken landscape, and the
act ends with the group setting up camp on the 0 2
border of Sarli. Irena is born, daughter of Ralea is given a place at
Porgalo. Dobaro meets the monastery of Maral
Act II: Shadows Gather Milena. the Bright. Her parents
The second Act begins as the player characters are dead or have aban-
reach Sarli and start exploring the desolate 6 doned her.
and forsaken barony and its three primary Ogdeno’s wife Sopira dies
adventure locations. They may visit House and is buried in the family 14
Sarli ’s seat of Tarkomal, the market town crypt. Ogdeno dies, his son
called Shoreby, and the Black Cloak monastery Porgalo becomes the new
known as Maral the Bright. At Tarkomal the baron. Later that year Tar-
characters can find evidence that the monks 16 komal is destroyed in a fire,
have moved the heirlooms since the family’s Karkoli, prior of the mon- killing Porgalo’s wife Letira
departure; then, at the monastery, chroni- astery of Maral the Bright, and his younger brother
cles mention them being moved to the family moves the forgotten Sarli Olano. The family decides
crypt and describe the way there. During the heirlooms and the reli- to relocate to Ambria.
act the player characters must deal with not quary caskets of Ogdeno,
only the stationary hazards in the area, but Letira and Olano from the
also another expedition sent by the Realm of ruins of Tarkomal to the 17
the Order to investigate the monastery, and monastery. The caskets Milena, along with her
a band of confused dragouls convinced they and a few other items are and Dobaro’s children,
are defending Sarli against intruders sent by later moved to the family Madisa and Derado,
the Dark Lords. crypt in the northern hills. become undead. Dobaro
seeks a cure through
Act III: Darkness Calls sorcery.
The third act starts with the characters finding 18
and searching the crypt of House Sarli, and the The last inhabitants of
adventure culminates with Dobaro – actually Shoreby leave the barony.
the illegitimate half-brother of Irena’s father – They ask the brothers and
showing his true colors and attempting to steal sisters of the monastery
his father’s bones from the crypt. He intends to to join them; some accept,
use them to perform sorcery which he thinks but Karkoli refuses. Karkoli
will resurrect his family from their undead reveals the truth about the
state, and the player characters must decide monastery’s founder to
where they stand on this issue. Meanwhile, Ralea, hoping it will make
the characters will likely find themselves in her stay, but she leaves
a bad spot, as t he furious undead ancestor anyway.
Telgon emerges from the shadows to drive off
all intruders.

13
 The Cliff of Korinda
By the southern foothills of the Titans, and the first steep slopes rising toward the
snow-laden mountaintops, lies the Cliff of Korinda. The place, which is not actually
a cliff but rather a grassy plateau looming over the hillside, was named after the
adventurer and caravan leader Korinda. It was she who set up the first camp there,
right at the beginning of the colonization of Ambria. Korinda herself is long gone,
eaten by a pack of kotka cats according to campfire stories, but her name lives on.
Today the Cliff is not only a camp for caravans crossing the mountains, but also a
trading post, a military outpost, and not least the first stop for refugees hoping to
leave the dying Alberetor for a place in the new country.

Following a turbulent time of conf licts Magica, both of which keep agents posted at the
between various trading houses, the Cliff has Cliff even though their motives do not always
for the last ten years or so been controlled by the match the Queen’s.
Queen’s Rangers, supported by a contingent of The Cliff’s garrison determines which caravans
regular army troops. Through the years the area are permitted to continue north – an issue that has
has gained more and more strategic importance a sizable economic impact for many merchants in
to Ambria. The Queen wishes to maintain a link Ambria – and along with a group of Black Cloaks
to (and, as much as possible, her influence over) they also inspect the travelers to weed out the
the strongholds and powerful factions that still most severely blight-stricken.
remain in Alberetor. She also wants an early Otherwise the caravan leaders, merchants and
warning if the blight should spread further other groups are allowed to live their daily lives
north, and a chance to prevent it if possible – on the Cliff as their see fit – as long as there are
something that has become increasingly relevant no serious disturbances threatening public safety
in recent years. Other organizations have similar or too many refugees crowding the plateau, the
motives, for example the Sun Church and Ordo military keeps its distance.

Overview
The Cliff of Korinda is a f lat plateau roughly The Rampart
20 0 paces w ide a nd long , w it h a n at u r a l Raised the year after the Cliff of Korinda was finally
boundary to the west in the form of a steep claimed by the Ambrian military, the fortification
mountainside and a slight downward slope in now encloses the entire plateau, save the western
all other directions. The place is enclosed by side facing the mountain. It comprises a four-foot-
simple but robust fortifications, dominated by high, tightly packed rampart reinforced with stone,
the garrison’s keep. It has good access to fresh topped with wooden spikes and fronted by an
water through the wellsprings emerging from external ditch, connected at the north end to the
the slopes. garrison’s keep. There are two entrances through

14
 CALL OF THE DARK

the wall, one in the south and another in the east.

They lack gates but are guarded at all times by two
soldiers from the army post. 1

The Refugee Camp 3

Southwest of the Cliff, by a small stream winding
down toward the valley, there is a semi-permanent 4 2
refugee camp. It is inhabited by the poor souls who
have failed to secure a place in one of the caravans
headed for Ambria and either cannot or will not pay
what the trading houses are demanding from people
wanting to pitch their tents inside the rampart.
Occasionally, the camp is also visited (if they can
slip past the watchful gaze of their neighbors) by
people who were turned away at the Screening.
6
The camp disappears during the winter months
and re-emerges in springtime, growing larger as
the summer approaches. Inhabitants come and go
at a rapid pace, and there are usually no more than
40–50 people at any given time – more during the
summer, fewer during the spring and fall. Life at
the camp is hard, and unlike in Ambria, there are
no alms from the Sun Church or the Queen to rely
on. It is not uncommon for people to perish due to
the harsh living conditions.

The Surrounding Area 5

0 200 m
The site is situated at the intersection between the
lower foothills of the Titans and the steeper slopes
leading up to the passes to Ambria. It rises from the
west side of a narrow part of the valley where the
THE CLIFF OF
caravan route passes through. The area is usually
free of snow, except during the four coldest months the lower regions after barely a day’s march. Shortly KORINDA
of the year (Morangal, Ofeliya, Agani, and Elisal). thereafter the road forks into two – the main path 1. The Garrison
The lowest mountain pass is located a hard continuing south along the old route to the capital 2. The Rampart
three-day journey north from the Cliff. In the other city, Kandoria, with smaller branches leading west 3. The Trading
direction, the route soon turns southeast, reaching as well as east. Houses
4. The Tent Camp

Establishments 5. The Refugee

Camp
On the Cliff there is a number of institutions which to The garrison buildings comprise a round two-
6. The Caravan Trail
a great extent facilitate and affect daily life at the camp. story keep with a wooden lookout platform at the
top. The tower houses the commander and her
The Garrison junior officers and is also used for storage and as N
Ambria has a considerable force in place to guard a meeting place. Connected to the tower is a long
the area and the stronghold that is the Cliff of stone building which serves as living quarters
Korinda. The roughly 100 soldiers are commanded for the troops, with a stable large enough for a
by a ranger captain, who also has 20 or so of the dozen hardy horses suited to the terrain.
Queen’s Rangers at her disposal. But the troops are The current commander is the fierce Captain
often out patrolling the caravan route to frighten Egusta, recently promoted from the outpost at
off potential robbers or carrying out other mis- Prios Pass where she served for a few years. If
sions in Alberetor. No more than half of them are Egusta did not survive the Howling of Damned
usually present on the Cliff at any given moment, God s, or if t he Ga me Master wou ld prefer
unless some known menace threatens the Cliff someone else, she can easily be replaced with
or the season makes travel difficult. one of the other captains from that adventure

15
 (Domio or Elan) or some other ranger the player ◆◆ Food, 3× the prices in the Core Rulebook
characters could be acquainted with (such as ◆◆ Other wares, 2× the prices in the Core Rulebook
Lindra from The Witch Hammer, if she is still
alive). If none of these seem appropriate, the Trading in goods is somewhat easier. Food will only
commander’s name is Captain Lukrano – a weary cost twice as much, while other wares are sold at
veteran from The Great War with stats as a Ranger the same rates as in the Core Rulebook.
Captain (see page 212 in the Core Rulebook).
The Trading Houses
The Screening Huddled against the mountainside is a small
This procedure is carried out by the Garrison, cluster of buildings belonging to the trading
along with the Black Cloaks in the area, whenever houses who have chosen to keep representatives
a caravan arrives at the Cliff of Korinda or (less stationed at the Cliff. They are easily recognized
commonly) tries to pass it without stopping. as, aside from the garrison, they are the only real
The inspections are usually handled by the buildings in the area and the natural center of
soldiers at the entrances with assistance from a the camp. There is an open space in front of them
Twilight Friar, but when a larger group approaches, where passing merchants do business, travelers
a patrol is dispatched to intercept the travelers on can procure equipment needed to continue their
the road. First and foremost, their purpose is to journey, and one can get something simple to
prevent blight-stricken individuals and corrupted eat or drink.
items from entering Ambria – a task they take
very seriously. Secondly, it is a process of mak- Galeia
ing sure the caravans have legitimate economic House Galeia and its industrious patriarch
interests in Ambria, that is to say, that they are Lagoboi have business interests in many parts
transporting authorized goods and working with of the world, including Alberetor. Their represen-
some Ambrian trading partner. And thirdly, the tatives are among those who have been at the Cliff
guards are charged with preventing goods from of Korinda the longest, more or less constantly
being smuggled out of Ambria. The decision as to ever since year 7. However, not only is the trading
who may enter Ambria, however, is left entirely to post exposed and uncomfortable, but the trade
the administration at Prios Pass. Smaller groups is deteriorating, almost non-existent during the
of travelers without blight-marks, who are not winter months. Still, the Cliff is nevertheless
transporting goods, are often waved through enough of a focal point to keep it manned.
without closer inspection. The current representative is the former car-
avan leader Argasto, whom the player characters
The Market may have encountered during the adventure The
Although the Cliff of Korinda was originally estab- Promised Land, and who has served at the Cliff for
lished as an outpost for travelers crossing the Titans roughly a year. Argasto views his task as a retire-
and later turned into a military base, it has become ment posting, a way to use his hard-earned local
a significant marketplace as well. Caravans on their knowledge to squeeze out a few extra thaler in his
way to and from Ambria will inevitably make a stop old age without risking his life on the mountain
there, and for the Alberians still inhabiting the trails. Argasto does what is required of him so as
southern slopes of the mountains, the place offers not to displease his employer, but avoids taking any
a chance to trade valuables for important equipment unnecessary risks, which is reflected in his efforts
that can no longer be found in their own region. to stop Irena’s expedition. He has four experienced
But commerce is irregular and follows the caravan henchmen and guards to help him, and a dove-
season, reaching its peak during the summer months cote that allows efficient communication with the
and coming to a halt during the winter. headquarters in Ambria. If Argasto died during a
During the caravan season, most forms of ordi- previous adventure, or if the Game Master for some
nary equipment (standard weapons, simple armors, reason does not want to use him again, he may be
wilderness gear, and so on) can normally (1–8 on replaced with the merchant Virondo – a man of
1d10) be bought from some traveling merchant at similar background and character.
the Cliff. Special weapons, mounts, alchemical
substances, artifacts, and the like are usually very Melion
rare and seldom sold at all. A scarcity of resources The richest family in Ambria, House Melion of
in the area drives up all prices, particularly for New Beretor, naturally has representatives on
people trying to trade in coin: the Cliff of Korinda by virtue of its economic

16
 CALL OF THE DARK

strength and its need to maintain communi- drive other operators away. They have actively,
cation with distant business associates. Their and with some success, tried to recruit indepen-
With Death as
trading post was not made permanent until dent caravan leaders to their group, which has
a Neighbor
year 16, but quickly became one of the most allowed them to take control of a significant
inf luential establishments at the Cliff. With chunk of the Cliff – though they are still weaker Living in a dying land
interests in refugee transports, transit of goods than the competitors. has left its mark on
from trading partners in the City States, and a The Agrella Guild’s expansion is viewed with the Alberian people.
certain import of salvaged valuables from the animosity by House Melion, while Galeia is more Although the value of
forsaken lands of Alberetor, Melion makes the ambivalent – partly because the Guild’s activities life has decreased for
most of the area’s otherwise modest business reduce Melion’s inf luence more than Galeia’s, many, there is increased
opportunities. All this to the dismay of their and part ly because Galeia’s representative caution about resorting
rival, House Galeia, as it is difficult to compete Argasto has been on good terms with Ilva since to violence. Meetings
with the vast resources of Melion. long ago. While relations between the trading with strangers are ei-
The dom ina nce of House Melion is a lso houses at the Cliff are normally quite relaxed, ther avoided or marked
ref lected in their residence – a well-bricked the conf lict between them simmers beneath the by great suspicion, but
main building with a wing. There a merchant surface, and it will probably not be long before warriors as well as ordi-
named Morlam is in charge of four aides and Melion acts against the Guild, hindering their nary people often leave
half a dozen guards. Although the living con- activities in various ways, intimidating mem- their swords sheathed
ditions are still quite austere compared to the bers into abandoning them, or even ambushing and their arrows quiv-
cities and villages of Ambria, House Melion’s its caravans. ered, even when things
staff live as comfortably as the circumstances get heated. For who is to
will permit. The Tent Camp say that a person slain
The Melion building is a lso where Ordo Most of the Cliff is occupied by the camp that in combat will not rise
M ag ic a rent s accom mod at ion for pa ssi ng the trading houses have set up for caravans as undead a month lat-
members. The organization usually has two and other travelers, with permanent tent sites, er? Maybe that person
adepts stationed at the Cliff, though much of fireplaces, latrines, enclosures for draught will remember, and seek
their time is spent traveling through Alberetor. animals, and so on. revenge? The Alberians
These adepts always return to Ambria when The camp is managed by Alberian daythalers know that, at the end of
the snow comes, and new personnel are sent from the southwestern valleys, refugees who the day, an increased
at the beginning of spring. When the player cannot afford to keep traveling, or goblins adrift number of walking
characters arrive at the Cliff of Korinda, the from the north. Houses Melion and Galeia each corpses is in nobody’s
adepts in place are Feona and Daerol. control about two fifths of the area, while the interest.
remaining fifth belongs to the Agrella Guild,
The Agrella Guild although the boundaries can move depending on
The Agrella Guild is an association of smaller the local power balance. The trading houses tend
trading houses and merchants with inter- to offer the larger caravans a discount in hopes
ests and investments in the caravan traffic. of attracting their business; otherwise a wagon
While the guild owes its name to the fact that space costs 3 ortegs/night, a tent site 2 ortegs/
its founder, the peddler Salkomo, came from night, and room for one animal in the pens (food
Agrella, most of its members are actually based excluded) 1 orteg/night.
around the Titans and many are themselves
caravan leaders. Other prominent members The Black Cloaks
include Baron Karolia Meleon from Prios Pass The Twilight Friars have put up a permanent
and Hurian, a merchant prince in Yndaros. pavilion in the middle of the tent camp. Their
The Guild’s representative at the Cliff is the faction has been there the longest, before both
former caravan leader Ilva, whom the player the trading houses and the army. There are
characters may already have encountered in always four to six Black Cloaks in the area,
The Howling of Damned Gods, and her goblin sent by the Twilight Monastery with orders to
servant Olf. If Ilva did not survive said adven- stop any servants of The Eternal Night from
ture, or the Game Master has other reasons for entering the kingdom of Prios. At the time of
excluding her, the representative is instead the player characters’ visit, the group is led
named Leona. by Brother Arhalt. The screening they are
The Guild was founded less than two years conducting is sanctioned by the Curia and
ago as a reaction to Galeia’s and Melion’s growing carried out in cooperation with the Garrison,
dominance in the area and their attempts to as described above.

17
 Rumors on the Cliff
The Game Master can let the player characters About Sarli and the eastern
come across any number of the following rumors, regions
as answers to their questions, in meetings with ◆◆ Sarli? There’s nothing there, everyone left long ago.
old acquaintances or in conversations with the ◆◆ If I’m not mistaken, Eadra in North Kverne, the
camp’s inhabitants. miller’s wife, comes from Sarli. Moved there
with a group when she was a girl.
About the surrounding area ◆◆ I’ve been told that black rains from Lyastra
and the road to Sarli are sweeping through the plains in the east,
◆ There are brigands roaming the mountain knocking people to the ground. Then they rise
trails… Desperate people who have lost again, as revenants.
everything. ◆◆ It’s said that the people still living in the east are
◆ These are dark times for the Cliff of forced to sleep in underground burrows, lest
Korinda – it won’t be long before the the nighttime mists of the Dark Lords take them
trading houses tear each other’s throats away to the Yonderworld.
out.
◆ The main road to the east is still in good About Alberetor
shape, at least for a day’s ride or so. I’ve ◆◆ The villagers in the valleys are poor folk,
patrolled those parts often enough. stealing anything they can get their hands on.
◆ Stick a dagger in the ground in each direc- ◆◆ The main road to Kandoria is safe for a few
tion around your camp at night. That’ll days south. The soldiers make sure of that.
keep the undead away. ◆◆ Prince Ogdaran rules the people west of
◆ Hardly anyone ever goes east – that’s Eagram – the king of Westmark he calls
where the blackness starts. But my friend himself. The Queen’s people can’t be pleased,
Olke says he saw a group turn east at the but what can they do? Of course, someone
crossroads a few days ago. Strange they would take matters into his own hands when
were, with two sun priests among them. she’s not around. And she’s busy with the
You don’t see many such these days. barbarians in the north, from what I hear.

18
 CALL OF THE DARK

ACT 1:

The Light Fades

This chapter introduces the players to the adventure, presents important
non-player characters, and sets the scene for the continued journey. It also gives
the player characters a chance to explore the environment at the Cliff of Korinda
and purchase any equipment they might need.

Game Opening
If a player character has taken Irena’s place in the years of exile in Ambria and has virtually exploded
plot, the adventure will likely begin with the group during the current crisis, with almost nightly ses-
looking for a guide, which they will soon be advised to sions of planning, speculating and ruminating with Argasto’s role
do if it was not already part of the plan. This gives the her father. Embarking on the dangerous journey to If the player char-
Game Master a chance to first let the player characters Alberetor and finally taking action, albeit desperately, acters have already
hear rumors about the old country and interact with almost came as a relief. Irena’s own view of the impor- established a special
the Cliff’s inhabitants (perhaps they run into some tance of her house’s place in the Nobility Register is relationship with Argas-
old acquaintance?), before introducing Dobaro. At something she has not yet had time to think about… to, House Galeia’s rep-
some point the characters may also get a chance to Irena is as old as the colonization of Ambria and con- resentative at the Cliff
notice Olmira watching their camp site. sequently left Sarli as a teenager. She still has relatively of Korinda, he might
On the other hand, should the player characters clear memories of the landscape and where to find decide to warn them,
have come to the Cliff of Korinda along with Irena or the various adventure locations, and has been given without mentioning his
have other reasons for being there, the story begins advice by Porgalo and other relatives – see the handout own role in the matter,
with Irena either introducing them to Dobaro or hir- of Irena’s map on page 102. Regarding Tarkomal, the that others are seeking
ing them to help with the journey. In the latter case family’s old seat, she is familiar with the background to disrupt the expedi-
she has already enlisted Dobaro’s services as a guide. described under History up to the point when her tion. If so, he refers to
In any event, Dobaro can be used to provide infor- family abandoned it. She also knows the surrounding general rumors at the
mation about the dangers of Alberetor, anything that area fairly well and recalls the purposes of the various Cliff about Irena having
might be needed in order to make the journey to Sarli, buildings, although the finer details may have escaped enemies who want to
and other practical advice. If the player characters her. As for Shoreby and the monastery of Maral the see her fail. His warning
lack the necessary equipment, the Game Master Bright, she knows their history (or in the latter case, will not change how the
should give them a chance to purchase it at the Cliff, the official version) and is familiar with the geography, scenario develops, but
as long as it is reasonable for such things to be available but lacks any detailed knowledge. She only visited the attentive players may
there. Any items they might have, but do not want crypt of House Sarli once when she was six, when her be able use the informa-
to take with them, can be left with Irena’s servant, grandmother Sopira was buried, and her memories of tion to their advantage
Adso, who fell ill while crossing the Titans and will it are vague at best. Porgalo has told her what little he when handling the am-
await his mistress’ return at the Cliff. The group will remembers and offered directions, and based on that bush staged by Olmira
depart the following day. information she is confident that she will at least be and her outlaws.
able to find the right part of the barony.
Irena Sarli Regarding the mission’s objective, it is the
Irena grew up in her father’s shadow, shackled by the family’s – therefore Irena’s – belief that the Royal
kind of expectations that come with being the oldest Charter, the most important piece of evidence to
child and heir. This pressure increased during her retrieve, was most likely left by mistake among

19
 the other items and documents they could not take Dobaro
with them from Tarkomal. They do not have a clear Dobaro is not an evil man, at least he does not
recollection, however (or else they would not have see himself that way. He has set out to save his
left without it) – at worst it may have been lost in the wife, daughter and son from undeath through
fire. It could also have been stored someplace else or whatever means seem most effective. How could
moved by the Black Cloaks who were trusted with that be considered a malicious deed? As described
managing the barony after the family’s departure. in chapter one, he never cared about his paternal
relatives until quite recently, but deep inside he
has always felt a streak of bitterness over his
and his mother’s squalid existence far away
from the Sarli fortune. As Dobaro sees it, he has
every right to take whatever he needs from the
crypt – House Sarli owes him that much. He does
not hate Irena – on the contrary, he tries to get to
know her and asks questions about her family,
particularly about Ogdeno – but at the same time
he will never allow any regard for her to stop him
from reaching his goal.
During Act I and II, Dobaro will do his best to
keep the group (especially Irena) alive. He tries
to avoid displaying his mystical powers but will
use them if necessary. He answers any personal
questions with lies, claiming to have been a novice
of Ordo Magica in his youth and that the darken-
ing of the land seems to have affected his powers.
Race Human (Ambrian) Similarly, he will respond to any questions about
Resistance Challenging his shadow by murmuring, “The darkness of these
lands gets to us all, sooner or later.”
Traits Contacts (Noble Houses), Heir-
Having walked the path of sorcery for the
loom, Privileged
last few years, combined with the grief over his
Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 9 (+1), Discreet 9 (+1),
family’s fate, he has become increasingly gloomy
Persuasive 15 (–5), Quick 12 (–2) Resolute 11 (–1),
Strong 11 (–1), Vigilant 8 (+2) and dark-minded. The powers he has so skillfully
acquired both frighten and fascinate him, espe-
Abilities Dominate (master), Leader
cially the pleasure he gets whenever he is forced
(adept), Loremaster (novice),
Quick Draw (novice), Twin Attack to use them on other creatures… Subconsciously
(novice) he realizes that the path he has chosen will likely
Weapons, The fencing sword Bluetongue 5
be his undoing, rather than the salvation he is
Persuasive (deep impact, precise), Parrying hoping for.
Dagger 3 (balanced, short)
Armor Studded leather 3 (reinforced,
flexible)
Defense –4
Toughness 11 Pain Threshold 6
Equipment The sword Bluetongue (see
Appendix), parrying dagger,
studded leather armor, field
equipment, 57 thaler, 18 shillings,
23 ortegs
Shadow Gleaming like hammered silver
(corruption: 0)
Tactics: Irena leads her allies against the
strongest enemy and tries to give herself room
to maneuver by forcing opponents to hesitate in
melee combat. She remains composed and fights
bravely wherever she is most useful.

20
 CALL OF THE DARK

Race Human (Alberian) Equipment Quarterstaff, dagger, field equip-

ment
Resistance Challenging
Shadow Dark green like the rotten plants
Traits Bushcraft (II, Alberetor), Dark
of a swamp (corruption: 8)
Secret, Pathfinder
Tactics: Dobaro starts by bending the will of the
Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 11 (–1), Discreet 9 (+1),
strongest enemy and using him/her as a shield,
Persuasive 7 (+3) Quick 13 (–3), Resolute 17 (–7),
before surrounding himself with an unholy aura.
Strong 8 (+2), Vigilant 12 (–2)
He then fights any remaining opponents with
Abilities Bend Will (adept), Black Bolt Curse, Dark Bolt and Larvae Boil.
(novice), Curse (master),
Exceptionally Resolute (adept),
Larvae Boil (novice), Ritualist
(novice: special, see The Ritual Traveling without a guide
text box), Sorcery (adept), Venturing into Alberetor without someone who
Strong Gift (adept, signature knows the landscape is a bad idea, and the Game
power Curse), Unholy Aura Master should make sure to have various individu-
(novice)
als at the Cliff of Korinda point this out. If the player
Weapons, Quarterstaff 3 (long, blunt), characters still choose not to enlist a guide, they
Accurate Dagger 3 (short) must face the dangers described below on their
Armor Concealed armor 2 (concealed, own. In that case, Dobaro will secretly follow the
flexible) group to Sarli. The Game Master must decide how
Defense –3 this affects the course of events, as it will probably
Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 4 require a few adjustments, although most of the
locations can still be used as written.

The Journey to Sarli

Walking to Sarli takes approximately three Irena and her companions, as she has used the
days – one to descend the mountain trail, and spot many times before. Her scouts watched for
then another two-day march east along the old the group’s departure from the camp at the Cliff
main road. of Korinda, and used secret mountain paths to
intercept them in this passage.
The first day Olmira has her archers [pc+2] hide on both
The first day of travel starts by following the car- sides of the route. They open fire when the targets
avan route winding southeast along the brook. are standing between them. Olmira positions
During the first half of the day, the terrain is rocky herself and half of her remaining brigands [pc+2
and arduous, but by the afternoon the landscape in total] in front of the targets, and will attack one
flattens as the route continues toward the valleys. turn after the archers start firing. The other half
The characters reach the crossroads where the stay hidden in a rocky outcrop further south, and
route meets the old main road, running along the enter the fray after yet another turn, coming up
mountains to the east and west, an hour or two from behind.
before sundown. The archers can be detected by an observant
So far, the landscape remains more or less the scout. If the players expressly state that they are
same and follows the normal seasonal changes. looking out for ambushes, the group rolls its best
The vegetation and animal life are in many ways [Vigilant←Discreet]. If they do not, they still make a
reminiscent of southern Ambria, and inexperi- [Vigilant←Discreet] test, but in that case the player
enced travelers do not notice the darkness slowly character has two chances to fail.
consuming the land.
Olmira the Black, robber chief
The Ambush
Race Human (Alberian)
Around noon the route passes a steeper stretch
where the path runs a bit further from the south- Resistance Ordinary
ward flow of the brook. Mountainsides rise in the Traits Bushcraft (II, Alberetor)
north, and on the south side the view is obstructed Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 10 (0), Discreet 11 (–1),
by huge boulders – the result of past rockslides. This Persuasive 6 (+4) Quick 14 (–4), Resolute 9 (+1),
is where Olmira the Black has decided to ambush Strong 15 (–5), Vigilant 10 (0)

21
 Brigands, archers
Race Human (Alberian)
More or fewer outlaws? Resistance Weak
The basic idea of the adventure is that Bermeon’s offer to reward those who Traits Bushcraft (I, Alberetor)
stop Irena is made as an extra insurance – simply because he can, not be- Accurate 10 (0), Cunning 5 (+5), Discreet 13 (–3),
cause he really thinks it is necessary for his plan to succeed. The resulting Persuasive 9 (+1), Quick 10 (0), Resolute 8 (+2),
rumors about Irena’s journey give Dobaro reason to await her arrival at the Strong 11 (–1), Vigilant 14 (–4)
Cliff of Korinda. Since House Galeia has no vested interest in the mission Abilities Marksman (novice), Sixth Sense
and merely regards it as a favor to House Karnak, their local representative (novice)
has not involved himself more than necessary. The information has only Weapons, Bow 5, Axe 4
spread among a small circle of local crooks that Galeia feels compelled to Vigilant/
maintain relations with, and a few individuals whose own inquiries made Accurate
them seem suitable for the job, such as Dobaro who has been seeking Armor None
information about House Sarli.
Defense 0
Olmira’s outlaws are meant to represent the threat posed by such
groups and provide some action at the start of the adventure. Depend- Toughness 11 Pain Threshold 6
ing on the gaming group’s preferences, however, this section may be Equipment Their weapons, a worn blan-
adjusted to include a lesser or greater number of encounters. In groups ket, one day’s ration of slightly
corrupted food (generates 1
where Irena’s mission is given a more central place in a campaign, Ber-
temporary corruption if eaten)
meon’s schemes might start to cause problems while they are still in
southern Ambria, and perhaps the group is stalked by persistent boun- Shadow Brown like oxidized meat (cor-
ruption: 3)
ty hunters all the way to Sarli? On the other hand, gaming groups who
prefer to use it as a side adventure or focus entirely on the exploration Tactics: The archers concentrate their fire to kill
of Sarli and the conflicts that might arise there, are free to leave out the one enemy at a time. Individually, they fight until
they are wounded. Unharmed archers stay in the
outlaw attack entirely.
fight as long as their group outnumbers the enemy.

Brigands, melee fighters

Race Human (Alberian)
Resistance Weak
Abilities Iron Fist (adept), Man-at-arms
(adept), Shield Fighter (novice) Traits Bushcraft (I, Alberetor)
Weapons, Battle axe 7 (deep impact) Accurate 14 (–4), Cunning 5 (+5), Discreet 13 (–3),
Strong Persuasive 9 (+1), Quick 11 (–1), Resolute 7 (+3),
Strong 11 (–1), Vigilant 10 (0)
Armor Chain mail 4
Abilities Man-at-arms (novice), Shield
Defense –6
Fighter (novice)
Toughness 15 Pain Threshold 8
Weapons, Axe 5
Equipment Her weapons, a worn blanket, Accurate
one day’s ration of slightly
Armor Leather 2
corrupted food (generates 1
temporary corruption if eaten) Defense –3 (shield)
Shadow Pale yellow like a puddle of au- Toughness 11 Pain Threshold 6
tumn mud (corruption: 4)
Equipment Their weapons, a worn blan-
Tactics: Olmira leads by example and ket, one day’s ration of slightly
launches herself into battle corrupted food (generates 1
with full force, which is the only temporary corruption if eaten)
way to lead desperate men and
Shadow Brown like oxidized meat (cor-
women of the kind she sur-
ruption: 3)
rounds herself with. But she is
not sentimental or too proud to Tactics: The fighters try to maintain a defensive
retreat and save her own skin, formation to stall the enemy long enough for the
and will not hesitate to abandon archers to kill them. Individually, they fight until
her followers if necessary. She they have sustained more than 5 damage. Un-
stays in the fight until she has harmed fighters stay in the fight as long as their
lost half of her Toughness. group outnumbers the enemy.

22
 CALL OF THE DARK

The second day were still around at that time. Four years ago,
On the second day the party heads east, as Dobaro a group of Black Cloaks stopped at the village
Alberian Food
leads them down the main road winding its way and claimed to be on their way there.
across the hills with the mountain peaks to the left. As a result of falling
The environment is still more or less the same as The third day incomes and spreading
in Ambria, with a somewhat higher temperature. The third day starts in a similar fashion, but some- crop failure, people
thing changes around noon. With each kilometer in the northern part
Events along the way the landscape becomes increasingly barren, and of the country have
These are intended as purely atmospheric scenes what little vegetation there is seems twisted and been forced to change
for the Game Master to use if so desired. sickly. The change is obvious, and none of the their eating habits.
characters can fail to notice it. By the end of the Porridge and dairy
◆◆ A family turns onto the main road from a day they finally reach the western border of Sarli. products are no longer
smaller path from the south. The group, Both Shoreby and Tarkomal are now roughly half the staples they once
composed of an adult couple, an old lady, a day’s march away. were; now their food
and four children between the ages of 7 During the third day Dobaro becomes increas- is dominated by beets
and 15, is pushing a cart piled high with ingly cautious. Sometimes he has the group and turnips, sometimes
everyday objects and other luggage. They pause for half an hour, without explanation, supplemented with the
are suspicious of the player characters and before going on; sometimes he leads them on occasional game. The
keep their distance, but if met with kind- seemingly inexplicable detours around certain sturdy and nutritious
ness, their attitude changes and becomes parts of the route. Let the players make two tests alsten root has become
intrusive. They are starved and scrawny, against Dobaro’s Vigilant – failure means that particularly popular,
and ask for some food. One of the children is he leads them through a blight-stricken area. whether boiled, fried or
blight-marked (blisters with dark edges on a Each character then suffers 1d4 temporary cor- mashed. It is common
scalp with hair falling off in tufts). If asked, ruption due to sudden eruptions of darkness in in the wild as well, and
they claim to be on their way to the Cliff of the landscape. These events are unpleasant, but has proven remarkably
Korinda to barter for supplies. They will not physically dangerous. The following is an resistant to the blight,
then continue west. If the player characters example for the Game Master to elaborate on even farther east. To the
give them something of use (Dobaro advises as he or she sees fit: dismay of many, it has a
against it), they will keep asking for more bland, earthy taste that
until the player characters leave. They ◆◆ They pass a small patch of marsh, about ten tends to survive even
have never even heard of Sarli. If the player paces across. The wetland seems inexplicable, the most creative cook-
characters turn aggressive, the family as the ground surrounding it is parched and ing methods. Along the
quickly flees into the terrain, except for the there are no watercourses in sight. A yellowish­- caravan route to Prios
youngest girl who becomes frozen with fear -gray mist rises from the marsh and sweeps Pass it is often joked
and starts to cry. towards the player characters. The air becomes that the mashed alsten
◆◆ The player characters notice a cluster of difficult to breathe and hurts their lungs. It only root is as good a reason
houses huddled together in a valley a few takes a minute to move away from the mist, to leave Alberetor as the
kilometers north of the road. There is smoke but the corruption causes gagging, nausea and threat of the undead.
coming from the chimneys, and if they move drowsiness. A thin layer of yellow dust covers
closer, the group can see croplands and sheep the characters and their equipment.
pens. The place is inhabited by half a dozen
families, though the houses seem to have room In the morning Dobaro tells them to stop at a small
for three times that number. Player characters stream and fill their waterskins, explaining that
wishing to stay the night are offered accom- the water of the lowland brooks and creeks is not
modation and a bowl of hot soup. The locals fit to drink. If asked he can reveal that, further
ask for nothing in return, but will gratefully east, one must go higher up the mountains to find
accept any gifts of useful items. The player fresh water – a time-consuming task he would
characters may talk to the informal leader rather avoid.
of the village, Reia, a serious woman in her
fifties. She is familiar with Sarli and knows Events along the way
that the baron’s family has abandoned the As with day two, these are scenes the Game Master
place. She isn’t sure if anyone still lives there may use in order to create atmosphere.
but knows that the place was still inhabited
three or so years ago. She also thinks the ◆ The player characters pass the ruins of
monks at the Monastery of Maral the Bright what was once the jetty of the renowned

23
 inn Iseos, located by a small lake. The and speaks incoherently. If the player
name can still be read on the sign outside. characters make an effort to understand
If any player character has history in him, Yldemo becomes lucid, if only for a
Sarli, he or she can recall a significant moment. He asks them to end his life – cut
experience from a happy time spent in this off his head and dump his body in the lake.
place – a romantic encounter, a happy fam- If they refuse, he starts to cry and disap-
ily gathering, or maybe a party where the pears south.
character danced all night? In the ruined ◆ At the end of a dirt road that connects to the
building’s tap room they find Yldemo, once main road, there is a small dilapidated cot-
a blacksmith in Shoreby. Player characters tage. The garden consists of bare, dead trees
who come from the barony can recognize and withered bushes and vines. On the west
him (otherwise Irena will). Yldemo has side are two burial mounds covered with dry
just fled east, as he could feel the blackness grass, but on one of them damp soil has been
bubbling inside him and was afraid of what thrown to the side as if it had recently been
might happen to the people around him dug up, and sickly, yellowish-green flowers
if he stayed. He is anxious and confused grow around it.

24
 CALL OF THE DARK

ACT 2:

The Shadows Gather

In this act the player characters begin their investigations of the various
adventure locations in Sarli. These can be completed in any order the players
choose. Thus, the chapter does not provide any specific scenes or encounters.

Exploration
Although the adventure locations do not If Irena serves as a non-player character
have to be visited in a certain order, the geography and the group’s quest giver, she will first want
makes Shoreby or Tarkomal the most likely first to visit Tarkomal, partly because she thinks it
stop, followed by the monastery of Maral the Bright is their best chance of finding something, but
and, lastly, the Sarli family crypt. The first three also for purely sentimental reasons. However,
are therefore described in that order here in Act she is willing to listen to the player characters’
II, while the final location is described in Act III: suggestions and adapt accordingly, depending
Darkness Calls. But as always, the players might on the game master’s judgment.
take unexpected routes and the Game Master must At t his stage, Dobaro is caut ious about
improvise accordingly. For example, it is perfectly expressing his opinions for fear of saying too
possible to complete Irena’s mission by going straight much, but will speak, however subtly, in support
to the area where the crypt is located and finding it of taking the route he believes leads to Ogdeno’s
without consulting the Monastery Chronicles. If the remains. If he thinks it will help, and is sure no
group is equipped to handle the cryptwalker Telgon, one can prove him wrong, he will make up lies
they can leave Sarli immediately afterwards. The about possible dangers from the blight-stricken
Game Master must adapt to the players’ choices and environment in order to steer the group in his
decide whether to add any further complications. preferred direction.

Overview of the Barony of Sarli

Sarli is a small tract of land bordering on the south- Geography
ern slopes of the Titans. Its boundaries are delineated The landscape features rolling terrain with low
by Lake Ilmar to the south and the higher foothills hills and ridges stretching down from the north.
to the north, and the barony is divided into east and Back when Sarli was still populated, its inhabitants
west by the lake’s tributary, the River Sidra. The old mainly lived in the level areas by the main road,
main road, which is still in relatively good condition, around Lake Ilmar and along the Sidra, which were You can find the player
runs straight through the landscape from west to east. well-suited for growing crops like grain and root map of Sarli on page 102
When describing the area, the Game Master vegetables. The hills were largely unoccupied but of this book and on free-
should emphasize its lifeless desolation. This can be used to cultivate fruit orchards and vineyards. leaguepublishing.com
achieved by letting player characters with previous Larger forested areas were only found in the
experience of the barony pass through places they northern parts of the barony.
used to visit or seeing houses where friends and The croplands are still clearly marked by the
acquaintances used to live and maybe recognizing presence of fences and ditches, though they are now
some of the items left behind. covered with bushes and scrub. Abandoned farms

25
 4 A
Black Forest D
R

S I
S T
P A L E R North
E
woods

A
M
mu N
S E
ld Y
ra T
n
s
n o d
lis se o
sar land t y w
gh d
Hi s an
h oucks
t lo

A
e il

R
2
Hi g h h H
roa d t

D
I
S
3

Eastwoo 1
ds
oa d
Hi g h r
E
K R
A A
L M
L
I

r t
a es 0 5 km
m r
il Fo

THE BARONY OF
SARLI (singly or in small groups) are a common sight from Environment
1. Shoreby the main road, even though Shoreby was the only The vegetation is wild, sickly and twisted. Moldy
2. Tarkomal – Seat major settlement in the area. Most of the houses leaves rot on their branches, the bushes are
of House Sarli and farms are outwardly intact, albeit in disrepair shrunken and thorny, the grass yellow and droop-
3. The Monastery of from lack of maintenance. To a passing observer it ing. All this is interspersed with patches of arid
Maral the Bright is clear that people were not driven from the area, ground where nothing seems to grow.
4. The Crypt of but chose to leave, which gives it an eerie feeling. There is a noticeable absence of wildlife, with
House Sarli While Sarli itself never suffered any large no more than a bird or two crossing the sky at a
outbreaks of undeath, such unholy creatures distance. But while this landscape dominates most
N have migrated into the area, as have abomina- of the barony, some places are better off. In the
tions who survived The Great War and now roam far north, at higher altitudes, the environment
Alberetor seeking a new purpose in life. Some of seems a bit healthier and shows signs of animal
these are described below, along with the places life. Clearly, Sarli is right on the border of the more
they are terrorizing. advanced blight.

Inhabitants
Sarli has been completely depopulated for a few undeath that is common further south. Over the last
years now. Its most recent inhabitants were the mem- year, however, a small number of undead have come
bers of the monastery, the last of whom left in year 18. up from the southeast and now roam according to
With the exception of Baron Telgon who is described their own confused perception of reality. One such
in Act III, Sarli has so far been spared the spontaneous group of unholy souls is described below.

26
 CALL OF THE DARK

The Dragouls of Dobaro. In the end it is up to the Game Master

The remnants of a former Alberian army unit to decide how to use the dragouls – for setting
have made their way to Sarli, all of them undead. the mood, as an action element, a distraction, or
They wandered in from the south a few weeks not at all.
ago in what their captain Goriban, in his twisted
mind, thought of as a “tactical retreat.” He has Encounters with the undead
commanded his troops for many years, in life In a confrontation with the player characters, the
as well as undeath, but none of them remember dragouls will initially try to defeat them by force
when or why the transition took place. During of arms. While the undead fight with complete
this period some soldiers have departed and been disregard for their own existence, they can still
replaced by new recruits, but the mission remains choose to retreat if that is the tactically sound move
the same – to protect the realm and vanquish its – to alert their commanding officer of the presence
enemies. The group is currently composed of 5 + of intruders, for example. In an encounter with
(PC × 8) undead warriors. Captain Goriban himself, the player characters
The story behind Goriban’s unit is shrouded in can both communicate and negotiate with him.
mystery, and the player characters will likely have However, the Game Master must keep in mind that
neither reason nor opportunity to investigate – at the sole purpose of everything Goriban says and
most they might recognize some detail on an old does is to strategically position himself to fight
uniform. It should soon be clear, however, that the the player characters. Any agreement with him
undead are still working as a unit, bound together will inevitably be broken once he thinks he has
by their training, even though many other things achieved what he wanted.
have left their rotten skulls. It seems they can It should be noted that the Game Master ought
communicate or at least understand each other to adjust the dragouls’ actions depending on the
without words, and many can no longer speak outcome of their confrontations with the player
even if they were inclined to try. They are also able characters, so that anything the characters do
to conduct relatively complex tactical missions. is considered a hostile act. Despite having lost
In the dragouls’ reality, the war with Lyastra is their humanity and most of their memories, the
still going on, and everything happening around dragouls are still militarily rational. If the player
them will inevitably be incorporated into this characters seem dangerous, they might concentrate
narrative. They are conscious enough to under- their forces in a single attack; if they are trying to
stand that they are in Alberetor, and on that basis capture a certain point, the dragouls might stage
Goriban has concluded that their mission is to hold an ambush, and so on. However, they rely on their
the area until reinforcements arrive. They will commander, and should Goriban be ripped from
regard anyone traveling through Sarli as hostile his undead existence, this will adversely affect
and combat them in various ways. their decision making and unity.
What the dragouls’ place in the adventure will
be is for the Game Master to decide. They are meant
to be a complicating factor in the adventure land-
scape that the Game Master may use to set the
tone, adjust the pace, or provide the players with
a distinct challenge. As such, they are not directly
related to the plot and can easily be overlooked,
depending on the preferences of the gaming group.
One idea is to have them occupy Tarkomal. Goriban
will have identified it as the best fortification in
the area and will be waiting with a suitable force
when/if the player characters arrive. They will
then defend the fortress from the “aggressors.”
From Tarkomal they also send out patrols around
the barony, which the player characters might
encounter along the main road or at the adventure
locations. Another option is to throw in the dra-
gouls as a third party at some dramatic moment,
such as during a confrontation between the player Goriban and his men are but one of many troops of dis-
characters and the Orderlanders or the pursuit orderly undead haunting the lands south of the Titans

27
 Captain Goriban Dragouls
Race Undead Race Undead
Resistance Challenging Resistance Ordinary
Traits Undead (II) Traits Undead (I)
Accurate 6 (+4), Cunning 15 (–5), Discreet 8 (+2), Accurate 12 (–2), Cunning 5 (+5), Discreet 10 (0),
Persuasive 7 (+3), Quick 9 (+1), Resolute 13 (–3), Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 11 (–1), Resolute 13 (–3),
Strong 14 (–4), Vigilant 8 (+2) Strong 14 (–4), Vigilant 10 (0)
Abilities Feat of Strength (novice), Leader Abilities Iron Fist (adept), Shield Fighter
(novice), Man-at-arms (adept), (novice) / half of them also have
Polearm Mastery (master), Marksman (novice)
Siege Expert (novice), Tactician
Weapons, Rusty melee weapon 6 / half of
(master)
Strong/ them also have Crossbow 6
Weapons, Halberd 6 (deep impact) Accurate
Cunning
Armor Studded leather 3 (impeding,
Armor Chain mail 4, and half damage reinforced)
according to Undead II
Defense –1 (shield)
Defense –5
Toughness 14 Pain Threshold –
Toughness 19 Pain Threshold –
Equipment Their weapons, 1D10 Alberian
Equipment His weapons, 1D10 Alberian ortegs
ortegs
Shadow Yellowish-gray with black spots
Shadow Yellowish-gray with black spots, like dead skin (thoroughly
like dead skin (thoroughly corrupt)
corrupt)
Tactics: Ruthlessly aggressive in melee combat,
Tactics: Goriban leads his men in undeath as he did otherwise calculating
in life, through example. He steps in and tries to stall
the most competent enemy warriors with his hal-
berd until his troops can attack them from behind.

Shoreby
On the edge of Lake Ilmar lies Shoreby, which The Village Center
during the good years was the only major set- Shoreby comprises about 50 single- and two-story
tlement in Sarli. The village survived until buildings that could house a total of roughly 300
its last inhabitants finally left, thanks to the people, clustered around a large open marketplace.
remaining residents gradually abandoning A couple of jetties for fishing boats can be found on
their outlying farms for the relative safety of the south side. The village is better preserved than
the village, especially after the baron’s family had the farms the player characters have passed thus
gone. Surrounding croplands and pastures were far, though some roof tiles have fallen off in certain
managed collectively, but despite many attempts places and a door or two might hang obliquely from
to preserve and protect the lushest fields, the their hinges. It should be clear that this place was
struggle against failing crops and tainted har- inhabited not very long ago.
vests was bound to fail. In year 18, the ten or so An investigation of the buildings reveals that
families that were left jointly decided to head only the ones west of the square (the finest in
west, realizing that a winter famine was just the village) have seen use in recent years. While
around the corner. They were accompanied by all anything of value has been stripped from the area,
but three of the remaining brothers and sisters heavier furniture is still in place and household
from the monastery of Maral the Bright. items in poor condition can be found here and there:
The main road passes through the village, a pile of broken baskets in a corner, a set of thick,
with a clear bypath north toward Tarkomal. A clay plates on a shelf, a collection of crudely carved
kilometer or two east of Shoreby, the road crosses wooden animals on a window frame. The other
the River Sidra on an old stone bridge – the only houses are empty and closed-up. Down by the jetty
one in the area. are two moored rowboats, one of them so full of

28
 CALL OF THE DARK

SHOREBY

0 25 m

water that it is level with the waterline. The other Lake Ilmar
boat is leaking as well, but a skilled carpenter can Once teeming with life, this highland lake has now
repair it with a day’s work. become a foul-smelling marshland. The water level
has dropped, and the shallow parts have turned
Inhabitants into brackish swamps, some stretching hundreds
Shoreby is currently home to a number of spirits of meters into what used to be the lake. Nowhere in
who have not found peace in death. The ethereal Sarli is the blight more evident than in this place.
imprints of past inhabitants are still clearly per- Even in what remains of the lake, the water is
ceptible and are attracting the ghosts. For every muddy and coated in a sludge of algae and rotting
10 minutes spent in and around the village the aquatic plants.
characters risk attracting a wraith (see the Monster Should anyone consider drinking the water from
Codex, page 148) who seeks out and “attacks” them. the lake, a person with the Bushcraft boon can point
Roll 1d10 for each member of the party – for each out that it would be ill-advised. If the person does it
1 rolled, a wraith finds its way to one of them. A anyway, he or she suffers 1d4 temporary corruption
wraith will persistently stalk a person attempt- and contracts a weak disease (see the Monster Codex,
ing to escape it, even after leaving Shoreby. If the page 169).
wraiths are harmed they will try to flee, frightened There will probably be no reason for the player
and confused. characters to go out on the lake, but by repairing
A person with the trait/boon Bushcraft II or the boat by the jetty in Shoreby, it is possible to
higher who passes a Vigilant (–3) test can detect do so. In that case, the Game Master decides what
the wraiths’ presence through the slight drop in happens and whether the lake is home to some
temperature caused by the restless souls. blight-born predator.

Tarkomal – Seat of House Sarli

The ancestral stronghold of House Sarli is when the vegetation was not as wild, but now it
situated on a hill roughly one hour’s walk north can barely be seen above the treetops – only from
from Shoreby. A wide road, now cracked, winds the top of the hill can a wanderer take in the full
up the hill toward the ruin. The stronghold must view. The ruins are largely overgrown by bushes
have been an impressive sight from the lowlands and vines, and a few short trees can be seen in the

29
 6 5

4
2

2 1
3

9
10

TARKOMAL – SEAT courtyard. Beyond the ruins, the woods begin anew, Its flames devastated large parts of the structure
OF HOUSE SARLI and the ridge keeps rising. The hills continue east and claimed the lives of Porgalo’s wife Letira and
1. The gate while the west side descends, steeper and rockier, his younger brother Olano. After this terrible blow,
toward the plain. Porgalo no longer felt any reason to stay. Having
2. The walls
If the dragouls occupy the stronghold, they buried the dead, the remaining family members
3. The watchtower
post a sentry on each side of the ruin as well as in gathered what valuables they could and left, placing
4. The west wing
the watchtower. The others are standing by in the the ruins in the care of the tenacious monks at the
5. The north wing courtyard. The undead warriors outnumber the monastery of Maral the Bright.
6. The keep player characters’ group two to one. Additionally, For a year or two, Karkoli, prior of the mon-
7. The chapel the risk of Goriban being present and commanding astery, also cared for the Sarli heirlooms, tombs
8. Graveyard his troops is 1–7 on 1d20. and the stronghold’s sun chapel to the best of his
9. Overgrown abilities. But as circumstances grew more dire, he
winery History felt compelled to find other ways of managing the
10. Road to Shoreby Long ago, when Alberetor was less secure, Telgon – the situation. The chapel was boarded up, any items
first baron of Sarli – raised a keep around which other with some utility were given to the remaining
N buildings later cropped up. Before The Great War, the people of Shoreby, and other objects (including
area surrounding the stronghold was cultivated with the bodies) were relocated – first to the monastery
vineyards and fruit orchards, and many crofters lived and then partially to the family crypt, as explained
on small farms on the slopes of the Titans. But as the in the descriptions of these two places.
blight spread, the people went away, and by the time
0 20 m of House Sarli’s departure in year 14, practically the Buildings
entire landscape had gone feral. Described below are the different parts of the
The accident that finally made the family leave ruin surrounding the courtyard. Where nothing
for Ambria was the terrible fire that ravaged else is mentioned, the spaces are empty except
Tarkomal a few months before their departure. for some debris.

30
 CALL OF THE DARK

THE WEST WING

3 3
2 5

1
4

5
2

THE BASEMENT

2 2
4 3

1 2 2

2 2

1–3. The gate (1), walls (2) and watchtower (3) additions. If they want, the player characters THE WEST WING
Generally, the outer defenses are the best-preserved may investigate the interior’s two f loors. The 1. Entry Hall
part of the stronghold. The southern wall, the gate- rooms are empty save for a piece or two of bulky 2. Gueard Room
house and the watchtower are all in good condition. furniture. If Irena accompanies the group (or 3. Stairs
At the north end, however, part of the wall was has been replaced with a player character) she
4. Salon
destroyed by the fire that razed the northern wing. has her own memories of living here.
5. Bedrooms
The wall is three meters high, with a wooden foot-
bridge running along the inside of the sections that 5. The north wing
are still intact; the watchtower rises an additional A bit younger than the west wing, but similar in
three meters above the top of the wall. construction, the north wing’s ground floor served
as a stable and workshop, with the second floor as
THE BASEMENT
4. The west wing the servants’ quarters. The building is completely
The west wing was the oldest addition to the destroyed with only bits and pieces of the founda- 1. Kitchen
stronghold and served as its main building, with tion walls still remaining. Against the north wall 2. Cells/rooms
bedrooms for the family members, a banquet is a narrow staircase to the basement, visible but 3. Stairs to the
hall, and so forth. It comprised two large f loors blocked by rubble and dirt. north wing
where the first resembled a fortress with thick 4. Storage room
walls and arrow slits, while the second was a 6. The keep
bit airier. Dating back over 300 years, the three-story keep is N
This wing was the least affected by the fire the oldest part of the stronghold. Outwardly, it is
that devastated Tarkomal. Its southern end could perfectly preserved, while the interior is blown out
be saved entirely and was renovated to house like a massive chimney. The rubble has evidently
the Sarli family for a while, with newly con- been cleared or pushed against the walls in order to
structed board walls at the northern end, new free up the spiral staircase in the northeast corner 0 7,5 m
partitions in the rooms, and other such hasty which leads to the basement.

31
 7. The chapel had been made to leave for Ambria. But the truth
For as long as anyone can remember, the Sarlis have is that the new patriarch did not have the mental
Funeral rites
been faithful followers of the Lifegiver, no doubt energy to deal with the grieving process in addi-
Within the cult of the affected by their proximity to Maral the Bright tion to all the practical matters that required
Lifegiver, and later the (see the description of the monastery). Thus, it his attention, and that he was relieved to leave
Sun Church as well, it was only natural that the stronghold would have the dead behind.
has long been tradition a sun chapel. Examining the cairn reveals that it has been
to consign the dead On closer inspection, the chapel seems strangely dug up and that the reliquary caskets are missing.
to the holy fire of their well-preserved compared to the rest of the strong-
god. The bones are hold. The windows are unbroken, and the door is The basement
then gathered, crushed bolted with a sturdy iron crossbar and locked with
and placed around a padlock. Picking the lock requires a successful 1. Kitchen
the skull in a casket [Discreet –1] test, but the door can also be forced Dominated by a large stove that occupies the entire
or a small case/chest. open with the right tools, such as an axe, in which northwest corner and half of both walls. There
Among the upper class case the door has Toughness 15 and Fortification 2. is a staircase leading to the corridor beneath the
the casket is usually Once inside they will find that the interior is also north wing.
made of a stainless in good condition. The setting sun on the western
metal such as silver wall seems to have been given a new layer of paint 2. Cells/rooms
or bronze, but various not too many years ago, and there is a bundle of Previously used as storage rooms and prison cells.
types of stone are also dried sunflowers resting on the altar.
used. Wooden ones are 3. Stairs to the north wing
common among the 8. Graveyard Collapsed.
poorer population. The Not far west from the stronghold is a shallow ravine,
casket is then set in its stretching down toward the plain, whose upper 4. Storage room
final resting place, such part is the location of a cairn raised for the three Here the Sarli family stored anything of value
as a crypt, a necropolis, most recently deceased members of the Sarli family. that they did not take with them on the journey,
or an earthly grave. There Porgalo placed his father, Ogdeno – a tem- including some of Tarkomal’s financial records
porary solution until the remains could be moved and other ancestral artifacts, possibly the Royal
to the family crypt – and just a month or two later Charter as well. The storage room was locked and
he had to bury his wife, Letira, and his younger the key left in the care of Prior Karkoli. Should the
brother Olano in the same place. player characters reach this area, they will find that
Why the dead were not laid to rest in the the door is still locked. Picking the lock requires a
crypt, as has been the Sarli tradition for hun- successful [Discreet –1] test, but the door can also be
dreds of years, is something Porgalo does not forced open with the right tools, such as an axe, in
have an answer to, though he usually explains which case the door has Toughness 15 and Fortification
that there was not enough time once the decision 2. Once inside they will find the room empty.

The Monastery of Maral the Bright

History new home in the shadow of the mountains spurred
Maral was an early Lightbringer and member of the them on. One day, exhausted and thirsty, they reached
cult of Sola, or the Lifegiver, back when Lightbringers an arid valley. By now, the strength of the wanderers
were something different than the war heroes who had run out and they could go no further. Suddenly
have become celebrated in recent decades. The stories Maral noticed a narrow furrow with green grass high
about him are almost four centuries old, dating back up the mountain slope, and said: “Look, there we can
to before the unification of Alberetor under Queen find water.” But not even his strongest followers could
Almara Argona. They say he started out as a simple finish the climb. Maral then ascended the slope by
weaver, but that when his home region in southern himself and fetched water. He went up and down,
Alberetor suffered from severe drought and poor again and again, until all his followers had drunk their
harvests, the sun god sent him a prophecy of a new fill. This loving act saved the people, but brought the
land for his people. And so it was that Maral led a demise of Maral himself, as he expended the last of
band of followers toward the northeast. his energy. Mournful but invigorated, the followers
The journey often seemed hopeless, but the carried his lifeless body with them, determined to
strength of Maral’s conviction and his vision of their find the place of Maral’s dreams. And so they came to

32
 CALL OF THE DARK

Sarli, a lush and fertile land, and laid his dust to rest The story about Maral’s faith has therefore only
in the most beautiful place they could find. been passed down through the centuries from prior
The monastery’s
In time, people started making pilgrimages to the to prior, and when the time comes for the incumbent
sacred tomb and other members of the cult of the to appoint his successor, as is the monastery’s tra- ideology
Lifegiver settled down nearby. The most dedicated dition, the ability to safeguard this knowledge has Though the following
cultists founded a holy order and established a mon- always been the prime criterion. Only the prior has that emerged around
astery in the area. Finally, roughly 200 years ago, known the truth and been allowed to open the relic Maral early on decided
their order was incorporated into the Sun Church. shrine which contains certain physical evidence. to keep quiet about his
Karkoli, the last prior of the monastery, broke this link to the Hostess, this
Present day tradition by finally sharing the information with knowledge, preserved
By the time of House Sarli’s departure, the monastery his closest confidant and disciple, Ralea, during by their leaders, has
had only a handful of members. But their persistent the difficult years after House Sarli’s departure. helped the monas-
leader, Prior Karkoli, had no intention of abandoning But to Karkoli’s disappointment, Ralea chose not to tery stay to the most
the place or his duty to care for it, and consequently stay, but traveled west with the last of the barony’s tolerant version of the
the monastery became the only remaining institution inhabitants a month or so before Kraal arrived. Lifegiver, even before
in the area. It therefore seemed natural for Porgalo to the Exaltation. When
ask Karkoli to watch over the seat of his house, a task Ralea’s fate the other Young Gods
the Black Cloaks performed for as long as they could. Ralea was very struck by what Karkoli told her were renounced, the
But eventually, the isolation and the dangers of the about Maral and Lyra. In a sudden flash of insight, monastery seemed
land got the best of them, and when the abomination she seemed to understand the true nature of the to adapt to the new
Kraal sealed the monastery’s fate, the only ones left to Lifegiver. But for her, the knowledge became a order, but Karkoli never
devour were Karkoli and two young novices. reason to leave Sarli, doomed as it was, rather abandoned his faith
than to stay and protect the place with no hope of in the loving nature of
The truth about Maral the success, as Karkoli had wanted. The truth should Prios, nor did the vast
Bright no longer be withheld, but proclaimed! For this majority of the monas-
The real significance of Maral is shrouded in purpose, Ralea traveled west to the Realm of the tery’s inhabitants. Irena
mystery. While there are many tales chronicling Order. There she has spent years discussing her (or the player character
his life, even the oldest of them were written insight with followers and leaders of cults worship- who may have taken her
many years after his death and that of his closest ping both the Lifegiver and the Hostess, as well as place) knows that this
followers. What is clear, however, though only other deities. While her preaching has been met was the case.
known by a few people throughout history, is that with a certain degree of skepticism, it was recently
Maral did not worship Prios, but Lyra – a much decided that an expedition shall be sent to Sarli to
older female version of the Sun God. However, investigate the matter. This group is described in
Lyra stopped being worshipped in Alberetor greater detail below.
around the time of Maral’s death (but lived on
elsewhere) and was replaced by her two aspects: The valley
the male Lifegiver and the female Hostess. The The path to the monastery branches off from the
followers who cared for the tomb belonged to the main road just east of the River Sidra and contin-
Lifegiver’s faction, and indicators of the Hostess’s ues toward the northeastern heights. Near the
inf luence were toned down or forgotten as the end it winds its way through a wide valley toward
cults split up. the hills above. The place where the valley levels
As the years passed, these memories became out is the location of the monastery, a cluster of
an increasingly sensitive subject, and a century low buildings over which looms the golden dome
after Maral’s death they were unknown to all of the chapter hall. It is clear that this was once a
but the closest initiates. This small circle of gloriously beautiful place, before the landscape
devotees maintained the knowledge but did not started to wither, with an amazing view of the
spread it, for though the Young Gods as a group fields and lake to the south, and the snowy peaks
were venerated by the people of Alberetor, the of the Titans to the north.
cults were in frequent conf lict. What is more, Low hills rise up to the north and west, with
the demands for orthodoxy within the cult were the hillock of Thrush’s Peak as a landmark on the
sometimes strict. When Maral’s shrine was later east side, while fields that were once croplands
incorporated into the Twilight Friars’ order, this and pastures dominate the areas west and south
truth would have been considered blasphemous, of the monastery. Attached to the buildings is
and since the Exaltation of Prios it is of course a now overgrown garden, still enclosed by a
regarded as heresy. sturdy fence.

33
 3

2 1

THE MONASTERY
The Orderlanders Nireon, sun priest and Curia spy
OF MARAL THE
An expedition from the Realm of the Order, prompted The somewhat elderly and meek Nireon is just a
BRIGHT by Ralea’s preaching and arguments, recently arrived mask for one of the Lawgiver’s most dedicated and
1. Monastery in Sarli (the player characters may have heard rumors self-sacrificing servants. Almost since the Realm of
2. Overgrown about them at the Cliff of Korinda). They have been the Order was founded, he has been the Curia’s spy
garden there for three days and are currently encamped in in the new land. Jeseebegai realized early on that
3. Thrush’s Peak the valley northeast of Thrush’s Peak. They have the threat posed by the Realm of the Order could
4. Road to Shoreby already made an initial cursory search of the mon- not be left to the Royal Sekretorium, but required
and Tarkomal astery, but had to retreat when Kraal, the abomination the Church’s own resources. Nireon was not their
haunting the basement, surprised them and almost only agent in place, but certainly one of the obvious
killed Jumano. Since then, they have been watching choices for such a difficult mission – anonymous but
N
the monastery, considering how to proceed without loyal, perfect for the role of a renegade sun priest.
reaching a consensus. Otherwise the group has not He is also the most successful one, having worked
moved around the barony very much, although the his way up these long years to the ruling council of
scout Solea made a quick visit to the outskirts of the Lifegiver’s cult. He has provided the Curia with
0 100 m Shoreby. From Thrush’s Peak they have a good view many valuable pieces of intelligence, and continued
of the monastery. Unless the player characters are serving its cause even after the fall of Jeseebegai,
actively trying to conceal their arrival, they will be “in the spirit of the First Father,” as he likes to think.
spotted well before reaching the monastery. He views his current mission as a crucial
The group is led by Captain Edrano of the People’s struggle between the Light and The Eternal Night.
Militia, a veteran from The Great War. Other members Stopping Ralea’s heresy from spreading is abso-
include Ralea, who shows the way, the sun priest lutely paramount. So, Nireon wants to see them
Nireon representing the Lifegiver, Jumano represent- fail, and their present situation suits him rather
ing the Hostess, and the scout Solea. The members well, as Kraal seems like an excellent guardian.
give a calm and united impression, but nothing could But the player characters’ arrival might change the
be further from the truth, for they have a spy and a dynamic a bit (see the Negotiations heading below).
traitor in their midst! Nireon’s priority is to destroy Maral’s relics and

34
 CALL OF THE DARK

any other evidence of Lyra worship, but if possible,

he would prefer to do so without blowing his and
Edrano’s cover, either by avoiding suspicion or Fewer Conflicts
killing any witnesses.
Gaming groups who think the underlying internal conflicts of the Orderlanders
Race Human (Ambrian) make the interaction with them too complex, stealing focus from the player
Resistance Challenging characters’ true objectives, can easily remedy this by uniting the group. In that
case, Nireon is not the Curia’s spy but a priest of the Lifegiver, and Edrano is
Traits Contacts (Lifegiver’s cult), Con-
not his agent. While Nireon is still skeptical about Ralea’s proclamations and
tacts (Sun Church)
does not expect to find anything of value, he will not actively oppose her, but
Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 14 (–4), Discreet 7 (+3),
help the group as best he can. Otherwise there should be no need for any sig-
Persuasive 12 (–2), Quick 10 (0), Resolute 15 (–5),
Strong 6 (+4), Vigilant 11 (–1) nificant changes in terms of the Orderlanders’ backstories and personalities.

Abilities Blessed Shield (novice), Holy

Aura (novice), Loremaster (mas-
ter), Medicus (novice), Prios’
Burning Glass (adept), Ritualist Edrano answers to Nireon as far as the mission is
(adept: Command Confession, concerned but must at the same time maintain his
Exorcism, Sanctifying Rite), role as leader of the expedition and represent them in
Theurgy (adept), Unnoticeable meetings with other groups. He will therefore keep up
(adept)
the facade and let Ralea and Jumano play an important
Weapons, Quarterstaff 3 (long) part in interactions with the player characters – until
Accurate
Nireon prescribes other, more violent methods. He
Armor Blessed robe 2 (flexible), +2 could not care less about Jumano and Ralea, but would
(Blessed Shield) prefer to spare Solea’s life if at all possible, as she is
Defense 0 one of his most loyal soldiers and supporters.
Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 3
Equipment Quarterstaff, field equipment,
sun symbol, 68 thaler and 5 Race Human (Orderlander)
shillings
Resistance Challenging
Shadow Sparkling silver with matte
Traits Contacts (the People’s Militia),
streaks (corruption: 1)
Bushcraft (I, Alberetor)
Tactics: Nireon supports his allies with Prios’
Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 15 (–5), Discreet 11 (–1),
Burning Glass, or Holy Aura if it is applicable. He
Persuasive 14 (–4), Quick 10 (0), Resolute 6 (+4),
is prepared to die to stop the truth about Maral
Strong 13 (–3), Vigilant 6 (+4)
from getting out, but if there is no prospect of
success, he will avoid the enemy with Unnotice- Abilities Leader (adept), Man-at-arms
able. (novice), Steadfast (adept),
Sword Saint (master), Tactician
(master)

Edrano, militia captain and traitor Weapons, Bastard sword 7 (precise)

Cunning
Edrano is more or less what he claims to be – a veteran
from The Great War, organizer of the People’s Militia Armor Studded leather 4 (flexible,
reinforced)
(the Realm of the Order’s armed forces), beloved
captain – as well as, for a year or so, a paid agent of Defense –5
Ambria. Edrano simply lost his spark when a wraith Toughness 13 Pain Threshold 7
attacked a village near the western border. Though Equipment Weapons & armor, field equip-
it was swiftly dealt with, the event ate itself into ment, 19 thaler, 12 shillings
Edrano’s mind as a sign of the futility of his efforts. Shadow Shimmering drops of water
All strength and energy drained from him, and in the painted red by the sun (corrup-
end, it was he who approached the Ambrian agents. tion: 2)
He has already put away a hefty sum of thaler, with Tactics: Edrano fights to complete the mission,
more to come once his current mission is completed, with neither anger nor pleasure. He avoids blood-
as Nireon has promised to let him disappear and shed when possible, but does not hesitate to kill
drink away the rest of his life far from any place when necessary. He likes to engage multiple weaker
tainted by the history of Alberetor. enemies at once to make use of his swift ripostes.

35
 what happened as she was not present at the
time. However, she suspects it would have been
Lyra, the Lifegiver, and the Lawgiver recorded in the Monastery’s Chronicle. If the
question arises, she will use her knowledge as a
It is important to note that Ralea’s claims about the link between Lyra and bargaining chip to gain their help in accessing
Prios are theological dynamite. The issue concerns the other Young Gods the Reliquary (see the Negotiations heading).
as well, which is why it has been treated very delicately by the Realm of the
Order and why the expedition was sent in the first place. Any evidence they
bring back will no doubt be fervently debated. The version of history that
Maral’s background presents is unacceptable to the followers of the Lawgiv-
er, but it would also be extremely hard to stomach for those who see the god
as the Lifegiver. This is particularly true in Ambria where the Reformists, de-
spite preaching a more tolerant version of Prios, have not had any religious
competition for many years. As such, they would not lightly accept a reality
where their religion evolved from another cult.

Ralea, new-sprung prophet

Ralea is a young woman, practically raised at
the monastery of Maral the Bright, where Prior
Karkoli was the closest thing she ever had to
a father. But his revelation regarding Maral’s
history left her deeply shaken. Perhaps she is
actually going through a religious depression, Race Human (Alberian)
but nevertheless, the knowledge drove her to Resistance Challenging
action and made her leave for the Realm of the
Traits Augur, Bushcraft (II, Alberetor)
Order. Karkoli always wanted her to stay and
ensure the continued safekeeping of Maral’s Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 11 (–1), Discreet 9 (+1),
Persuasive 15 (–5), Quick 14 (–4), Resolute 13 (–3),
relics. She knows this, and though she thinks she
Strong 8 (+2), Vigilant 7 (+3),
did the right thing, the guilt from this betrayal
weighs heavily on her, especially after learning Abilities Blessed Shield (adept), Domi-
nate (adept), Exceptionally Per-
of Karkoli’s passing. She clings to the prospect
suasive (adept), Lay on hands
of retrieving the artifacts and bringing them (adept), Loremaster (novice),
safely to the Realm, as if the sanctity of her soul Medicus (novice), Theurgy
depended on it. (adept)
Ralea has had a difficult time in the Realm of Weapons, Spear 4 (long)
the Order. Although she was well-received from a Persuasive
material point of view, her proclamation has been Armor Blessed robe 2 (flexible), +3
met with skepticism and harsh words. That the (Blessed shield)
expedition is actually underway is a success for
Defense –4
her, she knows that, but it was achieved through
Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 4
great sacrifice, social as well as mental. Ralea’s
top priority is to secure Maral’s relics and bring Equipment Spear, field equipment, 2 thaler,
them back to the Realm. She is willing to com- 9 shillings, sun symbol
promise on all other issues or means of action. Shadow Softly shimmering, like the
When she encounters Irena (or the player morning light in a misty meadow
(corruption: 0)
character replacing her), Ralea will recognize
her (but Irena does not recognize Ralea). She Tactics: Ralea stays in the background and
will not mention this, or anything about her own supports her allies with Blessed Shield and
healing powers. She uses Dominate to turn
background. If the player characters explain
enemies away, and constantly tries to position
their objective in detail, Ralea can recall that herself to take full advantage of her Long spear
Prior Karkoli was somehow entrusted with House and gain free attacks against any enemies that
Sarli’s property, but does not remember exactly come near.

36
 CALL OF THE DARK

Jumano, priest of the Hostess Weapons, Axe 4

Jumano is probably the least enthusiastic member Accurate
of the expedition, certainly the most vocal about Armor Blessed robe 2 (flexible)
his discontent. He does not believe Ralea’s claims
Defense –3
and thinks the expedition is pointless at best, and
Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 5
at worst, a danger to both them and the entire
Realm of the Order. He joined the group to protect Equipment Axe, field equipment, 14 shillings
the interests of the Hostess cult and because he Shadow Pink like a newly budding rose
was asked to. But now that he has ended up in this (corruption: 0)
situation, he will do what he can for the mission Tactics: Jumano bends the will of a hostile fighter
to succeed. and uses that person as a shield before calming
The cult of the Hostess was never particularly the other enemies with Serenity (see page 97).
influential, even before the Exaltation. This made
it easy for its members to go underground, but also
meant that its position in the new Realm of the Order Solea, scout in the People’s Militia
is equally weak, without many followers or strong Sprung from the poor farmlands of Alberetor, Solea
organizational capabilities. Such experiences have quickly learned to hunt to supplement the larder.
shaped Jumano, for though he came of age in the Life was certainly hard sometimes, especially after
Realm of the Order, he remembers the time before her parents died in the war and even more so after
then – the secrecy and humiliating compliance the Queen ran off to another country. But Solea
required of him and his parents. This has made him was fine as long as she had the rest of her family.
headstrong and distrustful of authority, though his So, naturally she joined her older brother and his
resentment does not go beyond individual pompous young wife as they fled to the Realm of the Order,
leader figures – he is unswervingly loyal to the though she did not quite understand why, as life
Realm of the Order as an idea. in the new country was not so different from that
in the old one. Still, some things did change. Solea
met Edrano and found a community. Sometimes,
listening to wise folk like Nireon, Ralea, and Jumano
talk, she gets the sense that hers is not the only way
of understanding the world.
Solea is an excellent scout and marksman but
finds it difficult to act on her own initiative, beyond
what the job at hand requires. She joined the expe-
dition because Edrano needed a scout, that is all.
She knows they are going to get something, but
neither what nor why. On her own she is easily
influenced and can be won over to the side that
first presents some reasonable arguments, as long
as the proposal does not seem treacherous toward
Edrano. In Edrano’s presence she will follow his
commands, including to attack other members of
the Orderlanders’ group.

Race Human (Orderlander)

Race Human (Orderlander)
Resistance Challenging
Resistance Challenging
Traits Fleet footed, Bushcraft (I, Albe-
Traits Contacts (Hostess’s cult) retor)
Accurate 10 (0), Cunning 11 (–1), Discreet 5 (+5), Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 5 (+5), Discreet 14 (–4),
Persuasive 10 (0), Quick 11 (–1), Resolute 13 (–3), Persuasive 6 (+4), Quick 12 (–2), Resolute 11 (–1),
Strong 9 (+1), Vigilant 11 (–1) Strong 12 (–2), Vigilant 15 (–5)
Abilities Bend Will (master), Blessings Abilities Man-at-arms (novice), Marksman
(adept), Loremaster (adept), (novice), Rapid Fire (master),
Ritualist (novice: Heart’s Desire), Recovery (novice), Sixth Sense
Serenity (adept) (adept)

37
 5 5 5 5 5 5

3 6 7 8 4

MONASTERY –
GROUND FLOOR Weapons, Compound bow 6 (deep impact), A negotiation between this group and the player
1. Stable and store- Vigilant three attacks per turn. Dagger 3 characters will likely require some quick deci-
rooms (short)
sions from the Game Master. The Orderlanders’
2. Guesthouse Armor Leather 3 (flexible) official objective is to get into a certain room in the
3. Chapter hall Defense –5 basement. Nothing is mentioned about the history
4. Refectory Toughness 12 Pain Threshold 6 of Maral and Lyra. If the player characters propose
5. Cells a joint effort in this endeavor, they are willing to
Equipment Weapons & armor, field equip-
6. Scriptorium discuss it. Let Edrano and Ralea do most of the
ment, quiver with 15 arrows, 4
shillings, 7 ortegs talking, with Jumano and Nireon as observers.
7. Prior’s cell
Provided that the player characters’ goal is not
8. Larder Shadow Grayish brown like the needle-
covered ground beneath a spruce in opposition to her own, Ralea will be open to
N (corruption: 1) cooperating. She lays claim to any objects of direct
religious nature that are found in the monastery,
Tactics: Solea showers her target with arrows
before quickly retreating to a new position where but the only things that are non-negotiable are
she can attack other enemies. Maral’s relics – everything else is potentially up
for trade. A collaboration on the player characters’
0 25 m
investigations of the crypt is also a possibility.
Negotiations with the The Game Master must bear in mind that a
Orderlanders collaboration must be attractive to both Ralea/
Upon discovering the player characters, Edrano Jumano and Edrano/Nireon. Nireon will try to
will first send Solea to find out what they are after, create a situation that poses maximum risk to
while he and the others stay out of sight. The Game Ralea and Jumano and minimal risk to Edrano and
Master decides how the interaction develops based himself, while at the same time giving him access
on the player characters’ actions. to Maral’s relics. Under certain circumstances

38
 CALL OF THE DARK

(e.g. if the player characters are getting along from the life of Maral the Bright. On the northeast
with Ralea) this can mean that he proposes an wall is a stairway leading down to the basement.
attack on Kraal; in other cases (e.g. if the player
characters seem to be hostile) he might press for a 4. Refectory
direct confrontation with them. A third approach Dining hall, kitchen and assembly room. There
for Nireon could be to leave the player charac- is a human skeleton lying on the floor, dressed
ters to their own devices, and if they manage to in a novice’s robe (one of the monastery’s three
defeat Kraal and bring back the relics, arrange inhabitants, killed by Kraal).
an ambush to reclaim them and hope that Ralea
and Jumano are killed in the process. Remember 5. Cells
that Nireon plays along with the charade until Small one-man rooms. Most of them are empty
the point when he decides not to. except for a crude wooden bed and a cupboard,
The thing that might ruin the player charac- but two of them show signs of having been
ters’ relations with Ralea and Jumano (and Nireon, recently occupied.
given the “right” circumstances) is any of them
being an obvious Lawgiver worshipper or showing 6. Scriptorium
hostility or disdain toward followers of the Young This once served as the monastery’s library,
Gods. Any collaboration would then be difficult, meeting room and study. At one end of the room
even though Ralea and Jumano do not act aggres- is a locked cabinet containing books and scrolls
sively at first. Once again, the player characters’ of a theological nature. The lock can be picked
response and Nireon’s ability to interact with it with a successful [Discreet +2] or busted open with
will determine the outcome. an axe or similar object. A member of the Sun
If cooperation is established between the Church can easily recognize most of the books as
groups, the Orderlanders inform them that the various standard works, though several of them
basement is dominated by an abomination, which are older versions of the texts.
must somehow be neutralized before it is safe to At the large table at the center of the room
proceed. If asked, Ralea can also explain where sits a slumped human skeleton wearing a liturg’s
the monastery kept its archives, while Solea can robe (one of the monastery’s three inhabitants
describe the situation in Shoreby. attacked by Kraal). The deceased was apparently
working on restoring the illustrations in the book
Monastery – Ground floor in front of him. Dried up cups of paint and brushes
The monastery comprises a number of single-story lie scattered on the table. The book is a copy of
buildings gathered around a courtyard with a well. “The Life of Maral the Bright” – another standard
A low wall encloses the yard. The whole place gives work, albeit an outdated one. A person with at
an eerie impression of having been abandoned in least Loremaster (adept) who passes a Cunning
a hurry. Tools have been left on the workbenches, test realizes that the book in question is very
dirty blankets and clothes are gathered in a laundry old and, given its location, probably the origi-
basket, and a yoke with buckets is resting against nal version on which all later copies are based.
the edge of the well. This book is worth 200 thaler if sold to one of
the Sun Church’s factions and 100 thaler if sold
1. Stable and storerooms to an antiques dealer. However, the years have
The monastery’s work animals and visitors’ mounts left the book worn and fragile: it takes a person
were kept in this building. It also includes store- with Alchemy (adept) who passes a Cunning test
rooms, workshops and an outhouse. The skeleton to bring it safely back to Ambria.
of a long dead donkey is still tethered in its stall.
7. Prior’s cell
2. Guesthouse This was the simple residence of Prior Karkoli. His
This is where visiting pilgrims used to stay. Fitted cell is somewhat bigger and a bit more comfortable
with bunkbeds for a total of 10 people. than the rest, but otherwise there is little differ-
ence it and the others. The cell shows clear signs
3. Chapter hall of having been occupied.
A simple yet beautiful hall, far removed from the
extravagance of many other sun temples. On the 8. Larder
north side is a shrine to the setting sun, and the The monastery’s food storage, now containing
walls are decorated with paintings depicting scenes nothing but empty canisters.

39
 MONASTERY –
BASEMENT
9. Crypt
10. Catacombs 10
11. Prior Karkoli’s
body
12. Archive
13. The Reliquary

N 13

9
0 15 m

12

10

Monastery – Basement resting place of the priors. There are niches in the
Kraal the abomination stalks the basement waiting passage walls, covered by slabs of wood or stone
to get hold of the relics of Maral the Bright – see the engraved with the sun symbol. Behind these slabs,
description of this creature below. which are easily removed, are reliquary caskets
containing the bones of the departed. Most are
9. Crypt made of metal, but there are caskets of wood and
Beneath the chapter hall is the crypt where Maral stone as well.
was originally laid to rest, which more recently
has served as a storeroom for items used in prayer 11. Prior Karkoli’s body
during various holidays. The ceiling is supported Here rests the skeleton of a dead human dressed
by a low brick arch, and there are six narrow in a prior’s robe. This, of course, is Prior Karkoli,
passages leading out along the walls like spokes who met his demise as Kraal emerged from the
in a wheel. dark. Next to him is a broken lantern. A key
ring with eight keys of various sizes hangs from
10. Catacombs a strap around the prior’s neck. These lead to:
Over the centuries, the monastery’s inhabitants
have dug passageways that extend beneath the ◆◆ The reliquary
ground, where the reliquary caskets of deceased ◆◆ Maral’s relic shrine
members have been placed. The narrow passages ◆◆ The archive
display an array of architecture: masonry arches, ◆◆ The book cabinet in the Scriptorium
brick walls and constructions supported by old ◆◆ Karkoli’s private cell
wooden beams. The oldest passage is the eastern ◆◆ The storeroom in Tarkomal’s basement
one, which runs beneath the monastery to the rel- ◆◆ The chapel at Tarkomal
iquary. For centuries, this has been the traditional ◆◆ The Sarli crypt

40
 CALL OF THE DARK

12. Archive 30 and Fortification 10. There is also a risk that the
In later years, this locked chamber is where the tool will break: roll 1d20 for each “attack,” where
monastery stored its most precious items. A 20 means that the item breaks.
person in a rush – chased by Kraal, for example The walls inside the room are covered with
– who attempts to open the door using Karkoli’s peeling paintings of lush green plants. The far
key ring must pass a Cunning (–5) test to find the wall is adorned with a mosaic of a sun setting
right key. Otherwise the chance of success is 1 into a blue sea, and in front of it stands an altar.
on 1d8. Picking the lock requires a successful The images all have religious significance for
[Discreet –3], but the door can also be forced open worshippers of Lyra, but modern scholars would
with suitable tools, such as an axe: in that case interpret them as Lifegiver symbols or even as
the door has Toughness 20 and Fortification 4. purely decorative artworks. On the altar rests a
Inside the little room is a shelf with the patinated copper chest with gold fittings, barely a
many volumes of the Monastery’s Chronicle (see pace long, next to the spear known as Argondin’s
handout on page 100), which recount the over Bane (see Appendix, page 99). The chest is locked You can find the cloth
three-hundred-year history of the order, and the but can be broken into with a hammer or an axe. It with the Lyra symbol on
artifact called the Stones of Redim (see Appendix, contains fragments of human bones placed around page 103 and on
page 99). “The Life of Maral the Bright” in room a skull, and the sides are covered with a tapestry freeleaguepublishing.com
6 is normally kept here as well. depicting elaborate vines and sun symbols. After
On a small table is a wooden crate containing removing the bones, a Lyra symbol can clearly be
items from Tarkomal that have remained at the seen in the fabric beneath.
monastery. These include:
Kraal
◆◆ Tarkomal’s financial records for years –3 to 7. The abomination haunting the monastery’s base-
◆◆ A number of letters from Ogdeno’s youth. ment was once an ordinary creature. Maybe not
These seem mainly to concern his courtship human, Kraal cannot remember, but someone
of the young Sopira and the planning of who could feel togetherness with others – joy
leisure activities with various friends, but and sorrow. It had a different name then, but all
a thorough read (requires at least a day’s memory of such things has faded into oblivion.
study and a successful Cunning test) reveals Now it sees itself only as Kraal. When the war
Ogdeno’s care for a certain child in Indaro (a came, its masters – the Dark Lords – transformed
smaller village in central Alberetor) where it, changing it into a weapon. At first Kraal was
he asks his friend to ensure that a sum of distressed by what it was forced to do to the
money reaches the child’s mother. This child Alberians, then angry – with itself, with its
is of course Dobaro, though it is possible that masters, with the enemy – and eventually it did
the player character will never make that not feel anything at all, except that it could no
connection. longer stop itself from continuing its terrible You can find the monas-
◆◆ Seven intricately painted clay tablets framed in work. In the chaos after the war, Kraal f led east tery chronicle on page
bronze, depicting tiny landscapes and scenes. before making a long and lonely journey north, 100 in this book and on
These were created as a hobby by both Irena’s and then west. There the land was not as ravaged, freeleaguepublishing.com
grandmother Sopira and her mother Letira. with enough sources of bright energy to feed its
dark hunger. Kraal had come to Sarli.
As far as Irena is concerned, the financial records Kraal’s background is unclear, but it is likely
and the letters can be used as indicators of the fam- the result of experimental magic, and possibly
ily’s status, but unfortunately they do not constitute the only one of its kind. It was created by the Dark
conclusive evidence. The clay tablets only have Lords as a weapon to specifically target the priests
sentimental value to the family. of Prios, highly sensitive to the energies surround-
ing theurgy and capable of combating them. Over
13. The Reliquary time, as a result of the terrible deeds it was forced
Behind a locked iron door is the reliquary that was to commit during the war, Kraal has developed an
built specifically for Maral’s remains shortly after insatiable urge to keep devouring humans and items
the monastery was established, as the true story related to Prios. In year 18, when Kraal entered Sarli
was becoming more sensitive. Entering with a from the east and reached the monastery of Maral
key or picking the lock works the same as for area the Bright, for a brief moment, it finally had its fill.
12, The Archive. Forcing the door open requires It sucked the life out of Prior Karkoli and his two
suitable tools, in which case the door has Toughness novices without hesitation, and consumed several

41
 The Monastery’s Chronicle
The chronicle dates back over 300 years, to the 26 Konelia, year 369 after the Prophet
time before the monastery officially became The Prior was summoned to Tarkomal for some urgent
part of the Twilight Friars’ order, and covers matter, most likely regarding our chapel there.
the internal affairs of the monastery as well as
external events. The calendar seems to start with 2 Leandro, year 369 after the Prophet
the death of the Prophet (i.e. Maral, though this The Baron and his family are leaving Sarli for
is never explicitly stated). The early texts, from Ambria. Our Prior’s request that he stay and care
the first 150 years or so, can only be understood for what remains of his people fell on deaf ears.
by a Loremaster (master) with plenty of time for
reading. The entries appear to have been written 19 Leandro, year 369 after the Prophet
at irregular intervals, sometimes summarizing They are gone. Yldemo came from the village to
years of history in a single paragraph, sometimes report that he saw them leave.
recounting several seemingly insignificant days
in a row. It should be obvious to most players that 13 Serliela, year 371 after the Prophet
the chronicle was written by many different Today Singalea and the novices returned from
people. Tarkomal with what they could salvage. Our Prior
Player characters reading the Chronicle will was pleased, but still not satisfied. He says that we
find the most recent entries (also see the player are running out of time and must finish the task
handouts) to be of relevance to their search: before the snow falls. We owe it to the dead, and
there may not be time after the winter.
14 Verion, year 369 after the Prophet
Our new baron has been in low spirits since his 30 Serliela, year 371 after the Prophet
father’s death. He talks more and more about a Our Prior left the monastery with Firego and
future elsewhere, about his children deserving a Singalea. They hope to reach the Sarli crypt and
different life. This may be common thinking among be back in two days. Ralea wanted to go with them,
the people, but we are surprised that it has affected but was told to stay behind.
our rulers. Truly their minds are fickle.
3 Morangal, year 371 after the Prophet
27 Verion, year 369 after the Prophet It has been four days, and our Prior and the others
Last night we could see fire in the sky. There was a have yet to return. The snow falls outside.
terrible blaze somewhere in the western hills. In
this drought a forest fire would be unfortunate. 4 Morangal, year 371 after the Prophet
Today we received word that Tarkomal was on fire. It has been five days, and our Prior and the others
Leaving immediately to help the injured. Many have yet to return. The snow falls outside.
people are said to have perished.
5 Morangal, year 371 after the Prophet
5 Konelia, year 369 after the Prophet Today the expedition returned. Singalea was in good
Today the Prior returned from Tarkomal with a spirits, but our Prior was exhausted and Firego seemed
troubled mind. The baron refuses to let his wife ill. The snow caught them by surprise, and they got lost.
and brother rest in the crypt, burying them instead They reached the lowland a full day’s march further
in Ogdeno’s provisional tomb. In our view they are east, and had to find their way back through untrodden
all resting with Prios, but nevertheless, this is a terrain. Still, they accomplished everything they set
worrying deviation from tradition. out to do and the dead now rest where they ought to be.

42
 CALL OF THE DARK

[The entries below are in a different handwriting 17 Elisal, year 373 after the Prophet
and written in first person] Yldemo returned to the village. None of us went
with him, though some think we should.
6 Morangal, year 371 after the Prophet
After an arduous journey, Singalea, Firego, and I [Here a third handwriting picks up]
reached the crypt of House Sarli. The snow fell heavy
around us once we reached higher ground. We found 22 Elisal, year 373 after the Prophet
the crypt sooner than expected, however, and got to Now Prior Karkoli, Balmeo, and I – Singalea
work. I placed Ogdeno’s casket in the main chamber – are the only ones left. The other three left
where it belongs, along with abandoned heirlooms us, even though Karkoli begged them not to.
that befit such a lord in such a place. Olano and Letira He and Ralea have spoken in private for many
were laid to rest in the chamber of their own line. hours these past days – in the end they mostly
The other artifacts shall remain here, so they can shouted at each other. She walked away in tears.
survive at least as long as the monastery. The others looked mostly relieved. Karkoli says
In case some member of House Sarli should that the Chronicle is my responsibility now
want to visit their ancestors’ tombs, or the Lifegiver that Tebria is gone. I shall try to honor that
should shine upon us and bring life back to this responsibility.
land, I shall now record the way to the crypt, as
there are few of us left who remember it. Follow the 13 Leandro, year 373 after the Prophet
River Sidra north until you pass its second tributary, This year the harvests are poorer than ever. If things
the first from the left. Roughly 2500 double paces have not improved at the start of Ynedar’s month,
north from there you will see the hills rise above our larders will be empty by fall. Now that I think
the forest. Continue straight to the northwest, about it, this is precisely what Yldemo said.
without straying into the woods, and you will reach
a point where the rocks protrude from the ground. 29 Leandro, year 373 after the Prophet
From there the path continues northwest, then We are discussing how to proceed but are getting
north toward the crypt. It is run-down and poorly nowhere. My suggestions about seeking help
maintained, and has been so for decades, but we in the west are being ignored. Karkoli says he
left sun-shaped cairns to show the way. does not want to leave the monastery under any
circumstances, and Balmeo seems indifferent
[Here the first handwriting picks up again] and retreats to the scriptorium unless he is
forced to stay. Perhaps I must go alone if we
1 Ofeliya, year 371 after the Prophet are to make it through the winter, but then,
Firego died last night. The fever got him. May he how would they survive back here if I left, if
forever kneel by the Lawgiver’s side. ever so brief ly?

9 Andonia, year 372 after the Prophet [This is the last entry in the chronicle.]
Today Elando went down to the village. He says
he shall not return. Our Prior urged him to stay, The Chronicle comprises 10 volumes. It is an
but let him go. interesting historical document of some value to
those who are able to transport it and find the right
16 Elisal, year 373 after the Prophet buyer. The full collection is worth 120 thaler to one
Today Ralea reported that everyone in Shoreby has of the Sun Church’s factions, who are also willing
decided to make the journey west. In the evening, to pay 8 thaler/book for individual volumes. A
Yldemo came and asked all of us to join them. He normal antique dealer in a large town would offer
will stay the night. 6 thaler/volume.

43
 Kraal’s unique traits
Sense Theurgy: Kraal was made to perceive the effects of Theurgy on
the fabric of reality. It can automatically identify anyone who uses such
mystical powers within a 20 meter radius. It can also sense whether an
individual is trained in Theurgy by passing a Vigilant test (+2 for adept
victims and +5 for masters), or whether someone is carrying an artifact
linked to Theurgy. Otherwise the ability is limited to Kraal’s physical sens-
es – in other words, it cannot detect a theurg it cannot see, hear, smell or
otherwise perceive.

Drain Life Force: Kraal uses Alternative Damage (Resolute) to suck the life
out of those caught by its gripping arms/tentacles. But due to Kraal’s hunger
for pure life force, the effect is diminished by the victim’s corruption. Techni-
cally, this means that every point of permanent corruption inside the victim
decreases the damage by 1. Every use of Alternative Damage also generates
temporary corruption in the surrounding area. Roll 1D6 for each individual
within one movement of the abomination – a 6 means that the person suffers
1D4 temporary corruption. Although Kraal’s goal is to devour any person or
item associated with Prios, the ability has the same effect on other creatures.
Lesser artifacts targeted by the ability are drained of their power after 1
turn; against other artifacts it devours a specific effect after 2 turns, without
generating any temporary corruption. Kraal has a strong enough sense of
self-preservation to know not to focus on such items before its enemies have
died or fled, and is only interested in artifacts associated with Prios.

holy artifacts. But there was one source of energy

it could not reach – Maral’s reliquary – enshrined
in the basement. With nothing else to eat, Kraal Kraal appears like a
has patiently been watching the monastery’s cat- nightmare from the
acombs, waiting for an entrance to open up. darkness, spurred by his
Kraal is humanoid in appearance, with short hunger for holy powers
hind legs, long arms/forelegs, and a short tail. It
prefers to move on all fours but can walk upright.
The head is long like that of a horse, with a short
neck and a small, fanged mouth. Its eyes look eerily
human. Six gripping arms/tentacles of different
lengths (1–3 meters) extend from the protruding Prios. It has waited a long time for a chance to
spine. They are constantly moving around Kraal, enter the Archive and the Reliquary and devour
whipping with increasing intensity as the creature the relics and artifacts kept in there (Maral’s
becomes more excited. The rest of its body is thin, bones, the spear Argondin’s Bane, and the Stones
almost emaciated, with dark skin. Kraal cannot of Redim). Thus, it will initially perceive other
speak but understands simple forms of Lyastrian. creatures as a threat to this goal and attack, but
As a result of the transformation it was forced to if for whatever reason it should realize that the
undergo, Kraal is thoroughly corrupt and has intruders want to access these rooms as well, it
developed its own mystical powers. may retreat and wait for a better opportunity.
If anyone versed in Theurgy goes down into the
Kraal’s goal basemen, Kraal’s goal will be to consume that
Kraal’s only remaining motivation is to drain person’s life force. Having done so it will resume
the energy out of creatures and items related to its attempts to reach the relics.

44
 CALL OF THE DARK

Race Abomination Armor Skin 3, regenerates 4 per turn

excluding damage from holy
Resistance Strong
weapons or holy mystical
Traits Alternative Damage (II), Armored powers
(II), Drain Life Force (special),
Defense –7
Natural Weapon (I), Regeneration
(III), Sense Theurgy (special), Toughness 20 Pain Threshold 7
Sturdy (I)
Equipment None
Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 9 (+1), Discreet 17 (–7),
Shadow Dark like blackened glass (thor-
Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 10 (0), Resolute 12 (–2),
oughly corrupt)
Strong 13 (–3), Vigilant 11 (–1)
Tactics: Kraal uses Unnoticeable to attack
Abilities Exceptionally Discreet (adept),
with Surprise. It will first attempt to distract
Feint (master), Natural Warrior
the enemy with its claws and, by using Feint,
(master), Unnoticeable (adept)
get free attacks with the gripping arms.
Weapons, Claws 7 (short), two attacks at Kraal directs its attacks against the nearest
Discreet the same target with active action individual who uses a power from the Theurgy
(Natural Warrior); Life-draining tradition, the person with the highest level in
gripping arm 4, ignores Armor, Theurgy, or anyone with artifacts associated
damages Resolute, one free at- with Prios, in that order. Kraal will only attack
tack per turn with either weapon other creatures in self-defense, but in that
with a successful Discreet←Vigi- case, he will not hesitate to kill them or drain
lant with active action (Feint) their life force.

45
 ACT 3:

Darkness Calls
In this final act, the adventure is wrapped up and the various parties involved
collide as the player characters reach the crypt of House Sarli. The act is linear in
that it follows a certain chain of events, but the circumstances surrounding it are
still left relatively open. The player characters will of course get the opportunity
to confront Dobaro, but might also decide to find another way of solving the
situation. Given the development of Act 2: The Shadows Gather, it is likely that
the player characters sooner or later will seek out the crypt, which triggers Act 3.

The Crypt of House Sarli

In the northern part of the county, just northwest make new tests every day if they are forced to take
of the upper reaches of the River Sidra, lies the crypt this approach.
that the early barons of Sarli had built for their kin.
All barons up to Ogdeno are buried there, along Overview
with most members of their families. The crypt’s entrance is located in a rocky part of the
area. A set of stone stairs, broken with age, leads
The way there up to the entrance facing southeast. The masonry
A few kilometers north from the place where the exterior is crowned with an ornamental arch. It
Sidra’s second tributary (the first from the west is clear that the crypt is almost entirely cut out of
when traveling from Lake Ilmar) reaches the the mountain. The entrance is sealed with an iron
main stream, a path veers off toward the hills in bar gate, the key to which can be found with Prior
the northwest. Nowadays the path is completely Karkoli’s body at the monastery of Maral the Bright.
overgrown and more or less impossible to spot Unless the player characters have it with them, they
for those who do not know what they are looking must either pick the lock with a successful [Discreet
for. However, Irena or a person who has read the –3] test or break it down with suitable tools, which
directions in the Monastery’s Chronicle can move requires a successful Strong test.
in the right direction with a successful Vigilant test.
Once it reaches the hills, the path continues 1. Stairs
through rocky areas toward higher altitudes. Only The path takes one more winding turn before merg-
those who have read the Monastery’s Chronicle have ing with a flight of stairs carved directly into the
a chance of finding the right way ahead without hillside. Scraggly vegetation springs from cracks
wasting lots of time searching the rugged terrain. in the unkempt stone, making the stairs difficult,
But even if no one has read the chronicle, they can but not dangerous, to ascend.
still find the crypt through patient, painstaking
effort. If the group’s guide passes a Vigilant test, 2. Entrance
they have a 1 in 4 chance of finding the right way Stone blocks, carved and fitted together, form
for every day of searching (roll 1d4). Let the players a large structure that juts out of the face of the

46
 CALL OF THE DARK

THE CRYPT OF
HOUSE SARLI
4
1. Stairs
5 2. Entrance
3. Main chamber
4. Side chamber
3 5. Side chamber

2
4

0 10 m

hillside. An iron bar gate topped with an arch The Spirit of Baron Telgon
decorated in scenes and symbols relevant to the As a result of the blight eating its way further and
Sarli family leads into darkness. further into Sarli over the past year, the county’s
dead have begun rising from their sleep. So far, the
3. Main chamber first undead to emerge is also the first baron of Sarli,
The earliest gravesite of the crypt, originally con- who rose from his sarcophagus as a cryptwalker,
secrated to the Executioner which is still apparent confused and enraged. The Baron does not under-
in the images carved into the walls. For hundreds stand the world around him, but recognizes his
of years, ever since the time of Telgon I (whose crypt and regards it as his stronghold, which
bone are still there), this was the resting place of must be defended to the last drop of the blood he
House Sarli’s matriarchs and patriarchs. There has already lost. He looks like a haggard old lord,
are funeral monuments in the form of niches in wearing vague ethereal chain mail, a high helmet,
the walls as well as sarcophagi on the paved floor. and a thorn cloak that flows around him.
In the far-right corner of the chamber, Karkoli
has raised a dry-stone pedestal where he placed the Race Spirit
large stone casket of Ogdeno Sarli. The inscription Resistance Strong
on the lid clearly states whose tomb it is. In addition
Traits Gravely Cold (III), Manifestation
to the bones, the casket contains the Royal Charter (III), Spirit Form (III)
enclosed in a wooden case covered in leather, and a
Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 10 (0), Discreet 7 (+3),
sun medallion with the inscription: “To Baron Sarli,
Persuasive 8 (+2), Quick 11 (–1), Resolute 15 (–5),
for prosperity in your marriage. First Father Abramelin.” Strong 15 (–5), Vigilant 9 (+1)
Abilities Iron Fist (adept), Two-handed
4. Side chamber Finesse (novice), Two-handed
These cave rooms contain the tombs of less import- Force (master)
ant members, ordered by lineage.
Weapons, Two-handed ghost sword 8
Strong (ignores armor), return swing
5. Side chamber upon miss 6, and Gravely Cold 2
Same as #4 above. This chamber is where Letira and (ignores armor) for those who
Olano were laid to rest, each in a separate niche. fail a Resolute←Resolute test

47
 Armor Half damage according to Spirit as possible, and try to eliminate anyone who
Form III might stop him.
Unless Irena is a player character, the player
Defense –1
characters can assume that she will react strongly
Toughness 15 Pain Threshold –
to any attempt to “desecrate the remains of her
Equipment Ethereal two-handed sword ancestors,” too upset to be reasoned with. In that
(balanced) case the player characters will simply have to
Shadow Like the sky on a cloudy night choose sides. Bear in mind that Dobaro does not
(thoroughly corrupt) take any chances and will try to eliminate them
Tactics: Telgon aggressively attacks anyone who if he doubts their intentions. Any antipathy that
enters the main chamber of the crypt, more or less has developed between the two relatives may also
without concern for his own undead life. He will not come into play at this point.
follow anyone past the crypt’s entrance. He instinc-
Nevertheless, it is still possible that Dobaro
tively recognizes all descendants of House Sarli,
and though he will try to drive them off as well, he thinks he can reach an agreement with the player
does not harm them – even if it puts him at risk. characters without Irena’s approval. This can also
happen if a player character has taken Irena’s
place. On a practical level, both parties can get
The Finale what they want: the Royal Charter to House Sarli,
The third act culminates with Dobaro finally Ogdeno’s bones to Dobaro. If that is the case, the
having the opportunity to get his hands on Game Master should be open for such a devel-
Ogdeno’s bones. A dramatically appropriate time opment and adjust Dobaro’s actions accordingly.
for this is when Baron Telgon’s spirit appears No matter how the situation develops, the
in the crypt and tries to drive the group away, adventure ends once the confrontation with
but the Game Master may find other moments Dobaro has been resolved, and any player char-
more suitable. Regardless, Dobaro will abandon acters who survived begin their journey back to
his assumed role, secure the bones as quickly the Cliff of Korinda.

Aftermath
Experience through Ambria and a game of intrigue leading
For gaming groups who wish to stick to what was all the way to the House of Nobles in Yndaros.
suggested in previous adventures, each player char- Another adventure seed is the significance of
acter should gain 1 Experience point for each scene Maral’s reliquary casket. If Ralea manages to bring
that contained a challenge. Call of the Dark should it to the Realm of the Order, it may be some time
then provide them with roughly 10 Experience, before the impact is felt, but eventually it will no
though the outcome will vary depending on what doubt cause religious strife within the various fac-
route the characters take and what challenges tions of the Sun Church. And what happens if it is
the Game Master presents them with. As always, the player characters who have the casket, possibly
the amount of Experience earned may be adjusted with Ralea’s dying wish to complete her mission? Do
according to the group’s play style and preferences they understand the significance of its contents? Will
regarding the pace of character progression. they destroy the evidence, or maybe bring them to
Ambria? Or to the Realm of the Order? Do they hand
Further adventures them over to a certain faction, and if so, what will that
There are a number of adventure seeds for the Game faction do? This could be a great opportunity for the
Master to build on after finishing Call of the Dark. player characters to navigate the complex religious
Depending on Irena’s role and fate in the adven- structures of Ambria and the Realm of the Order.
ture, the player characters might feel obligated to Lastly, it is possible that one of the groups at the
help her along, or to finish her mission after her Cliff of Korinda will hear about the dragouls’ inva-
death. This is of course particularly relevant if a sion and ask the player characters to lead a small
player character has taken Irena’s place. Although force back into Sarli to eliminate them. If Goriban
the dangers and obstacles of Alberetor have been has been able to continue his undead existence, he
played out, Bermeon Karnak still plots to stop House may have assembled an even more numerous group
Sarli from salvaging its status and reputation. This of “soldiers.” Driving out the dragouls might involve
could be the basis for an adventurous journey tough battles around the strategic locations of Sarli.

48
 CALL OF THE DARK

Who is who
People from the background
House Sarli The Black Cloak Monastery
Irena Sarli Eldest daughter of Porgalo Sarli Maral the Lightbringer of the Sun Church, originally a
Bright Lyra worshipper
Ogdeno Sarli Baron of Sarli, husband of Sopira, father of
Porgalo and Dobaro Redim One of Maral’s followers, reluctant at first,
then the most devoted of all
Sopira Wife of Ogdeno, mother of Porgalo
Karkoli Last Prior of the monastery of Maral the
Letira Wife of Porgalo, mother of Irena
Bright, Ralea’s teacher, killed by Kraal the
Progalo Sarli Last Baron of Sarli, son of Ogdeno and abomination, his body is found at the mon-
Sopira, husband of Letira, brother of Olano, astery
father of Irena
Balmeo Brother of the monastery of Maral the Bright,
Olano Son of Ogdeno and Sopira, brother of killed by Kraal, his body is found at the
Porgalo monastery

Singalea Sister of the monastery of Maral the Bright,

Dobaro and his family killed by Kraal, her body is found at the
monastery
Dobaro Bastard son of Ogdeno Sarli, half-brother of
Porgalo, uncle of Irena, husband of Milena Firego Brother of the monastery of Maral the Bright,
and father of Madisa and Derado died after visiting the crypt of House Sarli in
year 16
Milena Wife of Dobaro, undead
Elando Brother of the monastery of Maral the Bright,
Madisa Daughter of Dobaro and Milena, undead
left the monastery in year 17
Derado Son of Dobaro and Milena, undead
Tebria Sister of the monastery of Maral the Bright,
left the monastery in year 18

People in Sarli
Miscellaneous
Goriban Captain, leader of the dragouls haunting
Abramelin Former First Father of the Sun Church
Sarli
Almara Argona Ancient Queen of Alberetor, united the realm
Kraal Abomination haunting the monastery of
Maral the Bright Argondin Ancient hero in Sarli from the time of the
Alberian unification
Telgon First Baron of Sarli, founder of Tarkomal, now
undead Bermeon Noble plotting against House Sarli to win the
Karnak favor of Rilia Kohinoor
Yldemo Former blacksmith in the village of Shore-
by in Sarli, leader of the group that stayed Oragan I Ancient King of Alberetor
behind after the Baron’s family had left Argona
Oragan II Ancient King of Alberetor, son of Oragan I
The Orderlanders Argona

Nireon Aged sun priest, senior member of the Rilia Kohinoor Cousin of Queen Korinthia
Lifegiver’s cult, and for many years now the
Curia’s spy in the Realm of the Order, deter-
mined to stop Ralea
Edrano Leader of the expedition, captain in the
Realm of the Order’s People’s Militia, veteran
from The Great War, disillusioned traitor
bought by Nireon, Solea’s mentor
Ralea Former sister of the Black Cloak monastery
of Maral the Bright, Karkoli’s disciple, recent
prophet of Lyra
Jumano Priest of the Hostess, skeptical but loyal
member of the expedition
Solea Scout and docile follower of Edrano, has
trouble understanding the purpose of the
expedition

49
 A
s the victorious armies of the
Sovereign’s Oath are moving south,
the moment of truth comes ever closer.
Those who refuse to join the ranks of
the Blood Daughter are pushed aside,
trampled or slain. Soon the warriors will
reach Karvosti. The Queen has promised
assistance, but the alliance is frail and risks falling apart even
before it has been truly tested.
An obvious threat to the High Chieftain’s alliance is the
agents working to sever the bond between the peoples, to turn
clanfolks and Ambrians into the enemies they once were – men
and women with strange speech and mystical tattoos who add
fuel to existing conflicts, who call attention to injustices or
even make them happen.
And in Ambria, there are always those who are willing
to assist; those who feel wronged by people from the other
side, who believe that vindication can be achieved by heeding
the insidious advice whispered into their ears; those who are
prepared, or foolish enough, to deal with powers they don’t
understand; ignorant individuals who unsuspectingly wake
and spread the darkness of The Eternal Night…

50
 ADVENTURE 2:

RETRIBUTION

51
 Introduction
Tears welled up in Visara’s eyes as she watched the scene taking place in the meadow below
the hill. The sun would soon set beneath the horizon, and drunken men and women crowded
the open space or occupied long tables, Ambrians and Zareks side by side. The fiddling of
bards blended with the sound of barbarian drums as musicians started playing under the
great oak tree, to the delighted cheers of the guests. In the east end, fires were lit to cook
the evening’s roasted boar. Sister Odarea and the witch Marlomon walked past the crowd,
away from the city. Visara felt a sudden disgust and contempt for the two priests: they of all
people should have recognized the deceit and falsity of this union. But instead they blessed
it! She shook her head angrily – she could not let such thoughts distract her. It was almost
time. The sun had set, and the bride and groom had retired to the pavilion on the western
edge of the forest. Right now that brute was bedding his new wife, as was the custom of
his clan, after which they would emerge to the cheers of the crowd. A morose expression
flitted across Visara’s face. What a fool he was to accept her gift, smiling and kissing her
cheeks, failing to understand that their friendship had evaporated like morning mist on
a summer’s day. She raised her eyes to the horizon. There was no need to keep waiting;
she had given them long enough. It was time for her to unleash the power of the necklace.

This adventure is about a young woman, Visara chapters that make up the acts of the scenario. The
Mederen, who is tricked by the Sovereign’s Oath first act starts off the story and provides the neces-
into using dark powers in an attempt to break up sary clues for the characters to realize that something
the engagement of her beloved Gedea, daughter is wrong. The second act covers the’ investigations,
of the Mayor of Mederen, to Laranod of Zarek by provides various options for how they can travel to
means of a cursed Symbarian artifact. This opening Mederen to disrupt Visara’s plans, and describes
chapter describes the background and structure of obstacles they may face along the way. In the third
the adventure, and offers suggestions on how the act, they have a chance to stop the devious plan from
player characters might get involved in the story. succeeding or, failing that, fight a recently spawned
The next chapter presents the primary adventure abomination. New rules, handouts, and player maps
location, the city of Kurun, and is followed by three are found in the appendix at the end of this book.

52
 RETRIBUTION

Background
Symbaroum’s Cast
As is customary the chieftain accepted without hesitation. And so the
Five years ago, fourteen-year-old Visara left her three participants of the love triangle were gathered.
of Characters
family home in the southern parts of the barony The years that followed were the happiest of The dynamic and ever
of Mederen to stay with the Dowager Baroness Visara’s life. The three youngsters did everything changing world of
Edindra Mederen, aunt of Visara’s late father. It is together: they slept under the stars in Davokar, dove Symbaroum is teeming
customary for young Ambrian nobles, especially into the waters of Lake Volgoma, listened to the witch with named characters,
those of less illustrious descent, to live with more Marlomon’s tales of days long past and heard Sister ranging from import-
prominent relatives for a while in order to learn Odarea talk about the time before the Exaltation and ant faction leaders to
the habits and duties of the Ambrian nobility. her life in Alberetor. They danced together at parties merchants, warriors
During these years, they are either trained for in Mederen, around tribal campfires and in village and common folk in the
a suitable occupation or prepared for a marriage barns, and they raced their horses across the plains. many settlements of
favorable to the family’s interests. That was the Visara finally got all the friendship she had lacked, Ambria and Davokar, not
plan for Visara as well, but the future her mother and soon forgot about her girlish dreams of a noble to mention people from
Perala had hoped for never came. The Baroness husband. Instead her love grew for the perky Gedea, the country’s history
was completely uninterested in the girl, and with her warm laugh and clear eyes. In moments of and legends. Game Mas-
life at the castle revolved around the Baroness’s solitude, Visara found herself thinking more and ters who have a hard
youngest son, Aldamei, and his obsession with more about how they could be together without time remembering all
big-game hunting in the woods of Davokar. Thus, Laranod and what a future with her would be like. of them are advised to
the coarse men who visited the estate were hardly download the file titled
the handsome young lute players Visara often Love is blind Throne of Thorns – NPC
romanticized about. Unfortunately, Visara misinterpreted the friend- Gallery, which is avail-
Bored and dispirited, Visara eventually found liness shown by Gedea. Preoccupied with her able on Free League’s
her salvation in another girl of the same age: own infatuation, she failed to notice the love that Symbaroum page, www.
Gedea, daughter of Galatro who was mayor of the bloomed between Gedea and Laranod, until one freeleaguepublishing.
nearby town of Mederen. They met by chance as night when the former confided in her, pouring com.
Galatro and his family visited the Baroness, but out her feelings in a rush of euphoria.
the connection between them was instantaneous. Visara was plunged into the deepest despair. Her
Visara was soon paying long and frequent visits world fell apart, as the joy she had felt turned into
to the mayor’s household, and at 15 she gathered anxiety and depression. She distanced herself from
her belongings, left Edindra’s castle, and moved her friends, claiming to be tired, ill or behind on
in with her friend. Had the old Baroness had any her studies. And just like Visara had been blind to
affection for the girl, she may have reacted differ- the feelings between Gedea and Laranod, the loving
ently. Instead, Visara’s departure simply relieved couple never noticed their friend’s pain, incapable
her of an unwanted burden, which she told Perala of understanding that their happiness could be
in a letter shortly thereafter. the source of someone else’s suffering. After a few
Snubbed by Baroness Edindra, and with no other weeks, having lost all hope that the relationship
relatives to turn to, Perala resigned herself to her would fail, Visara could no longer stand the cheerful
daughter’s will and made an arrangement with mask she had to put on whenever Gedea, Laranod
Galatro. The kindhearted mayor was willing to go to or Galatro were around. On the pretext of visiting
great lengths to please his daughter, and also hoped her mother, she fled Mederen with no intention of
(perhaps wrongly) that future exchanges would ever coming back.
strengthen relations with the barony’s nobles.
A lost soul
Three friends After a time of isolation with only her pampering
Six months after Visara arrived on Galatro’s doorstep, mother for company, Visara’s thoughts grew so
another person moved in as well – Laranod of Zarek, dark that she found herself pushed to the brink of
son of Village Chieftain Ingorod on the southern suicide – at least that is what she told herself. She
shore of Lake Volgoma and nephew of Clan Chieftain might have gone through with it, had she stayed
Monovar. This unusual circumstance was the result with her mother, but as it happened she left with
of long-standing trade relations between Galatro Aldamei Mederen. By a twist of fate, Aldamei and
and Ingorod. They had developed such mutual trust his group passed the young woman on their way
that when Galatro offered to let Ingorod’s son spend to Kurun, and he recognized her from the time
some time in Mederen to learn the Ambrian ways, at Baroness Edindra’s estate. They stopped for a

53
 chat and Aldamei invited her to ride with him to plans to unite the clans under her rule. Moreover,
the town by the river Eblis. Perhaps Aldamei saw if the relationship could be broken in a way that
something in her that he had not seen in the past, cast blame on the Ambrians, that would give the
or maybe he just felt sorry for a clearly despondent Sovereign agents within Clan Zarek a chance to fan
relative? Visara immediately accepted, to her own the anti-Ambrian sentiment among the people, thus
surprise, despite the voice inside her whispering turning them against Chieftain Monovar and possibly
that only a few months earlier she would have causing the clan to pull out of Tharaban’s alliance. And
laughed at the weathered man’s offer. Ilonor already had the right tool for the operation – the
Outwardly, her days in Kurun were happy. cursed Symbarian artifact called Agan-Re, which had
Aldamei introduced her to the city’s elite and let the power to thoroughly corrupt its wearer.
her stay at the family’s townhouse. She attended When Visara received word of the upcoming
parties, balls, dinners, and all the other forms of wedding between Gedea and Laranod, the final
entertainment available to young aristocrats like piece fell into place. The suffering she thought she
herself – all to take her mind off the memory of had escaped began anew, and darkness descended
Gedea. One of the people she got to know during on her. Weeping, she turned to Firodon for comfort
this time was Firodon Kalalti, a man just a few years and he fed her the words Ilonor had given him,
older than herself, who quickly became a central part whispering about justice and vengeance – about
of her social circle. It is possible that he detected a her deserving to win back her love and banish
darkness behind her cheerful façade and sought to Laranod from Gedea’s mind; about stories he had
unveil it, but his courtship of her could just as well heard in Yndaros of ancient powers useful for such
have been a recreational distraction. Whatever his purposes; about artifacts used by young lovers in
reason, Firodon soon got Visara to tell the story of her the olden times. Visara soaked up every word and
unrequited love, tormented as she was by the need let his lies spark a flame of impossible hope inside
to share her sorrows with someone who seemed to her, increasingly convinced that her dreams could
understand. But there was no pity in Firodon’s mind. be fulfilled through magic. Then Ilonor – via Firodon
and his intermediary, the exiled fortune hunter
My enemy’s enemy Belraya – could easily place Agan-Re in the hands
Firodon was in fact a lapsed member of a dark cult in of Visara, along with instructions on how to use it.
Yndaros which he had wormed himself into despite Convinced that the misled woman would trigger
his simple background in the Artisan’s District. He the artifact’s terrible power at the wedding, Ilonor
came to Kurun a year earlier, after a long time on the devised the rest of his plan. Laranod’s life was already
run from witch hunters. There he has lived under an forfeit, and there was a good chance that his father
assumed name as the only living member of House Ingorod, brother of Chieftain Monovar, would be killed
Kalalti from the south-west coast of Alberetor, com- as well. He therefore sent orders to the Sovereign’s
monly believed to have perished in the Great War. Oath’s spies and allies in Zarek territory to be ready
But the opportunity to go to Kurun and establish to blame it all on barbarian-hating groups in Ambria,
himself among the city’s elite had come at a price. even the Queen herself, once news of the wedding Young love: for some
The arrangement was orchestrated by agents of the incident got out. Even if the end result would not be the most beautiful thing
Sovereign’s Oath in Ambria, who quickly seized the exactly what the Sovereign’s Oath hoped, the ensuing there is, for others an
opportunity once they ran into the desperate Firodon chaos would certainly weaken one of Tharaban’s unspeakable torment.
in the slums of Yndaros. Of course, they did not help important allies, which would be a desirable enough
him out of kindness, nor to aid a fellow enemy of outcome, so naturally Ilonor congratulated himself
the Queen. No, the Sovereign’s Oath expected to on a well-executed conspiracy.
see returns on their investment, and Firodon knew
it, constantly afraid of what might happen if they The honor of barbarians and
started to doubt his usefulness. the principles of dwarves
What Ilonor had not anticipated was that his tool,
Sacrificial pawn the former fortune hunter and artifact peddler
When Firodon told Ilonor, leader of the Sovereign’s Belraya, would suffer pangs of conscience about her
Oath in Kurun, about Visara’s story and the relation- involvement. Belraya was exiled from Clan Odaiova
ship between Gedea and Laranod, the latter realized after Chieftain Embersind accused her of being
that the love triangle could be used for the purposes affiliated with his rebellious nephew Embramer.
of the Sovereign’s Oath. The union between the She was not aware of the circumstances and did
Zarekian chieftain’s family and an Ambrian noble not know who Visara was, but realized that she
house would hardly benefit the Blood-Daughter’s was being duped. The artifact Belraya pretended

54
 RETRIBUTION

to sell her would not accomplish what she had been fact that Belraya served other masters as well. She
instructed to say it would. did odd jobs for Ilonor under threat of being handed
Belraya knew she would not find peace until she over to Embersind, but it was the dwarven family of
found out who the young woman was and where Maretko who enlisted her services on a daily basis.
she was going. Her research led her close to the Belraya had fallen into debt with the Maretkos
truth, but also attracted the attention of Firodon. when she first arrived in Kurun, lost and afraid,
He informed Ilonor who quickly decided to dispose and since then she made her living fencing stolen
of her. The Sovereign’s Oath found Belraya at the goods for the dwarves. When their artifact expert
West Harbor and arranged an attack, but before suddenly went missing, their initial reaction was
completing their mission they were interrupted by concern, but eventually the dwarves saw the need to
a City Watch patrol. With the last of her strength, protect their investment and their influence in the
the mortally wounded Belraya crawled her way to city’s underworld. There is no shortage of destitute
the home of her friend Yndlas, where she died just spies, but nevertheless, interfering with Maretko’s
after passing on what she had learned. The terrified affairs can never go unpunished! The matter must
goblin has since been in hiding, in the vain hope be thoroughly investigated, and Belraya must be
that no one would come to question him if he buried located. But using the family’s own resources can
his newfound knowledge deep inside. be sensitive; who knows where the trail will lead?
Here the trail of Visara and the Sovereign’s Oath’s No, such a mission requires outside problem solvers.
conspiracy would have gone cold, were it not for the Perhaps someone who owes the dwarves a favor…

55
 Timeline The Player Characters
Presented below is a brief summary of the background and forthcoming The central plot hook of the adventure is that the
developments. The details of future events will be laid out in upcoming player characters are engaged to seek out Belraya
chapters. and in their investigations uncover the conspiracy
and an opportunity to act against it. Depending on
5 years ago the composition of the gaming group, the exact
Visara arrives at the cas- 4 years ago starting point may need to be adjusted to suit
tle of Dowager Baroness Visara moves in with her specific circumstances.
Edindra Mederen. friend Gedea, daughter of
Galatro, Mayor of Mederen. Incentives
3 ½ years ago Below are some suggested plot hooks that should
Laranod, son of Ingorod 1 year ago work for a wide range of gaming groups.
of Clan Zarek, joins Gala- Firodon arrives from
tro’s household. Yndaros to Kurun under Blood debt
instructions from the One possibility is that one or more of the player
3 months ago Sovereign’s Oath, and characters owe a debt to a prominent dwarven
Gedea and Laranod be- settles down under the family who now calls in the favor by asking that
come a couple. Visara is assumed name of Firo- they track down Belraya. It could be the Maretko
consumed with jealously, don Kalalti. family or one of their allied families, such as the
leaves Mederen, and goes Valotzars, whom the player characters may have
to stay with her mother. 2 months ago met and indebted themselves to in the adventure The
Aldamei Mederen bumps Darkest Star. They are then contacted by Bardolin
Three weeks ago into Visara in the street and Maretko who asks them to accept the mission in
News of the engagement invites her to join him in order to pay their debt.
reaches Visara. Having Kurun, where Firodon soon
coaxed the background becomes part of her social Exchange
out of her, Firodon feeds circle as her confidant. A second option is that the dwarves offer something
her lies about ending their in exchange for the characters’ services, such as
5 days ago
love by mystical means. simple financial compensation or something more
Firodon introduces Visara
specific, and more interesting. Perhaps the dwarves
to the artifact dealer Bel-
4 days ago have heard of the player characters in some context,
raya who, on orders from
Visara leaves for or maybe Bardolin is growing impatient and offers
the Sovereign’s Oath,
Mederen. Belraya is last the job to a random group of fortune hunters?
hands over Agan-Re, along
seen at work by the fence
with false instructions.
Silando. Moving up the ladder
3 days ago If the dwarves do not seem like a suitable starting
2 days ago Belraya regrets her role in point, Belraya could be of interest to a faction on
Belraya’s finds Firodon, the deception and tries to good terms with the player characters, who then
who realizes what she find out who Visara is and agree to find her at the request of that group.
is up to; he informs the where she has gone. Gaming groups sympathetic to the Reformists
Sovereign’s Oath. Belraya could be hired by a local representative who
seeks refuge with Yndlas. 1 day ago worries that Belraya’s disappearance is a sign that
Silando is concerned by The Sovereign’s Oath the Whip of Prios has struck the city; a similar
Belraya’s absence. He no- attacks Belraya, leaving premise may also suit groups associated with
tifies the Maretko family. her mortally wounded. Tharaban’s barbarian alliance. Conversely, player
She makes it back to characters with ties to the Queen, the Curia, or
NOW Yndlas and tells him what the Templars could be asked to hunt down a
Game start. The characters she has learned. Yndlas suspected heretic.
are hired to find Belraya. goes into hiding. Bardolin
Maretko decides to enlist A friend in need
4 days after start outside problem solvers. If none of the other plot hooks seem appropriate,
The wedding ceremony. you could let characters with a background in
the barbarian clans be contacted by a friend
from home, who has come to Kurun in search of

56
 RETRIBUTION

Belraya on some important errand and who needs Strong resistance, most of them are acting alone
help from people more familiar with Ambrian and would prefer to avoid direct confrontations
society. In that case you should adjust Belraya’s with the player characters. The difficulty lies
background to match that of the player characters in handling the different stages of the scenario
and the friend. quickly and efficiently enough to reach Visara
in time. If the gaming group would rather face
Experience and abilities more difficult opposition, the Game Master can
For player characters with a few adventures under simply adjust the number and Resistance level of
their belt (i.e. roughly 50 Experience in addition the adversaries.
to the starting level), Retribution will, at most, be This adventure requires no specific abilities.
a moderate challenge in terms of combat. While The Equestrian ability and the Poison Resilient boon
there are several enemies whose Resistance may prove useful when facing certain challenges,
level is Challenging, and possibly one who poses but they are certainly not necessary.

The Structure of the Adventure

Retribution is divided into three acts, the first Mederen as quickly as possible. It also addresses
of which opens with a number of different leads to the obstacles that the Sovereign’s Oath has placed
follow up on. The second act is more linear in that along the way.
the player characters must make it to Mederen as
soon as possible, although there are two paths to Act III: The cost of jealousy
choose from. The third act begins when the player The third act can play out differently depending on
characters arrive in Mederen, and can play out in how quickly the player characters reach Mederen.
different ways depending on what they decide to But it basically revolves around their opportunity
do and whether or not Visara has already put her to prevent Visara from unknowingly unleashing
plan into motion. an abomination at the wedding feast. If they have
acted quickly during act I and II, the adventure
Act I: Paying a debt can have a more or less happy ending; if they
In this act the characters are engaged by the have wasted too much time, the story might end
dwarves of the Maretko family to seek out their in tragedy.
employee, the artifact expert Belraya, who has
gone missing in Kurun. While investigating her
background and activities, they uncover a number
of trails, which can be followed in any order. These
finally lead the characters to Belraya’s friend, the
The Maretko Family
goblin Yndlas, and the barbarian woman lying dead The Maretko family is actually based in Yndaros and a close ally of the
in his home. currently most influential dwarven family: the Valotzars. Two years ago,
the two families started making substantial investments in commercial
Act II: Time is running out activities, both legal and illegal, in Kurun and along the river Eblis. With the
Through information from Yndlas and by follow- growth of Kurun and its importance as a home base for the army in the
ing in Belraya’s footsteps, the player characters war against the northern barbarians, this trade has become increasingly
can find out that she placed a corrupt artifact in lucrative. For this reason, the Valotzars and Maretkos have decided to
the hands of the noble Visara and later regretted establish a permanent presence in the city in order to better protect their
it. Visara is now at risk of unwittingly activating interests. Bardolin Maretko is running the operation from an anonymous
its dark powers. Further investigation, including a building in the city’s commercial district, with the help of half a dozen
meeting with her mother, can clarify Visara’s iden- dwarven underlings. But although the two families have great resources in
tity and that she has left Kurun for Mederen. The Yndaros, their position in Kurun is still quite modest. This is why Bardolin
player characters are also given an opportunity is reluctant to expose his own people and prefers to use outside oper-
to learn more about Belraya’s original employer: ators, which also decreases the risk of leaving a trail that can be traced
the Sovereign’s Oath, and their tool in Kurun, the back to the dwarves.
cultist Firodon – a fugitive from justice. If the Maretkos/Valotzars seem like a bad choice based on which
For player characters who realize that time is families the player characters have encountered in previous adventures,
of the essence and want to reach Visara before they can easily be replaced with other dwarven families.
she can use the artifact, the rest of the second
act describes various paths they can take to get to

57
 Kurun
Kurun, the seat of the Duke of Berakka, is often eclipsed in the public consciousness
by the fortune hunter’s town of Thistle Hold on the edge of Davokar. And indeed,
Nightpitch’s creation, the hub of treasures hauled from the forest, is symbolically
significant for both Narugor and Ambria in the search for a new life. But the people
of Kurun shake their heads at the fascination with the settlement in the north.
For though it may offer occasional encounters with the most exotic elements of
the new country, they see Kurun as the natural center of the duchy.

It is the seat of political power, the war hero Junio, under the direction of the brilliant Chapter Master
the military might of the 5th Army, economic Argoi. No, for people in Narugor who wish to make
strength and trade along the river Eblis, and the their fortune without risking their lives in a vain
intellectual elite at Ordo Magica’s Kurun chapter search for Symbarian gold, Kurun is the place to be.

History
The city of Kurun is as old as Ambria itself, founded The place became increasingly important for
as an outpost for the invading army of the warlord the realm: first as a military base and mainte-
Urondo Salamos before the ultimate conquest of nance area, then as a fortified stronghold against
Kadizar. A small Jezite settlement already existed the barbarian clans. As the years went by, it
there at the time, whose people watched over the turned into a trade center for goods shipped on
Bridge of Banotar which stretched over the river Eblis, the river Eblis and on the roads between New
but the barbarians holding the bridge were quickly Berendoria and central Ambria. In the year 5,
routed. Urondo immediately realized that the place when Narugor was established as a duchy and
was strategically important for passage to the western the new title was conferred on Junio Berakka,
plains. The work to strengthen the bridge started he took up residence in the city and named it
right away, and from the garrison which Urondo left Kurun, in memory of his place of birth in south-
behind grew the city that exists today. ern Alberetor.

Districts
Kurun is built on five hills with a winding river occupied by terraced fields and fruit orchards. On
between them, on the northeast part of a ridge the hilltops the army has raised wooden watch-
stretching out from the Titans on both the west towers to detect enemies approaching overland
and east side of the river. The city’s sturdy, cren- or from down the river.
ellated walls and the great castle towering over Each of Kurun’s districts has its distinct
them clearly reflect its ruler’s military inclination. character and geography, greatly inf luenced
There are many farms around the city, in the by the hill on which it is located and the area’s
dips between the hills, whose slopes are largely predominant population.

58
 RETRIBUTION

The Harbor
The area between the city’s four central hills, on both
sides of the river, is commonly known as the Harbor, Firebring
as that is where the first moorings were built. People
from all over the city and every part of the country Colloquially known as torch fighting or pyrelight, this organized sport is a
gather here to trade and exchange news. Sailors, contest between two teams of 5–10 players. The goal is to control the arena’s
merchants, hunters, royal messengers, and clanfolk only torch and use it to light a number of braziers positioned along the edges
from the forest all walk the wide streets of the Harbor of the playing field, which can be an arena, a public square, or just a field. Most
where the roar of the river blends with the shouts of versions are played with one brazier per player, and with each team’s braziers
the fishmongers and hymns from the Sun Temple. on opposite sides of the field. The players are unarmed and unarmored, but
The area is connected by the great Bridge of Banotar: other than that there are no holds barred, and many games result in bloody
a wooden structure built on a base of stone which is fistfights and bone-crushing tackles.
supposedly as old as the city state of Lindaros, raised Once a fire is lit, the game restarts with the torch in the middle. This
in its current form roughly 50 years ago by the Jezite means that the team who is behind gets fewer and fewer fires to defend and
chieftain Banotar and wide enough for two wagons can therefore concentrate on preventing their opponents from lighting any
to pass each other midway. Ambrian engineers have more of them. The game continues until one side has lit all their fires. Simpler
since moved its abutments higher up on the steep versions of Firebring are often played with a club instead of a torch and with
riverbank and raised its arches so that smaller ships woven baskets for braziers, while the traditional equipment is used for larger
can pass under it without breaking their masts. events. As a result, famous pyre players will often have plenty of burn marks.
The district’s natural center is the great Duke’s The game has a long history and has not changed much since the days
Plaza by the east bridge abutment, dominated by the of Alberetor. While it is known and occasionally practiced in other parts of
large Sun Temple run by the strict Mother Sanagea. Ambria, the tradition has mainly lived on in Kurun. The reason for this is that
Events held in the plaza include markets, festivals, Urondo Salamos and his officers were particularly fond of the game and
religious processions, executions and frequent com- arranged tournaments where teams from different military units competed
petitions in the popular local sport of Firebring – often against each other. As the soldiers retired and settled down in the city, the
between teams from different districts and from the interest in firebring spread among the population, and today it is the city’s
city’s army regiments. most popular form of entertainment and a common topic of conversation.
On the west bank of the Eblis lies West Harbor, the The best and most popular players in the city, such as the war veteran Ulmina
hub of river-based trade in Kurun. Long docks stretch Fireborn, can even make a living from the prize money.
into the water to receive all types of vessels, whose
goods are loaded and unloaded on their way to the rest
of western Ambria. The nearby Bridge Square is the
site of daily markets, where local merchants sell sam-
ples from their stores and negotiate the price of entire and small oases of unexpected vegetation where
batches. The saying that anything can be bought in trees and bushes have been left to grow into small
Kurun is not far from the truth. Many of the duchy’s parks. Much of the district is home to Kurun’s nobles,
and indeed the kingdom’s most prominent trading merchants and other affluent Ambrians, and houses
companies have representatives in the district. But institutions such as City Hall, Ordo Magica’s chapter
despite the lucrative commerce, West Harbor is one house, and the local House of Nobles.
of the city’s poorer areas. The inhabitants are ware-
house workers and stevedores working long hours for Owl’s Crest
meager wages, and at night the cheap taverns lining To the north of the Hill of Ynedar lies Owl’s Crest,
the west-side alleys are filled with drunken sailors f latter and somewhat lower than its neighbor,
and thieves who make the streets unsafe. where the buildings rise in circles toward the level
hilltop. Its quarters are dominated by cramped
The Hill of Ynedar alleys and winding streets with tall, narrow
To the southeast rises the broad Hill of Ynedar, buildings leaning over them. A number of failed
named after the Queen’s father. That is where one attempts have been made to rectify the cluttered
finds the most beautiful buildings from the first year townscape, most recently after the great fire in
of colonization, when houses were built for the new the year 16. Owl’s Crest is also more bustling than
ruler and high-ranking officials. It also has the best- any other part of Kurun, except the harbor. The
paved streets, including the main road called Queen swarms of pedestrians, riders and wagons, and the
Street, as well as many of the city’s most renowned sounds of numerous workplaces, can easily leave
stores and inns. People walking down the hill’s well- an overwhelming first impression. The place is
kept side streets will often find a surprising calm crowded with artisans and mongers: a diverse mix

59
 Nw

N
w
sw

Ne n
r baria
Se e
ba tow n
S

0 150 m 22

Pea
t
Hi
ll
28

20

21

7 5
6

26

glass
4

Moun tain

27
19

25

60
 24 RETRIBUTION

23

PUBLIC PLACES
3
1. Castle
16
2. South Gate
3. North Gate
31
17 4. West Gate
5. Duke’s Plaza
O w l’ 6. Bridge Square
C r e s ts 7. West Harbor
8. The Bridge of Banotar
9. Sun Temple
15 10. Ordo Magica chapter
house
11. House of Nobles
12. City Hall
18
13. The Crown (inn)
14. Taohar’s Tea Room
15. Pint of Stut (tavern)
16. Klavman’s (gambling den)

9
17. The Huldra’s Honor (inn)
18. Trollhunters
19. Slaughterhouse
14 30 1
20. The Tower of Leandro
21. The Sunlight (tavern)
11 22. The Water Hole (tavern)
23. King Koriano’s Shipyard
24. Goblin camp

Hill of
T h en e d a r ADVENTURE LOCATIONS

Y 25. The Maretko family seat

12
26. Silando’s store
29 27. Belraya’s residence
28. Yndlas’ hideout
32
29. Asorios’ store
10 13
30. The House of Rams
31. Ilonor’s residence
32. Firodon’s residence

61
 The area is clearly a slum, its most distinct feature being
the stench that never seems to go away, no matter how
The fall of the Alberian navy hard the wind blows or how well the streets are swept.
Glass Mountain generally has nothing to attract visitors,
Alberetor was historically a great maritime nation, with long coasts and with the possible exception of the prize fighting estab-
extensive trade across both the eastern and western seas. During the Great lishment called the Slaughterhouse, where wrestling
War, at least initially, the royal navy was a vital part of the war effort, especially matches and fistfights can sometimes draw large crowds.
as Lyastra had no significant presence at sea. But the ships were highly vul- While the two districts resemble each other to a
nerable to the Dark Lord’s powers, which was illustrated to devastating effect large extent, the tall Peat Hill gives a different, less
early in the war, during the battle of Kalun Bay. In a large-scale maneuver, chaotic impression. This is because its population
Admiral Elfeno Harl had blocked the entire inlet in an attempt to cut off the consists mainly of more recent newcomers from
supply lines to Bright Haven on the Dorikon river. But the enemy’s naval infe- Alberetor, who generally adhere to the orthodoxy
riority made the Alberians careless, so when the disciple Enohar unleashed established by the followers of the Lawgiver within
the dark wildfire, it spread very fast. Not one ship escaped its flames. Virtually the Sun Church – reinforced by this branch’s
the entire Alberian navy was wiped out in a single blow; a defeat from which it representatives among the city’s liturgs and the
never recovered. The resources dedicated to shipbuilding were instead used rootlessness that comes from being displaced from
to combat the undead hordes on land, and slowly the knowledge of naval war- one’s homeland. And with the spreading rumor of
fare dwindled. When the colonization of Ambria began, there was not even the Peat Hill spirit, newcomers of the same faith have
any need for it, although trade was quickly established on the rivers. consolidated the local culture. The inhabitants’ lives
are characterized by duty, zeal and reverence for
Prios, and smaller chapels run by the worshippers
themselves are quite common.
The ambition to cultivate the Sun God’s gifts has
of potters, blacksmiths, tailors, cobblers, leather made the district somewhat richer than its neighbor,
workers, alchemists, spice peddlers, tinners and Glass Mountain, with several smaller movements
carpenters. These hardworking people, along with having established themselves. At the same time, the
their families, servants and helpers, make up most residents of Peat Hill keep to themselves and prefer
of the district’s population. not to mingle with other groups in the city, except
Owl’s Crest is also home to the city’s largest and during religious holidays. Outsiders who are not obvi-
most popular taverns and entertainment establish- ous devotees of the Lawgiver are often treated coldly,
ments, such as the traditional beer hall Pint of Stut and anyone who appears to represent the degenerates
and Klavman’s Gamling Den. The latter has kept its of the new country (barbarians and non-humans) is
name even though its founder went missing many often viewed with outright hostility. Peat Hill’s only
years ago, reportedly on the run from debts owed landmark (one of the most famous in Kurun) is the
to one of Yndaros’ dwarven families. magnificent Tower of Leandro. It was named after
the lightbringer Leandro Salamos who died in the war
Glass Mountain and Peat Hill against the Dark Lords, and who was also an uncle of
Duke Junio decided early on that the west bank Kurun’s founder, Urondo. But the tower’s history goes
should be included within the city walls – the oppor- back much further than that. Ordo Magica’s historians
tunity to control both sides of the river crossing was have not been able to draw many conclusions about
deemed more important than being fully protected its origin, but the predominant theory is that it was
against attacks from the river, a decision that has not raised by the same people who constructed the Bridge
yet been put to the test. However, this meant that of Banotar. All that remains today are the exterior walls
much of west Kurun initially consisted of empty of the bottom six floors, and no attempt has been made
spaces. Development in the area has since gone more to restore it for fear that it will collapse.
or less unchecked, although the worst slums were
vacated and torn down after the great fire in the Barbarian Town
year 16. These features characterize its two districts, What was originally a sparsely populated part of Peat
Glass Mountain and Peat Hill. Hill has in recent years grown into what is commonly
The hill known as Glass Mountain is littered with low known as Barbarian Town, as more and more clanfolk
houses in disordered quarters. Most of its residents are gather in the city – sailors, shipwrights, and refugees
poor Ambrian workers: stevedores, oarsmen, sailors, fleeing the advance of the Sovereign’s Oath. The influx
errand boys, coachmen and trading company henchmen. of barbarians has so far been tolerated but is causing
But it also has a sizable population of newly arrived bar- rumblings among many of the Ambrian groups, such
barians, adventurers, fortune hunters and sellswords. as army commanders concerned about infiltrators and

62
 RETRIBUTION

conservative members of the Sun Church who view open space on the east bank between Owl’s Crest and
the clanfolk’s faith as a form of idolatry. Meanwhile, the city wall, lies one of the country’s few shipyards,
merchants and sailors are benefiting greatly from the and likely the most important one.
barbarian element. Named after the seafaring King Koriano II, it is a
The Duke has not yet commented on the issue, but source of pride for its inhabitants. Not only are the
it will only be a matter of time before he is forced to shipwrights building flat-bottomed barges for the
take a stand. Relations between the district’s residents transportation of goods, like in many other places,
and their neighbors on Peat Hill are strained at best, but also lighter and faster vessels. Recent years have
and unless something is done to defuse the situation, even seen multi-oared warships. Lately, several
there will likely be riots in the streets. Zarekian carpenters and caulkers have been offered
Barbarian Town is full of simple homes, often employment at the shipyard, which has advanced its
inspired by Davokar’s culture and architecture. shipbuilding even further. Meanwhile, the yard’s
Ninety percent of its inhabitants are barbarians, activities have become important to the entire
mainly from Zarek and Odaiova, and most of them realm, as dominating the waterways has become
earn their living as sailors, carpenters and ship- a military issue. Tentative efforts to establish a
wrights – constantly in demand on merchant ships small Ambrian fleet have begun. The reason for
and at King Koriano’s Shipyard. The natural meeting this is of course that it is increasingly clear that
point is the Water Hole tavern, which is the only public a large-scale conflict with some of the barbarian
establishment in the district, although many nights clans is imminent. Controlling Lake Volgoma and
the locals gather around fire pits between the houses the transport routes to and from its shores may
and let the scent of roasted food drift over the rooftops. prove a deciding factor in this war.
The sh ipya rd is f i r m ly r u n by M a ster
King Koriano’s Shipyard Shipwright Jigeno. It is a major source of work
Along with Agrella, Kurun is one of a few places in for many of Kurun’s inhabitants, as well as the
Ambria where the art of shipbuilding is held in high surrounding rural population, and it is one of
regard. In the northern part of the city, on a large the largest purchasers of timber in the region.

Housing & Entertainment

The Crown The Huldra’s Honor
At the start of Queen’s Street, not far from South For those wanting to be at the center of Kurun’s
Gate, lies The Crown – considered the finest inn in entertainment scene there is no better place than the
Kurun. The proprietor, Master Siermo, who bought four-winged building called the Huldra’s Honor, if
the establishment three years ago, is well aware of the proprietor Derida is to be believed, at least when
its reputation, constantly trying to imprint it in it comes to the kind of amusements popular among
the minds of his guests. The Crown provides high the general public. As a matter of fact, many com-
quality in most respects, and is particularly well petitors reluctantly recognize the Huldra’s special
known for the extraordinary baths in its basement, status – although most would not attribute it to the
connected to a natural spring – discovered in the high standards of the inn, but to Derida’s network of
city’s early years, probably as old as the Bridge of contacts and her ability to make influential guests keep
Banotar, but thoroughly renovated. Hot and cold coming back to spend night after night under its roof.
baths are offered in mosaic pools under beautiful According to Derida, the key to the establishment’s
arches of stone. success is her delicious and affordable stut (based on
a secret recipe) and that several nights a week she
Grilled trout with spring onions & beets 8 shillings provides entertainment in the form of bards, singers
Nettle soup with eggs 3 shillings and musicians who, depending on the weather and
The Crown’s apple pie with cream 2 shillings season, perform in the courtyard or in the hall that
Tankard of Kurun’s Honor occupies an entire wing. And the Huldra’s Honor has
(triple fermented) 5 shillings undoubtedly developed a reputation in that area, so
Cup of stut 1 shilling much so that musicians from all corners of Ambria
A half-bottle of Vearra’s Red 1 thaler go there for a chance to perform at the inn.
Bath session 7 shillings In every other respect, the Huldra’s Honor lives up
Double room 12 shillings to its name. Decorated in a style that alludes to life in
Single room 1 thaler Davokar, with trophies from Derida’s time as a fortune

63
 hunter, it offers a taste of the great forest that tickles on the wall as its most distinctive feature. The food
the Ambrians’ imagination without being too vulgar mainly consists of broiled fish or crustaceans served
for visiting barbarians. It was as a treasure hunter with simple root vegetable purées. The main bev-
that Derida acquired the wealth she later invested in erage on offer is actually water, in accordance with
the inn, as well as many of the contacts she now uses barbarian tradition, but of course one may also have a
to increase its popularity. tankard of Blackbrew, a habit many barbarians have
also picked up in their Ambrian exile. The clientele
Whole grilled cormorant with consists mostly of barbarians, particularly ones who
roasted vegetables 4 shillings earn their living on the river. But clanfolk from all
Mixed stew 6 ortegs over Kurun also come here from time to time, as well
Vegetable soup of the day with bread 4 ortegs as Ambrian fishermen and sailors who are attracted
Tankard of Derida’s Special 5 ortegs by the tavern’s maritime character.
Tankard of Kurun’s Honor
(triple fermented) 4 shillings Fish of the day 6 shillings
Tankard of Zarekian Blackbrew 1 shilling Boiled crawfish with crisp
Tankard of Veloum 2 shillings bread and butter 3 shillings
Bed in dormitory 1 shilling Spicy clam stew 1 shilling
Tankard of spring water 1 orteg
Taohar’s Tea Room Tankard of blackbrew (unspecified) 2 ortegs
Among Kurun’s many restaurants and taverns of Tankard of Zarekian Blackbrew 2 shillings
classic Ambrian or barbarian character, Taohar’s
Tea Room on the edge of the Hill of Ynedar is some- The Slaughterhouse
thing of an oddity. Named after its owner – a tall, To people who are not familiar with it, and take a
thin, modest man with gray hair – this establish- nighttime stroll through Glass Mountain near the
ment offers cuisine from Taohar’s home region in western wall, the Slaughterhouse may seem like a scary
the City States. It mainly serves bitter herbal teas place. The sudden roars of bloodthirst that regularly
along with something sweet, and possibly a small emanate from the run-down building and echo through
glass of acidic wine from the southwestern lands. the surrounding alleys are enough to make anyone
Customers come here not only to fill their bellies, tremble. And in a way, the Slaughterhouse becomes
but to tickle their palate and enjoy the sophisticated no less frightening once you get acquainted with it.
atmosphere, which is why the establishment has Its bloody one-on-one bouts are arranged during
gained popularity as a peaceful meeting place major holidays, every People’s Day and occasionally
among upper-class youth. Taohar demands a high on other days of the week as well. Aptly enough, the
standard from his customers in terms of manners building is in fact an old slaughterhouse – a designa-
and appearance, which of course favors the elite. tion that has endured among the people as a morbid
Those wishing to enjoy its delicacies must pass the joke, even though the owner, an ogre named Angro,
scrutinizing eyes of Headwaiter Ridelo, and even never bothered to name it. But the place should not be
after that, anyone who does not conform to Taohar’s confused with places like the Abomitorium in Thistle
idea of proper behavior is gently but firmly shown Hold. The Slaughterhouse lacks the professionalism
out by the Tea Room’s bouncer, Bulgy. that characterizes such establishments – its fights are
brutal affairs for the most desperate. While all bouts
Goat cheese pie with pear compote 2 shillings are fought unarmed, they usually go on until some-
Honey-baked pastry roll 15 ortegs one stops moving; lifelong injuries and even deaths
Pickled mulberries 7 ortegs are not uncommon among the fighters. Nevertheless,
Pot of Regol blend (extra bitter) 3 shillings or maybe for that exact reason, the Slaughterhouse is
Pot of herbal tea 1 shilling popular and draws large crowds, and with the prize
Glass of Gremolla (Koralian sparkling wine) 1 thaler money he offers, Angro seems to have no difficulty
finding willing participants. Moreover, it is said that
The Water Hole several factions among Kurun’s criminal element
The Water Hole tavern is located in a single-story have interests in the betting taking place on fights
building in Barbarian Town in northern Kurun. and therefore make sure to cover potential losses.
The establishment is run by Hargamon, a former The burly proprietor is himself a scarred vet-
shipmaster and freighter from clan Baiaga, and its eran of similar activities, and on special occasions
interior is inspired by the waterborne culture of Lake Angro still enters the ring. So far he has never
Volgoma, with the skin of a huge garoug mounted been defeated…

64
 RETRIBUTION

Authorities & Factions

The Duke the council is controlled by the Duke’s right-hand
From his castle on Fort Hill, Duke Junio woman, Igrena Loramon. The only person powerful
Berakka governs Kurun and all of Narugor. The enough to change that is probably Ordo Magica’s
son of Kandoria’s former (and Yndaros’ current) chapter master Argoi, but to the extent that he
Construction Commissioner Jurlio, appointed and participates at all in the council’s meetings, he
elevated to his new position by the Queen shortly seems satisfied with the status quo.
after the colonization, the Duke has since been
a controversial figure among subordinate noble The Noble Houses
houses – especially those with a glorious history in As already described, the nobles of Narugor hold
Alberetor, like House Argona whose members are little power compared to those in other parts of
descended from the first ruler of the old kingdom. Ambria, and their activities in Kurun reflect
Political experts often claim that this was the this. Several of them have financial interests to
real reason behind Berakka’s elevation – it gave protect and must occasionally interact with the
the Queen an unswervingly loyal watchdog over Duke regardless of their personal feelings, but
House Argona, while she herself kept an eye on other than that the political landscape in Kurun
Vearra in Yndarien. is virtually barren.
However, many believe Duke Junio has proved Argona is mainly focused on the capital in
to be as competent an administrator as he was the south, while the border provinces of Erebus,
a military commander. Because of the duchy’s Elderra, Dardall and Loramon are cultivating
strategic location on the edge of Davokar, military their relations with the people of Davokar and
matters have often been his top priority, although Mayor Nightpitch of Thistle Hold. What is left
other commitments have not been neglected. The are the distant Gorinder, Salamos and Patio, the
roads are properly maintained and patrolled on latter of which is currently a lap dog of Berakka.
a regular basis to keep outlaws away, merchants The only exception is whiny old Urondo, always
are often offered good conditions, and the law is ready to point out the injustice done to his house –
firmly enforced. the fact that he, the man who seized the territory
Junio is quite popular among the people, but in the first place, was rewarded with a measly
as mentioned earlier, the noble houses are less barony, while a simple social climber like Junio
impressed. They think the Duke is too quick to was allowed to swallow up the entire duchy! But
implement his own solutions and restrict the once he starts ranting about his ill-conceived
autonomy on which their provinces are based. The offspring’s lack of grit, most bystanders have
notion that Ambria, like Alberetor, is essentially already stopped listening.
a union of fiefdoms, and that the monarch rules Instead, the House of Nobles is dominated by
with the blessing of the barons and counts, still the aristocracy’s social life, where Kurun has
persists in the minds of the nobles – even though become a center for young, fun-loving nobles in the
it may no longer be the Ambrian reality. The lords region and something of a marriage market for the
of Narugor have learned to keep these views to families. The proximity to several houses in New
themselves. Formal complaints are occasionally Berendoria contributes to this image, as they all
lodged, but often drown in the capital’s bureau- have residences in the city, even though they have
cracy and are seldom noticed in everyday life. no formal place in the House of Nobles. Combine this
More troublesome for the Duke are the western with the Duke’s liberal views on what constitutes
baronies – Galaldo, Elandel and Haraag in New appropriate entertainment and the access to various
Berendoria. These have great influence on central luxury goods, and you get a city that is known for
Narugor, more so than eastern provinces like its supposedly festive atmosphere.
Dardall or Elderra, but do not answer to the Duke.
And they do not hesitate to demonstrate it. What Ordo Magica’s Chapter
is more, Duke Alesaro in Sevona is far away and Kurun is home to one of Ordo Magica’s most influ-
does not seem to think the situation calls for any ential chapters, aside from the Triplet Towers in
intervention on his part. Yndaros and the order’s headquarters in Agrella.
Kurun itself is governed by a council whose It was one of the first chapters established outside
members are appointed by the Duke, the local guilds the capital, and some would say it predates all the
and other influential groups. In practice, however, others, as there were wizards present even when

65
 Urondo Salamos established his army camp. The Once a successful trophy hunter, Eleono is now
Kurun chapter was officially founded in the year 5, a strong proponent of “scientific hunting,” often
Civil War
in conjunction with the establishment of the duchy arguing with Thistle Hold’s (in his words) more
For gaming groups who of Narugor, and has since been led by the sharp profit and fame-driven groups like the Red Claw.
take on Retribution and headstrong Chapter Master Argoi, already For this reason, the society is working closely
after the adventure a veteran scholar back then and now famous for with Ordo Magica on their expeditions. Many
Symbar – Mother of his studies of Davokar and its trolls. Under his of its members approach the profession from a
Darkness, the civil war leadership the Kurun chapter has become Ambria’s crasser business perspective, but Eleono’s views
between the Queen leading institution for the scientific study, exam- are supported by Dowager Baroness Edindra
and her nephew may ination and cataloging of strange phenomena in Mederen and her son Aldamei, whose influence
already have broken the new country. Its members include famous is crucial in keeping down the society’s license
out, which should of explorers such as Master Karline, who docu- fees. And the fact that these patrons are much
course be reflected in mented the customs of the northern Clan Gaoia, more interested in killing new types of beasts
the general atmosphere and Master Lona, who at considerable danger to and unique specimens than selling fey beast
of the city. Duke Junio herself uncovered vast amounts of information claws on Bridge Square strengthens Eleono’s
Berakka stands with about Davokar’s king toads. position, allowing him to maintain his grip on
Queen Korinthia, at The chapter archives are open to anyone who the Trollhunters.
least initially, so player pays the fee (a paltry sum of 1 thaler a day) and
characters actively does not give the impression of being a thief; those The Goblins
supporting Duke Ynedar who want help finding information can also hire The tribe of Todrulukku has established a settle-
must be careful about a librarian for an additional 2 shillings per hour. ment on the hill called Roel’s Head just northwest
displaying their sympa- The chapter is less willing to assist with rituals of the city. Located in the woods on the west side,
thies. Otherwise, Kurun and other mystical powers, however, and securing in a shallow dip flanked by tall beech trees, it is
is so far unaffected such assistance requires skillful persuasion and home to roughly 100 goblins, including young-
by the conflict, except contacts within the order. lings and seniors – all that remains of the tribe
that large sections of Those with personal experience of studying after a blight-born serpent ravaged their home
the Seventh Army have in Kurun tend to view the institution as the in the southern territories of Clan Odaiova. For
left their garrisons. The spearhead of Ambria’s intellectual community the past year or so they have lived outside Kurun
adventure and its prem- and frown upon the political scheming they think with Junio’s permission, under constant threat
ises are not affected characterizes the order’s activities in Yndaros. of being driven away once the humans get sick
and should not require On the other hand, critics argue that the chapter of having them around. The head of the tribe is
more than cosmetic has forgotten what makes Ordo Magica unique; Chieftain Sardukk.
changes. that, should it be allowed to spread, their lack of Most of the adult goblins perform manual labor
interest in exploring the mystical powers will at King Koriano’s Shipyard, toiling hard for little
lead to the dissolution of the order. It is an open pay. This has given rise to a conflict with Master
secret that many Ambrians – both within and Shipwright Jigeno, who they think is cheating them
outside Ordo Magica – would like to see the chapter out of their wages. Recent weeks have seen a grow-
master replaced, but so far none has dared question ing discontent among the camp’s inhabitants, and
Master Argoi openly. several smaller groups are planning their revenge
on Jigeno. Sardukk would also like to give Jigeno
The Trollhunters and the humans a slap on the wrist but worries
On the west side of Owl’s Crest lies the famous about how they might react. He is therefore urging
Trollhunters society, Kurun’s most celebrated his more obstinate members to calm down and
and prestigious organization for big-game and think things through. Sardukk wants to avoid any
monster hunting in Davokar. Its leader is the backlash against his people, while at the same time
charismatic veteran Eleono, now retired after strengthening their position in future negotiations
losing his left arm in a marlit attack south of the with Jigeno. The question is how long he will be able
Odama Citadel. to control his irate subjects.

Adventure Seeds
Described below are three plot hooks that may Finding Klavman
be suitable for gaming groups wishing to expand The player characters are contacted by a person rep-
their options for adventure in Kurun or use the resenting the owner of Klavman’s, which could be
city as a base for expeditions. the Maretko family who is described further in this

66
 RETRIBUTION

adventure, or the thief queen of Glass Mountain, on-site, trying to reach the target before they do
Vironda. Concerned by rumors that the previous and in the process discredit Eleono badly enough
proprietor of the gambling den has returned to that he can be deposed as leader of the Trollhunters.
Kurun to reclaim his old establishment, the contact Perhaps a disastrous outcome to his expedition
asks the player characters to investigate. Their would be the final nail in the coffin? Meanwhile,
inquiries lead them to a man named Klamandro, the monster they seek turns out to be a king toad
recently arrived from Thistle Hold. Klavman and which for some reason has migrated upstream
Klamandro are in fact the same person. On the run from Lake Volgoma to make a new nest for itself.
from his old creditors, he has spent the past number The player characters must now decide how to deal
of years hiding at his wife Aragina’s establishment with these threats in order to get out of there alive.
– one of the more prominent inns in Thistle Hold:
The Court & Harp. But even there Klavman’s past A song for the Guardian
eventually caught up with him, and so he decided For the past week or so, two young siblings named
to return to Kurun, along with his mistress Sera Arello and Ariana have been a huge hit at the Huldra’s
and Argina’s life savings. Honor. Their beautiful voices accompanied by a single
It will turn out that Klavman is indeed trying lute are bringing back people’s memories of a bygone
to retake control of the gambling den, with the era, before The Great War, moving them to awestruck
help of criminals from Yndaros, such as Grimorio tears. The siblings claim to be new arrivals from west
Abramelin or maybe the aged Merandra. But Alberetor, as rootless as most people in their position,
Klavman’s old moneylenders are hot on his trail, but blessed with unique talent.
informed of the situation by the mysterious “Prince” In reality, however, the siblings are spies of the
in Thistle Hold as revenge for some betrayal or Guardian’s cult sent by the Realm of the Order; they
grievance. These people (possibly one of the more are not mystics, although their songs have hidden
prominent dwarven families like Alzerek or religious meanings. Their purpose in Kurun is to
Baldysik) want to punish Klavman and usurp his look for signs that the Guardian once was worshipped
gambling den in the process. outside Lindaros. They are seeking symbols, inscrip-
The situation will soon escalate into a struggle tions or other archaeological remains that can be
between the three criminal groups in the dark documented and brought back to their homeland.
alleys of Owl’s Crest. The player characters must Kurun is their first stop before moving on to Yndaros,
navigate the quagmire of competing interests to and they are using their cover as musicians to get
avoid getting caught in the middle and to secure the into places they want to investigate – like the baths
best possible outcome for themselves – possibly even at the Crown or the Tower of Leandro. They usually
acquiring their own gambling den in the process. stay away from other followers of the Young Gods but
could make an exception if the situation is desperate
Monster hunting enough or the gains great enough.
There are rumors circulating in Kurun that a mon- You could introduce the player characters to
ster roams the Flymarsh, a wetland to the south the siblings during a visit at the Huldra’s Honor,
between the Eblis and the foothills of the Titans. perhaps as part of a different adventure, and have
Several smaller ships have gone missing and are them reappear later on. Perhaps Arello or Ariana
believed to have fallen victim to the monster, but seeks them out with some false reason for needing
so far there have been no survivors to confirms help with something complicated or illegal, like
this. An investigative expedition is to be launched accessing the archives of Ordo Magica. Or maybe
and led by the Trollhunters, by directive of the another faction on good terms with the player
City Council and Ordo Magica. Perhaps the player characters has become curious/suspicious and
characters seek out Eleono themselves and ask to asks the characters to investigate the siblings.
come along, or maybe their reputation prompts The player characters could also have their own
him to contact them? If they have already estab- suspicions, possibly after hearing some confused
lished contact with Aldamei Mederen, he might old-timer rave about their songs and how they
also turn to the player characters and recommend evoke memories of his visits to the Guardian’s
them for the expedition. chapel as a young man. In any case, it will soon turn
Out on the Flymarsh, the trail of a recently out that the Royal Sekretorium and possibly the
sunken sailboat leads deeper into the swamp. Whip of Prios are also on the siblings’ trail. When
Following it, the player characters will find that the truth comes out, the player character must
they are not alone in seeking whatever is hiding decide whether to let the two agents be arrested by
there. It seems that a rival expedition is already the Queen’s people or help them get away.

67
 ACT 1:

Paying a Debt
This act starts off the adventure and sends the characters on a search for Belraya.
From this point on, the text assumes that the characters’ employer is the Maretko
family; gaming groups for whom this is not the case should be able to make the
necessary adjustments without much difficulty. What they are initially told about
Belraya provides the characters with a number of clues to investigate. Below is a
schematic representation of the places they can visit and how they are linked.

As always, the characters may choose their own of Gedea, Laranod and Visara in some preceding
path to the goal, and the possible measures described adventure. It could happen at any time within
below can also provide shortcuts. Regardless of how three months prior to Retribution and take place
they get there, the chapter ends with them finding anywhere in Ambria, although the western parts
Yndlas and realizing that Belraya is dead. would be particularly appropriate. One sugges-
tion is to add an encounter to one of the player
Foreshadowing characters’ trips. Perhaps one of their horses has
Game Masters who are able to plan ahead would do wandered off in the night and is brought back by the
well to include a scene introducing the characters three youngsters, or maybe the roles are reversed?

Belraya’s Asorio’s Firodon The House

home store of Rams

Silodon’s Goblin Yndlas

Store Camp

The Water Hole Attack on the Taohar’s

Shipyard Tea Room

Xenodar The Mare Cats

A schematic presentation of the places that can be
visited and how they are connected.

68
 RETRIBUTION

Some gaming groups may find other contexts more pleasure because they want to see the country, but
suitable, such as a brief exchange one night at an are now heading back to Mederen. Player characters
inn or during a dance at the village square. who find this interesting and want to talk some more Timescale
Either way, the scene should be kept short and may also detect a certain emotional tension between The adventure assumes
focus on adding depth to the participants of the the three, though it is still a purely positive one that that the player char-
love triangle by portraying them as sympathetic has yet to reach full bloom. Above all, the player acters will eventually
individuals. Let them explain who they are, where characters should get a chance to recognize their realize that they must
they are from, and that they are traveling strictly for names and empathize with their fate. get to Mederen quickly
in order to stop Visara

The Missing Spy

from using Agan-Re.
For this reason, all mea-
sures and encounters
Game Opening and maybe later about Yndlas. With a bit of luck, it come with a specified
Timescale: the encounter ends at 10 a.m. may prove effective – there is no reason why people time frame, allowing the
would be reluctant to talk about them – but asking Game Master to assess
The game starts with the player characters being around about Belraya also carries a risk that news the player characters’
approached at their place of accommodation by of their investigation reaches Ilonor, the leader of chances of reaching
Bardolin Maretko, who presents his case. The Game the local Sovereign’s Oath cell. Mederen in time. In
Master must adapt Bardonlin’s manner based on addition to said time
what best suits the player characters and is most Make a Persuasive test: Player characters with frame, the player char-
likely to draw them into the adventure. a relevant Boon, such as Contacts (Criminals) or acters are expected
Bardolin explains that one of his employees, a (Barbarian Clans), gain +2 to the test. For each to spend a total of two
barbarian woman named Belraya whose knowl- attempt they may also spend 1d6 shillings on hours per day eating
edge is essential to his operation, has gone missing small bribes for an additional +1 bonus. The and eight hours sleep-
and that his family needs someone to help them outcome determines the amount of information ing. If they do not, they
find her. He can tell them that Belraya was last seen they obtain. The inquiries can be handled as a risk suffering the effects
at her job at Silando’s store, down at the harbor group, in which case the players decide which of of Sleep Deprivation
on the west side, in the afternoon four days ago. their characters should make the test, but they (see page 98).
Two days ago, the dwarves started looking for her can also split up and let each character make an
without result, and yesterday he decided that the attempt. Regardless of how they go about it and The timescale for indi-
matter was best left to outside problem solvers. how successful they are, the players are free to vidual events is merely
Unfortunately, they have not found any useful make as many attempts as they like. a guideline and may be
information at all. Bardolin does not know where A higher difference also provides all information adjusted as the Game
Belraya lives; Silando does, but apparently could from lower outcomes. For each Persuasive test the Master sees fit, but
not find her there. Game Master rolls 1d6 – a result of 1 means that keep in mind that this
Bardolin wants Belraya “secured” (meaning gossip about the player characters snooping around might impact the finale.
captured), but not harmed. Once the characters get will reach Ilonor 6 hours later. What happens then As usual, the Game
hold of her, they are to contact him at the Maretko is described on page 84 under the heading The Master may also choose
family residence. If the characters ask for further Sovereign’s Oath Picks Up the Trail. to ignore the timeline
guidance, Bardolin has nothing to say except that completely (if it suits
they should talk to Silando. Questions about Yndlas the group’s playstyle)
Bardolin will not mention anything about why Asking about Yndlas is a bit more difficult as fewer and decide for himself/
Belraya was working for his family, or that her job was people know anything about him, which makes the herself how the climax
to examine potential artifacts from Davokar along process more time consuming and requires better will turn out.
with other smuggled goods. He sees no reason for results. On the other hand, he is not someone the
the player characters to know this, nor does he trust Sovereign’s Oath has paid any attention to, so there
them, regardless of why they are willing to cooperate. is no risk of rumors reaching Ilonor.
A higher difference also provides all information
Inquiries about Belraya and from lower outcomes.
Yndlas
Timescale: 3 and 4 hours per attempt respectively Silando’s store
Timescale: 1 hour
One possible strategy is that the player characters
(before or while visiting the other locations) ask the Located near the docks on the west bank of the
city’s inhabitants for information about Belraya, Eblis, this store is where Belraya spent most of

69
 Questions about Belraya
Difference Statement along the lines of…
0–3 Belraya? That barbarian woman hanging around West Harbor, fairly new in town, right? She
lives down Glass Mountain. I’ve seen her a few times at Hargamon’s Water Hole.
4–6 I heard she’s exiled from her clan. Hangs out with others in the same situation. Usually has
a goblin with her too, but oddly enough I saw her alone on Queen Street just a few days ago.
Not like she’d find anything in her price range in those parts.
7–9 She belonged to Clan Odaiova, but apparently got on the wrong side of their prickly
chieftain Embersind, so that’s why she is here in Kurun. She’s scraping by doing all sorts of
things… Not all of it legal, I bet. Her only real friend is that good-for-nothing goblin, Yndlas.
10+ Belraya, well, she’s been seen with some unpleasant types who showed up recently. You
know, those refugees from the war up north. Yedes, they say, but I wonder… The kind of
people you’d rather not talk about, if you know what I mean? Oh no, I don’t know any names,
already said too much.

Questions about Yndlas

Difference Statement along the lines of
0–4 I’ve seen him out and about in West Harbor, always trying to get some soft-hearted sucker
to offer him a beer.
5–7 Yndlas, yeah, he spends a lot of time with that looser Belraya. A strange friendship, but they
seem to get along alright.
8–9 He used to live at the goblin camp back in the day, but left his tribe, or maybe they kicked
him out? Must have plenty to hide when even his own kind wants nothing to do with him…
10+ An odd fellow, that one. Prefers the company of humans, they say. He’s even got his own lit-
tle place somewhere on Peat Hill, near the Tower of Leandro. You’d think people there would
have kicked him out already, but apparently not. Must be keeping a low profile.

her time while working for the Maretkos. The self, if a bit tired and hungover, but that was not
establishment handles various goods that have uncommon either – Silando is under the impression
been illegally obtained by the family’s business that Belraya was a heavy drinker.
contacts, and it is Silando’s job to find suitable Silando can tell them in which block of Glass
buyers. Belraya was specifically used to examine Mountain she lived. He swung by yesterday, and
potential artifacts and other antiques to determine the day before that, but saw no signs of her being
their authenticity. home. He does not know anything about Belraya’s
The player characters can talk to Silando, a bald- personal life, habits, social circle or possible reasons
ing, corpulent Ambrian in his fifties with a thick for disappearing.
southern Alberian accent, who has been instructed Shortly after leaving the store, the player
to cooperate without revealing more than neces- characters are approached by Esmerda, Silando’s
sary about his illegal activities. He can describe 15-year-old assistant and first cousin once removed.
Belraya’s appearance and explain that she used to She tells them that Silando dislikes Belraya and
come in almost every day to see if there was any told her to stay away from the barbarian woman.
new merchandise, but was otherwise irregular in That is why Esmerda did not say anything back
her habits; that a day went by without them seeing at the store, but the fact is that she occasionally
her was nothing extraordinary. accompanied Belraya to the Water Hole, a bar-
Silando does not recall Belraya working on barian tavern on the west side, across the river
anything unusual recently; on the contrary, the from the shipyard. She seemed to have several
influx of items has been quite low lately. The last acquaintances there; Esmerda particularly recalls
time Silando saw her was in the afternoon [four a tall, gray-haired warrior and a goblin (Xenodar
days prior to game start]. Since there was nothing and Yndlas, whose names she cannot remember).
to do, she excused herself and said she would return Perhaps the player characters can check if some-
the following morning. She seemed to be her usual one there has seen her?

70
 RETRIBUTION

Belraya’s home Belraya and gain information about her goblin

Timescale: 1 hour friend Yndlas, if they are not already aware of their
relationship. With a successful Persuasive test (let the
A walk south from the docks and Silando’s, on Glass players decide which character should roll) they will
Mountain, takes the characters to the humble quar- also learn that he has left the camp of the Todrulukku
ter where Belraya lived. If they got a description tribe and appears to be living somewhere in town.
from Silando, the player characters can easily find Visitors at the tavern can inform the charcters
the place, otherwise they must ask around the area that Belraya was working for some merchant in
which takes another 30 minutes and requires a West Harbor, that she lived on Glass Mountain, and
successful [Persuasive +1] test. None of the neighbors that she mostly socialized with other regulars. They
have seen Belraya these last few days. name Xenodar as one of her friends and describe
Her room is accessible from the yard via a small, what he looks like (unless the player characters
rickety staircase to the second floor. The door is already got a description from Esmerda). But none
locked, but one can easily force it open or pick of them has seen Belraya for days, most recently
the lock with the Cat Burglar boon [Cunning +3]. It [the night three days prior to game start].
is a one-room residence. In one corner is a small If the player characters visit the Water Hole in
fireplace with a cooking pot and a simple metal the evening and inquire about the company she
chimney, next to a low-hanging shelf that serves as kept and her recent habits, and pass a Persuasive
a pantry. Against the opposite wall is a small table test, they can have a chat with the inebriated
and a stool. The inner part of the room is closed off Omera. She is a timber worker from clan Zarek,
by a curtain, concealing a bed with a small chest at currently employed at the shipyard. She has had
its foot. There is a window by the bed, covered by drinks with Belraya on a few nights these past
a shutter. From it you can look down on the street months and can reveal that Belraya has lately been
below. The residence does not appear to have been talking to some “dodgy people.” She thinks they
abandoned: things like clothes and dry foods are are newcomers from the war-torn north; hard-
still there. But at the same time, there are no signs of faced folk with weapons on their belts. These are
someone having been there recently: no food scraps of course Ilonor and his agents in the city, although
lying about and only cold ashes in the fireplace. Omera does not know it. None of the other guests
The following details of particular interest can at the Water Hole wants to talk about them – even
be noticed with a successful Vigilant test: though no one knows who they are, it is best to
watch one’s tongue in these turbulent times. If
◆◆ From a nail next to the fireplace hangs an the player characters persist in asking intrusive
armlet in the shape of a snake coiled in a circle, questions, someone will eventually complain to
artfully twined out of spindly poles, dried Hargamon, in which case he throws them out.
grass and similar materials. A person with At night the player characters can also find
Loremaster (novice) can identify it as a symbol Xenodar from clan Odaiova at the Water Hole. He
of the world serpent Uron. Barbarians, goblins is a tall, rugged, graying warrior with sad eyes,
and Ambrians with good knowledge of Davokar who makes a living as a guard for various river
will recognize the typical goblin craftmanship, merchants. He confirms that he and Belraya were
where primitive materials of low durability are friends, even though they have only known each
often used as ornaments. Belraya received the other for three months or so. The last time they met
armlet as a gift from Yndlas. was the night [four days prior to game start] – the
◆◆ Under the bed the player characters can find a night after that he stayed at home, and since then
box containing 15 small clay bottles of writing she has not visited the Water Hole. If the player
ink. The bottles bear the mark of Asorio characters ask about her state of mind, or whether
(see Asorio’s Store on page 76). Belraya stole she was doing anything specific at the time,
them from his establishment while she was Xenodar recalls her mentioning some Ambrian
investigating Firodon’s identity. woman she had met, who she never wanted to see
again. Or did she want to know who the woman
A visit to the Water Hole was? Xenodar was not really paying attention. If
Timescale: The Game Master decides, but at least the player characters have already spoken to Omera
1 hour per visit and steer the conversation toward Belraya’s new
acquaintances from the north, Xenodar becomes
At the Water Hole in Barbarian Town, the player irritated, claiming not to know anything except
characters can easily find someone who knows that they should not meddle in clan affairs.

71
 Asking around for Belraya at the Water Hole will If the characters are on site, the firebomb
inevitably lead to gossip about the player charac- being thrown through a window is equivalent
ters’ curiosity reaching Ilonor 6 hours later. What to an alchemical grenade (see the Advanced
happens then is described under the heading The Player’s Guide, page 122). Everyone in the room
Sovereign’s Oath Picks Up the Trail (page 84). suffers its effect (1d10 damage; depending on
the situation the players can make a Quick
The Mare Cats test to reduce the damage by half) and also
Timescale: The Game Master decides catches fire, taking 1d4 damage for 1d4 turns.
A burning person can put out the flames by
Depending on what questions the player characters rolling on the ground and passing a Quick test.
ask concerning Belraya’s social activities, Xenodar ◆◆ A player character who is out alone on some
may start to suspect them of spying for Chieftain errand is surrounded by three barbarian thugs.
Embersind of clan Odaiova. This is because he They assault the character with their fists and
belongs to a group of dissident clan members calling deliver a god beating, without using lethal force.
themselves the Mare Cats, who have come to Kurun Afterwards one of them hisses: “Keep your nose
to escape Embersind’s political persecution. They out of clan affairs!” before they run off.
are supporters of the rebellious witch Serbaga and ◆◆ The player characters are followed and
are planning raids and operations to further her attacked in some conveniently uncrowded
cause, though their activities have not yet gone place by [pc×2] + 3 fully equipped Mare Cats.
beyond conspiratorial meetings. Belraya, who The attackers try to kill them and dump their
has no love for Embersind, occasionally attended bodies in the Eblis, but will flee rather than
these meetings. Xenodar will therefore interpret risk life and limb.
the player characters’ questions as an attempt to
find the Mare Cats, rather than Belraya, and try to The Game Master can increase the Mare Cats’
discourage them from poking around any further. efforts by having all above-mentioned incidents
The Game Master decides how intrusive the player take place during the characters’ days in Kurun, as
characters need to be for Xenodar to react, but long as the barbarians still have reason to believe
should play him as being fairly sensitive to the topic. that the player characters are out to get them.
If Xenodar decides that the Mare Cats should act
against the characters, this will happen two hours
after their meeting. They start by following the char- Mare Cat Member
acters to learn more about them. When the Game Race Human (barbarian)
Master sees fit, a character passing a [Vigilant –3] test
can notice a barbarian watching them in the street, Resistance Ordinary
in a square, or in a tavern. After being discovered, Boons/ Bushcraft
this person quickly disappears in the crowd. Burdens
The Mare Cats prefer to strike without exposing
Accurate 15 (–5), Cunning 5 (+5), Discreet 10 (0),
themselves, and so the Game Master may choose Persuasive 7 (+3), Quick 13 (–3), Resolute 9 (+1),
one or several of the actions below: Strong 11 (–1), Vigilant 10 (0)
Abilities Axe Artist (novice), Man-at-arms
◆◆ Depending on where the characters are stay- (adept), Shield Fighter (novice)
ing, one of their rooms could be searched and
Weapons, Axe 5
vandalized. Any valuables will be stolen, but Accurate
the barbarians will make a point of destroy-
Armor Leather 3
ing the furnishings, ripping apart clothes and
scattering them on the floor, and so on. Defense –5
◆◆ One or more of the characters’ rooms could Toughness 11 Pain Threshold 6
be firebombed. It could happen during the Equipment Axe, shield, 1D4 shillings, 1D10
day while they are out or at night while they ortegs
are sleeping, depending on how serious the Shadow Vibrant green (corruption: 0)
Game Master wants the attack to be. If the
Tactics: The Mare Cats fight as a group to gain
player characters are not present during the
Advantage. Individuals withdraw from the fight
attack, the staff/neighbors of the inn will once they have taken half their Toughness in
have extinguished the fire, but any items left damage, but the group keeps fighting until half of
behind by the characters will be destroyed. them have either fled or fallen

72
 RETRIBUTION

The Goblin Camp

Timescale: 2 hours (including the walk to and from
the camp) Other Ways of Dealing with the Goblins
Regardless of whether the player characters Some gaming groups may prefer to squeeze the information about Yndlas
are aware that Yndlas used to belong to the out of Sardukk by other means. Such a development is not covered in this
Todrulukku tribe, they are bound to go there adventure and will have to be improvised by the Game Master, with an
sooner or later to find information on him. appropriate timescale in mind. Remember that the chieftain is generally
The goblins are wary of strangers: a group of antipathetic to humans (and goblins who consort with them) and will
spear-wielding guards will be watching them respond forcefully in the event of an open confrontation. Sardukk will not
while they wait for Chieftain Sardukk to show easily submit to extortion, but at the same time he is not going to sacrifice
up. The other goblins keep their distance, grab- his own subjects to protect Yndlas. In that case, he will likely give in, as long
bing their little ones from the characters’ path. as the player characters are patient enough.
Sardukk is a big, strong goblin in the prime of
his life and speaks fluent Ambrian, albeit with a
thick accent and an occasional word in the various
tongues of the trolls and barbarians. Provided
that the characters do not behave in an extremely shipyard and its timber supply, see King Koriano’s
demeaning (Sardukk is used to it), abrasive or Shipyard on page 63.
aggressive manner, they may present their case If the player characters refuse to take on the
to the chieftain. He can confirm that Yndlas was task, Sardukk will dismiss them with a profanity
once a member of the tribe and lived among them and have the guard shove them out of the camp.
before he was kicked out. The truth is that Yndlas If they complete the mission to Sardukk’s satis-
chose to leave, although Sardukk will not admit faction (destroying at least half of the timber),
it. Then he makes the characters an offer. the grateful chieftain tells them about Yndlas’
As described in the chapter on Kurun, the tribe hideout on Peat Hill (see Peat Hill on page 76 and
is in a smoldering conflict with Master Shipwright Meeting Yndlas on page 77). If just a small part of
Jigeno at King Koriano’s Shipyard. Sardukk has now the timber was destroyed in the fire, the disap-
found a way to exact revenge on their deceitful pointed Sardukk will still reveal what he knows
employer, but since the tribe still needs to main- about Yndlas provided that the player characters
tain a functioning relationship with him, the pass a Persuasive test.
chieftain will not take the risk of letting his own
people carry out the operation. This is where the King Koriano’s Shipyard
player characters come in. If they agree to execute Timescale: The Game Master decides
Sardukk’s plan, he will return the favor by taking
them to Yndlas. The shipyard is located at the north end of Kurun.
Should they accept his offer, the chieftain Player characters who accept Sardukk’s mission
tells them that the shipyard recently received a must find a way to get in there.
shipment of planked elm wood which is currently
stored in the northern part of the yard, near the Overview
construction area. Sardukk’s plan is simple: the The shipyard is enclosed by a three-meter-tall fence
player characters are to sneak inside and burn on the sides that are not protected by the city wall.
down the timber. This would strike a serious The only way in and out is a large gate facing the
financial blow to Jigeno. Also, he would quickly water on the western side of the enclosure. The
have to replace said timber, in which case Sardukk area inside the fence is dominated by the central
could offer the tribe’s services at premium rates, construction area, where the skeletons of new ships
as the quickest solution would probably be to send are taking shape, connected to a canal with a ramp
workers to the western woods to cut new trees. If from which boats can be launched and damaged
asked, Sardukk explains that several of his goblins vessels can be brought back for more extensive
have already scouted the place during their shifts repairs. Access to the canal is blocked by an iron
and assured him that the fire will not spread to the gate which is connected to the enclosure and can
rest of the stored timber. The chieftain can also tell be opened and closed whenever boats need to pass
them about the shipyard’s security procedures and through. To the south of the construction area
that a discreet arsonist should have a good chance is a cluster of buildings housing workshops for
of avoiding attention. For details regarding the constructing smaller ship components, as well

73
 KING KORIANO’S
SHIPYARD
1. Enclosure
2. Gate
3. Tool sheds, work-
shops, kitchen and
canteens for the
1 4
workers 8
5
4. Lumber mill 9
5. Timber depot
6. Construction area
7. Canal with a ramp 7
to the construction
area
8. Holding area with 2 6
elm wood
9. Docks

0 25 m

as a kitchen and dining facilities for the workers. It would be easiest for the player characters to
The eastern section contains a large building sneak in at night by climbing the fence which, after
serving as a lumber mill (all planking and such is dark, is lit by lanterns hanging from hooks at the
done by hand) next to a depot for various types of top of the fence, 30 meters apart. Each climber must
unprocessed timber. pass a Strength test in order to cross the wall, and
On the shore outside the enclosure are some a Discreet test to avoid detection.
docks where ships can come in for minor main- Player characters who fail will be called out by
tenance, as well as an area for pulling up smaller the guards and attacked unless they surrender
boats in need of repair. immediately. Their objective is simply to drive
off intruders, so instead of following player char-
Security acters fleeing into the city they will summon the
The shipyard’s importance to the Ambrian army City Watch. If the characters are detected as they
has increased with the growing realization that enter the enclosure, the guards will alert their
the realm will soon be at war with the northern colleagues and then search the shipyard while
clans and must therefore maintain control over informing the City Watch.
Lake Volgoma. The increase in military orders is Once the timber is in flames, the guards will
why the enclosure was raised and the security abandon their posts to fight the fire.
strengthened.
The area outside the enclosure is currently Shipyard guard
patrolled around the clock by eight guards divided
Race Human (Ambrian)
into four units. One unit is stationed north of the
Resistance Ordinary
canal, another on the west side south of the canal,
and the other two along the southern fence. Another Boons/ Contacts (Sellswords)
six lone guards are patrolling inside the fence. burdens
The adjoining city wall is guarded by the Duke’s Accurate 13 (–3), Cunning 8 (+2), Discreet 10 (0),
garrison, but of course their attention is mainly Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 13 (–3), Resolute 9 (+1),
Strong 10 (0), Vigilant 12 (–2)
directed outward.

74
 RETRIBUTION

Abilities Man-at-arms (adept), Marksman For the next few days it is stored just north of the
(novice), Rapid Fire (novice) construction area, as it is intended for the hull of
Weapons, Two attacks with bow 5, sword 4 the Marshal Beremo – a large sailing ship with 20
Accurate pairs of oars under construction, recently ordered
Armor Leather (impeding) 3 by the Ambrian army.
The timber is stacked in a tight pile and cov-
Defense –3
ered with an impregnated tarpaulin to exclude
Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 5 oxygen and make it harder for a fire to spread.
Equipment Their weapons, 3D6 shillings Game Masters who so desire can use the follow-
Shadow Matte like brushed iron ing mechanics to determine the success of the
(corruption: 0) characters’ attempts.
Tactics: Fires rapidly to neutralize the enemy.
◆ The player characters can set fire to any
number of places. Each place ignited must be
As always, the players may think of other ways to tended by a player character for one round,
enter the shipyard – perhaps by hiding inside the unless it is lit by alchemical means, in which
enclosure during the day while awaiting nightfall, case it may take flame immediately. Note
causing a distraction to lure away the guards, or that a round is not measured on the same
maybe trying to cross the outer wall. The effective- timescale as combat turns, but is signifi-
ness of any such plan is determined by the Game cantly longer – several minutes at least.
Master, although it will likely be more complex to ◆ Once a fire has been lit, a player character
carry out than the scenario described above. who has the Bushcraft boon and passes a
Cunning test can keep it hidden for one The shipbuilders of
The Elm Wood round (but not longer). However, a place Kurun can be proud of
The elm wood that is the player characters’ target ignited by alchemical means can never be their dockyard – one of
was delivered planked and planed to the shipyard. kept hidden. the realm’s finest!

75
 ◆ For every round the fire is left to spread who accompanied Visara as she handed over
freely, each place that has been ignited adds Agan-Re. But she gave herself away, and when
+2 to the chance of the whole thing going up Firodon went out to investigate she ran into
in flames. For example: with three places Asorio’s store to hide (to no avail, as Firodon
having burned for two turns, the chance had already recognized her).
is 12. If a place was ignited by alchemical Asorio is a thin, completely bald man in
means (e.g. fire bombs), the values of that his forties wearing a dark apron stained from
particular place are doubled. years of paint and ink. His store is generally
◆ Every round a place on fire is not hidden considered the best in town, and his customers
(as described above), the guard patrols include Ordo Magica and the local government.
can detect it with a successful Vigilant He is not familiar with Belraya, but if given a
test. Each additional place that is burning description he recalls her visit, which puts him
openly gives them +2. However, once a in a bad mood. She was filthy, brusque and did
place has been burning for three rounds, not seem interested in buying anything at all,
the guards will detect it automatically. and yet she kept asking about his wares. He got
After hearing the guards’ shouts of “Fire!” suspicious and was just about to throw her out
the player characters have two combat when suddenly his wife was calling from upstairs,
turns to get out of there, after which 1d6 so he went up to speak to her. When he came back
guards will arrive each turn until all 14 are the unwanted visitor had left the store. Asorio
on the scene. The guards will primarily try has been missing some ink bottles but does not
to extinguish the fire rather than pursue think they were stolen by Belraya. If the player
any escaping player characters. After 10 characters return them to him, Asorio will soften
minutes they are reinforced by a dozen up and express his gratitude. He then adds that
soldiers from the City Watch (the fire is the woman seemed to be hiding from someone,
clearly visible from the wall). constantly looking over her shoulder as they were
◆ The work to put out the fire begins imme- talking, glancing at the house across the street.
diately once the guards have detected it, so Asorio can point out the house he is referring to
the Game Master need only keep track of (see Firodon Kalalti on page 81).
the number of rounds until that happens.
Calculate the chance of the fire spreading Peat Hill
across the entirety of the stock as described Timescale: At least 1 hour, possibly longer depend-
above and roll 1d20. Success means that all ing on the characters’ actions
the timber bursts into flames and at least
half of it is incinerated. If the roll fails, the The conservative and impoverished district on
guards will get the fire under control and Peat Hill in the western part of Kurun is where
only lose a small part of the stock. Should Yndlas is found, which the player characters can
the player characters confront and defeat find out either from Sardukk or by persistently
or drive away the guards, all timber will be asking around town.
consumed by the flames without rolling for Despite the locals being generally suspicious
it, in which case no help will arrive in time of anything about the new country that devi-
to save it. ates from the norm in Alberetor, Yndlas has
managed to stay in the neighborhood around
Asorio’s Store the Tower of Leandro for months without being
Timescale: 1 hour cast out – maybe because of his disgust toward
his woodland heritage, or because he is too odd
If the player characters manage to find the to be considered a threat. For whatever reason,
ink bottles in Belraya’s home, they could ask the local inhabitants put up with him. But
around for Asorio’s ink and paint store (which that does not mean they will protect him from
is not difficult but requires some legwork on unwanted attention; their reaction depends on
the commercial streets in the eastern part of who the player characters are. If they appear to
town). The store is located at the corner of Black be Ambrian nobles, representatives of the worldly
Lane and Queen Street, and from its window authorities or members of the Sun Church, the
you can see across the street to Firodon’s house. response is mostly positive (+1 to Persuasive
Belraya visited Asorio [two days before game tests), while Reformists and barbarians are
start] while she was trying to identify the man met with hostility (no Persuasive tests allowed).

76
 RETRIBUTION

Other groups are treated with indifference (all time in Davokar, is one of few people he is fairly
Persuasive tests are unmodified). close to, even though Yndlas is a familiar face
Player characters who ask around for Yndlas/a in Barbarian Town.
goblin supposedly living in the area must make The goblin is fearful of strangers, espe-
a Persuasive test. A successful test gives them cially since Belraya died. He is convinced that
the exact location of his hideout. Otherwise the she was not simply a victim of some ordinary
player characters can sit and wait at the Sunlight robbery-homicide, which is why he believes
tavern, with a good view of the square in front of the player characters are out to get him. How
the Tower of Leandro. Roll 1d6 for every hour of Yndlas reacts is decided by the Game Master,
waiting during daytime (until 9 p.m.) – a result based on the characters’ numbers, appearance
of 1 means that Yndlas shows up on some errand and conduct. If encountered in the street, he will
(such as fetching water from the well in the try to escape at the first sign of danger. Up at his
square). The player characters can either catch shack he will feel cornered and be more inclined
him or follow him to his hideout. to talk, but also to attack as a precaution. As a
If half or more of the player characters are indi- last resort he will take the risk of f leeing across
viduals to whom the people of Peat Hill are hostile the roof tops. If the characters quickly convince
(see above), the Game Master rolls 1d4 for every him that they are just looking for Belraya and
half hour they spend in the area – 1 means that a information about her, Yndlas will calm down
dozen angry locals come to drive them away. They and reveal what he knows.
are pushy and aggressive. If the player characters
refuse to leave, blows may be exchanged to settle
the matter. Use the stats of Farmhand (see the
Monster Codex, page 133), but unarmed and with
the addition of Natural Warrior (novice). Should
the player characters draw weapons, the locals will
retreat and call the City Watch whose forces turn up
15 minutes later. How the situation develops from
there is for the Game Master to decide.

Meeting Yndlas
Timescale: 1 hour

Yndlas lives in a small annex on the roof around

the back of a three-story residential building
whose facade is facing the square by the Tower of
Leandro. It can be reached by climbing two sets
of stairs outside an adjoining building. The char-
acters can step over the banister onto a sloping Race Goblin
roof, then carefully cross a short plank bridge Resistance Ordinary
stretching obliquely upward over the alley, 10
Traits Pariah, Short-lived, Survival
meters below the daring character, before finally
Instinct II
reaching the eaves of the house where Yndlas
Accurate 13 (–3), Cunning 8 (+2), Discreet 12 (–2),
has his hideout. A ladder lying on the roof tiles
Persuasive 6 (+4), Quick 12 (–2), Resolute 10 (0),
will take them to his little shack, built against a Strong 7 (+3), Vigilant 12 (–2)
broad chimney that rises on this side of the ridge.
Abilities Acrobatics (adept), Marksman
Yndlas has never really fit in with his tribe
(novice)
or gotten along with other goblins. When the
Weapons, Dagger 3 (short), Sling 4 (blunt)
Todrulukku settled down outside Kurun he
Accurate
saw an opportunity to find himself a new com-
munity, although, as the other members see Armor 2 (Survival Instinct)
it, he was banished from the tribe. In Kurun Defense –2
he has eked out a meager living from various Toughness 10 4
jobs while building his little hideout on Peat
Equipment Dagger, sling, 3 shillings, 15
Hill (because no other goblins would ever go ortegs
there). Belraya, who he already knew from his

77
 Shadow Bright green, like the buds of a ◆◆ When he came home in the afternoon, Belraya
birch (corruption: 0) was lying in the same spot as she is right now.
Horrified, Yndlas tried to help his friend and
Tactics: If threatened, Yndlas seeks out
some elevated position, like the managed to wake her up. She pushed a note
roof of his shack, where he tries of important information into his hand and
to harm the enemy by slinging made him promise to find the woman. She
stones, especially if they are lost consciousness shortly thereafter, and a
busy balancing on the ridge of few hours later she was dead.
the roof. If forced into melee
combat he will surrender, if there
is any hope of him being spared. Yndlas is happy to hand over Belraya’s note (which
he is barely able to read) to the player characters. He
has been agonizing over it for days and at one point
considered burning it. He is relieved that someone
What he has to say else would assume the burden of fulfilling the prom-
Inside the little shack lies the foul-smelling body of ise Belraya extracted from him. The text is available
a barbarian woman, covered by a blanket. This is as a handout on page 102, and reads as follows:
Belraya, says Yndlas. He has not yet dared to move
her. It is clear that she died from stab wounds to The woman
the torso. A person with Medicus who examines the
body and passes a Cunning test can also determine Has not seen many winters, believed everything I told
the time of death. her
After dark one night [two days before game start], At least five inches taller than me
she visited Yndlas on Peat Hill and asked to stay a Dark-haired and slender, dark eyes, rueful look
few nights. She seemed worried that “something was Expensive dress, Ambrian style
about to happen” and needed to talk about it. Belt of red and blue, Zarekian leno weave – no doubt
about it
◆◆ Belraya was looking for some Ambrian lady Talked like the people here, but seemed to understand
she had met a few days earlier; Yndlas had little of our tongue
already heard about that at the Water Hole
two nights prior. Visits Taohar’s
◆◆ She described the Ambrian woman as tall, The House of Rams – does she live there?
more so than herself (at least five feet eight
inches), young and slender, with a thin face, The man
small nose, and with dark hair and eyes. She
was wearing a green dress with a red and blue Tall, like her
belt around her waist, which according to
Belraya was of unmistakably Zarekian design. Young, but older than her
◆◆ Belraya said that she had given the Ambrian Expensive clothes, Ambrian style
woman something valuable but dangerous He knew, I could see it in his eyes, but was putting on
(which seemed strange to Yndlas; what could an act for her
it possibly have been? Belraya was poor!), and Talked differently
that she felt compelled to tell her about “the
true nature of the item” and why she had been QS and Black LN – probably lives there
forced to lie about it. Belraya had to track down
the woman before the item was activated. The necklace
◆◆ Apparently, she had picked up a trail, but
the Ambrian woman had “dangerous friends” Gold chain and charm, marked with ancient symbol
which caused Belraya to back down. Or were The runes on the back read “Agan-Re”
they enemies? It did not sound like Belraya It terrifies me. Bottomless, indomitable darkness.
was honest when she called them friends. Death. It brings death.
◆◆ The next morning [one day before game start] The ritual I was ordered to teach her awakens a primal
You can find Belraya’s Belraya went out and said she would return power, that much I know. And it has nothing to do
note on page 102 in this in the evening. Yndlas was working that day, with memories or love, as I made her believe
book and on carrying bricks for the repair effort at the Who will she give it to? “Before the union is consum-
freeleaguepublishing.com West Gate. mated,” she said. What did she mean?

78
 RETRIBUTION

ACT 2:

Time is
Running Out
In this act the player characters get the chance to uncover information about
Visara and her background, and follow her trail all the way to Mederen in an
attempt to reach the city before the wedding on Sanctum Agani.

In Belraya’s Tracks
At this point in the adventure, the player char- the past couple of months, it has been Visara’s home
acters are likely starting to understand that they as well, as Aldamei’s guest.
are onto something more than just a murdered Belraya managed to connect Visara to the house
artifact expert, possibly something alarming that when she heard her mention it in conversation with
no one else knows about. While they could just Firodon, though Belraya did not understand what it
report back to the Maretkos (see Asking for Help meant until later: “Sure, but I need to pass the Rams on
or Doing Nothing on page 86), there are a number the way back.” Finding the house was not a problem,
of clues which many gaming groups will probably as many people in Kurun know it by that name,
want to follow up on. and player characters asking around among the
city’s inhabitants will soon be pointed in the right
The House of Rams direction. A person who asks for information and
Timescale: 1 hour passes a Persuasive test will learn that the building
is House Mederen’s residence.
This building is mentioned in Belraya’s note as Player characters who decide to stake out the
possibly being Visara’s home, which used to be house will learn nothing of value. At most they may
the case. The House of Rams is located on the east see a messenger come and go. Knocking on the door
side on the outskirts of the Hill of Ynedar, near the causes Madam Idona to appear in the doorway – a
castle. It is a beautiful, if a bit small, three-story meddlesome housekeeper who sees it as her duty
building of stone. Its name is derived from the to protect the noble family’s house from unwanted
sculpted rams on the facade on the corner of the guests. If the characters describe Visara or ask for
second floor – shipped many years ago from House her by name, she will respond differently depending
Mederen’s estate in Alberetor. The house is the on who they are and how they behave.
Mederen family’s residence in Kurun, which they
decided to purchase despite the city belonging to ◆◆ If they give a brusque or rude impression
the duchy of Narugor while their own lord is Duke – especially if they are lowborn Ambrians,
Alesaro in faraway Sevona. It is used by Baroness barbarians, or non-humans – Idona curtly
Edindra during her occasional visits, and more replies that she certainly does not gossip about
frequently by her son Aldamei while planning or the household and its guests. They will have to
recovering from his expeditions in Davokar. For take it up with her master, Aldamei Mederen.

79
 Alas, the master is unavailable at the moment, recent twists and turns of the love triangle
and she does not know when he will be back. are unclear to her.
(He is out hunting in the western woods.) ◆◆ When Visara arrived at the residence three
◆◆ To well-mannered player characters, espe- months ago she was like a different woman.
cially members of the Ambrian aristocracy She had always seemed so happy in Galatro’s
(the Privileged boon), Idona can reveal that household, but was now angry and depressed.
the gracious young woman whom they seek Piece by piece, Perala figured out that the
is named Visara, that she is somehow related unfortunate love story was the cause of it all.
to the Mederen family, and that she has ◆◆ Visara left for Kurun quite suddenly with
stayed here a while as the master’s guest, but Aldamei, but Perala was still pleased with the
is not available at this time. (Idona does not change, even though she has not heard from
know anything except that Visara has left her daughter since, except for an ambiguous
the household and when she departed.) If letter.
the player character talking to her passes a ◆◆ A few weeks ago, Perala found a bunch of
Persuasive test, Idona says that Visara’s mother papers hidden away in Visara’s room – scat-
Perala has been here since yesterday. Should tered notes, unfinished poems, and unsent
they ask to see her, the housekeeper will relay letters to Gedea and Laranod. They were
their request which Perala then accepts. very dark, filled with anger and bitterness
interspersed with frantic expressions of love.
If the characters get on the wrong side of Idona Perala was shocked. She did not know what
and are not allowed to enter the House of Rams, to do – go talk to Visara about it, or hope that
Perala will soon approach them on the street after her stay in Kurun had straightened her out?
realizing that they are looking for her daughter. Somewhat rashly, Perala decided on the latter
and burned all the papers.
◆◆ Shortly thereafter she was informed about
the upcoming wedding between Gedea and
Laranod. (Perala knows the ceremony will
take place on Sanctum Agani, but does not
think this detail is significant enough to bring
up.) Worried about how the news would affect
her daughter, Perala changed her mind and
went to Kurun to see her. Perhaps she could
somehow divert Visara’s attention?
◆◆ Perala does not know where her daughter has
gone, but expected to find her at the House of
Rams. She is unfamiliar with Kurun and has
yet to find anyone acquainted with Visara,
even though her servants informed her that
Visara had plenty of social contacts. Right
now, Perala is mainly concerned about her
daughter’s emotional well-being. She still
hopes that Visara’s absence is due to some
Conversation with Perala secret pleasure trip or romantic getaway, but
Whether the conversation takes place at the House worries that she might have done something
of Rams or somewhere else, Perala will anxiously to harm herself.
ask why the characters want to see Visara. If they ◆◆ Perala cannot imagine that Visara would
just let her talk, she soon expresses her concern. ever hurt Gedea, Laranod or anyone else in
Let the players’ questions and reflections guide the Mederen. In her view, some kind of spectacu-
conversation. Perala does not know what to believe, lar suicide would be more likely.
and is relieved to be talking to someone interested.
What she has to say is summarized below: Depending on how invested the gaming group
has become in Visara’s fate, the Game Master may
◆◆ Perala basically knows the whole background now use Perala as an incentive and/or quest giver.
up to the point when Visara leaves Mederen, She is at a loss as to how to proceed and could ask
and is able to recount it, although the most the player characters to track down her daughter.

80
 RETRIBUTION

She wants her child safe and secure, and stopped ◆◆ Though somewhat unlettered, she has
from doing anything stupid. If necessary, she can integrated nicely into the city’s social life
Sanctum Agani
offer the characters a reward of 10 thaler plus a and attracted many suitors. But it is unclear
smooth silver ring (worth 8 shillings), which should whether there is any inheritance to speak of. Sanctum Agani is one of
demonstrate that, despite her status, Perala is not Her most ardent admirer was Firodon Kalalti, the Sun Church’s most
particularly wealthy. also a newcomer, from a distinguished important holidays,
Alberian family. Now they are landless, of where the cult vener-
A Visit to the Tea Room course – maybe that is the reason? ates the Lightbringer
Timescale: 1 hour, or decided by the Game Master ◆◆ The last he heard was that Visara left Kurun Agani (after whom the
in a hurry. Something about a wedding eighth month in the new
By describing Visara, Belraya concluded that the on Sanctum Agani – presumably back in calendar was named),
woman she was looking for was probably a regular Mederen? At least he thinks she referred to the templar who sup-
at Taohar’s Tea Room. She herself was not allowed the place as “home.” posedly slew the dark
inside the elegant establishment, and her stakeout lord Malak. It is also the
of the building proved unsuccessful (as Visara had Moreo knows nothing else about Visara’s unre- day when all members
already left Kurun by then). quited love or her life in Mederen. If the characters of the church renew
With the help of Belraya’s notes the player ask if there is anyone else who might know some- their vows to Prios in
characters will have no problem finding the place. thing, he suggests that they either speak to Aldamei ritualistic gatherings in
The Tea Room is well-known in Kurun, at least by or try to get in touch with Firodon. temples and monas-
name, and they will hopefully have a better chance of teries across the realm.
speaking to its customers than Belraya did. Getting Firodon Kalalti In the adventure, the
past Headwaiter Ridelo requires good manners (the Timescale: The Game Master decides holiday is simply meant
Privileged boon or a successful [Persuasive –3]) and to give the players a
appropriate clothing (according to the Game Master’s As mentioned in the background, Firodon comes temporal reference
judgment). Groups who fail Ridelo’s inspection can from a middle-class family in Yndaros, but has point for an event that is
still bribe their way in: a successful Persuasive test always strived to secure a place in Ambrian high important to Visara, to
and a two-thaler payment will convince him to society. His dream of power and fame was the main create the impression
let in the least shabby player character, while the reason why he joined the corruption-worshipping that they are running
others have to wait outside. Should none of this cult from which he later escaped. As the City Watch out of time. Sanctum
work, the player characters must find some other cracked down on the cult, its members scattered Agani is not one of the
solution, such as sneaking in, creating a diversion in every direction, and Firodon eventually ended major popular festi-
or approaching customers as they arrive or leave. up in Kurun with the help of the Sovereign’s Oath. vals, but all Ambrians
Once inside, the player characters can talk to Once driven by a lust for power, Firodon is now know when it occurs,
Temera the waitress, who confirms that the woman motivated by fear – fear of witch hunters and other as it is celebrated on
they seek has visited numerous times lately, but people hunting down followers of The Eternal the same date every
has not been seen for a few days. Temera does not Night; fear of the Sovereign’s Oath who are holding year (which may differ
know her name. If they sit down, order something his life in their hands; fear that the nobles he so between gaming groups
to eat or drink, and wait, Temara can soon point desperately wants to surround himself with will depending on when the
out a recently arrived customer who may know see through his lies. He used Visara in the hope adventure takes place).
the person they are looking for. The customer in that doing so would release him from the claws
question is Moreo Salamos, aged 18, accompanied of Ilonor, even though deep inside he knows he
by a blonde woman of similar age and stature. will never be free.
Moreo is vain and susceptible to flattery, and will The faux nobleman lives in a two-story building
react favorably to ingratiating player characters, on Queen Street across the street from Asorio’s
especially if they offer refreshments. He will then store. While situated in the nicest part of town, it
tell them what he knows about Visara, though he is a relatively simple home, which is the standard
prefers to talk about his favorite subject – himself of living the Sovereign’s Oath has provided for
– and will do so whenever the opportunity arises. him. For this reason, Firodon has avoided visits
from the city’s upper class, as it would wound his
◆◆ Oh yes, he knows the woman they are asking vanity as well as his credibility. Hence, no one in
about. Her name is Visara Mederen, daughter his social circle can say exactly where he lives.
of Aldamei’s cousin or something like that. Even his neighbors do not know his name. Belraya
◆◆ She came to Kurun a few months ago. Moreo identified the house by accident when, in her search
has never seen her here before. She seemed to for Visara, she ran into Firodon, whom she recog-
be living at Aldamei’s house. nized and decided to follow. Unfortunately, Firodon

81
 recognized her as well and sent word to Ilonor. Lirol has detected them and will inform Firodon as
The latter decided that the Sovereign’s Oath could soon as possible, who then (no matter what time it
not risk letting Belraya live, and sent out agents to is) sends the bodyguard to notify Ilonor. The Game
dispose of her. They found her in West Harbor in Master decides how this chain of events plays out
the morning [1 day before game start] and left her and how long it takes, depending on the time of day.
critically wounded, but as mentioned earlier, she If successful, this could provide an opportu-
made it to Yndlas’ hideout before she died. nity for the characters to follow Lirol to Ilonor’s
The player characters will likely find their way home, although Lirol will be on his guard. For
to the house once Asorio points it out to them. If more information on the Sovereign’s Oath’s agent
they knock on the door, they are answered by Lirol, cell in Kurun, and how they deal with the player
a former soldier, sellsword and robber currently characters, see The Sovereign’s Oath Picks Up The
serving as Firodon’s henchman and bodyguard. He Trail on page 84. As for Firodon, he will wait for
will not discuss Firodon with them or even confirm the Sovereign’s Oath to deal with the characters,
that he lives there. If they wish to leave a message, and only if they fail will he himself take action.
Lirol will accept it with a shrug; if they try to get Firodon might consider an offensive approach if he
inside, he will use as much force as necessary to feels confident that he and Lirol can take out the
keep them out. player characters quietly. Otherwise he will leave
Player characters who somehow get a chance to Kurun as discreetly as possible and seek refuge
investigate the house will find most of it empty. The somewhere else.
ground floor consists of a bare hall, a kitchen with a
root cellar, an empty room, and a smaller room where
Lirol sleeps. There is a simply furnished salon on
the second floor, along with another empty room
and Firodon’s bedroom, which is comfortable but not
lavish. In a hidden compartment behind one of the
wall panels, detectable with a successful [Vigilant –5],
is a small case where Firodon keeps a few treasures he
managed to rescue from the raid in Yndaros: a first-
hand description of a dark cult’s use of a managaal
(for inspiration, see the flavor text in the Symbaroum
Monster Codex, page 66), a velvet bag of dried Krusean
berries (5 doses, each causing 1d4 points of prolonged
temporary corruption), and a pouch of 52 thaler.
At this point, the player characters may want to
spy on the house and its residents. Firodon spends
most of his time away from home, while Lirol rarely
goes out at all (unless Firodon is in need of protec-
tion). Roll 1d10 for every hour the player characters
are monitoring the house.
Firodon
1 Between noon and 10 p.m.: Firodon Race Human (Ambrian)
either enters or leaves the building, to
Boons/ False Identity, Manipulator III,
start the day’s visits and errands, take
Burdens Wanted
a short break, or retire for the evening.
Other hours: nothing happens. Resistance Ordinary

2–3 Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m: Lirol leaves Accurate 6 (+4), Cunning 12 (–2), Discreet 9 (+1),
the house on a short errand. He is gone Persuasive 15 (–5), Quick 11 (–1), Resolute 13 (–3),
for 1D10+10 minutes. Other hours: Strong 7 (+3), Vigilant 7 (+3)
nothing happens. Abilities Bend Will (novice), Dominate
4–10 Nothing happens. (novice), Loremaster (novice),
Sorcery (novice), Unholy Aura
(novice)
Weapons, Sword 4
If the player characters are watching the house,
Persuasive
the one with the lowest Discreet value must make a
[Discreet+2] test every two hours. Failure means that Armor None

82
 RETRIBUTION

Defense –1
Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 4
Extract from Master Eulia Vearra’s field journal from the excavation of the
Equipment Sword, tasteful upper-class
Cemetery of Edovar:
clothing, a mystical focus
(sorcery) in the form of a dark
stone carved with runes on a Third day in Serliela, year 12
silver chain (concealed under his ◆◆ Object: The structures around the monolith, south of wall segment
clothes) three
Shadow Deep blue like darkness on plac- ◆◆ Agenda, team 1 and 2: Continued clearance of the inner chambers,
id water (corruption: 4) adept Kinedra in charge
Tactics: If he cannot elude the enemy, Firodon ◆◆ Agenda, team 3: Patrol, camp duty
uses his sorcery to scare or drive them away until ◆◆ Agenda, other order members: Documenting and cataloging the cen-
he sees a chance to escape. tral rotunda, Master Eulia in charge

Survey of the remaining foundation of the rotunda. Pieces of three chiseled,

curved keystones found by the entrance, clear signs that the dome was
Lirol open to the sky. The north side was likely covered by paintings, traces of
Race Human (Ambrian) ocher also noticeable. The southern half contains a total of 94 identifiable
Resistance Challenging fragments, once artistically cut, most likely from some form of benches
judging by the other remnants. Carved symbols or emblems keep recurring
Boons/ Contacts (Outlaws)
Burdens in the stonework (reproductions of certain well-preserved specimens are
presented in Appendix 9). A hypothetical composition of the symbol based
Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 11 (–1), Discreet 7 (+3),
on the material at hand:
Persuasive 6 (+4), Quick 14 (–4), Resolute 9 (+1),
Strong 15 (–5), Vigilant 13 (–3) [Symbol]

Abilities Bodyguard (adept), Feat of

Strength (novice), Iron Fist The central altar measures six feet long, eight feet wide, and five inches tall.
(adept), Man-at-arms (adept), A crack stretches 4 feet from its north end toward the middle. Both sides
Quick Draw (novice), Recovery are marked with late Symbarian cuneiform, in poor condition (discernible
(novice), Twin Attack (novice) fragments are noted in Appendix 10), except the west section of the east
Weapons, Axe 6 dagger 5 (short), two side, whose symbols read:
Strong attacks at the same target [Cuneiform]
Armor Studded leather 4 (reinforced) Translation by Master Eulia: “To be wed [or sacrificed] by Agan-Re
[proper noun, reproduced phonetically] and ascend [or fly/levitate] into
Defense –5
darkness.”
Toughness 20 Pain Threshold 8
Equipment 3 thaler, 11 shillings, 1 dose Elixir Continued cataloging and preliminary inspection of the inner chambers
of Life, mouth harp planned for tomorrow.
Shadow Glossy like a smooth copper
plate (corruption: 0)
Tactics: Lirol defends his master as long
as the odds seem reasonable, but is not
prepared to die for Firodon and will fight
ruthlessly with both weapons to escape a
losing situation.

the Order’s collections costs 1 thaler a day, and the

procedure is described in the Advanced Player’s Guide
information on Agan-Re on page 100.
Timescale: 30 minutes in addition to time spent Gaming groups who prefer not to do their
studying own research can receive assistance from the
librarian, Adept Helea, for a fee of 12 shillings
The players may try to find out more about the (in addition to the thaler above). She will then
artifact mentioned by Belraya, even though they ask them to come back six hours later (or the You can find the journal
have nothing to go on but the name. The best (and following day if they are visiting the archives in exerpt on page 103 in
probably only) way forward would then be to study the late afternoon/evening), at which time she this book and on
the records in Ordo Magica’s archives. Access to can deliver the extract above. freeleaguepublishing.com

83
 The Sovereign’s Oath Picks Up The Trail
Depending on the player characters’ actions, Blackslash is an experienced killer who has
they may sooner or later attract the attention of operated in western Ambria for many years,
the Sovereign’s Oath. The Game Master is free to even though he lacks the finesse of more famous
adjust the probability based on the players’ actions colleagues like the Night Cape and the Violing.
thus far, but in the written adventure there are His specialty is more spectacular murders whose
three ways in which this might occur: gory nature is meant to send a message to any
allies of the victim. He is engaged by Ilonor
◆◆ By asking around for Belraya in Kurun, which through a middleman and does not know his
causes gossip to reach the Sovereign’s Oath. client’s identity, which is how he likes it. His
◆◆ By asking for Belraya at the Water Hole, mission is primarily to intimidate the player
where the Sovereign’s Oath has many spies. characters, so after attacking or killing one of
◆◆ By prying too deeply into Firodon’s life. them he will await their reaction before strik-
ing again. Blackslash uses one of the following
When this happen, Ilonor, the leader of the organiza- tactics to get to them:
tion’s cell in Kurun, will start by sending one of his
agents to locate and identify the player characters. ◆ Player characters who move through the
This takes 3 hours, or possibly longer if the Game city alone and do not strike him as warriors
Master thinks the player characters have been can be attacked: in a secluded backyard, in
particularly discreet. As long as the characters have a dark alley, or with a stab from a poisoned
not visited the House of Rams, Taohar’s Tea Room or dagger in the middle of a crowd. He will
Firodon’s residence, the Sovereign’s Oath will merely finish the job if the situation allows him to,
keep them under surveillance. Let the player with otherwise he withdraws.
the highest Vigilant score test [Vigilant←the agent’s ◆ Player characters who move through the
Discreet] every two hours that the player characters city alone and seem to be made of tougher
are moving through the city. If successful, the char- stuff may be lured into an ambush.
acter notices a barbarian in the crowd who seems to Blackslash calls out from an alley, claiming
be following or watching them. If approached the to have information about the person they
agent will disappear into the masses. Having been are looking for (he does not actually know
detected once, the agent becomes more cautious and anything, except that the characters must
the player characters have two chances to fail any be discouraged from finding someone they
future attempts to detect him/her. are trying to find), and then backs into the
alley. In the entrance to the alley he has
Strike placed a weak mechanical trap coated with
Timescale: The Game Master decides a moderate poison. It can be detected with a
successful [Vigilant –4]. A person caught by
Once the player characters have visited any of the trap not only risks poisoning, but also
the three places mentioned above, Ilonor starts to gets stuck in the mechanism. Breaking free
worry that his plan for Visara and Agan-Re might requires a combat action and a successful
be jeopardized, and decides that the characters [Strong –3]. Once the trap has been acti-
must be eliminated. But the cell is small, and its vated, Blackslash moves into melee combat
mission to gather intelligence is too important and tries to stand his ground until the
to risk unnecessary exposure, so he will mainly poison takes effect.
be acting through proxies. Ilonor takes two mea- ◆ If the player characters consistently stick
sures. He sends word to Varkon, a bandit leader together, Blackslash will set up an ambush
operating along the road between Galaldo and by hiring members of the city’s underworld
Elandel, with descriptions of the player char- (twice as many as the player characters,
acters and orders to keep an eye out for them in with stats as Thug on page 139 in the
the coming days on the way north to Mederen Monster Codex). They surround and attack
(this is described in greater detail under Time Is the characters as they are passing through
Running Out, page 79); he also engages the assassin some empty part of town. The goons’ job is
known as Blackslash to strike in Kurun. Once he to keep them busy while Blackslash fires
has received his mission, it takes at least 3 hours poisoned bolts from a nearby rooftop. After
for Blackslash to make his first move. three turns they will try to run away.

84
 RETRIBUTION

Blackslash leverage over (like Belraya whom they threatened

to report to Embersind), but also a few Ambrians
Race Human (Ambrian)
they have managed to recruit through threats and
Resistance Challenging
bribes. The snaring of Firodon was inherited from
Traits Bloodhound III, Contacts (crimi- another cell, but the plan to put Agan-Re in the
nals), Poison Resilient hands of Visara is Ilonor’s own initiative, which he
Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 14 (–4), Discreet 15 (–5), hopes will have a significant impact on Clan Zarek’s
Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 12 (–2), Resolute 13 (–3), attitude toward the alliance with Ambria. Given
Strong 5 (+5), Vigilant 13 (–3)
their weak position, the cell prefers to outsource
Abilities Backstab (adept), Exceptionally their activities, unless the potential gains are very
Discreet (adept), Feint (adept), great or the threat is imminent.
Knife Play (adept), Marksman
Ilonor lives in a nondescript building on the
(novice), Poisoner (adept), Sixth
Sense (novice), Trapper (novice) northwest side of Owl’s Crest. This is where Firodon
sends Lirol if the player characters decide to follow
Weapons, 2 attacks with dagger 4 (precise,
him. One of his agents lives in the same area, while
Discreet/ deep impact), small crossbow 6
Vigilant (concealed) the other two reside in Barbarian Town.

Armor Concealed 3 (concealed, flexible,

reinforced) Ilonor and his agents
Defense –5 Race Human (barbarian)
Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 3 Resistance Challenging
Equipment 15 bolts, 5 doses moderate poi- Boons/ Bushcraft
son & 5 doses strong poison, 17 Burdens
thaler, 21 shillings, 3 small rough
Accurate 12 (–2), Cunning 9 (+1), Discreet 13 (–3),
rubies (each worth 15 thaler,
Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 11 (–1), Resolute 11 (–1),
part of the payment from the
Strong 9 (+1), Vigilant 10 (0)
Sovereign’s Oath)
Abilities Axe Artist (master), Man-at-arms
Shadow Patinated copper marked with
(adept), Rune Tattoo (adept),
scratches (corruption: 3)
Shield Fighter (novice), Steel
Tactics: Prefers to avoid combat against better­- Throw (novice)
-equipped opponents, but if that is not an option,
Weapons, Axe 7 or two attacks 6/4, throw-
he will try to finish them off swiftly with quick
Accurate ing knife 4
stabs from his poisoned dagger.
Armor Rune Tattoo (+2 Armor and
heals 1 Toughness per turn)
The Kurun cell Defense –3 (shield)
The Sovereign’s Oath has had a cell stationed in Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 5
Kurun for the last six months or so, consisting of
Equipment 3 throwing knives, 2D6 thaler,
the leader Ilonor and his three subordinates. Their
3D6 shillings, one small rough
main objectives are to map Ambrian troop move- ruby (worth 15 thaler)
ments and installations of military importance
Shadow Brown like a marsh in autumn
(such as King Koriano’s Shipyard), fuel grievances (corruption: 1)
among barbarian newcomers (most of whom belong
Tactics: The group hurls throwing knives at the
to clans allied to High Chieftain Tharaban), obstruct
enemy before entering melee combat with their
enemy activities and gather all sorts of intelligence. axes, trying to stun their opponents and follow up
The group is aided by a small number of hench- with heavy blows.
men – mostly barbarians the cell has some kind of

With Knowledge Comes Responsibility

By the middle of Act II, the players will hopefully on her way to Mederen with a certain item, and
understand that their characters are on to some that it might play a role in a wedding scheduled
kind of conspiracy, a plan involving dark powers, for Sanctum Agani, which will soon take place.
and that someone does not want them to keep Here the player characters must decide whether
digging. They should also be aware that Visara is or not to interfere with this development. Gaming

85
 groups who choose to take action may continue agents would be too expensive anyway. At most,
their adventure in Act III; the others will now be the player characters can receive a financial
offered some suggestions on possible outcomes. contribution of 15 thaler if they seem to need
it. The only exception is the Queen’s people
Asking for Help or Doing who, if the player characters need it and it suits
Nothing their contact, can send someone from the Royal
Timescale: The Game Master decides Sekretorium to help them (stats as Queen’s Spy,
page 136 in the Symbaroum Monster Codex).
Some gaming groups may not be interested in inter- ◆◆ Turning to the City Watch: Attempts to alert
fering with Visara’s actions, and prefer to hand over the City Watch will have no effect on the
the information to other parties, or seek help for other outcome of the adventure (even though they
reasons. Listed below are some actions the player are very interested in information regarding
characters might take and their possible outcomes. barbarian cells in the city). Silver-tongued
player characters with the proper background
◆◆ Contacting the Maretko family: If the Maretkos (the Privileged boon and a successful Persuasive
are the player characters’ employers, it would test) may be allowed to make an appointment
seem natural to turn to them for help. The with the captain, but not in time for it to affect
characters should then meet with Bardolin at the outcome in any way. It should be clear to the
the family’s townhouse. He listens carefully players that this approach is a waste of time.
to what they have to say and, if they reveal ◆◆ Turning to the Duke: Only player characters
what they have learned about Belraya’s fate, with the right background (as above; if they
thanks them for their service. Any debts to the are working with Perala she can speak on
family have now been paid, and any financial their behalf) have the slightest chance of being
reward promised to the characters is paid in granted an audience with the Duke, which then
full. Bardolin is pleased to hear that Belraya is takes place several days later at the earliest.
dead, likely murdered by some barbarian group This course of action is only open to player char-
whose toes she stepped on. If the player char- acters who are close allies of the Queen’s people
acters start to discuss Visara’s departure and and who use a suitable contact to reach out to
the potentially dangerous artifact she might be the Duke’s right-hand woman. In that case, the
carrying, Bardolin will callously respond that outcome is the same as for the second entry in
none of that is his family’s concern and that this list: they are approached by an agent of the
they have no intention of meddling any further. Sekretorium and asked to come with him/her
He then has someone show the characters out. on an urgent trip to Mederen.
◆◆ Turning to an allied faction: Regardless of
whether they commissioned the characters’ Depending on the players’ choices, this could be Varkon and his vandals
investigation, most factions in the game world the end of the adventure. In that case, any other fear no one, and with
should want the characters to keep probing agents that informed factions might send will be fair payment they never
Visara’s activities. Faced with the urgency of too late and the player characters will later hear give up.
the situation, the faction’s representatives will about the tragedy that took place in Mederen – for
urge them to hurry after Visara to Mederen. For more information, see Aftermath at the end of Act
most of these groups, sending more competent III: The Cost of Jealousy.

Onward to Mederen!
How long the player characters have taken so The highroad
far in Act I and II will now greatly impact their The shortest route to Mederen is the highroad
options. There are two main routes to choose from: leading to distant Sevona in the west. It passes
the highroad leading northwest across the plains, through the smaller towns of Galaldo and Elandel
or the waterway to Haraag before continuing west as well as a number of villages. The various legs of
to Mederen. These routes and their respective the journey are described below. Use the rules for
challenges are described below. Forced Ride in the Appendix to determine how long
Player characters with the proper background it takes to cover each distance.
will presumably be aware of the different routes; During the journey the player character must
if not, they only need to ask around Kurun a bit sleep for 8 hours a day (see page 98 for rules on sleep
(which takes 30 minutes) to learn the broad strokes. deprivation), and rest and eat for another 2 hours

86
 RETRIBUTION

during the day. Sleeping outside means that they Fresh horses are for the most part available at
must also spend 2 hours preparing and breaking roadhouses outside the smaller towns.
camp. Thus, the maximum travel time per day is
12–14 hours, although pushing riders and horses ◆◆ The player characters must spend half an
that hard can be hazardous. The season, the length hour on discussions and practical matters.
of days, and the Game Master’s judgment determine ◆◆ They must pay 5 shillings for the trouble.
how many hours per day the player characters can ◆◆ If the horse being replaced has suffered an
actually spend traveling. injury on the road, the new one will cost
another 5 shillings.
Transport
To have a chance of reaching Mederen in time, Switching horses is also possible in the villages along
the player characters must ride at high speed and the road, but the conditions are more irregular.
probably change horses along the way. If they do not
have horses, they must start by purchasing some ◆◆ A village only has 1d6–1 suitable horses avail-
in Kurun. Luckily, horses are sold most days at the able. Every other horse will be a workhorse.
cattle market outside West Gate, even if the selection ◆◆ Finding the horses and their owners takes
is not always ideal. The player characters can get 1 hour and requires a successful Persuasive
whatever they need in 1 hour, but must then pay 1.5 test, but all player characters may try
times the price listed in the Core Rulebook (including simultaneously. Every time they succeed with
saddle and harness) for a quick deal. If they do not a difference of 5 or more, the character gets
pay extra, these errands will instead take 3 hours. hold of another owner willing to trade.

87
 ◆◆ The owner must be persuaded with a payment Unless the player characters are actively avoid-
of 2 shillings. If the horse being replaced has ing the highroad, the bandits will spot them from
suffered an injury on the road, the new one their outlook an hour or two outside Pineburn. They
will cost another 8 shillings. will then lie in wait where the road cuts through
some low hills and the bedrock protrudes from the
Leg 1: Kurun-Galaldo ground in the form of solitary rocks. First, they
Distance: 18 kilometers attack from a distance with their bows, in the hope
Timescale: Depends on speed that the characters will take cover, before rushing
into melee against a hopefully decimated enemy.
Initially the road runs northeast through the flatlands Player characters who push their horses to escape
along the west bank of the river Eblis. Galaldo is a small the ambush must survive three turns of enemy
fortified town on the west side of the river, and the seat fire before they are out of range. The robbers are
of the noble house of the same name. By the north gate twice as many as the player characters, half of them
lies a roadhouse called the Wayfarer’s Boot (colloquially archers and the other half melee fighters, led by
known simply as “The Boot”), run by Stablemaster Varkon himself. Their morale is fairly high, but
Nihea. There the player characters can switch to fresh once half of them have fled or fallen, the rest will
horses and spend the night if they wish. lose courage and retreat.

Leg 2: Galaldo-Elandel
Robber, archer
Distance: 34 kilometers
Race Human (Ambrian)
Timescale: Depends on speed
Resistance Ordinary
From Galaldo the road turns west across the rolling Boons/ Bushcraft
landscape of the barony, where one can sometimes Burdens
find groves of trees trapped between the fields and Accurate 10 (0), Cunning 5 (+5), Discreet 11 (–1),
farms. Between the two towns lie the villages of Persuasive 9 (+1), Quick 12 (–2), Resolute 7 (+3),
Bedstraw (after 10 kilometers) and Pineburn (after Strong 11 (–1), Vigilant 15 (–5)
19 kilometers). Bedstraw is a small farming village Abilities Man-at-arms (novice), Marks-
whose only establishment is a smithy. Player charac- man (novice), Rapid Fire (nov-
ters wishing to spend the night here must settle for ice), Sixth Sense (novice)
a farmer’s barn. Pineburn is a bit larger and boasts a Weapons, Bow 5, Dagger 3 (short)
small inn whose proprietor, Origan, offers travelers Vigilant/
a bit of food and a tankard of stut. Here the players Accurate
may sleep on the floor of the common area if they like. Armor Leather 3 (impeding)
Elandel is somewhat smaller than Galaldo and Defense 0
surrounded by a simple embankment with a moat.
Toughness 11 Pain Threshold 6
But on a hill south of town rises the baron’s great cas-
tle, whose keep towers over the high walls – a strong Equipment 12 arrows, 3D6 ortegs
refuge for the people in times of war. Fresh horses Shadow Mottled green like oak leaves
and a place to sleep can be found at the roadhouse during a dry summer (corrup-
tion: 0)
known as the Axe & Jug, located in the town square in
central Elandel, where stablemaster Alveo presides. Tactics: The archers keep their distance and
support their more heavily equipped companions.
They retreat after losing half their Toughness.
Varkon’s Vandals
As mentioned under The Sovereign’s Oath Picks up
Robber, melee fighter
the Trail on page 84, Ilonor may have sent word to the
Race Human (Ambrian)
robber chief Varkon who haunts the road between
Galaldo and Elandel. Information from the Sovereign’s Resistance Ordinary
Oath has benefited him greatly in the past, even Boons/ Bushcraft
though he does not know its true source. And even Burdens
if he did, it would hardly make any difference. Varkon Accurate 14 (–4), Cunning 5 (+5), Discreet 11 (–1),
has been asked to keep an eye out for travelers who Persuasive 9 (+1), Quick 12 (–2), Resolute 7 (+3),
look like the characters, and is promised a bonus if Strong 11 (–1), Vigilant 10 (0)
he stops them from continuing north, in addition to Abilities Man-at-arms (adept), Recovery
any valuables the victims might be carrying. (novice), Shield Fighter (novice)

88
 RETRIBUTION

Weapons, Spear/Sword/Axe 5 incident is not affected by what happens to Varkon

Accurate during the ambush). The brawlers are watching the
Axe & Jug and will recognize the player characters
Armor Leather 3
if they stop by. The bandits will then approach them
Defense –4 (shield)
with the intention of starting a fight, either in the
Toughness 11 Pain Threshold 6 taproom in the evening or out in the yard as they
Equipment 3D6 ortegs are switching horses. Their main task is to cause
Shadow Mottled green like oak leaves such a ruckus that the Town Watch will be forced
during a dry summer (corrup- to intervene, though they will not hold back from
tion: 0) beating the characters up.
Tactics: The fighters try to eliminate the easiest If the fight lasts more than 3 turns, Elandel’s
targets by creating Advantage, hoping that the guard force will show up and arrest the trouble-
remaining enemies will surrender. Will retreat makers. Player characters who refuse to come with
after losing half their Toughness. them must fight their way out of Elandel. As long
as they have not killed anyone, it is also possible
to bribe their way out of the situation by paying 5
shillings per character and having their spokes-
person pass a Persuasive test. If they do neither, the
Varkon, robber chief
characters will have to spend 6 hours in custody (a
Race Human (Ambrian)
root cellar) before the captain sees fit to let them
Resistance Challenging go. Alternatively, if they were arrested in the eve-
Boons/ Bushcraft ning, they are released at 9 o’clock the following
Burdens morning. If any of the characters are suspected of
Accurate 8 (+2), Cunning 9 (+1), Discreet 10 (0), murder, he or she will instead be incarcerated for
Persuasive 6 (+4), Quick 13 (–3), Resolute 10 (0), 48 hours, after which the guards will conclude that
Strong 14 (–4), Vigilant 10 (0) the deceased was the one who started the fight, and
Abilities Iron Fist (adept), Man-at-arms a wanted outlaw at that, and the player characters
(adept), Polearm Mastery are released.
(master)
Weapons, Spear 7 (long)
Brawler
Strong
Race Human (Ambrian)
Armor Chain mail 4
Resistance Ordinary
Defense –3
Boons/ Bushcraft
Toughness 14 Pain Threshold 7
Burdens
Equipment 1 herbal cure, 12 thaler
Accurate 10 (0), Cunning 9 (+1), Discreet 10 (0),
Shadow Dull like matte silver (corruption: Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 11 (–1), Resolute 10 (0),
1) Strong 15 (–5), Vigilant 10 (0)
Tactics: Targets enemies already Abilities Iron Fist (adept), Natural Warrior
engaged by his melee fighters (adept)
and uses his Polearm Mastery
Weapons, Unarmed 5, two attacks at the
to reach them and keep them at
Strong same target
bay. Will run if the battle seems
to be going badly. Armor None
Defense –1

If the player characters have encountered another Toughness 15 Pain Threshold 8

robber chief during previous adventures, such as Equipment 3D6 ortegs
Mal-Rogan from The Promised Land, Nightblade from Shadow Mottled green like oak leaves
Blight Night, or maybe Harbassas from The Bell Tolls during a dry summer (corrup-
for Kastor, it might be a good idea to use that person tion: 0)
instead of Varkon. Tactics: The brawlers let their fists do the
In case the characters would escape or avoid his talking, but lose courage once
ambush, Varkon has sent out a group of brawlers – as their Toughness reaches 4 or low-
many as the player characters – to prepare another er. The group will surrender when
half of them have fled or fallen.
surprise for them in Elandel (which means this

89
 Leg 3: Elandel-Mederen not necessarily slower. It is more comfortable and
Distance: 63 kilometers avoids at least some of the dangers that an hours-
Timescale: Depends on speed long forced ride entails. Furthermore, Kurun is the
From Elandel the road continues north through hilly hub of much of Narugor’s and New Berendoria’s
farmland, which slowly rise into harsher and less trade on the river Eblis, both upstream to Agrella
populous moors and ranges, before the terrain levels and downstream to the settlements around Lake
out into desolate plains in the northern parts of the Volgoma, all the way to Sevona – in recent years
barony. When the player characters cross the border even to the Arch Bridge and Karvosti. Hence, if
into Mederen’s lusher regions, they will once again be the player characters should lack a boat of their
passing fields and villages. Only a kilometer or two own, there are plenty of ships that can take them to
beyond the city of Mederen looms the edge of Davokar. Haraag. Vessels heading north can be found every
Outside Elandel the travelers will first (after three hours between 6 a.m. and noon (later depar-
6 kilometers) pass a small settlement called Birch, tures would mean too many hours of nighttime
barely even a hamlet (only 1d6–3 horses available if the sailing, which is normally avoided on the river).
characters want to switch), followed by Jorma (after The first option is a barge named The Almara.
14 kilometers), located on a hill at the edge of the moor.
In Jorma the characters can make a stop at the inn of The Almara, sailing barge
The Shepard’s Crook, where meals are served by the In their initial inquiries, the player characters can
barbarian innkeeper Unna. She also has a few rooms learn that The Almara will soon set sail downstream.
available for rent, as Jorma sees a fair share of traveling They are told to seek out Skipper Lorimando, and by
merchants due to its large production of wool. speaking to him they can easily catch a ride to Haraag.
From there on, the characters will not pass any He charges 4 shillings per person and 8 shillings per
villages until they reach the barony of Mederen: horse – however, humans and animals alike will have
first Glava (after 49 kilometers), which is Visara’s to stay on deck for the duration of the journey, regard-
hometown, though the characters will probably less of weather. The only thing that might be a problem
never realize it. Glava boasts a staging post and is if the player characters are known sympathizers
a smithy, where riders can switch to fresh horses of Queen Korinthia. In that case Lorimando, whose
and have their wagons repaired. The staging post, family has always supported House Argona, turns
run by the aged Kalivar and his daughter Ilena, sour and suddenly remembers that he does not have
serves as a roadhouse but has only 1d10–1 horses room for them after all. The player characters must
in its stable. Between Glava and Mederen lies the then take the highroad or wait 3 hours until they can
village of Rud (after 58 kilometers), a fairly large board The Drudge, a barge commanded by Skipper
settlement which, because of its proximity to the Oremo. Otherwise the conditions are the same.
city, has no establishments for passing travelers. The Almara, named after the former Alberian
queen from House Argona, is a barge both long and
News on the road wide, with two masts for square sails, intended
Visara did not leave much of an impression when for calmer waters but able to handle a bit rougher
she passed through a week or so earlier, but if the streams as well. Lorimandro’s destination is Jakaar
characters ask about her and offer a description at the mouth of the Eanor river, where he will fetch
during one of their stops, the Game Master can roll timber for masts, harvested from the tall pines of
1d6. If the result is a 6, the person they are talking Davokar. Other groups than the player characters are
to recalls such a woman passing through there not also traveling with The Almara: a band of mercenaries
too long ago. on their way to offer their services to the chieftains in
If the characters have reached the village of Glava Tharaban’s alliance, two liturgs returning to Haraag
or Rud in Mederen, it is possible that questions about a after a visit to Kurun’s Sun Temple, and a merchant
wedding and/or an event taking place on Sanctum Agani from Salamos who, along with his/her helpers, is
will also yield interesting information. No one will link heading to Haraag on business.
this to Visara; however, news has spread that the mayor’s
daughter is to marry the son of a barbarian chieftain, Leg 1: Kurun-Galaldo-Haraag
and that the ceremony is scheduled for Sanctum Agani. Distance: 68 kilometers
Timescale: 9 hours
The waterway
Traveling on the river Eblis to Haraag, on the edge of In Kurun, the Eblis flows wide and calm, slowly wind-
Davokar, and then west to Mederen, is a somewhat ing its way north toward Lake Volgoma. Bad weather
longer journey than the one on the highroad, but can make the passengers’ experience less pleasant,

90
 RETRIBUTION

but will not have any significant impact on the travel inside the town walls, and go to order some drinks. She
time. Traffic on the river is heavy with cargo barges as returns with a glass each of Vearra’s Red on a tray. Each
well as smaller rowing and sailing boats of Ambrian cup of wine is poisoned, two of them with a weak poison
design a common sight. Occasionally barbarian ships, and the rest with a moderate one. The Wraith Owl will
with their long oars, can also be seen. try to grab a cup laced with weak poison, to which she
The player characters can just sit back on deck and has developed a resilience (the Poison Resilient boon).
enjoy the view of the Ambrian landscape as it flows Player characters who drink from the wine and have
by: small groves, fields, hamlets and fishing villages. the Alchemy or Poisoner ability can make a [Vigilant
2 hours into the journey the Almara makes a short –5] test to detect the poison, in which case its effect
stop at a pontoon jetty outside Galaldo to unload three is decreased by one level (in addition to any effects
large crates onto a waiting wagon, before continuing from the Poison Resilient boon). The Wraith Owl waits
downstream. The closer they get to Haraag the less to see how things play out – if the player characters
populous the landscape becomes, and toward the end seem badly affected, she will stay to finish the job,
of the journey they can see Davokar form a dark line otherwise she will flee and make no further attempts
on the horizon. Finally, the Almara docks in the small to kill them. If the characters refuse to drink, she will
port of Haraag just outside the eastern gate, where it make up some excuse to get herself out of the situation.
will be anchored for the night. The crew starts tending The assassin will flee if she is attacked.
the ship while the other passengers get off. Should the player characters not accept the Wraith
In the southern part of Haraag is the Windsteed Owl’s invitation, she may decide to attack one of them
Inn. There the characters can spend the night and with a poisoned dagger, but only if she can lure the
switch to fresh mounts or buy horses if they so victim away from the others or create a similar oppor-
wish. The people of Haraag are known for their tunity. If the right moment never comes, the Wraith
horse-breeding, and Windsteed is a hub for many Owl will not make any further attempts.
buyers. A purchase (regardless of the number of
animals) takes 1 hour and is made at 0.9 times the Leg 2: Haraag-Mederen
price listed in the Core Rulebook. Distance: 68 kilometers
Timescale: Depends on speed
An assassin on their heels
If the player characters acted against the Sovereign’s The plainlands, with their moors, ranges and pastures,
Oath in Kurun, one of Ilonor’s hired assassins may stretch all the way from Haraag to Mederen, though
be following them and will turn up in the guise of the barony’s population is concentrated around the
a traveler on board the Almara/Drudge. Blackslash two main cities. From more elevated positions, the
has likely already been killed or exposed himself in characters can see Davokar rise like a wall in the
such a way that the characters will recognize him. In north, but only once they approach Mederen does
that case he is replaced by a colleague known as the the proximity to the forest become apparent.
Wraith Owl. She is short and blonde, wearing a town After leaving Haraag the player characters pass the
girl’s bonnet and an inconspicuous dress. Statwise, villages of Hillfield (after 8 kilometers) and Alderby
she is identical to Blackslash, minus the Marksman (after 17 kilometers). The latter has a small guesthouse
ability and the small crossbow. Instead she has Steel where travelers can spend the night and cook their
Throw (novice) and three throwing knives. own food for the price of 2 ortegs. Once in the bar-
During the journey on the river, the Wraith Owl ony of Mederen they reach Oswood village (after 52
will approach the player characters and play up the kilometers) before finally passing Stillthorpe (after
chatty nervousness of a keen but inexperienced trav- 61 kilometers). Oswood houses the inn of the Queen’s
eler. Her cover is a visit to Kurun to meet her future Banner, a local meeting point where travel-worn
husband, a dull man proposed by her parents. She player characters can find both food and shelter.
may also flirt with a player character who appears to
be interested. The purpose of all this is to make the News on the road
characters relax and reveal something about their Visara traveled to Mederen on the highroad through
plans. Unless something unexpected happens, the Elandel, which means that characters who chose this
Wraith Owl will wait until they reach Haraag before route have nothing to gain from asking questions
making her move. about her. However, gossip about Gedea and Laranod’s
As they disembark, the assassin asks if she may wedding has spread to Oswood and Stillthorpe, and
offer something to drink as a thank you for keeping if asked about it the villagers can provide general
her company. If the characters accept, she will lead details regarding the event, including that it will
them into a side room at the Rays of Prios, a tavern just take place on Sanctum Agani.

91
 ACT 3:

The Cost of Jealousy

In this final act the player characters get the chance to prevent the catastrophe
which Visara threatens to unleash, or at least deal with the consequences of her
actions. Everything will depend on how quick they have been during the previous
acts of the adventure.

In Mederen
Timescale: 30 minutes What is the time?
How quickly the player characters made it to
Mederen is a typical Ambrian border town, not unlike Mederen will have a decisive impact on the adven-
Thistle Hold, only much smaller. It is surrounded by a ture’s finale. The wedding begins on the afternoon
wooden wall reinforced with stone foundations, with of Sanctum Agani, four days after game start, and
a gate to the north and another to the south. The town Visara performs the ritual to activate the curse of
center is the Great Square, where one finds the town Agan-Re at 8 p.m. that same day. In other words, the
hall and the mayor’s residence, as well as a sun temple situation will be different depending on what time
and the homes of important merchants. Otherwise it is. The possible scenarios are presented below:
the town consists of two or three-story buildings of
typical Ambrian architecture. Arrival before noon on the wedding day
Mederen is governed by a council of prominent Player characters who manage to reach Mederen
individuals that appoints its own mayor (who for this early will find that the celebrations have not
the last decade has been Galatro), who must then yet started, although the practical preparations
be approved by the ruling family. But Baroness are underway at the wedding venue at the edge of
Edindra has little interest in the town. Her family’s
residence is a castle a few hours ride west along the
highroad to Sevona.
Other than locally, the town is of little commer-
cial importance. Sure, there is plenty of game and
timber in nearby Davokar, but for logistical reasons,
most of that traffic takes place on the river Eblis. The
only area in which Mederen has gained something
of a reputation is as a base for monster hunting in
the forest, mainly because of Aldamei’s interest in
the matter.
Visara is a well-known face in Mederen, and the
wedding has been the talk of the town for several
weeks. Player characters asking around for or
describing her, or seeking information about the
wedding, will get the information they need in half
an hour – both regarding Visara and how/where
the wedding will be conducted.

92
 RETRIBUTION

Davokar. Characters with questions about Visara are townsfolk, in honor of his daughter. Player char-
directed to Mayor Galatro’s townhouse in the Great acters asking around are directed to the wedding
Square, where she has been staying since her return. venue at the edge of the forest, where Visara, the
As long as they do not behave in a hostile or offen- bride and groom, and most of Mederen’s prominent
sive manner (or seem like they cannot be trusted), the inhabitants are gathered, along with distinguished
player characters will be allowed to see Visara in her guests from Clan Zarek.
room. There they can confront her about Agan-Re. At
first, she will deny everything, but if they pressure Arrival after 8 p.m.
her with details they learned in Kurun, she will soon Shortly after 8 p.m., the first wave of people fleeing
break down, hand over the artifact, confess and reveal the rampage of the blight born Laranod start to arrive
the full background of her unrequited love. Visara in Mederen: drunk, confused and utterly terrified,
will agree to anything the characters say – even if some of the them with fresh scratches or blight
that means being handed over to cultist-hunting marks. The player characters could encounter some
groups like the Whip of Prios – with one exception: of them at the north gate. They will be rambling,
she refuses to share the instructions given to her on crying, praying to their gods and raving about a
how to use the artifact. Otherwise she seems almost monster from the forest attacking the partygoers.
relieved that she can no longer go through with her
plan. If the player characters leave her alone, she will Later arrivals
quietly and immediately leave Mederen and go to her If the player characters reach Mederen this late, the
mother’s home in Glava. tragedy has already struck and all survivors have
made it back to town. These people can tell them
Arrival between noon and 8 p.m. roughly what happened. Characters who wish to
In the afternoon the ceremony begins. The guests examine the scene of the attack are free to do so,
gather at the wedding venue (see description below), but no one will come with them. Questions about
and during these hours the town is unusually quiet, Visara will likely reveal that she was among the
except for the long tables placed in the Great Square dead, along with the bridal couple, Mayor Galatro,
where the mayor is offering food and drink to the Chieftain Ingorod and many others.

Finale at the Wedding Venue

Timescale: 15 minutes (for the ride there) Resolution
A kilometer or so northwest of Mederen, just Arrival before 7 p.m.
outside the great forest, the wedding venue has During these hours, Visara is found in the middle
been set up in a large meadow between some of the party. She has put on a cheerful facade so as
low hills. The place was chosen because of what not to raise suspicion. She has given Agan-Re as
it symbolizes: the border between Ambria and a wedding gift to Laranod, who wears it around
Davokar, and the marital union between the two his neck, which the player characters should have
peoples. The meadow is surrounded by trees, a chance of noticing. The ceremony is conducted
except to the south, which provides good shelter in the afternoon by Liturg Odarea and the witch
from the wind. Fire pits have been dug, long tables Marlomon, after which the festivities begin.
set, and a small stage built for the orchestra. At A conversation with Visara will at this point
the west end, under some tall oak trees, a pavilion be more confrontational than described above,
has been raised for the bridal couple. especially as she will want to keep up appearances
Over 200 wedding guests are mingling in the in front of the many witnesses who are likely to
meadow, a third of them barbarians from Clan be there. The player characters must apply more
Zarek and the rest Ambrians – children, young pressure in order to crack her, in which case she
and old, men and women. They are dancing, finally breaks down and confesses. As described
drinking and eating snacks prepared by the above, she puts herself at the characters’ mercy,
bakers and chefs of Mederen. In the evening but would very much prefer not to have to confess
the Zarekian firemasters start grilling freshly her betrayal before Gedea and Laranod.
caught game for dinner, and the Blackbrew is If the player characters leave her alone, she
f lowing. Both groups have ten or so warriors will try to slip away and perform the ritual that
present, but these are as involved in the festivities activates Agan-Re, possibly a bit earlier than
as the other guests. planned. Keep in mind that Gedea, Laranod and

93
 Galatro will side with Visara in a conflict with the as an early warning. There will be 1d4+1 blight born
player characters, who might even be escorted guests moving around the area at any given moment.
away from the event by a group of heavy-handed The guards are initially too inebriated to fight the
barbarian warriors. If so, the characters will have monsters, so if anybody is going to intervene, it will
to sneak back and spy on Visara to have a chance have to be the player characters. In that case, they
of stopping her. will be assisted by one additional guard per turn
from the third turn onward (until five guards have
Arrival before 8 p.m. joined them). These have stats as a Village Warrior
This late in the day, Visara will have slipped away on page 216 in the Core Rulebook.
and hidden under the trees on the north side of Witnessing the result of the artifact’s power, Visara’s
the meadow, with a view of the wedding venue. mind will be torn apart and send her fleeing madly into
There she waits for the right moment to begin the the woods. There she will take her own life by hanging
ritual, which is when the bride and groom retire herself from a tree branch. The player characters can
to the pavilion to consummate the marriage in find her body there once the dust has settled.
accordance with Zarekian custom. This happens
just before 8 o’clock. They later reappear before the Blight Born Laranod
people as an officially wedded couple, and the real The young barbarian warrior has turned into a bony
feast begins. The reason why Visara has chosen monstrosity, almost nine feet tall, with overgrown,
this moment is her own sense of drama and the fang-toothed jaws, elongated arms and fingers
hope that Laranod suddenly becoming a stranger ending in sharp claws.
to Gedea at that particular point will increase her
loathing for him.
Race Abomination
No one will be able to find Visara at this time.
The other guests are not particularly worried, but Resistance Strong
if the player characters can get through to the Traits Armored (II), Corrupting Attack
high-spirited Galatro and explain the situation (III), Harmful Aura (I, corrupting),
[Persuasive –5], he can send five of his servants to Natural Weapon (II), Swift (I)
help them look for Visara, even though he does Accurate 5 (+5), Cunning 9 (+1), Discreet 7 (+3),
not fully believe their story. Make a [Vigilant Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 15 (–5), Resolute 14 (–4),
–10] test for the most Vigilant character every 10 Strong 17 (–7), Vigilant 10 (0)
minutes, with +1 for each person that assists in the Abilities Berserker (master), Exceptional-
search. Success means they have found Visara. ly Strong (adept), Iron Fist (nov-
ice), Natural Warrior (master)
She will then cancel the ritual and escape into
the forest. The Game Master decides whether Weapons, 2 Claws 11, free attack Claws
or not the player characters have any chance of Strong 11 as a reaction when hit. Each
damaging attack inflicts 1D8
catching her.
points of temporary corruption;
everyone within melee range of
Arrival after 8 p.m. the abomination suffers 2 points
At this point Visara has unleashed the power of of temporary corruption per turn
Agan-Re and unwittingly caused Laranod to become Armor Leathery skin 5
blight born. He immediately rips his beloved Gedea to
Defense –5
shreds before indiscriminately attacking the other
guests. For maximum dramatic effect, the Game Toughness 17 Pain Threshold 9
Master can let the characters arrive just as the blight Equipment Agan-Re around its neck
birth is complete. Shadow Black like the bog sludge at night
Otherwise the characters will mainly face the (thoroughly corrupt)
devastation, terror and chaos spreading across the Tactics: Aggressive beyond reason
wedding venue, with the raging abomination at its
center. As it tears through the crowd, the creature’s
corruption spreads to its victims, and some of those
who are not instantly killed turn into abominations Blight born guests
themselves. They contribute to the mayhem by Race Abomination
attacking the guests and each other. The Game
Resistance Challenging
Master can let the player characters witness a blight
birth as a result of the creature’s corrupting attack, Traits Natural Weapon (II), Robust (I)

94
 RETRIBUTION

Accurate 8 (+2), Cunning 9 (+1), Discreet 7 (+3), Arrival after 9 p.m.

Persuasive 5 (+5), Quick 13 (–3), Resolute 13 (–3), At this point all surviving guests have fled and only
Strong 15 (–5), Vigilant 10 (0) the Laranod abomination remains, feasting on the
Abilities Berserker (novice), Iron Fist (nov- warm flesh of the fallen. The other abominations
ice), Natural Warrior (master) have been destroyed. Among the victims are Gedea,
Weapons, 2 Claws 13/11 (short) her father Galatro, Laranod’s father Ingorod and
Strong many other distinguished individuals from the
Armor Tough skin 2 region. The player characters can either fight the
Defense +5
abomination or flee back to Mederen.

Toughness 15 Pain Threshold 8

Arrival after 10 p.m.
Shadow Glossy black like bubbling tar By now the abomination has disappeared into
(thoroughly corrupt) Davokar, and all the player characters see as they
Tactics: Violent rampage arrive is the scene of a gruesome slaughter.

Aftermath
Visara’s fate possible that some smaller groups turn against him,
If the ritual was never performed, Visara’s fate will thinking that it was his policy toward the Ambrians
largely be in the hands of the player characters. that caused the tragedy at the wedding. There is
Other people in Mederen will forgive her, without also an opportunity to engage the players: perhaps
understanding the magnitude of what she was tricked a representative of clan Zarek or the Council of
into doing. And if the disaster does occur Visara Mederen seeks out the player characters and asks
administers her own punishment as described above. them to track down and destroy the abomination?
If the characters hand her over to a group like the
Whip of Prios, she will be executed for her association Experience
with The Eternal Night. The execution will take place Based on what is suggested in previously published
in public – once the exhausted Visara has confessed her adventures, each scene that contains a chal-
crimes before the crowd, she is burned at the stake. lenge gives the characters 1 point of Experience.
Should the player characters decide to let her go, Retribution should then provide a total of 10–15
Visara will retreat to her mother’s household in Glava Experience, depending on the route taken and
and stay there a while. She realizes that her friend- what challenges the Game Master has included. As
ship with Gedea and Laranod can never be mended, always, the amount of Experience allocated may be
and that she has lost Gedea forever. What happens adjusted according to the gaming group’s play style
next is for the Game Master to decide, based on the and preferences in terms of character progression.
premise that Visara is prone to extreme behavior.
She could be overcome with guilt and commit suicide, Further adventures
or go all the way and join a darkness-worshipping Aside from the future role of Visara and the hunt
cult, possibly through her contact with Firodon. Or for the abomination, there are two clear adventure
perhaps she makes a complete turn in the opposite seeds to which the gaming group can return if so
direction and becomes a fanatical witch hunter, inclined. First, they can dig deeper into the activ-
fearful of her own inner weakness. ities of the Sovereign’s Oath in Kurun and possibly
get a chance to expose or eliminate Ilonor’s cell.
The future of clan Zarek Second, the player characters may be interested
If the player characters fail to prevent the blight in Firodon’s background. Perhaps there is a trail
birth, regardless of whether they manage to slay it leading all the way back to Yndaros and the dark
later on, the Sovereign’s Oath will set their plan in cult he was once a member of?
motion. The result of their scheme is not covered Other ideas, if the player characters managed to
in this adventure, but must be decided by the Game prevent the tragedy at the wedding, could be that
Master based on what best suits his/her own cam- Chieftain Ingorod asks them to help combat a beast
paign. From the perspective of the Chronicle of the (for ideas, see the Symbaroum Monster Codex) that
Throne of Thorns, there will be no seismic changes is ravaging the territory of his tribe. Perhaps the
in the near future; a solid majority of the lesser noble Aldamei Mederen would be willing to sponsor
chieftains remain loyal to Monovar, though it is such an endeavor if the monster is rare enough?

95
 Appendix
In this appendix you will find new rules relevant to the adventures – for example
guidelines regarding the dangers that await in Alberetor’s borderlands and about
how the hectic journey to Mederen can be made extra interesting in regards to
the ride. Adding to this are a number of artifacts and a few mystical abilities,
before the book is rounded off with a collection of handouts and player maps.

New Rules
The dangers of the and animals. All who drink from the streams,
darkened land eat from the crops, or hunt wild animals are
The corruption eating away at the old country at risk of consuming tainted food (the risk is
is almost imperceptible this far north and west, 1 on 1d4), which then generates 1d4 points of
manifesting itself in infertile soil, scarce wildlife, temporary corruption. This can be avoided by
and of course the occasional outbreak of undeath. a person with the Bushcraft boon at high eno-
The rumored horrors of the darkened south are ugh level who passes a Cunning or Vigilant test
noticeably absent. (the character decides which one). Note that
Technically, there are three ongoing effects the test is not made until the food/water has
when the player characters reach Sarli: been gathered, which means that one might
have to discard it all and find something else
◆◆ Nagging corruption. The first day of each to eat or drink.
month on tainted ground, everyone makes
a Strong test. Those who fail suffer 1 point Ability: Two-handed Finesse
of temporary corruption. However, this Most people fighting with a two-handed weapon
corruption remains in the body until the rely on its considerable weight, but there are
person leaves the affected area (Alberetor) or also those who cultivate the ability to wield huge
goes far enough west. No one can gain more two-handed swords with great finesse. Those who
than 1 temporary corruption per month from possess this ability belong to that category, and
this effect. The procedure is repeated the can use the length of the weapon to combat all
following month. sorts of opponents.
This effect also means that temporary
corruption gained from other sources, such Novice Passive. In the hands of the novice,
as the use of mystical powers, wears off more two-handed swords gain the quality Long
slowly than normal. After the scene where and can therefore be used with the Polearm
the character suffers the corruption, it takes Mastery ability.
a peaceful scene without any new temporary Adept Reaction. After one successful Defense
corruption for it to go away. per turn, pass a [Strong←Strong] test to
◆◆ Tainted earth. The darkness eating its way push enemies out of melee combat with
into the humans has the same effect on plants the sword. The enemy takes 1D6 damage, is

96
 APPENDIX

pushed back a couple of meters, and must for 1D6 turns or until it takes damage. All
once again face the quality Long. attacks on the creature hit automatically.
Master Active. The master’s flowing strikes count
as a chain of attacks against enemies within Ritual: Heart’s Desire
melee distance – if an enemy is hit, an With a successful Resolute test the mystic can perform
attack is made against the next one, and so a ritual to contemplate the innermost motivations
on until an attack fails. of another individual and gain a clear insight into
that person’s deepest desires. The ritual requires a
Boon: Bushcraft (expanded) mystical link to the target: a tuft of hair, a pool of
The person can read the signs of the wild, knows blood, or some cherished personal possession. If the
what places to avoid, and is used to finding food, test succeeds, the Game Master must truthfully, but
water, and shelter in hostile environments. While in abstract terms, describe what the person wants
moving through ruins or wilderness, the person can more than anything in the world. For example: love,
pass a Vigilant test to gather 1d6 rations of food and power, pleasure, justice, and so forth.
water per day, or 1d10 rations if that is the person’s
sole focus (no movement). Rule: Forced ride
Bushcraft can be acquired multiple times, in The speed at which the player characters travel is
which case it can be used in increasingly hostile important to this adventure. Therefore, we intro-
environments. For example, level I corresponds duce these rules to make their journey to Mederen
to places such as Bright Davokar and the outskirts more varied and exciting, replacing the rules for
of the mountains; level II to Wild Davokar and the Forced Ride and Death Ride on page 184 in the Core
deep mountain valleys; level III to Dark Davokar Rulebook. As always it is for the Game Master to
and the Underworld (the Game Master decides). decide whether to use this version or the simpler
Note that one must have spent a prolonged period one in the Core Rulebook.
of time in the specific terrain (e.g. Wild Davokar) How far and fast the characters can ride is
to benefit from the higher levels. determined by a number of properties possessed
by the horse and the rider.
Mystical power: Serenity
The beauty of nature is infinite: a blade of grass Horse properties
swaying in the wind, an ant scuttling across the A horse’s properties are measured in Endurance
ground, or the clouds drifting in the sky are all and Carrying Capacity.
proof thereof, and the instruments of the Hostess
can use them to both snare its enemies and provide ◆ The average horse has an Endurance value
relief to harrowed followers in need. The power has equal to [Strong+6]. It also has Strong 15.
no effect on abominations. (Other stats for horses are found on page
133 in the Monster Codex). Horses who are
Novice Active. With a successful [Resolute← not primarily meant for riding, but used as
Resolute] the mystic can spellbind even draft or work animals, normally have an
the most furious of creatures, which Endurance that is 1–2 steps lower. Every
immediately becomes passive, sags to hour that a horse moves at forced speed it
the ground, and heals 1 point of Tough- loses 1 Endurance. A horse recovers 1 step of
ness. The creature may defend itself, Endurance for every 2 hours of rest.
but all attacks against it are made from ◆◆ A horse can carry a saddle, a harness, its
Advantage. The creature remains pas- rider, and up to 8 items without penalty.
sive and may not perform movement Beyond that, each additional item adds –1 to
actions, active and reactive abilities, or the horse’s Endurance tests.
do anything else until it takes damage,
or the mystic loses concentration or fails Rider properties
the [Resolute←Resolute] test. How experienced a rider is in the saddle is measured
Adept Active. Like novice, except the spellbound in Endurance, which is equal to Strong/2. A rider’s
heals 1D4 Toughness and the power also Endurance decreases by 1 for every hour of riding
decreases the potency of any poisons affec- (normal or forced). The value can become negative,
ting the victim by one step. in which case a penalty of the same amount is added
Master Active. Like adept, except the spellbound to all tests. A rider recovers 1 step of Endurance for
heals 1D6 Toughness and remains passive every hour of rest.

97
 Conducting the ride 4 The horse sustains a major injury and can-
For every hour of forced riding the rider makes not continue. It needs 1D6 days to recover.
a Quick test. The Equestrian ability adds +1 per If the result of the Strong test is 20 and
level and negative Endurance adds a penalty means failure, the horse has died during the
ride, either from an accident or from being
as described above. Riding in darkness adds an
pushed too hard. In such cases the rider
additional penalty of –5. Furthermore, if the ride suffers 1D6 damage (ignores armor).
does not take place on a road or over flat terrain,
the Game Master may choose to include penalties
for that as well. A horse that has been pushed into Forced Ride
The success test shows how well the rider max- earlier in the day must keep making Strong tests
imizes the horse’s speed. Calculate the difference even if the rider switches to normal speed. The only
value and check this table: way to avoid this is to let the horse rest for 2 hours.

Example: The Ambrian courier Garrion is riding to

–4 6 kilometers
deliver an urgent message from Yndaros to Kurun. Gar-
–3--1 7 kilometers
rion has Quick 12, Strong 11 (and therefore Endurance
0-2 8 kilometers 6), and Equestrian (novice). His horse has Endurance
3-5 9 kilometers 21 (Strong 15+6). Garrion first makes a test against 13
6- 10 kilometers (Quick 12+1 for Equestrian (novice)) to see how well
the first hour of forced riding turns out. The result is 8,
a success difference of 5! Garrion has already ridden
The distances above apply when the character is 9 kilometers. He makes no test for the horse’s Endu-
riding on some kind of road or over flat terrain. If rance, as it is still 21. Seven hours later it is getting dark,
that is not the case the Game Master must make but Garrion decides to press on. His Endurance is now
the appropriate adjustments. –1 and his Quick gets an additional penalty of –5 due to
If the rider rolls 20 and fails as a result, he the darkness, so his value decreases to 7. The die shows
or she has suffered some kind of accident and 11, a failure difference of 4, and the distance covered
been thrown off the horse, taking 1d6 damage is only 6 kilometers. He must also make a test to see
(ignores Armor). how well the horse, whose Endurance is now down to
A rider can always switch to normal speed, 14, handles the strain of the Forced Ride. Unfortunately,
which means traveling at 5 kilometers an hour. Garrion rolls 19. An accident occurs and the d4 rolled
In that case no Quick test is required. shows 4. The horse suffers a severe muscle cramp and
cannot continue! Alone in the dark, Garrion curses his
The horse’s Endurance decision to keep going after sundown.
For every hour of forced riding, a test is made
against the horse’s Endurance, modified by any
penalties from over-encumbrance (as described Sleep deprivation
above). Riding in darkness adds a –5 penalty. A These rules were introduced in Yndaros – The Darkest
success means nothing happens. Failure means Star and are summarized below for quick reference.
that an accident has occurred. The nature of the Player characters can stay active for twenty-four
accident is determined by rolling 1d4: consecutive hours without technical repercussions,
as long as they make sure to eat and drink. Then
1 The horse gets a rock in its hoof, a painful
the lack of rest starts taking its toll in that:
wound that needs tending, or something
similar. The distance covered during that ◆◆ No natural healing occurs
hour is halved as a result of the stop. ◆◆ The character gets two chances to fail all
2 The horse takes a bad step, pulls a success tests
muscle, or something similar. Subse- ◆◆ All success tests with a result of 20 cause a
quent Endurance tests are modified by catastrophic failure. The Game Master deter-
–3 unless the horse is allowed to walk mines the nature of the failure depending
unmounted (moving at 3 ½ kilometers an
on the situation, but usually the character
hour) for 2 hours.
sustains some form of damage.
3 The horse sustains a minor injury. It cannot
be ridden for the rest of the day, but can
In order to recover the player character must
move at walking speed (3 ½ kilometers an
hour). rest for 8 consecutive hours.

98
 APPENDIX

Artifacts
Artifact: Argondin’s Bane Artifact: The sword Bluetongue
Argondin lived in Sarli at the time of the Alberian The sword Bluetongue, named after the blued steel
unification, and while the realm grew strong and from which it was forged, has been with the leaders
powerful, its border regions remained unsafe. of House Sarli for over two centuries. Its origin is
When a band of robbers from the First Realm inva- shrouded in mystery, but the weapon was won by
ded the landscape, Argodin led one of the militias one of the Sarli knights on a battlefield somewhere
in an attack against them. But he and his men were in the east. It is a mastercrafted fencing sword
surrounded and Argondin was captured. When with the qualities Precise and Deep Impact.
the intruders threatened to kill him if he did not Paralyze When dealing damage to an enemy,
denounce the Lifegiver in favor of their own dark the person bound to the sword can activate the
gods, Argondin calmly refused, confident that the weapon’s draining powers, which makes the blade
Sun would banish the darkness. Furious, the leader vibrate with energy and causes the victim’s legs
of the barbarians took Argondin’s own spear and to shake and their muscles to cramp. The target
drove it through his neck. Shortly thereafter the takes 1d4 extra damage (ignores armor) and must
enemy was driven off by Telgon I of Sarli. The legend pass a Strong (–5) test or lose its next action.
of Argondin’s sacrifice lived on and the spear that Action: Free
claimed his life was brought as a hallowed weapon Corruption: 1D4 temporary corruption
to the monastery of Maral the Bright, to inspire the
Lifegiver’s followers. Artifact: Agan-Re
Argondin’s spear is short, roughly two paces The artifact comprises a gold neck chain with a
long, and made entirely of bronze with a long blade. round charm. The front is marked with an abstract
There are decorative etchings along the shaft and symbol, the back with ancient runes. These can be
the spearhead is covered in ancient runes. The read as “Agan-Re” by a person with the Loremaster
weapon has the qualities Precise and Holy (but (master) ability who passes a Cunning test.
not Long). An expert can tell that the item is of Symbarian
origin. Given its powers, it may have been used for
Artifact: The Stones of Redim ritualistic blight births, as the Symbarians seemed
Redim’s background is lost in myth, but it is said to worship such creatures. Otherwise the history
that he lived in Maral’s village in the south and that of the artifact is shrouded in darkness, other than
he opposed the future Lightbringer’s attempts to the fact that only the most depraved sorcerers of
find a new home for the people, dismissing Maral’s Symbar could have made such an item.
visions as madness and arrogant vanity. Yet he Corrupt: By performing the ritual that activates
reluctantly went along for the journey north, only the magic of Agan-Re, a mystic can channel corrup-
because his wife trusted in Maral’s vision. Legend tion from the surrounding area into the wearer, who
has it that Redim was one of the guides who led then suffers 1d6 points of temporary corruption per
the people into the arid valley where they almost turn until he or she is blight born. The recipient can
perished. After everyone had been saved by Maral’s try to resist the effect each turn with a successful
sacrifice, Redim repented and followed Maral’s [Strong←the mystic’s Resolute] test. But the process
path to Sarli more faithfully than anyone. There is painful and confusing, and gives the wearer a
he became the leader of the congregation in both –2 penalty to Strong for the entire duration. If the
worldly and spiritual matters, and supposedly wearer has the presence of mind to remove Agan-Re,
delved deep into the mysteries of early theurgy. or get help in doing so, the effect is canceled.
In a box of darkly varnished wood is a cylin- Action: Like a ritual
der of cracked leather, surrounded by four Corruption: 1D6 temporary corruption
smooth, round stones, all engraved with sun
symbols. The cylinder contains a scroll written The instructions given to Visara count as a ritual
in spidery letters. The text works as a ritual codex, even though they are not written down. She
codex for the Exorcism ritual, but combined with thinks the artifact will make Laranod forget about
the stones it also constitutes an artifact that Gedea and stop loving her, and that activating it on
allows the person bound to it to perform the a day when their love is particularly strong (such
ritual unschooled. as their wedding day) will enhance the magic. But
Action: Like a ritual these are all lies made up by the Sovereign’s Oath
Corruption: 1D6 temporary corruption and fed to her through Belraya.

99
 aral the Bright Chronicle
14 Verion, year 369 after the Prophet
Our new baron has been in low spirits since his father’s death. He talks more and more about
a future elsewhere, about his children deserving a different life. This may be common thinking
among the people, but we are surprised that it has affected our rulers. Truly their minds are
fickle.
27 Verion, year 369 after the Prophet
Last night we could see fire in the sky. There was a terrible blaze somewhere in the western
hills. In this drought a forest fire would be unfortunate. Today we received word that Tarkomal
was on fire. Leaving immediately to help the injured. Many people are said to have perished.
5 Konelia, year 369 after the Prophet
Today the Prior returned from Tarkomal with a troubled mind. The baron refuses to let his wife
and brother rest in the crypt, burying them instead in Ogdeno’s provisional tomb. In our view
they are all resting with Prios, but nevertheless, this is a worrying departure from tradition.
26 Konelia, year 369 after the Prophet
The Prior was summoned to Tarkomal for some urgent matter, most likely regarding our chapel
there.
2 Leandro, year 369 after the Prophet
The Baron and his family are leaving Sarli for Ambria. Our Prior’s request that he stay and
care for what remains of his people fell on deaf ears.
19 Leandro, year 369 after the Prophet
They are gone. Yldemo came from the village to report that he saw them leave.
13 Serliela, year 371 after the Prophet
Today Singalea and the novices returned from Tarkomal with what they could salvage. Our
Prior was pleased, but still not satisfied. He says that we are running out of time and must
finish the task before the snow falls. We owe it to the dead, and there may not be time after
the winter.
30 Serliela, year 371 after the Prophet
Our Prior left the monastery with Firego and Singalea. They hope to reach the Sarli crypt and
be back in two days. Ralea wanted to go with them, but was told to stay behind.
3 Morangal, year 371 after the Prophet
It has been four days, and our Prior and the others have yet to return. The snow falls outside.
4 Morangal, year 371 after the Prophet
It has been five days, and our Prior and the others have yet to return. The snow falls outside.
5 Morangal, year 371 after the Prophet
Today the expedition returned. Singalea was in good spirits, but our Prior was exhausted and
Firego seemed ill. The snow caught them by surprise and they got lost. They reached the lowland
a full day’s march further east, and had to find their way back through untrodden terrain. Still,
they accomplished everything they set out to do and the dead now rest where they ought to.

100
 APPENDIX

6 Morangal, year 371 after the Prophet

After an arduous journey Singalea, Firego, and I reached the crypt of House Sarli. The snow fell heavy around us
once we reached higher ground. We found the crypt sooner than expected, however, and got to work. I placed Ogdeno’s
casket in the main chamber where it belongs, along with abandoned heirlooms that befit such a lord in such a place. Olano
and Letira were laid to rest in the chamber of their own line. The other artifacts shall remain here, so they can survive
at least as long as the monastery.
In case some member of House Sarli should want to visit their ancestors’ tombs, or the Lifegiver should shine upon
us and bring life back to this land, I shall now record the way to the crypt, as there are few of us left who remember
it. Follow the River Sidra north until you pass its second tributary, the first from the left. Roughly 2500 double paces
north from there you will see the hills rise above the forest. Continue straight to the northwest, without straying into the
woods, and you will reach a point where the rocks protrude from the ground. From there the path continues northwest,
then north toward the crypt. It is run-down and poorly maintained, and has been so for decades, but we left sun-shaped
cairns to show the way.
1 Ofeliya, year 371 after the Prophet
Firego died last night. The fever got him. May he forever kneel by the Lawgiver’s side.
9 Andonia, year 372 after the Prophet
Today Elando went down to the village. He says he shall not return. Our Prior urged him to
stay, but let him go.
16 Elisal, year 373 after the Prophet
Today Ralea reported that everyone in Shoreby has decided to make the journey west. In the
evening, Yldemo came and asked all of us to join them. He will stay the night.
17 Elisal, year 373 after the Prophet
Yldemo returned to the village. None of us went with him, though some think we should.

22 Elisal, year 373 after the Prophet

Now Prior Karkoli, Balmeo, and I – Singalea – are the only ones left. The other three left us, even though Karkoli begged
them not to. He and Ralea have spoken in private for many hours these past days – in the end they mostly shouted at each
other. She walked away even though she was in tears. The others looked mostly relieved. Karkoli says that the Chronicle is
my responsibility now that Tebria is gone. I shall try to honor that responsibility.

13 Leandro, year 373 after the Prophet

This year the harvests are poorer than ever. If things have not improved by the start of Ynedar’s month, our larders will be
empty by fall. Now that I think about it, that is precisely what Yldemo said.

29 Leandro, year 373 after the Prophet

We are discussing how to proceed, but are getting nowhere. My suggestions about seeking help in the west are being ignored.
Karkoli says he does not want to leave the monastery under any circumstances, and Balmeo seems indifferent and retreats
to the scriptorium unless he is forced to stay. Perhaps I must go alone if we are to make it through the winter, but then, how
would they survive back here if I left, if ever so briefly?

101
 The House of Rams does she live there?

The woman
Has not seen many winters, believed everything I told her
At least five inches taller than me
Dark-haired and slender, dark eyes, rueful look
Expensive dress, Ambrian style
Visits Taohar.s

Belt of red and blue, Zarekian leno weave no doubt about it

Talked like the people here, but seemed to understand little of our tongue
The man QS and Black LN
Tall, like her probably lives there
Young, but older than her
Expensive clothes, Ambrian style
He knew, I could see it in his eyes, but was putting on an act for her
Talked differently
The necklace
Gold chain and charm, marked with ancient symbol
The runes on the back read “Agan-Re”
It terrifies me. Bottomless, indomitable darkness. Death. It brings
death.
The ritual I was ordered to teach her awakens a primal power, that
much I know. And it has nothing to do with memories or love, as
I made her believe

Who will she give it to? Before the union is

consummated, she said. What did she mean?

102
 APPENDIX

To the left:
Player Map of Sarli, page 25

To the right:
Cloth with Lyra Symbol, page 41

Below to the left:

Belraya’s note, page 78

Below:
Exerpt from Master Eulia Vearra’s
field journal, page 83

From Master Eulia Vearra’s field journal from (reproductions of certain well-preserved specimens are
the excavations of the Cemetery of Edovar presented in Appendix 9). A hypothetical composition
Recorded by Novice Malkomo of the symbol based on the material at hand:

Third day in Serliela, year 12

Object: The structures around the
monolith, south of wall segment three
Agenda, team 1 and 2: Continued clearance of
the inner chambers, adept Kinedra in charge The central altar measures six feet long, eight feet
Agenda, team 3: Patrol, camp duty wide, and five inches tall. A crack stretches 4 feet from
its north end toward the middle. Both sides are marked
Agenda, other order members: Documenting and
with late Symbarian cuneiform, in poor condition
cataloging the central rotunda, Master Eulia in charge (discernible fragments are noted in Appendix 10), except
the west section of the east side, whose symbols read:
Survey of the remaining foundation of the rotunda.
Pieces of three chiseled, curved keystones found Translation by Master Eulia: “To
be wed [or sacrificed] by Agan-Re [proper
by the entrance, clear signs that the dome was open noun, reproduced phonetically] and ascend
to the sky. The north side was likely covered by [or fly/levitate] into darkness.”
paintings, traces of ocher also noticeable. The southern
half contains a total of 94 identifiable fragments,
once artistically cut, most likely from some form Continued cataloging and preliminary inspection
of benches judging by the other remnants. Carved of the inner chambers planned for tomorrow.
symbols or emblems keep recurring in the stonework

103
Once the conversation
dies out…
… silence falls like a heavy blanket over the world. The sudden cracks of the fire resound like hammer
blows in your ears. To make any noise at all feels like a violation of the unnatural stillness. The world
is absolutely quiet, mute like the dead. In the darkness beyond the wavering ring of light cast by your
campfire, even the moaning of the wind has ceased.
As long as you were on the road, the silence was hidden behind the sounds of the journey – stomping
boots, creaking backpack straps, clattering cookware. But even then, the surroundings were eerily
lifeless. Not even the buzzing of insects could be heard. Irena says she saw a bird passing north during
the afternoon; the rest of you nod agreement, none of you truly believing it.
This is northern Alberetor, on the border between civilization and the dark. You have not traveled
very far from the Cliff of Korinda, but still it is a wasteland, abandoned by both humans and wildlife.
The only creatures you can expect to meet are the dead that have risen again. They are out there,
somewhere. Somewhere in the darkness, in the silence.

Adventure Pack 4 features two scenarios that in different ways relate to the growing internal
divisions within the Ambrian realm. Call of the Dark plays out in the northern territories of the Lost
Land of Alberetor, where the player characters will accompany a lowborn noble who is looking to prove
the status of her family. The second adventure, Retribution, initially deals with the search for a person
who has gone missing in the city of Kurun, but is soon shown to involve events which may have serious
consequences for the relationship between the peoples of the Davokar region. Naturally, the player
characters have a chance to influence the outcome of the stories, provided that they handle all the
challenges that stand between them and a happy ending.

FEATURED CONTENT
◆◆ Two full-length scenarios, Call of the Dark and characters can eat, trade, sleep, find information and
Retribution, which will expose the player characters visit the local authorities.
to great challenges. ◆◆ Full color maps of the barony and the city.
◆◆ The Alberian barony of Sarli and the city of Kurun as ◆◆ Four artifacts and a series of new or alternative rules,
detailed adventure landscapes. such as one regarding Forced ride and another, The
◆◆ A dozen locations and establishments where the Dangers of the Darkened Land.