Saga of The Seasons Beta

5E
COMPATIBLE
Credits
Lead Design: James J. Haeck, Shawn Merwin
Writing: Alison Huang, David N. Ross, James J. Haeck,
Jessica Marcrum, Martin Cahill
Additional Writing: Ben Byrne, Joe Raso
Editing: Iam Pace, E.R.F. Jordan, Joe Raso
Proofreader: Christopher Walz
Art Direction: Matt DeMino
Graphic Design: Martin Hughes
Cover Illustrator: Lucas Torquato
Interior Illustrators: Anastasia Fedorova, Anastassia
Grigorieva, Anna Verhoog, Bram Willemot, Brian
Valeza, Daniel Correia, Diana Franco Campos, Erel
Maatita, Fesbra, Ingri Nedkvitne, Irina Nordsol, I.M.
Givney, Janna Sophia, Julio Azevedo, Kurt Jacobi,
Linda Lithen, Lucas Torquato, Marco González,
Marius Bota, Matthew Demino, Martin Roca, Matheus
Graef, Matt Dunn, Nguyen Hieu, Ona Kristensen, Rod
Menedez, Sergio Strano, Zuzanna Wuzyk
Cartographers: Matt Dunn, Josh Orchard, Damien
Mammoliti, Vita Naumaviciene Ghostfire Gaming
Product Design: Simon Sherry, Josh Orchard
Project Managers: Phil Beckwith, Kerstin Managing Director: Matt Witbreuk
Evans, Joe Raso Financial Controller: James Atkins
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Creative Commons: This work includes material taken Ghostfire Gaming Discord Community Managers:
from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) Ian “Butters” Gratton, Nelson “Deathven” Di Carlo,
by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https:// Tom “Viking Walrus” Garland, Caleb “Connendarf”
dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. Englehart, Cameron “C4Burgers” Brechin
The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
Production Studio
Head of Production: Simon Sherry
Grim Hollow: Valikan Clans - Saga of the Seasons and Lead Producer: Joe Raso
Grim Hollow: Valikan Clans - The Raiders Guide to Valika Principal Designer: Martin Hughes
© 2023, Ghostfire Gaming Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. Graphic Designer: Josh Orchard
Reference to copyright material in no way constitutes Principal Art Director: Suzanne Helmigh
a challenge to the respective copyright holder of that Art Direction Team: Marius Bota, Ona Kristensen
material. Ghostfire Gaming Pty Ltd, the Ghostfire Gaming Lead Developer: Mark McIntyre
logo, the Grim Hollow logo, and the Valikan Clans logo are Lead Game Designer: Shawn Merwin
trademarks of Ghostfire Gaming Pty Ltd. Senior Game Designer: James J. Haeck
Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction................................ 7 Onward toward Glory!........................66 Wrath of the Giants...........................140 Areas of the Blade-Blessed.................190
Dark Fantasy in the Frozen North. 7 The Sea Journey..................................66 Giants Depart Eastward....................140 Wreck of the Sea Dragon.......... 192
You Are a Game Master........................7 First Camp: Aristadt’s Edge.................66 Vision of Coldfire..............................141 Background.......................................192
Read this First........................................7 The First Raid...........................67 Bearers of the Frigid Flame..............142 Sea Dragon Features.........................192
Monsters, Magic, and More..................7 Speak, Hersirs!.....................................67 Come Hell or High Rime..................144 Quests................................................193
Calendar of the Seasons........................8 Guard the Camp?................................67 Pay the Piper .....................................144 Areas of the Sea Dragon....................193
Session Zero...........................................8 Arrival at Aristadt................................67 Epilogue: Winter’s End............. 146
Starting at 3rd Level............................10 Outcome at the Camp.........................67 Best Ending: First Flowers.................146 Appendix A:
Preparing for Session One...................10 Moving Onward..................................68 Bad Ending: Exiles of Ragvall...........146 New Creatures and NPCs......... 194
Beyond Session One............................10 Second Camp: Worst Ending: Ragvall’s End............146 Alvíss av Dvergholt.................. 195
Dealing with the Dead........................11 Kirkbridge Outskirts ..........................68 Defending Ragvall Village......... 147 AnimatedFlame Tongue............. 196
Creating a Valikan Character .....12 The Second Raid........................68 Defensive Fortifications.....................147 Aspect of Venin....................... 197
Roleplaying a Valikan..........................12 Assaulting Kirkbridge..........................68 Damaged Fortifications.....................149 Bloodbonded. ......................... 199
Your Origin.........................................12 Moving Onward..................................69 Downtime in Winter................. 149 Candlelight Daemon................ 200
Your Profession....................................12 Third Camp: In the Shadow Winter Quests......................... 150 Coldfire Ooze......................... 201
Your Class and Subclass......................12 of Erlefurt............................................69 Quests from Before Winter................150 Coldfire Premonition............... 202
Clans at a Glance.......................13 The Grand Prize........................69 Events................................................150 Drakes................................... 204
Your Clan: Ragvall..............................13 Assaulting Erlefurt...............................69 Quests................................................160 Death Moss............................ 206
Last Winter..........................................14 Moving Onward..................................70 Chapter 5: Gasdra................................... 207
Laws and Customs of Ragvall.............14 Conclusion...............................70 Exploring Valika...................... 165 GondulGrindalsdóttir............. 208
Pronunciation Guide..................16 It’s Not so Cut and Dry.......................70 Discovering a Dungeon............. 165 Hrafen av Skeir....................... 209
Chapter 1: New Downtime Activities....................70 Quests and Dungeons........................165 Hungerer Beasts...................... 210
Spring Season of Rebirth............ 19 Downtime in Summer. .................71 Reaching a Dungeon................. 165 Jarl Grimskjelle...................... 212
Leveling up in Spring..........................19 Raid Events..............................72 Traveling to a Dungeon.....................165 Keppmir................................. 213
Adventure Start........................20 Event: The First Raid..........................72 Bennuson Farmstead................. 166 Laneshi.................................. 215
Dawn of the First Day.........................20 Event: The First Conquest...................75 Bennuson Farmstead Features...........166 Meyana.................................. 217
Exploring Ragvall.....................22 Event: Raid of Kirkbridge...................78 Quests................................................166 Mjorks.................................. 218
Visiting Locations................................22 Event: Attack on St. Hermia’s.............81 Searching for Clues............................166
Mud Zombie............................ 222
Sparking Adventure.............................22 Event: The Sack of Erlefurt.................84 Areas within Bennuson Farmstead....166
Event: Storming the Palace.................88 Panjaian................................. 223
Undertaking Quests.............................22 Headwater Cave....................... 168
Event: Godrunsson’s Aid.....................93 Poffer................................... 226
Downtime in Ragvall..................23 Background.......................................168
Quests................................................168 Puck...................................... 227
New Downtime Activities....................23 Chapter 3: Rime Hungers.......................... 230
Self-Directed Adventures...........24 Autumn Season of Fire................ 95 Headwater Cave Features..................168
Downtime..........................................168 Seaborn Troll......................... 231
Raid Supplies.............................24 Leveling up in Autumn........................95
Areas of Headwater Cave..................168 Shatter Corpse....................... 233
Development.......................................24 Starting Resources...............................95
Hrafensheim........................... 170 Svangras................................. 234
You’ve Proven Your Worth.........24 A Conspiracy Afoot....................96
What Makes a Heroic Feat?................25 Adventure Start........................97 Background.......................................170 Tangle Weed........................... 235
Which Quest to Choose?.....................25 Burning the Ship of the Dead..............97 Quests................................................170 Unusual Beasts........................ 236
Development.......................................25 The Chief’s Eulogy..............................99 Hrafensheim Features........................170 Frostbite Fox......................................236
Exploring Valika.......................25 Awarding the Spoils.............................99 Areas within Hrafensheim.................170 Torcheater..........................................236
Travel and Downtime..........................25 Recruited by the Deceiver.................100 Hvitrfjall Peak....................... 172 Whelmer................................ 237
Conclusion...............................25 Traders from Abroad.........................100 Background.......................................172
Appendix B:
Ragvall in Spring.......................26 Stockpiling for the Winter.................101 Quests................................................172
New Magic Items and Spells..... 238
Locations in Ragvall............................26 The Chief’s Speech............................102 Hvitrfjall Peak Features.....................172
Areas within Hvitrfjall Peak..............172 Magic Items............................ 238
People of Ragvall......................29 Conclusion............................. 102 Cloak of Secret Shadows...................238
Chief Hrafen av Skeir..........................29 Ragvall in Autumn. .................. 103 Jarl Grimskjelle’s Camp............ 174
Background.......................................174 Elixir of Elemental Spittle.................238
Alvíss av Dvergholt..............................30 Downtime Activities..........................103 Flammable Tincture..........................238
Ása Lögmaður.....................................30 New Developments............................103 Quests................................................174
Grimskjelle’s Camp Features.............174 Fey-Eye..............................................238
Benna Stonebreaker.............................31 New Locations......................... 105
Areas of Grimskjelle’s Camp.............174 Heartseed Ring..................................239
Bragi Bennuson...................................32 R18. De Morencia Trading Post.......105
Oceantide Cave....................... 176 Lindwyrm Venom.............................239
Grindal av Halsfjord............................33 Upgrading Hrafensheim....................106
Background.......................................176 Magebane Bomb...............................239
Gondul Grindalsdóttir .......................33 Autumn Quests........................ 107
Oceantide Cave Features...................176 Pale Coral..........................................239
Gunnvarr Grindalsson.........................34 Old Quests from Springtime.............107
Quests................................................176 Scale of Gegazol................................240
Hlökk Warcrier....................................35 Events................................................107
Areas within Oceantide Cave............176 Scraglung Helmet..............................240
Mardoll Brightsea................................35 Quests................................................109
Ófeigur's Beacon..................... 178 Mithra’s Pinion..................................240
Mildrith Quickshot..............................36 Core Quests.......................................128
Ófeigur's Beacon Features.................178 Wyrmbreath .....................................240
Ófeigur Lightraiser..............................36 Chapter 4: Quests................................................178 Spells.................................... 240
Ranulf Skullcrusher.............................37 Winter Season of Death............ 131 Areas within Ófeigur's Beacon..........178 Suffocate............................................240
Rikarð Jarnskegg..................................38 Leveling up in Winter........................131 Sheltering Wood..................... 180
Thegn Arduinna Shinoff......................39 Raid Mechanics.................................131 Steal Shadow.....................................240
Background.......................................180
Springtime Quests......................40 Starting Resources.............................131 Appendix C:
Sheltering Wood Features..................180
Recording Progress on the Calendar of Gormadraug’s Herald............... 132 Calendar of the Seasons........... 241
Quests................................................180
the Seasons..........................................40 The Herald’s Champion....................132 Exploring Off-Path............................180 Appendix D:
Events..................................................41 The Herald’s Death...........................132 Areas within the Wood......................180 Abridged Raid Rules................ 242
Quests..................................................46 Adventure Start...................... 133 Snow’s Respite Hot Springs........ 184 Raiding.................................. 242
Core Quests.........................................58 Winter Playtime.................................133 Background.......................................184
Heroic Feats.........................................60 Approaches to Playing Raids.............242
Hlökk’s Defensive Plan......................134 Quests................................................184
First Blood of Winter.........................135 How to Raid............................ 242
Chapter 2: Snow’s Respite Features.....................184
They Came fromthe Phase 1: Preparation..........................242
Summer Season of Warfare......... 63 Areas within Snow’s Respite..............185
Leveling up in Summer.......................63 Sheltering Wood................................135 Steðihaugr, the Anvil-Barrow ... 187 Phase 2: Commanding Raiders.........243
Raid Mechanics...................................63 A Visit from the Background.......................................187 Phase 3: Storming the Stronghold.....247
Quests in Summer...............................63 Woman of Shadows...........................136 Quests................................................187 Phase 4: Return to the Longships......247
Defeat and Retreat...............................63 Quiet on the Valikan Front................138 Steðihaugr Features...........................187 Phase 5: Downtime Activities............248
Raid Plunder.......................................63 Stillness Unabated.............................138 Areas within Steðihaugr....................187 Raid Defense........................... 249
Season Start.............................64 Tension Breaks...................................139 The Wreck of the Blade-Blessed.190 Approaches to Raid Defense.............249
Battle Preparations..............................64 Survivors from the Darkness.............139 Background.......................................190 Setting up a Raid...............................249
We Sail South!.....................................65 March of Jarl Grimskjelle..................139 Quests................................................190 Running a Defensive Raid.................250
6
Introduction
Gather ‘round, young ‘uns. Stay close to the fire on this cold winter’s night while I sing you the Saga of the
Seasons. Heed well the deeds of heroism and folly, of glory and doom, and of love and despair.
First, I sing of spring, the Season of Rebirth, when all of Valika plants their seed and celebrates young love.
The cool breeze of spring turns, in time, to the heat of summer, and the last of winter’s ice melts from the sea.
Born of this bucolic time is the Season of Warfare, when Valikan raiders take to their longships in hopes of
winning glory the likes of which bards like I will sing of for generations.
As the raiders return and the leaves turn from green to gold, so summer fades to autumn, the Season of Fire.
You have seen our pyre ships, where the honored dead are given one last farewell before they are burnt to ash.
And before long, the ashes in the air mingle with the first white snow of winter. In this Season of Death, we have
only our fires and our courage to protect us. Harken, for I will tell you of the brave heroes of Ragvall Village…
—Bragi Bennuson, bard of Ragvall
Dark Fantasy
This adventure takes place in the lands of Valika, the
far northern realm of the world of Etharis. The lands
of Etharis are places of darkness and magic described
in the Frozen North in Grim Hollow: The Campaign Guide. The realm of
Valika itself, its people, its politics, and its creatures,
Saga of the Seasons is a dark fantasy adventure for fifth are all described in the setting guide which accompanies
edition set in Valika, a frozen land of hardened warriors this adventure: Raider’s Guide to Valika. Before running
and apocalyptic magic. This is a Grim Hollow adventure, this adventure, you should familiarize yourself with
and Grim Hollow is a setting of darkness, despair, and the setting information presented in this adventure’s
terrible evil. Heroes are rarely paragons of justice; they are “Introduction” (which you’re currently reading). While
mortals with foibles and flaws. In turn, villains are rarely you can read Raider’s Guide to Valika from cover to
avatars of pure evil hell-bent on destruction. cover, memorizing the information, it’s perfectly fine
Dark fantasy stories rarely culminate in wholly happy to scan the book and use it as a reference document
endings. Innocent lives are lost just as frequently as evil ones, during play.
and people must sacrifice all that they hold dear to achieve
their ends. The choices that the characters must make may
have no righteous answer—only the lesser of two evils. Monsters, Magic, and More
When reading this adventure, you will often see text in
You Are a Game Master bold. That’s the adventure’s way of telling you a scene or
location contains a monster or NPC who is ready to fight.
As the Game Master (GM), it’s your job to establish the tone New monsters and NPCs are usually found in appendix A
of each scene in this adventure, to roleplay its nonplayer at the back of this adventure. If a monster’s name appears
characters (NPCs), and to play monsters and villains who in bold but isn’t followed by “(see appendix A)” or a similar
long to bring a swift end to the heroes’ adventures. pointer, then that monster’s game statistics are found in the
Additionally, the player characters (often just called “the fifth edition core rules.
characters”) are storytellers in their own right. Though When you see text in italics, that’s the adventure’s way
they each embody a single character, the players have of telling you that you’re looking at the name of a spell
the power to make decisions that can change the plot and (such as hideous laughter) or a magic item (such as winged
world. The best GMs are eager to improvise, even ignoring boots). Most spells and magic items are found in the fifth
the text of an adventure, to ensure the characters’ actions edition core rules. New spells and magic items are likewise
have consequences—for good or ill. found in appendix B at the back of the adventure, as well as
indicated by a “(see appendix B)” pointer.
Read this First
When you see boxed text like this, the characters have
Saga of the Seasons is a campaign-length adventure for the
likely entered a new area or triggered an event, such as an
fifth edition of the world’s first roleplaying game. To play,
NPC entering the scene. This text is meant for the GM to
you need either the free fifth edition System Reference
read or paraphrase aloud to the players to set the scene.
Document (SRD) or the books that make up the fifth
edition core rules.
Saga of the Seasons | Introduction

7
Calendar of the Seasons A Soft No, however, is a challenging topic a player might
want to explore in a limited or specific way. Talk with your
This adventure takes place over the course of one full Valikan player about how this topic, which might border on the
calendar year. Each chapter takes place over the course of traumatic or phobic, could be used to make the game more
one season, which is made up of 13 weeks. The consequences exciting—and how the player can signal to avoid it.
of the characters decisions in each week may echo forward
into the future. You can use the Calendar of the Seasons, a Veto Power
handout found in appendix C in order to keep track of the If a player has reached their limit on a Hard No or Soft No
characters’ deeds and their consequences. topic (whether they listed it in Session Zero or discovered
they’re uncomfortable with the topic just that moment),
Session Zero they have the power to veto the topic instantly. RPG
designer John Stavropoulos recommends using a card
A Session Zero is a meeting between you and your players with an X marked on it and placing it on the table to veto
before the game begins to discuss what themes and a scene. A player can also say something like “I’m not
content you want to include in your game. Dark fantasy comfortable with this, let’s move on.”
can touch on extremely heavy topics, some of which can Some GMs prefer to move on instantly, no questions
remind people of real traumas or phobias they don’t wish asked. Others like to take a break, give everyone a chance
to be reminded of. On the other hand, some people love to have a snack, and then move on to give people a chance
tackling real traumas in a fantasy setting with people they to shake the awkwardness that sometimes comes with a
trust. You won’t know what subject matter the players are friend expressing their discomfort.
comfortable with unless you ask.
The GM’s Interests
Setting Expectations Don’t forget that part of being a GM is making the game
When setting expectations for this adventure, be prepared fun for your players and for yourself. Having a Session
to state what kind of content you’re excited to include, and Zero will help you ensure that this adventure is what you
what content makes you uncomfortable. Then, ask your and your players want, so you’ll all keep coming back
players if they have anything to add to the “Yes” list, and week after week.
anything they want to add to the “No” list.
Encourage your players to put things on the Yes or No Dark Fantasy Content
lists even if someone else has named it on the opposite list. Certain dungeons and quests have explicit content
If you know your players extremely well, you may not warnings so you aren’t surprised when content your players
need to ask them about what type of content is exciting or have vetoed suddenly arises. Additionally, there are some
uncomfortable for them. Still, even if it feels overly formal, broad topics listed below that may arise at any point during
it’s never a bad thing to check in with your players. this adventure.
By discussing these topics with your players before play
Voting Yes begins, you are gaining their consent to go deep and dark
GMs aren’t obligated to include every theme, topic, or with themes they feel comfortable with while also learning
type of content their players want to see in the game, but what topics to avoid so that you don’t compromise real-world
it’s a great way to build a list of cool things that will raise friendships. It’s generally safest to go with the lowest level
the stakes, up the intensity, and increase your players’ of comfort in the group. If there’s someone in your group
investment in the story. whose tolerance for darkness is so low that other players feel
that meeting their needs will make the setting too light, it
Hard No, Soft No might be a good idea to play an adventure with a more heroic
When the lists are made, go through the No list and ask tone instead.
the group if it’s a Hard No or a Soft No. A Hard No is a
topic a player wants to avoid at all costs; these generally Death and Misery
fall into the topics of traumas and phobias. A player who One of the most common dark fantasy tropes is anyone
experienced a traumatic family death may want to avoid can die, for any reason, and at any time. Death is not a
parents dying in-game, or someone with a debilitating meaningful, powerful event. Sometimes it just happens.
case of arachnophobia might not want to explore a Your characters aren’t safe. Your beloved NPCs aren’t safe.
dungeon of giant spiders, even though such creatures are a Even children aren’t safe.
fantasy staple. The nuances of this topic are great to discuss during a
If a topic is listed as a Hard No from even a single Session Zero. You might not want depictions of children
player, it shouldn’t be included in the game. The point or certain animals dying. You might not want graphic
of an RPG is to have fun! Including content that violates depictions of agonizing death. You might not want to
someone’s boundaries is a surefire way to ruin that fun. see the survivors mourning those who are lost—or you
They don’t owe anyone an explanation about why they may want all of this because it can, when done well, elicit
listed a topic as a Hard No. visceral emotional reactions.

8
Slavery players want to go. In the real world, war involves disease,
Nordic cultures in the real-world Viking Age, which the starvation, sexual violence, and other horrific events that
realm of Valika draws heavily upon for inspiration, often leave survivors with lingering trauma. This adventure
took slaves—called thralls—in their raids. The act of thrall- doesn’t linger on those acts or those traumas, but some
taking in Valika is described more in Raider’s Guide to groups might want to add these details to invoke the idea
Valika, and it is a divisive topic, even among the Valikan that the glorious bard-songs Valikans love so much are only
cultures of Kandar and Thrull. pretty lies to inspire the next generation of warriors.
Some NPCs in this adventure were once thralls, but
Drugs
they either earned their freedom or escaped. Consider if
Drugs don’t feature in this adventure, but narcotics and
you want to include this story element for these NPCs, and
hallucinogens exist in the Grim Hollow setting.
if you want this to be a potential backstory element for
Even though this adventure doesn’t include drugs, the
characters. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, if the
players may want to introduce characters who casually use
characters take captives while on a raid, are the players
drugs or suffer from addiction as part of their backstory.
comfortable with the idea of putting these people into
See Grim Hollow: The Campaign Guide for more about
bondage as thralls?
drugs in Etharis.
This is a topic that provokes strong emotional reactions,
so take care that everyone is on the same page before A Reprieve from Darkness
including it in your game. Oppressive darkness becomes boring without moments of
War and Plunder light to contrast it. The greatest tragedies are interspersed
with joy and triumph. Nevertheless, it’s important to have
Characters in this adventure will be called upon to raid.
moments of levity to prevent a thrilling tragedy from
There is no greater glory and honor in Valikan culture than
devolving into a tedious dirge. Balancing light and darkness
to claim victory over one’s foes and plunder their lands.
in your story is an important skill, and this adventure
Fantasy is rife with stories of war and conquest, but it’s
provides moments of contrasting tone to help you do so.
important to understand how deep into this topic your

9
Starting at 3rd Level Beyond Session One
When your players make their characters—which can be a After the first session, check in with your players to see
part of a Session Zero—they should start at 3rd level. what quest they’re interested in receiving next or if they’re
A 3rd-level character is an accomplished hero who is interested in finding new quests in the village on their own.
already recognized as someone who has completed a great This will help you prepare content for the next session.
task. When your players are making their backstories, ask “Chapter 1: Spring” is an open-ended sandbox environ-
them to think of one heroic deed that they accomplished in ment that allows characters to explore the village and discover
the past year. This heroic deed should be something that you Quests. As the GM, you can use the “Locations in Ragvall”
can see a real-world medieval adventurer accomplishing. section to identify the main hubs and NPCs of the village.
In a dark fantasy world, 1st-level characters aren’t slaying From there, you can use the “People of Ragvall” section to
ferocious drakes—they’re saving the village chief from a learn about those characters and identify what quests they
frothing horse that nearly trampled him or saving the local have to offer. The “Springtime Quests” section later in this
shipwright from drowning when her boat wrecked on a reef. chapter provides the complete text for the chapter’s Quests.
Encourage your players to collaborate while creating
their past deeds. If two characters collaborated on a mighty
Sandbox Adventuring
feat together, then they might start the adventure as friends Both “Chapter 1: Spring” and “Chapter 3: Autumn” are
or, even more excitingly, as rivals! open-ended sandbox adventures that focus on the people
of the village and the challenges they face as they try to
Past Deeds win glory in the eyes of other Valikan clans. These three
The players can use these suggestions to inspire what deeds systems—locations, NPCs, and Quests—allow the players
their characters accomplished in order to reach 3rd level: to start adventures on their own, rather than following a
plot laid out by an NPC.
Champion. You slew a mighty foe, such as a bear, a dire This campaign has a straightforward beginning to intro-
wolf, or another clan’s warrior. duce GMs and players to its structure, and then encourages
Healer. You used magic or herbalism to save the life of a the players to drive the story where they want it to go.
dying clanmate.
Protector. You saved someone in your village from But I Want More Structure!
being killed by a ferocious monster in winter, like a If you discover either through a Session Zero or through
hungerer beast or a sky drake (see appendix A for those play that your players want a more linear storyline, you
creatures’ lore). can use the quests to create a string of episodic crises in
Relic-Finder. While exploring Valika and the dungeons the village that the characters must confront. This removes
hidden in its wilderness, you stumbled upon a relic of an element of player choice, but it also reduces time spent
the past, like an ancient warrior’s spear, a rune-etched wondering “what are we going to do next?”
stone tablet, or the patterned sail of a longship. Additionally, players might find that other parts of this
This deed might have been done during the journey to adventure are more suited to their interests. “Chapter 2:
found Clan Ragvall, or during the winter following the Summer” and “Chapter 4: Winter” are more linear in nature.
clan’s founding, or it may have even happened before the The raids the characters lead in summer necessitate a string
journey, when Chief Hrafen av Skeir split from Clan Völgr of battles that occur in a certain order. In winter, the charac-
(see “Your Clan: Ragvall,” later in this introduction). ters must defend their home against invading monsters.
Gaining Levels
Preparing for Session One This adventure uses milestone level advancement. This
To prepare for the first session of this campaign, fully read means that the characters level up after they’ve completed
“Your Clan: Ragvall,” below, and the “Adventure Start” certain story objectives rather than when they’ve gained
section of chapter 1. This is the scripted beginning of the enough experience points.
adventure in which the village chief, a strong and trusted Each chapter of this adventure is designed for a specific
man named Hrafen av Skeir, offers the characters three level range and includes a number of milestones that
Quests that take place within the village. The characters count towards the next time the characters gain a level.
can freely choose to pursue or ignore the missions. It’s possible that the characters might complete a chapter
Those three Quests involve three NPCs: without having reached enough milestones to reach the
minimum level for the next chapter.
• Ófeigur Lighraiser (Quest: The Immortal Hermit)
This should be rare, however. There are more mile-
• Benna Stonebreaker (Quest: Thieving Churls)
stones that grant level progression than needed to reach the
• Mildrith Quickshot (Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter) maximum level for each chapter. Once characters reach
To be fully prepared, read the descriptions in chapter 1 of the maximum level for a chapter, they can’t gain additional
all three NPCs and their Quests. levels until they start the next chapter, even if they continue
However, if you don’t have time to prepare multiple to complete objectives.
Quests, prepare only one and simply have the village chief If the characters begin a new chapter despite not being
offer that Quest alone. the minimum level for it, you have two choices:
10
• Continue and let the characters struggle through Creating New NPCs
encounters they might be too weak to handle. This is a Ragvall Village has several hundred people in it, and this
dark fantasy adventure, after all. adventure only gives names, backstories, and personalities
• Grant the characters a level before they start the new to a small handful of them. If a named NPC dies, the GM
chapter so they aren’t woefully unprepared for the can create a new one and introduce them seamlessly as
challenges to come. someone who was in the village the whole time, but not
important to the story yet.
A savvy GM might even recruit one of the players to
Session Zero and create an NPC that’s linked to their character’s backstory.
An NPC should have the following elements:
Catch-up Levels • A name
There are pros and cons to both approaches, which
• A home clan or birthplace beyond Valika, from before
means it’s a great topic to broach during a Session Zero.
they joined Clan Ragvall
Granting a free level may seem like charity, but unless you
• A personality (try using the Ideals, Bonds, and Flaws in
tell the players exactly what they need to gain a level, they
the fifth edition core rules)
may resent you for, essentially, punishing them for not
being able to guess what milestones are needed to level. • A stat block (most villagers use commoner statistics,
and none are more powerful than a veteran of
challenge rating 3)
• A role in the village (if this new NPC is replacing a dead
Dealing with the Dead one, you can give them the dead NPC’s role, and have
Saga of the Seasons is an adventure that features a that new NPC replace the dead one as a questgiver)
recurring cast of NPCs who fulfil a variety of social and
narrative roles in the campaign. Throughout the story,
each NPC will be a major character in one or more Events,
Quests, Core Quests, and Heroic Feats.
However, this is a dark fantasy adventure, and no one
is safe from death or tragedy. As the adventure progresses,
your version of Ragvall Village will become unique to your
campaign, as the consequences of the characters’ actions
earn them new allies, cause NPCs to die or depart the vil-
lage, and possibly even dethrone the village chief.
As the GM, how you handle quests and events missing a
crucial NPC will be up to you, but here are several suggestions:
• If an NPC crucial to a quest or event dies, that quest is
no longer available. This option creates a personalized
campaign as certain parties won’t experience all
possible quests.
• If a crucial NPC dies, a another named NPC fills the
role. This option maintains coherency across major story
events. For example, the raid veteran Hlökk Warcrier
serves as the village’s tactician in the winter season
(chapter 4) and appears in many scenes. If she is killed
or imprisoned, you could replace her with the upstart
warrior Ranulf Skullcrusher, who has big ambitions but
little actual experience.
• Alternatively, you can create a new NPC (see below).
“We all hope for short winters and long lives but
hope isn’t enough to ensure survival. Pick up your
bow and sling your pack. If you aren’t willing to kill,
you’ll die, and we’ll find someone to replace you. You
will be forgotten.”
- Mildrith Quickshot, Ragvall huntmaster

11
Creating a Valikan Character
Prismatic Circle, a theocratic order of druids who claim
that they must make live human sacrifice in order to
keep Gormadraug, the mythic enemy of Valika’s ancient
This section is for both the GM and the players to read.
heroes, locked in eternal slumber.
The GM should read this in case the players need advice
Former Thrall. You were captured in a raid and forced
on creating a character that fits neatly into the setting.
into bondage. While you were held in Tyburn by
Clan Thrull, you saw their cruelty firsthand. You
Roleplaying a Valikan eventually won your freedom by either escaping or
The people of Etharis have a number of preconceived proving yourself.
notions and superstitions about the Valikan people.
Valikan raiding parties frequently prey upon the Your Profession
northernmost settlements of their nearest neighbor, the
Bürach Empire. Because of this, the Bürach believe the Valikans don’t raid year-round, and even great warriors
Valikan are murderers and thieves who venerate violent have important professions in their clans in times of peace.
idols which the Valikans call the Seven Heroes rather than When you choose your character’s background, think of
the divine Arch Seraphs. The Valikans also have some what it means for your daily life in the village. Listed beside
contact with the Raevo, people who live in the northern that profession is an NPC (described in chapter 1) that
reaches of Ostoya. While some coastal Raevan settlements you’re familiar with; you can deepen your connection to
experience raids, the superstitious Valikans tend to the village by including them in your backstory, and if the
steer clear of the powerful mages of Raevo. The Valikan two of you are friendly, indifferent, or hostile toward one
sorcerers of Clan Rune have made diplomatic excursions another, with your GM’s approval.
to trade magical secrets with Raevan mages, and some The table below uses the Advanced Backgrounds from
Valikans have even attempted to break into Raevo’s Grim Hollow: The Campaign Guide and lists the most likely
mysterious Ravencourt Sanctuary. professions for a Valikan of such a background. If you aren’t
These two conflicting views of the Valikan people—ruthless using Advanced Backgrounds or the associated mechanics,
pillagers and superstitious-but-curious scholars—demonstrate you can assign these professions to the standard fifth edition
the true diversity of the Valikan clans. Valikan culture values backgrounds instead.
honor, martial prowess, community, and self-sufficiency
while mistrusting, even fearing, the supernatural and the Ragvallan Villager Roles
inexplicable. Just because these traits are broadly true, Background Profession Bond NPC
however, doesn’t mean that your character must fit into the Academic Antiquarian or Archivist Ófeigur Lightraiser
Valikan stereotype. Player characters are exceptional people,
Aristocrat Envoy or Noble Grindal av Halsfjord
and those people rarely fit the mold.
Clergy Priest Ása Lögmaður
Your Origin Common Folk Villager Benna Stonebreaker

Common Folk Entertainer Bragi Bennuson
Valikan heroes can come from any place in Etharis.
Common Folk Merchant Gunnvarr Grindalsson
Foreigners frequently come to Valika as traders,
mercenaries, diplomats, and thralls. And, as described in Criminal Cutthroat Rikarð Jarnskegg
“Your Clan: Ragvall” later in this introduction, the clan Militarist Free Sword Hlökk Warcrier
you belong to has taken in people from across the Valikan Militarist Guard Rikarð Jarnskegg
world. As a new clan struggling for recognition, the people
Militarist Soldier (a Valikan Raider) Ranulf Skullcrusher
of Ragvall welcome those who can strengthen the village’s
place in these harsh lands. Outlander Beast Hunter Mildrith Quickshot
Consider your origin before picking your character’s Outlander Pioneer or Explorer Hrafen av Skeir
race, class, and background: Seafarer Sailor or Sea Gatherer Mardoll Brightsea
Kandar Valikan. You once belonged to a clan in Kandar,
the eastern realm of Valika (see “Clans at a Glance,”
below). Broadly speaking, your clansfolk shun the Your Class and Subclass
ancient tradition of thrall-taking and prefer diplomacy There are new subclasses in Raider’s Guide to Valika for
and trade with Bürach and Raevo. You are likely all the fifth edition classes. These subclasses grant magical
aware of the Coldfire Crisis—a mysterious, magical features themed around Valikan legends and culture. While
threat from the eastern realm of Volgen that turns all it the wizardly magic of the southern realms of Etharis is
burns to frost. generally mistrusted by the hardy Valikans, the power
Thrull Valikan. You once belonged to a clan in Thrull, the of runes is an ancient and respected tradition as well as
western realm of Valika (see “Clans at a Glance,” below). martial maneuvers styled after the supernatural feats told
Thrull society is supported by frequent thrall-taking of in the sagas.
raids upon Bürach and other lands. Thrull is home to the

12
Clans at a Glance Your Clan: Ragvall
Clan Ragvall is the youngest of the Valikan clans—and it is
The realm of Valika is shaped politically by its six clans, all of the clan the player characters belong to in this campaign.
whom are named after a legendary hero who followed Kenti- The founding of the clan starts with a schism. A charismatic
gern into battle against Gormadraug, the Prismatic Wyrm, in raider named Hrafen av Skeir boldly split from Clan Völgr,
mythic times. These clans are described briefly here and are taking with him his most trusted warriors, and about one
described in greater detail in Raider’s Guide to Valika. hundred other clanfolk who saw him as a steady leader
Clan Rune. Rune prizes magic, unlike many of the other that outshone the power-hungry Nolgr Magnusson, chief of
clans, for they were founded by the sorceress who lent the the Völgr.
clan her name. Magic is at the heart of this clan’s life, and Hrafen and his schismatic followers traveled south along
the telltale signs of magic can be seen in their architecture, the coast of the Grarjord mainland, visiting fishing villages
fortifications, and even food. They are a Thrull clan. and denouncing Chief Magnusson as a tyrant who made
Clan Sýr. Named after the infamous weaponsmith Sýr the new laws at his whim, and raided not for the glory of his
Seven-Bladed, the people of Sýr follow her virtues of clan or the glory of the gods but to feed his insatiable ego.
self-determination, combat prowess, and metallurgical Few listened, but those who did joined Hrafen in their
mastery. They are a Thrull clan. search for a new homeland.
Clan Völgr. The people of Völgr embody the stereotypical In time, Hrafen had gathered five hundred Valikans
image of a Valikan raider, fearsome, bloody warriors who from all walks of life—thralls, farmers, warriors, and even
go on savage raids. The Völgr enjoy a brutal reputation a deposed chieftain—and from all six of the clans. They
even among the Valikan clans. They are a Thrull clan, traveled ever southward until the snows of winter hemmed
and their city of Tyburn is the seat of power in Thrull. them in and they were forced to settle upon the shores of
Clan Mithra. Named in honor of the legendary bard Akkeri Bay within a rugged land near the border of the
Mithra of the Silver Harp, this clan is not only welcoming Bürach Empire called the Teeth. As hunger set in and
toward outsiders but is also the cosmopolitan heart of the faith in Hrafen’s leadership faltered, a warrior discovered
Kandar region. The clan embraces merchants, travelers, a statue buried in the snow. This monument was to the
and diplomats from across Etharis. They are a Kandar legendary shield maiden Ragvall the Blade-Breaker, who
clan, and the great city of Hrist is the seat of power for fought alongside the Seven Heroes who tamed Grarjord.
the Kandar province. The dispossessed saw this as a sign, and Hrafen declared
Clan Morgöng. Clan Morgöng is best known for his people to be the clan of Ragvall. All despair was struck
its spies, who are rumored to be in every court in from their minds and they worked as if divinely inspired to
Etharis. Morgöng spies take advantage of the brutish, build their new home on the shores of Akkeri Bay.
bloodthirsty image southerners hold about the Valikan Though many died that winter of cold, hunger, and
people; it makes the Morgöng unlikely suspects when exhaustion, Clan Ragvall survived. The winter snows
rumors of espionage surface. They are a Kandar clan. slowly recede as spring dawns upon the new clan’s first
Clan Limgri. Named after Limgri Lightbringer, a devotee year. Now, the Saga of the Seasons begins, and the
of the sun god, this clan stands as a dour bastion against champions of Ragvall Village will carry the fate of their
the dangerous land of Volgen, which burns with cold fledgling clan upon their shoulders. Will they carry it to
fire. This clan has accepted that the world is to end, and greatness? Or will they lead it to ruin?
that their task is to postpone that apocalypse as long as
possible. Others, however, see the end as something as
beautiful and natural as the setting sun, and welcome its
timely arrival. They are a Kandar clan.

13
Last Winter in the village’s longhouse, and the fighting styles of the
seven, passed down through the ages, are practiced by
Winter is a dangerous time in Valika, and not only because warriors who honor the old ways.
of the biting winds and bitter cold. Monsters emerge from Clan Over Chief. Hrafen av Skeir enjoys a place of respect
the darkness to threaten all bastions of Valikan life. among the people of Ragvall because he stood against
Last winter, Ragvall Village endured an attack by the theocratic cruelty of Thrull. He strives to never
dire wolves: black- and white-furred wolves of enormous become a despot like the chief of Clan Völgr and urges
size. They were repulsed, but supernatural happenings his people to not curry the favor of their chief but seek
continued. Spirits of the dead appeared in the waters of the the love of their neighbors.
River Heilag and whispered eerie threats upon the howling Win Glory. In battle and in peace, honorable folk of Clan
wind. Despite these frightful events, Chief Hrafen says that Ragvall are to pursue glory for kith and kin. Those who
they were lucky—the truly fearsome beasts of winter did act with honesty and forthrightness, who complete feats
not yet know they had settled upon these shores. of strength and heroism, and who treat friends with
kindness and foes with fury will be remembered in song
Laws and Customs of Ragvall for as long as Clan Ragvall survives.
Protect All Members of Your Clan. Life is harsh in the
Chief Hrafen av Skeir split from Clan Völgr because he Valikan clans, and everyone who is able must contribute
was disgusted by their megalomaniacal leader, Chief to the clan’s survival. Those who aren’t—the elderly, the
Nolgr Magnsuson. To Hrafen's eyes, Clan Völgr no longer sick, and the infirm—are cared for by the community.
honored the Seven Heroes who tamed Grarjord. The Völgr
no longer raided to bring glory to their people; they raided Clan Laws
to curry favor with their power-hungry chief. Each clan has its own laws and customs, yet all are founded
As the GM of this campaign, you must be aware that upon the words and deeds of the Seven Heroes who tamed
these values and laws may change over the course of events the north.
and encounters. As the characters grow in influence, their The following laws are hewn upon the Lögsteinn at
own decisions may shape the heart of Ragvall. A character the center of Ragvall Village, a sacred standing stone
who becomes the chief may institute not only laws but that bears the laws that bind the people of the village.
traditions as well, changing the culture of the clan. These laws must not be broken, lest a villager incur a fine,
punishment, or even exile. Beyond these laws, the village
Clan Values has a number of unwritten social mores that dictate proper
The customs of Clan Ragvall are shaped by the values of its behavior at celebrations, in times of mourning, and when
founder and leader, Chief av Skeir, and by those who first interacting with outsiders, which are left to the GM and
joined him during the search for a new home. In the spring the players to decide.
of this year, the current values of Clan Ragvall are: Treachery. Those who conspire against clan and chief
Venerate the Ancient Heroes. The gods of Etharis are for personal gain are to be outlawed for life. Honor
dead, but the ways of the Seven Heroes who tamed the demands the chief claim satisfaction immediately and
north endure. The sagas of the heroes are often sung challenge the traitor to single combat.

14
Lesser Violence. Those who commit acts of lesser Once gathered, these assemblies serve two purposes:
violence, such as inflicting a wound that will heal, are • For the clanfolk to address grievances that couldn’t be
to be fined weregild equivalent to 50 pieces of silver for resolved through words, barter, or violence.
each season of labor missed by a thrall, 100 pieces for • For the lawspeaker to publicly recite new laws and carve
each season of planting missed by a farmer, and 200 them into the Lögsteinn.
pieces for each season of raiding missed by a warrior.
Addressing Grievances. In Kandar, there is a
Malicious Violence. Those who commit murder, sexual
saying: “Though law be sacred, the most pious men
assault, or other acts of malicious violence are to be
dress themselves in plainest cloth.” It means that seeking
outlawed for at least ten years, if not for an entire
judgement from the lawspeaker isn’t an honorable first
lifetime.
recourse for addressing disputes among neighbors.
Vengeance. If an act of violence is determined to be the result
Such disputes are resolved first through words or barter.
of vengeance, the perpetrator is to be cleared of charges, as
Violence against a member of your own clan is an act of
the perpetrator sought justice through retribution.
lesser violence in the eyes of the law, even if it’s committed
Weregild. To avoid inviting judgment upon an act of venge-
in a duel consented to by both parties. If a duel is clean,
ance, one may demand weregild (“man’s price”) as recom-
witnessed, and without deceit, the loser very rarely
pense for the wounding or death of oneself or a relative.
demands the lawspeaker pass judgement upon the victory.
The price in silver for weregild is to be stated by the ag-
The loser would be legally in the right to do so, but it would
grieved, and the amount’s fairness to be judged by the law-
be an act of crass dishonor.
speaker. If approved, the weregild must be paid by year’s
If a dispute is brought before the bything, the lawspeaker
end, lest the offender be outlawed for up to five years.
meditates on the law, the offense, and the evidence before
Outlawry. Ragvall has no death penalty. However, eventually declaring a verdict. The chief is honor-bound to
the punishment for grave violations is outlawry—which, follow the lawspeaker’s verdict, and the clansfolk are like-
in many cases, is fatal. An outlaw loses all possessions and wise bound by duty to their clan to honor punishment meted
is exiled from the community. A minor crime may see out by the chief and lawspeaker. This system has served the
one outlawed for only a few years while malign sorcery or Valikan people for generations—though not always perfectly.
unjust murder will result in outlawry and exile for life. In times of unrest and mistrust, chiefs have exiled law-
An outlaw is a person outside the law. The outlaw is speakers for declaring certain verdicts, and clansfolk have
stripped of protections afforded by Valikan laws and the overthrown their leaders for executing unpopular sentences.
person is viewed as little more than an animal. Others Most cases are resolved within a day or a week of the
are free to pursue vengeance against the outlaw, including assembly, with long cases being tried over the course
killing, robbing, or enslaving without fear of repercussion of a season. On occasion, new evidence can cause the
from the law. lawspeaker to change a verdict passed on exiles or
prisoners. The chief is likewise honor bound to uphold the
Lawkeeping and the Bything lawspeaker’s revised verdict. However, many chiefs have
Law is sacred among the Valikan people. An engraved defied the revised verdict of lawspeakers they suspect of
stone pillar called a Lögsteinn stands on Shrine Isle, the being corrupt by or threatened by an outside party.
stone’s surface carefully carved with every major law. And Creating New Laws. The creation of new laws is a rare
for those who can’t read or who are foreign, the village occurrence in Ragvall. Making a new law is a major event
lawspeaker recites to them the laws of the village. in both the clans of Thrull and Kandar, for law sacred
Lawspeaker to all Valikans, handed down by the Seven Heroes. The
creation of new law is generally seen as the act of a tyrant
In Ragvall Village, the lawspeaker is a woman named Ása
or iconoclast. Indeed, one of the reasons for Hrafen av
Lögmaður (see “People of Ragvall,” in chapter 1). The
Skeir’s split from Clan Völgr was due to Chief Magnusson
lawspeaker’s duty is to know the law, to interpret it in times
of Völgr’s love of writing excessive, self-aggrandizing laws.
when the law’s application is unclear, and to lead clan
Nevertheless, Ragvall is a new clan, and its people
assemblies when the community is deciding the fate of an
understand that sometimes new laws are needed for their
accused person. A lawspeaker must have a strong voice, an
clan’s survival.
unbreakable will, canny insight, and unimpeachable honor.
Village Assembly
Only the clan chief has formal power to call a byth- “My hands carved these words into the stone. My
ing—a village assembly. Nevertheless, many impromptu fingers bled upon it, for we are no clan until we have
assemblies form when clanfolk grow unhappy and gather our sacred laws. Smile on those who uphold the
around the Lögsteinn to demand the presence of the chief laws as a friend. Any who break them must face the
and lawspeaker. A bything is assembled at sunrise and seasons alone.”
formally dismissed when a verdict is passed, typically at - Ása Lögmaður, lawspeaker
sundown. Most villagers are permitted to continue about
their business between sunup and sundown.

15
Pronunciation Guide
Below is a list the names of places, people, and things that appear in this adventure, including their pronunciation.
NPCs of Ragvall Village

Name Pronunciation Description
Hrafen av Skeir RAW-fen AH-v SKEER Human chief of Ragvall Village
Alvíss av Dvergholt ALL-vice AH-v DVAIRG-hult Surly dwarf woodcarver
Ása Lögmaður AY-suh LOHG-maw-thur Amnesiac laneshi and lawspeaker
Benna Stonebreaker BEN-uh Half-orc village matriarch
Bragi Bennuson BRAW-gi BEN-uh-sun Half-orc bard
Grindal av Halsfjord GRIN-dall AH-v HALLS-fee-ord Greedy dragonborn patriarch
Gondul Grindalsdóttir GONE-dull GRIN-dalls-daw-tur Dragonborn beekeeper with a secret
Gunnvarr Grindalsson GUNN-vawr Dragonborn brawler
Hlökk Warcrier h-LOCK Elf veteran and weapons master
Mardoll Brightsea MARR-dawl Human shipwright in love
Mildrith Quickshot MILL-drith Stern gnome huntmaster
Ófeigur Lightraiser OH-fee-gurr Reclusive human beacon tender with a secret
Ranulf Skullcrusher RAN-ulf Eager gnome recruit
Rikarð Jarnskegg REE-karth YARN-skeg Reserved human blacksmith
Thegn Arduinna Shinoff THANE ar-DWEE-nuh SHEEN-off Haughty lord of an elven enclave
Yrsa av Dvergholt EER-suh AH-v DVAIRG-hult Alvíss’s youngest, arrives in autumn
Jorrun av Dvergholt YOR-roon AH-v DVAIRG-hult Alvíss’s eldest, arrives in autumn
Other Characters and Creatures

Afjyra uff-EE-ruh Former druid turned champion of a dark deity
Aphaelon uh-FAY-lawn Arch Seraph of Peace
Claive Sullish CLIVE SULL-ish Norden vicar
Gormadraug GORE-muh-DROGG Evil Prismatic Wyrm of myth
Gro Stensdóttir GROW STENZ-daw-tur Ex-priest of Arch Seraph Solyma
Hersir HER-sear Valikan title for a raid commander
Hrein WRY-n Deceased Ragvallan bridge-builder
Jarl Mundilfari Grimskjelle YARL MOON-dill-FAW-ree GRIM-ski-ell-uh Ambitious frost giant general
Kåre Strongbow KAH-reh Ragvallan archer
Keppmir KEPP-meer Daemon-spawn fish-person
Laneshi luh-NESH-ee or lann-ESH-ee Fish-person from a society of necromancers
Lefsi Mannison LEFF-see MAN-ih-sun A great warrior from Hrist
Maelfa Erlekind MAY-ul-fuh ERROL-kih-nd Archduchess of Nordenland
Mýrún Stebansdóttir MAI-roon STAY-bawns-daw-tur Foreign trader and herbalist
Panjaian pan-JAI-an Mortal imbued with elemental power
Ruiadhri ROO-ee-aw-dree Elf-traitor bound in the Slumbering Wood
Svend Godrunsson sv-END GAW-droon-sun Half-elf assassin
Venin VEH-nin Arch Daemon of Deception
Places and Items
Akkeri Bay ack-AIR-ee A central bay in Ragvall Village
Álfavegr Roadway ALL-fuh-vee-gurr “Elven road” in Valikan
Bürach Empire BYOO-rock A mighty empire south of Valika
Elgrleiths EL-gurr-leeths “Elk paths” in Valikan
Erlefort ERROL-furt Imperial capital of Nordenland
Etharis ETH-uh-riss or eh-THAR-iss The world of Grim Hollow
Faeringfit FAY-ring-feet “Fishing boat shore” in Valikan
Grarjord GRAWR-yord A vast icefield in central Valika
Halsfjord HALLS-fee-ord A trade town north of Ragvall
Hrafensheim RAWF-ens-HAYM Ragvallan longhouse; the “house of Hrafen”
Hrist WRIST Capital of the Kandar Valikans
Hvitrfjall Peak VEE-turf-yall Valikan mountain with mythic past
Kandar CAN-dawr Alliance of diplomatic Valikan Clans
Lögsteinn LOWG-sty-n “Law stone” in Valikan, displays a clan’s laws
Mannavegr Roadway MAN-uh-vee-gurr “Human road” in Valikan
Morfar Ash MORE-far An ash tree of druidic power
Ragvall Village RAG-vall (rhymes with "fall") The characters’ home in this adventure
River Garthor GAR-thor A river in Ragvall Village
River Heilag HAY-lag A large river in Ragvall Village
River Ymor EE-more A river in Ragvall VIllage
Skarfanes SCAR-fains A trade city in southern Valika
Snekkjafit SNECK-yuh-feet “Longship Shore” in Valikan
Steðihaugr STETH-ee-HAW-gurr The tomb of a mythic smith
Thrull THRULL Alliance of warlike Valikans
Thegn THANE A noble title used by non-Valikan northerners
Valika VAL-ih-kuh (VAL as in “Valkyrie”) The frigid north of Etharis
18
Chapter 1: Spring
SEASON OF REBIRTH
For characters of 3rd to 5th level
The Saga of the Seasons began in spring, as the long nights of winter slowly melted
away. Flowers struggled through the snow, emerging just as determined as before
the frost beat them down. Fewer in number, perhaps, but those spring blooms knew
that, in time, tales of their valor would spread across all of Valika.
It was a time of peace and rebirth. In spring, we all trusted in the strength of
our heroes and our chief.
— Bragi Bennuson, bard of Ragvall
R
agvall Village is home to three hundred brave Valikans who have just weathered their first winter on the shores of
the Teeth. It is led by Hrafen av Skeir, the clan’s chief and founder, and is largely a society of farmers and hunters
with aspirations of launching raids in the coming summer. The other Valikan clans are aware of Ragvall’s existence
because of Hrafen's bold schism from Clan Völgr and have sent merchants and scouts to see how Ragvall fared during the
winter. The Valikan clans, while occupied with their own machinations, watch this new village with interest.
The “Adventure Start” section of this chapter describes how to begin the adventure, and what scenes to run to gently
guide the characters as the season continues. The “Ragvall in Spring” section details the village’s major locations, main
NPCs, and the Events, Quests, Core Quests, and Heroic Feats available to the characters. This is the part of the chapter
GMs will need to reference once the characters start adventuring.
Leveling up in Spring Major Milestones

The following acts are major milestones:
The default method for gaining levels in this campaign is
• Completing a Heroic Feat (see “Springtime Quests,”
by completing milestones. Characters gain a level when
later in this chapter)
they complete five minor milestones or when they complete
• Completing all three Core Quests
one major milestone.
Characters start this adventure at 3rd level and can’t
advance higher than 5th level in this chapter. Once they Dark Fantasy and Level Pacing
reach 5th level, they can’t gain levels from reaching This is a dark fantasy adventure in which characters
milestones until the summer season (chapter 2) begins. don’t go from dirt farmers to demigods over the course
of a few weeks. Characters gain levels at a deliberately
Minor Milestones slow pace in this campaign—no more than two levels
The following acts count are minor milestones: per chapter.
• Completing an Event, Quest, or Core Quest (see If the players feel like they’re gaining levels too slowly,
“Springtime Quests,” later in this chapter) it’s worth having an additional Session Zero to discuss the
tone and style of game they want to play.
• Befriending an NPC in Ragvall Village
If the characters go on self-directed adventures and pursue
activities not listed here, the GM can grant them a minor
milestone—especially if what they do takes up a full session
of gameplay.
Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

19
Adventure Start Dawn of the First Day
The characters begin play within Hrafensheim, the
Before beginning this adventure, GMs should read the longhouse of Chief Hrafen av Skeir. The exterior of this
“Introduction” and enough of chapter 1 to be ready to longhouse is area R1 of Ragvall Village (described later in
run the first session. The “Session One” section of the this chapter), and a map and description of the longhouse
“Introduction” suggests that GMs should familiarize is provided in chapter 5.
themselves with several Ragvall Village NPCs and quests The chief has not yet arrived, so the characters have a
well enough to improvise dialogue and descriptions moment to mingle and introduce themselves to one another.
during play. Let the players know that, if they want to, they can also
Once GMs feel ready to run the first session of this adven- describe what they do before they arrive at the longhouse.
ture, read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:
Introductions
Dawn is bright. Its light reflects across the crisp snow and The characters begin this adventure at 3rd level. This
shines through the shutters of your simple home. It’s warm assumes they’ve already accomplished outstanding deeds
and cozy underneath the animal furs of your straw-mattress and participated in life-or-death battles. It’s likely that they
bed. But this is no time to sleep in. The words that your all know each other, or, at least, know of each other. They
might even have shared backstories, such as being siblings or
village chief spoke at the Feast of Winter’s Ending last night
having saved one another’s life from a monster.
ring in your ears: “When next the sun rises, it will be the
While an introduction may not be strictly necessary for the
dawn of spring. The dawn of the Season of Rebirth! All
characters, offering them a chance to briefly talk about their
people of Ragvall Village must work to make our young backstory, class, race, and appearance may help the players
clan strong enough to survive the monsters of next winter’s get into character and offer some early roleplay interactions.
darkness—and to bring glory to our name when raiding Other Valikans. A dozen other Valikans were
ships sail in summer. summoned to the longhouse. To keep this scene simple,
“At first light tomorrow, I summon these names, they aren’t named or given a chance to interact with the
our greatest warriors and most cunning minds, to characters. Once the players finish their introductions,
my longhouse. There, we will decide the future of move on to the chief’s arrival, below.
Clan Ragvall.”
Chief av Skeir’s Entrance
Your name was among those spoken by the chief, and
Once the characters have had a chance to get to know one
soon, you find yourself at the door to his hall, with several
another, the chief of Ragvall Village enters the room. Read
other Valikans.
or paraphrase the following:

20
The door of the longhouse opens and a bear of a man, Three Quest Hooks
broad as they come, draped in furs and maned by black
hair and a braided black beard enters. Three others are “Though you may have roles in this village as farmers,
with him: another bearded man, the village blacksmith; a fishers, or crafters, I wish for you to help the other villagers
small, mousy-haired woman, the village shipwright; and resolve their problems. I’ve received requests for aid from
a tall, brawny red-haired elf woman, a great warrior of several Ragvall clanfolk, and I think you are well-suited for
the village. He says a few quick words to the three before the job. You’ll be rewarded, of course.
dismissing them and turning his sharp, blue eyes upon you. “Benna Stonebreaker, a matriarch of this village and
“My brave Valikan warriors!” His voice is hoarse a pillar of our community, has reported that thieves have
and booming. “Today is the first day of spring! And I’ve targeted her family farmstead. She needs help tracking
gathered you to help transform Ragvall into the strongest them down and retrieving an heirloom.
and most honored clan in Valika.” “Also, Mildrith Quickshot, our best hunter, has
reported that the elk herd her hunters planned to snare
Chief Hrafen av Skeir addresses each of the characters by have been found dead, mutilated by some beast. Villagers
name with fatherly sternness and affection. If the players gave are beginning to whisper that a monster of winter’s
you a backstory with the great deeds they accomplished to get darkness still lurks in the Sheltering Wood, and she wants
to 3rd level, he mentions these mighty deeds alongside their reinforcements on her next hunt.
names (see “Starting at 3rd Level” in the Introduction). “Finally, I’ve heard that the lighthouse keeper has
not been seen since before winter’s end, yet somehow
“I have a plan to make this small village known throughout
the beacon remains lit. This is a strange request, but one
the North. It begins with spring: a season for sowing seeds.
that bears investigation. The villagers are superstitious—
In summer, we will water those seeds with the blood of
rightly so, after last winter—and fear that which cannot
warriors and the songs of bards. In fall, we will harvest the
be explained.”
fruits of their heroism. And in winter, we will survive.
“Spring is the Season of Rebirth. Come summer, our
clan must be ready to send its strongest warriors in strong
These three suggestions lead the characters to notable
NPCs and their quests:
ships and with sharp blades raiding along the coast. I am
trusting in your strength and cunning to ensure that we are • Ófeigur’s Beacon (area R12) introduces Ófeigur
Lightraiser and starts Quest: The Immortal Hermit.
prepared for the raiding season when the last of the sea ice
• Bennuson Farmstead (area R8) introduces Benna
melts away.
Stonebreaker and starts Quest: Thieving Churls.
• The Hunters’ Cabins (area R15) introduces Mildrith
The chief wants the characters to prove themselves Quickshot and starts Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter.
worthy of being named Hersirs—raid captains. He
doesn’t say this aloud yet, but he does answer questions These three Quests offer the simplest and easiest start
about Ragvall and his plans for the future to the best to the characters’ adventures in Ragvall Village. If the
of his ability (using the information described in the characters want to find adventure elsewhere, they can find
Introduction chapter of this adventure). other Quests by exploring the village and talking to the
Once the characters have asked questions, the chief villagers. Alternatively, the GM can also drop a quest hook
gives the characters their first quest hooks (see “Three in their lap by having the chief or another villager let them
Quest Hooks,” below). know that someone has been seeking help.
Who Were the Others? The three NPCs Chief av Skeir Departing the Longhouse
was speaking to are important members of the village.
Once the characters hear the chief’s suggestions for
They give the three Core Quests the characters can under-
Quests, he bids them a good day and begins writing a
take in this chapter. The three NPCs are Rikarð Jarnskegg,
letter to allies in another clan. The characters are now free
the blacksmith; Mardoll Brightsea, the shipwright; and
to explore Ragvall Village as they see fit (see “Exploring
Hlökk Warcrier, the veteran. (See their character descrip-
Ragvall,” below).
tions later in this chapter.)
Development
Once the characters have completed three Quests (not
“Do not indulge in the warmth of spring. Pups that including Core Quests or Heroic Feats), the chief summons
have never known winter don’t join the hunt if they them once again to discuss this season’s Core Quests (see
can’t prove their strength.” “Raid Supplies,” later in this chapter).
- Hlökk Warcrier

21
Exploring Ragvall Sparking Adventure
In springtime, Ragvall Village is a sandbox environment
Once the characters depart Hrafensheim, display the map the characters can explore freely. The village is new with
of Ragvall Village for your players. Place a miniature only a few hundred people living within its loosely defined
figure or another token on Hrafensheim (area R1) to mark borders, but adventure lurks in every corner. Nevertheless,
where the characters currently are. Ask them where they if the characters don’t seek out adventure, they’ll never find
want to go or if they want information about a location. it and may need the GM to nudge them forward.
Once they decide where to go, move the token to that The three quest hooks that the Ragvall chief mentions
location and describe how they get there (or ask the are a useful, if obvious, prod. A more subtle nudge would
players to describe it). have the players meet a village NPC in need of help. There
Each village location is described in the “Locations in isn’t a random encounter table for quests. Instead, GMs
Ragvall” section, later in this chapter. The GM can use the should contextualize the villagers as the supporting cast of
information in this section to describe a location the first a book or TV show, and each session functions as a chapter
time the characters visit it. or an episode. With this in mind, decide which NPC the
If the characters have forgotten details about the characters to “randomly” bump into, and then share an
NPCs or the quests mentioned by the chief, it’s okay to adventuresome problem that they need help solving.
remind them.
Undertaking Quests
Visiting Locations
Each quest in this season is tied to an NPC. When the
Let the players pick where to go. This can simply be characters talk with that NPC, it’s the GM’s job to find a
handled by letting them point at the map and say, way to reveal that quest. Some GMs like to share plot hooks
“we want to go here.” They’re the ones leading the organically by dropping hints in conversation that for the
adventure. Once they decide where to go, move the players to pick up on. Others like to take a video game-like
token that represents their location to that new spot. approach and write the names of quests and their quest-
Then, find their destination in the “Locations in givers on index cards to hand to their players to keep until
Ragvall” section, later in this chapter. There’s boxed the quest is completed.
text that you can read or paraphrase to set the scene as No matter the method, this season’s Events, Quests,
they arrive for the first time. Core Quests, and Heroic Feats are found in the
Once an area is chosen, it’s up to the characters to “Springtime Quests” section, at the end of this chapter.
interact with NPCs or investigate the environment. Similarly, a short blurb about each quest is included in
each NPC’s description in the “People of Ragvall” section.
Ragvall Village
Feet R16
0 150 300 R15
R12 River Ymor

R14
R13
River Heilag
Akkeri Bay
R17
R1 R3
R5 R4
R2
R8 R10
River G R6
art
hor
R7
R9
R11

22
Downtime in Ragvall Gather Timber
While Ragvall Village is surrounded by forests, it is also
After completing a Quest, characters usually need to take plagued by superstitions about the woods. Characters can
one week of downtime, though some Quests don't require try to organize villagers to fell trees in the woods, but this
downtime between adventures. This downtime represents requires the characters to help the villagers overcome their
them recovering from the wounds, fatigue, and stress gained fear. If the characters are successful, they're able to bring
while adventuring. It also represents them going about their back timber. If they fail, the week is wasted as they fail to
daily lives as members of a small, agrarian village. Even ad- assuage the villagers of their fears.
venturers need to pull their weight as farmers, fishers, and Alvíss’s Timberland. Alvíss av Dvergholt (see “People
artisans when the village is only three hundred souls. of Ragvall,” later in this chapter) watches over a grove
If you use the downtime rules in the fifth edition core important to his druidic faith. However, he lets the
rules, the characters can use this time to perform downtime Ragvallans sparingly harvest wood from trees felled by the
activities. No matter what activities the players pursue, mark wind, but at a cost. If the characters pay 1 gp per pound of
off the week on the Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix windfall, they're able to harvest up to 200 lbs. of timber per
C) and advance to the next week. Each season on Etharis week from the druid’s grove.
is composed of thirteen weeks over three months. Once Sheltering Wood. The woods north of Ragvall Village
those thirteen weeks pass, the spring chapter ends and the are rumored to hold elves and ancient spirits, and the
summer chapter begins, regardless of many Core Quests the superstitious villagers avoid felling its trees. However,
characters completed or what level the characters reached the characters can organize a logging party to the forest
(see “Gaining Levels” in the “Introduction” chapter). outskirts. This expedition requires one week of downtime
and can be done as a downtime activity. One of the
characters in the group must make a Charisma check to
New Downtime Activities lead the group efficiently, one must make Wisdom (Animal
When the characters have a week or more of downtime, Handling) check to supervise the animals dragging logs
they can spend it doing one of the activities described in back to town, and one must make a Wisdom (Perception)
the fifth edition core rules. They can also spend this time check to keep watch for dangerous predators or
on one of the following group activities. Unlike other malicious spirits.
downtime activities, which only a single character can do, Add the results of these checks together and compare
these downtime activities must be done as a full party. the total result to the table below to determine how much
timber the expedition brings back to Ragvall.
Gather Iron
Prerequisite: Must have discovered Headwater Cave and Timber Gathering Expedition
defeated the monsters inside (see chapter 5) Combined Check Result Amount of Timber Acquired
At the start of spring, the people of Ragvall lack a reliable 0–20 50 lbs.
source of iron for their tools and weapons. Characters who 21–40 100 lbs.
explore outside the village may discover Headwater Cave—a
41–60 200 lbs.
natural cavern north of Halsfjord containing a rich vein of
iron ore guarded by unruly fey spirits. (see chapter 5). 61+ 400 lbs.
After clearing the cave, the characters can spend one The villagers are deeply fearful of the woods, since
week of downtime to organize a mining expedition but this dangerous monsters emerged from it in winter. These
activity requires the entire group. The party makes several checks are made with disadvantage until the characters
ability checks to determine the successs of the expedition. have completed Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur.
One character must make a Charisma check to lead the
group, one must make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check Eyes of the Elves
to safely manage pack animals, and one must make a Logging the Sheltering Woods upsets the elves living within
Wisdom (Perception) check to watch for danger. its boughs.
Add the results of these checks together and compare Two Expeditions. After the characters have undertaken
the total result to the table below to determine how much two logging expeditions into the Sheltering Wood, run
iron ore the expedition brings back to Ragvall. Event: Eyes in the Woods, if you haven’t already.
Four Expeditions. The fourth time they lead a logging
Ore Gathering Expedition
expedition into the Sheltering Wood, run Event: Elven
Combined Check Result Amount of Iron Acquired Arrows. This event doesn’t occur if they have already
0–20 10 lbs. completed Event: The Elven-Thegn Appears.
21–40 30 lbs. These can be found in the “Events”section, later in
this chapter.
41–60 60 lbs.
61+ 100 lbs.

23
Self-Directed Adventures
“I’d like to ask you to aid them. Even if you aid only one
of them, we’ll be better off. Jarnskegg the blacksmith seeks
five hundred pounds of raw iron to forge into swords and
There’s a world outside of Ragvall Village to explore,
too! Not all of Valika is available to be explored in this axes. Brightsea the shipwright seeks two thousand pounds
season—the winter ice hasn’t fully receded, making travel of timber to reinforce and expand our fleet. And Warcrier
on foot or by sea all but impossible. Even within the the veteran seeks more instructors for her warriors.
vicinity of Ragvall, the springtime lands of Valika are “You’ll likely find some of these supplies during your
dangerous, crawling with monstrous whelps left from the adventures, and they can also be gathered during your
receding winter. downtime. Training warriors will take both downtime and
See the “Exploring Valika” section later in this chapter opportunities you could otherwise spend adventuring—but
for more information about the locations surrounding I feel certain that such time and effort will offer the greatest
Ragvall Village. benefit to our warriors.”
To summarize the above boxed text, Chief av Skeir has

Raid Supplies three Core Quests to offer the characters (on behalf of
three NPCs):
Prerequisite: Completed three Quests or begun the fifth • Core Quest: Raider’s Blades (Rikarð Jarnskegg)
week of spring • Core Quest: Dragon Ships (Mardoll Brightsea)
The characters are summoned to Hrafensheim once they • Core Quest: Greenhorn Warrior Training
have completed either of this scene’s prerequisites. The (Hlökk Warcrier)
village chief is either impressed with the characters’ rapid These quests are described in the “Core Quests” section,
progress (if they completed three Quests), or nervous about later in this chapter. The first two are resource-collection
the rapid approach of summer (if the fifth week of spring tasks the characters can complete during their adventures by
has just begun). finding resources in dungeons or through spending downtime
Read or paraphrase the following when the characters to go chopping wood or mining ore. The third requires the
come to Hrafensheim: characters to spend time training untested warriors.
Chief Hrafen av Skeir, dressed in a simple black tunic,

spars with a wooden sword and shield against one of the
Development
village’s warriors. As you enter, the chief notices you, Once one of these Core Quests is completed, the chief
but turns all his focus to the fight. In three strokes of his proudly invites the characters back to his longhouse to
training blade, he knocks the warrior onto the floor. discuss embarking upon a Heroic Feat (see “You’ve Proven
“Keep training and strengthen your shield arm. You’ll Your Worth,” below). The characters can still complete
do well,” the chief says, and claps the warrior on the
other Core Quests after this occurs.
shoulder as he helps him up. He turns to you. “My best
warriors. Summer is coming; let’s talk.”
The chief sits at one of the tables and a serving boy
presents clay steins and bottles of mead. “Several weeks
You’ve Proven Your Worth
ago, I set our village’s blacksmith, our shipwright, and Prerequisite: Completed one Core Quest
our most seasoned veteran to preparing our blades, Upon completing the prerequisite, Chief Hrafen summons the
ships, and warriors for the raids to come in summer. characters to the longhouse once more. However, he’s joined
Without all three, there can be no raid—and no glory for by the village bard, Bragi Bennuson. Read or paraphrase the
Ragvall. All assure me that we’re likely to reach the bare following as the characters enter Hrafensheim:
minimum of readiness, but all three have also asked me for
Chief Hrafen av Skeir raises a hand in greeting as
additional aid.
you enter the longhouse. The village bard plays a low,
“More blades and tools will better supply our warriors.
brooding melody.
Sturdier ships will make travel faster and safer—and
“Gather, warriors,” he says, gesturing you in with an
provide more room for plunder. And better-trained
outstretched arm. He smiles wearily. “I’ve heard word that
warriors… well, I trust you understand the value of that!”
you’ve done the village a great service. It was a practical
one, yes, and not a particularly song-worthy one… but that
The chief unfurls a map of Ragvall Village, and points to
is what I intend to correct here today.”
Jarnskegg’s Smithy (area R2), the Snekkjafit (area R14),
and the Proving Field (area R13). He explains what these The chief smiles. “You must undertake a glorious quest.
Quests require: One the bards will sing about. One that will inspire each of
our raiders to fight like ten warriors.”

24
The instrument Bragi the bard is playing is a tagelharpa, a Development
three-stringed, bowed instrument with a beautiful, somber
tone. If the characters succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight It’s not necessary to complete a Heroic Feat to conclude the
or Perception) check, they notice that the even though spring season, but it does provide benefits to raiding parties
the chief is projecting power and confidence, he has dark in summer (chapter 2), and it affects how the characters
circles under his eyes. are viewed in autumn (chapter 3). These developments are
described in the Heroic Feats section (see “Heroic Feats,”
in the “Springtime Quests” section of this chapter).
What Makes a Heroic Feat?
Exploring Valika
The chief explains that a Heroic Feat is an exceptional
act that proves the characters are heroes worthy of being
memorialized in song, and include the following:
The characters can explore beyond Ragvall Village by
An Act of Martial Might spending one week of downtime. This week represents
A Heroic Feat can be a great act of combat, such as slaying the round trip of traveling to a location, exploring, and
a monster or a rival clan’s greatest champion. traveling back. At the GM’s discretion, traveling to an
The bard Bragi chimes in: “Like when the heroic Limgri especially distant locale could take two weeks or more,
held off an army of undead warriors who raided even in which could cause the characters to miss out on a chance to
death, in order to allow her people time to escape!” undertake Quests in Ragvall Village.
Chapter 5 describes which locations are known to the
An Act of Wily Wit people of Ragvall Village, and which ones can be visited in
A Heroic Feat can also be an act of great cunning, such as a certain season. If a location isn’t known, or isn’t available
convincing (or tricking) two bitter rivals to make amends. in a season (due to inhospitable environmental conditions),
Bragi again intrudes, saying: “Like when the heroic the characters can’t travel there. If an area is a dungeon, its
Mithra insulted a frost giant jarl so scathingly that the description is also in chapter 5.
shame made him give up war-making for ten years!”
Travel and Downtime
An Act of Mythic Recovery
Characters can travel to a location as a part of their
A Heroic Feat can also be an act of exceptional exploration
downtime in a week. For example, if they complete a Quest
and discovery—especially when such an expedition ends in
and it mandates that the characters take one week of
the recovery of a relic of great power or history.
downtime, they can spend that time traveling to a location
Bragi pipes up once more: “Who can forget when the
elsewhere in Valika.
famed Silver Harp of Mithra, once thought lost for all time,
was found by the explorer Jodis and returned to the Skald
Library in Hrist!”
Conclusion
Which Quest to Choose? At the end of spring, Chief Hrafen av Skeir names the
characters hersirs of their clan—an honored position in
Once these categories have been presented to the charac- Valikan culture that marks them as raid commanders.
ters, give the players have time to discuss what Heroic Feats Spring ends with a raucous party, such as the festivities
they wish to pursue. The greater their agency in deciding described in the conclusion of a Heroic Feat, which are
how to achieve their own Heroic Feats, the more personal described later in this chapter.
this capstone challenge will feel. If the chief promoted the characters to Hersirs after
There are three Heroic Feats, each with multiple they completed a Heroic Feat, spring ends with quiet
methods of completing them: determination rather than a raucous party.
• Heroic Feat: Monster Slayer, for characters who want
to prove themselves great warriors
• Heroic Feat: Feud-Ender, for characters who wish to be
viewed as wise and diplomatic
• Heroic Feat: Relic Keeper, for characters who value “Heed me, Ragvall! The ice has melted. The
longships prepared. Take heart that in the morning
culture, exploration, and tradition
we sail towards glory! We shall fight and bleed and
If the characters need guidance, Bragi offers them take our bounty in the southern lands. We sail south
Quest: Epic Poetry, and he tells them that killing a drake as clanfolk, but shall return to Valika as kin!”
and mounting its head upon their ship is worthy of remem-
- Chief Hrafen Av Skeir
brance. The chief can also point them toward Benna Stone-
breaker, whose powerful family has long feuded with the
house of Grindal av Halsfjord. Speaking with either Benna
or Grindal begins Quest: Burning Feud.

25
Ragvall in Spring
Residents. The following NPCs can be found here (see
“People of Ragvall,” below):
Below are the locations, NPCs, and quests vital to running • Chief Hrafen av Skeir
this chapter of the adventure. • Bragi Bennuson
R2: Jarnskegg’s Smithy

Locations in Ragvall Rikarð Jarnskegg runs the only smithy in Ragvall. He has
Ragvall is a clan composed of a single village on the shores several young apprentices who make horseshoes and farm
of Akkeri Bay. Its houses are made of stone or timber, and it tools, but only Jarnskegg himself has the skill to make arms
lacks any sort of large machinery such as mills or foundries. and armor. He works night and day to supply the village’s
Ragvall Village can be divided into four main regions: raiders for this coming summer. His apprentices also tan
the North Shore, the South Shore, the Farmsteads, and the leather to make light armor and straps for shields.
Sheltering Wood. Every clanperson in Ragvall is passingly Shopping. The following items can be purchased at
familiar with the locations in each part of town. Jarnskegg’s Smithy for their cost in the fifth edition core
The locations described here are marked on the Ragvall rules. Some weapons and armor need to be custom made
Village map. This map is designed to be drawn on by the and take time. For example, a martial weapon that takes
GM and players as the village develops over the course one week to make can be picked up at the start of the week
of the four seasons, and it only shows locations that are after it was ordered.
present at the beginning of the spring season.
Rikarð Jarnskegg’s Wares
South Shore
Item Smithing Time
The South Shore of Akkeri Bay is the heart of Ragvall
Metal simple weapon None
Village. Most villagers live in pitched-roof houses near the
shore or nestled in the woods on either side of the slow, Metal martial weapon 1 week
meandering River Garthor. Light armor 1 week
Medium armor 2 weeks
R1: Hrafensheim
The House of Hrafen is the largest lodging in Ragvall Village. Heavy armor 3 weeks
As the village longhouse, it is residence to Hrafen av Skeir,
the village chief, but it is also a place for village feasts and Jarnskegg has additional offerings that can only be
festivities. It also hosts several rooms where weary travelers accessed once certain outcomes have been added to the
can rest for the night. Over the course of the deadly winter, Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix C):
many families crowded into the longhouse after sudden fires,
Jarnskegg’s Friendship. Rikarð Jarnskegg is now friendly
foul winds, or dark creatures razed their homes.
towards the characters; he sells nonmagical weapons
Weary travelers can find food and lodging in
and armor to them at half price.
Hrafensheim. During hard times, the people of Ragvall
Superior Blacksmithing. If Rikarð is given the hammer
can find shelter and hot food in the chief’s longhouse.
Wyrmbreath from Steðihaugr, he can use this tool to
A map and area description of Hrafensheim appears
produce +1 armor, +1 shields, and +1 weapons of any type.
in chapter 5.

26
These magical objects must be custom made, which Farmsteads
adds two weeks to their creation time and 1,000 gp to South of the village center are Ragvall’s outlying farmsteads.
their cost because the smith must import special materi- Dozens of small farmers tend their fields from spring planting
als from Halsfjord. to the autumn harvest. The largest farms are worked by the
Residents. The following NPC can be found here (see Bennuson family or villagers in the employ of the Grindalsson
“People of Ragvall,” below): family. These fields are separated by stone walls only tall
enough to keep wandering livestock out.
• Rikarð Jarnskegg
Together, the farms in Ragvall Village produce hay,
R3: Alvíss’s Woodcrafts barley, beans, peas, cabbages, and onions.
The dwarven hermit Alvíss av Dvergholt spends the daylight R7: Benna’s Bridge
hours in his woodworking hut near the chief’s longhouse. This sturdy stone bridge spans fifty feet across the river
He whittles esoteric wooden charms and idols of the hero Garthor. Benna’s Bridge is an essential link between Ragvall
Ragvall that the people of Ragvall Village gladly purchase. Village’s South Shore and the Farmsteads. If broken, the
He is also an accomplished bowyer and fletcher. only way to deliver food and goods between these regions
Shopping. Alvíss’s charms aren’t magical, but they make is to ford the frigid river or take a long detour to Hrein’s
popular gifts. He sells them for 1 gp each. He also sells bows Bridge in the east.
and arrows (but not crossbows and bolts) at their price listed Benna’s Bridge was one of the first structures built
in the fifth edition core rules. He produces ten shortbows in Ragvall Village. The half-orc matriarch Benna
and longbows each week as well as hundreds of arrows. Stonebreaker earned great renown for leading its
Residents. The following NPC can be found here (see construction despite her age.
“People of Ragvall,” below): Destroying the Bridge. The bridge is a Gargantuan
• Alvíss av Dvergholt (daytime only) object with AC 15, 200 hit points, a damage threshold
of 15, resistance to piercing and slashing damage, and
R4: Shrine Isle immunity to poison and psychic damage.
In the center of Akkeri Bay is an isle upon which stands a R8: Bennuson Farmstead
shrine to Ragvall, the ancient hero whose name the village The Bennuson Farmstead is the largest single-story
bears. The Lögsteinn stands before the shrine as an oath building in town. This sprawling, stone-brick building is
from Ragvall Village that they will uphold her honor divided into sections for sleeping, eating, milking dairy
through their deeds in life. cows, stabling workhorses, and sheltering animals during
Shrine Isle is 200 feet long and 100 feet wide in the the winter. The Bennuson Farmstead is known for its dairy
middle. The Lögsteinn is a 10-foot-tall runestone that goods, especially butter and sweet skyr.
stands directly in its center. Across from the runestone Residents. The following NPCs can be found here (see
standsa 3-foot-tall statue of the hero Ragvall. “People of Ragvall,” below):
The island serves as the center for prayer, funerals, • Benna Stonebreaker
and trials. Proceedings are conducted here, and there are • Bragi Stonebreaker
dozens of flat stones placed in a rough circle around the
Lögsteinn. There are enough stone seats for 250 people, R9: Grindalsdóttir Meadery
with room for twice that to stand and still see the events. Beer and ale are produced from wheat and barley, and drunk
Residents. The following NPC can be found here (see in great quantities. However, by far the most popular drink
“People of Ragvall,” below): in Ragvall Village is the honey mead produced by Gondul
• Ása Lögmaður Grindalsdóttir. She is the eldest child of the wealthiest man in
Ragvall, and the honey from her apiary is beloved throughout
R5: Faeringfit the village. Her aging father, Grindal av Halsfjord, lives in
Ragvall Village is an agrarian settlement that relies upon comfort here.
fishing and hunting. Every day, a dozen boats sail from the Residents. The following NPCs can be found here (see
Faeringfit—the fishing boatyard—out into the waters of the “People of Ragvall,” below):
Teeth. Some spend the day setting lines and nets to catch • Grindal av Halsfjord
salmon and eels while others sail upriver to catch carp and • Gondul Grindalsdóttir
pike. Only half of what is caught during spring, summer,
and autumn is eaten fresh; the rest is salted or smoked for R10: Hrein’s Bridge
the darkness of winter. The first bridge in Ragvall Village was built by Hrein
Tallback, a fair-haired warrior who was in love with Chief
R6: Mannavegr Roadway Hrafen av Skeir. He perished in the chief’s arms last
The Mannavegr—the “human road” in Valikan—is a long winter, and the impact of his death is said to be why the
highway that runs along the sparkling waters of the river chief has not yet sought a wife. The bridge is a monument
Heilag. Eventually, this road leads to the city of Summerhelm. to his memory.

27
R11: Grindalsson Farmstead R15: Hunters’ Cabins
This farmstead was founded by Grindal av Halsfjord to Ragvall Village isn’t prosperous enough to raise sufficient
cultivate wheat—a rare cash crop that can only grow in animals to feed their people. Instead, a dozen hunters and
Valika’s temperate south. His youngest son, a quarrelsome trackers under the tutelage of Master of the Hunt Mildrith
man named Gunnvarr, now runs the farm. The land now Quickshot scour the Elgrleiths—the “elk paths” in Valikan—
grows wheat, bowstring flax, and rears horses and oxen to for game. These hunters are sullen, awkward, and brusque,
serve as beasts of burden for the village. and they live reclusive lives apart from other villagers.
Residents. The following NPC can be found here (see Residents. The following NPC can be found here (see
“People of Ragvall,” below): “People of Ragvall,” below):
• Gunnvarr Grindalsson • Mildrith Quickshot
North Shore Sheltering Wood

The northern shores of Akkeri Bay are sparsely populated North of Ragvall Village is an ancient, dark wood that
and mostly home to folk whose professions take them from shelters the settlement from the snowstorms that blow
Ragvall Village each day. Hunters, trappers, fishers, ship- across Grarjord. Ragvallan hunters tracked elk in these
wrights, and warriors-in-training make their homes here. woods during their first winter, but found that its boughs
shelter not just game, but also an insular enclave of elves.
R12: Ófeigur’s Beacon And when winter’s days turned black as pitch, the hunters
Standing tall and proud on the village’s northwesternmost found true evil stalking its paths.
point is Ófeigur’s Beacon, a lighthouse designed by a sickly
man named Ófeigur Lightraiser. He now lives alone in the R16: Álfavegr Roadway
lighthouse as its keeper, but he has recently gone missing Legend tells that Álfavegr—the “elven roads” in Valikan—
within its depths. The villagers fear a curse, or a spiteful run through the ancient forests of Valika. One road runs
spirit, has claimed him. through the Sheltering Wood from Ragvall Village to the
The interior of the lighthouse is a dungeon described in plains of Grarjord. The village’s hunters discovered stone
chapter 5 of this adventure. cairns with unlit candles lining parts of this road, and the
Residents. The following NPC can be found here (see people have named this mysterious path the Álfavegr.
“People of Ragvall,” below): Residents. The following NPC(s) can be found here (see
• Ófeigur Lightraiser “People of Ragvall,” below):
• Thegn Arduinna Shioff (leader of the Evergreen
R13: Proving Field elven enclave)
This wide-open training yard is pressed against the edge
of the Sheltering Wood and filled with scarecrow dummies R17: Elgrleiths
for warriors to practice their swordcraft. Hay-bale targets Twisting Elgrleiths—the “elk-paths” or “game-trails” in
also mark a rustic archery range. The field is often empty Valikan—wind through the Sheltering Wood. Hunters
during the day, but after the day’s work is done, it fills brought back several elk at the beginning of spring, but the
with dozens of untrained warriors competing in chaotic Elgrleiths were abandoned after two of their hunters were
practice duels and target tests in hopes of joining the found mauled to death by an unknown forest creature.
summer’s raids. The Elgrleiths are a part of the Sheltering Wood
Residents. The following NPCs can be found here (see dungeon described in chapter 5 of this adventure.
R18: Alvíss’s Timberland
• Ranulf Skullcrusher
The surly dwarf artisan Alvíss av Dvergholt spends his
• Hlökk Warcrier
nights in his forest realm. He permits Ragvallans to log this
wood only if they pay for each tree felled (see “Downtime
R14: Snekkjafit
in Ragvall,” earlier in this chapter). He also allows them to
Warships are built here in preparation for the summer
scavenge windfall for kindling.
raids while barges are constructed for the season of
Deep in the middle of the timberland is the Morfar
trade that will come in autumn. Mardoll Brightsea, the
Ash, the “grandfather tree,” which Alvíss venerates as a
village’s most practiced shipwright, leads two dozen
protector spirit of his druid enclave—an enclave that he
hardworking shipbuilders.
never speaks a word of to the Valikans.
Residents. The following NPC can be found here (see
Alviss’s Timerland is a dungeon described in chapter 5
of this adventure.
• Mardoll Brightsea Residents. The following NPC can be found here (see
• Alvíss av Dvergholt

28
People of Ragvall
Now, after weathering a deadly winter, Hrafen is
dedicated to preserving not just his clan’s survival but
also its prominence among the other clans. He dreams
Able-bodied clanfolk serve as farmers in months of
of making Ragvall the seventh Valikan clan, and he
sowing and harvesting and as warriors and hunters when
seeks warriors and thinkers to be his hersirs—his “raid
summer’s raids and winter’s frosts come. Each of these
commanders” in Valikan—to garner glory for Ragvall
NPCs is associated with one of the locations described in
during the raiding season.
the “Areas of Ragvall” section above.
Likewise, these villagers have Quests they’d like the Roleplaying Hrafen av Skeir
characters to help with. Sometimes, a villager’s Quest isn’t When the characters interact with Hrafen av Skeir, consider
available until certain prerequisites are met. These can these roleplaying traits when deciding how he responds:
include completing other quests first or gaining a certain
level of renown in the village. The GM can ignore these Personality Traits: “I have my beliefs, and no one will
prerequisites if it makes sense for the -actions or words of turn me from them. I can be fair and accepting of my
the characters to unlock them in other ways. villagers’ ideals, but only my judgment will guide me.”
This section describes questlines, their prerequisites, and Ideal: “Assess all people and situations impartially. Don’t
their rewards in short blurbs. The full text of each quest is let your feelings impair your judgment; even if I hate
described in “Springtime Quests,” later in this chapter. someone, I’ll treat them fairly.”
Bond: “Ragvall Village represents a fresh start for Valika.
Free from the cruelty of Thrull and the bureaucracy of
Kandar. I would give everything for it.”
NPC Dispositions Flaw: “Because I’ve sacrificed so much and fought so hard,
I believe I’m owed respect. I dislike anyone who doesn’t
Throughout this adventure, NPCs are described as
show me the reverence I deserve.”
having a certain disposition towards the characters,
such as Hostile, Indifferent, or Friendly. In general, this Hrafen knows that the characters are among his clan’s
offers a streamlined approach to how the NPC treats the most talented fighters, and they are first in his mind to be
characters. Hostile NPCs are surly and possibly outright granted the title of hersir. He has a friendly disposition
aggressive whereas friendly NPCs go out of their way to and tolerates petty disrespect for the sake of strengthening
help the characters, possibly even risking their lives if Clan Ragvall, but if his leadership is challenged, he dourly
they’re a courageous person. draws his blade in and urges the insolent character to meet
These dispositions also have mechanical effects: him upon Shrine Isle for a duel. On the first offense, he
• Hostile: The DC of all Charisma checks made to merely fights to knock his foe unconscious to teach respect.
influence this NPC is increased by 5, and failing a If the character continues to undermine his rule, he gathers
Charisma check by 5 or more causes the NPC to attack the village on Shrine Isle and has the character tried for
(at the GM’s discretion). treachery (see "Clan Laws,” earlier in this chapter) and
• Indifferent: No effects. prepares to duel to the death.
• Friendly: The DC of all Charisma checks made to
influence this NPC is decreased by 5.
Chief Hrafen av Skeir

Chaotic good, male human (see his game statistics in
appendix A)
Hrafen av Skeir—the famous Raven of Skeir—was once a
veteran of countless Thrull raids across the Grarjord tundra
and the other lands of Valika. In his prime, he was a giant
among men, nearly seven feet tall with long, raven-black hair
and cunning black eyes. Now in his middle age, Hrafen’s
glory days as a warrior are behind him, but his legendary
will is as strong as it ever was.
The story of Chief Hrafen av Skeir is inextricably tied
to the founding of Ragvall Village and its clan, described
in the Introduction. In short, after years of raiding and
witnessing the cruelty of the Thrull clans firsthand, Hrafen
gathered allies and splintered from Clan Völgr. As he
traveled south, his heroic reputation attracted more and
more supporters and followers along the way.

29
Alvíss av Dvergholt Where is Alvíss?
During the day, Alvíss is usually whittling in his
Neutral, male dwarf druid
woodworking shop (area R3). At night, he is typically
Gruff, short, bald, and white-bearded, Alvíss av Dvergholt is roaming his timberland (area R17), muttering druidic
a quintessential dwarf—in the eyes of the Ragvallan settlers, prayers and staying alert for Ragvallan thieves.
at any rate. He doesn’t dress it, but Alvíss is a druid of the
Circle of Stoneraisers (see the new character options in Alvíss’s Quests
Raider’s Guide to Valika). He came to the secluded shores of Alvíss prefers not to get emotionally involved with the
the Akkeri Bay to meditate and learn from the spirit of the Ragvallan settlers. He’s happy to sell them his woodworks
ancient Morfar Ash tree that his ancestors planted long ago. and lumber, but he shows them little hospitality.
It is planted in his timberland (see area R18). Characters who become known for being highly spiritual
When Valikan settlers discovered an ancient idol of the or who befriend the druid are eventually approached one
hero Ragvall here, Alvíss reluctantly accepted that fate had night by Alvíss, who is red-faced and embarrassed.
guided them and refused to court ill fortune by demanding
they leave. Nevertheless, he has little desire to fraternize Quest: Traveler of the Álfavegr
with the Valikans. Alvíss holds tragedy in his heart, which Prerequisite: Completed a Heroic Feat or Befriended Alvíss
he does not share. Valikan raiders murdered his druidic Alvíss thinks he saw a friendly dwarf wandering the elven
circle two centuries ago when he was a boy, and dwarven road in the Sheltering Forest. He wants the characters
grudges die hard. to help protect him from the elves of the wood while he
Though Alvíss mistrusts Valikans as a whole, he has searches for the dwarf. The dwarf is a monster from
a measure of respect for Hrafen av Skeir, who he sees as Alvíss’s past, not a friend.
an honorable man. At Hrafen’s urging, Alvíss opened a
woodworking shop in the village and trades his crafts for
coin or directly for food and other necessities. While he
Ása Lögmaður
allows Ragvallans into his timberland, he forbids them Lawful neutral, female laneshi priest
from felling trees, and he has mercilessly beaten one
Ása Lögmaður is the lawspeaker of Ragvall Village, one
Valikan youth who defied his command. He does, however,
of the most revered and sacred positions a Valikan can
permit the gathering of windfall—if they pay.
hold. She is also a laneshi, possessing unnervingly smooth,
Roleplaying and Befriending Alvíss piscine features, short, kelp-like hair, and clawed, webbed
fingers. Her voice is wet, yet authoritative. Few in Ragvall
When the characters interact with Alvíss av Dvergholt, con-
trust her, and yet all abide by her interpretation of Valikan
sider these roleplaying traits when deciding how he responds:
law—perhaps only because she has refrained from making
Personality Traits: “I don’t need to be polite to these a ruling that has displeased the Ragvallan people.
damn Valikans; they settled next to my woodlands. Ása is a member of an amphibious race known as the
If they don’t like me, they can damn well pack up laneshi. They are described in Grim Hollow: The Player’s
and leave.” Guide, and also in appendix A of this adventure.
Ideal: “I won’t kill in the pursuit of hatred, anger,
or profit. Only in defense. That’s the way of the The Tale of Ása and the Idol
Stoneraiser druids.” Ása was given her name by Mardoll Brightsea. The laneshi
Bond: “My children and the Dvergholt family may be was found half-dead upon Shrine Isle, battered by the tur-
far away, but I treasure them. I honor their memory bulent waves of the storm that had wracked the bay during
by tending Morfar Ash, which holds the memories of the clan’s first night there. Mardoll found Ása clinging to
archdruids past.” a stone idol—the idol of the hero Ragvall. The poor girl,
Flaw: “I know the Valikan chief is an honorable man, but I exhausted and starved, could not recall her own name.
can’t help but think we’d be better off if he were gone— Hrafen av Skeir does not like to recount the tale of how Ása
and the village with him.” came to hate him, for it makes him appear cruel and selfish,
Alvíss’s disposition is indifferent and gruff to all Valikans, at and not the bold and magnanimous leader he and many
best. Once per day, when the characters finish an interaction other Ragvallans think him to be. When Mardoll brought
with Alvíss, the character who interacted with him most word of the dying laneshi to him, he rowed to Shrine Isle and
makes a DC 15 Charisma check. This check is made with wrenched the idol from Ása’s hands and claimed this Valikan
advantage if that character was uncommonly kind to him artifact for the Valikan people. Ása wailed in grief, and while
or gave him a gift. The check is made with disadvantage if her past was hazy, the idol brought her comfort. Having it
the character was rude to Alvíss. If the characters make five wrenched away was like having her heart torn from her chest.
successes before the end of spring, they befriend Alvíss, and Mardoll returned to Ása in secret and bound her wounds
his disposition becomes friendly. and brought her food and water. Together, they hatched a
plan to retrieve the idol. The next day, Ása appeared before
Hrafen at the site of his yet-unbuilt longhouse and said:

30
“I am Ása Lögmaður, your lawspeaker. I will carve your Unbreakable Matriarch
Lögsteinn. I will make myself Valikan. All I ask is that you Benna is the matriarch of a large family—the largest within
leave the idol upon the isle. I will tend to it.” Clan Ragvall—which manages vast swathes of farmland and
Mardoll then spoke to assure her chief: “I will be her ac- beekeeping yards south of the village. She has a longstanding
olyte—and watch her.” And so, things have remained since. feud with Grindal av Halsfjord. Benna’s family includes
Ása is both an outcast of the village and its lawful authority. the following people, all of which use commoner statistics
unless otherwise stated:
Roleplaying and Befriending Ása
• Sýrfari the Sailor (husband, male human, age 63)
When the characters interact with Ása Lögmaður, consider
these roleplaying traits when deciding how she responds: • Ubbi Songweaver (husband, male half-elf, age 98)
• Ywain Oriksson (husband, nonbinary halfling, age 84)
Personality Traits: “I am quite literally a fish out of water.
• Bráma av Solheim (wife, female human, age 38)
My duty is the only thing keeping me together.”
• Andsvarr Bennuson (son, male half-orc, age 31)
Ideal: “Though I feel no fondness for the people of this
village, their law is mine to carve. This is a duty I take • Bragi Bennuson (see below)
with the utmost seriousness.” • Marsibil Ulfrsson (granddaughter, female halfling, age 8)
Bond: “I have no desire to grow close to the Ragvallans, • Skaga Bennasdóttir (daughter, female half-elf, age 19)
yet my heart aches when I look upon the soft skin and The list of Benna’s children goes on, but these names
ocean eyes of Mardoll Brightsea.” are enough to populate a small family gathering. Of the
Flaw: “I could gain the trust of the people, but I make no roughly three hundred people in Ragvall at the start of
attempts to do so.” spring, Benna’s children account for at least twenty of
Ása is indifferent and terse with all Valikans, except those them, and her grandchildren account for at least fifty.
who befriend Mardoll Brightsea, the woman Ása is in
love with.
Roleplaying Benna
When the characters interact with Benna Stonebreaker, con-
Ása’s Quests sider these roleplaying traits when deciding how she responds:
Many dark thoughts trouble Ása’s mind. What lurks Personality Traits: “My heart is as big as my muscles.
in her murky past? She has little hope of learning the You piss me off, and you’ll have to deal with both.”
answers to these questions unless she gains the aid of the Ideal: “Love can overcome nearly everything. Extreme
Valikans she mistrusts. violence does the trick for just about everything else.”
Bond: “My family is everything to me.”
Quest: Gills for the Gill-less Flaw: “Though my passion is my greatest strength, it is
Prerequisite: Befriended Mardoll Brightsea also my greatest weakness.”
Ása plans to make an expedition into the waters of the bay
in search of answers about her past, but she knows she’ll Benna’s Quests
need help. Unfortunately, Valikans can’t breathe water. Benna Stonebreaker is the matriarch of a large and
The characters need to find some remedy to this. Ása has influential family, but there are problems that even her
heard the chief telling stories about famous warriors— army of relations can’t solve.
perhaps such tales tell of one who could breathe water.
Quest: Thieving Churls
Reward. The characters gain a means to breathe water,
such as a potion or magical helmet. Prerequisite: None
Benna Stonebreaker and her family members have noticed
that knick-knacks have been going missing from the family
More to Come farmstead. Recently, more valuable items have started vanish-
Ása’s quests to discover more about her past continue once ing, and the matriarch has taken this matter to the chief. From
the characters return from raiding in the autumn season. there, the chief calls upon the characters to investigate the
farmstead, discover who the thieves are, and put a stop to them.
Quest: Burning Feud

Prerequisite: None
Benna Stonebreaker
This quest can begin with either Benna Stonebreaker or
Neutral good, female half-orc berserker
her rival, Grindal av Halsfjord. Ultimately, the characters
Short, stooped, silver-haired, and corded with more muscle must find a way to assuage the ire between these two
than even Chief Hrafen av Skeir, Benna Stonebreaker influential families. Otherwise, their feud may escalate
is a former thrall of Clan Rune who, many years ago, during the raiding months while the chief isn’t around to
bought her freedom with the silver she won as a pit fighter. mollify them.
She proudly carries the epithet she earned in that ring, Completing this Quest qualifies as a Heroic Feat (see
Stonebreaker, as a symbol of her survival. “What Makes a Heroic Feat?” earlier in this chapter).

31
Bragi Bennuson
Chaotic good, half-orc bard (use scout statistics)
Slender, soft-featured, romantic, musical, and shy, Bragi
Bennuson is nothing like his musclebound, polygamous
mother. While Benna’s other children run the Bennuson
Farmstead (see area R8), Bragi is often found at the village
longhouse (see area R1) or Shrine Isle (see area R4) reciting
poetry or singing.
Roleplaying Bragi
When the characters interact with Bragi Bennuson, consider
these roleplaying traits when deciding how he responds:
Personality Traits: “I don’t have an agenda, mate. I
just like telling tales about my clansfolk. Of course, I’ll
embellish ‘em to make ‘em more exciting. I want people
to like me, y’know?”
Ideal: “Emotion is everything. Truth is important, but
the facts aren’t as important as what something felt like
and what it means poetically. That’s the whole point of
the sagas!”
Bond: “Hlökk Warcrier, that red-haired angel, is the only
woman for me.”
Flaw: “Compared to my mother, I’m nothing. People say
such nice things about me, but… all I can do is tell tall
tales and sing sappy songs.”
Bragi’s Quests
While Bragi Bennuson is a bard who knows all the great
sagas, most of the people in Ragvall have heard them
all already, and he’s too self-conscious to make new
stories. Maybe the characters can create new legends for
him to sing?
Quest: Epic Poetry

Prerequisite: None
Bragi longs to hear about a heroic deed that he can spin
into epic poem. If the characters complete a Heroic
Feat and share their story with him, he is thrilled to
commemorate the occasion.
“When the sun rose the snow was washed red. Each
of his foes at his feet lay dead!… no, too obvious.
Each of his foes had fled? … no, the timing is off. He
sent them to bed? I give up!”
- Bragi Bennuson, composing a poem

32
Grindal av Halsfjord Gondul Grindalsdóttir
Lawful evil, male bronze dragonborn noble Chaotic evil, female bronze dragonborn (see appendix A
for her game statistics)
With a gaze that could melt an iceberg, this rail-thin,
pale-bronze dragonborn is the patriarch of a family of Small and demure, Gondul is the perfect eldest daughter of
dragonborn and a cunning master of trade. Chief Hrafen the wealthy Grindal av Halsfjord. Her polished scales shine
av Skeir knew of his unsavory reputation as a cruel keeper like burnished bronze, and she dresses in the best finery
of hundreds of thralls and ill-paid indentures, but Hrafen her father’s money can buy. She has caught the eye of
grudgingly courted the favor of this mogul to help secure nearly every young man in Ragvall Village, and a handful
trade routes for his new settlement. of the young women, too. While she likes the attention,
Grindal av Halsfjord himself has only just arrived she knows she’s better than these backwater villagers.
in Ragvall after spending a comfortable winter in his She ought to be in Halsfjord attending opulent dances,
Halsfjord manse. His eldest daughter, Gondul, and or, better yet, in the great island city of Tyburn attending
youngest son, Gunnvarr, came with Hrafen before the grand fetes for beautiful, well-bred nobles.
winter. His arrival in Ragvall sent ripples through the
community, especially through the large and influential Gondul’s Dark Secret
family of Benna Stonebreaker, the family whose matriarch As the case stands, none of Gondul’s dreams are possible,
he once held as a thrall. for she bears a curse: lycanthropy. During the dark heart
of winter, she ventured into the Sheltering Wood and
Roleplaying Grindal was bitten by a dire wolf. She has seen the full moon rise
When the characters interact with Grindal av Halsfjord, twice since then. Both times, Gondul has blacked out
consider these roleplaying traits when deciding how he only to awaken covered in blood and achingly full the
responds: next morning. She has done her best to hide this curse
Personality Traits: “I am the most important person in from the village, but she couldn’t hide it from her father.
this village. Chief Hrafen av Skeir knows he needs me Her prideful younger brother, Gunnvarr, is eager to help
more than I need him.” Mildrith Quickshot and her hunters kill the beast, which
Ideal: “Money is power, and I’ll do anything to accrue has already claimed two hunters.
more of it, especially if it means exploiting others.”
Bond: “I am only in Ragvall Village to further the renown
Roleplaying Gondul
of my family. I only care about Gondul and Gunnvarr.” When the characters interact with Gondul Grindalsdóttir,
Flaw: “Hrafen av Skeir, pah. A charming warrior drunk consider these roleplaying traits when deciding how she
on his own reputation. I’ll never follow such a man responds:
unless there’s profit in it for me.” Personality Traits: “I relish the attention these backward
serfs lavish upon me. Yet, as much as it pains me, I must
Grindal’s Quests stay out of the public eye, lest one of them discover that I
Grindal av Halsfjord is accustomed to a life of comfort in bear this beastly curse.”
the city, but he’s willing to part with luxury in exchange for Ideal: “I’m superior to the rabble of Ragvall. The only
making history in Ragvall Village. thing that would change my mind is if one of them found
a way to save me from my curse.”
Quest: Burning Feud Bond: “I am grateful to my father for everything he has
Prerequisite: None done for me. Yet I fear he would cast me aside if my
secret were revealed.”
This quest can begin with either Grindal av Halsfjord or
Flaw: “Ever since I was bitten, the people around me look
his bitter rival, Benna Stonebreaker. Grindal av Halsfjord
more like food than friends.”
hates that his former thrall has become so beloved among
the Ragvallan people. He seeks the characters to end this
feud by forcing Benna to submit to him. Ultimately, the
Gondul’s Quests
characters must find a way to assuage the ire between these Gondul doesn’t have Quests to offer, but she is significant
two influential families. Otherwise, their feud may escalate to Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur.
during the raiding months while the chief isn’t around to
mollify them.
Completing this Quest qualifies as a Heroic Feat (see “A
Heroic Feat,” later in this chapter). “This secret is only ours, child. When the moon
waxes, journey deep into the woods to keep out
of sight.”
- Grindal av Halsfjord

33
Gunnvarr Grindalsson
Chaotic neutral, male bronze dragonborn berserker
Broad and brash, Gunnvarr is the picturesque heir to the
stately line of Grindal av Halsfjord. Though he lacks the
cunning of his father and sister, he more than makes up for
it with gleaming looks and raw charisma. He is a renowned
berserker, and he single-handedly killed the White Bear
of Merki Peak and made its pelt into a coat that he wears
into battle. Gunnvarr bullied Bragi Bennuson, the village’s
bard, into learning the “Ballad of Gunnvarr and the White
Bear,” so that the bard can play it whenever Gunnvarr
enters the village longhouse.
Roleplaying Gunnvarr
When the characters interact with Gunnvarr Grin-
dalsson, consider these roleplaying traits when deciding
how he responds:
Personality Traits: “I’m the best warrior this village has.
Everyone else pales in comparison to me, y’hear? I’ll
damn well flog anyone who says different!”
Ideal: “I want to be the reason why this clan becomes
renowned. Imagine all of the songs!”
Bond: “I’m glad my father and sister are here with me so
they can witness my great deeds firsthand.”
Flaw: “I never back down from a challenge. Never. If my
mum rose from her grave and drew a blade, I wouldn’t
bloody hesitate.”
Gunnvarr is jealous the characters have gained the favor
of the chief, and he treats them as inferiors no matter how
kindly or sycophantically they treat him. Gunnvarr only
comes to respect the characters after being publicly humili-
ated in a duel (see Event: Besting the Braggart, below).
Gunnvarr’s Quests
Gunnvarr doesn’t care for the characters, and he doesn’t
offer them Quests. However, Gunnvarr gossips that the
village’s huntmaster, Mildrith Quickshot, has heard
rumors of a beast in the woods—a beast that Gunnvarr
is eager to triumph over. (See Quest: Night’s Fanged
Hunter, later in this chapter.)
Event: Besting the Braggart

Prerequisite: Completed a Heroic Feat or completed
Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter
Once Gunnvarr’s jealousy overcomes his good sense,
he drunkenly approaches the characters one night and
delivers a blistering barrage of insults. They have the
choice to duel him to shut him up or turn the other cheek.
”The last fool that insulted me was this bear!”

- Gunnvarr Grindalsson

34
Hlökk Warcrier Mardoll Brightsea
Neutral evil, female high elf veteran Chaotic good, female half-elf acolyte
The way of the high elf warrior Hlökk Warcrier is sim- Cheerful and shy toward strangers but innocently
ple: she shows vicious cruelty to her foes but displays flirtatious toward friends, Mardoll Brightsea is Ragvall
staunch loyalty to her friends. Her age is unknown, but she Village’s most talented shipwright. She is beloved by both
possesses the youthful looks and vigor of a warrior in her the village’s fisherfolk and would-be raiders. Her pale,
prime. Beneath her bright-red hair, she bears the scars of a freckled skin and short, brown hair give her the look of
dozen battles. a demure girl that belies her bold spirit and surprising
Hlökk came to Ragvall in the dark night of its first winter physical strength.
as a lost, half-frozen traveler beset with fear and hunger. No She is in love with Ragvall’s lawspeaker, Ása Lögmaður,
one trusted her, save for Bragi Bennuson, the village bard, and serves as her acolyte on Shrine Isle when not repairing
who was instantly smitten with her. Even in her frostbitten ships or overseeing their construction.
state, she managed to help defend the village from a pack of
wolves that emerged from the Sheltering Wood. Roleplaying and Befriending Mardoll
When the characters interact with Mardoll Brightsea, consid-
Roleplaying and Befriending Hlökk er these roleplaying traits when deciding how she responds:
When the characters interact with Hlökk Warcrier, consider Personality Traits: “I’m like an oyster: hard to open up,
these roleplaying traits when deciding how she responds: but when ya do, I’m a real pearl.”
Personality Traits: “I am the strongest warrior in this Ideal: “I’m getting these ships built and out to sea, no
village, and I don’t need to brag to prove myself.” matter what!”
Ideal: “Strength and the ability to lead are all one needs Bond: “I know other Ragvallans think Ása is creepy, but I
in the world. I will not prostrate myself before a weak think she’s really… sweet.”
leader—but I will gladly follow a strong one.” Flaw: “Why is asking out a girl on a date so hard? I can
Bond: “The people of this village saved my life. I do not flirt all day long, but why can’t I do this?”
have to like them, but I am honor-bound to lay down Mardoll starts with an indifferent disposition toward
that life for them in return.” the characters, but she is still superficially cheerful.
Flaw: “I have my doubts about Chief Hrafen av Skeir. He However, she is shy and doesn’t share her secrets—such
relies too much on diplomacy and backs down from fights as the feelings she harbors for Ása—with anyone she isn’t
he could easily win. When he is tested, I fear he will fail.” friends with.
Hlökk is loath to share information about her past; she Once per week, when the characters finish an interac-
feels that the village of Ragvall has yet to earn her respect, tion with Mardoll, the character who interacted with her
especially after treating her with mistrust when first she most makes a DC 15 Charisma check. This check is made
arrived. She is indifferent toward all Ragvallans, but she with advantage if that character was uncommonly kind to
slowly opens up to skilled warriors. her or gave her a gift. It’s made with disadvantage if the
Once per week, when the characters finish an character was unkind or rude to Mardoll. If the charac-
interaction with Hlökk, the character who interacted with ters make three successes before the end of spring, they
her most makes a DC 15 Charisma check. This check is befriend Mardoll, and her disposition becomes friendly.
made with advantage if that character was uncommonly
kind to her or gave her a gift. It’s made with disadvantage Mardoll’s Quests
if that character was unkind or rude to Hlökk. If the Mardoll oversees building the raiding fleet that the Rag-
characters make three successes before the end of spring, vallans will sail upon this summer. Additionally, she knows
they befriend Hlökk, and her disposition becomes friendly. that Ása Lögmaður needs help (see Quest: Gills for the
Gill-less, later in this chapter), but she will only recom-
Hlökk’s Quests mend the characters help Ása once Mardoll herself has
Hlökk now trains young warriors, and she is preparing become friends with them.
is the Ragvallans for the summer raids. She has realized
that too few are combat-ready, and she begs for the Core Quest: Dragon Ships
characters’ aid. Prerequisite: Completed three Quests
Core Quest: Greenhorn Warrior Training Event: Ship Wars

Prerequisite: Completed three Quests Prerequisite: None
Chief Hrafen av Skeir urges the characters to aid Hlökk The feud between Grindal av Halsfjord and Benna
Warcrier in training the village’s young warriorsin order Stonebreaker reaches a breaking point, and Mardoll’s
to get ready for the summer raids. The characters must put shipyard becomes a battleground between the two
the trainees through a series of drills, and then lead them influential families and their allies.
in a fox hunt.

35
Mildrith Quickshot
Chaotic neutral, female forest gnome scout
Though small in stature, Mildrith Quickshot is a skilled
tracker and practiced hunter. Her small arrows felled
the elk whose hides and meat sustained the people of
Ragvall through their first winter. Her stern countenance
is tattooed with blade-like fern leaves, and a deep green
ribbon is braided into her blonde hair.
Roleplaying Mildrith
When the characters interact with Mildrith Quickshot,
consider these roleplaying traits when deciding how she
responds:
Personality Traits: “People ask me why I never smile. I tell
them to mind their own business. There’s no room for
levity in the dark forest.”
Ideal: “The only thing you can rely on is how true your
aim is. If you have that, you can survive anything.”
Bond: “The only family I need are my elk hunters. We’ve
been through thick and thin together.”
Flaw: “My elk hunters look up to me. For their sake, I can-
not show a hint of weakness.”
Mildrith’s Quests
Mildrith is loath to cause a panic, but she fears that a
monster of winter’s darkness has awoken late, and it
is likely to cause harm if not hunted and slain. She has
informed the chief, and she hopes he will send his best
warriors to aid her. Ófeigur Lightraiser
Lawful good, male (formerly human) keppmir
Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter (see appendix A)
Prerequisite: None
Once a tall, gaunt, and ethereally beautiful man with
Rumors are circling about a monster in the woods, one spectral-blonde hair, Ófeigur was said to be touched by the
which didn’t return to slumber after the winter. Hunters gods. He was born sickly and given the name Ófeigur—the
have found dead elk with terrible wounds. The matter word “immortal” in Valikan—as a blessing to stave off
has been brought to the chief, who urges the characters to death. It seems to have worked, and he went on to join
investigate and put a stop to the attacks. Hrafen av Skeir’s journey south. Ófeigur put his mason
Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur skills to work by building a lighthouse on the shore of
Akkeri Bay. He barred the door and vanished inside the
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter
beacon. Somehow, though, the beacon has remained lit all
The characters found the cause of the attacks, or so they through the winter and into the spring.
thought. Even after eliminating the creatures, the attacks
continue. This time, it’s a village hunter, who was found The Vanished Lighthouse Keeper
brutally mauled. The true culprit is still out there. The truth of Ófeigur’s disappearance is that he is
transforming into a monster: an aquatic horror of the
Valikan seas called a keppmir (see appendix A). Three
months ago, during winter, Ófeigur barricaded himself
inside his small lighthouse as a defense against the
“The monsters that awake in winter don’t always monsters of winter’s darkness.
return to slumber. Shake off your fear! It must die With plenty of rations and little else to do, he began
before winter returns.” digging a cellar for his beacon. To his surprise, he found
- Mildrith Quickshot, Ragvall huntmaster a small grotto, within which was a shrine. The shrine
stood atop a stone seal to some unknown chamber below.
It depicted a piscine spirit and bore countless unfamiliar
runes. Ófeigur began studying the glyphs, and he soon
became obsessed with unraveling their meaning.

36
Ófeigur’s ceaseless study of the Nameless Shrine awoke Ranulf Skullcrusher
magic that has begun to alter his body. His legs have fused
into a single fin, and his body has broken out in a rash of Neutral good, male rock gnome tribal warrior
crimson scales. Horrified by what he is becoming, Ófeigur Ranulf is a young, eager greenhorn warrior. He may not
remains sequestered in the grotto, submerged entirely be as tall or as broad as other Ragvallan warriors, but that
in the frigid pools and unsure of what he’ll do once his doesn’t stop him from dreaming of being the greatest raider
rations run out. in Ragvall Village. Standing a mighty three feet tall with a
fiery shock of red hair and stubble to match, Ranulf has the
Roleplaying and Befriending Ófeigur bravado of a veteran, but none of the fighting skill.
When the characters interact with Ófeigur Lightraiser, con-
sider these roleplaying traits when deciding how he responds: Roleplaying Ranulf
Personality Traits: “Oh, please don’t worry about me. When the characters interact with Ranulf Skullcrusher,
I’m just… I’d just rather not leave. I’m so used to it in consider these roleplaying traits when deciding how he
the lighthouse, you know. It’s all I’m good at. Definitely responds:
not so good at… people. Personality Traits: “I gave myself the epithet
Ideal: “I know what I’m good at. I know what I’m not good Skullcrusher! Sounds pretty scary, huh?”
at. I just want to be useful.” Ideal: “Honor is everything! And good Valikans gain
Bond: “This lighthouse is my pride and joy. I love her. She honor by being victorious in battle!”
saves lives. She serves a purpose. She’s a work of art.” Bond: “She doesn’t think much of me yet, but Lady
Flaw: “Oh, heroes alive, where to start? Um, let’s just start Warcrier is like a big sister to me. I’ll make her proud!”
with 'nearly everything,' and then list the things that Flaw: “You say that rushing headlong into a fight is a flaw?
aren’t flaws from there…” No way! Shut it, or I’ll make ya!”
Ófeigur is initially fearful of the characters, and he has Ranulf looks up to the characters, seeing them as great
a hostile disposition toward them. He becomes friendly heroes worthy of song. He has a friendly disposition
toward the characters if they treat him with kindness in toward them. Even harsh insults won’t break his spirit,
Quest: The Immortal Hermit. and it would take serious cruelty to turn him indifferent
toward them.
Ófeigur’s Quests
Ófeigur Lightraiser has vanished into the beacon he built Ranulf’s Quests
on the shores of Akkeri Bay. Ranulf doesn’t have Quests to offer the characters. He serves
Quest: The Immortal Hermit as a face for the many eager, untested warriors that the char-
acters train in Core Quest: Greenhorn Warrior Training.
Prerequisite: None
Ófeigur became obsessed with a daemonic shrine he
unearthed in the beacon’s basement. Since its discovery
during the winter, he has been slowly transforming into an
amphibious keppmir. The lighthouse remains lit, but no
one has seen Ófeigur in weeks; he must be found before
fear and superstition grip the village.
Event: Seal Upon the Depths

Prerequisite: Befriended Ófeigur
Ófeigur made a dangerous discovery: beneath his beacon is
a shrine to Keppr, daemon of the depths. If the characters
treated him with kindness in Quest: The Immortal
Hermit, he remains lucid enough to fear this discovery,
and he sneaks to the characters at night to tell them.
Quest: Eggs Over Easy

Prerequisite: Completed Quest: The Immortal Hermit
Once the seal beneath Ófeigur’s Beacon is opened, the char-
acters find a clutch of keppmir eggs. Ófeigur feels a powerful
paternal instinct to protect these eggs. The characters are
faced with a choice: let Ófeigur live in peace with the eggs
and deal with the danger once they hatch, or they can smash
the eggs now and deal with the bloody consequences.

37
Roleplaying and Befriending Rikarð
When the characters interact with Rikarð Jarnskegg, consider
these roleplaying traits when deciding how he responds:
Personality Traits: “I look big with these broad shoulders
and bushy beard, but I don’t want any trouble. Just leave
me to my work, please.”
Ideal: “Freedom is the greatest gift a person can have.
In a world like this, where monsters lurk around
every corner, good steel is the only way to protect
that freedom.”
Bond: “I was a thrall. I’ve seen people, thralls like me,
suffer in the most horrific ways. Anyone who went
through that is a brother to me. A brother in suffering.”
Flaw: “I was once Richard Ironbeard, a man of Bürach.
I can’t handle anything that reminds me of home. Not
anymore. I’m not that man.”
Jarnskegg’s disposition is indifferent and terse with all
but Hrafen av Skeir, who he admires and speaks to with
reverence.
Once per week, when the characters finish an
interaction with Rikarð, the character who interacted with
him most makes a DC 15 Charisma check. This check is
made with advantage if that character was uncommonly
kind to him or gave him a gift. It’s made with disadvantage
if the character was unkind or rude to Rikarð. If the
characters make three successes before the end of spring,
they befriend Rikarð, and his disposition becomes friendly.
Rikarð’s Quests
Rikarð Jarnskegg throws himself into his work to forget the
pain of his past. He happily rewards characters who help
him do so.
Core Quest: Raiders’ Blades

Prerequisite: Completed three Quests
This sprawling Quest is a major matter that must be
handled over the course of the season, and it is one of
Chief Hrafen av Skeir’s greatest concerns. The warriors
Rikarð Jarnskegg of Ragvall need weapons so they can raid this summer.
Somehow, two-hundred and fifty weapons or five
Lawful good, male human veteran hundred pounds of iron need to be acquired during the
Rikarð Jarnskegg is a tall, broad-shouldered, middle-aged spring season.
human with a thick, iron-gray beard lined with streaks of Quest: Tools of the Trade
rusty red.
Prerequisite: None
He was a blacksmith captured from the Bürach town
of Erlefort during a raid by Clan Sýr five years ago. He Rikarð sold most of his specialized tools to reach Chief
earned his freedom after spending five years as a thrall, but Hrafen av Skeir’s procession last year. Now, he seeks new
he emerged with no money and no prospects. tools to replace those that he sold so he can forge the
When Jarnskegg first heard of Hrafen av Skeir’s schism weapons needed for this summer’s raids. The characters
from the clans of Thrull, he sold all he had, including most can find new tools by exploring Valika
of his tools, and used his meager savings to travel more than
100 miles to join Hrafen on his journey south. The two men
became fast friends. A sword’s only as reliable as the tools that forged it.
Jarnskegg is the village’s only blacksmith who knows
- Rikarð Jarnskegg
how to craft weapons. He has a variety of tasks that he
needs help with so he can meet Hrafen's goal of equipping
a raiding force by summer.

38
Roleplaying Arduinna
When the characters interact with Thegn Arduinna
Shinoff, consider these roleplaying traits when deciding
how she responds:
Personality Traits: “I am a thegn of the elves, and I will
be treated as such. You will address me by my title. Only
those who I trust and respect have earned the right to
address me by my name.”
Ideal: “Elves were not meant to live in cities of stone. Our
homes are the meditation-shrines of our ancestors. We
are guardians of nature by birth, and my enclave shall
not sacrifice that for comfort or convenience.”
Bond: “I’ve seen too many elves and woodlands suffer
at the hands of these Valikans to trust them, and yet,
something in my heart makes me want to.”
Flaw: “I am haunted by the ghosts of my dead
companions, human friends I’ve outlived and allies
who’ve died defending me. I can see them with my
waking eyes.”
Arduinna is aloof and indifferent to Ragvallans. Even
though she is willing to speak with them once they prove
themselves to the elves and dwarves who have lived here for
centuries, she keeps them at arm’s length. Arduinna can’t
be befriended in springtime.
Arduinna’s Quests
Arduinna doesn’t have Quests to offer the characters, but
there are certain events featuring her that can occur during
the spring season.
Event: Eyes in the Woods

Prerequisite: Led two logging expeditions into the
Sheltering Wood
Arduinna and her Evergreen Enclave scouts keep a close
eye on the Valikans who have settled on their shores. If
spotted, she flees, and if she is pursued, she fires a warning
shot. She vanishes into the woods after that.
Thegn Arduinna Shinoff
Chaotic neutral, female wood elf assassin
Event: Elven Arrows
Prerequisite: Led four logging expeditions into the
Arduinna Shinoff, the thegn of the Evergreen Enclave, has Sheltering Wood
watched the settlers of Ragvall since they first made camp
on the shores of Akkeri Bay. A thegn is a noble title used by Upset by the Ragvallans logging their ancestral forest,
non-Valikan peoples in the woodland realms of Valika and Evergreen Enclave archers launch a volley of arrows to
Nordenland. She dwells in the forest that the Ragvallans dissuade the Ragvallan loggers.
call the Sheltering Wood with her fellow wood elves of the Event: The Elven-Thegn Appears
Evergreen Enclave. The elves secretly watch the Ragvall
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Beast of Bronze and
settlers to see if they are worthy of meeting and trading
White Fur and at least one Core Quest
with her “enlightened people.”
This tall, white-haired, green-eyed elf is possessed Arduinna appears before the characters and wishes
of unconventional beauty and preternatural cunning. them good luck in their summer raids. She urges them
As a thegn of the Evergreen Enclave, she wishes for her to live so that she may speak with them on behalf of
neighbors to live in balance with the elves and dwarves the Evergreen Enclave when the raiders return in the
of this region. She only appears to the characters under autumn. While she mistrusts the Valikans, she hopes to
certain circumstances (see “Arduinna’s Quests,” below). live in peace with them.

39
Each Event, Quest, Core Quest, and Heroic Feat that
Springtime Quests can be started in the spring season is listed below in

alphabetical order. This means that many scenarios are
Quests in this adventure come in four types: presented out of sequential order. If a scenario has a
Event. An Event is a problem that suddenly occurs without prerequisite below its title, that means that there are other
warning that the characters must solve. An Event is quests or events that influence it, which means that its story
short and can typically be solved in a single encounter. won’t make total sense unless you read those prerequisites
Quest. A Quest is a series of encounters. The characters first. If it has “Prequisite: None” below its title, that means
typically start a quest by speaking with an NPC who it’s the first Quest in its chain, or that it’s a completely
needs help. While failing to complete a Quest doesn’t standalone Quest.
penalize the characters, certain Quests require other To gain the maximum possible benefit in the summer
Quests to be completed before they can be accessed season, the characters must complete at least three Quests,
by the characters. A Quest can typically be solved in one Core Quest, and one Heroic Feat. Chief Hrafen av
a single session of play, and completing one causes a Skeir suggests new Quests as the characters complete
week of in-game time to progress as characters need to others, but they don’t have to follow their chief’s guidance.
rest and pursue downtime activities to maintain their Characters that won’t be told what to do can freely explore
position in the village. the land and interact with NPCs to find Quests (see
Core Quest. A Core Quest is a task vital to the success “Beyond Session One” in the “Introduction” chapter).
of the village and progression of the story. If left
uncompleted by the season’s end, there will be Recording Progress on the
consequences in the next season. A Core Quest takes
several weeks of in-game time to complete because it has
Calendar of the Seasons
multiple objectives. Core Quests that require collecting When the characters complete an Event, Quest, Core
resources are designed to be completed while the Quest, or Heroic Feat, mark it on the Calendar of the
characters go on other adventures. Seasons (see appendix C). Do so by writing the name of
Heroic Feat. A Heroic Feat is a legendary deed that this Quest on the week in which it was completed. This
awards great renown for accomplishing. These quests creates a record of which quests have been completed.
typically involve slaying a mighty monster or solving Additionally, some Quests have choices or developments
a feud between powerful people. Heroic Feats usually that affect future events. Write a note on the Calendar of
take one to three sessions of play to complete, some- the Seasons with the name of this development to keep
times with multiple weeks of in-game time passing track of how things played out when it's time for the
between steps of the quest. characters to face the consequences of their actions.

40
Events his admiration. He volunteers to command a group
of warriors during the summer raids (see “Battle
Keep track of Event prerequisites. The GM can choose to Preparations” in chapter 2).
have an Event happen at any time once the prerequisite The Other Cheek. If the characters refused to fight
has been met. Gunnvarr or otherwise ignored him, Chief Hrafen av
Skeir calls them to Hrafensheim (area R1) the next
Event: Besting the Braggart morning. He praises them for their restraint and strength
Prerequisite: Completed a Heroic Feat or Quest: Night’s of will, saying that they set a good example for the rest
Fanged Hunter of Ragvall. However, Gunnvarr’s jealousy remains, and
he refuses to join the summer raids, preferring to remain
Questgiver: Gunnvarr Grindalsson
behind and guard his father’s estate.
Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) or Grindalsson
Farmstead (area R11)
Downtime: None
Event: Eyes in the Woods
Prerequisite: Led a second logging expedition into the
The successes of the characters cause Gunnvarr’s jealousy
Sheltering Wood (see “Gathering Timber,” earlier in
to escalate to drunken violence. Read or paraphrase the
this chapter)
following to begin this Event:
Questgiver: Thegn Arduinna Shinoff
“You there,” shouts a voice from the darkness. Gunnvarr Location: Sheltering Wood (see chapter 5)
stumbles towards you with malice in his eyes and a Downtime: None
greataxe in his hand. “The best warrior among you!
While the characters are leading their second logging
Draw steel!” expedition during downtime, Thegn Arduinna Shinoff
notices their presence. Read or paraphrase the following:
Soused and unable to contain his resentment, Gunnvarr
insults the characters relentlessly. Furthermore, he claims You feel it before you’re able to comprehend it. There is a
that he could best any one of them in a duel. slight lurch in your stomach. The hairs on the back of your
Duel Accepted. If the characters accept Gunnvarr’s chal- neck stand to attention. You’re being watched.
lenge, he insists on dueling one of them right there and then.
In his drunken and envious state, Gunnvarr (a A successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check spots
beserker) attacks brashly, always using his Reckless trait. Arduinna. If one of the characters succeeds on the check,
Nevertheless, he retains enough sense to stop attacking an read or paraphrase the following:
unconscious opponent.
If nonlethally defeated, Gunnvarr immediately passes A shadow shifts in the boughs, and suddenly you spot the
out, slumping to the ground. outline of a figure with pointed ears and piercing green
Gunnvarr Ignored. If the characters simply disregard eyes. As soon as you notice the silhouette, the figure darts
Gunnvarr’s words and continue with what they were doing,
away through the underbrush.
Gunnvarr calls them weak cowards, but he does not follow
after them if they walk away.
If characters choose to peruse Arduinna (use assassin
Calendar of the Seasons statistics), she shoots the nearest character with a single
Depending on how the characters resolved this Event, Light Crossbow attack before she vanishes completely.
mark one of the following outcomes on the Calendar of the The characters are unable to track her unless one of them
Seasons (see appendix C): succeeds on a DC 25 Wisdom (Survival) check. If successful,
Bragging Justified. If Gunnvarr defeats the character who run Event: The Elven-Thegn Appears.
dueled him, he becomes insufferable and finds every Arduinna is simply interested in observing the characters
moment he can to rub his victory in the character’s face. and does not reveal herself. Regardless of if they discover
The Last Word. If the character dueling Gunnvarr Arduinna’s presence or not, the characters can continue with
killed him, Chief Hrafen av Skeir calls the character their expedition without further complications.
to Hrafensheim (area R1) the next morning. The chief
reprimands the character for such actions and he voices
his disappointment. He informs the character that there
will be a bything at sunrise the next day. This starts “These trees are more ancient than your sagas.
Event: Settling the Law. They are not yours to pluck from the grove at
Gunnvarr’s Respect. If the character dueling Gunnvarr your choosing.”
defeated him nonlethally, the hero is approached by - Thegn Arduinna Shinoff
Gunnvarr the following morning. He recalls enough
of what happened to gain a newfound respect for the
hero and the rest of the characters, and he expresses

41
Event: Elven Arrows Explaining the Attack
Prerequisite: Led a fourth logging expedition into the If the characters completed Event: Elven Arrows and ask
Sheltering Wood (see “Gathering Timber,” earlier in Arduinna why she and the other elves killed the loggers,
this chapter) read or paraphrase the following:
Questgiver: None “It was a message,” she explains. “The Sheltering Wood
Location: Sheltering Wood (see chapter 5)
is the sacred home of the elves, and you were not only
Downtime: None
trespassing but actively violating our home. Nevertheless,
While the characters are leading their fourth logging
expedition during downtime, they find they’ve angered the fact that we stand face-to-face now is another message:
the elves of the Sheltering Wood. Read or paraphrase we do not need to be enemies.”
the following:
There’s a subtle rustling in the foliage. You spot eyes in Reparations from Arduinna
the trees. But something’s wrong. Before you’re able to If the characters demand recompense for the lives of their
act, arrows burst from the tree line, whistling with blood- kinfolk, Arduinna assents easily. Read or paraphrase:
freezing speed. In an instant, a dozen Ragvallans have
fallen dead, and horrible pain lances through your body. Arduinna nods. “Your tradition of the ‘weregild.’ I have
The iron smell of blood fills the air, but the trees are silent. heard of it. By dawn of your next week’s first day, you
will find our silver upon the threshold of your longhouse.
All villagers in the logging group are slain, and each of I ardently hope such payment will purify any bad blood
the characters takes 21 (6d6) piercing damage. The elves between our peoples.”
vanish into the woods, but a successful DC 25 Wisdom
(Survival) check finds their tracks. In the unlikely event that
the characters track them, run Event: The Elven-Thegn Retaliating Against Arduinna
Appears, even if they haven’t completed its prerequisites.
Arduinna is not alone. She is accompanied by three elven
Event: The Elven-Thegn Appears spies, who are hidden among the trees. A successful DC 18
Prerequisite: Successfully tracked Arduinna after Event: Wisdom (Perception) check notices the elves.
Eyes in the Woods or Event: Elven Arrows or completed If the characters attack Arduinna (use assassin statistics),
both Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur and a the other elves act on initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties).
Core Quest If reduced below half her maximum hit points, Arduinna
and her accompanying elves flee.
Questgiver: Thegn Arduinna Shinoff If the characters flee or surrender, Arduinna allows them
Location: Sheltering Wood (see chapter 5)
to but does not offer them her truce (see “Calendar of the
Downtime: None
Seasons,” below).
Whether by choice or because they managed to find her,
Arduinna reveals herself to the characters while they are in An Audience with the Elven-Thegn
the Sheltering Wood. Once the characters have introduced themselves to her,
If this Event happens because of successfully tracking down Arduinna elaborates on why she has shown herself. Read or
Arduinna during Event: Eyes in the Woods or Event: Elven
paraphrase the following:
Arrows, read or paraphrase the following to begin the Event:
“I appear before you because I have seen your exploits in
Just as it seems there are no more tracks to follow, an elven
these woods, and I find myself impressed,” Arduinna admits.
figure emerges from the shadows of the trees. She inclines
her head in greeting, causing long, white hair to cascade “As such, I am offering a truce between our peoples. We will
over her shoulders. “Not many Valikans possess the skill to not harm you in this forest as long as you don’t harm us.”
track elves of the Evergreen Enclave. My name is Arduinna
Shinoff, and I am the thegn of these woods.” Arduinna’s truce is simple but nonnegotiable. She is not
interested in making the deal better for the characters, and
If this Event happens because of the characters completing she doesn’t feel remorse or the need to make amends for
Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur and a Core Quest, the Ragvallans she has killed.
read or paraphrase the following to begin the Event: If the characters attack or greatly disrespect her,
Arduinna rescinds her offer and attacks (see “Retaliating
The dappled light of the forest bends slightly to reveal an
Against Arduinna,” above).
elven figure who raises a hand in greeting. “Well met,” she
If the characters accept her truce, read or paraphrase
says. “I am Arduinna Shinoff, thegn of these woods.”
the following:

42
“Once you return in the autumn, I would like to speak Hiding Ófeigur
further on the matter. I wish you luck on your raids, so Ófeigur scuttles from the house’s doorway to the streets of
you may live to see the turning of the leaves.” Without a Ragvall Village. It’s a simple matter to keep him hidden
goodbye, Arduinna leaps into the branches and vanishes. while the characters gather, but getting from their houses
back to the beacon requires caution, even at night.
The characters must make a DC 18 group Dexterity
Calendar of the Seasons (Stealth) or Charisma (Deception) check to make it through
If the characters accepted Arduinna’s truce, mark the first the village without arousing suspicion (see “Group Checks”
outcome on the Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix C); in the fifth edition core rules). If this group check succeeds,
if they also convinced her to pay reparations for the lives of they reach the lighthouse (area R12) without issue.
their kinfolk, they also earn the second outcome: If this group check fails, see “Suspicious Villager,” below.
Woodland Truce. The characters have secured peace Suspicious Villager
between Ragvall Village and the Evergreen Enclave (see
The characters couldn’t sneak Ófeigur through the village
Heroic Feat: Feud-Ender, later in this chapter).
without attracting the suspicion of Tafi (CN, male human
Elven Weregild. True to Arduinna’s word, an elven scout
scout), a hunter who saw such horrors in winter that
delivers satchel with 1,000 sp in unfamiliar coins bearing
he now ends every night completely soused. This social
a pinecone on one side and a stylized arrowhead on the
encounter involves Tafi escalating the situation until he
other appears by the door of Hrafensheim just before
attacks unless he’s talked down. Read or paraphrase the
dawn at the start of the next week. The chief distributes
following to begin this encounter:
it to the families of the slain, unless the characters steal
or otherwise intercept it before dawn. “Evenin’, stalwarts,” Tafi says, slurring his words. “Your
bud’s got a slimy cloak, don’t he?” He breaks into a fit of
Event: Seal upon the Depths giggles, then tries to get a closer look at Ófeigur.
Prerequisite: Befriended Ófeigur Lightraiser
Questgiver: Ófeigur Lightraiser If the characters think of a suitable lie and one character
Location: Home of one of the characters or Ófeigur’s makes a successful DC 16 Charisma (Deception) check,
Beacon (area R12) Tafi smiles and bids them farewell. If not, he rushes
Downtime: None forward and tries to tear Ófeigur’s hood away:
If Ófeigur lives after completing Quest: The Immortal “Show me who ya got under there, you big mister mystery!”
Hermit, he is suddenly driven to unseal the runic stone
that blocks the subbasement of his beacon. Underneath it
is a clutch of keppmir eggs surrounding a shrine to Keppr, A character can intercept and restrain him with a
known as the daemon of the depths, who is responsible for successful DC 13 Dexterity or Strength check. On a
the creation of the first keppmir. success, Tafi sways, vomits his supper into the snow, and
If Ófeigur is friendly toward the characters, he remains passes out. On a failure, he sees that Ófeigur is a keppmir
lucid enough to fear this discovery, and he quietly visits the and attacks the “monster.” (Ófeigur uses the amphibious
characters at night to warn them. If he is indifferent toward keppmir statistics in appendix A and Tafi is a scout.)
the characters, he enters the shrine to protect the eggs. Brawl! Tafi, Ófeigur, and characters wishing to join the
fray roll initiative. While Tafi fights to kill, Ófeigur only
Ófeigur’s Arrival fights in self-defense, but he doesn’t know how to keep his
Read or paraphrase the following to begin this Event: claws from lethally goring Tafi.
If Tafi is nonlethally defeated, he wakes up the next
Quiet knocks tap at your door in the dead of night. morning with no memory of the event. If he’s killed,
the chief has no choice but to try the killer (see “Laws
The knocker is Ófeigur, who is dressed in a heavy cloak and Customs of Ragvall” in the Introduction for how to
dripping with keppmir mucus. Once the characters open the run a trial).
door or otherwise examine their guest, read or paraphrase: Concluding the Brawl. After this encounter, the charac-
ters make it to the lighthouse without further complications.
Ófeigur appears even more fishlike than the last time you
saw him. He peers at you with watery eyes from beneath
his cloak’s mucus-wet hood. “Friends…I didn’t know
where else to turn. The seal beneath the beacon…I opened “Worse o’ winter ain’t in the snow. Is the monsters in
the village. The one’s who turn into some’fin ‘orrible
it. Please… come. Follow.”
and murder their kin.”
- Tafi, Ragvall hunter

43
Event: Settling the Law Arguments for Gondul’s death include:
Prerequisite: Completed Event: Besting the Braggart • Gondul undermined the clan’s chances to gather food,
with the “The Last Word” outcome or Completed and therefore their chances to survive.
Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur with the • Gondul murdered a hunter, which means she was a killer
“Dragonbornslayer” outcome who should have been outlawed.
• The characters present physical proof of
Questgiver: Hrafen av Skeir Gondul’s monstrousness.
Location: Shrine Isle (area R4)
Downtime: None Leveraging the Feud
Content Warning: Accusations of murder If the characters haven’t completed Quest: Burning Feud
If the characters kill either Gunnvarr Grindalsson or Gondul yet, they can use Benna Stonebreaker’s feud with Grindal to
Grindalsdóttir, Grindal av Halsfjord becomes overwhelmed their advantage. A successful DC 12 Charisma (Deception or
with grief and rage. By his estimation, all that his family has Persuasion) check convinces Benna that Grindal is leverag-
gained from coming to Ragvall Village is death. ing his child’s death for his own gain. Benna rallies her fami-
With no hesitation, Grindal pressures Chief Hrafen av ly to side with the characters, granting the character making
Skeir into calling a bything to address the murder of his the check advantage on the check to convince the village.
child. The chief complies, and a bything is announced for Grindal’s Stand
the next sunrise. Depending on which of his children was killed, Grindal in-
Beginning the Bything tersperses his own argument with the characters’ argument.
Gunnvarr. Grindal points out that Gunnvarr was drunk
At sunrise, the village gathers on Shrine Isle. The bything
during the duel, affecting his judgment. He also brings up
begins with Ása Lögmaður standing before the Lögsteinn,
that by killing Gunnvarr, the village has lost a great warrior.
stating that they are there to address the death of either
Gondul. Grindal defends his daughter with appeals to
Gunnvarr Grindalsson or Gondul Grindalsdóttir.
Gondul’s personhood. He is appalled by claims that Gon-
Grindal begins his attack immediately, pointing at those
dul’s curse made her a monster or made her any less of a
involved in the killing.
member of the clan.
If the bything is for Gunnvarr’s death, read or
paraphrase the following: Murky Waters
Characters who find the situation to be more nuanced,
“This is my son’s killer!” Grindal declares. “A thug who especially regarding Gondul Grindalsdóttir, can instead
deemed him fit to die for idle insults!” negotiate for a new law and a corresponding punishment.
This doesn’t require a roll, relying on the creativity of the
If the bything is instead for Gondul’s death, read or characters instead.
“My daughter was killed by these murderers!” Grindal Depending on how the characters resolved this event, mark
snarls. “It was no accident! They hunted her down and one or more of the following outcomes on the Calendar of
the Seasons (see appendix C):
slaughtered her like a beast!”
Scot-Free. If the characters can convince the village that
their killing of Gondul was justified, Ása Lögmaður
Mounting a Defense clears them of charges. Grindal demands a weregild of
The characters make their case and justify their actions. 1,000 sp and refuses to deal with the characters ever
Throughout the bything, they must build a case for them- again. They have until the beginning of the autumn
selves, and then, at the case’s end, one character must make a season to deliver the weregild. If they fail, Chief Hrafen
successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check av Skeir is forced to exile them for four weeks. They are
to convince the assembled village that the actions taken were free to go adventuring but need to find food and shelter.
just. If the character fails this check, Grindal manages to No Good Deed. If the characters fail to convince their
convince the villagers instead. fellow clansfolk that the death was deserved, Ása
The GM determines if the character makes a convincing Lögmaður finds them guilty of Grand Violence, and the
argument. Each convincing argument adds a +1 bonus to punishment is ten years of exile. Much to Grindal’s anger,
this check. The check can benefit from multiple arguments. Chief Hrafen av Skeir reduces this punishment to one
Arguments for Gunnvarr’s death include: year, and the characters can return if they accomplish a
Heroic Feat (see “A Heroic Feat,” later in this chapter).
• Gunnvarr did not specify that the duel was not to the death. New Territory. If the characters manage to negotiate for
• Gunnvarr dueled knowing death was a possibility. a new law, Ása Lögmaður carves it into the Lögsteinn.
• If the duel had gone differently, Gunnvarr would have The characters receive the punishment this law decrees.
killed them. Burning Brighter. Using Benna’s hatred of Grindal makes
completing Quest: Burning Feud more difficult.

44
Event: Ship Wars DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Alternatively, they
Prerequisite: Begins the seventh week of spring if Quest: can eavesdrop on the shipwrights by making a DC 12
Burning Feud hasn’t been completed Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check.
On a success, they learn:
Questgiver: Mardoll Brightsea • The argument is about the feud between the Bennusons
Location: Snekkjafit (area R14) and the Grindalssons.
Downtime: None • The argument began when a shipwright said that with
If the feud between Benna Stonebreaker and Grindal av Grindal av Halsfjord around, Ragvall might actually
Halsfjord is not resolved by the beginning of the seventh become a place of note.
week of spring (see Quest: Burning Feud), tensions • This enraged a shipwright loyal to Benna
between these two pillars of the Ragvallan community Stonebreaker. The matriarch has contributed
begin to cause rifts between the villagers. immensely to Ragvall’s development.
While working under the supervision of Mardoll Quelling Benna’s Supporters. A successful DC 15
Brightsea, two shipwrights who have opposing loyalties Charisma (Persuasion) check calms Benna’s supporters and
begin arguing about Benna and Grindal. Soon, the other resolves the situation. While they swallow their pride and
shipwrights reveal their allegiances and draw weapons. walk away, they continue glaring at their rivals. Characters
If the characters have befriended Mardoll Brightsea, she who appeal to their love for Benna and the community
approaches them urgently. Read or paraphrase the following: make this check with advantage.
Quelling Grindal’s Supporters. A successful DC 15
“No time to explain,” Mardoll manages between gasps
Charisma (Persuasion) check calms Grindal’s supporters
of breath. “You have to come with me.” Before you can
and resolves the situation. They return to their work
respond, she rushes toward the shore. on the ships. Characters who appeal to their feelings of
superiority and disdain for Benna make this check with
Otherwise, the characters either witness the start of the advantage.
commotion or hear about the situation from other villagers.
Once the characters reach Snekkjafit, read or Fighting Words
paraphrase the following: If the characters fail three checks to convince the
shipwrights to stop arguing, one of the shipwrights loyal
The Snekkjafit is overwhelmed with insults, each louder to Grindal swings an axe at a Benna supporter, and the
and more vicious than the last. Shipwrights point situation escalates into a fight. Nothing short of physically
their weapons at each other, punctuating their words getting between the shipwrights de-escalates the situation.
with threats. Eventually, the shipwrights tire themselves out, but their
scrapes and bruises remain.
If she is not already with the characters, Mardoll runs Calendar of the Seasons
up to them: If the characters successfully stopped the argument, mark
the following outcome on the Calendar of the Seasons (see
Mardoll looks at you with panic in her eyes. “Please, do
appendix C):
something!” she pleads.
Mardoll’s Friendship. If the characters have not
befriended Mardoll, she is now friendly towards them.
Setting Everything Wright In private, she tells Ása about how the characters
The argument involves ten shipwrights (commoners); diffused the situation, prompting Ása to consider asking
five are loyal to Benna Stonebreaker and five are loyal to them for help (see Quest: Gills for the Gill-less).
Grindal av Halsfjord.
Magical Solutions. The shipwrights can be
instantaneously subdued with a spell such as sleep or
calm emotions.
Make Some Noise. The characters can create a “Oh, there was an argument on my behalf?
distraction to diffuse the situation. The characters must Interesting. By whom? Bah... I truly care not. Folk
make as successful group DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) loyal to me should know a dragon does not concern
check to scare the shipwrights into putting down their themself with the yelping of a fox. But I’m glad it’s
weapons (see “Group Checks” in the fifth edition core common knowledge where the value in Clan Ragvall
rules). On a failure, the shipwrights disregard the truly resides.”
characters, and future attempts to convince shipwrights to
stop arguing are made with disadvantage.
Finding the Cause. Characters can talk with the
shipwrights and gain information by making a successful

45
Quests Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter
To undertake these Quests, the characters need to explore
Ragvall Village and meet with their fellow clanfolk. At the Questgiver: Mildrith Quickshot
beginning of this adventure, Chief Hrafen av Skeir offers Location: Hunters’ Cabins (area R14) or the Sheltering
suggestions about problems around the village that the char- Wood (see chapter 5)
acters can help solve (see “Meeting the Chief,” earlier in this Downtime: 1 week
chapter). Those problems are drawn from this list of Quests. Content Warning: Rotting corpses
Once three of these Quests have been completed, Chief
Following the demise of the dire wolf during Quest:
Hrafen av Skeir invites them to his longhouse to discuss
Night’s Fanged Hunter, the elk hunters resume stalking
completing Core Quests (see “Raid Supplies,” earlier in
the Sheltering Wood, unaware that the real killer is
this chapter).
still at large.
On the night of the full moon, a hunter is viciously
mauled by the true culprit: Gondul Grindalsdóttir in her
Session Zero: werewolf form. He lives long enough only to tell Mildrith
Obvious Quest Hooks his last words.
As the GM, make sure you and your players are on the If the characters achieved the “Beast’s Keeper” outcome
same page regarding how forthcoming the Ragvallan at the end of Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter, Mildrith
villagers are about giving quests. Some players may think personally seeks out the characters. Read or paraphrase
a villager directly saying “I have a quest for you” is too the following:
direct. These players may prefer discovering quests through
“There you are!” Mildrith says, slightly out of breath. “I’ve
clues. Others like knowing exactly what kind of quests are
been looking all over for you.” She inhales deeply. “Look,
available; otherwise, the characters may not know if they
have missed a narratively interesting opportunity. This is a I know this is sudden, but if you have a moment, could you
great topic to discuss during your Session Zero. swing by my cabin? It’s urgent. It’s related to the beast you
helped me slay. Thank you again for that, by the way.”

46
Once Mildrith receives a response, she returns to the Ása’s Discovery
Hunters’ Cabins (area R14). After three checks, regardless of success or failure, Ása
Otherwise, Mildrith broaches the matter when she comes Lögmaður arrives accompanied by Mardoll Brightsea.
across the characters. Read or paraphrase the following: Once the body is handed over to Ása and Mardoll, read
or paraphrase the following:
“Hey,” Mildrith calls over. “You got a moment? There’s
something I was hoping you could help me with. Ása begins casting spells, frowning at the results. After
Something urgent.” whispering something to Mardoll, she procures a silver coin
and places it on the body. Performing a ritual together, the
If the characters agree to listen, Mildrith ushers them into coin begins to glow like moonlight. When the light fades, Ása
her cabin to talk in private. looks at you with a grave expression on her face. “Wounds
from a legend,” she says. “Your legend of a man who turns
A Tragic Casualty
into a wolf.”
Once the characters are in her cabin, Mildrith explains
the situation.
If the characters achieved the outcome “Beast’s Keeper” If asked to elaborate, Ása explains that she discovered
at the end of Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter, read or the wounds were slightly magical. Suspecting a werewolf,
paraphrase the following: she cast a ritual to test what the wounds would react to.
As expected, the wounds recoiled from silver and tugged
“Things are as we feared—the true beast is still out there,” towards moonlight.
Mildrith confesses. “And, the other day, it killed one of my
A Silver Edge
hunters.” The guilt is evident in her voice. “
Characters who make a successful DC 10 Intelligence
(Arcana) check are aware that werewolves can only be
If the party didn’t achieve the “Beast’s Keeper” outcome harmed by silvered weapons.
in Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter, read or paraphrase Rikarð Jarnskegg can silver weapons at his smithy. He can
the following: silver one weapon or ten pieces of ammunition for 100 gp, but
the characters must wait a week for him to send a courier with
“One of my hunters was killed the other day. Brutally
the money to Runeheim to get the alchemical silver needed.
maimed,” Mildrith’s usually level tone wavers. “The
scene reminded me of the elk. But we killed the beast Whodunnit?
responsible, right?” The characters can start deducing who and where the
werewolf is. If they need help, the other NPCs can provide
Either way, Mildrith explains her next step: their suspicions.
Ása’s Suspicions. The lawspeaker has done her duty
“I’ve asked Ása to magically examine the body. But it might and has nothing more to contribute.
be for the best if you take a look first.” Mardoll’s Suspicions. Mardoll has heard eerie stories
of the elves in the Sheltering Wood, and says that they have
every reason to try and scare of Ragvallan hunters.
A Closer Look Mildrith’s Suspicions. Mildrith reveals that the
Mildrith stored and covered the corpse under her bed. If hunter said his attacker was “a beast of bronze and white
the characters agree to look, she drags it to the middle of fur.” She suspects Grindal and his children because they
her cabin. are dragonborn who all have bronze scales.
Detect Magic. A character casting detect magic discovers
traces of transmutation magic lingering in the wounds. A
Wolf, Where?
successful DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana) check uncovers that a With the suspects narrowed down, the characters must
curse began to take hold of the body but didn’t finish. figure out which dragonborn is the werewolf.
Impromptu Autopsy. Characters can examine the Though they are free to investigate the entirety of
body to gain information by making a successful DC Ragvall and interview its inhabitants, only Grindal
15 Intelligence (Investigation or Medicine) or Wisdom and Gondul know about the werewolf curse. They have
(Perception) check. As many characters can make this managed to keep it a secret from Gunnvarr.
check as they want, and the check can be repeated on a If the characters completed Event: Besting the
failure. On a success, they learn: Braggart, its outcome may this quest.
One Suspect Down. If the characters achieved the
• The wounds appear to be from fangs and claws. outcome “The Last Word,” they only need to worry about
• Tufts of white fur cling to the remains of the whether Grindal or Gondul is the werewolf.
hunter’s clothes. An Unlikely Ally. If the characters achieved the outcome
• A sturdy bronze scale, like that of a drake, is lodged in “Gunnvarr’s Respect,” they can talk with him regarding the
the hunter’s deepest wound. matter. He can be found at his farmstead (area R11).

47
Grindalsson Farmstead Back to the Woods
Provided they achieved the “Gunnvarr’s Respect” If Gondul flees to the Sheltering Wood, she makes her way
outcome from Event: Besting the Braggart, Gunnvarr is to the Elgrleiths (area W1 in chapter 5).
amendable to discussing matters. A character who makes Scared and alone, Gondul fully expects to fight the
a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check can confirm characters. For the first time, she voluntarily transforms
his honesty. into her werewolf form and manages to stay in control.
Even with this in mind, Gunnvarr is not someone the When the characters arrive, read or paraphrase
characters should confide in. the following:
Potential Sisterkiller. If he learns they are after a
vicious beast, he insists on joining the characters to fight A large white wolf with patches of gleaming bronze scales
it and can only be dissuaded with a successful DC 17 stands amidst the bones of a half-dozen elk. Her golden
Charisma (Persuasion) check or if they reveal the beast is eyes stare at you. She’s been waiting.
most likely his sister.
Family Before Honor. Gunnvarr does not take kindly Though Gondul Grindalsdóttir (see appendix A) is ready
to his family being accused of murder. He refuses to help the to fight the characters, it is not their only option.
characters with their investigations and makes his way to his Brother Against Sister. If Gunnvarr is present and
sister’s meadery (area R9) to alert his father and sister. unaware of the beast’s identity, he charges forward, eager
to get the first strike. His greataxe is not silvered, however,
Grindalsdóttir Meadery
so he isn’t capable of physically wounding the creature. If
It is Grindal who greets the characters at the meadery.
he attacks, though, the relationship between the siblings is
Paranoid that they have discovered his daughter’s secret,
irreversibly damaged.
he is hostile to the characters, stating that they have no
Fighting Gondul. Though Gondul has blood on
business at the farm. He threatens them by reminding
her hands, she was not lucid during those times. She is
them of his wealth and influence.
powerful but has no practice in this new form. Gondul
Too Late. If Gondul is alerted to the arrival of
fights with desperation, attacking the closest enemy she
the charactersby her brother or another person, she
sees. If one character is dealing more damage to her
flees toward the Sheltering Wood before they arrive at
than the others, she turns her attention to that character.
the meadery.
When possible, she uses her Lightning Breath to deal
Stalling For Time. If Gondul is in the meadery when
with multiple characters at once. She fights to the death,
the characters arrive, Grindal prohibits the characters
believing she doesn’t have anything to live for.
from entering in an effort to give his daughter time to
Because she is a werewolf, characters without silvered
escape. The characters must make three successful DC 15
weapons or magic are at a significant disadvantage in
Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) checks to convince
this fight.
him to let them talk with Gondul. If they fail three times,
Calming Gondul. The characters can convince
Gondul successfully escapes to the Sheltering Wood.
Gondul they mean no harm with three successful DC 15
Gondul Cornered Charisma (Persuasion) checks. These checks are made with
If the characters manage to talk with Gondul, read or disadvantage if Gondul is being attacked. Once calmed,
paraphrase the following: she pleads with the characters to help her (see “Gondul
Cornered” earlier in this quest).
“It’s true. After the last several full moons, I awoke covered
in blood in the woods. I never meant to harm anyone! I
Regardless of how the characters resolved this quest, the
know that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve caused so much
problems of Mildrith and her hunters are over. She thanks
death but…I wish I could control my powers. Please, you the heroes for everything they have done, cracking a rare
have to help me.” smile as she does so. Mark one outcome on the Calendar of
the Seasons (see appendix C):
The characters are free to deal with this however they Dragonbornslayer. The characters have slain a vicious
wish. If they have no ideas, a successful DC 13 Intelligence beast (see Heroic Feat: Monster Slayer, later in this
(Nature) check recalls that some Valikan clan druids have chapter). At the same time, they have also slain Gondul
harnessed lycanthropy for good. Alvíss av Dvergholt is no Grindalsdóttir. Immediately after finding out about
Valikan, but characters who bring Gondul to his woodwork- her death, Grindal approaches Chief Hrafen av Skeir,
ing shop (area R3), could convince him to help her. starting Event: Settling the Law.
Alvíss knows stories of the werewolf Lief Sarvif and A Wolf Among. If the characters convinced Alvíss to train
werewolves who learned to control their transformations Gondul, they both vanish from Ragvall Village for
and appetites with the aid of druidic training. He has his one month, then return with Gondul fully in control
doubts, but could be convinced to try to help Gondul if of her transformation. If they return by spring’s end,
one of the characters makes a successful DC 18 Charisma the characters can bring Gondul on the raids (see
(Persuasion) check. chapter 2).

48
Quest: Burning Feud The chief lets out a frustrated sigh. “In a way, it’s my
Prerequisite: None fault,” he admits. “Grindal is both a very powerful trade
mogul and a corrupt individual with many thralls in his
Questgiver: Benna Stonebreaker or Grindal av Halsfjord service. I allowed Grindal to stay here because he accepted
Location: Bennuson Farmstead (area R8) or Grindalsson my stipulation that he cannot bring his thralls to Ragvall.
Farmstead (area R11) It wasn’t until the start of spring that I learned one of his
Downtime: 1 week
former thralls was Benna herself.”
Content Warning: Slavery and abuse
He rubs his temples. “Unfortunately, that man is integral
This quest begins when the characters learn of the feud to securing trade routes. I’m afraid that chasing him out of the
between Benna Stonebreaker and Grindal av Halsjord,
village would do more harm than good for us. But at the same
which can be given directly by Chief Hrafen av Skeir (see
time, I feel great sympathy for Benna. She has to live in the
“You’ve Proven Your Worth” earlier this chapter) or from
witnessing a conflict brought on by the feud (see Event: same village as a man who inflicted so much pain upon her.”
Ship Wars, earlier in this chapter).
The characters can approach Benna Stonebreaker or
Grindal av Halsfjord about the feud. Alternatively, they
Taking a Stance
can talk to Chief Hrafen av Skeir for more information on Once the characters are aware of why there is a feud, they
the situation. must decide on how it should be resolved. While there are
three main ways to end the feud, if the characters think of
Benna’s Perspective another solution, the GM may have to improvise another
If characters ask Benna about the feud, read or paraphrase conclusion for this quest.
the following: Recompense. The characters decide Grindal must
apologize for his past treatment of Benna and offer
Benna’s usual smile drops into a scowl at the mention of her reperations to ensure harmony. This requires
Grindal. “That man kept me as a thrall for several years. convincing Grindal.
Had to fight in an underground ring to buy my freedom. Forgiveness. The characters decide Benna must forgive
And just when I thought I saw the last of him, he shows Grindal for his transgressions and offer him another
his face here.” She spits on the ground in disgust. “I chance. This requires convincing Benna.
understand why the chief has let him stay, but if it was up Compromise. The characters decide Benna and Grindal
to me, I’d chase him out of the village.” should hear each other’s perspectives and come to an
agreement that, somehow, satisfies them both. This
requires convincing both Benna and Grindal.
Grindal’s Perspective
If the characters ask Grindal about the feud, read or para- Convincing Benna
phrase the following: A character must make a successful DC 22 Charisma
(Persuasion) check to convince Benna. If the check fails,
Grindal’s mouth curves down into a frown. “Ah yes, that,” it can be repeated once a week. Depending on quests and
he says tersely. “I grace this village with my presence only other factors, the DC for this check can be altered.
to be met with such hostility. And from a former thrall, no Kind Offerings. If the characters give Benna a gift or
less. Utterly disrespectful.” spend one week of downtime assisting her, the DC for this
check is reduced by 2.
Natural Twenties. If a character rolls a natural
Hrafen’s Perspective 20 but still fails the check, the DC is reduced by 5 for
Alternatively, the characters can talk to Chief Hrafen av future attempts.
Skeir about the feud. Read or paraphrase the following: Friend of Stonebreaker. If the characters achieved the
outcome “Friend of Stonebreaker” at the end of Quest:
Thieving Churls, the DC for this check is reduced by 10.
Burning Brighter. If the characters achieved the
outcome “Burning Brighter” at the end of Event: Settling
the Law, the DC for this check is increased by 5.
“Swap your tunics between you to dress as your
neighbor. Live in the world as they do to know how Convincing Grindal
your feud pains you both. Only the prideful stand
A character must make a successful DC 22 Charisma
before me, refusing to dress in plainer clothes.”
(Persuasion) check to convince Grindal. If the check fails,
- Ása Lögmaður, lawspeaker it can be repeated once a week. Depending on quests and
other factors, the DC for this check can be altered.
Kind Offerings. If the characters give Grindal a gift or
spend one week of downtime assisting him, the DC for this
check is reduced by 2.

49
Natural Twenties. If a character rolls a natural Quest: Eggs Over Easy
20 but still fails the check, the DC is reduced by 5 for Prerequisite: Completed Quest: The Immortal Hermit
future attempts.
Gunnvarr’s Respect. If the characters achieved the Questgiver: Ófeigur Lightraiser
outcome “Gunnvarr’s Respect” at the end of Event: Besting Location: Ófeigur’s Beacon (area R12)
the Braggart, the DC for this check is reduced by 5. Downtime: 1 week
A Wolf Among. If the characters achieved the “A Wolf Content Warning: Body horror, mental degradation
Among” outcome at the end of Quest: A Beast of Bronze The basement of Ófeigur’s Beacon (area B4 in chapter 5)
and White Fur, the DC for this check is reduced by 5. has a stone seal placed upon it that only opens at the touch
Burning Brighter. If characters achieved the “Burning of a keppmir. If Ófeigur Lightraiser is alive, he opens the
Brighter” outcome at the end of Event: Settling the Law, seal and enters.
the DC for this check is increased by 5. If the characters completed Event: Seal upon the
Scot-Free. If characters achieved the “Scot-Free” Depths, they arrive at the beacon with Ófeigur. Otherwise,
outcome at the end of Event: Settling the Law, the DC for this Quest can only be begun if the characters explore
this check is increased by 5. the lighthouse basement after completing Quest: The
Immortal Hermit. In that case, they find the seal opened,
and Ófeigur is in the basement, enthralled by the keppmir
Depending on how the characters resolved this quest,
eggs and his physical form appearing less human.
mark one of the following outcomes on the Calendar of
Seasons (see appendix C). It’s possible to have elements Towering Idol of Keppr
of both outcomes, which means the GM must improvise a This boxed text assumes Ófeigur is arriving with the charac-
combined outcome. ters. If he isn’t, paraphrase to suit the current situation:
Not Forgiven nor Forgotten. If the characters convince
Benna to forgive Grindal, the Bennuson family and Beneath the seal is a grotto filled with tide pools. In its
its supporters stop antagonizing him and his family. center is a ten-foot-tall statue of a muscular, eel-headed
Benna never again gives the characters a genuine smile, spearman. “I’ve seen this before,” Ófeigur says haltingly.
and she begins to pack her belongings to leave Ragvall “In dreams. A statue to a daemon. And on the ground, a
during the summer. This leads to Quest: Afterburn in wonderous sight... eggs!”
autumn (chapter 3). Ófeigur lurches toward the statue, shedding his cloak as
Not Fine nor Fined. If the characters convince Grindal he goes, and bending unnaturally into one of the tide pools
to give Benna reparation, he approaches her in public
surrounding the statue. “Eggs… my kin,” he murmurs,
and throws 10 sp at her feet before walking away in
entranced by the contents of the pool.
disgust. The Grindalsson family and its supporters
keep antagonizing the Bennuson faction, and word
that Grindal plans to leave Ragvall during the summer Ófeigur feels a powerful paternal compulsion to protect
spreads. This leads to Quest: Afterburn in autumn the eggs of his keppmir kin. Any attempt to touch the eggs
(chapter 3). causes him to lash out with a Gore attack (see amphibious
Feud Quelled. The characters have successfully resolved keppmir statistics in appendix A). A character who makes
the feud (see Heroic Feat: Feud-Ender, later in this a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check to read his
chapter). Benna Stonebreaker and Grindal av Halsfjord disposition recognizes that he grows increasingly agitated
grudgingly tolerate each other for the good of Ragvall the longer the characters remain near the eggs. Succeeding
Village. Neither of them feels the desire to escalate the on the check by 5 or more reveals that his mental state
situation during summer. seems to be rapidly degrading while he’s near the
keppmir eggs.
Calming Ófeigur. If he’s friendly toward the charac-
ters, a character who says something to remind him of their
friendship can make a successful DC 15 Charisma (Per-
suasion) check. On a success, he stammers an apology and
invites them to look at the eggs. Even while calmed, howev-
er, he refuses to willingly leave the shrine. The only way to
remove him is to kill him or render him unconscious.
The Decision
The characters must make a decision. Leaving Ófeigur
here results in his complete mental collapse, but it also
leaves the problem of the keppmir eggs hatching in the
future. However, while in this chamber, Ófeigur is so
enthralled by the power of Keppr and the eggs that he will
fight to the death to protect his kin.

50
Leaving Ófeigur. If the characters leave Ófeigur here,
he never emerges again. He tends to the keppmir eggs until
they hatch (see “Calendar of the Seasons,” below). His
loyalty to Ragvall dissolves until nothing but a fanatical
devotion to protecting his keppmir kin remains.
Destroying the Eggs. There is a total of twenty keppmir
eggs in the four tide pools, five in each pool. The tide pools are
3 feet deep and completely submerged in water. Each egg has
AC 15, 5 hit points, and vulnerability to bludgeoning damage.
Angering Ófeigur. If the characters attack the eggs
to protect Ragvall, Ófeigur is enraged and attacks to kill.
Additionally, the monument to Keppr awakens to defend
its eggs. It is a shield guardian with the following changes
that reduce its challenge rating to 5 (1,800 XP):
• Its speed is reduced to 20 feet.
• It doesn’t have the Bound trait; instead, if the shield
guardian is within 60 feet of a keppmir or a keppmir egg,
half of any damage the keppmir takes (rounded up) is
transferred to the guardian.
• It doesn’t have the Regeneration trait.
• Its Spell Storing trait contains the spell suffocate (see
appendix B), which fills the victim’s lungs with water.
If the characters flee this room, the animated statue
emerges only to replace the seal before returning to the
shrine. Neither it nor Ófeigur pursues the characters.
Saving Ófeigur
If Ófeigur is knocked unconscious or otherwise forcibly
removed from the Shrine of Keppr and the eggs, his mental
degradation stops. He remains a perfectly lucid person,
even if his body is that of a frightful keppmir. If brought
before Chief Hrafen av Skeir, he convinces the chief to
return him to his post at the lighthouse. While he must
resist the supernatural urge to descend into the shrine, he
performs his duties admirably.

Depending on the characters’ choices, mark one or both
of the following outcomes on the Calendar of Seasons
(see appendix C). It’s possible to have elements of both
outcomes, which means the GM must improvise a
combined outcome.
Death of a Lightkeeper. This outcome means that
Ófeigur Lightraiser was killed, and Ófeigur’s Beacon is
manned by an inexperienced villager, causing Quest:
Shipwreck in autumn (chapter 3).
Left to Hatch. This outcome means that even a single
keppmir egg was left to hatch, either by the characters’
choice or because they were forced to flee from combat.
This affects the sixth week of winter and Event: The
Darkwater Alliance (in chapter 4).
“Leave! Leave me be with my kin!”

- Ófeigur Lightraiser

Quest: Epic Poetry about a mythic Handmaiden of Ilhara with the power
Prerequisite: None to transform into a drake. If the characters killed the
servant, Bragi is uncomfortable with putting Nataya’s
Questgiver: Bragi Bennuson head on a ship.
Location: Bennuson Farmstead (area R8) or Fabricated Poetry. The characters deceive Bragi into
Hrafensheim (area R1) believing they killed a prismatic drake, and he begins
Downtime: 1 week immortalizing their fight in a song (see Heroic Feat:
Content Warning: Corpse mutilation Monster Slayer, later in this chapter). Mardoll mounts
This Quest begins when the characters encounter Bragi the drake head on one of the ships.
Bennuson at either his farmstead or in Hrafensheim.
Read or paraphrase the following:
“Hello?” Bragi says confidently. “I was wondering if you’d

be interested in making history.” Quest: Gills for the Gill-less
Prerequisite: Befriended Mardoll Brightsea
A character that makes a successful DC 13 Wisdom
Questgiver: Ása Lögmaður
(Insight) check can tell that the notoriously self-conscious
Location: Shrine Isle (area R4)
bard is feigning confidence. Bragi elaborates if the
Downtime: 1 week
characters ask for more information:
This quest begins when the characters visit Shrine Isle after
His face lights up at your interest. “Well, you see, I want to befriending Mardoll. Mardoll told Ása about a time the
write a new poem or song. And I, uh, want it to be about characters showed her tremendous kindness and courage.
you,” Bragi blushes at his own words. “Not in, like, a Having heard the woman she loves speak so highly of
romantic way! I want it to be about your deeds. Like, if you them, Ása Lögmaður decides to ask them for help. Read or
killed a prismatic drake—there are legends, you see—and
mounted its head on one of our ships. Yeah, that would be “You’re Mardoll’s friends, right?” Ása asks tentatively.
worthy of being commemorated in song!” “This is sudden, but I was wondering if you could help me
with something.”
If asked if he knows where a prismatic drake can be found,
Bragi mentions that many bards have written poetry about
If the characters ask for more details, Ása elaborates:
the beautiful rainbow lights that surround Hvitrfjall Peak
(see chapter 5). Though he is unsure if prismatic drakes can “Oh!” Ása lets out a gurgling croak of surprise, caught off
be found there, he suggests checking it out. guard by the interest. “Well, you see. I don’t remember
A Prismatic Problem anything before I washed up on this shore. I don’t belong
Unfortunately for the characters, the prismatic drake here. I need answers, answers- I can’t find alone.” She stares
that once resided on Hvitrfjall Peak left two winters ago. at you with her fishy eyes. “Mardoll tells me I can trust you,
Instead, Nataya, a panjaian ilharan with the ability to so, I will trust. The problem is that I can breathe water, and
transform into a sky drake, has taken over the mountain. you cannot.” She looks askance and rubs her smooth arms
If the characters kill Nataya in her sky drake form, they together in thought. “I do not have much to give as reward,
can decapitate her and disguise her head as a prismatic so this would be purely an act of kindness. And I still have
drake head. A character wishing to disguise her head can much planning to do, but… in the meantime, perhaps we
do so with a disguise kit, prismatic scales from Herald’s could find a way to let you breathe water?”
Rest (area P2 in chapter 5), and a successful DC 15
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. A character presenting
Ása admits she has no strong leads, but suggests they visit
the disguised drake head to Bragi must make a successful
Chief Hrafen av Skeir in Hrafensheim (area R1) because
DC 13 Charisma (Deception) check to convince him.
he knows of many legendary warriors. It is possible one of
Calendar of the Seasons these legends learned of ways to breathe underwater.
Depending on how the characters resolved this quest, mark By following this lead, the characters may learn that there
one of the following outcomes on the Calendar of Seasons are many ways to gain the ability to breathe water, including:
(see appendix C). The characters may solve the situation • Making potions of glacial resistance (see appendix B) or
with a different approach, which means the GM must potions of water breathing.
improvise a new or combined outcome. • Waiting until a spellcaster is strong enough to learn and
Honest Poetry. The characters are truthful about their cast water breathing.
encounter with Nataya. While Bragi is disappointed that • Making scraglung helmets (see appendix B) out of
there isn’t prismatic drake, he is excited to write poetry seaborn trolls found in Oceantide Cave (see chapter 5).

52
Hrafen’s Tale Quest: The Immortal Hermit
Chief Hrafen av Skeir is busy but happy to point the Prerequisite: None
characters in the right direction:
Questgiver: Hrafen av Skeir
• Fearless warriors have made potions of glacial resistance
Location: Ófeigur’s Beacon (area R12; see chapter 5 for
(see appendix B), highly sought-after potions made from
the interior of Ófeigur’s Beacon)
ground keppmir horns and dried seaweed.
Downtime: 1 week
• He recalls the legend of Frihilda the Fearless who swam
after a ship full of her captured clansfolk. She wore a This quest begins when Chief Hrafen av Skeir tells them of
magical helmet fashioned from a seaborn troll. Ófeigur’s disappearance (see “Meeting the Chief,” earlier
in this chapter), and he asks them to enter the lighthouse
If the characters ask Chief Hrafen av Skeir if he knows
and find out what happened to him.
where they might find seaborn trolls, he mentions that
Read or paraphrase the following when the characters
Hlökk Warcrier told him once that she’d seen some to the
reach the door of Ófeigur’s Beacon (area R12):
south of the village.
Hlökk’s Sighting Before you stands a lighthouse of stone bricks with a closed
roof. It stands about twenty feet tall. Every night, a bonfire
If asked, Hlökk confirms that she spotted seaborn trolls
while traveling across the shores below Ragvall. She recalls atop the beacon burns, even though the lighthouse keeper
that they were quite large and formidable predators, hasn’t been seen in months.
effortlessly killing the sea creatures they hunted. Hlökk
cautions the characters against directly engaging in combat The lighthouse door is locked from the inside. A character can
with seaborn trolls, and she suggests they take a stealthier pick the lock silently by making a successful DC 15 Dexterity
approach if they choose to pursue this lead. check using thieves’ tools. Alternatively, a successful DC 15
Strength check smashes the door clean off its hinges, but this
Ása’s Aid alerts Ófeigur to the characters’ presence.
If the characters relay to Ása information gleaned from Ófeigur is currently in the Nameless Shrine, beneath
Chief Hrafen av Skeir or Hlökk Warcrier, she suddenly the lighthouse. The interior of Ófeigur’s Beacon and the
recalls a place in the Teeth where other laneshi harvested dungeon beneath it are described in chapter 5.
materials that would allow their prisoners to breathe water.
She is unsure of when she acquired this knowledge. She Meeting Ófeigur
tells the characters where Oceantide Cave is (see chapter Ófeigur is in the secret basement of the lighthouse (area
5), and of two ways they can create water-breathing tools B4 in chapter 5). Ófeigur Lightraiser was once the human
from the creatures within it. lighthouse keeper, but he is now an amphibious keppmir
Scraglung Helmets. If the characters bring her the (see appendix A). Reference the “Roleplaying Ófeigur”
corpse of one or more seaborn trolls, Ása crafts four scra- section earlier in this chapter to determine how he acts
glung helmets (see appendix B) from each corpse. Each around the characters.
helmet takes two weeks to make, and if spring ends before Ófeigur Attacks. If Ófeigur is unaware of intruders,
they’re all done, the laneshi presents the rest to the charac- he is running his webbed, scaled fingers over the runes
ters once they return in autumn (chapter 3). Ása warns them of the Daemonic Seal (area B5 in chapter 5), trying to
that these trolls are powerful enough to kill Valikan warriors discern their true meaning. If he notices the characters, he
in a single crushing blow, and some even have magical pow- immediately attacks. If he knows they are coming, he hides
ers. She recommends avoiding fighting them directly. in one of the tide pools, waiting to ambush them.
Potions of Water Breathing. Ása mentions that she When he attacks, he shouts in gurgly Valikan: “Look
also remembers brewing potions of water breathing using away! I’m vile! And the shrine is mine!” He fights until
seaweed known as trollkelp, which she offers to do if she reduced to 0 hit points or until calmed (see below). He
is brought some. Characters who make a successful DC wears nothing, but if his body is searched, the characters
12 Intelligence (Nature) check recall firelight stories about find an easily identifiable whalebone amulet shaped like
aquatic trolls feasting on seagrass of this name. a burning beacon. The amulet was a gift from Mardoll
For every ten strands of trollkelp the characters Brightsea as thanks for his lighthouse.
gather from Oceantide Cave, Ása can make one potion Calming Ófeigur. The panicked lighthouse keeper
of water breathing. can be calmed by addressing him by name, by making a
successful DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check, or by using
Conclusion a spell such as calm emotions. Once calmed, he shakily
After finding their means of water breathing, Ása expresses explains what happened to him (see “Ófeigur Lightraiser,”
her relief. She tells them to hold onto their solution until earlier in this chapter).
autumn; she plans on going on an underwater search for a Ófeigur’s Request. If the characters speak with
hint of her lost memories once the sea ice has fully melted. Ófeigur, he twitchily asks them to bring him food so
that he can continue studying the rune-etched stone seal
undisturbed. A successful DC 8 Wisdom (Insight) check

53
reveals that he’s unhealthily obsessed with it, and a Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter
successful DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that Prerequisite: None
it’s likely the cause of his physical transformation. If they
accede to his request, his disposition turns friendly. Questgiver: Mildrith Quickshot
A successful DC 21 Charisma (Persuasion) check Location: Hunters’ Cabins (area R14) or the Elgrleiths
convinces Ófeigur to leave his beacon in a concealing (area R16; the pathways of the Elgrleiths are described
cloak and meet with the chief. The DC of this check is in chapter 5)
reduced by 5 if Ófeigur is friendly. Nevertheless, he sneaks Downtime: 1 week
back to the beacon the very next night after sleeping in Content Warning: Dead animals
the longhouse. He explains the situation awkwardly, but This quest begins when Chief Hrafen av Skeir tells them
otherwise says little. His mind is clearly fixated on the about mutilated elk corpses in the forest (see “Three Quest
Daemonic Seal in the basement (area B4). Hooks,” earlier in this chapter) and directs them to Mildrith
Reporting to Chief Hrafen av Skeir Quickshot at the Hunters’ Cabins.
Mildrith is stringing a bow outside her cabin when the
Chief Hrafen av Skeir takes the news of Ófeigur’s trans-
characters arrive. Read or paraphrase the following when
formation with grim impassiveness. If Ófeigur is alive,
the characters approach:
he sends the lighthouse keeper back to the beacon with a
single warrior to watch him. If Ófeigur is dead, he growls Before you can even announce your presence, Mildrith
that Ófeigur was the only one who knew how to maintain swiftly turns her gaze to you. “About time the chief sent
a lighthouse. Until they can find another keeper, they’ll
some folks,” she says instead of a greeting. She leaps up
just have to pray boats find their way home safely.
from the tree stump she was sitting on and heads to the
Calendar of the Seasons nearest cabin. “Come into my place, so we can discuss
If the characters befriended Ófeigur Lightraiser, mark the matters there.”
following development on the Calendar of the Seasons (see
appendix C): Mildrith refuses to talk about her quest outside of her cabin
Befriended Ófeigur. Ófeigur is friendly toward the because she fears someoneoverhearing them.
characters. The GM can choose for Event: Seal upon the If characters follow Mildrith into her cabin as
Depths to occur at any time after one week has passed. It instructed, she explains the situation:
can also occur if Ófeigur seeks the characters for aid or
when the characters approach Ófeigur themselves. “I’m sure Chief Hrafen av Skeir has filled you in on the
basics, so I’ll get to the point. There’s a monster in the
woods. You’re gonna help me find and kill it so that it stops
tearing apart the elk and scaring my hunters. I trust that
you are up to the task?”
Mildrith is also able to supply the following information:

• The mutilated elk were discovered in the Sheltering
Wood during her last hunt.
• They were in the Elgrleiths, near where a group of
hunters vanished during the winter.
• Afraid of the implications of the wounds, especially in
relation to the location, Mildrith contacted the chief
immediately after they returned.
• The hunters have not gone back into the woods. Many of
them are terrified of encountering the beast.
• Mildrith speculates that the beast is usually active in
the winter, possibly because itwoke up later than it
should have.
Provided that the characters agree to her Quest, Mildrith
explains her plan:
“Splendid,” Mildrith’s posture relaxes slightly. “Well, when

we saw the elk last time, we didn’t stick around for long.
I think our best lead is to go back to where they were first
spotted. See if there’s anything left to go off on.”

54
Mildrith and two of her hunters (use scout statistics) are Upon meeting the wolves, read or paraphrase the following:
prepared to venture into the woods whenthe characters
are ready. “There’s five of them,” Mildrith says in a hushed voice,
The Elgrleiths are areas W1, W2, and W3 in chapter 5. readying her bow. “One’s big. The matriarch of the pack, I
think. Time to take them down once and for all.”
Grave of the Elks
Once the characters reach the location of the mutilated elk Characters who make a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight)
in the Elgrleiths (area W1 in chapter 5), they are able to notice slight hesitation in Mildrith’s voice; she isn’t
inspect the bodies for clues. confident that the dire wolves are the killers they’re after.
The corpses decompose during the first two weeks of Staking Out (Area W3). The dire wolves emerge from
spring. If investigated after that point, they have been the direction of area W6 and attack the elk. If characters
reduced to skeletons, picked clean of meat. succeeded on the earlier Dexterity (Stealth) check, the
Searching For Clues. Characters can spend 10 minutes wolves do not notice them. Otherwise, the wolves spot them
searching the area to learn: and attack.
Wolves’ Cave (Area W6). As soon as the dire wolves
• Some of the leg bones appear to have been snapped by spot the characters, they attack them.
vicious bites. Attacking the Wolves. The dire wolves spread out
• A tree behind one of the elk has deep claw marks. and individually attack the characters and the NPCs. The
• The direction the elk fell indicates that the creature must matriarch targets the NPC hunters first, allowing the wolves
have entered the area roughly where the characters did to use their Pack Tactics trait to quickly defeat them.
and left towards area W6. If an NPC hunter (including Mildrith) is reduced to 0
Additional Clues. There’s more information to be found hit points, that hunter falls unconscious and starts making
death saves. The wolves stop attacking unconscious
in the first two weeks of spring, before the elk corpses
creatures and shift focus to a more threatening target.
rot. The characters can also make a DC 15 Intelligence
The wolves fight until reduced to 0 hit points.
(Investigation or Nature) check. On a success, they
also learn: The Beast Slain
• The wounds appear to be from fangs and claws. Relieved that the Sheltering Wood is safe once more,
• Tufts of white fur cling to some of the corpses. the hunters are all notably happier. Mildrith thanks the
characters for their assistance, complimenting their skills
• Tracks from a quadrupedal creature with clawed paws
in battle. She seems troubled, however. A successful DC 14
leads away from the area and toward area W6.
Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that she is examining the
wolves’ jaws and claws with concern.
Stake Out
Treasure. If the characters search the wolf den (area
If the characters don’t follow the tracks to area W6, W6), they find the treasure listed there in the dungeon’s
Mildrith and her hunters begin walking into the forest. description (see chapter 5).
Following Mildrith leads the characters through the
Elgrleiths to area W3, where two elk graze. Characters can Confronting Mildrith
conceal themselves with a successful a DC 12 Dexterity Characters who suspect that the dire wolves aren’t the
(Stealth) check. On a failure, the elk notice them, but don’t culprits behind the mauled corpses can talk to Mildrith in
startle unless another creature gets within 10 feet of them. her cabin about it.
If the characters spend an hour waiting, read or Mortified that the characters realized this too, Mildrith
paraphrase the following: admits that she holds the same suspicions. Unfortunately,
they have no other leads and the wolves’ deaths have
Finally, three shadowy beasts emerge from the boosted morale considerably. She asks the characters to
forest. Massive wolves, all eyeing the elk with hunger,
keep this a secret for now.
prowl forward. Calendar of the Seasons
Upon completing this quest, Ragvall’s hunters are
emboldened to continue hunting the elk of the Sheltering
Cry Wolf Wood. Additionally, if the characters confronted Mildrith,
Depending on the characters' actions, a wolf attack occurs mark the following outcome on the Calendar of the
in either area W3 (following the “Stake Out” option), or Seasons (see appendix C):
by antagonizing the wolves in area W6. During this quest, Beast’s Keeper. If the characters realize that the dire
they encounter the four dire wolves and their matriarch wolves might not have been the real culprits and share
(a dire wolf with 40 hit points, a scarred eye, and arrows their concern with Mildrith Quickshot, she seeks them
riddling her flank). out when a hunter is later violently killed by a beast,
inciting Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur.

55
Quest: Thieving Churls Barns and Kobolds
Prerequisite: None Characters tracking the kobolds are led into one of the
barns on the farmstead (area F3). This tunnel leads to a
Questgiver: Benna Stonebreaker cavern filled with kobolds.
Location: Bennuson Farmstead (area R8; see chapter 5 for Six kobolds, led by an opportunistic and resourceful,
the interior of Bennuson Farmstead) white-scaled kobold called Serrev the Skulk (uses modified
Downtime: 1 week spy statistics, see area F5 in chapter 5), are at the end of
Content Warning: Theft, murder the tunnel underneath the barn. Using the supplies they
This Quest begins when Chief Hrafen av Skeir tells the stole, the kobolds are tending to a sick kobold called Neev.
characters about tracking down thieves (see “Three Quest If they notice the characters, the kobolds prepare to fight,
Hooks,” earlier in this chapter) and points them toward Ben- and a voice that echoes through the cavern demands to
na Stonebreaker, who awaits them at Bennuson Farmstead. know why they are in their home. The voice comes from the
Upon their arrival, Benna gives them a big welcome. kobolds’ leader, Serrev the Skulk, who hides behind a dirt
Read or paraphrase the following: wall. Serrev would prefer to buy his freedom than fight, but
will proudly go down swinging if he feels cornered.
“Chief Hrafen av Skeir’s finest warriors! Welcome to our New Perspectives. The kobolds will only give back
fine estate.” Benna proclaims in a booming voice. “Thank what they’ve taken if the characters trade items with
you for answering my call. As I’m sure the chief has told them worth a total of 20 gp—or make a successful DC 15
you already, this farmstead has been beset by thieves and I Charisma (Intimidation) check.
need help getting back what they stole.” If the characters demand the kobolds give leave the
farm, the kobolds beg to be allowed to stay in this “nice
cozy cave.” Only a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion
Benna is happy to elaborate on what was taken.
or Intimidation) check convinces them to leave. If either of
• Various pots, pans, and knives from the kitchen. these checks are failed, then the characters must acquiesce,
• Most importantly, Benna’s wedding ring—a band she or remove the kobolds by force.
still wears in honor of her first husband, even though he’s Inevitable Violence. If the characters attack or
been dead for two decades. She woke up to find it missing make the kobolds think they will, the kobolds use tactics
from her hand. described in area F5 in chapter 5.
If asked when the theft occurred, she confirms that it
happened during the night. Plaguebearers
If asked if she suspects anyone, Benna admits that she If the kobolds are left alive and Benna is informed of this, she
does not. She is beloved in the village, and she doubts even insists that the characters remove them from her farm. She
her rival, Grindal av Halsfjord, would stoop so low. is worried that they are dealing with morbus kobolds, which
The interior of Bennuson Farmstead and the cellar spread plague in the name of the Filth Grazer. (See “Morbus
beneath it are described in chapter 5. Benna points the Kobolds” in Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire.)
characters toward the kitchen (area F1) and her living
quarters (area F2).
Upon dealing with the kobolds and returning the stolen
Putting the Pieces Together items to her, Benna invites the characters to share a meal
If the characters did not discover that they are dealing with her family. She tells the characters that they are
with kobolds during their search, a successful DC 15 free to keep items they found that don’t belong to her
Intelligence (Investigation or Nature) check deduces this. family. Mark one or both of the following outcomes on the
Every clue they uncovered in the Bennuson Farmstead adds Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix C):
a +1 bonus to this check. Friend of Stonebreaker. Benna Stonebreaker considers
New Perspectives. If the characters have figured out the characters her good and loyal friends. She’s willing
kobolds are responsible, they can search the kitchen and to hear them out on any issues, even ones that go against
bedroom again for clues they missed. These checks are her nature (see Quest: Burning Feud).
made with advantage. Kobolds Spared. The characters choose to remove the
Finding the Kobolds. Characters can track down the kobolds from the farm without killing them. Quest: The
kobolds with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check. Herald’s Harbingers only occurs in autumn (chapter 3)
This check is made with advantage if the characters have if this outcome is achieved.
seen kobold tracks before.
“Great Ragvall, kobolds were in my house?

Disgusting!”
- Benna Stonebreaker

56
Quest: Tools of the Trade She recommends talking to Benna Stonebreaker, whose
Prerequisite: None home was burgled recently.
Bragi Bennuson. The bard’s eyes light up at the mention of
Questgiver: Rikarð Jarnskegg high-quality smith’s tools, and he suggests the characters
Location: Jarnskegg’s Smithy (area R2) seek out Steðihaugr, the tomb of a legendary blacksmith.
Downtime: 1 week Hlökk Warcrier. The elf warrior also knows legend of
This Quest begins when the characters visit Rikarð Steðihaugr, the resting place of Yngvarr Steðisson.
Jarnskegg at his smithy. At the end of a transaction,
regardless of whether the characters purchased anything, Calendar of the Seasons
he asks them about finding improved smith’s tools. Read or Upon completing this quest, Rikarð Jarnskegg lets out a
paraphrase the following: howl of appreciation and claps one of the characters on the
shoulder. Mark one or both developments on the Calendar
The blacksmith speaks up as you open the door to leave his of the Seasons (see appendix C):
smithy: “By the way, you wouldn’t happen to know where I Jarnskegg’s Friendship. Rikarð Jarnskegg is now friendly
could find a good set of blacksmith’s tools?” toward the characters; he sells nonmagical weapons and
armor at half price to the characters.
If the characters inquire further, he explains: Superior Blacksmithing. If Rikarð was given the hammer
Wyrmbreath from Steðihaugr, he can use this tool to
The smith flushes in embarrassment behind his black produce +1 armor, +1 shields, and +1 weapons of any
beard and says, “Well, y’see, it’s like this. I sold all my type. These magical objects must be custom made,
specialized tools to get the silver I needed for supplies to which adds two weeks to their creation time and 1,000
follow Chief Hrafen av Skeir on his mad quest to make this gp to their cost because the smith must import special
new clan. And now…well, the tools I have now are only materials from Halsfjord.
good for making basic weapons. But you’re great warriors,
and I’d like to make weapons worthy of great deeds. For
that, though, I need better tools.
“I figure you can buy them in a market out at a bigger
settlement, or maybe find them while exploring. Some
other folks in town might even know something about it.”
As Jarnskegg suggests, there are several ways to find the

superior smith’s tools that he seeks:
• Buy them at market in the towns of Skarfanes or Halsfjord
(these locations are described in Raider’s Guide to Valika,
but they aren’t present in this adventure).
• Find them at the end of Quest: Thieving Churls for
Benna Stonebreaker.
• Find the ancient tools in Steðihaugr, the tomb of the
famed smith Yngvarr Steðisson (described in chapter 5).
Seeking Rumors
The characters can ask locals aboud locating superior Quest: Traveler of the Álfavegr
smith’s tools. While these leads are linked to specific NPCs, Prerequisite: Completed a Heroic Feat or befriended
the GM can have any lead come from any villager, which Alvíss av Dvergholt
can help if the characters are growing frustrated from not
finding any leads. Questgiver: Alvíss av Dvergholt
Chief Hrafen av Skeir. The chief is trying to secure trade Location: Characters’ homes
deals with Halsfjord, and he suggests that the characters Downtime: 1 week
travel there and buy them at the market, though he Once either of the prerequisites for this Quest is met,
cautions that they won’t be cheap. Alvíss knocks upon the front door of one of the characters’
Grindal av Halsfjord. The trade mogul is also quick to rec- homes. He has a sheepish look on his face and wrings his
ommend the great markets of his home city of Halsfjord. cap in his hands.
Mildrith Quickshot. While Mildrith notes that she This Quest and the other Quests involving Alvíss are
doesn’t know about smith’s tools, she mentions that described in chapter 3. However, if the characters are able
valuables have gone missing from the village, and gossip to complete a Heroic Feat or befriend Alvíss before spring
is that there are thieves burglarizing nearby settlements. ends, they can begin this storyline early.

57
Core Quests Core Quest: Greenhorn Warrior Training
At least one of these Core Quests must be completed before
Chief Hrafen av Skeir suggests Heroic Feats that they can Questgiver: Chief Hrafen av Skeir or Hlökk Warcrier
undertake to inspire their clan’s warriors before the raiding Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) or Proving Field (area R13)
season (see “You’ve Proven your Worth,” earlier in this Downtime: None
chapter).
When the characters speak with Hlökk Warcrier at the
Core Quest: Dragon Ships Proving Field (area R13), read or paraphrase the following:
Prerequisite: Completed three Quests “I’m glad you’ve decided to help me. We need better-
Questgiver: Chief Hrafen av Skeir or Mardoll Brightsea trained warriors than this lot by summer. I’m more
Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) or Snekkjafit (area R14) than equipped to show these greenhorns the ropes, but
Downtime: None there’s more than one way to be a warrior and it’s hard
When the characters speak with Mardoll Brightsea at the to demonstrate that if there’s only one instructor. I’ll also
Snekkjafit (area R14), read or paraphrase the following: need help supervising them when their combat skills are
put to the test against actual targets.”
“Storms bless ya, I can’t say how happy I am to have your
help pulling this together. We have the hands to make Hlökk Warcrier asks the characters to lead two training
all the ships we need, but not nearly enough timber— sessions, each of which requires one week of downtime, as
especially if we want to fill our boats heavy with the loot. well as a final trial for the greenhorn warriors, which also
No trade caravans come through here yet, so we gotta take requires one week of downtime.
down trees ourselves. And I’ll bet there’s plenty of timber Hlökk lets the characters choose two of the following
to scavenge from the wilderness.” training session options:
• Melee Training
Mardoll Brightsea needs an additional 2,000 pounds of • Ranged Training
timber and 200 pounds of raw iron to craft boats for the • Stealth Training
raiders. These resources can be found:
• In dungeons described in chapter 5
Ranulf the Eager
• By undertaking the “Gather Timber” downtime activity Ranulf Skullcrusher is one of the many greenhorn warriors
(see “New Downtime Activities,” earlier in this chapter) the characters will train.
If they have not yet met him, Ranulf introduces
Conclusion himself to the characters once the training starts. Read or
Once the characters deliver all the needed supplies, the
shipwright thanks them profusely. In a charming, delicate “You’re my instructors, right?” a bright-eyed gnome rushes up
voice, she says, “Each of these ships will get a dragon’s
to you. “I’m Ranulf the Skullcrusher! I wanna be a Hersir one
head on the prow. Then those bastards we’re raiding’ll
day and lead this village to victory. You’ll help me, right?”
know we mean business!”
Reward. Mardoll gives each character 50 sp as thanks.
If the characters are acquainted with Ranulf, he voices his
Calendar of the Seasons excitement once he realizes who is teaching him. Read or
Once this Core Quest is completed, check the box next paraphrase the following:
to “Dragon Ships” on the Calendar of the Seasons (see
appendix C). “Woah, you’re my instructors?” Ranulf says with wide
eyes. “I’m going to be a Hersir in no time if you’re
teaching me!”
Lesson Plans
Completing this Quest requires the characters to train
Ranulf and a group of Ragvallan warriors for one week per
training session. (A total of two weeks, which can be done
consecutively or split up.)
Because the lessons teach the greenhorns how to attack
and defend, both success and failure are rewarded. Ranulf,
representing the greenhorn warriors collectively, gains a
bonus to be used in “Putting Your Teaching to the Test”
later in this Quest.

58
Melee Training Ranulf refuses help defeating the foxes, but he eagerly
To complete this session, the characters must demonstrate accepts guidance. This Quest is a success even if Ranulf is
how to attack with and defend against melee weapons and defeated, for failure is just as good a teacher as victory.
melee spell attacks. One character is the attacker, and
Conclusion
another is the defender. The attacker makes an attack roll
Once the frostbite foxes have been slain or Ranulf is
against another character’s AC. The attacking character
reduced to 0 hit points, Hlökk thanks the characters
makes three attack rolls, which grant Ranulf bonuses used
sincerely. She confidently states: “When summer comes,
later in Hlökk’s test.
our enemies shall underestimate our warriors at their own
On a Hit. Ranulf adds +1 to his attack rolls when using
peril—even if some of them still need shaping up.”
a spear as a melee weapon for the rest of this Quest.
Reward. Hlökk gives each character 50 sp as thanks.
On a Miss. Ranulf gains a +1 bonus to his AC for the
rest of this Quest. Calendar of the Seasons
Ranged Training Once this Core Quest is completed, check the box next to
“Greenhorn Warrior Training” on the Calendar of the
To complete this session, the characters must demonstrate
Seasons (see appendix C).
how to attack with and defend against ranged weapons or
ranged spell attacks. Just like the melee test, there is an
Core Quest: Raiders’ Blades
attacker and a defender. The attacking characters makes
three attack rolls, which grant Ranulf bonuses that will be
used later in Hlökk’s test. Questgiver: Chief Hrafen av Skeir or Rikarð Jarnskegg
On a Hit. Ranulf gains a +1 bonus to his attack roll Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) or Jarnskegg’s
when using his spear as a ranged weapon for the rest of Smithy (area R2)
this Quest. Downtime: None
On a Miss. Ranulf gains a +1 bonus to his AC for the
When the characters speak with Rikarð Jarnskegg at his
rest of this Quest.
smithy (area R2), read or paraphrase the following:
Stealth Training
“It’s kind of you to aid me in a task like this. I have
To complete this session, the characters must demon-
strate how to be sneaky or how to detect hidden foes. One enough supplies to easily outfit our warriors for raiding,
character sneaks and the other spots. Sneaking characters but a warrior needs more than one good sword or axe.
must make a Dexterity (Stealth) check contested by the We’ll need more to replace broken blades, and to give our
spotter’s Wisdom (Perception) check. This is done three warriors sidearms.”
times. Each check grants Ranulf a bonus used later in
Hlökk’s test. Rikarð Jarnskegg needs an additional 500 pounds of raw
Successful Stealth. Ranulf gains a +2 bonus to iron—or 250 pre-fashioned weapons to properly outfit the
Dexterity (Stealth) checks and initiative rolls for the rest of raiders. These resources can be found:
this Quest. • In dungeons described in chapter 5
Failed Stealth. Ranulf gains a +2 bonus to his damage
• By undertaking the “Gather Iron” downtime activity,
rolls for the rest of this Quest.
once the characters have unlocked it (see “New
Putting Your Teaching to the Test Downtime Activities,” earlier in this chapter)
Once the training sessions are done, Hlökk brings the
greenhorn warriors to the outskirts of Ragvall where a
Conclusion
pack of frostbite foxes roam. Once the characters deliver all the needed supplies, the
While most of the warriors choose to tackle a single fox, blacksmith thanks them brusquely before pausing and
a group of three frostbite foxes (see appendix A) catches gently saying: “Our warriors will go wherever you lead.
the attention of Ranulf (use tribal warrior statistics) and These blades may save their lives come summer.”
he prepares to fight them. His approach depends on what Reward. Jarnskegg gives each character 50 sp
lessons the characters taught him. as thanks.
• If the characters taught “Melee Training” and “Ranged Calendar of the Seasons
Training,” Ranulf throws his spear before rushing in to Once this Core Quest is completed, check the box next
retrieve it and attack in melee. to “Raider’s Blades” on the Calendar of the Seasons (see
• If the characters taught “Melee Training” and appendix C).
“Stealth Training,” Ranulf sneaks up to a fox before
attacking in melee.
• If the characters taught “Ranged Training” and “Stealth
Training,” Ranulf hides and stays at a distance, making
ranged attacks with the spear.

59
Heroic Feats To complete this Heroic Feat, the characters must resolve
a great conflict that will bring safety to their village while
The final test of the characters in spring is accomplishing they are away raiding. Such an act could be:
a feat that inspires bards to write epics. In addition to
• Resolving the feud between the houses of Benna
granting great rewards themselves, these feats also grant
Stonebreaker and Grindal av Halsfjord (see Quest:
an enviable boost in power while raiding in the summer
Burning Feud)
season (chapter 2 of this adventure).
• Brokering a truce with the elves within the Sheltering
Wood (see Event: The Elven-Thegn Appears)
Multiple Heroic Feats Calendar of the Seasons
Even if the characters complete multiple Heroic Feats, If this Heroic Feat is the first one completed by the
they gain no additional mechanical rewards for doing so. characters, mark the following development on the
Though people still praise them for their heroism, their Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix C):
repeated great deeds don’t seem to have the same impact
as the first one did. Silver-Tongued Reputation. The characters have
earned Clan Ragvall a reputation for cunning and
persuasion. The characters gain advantage on Charisma
Heroic Feat: Feud-Ender (Persuasion) checks when speaking to other clans or
Prerequisite: Completed one Core Quest settlements on behalf of Clan Ragvall, including during
raids; however, they have disadvantage on Charisma
Questgiver: Chief Hrafen av Skeir (Deception) checks under the same circumstances.
Location: Hrafensheim (area R1)
Downtime: 1 week

60
Heroic Feat: Relic Keeper Reward and Developments
Prerequisite: Completed one Core Quest After completing their Heroic Feat, the characters become
renowned throughout the village.
Questgiver: Chief Hrafen av Skeir
Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) Relic Keepers’ Conclusion
Downtime: 1 week If the characters completed Heroic Feat: Relic-Keeper,
To complete this Heroic Feat, the characters must seek read or paraphrase:
out and find a relic connected to Valika’s history. First,
they must learn of an ancient site’s location. Second, they A crowd gathers around you, curiously murmuring and
must spend time exploring beyond Ragvall Village to find sneaking glances at the relic you’ve returned with. Chief
its resting place. And third, they must pass the challenges Hrafen av Skeir nudges you and whispers, “Hold it in the
guarding it. Such a relic could include: air. Bask in its legend. Let them see!”
• The hammer Wyrmbreath (see appendix B), found in
Steðihaugr (see chapter 5)
Monster Slayers’ Conclusion
• The viscious war axe belonging to the Evergreen Traitor
found in the Slumbering Wood (see chapter 5) If the characters completed Heroic Feat: Monster Slayer,
read or paraphrase:
• A bowl of commanding water elementals venerating the
primordial Alondo (see appendix B) found in Oceantide A crowd gathers around you, curiously murmuring and
Cave (see chapter 5)
sneaking glances at the trophy ’you've returned with. Chief
Calendar of the Seasons Hrafen av Skeir nudges you and whispers, “Hold the thing
in the air. Let its ichor ooze onto you. Let them see!”
If this Heroic Feat is the first one completed by the
characters, mark the following development on the
Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix C):
Feud-Enders’ Conclusion
Traditionalist Reputation. The characters have earned If the characters completed Heroic Feat: Feud-Ender,
Clan Ragvall a trustworthy reputation for preserving read or paraphrase:
the relics of Valika’s storied past. The characters gain
advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks when A crowd gathers around you, abuzz with gossip about the
speaking to other clans or settlements on behalf of Clan feud you brought to a close in this village. Chief Hrafen av
Ragvall, including during raids; however, they have Skeir nudges you and whispers, “Speak to them! Display
disadvantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks under
the powers of your silvered tongue. Let them hear!”
the same circumstances.
Heroic Feat: Monster Slayer A Night of Revelry

Prerequisite: Completed one Core Quest Then, read the following regardless of which Heroic Feat
the characters completed:
Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) The chief’s voice booms out, “Behold, Clan Ragvall! Your
Downtime: 1 week
heroes! And, come the first dawn of summer, your hersirs!”
To complete this Heroic Feat, the characters must kill a A cheer erupts from the crowd, and one bardic voice
monster worthy of song and bring back a trophy. Such a carries above the rest: “Drinks! Drinks and song for the
monster could include:
hersirs!” Before long, a night of mirth ensues around the
• A werewolf (see Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur) fire in the village longhouse.
• A drake (see Quest: Epic Poetry)
Calendar of the Seasons Everyone in Ragvall wants to buy them a drink at the
end of each day, even after the night of celebration is
If this Heroic Feat is the first one completed by the
over. Everyone in Ragvall is inspired to work harder, and
characters, mark the following development on the
an additional 250 pounds of lumber and 250 pounds of
iron are stockpiled by the end of spring. Also, twenty-five
Martial Reputation. The characters have earned Clan additional warriors are trained by the end of spring.
Ragvall a reputation of strength in arms. The characters The characters also gain the following boon:
gain advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks when Renowned Commander. You are a hero in the eyes
speaking to other clans or settlements on behalf of Clan of your warriors. In a raid scenario, when you make a
Ragvall, including during raids; however, they have Raiding Roll, you can roll 1d4 and add it to the result.
disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks under
the same circumstances.

61
62
Chapter 2: Summer
SEASON OF WARFARE
For characters of 5th to 7th level
And so spring turns to summer, and the last of the winter ice melts into a sea stained crimson. Honor, glory, and
plunder are purchased with heroic blood. Those bodies that rot not on the fields of battle will burn during the
glorious pyres of autumn. Yet, those with blades in their hands cannot think long of the future. The promise of
eternal life in song drives them onto the battlefield where all that matters is the blade pointed at their hearts.
S
ummer is a season of raiding in Valika. The floating sea ice of winter has melted or cracked apart, leaving the seas
open for Valikan longships to spread terror across the waves of Etharis.
Valika’s western coast is controlled by the clans of Thrull, who are known for their bloodthirsty thrall-taking raids upon
remote settlements of the Bürach Empire and the border region of Nordenland. The Thrull aren’t the only raiders, however.
The clans of Kandar, for all their talk of trade and peace, are known to send pillagers in all directions, attacking Nordenland to the
south, the Raevo in the east, and the Thrull in the west. Though their raiders don’t take thralls, their attacks are no less bloody.
Chief Hrafen av Skeir has decided that Ragvall Village’s first raid will be a bold stroke, one that will make their name known
throughout the land. The target is Erlefurt, the seat of power of Nordenland, renowned for its mages and natural wealth. To
loot such a city would instantly raise Clan Ragvall to a position of respect among the other Valikan clans. With this plan in
place, the only thing left to do is execute it. That’s where the characters—the renowned hersirs of Clan Ragvall—come in.
Leveling up in Summer Quests in Summer

The default method for gaining levels in this campaign is by This chapter doesn’t offer Quests. If the players grow weary
completing milestones. Characters gain a level when they of raiding, GMs can use uncompleted Events and Quests
complete five minor milestones or one major milestone. from spring or use locations in chapter 5: Exploring Valika
Characters start this chapter at 5th level, and they can’t to challenge them. GMs can grant a minor milestone for
advance higher than 7th level by its end. Once they reach self-directed adventures and pursuing activities not listed
7th level, they can’t gain levels from reaching milestones here, especially if they take a full game session.
until the autumn season begins.
Minor Milestones Defeat and Retreat

The following acts are minor milestones: The characters can retreat from a raid when they wish.
• Capturing 5 or more conflict zones in a raid Sometimes, a raid goes poorly but more often it's because
Valikans retreat even in victory. The goal of most raids isn’t
• Capturing a stronghold during a raid
conquest but plunder.
• Looting a stronghold of least 1,000 gp worth of treasure
during a raid (another milestone is awarded for each Utter Defeat
additional 1,000 gp plundered)
A raid may utterly defeat the characters. Overcommitting
forces and losing their warriors can bring a sudden and
Major Milestones inglorious end to the season. In this unlikely scenario,
The following act is a major milestone: GMs must determine how to continue. Perhaps they are
• Completing the final raid of this chapter captured and ransomed back to their village, or even to
their enemies. Thrull would gladly pay for the traitorous
Raven of Skeir. Its impossible to list all the possiblities and
Raid Mechanics best left to the GM to improvise the best path forward.
This raids in this chapter use the raid mechanics presented
in chapter 3 of Raider’s Guide to Valika. If you don’t have Raid Plunder
that book, or don’t wish to use the raiding rules, the GM
can instead make combat encounters using the normal fifth As hersirs, the characters are expected to track plunder
edition rules to represent these massive battles. collected in raids. Upon returning to Ragvall at summer’s
end, hersirs make a grand offering of thier plunder to the
chief who divides it among all people—though it’s expected
the hersirs will keep a few of the best items for themselves.
Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 2: Summer - Season of Warfare

63
Season Start
Gondul Grindalsdóttir. If Gondul was spared during
Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur (the “A Wolf
Among” outcome), this werewolf could be made a
Before the characters depart Ragvall Village to go raiding,
powerful ally. Her feral offense grants a unit she’s
there are a few logistics that need to be settled.
assigned to a +1d4 bonus on Raiding Rolls.
These battle preparations serve both a mechanical and
Gunnvarr Grindalsson. If the characters impressed Gun-
narrative purpose, informing the stories told through the
nvarr in Event: Besting the Braggart (the “Gunnvarr’s
raids. For example, if the NPCs brought from Ragvall to
Respect” outcome) he would gladly lay down his life for
serve as raid commanders are defeated, they die, and they
his hersirs. His mastery of shield-wall tactics allows his
won’t come back. War is bloody, and each death severs and
unit to escape certain death. If his unit fails a Raiding
tangles the threads of fate, weaving a different tapestry in
Roll, it can escape without casualties once per raid.
autumn and winter.
Hlökk Warcrier. This veteran’s tactical acumen allows her
This scene is set in Hrafensheim. Read or paraphrase
to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat; when a unit
the following:
she’s assigned to fails a Raiding Roll, it can reroll any
You are all gathered around one of the feasting tables two dice in a Raiding Roll once per raid.
Ranulf Skullcrusher. This upstart warrior’s courage is
in Hrafensheim. Rather than being covered with freshly
greater than his sense. A unit he’s assigned can choose
cooked meat filling the air with savory smells, the table
to gain a +2d4 bonus to a Raiding Roll once per turn.
bears a map of Valika’s western coast, and the air is heavy
However, if his unit fails a Raiding Roll, all of its warriors
with stale pipe-smoke and ale. The fire has dimmed, and are lost, regardless of how much the roll failed by.
the chess pieces the chief is using to represent your warri-
ors and enemy forces cast long shadows. Resources and Core Quest Bonuses
Chief Hrafen av Skeir takes a swig from his tankard and The chief explains to the characters that their raiding
brings it down hard, rattling the chess pieces. “Ships leave crew carries a baseline number of resources with them for
in the morning, no more dawdling,” he says. “Let’s take repairing equipment. Many of the resources the characters
stock of everything, one last time.” gathered in spring were spent constructing the raiding
venture: the baseline is what remains.
During this chapter, the chief briefs the characters on what The characters’ actions in spring also grant them certain
they need to know about raiding. This begins with elements bonuses to this baseline resource. For the rest of the adven-
that must be chosen before the characters sail forth from ture, the characters (or the GM) need to keep track of the
Ragvall Village. amount of iron, lumber, and warriors because those will be
spent and gained during summer, autumn, and winter.
Battle Preparations Timber. 500 pounds.
Longships. 4 longships, each of which can carry 50 war-
Before the raids begin, the characters need to select NPC riors. One warrior can be replaced with 100 pounds of
allies from Ragvall to bring on the raid. This is also where cargo or plunder.
they see the resources they’ve gained from completing Core Iron. 250 pounds.
Quests and the bonus they’ve gained from completing a Warriors. 100 warriors
Heroic Feat come into play. Bonus: Raiders’ Blades. If the characters completed
Core Quest: Raiders’ Blades, all of the warriors are
Raid Commanders well-armed. They gain a +1d4 bonus on all Raiding
The first decision Chief Hrafen av Skeir asks the char- Rolls during this chapter, and have a surplus of 500
acters to make is to select Ragvallan NPCs to serve as pounds of iron, which they bring with them.
unit commanders. Bonus: Dragon Ships. If the characters completed Core
Quest: Dragon Ships, the raiding crew’s longships are
The chief says, “We’ve a number of brave warriors who upgraded to dragon ships, which can carry 75 warriors
are eager to carry out your orders. They can lead your raid (see “Longships,” above).
units. Having these stalwart allies at your side will help you Bonus: Warrior Training. If the characters completed Core
fare better in battle, but you must be prepared to pray for Quest: Greenhorn Warrior Training, more villagers
their souls, come autumn.” were trained to fight. Add 25 warriors to the raiding crew.
Bonus: Kobolds Spared. If the characters spared the
The characters can choose two named NPCs from kobolds at the end of Quest: Thieving Churls, a group
Ragvall to be their deputy commanders. When of 5 kobolds requests to join the raiding party at the start
deploying a unit of warriors to attack a conflict zone of summer, and they promise to be good. If the characters
during a raid, one of these NPCs can be assigned to allow them to join, they gain 5 warriors. However, little
the unit. If the unit is defeated, there is a chance the knick-knacks do go missing from their longship.
commander is killed. Bonus: Elven-Thegn’s Favor. If the characters made a
good impression with Arduinna in Event: The Elven-
Grim Hollow | The Saga of the Seasons

64
Thegn Appears, she sends five elves to aid in the raids Nordenland’s Terrain. “Unfortunately, to successfully
and to learn how well the Clan Ragvall functions while attack Erlefurt, we must proceed through Nordenland
under pressure. The raiding crew gains 5 warriors. on foot because their harbor is too well defended to
attack by sea. The Norden terrain is corrupted by dark
Heroic Feat Bonuses magic. I’ve seen walking trees with agonized human
The characters can gain one of the following raid bonuses, faces and fleshy, grasping limbs. It is a horrible place,
which is based on the first Heroic Feat they accomplished but the Norden people are just as vulnerable to its
in spring (chapter 1). If they didn’t complete a Heroic Feat, horrors as we are. We must be on our guard and press
they don’t gain a bonus. These bonuses last throughout the our advantage.”
entire summer season.
These bonuses, called “Martial Reputation,” “Silver-
Tongued Reputation,” and “Traditionalist Reputation,” You Would Prefer
are described in the “Heroic Feats” section of chapter 1.
Another Target?
This chapter describes a campaign against the Norden-
We Sail South! land capital, Erlefurt. However, there are other nearby
Once the characters have made their selection of personnel cities that the raiders of Ragvall can strike—particularly
and assessed their resources, the chief points to the the Kandar settlement of Summerhelm and the Thrull
map and says: settlement of Skarfanes. Traveling upriver to raid is no
great task for Valikan warriors. Chief Hrafen av Skeir is
“I’ve selected a target that will give bards reason to sing of wary of aggravating the Kandar by raiding them.
us for years to come. The city of Erlefurt in Nordenland. If your players are interested in attacking their fellow
Long have Valikans feared this city and its mages, but I Valikans—which is common enough among the oft-
believe they’re ripe for plundering. They’re on the outskirts warring clans—you can create a new raiding campaign
of imperial territory, which means there will be no support by using the raiding rules in Raider’s Guide to Valika.
for them from the south. You can use the same maps and scenarios for raiding the
“And what’s more, we have the element of surprise. No village and town presented in the Erlefurt campaign, but
you should create a new map for the final attack on the
one even recognizes us as a clan. The Norden people have
city of Skarfanes or Summerhelm.
spies in every major clan in Valika… but not ours. Their best
Skarfanes. To attack this Thrull city, the raiders sail
warriors will be bracing against incursions from Thrull—not
through the Teeth and land on the shore, away from the
a strike straight at their heart. Is there anything you wish to well-defended Skarfanes harbor. They first target a village
know about Erlefurt or the warriors of Nordenland?” near a copper mine called Eirgrof, and then a town by a
waterfall called Blarhoss, before finally reaching the walls
Chief Hrafen av Skeir has battled with the Norden people of Skarfanes itself.
before when he was a raider for Thrull. He can offer the Summerhelm. To attack this Kandar city, the raiders
characters information about their lands. must travel upriver. They encounter resistance at a
City of Erlefurt. “Erlefurt is northernmost city of the swamp village called Geriksmyrr, and later at a town by
Bürach Empire. It’s a port city with a large harbor and a crater lake called Lyfskettil, before finally reaching the
few fortifications. But even though it looks indefensible, outskirts of Summerhelm.
it has the unpredictable strength of mages protecting it.”
Mages of Erlefurt. “Nordenland is ruled from Erlefort
by an Archduchess. She has an alliance with a group of
mages called the Thaumaturge. I don’t think they see
eye-to-eye; the mages are powerful, but fickle. If we can
spook them, they may give up their defense of the city to
protect their own skins.” “I have no trouble recalling details of Erlefurt or my
Norden Beliefs. “The Norden people were conquered encounters with the Norden people. The magic and
by the Bürach Empire some time ago. They have a horrors I’ve seen can’t be forgotten. I wake suddenly
kinship with the faerie folk, and their nation is split in the night with the feeling I’m being watched. The
between imperial law and ancient tradition. Erlefurt corners of my vision swim with shadows of the fae;
clings to the ways of the empire, and their decaying piety the only thing to do is pretend you can’t see them. I
for dead gods.” don’t look forward to laying eyes on them again.”
Norden Warriors. “The Nordenfolk are stout warriors, - Chief Hrafen av Skier
but they rely too much on magic. If we can ambush
them and avoid confrontations where they can rain fire
upon us from afar, we can expect victory.”

65
Onward toward Glory! The Sea Journey
The logistics of this summer are settled in the dead of The trip from Ragvall Village through the Teeth and to the
night, and the longships are loaded with raiders the next Norden coast is tense but uneventful. Read or paraphrase
morning. All of Ragvall Village comes to the shore to bid the following:
the raiders farewell.
The NPCs listed below are ones whose friendship can The first day of your journey passes quietly. Then the next,
affect the outcomes of quests. If there are other NPCs that and the next, and the next. Each day of the journey drags
the players have become friends with, they can be included on, and the warriors’ fiery enthusiasm dulls to listlessness
in the farewell, the GM improvising what they say to by the end of the second day. With nothing but gulls and
personalize the experience. tiny hunks of sea ice to distract them, one of the warriors
Alvíss av Dvergholt. The dwarf is conflicted about giving eventually reveals that they made a deck of cards, and
a tearful goodbye to Valikan raiders, given his history, begins teaching a game to the others.
but he’s found that he cares for the characters. “Good
luck on your killing spree, you brutes. Hope you bring If the characters have proficiency in any gaming sets, this
back a boatload of glory, or whatever it is you raiders is an opportunity for them to gamble and bond with their
do.” Despite his gruff words, it’s clear that he hopes the warriors. If you have the Valikan card game “Slayers of
characters return safely. Valika,” this is an opportunity to introduce it as a minigame.
Ása Lögmaður. Ása doesn’t care much for the Valikan
tradition of raiding, but she recognizes its cultural
significance to the characters and wants to support First Camp: Aristadt’s Edge
them. “There are laws to warfare, I’m sure you know. This is a good place to start a session of gameplay. After
Conduct yourselves with honor. And… what do they nearly a full week of sailing, the Ragvallan raiding crew
say? Ah yes: health and happiness, hersirs. May you spies Erlefurt harbor. Read or paraphrase the following:
have good waves.”
Mardoll Brightsea. The shipwright has said farewell to A city comes into view in the south. Its stone walls are high,
many raiders in her time, and she is eager to see how her but crumbling. A single mighty tower looms over all as if
ships perform. In her charming, delicate voice she says, watching everything beneath it.
“Get out there and give ‘em hell! I wanna see both you “That’s Erlefurt,” Chief Hrafen av Skeir says. Then, he
and those ships come back scarred but unbroken. Glory stands and bellows to all four boats, “That harbor is death!
to you all!”
We avoid it at all costs until we can slip through their walls
Ófeigur Lightraiser. The lighthouse keeper timidly bows
and draw their attention away from it! Continue south
to the characters. “You saved me with your kindness.
where we make landfall in the forest!”
I’ll always keep the light on and pray for your safe
return. Pray to the Seven Heroes, I mean! Not to that The chief sits and turns to you. “Our first target will be
shrine down there.” a village of trappers and falconers called Aristadt. I know
Rikarð Jarnskegg. As a former thrall taken from Bürach, its layout well. I led a crew to strike it when I was a hersir
Rikarð Jarnskegg is concerned about the raids, but tries of Clan Völgr. I have every confidence we can pillage it,
not to show it. “My weapons will serve you well out perhaps even conquer it, with your leadership. It will be an
there, hersirs. Just, please remember that there will be inspiring first victory for these greenhorns.”
innocents on that battlefield. The chief has promised me
that there will be no thrall-taking. Please, hold him to The ships land and the raiders make camp in the woods
that promise.” several miles south of the village. They prepare for battle
the next day.

66
The First Raid
Once these defensive points have been conquered, the
characters can lead a strike force on a stronghold, which
holds the settlement’s best loot.
Dawn comes on the day of the raid. The characters have an
Command from the Back. In the first phase of the raid,
hour to prepare spells, eat a meal, and complete any business
the characters are commanding, not fighting. They’re pre-
before leading their raiders through the forest to Aristadt.
paring for their attack on the stronghold while their soldiers
and deputy commanders lead the attacks on conflict zones.
Speak, Hersirs! Surround the Stronghold. Once the characters decide to
Before moving out, Chief Hrafen av Skeir encourages the strike at the stronghold, the other raiders divert from
characters to inspire their warriors with a rousing speech. pillaging and try to control the stronghold’s entrance so
If the characters orate and make a successful DC 20 Cha- that no reinforcements can trap the strike force inside.
risma (Performance) check, they gain advantage on the Conquer or Pillage. The stronghold is defended by the
first Raiding Roll they make. settlement’s leader. Once inside, the characters need to
decide if they want to plunder its loot and get out quick
or commit to defeating the stronghold’s leader and
Guard the Camp? conquer the entire settlement.
The chief recommends leaving a percentage of their war- Act Fast. The longer a raid takes, the more likely it is that
riors behind to guard their ships and supplies. Otherwise, the settlement can rally its defenses. On certain turns of
woodland creatures could attack or fleeing Aristadt villagers the raid, circumstances will change. For example, villag-
could steal their ships and leave the raiders stranded in this ers might flee with treasure that could have been pillaged
foreign land. or reinforcements might make areas harder to capture.
The chief recommends leaving behind 25 percent of
their total raiders. These warriors can’t participate in the Launch the Attack
raid. For the consequences of this decision, see “Outcome Once the characters know the rules of this raid offense
at the Camp,” below. scenario, the attack can begin. Run Event: The First Raid.
Arrival at Aristadt Outcome at the Camp

To reach the small village of Aristadt, the characters must After the raid, the characters return to their ships—hope-
lead their force through the dark woods of Nordenland. fully with loot in hand and spirits high. When they return,
Nothing comes to attack them this time, but the however, what happened at camp while the characters were
atmosphere is grim and haunting. Read or paraphrase the away needs to be checked.
following to summarize this eerie journey: During the raid, horrific creatures came from the woods:
walking trees with fleshy limbs and dozens of mouths that
Something about the forest of Nordenland feels wrong, like an moaned attacked the Valikan warriors left to guard the
itch deep in your bones. During the march to Aristadt, your ships. Roll a d100 and add the number of warriors that the
warriors murmur about seeing shadows flitting at the corner characters left to guard the camp to the result to determine
of their vision. You begin to see the same. The chief quietly how the camp defended against the attack.
says, “It’s lucky we aren’t deeper in the forest. We may be
jumping at shadows, but in those woods, shadows can kill.” Camp Defense
By noon, you reach the edge of a clearing and the d100 Event
gloom of the forest suddenly gives way to a sparkling glen. 01–25 No trace remains of the defenders. There are signs of a
Nestled inside this sunny vale is a small village of cottages struggle, and all the longships are damaged and need to
protected by a simple palisade wall. be repaired before they can carry troops or cargo. Half of
your supplies (before adding what you found in the raid)
have been destroyed.
While the people of Aristadt have been raided before, they 26–50 Half of your defenders are dead, and the survivors tell of
haven’t faced an attack in several years. They have made some horrible creatures that came from the forest. Two of the
cursory preparations, but nobody expects the Valikan raiders. longships are damaged and must be repaired.
51–75 Ten of your defenders are dead, and the survivors tell of
Get the Lay of the Land the monstrous trees that attacked. Your warriors fought
To prepare the characters for this raid offense scenario, lay bravely and defended the ships well.
out the exterior map of Aristadt. This map indicates the 76–100 When monsters attacked, the defenders were able to
various conflict zones that need to be conquered. Once the swiftly put the longships to sea and killed two of the
characters can see the whole view of the village, Chief Hrafen monsters by shooting flaming arrows from safety. Only
av Skeir explains the basics of raiding to the characters: charred wood and flesh remains.
100+ Not only did your warriors overwhelm the monsters but
A Two-Phase Battle. A raid has two phases: in the first
they also found a strange charm on one of the trees. An
phase, the hersirs command their forces to attack ring of protection is given to the characters.
and pillage points on the map called conflict zones.

67
Downtime
Chief Hrafen av Skeir is willing to spend two weeks The Second Raid
of downtime here to repair or to gather materials (see The characters are roused at dawn, if they aren’t awake
“Downtime in Summer,” later in this chapter). If repairs already, by the sound of a scream. Read or paraphrase
take longer than two weeks, a crew will need to be left on the following:
this beach, and then rendezvous later.
The chief urges them to spend resources only as needed; Those of you sleeping jolt awake as a blood-curdling scream
they do hope to return to Ragvall Village with some tears through the camp. Outside your tent, one of your
resources in tow to prepare for the winter defenses. guards stands over a humanoid corpse. The guard’s chest is
spattered with blood, and her spear still protrudes from the
corpse’s stomach. You quickly realize that the corpse isn’t
If a crew needs to be left behind to conduct repairs, mark
Valikan, but an elf whose face is covered with war paint.
the following development on the Calendar of the Seasons
(see appendix C): “One of their scouts,” the guard says, trembling. “He
had magic. Everyone else was frozen in place, but I was
Serious Repairs. A group of raiders was left behind on
somehow able to move.”
a river shore near a haunted forest to repair damaged
longships at a rate of one ship per week.
A scout from Kirkbridge found the Valikan camp while
doing his morning rounds. Some scouts and hunters of the
Moving Onward Norden people follow ancient druidic ways and use primal
Even if they didn’t conquer the village, the raiders hit it magic to navigate their wretched woodlands. Luckily for
hard and fast. And with this momentum, they can continue the raiders, this scout’s hubris led him to try and kill the
through the woods and strike a new target that will put Ragvallan night watch alone. One of the guards resisted his
them one step closer to the walls of Erlefurt. hold person spell and slew him with a lucky blow.
Unless the characters immediately rally their forces,
Chief Hrafen av Skeir spurs the raiders into action. Now
Second Camp: that a scout has found their camp, it’s only a matter of time
Kirkbridge Outskirts before the scout fails to return on time, and the raiders lose
the element of surprise. The raid must begin now!
This is a good place to start a session of gameplay.
Traveling through the woods to the next location takes
a day, but morale tumbles quickly, even on the heels of Assaulting Kirkbridge
victory. Read or paraphrase the following: The town of Kirkbridge is unfamiliar to Chief Hrafen av
Skeir, but the night before the attack, a group of Ragvallan
Strange creaking and chittering echo through the trees scouts surveyed the area and identified a number of key
as you march, and though Chief Hrafen av Skeir tells the areas the raiders can strike. This information includes the
warriors that it’s naught but the wind and beasts; few most significant structures in town.
believe him.
The raiders begin murmuring about the Beast, an Lay of the Land
ancient legend of the Bürachi people. They say it is a Since the characters learned how to conduct an offensive
massive wolf or bear or, they fear, something worse. But raid in the last battle, Chief Hrafen av Skeir takes more
whatever it is, the Beast is a horrid thing that tore itself time to highlight key locations in this town. Because this
from the womb of the woods and supped first upon the
town is well-fortified, reaching its stronghold will take
more strategy.
corpses of the gods themselves.
Camp is made in the woods, and the scouts can see your Saint Hermia’s Cathedral. Kirkbridge is ruled by Vicar
next destination, the town of Kirkbridge, in the distance,
Claive Sullish. The primary target of this raid is St. Her-
mia’s Cathedral, the town’s mighty church, which is alsoits
but morale is falling. The woods themselves seem to be
most fortified location. It was founded by a lesser Norden
draining the hope from your raiders' hearts.
saint named Hermia, and it is dedicated to the Arch Ser-
aph Aphaelon, an angel of temperance and peace.
The characters can allay these fears by making a Main Gate. The town has a main gate against its south-
successful DC 20 Charisma (Performance) check. On a western wall. This gate is well-fortified and the path
failure, or if this check isn’t made at all, the first Raiding leading to it is pinned between the river and the forest’s
Roll the characters make in the next raid only uses 1d10 edge. A frontal assault would be dangerous and costly,
instead of 2d10. but possible.
Forest Incursion. The presence of a church of Aphaelon
hasn’t prevented the dark forests of Nordenland from
laying siege to this town. In two places, the twisted

68
creatures of the woods have breached Kirkbridge’s Your raiders beat through the forest until they come to an
walls, and the forest has sprung up fast and thick within ancient road that runs through the dark forest from Kirk-
the town, despite the townsfolk's best efforts. While such bridge to Erlefurt. Enormous roots burst through the road
a forest is likely dangerous, it could allow the raiders to and the wet smell of decay hangs in the air. Nevertheless, the
enter the town without alerting its guards. longer you walk this road, the more the unsettling noises of
Walled Town. Because of the town’s walls, the main the forest fade. Civilization grows strong around the capital
gate, the western forest, or the eastern forest must be
of Nordenland, and before long, you’ve made camp in a
conquered to attack the conflict zones within the town.
small valley a mile outside the city walls.
Attacking from the east makes it easier to assault the
church—the main target—but the west is where most of Erlefurt’s white walls are tall but crumbling and choked
the resource-rich structures are located. with vines. A salty sea breeze rolls through the forest, and
Kirkrun River Crossing. The town is bisected by the the raiders grumble about missing home.
Kirkrun River. In its center is a sturdy stone bridge
that spans the river. Because of this, the bridge must be The characters can allay this homesickness by making a
conquered for the raiders to gain access to the conflict successful DC 20 Charisma (Performance) check. On a
zones on the side of the city they didn’t enter from. failure, or if this check isn’t made at all, the warriors have
Kirkrun River by Ship. Valikan longships can sail upriver disadvantage on all Raiding Rolls made during the next
in good circumstances, and the Kirkrun River is a great raid. However, this penalty ends the first time they make a
getaway route. Chief Hrafen av Skeir has prepared for successful Raiding Roll.
the longships to arrive at the town’s edge during the raid
The Grand Prize

to provide reinforcements and the chance to escape, but
the town’s northern river gate must be held to gain these
reinforcements (see “Kirkbridge Features” in Event:
Raid of Kirkbridge). As dawn breaks before the raid, read or paraphrase
A Smorgasbord of Targets. Kirkbridge is a highly the following:
centralized town, which means the town is wide open to
As morning comes, you are gathered by the chief to plan
be plundered once the raiders are inside. The only choke
the final raid of your campaign. You sit with him away
point that needs to be overcome is the central bridge.
from the rest of the raiders as he draws a crude map of the
city in the ashes of last night’s fire.
Ships from Downriver
“It’s important to remember that this city is defended
It’s important to keep track of how many warriors are
left at camp to guard the ships because it’s possible for by mages. And not just local forest druids, but academy-
the characters to gain these warriors as reinforcements if trained wizards. If we fight fair, they’ll kill us. I’m not
the raiders conquer the river gate (see “Kirkrun River by worried, though. I do not doubt that you will lead our
Ship,” above). Unlike the last raid, good fortune prevails, people to victory, Hersirs. Come, let’s talk strategy.”
and nothing emerges from the forest to attack the camp
while the main raiding force is away.
Assaulting Erlefurt
Launch the Attack
Erlefurt is the official capital of Nordenland. Though
Once the characters are informed of the major locations,
technically Nordenland is a part of the Bürach Empire,
the raid can begin. Run Event: Raid of Kirkbridge.
all its cities save for Erlefurt have been overtaken by the
accursed forest or fallen into ruin as its people returned
Moving Onward to the old ways. Erlefurt, often simply called the City, is
While conquering Kirkbridge is an excellent prize for the ruled by Archduchess Maelfa Erlekind, the last living heir
Valikans, merely sacking it is enough to continue pushing of the once-great Bürachi House of Erle. Clinging to the
toward Erlefurt on land. With Kirkbridge in chaos and last vestiges of her family’s wealth and power, she makes
vulnerable to incursions from the forest, your warriors can a benevolent show of accepting the sovereignty of her
escape by ship and make a new camp on the coast. This neighbors, despite privately disdaining outsiders as
also allows the raiders to slink inland and make a camp backward and barbaric.
near Erlefurt’s walls. The archduchess is reassured in her belief by the evokers
of the Thaumaturge, a secretive cabal of mages who have
their own reasons for ensuring the stability of the empire in
Third Camp: Nordenland. The mage-defenders of Erlefurt are captained
In the Shadow of Erlefurt by Lord Duma Felsinger. Duma sees himself as above the
petty politics of Erlefurt, and he is quick to retreat before
This is a good place to start a session of gameplay. Read or his mages’ lives are endangered.

69
Lay of the Land Moving Onward
Erlefurt is a well-defended city and making a tactical
Conquering Erlefurt is a nigh-impossible task for a small
misstep could force the characters into an unwinnable
force of Valikan raiders, so this raid will likely end in the
battle. Chief Hrafen av Skeir highlights key locations in
characters retreating—hopefully with their longships
the city, particularly ones whose capture will open new
full of plunder. Once they’ve retreated, the ships return
avenues of attack or otherwise alter the battlefield.
to Ragvall Village, as described in the Conclusion
Nordenmark Palace. This palace of magically raised and section below.
polished white stone towers stands over the Bürach Em-
pire’s northern marches. Its treasury room is the primary
target of this raid. Trying to depose the archduchess and
conquer the great city is, by Chief Hrafen av Skeir estima-
Conclusion
tion, folly. The raiders are here for plunder, not conquest. How successful the summer raids went will affect the
Marcher Lord’s College. Erlefurt is home to eight colleges characters’ reputation come autumn. Using the scorecard
of magic, three of which are renowned throughout the em- below, determine how many points the characters earned
pire. The greatest of the eight, Marcher Lord’s College of for their deeds in summer. If they scored 5 or more
Evocations, is a military academy. Though difficult to take, reputation points, they return to Ragvall Village as heroes
claiming it will doubtless damage morale across the city. beloved by their warriors. If they scored 4 or fewer points,
Pinnacle of Theurgy. A group of mages called the their warriors see the raid as a failure, and the chief is
Thaumaturge are contracted to protect Erlefurt. disappointed in his decision to appoint them as hersirs.
However, rumor has it that their local commander,
Duma Felsinger, has no particular loyalty to the empire. End-of-Summer Reputation Points
If his fortress, the Pinnacle of Theurgy, is conquered, he Event Reputation Points
and his Thaumaturge forces will likely flee.
Each 2,500 gp gained at end of summer +1
Sea Gate. Erlefurt once forded a river, and though that
river has long since been diverted and filled in, its Each Stronghold captured +1
harbor and sea gate remain. This sea gate isn’t literally a Ended summer with over 75 warriors +1
gate, but rather a line of defensive towers that overlooks Ended summer with over 100 warriors +1
the harbor. Without capturing these towers, sailing Each fancy food or item acquired that will +1
Ragvall’s longships into the harbor is an impossible task. “make the characters very popular”
Neighborhoods. Residential cottages and townhomes make
Ended summer with 50 warriors or fewer −2
up the bulk of Erlefurt’s size. These neighborhoods aren’t
as rich as the palace, but they’re lightly defended and are Each named NPC killed in summer −2
so vast that they can be plundered again and again. Each player character killed in summer −2
Commanding from the Front

Additionally, Chief Hrafen av Skeir places his life directly It’s Not so Cut and Dry
in the characters’ hands, and he requests that they send Raiding, unlike a military campaign of conquest, is an
him to be one of their deputy commanders in today’s raid. endeavor where the feeling of victory is just as important
Hrafen av Skeir. The famed Raven of Skeir was once as the victory itself. Use the scorecard above as a rule of
feared throughout Valika and Bürach as a bloodthirsty thumb to determine if the characters return to Ragvall
commander of Völgr. His unsavory reputation grants a Village as heroes or as disappointments. The scorecard
unit he’s assigned to a +1d4 bonus on raiding rolls. If a can’t account for narrative details such as if the characters
unit he’s assigned to fails a Raiding Roll, he is unable were cruel to their warriors or had one enormous,
to escape and is captured. His bonus can’t be used for memorable failure even if they managed an overall victory.
the remainder of the raid. Run Event: Godrunsson’s Aid Ultimately, the way the people of Ragvall Village feel
after the raid is completed. about their hersirs is up to the GM to judge.
Ships in the Harbor New Downtime Activities

As with the previous raid, it’s important to keep track of
When the characters have a week or more of downtime,
how many warriors have been left at camp to guard the
they can spend it doing one of the activities described in
ships because it’s possible for the characters to gain these
the fifth edition core rules. They can also spend a week or
warriors as reinforcements if the sea gate is conquered
more of downtime on one of the following group downtime
during the raid (see “Sea Gate,” above).
activities. Unlike other downtime activities, which can be
Launch the Attack done by only a single character, these downtime activities
must be done as a full party.
Once the characters are informed of the major locations in this
raid, the attack can begin. Run Event: Sack of Erlefurt.

70
Downtime in Summer Gathering Resources
The forests of Nordenland are filled with dark fey and
Summer is thirteen weeks long, just like the other seasons unnatural aberrations, but they are also rich with timber
of the year. The first week is spent sailing from Ragvall and iron. If the characters are running low on these
to Nordenland. Each of the three raids takes a total of valuable resources, they can spend one week of downtime
one week each, which includes the time spent traveling, to lead an expedition into the woods. The more warriors
preparing, and withdrawing from the raid. The final week they take with them, the more likely they are to return
is spent sailing back to Ragvall Village. This leaves eight with a lot of resources. However, it’s harder for a large
weeks of downtime amidst the raids. expedition to retreat from attacking monsters.
The characters can spend these weeks of downtime Party Size. The characters can bring up to 50 warriors
repairing ships, hunting for game, seeking sources of with them; the chief won’t permit more to be taken.
timber or iron, building tools, or sailing south to hire Roll for Resources. At the end of the week, roll a d100
mercenaries or purchase supplies. and add the number of warriors the characters brought.
They return with that number of pounds of timber and half
Repairing Ships that number of pounds of iron.
Prerequisite: Have at least one damaged longship Roll for Danger. At the end of the week, roll a d6. On a
result of 1 or 2, mutant treants emerge from the woods and
The Ragvallan raiding party sailed to Nordenland with a attack, killing 1d10 warriors before an effective retreat can
fleet of four longships. While they don’t have shipwrights be staged. If the characters brought more than 25 warriors,
as skilled as Mardoll Brightsea in the raiding party, several 2d10 warriors are killed instead.
raiders apprenticed under her and know the basics of
the craft. Given one week of downtime and 100 pounds Sailing South to Market
of timber, they can repair one damaged longship. The There are several small villages along the western coast
characters must spend this week of downtime leading and of the Bürach Empire that are more than willing to trade
overseeing the effort to repair the ship. with Valikans in exchange for peace. There are even some
The raiding group can continue moving during repairs, Bürachi mercenaries who have little loyalty to their crown
if time is short. A group of 10 warriors per ship being and will gladly raid alongside the Valikans for a payment of
repaired must be left behind with the ships. gold up-front.
Additionally, given four weeks of downtime, 500 pounds Resources for Sale. Timber can be purchased
of timber, and 50 pounds of iron, they can construct a new in 50-pound bundles for 5 sp per pound. Iron can be
longship that can carry 50 raiders or 100 pounds of cargo purchased in 50-pound bundles for 1 gp per pound.
in place of 1 raider. Mercenaries for Hire. Mercenaries can be hired for
10 gp per week, with the first week paid up-front. No more
Hunting than 10 mercenaries can be hired per week. Each hired
While the raiding party has sufficient rations in dried mercenary increases the raiding crew’s number of warriors
meat and salmon jerky, fresh-cooked meat always bolsters by 1. When warriors die, assume that mercenaries die first.
a raider’s moral. The characters can spend one week of
downtime hunting in the Norden woods. To do so, the Crafting Supplies
characters must make several ability checks. Raiders have a number of supplies at their disposal beyond
Finding Tracks. One character makes a DC 10 Wisdom mere swords and axes. Casks of alchemical fire to burn
(Survival) check. On a success, a game trail is found; record forests, tall shields to defend from arrows, rams to breach
the result of the check for later. On a failure, the hunting gates, and more. The characters can spend downtime and
expedition was fruitless and the downtime is spent in vain. resources to craft these supplies, as described in chapter 3
Pursuing Game. One character makes a DC 10 of Raider’s Guide to Valika.
Dexterity (Stealth) check to stalk the game and clear a
path for the other characters. On a success, the character
manages to corner the animals; record the result of
the check for later. On a failure, the game flees and the
downtime is spent in vain.
Ambushing Prey. All characters make a ranged attack
roll to fell the animals. Take the average of all the rolls and
record it.
Overall Success. Add together the three recorded
numbers. The total is the number of warriors the characters
can feed with fresh meat. If at least half the warriors are fed,
they gain a +1d4 bonus to all raiding rolls for the next four
weeks. If at least 25 percent of the warriors are fed, they gain
a +1 bonus to Raiding Rolls for the next four weeks.

71
Raid Events Conflict Zones
The following conflict zones can be targeted in this raid.
Though there are no major quests in summer, there are The GM’s map of this region shows which conflict zones
three raids. These raids consist of two parts, as described must be conquered as a prerequisite to attacking others or
in chapter 3 of Raider’s Guide to Valika. The first part is a for reaching the village longhouse (this site’s stronghold).
large-scale invasion in which you command raiding parties V1: Forest’s Edge Homesteads
to attack and seize various points on a regional-scale map.
The second part is an assault on a stronghold in which the Minimum Force: 10 warriors
characters lead a strike force on a 5-foot-square-scale map Raiding Roll DC: 7
using the standard rules for combat in fifth edition. Supplies Bonus: —
Since these Raid Events occur in a linear fashion, they are Plunder: 500 sp, 100 pounds of timber, and 10 horses
presented in chronological order, rather than alphabetical. Captives: 10 captives
A simple wooden palisade draped with the gray falcon

Event: The First Raid banner of Aristadt Village stands on the village outskirts.
Prerequisite: Made camp outside Aristadt These homesteads have banded together for safety, and
though their palisade walls protect them from wolves, they
provide little defense against armed raiders.
Location: Aristadt Village
Downtime: 1 week
Content Warning: War, civilians in peril
V2: Village Mews
When the raid begins, read or paraphrase: Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone V1 or V7
Your raiding party has arrived on the outskirts of Aristadt, Minimum Force: 10 warriors
a small hamlet of trappers and falconers in western Raiding Roll DC: 5
Nordenland. Nestled between mountains and lakes, this Supplies Bonus: —
charming village is lightly defended and is easy prey for Plunder: 25 pounds of iron
most Valikan raiders. Special: If not conquered by the start of turn 2,
What zones of the village will you send your reinforcements arrive in zones V3 through V8
warriors to first? (see “Developments,” below).
The falconers of Aristadt keep their raptors in large

Resources and Supplies birdhouses called mews. The falcons and their trainers
If the characters or GM don’t wish to track the raiding reside in cottages resting between the two lakes. They seem
crew’s inventory throughout summer, the party begins to have few possessions, and while they aren’t warriors,
this raid with the following spread of resources and they seem prepared to defend their homes.
supplies instead:
• 100 warriors
• 500 pounds of timber V3: Lake Ruhig Docks
• 250 pounds of iron Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone V1 or V7
• 1 cask of drake fire Minimum Force: 5 warriors
• 10 tall shields Raiding Roll DC: 7
• 1 battering ram Supplies Bonus: Tall shields
The bonuses granted by these supplies are fully described Plunder: 100 pounds of timber, and a +1 longbow
in chapter 3 of Raiders’ Guide to Valika and in the Captives: 5 captives
abridged Raiding Rules found in Appendix D. If the
players have fewer warriors and supplies than this, this raid Rowboats and docks line the shore of the southwestern
may be more difficult than expected. lake. On the lake sits an island with a shrine visible upon it.
The village militia has barricaded the docks, prepared to
Aristadt Valley Features die to defend the shrine. Several boats on the lake are filled
Aristadt Valley is a charming dale with no dangerous
with archers, ready to attack from afar.
terrain that affects its conflict zones.

72
Aristadt Village
Miles
0 1 2
V9
V6 V8
V7
V4
V3
V2
V1
V5

73
V4: Village Leatherworks V7: Bergmann’s Bridge
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone V1 or V7 Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone V6
Minimum Force: 10 warriors Minimum Force: 5 warriors

Raiding Roll DC: 8 Raiding Roll DC: 8
Supplies Bonus: Drake fire causes instant victory with Supplies Bonus: Battering ram
no casualties but destroys all supplies and kills all Plunder: 100 pounds of timber
potential captives
Plunder: 100 gp, 150 pounds of timber, 50 pounds of iron, A wooden bridge spans a wide, lazy river. On the other
and a suit of +1 leather armor side of the bridge stands the village longhouse. A gate on
Captives: 10 captives the other side of the bridge can be opened and closed, but
it is currently open.
These wood-walled houses are dedicated to the tanning of
hides and the creation of leather goods. A stone wall with a
simple gate surrounds the tannery, and a group of villagers V8: Villagers’ Escape Route
defends it fiercely with crude spears. Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone V3 or V7
Minimum Force: 20 raiders

V5: Shrine to Ulmyr Raiding Roll DC: 5
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone V3 Supplies Bonus: —
Plunder: 100 pounds of foodstuffs, trade goods worth 500
Minimum Force: 10 warriors sp, 200 pounds of timber, and 100 pounds of iron
Raiding Roll DC: 3 Captives: 50 captives
Supplies Bonus: —
Plunder: Art worth 500 sp and diamonds and incense The villagers have hastily arranged four covered wagons
worth 100 gp and oxen to escape the battle of Aristadt. If you can catch
Captives: 40 captives them in time, the wealth they’re fleeing with can be yours.
A shrine to Ulmyr, the dead god of the Norden forests,

stands tall and proud on this island. The shrine is V9: Thegn Rutger’s Longhouse
undefended; the priests and huddled civilians here put up Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone V4 or V7
precious little resistance.
Once reached, the characters can choose to end this event
and attack the longhouse directly. This begins Event: The
First Conquest.
V6: Trappers’ Cottages
Minimum Force: 10 warriors Developments
Raiding Roll DC: 5 Certain conflict zones change at the start of the following
Supplies Bonus: — turns of this raid:
Plunder: 200 sp worth of furs Turn 2: If both the Village Mews (zone V2) and the
Special: If not conquered by the start of turn 2, Trappers’ Cottages (zone V6) have not been captured
reinforcements arrive in zones V2 through V8 (see by the start of this turn, the occupants warn other areas
“Developments,” below). of the approaching raiders. The Raiding Roll DC of
all zones increases by 2, and the Raiding Roll DC of
Fur trappers hunt animals for their pelts in the nearby Bergmann’s Bridge (zone V7) increases by 5 (to DC 13).
coastal woods. They notice your force as it emerges from Turn 4: The commonfolk gathered at the escape point
the woods, and several prepare to sprint in the direction flee into the mountains, leaving behind everything they
of the village longhouse, while most ready simple bows can’t carry. The Raiding Roll DC of zone V8 drops
and spears. to 0. However, the commonfolk have set simple traps,
which can still cause casualties. The plunder drops to
25 pounds of foodstuffs, trade goods worth 100 sp, 50
pounds of timber, and 25 pounds of iron. No captives
“We couldn’t abandon Ulmyr! Even when the rest of can be taken.
the village falls to your hand, we can be certain the Turn 6: After six hours, the villagers fully fortify the
shrine will always be a pillar for our people.” longhouse. All areas within the stronghold gain the
benefits of being Prepared. See the “Prepared” section
- Ulmyr Shrine Priest in Event: The First Conquest.

74
Event: The First Conquest Your Mission is Plunder,
Questgiver: Hrafen av Skeir Not Victory
Location: Aristadt Longhouse It’s important that the players and their characters know
Downtime: 1 week that the goal of this fight is to obtain as much treasure as
Content Warning: War, civilians in peril they can, as fast as they can. The longer they wait, the
The Ragvallan raiding crew has besieged the village long- worse the situation becomes for them and their warriors
house of Aristadt, giving the characters the opportunity to outside the stronghold.
plunder it. Here, the characters have two options: plunder The main goal is to plunder and run, and the second-
what they can and then get out before reinforcements arrive ary goal is a complete rout.
or slay this fort’s commander and conquer it for themselves.
This longhouse is the seat of power for a Norden thegn
named Gorman Rutger (LN, male dwarf noble). He is a Areas of the Aristadt Longhouse
coward who relies on his soldiers to save him. The characters begin the longhouse raid in area L1, the
fort’s entry courtyard. Read or paraphrase the following
Aristadt Longhouse Features when the characters begin the attack:
The areas of the Aristadt longhouse have the following
features unless otherwise stated in that area’s description: The village longhouse is simple but large; it’s easily large
Ceilings. The indoor areas of this longhouse have 15-foot- enough to hold a feast for every man, woman, and child
tall ceilings. in the Aristadt, and then some. Your warriors have rallied
Light. The indoor areas of this longhouse have no windows around the outside of the longhouse, clashing with small
and are dimly lit by fire pits or oil lamps. groups of villagers swooping in on horseback to hurl spears
Wooden Walls. This longhouse is made of wood and is before fleeing.
flammable. If fire damage is dealt to the walls of this long- “Get in!” shouts Chief Hrafen av Skeir, who stands with
house, all adjacent 5-foot spaces catch fire at the start of the other warriors. “Move quick, grab the loot and run!
each subsequent turn until the entire longhouse is aflame. Only try and seize the fort if you think you can do it as fast
A creature that starts its turn in a burning square or en-
as lightning!”
ters it for the first time on a turn takes 2 (1d4) fire damage
and can’t breathe until the start of its next turn.

75
L1: Entry Courtyard Killing a commoner grants advantage on ability checks
Once the characters enter the stronghold, read or made to influence the commoners for 1 minute.
paraphrase the following: Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are
in this area:
Standing before the front of the longhouse’s oaken double • Eight guards
doors is a group of warriors from the thegn’s personal • Four scouts
guard. Four are dressed in simple, unpolished chainmail. • Two blood hawks, which the scouts can order to attack
The fifth, their leader, is a scarred man with an eyepatch a creature or use the Help action on an ally (no action
and wispy white hair. He’s clearly seen at least sixty required by the scout)
winters, but he holds his sword well. The guards hang back and protect the two northern
“Valikans,” he growls. He speaks the Valikan tongue doors, but they don’t attack unless attacked or a hostile
with a Valikan accent. “Brutish dogs. Depart now, lest I creature enters their reach. The scouts shoot invaders and
put ye down like the curs ye are.” command their hawks to aid them.
Treasure. There are three piles of treasure in this
Thegn Gorman Rutger’s commander of the guard, a chamber. A character can collect one pile as an action:
former Clan Völgr warrior named Lars One-Eye, is • West Table: A treasure chest with 400 sp
prepared to meet any Valikan invaders in a duel to the • East Table: A pile of silverware worth 50 gp
death. He tries to stall the characters in a one-on-one duel • Thegn’s Throne: A golden holy symbol of the god
to buy time for the thegn to rally his reinforcements (see Ulmyr worth 50 gp
“Developments,” below). Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state, the
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are following changes occur:
in this area:
• A wooden barricade (Large object, AC 14, 30 hit points,
• Lars One-Eye (CN, male human veteran) vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to poison and
• Four guards psychic damage) has been erected in front of the doors to
Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state, the areas L5 and L6
following changes occur:
• A wooden barricade (Large object, AC 14, 30 hit points, L3: Dairy
vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to poison and Five dairy cows are in this stable.
psychic damage) has been erected in front of the main Hostile Creatures. The cows (use ox statistics) are
door to area L2. panicked from the sound of battle, and they attack the
• The guards in this area are behind the barricade, and nearest creature as soon as it enters this room for the first
they attack using their crossbows. time, unless the creature makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Animal Handling) check as a reaction. The cows simply
L2: Thegn’s Hall want to escape.
Treasure. This room has no obvious treasure. If the cows
The thegn is nowhere to be seen in his hall. Villagers who are calm, a character can search them as an action. A success-
fled to this stronghold huddle beneath benches, clutching ful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a perfectly
their valuables and praying that you won’t notice them. carved ivory idol of a cow god worth 50 gp hidden in the hay.
Valuables are strewn about the room, upon tables and L4: Stable
benches. Several doors are open, revealing stables and a Five riding horses are in this stable. They’re jittery from
dairy to the west. Two doors on the back wall, behind the the sound of nearby battle, but they can be calmed and
thegn’s throne, are closed. taken as plunder if a character uses an action to make a
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling).
The thegn has locked himself in his bedchambers (area Treasure. The room has no obvious treasure, but a
L6) and commanded his guards to protect him and the character can use an action to search it. A successful DC 13
commoners in this hall, but the thegn’s safety comes first. Intelligence (Investigation) check finds an ornate warhorse
Commoners. A dozen commoners hide beneath the saddle worth 50 gp hidden in the hay.
tables and benches in this room. As an action, a character
can grab one and make a DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation)
check to force the commoner to hand over whatever is
“I’ve been waiting for folks like ye for too many
being held (an heirloom or piece of jewelry worth 2d12 gp) years. The hair on me head is stronger than any
on a success. As an action, a character can also make a DC one of ye. Step forward and face yer cowardice.”
18 Charisma (Intimidation) check to force the villagers to
throw their valuables onto the floor on a success, worth a - Lars One-Eye
total of 65 (2d12 × 5) gp.

76
L5: Barracks Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state, the
If the hostile creatures in this area are defeated, the following changes occur:
development on Turn 10 of this battle doesn’t occur (see • The thegn has found and loaded a light crossbow, and
“Developments,” below). readied an action to shoot it at the first Valikan who enters
Hostile Creatures. A group of six guards and six this area (+3 to hit, Hit: 5 [1d8 + 1] piercing damage).
scouts are donning armor and grabbing weapons. They Treasure. The thegn’s chambers are filled with
are preparing to get horses from the stable and ride out to treasure, including:
crush the raiders.
• The silver-and-garnet circlet he wears (worth 50 gp)
Treasure. The thegn’s guards keep their valuables
• A tapestry of Ulmyr smiting a Bürachi army
beneath their beds in twelve footlockers in this room. A
(worth 25 gp)
lockbox can be forced open easily as an action, but a stack
of four lockboxes can be collected without opening it as an • A ceremonial blade made from gilded steel (worthless in
action. When opened, each lockbox contains a total of 35 combat, but worth 25 gp)
(10d6) sp and a personal item worth 1 gp.
Developments
L6: Thegn’s Chambers The following changes occur on these turns of this raid:
Thegn Rutger, leader of this village, cowers pathetically in Turn 5: The stronghold enters a prepared state, causing
his chambers. Read or paraphrase the following: certain areas of the stronghold to change as described in
the “Prepared” section of those areas.
A pathetic man with long, greasy brown hair kept out of
Turn 10: The stronghold musters horse-riding
his face by a tarnished, gem-studded silver circlet huddles
reinforcements that begin attacking the raiders
by his bed. He feebly clutches his sword and feverishly besieging its walls. At the end of each turn, 1d6 warriors
murmurers a prayer. He gasps when you enter and shouts, die. Casualties stop mounting once the characters and
“Take it all! I beg you, take it and leave!” their raiders retreat.
Commander’s Death: If Thegn Rutger is killed or cap-
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are tured, all hostile humanoids in this stronghold offer their
in this area: surrender. If the characters accept, they can conquer
• Thegn Gorman Rutger (use noble statistics). He is prone this stronghold and loot it at their leisure, out of initia-
and only fights back if attacked. tive order.
L3
L4
L5
L2
L1
L6
Aristadt Lounge
1 Square = 5 feet

77
Event: Raid of Kirkbridge Conflict Zones
Prerequisite: Made camp outside Kirkbridge
The GM’s map of this region shows which conflict zones
Questgiver: Hrafen av Skeir must be conquered as a prerequisite to attacking others or
Location: Kirkbridge for reaching St. Hermia’s Cathedral (this site’s stronghold).
Downtime: 1 week T1: Western Forest Incursion
Minimum Force: 5 warriors
When the raid begins, read or paraphrase:
Raiding Roll DC: 14
Your raiding party has arrived on the outskirts of Kirkbridge, Supplies Bonus: Drake fire causes instant victory with
a walled town constantly fighting against invasions from the
no casualties but destroys all supplies and causes the
Turn 4 development to happen early (see “Develop-
corrupted forest beyond. Its sturdy stone walls are crumbling,
ments,” below)
and the twisted treants from the forest have planted rapidly
Plunder: 200 pounds of timber
growing trees within the walls. This town may be difficult to Captives: —
breach, but once inside, its people are easy prey.
What zones of the town will you send your The dark boughs of the Norden woodlands have breached
warriors to first? the tall walls of Kirkbridge. It’s easy to sneak through
undetected by the town guard, but the trees possess a dark
semblance of life and tear at your warriors as they pass.
Resources and Supplies
If the characters or GM don’t wish to track the raiding
crew’s inventory throughout summer, the party begins T2: Main Gate
this raid with the following spread of resources and
supplies instead:
Raiding Roll DC: 18
• 75 warriors • 10 horses Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields
• 250 pounds of timber • 20 tall shields Plunder: 500 sp in jewelry, 100 pounds of iron,
• 150 pounds of iron • 1 battering ram and 10 horses
• 2 casks of drake fire Special: If the attack fails, the town guard is alerted,
The bonuses granted by these supplies are fully described causing Turn 4's development to happen early (see
in chapter 3 of Raiders’ Guide to Valika and in the “Developments,” below).
abridged Raiding Rules found in Appendix D. If the
players have fewer warriors and supplies, this raid may be The main gate of Kirkbridge is unusually small, and one
more difficult than expected. of your raiders mutters that the town must have once had
larger roads that fell out of use. Two crenelated towers
Kirkbridge Town Features loom over the road, and a heavy wooden gate bars access
Kirkbridge is a walled town amid a deep forest. to the town. The walls bristle with archers who scan the
Rapid Burn. Fresh kindling covers the forest floor, and road—do they know you are coming?
fires start quickly and burn hot. Casks of drake fire grant a
+4 bonus instead of +2.
Kettled In. Once a raiding party has entered Kirk- T3: Eastern Forest Incursion
bridge, it’s easy to get trapped within its walls when trying to This zone has the same statistics as zone T1.
retreat. If a retreat is called without first conquering either the
River Gate (zone T7) or the Main Gate (zone T2), half of the
warriors in the raiding party are killed while retreating.
Imperial Bridge. Kirkbridge is bisected by the Kirkrun
River. Spanning this river is a large and impressive stone
bridge (zone T6). Depending on where the raiders enter
from (zone T1 or T2 in the west of town or zone T3 in the
east), they must conquer the bridge to attack conflict zones
on the other side of the river.
Reinforcements by Ship
At the start of any turn after conquering the River Gate
(zone T7), the characters can call in reinforcements, adding
the warriors they left behind to protect their ships to their
warrior count.

78
T9
T7 T8
T3
T5
T6
T4
T10
T1 T11
T2
The Town of Kirkbridge

Feet
0 250 500 750 1000
T4: Finsterlog Neighborhood T5: Flussufer Market

Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone T1, T2, or T6 Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone T1, T2, or T6

Supplies Bonus: Horses; drake fire causes instant victory Supplies Bonus: Horses, tall shields
with no casualties but destroys all supplies and kills all Plunder: 750 sp, 200 gp worth of furs, foodstuffs, and
potential captives trade goods, 50 pounds. of iron, and 10 horses
Plunder: 500 sp, 150 pounds of timber, and a +1 hand axe Captives: 30 captives
Captives: 20 captives
A marketplace by the riverside blocks access to the gate
This shabby neighborhood is pressed tight against the on the Kirkrun River. A contingent of crossbow-tout-
outer wall, and it bears the scars of constant battle against ing armored warriors—the most fearsome-looking foes
the Norden woodlands. Bonfires burn constantly in this you’ve seen so far—have barricaded themselves in this
neighborhood, filling the air with smoke. neighborhood.

79
T6: Bridge Over the Kirkrun River T10: Kasematte Walled Neighborhood
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone T1, T2, or T3 Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone T3 or T6

Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, horses, tall shields Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields
Plunder: — Plunder: 2,500 sp, 200 gp worth of jewelry and art, and
Special: If drake fire casks are used, the explosive force a chest of fine silks and regal clothing that will make
collapses the bridge. The attack is a critical defeat the characters very popular in Ragvall Village (see
regardless of the roll, and this zone can’t be conquered. “Conclusion,” earlier in this chapter)
A vast stone bridge spans the Kirkrun River. The town
militia has taken up its defense and raised heavy barricades A sturdy defensive wall and oaken gates protect this
all along it. wealthy neighborhood. Only a small detachment of
imperial soldiers defends it. Countless civilians, rich and
poor alike, huddle within this solid wall.
T7: River Gate
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone T5 or T8
T11: Saint Hermia’s Cathedral
Minimum Force: 5 warriors Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone T10
Raiding Roll DC: 16
Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields Once reached, the characters can choose to end this event
Plunder: 50 pounds of iron and attack the church directly. This begins Event: Attack
Special: Conquering this zone opens the river gate (see on St. Hermia’s.
“Escape by River,” above).

Developments
Two stone towers loom over the Kirkrun River. Between Certain conflict zones change at the start of the following
them is a gate made of sharpened tree trunks lashed turns of this raid:
together. A complex system of pulleys and iron chains allow Turn 3: People panic, and riots break out. The Raiding
the gate to be raised and lowered to allow ships in and out Roll DC of the neighborhoods (zones T4, T5, T8, and
of the town. From the towers, armored soldiers in imperial
T9) increases by 1.
Turn 4: Imperial guards along the walls rally to the
colors train their crossbows on you.
militia’s aid and reinforce the bridge. The Raiding Roll
DC of zone T6 increases by 2 (to DC 20), if it hasn’t
T8: Zuflucht Neighborhood already been conquered.
Turn 6: After six hours, the church defenders fully fortify
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone T3 or T6
their position. All areas within the stronghold gain the
This zone has the same statistics as zone T5. benefits of being Prepared. See the “Prepared” section
in Event: The First Conquest.
T9: Zittern Neighborhood Turn 8: After eight hours, reinforcements from a nearby
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone T3 or T6 imperial outpost can be called. Horse riders flood in
This zone has the same statistics as zone T4. from the west and guard the entrance to the cathedral.
The cathedral can no longer be entered unless one of the
characters makes a successful DC 18 Dexterity (Stealth)
or Charisma (Deception or Performance) check on this
turn to elude, dupe, or distract the reinforcements.
Turn 9: The imperial riders sweep through the town, killing
half of the warriors brought on this raid. The raiders are
outnumbered and outmatched, and defeat is imminent.
Turn 10: The imperial riders complete their counterattack,
killing all remaining warriors brought on this raid. The
characters can retreat and escape with their lives.

80
St. Hermia's Cathedral
1 Square = 5 feet
E3
E6 E9
E5 E8
E4 E7
E2
E1
Event: Attack on St. Hermia’s of the cathedral: Vicar Claive Sullish. He is supposedly a
descendant of Hermia, the saint who founded Kirkbridge.
Questgiver: Hrafen av Skeir The vicar is a good-hearted man. As a devotee of the
Location: St. Hermia’s Cathedral, Kirkbridge Arch Seraph Aphaelon, he has worked tirelessly to preserve
Downtime: 1 week peace in Kirkbridge and root out corruption within his
Content Warning: War, civilians in peril church. He wields potent magic, but this is not because he
The Ragvallan raiders have stormed the castle-like inherited the divine power of Saint Hermia’s bloodline,
fortifications of St. Hermia’s Cathedral in the walled town of as many believe. His secret is that he is simply an evoker
Kirkbridge. The ruler of Kirkbridge is also the head cleric trained at the Pinnacle of Theurgy in Erlefurt.

81
St. Hermia’s Cathedral Features Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state, the
The areas of the cathedral have the following features doors to the cathedral are closed and barred. The front
unless otherwise stated in that area’s description: doors to this church are made of sturdy oak reinforced with
iron bands. Once barred from within (AC 16, 30 hit points,
Barricades. Spiked wooden barricades have been set up
vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to poison and
throughout the cathedral. They are objects that occupy
psychic damage), they can only be opened from the outside
two adjacent 5-foot spaces. They have AC 14, 30 hit points,
by destroying them or forcing them by making a successful
vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to poison and
DC 18 Strength check as an action. The door can be un-
psychic damage. A creature that enters or starts its turn in
barred from within as an action.
a barricade’s space takes 3 (1d6) piercing damage.
Ceilings. The indoor areas of this cathedral have vaulted, E2: Nave
40-foot-tall ceilings. The interior of the cathedral is split into two sections:
Columns. Many columns support the cathedral’s vaulted the nave (area E2) and the apse (area E3). The nave is
ceiling. A Medium creature can occupy the same space typically filled with pews for the congregation, and the
as a column to gain half cover. apse contains the altar. Currently, all the pews have been
Light. The tall, stained-glass windows of this cathedral overturned and have had spears laid upon them to create
allow its indoor areas to be brightly lit during spiked barricades.
the daytime. Doors line the east and west walls, leading to six
Windows. This church is decorated with beautiful sealed chambers. These six rooms are commonly used as
stained-glass windows. A window has AC 13 and 2 hit crypts, prayer rooms, and vaults in churches dedicated
points. A successful DC 12 Strength check made by a to the Arch Seraphs, as they represent the six wings of
creature within reach of a window also shatters it. A the seraphs.
creature pushed into the window’s space smashes the Hidden Foes in Area E3. Hiding behind the altar
window and falls through it. in the cathedral’s apse is Vicar Claive Sullish, a skilled
mage. He also has two knights hiding in the alcoves to
Areas of the Cathedral his left and right. He doesn’t come out of hiding to attack
The characters begin storming the cathedral in area E1, until the characters have entered 30 feet into the nave.
within the stone walls surrounding it. Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures
defend the church’s nave as soon as the characters enter:
E1: Entry Courtyard
• 8 scouts
Once the characters enter the stronghold, read or
• 4 druids
These defenders position themselves in the center of the
Your raiders burst the gates of the church courtyard open, nave, which has been blocked off by barricades. They do
and then they immediately wheel about to repel an attack not move from this position unless forced to. Instead, they
from the Kirkbridge militia. Their foes are fast and fierce, make ranged attacks against invaders. They can drop
and better trained than the villagers in Aristadt. Time prone (no action required) to gain three-quarters cover
will be short.
from their barricades.
Treasure. There is no treasure stockpiled in this main
In the church courtyard before you stand two knights
room. It has all been moved to the side chambers.
in polished Bürachi armor. The knights wear no helmets,
Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state, six
revealing dirtless, clean-shaven faces similar enough that additional barricades are placed in front of the six doors to
the knights must be brothers. “Hold, heathens!” one areas E4 through E9.
bellows, pointing his broadsword at you. “Only over my
corpse will you defile this holy place! Turn back or accept E3: Apse
your eternal torment!”
A white-marble altar stands in the center of this apse,
illuminated from above by the prismatic glow of light
Holding the line in front of the church are two sworn
filtering through the stained-glass windows.
knights of the Bürach Empire and a few fanatical members
of the clergy. These knights are brothers named Alger and As soon as you approach, an old man in the white
Ernst (LG, male humans), freshly sent north by impe- robes and golden stole of a high priest stands from behind
rial decree. the altar. At the same time, two armored knights emerge
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are from the alcoves. “This far and no further,” the priest
in this area: growls. “I am a man of peace, yet still I am only a man—
• 2 knights in front of the barricades and a man cannot abide the slaughter of his kin. Perish
• 2 druids behind the barricades in flames.”
• 8 cultists equipped with shortbows (+3 to hit, Hit: 4 (1d6 +
1) piercing damage), to the east and west of the entrance

82
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures Treasure. Inside the sarcophagi are the sisters’ bones,
burst from hiding as soon as the characters move halfway and this treasure:
down the nave: • A golden necklace bearing immaculately fine engravings
• Vicar Claive Sullish hiding behind the altar; use of Aphaelonite catechisms, worth 50 gp
mage statistics • A suit of halfling-sized adamantine plate armor
• Two knights hiding in the east and west alcove • A golden circlet inlaid with a ruby, worth a total of 100 gp
Treasure. Atop the altar is a solid gold icon of the Arch
Seraph Aphaelon, worth 300 gp. E8: East Sanctuary
A dozen civilians are huddled in this small prayer room.
E4: West Sealed Crypt Treasure. As an action, a character can grab a
This crypt holds the sealed tomb of Saint Hermia. It can be commoner and make a DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation)
forced open using an action and making a successful DC 18 check to force the person to hand over whatever is being
Strength check. held (an heirloom or piece of jewelry worth 3d12 gp) on
Treasure. Inside the tomb are old bones, and: a success. As an action, a character can also make a DC
• A censer of controlling air elementals 18 Charisma (Intimidation) check to force the villagers to
• Priestly finery worth 100 gp throw their valuables onto the floor on a success, worth a
total of 130 (2d12 × 10) gp.
E5: West Sanctuary Killing a commoner grants advantage on any ability
A dozen civilians are huddled in this small prayer room. checks made to influence the commoners in this raid site
Treasure. As an action, a character can grab a com- for 1 minute.
moner and make a DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation) check E9: East Transept Vault
to force the person to hand over whatever they’re hold-
This vault contains artifacts of value to the church, including
ing (an heirloom or piece of jewelry worth 3d12 gp) on a
weaponry said to have been used by Saint Hermia herself.
success. As an action, a character can also make a DC 18
Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state, a
Charisma (Intimidation) check to force the villagers to
trap has been set in this room:
throw their valuables onto the floor on a success, worth a
total of 130 (2d12 × 10) gp. • A glyph of warding has been inscribed upon the door. A
Killing a commoner grants advantage on ability creature that touches the door without uttering a prayer
checks made to influence the commoners in this raid site to Aphaelon triggers it. All creatures within 20 feet of the
for 1 minute. door must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking
22 (5d8) fire damage on a failed save or half as much
E6: West Transept Vault damage on a successful one.
This vault contains money tithed by the church to fund Treasure. The vault is filled with treasure, including:
town wall repairs as well as repairs for the church. Other • A mace of disruption, with a handle bearing the
bits of fine décor are also hastily shoved in this room. inscription: “May Aphaelon protect in peace, and may
Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state, a your strength protect amidst peril.”
trap has been set in this room:
• Ten gilded phials of holy water, worth 20 gp each
• The other side of the door has a bear trap affixed to it. A • A a silver-tipped crozier bearing the holy symbol of
creature entering this room without succeeding on a DC 15 Aphaelon (+1 quarterstaff), worth 100 gp as a piece of art
Wisdom (Perception) check must make a DC 17 Dexterity
saving throw. On a failure, it takes 2 (1d4) damage and has Developments
its speed halved until the trap is removed by using an action
The following changes occur on these turns of this raid:
to make a successful DC 15 Strength check.
Turn 4: The stronghold enters a prepared state, causing
Treasure. The vault is filled with treasure, including:
certain areas of the stronghold to change as described in
• A chest containing 750 sp and 2,500 cp the “Prepared” section of those areas.
• A dozen golden candelabras, each worth 20 gp Turn 8: The stronghold musters a brigade of heavily-
• An assortment of jewelry tithed instead of coinage, worth armored soldiers that counterattack the raiders
100 gp in total besieging its walls. At the end of each turn, 1d6 warriors
Each piece of treasure can be collected as an action. die. Casualties stop mounting once the characters and
their raiders retreat.
E7: East Sealed Crypt Commander’s Death: If Vicar Claive Sullish is killed,
This crypt contains three small sarcophagi, each containing all hostile humanoids in this stronghold offer their
the bones of three halfling sisters who helped Saint Hermia surrender. They do not surrender if he is merely
carve Kirkbridge from the Norden woodlands. Each casket captured. If the characters accept, they can conquer
can be forced open by using an action to make a successful this stronghold and loot it at their leisure, out of
DC 13 Strength check. initiative order.

83
Event: The Sack of Erlefurt Reinforcements by Ship
At the start of any turn after conquering either side of the
Prerequisite: Made camp outside Erlefurt
Sea Gate (zone C12 or C13), the characters can call in
Questgiver: Hrafen av Skeir reinforcements, adding the warriors they left behind to
Location: Erlefurt protect their ships to their warrior count.
Downtime: —
Conflict Zones
The chief’s plan is to destroy the grate, storm the city,
The GM’s map of this region shows which conflict zones
destroy the watch towers protecting the bay (see “Re-
must be conquered as a prerequisite to attacking others or
inforcements by Ship,” below), and then make a quick
for reaching Nordenmark Palace (this site’s stronghold).
getaway on your longships. When the raid begins, read
or paraphrase: C1: Nordenmark River Sluice
Your raiding party has made a hidden camp in the woods Minimum Force: 50 warriors
Raiding Roll DC: 0
just beyond the walls of Erlefurt. There are two main gates
Supplies Bonus: —
into the city but attacking them would be tantamount
Plunder: —
to suicide. Instead, your scouts have identified a grate in
Special: Your raiding crew can’t suffer casualties capturing
the wall that allows a river to flow through the walls and this zone.
into the bay.
What zones of the town will you send your A culvert wide enough for five warriors to walk through
warriors to first? shoulder-to-shoulder is the clearest breach in the walls of
Erlefurt. It is blocked by a heavy iron grate, but removing
it should pose little problem for your warriors.
Resources and Supplies
If the characters or GM don’t wish to track the raiding
crew’s inventory throughout summer, the party begins C2: The Eastgate
this raid with the following spread of resources and
supplies instead:
Raiding Roll DC: 22
• 100 warriors • 20 horses Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields
• 0 pounds of timber • 30 tall shields Plunder: 1,000 sp in jewelry and 200 pounds of iron
• 0 pounds of iron • 2 battering rams Special: If the attack fails, the town guard is alerted,
• 2 casks of drake fire causing the Turn 4 developments to happen early (see
The bonuses granted by these supplies are fully described “Developments,” below).
in chapter 3 of Raiders’ Guide to Valika and in the
abridged Raiding Rules found in Appendix D. If the The gates of Erlefurt stand tall and proud, even though
players have fewer warriors and supplies, this raid may be its walls are vine-choked and slowly crumbling. Its towers
more difficult than expected. fly proud banners of the Bürach Empire, and rows of
well-armed, yet visibly haggard, imperial soldiers patrol
Erlefurt Features the walls.
The city of Erlefurt has the following features:
Mage Artillery. When you attack a conflict zone, an
additional 25 percent of the warriors assigned to that C3: The Westgate
zone are killed. This zone has the same statistics as zone C2.
Faithless Mages. When a conflict zone with “College” in
its name is conquered, roll 1d6 for each Mage College
conquered during this raid. If any of the dice roll the
same number, the mages retreat from the city. This
raid site loses the Mage Artillery feature. Alternatively, “We are so close to Erlefurt! We have a few ways
conquering the Pinnacle of Theurgy (zone C8) also of getting in and getting the supplies we need to
causes the raid site to lose the “Mage Artillery” feature. continue. I have faith we can breach into the city.
This is my best piece of advice; make sure you don’t
Kettled In. Once a raiding party has entered Erlefurt,
get trapped within the city's walls, it can quickly
it’s easy to get trapped within its walls when trying to
become a death trap.”
retreat. If a retreat is called without first conquering
either side of the Sea Gate (either zone C12 or C13) or - Chief Hrafen av Skeir
one of the main gates (either zone C2 or C3), half of the
warriors in the raiding party are killed while retreating.

84
The City of Erlefurt
Feet
0 500 1,500 2,000
C10 C14
C9
C12
C8
C13
C7
C5
C3 C6
C4
C2
C1
C4: Low Town Neighborhoods The dockside markets of Erlefurt are filled with
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C1, C2, fishmongers, furriers, and kitschy trinkets.
C5, or C6
C6: Unten Mage College of Conjuration
Raiding Roll DC: 13 Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C4,
Supplies Bonus: Drake fire causes instant victory with C5, C7, or C8
no casualties but destroys all supplies and kills all Minimum Force: 5 warriors
potential captives Raiding Roll DC: 18
Plunder: 500 sp, 150 pounds of timber, and 20 horses Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields
Captives: 20 captives Plunder: Spell components and arcane texts worth 1,000
gp and an amulet of health
The slums of Erlefurt are crammed against its southern Special: If this zone is conquered, uncontrolled animals
wall. Few guards patrol it, but its people courageously and elementals spread through the city, lowering the
defend their meager homes. Raiding Roll DC of all zones by 2.
C5: Dock Town Markets Within the shining stone walls of Unten College are
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C4 or C11 animals and elementals collected for study and replication
through the use of summoning magic. Most of its mages
Minimum Force: 5 warriors are still neophytes, and they are wont to lose control of
Raiding Roll DC: 15 their creations.
Supplies Bonus: Horses
Plunder: 2,000 sp, 500 gp worth of furs, foodstuffs, and
trade goods, and 50 pounds of iron

85
C7: Ataraxia College of Illusion C9: Adiaphoron College of Necromancy
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C3, C6, Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C3, C8, or C10
C8, or C9.
Minimum Force: 5 warriors Raiding Roll DC: 18
Raiding Roll DC: 18 Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields
Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields Plunder: Spell components and arcane texts worth 1,000
Plunder: Spell components and arcane texts worth 1,000 gp and a ring of swimming
gp and a ring of swimming Special: If warriors die attacking this zone (in victory or
Special: If this zone is conquered, uncontrolled daemons defeat), the GM can assign undead warriors equal to the
spread through the city, lowering the Raiding Roll DC casualties to any conflict zone in the city. Each undead
of all zones by 2. warrior increases that zone’s Raiding Roll DC by 1
(maximum 5 undead warriors per zone).
The illusionists of Ataraxia College draw upon shadowy
magic said to be connected to an Arch-Daemon known as This college of necromancy is bleak and stark. It resembles
Venin. Rumors say that within the college’s onyx-black, a military fortress more than a school. The houses around
mirror-shine walls are countless daemons being tortured the college are all unnervingly plain, a thin ploy to
for their arcane secrets. desperately convince the people around them that they’re
no threat to the city.
C8: Pinnacle of Theurgy

Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C3, C8, C10: Eudaimonia College of Enchantment
C10, or C11 Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C8 or C9

Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields Supplies Bonus: Battering ram, tall shields
Plunder: Spell components and arcane texts worth 2,000 Plunder: Spell components and arcane texts worth 1,000
gp and a ring of spell storing gp and a ring of animal influence
Special: If this zone is conquered, its commander, Lord Special: The first Raiding Roll against this zone has
Duma Felsinger, retreats to an extradimensional disadvantage.
space and destructs his tower so that its secrets can’t
be revealed. The tower violently collapses, sending a Flowers bloom in gorgeous flowerboxes outside of every
wave of stone across the city center. Additionally, the window on this ivory-walled campus, and their scent is
raid site loses its Mage Artillery feature (see “Erlefurt thick and sweet. Just being here makes you feel like laying
Features,” above). down your arms.
This tower is a gothic, gargoyle-festooned spire that

appears to have grown cancerously out of a beautiful, C11: High Town Square and Docks
Bürachi-style cathedral. Only powerful magic could have Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C5 or C8
created this disturbing structure.
Raiding Roll DC: 18
Supplies Bonus: Horses, tall shields
Plunder: 4,000 sp, 1,000 gp worth of furs, foodstuffs, and
trade goods, and 200 pounds of iron
The dockside markets of this wealthy quarter of Erlefurt

are well-defended by imperial soldiers. High-quality
foodstuffs, clothing, and jewelry are being hastily packed
by merchants desperately trying to escape to their ships.

86
C12: Sea Gate West Developments
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C11 Certain conflict zones change at the start of the following
turns of this raid:
Turn 3: People panic, and riots break out. The Raiding
Raiding Roll DC: 16
Roll DC of the gates, neighborhoods, and markets
Supplies Bonus: Horses, tall shields
(zones C2, C3, C4, C5, and C11) increases by 1.
Plunder: 100 pounds of iron
Turn 4: Imperial guards reinforce the city gates. Retreat
Captives: —
now incurs 100 percent casualties unless either of the
land gates (zone C2 or C3) is conquered (50 percent
The Sea Gate of Erlefurt is actually a pair of stone towers
casualties) or either of the sea gates (zone C12 or C13) is
equipped with ballistae and catapults. Manned by some
conquered (no casualties).
of the best siege engineers in the empire, these towers are Turn 6: After six hours, the palace defenders fully fortify
easily able to target ship entering the harbor. However, their position. All areas within the stronghold gain the
incapacitating even one tower creates safe waters for your benefits of being Prepared. See the “Prepared” section
longships to land on the beach. in Event: Storming the Palace.
Turn 8: After eight hours, reinforcements from a garrison
outside of the city arrive. Horse riders flood in from
C13: Sea Gate East the west and guard the entrance to the palace. The
Prerequisite: Must have conquered zone C2, C4, or C5 palace can no longer be entered unless one of the
characters makes a successful DC 18 Dexterity (Stealth)
This zone has the same statistics as zone C12.
or Charisma (Deception or Performance) check on this
C14: Nordenmark Palace turn to elude, dupe, or distract the reinforcements.
Once reached, the characters can choose to end this Turn 9: The imperial riders sweep through the town, killing
event and attack the palace directly. This begins Event: half of the warriors brought on this raid. The raiders are
Storming the Palace. outnumbered and outmatched, and defeat is imminent.
Turn 10: The imperial riders complete their counterattack,
killing all remaining warriors brought on this raid.
The characters are captured, and the GM can create a
scenario for them to escape execution.

87
Event: Storming the Palace Areas of the Palace
The characters begin storming the palace in area M1 just
Questgiver: Hrafen av Skeir outside its doors.
Location: Nordenmark Palace, Erlefurt
Downtime: 1 week M1: Palace Doors
Content Warning: War, civilians in peril, implied
infidelity, implied suicide The sturdy doors of the palace stand before you, already
The Ragvallan raiders have burst through the gates of Nor- broken open by a battering ram wielded by your warriors.
denmark Palace, the seat of imperial power in the Norden- Those raiders salute you and wish you luck as they turn
land region. As the home to Archduchess Maelfa Erlekind to the castle gates and draw their blades, guarding your
(LE, female mage), the last of the founding bloodline of Erle- back as you enter. The fighting is fierce and bloody. The
furt, it is the best-defended stronghold in all of Nordenland. archduchess’s knights are struggling to keep up with your
Maelfa is a prideful woman and refuses to either give warriors’ relentless offense, but they are slowly gaining the
quarter or accept it. If the Valikans do not retreat, she upper hand through superior training. Time is short.
gladly gives them a fight to the death. Her personal guards Suddenly, arrows fly from the walls. There are archers
are an order of knights known throughout Nordenland as firing from arrow slits!
the Grünenritter, and they share their duchess’s stubborn,
highborn pride.
There are arrow slits on the east and west walls of this
Nordenmark Palace Features area, allowing the six scouts in areas M5 and M6 to attack
The areas of the palace have the following features unless intruders. These scouts have advantage on their attack
otherwise stated in that area’s description: rolls when they surprise the characters. The arrow slits
grant the archers three-quarters cover against attacks from
Ceilings. The indoor areas of this palace have 20-foot-tall the other side of the wall.
lavishly painted ceilings. In this surprise round, these six scouts can make a total
Doors. The doors of this palace are made of sturdy wood of twelve attacks before initiative is rolled.
and are locked. Each door has AC 15, 20 hit points, and Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state,
immunity to poison and psychic damage. A door can the archers poison their arrows. Each arrow deals an
be breached by destroying it, using an action to force it additional 4 (1d8) poison damage on a hit.
open by making a successful DC 15 Strength check, or
using an action to pick the lock by making a successful M2: Verdant Courtyard
DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools.
Furnishings. The indoor areas of this palace are adorned Immediately inside the doors of the castle is a splendid
with opulent art and furnishings. courtyard with a healthy yew tree spreading its boughs to
Walls. The walls of this palace are made of sturdy stone. the sky above. The immense tree is encircled by a crescent-
Each 5-foot section of wall has AC 18, 50 hit points, a shaped water feature. To the left and right are doors
damage threshold of 25, and immunity to poison and leading farther inside the palace, and there is another pair
psychic damage.
of double doors on the other side of the courtyard.

88
M25
M26
S
M9 M11
S
M10
M7 M8
M21
M3
M5
M23
M20
M1 M2 S
M6
M4
M12 M14 M22 M24
M13 M15
M16 M17
M18
M19
Nordenmark Palace
1 Square = 5 feet

89
Arrow slits are built into the walls of the courtyard, giving M8: Head of Staff’s Quarters
the ten scouts in the halls north of areas M3 and M4 a The archduchess’s head of staff resides here. This room is
clear line of attack to the courtyard. immaculately clean and filled with ledgers of all servants
Prepared. If the stronghold is in a prepared state, there working in the palace and information on their back-
are a pair of veterans standing in front of the northern grounds. It’s obvious that the archduchess’s head of staff is
double doors. They use the yew tree as cover against ranged a meticulous man.
attacks while attacking with their heavy crossbows to lure Treasure. There are no obvious treasures in this room
the characters into range of the arrow slits in the courtyard. other than a gold-framed portrait of the archduchess worth
Treasure. There are no obvious treasures in this room. 100 gp. However, a character who takes or investigates this
However, a character who uses an action to search the painting finds a safe embedded in the wall. As an action,
courtyard can make a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) a character can pick the safe’s lock by making a successful
check. On a success, the character finds a staff of the DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools or force it open
woodlands curled in the branches of the yew tree. by making a successful DC 20 Strength check.
Trap. If the wall safe is forced open, a mechanism within
M3: West Hall
the safe sprays a potent dose of a hallucinogenic toxin called
This room connects to a hallway that leads to the head
Breath of Beleth into the air. All creatures within 20 feet of
servants’ quarters and to the archduchess’s quarters.
the safe must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are
or become poisoned for 1 minute.
in this area:
While poisoned in this way, the creature immediately
• Five scouts in the hall to the north becomes frightened of all hostile creatures it can see, and
If combat breaks out here, the scouts in area M5 join the fight. it must take the Dash action and move away from them by
Treasure. This hall contains ten portraits of past the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there
archdukes and archduchesses, each worth 100 gp. is nowhere to move. If no hostile creatures are in sight, the
poison has no effect until a creature comes into sight.
M4: East Hall Wall Safe. Inside the safe is a dossier holding extortive
This room connects to a hallway that leads to the palace’s secrets on every Bürachi noble from Erlefurt to Altenheim.
guest quarters. To the average person, it’s just worthless paper. However,
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are to the right buyer (see “R18: De Morencia Trading Post” in
in this area: chapter 3), it could sell for up to 5,000 gp.
• Five scouts in the hall to the north
M9: Head of Staff’s Washroom
If combat breaks out here, the scouts in area M6 join the fight.
This washroom is lovely and spotlessly clean, but it
Treasure. This hall contains ten lavishly decorated
contains little of apparent value. However, the lavender-
vases in an imperial style, each worth 100 gp.
scented soaps and delicate hand mirrors will delight the
M5: West Gatehouse Valikans back in Ragvall Village and make the raiders very
This unadorned chamber houses three scouts. popular (see “Conclusion,” earlier in this chapter).
M6: East Gatehouse M10: Head Chef’s Quarters

This unadorned chamber houses three scouts. The archduchess’s head chef lives here. The mess in her
room is so severe, it looks as though it’s already been raided.
M7: Ducal Knights’ Quarters Treasure. So cluttered is this room that a character
The most trusted warriors of the archduchess’s ducal must use an action to make a successful DC 18 Intelligence
knights, the Grünenritter, are lodged here. They are (Investigation) check to find anything valuable. The chef
presently mustering in the knights’ tower to the northwest has a notebook filled with recipes that will delight the Vali-
of the castle (not depicted on this map). kans back home, but the most valuable thing she possesses
Treasure. This room contains seven lockboxes holding is a wedding ring with a sapphire inlaid, worth a total
the ducal knights’ jewelry and pay. A lockbox can be forced of 500 gp.
open easily as an action, but a stack of four lockboxes can
M11: Head Chef Washroom
be collected without opening it as an action. When opened,
each lockbox contains a total of 3d10 × 10 gp and a ring or This washroom is also an unsalvageable mess. A character
amulet worth 50 gp. who spends an action to sift through the clutter will be sorely
disappointed, as there’s nothing of value in this room.
M12: Guest Quarters

“Are these portraits magical? I hate patrolling this Ten minor Bürachi nobles from Altenheim are staying
way. I feel like I’m being watched. Do you even
here as guests of the archduchess. They mewl and cower
recognize this one? Was it here last time?”
before any raiders that enter.
- Unnamed scout to the north of West Hall

90
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are M17: Spare Rooms
in this area, guarding the cowering nobles: These spare rooms aren’t occupied and are currently being
• Six guards used as extra storage.
• Two knights Treasure. This area contains the following treasure:
Treasure. As an action, a character can grab a noble • Stacks of fine silks, worth a total of 200 gp
and make a DC 8 Charisma (Intimidation) check to • A crate of heirloom tapestries, worth 500 gp
force the person to hand over whatever is being held (an • The archduchess’s summer wardrobe, worth a total
heirloom or piece of jewelry worth 3d10 × 10 gp) on a of 1,000 gp
success. As an action, a character can also make a DC 15
Charisma (Intimidation) check to force the nobles to throw M18: Imperial Quarters
their valuables onto the floor on a success (worth a total of This room is kept in pristine condition year-round in case
3d10 × 100 gp). of a surprise visit by one of the empire’s heads of state.
Killing a noble grants advantage on ability checks made This includes either the true head of state, the young
to influence the nobles in this raid site for 1 minute. Emperor Aratron II, or the de facto head of state, Pope
Roland Murrich.
M13: Guest Washroom Treasure. This area contains the following treasure:
The noble guests of the archduchess have left a bevy of fine
• An unbearably tacky, solid-gold statuette of the young
clothing hanging in this washroom. There are:
emperor, worth 500 gp
• Ten fine dresses and doublets here worth a total of 500 gp • A box filled with one hundred individual spell scrolls of
prestidigitation, used for keeping such a grand personage
M14: Family Quarters as the emperor impeccably clean
The archduchess’s family, including her duke-consort Adam
of Duesenberg, her three children, Elice, Malory, and Salen, M19: Imperial Washroom
and her elderly mother, Cornelia, are huddled here. All are This washroom is filled with the finest soaps, oils, and
nobles save for the children, who are noncombatants. perfumes found within Nordenland. They’re worth 300 gp.
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are
in this area, guarding the archduchess’s family: M20: Great Hall
• Four guards When the characters enter this hall, read or paraphrase
• Four knights the following:
Treasure. As an action, a character can grab a noble
Within this grand dining hall is arrayed a line of knights.
and make a DC 8 Charisma (Intimidation) check to
Each one wears a distinctive green scarf draped over a
force the person to hand over whatever is being held (an
heirloom or piece of jewelry worth 3d10 × 10 gp) on a shoulder. Their tall shields are lowered to create a wall
success. As an action, a character can also make a DC 15 before you, and behind that wall is a group of archers with
Charisma (Intimidation) check to force the nobles to throw arrows nocked. Behind them all is a woman dressed in
their valuables onto the floor on a success (worth a total of black and purple, a high collar spread like a drake’s frill
3d10 × 100 gp). behind her head. She arches a carefully penciled eyebrow
Killing a noble grants advantage on ability checks made and sneers at you.
to influence the nobles in this raid site for 1 minute. “Pathetic Valikan brutes. Your hubris will be the death
M15: Family Washroom of you.” She turns to the archers beside her and jerks her
thumb across her neck. They fire.
This washroom is tidy. The duke-consort’s wedding band
(worth 500 gp) has been left on a side table, and four vials
of ingestible poison (worth 50 gp each) sit next to it. These scouts all have readied actions to shoot their long-
bows as soon as they see raiders. Likewise, the knights with
M16: Ducal Library their shields have readied an action to Dodge as soon as
The archduchess’s library is filled with books in the they see the raiders.
language of the Bürach Empire. The library is guarded Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures are
by Remy Clarque, the aging librarian (LN, male half- in this area, guarding the cowering nobles:
elf commoner). He hides behind a shelf, waiting for the • Four knights
right moment to ambush a raider. He wields a dagger and • Eight scouts
futilely tries to defend his library—his life’s work. • Archduchess Maelfa Erlekind (use mage statistics with
Treasure. It’s unlikely the Valikans have a use for 60 hit points)
these books. However, to the right buyer, the high-quality
books can sell for 10 gp per pound (see “R18: De Morencia The four knights fill the space between the two dining
Trading Post” in chapter 3). As an action, the characters tables. The scouts line up behind them. The Archduchess
can gather 20 pounds. of books from the shelves, up to a Maelfa Erlekind stands in front of her throne.
total of 200 pounds

91
If all four knights are reduced to 0 hit points or Archduchess M24: Secret Library
Maelfa is reduced to half her hit point maximum, the arch- The archduchess has four shelves full of a variety of
duchess flees into the secret passage behind her throne romance novels (which she purchased secretly) and magical
and runs to her chambers (see area M25). tomes (which she pilfered from the Thaumaturge mages in
Secret Passage. A hidden switch on the back of the her city) here.
archduchess’s throne unlocks a sliding door. The door can Treasure. Valikans mistrust magic, so these books are
be opened and closed as part of the same action. The door of little value to them. However, a wizard in the party can
automatically locks itself when it’s closed. As an action, study them after the raid. If the party plunders the books
a character can make a successful DC 19 Intelligence from this library, they can spend 8 hours studying the
(Investigation) check to spot this door and its switch. books to discover 2d6 new spells of 4th level or lower (of
the GM’s choice).
M21: Kitchen
The palace’s servants—a total of twenty-four commoners— M25: Archduchess’s Quarters
are holed up in the kitchen. Archduchess Maelfa’s quarters are draped in gauzy
Hostile Creatures. One of the chefs is secretly an as- white curtains and adorned with sparkling golden finery.
sassin who serves the archduchess, and she tries to sneak up The room itself seems to shine, regardless of the state of
on the characters as they pass through this room or shake the light.
down the servants. A character who succeeds on a DC 21 Pursuing the Duchess. Archduchess Maelfa flees here
Wisdom (Insight or Perception) check notices the chef eyeing by means of her secret passage (area M23), if the battle
them for weaknesses or concealing a knife in her sleeve. in the Great Hall goes poorly. If the characters track her
Treasure. As an action, a character can grab a common- to her room, they find her standing upon the ledge of her
er and make a DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation) check to force window on the west side of this room, prepared to leap
the person to hand over whatever is being held (an heirloom from her tower and be dashed on the stones below.
or piece of jewelry worth 3d12 gp) on a success. As an ac- Treasure. This room contains more jewelry and fine
tion, a character can also make a DC 18 Charisma (Intimi- furs than the characters have likely ever seen in their
dation) check to force the servants to throw their valuables lives, including:
onto the floor on a success (worth a total of 4d12 × 10 gp).
• Armfuls of gold, silver, and Norden-style bone necklaces,
Killing a servant grants advantage on ability checks
worth a total of 1,500 gp
made to influence the servants in this raid site for 1 minute.
• Five gem-studded circlets, worth a total of 1,000 gp
M22: Larder • The archduchess’s winter wardrobe, worth a total
The larder is fully stocked with fancy foodstuffs for the of 2,000 gp
archduchess’s table, from caviar and peacock to honey
cakes and marzipan. M26: Archduchess’s Washroom
Treasure. While the fancy food is perishable, it will Though magnificent, this washroom contains little
survive the journey back to Ragvall Village, where it will of interest.
make raiders very popular (see “Conclusion,” earlier in
this chapter). Developments
The following changes occur on these turns of this raid:
M23: Secret Shelter Turn 5: The stronghold enters a prepared state, causing
Hidden behind the archduchess’s throne in the Great Hall certain areas of the stronghold to change as described in
is a secret room that she occasionally uses to escape from the “Prepared” section of those areas.
her duties. It contains a secret passage that gives access to Turn 10: The stronghold musters a legion of mounted
her chambers and the kitchen. Her daughters often use this knights that counterattack the raiders besieging its
secret passage to sneak food from the kitchen, just as she did walls. At the end of each turn, 2d6 warriors die. The
in her youth. Valikans stop incurring casualties once the characters
Hostile Creatures. The following hostile creatures and their raiders retreat.
are in this area, and they attack anyone who does not say Commander’s Death: In the rare event that Archduchess
“Stargazer,” the archduchess’s password: Maelfa Erlekind is killed, the castle’s warriors fall into
• Eight suits of animated armor disarray, but they don’t surrender. Her death only
• Eight flying swords galvanizes the desperate Nordenfolk into fighting to the
The archduchess commissioned these animated objects bitter end. The developments above continue to cause
herself, and they don’t pursue anyone outside of the casualties, even with the castle under the characters’
secret room. control. Ultimately, capturing and controlling this city is
Treasure. This area contains the following treasure: an impossible task for a small raiding band.
• Eight suits of beautiful armor (once the animated
armors are defeated), worth 1,000 gp each
• Eight longswords with intricate designs on their
blades and cross-guards, worth 500 gp each

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Event: Godrunsson’s Aid
Meeting Godrunsson
Questgiver: Svend Godrunsson When the characters approach the chief, read or
Location: Longships en route to Ragvall Village paraphrase the following:
Downtime: None
Content Warning: Near-death experience by Hrafen “Ah, hersirs,” Chief Hrafen av Skeir says. “Let me
In this event, the characters find Chief Hrafen av Skeir being introduce the man who saved my life.”
tended to by a stranger. This man is Svend Godrunsson, a “Svend Godrunsson.” The stranger rises to shake your
former merchant bodyguard who was caught in the fighting hand. That alone marks him as a foreigner, despite his
in Erlefurt. He saved Hrafen’s life and has pledged his ser- northern name. “Former merchant bodyguard, current
vice to the chief. In truth, Svend is an assassin who will play Valikan-in-training. I saw your chief cornered by knights
a larger role in the events to unfold in autumn. back in Erlefurt, and I was amazed.s I’d never seen one
man fight with such ferocity. When he was struck down…
An Unfamiliar Face I couldn’t help but intervene.”
When the characters are on the longships returning to
“He’s expressed interest in joining our clan,” Hrafen Av
Ragvall Village, read or paraphrase the following:
Skeir says. “What do you think, hersirs?”
The journey back to Ragvall Village is quiet. Despite
your ships being loaded with plunder, everyone is quietly A character who succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight)
processing the chaotic battle in Erlefurt, and the deaths of check sees that Chief Hrafen av Skeir is clearly awed
their allies. by the idea of a non-Valikan willingly joining his new
Amidst the silent contemplation, you see Chief Hrafen
clan, and not as a thrall but as an equal. It exceeds even
his initial dream of drawing Valikans from all six clans
av Skeir speaking with a man you’ve never seen before. The
together into something new.
chief has a bandage around his chest from a near-mortal
If the characters express satisfaction with the idea,
wound he took during the raid on Erlefurt. the chief smiles and turns to Svend with a nod. If
The stranger is bald, with tapered ears, and his bicep is the characters are suspicious, the chief frowns and
wrapped in a bloody bandage. He has the lean, muscular nods. He says:
build of a swimmer, and he carries a crossbow slung over
his back and two shortswords at his hip. “Caution is wise, of course.” He cracks a smile and says,
“Nevertheless, I’m the chief, and I say we trust him. Maybe
If the characters approach this man, continue with this you can keep an eye on him, eh, hersirs?”
scene. If not, they can meet Svend Godrunsson (LE, half-elf
assassin) another time during autumn; that meeting can After this Event, the season of summer draws to a close,
be based on this Event. and autumn begins when they arrive in Ragvall Village.

93
94
Chapter 3: Autumn
SEASON OF FIRE
Now cometh the season when trees burn bright with tongues of flame and their red and orange
embers fall to the ground. As children dance and crush these cinders underfoot, the people
raise real flames high upon to welcome the glorious return of their conquering heroes—and to
light pyres for the honored dead.
The season of harvest and change brings joy and strife in equal measure, for it is when the
people are most drunk on victory and bardsong. The fires of autumn must burn hot and bright,
for memories of its joy is all that will sustain us in the coming cold.
T
he raiding season has come to an end and the characters have returned home, one way or another. If they were
successful in their raids, they return as glorious heroes. If they failed, they return in disgrace.
No matter how they return, however, they return to a Ragvall that was larger than when they last saw it. People from
across Valika have heard tales of the tiny young clan nestled amidst the Teeth and have come to trade, to visit, and to resettle.
These visitors come none too soon, for as filled with celebration as autumn is, it is also a season of preparation for winter. Sup-
plies must be stockpiled, defenses erected, and warriors trained for the onset of monsters.
The dizzying heights of fame and the fathomless pits of despair are both apt to lead heroes to ruin—and a shadowy
daemon has slunk into Ragvall to goad them into acts of pride, jealousy, and treachery. This season of fire and festivals
represents the clan at its highest point. If the characters succumb to greed, it’s a long way to fall.
Leveling up in Autumn Starting Resources

The default means of gaining levels in this adventure is by Acquiring, spending, and managing your resources of timber,
completing milestones. Characters gain a level whenever iron, and warriors is just as important in this chapter as it was
they complete five minor milestones, or whenever they in summer. The village must be fortified before winter comes,
complete one major milestone. and you can only do so if you have resources to spend.
Characters start this season at 7th level, and can’t
advance higher than 9th level in this chapter. Once they Starting Resources in Autumn
reach 9th level, they can’t gain levels from reaching The people of Ragvall Village have not been idle while
milestones until the winter season begins. the characters have been off raiding. They have built
fortifications in preparation for winter, and stockpiled any
Minor Milestones leftover resources. The starting supply of resources is:
The following acts are minor milestones: Timber. 250 pounds Iron. 100 pounds Warriors. 50 warriors
• Completing an Event, Quest, or Core Quest (see
“Autumn Quests,” later in this chapter) Leftover Resources from Summer
• Befriending an NPC in Ragvall Village Some resources will need to be spent to get the raiders home
If the characters go on self-directed adventures and do at the end of summer. Subtract 500 pounds of timber and
things not listed here, you can grant them a minor milestone 200 pounds of iron from your total. If there is anything left,
at your discretion—especially if what they do takes up a full add that number to the starting resources for autumn. Your
session of gameplay. full number of surviving warriors are added to that resource
in autumn (though they won’t be needed until winter).
Major Milestones
The following acts are major milestones:
• Causing or preventing the assassination of Chief “Hope you brought back something for us too!”
Hrafen av Skeir
• Fully upgrading all the fortifications in Ragvall Village - Ragvall Lumberjack
(see “New Locations,” later in this chapter)
Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 3: Autumn - Season of Fire

95
is intrigued by the strong-willed people of Clan Ragvall.
She senses the characters’ power—and also senses that they
might be greedy enough to kill their chief. If they won’t
turn, the chief has other, less powerful enemies who she
can manipulate into setting these events in motion.
Below is a list of all the NPCs involved and a brief
summary of their involvement:
Venin the Deceiver. An Arch Daemon is at work in Valika.
Venin the Deceiver has noticed the chaos brewing in
Valika as a result of Chief Hrafen av Skeir’s schism
from Thrull, and sees the characters as a wedge to
drive further discord. She plots to goad the characters
into usurping their chief and sullying his honorable
name—and if the characters won’t do it, she has other
conspirators to manipulate instead.
Gro Stensdóttir. This former priest of the Arch Seraph
Solyma is a CE, female human bloodbonded (see
appendix A) that serves Venin. She arrives at the village
with the merchants in the fourth week of autumn (see
“Traders from Abroad,” later in this chapter). She has
received visions from Venin guiding her toward Ragvall
Village, and to stoke the fires of ambition in Grindal av
Halsfjord’s heart. She also meets with Hlökk Warcrier
and goads her quiet misgivings in the chief. Gro
provides magic to help Grindal’s hired assassin Svend.
If the party approaches her as fellow conspirators after
Quest: Whispers of Treachery, she considers them
superior potential leaders to Hlökk and helps them until
the end of autumn.
Svend Godrunsson. This former merchant bodyguard
(LE, male half-elf assassin) returns with Chief Hrafen
av Skeir from the raids after saving his life in the final
battle. Svend was hired by Grindal av Halsfjord, whose
ambition has driven him to think that he—or one
of his children, if they live—would be an ideal chief
for Ragvall.
Grindal av Halsfjord. This wealthy patron of the village is
allied with Gro Stensdóttir and hired the assassin Svend
Godrunsson to eliminate Chief Hrafen av Skeir. His aim
is to put a chief more aligned with his goals in control,
such as the characters or Hlökk Warcrier. If he hasn’t left
the village yet, he does so if he has any sign the characters
are on to him. If Grindal has left Ragvall Village, then
Gro allies herself with Grindal before she arrives.
Hlökk Warcrier. Hlökk proved herself a staunch defender
of the village in the raids, and is trusted by all. However,
ever since she returned home to Ragvall, Venin has been
A Conspiracy Afoot preying upon her mind, urging her to give in to her fears
that Chief Hrafen av Skeir is a milk-drinking coward.
For all of autumn, several NPCs work in small or large ways She meets Gro in week four and joins the conspiracy in
to undermine Chief Hrafen av Skeir. Some are encouraged Quest: The Missing Shadow.
or misled by daemonic power, but all are motivated (at least Gro Stensdóttir is the only conspirator who knows about
in part) by their own goals or dislike of the chief. all the others. Svend only knows of Grindal, Hlökk only
Though the characters won’t learn the truth for some knows of Svend, and Grindal only knows of Gro. Because
time, these events are the beginning of a storyline that the characters can stumble upon parts of this conspiracy
runs through the end of winter. Venin, Arch Daemon of accidentally and in many different ways, it’s a good idea
Deception, is eager to cause chaos in Valika. This mighty to glance over this list before the party starts any new
daemon is sowing discord in Thrull and Kandar alike, but Event or Quest.

96
Adventure Start Familiar Faces
To help your players visualize the NPCs in this scene that they
This season begins as the characters return to Ragvall can talk to, you may want to use a map and miniatures, even
by boat. Depending on the events of summer, it may be though this isn’t a combat situation. Use the map of Hrafen-
with great barges full of loot in tow, or with heads hung sheim and the village square in chapter 5 of this adventure.
in shame. Read or paraphrase the following boxed text Since there are a lot of NPCs in this scene, you may wish
to set the scene for autumn’s beginning in the case of a to move it along after the characters talk with five of them,
triumphant return. If the characters were defeated in rather than letting them talk with everyone. Once the scene is
summer, paraphrase and alter the boxed text to suit their losing steam, you can skip to “The Chief’s Eulogy,” below.
disgraced return. If the party missed the start of some Quests or Events
after they left for the summer, they can learn about those
Cheers erupt from the shore of the Akkeri Bay as your developments now. Many NPCs can have their initial
ships pull into sight. Even from here, in the mist of the contact incorporated into the conversations below.
early morning, you can see friendly faces waving at you
from Shrine Isle and in front of Hrafensheim.
As you get closer, you notice that there’s something in
Didn’t they Die?
front of the village longhouse: an enormous warship. It’s
It’s possible that several of the NPCs at this party are
dead or gone from the village. Ignore their entries and
far too big to actually sail. The chief approaches you and
review “Dealing with the Dead” in the Introduction.
claps one of you on the shoulder. “The Ship of the Dead,”
he says matter-of-factly. “It will burn tonight, on the night
of our return, to honor the gloried dead. There will be Hrafen av Skeir. The chief has much to speak with the char-
bonfires, feasting, songs…it will take your minds off the acters about, and invites them to Hrafensheim after the
blood and death of the raids. Be there, hersirs.” one-week mourning period to distribute the spoils of war
and begin making preparations for winter. See “Awarding
the Spoils,” later in this chapter. Also, he is speaking with
Svend Godrunsson (see below), and has approved him as
Burning the Ship of the Dead his bodyguard for the valor he showed during the raids.
Since this is the conclusion of the village’s first raiding Alvíss av Dvergholt. Alvíss has recently returned from the
season, Ása Lögmaður calls upon the characters before- druidic henge near Runeheim with his two daughters in
hand to make sure they are clear on the expectations of tow. Their names are Yrsa and Jorrun (see “Daughters of
them at the event. They must bring their spoils from the Dvergholt,” later in this chapter). If the party befriended
summer raids to be held temporarily at Hrafensheim him in spring, he introduces them. He also confides
in honor of the fallen warriors, then the spoils will be quietly in them about Quest: Traveler of the Álfavegr.
formally returned to them after a traditional week-long If they completed that Quest in spring, he talks of its
period of mourning. This is the Valikan way—do not continuation, Quest: Figure on the River Heilag.
break tradition. Ása Lögmaður. The lawspeaker stands apart from the
When the characters arrive at the party that night, read festivities. She forces a smile at any mention of conquest,
or paraphrase the following: but is clearly uncomfortable. She views raiding as
barbaric. If the party failed in their raids, she is warm
Night falls early in autumn. The sky is dark and filled with and supportive to them, casting aspersions on anyone
stars, but the village square in front of the longhouse is who demeans them (which will soon include the chief,
bright with the orange glow of torches. The Ship of the if he hasn’t yet given his speech).
Dead stands in the middle of the festival square, festooned Benna Stonebreaker. If Benna was driven off in spring
as a result of Quest: Burning Feud, she is gone by now,
with crimson banners and wooden idols of food, armor,
along with most of her family (although Bragi and a
weapons, and monsters which brave warriors will eat,
few of her other adult children chose to stay). If she
wear, and battle in the afterlife for eternity. Dozens of
remains, she is relieved to see Grindal gone. (See Quest:
villagers that you haven’t seen since the end of spring are Afterburn.) If the party took captives in summer and
here, and they’re eager to welcome you home. she remained, she becomes hostile to them and loudly
condemns them during this Event.
This festival setting gives the characters an opportunity to Bragi Bennuson. The bard is eager to get details about
catch up with some of their favorite NPCs from the spring the events of summer from the party directly in order to
season and see the consequences of choices they made in compose new songs about what has happened, whether
spring. These early meetings sow the seeds of quests that tragic or heroic. He follows the characters around all
the characters can follow up on later in this season. night like a lost puppy, asking all sorts of questions
about their great deeds—and those of Hlökk Warcrier,
his crush. (See Quest: Cyrano av Ragvall.)

97
Grindal av Halsfjord. If Grindal was driven off in spring, Mardoll Brightsea. The shipwright is exhausted from
he has gone by now, along with most of his family and the long hours required to finish the Ship of the Dead
employees. If he remains, the cruel mogul is distant and in time, so she spends the whole evening sitting near
condescending unless the party brings captives back to Ása, either mooning over her (if the party hasn’t played
prove their strength. He makes a point to brag to the matchmaker for them) or holding her hand (if they
chief (where he can be overheard) that he has secured have). She’s eager to chat with the characters about how
the interest of new traders who should arrive within the her dragon ships fared in the raids.
month (see “Traders from Abroad,” later in this chapter). Mildrith Quickshot. The hunter excitedly asks about any
Gondul Grindalsdóttir. If the characters spared Gondul novel food the raiders brought home, as it gives her a
in spring, and didn’t bring her along on the raids, word change from the same local meat. She also gives them
about her curse has spread through the village and a smile and says that she discovered she was pregnant
made her something of an outcast. If the characters while they were away; it must have happened in early
befriended her, she practically leaps to see her again— springtime, so she’ll be due by the end of autumn (see
she is in need of sympathetic friends. If she’s not their Quest: Mildrith’s Quickening, later in this chapter).
friend, she is clearly uncomfortable when they arrive. Ófeigur Lightraiser. If he lives and retains his mind, the
A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that transformed lighthouse keeper watches at a distance
she’s become something of an outcast over the summer, from the water’s edge. He has taken to fishing for the
and is unsure how the characters will treat her. villagers, though only Benna Stonebreaker’s family and
Gunnvarr Grindalsson. As a beloved raider, Gunnvarr Ása Lögmaður trust the food he offers.
should be drinking and partying with his fellow warriors. Ranulf Skullcrusher. The young warrior hovers around
However, he is uncharacteristically agitated during the them, eager to seem like a trusted right-hand man to
ceremony and avoids prolonged conversation. He uses the village’s beloved hersirs. If the party succeeded, he
paper-thin excuses to get away, such as hearing someone shares stories of their greatness, and embellishes his
calling his name before ducking out of the building. If he own accomplishments. If the party failed, he awkwardly
must make conversation, he feigns excitement about the assures listeners that they tried their hardest against
merchants his father has attracted to the village (which insurmountable odds.
arrive in three weeks). In truth, his last message from his Rikarð Jarnskegg. The smith examines the weapons the
father has made him worried that Grindal has become party has, seeing how his work has held up or studying
troublingly obsessed with correcting some slight by Chief new weapons they found. He invites them to come by his
Hrafen av Skeir—but he confides this only to friends. forge, which he has expanded.
Hlökk Warcrier. The elf warrior is eager to get the Svend Godrunsson. This is likely the first chance the
characters by her side to tell the villagers tales of their characters have to speak with Svend. This callous
daring and valorous deeds in summer—which she then assassin has a noble brow and a exudes a convincing
attempts to one-up with a boast of her own. If she is façade of devotion to the chief. He claims, “The Raven
friendly, she asks if the characters know about the of Skeir was legendary in Thrull! I never thought I’d
chief’s secret hoard of weapons and armor. She muses get the chance to finally meet him—and save his life in
that she, at least, would put such weapons to good use. battle, no less. I assure you, I’d never want to get on his
If the characters know nothing, she reacts with surprise bad side.” He asks the characters to watch out for the
and says she thought that everyone knew: there’s rumors chief this season. A character who succeeds on a DC
that the chief is hoarding rare artifacts from the raid— 18 Wisdom (Insight) check can tell that Svend is hiding
plunder which no one else will see. (This rumor is false.) something, but can’t determine what.

98
The Chief’s Eulogy Read or paraphrase the following to end the ceremony.
Read or paraphrase the following boxed text to set the The chief continues, “Enjoy this night in their honor—their
scene as Chief Hrafen av Skeir announces the burning: glory earns them our celebration and our remembrance!”
With that, he hefts his torch onto a prominent spot of
Chief Hrafen av Skeir holds aloft a burning torch as he
pitch on the ship, which immediately ignites. The crowd
calls out, “Heed! Heed my words!” At that, the crowd
murmurs prayers and a few cry out names of fallen
moves to get a good look at him and the ship. He continues.
warriors. In short order, the whole ship is aflame.
“It is now time for the ship to burn. This pyre ushers all
those who died in glorious battle to the hereafter. Before it
After the chief’s speech, the characters can choose to
will lay the spoils that they helped win.” He gestures to a
continue mingling or turn in for the night. Sleeping in their
plinth set between the ship and Hrafensheim, and waits for own beds after so long away grants each of the characters
you to place the summer’s spoils. inspiration. The ship burns night and day for a week until
nothing remains but ash.
When the party places the spoils, the crowd responds
with approving or disapproving murmurs as suits the size The Rest of the Week
of their haul. The next day, morning dawns upon the first week of
autumn in Ragvall Village. The characters have gathered
Crowd Reaction in the middle of town once more, but unlike their gathering
in springtime, they aren’t being goaded by the chief into
Total Plunder Crowd Reaction
following any quests. Based on the quest hooks they heard
4,999 gp or less The crowd murmurs quietly as a in last night’s festival, guide them to spend this first week
disappointingly small treasure trove is
placed before the chief.
however they want.
5,000 to 9,999 gp The gathered villagers whistle and cheer, We’d Rather Explore!
though the warriors quietly vow to strike
richer targets next year.
If the characters aren’t feeling motivated to explore the
Quests available to them in the village, you could have a
10,000 gp or more All the people of Ragvall Village bellow
villager tell them about the balmy, above-freezing winds
with pride for their raiders. The warriors
stomp their feet and pound their axes
of Grarjord in autumn. In other words, they can go
against their shields, and the rest bang exploring far beyond Ragvall Village, if they wish! See
drums or clap their hands. chapter 5 for an explanation of where they can travel in the
autumn season.
If the summer raids were successful (the characters
scored 5 or more reputation points, see “Conclusion”
in chapter 2), Chief Hrafen av Skeir lauds the specific Awarding the Spoils
successes of the raiders, including the characters, among Prerequisite: Begun the second week of autumn, party
compliments for the efforts of the deceased. left the spoils at “Burning the Ship of the Dead”
If the summer raids were unsuccessful (the characters
scored 4 or fewer reputation points, see “Conclusion” in After the customary mourning period of one week,
chapter 2), the chief laments that these promising warriors Chief Hrafen av Skeir formally awards the raiders their
died so young. He doesn’t blame the characters outright— spoils from the summer raids. This custom is built on
no chief would be so dishonorable as to shift blame to his the assumption that as the raid was a communal effort,
hersirs—but the crowd is well aware of whose leadership the chief should collect the plunder and award it to the
truly led their children to the pyre. raiders and the rest of community in keeping with their
Should the party fail to fulfill their part in the ceremony, personal contribution and the village’s needs. The crowd
Ása Lögmaður firmly reminds them exactly what is who gathers to witness the day includes anyone the party
expected of them. If they don’t relent, the crowd grumbles took raiding with them and anyone they have befriended.
uncomfortably while Hrafen chastises them for their greed, When the party arrives at Hrafensheim, read or para-
but he acknowledges he was going to award them most phrase the following:
of the spoils anyway as leaders of the raids and hurries to
A small crowd has gathered at Hrafensheim for today’s
wrap up the event on a better note.
ceremony. Chief Hrafen av Skeir is seated nearby, mug in
hand. He clears his throat and spreads his arms wide in
“I’m glad you’ve returned alive. I look forward to welcome. He gestures toward the treasure plinth and says,
celebrating whatever success you had. You were “Behold the spoils of the summer raids!”
successful, yes?”
- Ása Lögmaður

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The Crowd’s Reaction Recruited by the Deceiver
The crowd’s reaction this time is loud, either celebrating a
Prerequisite: Begun the third week of autumn and the
large hoard (of 10,000 gp or more), groaning at a small one
characters failed in their raids
(of less than 5,000 gp), or bellowing for an even grander
hoard next year (if the total was somewhere in the middle). Sensing instability, the Arch Daemon Venin has come to
Successful Raiders. If the characters earned 5 or more Ragvall Village. There are those who feel wronged by
reputation points in summer (see “Conclusion” in chapter the chief and long to remove him from power. To Venin,
2), the chief formally awards the party all that they claimed instability is chaos that hasn’t yet been given a push in the
and asks them to share what they can for the community’s right direction. And to a daemon, chaos is the sweetest
trade and arming the other defenders—the gathered sound in creation.
villagers cheer them, The characters receive gold and silver
coins, lavish jewelry, and art worth 75 percent of the total
plunder to divide among themselves. Do the Hersirs Have
Raiders in Retreat. If the characters earned 4 or
fewer reputation points in summer (see “Conclusion” in
What It Takes?
chapter 2), the chief awards them a modest sum, but keeps As described in “A Conspiracy Afoot” at the beginning of
the rest to recoup and rebuild the losses they sustained. this chapter, Venin is setting pieces in play to assassinate
He growls sternly, “We must prepare carefully to do better and usurp Chief Hrafen av Skeir at the end of this season.
next year. This is no way to establish the clan’s reputation.” If she believes that the characters may turn on the chief—
Meanwhile, the villagers in the hall at the time turn their because, for example, the chief denied them a worthy cut
eyes away to minimize the party’s shame. The characters of the treasure the week before, or the characters believe
receive silver pieces and somewhat dingy pieces of jewelry Hlökk when she shares the (false) rumor that Hrafen
and art worth 25 percent of the total plunder to divide is hoarding magical relics, or one of the characters has
among themselves. expressed a desire to become chief themself—Venin
appears before them and tries to make them her primary
No Time to Dwell on the Past agents in this assassination plot.
With the plunder divided, the chief is open to discussing Venin’s opinion is driven by your opinion as the GM.
anything the party hasn’t yet learned about how things If you don’t think that the characters will go along with
fared in Ragvall during summer, his impressions of what a plan to usurp the chief and make one of their own
went well and what didn’t during the raids, and what number chief instead, Venin does not approach them.
preparations are needed for winter. He is also eagerly
anticipating merchants, whom he expects to arrive within
a few weeks. Inciting Incident
Venin’s first move is to possess a Ragvallan villager to use
as her mouthpiece, while she stays safe in her domain of
the Netherworld. You might use the NPC villager Tafi
(CN, male human scout); he last appeared in Event: Seal
Upon the Depths, and participated in the raids. That
villager approaches the characters during the third week of
autumn late in the night. This begins Event: Whispers of
Treachery.
After this event, the NPC Venin possessed stands up,
leaves the characters, walks back to their own home, and
falls asleep with no memory of the event.
Traders from Abroad

Prerequisite: Begun the fourth week of autumn
A group of traders arrive in Ragvall Village at the start of
the fourth week of autumn.

100
A Ship from Skarfanes ensured through deceit and treachery that she would find
Read or paraphrase the following boxed text to set the herself in Ragvall before autumn’s end.
scene as a Valikan ship from Skarfanes pulls into the During the day, Gro is never far from Mýrún, and is
Akkeri Bay: almost always in her shop or running small errands for
her. At night, the priest often wanders the streets observing
From the top deck of the ship—a glorious two-master of people who might be a threat to Venin’s scheme. Notably,
foreign make—come boisterous shouts and greetings as however, Gro does not leave with Mýrún at the end of the
its Valikan crew heaves down a shore boat brimming with eleventh week of autumn—a fact no one realizes until it’s
crates. One woman stands at the prow of the small craft as too late. Gro lurks in the empty trading post for one week
until the plot to assassinate the chief comes to fruition in
her crew paddles it to shore. Her skin is light brown and
the twelfth week.
her hair is short, black, and curly. She dresses in Valikan
furs, but wears a sharp, masculine doublet beneath it all.
Stockpiling for the Winter
The leader of the merchant ship from Skarfanes is Mýrún Prerequisite: Begun the fifth week of autumn or delivered
Stebansdóttir (CG, female half-elf sailor). She is the new resources to the chief
daughter of a successful Castinellan merchant named
Though the people of Ragvall are celebrating the autumn
Esteban de Morencia who retired in Skarfanes and passed
harvest, it won’t be long until the season of flame and
the family business onto his only child—a daughter with a
beauty turns cold. The village’s winter stockpiles have been
sharp mercantile mind and a belly full of fiery ambition.
growing since spring, but Chief Hrafen av Skeir knows that
Her primary goal in Ragvall Village is to make money—
more is needed. The village is well-stocked on food, but its
lots of it—and then sail south for the warm waters of her
defenses need to be strengthened against winter’s monsters.
father’s homeland before winter hits.
Timber, iron, and warriors are needed once more.
Mýrún’s Introduction The chief only asks for more resources in the fourth week
Mýrún greets whomever is there at the shore boisterously of autumn. However, if the characters acquire resources in
and aggressively. Anyone that makes a successful DC their adventures and bring them to the chief’s stockpile before
16 Wisdom (Insight) check identifies that she’s a little then, he tells them about these core quests upon delivery.
nervous and inexperienced, and is powering through on
determination alone:
What’s Needed for Winter
Chief Hrafen av Skeir describes the village’s needs:
“Greetings, my fellow Valikans!” the young woman says.
“We’re a month into autumn already, somehow,” Hrafen
“My name’s Mýrún, daughter of the best merchant to ever
says wearily, massaging his tired brow. His hair seems grayer
sail the seas. My ship’s in from Skarfanes. I’d like to meet
than it did in summer. “There’s much left to do. Hersirs, you
your leader, set up shop. I hear you’ve got a real hero as
are my most trusted allies, and I’ve asked too much of you
your chief; where is the one they call the Raven of Skeir?”
already. Nevertheless, I must ask you for more.”
Once she meets with the chief, the two of them start
discussing the possibility of Mýrún setting up shop for a The chief has three requests:
few weeks in autumn. If one of the characters pretends to • Tour and reinforce the village’s fortifications (Core
be the chief, none of the other villagers interfere, but the Quest: Raising Fortifications)
character must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma (Deception) • Strengthen Hrafensheim’s defenses in case
check to convince Mýrún. those fortifications are breached (Core Quest:
The merchant wants a total of 500 gp (she can be Building Shelters)
haggled down to 250 gp) and a temporary gift of a small • Conduct advanced training drills for the village’s veteran
plot of land on the sparsely inhabited north shore to set up raid warriors (Core Quest: Veteran Warrior Training)
her shop. Av Skeir eventually agrees, but if the characters
take the reins, the choice is in their hands. See “R18: De Gaining Resources
Morencia Trading Post” under “New Locations,” later in The chief trusts the characters to spend the village’s resources
this chapter for her weekly stock and special items. as they see fit (see “Starting Resources” at the beginning
of this chapter), and recommends leading the villagers in
Mýrún’s Confessor
operations to acquire more resources during their downtime,
In addition to seamen, the ship from Skarfanes also carries or in efforts to upgrade the village’s functional-but-meager
a holy passenger: Gro Stensdóttir, supposedly a cleric of fortifications (see “New Locations,” later in this chapter).
the Arch Seraph Solyma, but secretly a fallen devotee of If Mýrún Stebansdóttir was permitted to set up shop,
the Arch Daemon Venin. Mýrún and her family are deeply Chief Hrafen av Skeir tells the characters that her shop has
religious and sought out a confessor to travel with her resources and is willing to sell them, if the characters want to
on this journey. Gro, having already heard Venin’s call, spend their own gold on it.

101
The Chief’s Speech If the characters have resolved to ally themselves with
the usurping daemon, kill or exile Chief Hrafen av Skeir,
Prerequisite: Begun the twelfth week of autumn and and take control of Ragvall, run Event: Revolution
Chief Hrafen av Skeir is alive in Ragvall.
In the penultimate week of autumn, Chief Hrafen av Skeir Otherwise, run Event: A Knife at Autumn’s End, as
plans to give a speech to the people of Ragvall as they agents of Venin infiltrate the crowd, as well as the chief’s
brace for the first frost of winter. Before the crowd gathers personal guard, and attempt to kill him.
for the speech, Svend Godrunssun has already moved
to weaken the chief for his defeat. He laced the chief’s
morning drink with shadowlance: a rare poison that has Once this Event occurs, mark one of the following
already begun to slowly weaken him. outcomes on the Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix C):
Due to the magical poison, Chief Hrafen av Skeir has With Blade in Hand. Chief Hrafen av Skeir was slain
the poisoned condition. While poisoned in this way, any by the characters in an honorable duel. One of them
damage he takes also reduces his hit point maximum by may now claim the title of chief and rule Ragvall as
half that amount, leaving wounds that won’t heal and they see fit.
unnatural “tears” in his shadow. The poison can’t be Stabbed in the Back. One of the characters killed Chief
removed except by greater restoration, heal, or a similar Hrafen av Skeir in a surprise attack. They may claim
spell of 6th level or higher. the title of chief, but few in Ragvall respect their
The party might plan to defend or attack this event, dishonorable rule.
in which case you will need to adjust your description to Daemonic Assassination. Chief Hrafen av Skeir was slain
suit their approach. Otherwise, read or paraphrase the by a daemonic interloper, and the villagers turn to his
following boxed text to set the scene as they arrive: closest confidants—the characters—for leadership.
Rescuers. Chief Hrafen av Skeir was gravely wounded
Chief Hrafen av Skeir stands upon the stoop of the in an assassination attempt, but survived with the
longhouse, and it seems the entire village has come out characters aid. He can’t fight or speak publicly, but can
to hear him speak. The dark circles beneath his eyes have aid the characters in winter with his wisdom.
grown even darker than before, and it’s clear he is making
an effort to stand without shaking.
“People of Clan Ragvall! People of the youngest, most Conclusion
determined Valikan clan of them all!” Despite the look of Autumn has come to a dramatic end. The villagers are
sickness upon his face, the chief’s voice is as strong and shaken by the events of this season, but there is no time to
booming as ever. “It was autumn’s end one year ago that mourn or panic—winter is now upon them. With the chief
we first settled on the shores of the Akkeri Bay. It was one either poisoned or assassinated, the characters must lead
year ago that we received a sign from the Hero Ragvall to their village more directly than ever before.
make this our home and take her name. It was one year
ago that we enshrined her idol upon the isle with our
lawspeaker, and carved the Logsteinn.
“Winter comes upon us again,” he says grimly. “We
survived it last year, and we shall survive it again. Now,
creatures of darkness know of our presence, and will seek
to snuff out our vital flame, yet…”
The chief continues to speak, but there is motion in the
crowd that no one else seems to notice.
“I can’t be the only one who knows we would all

be better off with a different Chief. Everyone's
seen how he is. He's not the leader he once was.
With winter upon us, we need to start making
hard decisions.”
- Svend Godrunsson

102
Ragvall Village R16
Feet
0 150 300
R15
R12 River Ymor

R14
R13
River Heilag
Akkeri Bay
R17
R1
R3
R5 R4
R2
R8 River G R10 R6
art
hor
R7 R9
R11
Ragvall in Autumn
Additionally, if any Key NPCs are dead or otherwise
not present in Ragvall at the start of autumn, this
development does not occur. However, if the GM decides
Below are the locations, NPCs, and quests vital to running
that another NPC could reasonably take their place, the
this chapter of the adventure. Many of the locations and
development still occurs (see “Dealing with the Dead” in
characters in this chapter are identical to their description
the “Introduction” chapter).
in Chapter 1: Spring.
Mountain Passes Clear
Downtime Activities Key NPCs: None
All of the downtime activities the characters could Effect: Ice blocking the mountain passes clears, allowing
partake in during the spring are available during autumn. the characters to explore more of Valika
Additionally, they can spend a week of downtime creating The brutal snowstorms and ice-choked passes of the nearby
a spell stick with the av Dvergholt family at their shop (see mountains made travel to other parts of Valika difficult in
“Daughters of Dvergholt,” below). the spring. However, now that summer has melted the ice
and autumn has tamed the weather, it’s possible for adven-
New Developments turous characters to explore locations as far as Runeheim
and the Frostmere.
Based on the characters' actions in spring and summer, Traveling to such distant locations takes several weeks, and
there may be new locations, NPCs, and other surprising may allow the conspiracy in autumn to progress unseen by
developments in the village upon their return from the the characters until it’s too late to do anything about it. These
raids. Keep the Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix locations aren’t described in this adventure, but the GM can
C) on hand to determine if the proper prerequisites have use their descriptions in Raider’s Guide to Valika to create
been met for each new development. adventures that the characters can undertake in those places.

103
Daughters of Dvergholt Headwater Mining Trail Built
Prerequisite: Alvíss av Dvergholt survived spring Prerequisite: Cleared the Headwater Cave dungeon
(see chapter 5) and Completed Quest: Burning Feud
Key NPCs: Alvíss av Dvergholt with either the “Feud Quelled” or “Not Forgiven or
Effect: Alvíss brings his two daughters to live in Ragvall, Forgotten” outcome
and they expand his shop (area R3)
The Dvergholt druid circle has suffered much over the Key NPCs: Rikarð Jarnskegg, Grindal av Halsfjord
centuries. Two hundred years ago, it was all but completely Effect: The “Gather Iron” downtime activity produces
destroyed by raiding Valikans—an event which Alvíss can twice as much iron
neither forgive nor forget. However, he does have a loving A group of villagers led by Rikarð Jarnskegg created new
Valikan husband named Arinbjorn and two adopted vehicles and better mining equipment to extract ore from
daughters (technically his great-nieces) named Yrsa and the iron vein in Headwater Cave more efficiently. Regular
Jorrun in the tiny and secluded settlement of Dvergholt. convoys ran to and from the cave in summer.
Despite Alvíss’s grudge against the Valikans, he observed However, word of the cave’s bounty has spread, making
the Ragvallan people’s strength and determination in spring, Ragvallan ore convoys easy pickings for bandits. Sensing
and decided it would be wise to bring his daughters to the profit and fame, Grindal av Halsfjord used his wealth
village for the winter—and teach them to listen to the spirit and influence to create a defensible road between Ragvall
of the Morfar Ash (see Quest: Shadow of the Morfar Ash). Village and the town of Halsfjord, which kept these
Yrsa av Dvergholt. This young dwarf, age 3, has just convoys safe.
learned to speak Dwarvish, and knows how to say
“Hello,” and “I’m a friend, don’t kill me,” in Valikan,
Evergreen Logging Camp Built
which she says often. It delights her and terrifies Prerequisite: Completed Quest: The Elven-Thegn
her father. Appears with the “Woodland Truce” outcome and
Jorrun av Dvergholt. Jorrun, the older sister, is twelve completed Quest: Burning Feud with either the “Feud
years old and acts the part. She knows Dwarvish Quelled” or “Not Fine or Fined” outcome
and Valikan, and has been learning Druidic from her
Key NPCs: Benna Stonebreaker, Thegn Arduinna Shinoff
father. She has a knack for magic that her father is
Effect: The “Gather Timber” downtime activity produces
helping her cultivate.
twice as much timber (Sheltering Wood only)
New Stock. With the help of his family, Alvíss has
Successful diplomacy between the hersirs of Ragvall Village
expanded the stock of his woodworking shop to include
and Thegn Arduinna of the Evergreen Enclave has led the
spell sticks. For the cost of 200 gp per spell level, a
elven-thegn to consider how to allow the Ragvallan people to
spellcaster can inscribe a spell of 1st level or higher with a
harvest the timber of the Sheltering Wood without angering
range of Self onto a spell stick during a week of downtime.
her own people. During the summer, Benna Stonebreaker
When the stick is broken as an action, that spell is cast on
led a coalition of villagers to discuss options with her.
whomever broke the stick, requiring no components or
Ultimately, they decided to create a logging camp so
spell slots. If the spell has a casting time of 1 action, it is
the villagers can harvest wood from trees the elves decided
cast instantly. Otherwise, the creature that broke the stick
needed to be cleared for the health of the forest, and the
must concentrate on the spell for the duration of its casting
elves could replant trees to keep the forest thriving. The
time before it is cast.
Evergreen elves’ guidance and protection has made the
Ragvallan loggers much more productive.

104
New Locations 1d8 Item
Weekly Special Goods
The villagers who remained in Ragvall Village during the 1 2 potions of greater healing (300 gp each)
raiding season have built dozens of new homes. They’ve also 2 1 suit of plate armor (1,500 gp, fitting included)
constructed several basic defensive installations to protect 3 1 blackpowder rifle and 40 bullets (Adv.; 600 gp)
them from monstrous attackers in winter. The characters 4 1 flame bellows and 60 bellows canisters (Adv.; 800 gp)
can increase the protective power of these installations by
5 1 repeater crossbow and 20 silvered bolts (Adv.; 1,000 gp)
spending resources (see “Stockpiling for the Winter,” earlier
6 3 sabres of Castinellian make (Adv.; 500 gp each)
in this chapter).
Locations keyed with the letter “R” are locations that 7 3 claymores of Bürachi make (Adv.; 500 gp each)
can be visited by the characters and may have NPCs in 8 3 polearms of Charneaultian make (Adv.; 500 gp each)
them. Locations keyed with the letters “RF” are points in
the village are fortifications that can be upgraded in Core Defensive Fortifications
Quest: Raising Fortifications. The game statistics of these The Ragvallan villagers started creating defensive
fortifications are provided in Chapter 4: Winter. fortifications by the chief’s order in autumn. Just like the
conflict zones in an offensive raid, these fortifications are
the points that monsters attack and you must defend to
R18. De Morencia Trading Post keep from reaching your stronghold.
Prerequisite: Gold to open a shop was gifted during “A You can upgrade a fortification to a more powerful
Ship from Skarfanes” in the fourth week of autumn version by paying its upgrade cost. The p-eople of Ragvall
are able to upgrade that fortification with one week of
Ambitious merchant Mýrún Stebansdóttir opens her
work. You can only upgrade one fortification per week.
trading post in the sparsely populated north side of town
These fortifications are described in more detail in
in the fourth week of autumn, then closes it and departs in
chapter 4. This chapter only describes how each fortifica-
the eleventh week.
tion can be upgraded. Mark what rank each fortification is
When the characters first approach the trading post,
on the Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix C).
read or paraphrase:
RF1: Mannavegr Towers
One of the hunters’ cabins has been empty since he was
Rank 1 Fortification
killed in the woods in spring, but now the trader from
Skarfanes has set up shop here. Its exterior is draped with This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 by spending
250 pounds of timber and one week of downtime.
colorful cloth and a banner that reads “De Morencia
Trading Post.” RF2: Hreinsbridge Barricade
Inside, the merchant Mýrún has turned her shipping Rank 1 Fortification
crates into a makeshift counter and shelves, and has
This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 by
arranged a variety of goods in pleasing ways. She greets spending 100 pounds of timber, 50 pounds of iron, and
you with a beaming smile as you enter. one week of downtime.
Mýrún Stebansdóttir’s sunny demeanor is authentic

RF3: Southeastern Palisade
for the first few weeks, and then more and more forced Rank 1 Fortification
as the weather gets colder. She has the following goods This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then
constantly for sale: Rank 3 by spending either:
• Any items from the “Adventuring Gear” section of the • 100 pounds of iron to create rows of shields along the
fifth edition core rules for their listed price outside of the wall, or
• Up to 4 potions of healing per week, for 50 gp apiece • 100 pounds of timber to create a line of pointed stakes to
• Up to 200 pounds of timber per week, for 2 sp per pound deter enemy charges
• Up to 50 pounds of iron per week, for 1 gp per pound
RF4: Farmstead Watchtowers
Additionally, every week she has a special item on sale, Rank 1 Fortification
delivered by her supply line from Skarfanes. Roll once
on the table below when the characters visit her shop for This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 by spending
the first time in a week to see what’s new; items marked 250 pounds of timber and one week of downtime.
with “Adv.” are special weapons found in the “Advanced RF5: Bennasbridge Barricade
Weapons” section of Grim Hollow: The Campaign Guide.
spending 100 pounds of timber, 50 pounds of iron, and
one week of downtime.

105
RF6: Southwestern Palisade Upgrading Hrafensheim
The village longhouse (area R1) is the stronghold that
This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then all villagers will retreat to in winter if the village’s outer
Rank 3 by spending one week of downtime and either: defenses are breached. The characters can spend their
• 100 pounds of iron to create rows of shields along the resources and downtime to help improve its defenses.
outside of the wall, or Each upgrade allows Hrafenheim’s defenders more time
• 100 pounds of timber to create a line of pointed stakes to to attack invaders before they breach its gates and interior
deter enemy charges combat begins.
The following upgrades can be applied to the longhouse,
RF7: Woodland Spiked Pits with the following resource costs:
Rank 1 Fortification Reinforced Doors
This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then Hrafenheim’s heavy oaken doors are sturdy but reinforcing
Rank 3 by spending one week of downtime and either: them with iron bands and a heavy bar would make them
even stronger.
• 50 pounds of iron, or
• 50 pounds of iron and 50 pounds of timber • Cost: 100 pounds iron
• Effect: Preparation time increases by 10 minutes.
RF8: Northern Palisade
Archery Platform
A platform on the roof for archers to attack defenders
This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then doesn’t look pretty, but it’s useful.
Rank 3 by spending one week of downtime and either: • Cost: 300 pounds timber
• 100 pounds of iron to create rows of shields along the • Effect: One hostile creature takes 35 (10d6) piercing
outside of the wall, or damage at the start of combat in Hrafensheim
• 100 pounds of timber to create a line of pointed stakes to (players’ choice).
deter enemy charges
Burning Pitch and Flameproofed Roof
RF9: Woodworker’s Barricade Flameproofing the longhouse’s roof allows defenders to use
Rank 1 Fortification a classic Bürachi siege defense tactic: dumping burning
pitch on invaders.
spending 100 pounds of timber, 50 pounds of iron, and • Cost: 200 pounds timber and 100 pounds iron
one week of downtime. • Effect: All hostile creatures take 14 (4d6) fire damage at
the start of combat in Hrafensheim.
RF10. Shrine Isle Shelter
This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then
Rank 3 by spending either:
• 200 pounds of timber, or
• 50 pounds of iron
Customizing Fortifications
One of the fun aspects of having a village to defend
is customizing the buildings that you have within it.
These fortifications are no different. If your players
want to create custom fortifications, allow it! The
fortification on Benna’s Bridge doesn’t have to be a
barricade; it could be row of metal rods etched with
arcane runes that creates an arcing line of lightning
when activated. You could choose to alter the material
cost for upgrading this fortification, or simply allow it
to be a flavorful change with no mechanical impact.

106
Autumn Quests
already talked her out of it. She accuses the chief of causing
deaths in summer by his failure to share his magical
protections and demands an immediate trial by combat.
There are three types of quests available in autumn:
The chief is too baffled to respond right away, but Ása
Events, Quests, and Core Quests. These different quest
Lögmaður immediately supports the challenge and insists
types are described in chapter 1 of this adventure.
the chief defend himself at once.
Each Event, Quest, and Core Quest that can be started in
Even though the chief feels unwell, he is too proud to
the autumn season is listed below in alphabetical order. This
name a champion to fight in his stead. He involuntarily
means that many scenarios are presented out of sequential
glances at one of the characters who might stand a better
order. If a scenario has a prerequisite below its title, that
chance against his challenger. If one of the characters
means that there are other Quests or Events that influence
makes a declaration to become the chief’s champion, he
it, which means that its story won’t make total sense unless
swallows his pride and accepts.
you read those prerequisites first. If it has “Prequisite: None”
Svend Godrunsson (LE, male half-elf assassin) waits at
below its title, that means it’s the first Quest in its chain, or
the chief’s side for Hlökk to challenge the chief, if she intends
that it’s a completely standalone Quest.
to. If she fails, doesn’t make the challenge because the party
eliminated her or talked her out of it, or is interrupted,
Old Quests from Springtime Svend turns on the chief immediately. Gro Stensdóttir (use
If there are any Quests that weren’t completed in spring, bloodbonded statistics; see appendix A) and a candlelight
they’re still available for the characters to undertake in au- daemon (also see appendix A) she conjured wait in the
tumn. Core Quests and Heroic Feats that weren’t completed audience, as if they were merely curious travelers observing
in the spring season don’t occur in autumn, and Events that a local custom. They attack when the guards do. Gro wears
didn’t happen in spring only occur at the GM’s discretion. a cloak of secret shadows (see appendix B). If Gro was
caught earlier, Venin sends the daemon alone.
The party’s investigations up to this point and their
Events relationships with certain NPCs influence how those NPCs
Keep track of these Events’ prerequisites. As the GM, you act now, as noted below. When open battle begins, some
can choose to have an event happen at any time once the NPCs flee or change sides, as noted below.
prerequisite has been met. Hrafen av Skeir. The chief draws his weapon and stands
his ground against any attackers. He carries his Mithra’s
Event: Shadowy Reprisal pinion (included in his stat block in appendix A).
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Whispers of Treachery Ása Lögmaður. The lawspeaker sternly insists that only the
with the “Conspiracy Exposed” outcome, or otherwise chief’s chosen champions—the characters—can defend
become a known threat to the assassination plot him, and the crowd begrudgingly listens to her. The party
can convince her to join in the fight (using priest statistics)
Questgiver: None if they provide evidence that nefarious magic or poison
Location: Home of one of the characters was used to undermine the chief before the trial properly
Downtime: None began. Otherwise, she flees combat. Afterward, she insists
At this point, the party has become an apparent threat to that the usurpers, if any survived, be banished for treach-
the conspiracy and Svend Godrunsson decides he needs ery, unless one of the characters intervenes on their behalf.
to dissuade them. To do so, he unleashes a candlelight Hlökk Warcrier. The party can convince her to back off
daemon (see appendix A) granted to him by Venin late at if she is friendly. A character must spend an action and
night, when he assumes the characters are sleeping. succeed at a DC 17 Charisma (Persuasion) check. They
Once the daemon finds the characters vulnerable, it can also dissuade her by providing evidence that she has
attacks. It has three hours to complete its task before the been misled. If she has been talked out of participating,
candle burns out—but that is more than enough time to a character she is friendly to can convince her to join
find them, if they’re still in the village. Once the candle their side of the following battle as an action either by
dies, Svend disposes of the drippings in a bottle and hides it pinning the blame for the lies on the opposing side or
under his bed. with a successful DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check.
When open combat breaks out, if she hasn’t been
Event: A Knife at Autumn’s End calmed, she fights against the chief.
Prerequisite: Begun the twelfth week of autumn Ragvallan Villagers. The crowd harasses the attackers
if the characters earned the “Conspiracy Exposed”
Questgiver: None outcome from Quest: Whispers of Treachery. On
Location: Outside Hrafensheim (area R1) initiative count 0 of each turn, hostile creatures within
Downtime: None 40 feet of the chief must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity
The event turns from soberly resolved to utter chaos when saving throw or take 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage.
the chief stands at the plinth. Before he can speak, Hlökk Additionally, if the closest attacker to the chief fails this
Warcrier confronts Hrafen directly, unless the party save, its next attack roll is made with disadvantage.

107
Event: Revolution in Ragvall Hrafen’s Honor
Prerequisite: Begun the twelfth week of autumn The chief assents to any duel he is challenged to, despite
his ailing health. He draws his weapon and stands his
Questgiver: None ground against his attackers. He carries his Mithra’s pinion
Location: Outside Hrafensheim (area R1) (included in his stat block in appendix A).
Downtime: None
Run this Event if the characters are leading the conspiracy NPC Opinions
to usurp Chief Hrafen av Skeir. The NPCs present behave in the following ways:
Ása Lögmaður. The lawspeaker is supportive of a proper
Masters of Subterfuge challenge to seize leadership in a trial by combat.
If the party successfully kept their conspiracy to usurp Normally, this would call for a prolonged presentation of
Chief Hrafen av Skeir from public notice, he doesn’t expect evidence, but Hlökk Warcrier has already addressed her
trouble and they can attack the ceremony with surprise. grievances to the lawspeaker in private. Moreover, Ása’s
In this case, they can surprise Chief Hrafen av Skeir (see own distaste for the chief has clouded her otherwise
appendix A) and his guards: four loyal berserkers and impeccable judgment. She approves of starting the trial
Svend Godrunsson (LE, male half-elf assassin). Hlökk by combat immediately. If the party follows the proper
Warcrier (NE, high elf veteran) joins the fight if she’s alive, custom, she demands no other Ragvallan villagers
equally surprised that the characters had machinations of interfere, and the crowd begrudgingly obeys.
their own if she wasn’t included. Gro Stensdóttir. If mass combat breaks out and the party
The Wild Card Assassin. Svend, of course, is a mem- has allied with Gro (CE, female human bloodbonded;
ber of the conspiracy. He may be surprised by the charac- see appendix A), she fights alongside them.
ters’ attack if they didn’t clue him in, but quickly realizes Hlökk Warcrier. If allied with the characters, the elf
that they’re on his side, and starts fighting to fend off the veteran helps the party with whatever approach they
berserkers. Svend’s ultimate goal, however, is to eliminate want to take against the chief.
all contestants for leadership except Hlökk, whom Grin- Ranulf Skullcrusher. If recruited secretly, the youth
dal considers easy to manipulate. Svend fights against the is able to act as a decoy to ensure the party is able to
characters to maintain his cover, turning on Chief Hrafen precociously distract the chief so that the characters can
av Skeir only if multiple characters are incapacitated. surprise him, even if they were suspected of treachery.
Ragvallan Villagers. If mass combat breaks out, the
Honor Among Usurpers
crowd harasses the characters on initiative count 0
The characters may attempt to dethrone Chief Hrafen av of each turn. They hurl objects and shout insults. On
Skeir honorably, by accusing him of incompetence and initiative count 0 of each turn, any character within
slaying him in a trial by combat. The law stipulates that a 40 feet of the chief must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity
duel is to be one-on-one; the characters choose a champion saving throw or take 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage.
to face off against the chief, with no other combatants. If Additionally, if the closest attacker to the chief fails this
the honorable terms of the duel are betrayed, mass combat save, its next attack roll is made with disadvantage.
breaks out as described in “Masters of Subterfuge,” above. Ragvallan Villagers Dispersed. If the characters earned
the “Ragvall in Confusion” outcome in Core Quest:
Rally Rebels, the villagers scatter when combat
breaks out.

108
Quests Snow’s Respite Hot Springs are described in Chapter 5:
Exploring Valika.
The festival at the beginning of this season is an If the characters haven’t already explored this dungeon,
opportunity for the characters to speak with their old then Kyli is unconscious in the abandoned nest (area N5
friends in Ragvall Village and learn about what’s going on of that dungeon) and wakes up if healed. Once she is out
in their lives—which is to say, if they have any Quests for of danger, she is happy to talk with Benna regarding the
the characters to undertake. possibility of returning to Ragvall. She tells them to return
to their village and await Benna’s response.
Quest: Afterburn At the start of the next week, Kyli has a letter for them
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Burning Feud with the from Benna:
“Not Forgiven or Forgotten” outcome or the “Not Fine or
Fined” outcome Hersirs, As much as my heart aches knowing Ragvall is
made miserable by my absence, I refuse to return to a place
that houses Grindal av Halsfjord. I hope you understand.
Location: Hrafensheim (area R1)
- Benna
Downtime: 1 week
Due to the way the characters resolved Quest: Burning
If this letter is brought to Chief Hrafen av Skeir, he admits
Feud, either Benna Stonebreaker or Grindal av Halsfjord
that Grindal has already done everything he can do to
leaves Ragvall during the summer.
assist Ragvall, and they do not need his help anymore. If
Benna’s Departure. If Benna left, her many partners the characters decide to oust Grindal, Chief Hrafen av
and some of her children went with her, lowering morale Skeir tells them that he’ll do it.
in the village, and harming the village’s diplomatic ef-
forts with the nearby elves and the other Valikan clans.
The village doesn’t benefit from increased timber output The Matter of Grindal
(see “Evergreen Logging Camp Built” in the “New De- Once the characters have arrived, Chief Hrafen av Skeir
velopments” section, earlier in this chapter). informs them he called them there to talk about Grindal.
Grindal’s Departure. If Grindal left, the amount of trade Read or paraphrase the following:
Ragvall gets is reduced and the supplies the village can
“I’m sure you’ve noticed the departure of Grindal av
acquire, especially iron ore, is greatly diminished. The
village doesn’t benefit from increased iron output (see Halsfjord,” the chief says. He sits at one of his long tables, sur-
“Headwater Mining Trail Built” in the “New Develop- rounded by drafts of trade agreements with other clans. “Now,
ments section,” earlier in this chapter). it’s not your fault he left. He’s a prideful and heartless man
This Quest begins when Chief Hrafen av Skeir calls the who would rather leave than admit when he’s in the wrong.
characters to Hrafensheim. If Benna departed, start this “Unfortunately, I’m not half the negotiator he is. At least,
Quest with “The Matter of Benna,” below. If it was Grindal not where business is concerned. Fortunately, it seems we
who left, start with “The Matter of Grindal,” instead. might be able to salvage the situation.” He pushes a letter
towards you. “Please, read this.”
The Matter of Benna
When the characters arrive, they are met with both Chief
The letter reads as follows:
Hrafen av Skeir and Bragi Bennuson. Read or paraphrase
the following: Hrafen av Skeir, I hope you and your little village are thriv-
ing without me, because life in Halsfjord has never been
“I’ve called you all to talk about Benna,” the chief reveals.
better. I’m back in my home, waited on by my thralls, and
“She left Ragvall because she couldn’t stand being in
free to return to my business without the annoyance of that
the same village as Grindal any longer. I respect this
bellowing cow Benna Stonebreaker. It’s made me realize just
choice. However—”
how much of a fool I was to move to Ragvall to begin with.
“Ragvall’s not the same without her!” Bragi cuts in.
Yet, dear chief, let it never be said that I’m not a gener-
“Everyone’s kind of miserable. And while I’m not saying
ous man. Before I departed, I was drawing up plans for a
it’s your fault—”
caravan route between the iron mines near Halsfjord and
“Benna’s decision happened as a result of your attempts
your little village. You’ll need that ore in winter, no? I’ve
to end the feud,” Chief Hrafen av Skeir finishes. “Ending a
heard tell of a remarkable stone at the Snow’s Respite hot
feud such as that is no easy task. I don’t blame you for her
springs in the mountains north of Halsfjord: a petrified
departure. Still, responsibility rests on your shoulders.”
dragon’s egg. I desire it. Indeed, I desire it enough to give
“Before she left, my mother told me that if I ever needed
you the plans and resources for this route. Send your her-
to find her, I should ask Kyli, her sister,” Bragi pipes up.
sirs to fetch it for me, and it’s yours.
“She runs Snow’s Respite Hot Springs with her partners.
Could you go there and talk with Kyli about this?”

109
Once the characters have read Grindal’s letter, Chief This Quest begins when Ranulf Skullcrusher approach-
Hrafen av Skeir continues. es the characters with concerns regarding his friends.
Read or paraphrase:
“I hate to play into his hands, but we do need iron,” the
chief admits. “Of course, we don’t necessarily need iron “Health and happiness, hersirs!” Ranulf Skullcrusher
from him specifically. If you can get help from another practically shouts in your faces. “I’ve got something to
benefactor instead, I would be grateful.” report! Folk have gone missing from their houses, and I’m
on the case.” He pauses and lowers his voice. “But I’m
Snow’s Respite Hot Springs are described in Chapter kinda stumped and I want your help.”
5: Exploring Valika. The dragon egg is found in the
abandoned nest (area N5 of that dungeon). If asked to elaborate, Ranulf points the characters to
If the characters retrieve the dragon egg, characters Jarnskegg’s smithy, anxiously noting that several of his
must travel to Halsfjord to deliver it to Grindal. This friends have recently vanished, but he’s sure it is nothing
doesn’t cost any extra time. too serious that heroes can’t handle.
Alternatively, characters can travel to either Skarfanes Upon arrival at Jarnskegg’s Smithy, Rikarð is
or Summerhelm in search of another influential trader. understaffed and more stressed than characters have ever
Doing so spends 1 week of downtime. seen him. He heaves an enormous sigh and says:
Calendar of the Seasons “Listen. I didn’t want to cause a fuss. I thought it was just my
Depending on who left Ragvall and how characters apprentices being youngsters—running off into the woods
resolved this quest, mark one of the following outcomes on for some fun, having a drink, seeing a lover, journeying to
the Calendar of Seasons (see appendix C): another clan. Ain’t none of them have parents—orphans of
Benna’s Back. A week after Grindal is ousted from war and raids—it only makes sense they’d have a taste for
Ragvall, Benna returns alongside the family that adventure. But it’s been too long. They’ve been vanishing
accompanied her. The village rejoices. Any of Grindal’s one by one for three weeks. This ain’t right.”
sympathizers that remain hold their tongue, knowing
they are outnumbered. Four weeks after this outcome is
earned, the characters can benefit from the “Evergreen Apprentice Identities. Rikarð’s three apprentices this
Logging Camp Built” development (see “New season are named Terfel (CG, male human, age 17), Kella
Developments,” earlier in this chapter). (LN, female rock gnome, age 16), and Sigyn (NG, female
Grindal’s Help. In exchange for the dragon egg, Grindal half-orc, age 14).
sends the characters back to Ragvall with the plans Clues. Rikarð explains the following details of
for the Headwater Mining Trail. Four weeks after this the disappearances:
outcome is earned, the characters can benefit from the • One apprentice has disappeared each week over the
“Headwater Mining Trail Built” development (see “New past three weeks. Sigyn, the last to vanish, disappeared
Developments,” earlier in this chapter). Grindal never last night.
does business with Ragvall Village again. • His apprentices all eat together and sleep in living quarters
Replaceable Grindal. A new trader is found who helps next door to the smithy. Rikarð’s own living quarters
bring supplies of iron ore to Ragvall. Four weeks after are nearby.
this outcome is earned, the characters can benefit from • The vanishings always happened at night; they’d be in
the “Headwater Mining Trail Built” development (see the smithy one night, have supper, then not show up the
“New Developments,” earlier in this chapter). Grindal next morning.
never does business with Ragvall Village again. • Each apprentice was in a foul mood the day they vanished.
Rikarð isn’t the kind to pry, so he has no idea why.
Quest: The Herald’s Harbingers Searching the Smithy. If the characters want to search
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Thieving Churls with the smithy for clues or tracks, Rikarð allows it, though
the “Kobolds Spared” outcome he apologizes that he must keep working to get his orders
done on time. The interior of the smithy is disorganized,
Questgiver: Ranulf Skullcrusher and full of both soot and sooty bootprints (Rikarð’s).
Location: Jarnskegg’s Smithy (area R2) and the cave in the Characters that spend 10 minutes searching it find nothing
Sheltering Wood (area W6 in chapter 5) out of place.
Downtime: 1 week Searching their Quarters. A character who searches
Content Warning: Abduction, cult indoctrination the apprentices’ sleeping quarters for 10 minutes learns the
In this Quest, a group of kobolds the characters spared in following information:
Quest: Thieving Churls have formed a doomsday cult to • The apprentices’ clothes are all gone, but they left their
Gormadraug, the Prismatic Wyrm, and venerate a being tools, money, and any other material possessions behind
they mysteriously call “The Herald.” This Herald will in disarray.
appear in chapter 4.
• Tiny, bronze, lizard-like scales are littered all over the floor.

110
• There are small, clawed footprints in the mud outside Finding the Kobolds. There are kobold tracks all
of the sleeping quarters. A character who makes a throughout the village, impressed into muddy patches. A
successful DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check identifies character can track the kobolds to their lair in the Shel-
these as kobold tracks. Succeeding by 5 or more reveals tering Wood by making a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Sur-
the kobolds were carrying something very heavy. vival) check.
Querying the Villagers. Asking around the village If this check fails, the trail goes cold, and the characters
or reconnecting with Ranulf reveals several other people will have to wait until another villager is kidnapped next
have gone quietly missing at night within the last few week for fresh tracks to appear. If the characters want to
weeks as well, all of them young adults presumed to have stake out the village to catch the kidnappers, the GM can
abandoned Ragvall Village to travel to a city like Skarfanes create a stake-out scenario. The kidnappings happen at
or Summerheim. midnight, and target people who work with their hands.
Other information the characters gain includes:
Serrev the Magnificent
• Five other villagers have vanished since the start of autumn. When the kobolds swore to leave town, they didn’t leave
• The missing people were all annoyed or fearful when very far. Their new base is in the Sheltering Wood (area
last seen. W6). If the dire wolves that once lived in this area are
• Someone missing from the Bennuson Farmstead had dead, the kobolds have taken over. Otherwise, the kobolds’
snarked about “little thieves getting awfully bold.” leader, Serrev, has used magic to befriend and pacify them.
If the characters have not yet discovered or guessed The dire wolves, if alive, are draped in prismatic ribbons,
kobolds are up to something again, Benna Stonebreaker, and are friendly toward the kobolds.
if alive, is quick to put the pieces together. She demands When the characters arrive at the cave, they can see
the characters do away with the kobold menace for good inside without being noticed. The kobolds’ leader, Serrev
this time. the Skulk (see Quest: Thieving Churls, in chapter 1) stands

111
in the middle of a circle of six kobolds and eight humans Freeing the Kidnapped Cultists
and humanoids kidnapped from Ragvall Village, all dressed The characters can talk the kobolds into letting their
white robes haphazardly dyed into a mess of many colors. people go, or they can wipe them out to save the
All those present are messily eating soup in a circle. Serrev brainwashed Ragvallans.
speaks to them in a tinny, rasping, yet powerful voice: Talking them Down. Informing the kobolds that
allowing the abducted villagers to go home will spread the
“Sup! Sup well! Drink ‘til soup runs down your chest,
word further delights them, and they provide prismatic
my friends, for it may be the last supper you ever sup!” scale necklaces for anyone interested in leaving for this
The kobold takes The end cometh and it cometh with a purpose. Confident in their faith, Serrev the Skulk allows
swiftness! We have heard Herald! We have borne witness to any Valikans who want to leave to go home in peace.
the glory of his scales! Hail Gormadraug! Hail Herald! Let Attacking the Kobolds. As soon as the characters
us drink to the end of the world!” show violent intent, the kobolds call upon their dire wolf
allies, if they are alive.
If any characters are noticed by the kobolds, a kobold Four of the abducted Valikans fight alongside them
rushes over immediately and proceeds to tell them the (use cultist statistics). Serrev the Skulk now uses mage
“good news” about Gormadraug. statistics, but knows the spell dream instead of cone of cold.
Conversing with Converts. The kobolds are eager to The other six kobolds now use the cult fanatic static with
share their new faith. They speak incoherently about how the following additional trait, raising their challenge rating
the world will soon end in ice and brilliant colors—but to 3 (700 XP):
they can’t specify when asked how soon “soon” is. If asked Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack
how they know this information, they say that the Herald roll against a creature if at least one of the kobold's allies is
granted them visions of the end, and that the Wyrm Who within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Ends the World—Gormadraug—appears in their dreams The kobolds gang up on targets to get the most out of their
every night. Serrev and his kobolds were visited by the Pack Tactics trait. Upon dying, they gleefully proclaim the
Herald during summer, and it was a religious experience. end is nigh.
Deeper Conversation. It’s hard to ask the kobolds We Happy, Brainwashed Few
about their actual feelings, or anything beyond their
While most of the abducted are eager to forget the whole
prepared speeches. Derailing the kobolds from their well-
incident, four of them were swayed by the kobolds and
practiced spiel requires a successful DC 16 Intelligence
actively spread the word that the end times will soon be
(Religion) or Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check.
upon them. Rikarð Jarnskegg’s apprentices, Terfel, Kella,
On a success, the kobolds reveal they have been slowly
and Sigyn, aren’t among these four.
spreading the word for weeks to great effect.
HowThey Spread the Word. If asked, the kobolds Calendar of the Seasons
explain that their leader, Serrev, has been slipping into Upon returning the missing people to the village, Rikarð
the village under cover of night for weeks, and using the Jarnskegg gruffly thanks the characters, and invites them
powers granted to him by the Herald to show them dreams to dinner with him and his apprentices. Mark one or both
of the end times, and speak to them in those dreams. Then, of the following outcomes on the Calendar of the Seasons
after the villagers begin to fear the end and chafe at their (see appendix C):
meaningless life in Ragvall Village, the kobolds abduct
Jarnskegg’s Gratitude. If they weren’t friends already,
them in their sleep and bring them home to the cave for
Rikarð Jarnskegg becomes friendly toward the
soup, kindness, and further brainwashing.
characters and offers them a 25 percent discount on all
items in his shop, on top of any previous discounts they
may have accrued.
The Time is Now. If the characters rescued the abducted
without killing the kobolds, they continue to hang
around the village, chattering about the end times.
The Ragvallans don’t like them much, but they aren’t
stealing or hurting anyone, so people mostly treat them
as a nuisance. During Quest: First Blood (see chapter
4), the kobolds arrive alongside the Herald as non-
combatants, cheering on the carnage.

112
Quest: Ása’s Lost Past shock to her system. Furthermore, she remembers the last
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Gills for the Gill-less time she saw the armor the corpse is wearing. Read or
Questgiver: Ása Lögmaður
Location: Shrine Isle (area R4) “When Mardoll found me, I was wearing that armor,” Ása
Downtime: 1 week says in a hushed tone. “She gave me new clothes, but… was
Content Warning: Non-consensual memory modification I a soldier too?”
and removal, being addressed by the wrong name,
drowning, ghosts
The One Who Got Away
This quest begins when the characters visit Shrine Isle for the
Upon reaching Pale Coral’s Cry (area F5) and encountering
first time in autumn. Read or paraphrasing the following:
the laneshi necromancer, read or paraphrase the following:
Ása turns as you arrive and smiles widely, revealing rows
Ása’s fishy eyes bulge out in shock at the sight of the
and rows of long, thin, fishy teeth. “You are here!” she
woman before her. Upon noticing her, the laneshi lets go
exclaims. “Does that mean you will help me? Like you said
of the blade she was trying to pull out and turns to face
in the springtime?” her, her expression mirroring Ása’s. “Nalem, my sweet. I
thought you’d be dead by now,” the woman says. “What a
If characters answer in the affirmative, Ása continues: pleasant surprise.”
“Mardoll told me that a ship crashed in the Teeth. A

The necromancer is Lamora, the only laneshi that Ása
merchant ship called the Blade-Blessed,” she explains.
has any recollection of. Due to Ása’s presence, Lamora is
“There are rumors that laneshi…that people like me…
amenable to answering questions about Ása’s past instead
are swimming in those waters, wrecking ships. I think we of immediately fighting.
should investigate the Blade-Blessed. If anyone’s left alive, Lamora is a laneshi necromancer (see appendix A).
they might need help—and they might know something She believes in the supremacy of the underwater Llana’Shi
about why the laneshi are here at all.” Empire, and wants to spread their power to Valika. She
speaks to the characters with amazement and derision, as
The Wreck of the Blade-Blessed is described in Chapter 5: if they were dogs somehow capable of speech.
Exploring Valika. Ása (use priest statistics) accompanies the Lamora shares the following information, if asked about
characters but tries to avoid combat, especially with other herself, or about Ása’s past:
laneshi. She can cast cure wounds if characters need it. • Ása was born into the laneshi warrior caste.
• Lamora was born into the laneshi mystic caste, but
A Memory of Armor became friends with Ása because Ása was fascinated by
Upon spotting the laneshi soldier in the Outer Teeth (area necromancy and kept spying on Lamora’s lessons.
G1), Ása is taken aback. She knew there would be people • Over time it became clear Ása was interested in learning
who looked like her here, but actually seeing him is a magic herself, despite not being of the mystic caste.

113
• Lamora, who believes in the caste system, discouraged Quest: Cyrano av Ragvall
Ása from learning magic, but she did not listen. Prerequisite: None
• Ása became more and more unhappy and began to talk
about leaving their underwater Llana’Shi town. Questgiver: Bragi Bennuson
• Upset at seeing Ása miserable, Lamora decided to Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) or Grindalsdóttir
use magic similar to modify memory to change Ása’s Meadery (area R9)
memories so that she believed she was happy with being Downtime: 1 week
a warrior. Content Warnings: Possible unwanted romantic advances
• This backfired. Ása’s desires were so central to her sense This Quest focuses on the social relationships between the
of self that Lamora’s attempt at mercy erased all of Ása’s characters and two NPCs in Ragvall Village. The social
memories instead. encounters in this Quest can be resolved in many ways.
• Unable to reverse what she did, Lamora left Ása’s body Some suggestions are provided, but the GM is encouraged
in the water near Ragvall, hoping she would reach land. to listen to the characters’ own ideas and improvise
Attacking Lamora. If Ása learns that Lamora outcomes using the suggestions below as
attempted to alter her memories without her consent, she It begins when the characters visit either Hrafensheim
is revolted. She has no qualms with the characters killing or the Grindalsdóttir Meadery; Bragi has been singing
Lamora. If the characters attack, the encounter happens songs of valor and lost love. He finishes a song and
as described in the description of area G5. Lamora, for all approaches the characters with a cask of honey mead
her feelings of superiority, is wise enough to know not to under his arm. Read or paraphrase the following:
fight one-on-one with a pack of wild dogs. She flees into the
“Ah, when beauty and bravery are wrapped in the same
water. Unless a character can catch her, she escapes.
Negotiating with Lamora. The characters also have golden package… one who knows her smile has known a
the option of negotiating with Lamora. A successful DC 15 perfect thing. Tell me, how well do you know the queen of
Charisma (Persuasion or Intimidation) check convinces her my heart, Hlökk Warcrier? Has she ever mentioned me?”
and the remnants of her warband to depart and never return
to the waters near Ragvall. They have advantage on this If characters allude to having a remotely positive
check if they use Lamora’s fondness for Ása as leverage. The relationship with Hlökk, Bragi is ecstatic.
DC for this check is lowered by 5 if they allow her to keep
the pale coral blade she is after (see area G5). “The time has come to reveal the true feelings of my
If this check succeeds by 5 or more, Lamora warns them heart—though I would never expect her to notice a scrawny
that, while they won’t have to deal with her warband ever bard, barely a skald. Prithee, my friends, assist me in my
again, their new keppmir allies are still a threat. Lamora brilliant plan to win my lady love!”
leaves without elaborating.
Bragi’s Master Plan

Ása’s Name Bragi is far too timid to approach Hlökk with a direct
Before Mardoll Brightsea gave Ása her current name, she proposition. In his words, “she is a goddess in the flesh,
was a laneshi warrior named Nalem. Ása hates this name— and I am but a meager man.” Instead, he requests the
it’s a reminder of a life that is no longer hers. If the charac- characters woo Hlökk on his behalf, singing her songs or
ters use the name Nalem with her, she kindly asks them to reciting poems that he has written, eventually revealing
call her Ása. If a character continues to do so, she simply that he is the true author after seeing how she responds.
ignores that person and refuses to respond to that name.
Being Light and Vain and Loving You
Characters who know Hlökk Warcrier or have any
Calendar of the Seasons experience in romance may see a problem with Bragi’s
Upon completing the quest, Ása thanks the characters for approach. Alternative approaches that do not thrill Bragi
everything they’ve done and tells them she is forever in but he is willing to consider include but are not limited to:
their debt. Mark one or both of the following outcomes on Getting to Know Her. Learning more of Hlökk’s inter-
the Calendar of Seasons (see appendix C): ests for him to help convince Bragi to engage her in
Ása’s Home. Having discovered the truth about her past, conversation, despite his timidness.
Ása begins to realize that, for all the strange looks she Training to Best Her. Training Bragi in combat so he can
gets, Ragvall is where she belongs. Ása starts to trust the ask Hlökk to spar with him.
people of Ragvall more easily, initiating conversations Steel Yourself to Woo Her. Encouraging Bragi to write a
she otherwise would not have. song and sing it to Hlökk himself.
Languishing Laneshi. If Lamora is killed or successfully Make a Gift to Impress Her. Convincing Bragi to buy or
negotiated with, the characters have weakened the craft a gift for Hlökk.
laneshi forces that plan to attack Ragvall in winter.

114
In order to convince Bragi of one of these alternative If this check succeeds, the characters are successful in their
options (or another alternative that the characters come up wooing by proxy. If the check fails by 5 or more, Hlökk
with), the character that suggests the option must make a finds this whole charade off-putting, even revolting, and
successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or avoids Bragi from that day forward.
Persuasion) check. However, if the check fails by only 1 to 4 points, Hlökk
Once the characters feel sufficiently prepared to speak to is amused and delighted by the characters’ attempts, and
Hlökk—or Bragi grows impatient with their dilly-dallying— develops a crush on one of them instead.
they approach Hlökk.
A Woman’s Charm Upon completing the quest, Bragi thanks the characters
How characters have decided to approach Hlökk or have Bra- regardless of the outcome: “Love and loss is part of the
gi approach her greatly changes the outcome of her response. bardic life—though loving and winning sounds better.”
• Characters enacting Bragi’s initial plan must succeed on Mark one of the following outcomes on the Calendar of
a DC 20 Charisma (Performance) check followed by an Seasons (see appendix C):
explanation of what on earth is going on. An Odd Couple. If the characters succeeded in wooing
• Characters who encourage a sparring match with Bragi Hlökk for Bragi, the two begin an awkward but heartfelt
and Hlökk, encourage Bragi to perform his own love romance that lasts naturally through the end of this
song, or simply have him talk to her can encourage Bragi adventure. While they have little in common, Hlökk
with a DC 12 check of their choice, or through magical comes to treasure the love in Bragi’s eyes and songs.
support (bless or guidance spells, Bardic Inspiration, etc.) Bad Blood. Hlökk is disgusted with Bragi and by proxy,
• Having Bragi give Hlökk a gift he has purchased or giving the characters. Her disposition changes to Friendly
them one themselves confuses her when she learns of Bra- to Indifferent or Indifferent to Hostile, and all future
gi’s romantic intent. She stresses she is not a woman who checks to improve it are made with disadvantage. She
can be bought. Checks in this section are made with disad- refuses to speak to Bragi or look him in the eye.
vantage. Making her a gift, however, she finds sweetly pa- Bragi Betrayed. Characters decided to woo Hlökk for
thetic. The characters can add a d4 to their checks instead. themselves—or stumbled into it by accident and went
• Characters who learned about Hlökk through conversa- along with it. Bragi is heartbroken. His disposition
tion gain advantage and can add a d8 to their checks. to the characters changes to Hostile, and Hlökk is
• Breaking into Hlökk’s home or otherwise stalking her interested in forming a relationship with one (or more?)
infuriates her and results in failure no matter how well of the characters.
characters perform.

115
Quest: Figure on the River Heilag More Disappearances
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Traveler of the The people of Ragvall don’t know about the hurrock threat,
Álfavegr and at least two weeks have passed and a group of five Ragvallan timber scavengers have gone
missing after exploring Alvíss’s timberland. This reduces
Questgiver: Alvíss av Dvergholt the number of warriors in the village by 5 (see “Starting
Location: Alvíss’s Woodcrafts (area R3) or Alvíss’s Resources in Autumn,” at the beginning of this chapter).
Timberland (area R18) Some villagers now suspect the dwarf of killing the
Downtime: 1 week missing people, and he comes to the characters for help.
Content Warning: Body horror, intense gore Read or paraphrase the following:
If characters achieved the “Boulderdashed” outcome at the
end of Quest: Traveler of the Álfavegr, start this quest Alvíss approaches you warily, and your fellow villagers
with the “Alvíss’s Findings” section, below. If they didn’t, shoot him—and you—dirty looks as he gets near. “They
start with “More Disappearances,” also below. think I’m a bloody murderer,” he growls under his breath.
“But I ain’t done nothin’. I can take their hate, but… my
Alvíss’s Findings daughters…” he looks down at the ground, and you can see
Bragi’s song about the hersirs’ fight against the elder
real fear on his bearded face. “Will you help me search the
hurrock has spread throughout Ragvall Village, causing
forest for these folk and clear my family?”
the existence of the strange stone dwarves to become
widely known. Villagers have begun mutter about dwarf
statues being spotted at the edge of the Sheltering Wood, The characters can find the timber scavengers’ tracks
facing Alvíss’s timberland, just like in the song. easily in the mud on the banks of the river Heilag, near the
Alvíss, anxious to protect his daughters, has already border of Alvíss’s timberland. Following the tracks as they
investigated. His findings are grim, and he finds is notably meander through the forest takes 4 hours, but this time is
agitated and tense the next time they encounter him. Read reduced to 1 hour if one of the characters succeeds on a DC
or paraphrase the following: 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. At the end of every 4 hours
they spend searching, the characters must make a DC 10
The moment he notices you, Alvíss’s shoulders relax Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion
slightly. “Just the people I wanted to see,” he says, relieved. from the biting autumn wind.
“Something is watching me across the river Heilag. The At the end of this search, the characters find corpses at
bloody things stand stock-still and don’t look like nothin’ the end of the tracks.
more than shadows, but when I crossed to see them, they Corpses at the End of the Tracks
were gone. Please, help me once more by crushing these Read or paraphrase the following when the characters find
monsters to gravel.” the scavengers’ corpses:
Alvíss knows exactly where he saw the hurrocks last, The smell of rot and sound of buzzing flies becomes ob-
and takes them there without delay. Proceed to “Heilag vious even before the tracks end. The corpses before you
Riverbank” below. are more like mulched flesh than bodies. Only the blood-
drenched clothes in the heap identify this grisly sight as
your former clanfolk.

116
These bodies were bludgeoned beyond recognition by Quest: Mildrith’s Quickening
hurrocks that were wandering through the timberland. Prerequisite: Begun the fourth week of autumn and
One elder hurrock (see appendix A), still caked with gore, Mýrún Stebansdóttir is in the village
stands amidst the thick trees in the shadows 30 feet away
from the characters. It doesn’t attack or even acknowledge Questgiver: Mildrith Quickshot
the characters unless one of them interacts with it first. Location: Hunters’ Cabins (area R15)
Onward. The deep, massive tracks of a whole group of Downtime: 1 week
hurrocks continues through the forest toward the bank Content Warnings: Abortion, abortive
of the river Heilag. It’s trivial to follow these tracks, complications and death
and the characters reach the riverbank after 1 hour of This Quest begins when Mildrith Quickshot approaches the
following them. characters after delivering pelts to the village. After greeting
them in her usual way, she requests they speak with her
Heilag Riverbank
somewhere private. Read or paraphrase the following.
The characters easily locate the statues if they follow the
river to the Heilag Shores (area W2) in the Sheltering “Apologies for taking you out of the way. It’s a matter of
Wood (see chapter 5). Once they get there, read or a sensitive nature. I returned from the summer raids and
realized I was… well, to put it bluntly, unexpectedly in the
Three dwarf figures with stony skin and wiry beards stand family way.”
motionless at the edge of the forest. Their milk-white There’s a short, awkward pause, then she says, “I don’t
calcified eyes stare across the river towards the timberland. want the baby, hersirs. I’m not the mothering type. I’d like
it gone, and I’d like your help. Please.”
These three “statues” are hurrocks (see appendix A).
Though the characters can only see three, there are
Who’s the Father?
another three hurrocks hiding 10 feet underground. The
hurrocks do not acknowledge the characters, even if they If asked, Mildrith elaborates she has an idea of who the
stand directly in front of them. father might be, but she’d prefer not to reveal his name
Attacking the Hurrocks. The moment a character or inform him as they’re not in any real relationship.
touches, attacks, or casts a spell on one of them, the Characters who succeed on a DC 20 Charisma
hurrocks take notice and retaliate with surprising speed. (Intimidation or Persuasion) check get her to reveal the
The three hurrocks that are underground rise out of the father is most likely Kåre Strongbow, a fellow hunter.
ground behind the characters and attack with surprise,
“It was just a way to relax before leaving for the raids. My
prioritizing characters that attack from range or have
way of saying farewell to the village, in case I didn’t return.
less armor.
Then…” Mildrith sighs and paces around in frustration.
Monster Salvage. Upon death, the hurrocks’ bodies
crumble away to reveal gemstones each worth 100 gp. “Then, Kåre came home from the raids with a bride and
this would just complicate things for both of us. I don’t
Conclusion have the time to care for a wee one or the inclination to
Once the hurrocks are defeated and the characters return embarrass Kåre. Or his new wife.”
to Alvíss, read or paraphrase:
If the characters are willing to help Mildrith end her
“Stone-damned monsters,” Alvíss growls. He kicks a chunk
pregnancy, she thanks them profusely, and says that all she
of a hurrock away, then sighs and says to you, “Thanks
knows is that there are tales of herbs that can bring an end
again, Valikans. I want to tell you more—everything,
to a pregnancy. She suggests that the new merchant Mýrún
actually. But…” he turns and looks deep into the forest, Stebansdóttir might know about these herbs.
lost in thought. After a moment, he turns back and says, A character can also make a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature)
“I need to take my daughters to safety first. And I need to check to recall abortifacients like tansy and pennyroyal
confer with the spirit of the Ash before I share secrets with grow in the riverlands that border Valika and Nordenland,
outsiders. I’ll find you all again a week hence.” to the south.
Pennyroyal For Your Thoughts

Reward. Alvíss upgrades the budding heartseed ring he
If approached, Mýrún is eager to acquire the plants in
gave as a reward for Quest: Traveler of the Álfavegr into
question. While initially nosy regarding the interest in the
a sprouting heartseed ring (see appendix B).
plants—though she says it is in the interest of finding out
more about her future customers—she is easily redirected,
especially with the promise of business.
She reveals that herbs called tansy and pennyroyal are
common in the very south of Valika, on the Norden border.

117
Mýrún also stresses that she’s no herbalist, and that they’ll A Draught for Mildrith
need to make them into a draught themselves. She is, After returning to Ragvall Villag, the characters are
however, interested in buying a few bunches of the herbs requested by Mildrith to help her brew them into a tea,
to dry and sell later, and will pay the characters well for then sit with her for the night. The characters must succeed
the herbs. on a DC 18 Intelligence or Wisdom check using either
an herbalism kit or poisoner’s tools. The characters only
make this check after giving Mildrith the tea—not when
Telling Kåre making it; the quality of their work isn’t apparent until it’s
Characters may choose to tell Kåre about his possible been consumed.
fatherhood despite Mildrith’s objections. If they do so, If the character fails this check, it works as intended,
the hunters meet in private, and Kåre sets Mildrith’s but Mildrith is also poisoned for the next 7 days. If the
fears of harming Kåre and his wife at rest. Mildrith check fails by 5 or more, Mildrith also takes 2 (1d4) poison
still fears motherhood, but nervously agrees to bear damage at the start of every hour while poisoned in this way.
the child. Characters can still deliver herbs to Mýrún If characters roll a 1 and fail this check, Mildrith takes 33
Stebansdóttir for a reward, but Mildrith no longer has (6d10) poison damage upon drinking it, and 10 (4d4) poison
any interest in them. damage at the start of every hour while poisoned in this way.
This death is as painful and gruesome as it is tragic.
The trip to the border takes 1 week (which takes up the 1 Calendar of the Seasons
week of downtime for this quest). Upon completing the quest, Mildrith is grateful both for
their help and for their continued discretion. She offers
Finding the Herbs them some high-quality pelts and fresh meat. Mark one or
Upon arriving in the southern Valikan riverlands, more of the following outcomes on the Calendar of Seasons
characters must spend 8 hours searching and succeed (see appendix C):
on a DC 16 Wisdom (Survival) check to locate the Blood on the Birthing Bed. Characters attempted to
required plants. help Mildrith, but she died. Rumors abound if the
Great Success. If this check succeeds by 5 or more, characters had it out for the hunter or if her former
the characters find enough herbs for Mildrith and to lover eliminated her to ease the way for his new wife.
sell to Mýrún. The effect of these rumors, if any, is left to the GM.
Partial Success. If this check succeeds, but not by 5 or Mildrith with Child. Mildrith decided to carry her child
more, the characters find enough herbs for Mildrith or to term, despite her fears. She gives birth in the last
Mýrún, but not both. week of winter, and must be protected in Hrafensheim
Failure. The characters find no herbs. until then during the raid defense events in chapter 4.
Extending the Search. If the characters haven’t Mýrún’s Moontide Elixir. Mýrún sends the herbs to an
found all the herbs they want, they can keep searching the alchemist she knows in Skarfanes. Within weeks, word
riverlands for another 8 hours to repeat this check. spreads of an elixir that can aid women who are unex-
Harvesting the Herbs. Harvesting them properly pectedly and unwantedly with child. Mýrún Stebansdóttir
requires a DC 14 Intelligence or Wisdom check using stocks it in her shop for 10 gp a dose, and is thankful to
either an herbalism kit or alchemist’s supplies. After the the characters for helping her expand her business.
characters make this check, regardless of success or failure, The Hunter’s Mark. Mildrith terminated her pregnancy
fey spirits that watch over these herbs rises from the grasses and survived. She considers the characters her
and roars in fury. saviors, and she and her hunters stand by them in any
Herbal Guardians. A willow that hangs over a nearby endeavor—even if it means going against the chief.
creek is a puck tree, and is filled with a group of eight
pucks (see appendix A for both). These pucks have seen
countless women killed by their husbands for seeking
these herbs, and screech warnings while fight to drive the
characters away. “Those herbs? Seems like a curious combination.
If the characters can speak Sylvan, they can understand Why are you lot interested in anything like this?
the pucks’ warnings and can make a DC 15 Charisma Well, I suppose it’s no matter. You would be
(Persuasion) check to convince them that Mildrith is under willing to help the new merchant out, wouldn’t
you? I can pay handsomely for some of those to sell
their protection. On a success, the pucks back off and let
later on. I could see a market for something like
the characters harvest the herbs in peace.
this. Have to make a living somehow. Good luck
Herbs for Mýrún helping out your friend. May Ragvall be with her.”
Mýrún gladly pays the characters 250 gp for a bunch of the - Mýrún Stebansdóttir
herbs they gathered.

118
Quest: The Missing Shadow Investigating the Shadow Magic
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Whispers of Treachery, A character that spends 1 hour studying Mardoll and her
and begun the fifth week of autumn, and the party has missing shadow can make a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana)
neither joined the usurpers’ conspiracy nor removed Hlökk check. On a success, that character recognizes the curse
Warcrier from it affecting her as an unusual form of necromancy. The
character learns about the steal shadow spell and its effects
Questgiver: Mardoll Brightsea (see appendix B).
Location: Shrine Isle (area R4) or Snekkjafit (area R14)
Downtime: 1 week Investigations on Shrine Isle
Content Warning: None The characters can learn the following information by
On the week of the waning moon, Ása Lögmaður notices searching Shrine Isle and speaking with Ása.
during an evening ceremony on Shrine Isle that Mardoll Ása Lögmaður. The lawkeeper saw nothing unusual
Brightsea is casting no shadow. It will take digging for the on the evening when she noticed Mardoll’s predicament. If
party to learn all the details, but the bloodbonded priest Gro asked why Hlökk Warcrier visited, she insists it is irrelevant
Stensdóttir (see “A Conspiracy Afoot,” at the beginning of and that she gave her word to keep the discussion
this chapter) has taught the secret of shadow theft to Hlökk confidential. She won’t break her word unless given
Warcrier. She has used it to steal a shadow for a dark cere- evidence Hlökk has committed a crime or is involved in a
mony at Venin’s urging, which she intends to use to create a criminal conspiracy. A character can persuade or trick her
daemon that will help her challenge the chief. into revealing Hlökk’s intentions by making a successful
If either Mardoll or Ása are friendly toward the DC 17 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check.
characters, this Quest begins when Mardoll seeks them out Ása knows Hlökk intends to challenge the chief’s fitness
the next morning. to lead. She encouraged the elf to wait until a speech he
is planning for the end of autumn, explained the right
Mardoll Brightsea strides up to you, her face set. “I hate wording to use for the challenge, and encouraged her to
to impose upon you, but something strange has happened, find allies to help fight whichever champions the chief
and I could you use your help. I’ll be on Shrine Isle when chooses for the trial by combat. Hlökk seemed to have
you’re ready, okay?” someone in mind already, but Ása doesn’t know who. (The
lawkeeper dearly hopes this serves as comeuppance to the
chief for his cruelty to her when they first met.)
If the characters aren’t friendly with either, this Quest
Shrine Isle. Examining Shrine Isle for physical clues
begins the next time the characters visit either location.
for 1 hour allows a character to make a DC 15 Wisdom
They meet Mardoll there, pacing with worry.
(Survival) or Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a
Hlökk stole the shadow as she was leaving Shrine Isle,
success, that character finds tracks belonging to the Ása,
where she had asked the lawspeaker about the laws around
Mardoll, and Hlökk Warcrier. Oddly, Hlökk’s tracks only
how to replace a chief. Ása Lögmaður loves Mardoll and
lead inland. It looks like Mardoll left twice, but Hlökk
wants to help her—however, she is reluctant to share that
never left.
Hlökk was on Shrine Isle she thinks it irrelevant to Mardoll’s
missing shadow, and she doesn’t want anyone to learn that Questioning Witnesses
Hlökk wants to depose Ása’s hated rival, Hrafen av Skeir. The party is likely to question one or more of the
following witnesses.
What Mardoll Knows
Gro Stensdóttir. This ill-dressed priest has not
Mardoll explains everything she knows about her situation
been mentioned by any of the witnesses yet, but she is
to the characters:
a newcomer to the village and a spellcaster to boot—
Where were you? “I was at Snekkjafit—the shipyard—at suspicious characters may well think her involved. And, it
dusk, just before I went to the island and realized my just so happens that she’s a servant of Venin herself. Gro
shadow was missing. The only person she saw there was has kept her contact with Hlökk limited to avoid suspicion,
the lighthouse keeper. We chatted a bit, but then we split but she did teach Hlökk the spell of shadow theft.
up, and he went back to the lighthouse at dusk.” (This Gro spends her time in solitude on the verge of
could be Ófeigur Lightraiser or his replacement.) Alvíss’s timberland, ostensibly meditating on Solyma’s
Did you see anyone suspicious? “I was on Shrine Isle silence. A character who interacts with her up close can
earlier in the afternoon. I when she saw Hlökk Warcrier recognize that she is badly injured with a successful
visit Ása. The warrior left just as I came to see Ása. DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Once they do,
It was a bit strange—I didn’t think they were friends, they can recognize her as a bloodbonded (see appendix
and Ása didn’t want to talk about it. She usually shares B), a servitor of Venin, by making a successful DC 14
everything with me.” Intelligence (Religion) check.
Have you heard anything else strange? “I shared If interrogated, Gro placidly says that she is a humble
breakfast with Gunnvarr Grindalsson in Hrafensheim this priest seeking enlightenment in this remote place, and
morning. He asked me the same question, actually. He that she knows nothing of the tribal politics of this quaint
seemed a little on edge. (If Gunnvarr is gone, she instead village. A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals
had an uneventful meal with Mildrith Quickshot.)

119
that her words have an air of smug superiority to them, Deprogramming Hlökk. A character can convince Hlökk
and succeeding by 5 or more reveals that she seems proud she is being manipulated with evidence from the chief that
of herself for tricking the characters. Gro never reveals the he hasn’t hoarded anything (and an admission of the item
truth—she would sooner fight and flee, or die first. he does have), and by providing evidence that the people
Gunnvarr Grindalsson. If asked about his encouraging her are Venin’s sinister agents. If the party
conversation with Mardoll, Gunnvarr claims he was just provides only one of the two, they must make a successful
looking for opportunities to build his reputation by acts of DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince her.
heroism. This interview is otherwise the same as in Quest: Hlökk’s Fury. Once convinced, she is incensed at those
Whispers of Treachery. who dared manipulate her, and she becomes committed
Hlökk Warcrier. The elf warrior says that she didn’t to helping defeat them. She admits Gro Stensdóttir
see anything unusual about Mardoll. If asked about her encouraged her and offered to use the shadow to help her
conversation with the lawkeeper, she says it was to clarify a get an advantage against the chief.
minor legal question. A character who succeeds at a DC 16 Mildrith Quickshot. The hunter recalls that Mardoll
Wisdom (Insight) check notices that the warrior has set her seemed to be her usual self and in good health that
jaw, as if preparing for battle. morning at Hrafensheim. She can confirm Mardoll’s
A character who interacts with her and makes a shadow was intact then, because she had a headache that
successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check—or morning and sat in the taller woman’s shadow to avoid the
anyone who explicitly examines the elf’s shadow—can see sunlight through a window aggravating it.
her shadow doesn’t have the same build or match her armor Ófeigur Lightraiser. The lightkeeper doesn’t know
and weapons—instead, it matches Mardoll’s slight silhouette. anything about it, but if pressed, he recalls that Mardoll
If she is made aware of this tell but the stolen shadow isn’t seemed faint and he doesn’t remember seeing her shadow
taken from her, she gives it to Gro as soon as she can. even in the brilliant sunset. The daemonic shrine in the
lighthouse, if examined, seems no different. A character
Confronting Hlökk who examines the shrine to see if its magic might be related
If confronted outright as the one responsible for Mardoll’s can conclude confidently that it is not with a successful DC
missing shadow, Hlökk furiously denies everything the 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check.
characters don’t have evidence to back up. If they point
out her false shadow, her flustered denials suddenly cease, Calendar of the Seasons
and her cold, warrior’s demeanor returns. She knows that Mark all appropriate outcomes in the Calendar of the
she’s beaten. Seasons (see appendix C):
Hlökk Bested. If given evidence that she did it on Shadows Encroach. The party failed to find the culprit
purpose, or if she confesses, she returns the shadow but who stole Mardoll’s shadow. Mardoll remains weakened
refuses to explain how she took it or what she wanted with until it is restored by the remove curse spell. During
it, saying that she feels she earned the right to take a little Event: A Knife at Autumn’s End, Hlökk wears a cloak
after giving so much to defend the village over the last of secret shadows (see appendix B).
winter. She agrees to pay a fine set by the lawkeeper, which Thief Exposed. Hlökk Warcrier has been exposed as a
is merely a token amount because it caused no lasting thief but hasn’t turned from her rebellious path. She has
harm, and swears not to do it again. no magical or popular support during Event: A Knife at
Hlökk’s Confidence. A character can convince Hlökk to Autumn’s End.
confide in them if she is friendly toward them and they have Warcrier Redeemed. The party convinced Hlökk that
shown antagonism toward the chief (whether privately with the chief is not her enemy. She doesn’t challenge av
her or publicly). If she is friendly with them or they have Skeir and sides with the characters in Event: A Knife at
antagonized the chief, but not both, she can be convinced to Autumn’s End.
share with a successful DC 13 Charisma check.
When she talks openly, Hlökk shares the same rumors
that Venin shared with her—that Chief Hrafen is a coward
who hoards the best valuables for himself at the expense
of his villagers—and angrily insists the chief needs to step “It’s a real shame what happened to Mardoll. I wish
aside or be pushed aside. If pressed on who should succeed I could help more, but I didn’t see anything. I had
a chat with her a while back, but dusk was coming
him, she says, “I would do it if no one else does, but any
on quick, so I came back here. Since then I ‘ve been
one of us would be better qualified than that coward.”
on the job—like usual. Sunset was brilliant tonight
If the characters earned 5 or more reputation points
though. Actually… now that I think about it… if
in the summer raids, she continues, “I think one of you
Mardoll’s shadow wasn’t around it would have looked
would be well-suited. You’re beloved by the people, and real nice. I definitely would have remembered it.”
strong hersirs.” If the characters agree with her, this begins
Quest: Rally Rebels. - Ófeigur Lightraiser

120
Quest: Rally Rebels Someone in the group must also succeed at a DC 15
Prerequisite: Begun Quest: Whispers of Treachery, Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check
and the questgiver believes the characters would turn to avoid the conversations drawing attention from villagers
against the chief loyal to the chief.
The party can use the rumor they heard already (that
Questgiver: Ása Lögmaður or Hlökk Warcrier the chief is hoarding magic that could have helped the
Location: Shrine Isle (area R4) or Proving Field (area R13) raids) or they can deduce something else that would
Downtime: 1 week undermine his legitimacy with a successful DC 13
Content Warning: Rumors, conspiracy Intelligence (History) check.
Once Ása Lögmaður or Hlökk Warcrier learns that the If the characters don’t go about spreading rumors
characters are interested in removing Hrafen av Skeir from stealthily, or if they fail the check required to keep the
power, they tell each other, and Hlökk cautiously ap- conversation secret from the chief’s supporters, Chief
proaches to suggest cooperating. If the party hasn’t directly Hrafen av Skeir calls them to Hrafensheim and asks them
confessed their plans to her, she approaches casually in a what the matter is—and if they have something they’d like
place where it’s hard to be overheard and idly says: to say to his face. Hot-headed characters might escalate this
to a duel immediately, possibly causing the confrontation
“You see Hrafen’s on the way out, right? You have thoughts in Event: Revolution in Ragvall to occur now, rather than
on who should succeed him?” in the twelfth week of autumn.

She steers the conversation to what she believes are the Track each success and failure the party accumulates until
chief’s failings, and welcomes the characters to come talk they collect either three successes or three failures. Once
about this more in a secluded corner of the Proving Field. they do, the populace’s opinion is cemented for the autumn
When they arrive, read or paraphrase the following: and can’t be shifted further without dramatic actions or
the passage of significant time. Mark one outcome on the
Hlökk Warcrier is practicing weapon drills in a lonesome
corner of the Proving Field when you arrive. She barely
breaks from her movements to speak with you. “You and Ragvall Resolute. After three failed attempts to stir
unrest or three successful attempts to quell dissent, the
I both know that Hrafen’s a useless coward. Ása already
villagers become protective of their chief. The villagers
explained this to me—we can spell out his failings and
rally to support av Skeir during Event: A Knife at
challenge him to a duel for the right to lead the village.
Autumn’s End.
He’ll get to pick some guards to be on his side, but I think Ragvall in Confusion. After three successful attempts to
together we’ll win. stir unrest or three failed attempts to quell dissent, the
“The trick is, even if Ása calls the challenge fair, the villagers become suspicious of their chief’s motivations
so-called chief is still popular enough the town might just and methods. They second-guess him and look for
ignore her and us, even if we win. We need to get the town validation of his words from other authorities, such as
less comfortable with him, if not against him. That’s where Ása Lögmaður (in matters of law), Hlökk Warcrier (in
you come in. I’m a warrior, not a diplomat. And Ása… matters of war), or Grindal av Halsfjord (in matters of
well.” Hlökk laughs. “She’s no smooth-talker. You, though. trade). The villagers scatter in confusion during Event:
You can stir the pot. Rally the villagers against that carrion
Revolution in Ragvall.
crow, the Raven of Skeir.”
If the party wants more clarification, she points them to

the lawspeaker, who can explain that transitioning power
to a new leader depends on the populace not clinging to
the old leader. To make the plan go smoother, characters
can undermine the chief and give themselves the best
chance of the crowd remaining on their side when they
challenge him.
Sowing Discontent
The characters gain a new downtime activity: Sowing
Discontent. The characters can spend 1 week of downtime
to spread unpleasant rumors about Chief Hrafen av Skeir.
Doing so without drawing the chief’s attention requires
an ability check depending on their approach: a DC 15
Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check
to chat with people away from prying eyes.

121
Why are hurrocks emerging now? “I couldn’t say for
sure. I reckon the druid who placed the seal died ages
ago, and their magic has finally weakened enough for
the hurrocks to bust through.”
What is that giant tree? “It is the Morfar Ash, a sacred
ash tree which contains the spirit of Dvalinn, the
archdruid that led us during that massacre.”
Dvalinn is inside the tree? “Aye. Dvalinn survived the
massacre by using magic to transform himself into
an ash sapling, which I myself planted here, in this
sacred wood.”
Why attack the tree, not the Valikans? “I wish I could
say. I don’t know what bloody vengeance churns in those
bloodless minds. It’s odd that they’re going after the
Quest: Shadow of the Morfar Ash archdruid, though, and not your people, Valikans.”
Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Figure on the River Heilag
Secret of the Morfar Ash
Questgiver: Alvíss av Dvergholt The reason why the hurrocks are attacking the ash tree is
Location: Alvíss’s Timberland (area R18) that the archdruid Dvalinn actually commanded them to use
Downtime: 1 week the forbidden magic to defend his circle. He didn’t reveal to
Content Warning: Civilian massacre, earthquake, them that their transformation would be permanent. The
body horror hurrocks turned on Dvalinn during the Valikan raid when
This Quest begins with a rumble beneath Alvíss’s it became clear that they were losing, despite their sacrifice.
timberland, causing tremors across Ragvall Village that They nearly cornered Dvalinn, but he used his magic to
knock small items off tables and shelves. transfer his consciousness into a sapling and commanded
Soon after, Alvíss rushes to find the characters and says, Alvíss to take him far away—to the Akkeri Bay, which he
“I’m afeared we can’t wait any longer. Come. Hurry!” falsely claimed was sacred woodland.
Piecing it Together. The characters can surmise this by
Alvíss Answers making a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check to piece
Alvíss’s destination is an immense ash tree in the heart together everything they’ve learned.
of the timberland (area W7 in the Sheltering Wood; see Speaking with Dvalinn. They may also learn this by
chapter 5). Clearly in a state of panic, he makes sure the speaking directly with Dvalinn by casting speak with plants
tree is unharmed. Once Alvíss notices the characters, read while within 30 feet of the Morfar Ash. The archdruid is
or paraphrase the following: used to speaking with Alvíss, but is surprised if another
druid speaks. He recovers quickly, and speaks entirely in
Alvíss pants and leans against the massive tree at the heart
mystical-sounding riddles. Dvalinn is proud and self-
of the timberland. His girls, Yrsa and Jorrun, peer at you
assured; he thinks he’s won the ultimate victory: he will be
from behind its roots. venerated as a god-like spirit for hundreds of years by his
“Damn it all,” Alvíss grumbles. “Time for answers. druid circle. And now, Alvíss has assured him protection
Ask me anything. About the stone dwarves, or the tree, or from the hurrocks that hound him by making a surprising
me. You’ve got a right to know.” alliance with the Valikans.
Confronting Dvalinn. The archdruid gladly tells
Through conversation, the character can obtain the the characters the same sanitized story of the hurrocks’
following pieces of information: creation that he told Alvíss. A character who listens
to him can make a DC 17 Wisdom (Insight) check,
Who are the dwarf statues? “Those damned statues are
identifying that he’s hiding his complicity on a success.
called hurrocks. They were once dwarves of the Circle
Dvalinn doesn’t reveal his complicity in the hurrocks’
of Stoneraisers; my druid circle. Two hundred years
transformation unless the characters accuse him of it.
ago, some of my fellow druids invoked dark magic that
Then, he proudly scoffs and praises the characters’
our archdruid had forbidden anyone to ever use.”
insight, and reveals the full story. He then states that
Why did they invoke forbidden magic? “Two hundred
none of that matters; he is still a wise archdruid, and
years ago, raiders attacked our circle. Valikans. Bloody
the hurrocks are monsters that must be destroyed.
Valikans. They all but wiped us out to the last dwarf. You
can imagine why I’m so cautious around your kind.” Destroying the Morfar Ash
Were the dwarves victorious? “Nay. Even the forbidden If the characters uncovered Dvalinn’s betrayal, they
magic weren’t enough to defeat the Valikans. The can convince Alvíss with a successful DC 15 Charisma
raiders had a druid of their own with them, who wore (Persuasion) check that the hurrocks are in the right
a robe of many colors. They sealed the hurrocks away and they should destroy the Morfar Ash instead. A more
beneath the earth.”

122
pragmatic approach also works; the hurrocks will continue Quest: Shipwreck
attacking until the tree is destroyed, costing lives and Prerequisite: Completed Quest: Eggs Over Easy with
putting Alvíss and his daughters in danger. the “Death of a Lightkeeper” outcome
Though Alvíss is sickened by the idea, learning the truth
about his former mentor is enough to make him believe the Questgiver: Mardoll Brightsea
tree must be burned and the corrupt archdruid ousted. Location: Ófeigur’s Beacon, Wreck of the Sea Dragon (see
chapter 5)
Defending the Morfar Ash Downtime: 1 week
Alvíss av Dvergholt (see appendix A) aids the characters Content Warnings: Drowning
in defending the Morfar Ash. The Morfar Ash has AC
Mardoll Brightsea approaches the characters in an
16, 100 hp, vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to
uncharacteristically sour mood and informs them the
psychic damage. If the tree is destroyed, the hurrocks let
replacement lightkeeper for Ófeigur has made a grievous
out an exultant cry
mistake. She says:
The hurrocks appear at the start of the following
rounds, prioritizing attacking the tree. The following “It’s terrible. I’m not sure if the new lightkeeper fell asleep
events occur on initiative count 20 of the listed rounds. on the job or if they’re just plain incompetent, but no
Round One. Four hurrocks (see appendix A) rise out
matter. There’s been a shipwreck. I doubt at this point
of the ground. Upon death, they crumble into opals worth
there’s any survivors, but you never know. Please, do what
100 gp each.
Round Two. The earth trembles as two elder hurrocks you can. I can handle finding a new lightkeeper. Oh, by all
(see appendix A) surface. Upon death, they leave behind the heroes, this is a disaster.”
rubies worth 500 gp each.
Round Three. With a tremor that fells nearby trees, an If characters have completed Quest: Ása’s Lost Past,
ancient hurrock (see appendix A) emerges. Upon death, it Ása arrives hand in hand with Mardoll and offers her
crumbles, revealing a star sapphire worth 1,000 gp. help to the characters. She offers them a +1 net. In
addition to a +1 bonus to attack rolls, the Strength check
Conclusion required to escape it is DC 15, and the net’s hit points are
If the characters saved or destroyed the tree themselves, increased to 10.
Alvíss lets out a sigh of relief before thanking the characters
once more. He also adds, “Maybe this place won’t be so Visiting the Wreck of the Sea Dragon
bad for my daughters to grow after all.” The wrecked ship is a longship called the Sea Dragon. It was
Tree Savior Reward. If the Morfar Ash is saved, Alvíss wrecked upon rocks within the Teeth, and is being picked
upgrades the sprouting heartseed ring he gave as a reward clean by keppmir. The characters can visit it by taking a boat
for Quest: Figure on the River Heilag into a blossoming into the Teeth. The wreck is described in chapter 5.
heartseed ring (see appendix B).
Tree Burner Reward. If the characters chose to destroy Calendar of the Seasons
the Morfar Ash, way, the characters’ heartseed ring bursts The characters are welcome to keep or sell anything they
into flame and crumbles into ash, leaving seeds behind (a pillaged from the wreck of the Sea Dragon. Depending on
number of seeds equal to the number of characters). the character’s choices, mark the appropriate outcomes on
If planted, these seeds grow into ash saplings in two the Calendar of Seasons (see appendix C).
weeks. After four weeks, they each produce a budding Recovered Potions. Ása can turn the salvaged crate of
heartseed ring (see appendix B) After four more weeks, the potion ingredients into 20 potions of greater healing,
budding rings become sprouting rings. After four more which will be ready after 5 weeks.
weeks, the sprouting rings become blossoming rings. Smooth Sailing. Mardoll Brightsea assigns one of the
sailors to lighthouse duty after a month of rigorous
Calendar of the Seasons training. While they become a bit twitchy due to their
If the hurrocks destroyed the Morfar Ash, mark the isolation, shipwrecks cease.
following outcome on the Calendar of the Seasons (see
appendix C):
The Fallen Ash. The hurrocks let out a grating cry of
exultation, and then freeze in place, never to move “It wasn’t my fault, I swear! I know exactly what
again. Alvíss breaks down and weeps, and his daughters I’m doing. I made one mistake, I mean I didn’t,
emerge from hiding and weep with him. The dwarves but they think I made one mistake and I’m done
remain in town, but Alvíss closes his woodworking shop for! How?”
and sinks into a deep depression. - Replacement Lighthouse Keeper

123
Quest: Traveler of the Álfavegr • It was gone the next time he visited that path.
Prerequisite: Completed a Heroic Feat or befriended • A week later, he found it standing beside the Wishing
Alvíss av Dvergholt Pond deep in the Sheltering Wood.
The statue is currently in area W5 of the Sheltering Wood
Questgiver: Alvíss av Dvergholt (see chapter 5). The information given to them leads
Location: Characters’ homes them to area W4. If the characters go to W4, proceed to
Downtime: 1 week “Tracking the Moving Statue,” below. If they go to area
Content Warning: Body horror W5 first, they get lucky and find the statue without tracking
Once either of the prerequisites for this quest are met, this it. Go to “Stone Faced,” below.
Quest begins when Alvíss knocks upon the front door of
one of the characters’ homes at the start of the next week. Into the Woods
He has a sheepish look upon his face and wrings his cap in Wary of the Evergreen Enclave, Alvíss av Dvergholt (see
his hands. Read or paraphrase the following: appendix A) only joins the characters on this expedition
if they have not completed Event: The Elven-Thegn
“I know this is unexpected, but I’m here to ask for your Approaches with the “Woodland Truce” outcome.
help,” Alvíss says, clearly embarrassed. “I’ve heard rumors
Arduinna’s Aid
that one of the elk hunters saw a strange dwarf statue in
Thegn Arduinna Shinoff appears to the characters when
the Sheltering Wood. If it’s what I think it is, it could spell
they reach the Wishing Pond (area W4) if they completed
danger. Could you possibly check it out and report back to
Event: The Elven-Thegn Approaches with the “Woodland
me what you see?”
Truce” outcome. Read or paraphrase the following:
If asked for more details on what the dwarf statue is and While traveling through the woods, a deliberate rustling of
why it’s dangerous, Alvíss hems and haws and refuses to leaves reveals an elf lurking on the crown of a nearby elm.
elaborate. He unconvincingly mutters that he might simply It’s Arduinna, thegn of the elves!
be paranoid and his fears are probably nothing. She leaps to the forest floor and says, “Valikans. I hear
If asked for leads, Alvíss directs them towards the you are seeking a living dwarf statue in these woods. I’ve
Hunters’ Cabins (area R15) where the elk hunter who saw seen it. We fired arrows at it and half of them bounced off
the statue resides.
completely—and only after we attacked it did it react to our
Sole Witness assault. Fair warning with that.”
The elk hunter, Sakari (NG, male forest gnome scout)
supplies the following information: If asked where she saw the dwarf, Arduinna tells them she
• The statue resembles a dwarf, but its body was twisted can do one better and leads them to the Elven Crossing
and bulbous (area W5). Arduinna remains and helps them fight (use
• He first saw the statue standing amidst the trees along assassin statistics).
the Álfavegr—the elven road which runs through the
Sheltering Wood.

124
Good Luck on the Raids! Quest: Whispers of Treachery
Prerequisite: Begun the third week of autumn, and the
If the characters complete Quest: Traveler of the Ál-
characters have grievances with Chief Hrafen av Skeir
favegr in spring, then a full season passes between this quest
chain’s beginning and conclusion. Ultimately, Alvíss stayed Questgiver: Venin
vigilant—and sent a courier to retrieve his daughters rather Location: A secluded location, like one of the characters’
than going in person—but no further attacks have happened homes, or their camp while traveling
by the start of autumn. At least, not yet. Once the characters Downtime: 1 week
return, all bets are off, and this story can continue.
Venin, Arch Daemon of Deceit has a proposition for the
power-hungry among the hersirs: assassinate Chief Hrafen
Tracking the Moving Statue av Skeir and take his place as chief.
Characters who travel to the Wishing Pond (area W4 in Approached by an Unassuming Face
chapter 5) find heavy tracks leading deeper into the woods. One of the many villagers of Ragvall approaches the party
Following the tracks as they meander through the forest at night, and tells them they have something urgent to
takes 4 hours, but this time is reduced to 1 hour if one of share with them, alone. This person is being puppeteered
the characters succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) by the Arch Daemon Venin; they use commoner statistics,
check. At the end of every 4 hours they spend searching, but they have a +30 bonus to Charisma (Deception) checks.
the characters must make a DC 10 Constitution saving The Villager’s Tactics. Depending on how you run
throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion from the biting winds. your campaign, this possessed villager may try to gather
At the end of this search, the characters find the statue all of the characters together in one place to discuss their
standing upon the Elven Bridge (area W5) proposition as a group, or they might single out the one
Stone Faced character in particular who seemed most disgruntled with
The dwarf statue—an elder hurrock (see appendix A) the chief (such as any who spoke against him publicly) or
stands astride the Elven Crossing (area W5). When the someone who seems greedy or power-hungry (perhaps a
characters arrive, read or paraphrase the following: warlock, wizard, rogue, or whoever took a clear leadership
role in the summer raids).
A stony dwarven warrior stands in the clearing, one granite The Villager’s Appearance. This villager can be any
hand warped into a blade, the other into a shield. Instead NPC you wish. If you want to use a hitherto-nameless
of a well-maintained beard, sharp wiry strands cover the commoner from the village, this character is Thyra,
dwarf’s face. a young woman who nearly died fighting alongside
Chief Hrafen av Skeir in the summer. He wears a long
As Alvíss merely wants information, the characters are black cloak with a hood that nearly hides his deep blue,
able to leave without fighting. However, if they choose bloodshot eyes and twitchy grimace. “Hersirs, I think we
to approach it, it rumbles to life and turns to attack. Its should talk. Something is desperately wrong in Ragvall,
movements are rigid but unsettlingly fast. and we must solve it. Together.”
Monster Salvage. Upon death, the hurrock’s body
crumbles away to reveal gemstones worth 500 gp.
Venin’s Deceptions
Conclusion
Throughout this Quest, the characters can interact with
Alvíss’s worst fears are confirmed: a horror from his past the Arch Daemon Venin while she is puppeteering an
has returned with an inexplicable thirst for vengeance. He unassuming Ragvallan villager.
thanks the characters profusely for their help. He gives Before the moment Venin reveals her true nature,
them a ring, and says: her guise is nearly impossible to penetrate due to her
“One of you, take this ring. It’s crafted from a seed of the incredibly high bonus to Charisma (Deception) checks.
Morfar Ash, my druids’ sacred tree. In it is the knowledge Only by casting detect magic can a character realize
of my circle’s warriors. Bear it with honor.”
something is amiss, by virtue of the faint trace of
enchantment magic clinging to this person.
Reward. Alvíss gives the characters a budding However, even though the characters can’t use their
heartseed ring (see appendix B). skills to see through Venin’s lies, they can still act on their
hunches. If a player feels that something is fishy, don’t tell
Calendar of the Seasons them that their character would have no reason to think
If this quest is completed in spring and the characters slew that. If a character wants to stab Venin’s guise and get this
the elder hurrock, mark the following outcome on the charade over with, that’s perfectly fine. Just remember
Calendar of the Seasons (see appendix C): that murder is a serious crime in Clan Ragvall, and “that
Boulderdashed. The characters killed a song-worthy person was acting funny” isn’t a very good defense.
monstrosity (see Heroic Feat: Monster Slayer, in
chapter 1).

125
Who is the shadow-keeper? “An associate of mine.
Someone else interested in that coward Hrafen’s
“Surely the puppeting of a simple villager will be downfall. The less you know, the safer this plan will be if
perfect. I can begin to sow doubt so quickly and easily. you’re found out.”
Just the illusion of secret-keeping is enough.” What do they plan to do to the chief? “The cowardly
- Arch Daemon Venin Raven of Skeir deserves death and no better for what
he’s done to you. Vengeance is the Valikan way.”
Are there others working against the chief? “It depends
on whether you’re too queasy to kill him yourself. I can
Venin’s Pitch find someone to sink the knife in his back if you don’t
If the characters hear the villager out, Venin explains her want to. Beyond that… no. No one.” Venin won’t clarify
thinking along the following lines; read or paraphrase: further, as she doesn’t trust that the party will join the
conspiracy just yet.
“The problem in this village is Chief Hrafen av Skeir. He’s What will we get from the shadow-keeper? The villager
a coward—a milk-drinker more interested in saving his own shakes their head. “You have no appreciation for
skin and growing fat off this clan than making his clansfolk surprises, do you?” They sigh. “I am bound to tell you:
rich, like they deserve. He chose to deny you the treasures it is a cloak. One which will make you akin to a shadow,
he knows you were owed. He has a treasure trove in his and allow you to conceal even the most brutal weapon
within its darkened folds.”
longhouse, you know. Enchanted weapons and armor he
We agree. The villager grins. “Delightful! You have three
stole from the Thrull, which he could have offered to make
chances to take a shadow. Do not miss the drop time, and
your raids easier, or at least now, to repay the losses you
do not linger, or your offering will not be claimed. I think
suffered for his sake. it would be wise if you did not speak of this to anyone—it
“He’s a thief playing the high-and-mighty do-gooder isn’t safe for me to say who else is in on this plan, and
chieftain. I know it. Plenty of other people in the village Hrafen still has many misguided supporters. Have faith;
know it. You would be a better chief. One of you. Or rule there are indeed others in this village who would see old
together. Just kill him—or ensure that an assassin can kill Hrafen fall.” The villager spreads their arms wide and
him. I have certain abilities that can help you do this, if you their black, fur-lined cloak flaps in a sudden wind. A
do one small thing for me.” darkness creeps along the ground from their shadow to
yours. One character gains a magical boon: the ability
to cast the spell steal shadow (see appendix B) without
Everything Venin has said about killing the chief
spending a spell slot. Once the spell has been cast three
and having certain abilities that can help the players
times, it can’t be cast again in this way.
is extremely suspicious. The characters will likely have
Refuse, Leave, or Attack. The villager sneers.
questions; Venin’s responses to these questions include:
“I thought you could see the truth better than the rest
Why does the chief deserve to be dethroned? The of these deluded sycophants. So be it. Follow your
villager’s eyes widen in contempt, and Venin reminds coward-chief.” The villager spins on their heel and
them of instances in which the characters have been walks away. After two steps, they vanish into shadow as
embarrassed or ill-supported by the chief. “Have you if they were never there. If the villager is killed, Venin
not been listening?” she asks incredulously. “He’s escapes as a shadow which slides rapidly along the
a coward without proper respect for your abilities. ground and out of sight, unharmed.
Haven’t you heard how he took that idol from the
lawspeaker, then gave it back just because he might face A Conspiracy Unfolding
consequences for it? He’s a spineless wretch.” Though the characters won’t learn the truth for some
Tell us more about your offer. Venin is rarely forthcoming time, these events are the beginning of a storyline that
with the terms of her pacts, but she is supernaturally runs through the end of winter. Venin, Arch Daemon of
obligated to explain them, if asked: “What I need before I Deception, is eager to cause chaos in Valika. This mighty
grant you power is payment in advance. A shadow. I will daemon is sowing discord in Thrull and Kandar as well,
give you the power to take a shadow from anyone. Leave but is intrigued by the strong-willed people of Clan Ragvall
it for my shadow-keeper to collect on the new moon at and the reputation of their chief, and now their renowned
the lighthouse, and by the next new moon you can find a hersirs. The daemon doesn’t need to do much for Ragvall
useful gift waiting for you there.” Village to start causing chaos that will ripple outward to all
Who are you? The villager gives a wry smile and wags of Valika—she just needs to give a little push.
a finger. “No, that wouldn’t do. That would be telling. The party must decide whether they want to expose
Just know that I’m a friend. Someone who wants you to the conspiracy or join it. No matter what they do, the
see the way that things really are—and how much better conspirators will act in “The Chief’s Speech,” in the
you deserve.” twelfth week of autumn, but the characters’ actions decide
which Event follows.

126
NPCs’ Opinions of Dethroning the Chief Take a Shadow
The various NPCs of Ragvall Village all have their If the characters choose to pay Venin her price, they can
personal feelings about Chief Hrafen av Skeir. use the steal shadow spell (see appendix B) to covertly steal
• Chief Hrafen av Skeir: Supports* a villager’s shadow. If caught, the characters are reported
• Alvíss av Dvergholt: Disapproves to the chief. Ása Lögmaður, after some deliberation,
• Ása Lögmaður: Disapproves determines that their punishment is to be a fine of 50 gp
and the shadow’s return.
• Benna Stonebreaker: Supports
Being caught also sours the target’s disposition toward
• Bragi Bennuson: Supports*
the caught character. Any friendly NPC who disapproves
• Grindal av Halsfjord: Disapproves*
of the chief can be convinced to donate a shadow if a
• Gondul Grindalsdóttir: Disapproves character tells the NPC that it’s for a good cause and makes
• Gunnvarr Grindalsson: Supports a successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check.
• Hlökk Warcrier: Disapproves†
• Mardoll Brightsea: Supports The Drop Point
• Mildrith Quickshot: Supports The party might logically watch the drop point to see
• Ófeigur Lightraiser: Supports if anyone approaches it. Starting in the fourth week of
• Ranulf Skullcrusher: Supports autumn, Ófeigur Lightraiser has seen a boat lurking in the
• Rikarð Jarnskegg: Supports harbor late on some nights. This is Gro Stensdóttir’s boat.
The boat sits on the far side of Shrine Isle (area R4) on the
night of the new moon. If anyone goes to leave anything at
* Opinion can’t be changed
the lighthouse that night, she takes the boat ashore to collect
† Opinion can only be changed during Quest: The
the shadow. Otherwise, the craft can be spotted in the dark
Missing Shadow
distance with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check.
She is accompanied by two Ragvallan villagers she has been
preaching to. The villagers are possessed by tortured ghosts
Currently, a majority of influential people in Ragvall Village
that are bound to serve her. If caught here, Gro tries to escape
support the chief. The characters can canvas the town to
in her boat, which has a speed of 40 feet while rowed by her or
covertly learn about peoples’ opinions, and even change an
her possessed villagers.
NPC’s mind by making a successful DC 15 Charisma check.
The majority opinion has no mechanical effect, but the Calendar of the Seasons
GM can use how many people supported Chief Hrafen as Mark each appropriate outcome in the Calendar of the
a guideline to determine NPC reactions to the characters if Seasons (see appendix C):
they usurp the chief, and overall public opinion about them.
Conspiracy Joined. The party delivered a shadow and
Canvassing didn’t interfere with its collection. They will receive a
At any time, the characters can investigate the village to cloak of secret shadows (see appendix B) at the next full
learn if a character supports or disapproves of the chief. moon (1d4 weeks from now), and Gro and Hlökk view
Some ability checks they can make include: them as committed enemies of the chief that they might
conspire with.
• A DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check to
Conspiracy Defied. The party opposed Gro, successfully
chat with someone away from prying eyes
or not. Gro (if she survives) and Hlökk view the party as
• A DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check to avoid drawing
loyal to the chief, so she doesn’t approach them for help.
attention (such as gossip that could alert enemies)
Charisma checks to influence Hlökk have disadvantage
• A DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) or Intelligence (Investigation)
for the rest of the autumn season.
check to deduce someone’s attitude without asking
Conspiracy Exposed. The characters made their interest
• A DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check or Dexterity in the conspiracy public, drawing potential reprisal on
(Stealth) check to eavesdrop where people think they themselves but preparing the community to oppose it
won’t be overheard during the twelfth week of autumn.

127
Core Quests Calendar of the Seasons
Mark each of these upgrades to Hrafensheim on the Cal-
These Core Quests represent the preparations that must be
endar of the Seasons (see appendix C) as they’re created. If
made for winter, and the benefits that the village’s defenses
all three upgrades are made, the chief shakes the characters’
gain for completing these preparations.
hands and invites them to have a private feast with him as
Core Quest: Building Shelters thanks. The feast is small—he’s rationing for the winter—but
Hrafen’s thanks are true. The characters all gain inspiration.
Prerequisite: Spoke with the chief in “Stockpiling for
Winter” in the fifth week of autumn Core Quest: Raising Fortifications
Questgiver: Chief Hrafen av Skeir Prerequisite: Spoke with the chief in “Stockpiling for
Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) Winter” in the fifth week of autumn
Downtime: None
The village longhouse, Hrafensheim, serves as a stronghold Location: Hrafensheim (area R1)
for the people of Ragvall Village to retreat to if the village’s Downtime: None
fortifications are breached during the winter. Hopefully
During the summer raids, the villagers who remained
such a thing will never happen, but if it does, the longhouse
behind were hard at work building defenses for the winter
must be prepared to withstand a siege.
with whatever resources were left in the village. The chief
Chief Hrafen av Skeir asks the characters to fortify
gives the characters a tour of these fortifications, and
this stronghold in the case of that grim eventuality. The
requests their aid in gathering resources and leading the
upgrades, their costs, and effects are described in “New
Locations,” earlier in this chapter. villagers in reinforcing them in their downtime.
These fortifications and their upgrade costs are
described in “New Locations,” earlier in this chapter.

128
On a Hit. Ranulf gains a +1 bonus to his attack roll when
Core Quest: Veteran Warrior Training using his bow as a ranged weapon for the rest of this quest.
Prerequisite: Spoke with the chief in “Stockpiling for On a Miss. Ranulf gains a +1 bonus to his Strength
Winter” in the fifth week of autumn saving throws for the duration of this quest.
Questgiver: Chief Hrafen av Skeir or Hlökk Warcrier Winter Ambush Training
Location: Hrafensheim (area R1) or Proving Field (area R13) To complete this session, the characters must demonstrate
Downtime: None their ability to sneak through snowy terrain using skis or
When the characters speak with Hlökk Warcrier at the snowshoes. The characters make three ability checks, which
Proving Field (area R13), read or paraphrase the following: grant Ranulf bonuses that will be used in Hlökk’s test, later.
Sneaking characters must make a Dexterity (Stealth)
Hlökk hails you with a raised hand and a respectful incline of check contested by Ranulf’s—the spotter’s—Wisdom
her head. “Health and happiness, hersirs,” she says. “With (Perception) check. Ranulf has a +2 bonus to Wisdom
winter on its way, it’s time to ensure that our raid veterans are (Perception) checks.
in peak fighting shape. I thank you for aiding me.” Successful Stealth. Ranulf gains a +2 bonus to Dexterity
(Stealth) checks and initiative rolls for the rest of this quest.
Hlökk Warcrier asks the characters to lead two training Failed Stealth. Ranulf gains a +2 bonus to his damage
sessions as well as a final trial of the greenhorn warriors’ rolls for the rest of this quest.
skills, each of which require 1 week of downtime.
Putting Your Teaching to the Test
Hlökk lets the characters choose two of the following
advanced training session options: Once all of the training sessions are done, Hlökk brings the
veteran warriors to the Sheltering Wood, where a pack of
• Shield Wall Training dire wolves roams.
• Arrow Volley Training Ranulf and his squad of three veterans (use veteran
• Winter Ambush Training statistics for all) takes on a group of five dire wolves
These new techniques build on the Ragvallan warriors’ together. Their approach depends on what lessons the
basics, and will help them better survive monster attacks characters taught him.
while defending the village in winter. As in spring’s warrior Shield Wall. If the veterans were trained to make a
training, Ranulf Skullcrusher serves as a representative for shield wall, they can use their bonus action to raise their
the learning of all of the warriors. shields, gaining a +5 bonus to AC while next to each other
until they next make an attack.
Lesson Plans Arrow Volley. If the veterans were trained to make an
Completing this quest requires the characters to train arrow volley, their ranged weapon attacks have advantage
Ranulf and a group of Ragvallan veterans for 1 week per if all veterans are adjacent to each other and use their
training session (a total of two weeks, which can be done action to make a ranged attack.
consecutively, or split up).
• If the characters taught “Shield Wall Training” and
As the lessons are to teach the veterans how to both attack
“Arrow Volley Training,” the veterans shoot a volley with
and defend, both success and failure are rewarded. Ranulf,
their crossbows to draw their attention before forming a
representing the warriors collectively, gains a bonus to be
shield wall.
used in “Putting Your Teaching to the Test” later in this quest.
• If the characters taught “Shield Wall Training” and
Shield Wall Training “Winter Ambush Training,” the veterans sneak up to the
To complete this session, the characters must show the wolves before attacking, then form a shield wall.
veterans how to form an impenetrable wall of shields to • If the characters taught “Arrow Volley Training” and
defend against charging foes. The warriors form a shield “Winter Ambush Training,” the veterans approach
wall and defend against the characters’ charging attack. stealthily, then hide and stay at a 100-foot distance while
Each of the characters makes three melee weapon attacks shooting the wolves.
against the shield wall, which has an AC of 18. Ranulf refuses help defeating the wolves, but eagerly
On a Hit. Ranulf gains a +1 bonus to his Strength accepts the characters’ guidance. This quest is a success
saving throws for the duration of this quest. even if Ranulf is defeated, for failure is just as good a
On a Miss. Ranulf gains a +1 bonus to his AC for the teacher as victory.
rest of this quest.
Conclusion
Arrow Volley Training Once the dire wolves have been slain or Ranulf is reduced
To complete this session, the characters must demonstrate to 0 hit points, Hlökk thanks them sincerely. She confidently
how to shoot a barrage of arrows that leaves no room for states, “Winter will test us more than you can possibly
enemies to dodge. Each of the characters must make three expect. I’m glad we have these warriors on our side.”
ranged weapon or spell attacks against a field of scare- Reward. Hlökk Warcrier gives the characters a total of
crows, which has an AC of 18. 50 gp as thanks.

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Chapter 4: Winter
SEASON OF DEATH
Behold now the darkening of the year, when night nigh-eternal envelops the brave lands of Valika. It is in the
light of our fires and the courage of our champions that we find courage and hope, despite the suffering we
know is to come.
We of Clan Ragvall survived our first winter through luck. The worst beasts of winter’s darkness did not yet
know we were here, huddled on the shores of Akkeri Bay. Now they know. Now they awaken. Now is when our
heroes’ mettle will truly be put to test. We cling to hope, yet prepare to die, for the season of death is upon us.
In order to survive the harsh winter, the characters must Major Milestones
use all that they have learned about Ragvall Village’s The following acts are major milestones:
people and its environs over the course of this adventure. If
• Defeating the Coldfire Premonition (see “Come Hell or
they failed to stockpile resources in autumn, the ravages of
High Rime,” later in this chapter)
winter will surely be their downfall.
• Defeating Venin (see “Resisting the Deceiver,” later in
This chapter plays out as an inverse of the summer
this chapter)
season. Rather than going on the offensive and raiding
distant settlements, the characters are put on the defensive.
If Ragvall Village’s fortifications are breached, the Raid Mechanics
characters must make a stand at Hrafensheim to protect
the young and the infirm of their clan. This raids in this chapter use the raid defense mechanics
Amidst the daily fear of invasion, a putrid shadow presented in Raider’s Guide to Valika. If you don’t have
wriggles through the village: the Arch Daemon that made that book, or don’t wish to use the raiding rules, the GM
itself known to the heroes in autumn. As the monster can instead make combat encounters using the normal fifth
attacks grow fiercer and fiercer, Venin goads the characters edition rules to represent these massive battles.
into accepting her corrupting power in order to protect all
that they hold dear. Starting Resources
Winter will test the fortifications which the characters
Leveling up in Winter have spent hundreds of pounds of resources upgrading in
The default means of gaining levels in this adventure is by autumn. The only problem: if those defenses are damaged,
completing milestones. Characters gain a level whenever they’ll need a stockpile of resources to repair them.
they complete five minor milestones, or whenever they The characters’ starting quantities of timber and iron in
complete one major milestone. winter are the same as what they had at the end of autumn.
Characters start this season at 9th level and can’t The village’s starting quantity of warriors in winter
advance higher than 11th level in this chapter. Once they is 100. If they had more than 100 warriors at the end of
reach 11th level, they can’t gain levels from reaching autumn, use that higher number instead.
milestones until the winter season ends.
Minor Milestones
The following act is a minor milestone:
“Outsiders think the cold ‘tis the only thing that
• Completing an Event or Quest invades our walls, our homes, and our minds in the
If the characters go on self-directed adventures and lightless winter. They soon learn better.”
do things not listed here, you can grant them a minor - Heard around the hearth
milestone at your discretion—especially if what they do
takes up a full session of gameplay.
The Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 4: Winter - Season of Death

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Gormadraug’s Herald
This season introduces a new villain that calls itself the
Herald of Gormadraug. This villain was foreshadowed in
Quest: The Herald’s Harbingers (see chapter 3), but it’s
not necessary for the characters to have completed that
Quest to enjoy this season.
The Herald has relinquished all other names it once
bore and fully adopted this grandiloquent title as its villagers were turned to the Herald’s doomsday cult in Quest:
identity. It is a prismatic drake that believes itself to be The Herald’s Harbingers in chapter 3). It does have one
a prophet of Gormadraug, the Prismatic Wyrm whose humanoid ally, however: a defector from the Prismatic Order
awakening foretells the end of all things. named Afjyra (see her game statistics in appendix B).
The Herald has received a vision of Gormadraug A fanatic herself, Afjyra departed her former order after
demanding it slay all living creatures in “The Village Which delving deeper into the history of the Prismatic Wyrm than
Honors Ragvall” in a mass blood sacrifice. The Herald was permitted by her superiors. She came to believe that
believes this blood will keep its master slumbering until the Prismatic Order, which wished to keep Gormadraug
the Time of Awakening—a point in the future at which slumbering for eternity, was short-sighted. Afjyra learned
Gormadraug will have recovered its full strength. The Herald that past cults believed the serpent must sleep to heal from
does not fully understand, but it loyally follows its master’s its wounds, and then be awakened at the proper time to
commands. The Herald has also been commanded to find resume its path of annihilation.
and destroy a “profane idol” of Ragvall, a hero who aided in Afjyra departed Tyburn under cover of night, and met,
Gormadraug’s defeat, which is safeguarded within the village. as if by fate, with the Herald. She proved her devotion by
Like most religious fanatics, the Herald is a self-absorbed shedding her own blood in the name of the Slumbering
creature of instinct. Though it believes itself a true prophet Serpent, and the Herald bestowed upon her their deity’s
of the end times, it’s unclear if the Herald truly possesses primordial power, transforming her into a panjaian—a
primordial power beyond any other prismatic drake. The mortal suffused with elemental power—with the ability to
GM should create a sense of mystery regarding the Herald: manipulate coldfire.
is it truly a prophet of Gormadraug, or is it just another She is now the Herald’s trusted lieutenant and supports
pawn deceived into causing chaos and bloodshed across the drake in its quest to sacrifice all life in Ragvall
Valika by the Arch Daemon Venin? Village in the name of continuing the Prismatic Serpent’s
Despite lacking a true spiritual connection to the healing rest.
Prismatic Wyrm, the Herald’s power is still formidable.
It can instinctually control coldfire—the hateful icy flame The Herald’s Death
birthed from Gormadraug’s power. The coldfire crisis is
an existential threat to all of Valika, and Venin delights in If the Herald dies before the twelfth week of winter (see
seeing such panic spread as a result of her deception. “Come Hell or High Rime,” later in this chapter), then
Afjyra replaces it in any events that the Herald appears
in. If both the Herald and Afjyra die before the twelfth
The Herald’s Champion week of winter, Venin uses her power to fill them with a
Like any good fanatic, the Herald has drawn others to its daemonic facsimile of life. They use the same statistics,
cause. Few humans would dare follow a creature of such except they are now Undead instead of their usual
apocalyptic ambition (though it’s possible some Ragvallan creature types, and their speeds are halved.

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Adventure Start Winter Playtime
Like the beginning of autumn, there are a variety of NPCs
The winter season begins with a snowball fight. Read or in the village square. This is what they’re doing, and what
paraphrase the following to set the scene with this brief, they say if the characters decide to speak with them.
idyllic moment:
Hrafen av Skeir. The village chief, if he yet lives, is watching
The sound of children’s laughter carries over the snow- the festivities from outside Hrafensheim. He occasionally
blanketed center of Ragvall Village. Snowballs whizz
shouts an encouraging comment at a child after they’ve
been pelted by a snowball. He urges the characters to take
through the air as children—and a few adults—build
a moment and enjoy the fun, and grimly intones that it
fortresses like little raiders. Others have fashioned skis and
might be their last chance for fun for the winter.
skates and are playing on the hills and the frozen banks Alvíss av Dvergholt. Alvíss and his children, Yrsa and
of Akkeri Bay. Despite weeks of tension, the first snow of Jorrun, have made a snow fort of their own and have
winter has brought your people a moment of innocent bliss. made their own faction against all the Valikan children.
Last night, you were approached by Hlökk Warcrier, Alvíss is surprisingly passionate about the snowball fight.
who is in charge of the moment-to-moment minutiae of He says that his children aren’t going to leave his shop
the village’s defense. She’s requested you meet her at the once winter starts, for their own good.
eastern watchtowers, but surely it couldn’t hurt to spend a Ása Lögmaður. Ása stands apart from the crowd and plays
moment with the children. referee, making sure that no one puts stones in their snow-
balls. She says that her most important task this winter is
ensuring the safety of Shrine Isle. She’ll defend the idol of
Many adult villagers are playing with the village children
Ragvall enshrined there to her dying breath—she’ll even
in this peaceful moment. Ask the characters if they
risk her life to bring it to Hrafensheim if Shrine Isle falls.
wish to linger with them (see “Winter Playtime,” below)
Bragi Bennuson. The village bard is providing boisterous
or continue onward toward their meeting with Hlökk
musical accompaniment to the fight. He says that he’s
Warcrier at the fortifications (see “Hlökk’s Defensive
been studying if there are any monsters that can be
Plan,” below).
tamed by music, but the chief has just laughed at him.

133
Gunnvarr Grindalsson. If Gunnvarr lives and remains in it’s likely that next week, they’ll attack either from the
the village, he’s laughing maniacally as he stands in the sea or from the plains. Spending time each week scouting
middle of the battlefield, being pelted by snowballs from around the village can give clues to where monsters will
all sides. He says that he’s been setting up barricades attack from next.
within the rivers to make sure no monsters sneak into • Whenever one of Ragvall’s fortifications is attacked, it’ll
the village from upriver. need to be repaired, otherwise it becomes less effective
Mardoll Brightsea. Mardoll has an armful of snowballs and will be destroyed the next time it’s attacked.
and is dashing about the battlefield, looking for Ása. She • When a monster attack begins, all noncombatants
tells the characters that she’s been preparing the ships to are ordered to retreat to the longhouse (area R1) to
take warriors to Shrine Isle once monsters attack.
minimize casualties.
Ranulf Skullcrusher. Even though Ranulf wants to
• If any the village’s innermost fortifications (areas RF3,
be respected as an adult, he's still teamed up with a
RF6, and RF9) are breached, the characters must
group of children. He tells the characters that he’s
prepare for invaders to attack the longhouse in a bid to
been training hard, and but that the woods have been
unusually quiet lately. His gut tells him that the first steal their resources or slaughter their villagers.
attack will come from the north. • Each week, the characters can assign a new defensive
formation. Otherwise, the warriors will continue to
Enemies from the Treeline! defend the same locations without reinforcements.
If the characters spend time playing with the children or • Each week, the characters can also command villagers
speak with five or more of the villagers before going to the to improve one fortification in the village over the course
towers to speak with Hlökk, monsters appear from the of the next week. This costs timber and iron, depending
forest while they’re still in the village. In this case, read or on which structure is being improved. (See “Defensive
paraphrase the following: Fortifications,” later in this chapter.)
Joyful laughter turns to screaming. Elk and wolves pour Making the First Defensive Line
from the woods to the north, sending villagers scattering. Hlökk walks the characters through their very first time
Something is wrong with them—they’re unusually huge, allocating the warriors to their defensive positions.
and their eyes glint with malice. A monstrous elk pins down Warriors. The village starts this season with a min-
one of the fleeing villagers with its hooves and bares its imum of 100 warriors. If they ended autumn with more
teeth, revealing rows of fangs that it sinks into the villager’s than that number, use that number instead. Not all warri-
flesh over and over, devouring him alive. ors have to be allocated. Once an attack begins, the char-
acters can spend a turn to direct unallocated warriors to a
By a stroke of luck, the characters may have saved new position. These defensive raiding rules are described
many lives by dragging their heels. See “First Blood of in more detail in chapter 3 of Raider’s Guide to Valika.
Winter,” below. Minimum Force. Each fortification has a minimum
number of warriors required to defend it.
Maximum Capacity. Each fortification has a
Hlökk’s Defensive Plan maximum number of warriors it can hold.
Hlökk Warcrier has been handling the minutiae of Raiding Roll DC. When monsters attack a
preparing Ragvall’s warriors to defend the village when fortification, they must make a Raiding Roll. On a success,
monsters attack. She’s asked the characters to meet her at they overcome the fortification and can attack the next one
the Mannavegr Towers (area RF1) to discuss their defensive in its lane. The DC is different for each fortification.
plans. She waves at the characters from atop one of the Hlökk’s Recommendation. After explaining the above
watchtowers when they approach. Read or paraphrase the information, Hlökk recommends a balanced defensive
following when the characters climb the tower: spread, since they have no idea where the monsters might
be coming from. She notes that the characters can change
“Health and happiness, hersirs,” Hlökk says with a respectful
where their warriors are positioned at any time before the
raise of her hand. Several other Ragvallan warriors echo her
village falls under attack.
greeting—some veterans who you fought with in the summer
raids, but many new trainees, as well. “Come, we’ve much to Screams from the Village!
discuss. The sagas tell that monsters rise from the darkness Once the characters have concluded their arrangements for
with the first snows of winter. There is no time to waste.” winter’s first defensive line, read or paraphrase the following:
Hlökk explains the following “rules” of winter, based on The quiet calm is shattered by screams and a piercing,
what she learned from the monster attacks last winter: shrieking howl.
• Monsters rarely attack from the same direction twice in a Hlökk whirls—her hand is already on her blade’s hilt.
row. For example, if the monsters attack from the forest, “Gods’ breath, what the hell was that?”

134
If the characters fought the prismatic drake in Hvitrfjall haven’t discussed how to defend the village with Hlökk,
Shrine (see chapter 5), then they recognize the shriek as she approaches them to do so now (see “Hlökk’s Defensive
a drake’s. Plan,” earlier in this chapter).
Hlökk commands her warriors in the towers to remain As usual, time advances when the characters take
at their posts and on alert, while she hurries down the downtime—either because a Quest they’ve completed
ladder. Proceed to “First Blood of Winter” when the mandates it, or because they choose to let the week pass
characters reach the village square. without doing any Quests.
First Blood of Winter They Came from

This morning, Ragvall Village was at peace. It was the Sheltering Wood
not to last. Run Event: First Blood. This is a raid
Prerequisite: Begun the second week of winter
defense scenario.
The monstrous beasts that the characters fought last week
Rallying the Village were only the beginning. Twisted by dark magic and driven
Once the attacking monsters are repulsed at the end of into a frenzy by the entropic whisperings of the Herald, a
Event: First Blood or killed at the end of Event: Hunger- herd of hungerer beasts assails Ragvall Village.
ers Rampant, the people turn to the characters for guidance. Run Event: Gore-Hungry Beasts. This is a raid
Depending on what the characters say, morale in the village defense scenario.
may improve or dissipate. If the characters say something that
doesn’t fit any of the options listed below, it has no effect. Recovering from the Raid
Honor the Dead. If the characters’ first act is to erect There are many roleplaying scenes that can follow an event
a funeral pyre for the dead, the villagers’ despair is of this magnitude. This is especially true if the invading
tempered by a desire to defend those who still live. monsters breached the characters’ defenses and entered
Until the end of the next raid defense scenario, the Hrafensheim, and even more so if a beloved NPC died.
Raiding Roll DC for each fortification in the village It’s up to the players to decide how their characters act in
increases by 1. an emotionally heavy situation like this, and to the GM to
Seek Bloody Vengeance. If the characters’ first act is to decide how individual NPCs react.
whip the villagers into a frenzy against the monsters, Like in the “Rallying the Village” section earlier in this
more villagers take up pitchforks and are willing to chapter, most people in the village find the means to go
die in an act of vengeance. The number of warriors in on after a tragedy by seeking hope in faith or embracing
Ragvall increases by 20. anger and vengeance. Some lose the will to fight and fall
Abandon Hope. If the characters’ first act is to panic, into a depression.
the villagers follow suit; until the end of the next
raid defense scenario, the Raiding Roll DC for each Life Must Go On
fortification decreases by 1. If Chief av Skeir is still alive, After the raiding monsters are repelled, the characters can
he urges the villagers not to listen, and to hold on to go on Quests and perform downtime this week as usual.
hope, negating this penalty. Elven Allies. If the characters made an alliance with
the Evergreen Enclave (such as by completing Event:
Reassigning Forces The Elven-Thegn Appears with the “Woodland Truce”
outcome; see chapter 1), then a messenger of Elven-Thegn
The characters may realize that the creatures which
Arduinna comes to tell them of the location of a monster
attacked the village were just the vanguard of a larger
nest in the woods and asks them to meet with Arduinna in
force waiting in the forest. Now—or at any time before next
the woods.
week’s monster attack—the characters can reassign where
Meeting with Thegn Arduinna begins Quest: Shel-
they posted their warriors to defend against the scouts that
tered Horror.
snuck into the village.
Taking Stock of the Village

Once this attack has been dealt with, the characters are
free to explore the village, speak with NPCs, and learn
of any quests they have to offer. Alternatively, they could “It’s funny how your most hated enemy can turn
into the heartiest ally when the cold, and the things
spend their time doing any of the downtime activities listed
that come out of the cold, are knocking on your door.
in the “Downtime in Winter” section, later in this chapter.
Enmity can wait. Old wounds can be healed. Yeah,
Make sure that the players know all the downtime
it’s funny. But it’s no laughing matter.”
options they have available to them; as important figures
in the village, they would know what they can do to - Hlökk Warcrier
continue securing the village (see “Downtime in Winter,”
later in this chapter). Additionally, if the characters

135
A Visit from the Venin Comes Calling
At twilight of the third day this week, Venin appears to the
Woman of Shadows characters regardless of whether they are traveling or in the
Prerequisite: Begun the third week of winter village. Read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:
After the carnage at the winter’s beginning, this week be- You hear a voice from a dark corner, barely in the corner of
gins a nearly month-long span without an attack. The char- your vision. “My most noble and stronghearted warriors.”
acters are approached by Hlökk Warcrier with a scouting It is a tall, pale-skinned human woman in a black dress
report. Later, they are approached by an apparition of the
that twinkles like the night sky, shrouded in a fur-lined
Arch Daemon Venin who tries to goad them into accepting
cloak so black that it’s unclear where her long, black hair
a dark deal.
ends and her garb begins. Her eyelids are decorated with
A Moment to Breathe gold, and a deep blue iris surrounds a blood-red pupil.
As the characters awaken at the start of this week, Hlökk A thin smile spreads across her pale face. “It is good
approaches them; read or paraphrase the following: to see you again.” Her voice now echoes from deep within
your head, sourceless and omnipresent.
“Health and happiness, hersirs,” she says, raising a hand
in greeting. “Our scouts have returned from the woods This Aspect of Venin (see appendix A) is a form that Venin
and the surrounding plains. They report that an army enjoys taking when communicating with mortals: a beautiful
from Hrist has reinforced Runeheim, and both Halsfjord woman with an obvious edge of danger to her appearance.
and Summerhelm have sent forces out to burn out She speaks coyly, and as the Arch Daemon of Deception, it’s
monster nests. impossible to read whether or not she’s lying.
“I suspect we have a moment of peace on our hands. If the characters made a deal with Venin in autumn, she
If you have business to attend to outside of the village, I plays upon their existing relationship and tries to get them to
recommend you take this brief reprieve to travel. A trophy accept a second deal: even greater power for a greater cost.
from afar might renew our warriors’ fighting spirit.” If they didn’t, she tries to play upon their fear to get them
to make a deal now. She describes the power she is willing
to offer them in vague but seductive terms, tailored to each
Hlökk is willing to implement changes to the village’s
character’s individual desires and weaknesses. Venin offers
defenses as usual. She’s also happy to answer
the following:
questions, such as:
Power. “You Valikans value strength. Of course, I can
How do you know there won’t be an attack while we’re
grant that. Does the power to make a mortal’s blood
away? “I don’t. However, I’ve survived many winters.
freeze to ice appeal?”
If the scouts have found no nests, intuition tells me we
Trickery. “But surely you know that I am a being of
have a moment to breathe easy. Probably two weeks—
deception… it is why you still do not fully trust me.” She
maybe three, if we’re lucky.”
laughs. “And you are right not to, of course. But think of
Can we adjust the village’s defenses while traveling?
the illusions I wield. Instead of a village, your attackers
“Only if you leave me plans, or if you can communicate
would see a mountain of fire, or an army of thousands,
with me from afar.”
or a cavernous abyss.”
What happens if there’s an attack while we’re away?
Loyalty. “It doesn’t have to stop there. You are powerful in
“Then we fight without you. We’ll send a scout to find
strength of arms, of course, but you are also leaders. You
you and try and hold out as long as we can. I admit,
need your people to love you. Or fear you. You could
I don’t like our chances if the perimeter is breached
hold their fears, their joys… their very hearts in the
without our hersirs to protect us.”
palm of your hands. None would ever turn on you.”
If the characters have no questions for Hlökk, she takes her
Once she offers this power, Venin extends her hand. A
leave. From here, the characters are free to do as they wish:
simple handshake is all she requires to seal this bargain. She
going on Quests, exploring, or performing downtime activities.
doesn’t share the cost of this power unless the characters
explicitly ask. Venin is obligated to disclose the terms of her
deals with mortal supplicants if they ask, but she phrases the
consequences extremely vaguely at first. If she is badgered,
she threatens to walk away in an attempt to spook them into
“Surely survival can’t be the only thing you desire. accepting the deal without ever seeing its terms.
You are the bravest of warriors and the strongest of Contractual Obligation. A character that makes a
the strong. What about riches? Power? Glory?” successful DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check
knows that daemons, even Arch Daemons, are supernat-
- Aspect of Venin
urally bound to reveal all details of a contract, in writing
or verbally, if asked; otherwise, the mortal can command
them back to the Netherworld for a year and a day.

136
Venin’s Price. In exchange for Venin’s power, each complete a long rest before you can cast it in this
of the characters are bound to pay one soul from Ragvall way again.
Village to Venin at sunset on the last day of winter, for her Maven of Heartstrings. You can cast glibness without
to do with as she pleases for eternity. She cares not whose expending a spell slot. You must complete a long rest
soul it is. If they offer up a no-name villager, she is happy to before you can do so again.
take it. If they wish to play hero, she is happy to claim their Virtuoso of Illusions. You can cast the following
own souls. If the characters balk, she says, “It is a small illusion spells without expending a spell slot: creation,
cost, don’t you think? Imagine how many more souls you hallucinatory terrain, or mislead. Once you cast these
will save from oblivion by accepting my offer.” spells three times in any combination, you can’t do
so again until you complete a long rest. The DC for
Refusing Venin any check made to see through these illusions is 17 or
If the characters refuse her offer, read: your spell save DC, whichever is higher. Additionally,
creatures have disadvantage on saving throws to resist
Venin pouts, then turns from you to gaze off at the horizon.
your illusions and Intelligence (Investigation) checks to
Quietly, she says, “I hear your village is at peace. That is see through them.
good for them. Yet surely such tranquility will not last.
Even I cannot hold the creatures that lurk in the darkness Calendar of the Seasons
at bay—not unless you become a conduit for my power.” If any characters accept a deal with Venin, mark the
following outcome on the Calendar of the Seasons (see
She waits, permitting the characters a moment to appendix C):
reconsider after hearing her veiled threat. Infernal Signatory. All characters who accepted Venin’s
If the characters refused her offer by attacking her, she power are bound to pay her by the terms of their
winces at the attack (if she took damage) and steps away contract at sunset on the last day of winter. (See “Come
from the hostile characters. Hell or High Rime,” at the end of this chapter.)
Either way, she steps into the shadows and vanishes
completely. Her voice echoes on the wind: “Don’t say I
didn’t warn you.”
Accepting Venin’s Power

Any character that shakes Venin’s hand gains a power, at a
cost. Read or paraphrase:
The woman before you smiles a too-wide smile, and the

palm of your hand begins to bleed, suddenly etched with a
symbol of a heavily lidded eye shedding two bloody tears.
“Fret not about that,” she says dismissively. “A symbol
of our pact. It will remain there, but it’s a simple enough
thing to illusion away with your new power.”
All characters who make a pact with Venin can cast minor
illusion at will. Additionally, they gain one supernatural
boon from the list below. Only one character in the party
can gain each power. If all three powers are chosen and
more characters agreed to a boon, all three become
available again. You can present these boons
to the players on cards and let them squabble
among themselves to choose which one they want most.
Blood-Chilling Grasp. You can cast hold monster
without expending a spell slot. Its save DC
is 17 or your spell save DC, whichever
is higher. This spell doesn’t require
concentration when cast in this
way. A creature paralyzed by this
spell takes 14 (4d6) cold damage
whenever it fails a saving throw
against this spell. Once you
cast this spell, you must

137
Quiet on the Valikan Front brave face and praying for the best. He’s probably not a
threat but might interpret hostility from you where none
Prerequisite: Begun the fourth week of winter is intended.
Once again, there is no attack this week. Eager young war- Fernand’s Wares. Fernand’s supplies are of little
riors like Ranulf Skullcrusher are getting jumpy; this tension interest to adventurers; he has no magic items or such.
is starting to grate on their nerves. Seasoned veterans like He does, however, have about one hundred blades and
Hlökk Warcrier and Hrafen av Skeir remain calm. shields of decent quality, which he’ll sell for a total of 500
As with the previous week, the characters are still free to gp. Doing so frees up raw iron for other uses, granting the
continue adventuring outside of the village. village a total of 200 pounds of iron.
Haggling with Fernand. Fernand isn’t immune
to haggling or intimidation. If the characters demand
Stillness Unabated payment for shelter, he grimaces and says he doesn’t have
Prerequisite: Begun the fifth week of winter any coin on hand, but offers them a 25 percent discount
on his wares as payment. A successful DC 20 Charisma
There are still no attacks, but now the villagers are (Intimidation) check increases the discount to 50 percent.
growing tense. Even the stoic dwarf Alvíss av Dvergholt If Grindal av Halsfjord is still in Ragvall Village, his
looks over his shoulder at the slightest sound. connections with Fernand allow you to buy this iron for
half price without any haggling.
The Unusual Merchant
Why Walk? If the characters ask Fernand about
At any point during this week while the characters are in why he walked all the way from Halsfjord to Ragvall
the village, a strange event occurs: a traveling merchant Village, he inadvertently gives them a clue about the next
arrives on foot. Read or paraphrase the following: week’s raid:
“Halt! Who goes there?” The voice of Ranulf Skullcrusher,
The merchant grimaces. “Normally I wouldn’t. I run the
apparently on guard duty, carries over the snow-
ledger for a ship, merchant ship. The Northern Prospect.
blanketed village.
Thing is, it was lost at sea last week. Along with plenty of
A response, softer and haggard, is still audible: “I swear,
other fine ships. Only one came back, with only a skeleton
nothing more than a merchant. I’ve braved the road from
crew remaining. They gibbered about men crawling up
Halsfjord and seek shelter. I’ve wares to sell!”
from the sea, killing their crews, and scuttling the ships on
the Teeth. It all sounded quite mad, but…well, something
This merchant is an old, balding, wispy-haired Bürach about it got to me. I had wares to sell, and decided I’d
man named Fernand Harker (LN, male human noble,
rather brave the winter road than a haunted sea.”
with a Charisma of 18 and a +8 bonus to Charisma
[Deception] checks). He is dressed in fine furs. He’s lived
in Halsfjord for many years, running the books for a Developments
prosperous merchant ship called the Northern Prospect,
Fernand is a minor character that doesn’t have any further
which sells Valikan furs to Bürach nobles and Bürach
impact on the adventure. The characters may choose to
blades to Valikan raiders. He carries a heavy pack on
show him compassion by letting him into the village, but
his shoulder and walks with an ox-cart loaded high with
risk misunderstanding and accidental violence between him
crates behind him.
and the villagers. Alternatively, they could cast him out of
Mistrust the village, likely dooming him to die in the snow. Whatever
If the characters try to speak with him with this suspicious their choice, this minor moral dilemma doesn’t affect future
merchant, Ranulf pulls them aside and says, “I don’t like events unless the GM chooses to develop it further.
this, hersirs. I think he’s a vampire. He’s strange, appearing
out of a snowstorm, asking permission to enter… the people
won’t like this.”
“When it comes to bad choices, give me the known
Meeting with Fernand over the unknown any day. I’ve seen the Bite take a
This merchant claims he’s half-frozen from the cold; if the soul’s leg right up to the knee. I’ve seen the wolves--
characters grant him a room and a place by a warm fire, they can be shooed off with fire. But seeing the looks
he’ll gladly sell them food and weapons to help them see in those sailors’ eyes and hearing the death echoing
out the winter. in their voices, I’m never setting foot on a ship again.
Can We Trust this Merchant? A character that speaks The ice might take my body, but something took
with Fernand can try to assess his trustworthiness by their souls. And they were the lucky ones.”
making a DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check. On a success, - Fernand Harker
they determine that scared out of his wits of both monsters
and a village of strange Valikans but is putting on a

138
Tension Breaks Survivors from the Darkness
Prerequisite: Begun the sixth week of winter Prerequisite: Begun the seventh week of winter
A weeks-long tense peace is suddenly shattered by the There is no attack this week. However, near dawn on the first
warning horns of Ragvallan sentries, and the village bursts day of this week, the villagers see a remarkable sight: a talking
into action. An alliance of aquatic humanoid horrors has fox! This animal messenger in the form of a white-furred fox
arrived. Their coming was foreshadowed in Quest: The appears in the village. Read or paraphrase the following:
Immortal Hermit (see chapter 1), Quest: Ása’s Lost Past
(see chapter 3), and the rumors shared by Fernand in the A crowd of Ragvallan villagers have surrounded a snow-
previous week. Laneshi raiders, allied with blood-hungry white fox. It’s already spoken a few words: “Gather! Gather!
keppmir skirmishers rise from the depths. I’ve a message!” After waiting a few patient minutes, the fox
Run Event: The Darkwater Alliance. This is a raid speaks. “We are Valikan warriors of Hrist, lost in the Grar-
defense scenario. jord wastes, waylaid by giants! We beg help. Seek the Rock
of the Blade Breaker.”
Recovering from the Raid The fox then spins in a circle, chirps twice, and
There are many roleplaying scenes that can follow an event
scampers off toward the Sheltering Wood.
of this magnitude. This is especially true if the invading
monsters breached the characters’ defenses and entered
Hrafensheim, and even more so if a beloved NPC died. This fox’s message begins Quest: Warriors of the Wastes.
It’s up to the players to decide how their characters act in Searching for the warriors and returning them to Ragvall
an emotionally heavy situation like this, and to the GM to Village takes about 1 week of time (represented by this
decide how individual NPCs react. Quest’s downtime).
Like in the “Rallying the Village” section earlier in this
chapter, most people in the village find the means to go on
Ignoring the Call
after a tragedy by seeking hope in faith or embracing anger If the characters ignore the fox’s request, the warriors
and vengeance. Some lose the will to fight and fall into a from Hrist do eventually arrive in Ragvall at the end of
depression. this week, but their numbers are greatly reduced by their
hardships. Their arrival only adds 25 warriors to Ragvall’s
Life Must Go On number. The characters can no longer pursue Quest:
After the raiding monsters are repelled, the characters can Warriors of the Wastes after this occurs.
go on quests and perform downtime this week as usual.
Ása’s Fears
March of Jarl Grimskjelle
This scene only occurs if the characters did not earn the Prerequisite: Begun the eighth week of winter
“Ása’s Home” outcome in Quest: Ása’s Lost Past (see There is no attack this week, but Hlökk Warcrier
chapter 3). approaches with a grim scouting report at the week’s start.
The night after the raid, Ása comes to the characters Read or paraphrase:
in tears, sorrowful for the harm the laneshi caused to the
people of Ragvall. Hlökk hails you in her usual fashion, then gets straight
to business. “Frost giants have been spotted on Grarjord,
“I will pass judgement on myself,” she croaks miserably. “I
hersirs, just as the warriors from Hrist described. I can see
am one of the enemy. One of the same blood of the people
only two options available to us: launch a preemptive strike
who killed so many today. I can’t be trusted. I will declare
or lay low and hope they don’t come this way.
myself an outlaw and depart this village. The people have
“We must weigh our options. A preemptive strike
desired it since they first found me on this shore. It’s no less
could give us an enormous advantage if they try to attack
than I deserve.”
us, but we don’t even know if the giants are aware this
village exists.”
If the characters accept her judgment, she departs the
village silently, without goodbyes, and slips into the sea
The characters must make a risky decision with little
under cover of night. If they refuse to let her go and tell her
concrete information. What they don’t know is the giants
that she’s wrong, she stubbornly refuses to hear sense.
don’t know Ragvall Village exists. The giants won’t
If the characters continue to try and reason with Ása,
attack in the ninth week of winter unless the characters
ask one of them to make a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion)
attack them now. Nevertheless, provoking the giants into
check—with advantage, if they made a persuasive
attacking and then prevailing over them would grant the
argument. On a success, she relents, smiles, and sobs
characters a great deal of treasure—if they survive.
grateful tears. She agrees to stay in Ragvall Village and
Hlökk’s message begins Quest: Preemptive Strike.
help protect them as long as they will have her.

139
Wrath of the Giants Giants Depart Eastward
Prerequisite: Begun the ninth week of winter and Prerequisite: Begun the ninth week of winter and did not
completed Quest: Preemptive Strike complete Quest: Preemptive Strike
If the characters angered the giants commanded by Without being disturbed by Ragvallan warriors, the giants
Jarl Grimskjelle, Ragvall Village falls under attack by led by Jarl Grimskjelle don’t raid Ragvall Village. Instead,
his enraged warband. If they didn’t, see “Giants Move they continue on toward the Valikan city of Summerhelm.
Eastward,” below. Unwarned of their arrival, Summerhelm suffers terrible
losses as they repel the giants.
Frost Giant Vanguard
Run Event: Frosty Reception. This is a raid Lefsi’s Farewell
defense scenario. After feeling confident that the people of Ragvall are safe
from the marauding giants, the leader of the Hrist warriors
Recovering from the Raid thanks the characters for their hospitality and cordially takes
By now, this is the third monster raid that the people of his leave. If asked why he’s leaving so soon, he responds:
Ragvall Village have weathered this winter. Though death
and loss still carry a heavy undercurrent of sorrow, Valikan “My chief is awaiting my report. I’m sure the giants have
culture values stoicism and private grief. The villagers have caused chaos throughout Kandar. We will need to prepare
become accustomed enough to tragedy that the only casually to aid our allies. I hope we can count you among those
visible effect of the raid is a sense of subdued determination allies come springtime.”
as they rebuild their homes and fortifications.
Life Must Go On Developments

After the raiding monsters are repelled, the characters can At the beginning of the next week, the characters hear that
go on Quests and perform downtime this week as usual. Summerhelm’s fortifications were breached, hundreds of
Lefsi’s Pride Valikan warriors were killed, and untold treasures were
stolen. Grimskjelle and his giants then disappeared into the
After the attack, Lefsi Mannison, leader of the band of
snowstorm and are likely halfway back to their stronghold
warriors from Hrist, approaches one of the characters and
in Frostmere by now.
clasps their hand in thanks. Read or paraphrase:
The effects of the Sack of Summerhelm don’t have any
“I don’t know if you know the magnitude of what you impact on Ragvall Village during this adventure. However, it
just did, but I thank you, nonetheless. Those giants were could be important if you create new adventures to continue
this story after winter’s end. For example, bold Ragvallans
marching east, towards Hrist, or Summerhelm, or some
could plan a raid on Grimskjelle’s redoubt in Frostmere to
other city. With just a handful of warriors, you managed to
claim the treasure they looted from Summerhelm.
turn them back. I must return to Hrist with a report for my
clan’s chief, but I’ll leave my warriors with you. If there’s
anything I can do to repay you, anything at all, please
tell me. I hope that our people will be fast friends from
here on out.”
Calendar of the Seasons. The characters may ask a

request of Lefsi, and he will do his best to repay them as
a sign of the friendship between Hrist and Ragvall. Mark
whatever promise Lefsi makes on the Calendar of the
Seasons (see appendix C), such as:
Aid in the Hour of Darkness. If the characters tell him
of Venin’s prophecy—that grave danger will come to
Ragvall Village on the final day of winter—he swears to
bring as many warriors as he can from Hrist to aid them
by winter’s end.

140
Vision of Coldfire If the characters don’t exit their homes after 1 minute,
their house catches fire. At the start of each minute, they
Prerequisite: Begun the tenth week of winter take 7 (2d6) damage from the coldfire; this damage ig-
There is no attack this week. However, villagers have been nores resistance to cold damage and treats cold immunity
suffering from nightmares that share unusual, almost as cold resistance.
prophetic similarities. If one of the characters is chief of When the characters leave the longhouse, they enter
the clan, they are approached by Mildrith Quickshot, who the village square, which is alight with coldfire. Read or
tells them that her hunters—and their families—have been paraphrase the following:
suffering these dreams. If Hrafen av Skeir is still the chief,
Blue flame has consumed all the houses of Ragvall Village,
he is told this, and calls upon the characters to investigate.
but there is no smell of ash. There is no smell at all, and the
Mildrith brings the characters to her hunters’ cabins
(area R15) and encourages the hunters to describe their world is silent except for the crackling of cold flames.
experiences. Each of the hunters had a different dream. In the center of the village square stands a woman, pale
They share the following information about their dreams: as death, with black garb and hair like roiling shadows.
Blue Fire. “I woke up in my bed and walked into the night. She flicks her golden eyes towards you and wryly says,
I saw the village all aflame, but somehow, I was still “Something awful is coming, can’t you tell? I’ve heard that
freezing. The fire was blue and deadly cold. Suddenly, the end of the world is quite charming this time of year.”
the ground shook and fire burst up and devoured me. I
can’t forget the cold.” Venin’s attitude is relaxed and superior, but she is here with a
A World of Ice. “In my dream, I was an eagle flying above purpose: to scare the characters into accepting her power. Her
Grarjord. Huge spires of ice burst through the snow, calm demeanor becomes wrathful as they deny her offers.
the lakes, even the mountaintops. They were burning
with blue fire, and a dazzling light shone in the sky. Another Offer of Power
Like the northern lights, but glowing with every color I Venin has more power to offer the characters. However,
could imagine. I saw a shape on the horizon and heard a the terms of her payment are greater than what she asked
sound—a roar—that froze my blood, and I woke up.” for earlier in the winter—though, just as before, she
Light Born from a Frozen Egg. “I was in a cave. doesn’t specify what the cost is unless she’s asked directly.
Somehow, I knew it was at the edge of the world. I She only says that she’ll collect her payment on the final
felt the ground shake, and this thing rose out of the day of winter.
ground—a block of ice bigger than any tree. It started She offers:
cracking, and light poured out. There were so many • “A body unable to be harmed by the freezing flames of
colors. I stared, and eventually, everything went white, the Prismatic Wyrm you fear so greatly.”
and so cold. I couldn’t see anymore, and I woke up. • “Immortality, so long as you die the sort of warrior’s
The Voice of Demise. “I knew that the world was death you Valikans idealize.”
ending. Somehow, I knew. It shames me to say it, but • “A touch which burns so hot that it can burn flame
I hid. Under my bed. I hid until I heard a voice. It itself—and quench this cold, blue fire.”
spoke sounds I couldn’t understand, but somehow,
Skin of Stone. Your skin turns to grayish stone, which
I knew their meaning. It was deep, rumbling like an
constantly cracks and reforms as you move. You become
earthquake. It told me to…to kill my family. It said that
resistant to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage,
it wasn’t yet time for it to awaken. That it longed for
and immune to cold damage dealt by coldfire.
blood. That it needed blood to keep sleeping.”
Warrior’s Immortality. When you are killed by an
If the characters spend at least three hours inquiring attack or spell, you are resurrected 24 hours later. Upon
about the nightmares, they interview enough people to rising, you permanently lose 1 Hit Die and bear an eye
determine that at least half of the people in Ragvall have resembling the symbol of Venin like a tattoo on the
had nightmares like this, and that there isn’t any common place where the killing wound was. You can’t be revived
thread connecting the dreamers other than their dreams. if your body was destroyed, such as by being burned,
The dreams are occurring at random. disintegrated, or decapitated.
Touch of Fire. When you touch a creature or object or hit
The Dream Descends it with an unarmed strike, you deal 4d6 fire damage.
At some point before this week ends, the characters all Your touch can also extinguish a patch of coldfire no
experience the dream at once. They find themselves within larger than 5 feet on any side, or reduce the size of a
a shared dream. Read or paraphrase the following: larger coldfire conflagration by that amount.
You awaken in a bedroll inside the village longhouse with Venin’s Cost. Just as before, each of the characters are
a start. Something is wrong. The house is empty. The air bound to pay one soul to Venin at sunset on the last day of
winter, for her to do with as she pleases for eternity. This
around you is so cold it burns your lungs, and the dark of
time, however, she requests “The soul of one person: the
night is lit by an eerie blue light.
next person who asks you for help.”

141
Once a person asks a character for help, this person’s Parley with the Herald of Doom
name is seared into the character’s palm, and can only be The Herald’s legion of the dead arrives at the beginning of
removed when Venin collects their soul. this week. Read or paraphrase:
If any of the characters accept this power, it’s the GM’s
duty to cause a beloved NPC to ask them for help in the A horn sounds from the north of your village with a
coming attacks. pitch so deep and primordial that the earth itself shakes.
Villagers cower, reminded of the dreams they had only a
Refusing Venin’s Power
week before, when the quaking of the earth spelled doom.
If the characters continue to deny Venin, she snarls
and spits: Gathering at the northern road out of Ragvall Village is a
small host of Valikan warriors, though they walk with an
“You are weary. Bleeding resources and warriors. You unnatural, staggering gait. On either side of them are two
know not what horrors will come to you in the waning days standard-bearers, though instead of flags they hold poles
of winter. Though the darkest days are behind you, the topped with a brass font of icy blue fire.
bloodiest are yet to come.” Behind them all are two figures. The first is familiar—a
drake larger than a bull elk with shimmering scales of
She lingers for a moment, permitting the characters to all colors of the rainbow. The second is a human woman
reconsider their stubbornness, then sneers and vanishes dressed in tattered vestments of the Prismatic Order,
into the nearest shadow. and sitting atop a grisly, half-rotten corpse of a steed that
somehow still moves and holds her weight.
Attacking Venin
The drake lifts into the air and bellows, “The Herald of
If at any point one of the characters attack Venin, her
Gormadraug has returned! I demand parley with your chief!”
visage transforms into that of one of their friends. Read
or paraphrase:
The drake would prefer to meet the chief out in the
Venin chokes and gasps as you strike her. You look up to open, where no sudden moves can be made. However, a
her face to see that it has been replaced by the face of one traditional Ragvallan bything (see “Laws of Ragvall” in the
of your friends. The daemon weakly cackles, and haltingly “Introduction” of this adventure) gathers the village chief,
rasps, “Refusing me simply condemns those you love.” the lawspeaker, and any villagers that wish to participate
Suddenly, the dream ends, and you awaken. upon Shrine Isle. If the characters agree to meet with
the Herald, they can demand this be done the Valikan
way, and the Herald agrees. In this instance, it flies to
The character whose face Venin borrowed awakens with 1 Shrine Isle, carrying Afjyra but not her steed. The legion
point of exhaustion. of undead warriors walk into Akkeri Bay and shamble
underwater to the shore of Shrine Isle.
Bearers of the Frigid Flame If the characters choose to hear the Herald out, see
“Herald’s Assembly,” below. If they attack it instead, see
Prerequisite: Begun the eleventh week of winter
“No Negotiations,” below. If Hrafen av Skeir is alive, he is
An undead legion marches upon Ragvall. They come to willing to hear the Herald’s terms, and requests that the
parley, but the characters can pick a fight here and now, characters be present as they parley.
if they choose. Ever since the Herald revealed itself to the
Ragvallans in Event: First Blood, it has been quietly Herald’s Assembly
scheming with its champion Afjyra on how to raise a force As stated earlier in this week’s events, the Herald has
to conquer Ragvall. two goals:
An opportunity presented itself when a Valikan warband • Make a blood sacrifice of all people in Ragvall Village in
from Hrist was all but annihilated by the frigid cold of the name of maintain Gormadraug’s slumber until the
Grarjord. Together, they invoked a ritual of gleaming evil fated time of awakening
that raised this army’s dead as starving, frostbitten zom- • Find and destroy an idol of the hero Ragvall, which it has
bies. These warriors still bear the icons of Hrist that mark heard is somewhere in the village
them the remains of the brave warriors Lefsi Mannison lost
The Herald claims to be willing to give up the first goal
in his campaign earlier this winter.
in exchange for the second, but is lying. Even if it gets
The Herald’s goal is to perform a ritual sacrifice that
the idol, it will return next week with its army and attack
kills all people in Ragvall Village, and to burn the idol
Ragvall Village.
of the hero Ragvall—which, unless it’s been moved, is on
When it meets with the characters—and the chief, if
Shrine Isle.
Hrafen av Skeir is still alive—it states these demands clearly
and matter-of-factly, as if Ragvall’s fate is an inevitability:

142
“The Prismatic Wyrm longs for blood as it dreams. Your she would sooner take it and flee into the sea, or attack the
Valikan Prismatic Order knows this. My master must sleep characters and likely die, to keep it. If the characters trade
until the time of awakening. I request your blood. All of your the idol, she departs Ragvall Village forever.
village must lay down their lives and accept being sacrificed. Once the Herald gets the idol, it bows and thanks
“Nevertheless, there are other ways to prolong my the characters for their willingness to see reason. It then
master’s slumber. I receive visions of its nightmares, you
departs. The characters can repeat the DC 20 Wisdom
(Insight) check mentioned in “Insightful Thinking,” above.
see. It is haunted by memories of the heroes who defeated
it in mythic times. I have received guidance as its Herald: No Negotiations
find the idol of the hero Ragvall in this village and destroy If the characters attack the Herald or any of its allies at any
it. I will accept that…and spare your lives.” point, it snarls and curses the humans:
Insightful Thinking. Mistrustful characters can “Your warm-blooded deception disgusts me. Vanguard!
make a DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check. On a success, they Kill them slowly. Make them suffer until our full might is
discover that, throughout the conversation, the Herald has brought to bear.”
been assessing their village, as if scanning for weaknesses.
It seems like, no matter what happens, it will want to make The Herald grabs Afjyra and launches itself into the sky,
sacrifices of everyone in the village. flying away at full speed. If it is prevented from escaping,
The Chief’s Decision. If Hrafen av Skeir is alive, he it fights to the death. Afjyra attempts to escape as well, in
refuses to negotiate for the lives of his people, and refuses order to reunite with the full force of her legion and lead
to give in to either of the Herald’s demands. See “Refusing them herself.
the Herald,” below. If one of the characters is chief, the Skirmish with the Vanguard. The Herald brought the
choice is theirs. following forces to Ragvall Village in its vanguard:
Sacrificing their Lives. If the characters agree to
• The Herald (a prismatic drake; see appendix A)
sacrifice the lives of the Ragvallans, the Herald smiles
• Afjyra, a panjaian gormadraugon (see appendix A)
with unexpected delight. Surprised by the characters’
willingness to accede to its demands, it magnanimously • Afjyra’s mount (a withered steed; see appendix A)
allows the characters to keep their lives, and depart the • 24 rime hungers (see appendix A)
village, or live in its hollow remains. It only requests that Reinforcements Come Quickly. Regardless of
the characters find some way of subduing or tricking the whether or not the Herald lives or dies, its entire army
villagers so that they can be sacrificed without a struggle. attacks 12 hours after the characters attacked. Run Event:
This course of action is obviously unpopular among the Tide of Rime early, before the beginning of the twelfth
villagers, and they will fight tooth and nail to survive. week of winter. This is a raid defense scenario.
Trading the Idol. The idol of Ragvall is of deep
spiritual importance to the people of the village, but they
are willing to part with it in exchange for their lives. The
decision is not a popular one, but it is accepted as one of
the sacrifices that must be made in winter. However, the
idol is of great personal significance to Ása Lögmaður, and
she refuses to give it up. Even if the characters demand it,

143
Come Hell or High Rime effortlessly batted away several villagers who have tried to
restrain and calm the “raving” villager.
Prerequisite: Begun the twelfth week of winter or The characters may hear Venin’s words from within the
attacked the Herald in the eleventh week longhouse, or be called to help by a panicking Ragvallan.
The Herald’s army attacks. This is winter’s final battle for Once they arrive, read or paraphrase the following:
the people of Ragvall Village; even if the Herald and his
A villager stands in the middle of the square with a throng
champion Afjyra have already been killed, a horde of frost-
gathered around her. She is one whose face you’ve seen
rimed undead clad in Valikan armor is prepared to wash
over the village like a fetid wave. day in and day out all year, someone who has survived
every trial this year has seen fit to test you with—and she is
Tide of Rime denouncing you, loudly, in front of the village.
Run Event: Tide of Rime. This is a raid defense scenario. “You hear me right!” she bellows in a familiar, silky
Also, prepare to run Event: Coldfire Premonition at the voice. “A daemon—an Arch Daemon, no less—came to your
end of this Event. trusted hersirs! Those same heroes who led you to victory in
the raids, those who protected you in winter. Their power
Life Must Go On was bought at a price. Yes, a dear price. Your souls.”
Once the raid is rebuffed and the Coldfire Premonition
She turns to you and smirks. “Hello, bold hersirs. I was
conjured by the dying rime hungers is slain, Ragvall
just telling your loyal people the truth. About your dealings
Village is in tatters, and burning with unchecked coldfire.
There is no time for rest. with Venin.” A murmur passes through the crowd, and all
The characters and the villagers spend the next week eyes turn to you.
operating in harried shifts hauling their last precious
supplies of firewood and oil to the coldfire conflagrations.
Since only flames can extinguish coldfire, it takes nearly Battle of Public Opinion
everything the village has left to put it out. This week Venin’s first battlefield is one of words. She is putting her
must be spent eliminating the fire; there’s no time to go thumb on the scale gently, without using any supernatural
adventuring. If one of the characters accepted Venin’s tricks. The best lies, as she sees it, are ones that are true.
“Touch of Fire” gift in the tenth week of winter, they are If she can turn the people of Ragvall Village against their
able to put the coldfire out swiftly, and gain a week to heroes, total chaos is soon to follow.
complete Quests or go adventuring. This battle of words is a tug-of-war, with the hearts and
Afterward, a representative of the people of the village minds of the Ragvallan people hanging in the balance.
beg the village chief to move as much of the population into Currently, the villagers are divided; the characters are
the longhouse as possible. After fighting the coldfire, the trusted leaders, but they have done some unsavory things,
villagers have so little fuel left that people are beginning and have displayed remarkable, even supernatural, powers
to freeze to death in their huts. If Hrafen av Skeir lives, he over the course of this year.
assents and shares his home with the villagers. If one of the The characters are supported by 25 percent of the
characters is the chief, the choice is up to them. villagers, mistrusted by 25 percent of the villagers, and in
the middle are the remaining 50 percent are undecided.
Those remaining villagers want to trust the characters, but
Pay the Piper their faith in them has been shaken. The characters must
Prerequisite: Begun the final day of winter and made a try to regain the trust of as many villagers as possible over
deal with Venin at any point this year three rounds of verbal combat.
The Arch Daemon Venin has been an eager spectator of the Mounting Mistrust. For every time the characters
saga unfolding in Ragvall Village in autumn and winter. earned a “Growing Mistrust” outcome during one of the
As a creature of deception, she is loath to directly involve raid Events in this chapter, 10 percent of the undecided
herself in the misadventures of mortals, preferring to simply villagers are immediately swayed to Venin’s side.
give them enough rope with which to hang themselves, then Rounds of Verbal Combat. This battle of words
sit back and watch the show. The one exception is when consists of three rounds of back-and-forth speaking to
she comes to collect—and for characters who accepted her capture the minds of the people of Ragvall Village. Venin
power, that time is now: the final day of winter. speaks first, then the characters. When the characters
speak, they must make a Charisma (Intimidation or
The Silver-Tongued Devil Persuasion) check, gaining more support the higher the
Venin appears as she first did in autumn, by possessing one check result is (see below).
of the Ragvallan villagers. She stands in the middle of the Swaying Public Opinion. When the characters make
village square outside the longhouse and loudly calls for a Charisma check, they sway a percentage of the village’s
the village to gather around and hear of how their hersirs undecided population to their side. That percentage is
bargained with an Arch Daemon and now must pay the equal to the result of their check. If the check’s result
price. She possesses great power, even in this form, and has is over 20, they also sway 10 percent of the population

144
that mistrusts them. If there are no undecided people are friendly NPCs that the characters have gifted a magic
remaining, the characters instead sway people who Venin weapon over the course of the adventure, that NPC deals 5
has convinced to oppose them. damage to Venin on initiative count 20 of each round.
When Venin speaks, her silver-tongued charm automat- Lefsi Mannison’s Aid. If the characters earned the “Aid
ically convinces 10 percent of the unconvinced population in the Hour of Darkness” outcome in the ninth week of
to distrust the characters. If there are no undecided people winter, Lefsi Mannison brings a group of warriors from
remaining, Venin’s words sway 5 percent of the population Hrist to aid the characters in their battle against Venin.
who have already chosen to support the characters. These warriors impose disadvantage on the first attack
Results of the Battle. The general opinion of Ragvall Venin makes each round, and Lefsi himself deals 5 damage
Village calcifies after three rounds of repartee between to Venin on initiative count 20 of each round.
Venin and the characters. Sensing this, she finishes toying Mortal Betrayal. The people of Ragvall would never
with these mortals and collects her debt (see below). willingly fight on the sided of an Arch Daemon, even if they
believe the characters are in the wrong—but they might
Venin Claims Her Due consider it, if only for a moment. Venin can use her Invoke
If Venin drives the majority of people in Ragvall to mistrust Banished Desire action to force a group of villagers to try
the characters, she laughs cruelly and adds insult to and restrain the characters. She intentionally chooses not
injury by turning to the debt she’s owed. If the characters to affect the characters with this effect. These villagers use
rally a majority of the village to their side in the battle commoner statistics (unless you want to have a named
of words, she fumes and rapidly changes the subject to NPC enter the fray for even more drama), and try to either
collecting her debt. grapple the characters or take the Help action to grant
She abides by the terms of any and all deals that the Venin advantage on her attacks.
characters agreed to in autumn and winter, which ranges
from the souls of any villager (which she “magnanimously” Conclusion: Besting the Deceiver
allows the characters to choose themselves, if they wish), If Venin’s aspect is reduced to 0 hit points—or if she is
to specific souls. Those chosen die instantly, and Venin banished by a spell such as banishment or dispel evil and
carries their souls to the Netherworld herself. She thanks good—she gasps in shock as her form melts away into a
the characters for their business, and with a poison-honey torrent of crimson blood that washes across the village,
smile wishes them “all the best on their future endeavors.” reddening the ice and snow on the ground until it melts in
She swears that she’ll be watching from afar, in case they spring. She is banished to the Netherworld for a year and a
have need of her again. day, until she can recover enough power to manifest on the
If the characters attack Venin to prevent her from mortal world once more.
claiming the villagers’ souls, she fights back and attempts If Venin is banished, any Ragvallan villagers under her
to kill them. See “Resisting the Deceiver,” below. control are immediately freed, and fall unconscious for
1d4 hours.
Resisting the Deceiver
The following sections describe how to run this optional
Conclusion: Surrender and Defeat
final boss fight. Below them are three potential conclusions, At any point, the characters can surrender, and Venin
depending on if the characters are triumphant, surrender, accepts with an air of disappointment; she’d hoped that
or are killed. Valikans courageous enough to fight her would have at
Attacking the Deceiver. If the characters attack Venin, least put up more of a fight. If she still has more than half
she cackles and allows her host body to be killed. She can be her hit point maximum, she sneers that their defiance has
expelled from the body harmlessly by casting dispel evil and doubled her cost—she will claim twice the number of souls
good on her host. Once expelled, the Arch Daemon physical- originally bargained for to recover from the wounds they
ly manifests as the Aspect of Venin (see appendix A). caused her.
Battling the Deceiver. Once manifested as her aspect, If she is at half her hit point maximum or lower, she
Venin gleefully attacks the characters, taunting them for doesn’t want to risk a defeat if they villagers rally against
their mortal inferiority and reminding them of the futility her. She snarls that she’ll take what she came for, then
of their quest. She is just as happy to claim their souls vanishes in a sulfurous cloud as several villagers drop dead.
in the place of other Valikans, and she has been secretly Conclusion: Death at the Eleventh Hour
hoping for the chance to unleash her aspect’s power against
If the characters die now, it was all for naught. The world
worthy mortal foes.
goes dark, and the torments of the Netherworld are all that
Mortal Aid. Unless the characters tell them to stand
await them for eternity. Such torments are best left to the
back, any brave Ragvallans who support the characters
players’ imagination.
will try to help them fight Venin. Venin is immune to
The fate of Ragvall Village in this scenario is
most of the villagers’ attacks since they don’t have magic
uncertain—and also best left to the imagination of the
weapons. Instead, the mass of villagers takes the Help
players. After all, their characters will never know if their
action, granting all of the characters advantage on their
friends and allies pulled together and survived another
first attack against Venin on each of their turns. If there
year, or if chaos consumed them in the dark days to come.

145
Epilogue: Winter’s End Bad Ending: Exiles of Ragvall
Prerequisite: Survived winter, but the characters
This epilogue has three options for the GM to choose from, were dishonored
based on how the successfully the characters defended their
village in winter. In this ending, the village was saved, but the characters
Regardless of what ending the players earned at this have earned themselves dishonor and disgrace—such as by
tale’s close, the GM may wish to share the responsibility failing to win the support of at least half the village after
of crafting an ending with them. Ask them to think about their dealing with Venin was revealed. They face exile for
what their characters do as a new year begins. They can their transgressions. Read or paraphrase:
share a short description—in whatever level of detail they
The village lawspeaker stands before you, grim-faced.
desire—of what that character does. Do they remain in the
village? What relationships do they have? Do they depart “Hersirs of Ragvall, I hope you know that we people of
Clan Ragvall? What adventures do they go on? this village take no pride in this. There are many of us
In between each character’s epilogue story, share who owe you our lives. However, the village’s sentiment is
similar short tales about the fate of their favorite NPCs overwhelming: there can be no trust placed in heroes who
from this adventure. consort with daemons. It’s with a heavy heart that I exile
you from this village until the end of days.”
Best Ending: First Flowers One last frigid breeze of winter blows through the
village. A new spring is dawning, but you will not remain
Prerequisite: Survived winter, and earned the support of
to see it. The ice is beginning to clear, and the road to the
more than half the people of Ragvall if a deal was made
nearest town is long. Maybe you will find shelter there.
with Venin
In this ending, the characters and the people of Ragvall
Village survived the winter and emerged into a bright new
Season of Rebirth. Read or paraphrase: Worst Ending: Ragvall’s End
Prerequisite: Ragvall Village was destroyed
Crimson, blood-soaked snow begins to melt as the first sun
of spring dawns in the sky above you. The gray clouds of In this ending, Ragvall Village meets a tragic fate. This
winter have finally given way, blessing you with a bright likely occurred because the characters and their defend-
blue sky and a shining morning. A villager passes you with
ers were unable to defeat the Coldfire Premonition in the
closing weeks of winter. They fled, or barely survived, and
tears in her eyes and a weak smile on her face and points
took a few of the survivors with them. Based on the exact
out into the grass.
details of how this tragic end came to Ragvall Village, read
Following her gesture, you see them: wildflowers with or paraphrase the following:
broad, white petals and a center so yellow it seems like
gold. It’s finally over—a new year has begun. Little remains of Ragvall Village but an icy crater. The
ruined houses still burn with frigid blue flames, and the
people fear they will never be able to return. The coldfire
will spread and consume everything in its path so quickly
that no effort to quench it could succeed. This village is lost.
Spring is dawning, but the cold, huddled survivors
around you seem to take little comfort in it.
Hope: The Icon of Ragvall

If Ása is still a part of the village, there is a glimmer of hope
at the end of this dark story: she kept the idol of Ragvall
that made up the heart of the village when Hrafen av Skeir
first founded it. Read or paraphrase:
“It’s not all over,” croaks Ása. She creeps toward you and
reveals from her heavy cloak. A wooden icon of a heroic
woman bearing a shield and defiantly holding a blade in
front of her chest. “Ragvall,” Ása says simply. “Hope.”
All eyes turn to you.

146
Ragvall Village
Feet
0 150 300
RF7
River Ymor
RF8
RF9 River Heilag
Akkeri Bay
RF10
RF3
River G
RF2 RF1
RF6 art
hor
RF5
RF4
Defending Ragvall Village Raiding Lanes

These fortifications are divided into three lanes, as
Many of the events in this chapter are raid defense scenarios. described in the raid defense rules presented in Raider’s
The rules for defensive raids are outlined in Raider’s Guide Guide to Valika.
to Valika. In this chapter, a raid scenario is composed of two Typically, the invaders in this adventure’s raids start by
events. In the first event, you use a map of the entire village. attacking only a single zone in a single lane, and then can
On your turn, the players decide which fortifications to al- attack the outermost zone in two lanes at the start of every
locate their defenders to. On the enemies’ turn, they launch turn thereafter. This is described specifically in each raid
an attack against your fortifications. They start from an un- Event’s “Invader Tactics” section (later in this chapter). Once
known position, but their location becomes known once they the third zone in any lane is conquered, the raid defense event
start attacking. When the monsters attack a fortification, ends and the invaders storm Hrafensheim, the village strong-
the GM makes a Raiding Roll to try and break through that hold. A new Event to defend Hrafensheim begins.
fortification, possibly killing some of the village’s defenders. The three lanes are:
The monsters are trying to break through your defensive Lane A: Zones RF1, 2, and 3
fortifications in order to strike at your stronghold—Hrafen- Lane B: Zones RF4, 5, and 6
sheim. Fortifications must be attacked in order, unless a Lane C: Zones RF7, 8, and 9
special rule allows foes to slip past the characters’ defensive Special Lane: Zone RF10. This lane only contains Shrine
line. If Hrafensheim is reached, a new raid event begins, Isle and the shelter built on it to protect the shrine of Rag-
which takes place inside Hrafensheim as the raiding mon- vall. Only certain monsters that can swim or fly can attack
sters’ leader takes to the field to try and capture the village. it, as described in an Event’s “Invader Tactics” section.
This event uses a 5-foot-square tactical scale and typical
fifth edition-style combat. RF1: Mannavegr Towers
Defensive Fortifications Position: Lane A, first position
The Ragvallan villagers started creating defensive Minimum Force: 10 defenders
fortifications by the chief’s order in autumn. Just like the Maximum Force: 20 defenders
conflict zones in an offensive raid, these fortifications are Raiding Roll DC: 13
the points that monsters attack and you must defend to keep
them from reaching your stronghold. Upgrading
You can upgrade a fortification to a more powerful This fortification can be upgraded once by spending 250
version by paying its upgrade cost. The people of Ragvall pounds of timber and one week of downtime. As a Rank 2
are able to upgrade a fortification with one week of work. fortification, its base Raiding Roll DC increases to 15 and
The characters must also spend one week of downtime to its Maximum Force increases to 30.
lead the rebuilding effort.

147
RF2: Hreinsbridge Barricade RF5: Bennasbridge Barricade
Rank 1 Fortification Rank 1 Fortification
Position: Lane A, second position (zone RF1 must be Position: Lane B, second position (zone RF4 must be
conquered) conquered)
Minimum Force: 10 defenders Minimum Force: 10 defenders
Maximum Force: 20 defenders Maximum Force: 20 defenders
Upgrading Upgrading
This fortification can be upgraded once by spending 100 This fortification can be upgraded once by spending 100
pounds of timber, 50 pounds of iron, and one week of pounds of timber, 50 pounds of iron, and one week of
downtime. As a Rank 2 fortification, its base Raiding Roll downtime. As a Rank 2 fortification, its base Raiding Roll
DC increases to 17. DC increases to 17.
RF3: Southeastern Palisade RF6: Southwestern Palisade

Position: Lane A, third position (zone RF2 must be Position: Lane B, third position (zone RF5 must be
conquered; the stronghold is attacked when this zone conquered; the stronghold is attacked when this zone is
is conquered) conquered)
Minimum Force: 10 defenders Minimum Force: 10 defenders
Maximum Force: 50 defenders Maximum Force: 50 defenders
Upgrading Upgrading
This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then
Rank 3 by spending one week of downtime and either: Rank 3 by spending one week of downtime and either:
• 100 pounds of iron to create rows of shields along the • 100 pounds of iron to create rows of shields along the
outside of the wall, or outside of the wall, or
• 100 pounds of timber to create a line of pointed stakes to • 100 pounds of timber to create a line of pointed stakes to
deter enemy charges deter enemy charges
As a Rank 2 fortification, its base Raiding Roll DC As a Rank 2 fortification, its base Raiding Roll DC
increases to 13. As a Rank 3 fortification, the bonus to the increases to 13. As a Rank 3 fortification, the bonus to the
Raiding Roll DC for having more than the minimum force Raiding Roll DC for having more than the minimum force
is doubled. is doubled.
RF4: Southern Watchtowers RF7: Woodland Spiked Pits

Position: Lane B, first position Position: Lane C, first position

Minimum Force: 10 defenders Minimum Force: —
Maximum Force: 20 defenders Maximum Force: —
As a Rank 1 fortification, each time the attackers assault
Upgrading this fortification, they suffer a –1 penalty to all future
This fortification can be upgraded once by spending 250 Raiding Rolls against area RF8.
pounds of timber and 1 week of downtime. As a Rank 2
fortification, its base Raiding Roll DC increases to 15 and Upgrading
its Maximum Force increases to 30. This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then
Rank 3 by spending one week of downtime and either:
• 50 pounds of iron, or
“You’ve seen the fear in the eyes of the folks we’ve • 50 pounds of iron and 50 pounds of timber
raided, and you’ve seen the resolve as well as they As a Rank 2 fortification, the penalty to Raiding Rolls
stand against us. Now its us. Choose resolve.” against area RF6 is increased to 1d4. As a Rank 3
- Hlökk Warcrier fortification, the penalty is increased to 2d4.

148
RF8: Northern Palisade RF10. Shrine Isle Shelter
Position: Lane C, second position (zone RF7 must be Position: Special fortification; can only be attacked by
conquered) flying or swimming creatures (the stronghold is attacked
Minimum Force: 10 defenders when this zone is conquered)
Maximum Force: 50 defenders Minimum Force: 10 defenders
Raiding Roll DC: 13 Maximum Force: 10 defenders
Raiding Roll DC: 17
Upgrading
This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then Upgrading
Rank 3 by spending one week of downtime and either: This fortification can be upgraded to Rank 2 and then
• 100 pounds of iron to create rows of shields along the Rank 3 by spending one week of downtime and either:
outside of the wall, or • 200 pounds of timber, or
• 100 pounds of timber to create a line of pointed stakes to • 50 pounds of iron
deter enemy charges As a Rank 2 fortification, its Maximum Force increases to
As a Rank 2 fortification, its base Raiding Roll DC 30. As a Rank 3 fortification, the bonus to the Raiding Roll
increases to 13. As a Rank 3 fortification, the bonus to the DC for having more than the minimum force is doubled.
Raiding Roll DC for having more than the minimum force
is doubled.
Customizing Fortifications
RF9: Woodworker’s Barricade One of the fun aspects of having a village to defend is
Rank 1 Fortification customizing the buildings that you have within it. These
fortifications are no different. If your players want to create
Position: Lane C, third position (zone RF8 must be
custom fortifications, allow it! The fortification on Benna’s
conquered; the stronghold is attacked when this zone
Bridge doesn’t have to be a barricade; it could be row of
is conquered)
metal rods etched with arcane runes that creates an arcing
Minimum Force: 10 defenders
line of lightning when activated. You could choose to alter
Maximum Force: 20 defenders
the material cost for upgrading this fortification, or simply
Raiding Roll DC: 15
allow it to be a flavorful change with no mechanical impact.
Upgrading
This fortification can be upgraded once by spending 100
pounds of timber, 50 pounds of iron, and one week of Damaged Fortifications
downtime. As a Rank 2 fortification, its base Raiding Roll Whenever raiding monsters break through a fortification,
DC increases to 17. it’s damaged. Until it’s repaired, Raiding Rolls made
against that fortification have advantage.
If monsters break through a fortification that’s already
damaged—which could happen because it wasn’t repaired
after the last raid—the fortification is destroyed. Any upgrades
that had been made to that fortification are lost.
A destroyed fortification is the same as its Rank 1 form, but
Raiding Rolls made against it have advantage.
Repairing Defenses
The people of Ragvall Village can repair a damaged
fortification by spending 100 pounds of timber or iron, and
one week of downtime.
Downtime in Winter
Winter frost has made the roads out of Ragvall icy and
treacherous, and the sea has all but frozen. Downtime
can be spent on any of the activities that were available in
autumn: Gathering Ore, Gathering Timber, or Training
Warriors. It can also be spent upgrading or repairing
fortifications (see “Defensive Fortifications,” above).

149
Winter Quests Events
Keep track of these events’ prerequisites. As the GM, you
Winter is a desperate time, with little chance to complete
can choose to have an event happen at any time once the
great deeds of heroism. There are only two types of quests
prerequisite has been met. The raid defense Events in this
in winter: Quests, and Events. Most of the happenings in
chapter use the village fortification map (see “Defending
winter are Events, and most Quests are only available for a
short window of time. Ragvall Village,” earlier in this chapter)
Event: First Blood

Quests from Before Winter Prerequisite: Begun the first week of winter
If there are any Quests or Events that weren’t completed
in springtime or in autumn, they’re still available for the Questgiver: None
characters to undertake in winter. It’s the GM’s decision Location: Outside Hrafensheim (area R1; use the map of
whether those Quests can still be started, or if so much Hrafensheim in chapter 5)
time has passed that they’re no longer a concern. Downtime: None
Core Quests and Heroic Feats that weren’t completed in Content Warning: Children in peril, evisceration,
spring or autumn don’t occur in winter. frenzied animals

150
The monster attacks have started sooner than expected. Ragvall Village Features
A dozen children and their parents are playing in the During this event, the winter is cold but still mild. Its
village square outside of the chief’s longhouse (area A1 terrain doesn’t affect its fortifications for either attackers
on the map of Hrafensheim in chapter 5). or defenders.
Monsters led by a Monster Defense Objectives
The attackers are a pack of 10 hungerer elk led by a If any of zones RF3, RF6, or RF9 are conquered by the
prismatic drake called the Herald (see appendix A for invaders, the defenders of Ragvall Village are overrun, and
both creatures’ statistics). These frenzied elk fight to the they retreat to Hrafensheim. Proceed to the interior phase
death. When a creature they can smell is reduced to 0 hit of this raid, Event: Hungerers Rampant.
points, the elk surround and attack the dying creature, If none of the fortifications listed above are conquered
tearing its innards out until it dies. by the end of turn 5, the defenders successfully repel the
The Herald. The prismatic drake can speak Valikan
invaders and this event ends in triumph.
and calls itself the Herald. The Herald communicates
telepathically with the elks and commands them to Invader Tactics
cause carnage. The invading hungerer beasts are trying to reach
The elk are in the middle of the town square, while the Hrafensheim, the village’s stronghold. In order to do so,
prismatic drake is perched atop Hrafensheim, beating they must attack and completely conquer one lane of
its shimmering wings of prismatic light in triumph. fortifications (see “Defending Ragvall Village,” earlier in this
The Herald flees when it’s reduced to half its hit point chapter. They attack in five waves. If they haven’t reached
maximum. However, if it’s reduced to 0 hit points, it Hrafensheim by the end of turn 5, they are defeated.
falls unconscious and the hungerer elk swarm around its Turn 1. The invaders attack the village’s northern
body and feed. palisade (zone RF8). Normally, the spiked pits in the
Villagers in Peril Sheltering Wood (zone RF7) are the first position zone in
There are a dozen children (noncombatants) hiding behind this lane. However, the monsters have already conquered it
snow forts, and three NPC villagers of the GM’s choice through sheer brute force. If the characters investigate the
are fighting to protect them (see the list of NPCs in the pit traps later, they find them choked with the corpses of
“Winter Playtime” section earlier in this chapter). Once the the beasts that tumbled into them.
characters arrive, these NPCs and the children will try to Future Turns. Starting on turn 2 of this Event, the
flee inside Hrafensheim (area R3). frenzied beasts must target the first unconquered zone in
All three of these NPCs are at 10 hit points. If they’re any lane, chosen randomly (roll 1d6; they attack Lane A
reduced to 0 hit points, they fall unconscious and are dying; on a roll of 1 or 2, Lane B on a roll of 3 or 4, or Lane C
they make death saving throws like player characters. It’s on a roll of 5 or 6). They can’t attack zone RF10, which is
possible that one or more of these characters will die as the shielded by water.
hungerer elk eviscerate them.
Invader Bonuses
The invading hungerer beasts are frenzied animals whose
Rolling Initiative only advantage are their numbers and their brute strength.
All waves of beasts have a +1d4 bonus to their Raiding Rolls.
Because there are so many elk in this encounter, the
A Thousand Cuts. These attackers slowly chip away at
initiative order can be the difference between the
characters saving a beloved NPC with a well-timed the village’s defenses like waves against a stone. After each
healing word and that NPC’s grisly death by a half- attack, a fortification’s Raiding Roll DC is decreased by
dozen elk. Roll initiative for each elk individually in this 1d4 until the end of the raid.
encounter rather than having them act all as a single Developments
group; this potentially lets the characters act in between
The conditions of the raid change at the start of the
the various creatures.
following turns of this event:
Turn 3: The taste of Valikan flesh drives the hungerer
Event: Gore-Hungry Beasts beasts into an even greater wrath. Whenever they make
Prerequisite: Begun the second week of winter a Raiding Roll, the GM can reroll one of the d10s, and
must use the new result.
Questgiver: None Turn 5: The hungerer beasts’ fury rises to a fever pitch as
Location: Ragvall Village their casualties mount. The GM can now reroll one or
Downtime: None both d10s when making a Raiding Roll, and must use
Content Warning: Frenzied animals the new result(s). However, the Ragvallan warriors can
This is a raid defense scenario. See “Defending Ragvall see that the frenzied beasts are close to collapse. They
Village” for more information. only need to hold out a little longer.

151
Event: Hungerers Rampant • Iron: An iron stockpile has AC 17, 25 hp, and immunity
Prerequisite: Overrun in Event: Gore-Hungry Beasts to poison and psychic damage.
• Timber: A timber stockpile has AC 12, 15 hp, immunity
Questgiver: None to poison and psychic damage, and vulnerability to
Location: Hrafensheim fire damage.
Downtime: None If a resource pile is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed
Content Warning: Frenzied animals and all 100 pounds of that resource are lost.
This is a raid defense scenario. It uses the map and area
descriptions of Hrafensheim, which is dungeon A in Invader Tactics
chapter 5 of this adventure. The hungerer beasts invading the longhouse are ravenous
for flesh. They rush towards the characters and the
Hrafensheim Features Ragvallan villagers, focusing their attacks on the least
The general features of this area are described in chapter 5. dangerous creatures they can see. They always move
This Event doesn’t add any additional features. towards their targets in the most direct way, and attack
resource piles that are in the way to clear a path. If an
Defense Objectives attack doesn’t destroy a stockpile, the beast moves around
The characters have four goals in this Event: the pile until it’s as close to the nearest villager as possible.
• Survive These creatures fight to the death.
• Protect villagers (10 villagers)
• Protect the village chief
Developments
• Protect their resource piles (100 pounds of a resource The invaders enter Hrafensheim in three waves, described
takes up a 10-foot-by-10-foot space) below. Any other changes that occur at the start of each
round of this event are also described below:
This event uses standard fifth edition rules, unlike the
special raiding rules used to defend the village. The Round 1: A group of 10 hungerer elks (see appendix A)
characters can use any class features and spells they have break through the front door of area A3.
at their disposal to defend themselves and their stronghold Round 2: A group of 10 hungerer wolves (see appendix
from the invading monsters. A) enter through the open door.
Villagers. Ragvallan villagers have retreated to this Round 3: A group of 5 hungerer elks break through the
stronghold while warriors clash with the horde outside the exterior wood-and-turf wall of area A6, drawn by the
stronghold’s doors. These villagers want to avoid combat smell of cowering villagers within.
(unless otherwise stated), and hide in back rooms while This raid defense Event ends once all the hungerer beasts
pleading for the characters to protect them. They use in Hrafensheim have been killed, but only if the round 3
commoner statistics. During this Event, 5 villagers hide reinforcements have arrived.
in area A4 and 5 more hide in area A6. The characters can The breach in the walls of area A6 is severe, and the
command them to hide elsewhere by making a successful characters must spend 100 pounds of timber and 1 week of
DC 10 Charisma check. downtime to fix it, as if repairing a fortification. Otherwise,
Losing Villagers. If all ten villagers die during this this breach exists in all future raid defense Events until it’s
event, mark this outcome on the Calendar of the Seasons repaired. Whenever invaders enter through area A3 during
(see appendix C): a raid defense event, they can enter through the breach
Growing Mistrust. The Ragvallan people’s faith in the into area A6 instead.
characters’ ability to protect them is shaken.
Village Chief. If Hrafen av Skeir (see appendix A) is
alive, he also fights in defense of the longhouse. If one of
the characters is the village chief, then that character’s
life holds special meaning for the Ragvallan people. If
the chief dies, fear grips the village. The characters earn
the “Growing Mistrust” outcome (see above) even if they
protected enough villagers.
Resource Piles. At the start of this Event, the
characters must divide their resources of iron and timber
into resource piles. These stockpiles are kept within the
longhouse for protection from thieves, the elements, and
raiders. During a raid, a resource pile can be used as half
cover, or three-quarters cover by a creature that is prone.
Each stockpile contains 100 pounds of a resource and takes
up a 10-foot-by-10-foot space on the map.

152
Event: The Darkwater Alliance Laneshi Necromancers. Whenever this invader
Prerequisite: Begun the sixth week of winter conquers a fortification that is defended by at least its
Minimum Force, they raise the defenders as undead
Questgiver: None warriors. Their next attack against a fortification in this
Location: Ragvall Village lane has a +1d4 bonus.
Downtime: None Rattled Nerves. The villagers have been stewing
Content Warning: Reanimation in stress for the past few weeks. Their nerves are shot,
This is a raid defense scenario. See “Defending Ragvall lowering their effectiveness in battle. The invaders roll
Village” for more information. 3d10 and choose the highest two when making a Raiding
Roll for the duration of this raid. On the defenders’
Ragvall Village Features turns, one of the characters can make a DC 15 Charisma
During this event, the Ragvallan shipwrights have (Performance) check to bolster morale, ending this bonus
prepared small boats to cross the bay. These boats can be on a success. The characters can repeat this check on each
used to deploy warriors to Shrine Isle (zone RF10). of their turns until it succeeds.
However, warriors reach this zone at the start of the turn
after they were deployed, even they are deployed from the Developments
stronghold. See the “Defenders’ Turns” section of the raid- The conditions of the raid change at the start of the
ing rules in chapter 3 of Raiders’ Guide to Valika for more following turns of this Event:
on how to deploy and redeploy warriors during a defense. Turn 3: Laneshi reinforcements arrive, bolstering the
invaders’ force. Their maximum bonus increases to
Defense Objectives +2d4, and they alter their tactics (see above). If the
If any of zones RF3, RF6, RF9, or RF10 are conquered by characters dispersed the laneshi Lamora’s force by
the invaders, the defenders of Ragvall Village are overrun earning the “Languishing Laneshi” outcome in Quest:
and they retreat to Hrafensheim. Proceed to the interior Ása’s Lost Past (see chapter 3), these reinforcements
phase of this raid, Event: Darkwater Rampant. don’t occur.
If none of the fortifications listed above are conquered Turn 5: If the characters didn’t smash the keppmir eggs in
by the end of turn 6, the defenders successfully repel the Quest: Eggs over Easy (see chapter 1), then a brand-
invaders and this Event ends in triumph. new legion of hungry keppmir burst from Ofeigur’s
Beacon. The Darkwater Alliance’s maximum bonus
Invader Tactics
increases to +3d4, and they alter their tactics (see
The invading laneshi and keppmir are trying to reach “Invader Tactics,” above).
Hrafensheim, the village’s stronghold. In order to do
so, they must attack and completely conquer one lane of
fortifications (see “Defending Ragvall Village,” earlier
in this chapter. They never attack Lane C, except under
special circumstances (see below).
Turn 1. This raid begins with an attack on Lanes A
and B (at a +1d4 bonus and +0 bonus, respectively). At the
end of the defenders’ first turn, their scouts announce that
they’ve spotted keppmir encircling Shrine Isle! They inform
the characters about the boats that can ferry warriors there
(see “Ragvall Village Features,” above), if they haven’t
already used them.
Turn 3. The main body of the Darkwater Alliance’s
force arrives, allowing them to make three attacks per wave
(see “Developments,” below). After this turn, they always
allocate their highest bonus to the Special Lane as they try
to conquer Shrine Isle.
Turn 5. If the characters earned the “Left to Hatch”
outcome at the end of Quest: Eggs over Easy (see chapter
1), then the Darkwater Alliance gains reinforcements. They
bypass zone RF7 and start attacking zone RF8 in Lane C
at a +3d4 bonus.
Invader Bonuses
The Darkwater Alliance have an attack bonus of +1d4, and
can attack in two waves. Each wave can attack two lanes,
using this bonus as they wish (+1d4 against one lane, +0
against another).

153
Event: Darkwater Rampant Invader Tactics
Prerequisite: Overrun in Event: The Darkwater Alliance The Darkwater Alliance is made up of a combination of
laneshi and keppmir. Both are aquatic humanoids, but the
Questgiver: None laneshi are clearly the leaders of this attack. They have all
Location: Hrafensheim but enslaved the keppmir, many of whom are still addled
Downtime: None by their transformation into this form by daemonic magic,
Content Warning: Enslaved warriors just as Ófeigur Lightraiser was earlier in this adventure.
This is a raid defense scenario. It uses the map and area These invaders abide by the following tactics:
descriptions of Hrafensheim, which is dungeon A in • Keppmir fight to the death while there are laneshi alive
chapter 5 of this adventure. in this raid site.
Hrafensheim Features • If there are no laneshi alive, the keppmir break ranks and
flee toward the exit.
The general features of this area are described in chapter 5.
• If there are no keppmir alive in the raid site, any laneshi
This Event doesn’t add any additional features.
with half their maximum hit points or fewer flee toward
Defense Objectives the exit, using their actions to cast spells or attack as
The characters have four goals in this Event: they flee.
• Survive The keppmir rush into combat with the nearest creature
• Protect villagers (10 villagers) they can see. They focus their attacks on humanoids
• Protect the village chief that wear the least amount of armor, like villagers and
unarmored spellcasters.
• Protect their resource piles (100 pounds of a resource
Laneshi soldiers fight more tactically. They attack
takes up a 10-foot-by-10-foot space)
resources piles to provoke their foes into coming to them.
This Event uses standard fifth edition rules, unlike the Laneshi necromancers hang back and use spells like
special raiding rules used to defend the village. The guiding bolt, hold person, and blight to attack from afar.
characters can use any class features and spells they have They don’t care if their area-of-effect spells kill their
at their disposal to defend themselves and their stronghold own keppmir allies, though they try to avoid harming
from the invading monsters. other laneshi.
Villagers. Ragvallan villagers have retreated to this
stronghold while warriors clash with the horde outside the Developments
stronghold’s doors. These villagers want to avoid combat The invaders enter Hrafensheim in three waves, described
(unless otherwise stated), and hide in back rooms while below. Any other changes that occur at the start of each
pleading for the characters to protect them. They use round of this Event are also described below:
commoner statistics. During this Event, 5 villagers hide Round 1: A group of 10 amphibious keppmir and 5
in area A4 and 5 more hide in area A6. More villagers laneshi soldiers (see appendix A for both) break
rush into the longhouse over the course of this event (see through the front door of area A3.
“Developments,” below). The characters can command Round 2: A laneshi necromancer enters through the door
them to hide elsewhere by making a successful DC 10 of area A3.
Charisma check. Round 3: A group of 5 screaming Ragvallan
Losing Villagers. If 10 or more villagers die during this commoners enter through area A3, pursued by 5
Event, mark this outcome on the Calendar of the Seasons amphibious keppmir.
(see appendix C):
This raid defense Event ends once all the keppmir and
Growing Mistrust II. The Ragvallan people’s faith in the laneshi in Hrafensheim have been killed, but only if the
characters’ ability to protect them is shaken. round 3 reinforcements have arrived.
the characters is the village chief, then that character’s
life holds special meaning for the Ragvallan people. If
the chief dies, fear grips the village. The characters earn
the “Growing Mistrust” outcome (see above) even if they
protected enough villagers.
Resource Piles. At the start of this Event, the
characters must divide their resources of iron and timber
into resource piles. For more information on how resource
piles are used in defensive raids, see this section in Event:
Hungerers Rampant, earlier in this chapter.

154
Event: Frosty Reception
Prerequisite: Begun the ninth week of winter and
completed Quest: Preemptive Strike
Questgiver: None
Location: Ragvall Village
Downtime: None
This is a raid defense scenario. See “Defending Ragvall
Village” for more information.
Ragvall Village Features

This raid occurs in the depths of winter, and conditions are
cold and unpleasant.
Frozen Bay. During this Event, the Akkeri Bay has
frozen over, allowing the giants to attack the Shrine Isle
shelter (zone RF10) and the defenders to deploy warriors to
that zone as if it were any other fortification. If the giants
attack zone RF10 for any reason, the ice cracks under their
weight and that attack instantly fails. The giants can attack
that zone on future turns by wading through the bay, but
have disadvantage on Raiding Rolls against it. For example, a wave with +2d4 could attack two
Taunting the Giants. The giants of Frostmere hate fortifications at +1d4 each; a wave with +1d4 could attack
Valikans. The people of Ragvall Village know this and can two fortifications at +1d4 and at +0).
prey upon that wrath. The characters gain a special trait
that they can use on their turn: Developments
Taunt. If a fortification is defended by at least its The conditions of the raid change at the start of the
Minimum Force, the warriors there can make a DC 25 following turns of this Event:
Charisma (Performance) check to taunt the giants. On a Turn 3: Boulders suddenly rain from the Sheltering Wood
success, the giants must attack the lane containing that as giant stone-throwers bombard the village. Choose
zone on their next turn. (The GM decides what bonus one lane and roll 1d4. All fortifications in that zone have
that wave uses.) The warriors’ bonus on this Charisma their Raiding Roll DC reduced by that number until the
check is equal to the half the number of warriors end of that raid.
defending it (e.g., a fortification defended by 10 warriors Turn 5: Jarl Grimskjelle enters the fray himself. For
has a +5 bonus). each wave, decide which fortification he’s leading the
attack upon. When attackers led by Grimskjelle make
Defense Objectives a Raiding Roll, they can reroll one of the d10s, and
If any of zones RF3, RF6, RF9, or RF10 are conquered by must use the new result. If that group fails the Raiding
the invaders, the defenders of Ragvall Village are overrun Roll, Grimskjelle escapes, but is wounded. He takes 50
and they retreat to Hrafensheim. Proceed to the interior points of slashing damage. He stops aiding his soldiers
phase of this raid, Event: Stomp and Burn. once he takes 100 points of damage in this way. This
If none of the fortifications listed above are conquered damage remains in Event: Stomp and Burn if the
by the end of turn 7, the defenders successfully repel the giants reach Hrafensheim.
invaders and this Event ends in triumph.
Event: Stomp and Burn
Invader Tactics Prerequisite: Overrun in Event: Frosty Reception
The invading giants rely on brute force, not clever tactics.
They surround Ragvall Village and batter it as hard as Questgiver: None
possible, right from the outset. As the GM, you choose Location: Hrafensheim
which lanes they attack each turn, and where they allocate Downtime: None
their bonuses. Content Warning: Crushed bodies, collapsing buildings
Invader Bonuses This is a raid defense scenario. It uses the map and area
descriptions of Hrafensheim, which is dungeon A in
The frost giants have a +2d4 bonus to their Raiding Rolls.
chapter 5 of this adventure.
Giant Stride. Giants can stride over defenses to attack
deeper in a lane at a penalty. When a wave attacks a Hrafensheim Features
lane with a bonus of +1d4 or higher, it attacks both the The general features of this area are described in chapter
outermost fortification in that lane and the zone behind it. 5. Once the roof of Hrafensheim collapses, the floor of the
The wave must split its bonus between both fortifications. entire longhouse becomes difficult terrain.

155
Defense Objectives • If Grimskjelle dies, any giants with half their hit points or
The characters have four goals in this event: fewer flee toward the exit, using their actions to attack as
they flee.
• Survive
• Protect villagers (20 villagers) Unless the characters attack the giants, all the giants in
• Protect the village chief the village square (area A1) attack the longhouse. The
• Protect their resource piles (100 pounds of a resource longhouse’s turf-lined walls have AC 4, 200 hp, and
takes up a 10-foot-by-10-foot space) immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Once the walls are reduced to half their hit point
This event uses standard fifth edition rules, unlike the
maximum, the doorway to the longhouse collapses; crea-
special raiding rules used to defend the village. The
tures that are Medium or larger can’t leave through the
characters can use any class features and spells they have
collapsed front door without making a successful DC 15
at their disposal to defend themselves and their stronghold
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
from the invading monsters.
Once the walls of the longhouse are reduced to 0 hit points,
Villagers. Ragvallan villagers have retreated to this
they buckle and the ceiling collapses. All creatures within the
stronghold while warriors clash with the horde outside
longhouse take 44 (8d10) bludgeoning damage, and the entire
the stronghold’s doors. These villagers want to avoid
floor of the longhouse becomes difficult terrain.
combat (unless otherwise stated), and hide in back rooms
while pleading for the characters to protect them. They Developments
use commoner statistics. During this event, 5 villagers The invaders enter Hrafensheim in only a single wave,
hide in the back of area A3, 10 hide in area A4, and 5
described below. Any other changes that occur at the start
more hide in area A6. The characters can command
of each round of this event are also described below:
them to hide elsewhere by making a successful DC 10
Charisma check. Round 1: Jarl Grimskjelle (see appendix A) and four
Losing Villagers. If 20 or more villagers die during frost giants enter area A1 and begin attacking the walls
this Event, mark this outcome on the Calendar of the of the longhouse (see “Invader Tactics”, above).
Seasons (see appendix C): Round 3: A group of 10 screaming Ragvallan commoners
Growing Mistrust III. The Ragvallan people’s faith in flood into area A1 and beg to be let into the longhouse (if
the characters’ ability to protect them is shaken. it’s still standing).
Village Chief. If Hrafen av Skeir (see appendix A) is If the longhouse was collapsed during this raid, villagers
alive, he also fights in defense of the longhouse. If one of spend the next week moving wreckage and burning
the characters is the village chief, then that character’s corpses. Much of the house can be salvaged from the
life holds special meaning for the Ragvallan people. If wreckage; only 500 pounds of timber and 100 pounds of
the chief dies, fear grips the village. The characters earn iron are needed to repair the longhouse.
the “Growing Mistrust” outcome (see above) even if they If the longhouse isn’t repaired, then the the next
protected enough villagers. defensive raid (Event: Drowning in Undead) happens in
Resource Piles. At the start of this Event, the the village square (area A1) and the longhouse ruins, rather
characters must divide their resources of iron and timber than within the longhouse itself.
piles are used in defensive raids, see this section in Event: Event: Tide of Rime
Hungerers Rampant, earlier in this chapter. Prerequisite: Begun the twelfth week of winter or
attacked the Herald in the eleventh week
Invader Tactics
It doesn’t take many giants to crush a Valikan longhouse. Questgiver: None
The giants led by Jarl Grimskjelle start not by bashing Location: Ragvall Village
in the doors of the longhouse, but by hammering Downtime: None
its walls and roof until they collapse. Once the roof A horde of rime hungers (see their lore in appendix A)
collapses, they stomp through the wreckage to annihilate descends upon Ragvall Village, led by the Herald and
anyone within. its champion, Afjyra. This is a raid defense scenario. See
Unlike previous raids, where a chaotic melee between “Defending Ragvall Village” for more information.
raiders and defenders surrounded the exterior of the
longhouse, the characters have the ability to leave the Ragvall Village Features
longhouse while it’s being battered and attack the gi- This raid occurs as winter slowly begins to give way to
ants head-on. spring. Nevertheless, conditions are frigid and harsh.
These invaders abide by the following tactics: Thawed Bay. During this event, the Akkeri Bay is thawed,
• Giants fight to the death as long as Jarl Grimskjelle is and is filled with floating hunks of ice. The hordes of
alive and fighting. undead assaulting Ragvall Village can slowly walk on the
• If there is only one other giant alive at the raid site, floor of the bay to attack the Shrine Isle shelter (zone RF10)
Grimskjelle calls a retreat and flees. but can’t do so until the start of turn 4.

156
Defense Objectives Event: Drowning in Undead
If any of zones RF3, RF6, RF9, or RF10 are conquered by Prerequisite: Overrun in Event: Tide of Rime
the invaders, the defenders of Ragvall Village are overrun
and they retreat to Hrafensheim. Proceed to the interior Questgiver: None
phase of this raid, Event: Drowning in Undead. Location: Hrafensheim
If none of the fortifications listed above are conquered Downtime: None
by the end of turn 7, the defenders successfully repel the This is a raid defense scenario. It uses the map and area
invading undead. See “Developments,” below. descriptions of Hrafensheim, which is dungeon A in
Invader Tactics
The undead rime hungers attacking the village are mindless, Hrafensheim Features
and solely follow the directives of their master, the Herald The general features of this area are described in chapter
of Gormadraug. The Herald commands its forces tactically, 5. If Hrafensheim was collapsed in Event: Stomp and Burn
focusing on battering the village’s weakest fortifications until but not rebuilt, then the floor of the entire longhouse is
it breaks through. difficult terrain.
The Herald issues commands, but can also lead an attack
force directly. For each wave, decide which fortification it’s Defense Objectives
leading the attack upon. When attackers led by the Herald The characters have four goals in this Event:
make a Raiding Roll, they can reroll one of the d10s, and • Survive
must use the new result. • Protect villagers (20 villagers)
If that group fails the Raiding Roll, the Herald escapes, • Protect the village chief
but is wounded. It takes 25 points of slashing damage. • Protect their resource piles (100 pounds of a resource
This damage remains in Event: Drowning in Undead and takes up a 10-foot-by-10-foot space)
Event: Coldfire Premonition.
This Event uses standard fifth edition rules, unlike the
Invader Bonuses special raiding rules used to defend the village. The
If the Herald of Gormadraug is alive, it uses its cunning to characters can use any class features and spells they have
guide the undead. Each wave can only attack two lanes, at their disposal to defend themselves and their stronghold
but can attack both lanes with a +3d4 bonus. from the invading monsters.
If the Herald is dead, the undead attack with reckless Villagers. Ragvallan villagers have retreated to this
abandon. Each wave attacks all three lanes (plus the Special stronghold while warriors clash with the horde outside the
Lane, starting on turn 4). They have a +3d4 bonus, but that stronghold’s doors. These villagers want to avoid combat
bonus decreases for each lane they attack, as usual. (unless otherwise stated), and hide in back rooms while
Voice of Doom. If the Herald is alive, it bellows a pleading for the characters to protect them. They use
tactical command to its forces at the start of each turn, commoner statistics. During this event, 5 villagers hide in
granting the undead attacking Lane A, B, or C (GM’s the back of area A3, 10 hide in area A4, and 5 more hide
choice) an additional +2d4 bonus to their Raiding Roll in area A6. The characters can command them to hide
that turn. elsewhere by making a successful DC 10 Charisma check.
Flight. If the Herald is alive and leading a group of Losing Villagers. If 15 or more villagers die during this
invaders (see above), that group can ignore any effect that event, mark this outcome on the Calendar of the Seasons
would prevent a zone from being attacked. (see appendix C):
Growing Mistrust IV. The Ragvallan people’s faith in the
Developments characters’ ability to protect them is shaken.
The conditions of the raid change at the start of the
following turns of this Event:
Turn 4: Undead marching along the bottom of Akkeri Bay the characters is the village chief, then that character’s
reach Shrine Isle. Starting on this turn, they can attack life holds special meaning for the Ragvallan people. If
zone RF10 without the aid of the Herald’s ability to fly. the chief dies, fear grips the village. The characters earn
If the undead reach Hrafensheim, run Event: Drowning the “Growing Mistrust” outcome (see above) even if they
in Undead. If they are successfully repelled, read or protected enough villagers.
paraphrase the following as the undead are cut down, then Resource Piles. At the start of this event, the
run Event: Coldfire Premonition: characters must divide their resources of iron and timber
Freezing blue flames erupt from the bodies of the frostbitten piles are used in defensive raids, see this section in Event:
undead. An ethereal shrieking fills the air as their shriveled Hungerers Rampant, earlier in this chapter.
corpses blacken and curl into ice-rimed husks. The flames
lift from their bodies and rise into the air as floating motes of
icy flame, then hurtle towards the town square.

157
Invader Tactics Round 2: 10 rime hungers enter area A3, pursuing 10
The undead are not cunning or clever. The rime hungers in screaming Ragvallan commoners.
this Event always move towards the closest hostile creature Round 3: 5 rime hungers, led by the Herald, a prismatic
by the most direct possible route and attack it, if possible. drake (see appendix A), enter area A3.
If a creature is completely surrounded, a rime hunger This raid Event ends when any one of the following criteria
moves towards the next-closest hostile creature instead. are fulfilled:
If the Herald or Afjyra is alive, they can verbally • The Herald is killed during this Event
command the rime hungers to focus their attacks on a • Afjyra is killed during this Event, and the Herald was
creature or creatures (no action required). dead before this event
These invaders abide by the following tactics: • All rime hungers in this raid site are killed, and both the
• The Herald zealously fights to the death. Herald and Afjyra were dead before this Event
• The rime hungers fight to the death.
• Afjyra fights to the death, but only so long as the Herald The Final Enemy
is alive. If the Herald dies, Afjyra flees towards the exit Once this Event ends, the bodies of the rime hungers, both
when reduced to half her hit point maximum. animate and deceased, simultaneously erupt in coldfire.
Read or paraphrase the following, then begin Event:
Developments Coldfire Premonition:
The invaders enter Hrafensheim in three waves, described
below. Any other changes that occur at the start of each Freezing blue flames erupt from the bodies of the
round of this Event are also described below: frostbitten undead. An ethereal shrieking fills the air as
Round 1: 5 rime hungers, led by Afjyra, a panjaian their shriveled corpses blacken and curl into ice-rimed
gormadraugon seated upon a withered steed (see husks. The flames lift from their bodies and rise into the
appendix A for all creatures’ statistics), break down the air as floating motes of icy flame, then hurtle towards the
door to area A3. town square.

158
Event: Coldfire Premonition If the Herald is dead (either before this battle, or if it
Prerequisite: Successfully defended Ragvall Village in was killed in the previous boxed text), read or para-
either Event: Tide of Rime or Event: Drowning in Undead phrase the following:
Questgiver: None The mass of flame writhes and expands, solidifying into an
Location: Ragvall Village immense, scaled wyrm made of shifting ice, with countless
Downtime: None clawed legs. A head emerges from the mass, like that of a
This is a combat encounter which uses the map and area monstrous wolf with wild eyes and a ravenous, toothy maw.
descriptions of the Ragvall Village square and longhouse, Prismatic coldfire surrounds its long body like an aurora. It
which is dungeon A in chapter 5 of this adventure. raises its head and howls with a sound that foretells the end
of the world.
Hrafensheim Features
Then it focuses its deadly gaze on you. There’s nothing
The general features of this area are described in chapter
left to do but fight.
5. If Hrafensheim was collapsed in Event: Stomp and Burn
but not rebuilt, then the floor of the entire longhouse is
difficult terrain. This creature is a Coldfire Premonition (see appendix
A). It is vision of what could come to pass if Gormadraug
Battle Conditions is awakened, as imagined into reality by the Herald.
There is only one objective: defeat the apparition that It is a mindless avatar of destruction whose only goal
heralds doom for Ragvall Village. All defenseless villagers is to enact the Herald’s dream of sacrificing Ragvall
have fled the scene of the battle, and all remaining Village to keep Gormadraug in slumber until the proper
Ragvallan warriors have steeled themselves to battle it. moment of awakening.
Warriors Dealing Damage. Before this battle begins,
count the number of warriors the village has left at the end
Invader Tactics
of Event: Tide of Rime. At the start of each round of com- The Coldfire Premonition starts this battle by using its
bat, the Coldfire Premonition takes an amount of piercing Rain of Coldfire action. Then it uses one of its attacks
damage equal to the number of warriors still alive without each turn to crush a building in Ragvall Village. Once it’s
cluttering the map with dozens of NPC warriors. reduced to half its hit point maximum, it stops rampaging
Warrior Casualties. At the end of each round, 2d6 and focuses all of its attacks on killing the characters.
warriors die. This represents collateral damage during the Afjyra. If Afjyra is alive, she fights to the death beside
battle and reduces the busywork of rolling attacks against the premonition in hopes of gaining favor with her
NPC warriors. primordial master. Her goal is to be the first line of defense
Village Chief. If Hrafen av Skeir (see appendix A) is for the Coldfire Premonition.
alive, he also fights in defense of Ragvall Village. If one of End of the Apocalypse
the characters is the village chief, then that character’s life
When the Coldfire Premonition is defeated, read or
holds special meaning for the Ragvallan people. If the chief
dies, the people despair, but do not blame anyone for their
leader’s death—falling in battle against a foe as mythic as The beast shrieks and writhes. The sound of shattering ice
this coldfire beast is a glorious thing for any Valikan. is magnified a hundredfold as the wolf-headed apparition
Successful Defense rears up on its hind legs and stretches into the sky, howling
Ragvall Village ends this battle in tatters regardless of all the while. Then, with a final, sickening roar, its body
how the battle ends. The only condition to successfully explodes, sending shards of burning ice showering over
defending the village is defeating the Coldfire Premonition. Ragvall Village.
Your people scatter, and some brave warriors rush
The Battle Begins to find oil and wood, and make bonfires to quench the
If the Herald is alive when the Coldfire Premonition
coldfire. Amidst the chaos, a gentle snow begins to fall.
appears, read or paraphrase the following:
Winter is almost at an end.
“Rise! Rise, premonition of the end!” crows the Herald. A
long, writhing tendril of blue flame uncoils from the crackling
mass of icy flame and wraps around the Herald’s body. The
drake turns to you with manic triumph in its eyes, and says,
“I seen this beast once before, as a wee lass. Our
“In this moment we are all blessed! I am chosen to become village witch tried to burn it with her magic. It
one with the premonition of Gormadraug’s return—and you worked well, all right. Hurt the beast. But froze the
are blessed to be the first to see the master’s wrath in an eon!” witch forever.”
The Herald’s voice is abruptly choked as it is engulfed - A village elder
in coldfire and vanishes from sight.

159
Quests These aberrations are called yuluurin (roughly, “hor-
ror flits” in Elven) by the elves of the Evergreen Enclave.
These Quests are give the characters opportunities to leave The elves have tried to eradicate their nests for years, and
Ragvall and proactively protect their home. thought they had this fall, but missed one clutch that spread
throughout the wood in an instant. Now, Elven-Thegn
Quest: Sheltered Horror Arduinna seeks to eradicate them and desires the characters’
Prerequisite: Completed Event: Gore-Hungry Beasts, aid. Venin’s shadowy presence has caused some of these
and have allied with the elves, and did not destroy the horror flits to mutate into even more vile, shadowy beasts.
Morfar Ash in Quest: Shadow of the Morfar Ash
Elven Envoy’s Approach
Questgiver: Ælswith, elven scout An elf from the Evergreen Enclave approaches Ragvall
Location: Sheltering Wood (area W1) Village frantically. This text assumes the characters have
Downtime: 1 week interacted positively with these elves in the past. Read or
The hungerer beasts which attacked Ragvall Village in the paraphrase the following:
first week of winter have been afflicted by starvation, which
made them susceptible to daemonic power. Starvation set An elf, panicked and breathless, bursts from the wood.
in because all their grazing and hunting grounds within “Monsters in the wood!” she shouts. Her golden hair is
the forest were stripped clean by aberrant creatures that matted with blood. “Our thegn requests aid! Hersirs of
slumber within trees and hollows undetected, emerging Ragvall—please!”
in winter.

160
If the characters say that this isn’t a good time, this elf infestation—the inside of the trunk is thick with their
(named Ælswith, a CN, female elf scout) shakes her head larvae. Nearly two dozen elven corpses surround the
and pleads that there is no time. Their people are fighting trunk of the tree.
for their lives to eradicate the source of the monsters Area W8: Arduinna is bloody and unconscious but stable
that attacked Ragvall Village. If they refuse to help, the at the base of the iron chair. She barely escaped here
elves suffer horrible losses, and refuse to come to Ragvall after nearly being killed in area W6, then passed out.
Village’s aid, if requested.
Arduinna’s Plan
Into the Darkened Wood Once revived, Arduinna thanks the characters for their
The Sheltering Wood is a battlefield. Aberrations have aid—effusively, if they are her friend, curtly if they haven’t
emerged and are running rampant, while elven forces have seen eye-to-eye. Regardless, she shares her findings
been broken and scattered throughout the wood. Ælswith with them:
says that shadow creatures have hatched from the trees
and driven the animals mad with starvation. The elves are “We thought we had eradicated every last one of these
fighting them, but they’ve lost track of their leader, Elven- nightmares, but…there was one place we could not search:
Thegn Arduinna, and are trying to find her. She begs their Veillslaer, the Great Ash. For two hundred years we have
aid in finding her, then splits off from the group to search watched the dwarf Alvíss tend it from afar—and worshipped
the woods herself.
the Great Ash from afar—but he would not let us close.
The characters enter the woods in area W1. Elven-
We thought it safe in his care.” Arduinna sighs and stares
Thegn Arduinna is unconscious in area W8 of the
angrily into the distance. “Not so. Veillslaer’s heart is thick
Sheltered Wood.
with infestation, and hundreds of these creature spawn from
Exploring the Darkened Wood within it. It must be burned. There’s no other way.”
Use the map and areas of the Sheltering Wood described in
chapter 5, with the following changes; see appendix A for The Morfar Ash has AC 16, 100 hp, immunity to psychic
the game statistics of all creatures in this section: damage, and vulnerability to fire damage. If it takes at
Area W1: No changes. least 50 points of fire damage, it catches fire and burns to
Areas W2 and W3: A group of four hungerer elk are cinders, taking all of the horror flits with it.
battling desperately with a pack of eight hungerer The characters may balk at this idea and decide that fight-
wolves. They are spread throughout this area. If ing the horror flits is worth preserving this tree. If so, read:
they see the characters, they stop fighting and turn
unsettlingly to stare at them. After 1 round, they attack Arduinna scowls at them, and says, “You are too soft-
the characters and fight to the death. A path has been hearted. Death is a natural part of life. We elves have let go
cut through the trees, and a character that makes a of the tree. So must you.”
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check can travel
straight to area W6 from here.
Area W4: A dozen gored elven corpses are strewn around Calendar of the Seasons
this pool. A hungerer elk grazes on their flesh. A single When this quest is completed, mark one of the following
horror flit breeder lurks underneath the corpses, and developments on the Calendar of the Seasons (see
two horror flit hunters lurk in the pool, guarding that appendix C):
which spawned them. Left to Die. If the characters refused to aid the elves, the
Area W5: Two horror flit swarms hide in the trees and Evergreen Enclave is scattered throughout the wood.
attack any living creature that approaches. Also, a They cannot, and will not, respond to requests to aid
shadow mauler lurks on the underside of the bridge, the Valikans.
ambushing anyone who gets within 5 feet of it. Savior of the Elves. As thanks for doing the hard task of
Area W6: A pair of shadow maulers lurk in what was burning Slumbermourn and eradicating the horror flits
once a dire wolf den. Bloody elven footprints lead away from the wood, Arduinna lends the characters the aid of
from this cave, and a character that makes a successful her people in defending the village. At the start of each
DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check can travel straight to week of winter, add 5 warriors to the characters’ total.
area W8 from here and lead any creatures traveling However, Alvíss is furious, and becomes hostile toward
with them. the characters.
Area W7: Four horror flit breeders have attached
themselves to the Morfar Ash, and four horror flit
swarms leap like fleas around its crown (each swarm
“If you’re mortal, you have nothing to lose.
is 3d6 × 10 feet above the ground at any time). Four We’re all mortal.”
horror flit hunters guard their breeders from the
boughs. The swarms descend when the breeders - Elven-Thegn Arduinna
are attacked. This is the source of the horror flit

161
Quest: Warriors of the Waste The Snow Hawks have many wounded and dying, and
Prerequisite: Begun the seventh week of winter need help making it back to the village. Over the next 24
hours, the characters can spend time gathering wood and
Questgiver: The Snow-White Fox making stretchers to carry the wounded with them. No ability
Location: Outside Hrafensheim (area R1) checks are needed to do so, because the construction of these
Downtime: 1 week tools is simple—merely effortful and time-consuming. The
An animal messenger sent by a druidic warrior alerted journey back to Ragvall Village is mercifully uneventful.
the characters to a group of Valikans lost and dying
Lefsi’s Dire Warning
in Grarjord. If the characters follow it, they meet up
Hersir Lefsi has dire news for the characters: frost giants
with Lefsi Mannison and what remains of his crew, the
are on the march across Grarjord in search of new land.
Snow Hawks.
Following the White Fox “A fearsome jarl of Frostmere who goes by the name of
The white fox is bound to return to the druid who sent Grimskjelle. The Grim Hunter.” Lefsi’s face looks suitably
it. This druid is a member of the warriors called the grim, too. “They say he commands a warband of ten giants;
Snow Hawks, who are currently stranded on the wastes more than enough to reduce a city to rubble in a matter of
of Grarjord. hours. We managed to slay one straggler, but we had to flee
The white fox does its best to lead the characters, but it to survive. We got lost in a snowstorm during our flight and
is small, hard to track, and blends in easily with the snow. many of our number froze to death on the wastes. We are
At the end of every two hours spent following the fox (first the only survivors.
along the Álfavegr Roadway through the Sheltering Wood, “You must be cautious, hersirs. I fear your village is
then across the Grarjord snowfields), one of the characters at risk.”
must make a DC 18 Wisdom (Survival) check.
On a success, the characters follow the fox masterfully,
The journey to Ragvall Village concludes without event.
staying at its side the entire time. On a failure, they lose
track of the fox and spend an hour searching for it. This Conclusion
also reduces the number of warriors they can gain at the If the entire party of Snow Hawks are brought back safely,
end of this quest (see “Conclusion,” below). their crew stays in the village, bolstering the number of
After making three Wisdom (Survival) checks (regardless warriors defending Ragvall by 75.
of success or failure), they reach a frozen field surrounding
a snowdrift. Atop the snowdrift is a tattered battle standard • Reduce this number by 5 for each failed Wisdom
of Hrist, depicting the heraldry of Hrist. (Survival) check the characters made while following the
white fox.
Battle on the Ice • If the characters chose to leave some of the Snow Hawks
The ice field is vast, surrounding the snowdrift for about behind, their actions also reduce this number by 10.
1,000 feet on all sides. Once the characters have traversed
500 feet into it, they hear a sickening cracking sound
beneath their feet—then four burly, ice-blue trolls burst Quest: Preemptive Strike
through the surface of the ice, surrounding the characters. Prerequisite: Begun the eighth week of winter
One pair of trolls starts 40 feet away from the characters,
while another pair starts 60 feet away from them. Questgiver: Hlökk Warcrier
This hunting party of four icefisher trolls was hiding Location: Outside Hrafensheim (area R1)
beneath the surface of the frozen lake, thinking over how Downtime: 1 week
best to ambush the warriors on the snowdrift island in its The characters are faced with a choice: preemptively
center. However, they’re impulsive enough to abandon the attack the giant warband led by Jarl Grimskjelle, or hunker
element of surprise once they notice the characters walking down and wait to see if the giants will pass them by.
directly over their heads. They use seaborn troll statistics
(see appendix A) with the following changes: Wait and See
• They are immune to cold damage If the characters choose not to attack, the giants don’t even
realize that Ragvall Village exists.
• They have a burrow speed of 20 feet (ice only)
Take the Initiative
Meeting the Snow Hawks If the characters decide to launch a preemptive strike on
The Snow Hawks heard the sounds of battle from their Grimskjelle’s camp, Lefsi Mannison shows them on a map
encampment in a snowdrift. Their hersir, Lefsi Mannison, where they’ve been spotted traveling across Grarjord. It
left the heat of their fire and crested the hill to see what was looks like they’re headed toward Summerhelm. The charac-
happening. He appraises the characters with suspicion until ters can determine several possible locations for the giants’
he is certain they are Valikan (seeing the white fox is enough camp by making a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check. On a
to convince him), then welcomes them with open arms. success, one of the potential camp locations is correct.

162
Raiding Grimskjelle’s Camp
This scenario is designed to be undertaken by characters
acting on their own. If they wish to bring their full army,
you may have to create a raid scenario using the rules in
chapter 3 of Raider’s Guide to Valika.
Alternatively, you could create a reason why Ragvall’s
warriors can’t leave the village—for instance, Hlökk has
received scouting reports about monsters prowling the
eastern roads and needs to keep defenders close at hand
in case an attack occurs while the characters are away.
Journey Onto the Wastes

Reaching Grimskjelle’s camp takes a journey of about 2
days through the bitter cold of winter. At the start of each
day, living creatures must make a DC 13 Constitution
saving throw, gaining 1 level of exhaustion on a failure.
Creatures that have resistance to cold damage have
advantage on this save, and immunity allows them to
automatically succeed.
The Jarl’s Warcamp

Once the characters arrive at the camp, they look down
upon it from atop a wooded cliff. See area J1 of Jarl
Grimskjelle’s Camp in chapter 5. This camp, its
structures, and its inhabitants are described in
that chapter.
The Sneaky Approach. The camp is filled
with powerful frost giants, and canny characters
will choose to sneak in and cause trouble—or
assassinate some giants—rather than fight them
all up front. If the characters are trapped and
defeated, consider how to raise the stakes rather
than anticlimactically ending the campaign.
They might be captured and ransomed back
to the village (perhaps for some gold and
some warriors, who will surely be eaten by
the giants).

When this Quest is completed, mark one of the
following developments on the Calendar of the Seasons (see
appendix C):
Let them Pass. If the characters didn’t attack
Grimskjelle’s camp, advance to “Giants Depart
Eastward” in the ninth week of winter.
Grimskjelle’s Wrath. If the characters attacked Grimsk-
jelle’s camp, advance to “Wrath of the Giants” in the
ninth week of winter.

163
164
Chapter 5:
EXPLORING VALIKA
T
he vast lands of Valika are flush with locations brimming with ancient secrets and hidden treasure. These monster lairs,
shipwrecks, and longhouses are related to the many quests that the heroes of this adventure can learn about in the seasons
of spring, autumn, and winter—in summer, they'll be raiding beyond the borders of Valika itself.
These locations are intended to be explored fully in a single session of gameplay. That also makes them useful for GMs to
plunder and use piecemeal in their own homemade Grim Hollow campaigns.
Discovering a Dungeon Reaching a Dungeon

Typically, the characters won’t know about a dungeon Valika is a harsh land, even in balmy spring and summer.
on this map of Valika until they learn of it from another Snow blankets the land year-round, and the wind drives tem-
character. However, if the characters (or their players) are peratures so low that one’s own breath can freeze upon the air.
eager to go exploring, have one of them make a DC 10 The deadly nature of travel isn’t a core component of this
Intelligence (History) check. On a success, you can reveal adventure; it’s assumed that the characters are skilled sur-
one dungeon with a recommended level equal to that vivalists and know how to endure the Valikan cold through
character’s level. (See Valikan Dungeons Table) proper gear and training. If you want to include elements
As warriors of Clan Ragvall, the characters already of winter survivalist gameplay, the GM will need to provide
know of Bennuson Farmstead, the Sheltering Wood, their own rules for surviving the harsh Valikan land.
and Hrafensheim, because those are all in or around the
village. The mining camp at Headwater Cave, close to the Traveling to a Dungeon
nearby town of Halsfjord, may also be known to them.
The journey to and from a dungeon is assumed to fit within
one week. If the dungeon is outside of Ragvall Village,
Quests and Dungeons characters who journey there aren’t able to gain any benefit
Most dungeons in this adventure are related to one or more from the week of downtime they must take after completing
quests. Some, like the Sheltering Wood, contain potential a Quest there.
for many different Quests. Others, like Hvitrfjall Peak, are If the characters travel to one of the following dungeons,
designed to interact with only one Quest. If your charac- they can still engage in downtime that week due to how
ters don’t do a Quest that’s only related to one dungeon, it short the journey is:
becomes easy to set new Quests of your own creation there • Bennuson Farmstead • Ófeigur’s Beacon
to expand your story. • Hrafensheim • Sheltering Wood
If the characters must explore a dungeon in order to
All other dungeons consume their ability to perform a
complete a Quest, they automatically learn its location on
downtime activity that week.
the map when they accept the Quest.
Valikan Dungeons
Location Name Description Recommended Level
Bennuson Farmstead A prosperous farm house in Ragvall Village. Kobolds lair beneath it. 3rd-level
Headwater Cave An ore-rich cavern near Halsfjord. A druidic curse has halted mining. 3rd-level
Hrafensheim Ragvall Village’s longhouse and stronghold. —
Hvitrfjall Peak A wind-scoured peak hiding a shrine to the Prismatic Wyrm. 5th-level
Jarl Grimskjelle’s Camp A camp of frost giant raiders seeking to plunder Valikan cities. 10th-level (Not discoverable until winter)
Oceantide Cave A troll-infested cavern in the Teeth. 8th-level (or lower, if stealth is used)
Ófeigur’s Beacon A lighthouse in Ragvall Village with a daemonic artifact buried beneath it. 3rd-level
Sheltering Wood Elf-inhabited woods protecting Ragvall Village from the elements. 3rd-level and higher
Snow’s Respite A hot spring in a distant mountain. In ancient times, a red dragon laired there. 9th-level
Steðihaugr The “Anvil-Barrow,” resting place of a mythic Valikan smith. 3rd-level
Wreck of the Blade-Blessed A wrecked ship containing a blade sought by laneshi necromancers. 8th-level
Wreck of the Sea Dragon A wrecked ship picked clean by wretched keppmir. 8th-level
The Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 5: Exploring Valika

165
Bennuson Farmstead Areas within Bennuson Farmstead
The following areas are keyed to the map of this location.
For 3rd-level characters
Since the very birth of Ragvall, the farmstead of the half-orc F1: Kitchen
matriarch Benna Stonebreaker and her numerous partners
Stacked firewood rests beside the open hearth at the center
and descendants has stood proudly in the southern part of
the village, where the family commands acres of farmland of this large kitchen. Nearby, ash has spilled onto the floor.
and beekeeping yards. Sacks of grains and fruits and barrels of cheese lean against
Recently, the farmstead has been the target of the walls. A few overly large knives and pots remain.
thefts, including the ring that gave Benna her moniker
Stonebreaker (see Quest: Thieving Churls in chapter 1). The characters can inspect the kitchen for clues.
Hearth (DC 17). Small, clawed footprints mark the ash.
Bennuson Farmstead Features The tracks are hard to identify in the soot; a successful DC 20
Intelligence (Nature) check identifies them as kobold tracks.
This location has the following features unless Grain and Fruit Sacks (DC 15). A half-eaten apple
otherwise noted: sits near the fruit sacks. A successful DC 15 Intelligence
Light. This farmstead is brightly lit by roaring hearths as (Nature) check identifies that the small and sharp tooth
well as by sunlight during the day. marks were made by a small humanoid.
Ceilings. The rooms of this farmstead are 30 feet high; Cheese Barrels (DC 12). A barrel with a hole in its
its doors are 10 feet high; and its hallways are also 10 back is missing little chunks of cheese.
feet high. Knives and Pots (DC 15). As Benna said, many knives,
pots, and pans are missing. A successful DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) check deduces that only small items were
Quests taken; what remains are larger and more unwieldy ones.
The characters are guided to this location in Quest:
Thieving Churls (see chapter 1). F2: Benna’s Living Quarters
A bed large enough to fit five adults dominates this room.
Searching for Clues Various storage chests cover the walls. A large window
During Quest: Thieving Churls, the characters are tasked overlooks the farm.
with finding clues. Places where clues can be found are
described in areas F1 and F2 of this location. Each place— The characters can inspect various parts of the bedroom
such as a hearth, or sacks of grain, or a dirty sink—has a for clues.
clue and a DC associated with it. Bed (DC 15). The blankets are covered with soot from
the hearth.
Searching Directly Storage Chests (DC 15). The latches of these storage
If a character declares that they search one of these places, chests have been scratched by small claws and implements
they discover its clue instantly. They don’t have to make an like lockpicks.
ability check to search it. Window Frame (DC 10). The window frame is covered
in scratches left by small claws.
Sweeping the Room Looking Outside (DC 13). The dirt outside the window
If the characters are unsure of where to look and simply is covered in small, clawed footprints. A successful DC 15
want to sweep the entire room, the characters must spend Intelligence (Nature) check identifies these as kobold tracks.
10 minutes scouring the room, and then can make Wisdom
(Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks. If a F3: Barn
character’s check matches or equals the DC listed on a place
with a clue, they find the clue listed there. Each character Though currently empty, this barn reeks of cows. Several
can only find one clue per sweep of the room, so the GM hay bales stand in a corner and a layer of straw covers its
chooses which clues are found by which characters. dirt floors.
Upon entering, the character with the highest passive

“I’d tell ya’ to kiss my arse, but even that Perception score notices a kitchen knife in the straw.
might kill ya.” Near the knife, and underneath some hay bales, is a pit,
5 feet wide and 15 feet deep, that descends into the warren
- Benna Stonebreaker
tunnels (area F4).

166
F4: Warren Tunnels mounted on stands. Kobolds gain the following Crossbow
attack when using a turret.
The pit extends into an underground tunnel leading away Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
from the barn. 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+2) piercing damage.
Attacking the Kobolds. If the characters show violent
The tunnel is 5 feet high and in complete darkness. The intent, four kobolds grab knives and two run to the turrets
kobolds that live here have installed traps every 15 feet. behind a 3-foot-high dirt wall. The kobolds use their Pack
Crossbow. A concealed crossbow mechanism in the Tactics trait whenever possible. They attack in self-defense
floor fires if its trip wire is activated (hidden 15 feet into and beg for mercy if Serrev is killed.
the tunnel). A character within 10 feet of the trap who Kobold Hoard
succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check notices In addition to Benna’s ring and the various knives and pans
the tripwire. The wire can be disarmed with a successful from the kitchen, the kobolds also stole a set of high-quality
DC 12 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. A creature smith’s tools, which is of great interest to Rikarð Jarnskegg
activating the trap must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (see Quest: Tools of the Trade). A strange object called
saving throw or take 7 (1d10) piercing damage. fey-eye (see appendix B) is also lumped in with the hoard.
Oil Trap. A clay pot filled with oil embedded in the
ceiling falls if its associated tripwire is activated (hidden
30 feet into the tunnel). A character within 10 feet of
the trap who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception)
check notices the trap. The wire can be disarmed with a
successful DC 14 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools.
If triggered, creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a
DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or be covered in oil until they
complete a short rest or until they take fire damage. While
covered in oil, creatures are vulnerable to fire damage.
The oil patch makes the ground slippery, as if affected
by the grease spell (DC 13). A creature that slips here also F1
becomes covered in oil.
Fire. A mechanism in the wall hurls a clay pot full of
alchemist’s fire if its trip wire is activated (hidden 45 feet
into the tunnel). A character within 10 feet of the trap who
succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check notices
the tripwire. The wire can be disarmed with a successful F2
DC 16 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools.
When triggered, all creatures within 10 feet of the
tripwire must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw
or take 5 (2d4) fire damage. Creatures who fail this save
also take 5 (2d4) fire damage at the start of each of its
turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to F3
make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
F5: Kobolds’ Cavern

The tunnel widens into a circular room. In its center,
several kobolds surround another who rests on a sack while
being fed from an iron pot by kneeling kobold. F4
This cavern is 10 feet high and in complete darkness.

Six kobolds are here plus their leader, a white-scaled
kobold named Serrev the Skulk, and a sick kobold named
Neev. They tend to Neev with supplies stolen from the
farmstead. Serrev uses spy statistics with the Pack Tactics
trait, which raises his Challenge Rating to 2 (450 XP): F5
Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack
roll against a creature if at least one of the kobold's allies is
within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. Bennuson Farmstead
Crossbow Turrets. At the back of the chamber, behind 1 Square = 5 feet
a 2-foot-thick wall with two arrow slits, are two crossbows

167
Headwater Cave Areas of Headwater Cave
The following areas are keyed to the map of this dungeon.
In the mountain foothills north of Halsfjord is a cave H1: The Cavern Mouth
tucked away from prying eyes. While this cavern has been
The sound of rushing water greets you as you come over
beloved for the river that springs from it, it has also become
known as a lucrative mining site, with rich deposits of iron the slope. Before you, the cavern mouth waits, a massive
ore waiting to be freed. maw from which a white-foam river flows. The stones are
But the river is running red. Miners go to Headwater slick, the moss speckled with dew. Bodies hide amongst the
and do not return; if they do, it is not with ore, but wounds cavern mouth and river. The air feels too still despite the
and wild-eyed stories of monsters. With its resources roar of water from deeper in the cave.
threatened, Halsfjord needs help reclaiming their mine.
The truth of Headwater Cave is that prospectors from As characters approach the cavern mouth, they notice
Halsfjord forced out a group of pixies who were living in a corpses scattered around the clearing. A successful DC
shrine within the cave. A few weeks ago, one of the miners 11 Wisdom (Medicine) check indicates these people were
tampered with the shrine and was cursed with a monstrous killed from blunt-force trauma. A character that succeeds
shape. The pixies, warped into cruel pucks by their grief, on this check by 5 or more notices that their flesh has
returned to their cave to make a grim garden of their begun to rot.
enemies’ bones. Characters that have a passive Wisdom (Perception)
score of 14 or higher notice simple runes carved in the
Background stone at the cavern’s mouth. Characters who understand
Druidic can read the runes. They read: “beware,” “holy,”
A character who makes an Intelligence (History) check and “wild,” and “protector.”
meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls information
about the site. These are cumulative: H2: Waterfall Climb
DC 5: Miners from Halsfjord once mined iron from a rich
vein in the back of this cave. Inside the cavern, a waterfall gushes over a lip of stone,
DC 10: Rumors of a monster inhabiting the depths of the roaring in the enclosed space. Abandoned pitons and
cave began over a month ago. broken rope ladders litter the sides of the waterfall, where
DC 15: The last miner to leave the cave said he was chased the stone is wet and dangerous. A low moan comes from
by something hulking and made of earth, a creature the ledge above.
demonstrating no known language beyond roaring.
DC 20: Headwater Cavern was once an ancient site of
The 60-foot-tall cave wall is rough and slick but climbable.
druidic worship for early Valikans. They made offerings
If a creature without a climbing speed tries to scale the
to fey spirits for safety.
stone walls to either side of the waterfall, it must make a
successful Strength (Athletics) check at the end of each of
Quests its turns spent climbing. The DC of this check increases the
higher the creature is from the ground:
There are no Quests tied to this dungeon, but clearing it
of danger allows the characters to take on a new downtime • 15 feet or lower: DC 10
activity to gather iron ore from the mine (see “New • 30 feet or lower: DC 12
Downtime Activities” in chapter 1). • 45 feet or lower: DC 14
• 60 feet or lower: DC 16
Headwater Cave Features If a creature succeeds on the DC 16 Strength (Athletics)
check, it’s able to clamber over the lip of the cliff. If a
This dungeon has the following features unless creature fails any of these checks, it falls. While falling, it
otherwise noted: can make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to catch itself
Light. Dark. No natural light touches the cave interior. after falling at least 10 feet (and taking 1d6 bludgeoning
Ceilings. The rooms of this dungeon are 40 feet high; its damage from the fall). If a creature fails this saving throw,
doors and hallways are 10 feet high. it falls to the bottom of the waterfall cliff.
If a character climbs 30 feet up and makes a successful
DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, the character finds
Downtime more runes. Characters proficient in History or who
The characters can find this dungeon by exploring beyond understand Druidic know these runes to mean “turn
their village during downtime. Once they clear it, they back,” “stone,” “demand,” and “soul”.
gain access to the Gather Iron downtime activity (see
“Downtime in Ragvall” in chapter 1).

168
H3: Mining Hall H4: Wild Shrine
Hidden above the waterfall is a massive hall filled with A twenty-foot tall being wrought of dark stone, rotting bits
abandoned mining equipment and destroyed tents. Several of earth, and patches of green-glowing lichen and moss
offshoot chambers are dug out following veins of ore. stands at a simple stone altar. Dried blood covers its hands.
Strange, gnarled shrubs grow in the pitch-darkness of the
cave. Following the flowing water to the east side of this This massive being, its features twisted in horror, towers
chamber reveals a passage into another cavern. over the crude altar. If it sees the characters, it gestures
towards its mouth. If the characters address it, the being
Three pucks and three puck shrubs (see appendix A for calls itself Markos. “This shrine changed me,” he says. “My
both creatures’ statistics) are hiding amongst the detritus mind is leaving me. All I can do is kill. Please…help me!”
of the mining camp. These pucks have grown unsettling Despite his words, he attacks. His will is not his own.
grasses from the blood and bones of the miners, and five A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Religion or Nature) check
svangras (see appendix A) grow in the wrecked camp. finds the altar marked with runes to summon an elemen-
Their locations are marked on the map of this dungeon; tal guardian, but the magic went wrong and transformed
they attack only if a creature comes within 5 feet of it. a would-be thief into an elemental abomination. This
The pucks attack when creatures investigate the wreck- semi-lucid deathmoss (see appendix A) has the following
age, step on a svangra, or come within 5 feet of the entrance changes, which reduce its challenge rating to 4 (1,100 XP):
to the Wild Shrine (area H4). The pucks shout in Sylvan as • Its AC is 10
they attack: “Death to tall folk! Flee or die!” They can be • Its hit points are 76 (8d10 + 32)
convinced to leave the cave and seek another home in peace • The Constitution saves to resist its Blight trait, its
if a character makes a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persua- Calming Spores action, and its Slam attack are DC 11
sion) check, but only if that character can speak Sylvan. • Its Slam attack deals 4 (1d8) bludgeoning plus 3 (1d6)
Treasure. Searching the camp reveals information necrotic damage
and treasure. A character who spends 1 minute searching If the deathmoss is defeated in combat, there is a brief
and makes a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) glimpse of a young halfling man with olive skin, rough
check finds 250 pounds of iron spread throughout the leathers, and sad features emerging from the blighted earth
room. Succeeding on this check by 5 or more also reveals a before crumbling into soil himself.
journal from the camp doctor. It reads, “Markus went into Developments. Once this deathmoss has been
the forbidden room last week, and isn’t acting like himself. defeated, surviving pucks flee from area the mining hall
He speaks an old tongue. We found moss growing on his (area H3). The mine becomes safe to use once again, and
arm after a hard rain.” the characters can use downtime to organize a mining
A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check party (see “Downtime in Ragvall” in chapter 1 and
reveals the above as well as a diamond worth 300 gp. “Downtime Activities” in chapter 3).
H1
H2
H3
H4
Headwater Cave
1 Square = 5 feet

169
Hrafensheim
Ceilings. The ceilings of this house are 30 feet high, and its
doors are 7 feet high.
Doors. The longhouse’s wooden interior doors can be
For characters of any level
barred from inside. Breaking down a barred door
Hrafensheim—the “House of Hrafen” in Valiki) is the requires a creature to use its action to make a successful
longhouse of Ragvall Village and home to the village DC 15 Strength check. A door has AC 13, 10 hp, and
chief. It is a gathering place for village events, a hospitable immunity to poison and psychic damage.
shelter for weary travelers that come to the village, and a Light. This longhouse is lit by two large fire pits in its main
stronghold for when the village comes under attack. hall. People carry candles while moving about the hall
This location is not a dungeon; it’s a location in Ragvall at night.
Village that the characters will visit time and time again. It Walls. The interior walls and ceiling of this longhouse are
can be used as a map for scenes and combat encounters that made of sturdy timber. Its exterior is made of compacted,
occur throughout this adventure, such as Event: Besting the grass-covered earth that insulates the interior from rain and
Braggart in chapter 1, the “Burning the Ship of the Dead” cold. Two smoke-holes exist in the ceiling above the fire pits,
section in chapter 3, and raid defense events in chapter 4. which can be covered and concealed during an attack.
Windows. Other than the smoke-holes in the ceiling and
the main hall’s door, there are no holes in the house’s
Background turf-covered exterior.
A character who makes an Intelligence (History) check and
meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls the following Areas within Hrafensheim
information. These are cumulative:
The following areas are keyed to the map of this location.
DC 5: Hrafensheim is the longhouse of Ragvall Village.
It looks like a hill from outside because its exterior A1: Village Square
walls are made of compacted earth and grow green
The Village Square is a crossroads and grassy knoll on
with grass.
the banks of the river Heilag and the shore of the Akkeri
DC 10: The longhouse holds some of the village’s cattle,
Bay. The heavy, oaken doors and decorative façade of
and also holds reserves of dairy and preserved food.
Hrafensheim stand tall and noble over the square.
DC 15: In times of crisis, the longhouse can hold nearly In spring and summer, market stalls are set up on the
half the village. green once a week. In autumn, the Ship of the Dead is
DC 20: There are rumors that Chief Hrafen av Skeir has ritualistically lit aflame here to honor those who died while
a secret room in the longhouse, which he keeps magical raiding. In winter, children have snowball fights here while
relics he stole from Clan Völgr when he left them. adults set up barricades and defenses.
Quests A2: Alvíss’s Woodcrafts

This is the home and workshop of the reclusive dwarf
This location and its map are used in the following Quests Alvíss av Dvergholt. It is described in more detail in
and Events: chapter 1 of this adventure (see area R3).
• Event: A Knife at Autumn’s End (chapter 3)
• Event: Revolution in Ragvall (chapter 3) A3: Feast Hall
• Quest: First Blood (chapter 4) The main hall of Hrafensheim is a single long room domi-
• Event: Hungerers Rampant (chapter 4) nated by two oaken feast tables with a fire pit between them.
• Event: Darkwater Rampant (chapter 4) Benches line the walls, offering comfortable seating for over
a hundred people. During feasts and festivals, hundreds of
• Event: Stomp and Burn (chapter 4)
villagers pack into the hall and special guests sit at the table,
• Event: Drowning in Undead (chapter 4)
leaving the benches for the old and infirm; everyone else
• Event: Coldfire Premonition (chapter 4)
stands or sits on the floor while the village bard sings and
dances from atop the tables.
Hrafensheim Features In winter, this area is often filled with huddled, shivering
people and harried healers doing their best to triage the
The longhouse has the following features unless ill and wounded. In times of attack, the doors to this hall
otherwise noted: can be barred while rows of stout warriors prepare to repel
Objects. This longhouse is filled with objects and furniture. invaders. See “Defending Ragvall Village” in chapter 4 for
Any creature can share a space with an object to gain more information about defensive raids.
half cover. Most sizeable objects can be flipped over as an Tapestries and carved wooden art decorate the walls. A
action and used as three-quarters or total cover. Addi- tapestry of the hero Kentigern battling the Prismatic Wyrm
tionally, if a Large or larger creature attacks a creature Gormadraug is in the southeast corner of the hall. It covers
sharing a space with an object, that object is knocked over a sliding wall panel—a secret door to the chief’s safe room
and can be used as cover, at the GM’s discretion. (area A8).

170
A4: Bunks A7: Chief’s Bedchambers
This room is filled with bedrolls made of pelts and straw. This room is just as rustic as the rest of the longhouse, but
These simple beds are for weary travelers to rest in while they is decorated with tapestries, hanging shields and swords,
stay in Ragvall Village upon the chief’s hospitality. They and charcoal sketches of ships that the chief dreams up.
are also for villagers to use in times of misfortune, especially It contains a fine oaken-frame bed with warm sheets.
during the winter when the weather is at its deadliest. On the south wall of the room is a tapestry of the hero
This room contains several small footlockers for Ragvall defending Kentigern from Gormadraug’s icy
personal belongings. breath. It covers a sliding wall panel—a secret door to the
chief’s safe room (area A8).
A5: Indoor Dairy
It’s common in Valikan clans for the chief to have their A8: Chief’s Safe Room
own cows, and even small, nascent Clan Ragvall is no This small safe room is Hrafen av Skeir’s secret. He would
exception. On sunny days, these cows are often seen never show cowardice in front of his people, but he keeps
grazing in the village square and are herded to and from this room as a stronghold to hide in, just in case the village
the indoor dairy by young adults hired by the chief. is ever overrun. After the attack, he can emerge and rally
These cows are quite gentle and won’t harm anyone the survivors to rebuild Ragvall.
unless spooked. If set free in a chaotic situation, they attack Running from a fight isn’t honorable, but Hrafen cares
nearby creatures indiscriminately while trying to escape to about his personal virtues more than he cares about the
the main entrance. They use ox statistics. vague cultural idiom of “Valikan honor.”
Treasure. This room contains the following items:
A6: Larder • A warm bedroll
The chief maintains a stockpile of food within the long- • A suit of +1 plate that bears the sigil of the occult
house for feasts, and in case of lean harvests or other disas- Prismatic Order, which Hrafen stole while fleeing the
ters. Much of this stockpile is food paid as tax to the chief Völgr city of Tyburn
by clansfolk. A kind chief like Hrafen av Skeir is inclined • A frost brand that once belonged to Chief Nolgr
to share with their clansfolk, while selfish ones hoard the Magnusson of Clan Völgr, which Hrafen stole
cream of the crop for themselves.
This larder contains dried meat and fish, flour and other
cereal grains, and huge tubs of dairy to be turned into
cheese, butter, and skyr.
A2
A1
A6
A4
A3
A5
A7
A8
Hrafensheim
1 Square = 5 feet

171
Hvitrfjall Peak
Hvitrfjall Peak has natural footholds and scalable slopes,
making it straightforward trek. However, the winding
track from the base to the peak covers nearly 10,000 feet
For 5th-level characters
of elevation over 12 miles, making it long and exhausting.
Hvitrfjall Peak—the “Shining Mountain” in Valiki—is Ascending. Characters climbing the mountain
so named for the curtains of rainbow light which dance must make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) group check.
around it at night. A character with a climbers’ kit makes this check at
These auroras appear due to the lingering influence of advantage as do any creatures with a climbing or a flying
Gormadraug, the Prismatic Wyrm, upon the mountain. speed. On a success, a character reaches the cavern
Up until two winters ago, a fanatical prismatic drake that near the peak of the mountain (area P2) after 6 hours of
calls itself the Herald of Gormadraug, made this place its climbing. On a failure, a character still reaches area P2 in
home and constructed a shrine on its peak. The Herald 6 hours, but also gains 1 level of exhaustion and takes 21
involves itself in the tale of Ragvall Village in chapter 4 (6d6) bludgeoning damage from falls and scrapes.
of this adventure. Though it has since moved on from Enduring. At the end of the climb, each of the characters
Hvitrfjall Peak, its power still lingers there. that ascended the mountain must make a successful DC 15
The Herald’s abiding elemental influence has drawn Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. This
worshipers of the Primordial Ilhara to search the mountain saving throw is made with disadvantage if characters are not
for magical secrets. These mystics hail from the Bürach dressed appropriately for the cold weather.
imperial territory of Nordenland to the south. They fear
and despise Valikans, due to generations of warfare waged P2: Herald’s Rest
upon them by Thrull raiders.
Previously obscured by rocks and the angle of ascent, the
yawning mouth of a cavern reveals itself to you.
Background
A character who makes an Intelligence (History) check and The cavern ceiling is 50 feet high. During the day, the cavern
meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls information is dimly lit, while at night it is in darkness. A closed stone
about the site. These are cumulative: trapdoor atop the cavern leads to the summit (area P3).
DC 5: The mountain is wreathed in curtains of rainbow Nataya (NE, female half-elf panjaian ilharan; see
lights at night. appendix A), a servant of Ilhara, the Queen of Air and
DC 10: Valikans use it as a landmark to aid navigation. Darkness, examines runes carved into the wall. Two
DC 15: There have been reports of a drake that shines like bodyguards, Ditmar and Gelfrid (NE, male human bandit
the rainbow circling the peak. captains) keep an eye on the cavern entrance.
DC 20: Some say the rainbow lights are a sign of As soon as the bodyguards notice the characters, they
Gormadraug’s presence. alert Nataya. Upon seeing them, she snarls: “So the
Valikan swine have found us at last. Ditmar, Gelfrid, purge
this sanctuary of their filth.” All three attack.
Quests Fighting the Ilharans. Nataya immediately flies 30 feet
The characters are guided to this dungeon in Quest: Epic into the air, keeping her distance from the characters. Her
Poetry (see chapter 1). bodyguards rush forward with their scimitars. They fight
to the death.
Upon reaching 0 hit points, Nataya transforms into a sky
Hvitrfjall Peak Features drake (see appendix A), sloughing off her wounded human
This dungeon has the following features unless flesh like a lizard shedding its skin. This is a gift from Ilhara
otherwise noted: for her devotion. She flies up to the shrine (area P3) and
Light. During the day, this dungeon is bathed in natural light. hides, preparing to attack the characters if they reach it.
At night, the auroras illuminate the night with dim light. No Truce with Nataya. Nataya’s traumatic experi-
ences cause her to believe all Valikans to be bloodthirsty
slavers, and she grants no opportunities for Valikans to
Areas within Hvitrfjall Peak prove otherwise. The characters can’t convince Nataya of a
The following areas are keyed to the map of this dungeon. nonviolent resolution.
Herald’s Legacy. The cave itself is full of shed
P1: Mountain Base skin from a prismatic drake. The skin is worth 300 gp.
Characters who understand Draconic know that the runes
The mountain known as Hvitrfjall Peak reaches into the on the wall read “Gormadraug,” “return,” and “winter.”
sky above you, clouds swirling around its jagged, snow- The Herald left behind two vials of flammable
capped summit. tincture (see appendix B), which can be found with a
successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom
(Perception) check.

172
P3: Shrine to Gormadraug • They have the following Air Form trait:
Air Form. The slyph can enter a hostile creature's space and
Tall stones engraved with Primordial glyphs stand at the stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide
summit of Hvitrfjall Peak, forming a simple shrine. Frigid without squeezing.
alpine winds howl relentlessly.
• Their Luring Song action is replaced with the following
Gale action:
Sixty feet above the entrance to Herald’s Rest (area P2), the
Gale (Recharge 4–6). The sylph sends out a gust of wind in a 20-
untended shrine to Gormadraug was built by the Her-
foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a
ald. Engraved on the stones in Draconic is the message:
DC 11 Strength saving throw. On a failure, a target takes 8 (2d6 + 1)
“Gormadraug, greatest of the Primordials and bringer of
bludgeoning damage and is flung up to 20 feet away from the sylph
coldfire, slumbers beneath the earth. You can try and delay
the Prismatic Wyrm’s return, but it is as inevitable as the in a direction following the line and knocked prone. If a thrown
changing of seasons.” target strikes an object, such as a wall or floor, the target takes 3
A closed stone trapdoor in the middle of the area leads (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the
down to Herald’s Rest (area P2). target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed
Phase Two. If the characters defeated Nataya’s on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage. If the
panjaian form in area P2, she flies here in her sky drake saving throw is successful, the target takes half the bludgeoning
form (see appendix A) and summons three sylphs, which damage and isn't flung away or knocked prone.
use harpy statistics with the following changes that raise Monster Tactics. Nataya uses her Flyby trait to swoop
their Challenge Ratings to 2: down and attack before retreating. The sylphs use their Gale
• Their creature type is Elemental and they can speak Auran. attack when possible to divide and damage the characters.
• They have resistance to lightning and thunder damage, Monster Salvage. Nataya remains in her sky drake
and bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from form when killed. Her corpse is worth 400 gp. If beheaded
nonmagical attacks. (see Quest: Epic Poetry in chapter 1), the rest of her
• They are immune to poison damage. corpse is worth 300 gp.
• They are immune to exhaustion and the grappled, Treasure. The Ilharans in this shrine were performing
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, and repairs. Thus, their shrine is stocked with 250 pounds
unconscious conditions. of timber.
P3 P2
P2
Hvitrfjall Peak
1 Square = 5 feet
P1

173
Jarl Grimskjelle’s Camp
A thick pillar of smoke, smelling of fresh-cut pine, billows
high into the sky. Parting thick pine boughs of the copse
you find yourself atop a steep cliff, looking down at a camp
of three enormous tents made of white canvas, blending
This location only exists in winter, when Jarl Grimskjelle, into the the snow. The tents are at least fifty feet tall.
a frost giant of Frostmere, leads his warband to crush and A towering bonfire at the far end of the camp belches
pillage Valikan settlements. His band is comprised of ten
smoke into the sky where three icy blue giants roast an elk.
frost giant warriors, plus himself. They’re currently camped
on Grarjord, en route to the Valikan city of Summerhelm,
which he plans to annihilate in the name of Frostmere. This cliff is a dizzying 100 feet tall, though it turns into
This dungeon is the target of a stealth or hit-and-run a sloping hill at its northern end. All sound is muffled
mission in chapter 4 of this adventure. Because of the number by the snow here, and the characters can hold a spoken
of powerful giants in this camp, it’s unlikely that 9th-level conversation without being noticed by the giants below.
characters will be able to take them all on in a fair fight. Scaling the Cliff. The cliffs pose a problem to
characters trying to make a quick getaway. The cliff is
covered in craggy, icy rocks. At the end of each turn spent
Background climbing it, a creature takes 2 (1d4) cold damage and must
A character that makes an Intelligence (History) check succeed on a DC 10 Strength saving throw or slip and fall
and meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls the 10 feet before finding its footing. A creature that fails this
following information: save by 5 or more falls to the bottom and lands prone.
DC 5: Frost giants are common in Valika’s remote J1a: Cliffside Slides
mountains. Though not all hate humans, most avoid the Two slopes on the north and south sides of the cliff are less
“warm folk.” steep, and covered with snow. They are easy to slide down
DC 10: The giants of Frostmere are known as the quietly, but hard to climb back up. Each is 120 feet long. A
Melwarg, and they despise humanity. They believe creature endig its turn standing on a slope must succeed on
giantkind should rule Valika. a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to keep its balance.
DC 15: Jarl Grimskjelle is a feared commander of Melwarg On a failure, it slips, sliding back to the base of the slide.
warriors. He is a zealot of the cause, and longs to
enslave the “warm folk.” J2: Clear-Cut Campsite
DC 20: Jarl Mundilfari Grimskjelle can magically conjure This campsite is littered with the stumps of felled trees
shields and restraints out of ice. used to make the giants’ tent posts, firewood, and roasting
skewers. The characters must move stealthily through the
Quests snow to avoid alerting the giants.
Alerting the Camp. If a creature fails a DC 8 Dexter-
The characters are guided to this dungeon in Quest: ity (Stealth) check while within 50 feet of the giants at the
Preemptive Strike (see chapter 4). bonfire (area J3) or the entrance to any of the tents (areas J4,
J5, and J6), the giants in that area notice, and send one giant
Grimskjelle’s Camp Features from that area to investigate. If the giant succeeds on a DC
15 Wisdom (Perception) check, it spots the creatures’ foot-
This dungeon has the following features unless prints. The giant ignores Beast prints, otherwise it follows
otherwise noted: them. If it can’t find the characters after searching for 1 min-
Light. This dungeon is outdoors. During the daytime, it is ute, it returns to its area and warns its fellows to be on the
brightly lit by the sun reflecting off the snow. At night, it alert, as “warm folk” might be creeping around the camp.
is pitch dark. The interior of the camp’s tents are dimly After an area has been alerted, the DC of the Dexterity
lit by glowing orbs of magical ice. (Stealth) check to avoid detection rises to 13.
Ceilings. The interior of the camp’s tents are 50 feet high.
Sound. Sound travels well in this camp. If a combat J3: Giant’s Bonfire
encounter begins, 1d4 giants from elsewhere in the Frost giants have no need for warmth, but the Melwarg
camp (GM’s choice) come to investigate. They arrive on giants enjoy the strange, prickly sensation that being close
initiative count 20 of the third round. to a bonfire gives them. They also very much like the taste
of scorched-black meat and the light that the fire gives off.
The fire spews a thick cloud of smoke due to the still-green
Areas of Grimskjelle’s Camp firewood used to build it.
The following areas are keyed to the map of this dungeon. A trio of frost giant warriors are sitting around the camp-
fire, telling gruesome, bawdy stories and plunging whole elks
J1: Forested Overlook skewered on pointed tree trunks into the flames. They should
Read or paraphrase the following when the characters be keeping watch, but are confident that the warm folk won’t
arrive at the camp to set the scene: be patrolling the ice fields in the middle of winter.

174
J4: Warrior’s Tent Treasure. Searching the room takes 1 minute and
A group of four frost giant warriors snore loudly in this requires a character to make a DC 13 Intelligence
tent. It’s lightly furnished and meant to be rapidly packed (Investigation) check. On a success, they find the
up and moved. None of these warriors are clad in armor, following treasure:
reducing their AC to 9. • 3,500 gp worth of rubies, sapphires, and other spell
Treasure. Searching the room takes 1 minute and components in a casket marked with an icon of Clan Rune
requires a character to make a DC 13 Intelligence • Wooden spell-sticks that these mages use instead of
(Investigation) check. On a success, they find the spellbooks, which can be reclaimed as 100 pounds of timber
following treasure: • Medical supplies that can be used by Ragvallan warriors,
• 5,000 gp worth of jewelry and gemstones in a casket granting the village 10 extra warriors
marked with a Thrull crest After making this check, the character who searched must
• Frost giant jewelry made of Valikan weaponry, which can make a DC 8 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid detection
be reclaimed as 50 pounds of iron (see “Alerting the Camp” in area J2).
• Medical supplies that can be used by Ragvallan warriors,
granting the village 10 extra warriors J6: Jarl’s Tent
After making this check, the character who searched must Jarl Grimskjelle (see appendix A) sleeps in an austere,
make a DC 8 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid detection unadorned tent. However, even while sleeping, he wears
(see “Alerting the Camp” in area J2). jewelry made from human, dwarven, and elven skulls.
Treasure. Searching the room takes 1 minute and
J5: Ice-Speakers’ Tent requires a character to make a DC 13 Intelligence
A pair of frost giant mages sleep peacefully in this small, (Investigation) check. However, it also sets off an alarm
but cushion-strewn and comfortable tent. They use mage spell that awakens and alerts one of the mages in area J5.
statistics with the following changes, which increase their On a success, the investigating character finds:
Challenge Rating to 9 (5,000 XP): • A flametongue greatsword inscribed with Valikan runes,
• Their size is Huge which read “Honor beyond death”
• They have a Constitution score of 20 (+5) and 92 hit • A vial of lindwyrm venom (see appendix B)
points (8d12 + 40) • A sack of five magebane bombs (see appendix B)
• Their walking speed is 40 feet After making this check, the character who searched must
• They are immune to cold damage make a DC 8 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid detection
(see “Alerting the Camp” in area J2).
Jarl Grimskjelle's Camp

1 Square = 5 feet
J1a
J6
J1
J4
J3
J2
J1a
J5

175
Oceantide Cave O1: Cave Entrance
The beach ends, the ground descending down into
water. Up ahead, part of the cliff face has given way,
The shores of the Teeth southwest of Ragvall Village are forming an arch.
treacherous and foggy. The fog which never lifts stems
from a group of seaborn trolls who call the coast their
The water is 5 feet deep in the entrance to the cave. The
home. When they don’t patrol the waters for their next
ground smoothly slopes upwards into a beach. Characters
meal, they retreat to Oceantide Cave to recuperate.
with a passive Perception score of 15 or higher notice some
Oceantide Cave appears like any number of natural sea
bones among the sand and rocks here.
caves to Valikan sailors of the Teeth. To the seaborn trolls,
Trollkelp. Characters that succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom
however, Oceantide Cave doubles as a place of worship
(Perception) check find ten strands of trollkelp growing in
to the Primordial Lord Alondo, also known as the Lord
the shallows of the water.
of Depths. Recently, the trolls have become more agitated
due to signs of Gormadraug returning, and they hunt for O2: Stagnant Pool
offerings to Alondo in the hopes he will answer their call.
In the middle of this chamber, the rocky floor sharply
Background plummets down into a pool of water.
A character that makes an Intelligence (History) check

and meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls the The pool of water is 20 foot deep.
following information: As the characters approach the room, the water in the
pool begins to splash frantically, and a shape can be seen
DC 5: Valikans that travel down the coasts to the south of
within it. Due to the fog, however, no further details can be
the village rarely return alive.
discerned without getting closer. This is an illusion created
DC 10: On occasion, seaborn trolls have been sighted
by a whelmer (see appendix A), and it attempts to drown
below the village.
anyone that approaches the pool. The whelmer is assisted
DC 15: Trollkelp, an ingredient for potions of water
by three tangle weeds (see appendix A), which are at the
breathing, grows in water where the blood of seaborn
bottom of the pool.
trolls is spilled.
Monster Salvage. If gentle repose is cast on the
DC 20: Oceantide Cave is of significance to those who
remains of the whelmer within 1 minute of defeating it, a
worship Alondo, Lord of Depths.
character proficient with alchemist’s supplies can use it to
brew a potion of water breathing. The process takes 1 hour,
Oceantide Cave Features and requires 25 gp and a successful DC 13 Intelligence or
Wisdom check.
This dungeon has the following features unless Using strands of tangle weed, a character proficient
otherwise noted: with alchemist’s supplies can use them to brew a potion of
Light. This dungeon has no natural light. growth. The process takes 4 hours, and requires 25 gp and
Ceilings. The rooms of this dungeon are 30 feet high and a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check.
its hallways are 20 feet high.
Fog. The dungeon is filled with patchy fog, making the O3: Octopus Garden
area lightly obscured.
Trollkelp. Some areas within the dungeon contain This circular chamber consists of four deep pools separated
trollkelp, which can be harvested to make potions of by stone walkways that jut out of the water. Various forms
water breathing. Ása Lögmaður (see chapter 1) knows of underwater flora thrive within the pools.
how to brew these potions and is able to make one with
ten trollkelp strands. Each of the four pools of water, which are 30 feet deep,
houses a giant octopus camouflaged in the plants and
Quests algae. Characters that succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom
(Perception) check notice them.
The characters are guided to this dungeon in Quest: Gills Slippery Stones. The walkways are slick with water.
for the Gill-Less (see chapter 1). A character attempting to walk on one must make a
successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall into the
Areas within Oceantide Cave nearest pool of water, catching the attention of the octopus
within and causing it to attack. This check is made at
advantage if the character moves at half speed.
Trollkelp. Ten strands of trollkelp are growing within
the pools.

176
O4: Troll Hall O5: Altar to Alondo
This long rectangular room is supported by four pillars. An ugly, warped, and musclebound giant stands before
Most of the room is flooded, the exception being a platform a stone altar. Its body is decorated in shells and draped
in the center of the room. On the platform is a stone table with seaweed that trembles as he stumblingly bellows an
with benches, on which three hulking figures with water incantation over the corpse of a large, sea-green reptile
for hair and mouthfuls of sharp teeth sit. upon the altar. Another giant, this one more plainly
garbed, stands nearby, echoing the chant.
Except for the raised platform in the middle, 5 feet of water fills
this room. Three seaborn trolls (see appendix A) sit at the A seaborn troll fogcaller and a seaborn troll (see appendix
table, talking about the creatures they killed on their last hunt. A) are sacrificing the sea drake to Alondo in the hopes that he
Monster Salvage. Once the trolls are defeated, a responds and gives them advice. Characters that understand
character proficient with leatherworker's tools can use Giant hear them say, “Lord Alondo, hear our prayer. We are
their skin to make a scraglung helmet (see appendix B). certain Gormadraug is returning. Please give us guidance on
The process takes 24 hours, and requires 100 gp and a how we can help stop the Prismatic Wyrm. Please send your
successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. loyal subjects a panjaian in this hour of need.”
Trollkelp. Twenty strands of trollkelp can be gathered Monster Salvage. Once the trolls are defeated, a
from the water of this room. character proficient with leatherworker's tools can use their
skin to make up to four scraglung helmets (see appendix B)
from a seaborn troll corpse. Ása Lögmaður can create it
Bad News for (see Quest: Gills for the Gill-less in chapter 1), but any
character that succeeds on a successful DC 15 Intelligence
Low-Level Heroes (Arcana) check can also determine how to make one. The
If the characters attempt to attack the trolls in the spring process requires the trollhide to be stewed in 100 gp of
season, when they’re 5th level at most, they’re in for a deadly magical reagents for 24 hours, then made into a helmet.
fight. If they fight tactically, using tricks, spells, and the en- Treasure. The sea drake’s blood can be sold to an
vironment to separate the trolls, they might be able to divide alchemist or a trader for 200 gp—or, it can be used as
and conquer and emerge victorious. If the characters get in a magical reagent to create the scraglung helmet (see
over their heads and one of their allies is killed, the troll that above). An empty bowl of commanding water elementals
killed them drags their carcass off to their cooking pot—po- decorates the altar, and can be removed with a successful
tentially allowing the remaining characters to escape. DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. The bowl itself
contains a ring of swimming.
O2
O4
O1
O3 O5
Oceantide Cave
1 Square = 5 feet

177
Ófeigur's Beacon B2: First Floor
The first floor is small and cramped. Stores of firewood
occupy the majority of this room. A single bed is jammed
The lighthouse known as Ófeigur’s Beacon guides ships in what space remains. There is a door in one of the walls,
through the Teeth, the treacherous fjords that surround leading out.
Akkeri Bay.
Strangely, Ófeigur, the beacon’s keeper, architect, and
The stairs lead down to the ground floor (area B1).
namesake, vanished near the end of winter. Stranger still,
The door connects to a balcony that has a ladder that
the lighthouse continues to be lit each night without fail.
leads to the top floor (area B3).
Characters who make a successful DC 13 Intelligence
Ófeigur's Beacon Features (Investigation) check find a journal among the firewood.
This dungeon has the following features unless Sequentially, the entries read:
otherwise noted: • “Ever since I built this lighthouse, I’ve been having the
Light. During the day, the top of the lighthouse (area B3) is same dream. I’m always underwater, and these red arms
illuminated by natural light. At night, it is brightly lit by keep trying to grab me.”
the beacon at its center. The rest of the dungeon has no • “Last night, I let the arms grab me. They pulled me
natural light. down and down until I woke up.”
Ceilings. The rooms of this dungeon are 30 feet high and • “I saw my reflection today.”
its hallways are 10 feet high. • “Th———e ba——se——m—ent——” By this entry,
Ófeigur’s handwriting has deteriorated into a long,
trailing scrawl.
Quests
This dungeon is used as a part of the following Quests: B3: Top Floor
• Quest: The Immortal Hermit (see chapter 1)
At the top of the ladder is the beacon itself. A neat stack of
• Quest: Eggs Over Easy (see chapter 1)
firewood takes up most of this outdoor platform.
Areas within Ófeigur's Beacon A ladder leads down to the first floor (area B2).
The following areas are keyed to the map of this dungeon. During the night, the stack of firewood is set ablaze.
Every morning, Ófeigur emerges from the basement just
B1: Ground Floor long enough to stack fresh wood atop the beacon.
The interior of the lighthouse is in utter disarray. There are B4: Secret Basement
planks scattered across the wooden floor. A hand mirror
The ladder descends into a circular natural cavern.
rests haphazardly on a desk. Beside it, a portrait has been
Stalagmites jut out of the ground, and a strange stone seal
tossed to the ground. The only unscathed objects are some
occupies the center of the floor.
bookshelves and an empty chamberpot. A set of stairs
ascends upwards out of the wreckage.
A ladder leads up to the ground floor (area B1). This area is
described in Quest: The Immortal Hermit (see chapter 1).
The stairs lead up to the first floor (area B2).
The seal blocks the way to the sealed grotto (area B5)
Hidden by the scattered planks is a hole in the corner
and can only be opened by the touch of a keppmir, or
of the room. A ladder leads in the hole down to the secret
Ófeigur himself. The seal is immune to damage.
basement (area B4).
A character taking a closer look at the portrait isees that B5: Sealed Grotto
it is of a human man whose features seem to be melting,
revealing something crimson beneath. The characters A large statue of an aquatic spearman is the centerpiece of
recognize this figure as Ófeigur. this partially flooded grotto. Tide pools surround the base
of the statue.
“Just as my light keeps the ships off the reefs, let my This area is detailed in Quest: Eggs Over Easy (see
light be a warning to you. While it shines, steer clear chapter 1).
of my tower, if you value your life.”
- Ófeigur Lightraiser, his final words
before disappearing

178
B1
B4
B2
B3
B5
Ófeigur's Beacon
1 Square = 5 feet

179
Sheltering Wood Exploring Off-Path
There are eight areas within the Sheltering Wood: W1
For 3rd-level characters through W8 (see “Areas within the Wood,” below). It’s easy
Content Warning: Starvation, possession to travel along the old elk-paths and elven roads (areas W1
through W3).
Bordering Ragvall Village is a dense and beautiful forest. However, the rest of the forest is a tangled mess of trails,
While the presence of Sheltering Wood has done much for cliffs, and gullies. Characters who wish to go beyond run
local villagers, it is a dangerous place. A former fey haven, the risk of getting lost and finding themselves in another
the Sheltering Wood only maintains remnants of their area entirely.
shadows and moonlight. Wandering. If the characters are exploring without a
The Sheltering Wood has many secrets and adventures destination in mind, roll 1d8 whenever they wander into
waiting within its groves and fields and fjords. But there is the woods. The result of this roll is the area (W1 through
fey magic that ensares and confuses mortals. If adventurers W8) that they reach. Finding their way to this location
are not wary, they will never leave the Sheltering takes 1d4 hours.
Wood alive. Traveling to an Undiscovered Location. If the
characters know of a place within the woods, but have
Background never been there before, one of the one of the characters
must make a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check. On a
A character who makes an Intelligence (History) check and
success, they are able to follow known landmarks to get
meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls information
there. Finding their way to this location takes 1d4 hours.
about this site. These are cumulative:
On a failure, they get lost; roll 1d8, the result of the roll is
DC 5: Ragvall uses the Sheltering Wood for its many needs the area that they reach.
and resources. Traveling to a Discovered Location. If the characters
DC 10: The Sheltering Wood earned its name for the fey are trying to get somewhere they’ve been before, one of the
who once made a home of it. characters must make a DC 10 Wisdom (Survival) check.
DC 15: Though the fey fled, they left a magic stone behind, On a success, they make it there without incident. On a
making navigation difficult. failure, they get lost; roll 1d8, the result of the roll is the
DC 20: Many fey were hunted to extinction by the area that they reach.
Evergreen Enclave or captured for arcane experiments.
Areas within the Wood
Sheltering Wood Features The following areas are keyed to the map of this location.
This dungeon has the following features unless
otherwise noted: W1: Elgrleith Paths
Light. This dungeon has various shades of natural light.
While the paths from Ragvall Village are numerous, most
In the mornings and afternoons, light filters through the
are little more than trampled earth cutting between the
thick pines, creating dim light. At night, even the moon
barely pierces the canopy, resulting in darkness below thick pines. From here, many hunters search for elk to
the canopy. bring home. Crumbling stone arches adorned with elvish
Ceilings. The heights of the canopy vary per area. Each script lead into the darkness of the woods beyond.
room is 30 feet tall unless stated otherwise.
The encounters in this area differ depending on what
season it is.
Quests
Spring. In springtime, there are no encounters here.
The characters are guided to this dungeon in the following Autumn. In autumn, three Ragvallan hunters are
Events and Quests: combating an enraged giant gasdra (see appendix A)
• Event: Eyes in the Woods (chapter 1) the first time the characters enter this area.
• Event: Elven Arrows (chapter 1)
• Event: The Elven-Thegn Appears (chapter 1)
• Quest: Night’s Fanged Hunter (chapter 1)
• Quest: Beast of Bronze and White Fur (chapter 1) “Welcome! You have nothing to fear in our woods.
• Quest: The Herald’s Harbingers (chapter 3) Drink of our water. Eat of our fruits and nuts.
• Quest: Figure on the River Heilag (chapter 3) Even hunt our animals if you dare.”
• Quest: Traveler of the Álfavegr (chapter 3) - A wooden sign reportedly seen in the
• Quest: Shadow of the Morfar Ash (chapter 3) Sheltering Wood
• Quest: Sheltered Horror (chapter 4)

180
W2: Heilag Shores the maximum amount on their hit dice. Characters who
take a long rest here gain inspiration.
The river is cold and clear, the water swift and treacherous. The GM may roll a d20 every time the characters stop
It is here many hunters spear fish while being wary here. On a natural 20, an intelligent salmon, beloved by
of hungry bears. The ruins of a small campsite are the deceased druid, appear. Scarred and haunted, they are
visible near the river. A rustling sound comes from
wary. A character who makes a successful DC 17 Charisma
check (Persuasion) convinces the salmon to help mortals
overgrown camp.
one last time. They answer three questions using the
augury spell.
The encounters in this area differ depending on what Once the salmon have been summoned, they will not
season it is. reappear for 2d10 days.
Spring. In springtime, this area holds the ruins of an old Treasure. Powerful winds have knocked down
camp reclaimed by nature. A meyana and a young enormous trees here. A salvage party from the village can
meyana (see appendix A for both) pick through the be ordered to harvest 250 pounds of timber by the start of
detritus. They are attracted by the unfamiliar scent of next week. This can only be done once.
two potions of healing buried in the rubble, and attack
anyone that disturbs them. W5: Elven Crossing
Autumn. In autumn, the camp is abandoned.
A stream cuts through the trees. A small wooden bridge
W3: Edge of the Álfavegr spans it, no more than five feet wide and ten feet in length.
Standing by the bridge is a creature, holding out a hand.
Rough stone paths wind through thick underbrush, skirting
the edge of a foreboding pine forest that is rumored to A scrappy puck awaits payment to let characters cross the
house xenophobic elves. Stone monoliths carved with elven bride. Citing a dwindling presence of foot traffic, the pixie
glyphs loom amidst the boughs. says it costs each person 100 gp to cross the bridge. There’s
fey magic barring the characters from walking around the
bridge. Attempting to harm or walk past the pixie causes
These monuments are covered with elven mantras
its puck tree and puck shrub bodyguards to appear and
beseeching the gods for protection. They include:
intimidate the party. (The game statistics for all creatures
• “Look down upon the children of the forest with grace, in this area appear in appendix A.)
for the forest is no longer kind to its kin.” Characters can attempt to bargain with the pixie; the
• “Grant my lost soul wisdom, for the boughs of the forest DC for this Charisma (Persuasion or Deception) check
in this age are dark and unfamiliar, and its beasts wield starts at 12, but goes up by 1 every minute until the puck
steel claws.” is satisfied.
• “The snow has grown harsher, and game dwindles.
Gods, reveal unto us a place where we can be safe.” W6: The Dire Den
The encounters in this area differ depending on what
A cliffside of dark stone opens to show the gaping mouth of
season it is.
a cave; inside, little light is seen. The air becomes alive with
Spring. In springtime, there are no encounters here. the grunts and howls of wolfen predators.
Autumn. A herd of twelve poffers (see appendix A) has
made this area their home. After entering this area,
Dire wolves live within this cave. Their massive size has
any character that does not make a successful DC 13
made them a blight on nearby Ragvall. If the characters
Dexterity (Stealth) check awakens the poffers at the end
approach the mouth of the cave, four dire wolves emerge
of their turn. The poffers defend their territory, and flee
followed by their leader, a matriarch (a dire wolf with 40
when reduced to half their maximum hit points. One of
hit points) with a scarred eye and arrows riddling her flank.
the poffers wears a circlet of blasting, and accidentally
A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight or Animal Handling)
uses it in battle (+5 to hit, targets three characters; Hit:
check reveals that these beasts are barely surviving; feeding
3d6 fire damage).
them or removing the arrows from the matriarch’s flank
will endear them to the party.
W4: The Wishing Pond If the party chooses to help them, when combat is
initiated within the Sheltering Wood for the first time, a
A pond waits in a quiet clearing. Faint motes of light drift
single dire wolf ally appears to aid them.
across its surface, golden and calm. Despite the weather, it Treasure. Powerful winds have knocked down
is unseasonably pleasant. enormous trees here. If the wolves are eliminated from this
area or befriended, a salvage party from the village can
As the former grove of a potent druid, the Wishing Pond is harvest 500 pounds of timber by the start of next week.
a restful place. Characters who take a short rest here roll This can only be done once.

181
W7: The Morfar Ash W8: Throne of the Blood Traitor
A long, low stretch of lichen and moss are splayed across Here rises a misty circle of dark stones where the sun fears
the roots of a massive, sprawling ash tree. The wind seems to tread. The stones beneath your feet glow with silvery fey
to carry whispered conversation, and across the ground are runes, and shadows from unseen figures flit about the corner
what look like grave markers. of your vision. A throne made of gleaming silver stands atop
a dais; beneath the throne is a bed of gold and silver coins,
Ancient bones are unnaturally well-preserved amidst the and a wicked battleaxe. Upon the throne sits a wraithlike
roots of these tree—each of which are as thick as a lesser figure dressed in armor decorated with ivy vines.
tree’s trunk. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check suggests that this was once the site of a great battle The figure upon the silver throne is an elf named Ruiadhri
between elves, dwarves, and Valikan humans. None in Shinoff (LE, male, elf ghost with AC 18). He is restrained
Ragvall Village know anything about this battle, and a while he sits upon the throne and can’t be moved by any
successful DC 20 Intelligence (History) check indicates that means. Any creature that touches him or hits him with
no clan has any record of this forgotten event. a melee attack takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage and must
Resting Near the Ash. The spirit of a dead dwarven succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned
archdruid resides in this tree (see Quest: Shadow of for 1 minute. A creature can repeat this save at the end of
the Morfar Ash in chapter 3). A creature that finishes each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
a long rest in this area has dreams where they wander The Wraith on the Throne. Ruiadhri is known to the
through dark forests, assailed by visions of dying dwarves elves of this forest as the Blood Traitor, for long ago he
and creatures made of stone. A character can also speak betrayed his people in a battle against Valikan warriors.
directly with the ash’s spirit by casting speak with plants He has been imprisoned for so long, all he remembers is
while within 30 feet of it. The tree’s spirit can answer any his own name and his hatred for his sister, Thegn Arduinna
question about the goings-on within the Sheltering Wood, Shinoff, leader of the Evergreen Elves (see her character
and can guide the characters to any location within the description in chapter 1).
wood without a chance to get lost (see "Exploring Off- Ruiadhri requests his freedom, claiming that the leader
Path,” above). However, it speaks in mystical-sounding of the Evergreen Enclave betrayed him in days long past,
riddles which the characters must make a successful DC 10 and promises “a boon for those who mar the mark,” and he
Intelligence or Wisdom check to unravel. points to one rune-carved stone that shines brighter than
the others (see “Freeing the Traitor,” below).
The Traitor’s Tale. Ruiadhri remembers little of
why he hates his sister and her people, but he is cunning
enough to fabricate a sympathetic story about trying to
broker a peace between Valikans and elves and dwarves.
A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that
the story is a glib falsehood.
His Sister’s Take. If Arduinna is asked about Ruiadhri,
she snarls and says that she never wishes to hear of her
traitorous brother again—and that such matters are an
elven thing, not for Valikans to interfere with. She assures
the characters they will suffer her wrath if they free him
from his well-deserved imprisonment.
Freeing the Traitor. A successful DC 17 Intelligence
(Arcana) check deduces that the rune-marked stone
Ruiadri gestured to is the keystone holding this magic circle
together. The magic circle that keeps Ruiadhri restrained
to the silver throne is dispelled if a character casts dispel
magic upon the stone or studies it for 1 minute and then
makes a successful DC 19 Intelligence (Arcana) check.
Whosoever dispels the circle has an elven mark burned
onto the back of the hand. This mark grants its bearer ad-
vantage on saving throws against being charmed or fright-
ened and grants the ability to read and speak Elven and
Sylvan. If an elf of the Evergreen Enclave sees this sigil, the
elf instantly becomes hostile toward the characters.
Keeping the Traitor Sealed. If characters choose not to
mar the mark, or attack Ruiadhri, he attempts to possess one

182
of them and escape in that way. He can use his Possession Blood Traitor Unleashed. The characters freed Ruiadhri.
action to possess a Humanoid corpse within 30 feet of him, The vengeful spirit vanished into the dark woods,
or a living Humanoid within 5 feet of him. Four shadows never to be seen by the characters again. However,
appear from the mist (if it’s autumn, twelve shadows appear Thegn Arduinna is killed in the first week of summer
instead). These shadows are the ghostly remains of Rui- (if Ruiadhri was released in spring) or the first week
adhri’s traitorous co-conspirators. They attempt to grapple a of winter (if he was released in autumn). The Emerald
character and drag them to kneel before Ruiadhri so that he Enclave becomes grim and insular, and can no longer
can possess them. Their touch drains a character’s Strength, provide any aid to the characters or to Clan Ragvall.
and a character whose Strength is reduced to 0 dies, likewise Bloody Hands. A character was possessed by Ruiadhri
making them eligible for possession by Ruiadhri. and escaped. Thegn Arduinna is killed, just as in
Defeat and Treasure. Ruiadhri and all his shadows “Blood Traitor Unleashed.” The GM may decide that
vanish if Ruiadhri is reduced to 0 hit points. Also, the the character who was possessed is lost forever (or
circle’s glow fades, allowing the characters to claim the possibly becomes an enemy later in this story), and
treasure beneath his throne: their player must make a new character. Alternatively,
• 300 gp, 200 sp that character awakens a few weeks, covered in blood,
• A viscious war axe inscribed with an Elven sigil of binding standing over the corpse of Thegn Arduinna with no
(a war axe that deals an additional 2d6 slashing damage memory of the weeks during which they were possessed.
to its target when the wielder rolls a 20 on its attack roll) The Traitor Defeated. If Ruiadhri is reduced to 0 hit
points, he reforms upon his throne after being tormented
Calendar of the Seasons by daemons of the Underworld for a year and a day.
Depending on how the characters resolved the Blood
Traitor in area W8, mark one of the following outcomes on
the Calendar of Seasons (see appendix C):
W4
W2 W6
W1 W3
W5 W8
Sheltering Wood
W7 1 Square = 5 feet

183
Snow’s Respite Hot Springs Quests
The characters are guided to this dungeon in Quest:
For 9th-level characters Afterburn (see chapter 3).
Harsh Valika can have its pockets of respite. Several decades
ago, three half-orcs found an abandoned red dragon’s lair—a Snow’s Respite Features
network of underground caverns and pools, still hot after
the dragon’s departure. These battle-scarred brawlers, done This dungeon has the following features unless
fighting, found comfort in Snow’s Respite and fell in love. otherwise noted:
They’ve worked for a decade to make these springs a haven Light. This dungeon is lit by veins of magma along
for the travelers of this land. the walls and floor, which glow red. The dungeon is
Yet in Etharis, no good deed goes unpunished. Three dimly lit.
weeks ago, Snow’s Respite became unstable: Monsters Ceilings. The rooms of this dungeon are 120 feet high, its
spawned of flame and soot known as mjorks awoke in doors are 30 feet high, and its hallways are 30 feet high.
response to a cosmic event that tore open a portal to Pools of water range from 5 feet deep to 60 feet deep.
Flamebourne, a realm of pure fire. Temperature. The rooms of this dungeon grow
increasingly warm. In the Soothing Pools (area R2) and
beyond, creatures that enter the room must succeed
Background on a DC 8 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of
A character that makes an Intelligence (History) check exhaustion and take 5 (1d10) fire damage. The DC goes
and meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls the up by 3 for every room after. The fire damage increases
following information: by 1d10 for every room; you can’t take this damage from
DC 5: Snow’s Respite is run by three half-orcs, who are entering a specific room more than once per hour.
romantic partners.
DC 10: Each of them is from a different Valikan clan.
DC 15: Ancient Valikan myth says that Snow’s Respite is so
warm because it was built atop the lair of a fiery dragon “Yeah, it may look dangerous but it ain’t. I’ve snuck
slain by the Seven Heroes in ancient times. off here plenty to take a soak in the wonderful warm
DC 20: The mythic dragon was known as Mjorkmaður, pools. Perfectly safe.”
the Ashen Blizzard. Legends say she betrayed Lady
- The last person to use Snow’s Respite
Morakesh, Primordial of Fire, to serve Gormadraug.
Those same legends say that one of her eggs never
hatched and was left behind.

184
Areas within Snow’s Respite N3: Salt Currents
The following areas are keyed to the map of this dungeon. Moving to the next chamber, the pools give way to a
handful of long, deep pools of frothing water, better for laps
N1: Snow’s Respite Welcome Hall
than soaking. The back of the chamber glows brighter.
Two male half-orcs argue by the long, low cavern entrance.
Behind them should be a soothing sight—but the many While navigating these deeper pools, characters who make
pools of the hot springs are empty. a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check will spot a
dropped spear. A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Nature)
check will determine some of the bubbles in the pools are
Shreve and Tulaan (both CN male half-orc scouts)
actually air bubbles.
introduce themselves to the characters, arguing about what
If a character jumps into the pool to investigate the
to do; their partner, Kyli (NG female half-orc scout) went
spear, three mjork sootling swarms (see appendix A)
into the old lair earlier in the day and hasn’t come back.
burst out of the ground and attack the character while
Shreve wants to go in after her; Tulaan says they should
trying to stay out of the water. Characters who study the
wait. They offer the characters the following information:
spear for at least 1 minute realize it belongs to Kyli.
• The pools are boiling at all hours. At the end of the chamber, a creature can spend 1
• The old lair entrance was blocked off, but something has minute pushing the rocks and make a DC 18 Strength
broken through. (Athletics) check. On a success, the boulders are moved
• Tulaan saw a sinuous, snakelike shadow the other day aside, revealing the entrance to the old lair.
and ran.
N4: Outer Lair
N2: Soothing Pools
Traveling down a long, dark tunnel, the tell-tale glow of
A few dozen small pools sit before you in this massive magma can be seen. But this light is far brighter—far hotter.
cavern, each looking as though they could fit two to three As you make your way deeper into the lava tubes, a rhythmic
people. They froth and bubble with heat. sound like crashing thunder reverberates from the depths.
These dozens of small pools have become dangerous. Two mjork chargers (see appendix A) are loudly butting
A creature that falls in one takes 10 (4d4) fire damage. heads to alleviate boredom while they guard their allies in
A character who makes a successful DC 18 Intelligence the ancient dragon’s lair, behind them. If the characters are
(Nature) check discerns that the lair must be active again, spotted trying to enter, they cease their clashing and bellow,
which would only happen if a dragon or its kin returned. alerting the mjorks working their magic in the Abandoned
A character who makes a successful DC 16 Intelligence Lair (area N5). They attack and fight to the death.
(Investigation) check finds scorch marks on the ground,
like that of a burning body or flaming tail moving across N5: Abandoned Nest
the stone.
Veins of eerie magma light the vast cavern’s interior. The
light gleams upon hundreds of red scales littering the
ground. In the center of the chamber is an egg as large as a
hound, guarded by hulking beasts made of swirling flame
and soot. Behind them, a crimson sliver, like a scar upon
the very air, hisses with steam and smoke. Off to the side,
an unconscious half-orc woman lies on the stone.
One mjork burner, one mjork asher, and two mjorks

(see appendix A for all) stand over a red dragon egg, crude
runes alight beneath them. The mjork burner has an Intel-
ligence score of 15 (+2) and can speak Valikan. It calls itself
Surrof, and it intends to resurrect the unborn child of Mjork-
maður, the Ashen Blizzard. They tell the characters they were
awakened by fate, and will transform the dragon’s fossil-
ized egg to make a dragon of their own—one of ash and flame.
A character that makes a successful DC 18 Intelligence
(Arcana) check discerns that, while dragons have not been
seen on Etharis since time immemorial, the elementals’ ritual
could well bring a dragon back into the world. If the charac-
ters attempt to take the egg and flee, the mjorks will pursue.

185
Child of Ash and Flame. During combat, the crea- characters attempt to capture the wyrmling, it will retaliate
ture within the egg acts on initiative round 20. Once the and attempt to flee. The wyrmling can’t be tamed, and
creature makes a successful DC 20 Strength check, it burns through the bars of any cage made to hold it. If the
breaks free, joining the characters in combat. This is a characters somehow manage to contain it, it falls into a
red dragon wyrmling with the following changes: deep depression and its flame dwindles over 1d10 days
• Its creature type is Elemental, and it knows Ignan. until it finally dies.
• Its AC is decreased to 15. Closing the Rift. Once the wyrmling is either killed
• It has a fire elemental’s Fire Form, Illumination, and or returns through the rift, the unstable rift shudders and
Water Susceptibility traits. closes in a flash of flame. If the characters pass through
the rift, they enter Flamebourne, an inhospitable realm of
If characters heal Kyli, she rolls initiative and joins combat fire that will swiftly burn them to cinders and ash that will
(she uses veteran statistics, but has no weapons), helping choke them until dead.
the characters repel the invaders. Until the rift is closed, 1d6 mjorks appear in area N5 at
Directly after the wyrmling’s turn, a lair action occurs dawn of each day. Once the gate is closed, Snow’s Respite
in the reawakened lair. The same lair action may not be returns to normal after 1d4 days. After this, the characters
used twice in a row: gain a new downtime option: resting at the springs. When
• A burst of sulfuric gas erupts randomly from the ground the characters spend a week of downtime resting here, they
within 60 feet of the wyrmling. Each creature within 20 all gain inspiration and 22 (4d10) temporary hit points.
feet of the eruption must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution These temporary hit points don’t vanish after 24 hours.
saving throw or take 21 (6d6) poison damage.
• A jet of steam bursts randomly from the walls or ground Treasure
within 60 feet of the wyrmling in a line that is 30 feet long The following treasure can be found on a successful DC 18
and 15 feet wide. Until the next lair action, a non-Elemental Intelligence (Investigation) check:
within the steam is blinded until moves out of the steam. • 220 pp, 650 gp, and 150 sp
Fate of the Wyrmling. If the characters leave • A potion case containing 3 flammable tinctures and 3
the wyrmling alive, it will exit through the rift. If the elixirs of elemental spittle (see appendix B for both)
Snow's Respite
1 Square = 5 feet
N1
N2
N3
N4

186
Steðihaugr, the Anvil-Barrow Areas within Steðihaugr
“Blades blunt. Steel cools. Flames gutter. Souls slumber.” S1: Hall of Cold Hearths
These words, rusted, rest on the iron door of Steðihaugr,
A long, dark chamber with ten unlit hearths on either side
the grave known as the Anvil-Barrow. The tomb is a
place of honor among the Sýr of Valika, and it is where of the room descends before you. Each hearth contains
the legendary forgemaster Yngvarr Steðisson is buried nine skulls, each with a Valikan rune on its forehead
amongst his trophies and his enchanted hammer, meaning “vanquished.”
Wyrmbreath, which shaped many magical arms and tools
for the chieftains of his clan. A character who searches the room for 1 minute and makes
The iron door is set into the weathered rock of an icy a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds
cliff, and the heavy metal has been sundered with claw Valikan runes built into the floor. They read, “By the sight
marks, deep and smoking. Faint shrieking can be heard of Yngvarr’s vanquished foes, tread with respect. To rob
from within, like the winter wind screaming. Wraiths of the Anvil-Barrow is to invite the hammer’s blow.”
Yngvarr Steðisson’s foes have plunged into the tomb to Coldfire Elemental. Once a living creature has spent
claim his storied hammer, and they brook no competition at least 1 minute in this room, all of the hearths burst into
in their tomb-robbing. flickering, icy-blue flames—coldfire. A fire elemental of
bright blue fire emerges from a hearth and attacks the
Background intruders. It fights to the death or until all living creatures
leave the barrow. Its attacks and traits deal cold damage
A character who makes an Intelligence (History) check and instead of fire damage; this damage is coldfire and
meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls information bypasses resistance to cold damage.
about the site. These are cumulative: Five torcheaters (see appendix A) have made a home in
DC 5: Yngvarr Steðisson was a Valikan blacksmith of the rafters. They emerge and use the Help action to grant
great renown. the elemental advantage on attacks in hopes of drawing
DC 10: He wielded an enchanted warhammer that could the elemental closer to them so they can consume it. When
shrink into a smith’s hammer. the elemental attacks a creature when helped in this way, it
DC 15: He encountered the fell dragon Gegazol in battle, takes 5 (2d4) necrotic damage.
claimed a scale from her rotten hide, and lived to
tell the tale.
DC 20: He once used coldfire to light his forge, but S2: Lycan’s Row
realizing his mistake, sealed it away.
This circular chamber holds lit torches at each cardinal
direction, and. dominating this space are dozens of furs,
Quests skins, rugs, and pelts—all of them taken from various
Claiming the treasure within this dungeon is one possible lycanthropes of Valika. The largest of these is a massive
conclusion to Quest: Tools of the Trade (see chapter 1). bearskin cloak, skull streaked with blood. A rune
underneath reads, “Remains of Gnoroth the Timberking.”
Steðihaugr Features
Dozens of mannequins hold various types of lycanthrope
remains. The largest is Gnoroth’s, a werebear pelt that has
otherwise noted:
been enchanted to become a cloak of protection.
Light. This dungeon has no natural light. Each room Claiming the Cloak. The cloak is guarded by a
is lit by coldfire (see “Coldfire” in Raider’s Guide to poison-laced crossbow trap rigged to fire when the cloak
Valika) that burns in alcoves within the stone walls. The is removed from its mannequin. A bolt fires from the
dungeon is dimly lit. mannequin’s open mouth in a 30-foot line directly away
Ceilings. The rooms of this dungeon are 30 feet high; from the statue. A creature in that area must make a DC
its doors are 10 feet high; and its hallways are also 10 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it takes 3 (1d6)
feet high. piercing damage and 10 (3d6) poison damage.
Disabling the Trap. A successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check spots the trap, and a successful DC 18
Dexterity check using thieves’ tools disables it.
“Maybe coldfire can help me create tools to fight it.”
- Yngvarr Steðisson

187
S3: Coldfire Containment
Steðihaugr, the
Ethereal light illuminates this chamber in a deep and chilling
Anvil-Barrow
1 Square = 5 feet
blue. Suspended in the middle of the room by dozens of
heavy chains is a thick, glass box etched with runes; the glass
looks like it is about to shatter. Within, pressed against all
sides, is an undulating being of blue flame.
A coldfire ooze (see appendix A) trapped in this runic

containment box bristles as the party enters. A character
who makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check
discovers that the box is covered with fractures.
Once at least two characters enter this room, the agi-
tated ooze smashes through the containment box, which
has grown weak over the centuries. It moves toward a
crack in the eastern wall; if it encounters a creature in its
way, it makes a desperate attack as it seeks to escape.
Monster Salvage. If killed, this ooze can be salvaged
and turned into a magical tincture. See the “Salvage” S1
description in appendix A.
S4: Scourge’s Scale

In the center of this room is a dragon’s scale the size of
a tower shield. It hovers, suspended and rotating slowly,
in a column of silvery-blue light. Valikan runes read,
“Gegazol, Scourge of the North, regrets little. She regrets
meeting Yngvarr.”
The room is frigid, colder than the others. In the presence

of living intruders, four animated flame tongues (see
appendix A) leap off the walls and attack living creatures in
the room.
Monster Salvage. If killed, these swords can be
salvaged and forged into magic weapons. See its “Salvage”
description in appendix A.
Scale of Gegazol. In the center of the room is a
scale of Gegazol (see appendix B). On the floor around
it is a ring of eight magic runes. If the southern sigil and
S2
the northwestern sigil are marred simultaneously, the
barrier vanishes. Otherwise, the runes instantly reform.
A character who spends 1 minute examining the barrier
and makes a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check
learns how to disable it.
“My craft is my life, but even I have to admit

that nature makes some things far more powerful
than even my skills can muster. Monsters are
treasure troves.”
- Yngvarr Steðisson

188
S3 S4
Steðihaugr, the Anvil-Barrow

1 Square = 5 feet
S5: Yngvarr’s Rest

Standing at the center of this massive, circular stone
room is the bronze likeness of a broad and sturdy dwarf, Steðihaugr, the
resplendent in thick armor and a horned helm. In its Anvil-Barrow
1 Square = 5 feet
enclosed hands rests a beautiful warhammer, almost
prismatic in the light. There are chests of gold and treasure
scattered at the edges of the room. Two ghastly shadows
float by this metallic coffin, wreathed in absorbed coldfire;
the air around them burns with fire and death as they turn
to see you enter. S5
Two spirits that burn with blue flame are attempting to

wrest the magical warhammer from the grasp of Yngvarr’s
likeness. In sinister whispers, they say their bodies were
destroyed by Yngvarr’s creations and have come to take
what is theirs. If the party attempts to stop them or ask for
peace, the wraiths attack.
These two spirits are wraiths that burn with coldfire.
They have the following changes:
• Their AC is 15.
• They are vulnerable to fire damage.
• Their Life Drain attack deals cold damage instead of
necrotic damage.
• When a creature ends its turn within 10 feet of a wraith,
it takes 5 (1d10) cold damage.
• Damage dealt by its attacks and traits ignore resistance Treasure. This room has the following treasure
to cold damage. hidden beneath the statue of Yngvarr; a creature must
When the wraiths are put to rest, the hands of Yngvarr’s make a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to
likeness open; Wyrmbreath (see appendix B) is now move the statue:
free to take. • 20 platinum, 650 gold, 200 silver

189
The Wreck of Areas of the Blade-Blessed
the Blade-Blessed G1: Shoreline of the Teeth
Mighty pillars of jagged stone jut at odd angles. Debris
Content Warnings: Drowning
and detritus lay across them, creating makeshift terrain
“A laneshi looks at a corpse and sees profit where others as you move out further from shore. You hear rhythmic
see grief.” The necromancers of the depths are fearsome
humming and burbling speech amidst the moans of the
warriors on land or in sea. When a laneshi warband has
undead: sentries.
set their sights on a prize, little will deter them. Such was
the fate of the Blade-Blessed, a trading galley so named for
the laneshi blade driven into its prow on its first voyage. Its This is difficult terrain as characters make their way from
blessing was not to last, however. The ship was ambushed the shore across the wreckage here at the shore. A single
by vengeful laneshi, and guided into the reefs. laneshi soldier (see appendix A) sits in the water, with
What remains of the Blade-Blessed is dashed across two mud zombies (see appendix A) standing on the last
the Teeth and crawling with laneshi led by a fearsome bits of shore. A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception)
necromancer. These scavengers are dragging its cargo check sees that the rest of the area is clear of enemies.
and crew beneath the waves and reclaiming the namesake
blade. If the characters hope to avenge the Blade-Blessed G2: Shattered Helm
and keep the Llana-Shi Empire from expanding its power,
The front of the massive trading galley has become
now is the time to strike.
wedged between two massive stones. A collection of laneshi
Background warriors and two elemental humanoids are guarding a
gaping hole in the belly of the ship.
A character that makes an Intelligence (History) check and
meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls the following
Two panjaian alondons (see appendix A) and two laneshi
information:
soldiers guard the gaping hole into the Blade-Blessed.
DC 5: The laneshi are a fearsome amphibious people that They will attack any character on sight and have a passive
live in the deep sea. Wisdom (Perception) score of 14. If combat is initiated,
DC 10: It is not uncommon for the laneshi to harry ships one of the alondons will dive into the water and go to call
by the Teeth and assault them on raids. for aid. Because of the weather, they must travel 90 feet
DC 15: Laneshi necromancers are the true power of their away from the area, where they can flag the attention of
empire. Their necromancers are all twins; one twin is the laneshi soldiers and panjaian ilharan (see appendix
ritually slaughtered and their soul grafted to the soul of A) from G3.
the survivor to grant them power over undeath. Treasure. If characters make a successful DC 17
DC 20: Rumor has it that the Blade-Blessed earned its name Intelligence (Investigation) check, they find several pouches
from a laneshi blade driven into its hull. They say the blade of money totaling 340 gp, 109 sp, and 212 cp.
houses the spirit of a murdered laneshi necromancer.
G3: Maze of Masts
Quests
The three mighty masts of the Blade-Blessed have fallen
The characters are guided to this dungeon in Quest: Ása’s
inward and collapsed, crushing the belly of the ship into a
Lost Past (see chapter 3).
tangled maze of broken wood and unstable terrain. Above
Features of Blade-Blessed the mess, laneshi pick through the salvage and corpses.

The entire web of detritus and shattered masts is difficult
otherwise noted:
terrain. If the two laneshi soldiers and panjaian ilharan
Light. This dungeon is in broad daylight for most of the (see appendix A) were not called to aid in combat at G2, they
adventure, with only G3 and G4 being in dim light. walk what remains of the deck above the maze. They have a
Otherwise, the dungeon is well-lit. passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14.
Ceilings. The rooms of this dungeon are 25 feet high, its Traversing the Wreckage. Characters must make
doors are 10 feet high, and its hallways are 10 feet high. three DC 16 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics)
Water. The water is 10 feet deep in F1, deepens to 30 feet checks to make their way through the wreck of masts. On a
deep in F2 and F3, and deepens further to 60 feet in failure, a character takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and
F4 and F5. must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) check or be
Noise. Due to the high winds and the crash of waves, noise spotted by the creatures above, who fire on them.
does not travel well. Voices cannot be heard more than
20 feet away.

190
G4: The Cargo Cage G5: Pale Coral’s Cry
In the rear belly of the ship, the cargo room has become Emerging at the very rear of the wreckage, the laneshi
a network of broken wooden spurs and half-flooded blade that gave this destroyed ship its namesake glows with
chambers where bodies float and treasure are borne out a pale and ethereal light, which drifts off of it like mist. A
to sea. There are several holes in the hull, and the floor is fearsome laneshi necromancer stands behind it, a ghostly
broken and unstable. echo hanging over her like a second shadow. Necromantic
energy floods her eyes like ink, and with a cry, she begins
The former cargo hold of the ship has become a dangerous to wrench the blade free.
series of islands and rushing water. It takes a DC 17
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to make it from one patch of The laneshi necromancer (see appendix A) in charge of
floor to the next. On a failure, a character must succeed this salvage crew is attempting to wrest the ancient blade
on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall into the water of her people free and consume the spirit within, adding
(see below). to her power. Surrounded by four laneshi soldiers and
Falling Into the Water. A creature that falls into the three shatter corpses (see appendix A), the necromancer
water is immediately carried 15 feet to one of the holes uses her bonus action every turn to make a DC 17
in the hull. There is a rope ladder leading up to the rear Intelligence (Arcana) check. After three successes, the blade
of the deck. On a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) slides free.
check, the first character to fall into the water hears If Pale Coral Is Freed. If the necromancer wrests the
someone say, “She’s in there! I can feel her in there. And blade free, the following changes occur to her statistics:
I’ll be the one to wrench her free!”
• Her AC increases by 2
Treasure. The characters can make a DC 18
• She gains resistance to necrotic and radiant damage
Intelligence (Investigation) check while in F4. On a success,
• She regains spell slots whose total level equal to her
they find the following treasure:
Intelligence (Arcana) bonus
• Two potions of healing
Following combat, the spirit is gone from the blade, but
• A hat of disguise
Pale Coral (see appendix B) can be taken as treasure.
• A +1 shield
Characters can also search F4 once more if they didn’t do
• 800 gp and 300 sp so the first time.
Wreck of the Blade-Blessed

1 Square = 5 feet
G1
G3
G4 G5
G2
G1
G1

191
D2
D1
D3
D4
Wreck of the Sea Dragon

1 Square = 5 feet
Wreck of the Sea Dragon Sea Dragon Features

For 8th-level characters; only appears if the Ragvall Village otherwise noted:
lighthouse keeper was killed
Light. The ship is outdoors, and is lit naturally depending
A mighty Thrull warship called the Sea Dragon, laden on the time of day.
with treasure and warriors was hiding in the Teeth to Ceilings. The interior areas of the ship have cramped
avoid a pursuing vessel, which was trying to poach their ceilings that are six feet high.
treasures. However, as they were trying to depart from Sound. Sound echoes on the water; if combat breaks
their hiding place, they ran aground on the rocks and the out above water, all keppmir above water hear
ship was split in twain. Now, opportunistic keppmir are it. Likewise, an underwater battle is heard by all
picking the wreck of the ship clean. underwater keppmir.
Invaders. The wreck of the Sea Dragon is currently being
Background looted by ten keppmir stalkers (see appendix A) with
the following additional spells that raise their challenge
A character that makes an Intelligence (History) check and rating to 3 (700 XP):
meets or exceeds the following DCs recalls the following
Innate Spellcasting. The keppmir stalker’s innate spellcasting
information:
ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11). The keppmir stalker can
DC 5: This ship was split in two when it smashed at full innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
speed into the sharp rocks of the Teeth.
At will: entangle, hellish rebuke
DC 10: This ship is a massive Thrull warship that could
1/day (each): gaseous form, suffocate
hold hundreds of warriors.
DC 15: Fisherfolk from the Teeth have often reported Ticking Clock. An armored sea drake named Bigirsten
attacks from fish-like humanoids called keppmir. (see area D4) was slumbering here when the Sea Dragon
DC 20: Legends tell of a mighty creature named Bigirsten, wrecked on the rocks. It is awake and trying to ignore
which prowled the Teeth and sunk dozens of ships in the annoying keppmir. However, the arrival of the
ancient times. characters only annoys it further. Once 10 minutes pass
after the characters enter area D1, Bigirsten rises from
the depths and attacks everything it can see.

192
Quests D2: Stern End
Four keppmir stalkers are looting this area, carrying
The characters are guided to this dungeon in Quest:
off a carved cedar hope chest filled with fine linen
Shipwreck (see chapter 3).
undergarments, ten yards of embroidered silk, two silver
candlesticks, and a satin tablecloth embroidered with gold
Areas of the Sea Dragon thread. These trade supplies are worth a total of 500 gp.
The following areas are keyed to the map of this dungeon. They are passing the chest to two additional keppmir
stalkers beneath the waves.
D1: Prow End There is also a small box full of dried herbs and tiny bones.
The characters arrive at the sunken longship floating in the A successful DC 12 (Arcana or Nature) check identifies them
waves near Ófeigur’s Beacon. as ingredients for healing potions and spell components.
Crashing waves wash against the rocks, shifting the D3: Fallen Mast
wreckage back and forth with the tides. Among the smell The mast is charred and the flag is partially burned,
of salt and fish, an odor of rotten meat and the sound of
revealing it was struck by lightning. Beneath the mast,
two keppmir stalkers are dragging down an empty crib.
guttural Valikan is carried on the wind. The salty air is
Inside the crib is a silver rattle (worth 10 gp) and a tiny
unseasonably warmer than expected.
water-logged silken pillow.
The broken bow of the longship hides two keppmir D4: Deadly Rocks
stalkers under its canopy. The characters can detect them The rocks surrounding the wreck are as they appear. The
with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. In central rock, however, is the top of an ornery, recently
addition to the keppmir, two corpses, a male human and awakened sea drake named Bigirsten. Bigirsten is furious
half-elf, are found tightly embracing. They are wearing if bothered and hostile to all. Bigirsten awakens if
ornately engraved matching silver rings worth 5 gp. anyone stands on them or hits them with a weapon. This
Examining the corpses and succeeding on a DC 14 enormous, serpentine sea drake has thick armored scales;
Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals they died by drowning it uses the statistics of a dragon turtle with the following
and not from the keppmir. additional trait:
Magic Resistance. The armored sea drake has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Once awakened, Bigirsten attacks all creatures around
it, keppmir or otherwise, until all are dead or it is reduced
to half its hit point maximum. At that point, it dives
beneath the water and swims away.

193
Appendix A:
NEW CREATURES AND NPCS
This section contains the lore and game statistics for the monsters and NPCs found in this adventure that aren’t from the
fifth edition core rules. They are new to this adventure (*), or from Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire (†).
• CR 0 Frostbite Fox † • CR 1 Rime Hunger † • CR 3 Panjaian Ilharan † • CR 6 Seaborn Troll †

• CR 0 Svangras † • CR 1 Shatter Corpse † • CR 4 Bloodbonded † • CR 7 Mjork Charger †
• CR 0 Torcheater † • CR 1 Tangle Weed † • CR 4 Sky Drake † • CR 8 Prismatic Drake †
• CR 1/8 Poffer † • CR 1 Whelmer † • CR 5 Coldfire Ooze † • CR 8 Deathmoss †
• CR 1/4 Keppmir † • CR 2 Puck † • CR 5 Gondul Grindalsdóttir * • CR 8 Seaborn Troll Fogcaller †
• CR 1/4 Mjork Sootling † • CR 2 Animated Flame Tongue † • CR 5 Hrafen av Skeir * • CR 11 Candlelight Daemon †
• CR 1/2 Hungerer Wolf † • CR 2 Laneshi Soldier † • CR 5 Puck Tree † • CR 11 Jarl Grimskjelle *
• CR 1/2 Puck Shrub † • CR 2 Meyana † • CR 6 Alvíss av Dvergholt * • CR 13 Coldfire Premonition *
• CR 1/2 Young Meyana † • CR 2 Mjork Sootling Swarm † • CR 6 Laneshi Necromancer † • CR 14 Aspect of Venin *
• CR 1 Gasdra† • CR 2 Mud Zombie † • CR 6 Mjork Asher †
• CR 1 Hungerer Elk † • CR 3 Mjork † • CR 6 Mjork Burner †
• CR 1 Keppmir Stalker † • CR 3 Panjaian Alondon † • CR 6 Panjaian Gormadraugon †

194
Alvíss av Dvergholt
Medium Humanoid (Dwarf), Neutral
Armor Class 11 (16 with barkskin)

Hit Points 97 (15d8 + 30)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

12 (+1) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 11 (+0)
Skills Medicine +7, Nature +4, Perception +7

Damage Resistances poison
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Druidic, Dwarvish, Valiki
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Dwarven Resilience. Alvíss has advantage on saving throws against

being poisoned.
Actions
Shillelagh Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. This
damage is magical.
Stonespur (3/Day). Alvíss causes a blunt spike of stone, rough-
ly 1 foot wide and 15 feet long, to erupt from the ground at
a point he chooses within 60 feet. Each creature hit by the
spur must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failed
save, a creature takes 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage and is
pushed 20 feet away from the spur in a direction of Alvíss’s
Alvíss av Dvergholt
choice. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much dam-
age and isn’t pushed. The spur then cracks and falls apart.
Spellcasting. Alvíss casts one of the following spells; Wisdom is his
spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks): This surly dwarf has lived in the woods at the edge of the
At will: druidcraft, produce flame Akkeri Bay for decades. He was not pleased to see a group
2/day each: cure wounds (at 3rd level), stone shape, thunderwave (at of Valikans settle on his shore, led by the infamous raid
3rd level) leader Hrafen av Skeir.
1/day each: barkskin, heat metal (at 4th level) Alvíss is a druid of an order that practiced the ancient
ways of the Stoneraisers (see chapter 3 of Raider’s Guide to
Reactions Valika). However, his fellow druids and much of his family
Diamondskin (1/Day). As a reaction to taking damage of any type were slaughtered by Valikan raiders two centuries ago.
except psychic, Alvíss gains resistance to it until the end of his Alvíss has since traveled to the Akkeri Bay to nurture and
next turn. protect a tree called the Morfar Ash, which contains the
If the damage he took was bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing dam- spirit of his archdruid.
age, he instead gains immunity to it until the end of his next turn. More of Alvíss’s background is discussed in his profile in
Saga of the Seasons | Appendix A: New Creatures and NPCs

195
Animated Flame Tongue
Small Construct, Unaligned
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 31 (9d6)
Speed 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover)

14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 5 (-3) 1 (-5)
Saving Throws Dex +5

Damage Resistances fire
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened,
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Animated Perception 7
Languages —
Flame Tongue
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Antimagic Susceptibility. The flame tongue is incapacitated while

“A sword that flies around by itself is already quite frightening. in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the
Adding fire to the mix sure doesn’t make it better.” flame tongue must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against
the caster’s spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
Flourishing Blades. Infused with arcane life, animated
flame tongues dance through the air leaving trails of embers False Appearance. While the flame tongue remains motionless and
behind them as they seek foes to slay. Animated flame isn’t flying, it is indistinguishable from a normal sword.
tongues fight with the skill of a seasoned duelist. Magic Weapons. The flame tongue’s weapon attacks are magical.
Honorbound. Animated flame tongues can be created in
Actions
many ways, but the most common way is when a magical
sword’s attuned wielder is killed with magical fire. The sword Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
becomes mobile and semi-sentient, seeking to defeat those Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage and 7 (2d6) fire damage.
who killed its master, and anyone who uses magic to destroy Frenzy (1/Day). The animated flame tongue strikes out in a series
life. This makes animated flame tongues a particular risk to of wild attacks against a single creature. The animated flame
those who wield magic. tongue makes three longsword attacks against a single target.
Constructed Nature. An animated flame tongue doesn’t
Reactions
require air, food, drink, or sleep. The magic that animates
an animated flame tongue is dispelled when the construct Parry and Riposte. The animated flame tongue adds 3 to its AC
drops to 0 hit points. An animated flame tongue reduced to against one melee attack that would hit it. If the attack misses,
0 hit points becomes inanimate and is too damaged to be of the animated flame tongue can make one melee attack against the
much use or value to anyone. attacker if it is within reach.
Salvage
The animated flame tongue is made from an enchanted
metal. Someone who collects four animated flame tongues
Lore
can craft a +1 longsword This requires a proficient weap- DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): The animated flame tongue
onsmith to succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check is resistant to fire damage.
after working for 24 hours and using 250 gp of compo- DC 15 Intelligence (History): An animated flame tongue’s
nents. It’s rumored that the longswords can be turned into attacks are magical.
flame tongues again with the proper ritual, but no one has DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana): An animated flame tongue
confirmed those rumors yet. can be rendered incapacitated by the dispel magic spell.

196
Aspect of Venin
she can cast into Etharis and control as if it were her own
body. An aspect can’t return to the Netherworld; it can
only be destroyed—either by truly powerful mortals, or at
The Arch Daemon Venin is a being of supernatural deceit. Venin’s own whim.
She seeks to undermine mortals by tricking them into false Cost of an Extraplanar Journey. Creating an aspect and
ideologies and illusory goals. She relishes the lies people sending it to Etharis costs Venin a great deal of energy, and
tell themselves to justify depravity and cruelty. Venin’s she can only conjure the power to do so—without harm to
followers gain great skill in illusions and convincing others her true self—once every year and a day.
of their versions of the truth, but eventually they lose all
Appearance. Venin’s aspect is a shapeshifter. However,
sense of what is real and what is not.
the Arch Daemon is vain enough to typically give her
Hand-Crafted Aspects. Venin rarely appears upon the aspect a pleasing appearance. Her favored appearance
face of Etharis herself. She prefers to lurk in her domain of this year is that of a tall, pale-skinned human woman in a
shadows within the Netherworld. When she desires to take black dress that twinkles like the night sky. Her eyelids are
an active role on Etharis, typically to create a theater of decorated with gold, with a deep blue iris surrounding a
chaos among the mortal peoples for her own amusement, blood-red pupil. She shrouds herself in a fur-lined cloak so
she manifests an aspect. This aspect is a shapeshifting black that it’s unclear where her long, black hair ends and
puppet of her will crafted out of daemonic magic, which her garb begins.

197
Aspect of Venin Actions
Medium Fiend (Daemon), Chaotic Evil Multiattack. Venin makes three Morphic Blade attacks.
Morphic Blade. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10
Armor Class 20 (natural armor) ft. or range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) piercing damage.
Hit Points 130 (20d8 + 40) If this was a melee attack, it can deal extra damage (see her
Shadow Blade trait).
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
Change Shape. Venin can transform her aspect into a Small,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Medium, or Large Humanoid of any description. Her statistics,
other than her size, are the same in each form. She can also conjure
17 (+3) 25 (+7) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) 23 (+6) 30 (+10)
or dismiss any nonmagical clothing or equipment as part of this
transformation. Any items created in this way dissolve into black,
Skills Arcana +9, Deception +20, Sleight of Hand +12, Stealth +17
sulfur-smelling ichor when removed from her person.
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Invoke Banished Desire. Venin enhances the allure of evil thoughts
Languages All, Telepathy 120 ft.
which the mortals around her have chosen not to act upon. Up to
20 Humanoids that aren’t hostile toward Venin within 120 feet
of her must make a DC 21 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, a
Creature of Shadow. Venin can sense all areas of dim light or creature is charmed by her for 1 minute, and follows her commands
darkness within 1 mile of her aspect. Additionally, she becomes to the best of its ability.
invisible when she enters an area of darkness. Any creature
Shadow Pool. Venin creates a 20-foot-radius dome of magical
that can see the area of darkness she’s hiding in can make a DC
darkness centered on herself. Each other creature in the area when
25 Wisdom (Perception) check as a reaction. On a success, that
the dome appears must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving
creature gains the ability to see her until Venin’s aspect moves to
throw or take 22 (4d10) necrotic damage. This area of darkness
a new area of darkness. A creature can also make this check as an
remains for 1 minute. Venin can’t have more than three areas of
action on each of its turns. Her invisibility ends when she hits a
darkness active at once; if she uses this action again, one area of
creature with a weapon attack or leaves the area of darkness she is
her choice vanishes.
hiding in.
Daemonic Glibness. When Venin makes a Charisma (Deception) Bonus Actions
check, the result can’t be lower than 35. Additionally, even if she Umbral Stride. While in an area of dim light or darkness, Venin’s
is lying, magic that determines if Venin is telling the truth always aspect can teleport to another area of dim light or darkness she
indicates that she is being truthful. can sense.
Discorporation. When reduced to 0 hit points, Venin’s aspect
dissolves into a hissing pool of inky, sulfur-smelling ichor. Venin
Legendary Actions
can also discorporate her aspect as an action. After discorporating, Venin can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
Venin can’t send another aspect to Etharis for a year and a day. below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and
only at the end of another creature's turn. Venin regains spent
Shadow Blade (1/Turn). When Venin hits a creature that can’t see
legendary actions at the start of her turn.
her with a melee weapon attack, she can cause the creature to take
an additional 28 (8d6) necrotic damage. Hide. Venin makes a Dexterity (Stealth) check. If she’s in an area of
dim light or darkness, she becomes invisible (see her Creature of
Shadow trait).
GM Advice: Description is everything when transforming a Shadow Pool (Costs 2 Actions). Venin uses her Shadow Pool action.
monster from a collection of game stats to a formidable foe. Does Mirror Form (Costs 3 Actions). If Venin is not invisible, she
the Aspect of Venin’s evil manifest so strongly that her mere creates three illusory copies of her body. These copies occupy
presence causes the air to become frigid and plants to wither and
three spaces of her choice that she can see within 30 feet of her.
die? Does her honeyed voice supernaturally echo as if a greater
She can choose to swap places with any of these copies when
being speaks through her? Do her attacks cause veins to turn black
as icy darkness spreads beneath the skin? These small details will they appear, as part of this legendary action. The copies have the
help the Aspect of Venin stand out from other monster encounters same AC as her, and 1 hit point. A copy vanishes if reduced to 0
and seem truly daemonic. hit points, or if Venin turns invisible.

198
Bloodbonded Manipulative Leaders. The bloodbonded are mad, twist-
ed, and hungry for the power and direction. To regain that
“Those who’ve turned their back on both the Seraphs power, they promise other desperate souls happiness, power,
and the Daemons? That way lies madness.” or vengeance. They gather a cult of the gullible, desperate, or
weak, dominating the common folk and making ever-greater
Disheveled Priests. A bloodbonded, at first glance,
demands on their lives and sanities.
appears as an acolyte of an Arch Seraph whose vestments
and robes are in disrepair. A closer look reveals a maimed Running on Empty. The power of the bloodbonded
body covered in pulsing red markings, generally missing comes from their own lifeblood and the residue of power
an arm or even a leg. Angelic markings on the skin are left there by the enchantments they willingly bore and so
replaced with nonsensical runes and patterns, meticulously suddenly renounced.
scrawled in overlapping ways.
Salvage
Justice Misled. Bloodbonded are the unique consequence
of one of the Arch Daemon Venin’s more elegant decep- Bloodbonded still possess the damaged and scarred
tions. Sometimes, when a particularly prayerful peni- remnants of their past devotions. When a bloodbonded
tent beseeches Arch Seraph Solyma for guidance, Venin dies, its blood still pulses and gives off light as it did when
answers. The penitent, believing they hear the call of their it was alive. One vial of this blood can be harvested from
angelic lady, drinks deeply of the cup of pride that they a single bloodbonded with a successful DC 10 Wisdom
alone can hear the words of Solyma. (Medicine) check. Drinking it within one day causes the
user to be under the effect of a bless spell. When the spell
Irredeemable Apostates. Inevitably, Venin’s twisted words
ends, the user suffers one level of exhaustion.
demand horrible deeds: dark murder under the guise of jus-
tice, humanoid sacrifice under the veil of restoring balance, Lore
or self-mutilation as a penance for sins. Venin then reveals
his lies to seal the fate of the deceived. Sometimes, these DC 10 Intelligence (History): Bloodbonded are victims
cheated creatures become devotees of Venin, seeing in his of their own foolish choices, worshipping false gods and
tricks the power they sought in justice. Others are torn by then being driven mad by the ruse.
their misplaced devotion, renouncing the dark acts and ter- DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): Bloodbonded use their
rible deeds too late. They lose their humanity and the divine followers as weapons, even causing them to explode in a
powers they were once the sacred (or profane) keepers of. wave of fiery blood, which damages nearby creatures.
are reckless, gaining advantage to hit enemies but granting

Bloodbonded enemies advantage to hit them in turn.
Medium Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil
Resolute Followers. Allies of the bloodbonded within 60 feet of it
have advantage on Charisma and Wisdom saving throws.
Armor Class 16 (studded leather, shield)
Hit Points 66 (12d8+12) (or +24 if missing a leg) Actions
Speed 30 ft. (or 10 ft. if missing a leg) Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4
(1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Rage Bomb (2/Day). As a bonus action, the bloodbonded can infuse
12 (+1) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 7 (-2) 18 (+4) one of its bloodbonded followers who is under the effects of Bloody
Inspiration with a fatal fury. This magic causes the follower to foam
Saving Throws Con +3, Wis +0 bloodily at the mouth. If the follower is not slain before the start of
Skills Deception +6, Persuasion, +6, Insight +0 the bloodbonded’s next turn, the follower dies and explodes in a
shower of superheated blood. Creatures within 10 feet must make
Damage Resistances necrotic, radiant
a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 12 (2d8+3) fire damage on a
Damage Vulnerability psychic
failure and taking half damage on a success.
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Blood Boil. The bloodbonded targets a creature it can see within 60
Senses passive Perception 8
feet and utters words of madness. The target must succeed on a DC
Languages Celestial, Infernal, one national language
14 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) fire damage as its blood
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 superheats. The bloodbonded must be able to speak to use this ability.
Bloody Inspiration. As a bonus action, the bloodbonded can Reactions

inspire an ally within 30 feet to an enraged state of bloodlust for Loyal Followers. When a bloodbonded would take damage from a
one minute. These followers gain 5 temporary hp, resistance to melee or ranged attack it can see that targets only the bloodbonded,
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and vulnerability to it can use its reaction to call on one of its followers within 5 feet to
psychic damage. All attacks made by the bloodbonded followers take the damage instead.

199
Lore
Candlelight Daemon DC 10 Intelligence (Religion): Candlelight daemons
return to the Netherworld if their candle goes out.
“A candlelight daemon remains for the duration DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): Candlelight daemons have
of a cursed candle’s flame. That’s long enough immunities and resistances typical of fiends, including
for a host of sinister deeds.” immunity to poison and resistance to cold, fire, lightning,
Candle Bound. The candlelight daemon can be and nonmagical weapon attacks. The daemon is also
summoned only by the lighting of a specially prepared resistant to magic and capable of countering spells.
candle, and then only at night. Once the candle is snuffed DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana): A candlelight daemon is
or burns out, the daemon must return to the Netherworld. most effective in shadows or darkness, which allow
But such daemons can do their job in a short time. the fiend to hide easily and bring its murderous
talents to bear.
Despicable Cost. To create a candle to summon a candle-
light daemon, a spellcaster must make a candle during the
new moon using the rendered fat of one murderer, the ashes
of three humanoids who burned alive, and the blood of thir-
teen cats. The caster must also expend a 6th-level spell slot.
Salvage
The melted leavings of a candlelight daemon’s candle
act as oil of sharpness against aberrations, celestials, fey,
and fiends, as well as against the creature that created
the candle.
Magic Resistance. The daemon has advantage on saving throws

Candlelight Daemon against spells and other magical effects.
Medium Fiend, Neutral Evil
Nether Step. As its movement for its turn, the candlelight daemon
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) can teleport to an unoccupied space within 30 feet of it, provided
the space it’s teleporting to and from are both in dim light or
Hit Points 170 (20d8 + 80)
darkness. The daemon doesn’t need to see the destination.
Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the daemon can
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA take the Hide action as a bonus action.
16 (+3) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) Slayer’s Advantage. The candlelight daemon has advantage on
attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t had a turn in combat.
Skills Deception +7, Insight +6, Investigation +5, Perception +6,
Stealth +7 Slayer’s Attack (1/Turn). The candlelight daemon deals an extra
Damage Immunities poison 35 (10d6) damage when it hits a target with an attack and has
advantage on the attack roll. With the suffocate spell, the daemon
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing,
deals this damage as extra bludgeoning damage.
and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities poisoned Actions
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16 Multiattack. The daemon makes two claw attacks and one gore
Languages Infernal attack. It can use hurl fire in place of any of these attacks.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10
Candle Dependence. The daemon remains on the Material Plane (2d6 + 3) slashing damage and 4 (1d8) fire damage.
only while the candle that summoned it burns. Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12
Innate Spellcasting. The daemon’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (2d8 + 3) piercing damage and 4 (1d8) fire damage.
(spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The daemon can Hurl Fire. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 120 ft., one target.
innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: Hit: 13 (3d8) fire damage.
At will: detect magic, hunter sense, knock
1/day each: counterspell, darkness, dispel magic, shield, suffocate

200
Coldfire Ooze Salvage
“Coldfire’s a menace, sure, but at least it doesn’t move Someone who has proficiency with alchemist’s supplies
around on its own. Why are you staring at me like that?” can use the remains of one coldfire ooze to make one
flammable tincture (see chapter 4). Making the tincture
Spreading Corruption. Coldfire oozes spread coldfire takes 1 day of work, materials worth 50 gp, and a
throughout the north. Corrupted slurries of ice and snow, successful DC 13 Intelligence or Wisdom check.
coldfire oozes have become a menace to frontier towns
among the Valikan Clans. Lore
Burning Slime. Those who first faced coldfire oozes didn’t DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): Coldfire oozes are rare
realize how the slimes could split. This mistake in the first creatures that spread coldfire.
skirmishes allowed the oozes to further multiply. Now, they DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): As with coldfire, fire is the
can be found all over the northern wilds. best way to deal with a coldfire ooze. Fire is the only way
Ooze Nature. A coldfire ooze doesn’t require sleep. to put the coldfire out.
Illumination. The coldfire ooze sheds bright light in a 20-foot

Coldfire Ooze radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet.
Large Ooze, Unaligned
Spider Climb. The coldfire ooze can climb difficult surfaces,
Armor Class 8 including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
ability check.
Hit Points 110 (13d10 + 39)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. Actions
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage and 14 (4d6) cold damage.
15 (+2) 6 (–2) 17 (+3) 1 (–5) 12 (+1) 1 (–5)
Coldfire Flare (Recharge 6). The coldfire ooze expels coldfire in a
Damage Vulnerabilities fire 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Dexterity
Damage Immunities cold saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, as much damage on a successful one. If a significant amount of
frightened, prone flammable material ignites due to this flare, the area deals damage
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive as the Ignite trait to objects and to creatures who enter the area
Perception 11 for the first time on a turn or who end their turn there. This damage
from coldfire also subjects targets to Ignite.
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Reactions
Amorphous. The coldfire ooze can move through a space as narrow Split. When a coldfire ooze that is Medium or larger is subjected
as 1 inch wide without squeezing. to cold or slashing damage, it splits into two new oozes if it has at
least 10 hit points. Each new ooze has hit points equal to half the
Coldfire. The cold damage a coldfire ooze deals ignores cold original ooze’s, rounded down. New oozes are one size smaller than
resistance. Creatures immune to cold treat their cold immunity as the original ooze.
resistance to cold damage instead.
Ignite. If a creature or a flammable object takes cold damage from
the coldfire ooze, the target ignites. Until the target is dealt fire
damage, it takes 3 (1d6) cold damage at the start of each of its turns.

201
Coldfire Premonition
The scout claimed the creature she saw was Gormadraug
returned, but I knew she was wrong because she had lived
to tell me about it.
Elemental Scourge. Coldfire has reawakened in the
distant reaches of Volgen. Many horrific tales travel
south from that icy hell, yet none are more unsettling
than encounters with immense wyrms of living ice and
coldfire. These monsters spread their elemental scourge
wherever they go. Witnesses to their destruction warn
that these creatures are premonitions of a world in which
Gormadraug, greatest of the primordials, has returned.
Vision of an Icy Future. Gormadraug is the progenitor
of coldfire, a scourge which burns across eastern Valika
leaving icy devastation in its wake. The druids of the
Prismatic Circle are skeptical that tales of the so-called
coldfire premonitions are true. But if they are, perhaps
they’re conjured from the very dreams of Gormadraug
itself— dreams in which the Prismatic Wyrm rises again to
end all mortal life on Etharis once and for all.
Image of the Wyrm. A coldfire premonition takes the
shape of a wolf-headed, many-legged serpentine wyrm.
It is wrought of solid ice and wreathed in frigid, blue
flames. The mythical depictions of Gormadraug mirror
this terrible image. The coldfire premonition is therefore a
spectre of every Valikans greatest dread.

202
Salvage Lore
The coldfire premonition explodes into a hail of ice when it DC 15 Wisdom (Survival): The coldfire premonition
dies, showering the area in coldfire. Characters savvy enough wreathes itself in a blizzard of showering coldfire. Blue
to quench its remains with hot, red flame can salvage frigid flames explode in the area near the premonition, dealing
shards of its body. These shards have turned black and cold damage to everyone they touch.
shiny, like obsidian, but remain burning cold to the touch. DC 20 Wisdom (Survival): As a creature made entirely of
The shards can be used to craft 20 arrows or crossbow bolts. coldfire, it seems likely that hot, red flame will annihilate
These missiles count as +3 ammunition that does an addi- it with ease. However, stories warn that the premonitions
tional 7 (2d6) cold damage on a successful attack. A profi- own flames react explosively to the sudden introduction
cient weaponsmith must spend 8 hours and succeed on a DC of burning flame.
10 Intelligence (Arcana) check to create the missiles.
Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) cold damage on a failed

Coldfire Premonition save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Gargantuan Elemental, Chaotic Evil
the coldfire premonition, the target ignites. Hot fire smothers
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) coldfire; until the target is dealt fire damage, it takes 5 (1d10) cold
Hit Points 297 (18d20 + 108) damage at the start of each of its turns.
Actions
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Multiattack. The coldfire premonition makes two attacks: one
with its Bite and one with its Tail.
24 (+7) 12 (+1) 22 (+6) 1 (−5) 19 (+4) 1 (−5)
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Saving Throws Str +12, Dex +6, Con +11, Cha +0 Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) cold damage.
Skills Perception +9 Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
Damage Vulnerabilities fire Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage and the target is knocked prone.
Damage Immunities cold, poison Rain of Coldfire (Recharges 5-6). The coldfire premonition roars as
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, icy shards burst from its body and rain coldfire down around it. 1d4
paralyzed, poisoned, unconscious coldfire hailstones strike the ground at points of the premonition’s
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19 choice within 120 feet of it. Each hailstone creates a 10-foot radius
patch of coldfire. Each creature that starts its turn in this area
Languages —
or enters it for the first time on a turn must succeed on a DC 18
Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (3d10) cold damage.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the coldfire premonition fails a Reactions

saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Explosive Combustion. When the coldfire premonition takes
Magic Resistance. The coldfire premonition has advantage on fire damage, a burst of coldfire of equal intensity explodes from
saving throws against spells and other magical effects. its body. All creatures within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC
18 Dexterity saving throw or take cold damage equal to the fire
Coldfire. The cold damage the coldfire premonition deals ignores
damage that triggered this reaction.
cold resistance. Creatures immune to cold damage treat their
immunity as resistance to cold damage instead. Legendary Actions
Coldfire Form. The coldfire premonition can move through a space The coldfire premonition can take 3 legendary actions, choosing
as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. A creature that touches from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be
the premonition or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The
takes 11 (2d10) cold damage. In addition, the premonition can enter premonition regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
a hostile creature's space and stop there. The first time it enters a
Tail. The premonition makes a tail attack.
creature's space on a turn, that creature takes 11 (2d10) cold damage.
Icy Shield (Costs 3 Actions). The premonition casts wall of ice (spell
Frigid Demise. When the coldfire premonition dies, its body is save DC 18).
enveloped in a coldfire explosion that sends frigid shards in every Coldfire Wall (Costs 3 Actions). The premonition casts wall of fire
direction. All creatures within 30 feet of it must make a DC 18 (spell save DC 18); the spell deals cold damage when cast in this way.

203
Drakes
“Descendants of the great dragons of the mythic past
still roam Etharis. They have little of the majesty of their
ancestors, but they’re still frightening.”
Lesser Dragonkind. The dragons most common on

Etharis are bestial creatures the size of wolves or horses.
Sky Drake. Agile fliers, the sky drakes of Etharis live in the
mountains and other desolate areas. A sky drake defends its
lair ferociously, but it’s willing to negotiate with those who
have proven themselves stronger. Sky drakes even serve as
mounts in return for promises to leave their homes alone.
Prismatic Drake. Said to be children of Gormadraug,
the Prismatic Dragon, prismatic drakes frequent the
North. Legends say they want to bring about the return
of their ancestor. Sorcerers who foolishly try to tap into
Gormadraug’s power can be transformed into prismatic
drakes. Visions force them to perform tasks that might lead
to waking the sleeping dragon.
Salvage
Dragons are rare on Etharis, so materials from their
corpses fetch a good price. A dragon’s corpse can be sold
for at least 100 gp times the Challenge of the monster.
Someone who has proficiency with alchemist’s supplies
can reduce the brain of a prismatic drake into an oil
that can be used to fashion one arrow of dragon slaying.
Brewing the oil takes 5 days of work, reagents worth 2,000
gp, and a successful DC 17 Intelligence or Wisdom check.
Making the arrow is a trivial task, but treating it properly
with the oil takes 5 more days of work.
Lore
DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): Sea drakes are cunning grap-
plers resistant to cold, sky drakes are adept fliers and have
a bite charged with lightning, and blight drakes collect
diseases that don’t kill them but make for a toxic bite.
DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana): Prismatic drakes are the
rarest drakes, rumored to be sorcerers transformed
into dragons after they foolishly connected their minds
to Gormadraug, the slumbering Prismatic Dragon.
These drakes can cast spells.
GM Advice: Drakes hold a significant place in Valikan lore. While

some clans consider them little more than vicious pests, others fear
them as scions of Gormadraug. Drakes feature in many sagas of
great heroes who slew or tamed a drake as part of their adventures.
Drakes are sometimes painted on shields, raised on longship sails,
or their scales are worn as raiments of war. If your party manage to
slay a drake during their adventures, they may earn themselves an
epithet like “drake slayer”, “scale breaker”, or “dragon bane.”

204
Prismatic Drake
Large Dragon, Neutral Evil

Hit Points 136 (16d10 + 48)

18 (+4) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2)
Sky Drake
Large Dragon, Neutral Evil Skills Arcana +4, Deception +5, Intimidation +5, Perception +5
Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Languages Draconic and one other language
Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30) Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Magic Resistance. The prismatic drake has advantage on saving
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA throws against spells and other magical effects.
18 (+4) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 8 (–1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
Quicken Spell (4/Day). The prismatic drake can cast a spell that has
a casting time of 1 action as a bonus action.
Skills Athletics +6, Perception +4, Survival +4
Spellcasting. The prismatic drake is an 8th-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell
Languages Draconic and one other language attacks). The prismatic drake knows the following sorcerer spells:
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Cantrips (at will): mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation,
ray of frost
Flyby. The sky drake doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it 1st level (4 slots): chromatic orb, color spray, shield
flies out of an enemy’s reach. 2nd level (3 slots): blur, detect thoughts, gust of wind
Keen Sight. The sky drake has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, hypnotic pattern
checks that rely on sight. 4th level (2 slots): confusion
Actions Actions
Multiattack. The sky drake makes one bite attack and one attack Multiattack. The prismatic drake makes one bite attack and one
with its claws. attack with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13
(2d6 + 4) piercing damage and 5 (2d4) lightning damage. (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15
(2d8 + 4) slashing damage. (2d10 + 4) slashing damage.

205
Deathmoss
Deathmoss Large Elemental, Chaotic Evil
“In places where the land is twisted from its natural Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
state, elementals can be affected. Their poison spreads Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56)
quickly, creating more of their kind, until the blight Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
covers everything.”
18 (+4) 5 (–3) 18 (+4) 5 (–3) 10 (+0) 5 (–3)
Blight Elemental. Deathmoss is but one of several known
versions of these corrupted elementals.
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Affront to Nature. Whether through a brush with
Damage Immunities poison
powerful malevolence or unwise experiments, elementals
Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
can be corrupted, turning them into blighted forms. Fey
from nonmagical attacks
and others with a connection to nature have an instinctive
aversion to these creatures. Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned,
unconscious
Toxic Magic. Blighted elementals are sources of poison,
Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10
carrying their corruption with them and spreading it to
Languages Terran
new places. They multiply rapidly and carry death to the
unwary. For those with sinister intentions though, they can Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
be an excellent source of dangerous, potent ingredients for
potions or poison. Blight. Any creature that touches the deathmoss or hits it with
a melee attack while within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15
Salvage Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of that
creature’s next turn.
The remains of a blight elemental can be used to produce
one of two concoctions. Each elemental leaves enough Earth Glide. The deathmoss can burrow through nonmagical,
residue for three doses, which can be divided among the unworked earth and stone. While doing so, it doesn’t disturb the
brews created. Someone who has proficiency with alche- material it moves through.
mist’s supplies or a poisoner’s kit can use one portion of False Appearance. While the deathmoss remains motionless, it
the residue and other materials worth 50 gp to produce is indistinguishable from a moss-covered mound.
one pale tincture. Producing the tincture requires 1 day of
work and a successful DC 13 Intelligence or Wisdom check. Siege Monster. The deathmoss deals double damage to objects
Someone who has proficiency with alchemist’s supplies or and structures.
an herbalism kit can instead use one portion of the residue
and other reagents worth 50 gp to make one potion of re-
Actions
sistance (poison) that also confers the benefits of antitoxin. Multiattack. The deathmoss makes two slam attacks. It can use
Making the potion requires the same amount of work and a calming spores in place of one attack.
similar successful check. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit:
13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and
Lore Blight. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving
throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to
DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): Blight elementals arise
the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target
when nature or the substance of an elemental plane
finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit
is corrupted. These elementals can resemble non-
point maximum to 0.
elemental creatures, but they’re still elementals. Blight
elementals have elemental resistances, including to Calming Spores (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The
nonmagical attacks. deathmoss emits a cloud of spores in a 20-foot-radius sphere
DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): A blight elemental is always that goes around corners. Each creature in that area must succeed
poisonous, in addition to its other powers. Some, such as on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become indifferent toward
deathmoss and forgeblights, have supernatural abilities to the deathmoss for 1 minute, becoming unable to take hostile action
spread rot to creatures or objects. toward the elemental. The target can repeat the saving throw at the
DC 20 Intelligence (History): Some legends say a lich end of each of its turns, when the deathmoss or its allies harm the
created the first blight elementals to gain the favor of the creature, or the creature witnesses any ally being similarly harmed,
Arch Daemon Malikir. If such stories are true, finding ending the effect on itself on a success. If the initial saving throw
the lich’s notes might allow someone to return blight is successful or the effect ends for a creature, the creature is then
elementals to their original forms. subjected to Blight.

206
Gasdra
Small Monstrosity, Neutral Evil


8 (-1) 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 6 (–2) 10 (+0) 7 (–2)
Skills Perception +2
Languages understands Sylvan but can’t speak
Three Heads. The gasdra has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)

checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed,
deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious. That gasdra
has one reaction for each head. The extra reactions can be used only
for opportunity attacks.
Wakeful. While the gasdra sleeps, at least one of its heads is awake.
Actions
Multiattack. The gasdra makes three beak attacks.
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5
(1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Salvage
Once every two months gasdra lay 2d4 eggs. These eggs
never hatch and are inedible by humanoids, though hags
find them delicious. However, the yolks of gasdra eggs are
Gasdra the deepest black and can be used to make fine pigments.
Each intact egg sells for 20 gp. Those proficient with
alchemist’s supplies or painter’s supplies and succeed on a
“Nothing scares me more in the deep wood than the DC 15 Intelligence check turn an egg into 50 gp worth of
honking of the witch’s goose.” pigment with one day of work.
Guard Geese. Gasdra look like a three-headed goose with Lore
snow white feathers. They are often created to serve as
guards for the homes of hags or similar fey. DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): Gasdra are vicious watch
Born of Foul Ritual. To create a gasdra, a goose egg must animals kept by hags that look like geese with three
be placed in a golden bowl worth 200 gp and bathed in the heads. Their three brains make them hard to affect with
blood of a newborn infant. The egg is then left in the dark abilities that blind, charm, deafen, frighten, stun, or
of a new moon for four hours, after which a fully formed knock them unconscious.
gasdra hatches. DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): The eggs of gasdra are a
valuable ingredient in black pigments.
Vicious Temperament. Gasdra are extremely protective DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana): A gasdra can be turned into
of their home and attack anyone who trespasses. Conven- a giant gasdra by a foul ritual that involves feeding the
iently, they are carnivores who can strip a human of flesh monstrosity seven newborn infants under a new moon
in a day, so there’s not much mess. and painting the creature’s feathers with seventy of its
Giant Gasdra. Giant gasdra are grown when a coven uses own eggs. When the new moon sinks below the horizon,
their powers to grow a regular gasdra to an enormous size. the gasdra grows four more heads and becomes massive,
These seven-headed monstrosities can decimate a small its feathers forever stained dark as night. Giant gasdra are
village if provoked. suitable as mounts for hags and other evil creatures.

207
Gondul
Grindalsdóttir
Gondul is the only daughter of Grindal av Halsfjord. She
and her father harbor a deadly secret: Gondul has been
transformed into a werewolf. This alien-looking beast of
bronze scales and white fur is unleashed on full moons.
Gondul tries to stick to hunting in the Sheltering Wood
near Ragvall Village to keep from drawing attention
to herself, but she secretly longs to bite into the soft
flesh of a human—and is losing her ability to control
that urge.
More of Gondul’s background is discussed in her
profile in chapter 1 of this adventure.
Gondul Grindalsdóttir Actions

Medium Humanoid (Dragonborn, Shapechanger), Chaotic Evil Multiattack (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only). Gondul makes two
attacks: one with her Bite and one with her Claws or Spear.
Armor Class 11 in humanoid form, 13 (natural armor) in wolf or Bite (Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
hybrid form reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. If the target
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18) is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving
throw or be cursed with werewolf lycanthropy.
Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. in wolf form)
Claws (Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage.
15 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) Spear (Humanoid Form Only). Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +4, Performance +6, Persuasion +6 damage, or 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage if wielded with two hands
Damage Resistances lightning to make a melee attack.
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6). Gondul exhales lightning in a 30-
nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a
Senses passive Perception 16 DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) lightning damage on a
Languages Castinellan, Valiki (can't speak in wolf form) failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Legendary Actions
Gondul can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
Shapechanger. Gondul can use her action to polymorph into a below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and
wolf-humanoid hybrid or into a wolf, or back into her true form, only at the end of another creature's turn. Gondul regains spent
which is humanoid. Her statistics are the same in each form, unless legendary actions at the start of her turn.
otherwise stated. Any equipment she is wearing or carrying isn't
transformed. She reverts to her true form if she dies. Move. Gondul moves up to her speed without provoking
opportunity attacks.
Keen Hearing and Smell. Gondul has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. Lash Out. Gondul makes one attack with her Claws or Spear.
Recharge (Costs 2 Actions). Gondul recharges her Lightning Breath.

208
Hrafen av Skeir
Chief of Clan Ragvall, the famed “Raven of Skeir” is
an idealist who split from the clans of Thrull. Though a
renowned veteran who fought alongside clans Sýr and
Völgr throughout his life, he had an epiphany during
one particularly bloody thrall-taking raid and refused to
fight. More of Hrafen’s background is discussed in the
“Introduction” of this adventure, and his profile in chapter 1.
Though he is nearing the twilight of his life, his beard
and hair are still mostly black, and he is still filled with
warrior vigor. He is a man with a mission—to make young
Clan Ragvall into a clan all Valikans respect—and would
sacrifice his own life to see it accomplished. Thus, he
fiercely defends his village from attackers and his position
as chief from usurpers.
Armor-Crushing Blow. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,

Hrafen av Skeir one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target
Medium Humanoid (Human), Chaotic Good must make a DC 17 Dexterity or Constitution saving throw (target’s
choice). On a failed save, the target’s armor is damaged and its AC
Armor Class 17 (chain shirt, shield) is reduced by 2. If the target’s armor is damaged in this way again,
Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24) the armor is destroyed and grants no bonus to AC. This attack can’t
Speed 25 ft. damage magical or natural armor.
Reactions
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Shield Parry. While holding a shield, Hrafen adds 4 to his AC
17 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) against one attack that would hit him. If the attacker is within 5
feet of him, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be
Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +6, Perception +3, Persuasion +6 knocked prone.
Senses passive Perception 13 Valkyrie’s Pinion. When a creature Hrafen can see within 30
Languages Dwarvish, Higher Bürach, Valiki feet of him makes a saving throw, he can choose to give it either
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 advantage or disadvantage on the roll. That creature can’t be
affected by this reaction again until the next dawn.
Arcing Iron. Hrafen’s strikes are wide, striking multiple targets.
When he makes a melee weapon attack against one creature, he Legendary Actions
can also target up to 2 other creatures within his reach, using the Hrafen can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
same attack roll for each target. below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and
only at the end of another creature's turn. Hrafen regains spent
Bad Leg. Hrafen’s old raiding wound doesn’t hinder him much
legendary actions at the start of his turn.
in daily life, but it does make quick movement difficult. He has
disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, and his walking speed is Reposition. Hrafen moves up to his speed without provoking
reduced by 5 feet (included above). opportunity attacks.
Armor-Crushing Blow. Hrafen makes an Armor-Crushing Blow attack.
Raid Commander. Hrafen and friendly creatures within 30 feet of
Furious Recovery (Costs 2 Actions). Hrafen gains 17 (1d10 + 12)
him have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
temporary hit points. If he has half of his hit points or fewer, he
Actions gains 5 (1d10) additional temporary hit points.
Multiattack. Hrafen makes two +1 Warhammer attacks.
+1 Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., up to
three targets. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.

209
Hungerer Beasts faze them. They face fire and threats with fierceness.
“Those infected with Tears of the Hungerer feel as if It quickly becomes clear to anyone dealing with such a
they’re starving. The disease drives them to look for other beast that it wasn’t created by nature.
beings to bite. Some beasts seem to reach an agreement with
the disease, exchanging survival for a mutated carrier form.” Salvage
Magical Hunger. The disease Tears of the Hungerer Someone who has proficiency with alchemist’s supplies
can turn a once prosperous area into a wasteland. The or a poisoner’s kit can use venom harvested from the
affliction mostly affects humanoids, but animals might hungerer snake to create one potion of poison that also
be infected, too. If so, they grow bolder in their efforts to exposes the drinker to Tears of the Hungerer. Producing
survive. Herbivore’s hunt fleshy prey, and predators raid the poison takes 2 hours, reagents worth 50 gp, and a
graveyards to dig up corpses to eat. successful DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check.
Mutated Form. Hungerer beasts don’t become how they
are by succumbing to the disease. That would be a natural Lore
end to these creatures, but little natural remains in them. DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): Hungerer beasts change
The body changes to fit the affliction, turning a creature under the influence of the Tears of the Hungerer
once skittish and peaceful into a ravenous predator. disease. The infection might not kill, but it makes the
Some hungerer beasts resemble starving animals, with animal an extremely aggressive carrier of the illness.
an unhealthy coat and a spark of desperation in their eyes. Under this influence, even creatures that were once
Others change in monstrous ways, becoming new beasts docile become dangerous.
with strange and frightening new traits. An attack from such DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): Hungerer beasts leap into
a beast might transmit Tears of the Hungerer. battle and can rush prey with incredible speed. The smell
These changes are so drastic that feeding a beast of blood can drive some berserk.
isn’t enough to return it to the animal it once was. Only Unusual features distinguish a hungerer creature.
powerful magic can restore a transformed beast. Some The bright blue body, crimson head, and daggerlike tail
hungerer beasts breed their affliction into their offspring. make a hungerer snake easy to identify, for instance.
Even greater magic is required to alter that change. DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): Healing magic such as
Abnormal Behavior. Hungerer beasts can be different greater restoration or mightier healing can restore a
in form, but they are united in their monstrousness and hungerer creature to its normal state unless it was bred
behavior. They are extremely aggressive. Pain doesn’t with the affliction. Only a wish can undo that change.

210
Hungerer Elk Hungerer Wolf
Large Monstrosity, Unaligned Medium Monstrosity, Unaligned
Armor Class 11 Armor Class 13 (natural armor)

Hit Points 19 (3d10 + 3) Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
Speed 50 ft. Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 2 (−4) 12 (+1) 6 (−2) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 3 (−4) 12 (+1) 6 (−2)
Senses passive Perception 11 Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4

Languages — Senses passive Perception 13
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Aggressive. As a bonus action, the hungerer elk can move up to its
speed toward a hostile creature it can see. Aggressive. As a bonus action, the hungerer wolf can move up to its
Tears of the Hungerer. A beast or humanoid that takes damage speed toward a hostile creature it can see.
from the hungerer elk must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving Keen Hearing and Smell. The hungerer wolf has advantage on
throw or contract Tears of the Hungerer, a magical disease. If a Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
creature succeeds on the saving throw, it’s immune to the disease
for 24 hours. A creature infected with the disease decreases its hit Pack Tactics. The hungerer wolf has advantage on attack rolls
point maximum by 2 (1d4) every 24 hours. If this disease reduces against a creature if at least one of the wolf’s allies is within 5 feet of
the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies and becomes the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
a zombie that also has this trait. This magical disease can be cured Tears of the Hungerer. A beast or humanoid that takes damage from
only with magic. the hungerer wolf must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving
Trampling Charge. If the hungerer elk moves at least 20 feet throw or contract Tears of the Hungerer, a magical disease. If a
straight toward a creature and then hits it with a ram attack on the creature succeeds on the saving throw, it’s immune to the disease
same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving for 24 hours. A creature infected with the disease decreases its hit
throw or fall prone. If the target is prone, the elk can make another point maximum by 2 (1d4) every 24 hours. If this disease reduces
attack with its hooves against the target as a bonus action the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies and becomes
a zombie that also has this trait. This magical disease can be cured
Actions only with magic.
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8
Actions
(2d4 + 3) piercing damage and Tears of the Hungerer.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 +
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2) piercing damage and Tears of the Hungerer. If the target is a creature,
10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage and Tears of the Hungerer. it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or fall prone.

211
Jarl Grimskjelle
Huge Giant, Neutral Evil
Armor Class 18 (plate)

Hit Points 207 (18d12 + 90)
Speed 40 ft.

23 (+6) 9 (-1) 21 (+5) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +6, Cha +7
Jarl Grimskjelle Skills Athletics +10, Perception +6

Damage Immunities cold
Mundilfari Grimskjelle is a feared commander of the Mel- Senses passive Perception 16
warg giants of Frostmere. During winter in this adventure, Languages Giant, Valiki
he and his titanic soldiers march across Grarjord in search Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4
of Valikans to crush in the name of glorious giantkind.
Mystery and Malice. The Valikans know little of Jarl Actions

Grimskjelle’s past, save for his zealous hatred of the “warm Multiattack. Jarl Grimskjelle makes two Frost Warhammer attacks.
folk,” and his vicious desire to enslave and dominate them Frost Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
all in the Melwarg giants’ conquest of Valika. Unbeknownst one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (2d12)
to them, Grimskjelle was once a Valikan himself. Nearly cold damage.
fifty years ago, a cunning trickster of Clan Morgöng named
Conjured Ice Shard. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range 60/240
Lyfr Bearcloak tried to match wits with Venin, Arch Dae-
ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage. Hit or Miss:
mon of Deception. Lyfr longed to put an end to the threat
The ice shard explodes, and the target and creatures within 15
of the Frostmere giants; he made a deal with the Deceiver
feet of it must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take
for the power to transform into a giant at will, so that he
11 (2d10) cold damage.
could undermine them from within.
However, he made another deal with Malikir, Arch Frigid Restraints (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). Jarl
Daemon of Conquest and Pride—one which proved to be Grimskjelle calls jagged shards of ice from the ground in a 10-
his undoing. He needed a false past to make his scheme foot radius centered on a point he can see within 120 feet. Each
more believable—one as a ferocious warlord of the northern creature in the area must succeed on a DC 17 Strength or Dexterity
mountains, a person that Melwarg giants would accept into saving throw (the creature’s choice) or be restrained for 1 minute.
their midst without question. However, Arch Daemons can be A restrained creature can repeat its save as an action, ending the
jealous. When Venin learned of his double dealing, she deter- effect on itself on a success. A 5-foot patch of ice shards has an AC
mined that the new identity Malikir had granted him was his of 20, 25 hit points, vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to
only identity, and thus voided the deal between her and Lyfr— poison and psychic damage. A creature is no longer restrained once
leaving Lyfr trapped in his transformed shape for all time. all spaces restraining it are cleared of ice shards.
After decades of wearing the shape of the famed
conqueror Grimskjelle, Lyfr’s memories of his past life Reactions
have all but vanished into the recesses of his mind. In the Frost Shield (Recharge 6). When Jarl Grimskjelle is hit by an attack
unlikely event that a Valikan were to speak with him about or fails a Dexterity saving throw against a spell or effect that
Venin or his true identity, a character could make a DC 21 targets him or an area that includes him, he can increase his AC
Charisma (Persuasion) check to revive the dying embers or the result of his saving throw by 5 against the triggering effect.
of his memory and maybe even sway him to the side of the If the attack or effect still deals damage, he has resistance to the
Valikans once more. damage it deals.

212
Keppmir
“Sailors are warned to be wary when they sail near Thrull
in the cold north of Grarjord. It’s not the people above
the water that they worry about, but what hides under
unusually warm waters.”
Harsh Origins. Hundreds of years ago, the Clan Keppmir
tried to make a living off the unyielding land. The settlers
found meager fishing and game, few crops could grow,
and little wood made the cold a daily challenge. After
ten seasons, the king of the clan turned to praying to
Gormadraug. He encouraged his people to do so, thinking
that the Great Prismatic Wyrm would be impressed with
their dedication and fervor.
The prayers were heard, but the people were deceived.
A powerful daemon appeared and claimed to be the avatar
of Gormadraug. The king pleaded with the avatar, asking
to keep his people warm and fed. The price was high—the
avatar demanded all the children of the settlement. The
people thought that they could renegotiate for the children
once they were comfortable, and an agreement was reached.
Horrid Transformation. Each member of the clan clasped
arms with the avatar. At the last, as the king gripped the Keppmir
avatar, hope quickly changed to pain. The people fell to the Medium Humanoid (Keppmir), Lawful Evil
ground, clutching their legs as they transformed into long,
fishlike tails. Chains sprang from the ground and wrapped Armor Class 11 (leather armor)
tightly around each lower torso, embedding into the red
scales. Four horns sprouted from every head, and their teeth
grew into fangs. Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
As they felt suffocation creeping in, the avatar directed
them to the water. It calmly explained they would always STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
be warm in the water. They could eat anything, including 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
each other, to make sure that they were never lacking in
food. The avatar granted them long lives to remember the Skills Athletics +3, Perception +2, Stealth +2
price they paid. Damage Resistances cold
Infernal Predators. Memory of the Keppmir clan faded, Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
leaving only monsters behind. The king and his people Languages Valiki
actively hunt in the northern waters, devouring anything Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
that crosses their path, including unfortunate sailors.
Most keppmirs wait for their elite hunters to attack. These
Heated Body. A creature other than a keppmir that ends its turn
stalkers are skilled warriors and wear armor from whale
grappling or grappled by the keppmir
bones. They have mastered hiding in dark waters, and they
takes 1 fire damage.
coordinate attacks on large ships, closing in silently and
communicating with hand gestures. When the stalkers attack, Water Breathing. The keppmir can breathe only underwater. In air,
other keppmirs dive after meat falling to the ocean floor. it can hold its breath for 10 minutes.
Keppmirs are capable of speech and might negotiate.
But the influence of their infernal contract has twisted Actions
them into beings loath to enter bargains. Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3
(1d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Keppmir King. The Keppmir King lives on. His tribe
has ebbed and flowed over the years, but he hasn’t aged. Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range
He vacillates between pride in keeping his tribe alive and 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage, or 5 (1d8 + 1)
the guilt of the price they paid. But if any of his people are piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
harmed, he reacts brutally.

213
Salvage
Brave sailors hunt keppmirs for their horns. Someone who
has proficiency with alchemist’s supplies can use one horn
combined with other reagents, including dried seaweed
from the Sea of Turmoil, to create a potion of glacial
resistance. Creating the potion requires 4 hours of work
and a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check.
The ancient Crown of the Keppmir King has never been
removed from his massive horns. Anyone who could defeat
the leader could claim this prize.
Lore
DC 10 Intelligence (History): The story of the Keppmir
clan is known to many.
DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): A keppmir has a heated
body, which provides them with some resistance to the
cold. Although they attack ships and coastal settlements,
they can’t breathe air.
Variant: Amphibious Keppmir

A rare few keppmir are born with split, leg-like fins, and
slick, scaleless skin that allows them to breathe both air
and water. Their water-dwelling kin think them disgusting
mutants but grudgingly acknowledge their usefulness when
raiding coastal Valikan settlements.
Use keppmir statistics with the following changes:
• They have a walking speed of 30 feet.
• Replace their Waterbreathing trait with:
Amphibious. The amphibious keppmir can breathe air and water.
Ambusher. The keppmir stalker has advantage on attack rolls

Keppmir Stalker against any creature it has surprised.
Medium Humanoid (Keppmir), Lawful Evil
Battle Rush. If the keppmir stalker takes the Dash or Disengage
action, it can use a bonus action to make a gore attack.
Armor Class 15 (bone breastplate)
Heated Body. A creature other than a keppmir that ends its turn
grappling or grappled by the keppmir stalker takes 1 fire damage.
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Water Breathing. The keppmir stalker can breathe only underwater.
In air, it can hold its breath for 15 minutes.
15 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) Actions
Multiattack. The keppmir stalker makes two attacks.
Skills Athletics +4, Perception +3, Stealth +3
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5
Damage Resistances cold
(1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range
Languages Valiki
20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, or 6 (1d8 + 2)
piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

214
Laneshi warrior caste and mystic caste. Warriors have dominion over
all that lives while mystics have responsibilities related to the
dead and objects that never lived.
“An empire beneath the waves. A reflection of the lands
Caste membership is determined at birth and dictates
above. The laneshi see that contrast, among others, and
much about the life of a laneshi. Despite the caste names,
they value it. Maybe too much.”
their functions are much more expansive. Warriors form
Imperial People. The laneshi call their domain the the bulk of the Llana’Shi Empire’s army, but they also
Llana’Shi Empire. For most of its history, the leaders of the serve as the empire’s diplomats. They are responsible
empire showed no interest in the activities of surface-dwell- for raising children, animal husbandry, and negotiating
ing peoples or the events of the surface world. Recently, trade with others. Mystics serve society as loremasters,
this reluctance to engage with the world above the waves undertakers, and artisans.
has changed, and agents of the empire go to air-covered Necromancer Twins. Each laneshi necromancer is a twin.
lands with increasing regularity. The true purpose of these The older of the two is allowed to live while the younger
expeditions is unknown even to most laneshi. twin is sacrificed and has its spirit bound to the living one.
Caste Bound. Pale humanoids from under the sea, laneshi This connection with the dead grants these mystics an
are a rare sight on land. On the ocean’s floor, the laneshi intuitive grasp of necromantic magic. Laneshi culture has no
built an empire that runs on a philosophy of absolutes and taboos against such magic. Undead frequently accompany
necromantic magic. This empire divides its citizens into a laneshi mystics.

215
Laneshi Soldier Laneshi Necromancer
Medium Humanoid (Laneshi), Any Alignment Medium Humanoid (Laneshi), Any Alignment
Armor Class 15 (breastplate) Armor Class 16 (breastplate, shield)

Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Hit Points 71 (11d8 + 22)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 15 (+2)
Skills Animal Handling +3, Athletics +4, Perception +3 Skills Arcana +4, Medicine +6, Religion +4
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Damage Resistances psychic
Languages Laneshi and one other language Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Languages Laneshi and one other language
Amphibious. The laneshi soldier can breathe air and water.
Beast Whispers. The laneshi soldier can innately cast speak with Amphibious. The laneshi necromancer can breathe air and water.
animals. Its spellcasting ability for this spell is Wisdom. Beast Whispers. The laneshi necromancer can innately cast speak
Skirmisher. The laneshi soldier can take a bonus action to take the with animals. Its spellcasting ability for this spell is Wisdom.
Disengage action. Death Strike (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When the laneshi
necromancer hits with a melee attack, in addition to that attack’s
Actions effects, the target takes 27 (5d10) necrotic damage. A humanoid slain
Multiattack. The soldier makes two melee attacks. by this damage rises at the start of the necromancer’s next turn as a
Pike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 zombie under the necromancer’s command.
(1d10 + 2) piercing damage. Duality of Spirit. The laneshi necromancer has advantage on
Net. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 5/15 ft., one Large or Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
smaller creature. Hit: The target is restrained. A creature can use Necrotic Mastery. Resistance to necrotic damage is ineffective
its action to make a DC 10 Strength check to free itself or another against necrotic damage the laneshi necromancer deals.
creature in a net, ending the effect on a success. Dealing 5 slashing
Spellcasting. The laneshi necromancer is an 11th-level spellcaster. Its
damage to the net (AC 10) frees the target without harming it and
spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell
destroys the net.
attacks). The necromancer has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, light, mending, spare the dying,
thaumaturgy
Salvage 1st level (4 slots): bane, bless, guiding bolt, healing word
2nd level (3 slots): enhance ability, hold person,
Laneshi prepared for combat often carry spears or other lesser restoration, silence
weapons that function underwater. Some jewelry and 3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, mass healing word, revivify,
other accessories considered pedestrian in the Llana’Shi spirit guardians
Empire are significantly more valuable to surface dwellers, 4th level (3 slots): blight, control water, death ward, divination
such as pearls, shells of deep-sea creatures, and aquatic 5th level (2 slots): greater restoration, scrying
predator teeth. 6th level (1 slot): harm
Lore Actions
DC 13 Intelligence (History): Laneshi are an ancient Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range
aquatic species divided into two castes: warriors 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage or 4 (1d8 +
and mystics. 1) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack,
DC 13 Intelligence (Religion): Laneshi practice and 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
necromancy and employ mindless undead as laborers
and soldiers.

216
Meyana Humid Habitat. Meyanas live in forests or other tropical,
subtropical, or temperate climates. They camouflage
“Some people eat only plants. A few plants themselves in thick vegetation, making their hunting easier.
are happy to return the favor.” Meyanas live in sheltered thickets or wet underground
Hunting Plants. Meyanas are bipedal plant creatures areas. They prefer enclosed spaces to open ones.
that walk on leglike roots, and they can use tools they hold Despite their preferences, meyanas can survive in any
in appendages resembling arms. These appendages end in area that supports plant growth. They can be a threat
pincers that can hold and utilize tools. to any area in which they can gain a foothold. Only
A meyana can be up to 7 feet tall. Its torso is most of that, inadequate prey can slow their proliferation.
with a long, grasping frond that resembles a clam shell. This Meyanas congregate in small tribes. Those tribes work
torso frond is big enough to “swallow” an adult human. together in a larger system that cooperates, shares food,
Inside these fronds, meyanas digest flesh into a nutrient goo and defends each other.
the creature can absorb. A meyana uses leftover bones as
tools, weapons, or decorations. Salvage
Several stalks grow out of a meyana’s body, and the Someone who has proficiency with alchemist’s supplies
meyana uses these to sense the environment. (A meyana can use the leaves of one adult meyana to brew a potion
has no head.) Holes in these stalks allow the meyana to of greater healing. Doing so takes 4 hours of work and a
communicate with vocalizations. Most meyanas speak Sylvan. successful DC 13 Intelligence or Wisdom check.
Meyanas reproduce by shedding one mature “hand.”
This pod then grows into a new meyana. An infant starts at Lore
about a foot long, but after feasting on meat, the baby can
grow to full size in 6 months. DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): The woody, plantlike
structure of a meyana makes the creature resistant to
piercing damage. Anyone trapped in the plant’s central
body risks being quickly digested.
Meyana DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): Meyanas can sense the
Medium Plant, Neutral footfalls of those moving on the ground.

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. Young Meyana
Small Plant, Neutral
15 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 9 (–1) 13 (+1) 9 (–1) Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Skills Athletics +4, Perception +3, Stealth +2, Survival +3 Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Damage Resistances piercing
Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 13 STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Languages Sylvan 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 8 (–1) 11 (+0) 8 (–1)
Skills Athletics +3, Stealth +3, Survival +2
Plant Camouflage. The meyana has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) Damage Resistances piercing
checks it makes while obscured by vegetation. Senses tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Actions Languages Sylvan
Multiattack. The meyana makes one bite attack and one
greatclub attack.
Plant Camouflage. The young meyana has advantage on Dexterity
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
(Stealth) checks it makes while obscured by vegetation.
5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage and 5 (2d4) acid damage, or 10
(4d4) acid damage if the target started the turn grappled by Actions
the meyana. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4
grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the meyana can’t
+ 1) bludgeoning damage and 3 (1d6) acid damage, or 5 (2d4) acid
bite another target.
damage if the target started the turn grappled by the young meyana.
Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. If the target is a Small or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 11).
Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage. Until this grapple ends, the meyana can’t bite another target.

217
Mjork
Medium Elemental, Chaotic Neutral
Mjorks Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Speed 30 ft.
“Is it just me, or does the darkness seem thicker?
And did it just get really warm in here?”
Sootling Spawned. Where the powers of fire and earth 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 6 (–2) 10 (+0) 6 (–2)
meet, sparks of elemental energy can ignite a faint light of
sentience between the two elements. These sootlings are Damage Vulnerabilities thunder
amorphous creatures, folding and stretching into various
Damage Immunities fire, poison
beastlike shapes. If allowed to thrive between the elements
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
of fire and earth, the sootling eventually grows into a mjork
nonmagical attacks
unless magic keeps its development halted.
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified,
Volcanic Elementals. A mjork is a creature as filled with poisoned, unconscious
chaos as the fires that fueled it, and as solid as the rock that
gave it shape. The elemental looks like a humanoid of vol-
Languages Ignan, Terran
canic rock, moving with a jagged, stilted gait. Small cracks
accent its surface, revealing a pulsating flame within. Heat Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
emanates from the mjork’s body, burning those who come
too close and leaving singed, sooty tracks where it moves. Fiery Body. A creature that touches the mjork or hits it with a
As they grow larger, mjorks specialize. Some focus on melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) fire damage.
their solid, rocky shape and charging through foes. Others Illumination. The mjork sheds dim light in a
emphasize fire, allowing their internal flames to sheathe 10-foot radius.
the body. Still others embrace smoke and ash. Some of
these ashers grow from sootlings who barely survived their Smoke Sense. A mjork in contact with smoke has blindsight in that
emergence and became attached to their sooty origins. smoke’s area in a radius of up to 120 feet.
A World of Ash. Mjorks have a narrow worldview, having Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the mjork moves in water, or
been raised in the grind and heat of volcanic stone. To them, for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
the environment they spawned from is the only place of
Actions
safety they have known, and they wish to spread it across
the world. To bring about this ideal, mjorks wander sparsely Multiattack. The mjork makes two slam attacks.
inhabited areas where they spread fires and watch the world Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6
around them burn. These expeditions of destruction last (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage and 3 (1d6) fire damage.
until the mjork returns to the volcanic area that gave it life.
Elemental Nature. A mjork doesn’t require food,
drink, or sleep.
The smaller crystals from sootlings or broken mjork
Salvage crystals are like smoky quartz. These gems can be
worth from 1 sp to 1 gp each, or more to collectors who
Within every mjork is a heart of ash hardened into
believe they are mjork crystals. Someone who polishes
smoky crystal. This crystal might already be broken in
them using jeweler’s tools can increase their value as
the remains of a slain mjork, making it useless. An intact
semiprecious stones.
crystal can be broken or hurled at a point up to 60 feet
away as an action. When it breaks, which it does upon Lore
landing if hurled, the crystal releases a 20-foot-radius
sphere of sooty smoke, centered on a point in the breaker’s DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): Mjorks are made from earth
space or on the point where the crystal landed. The smoke and fire clashing together. These elementals often dwell
spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. near volcanoes.
It lasts for 1 minute, but a moderate wind (at least 10 DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): Mjorks are vulnerable to
miles per hour) disperses it in 4 rounds. A strong wind (20 thunder damage, which cracks their rocky skin. They
or more miles per hour) disperses the smoke in 1 round. can also sense through smoke as if the haze provided
These crystals sell for 15 gp or more each. them blindsight.

218
Charge. If the mjork charger moves at least 20 feet straight toward
Mjork Charger a target and then hits it with a slam attack on the same turn, the
Large Elemental, Chaotic Neutral target takes an extra 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage and 3 (1d6) fire
damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Strength saving throw or fall prone.
Hit Points 104 (11d10 + 44) Fiery Body. A creature that touches the mjork charger or hits it with
Speed 40 ft. a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Illumination. The mjork charger sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.
Momentum. If the mjork charger moves on its turn before
18 (+4) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 6 (–2) 10 (+0) 6 (–2) attacking, creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls for
opportunity attacks against it.
Damage Vulnerabilities thunder
Smoke Sense. A mjork charger in contact with smoke has blindsight
in that smoke’s area in a radius of up to 120 feet.
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from
nonmagical attacks Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the mjork charger moves in wa-
ter, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned,
unconscious Actions
Multiattack. The mjork makes two slam attacks.
Languages Ignan, Terran
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13
(2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d6) fire damage.

219
Fire Path. The mjork burner leaves fire behind in any space it moves
Mjork Burner through. Until the start of the mjork’s next turn, any creature that
Large Elemental, Chaotic Neutral enters this area for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there
takes 5 (2d4) fire damage. The fire can ignite flammable objects (not
Armor Class 14 (natural armor) creatures), causing the mjork’s Fire Path to last longer.
Hit Points 95 (10d10 + 40) Ignite. A creature or flammable object ignites if it takes fire damage
Speed 40 ft. from the mjork burner’s attacks. Until a creature takes an action to
douse this fire, the target takes 5 (2d4) fire damage at the start of
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA each of its turns.
15 (+2) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 7 (–2) 12 (+1) 7 (–2) Illumination. The mjork burner sheds bright light in a 10-foot
radius and dim light for another 10 feet.
Damage Vulnerabilities thunder Smoke Sense. A mjork burner in contact with smoke has blindsight in
Damage Immunities fire, poison that smoke’s area in a radius of up to 120 feet.
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the mjork burner moves in wa-
nonmagical attacks ter, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified,
poisoned, unconscious Actions
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Multiattack. The mjork burner makes two attacks.
Languages Ignan, Terran Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, 7 (2d6) fire damage and Ignite.
Hurl Fire. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, ranged 30/60 ft., one
Fiery Body. A creature that touches the mjork burner or hits it with
target. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) fire damage and Ignite.
a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Smoke Shroud. While the mjork asher has 41 or more hit points,
Mjork Asher smoke renders a sphere within 20 feet of it heavily obscured. This
Large Elemental, Chaotic Neutral smoke goes around corners. Even while the mjork has 40 or fewer
hit points, tendrils of this smoke extend to 60 feet from the mjork,
Armor Class 14 (natural armor) providing smoke for the Smoke Sense of all mjorks. However, the
Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30) whole shroud dissipates during any round the mjork is exposed to
Speed 30 ft. moderate (at least 10 miles per hour) or stronger wind.
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the mjork asher moves in water,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
15 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 7 (–2) 13 (+1) 7 (–2)
Actions
Multiattack. The mjork asher makes two attacks.
Damage Immunities fire, poison Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d6) fire damage and
nonmagical attacks Blinding Soot.
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, Hurl Soot. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, ranged 30/60 ft., one target.
poisoned, unconscious Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) fire damage and Blinding Soot.
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Create Sootlings (1/Day). The mjork asher chooses a point within
Languages Ignan, Terran 60 feet of it that it can sense. Smoke fills a 20-foot radius sphere
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 centered on that point. The sphere spreads around corners, and
its area is heavily obscured. This smoke lasts until the start of the
Blinding Soot. A creature that takes fire damage from a mjork mjork’s next turn or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at
asher’s attacks must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. Unless dispersed before the
blinded until the end of the mjork’s next turn. start of the mjork’s next turn, a sootling swarm forms in a space in
the area, favoring a space a creature hostile to the mjork occupies.
Fiery Body. A creature that touches the mjork asher or hits it with a
The swarm takes its turn just after the mjork and obeys the mjork’s
melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage.
verbal commands (no action for the mjork). If issued no commands,
Smoke Sense. A mjork asher in contact with smoke has blindsight in the swarm acts independently, often attacking a creature that isn’t
that smoke’s area in a radius of up to 120 feet. its ally. The swarm can survive indefinitely after being created.

220
Mjork Sootling Swarm
Medium Swarm of Tiny Elementals, Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 12
Speed 25 ft.

9 (–1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 4 (–3) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled,
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Languages understands Ignan and Terran but can’t speak
Hot Soot. A creature that ends its turn in the sootling swarm’s
space takes 5 (2d4) fire damage, or 2 (1d4) fire damage if the swarm
has half of its hit points or fewer. The creature must also succeed
on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be blinded and unable to
breathe until the end of its next turn.
Mjork Sootling
Tiny Elemental, Chaotic Neutral
Smoke Sense. A sootling swarm in contact with smoke has
blindsight in that smoke’s area in a radius of up to 120 feet.
Armor Class 12
Swarm. The sootling swarm can occupy another creature’s space
and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
Speed 25 ft.
enough for a Tiny creature. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain
temporary hit points
Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the sootling swarm moves
4 (–3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 4 (–3) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)
in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 2
cold damage.
Actions Damage Immunities fire, poison
Burns. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified,
swarm’s space. Hit: 10 (4d4) fire damage, or 5 (2d4) fire damage if poisoned, unconscious
the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands Ignan and Terran but can’t speak
Heated Body. A creature that ends its turn grappling the sootling
Variant: Sootling Familiar takes 1 fire damage.
Sootlings that have become familiars have the Smoke Sense. A sootling in contact with smoke has blindsight in that
following trait. smoke’s area in a radius of up to 120 feet.
Familiar. A sootling can partner with another creature Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the sootling moves in water,
as a familiar, forming a telepathic bond with this willing or for every gallon of water splashed on it, it takes 1 cold damage.
partner. While the two are bonded, the partner can sense
what the sootling senses while they are within 1 mile of each Actions
other. If the partner harms the sootling, the sootling ends the Burn. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4
telepathic bond and ceases being a familiar. (1d4 + 2) fire damage.

221
Mud Zombie
“Never go into a fight with a mud zombie alone.
It’s full of surprises you won’t enjoy.”
Fused Gore. Any muddy or swampy area could hide a
grotesque surprise. Mud zombies form from piles of gore.
At rest, they look like mounds of remains, but when roused,
each becomes a writhing mass of muck-covered limbs.
These limbs can split from the mass and continue fighting.
Undead Nature. A mud zombie doesn’t require air, food,
drink, or sleep.
Salvage
Mud zombies often contain or still wear equipment and
jewelry left on the zombie’s constituent parts.
Lore
DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): Mud zombies look like large
piles of gore.
DC 13 Intelligence (Religion): Stories tell of
these writhing masses breaking into smaller
monsters when attacked.
GM Advice: For some added fun and challenge, add a ranged

attack for the mud zombie, where it throws grasping hands at
enemies. These hands attack at +5, doing 6 (1d6 + 3) damage on
a successful attack. A hand continues to claw at the targeted
creature for that damage each round until the target escapes
the claw (escape DC 13).
False Appearance. While the mud zombie remains motionless, it is

Mud Zombie indistinguishable from an oozing pile of corpse parts.
Large Undead, Neutral Evil
Formless. Without squeezing, the mud zombie can move through
an opening a creature up to two sizes smaller can move through.
Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20) Actions
Speed 25 ft. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8
(2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the
16 (+3) 8 (–1) 14 (+2) 3 (–4) 8 (–1) 3 (–4) target is restrained. A mud zombie can grapple up to two creatures
at a time.
Saving Throws Wis +1 Reactions

Damage Immunities poison Split. When a mud zombie that is Medium or larger takes 10
Condition Immunities poisoned damage or more, it splits into two new zombies if it has at least 10
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 hit points. Each new zombie has hit points equal to half the original
Languages — zombie’s, rounded down. New zombies are one size smaller than
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 the original zombie.

222
Panjaian
“Instilled with the power of the Primordials, panjaians are
literal forces of nature.”
Elemental Gifts. When the Primordials need champions
and emissaries, they empower mortals with their elemental
blessings, exalting them into panjaians. These panjaians
bridge the gap between elemental and humanoid. Most
panjaians look vaguely human with hair, eyes, and skin tones
that reflect their elemental affinity.
When fighting on behalf of their Primordial patron, a
panjaian could never be mistaken for a normal mortal.
They weaponize the elements. Towers of flame, rising
walls of earth, grasping tendrils of water, and lightning
arcing from outstretched fingertips are the chosen
weapons of an enraged panjaian.
Once a humanoid becomes a panjaian, their patron
can’t undo the process. Most panjaian’s loyally serve their
masters, allying with those who share the same creator. But
if a threat is dire, or a quest critical, panjaians empowered
by different Primordials work together to ensure success.
Primordial Servants. Each panjaian is tied to a specific
Primordial. Alondons serve the Lord of the Depths, Alon-
do. Morakeshi are the chosen of Lady Morakesh, ruler of
Flamebourne and of fire. Empowered by the Living Moun-
tain, Citrolach, citrolachi have mastery over earth and
stone. Servants of the Queen of Air and Shadow, Ilhara,
ilharans wield the power of wind and storm.
Although they vary as humanoids do, panjaians have ten-
dencies related to their element. Alondons prefer to remain
neutral unless the outcomes are serious or impact them
directly. Morakeshi are as charismatic as they are quick
tempered. Citrolachi are the most stoic of the panjaians and
the least likely to act out of impulse or passion. Ilharans are
far more likely to act as spies and saboteurs than soldiers.
Return of the King. Within the last decade, panjaians
with the ability to manipulate coldfire—a swiftly spreading,
freezing, blue flame that plagues Grarjord—have reappeared
in the world. These servants of Gormadraug frighten other
Primordials. Many speculate the reemergence of these hardens the heart into an elemental gem: blue sapphire for
panjaians is a sign of Gormadraug’s return. ilharan, yellow diamond for citrolachi, red corundum for
But the origins of the panjaian gormadraugons are morakeshi, and emerald for alondon. What this process
unknown to those outside their ranks. Their presumed creates when used on the heart of a panjaian gormadrau-
patron, Gormadraug, has been dormant for some time, and gon is unknown. History records no such act. (A gem of
the gormadraugons aren’t sharing their origins. Pariahs brightness is a good possibility, however.)
among other panjaians, gormadraugons’ motives are as
enigmatic as their existence.
Lore
DC 13 Intelligence (Religion): Panjaians first appeared
Salvage near the end of the Primordial’s war with the gods. Some
Someone who has proficiency in Medicine can attempt a scholars believe if panjaians had been created earlier, it
DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check to remove a panjaian’s might have changed the conflict’s outcome.
heart intact. Somebody who has proficiency with alche- DC 13 Intelligence (Nature): Every panjaian has an
mist’s supplies can treat the heart with reagents worth 100 affinity for the element of their Primordial patron. This
gp in a process that takes 3 days and a successful DC 13 affinity manifests in resistances, control over the element,
Intelligence or Wisdom check. This process, if successful, and the ability to wield that element as a weapon.

223
Innate Spellcasting. The panjaian alondon’s spellcasting ability
Panjaian Alondon is Wisdom (spell save DC 12). It can innately cast the following
Medium Humanoid (Any Race, Elemental), Any Alignment spells, requiring no material components:
At will: create or destroy water
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 1/day: control water
Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10) Mobile. The panjaian alondon can take a bonus action to take the
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Dash or Disengage action.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Actions

14 (+2) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) Multiattack. The panjaian alondon makes two tidal slam attacks.
Tidal Slam. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit:
Skills Athletics +4, Perception +4 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a
Damage Resistances cold DC 12 Strength saving throw or the panjaian alondon can move the
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 target up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space in range.
Languages Primordial and two other languages Reactions
Uncanny Dodge. The panjaian alondon halves the damage it takes
from an attack that hits it. It must be able to see the attacker.
Amphibious. The panjaian alondon can breathe air and water.

Panjaian Gormadraugon the panjaian gormadraugon, the target ignites. Until the target is
Medium Humanoid (Any Race, Elemental), Any Alignment dealt fire damage, it takes 3 (1d6) cold damage at the start of each
of its turns.
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Innate Spellcasting. The panjaian gormadraugon’s innate
Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24) spellcasting ability is Constitution (spell save DC 13). It can innately
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: faerie fire
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 1/day: wall of ice
17 (+3) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) Regeneration. The panjaian gormadraugon regains 10 hit points
at the start of its turn. If the gormadraugon takes fire damage,
Saving Throws Wis +4 this trait doesn’t function at the start of the gormadraugon’s next
Skills Acrobatics +6, Intimidation +5, Perception +4, Persuasion +5 turn. The gormadraugon dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit
Damage Immunities cold points and doesn’t regenerate.
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, Actions
piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Multiattack. The panjaian gormadraugon makes
Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 14
two attacks.
Languages Primordial and two other languages
(1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, 10 (2d6 + 3) cold damage, and Ignite.
Coldfire Crisis. As a bonus action, the panjaian gormadraugon Hurl Coldfire. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft., one target.
causes the area within a 30-foot sphere centered on it to become Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) cold damage and Ignite.
icy difficult terrain. Nonmagical flames in that area go out.
Creatures of the gormadraugon’s choice that start their turn in Reactions
that area lose their resistance to cold damage or treat their cold Prismatic Flash. When the panjaian gormadraugon fails a saving
immunity as resistance to cold damage. This loss of resistance or throw, its skin flashes with prismatic scales, it rerolls the saving
immunity lasts until the start of the creature’s next turn. The aura throw, and it uses the higher roll. If the reroll causes the save
lasts until the gormadraugon becomes incapacitated, dies, or uses to succeed, creatures within 30 feet of the gormadraugon must
an action or bonus action to end it. succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until
the end of their next turn.

224
Returning Wind. The panjaian ilharan can take a bonus action
Panjaian Ilharan to choose up to four objects it can see within 60 feet of it. These
Medium Humanoid (Any Race, Elemental), Any Alignment objects can’t be carried or worn by another creature, and they can
weigh up to 5 pounds combined. Those objects fly up to 60 feet
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) toward the ilharan, delivered into its hands or open containers,
Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10) such as sheathes, once within 5 feet.
Actions
Multiattack. The panjaian ilharan makes four dagger attacks. It can
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA draw the daggers as part of this action.
10 (+0) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 13 (+1)
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or
range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Saving Throws Dex +5
Skills Acrobatics +5, Deception +3, Perception +4, Sleight of Hand Storm Wave (Recharge 5–6). The panjaian ilharan unleashes lightning,
+5, Stealth +5 thunder, and strong wind in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area
must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 6 (2d4 + 1) light-
Damage Resistances lightning, thunder
ning damage and 6 (2d4 + 1) thunder damage on a failed save, or half
as much damage on a successful one. Those who fail the saving throw
Languages Primordial and two other languages are also pushed up to 15 feet to the edge of the area.
Gift of Flight (1/Day). The panjaian ilharan touches up to four
willing creatures. Each target gains a flying speed of 30 feet for
Innate Spellcasting. The panjaian ilharan’s innate spellcasting ability
1 hour. When the effect ends, the target descends at 60 feet per
is Wisdom (spell save DC 12). It can innately cast the following spells,
round for 1 minute, taking no falling damage and landing on its feet
requiring no material components:
if on the ground after that minute.
At will: mage hand (the hand is invisible)
3/day each: gust of wind, invisibility (self only)

225
Poffer
“You see these fellas in the wild and think, ‘aw, look at
them sheep with cute bushy wool!’ But step closer and Poffer
they’ll fall upon you like a storm, and where there’s storms,
Small Monstrosity, Unaligned
there’s lightning.”
Rambunctious Ruminants. Poffers are sheeplike creatures Armor Class 10
named after the typical poffer’s bushy woolen coat. Alone, a Hit Points 7 (2d6)
poffer is docile and can make a nice, low-maintenance pet.
Speed 40 ft.
But flocks of poffers are aggressive, charging other creatures
that come too close.
Worthwhile Wool. Ranching poffers is worth the risk.
10 (+0) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 2 (–4) 10 (+0) 5 (–3)
Although a flock of poffers can be dangerous, their wool is
insulating in multiple ways. It can make warm, comfortable
clothing that also protects the wearer from shocks. Senses passive Perception 10
Languages —
Salvage Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
People prize poffer wool for its insulating properties.
Flock Static. A creature other than a poffer that ends its turn within 5
Someone who has proficiency with weaver’s tools can
feet of two or more poffers takes 2 lightning damage plus 1 lightning
use the wool of five poffers to make one suit of the lamb.
damage for each additional poffer within 5 feet of the creature. A
Creating the suit takes 3 days.
creature that takes 4 or more lightning damage from poffers in one
Lore turn must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or fall prone
and become incapacitated until the end of its next turn.
DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): Multiple poffers in proximity
to another creature can cause an incapacitating shock. Actions
The creatures are aggressive in flocks, and they trample Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one prone
fallen foes. creature. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage.

226
Salvage
A slain puck produces up to six pinches of puck dust, which
are magical but less effective in the hands of a nonpuck.
Each dose can be used in one of two ways. Puck dust
dispersed on a plant creature within reach of the disperser
forces the plant to succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw
as if charm monster were cast upon it by the disperser. If the
dust is dispersed on an inanimate shrub, it becomes an evil
awakened shrub with an Intelligence and Charisma score of
3. Three doses scattered on a tree make it an evil awakened
tree with an Intelligence and Charisma score of 3. Either use
of puck dust animates the plant for only 1 hour.
Lore
DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): The veil between the world
and the fey world is thin here. A dark fey spirit has
corrupted this place.
DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): The trees themselves are
hindering your steps. They are in cahoots with a fey
spirit. Anything you say or do is probably sensed by the
spirit. Your senses might become targeted by the spirit.
Do not trust anything you see.
DC 20 Intelligence (Nature): You are within the domain
of a puck, pitiful creatures who scorn humanity and
dominate nature. It uses plants as its weapons and
concealment as its defense. Finding it may prove difficult,
as the forest will protect it, but once found, it is frail.
A Puck’s Lair
Puck Soil within a puck’s lair occasionally twinkles as if filled
with sparkling fertilizer. Many of the trees and plants are
“I’ve heard pixie dust is beautiful, magical stuff. The dust I likely to be the puck’s thralls, and allied plant creatures
saw was definitely magical, but it wasn’t beautiful.” might also dwell there. Within the lair, only creatures of
the puck’s choice leave tracks. Tracking such creatures is
Crushed Spirit. A puck is a pixie whose hopes and dreams, possible only with magic.
loves and playfulness, have been erased by mistreatment, A puck makes their hidden home in small crevices
betrayal, or loss. Once a beautiful and merry being, a puck beneath the interlaced roots of plant thralls. These roots act
is now a sad, twisted monster. Once the transformation as labyrinthine hallways connecting all parts of the grove,
happens, the pixie’s dust dissipates. Without pixie dust, a which the puck uses to sneak around. While hidden in this
pixie can’t fly, can’t use its magic, and can’t turn invisible. maze, the puck whispers to the trees and telepathically
They lose their ability to commune with nature. commands them. Hiding and commanding the plants to
Puck Dust. Taking the place of pixie dust, puck dust allows protect the puck is crucial, for it knows that despite its great
the puck to retain magical powers that resemble those of a power, it is physically frail.
pixie. The substance corrupts soil, vegetation, and beast,
and it enthralls plants and trees to do the puck’s bidding. Lair Actions
Plants under the dust’s influence become telepathically and On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), while the
emotionally bonded to the puck. Despair drives these plants. puck is inside its grove, it can take a lair action to cause
Each feels the harm done to one. one of the following effects. A puck can’t use the same
Corpse Gardener. Pucks farm their glittering soil, using effect two rounds in a row:
animals and other living creatures to produce fertilizer. • Six images of the puck appear in multiple locations in the
The puck force feeds the grove’s dead material and soil to lair, each moving and speaking independently during the
animals and humanoids. After a ripening time, the puck puck’s turn. At the start and end of the puck’s turn, and
opens these unfortunates up to take refined soil from their one time during the puck’s movement, it can teleport to
innards. The puck keeps the creatures alive until this grisly the location of one of these images. The images remain
harvest, earning the terrible epithet “corpse gardener.” until initiative count 20 on the next round.

227
• Grasping vines and roots manifest in the lair. Each • Plants within 1 mile of the lair darken in hue and look
creature hostile to the puck in the lair must succeed on underwatered. Sap from these plants has a bloodlike
a DC 14 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (target’s tinge. This sap seeps from oddly shaped holes that
choice) or be moved up to 20 feet to another unoccupied resemble parts of despairing faces or wounds. Fruits are
space in the lair and knocked prone. deformed and oddly colored but are otherwise normal in
• Inanimate plants in the lair twist and sprout thorns. The taste and nutrition. Traversing this area is hard and time
area becomes difficult terrain to creatures hostile to the consuming—roots trip, vines block the way, underbrush
puck until initiative count 20 on the next round. When is dense and thorny.
such a creature moves more than half its speed (as dictated • Animals and other wild creatures within 1 mile of
by the difficult terrain) in the area, it takes 5 (2d4) piercing the lair are unnaturally aggressive, especially toward
damage and must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving creatures hostile to the puck. However, animals are
throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. A poisoned absent within 600 feet of the lair. The puck uses them to
creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of fertilize the grove
its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. • Creatures that spend 10 minutes or more within this
area feel their negative emotions heightened. Effects
Regional Effects that cause debilitating negative emotions double in
duration. Effects that provide bravery, joy, hope, and
A natural environment containing a puck’s lair is
similar emotions, such as the spells aid or heroism, halve
warped by the puck’s presence, which creates one or
in duration. A calm emotions spell ends either effect for
more of the following effects:
that spell’s normal duration.
an Intelligence of 3. The target also gains the ability to understand

Puck Sylvan and to move its limbs, roots, vines, creepers, and so forth. It
Tiny Fey, Neutral Evil gains blindsight in a 60-foot radius but is blind beyond that range.
The plant becomes a puck version of an animated plant, such as a
Armor Class 15 puck tree or puck shrub.
Hit Points 14 (4d4 + 4) A puck can have only one plant charmed in this way at a time.
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. The condition ends if the puck harms the plant, and the plant
can make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw to end the condition if a
request from the puck guarantee’s the plant’s destruction. Plants
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA freed from the charm leave the puck’s grove, becoming inanimate
3 (–4) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) again once 300 or more feet away for 24 hours. Otherwise, the
plant is charmed by the puck for 30 days, after which time the plant
Skills Deception +5, Perception+3, Stealth +7 becomes the puck’s willing servant (it’s no longer charmed) even
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 when threatened with death.
Languages Sylvan, telepathy 120 ft. (plants only) The puck is emotionally bonded with each plant it has animated,
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 charmed, and enthralled. Provided such a plant is within 1 mile, the
puck is aware when the plant takes damage and knows its location.
Fey Evasion. If the puck is subjected to an effect that allows it to If such a plant is destroyed, the puck is incapacitated until the end
make a saving throw to take only half damage, the puck instead of its next turn as it grieves.
takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half Plant Manifestation. As a bonus action, the puck can cause
damage if it fails. a plantlike manifestation of itself to emerge from the plant
Magic Resistance. The puck has advantage on saving throws material of one plant charmed or enthralled by the puck within
against spells and other magical effects. 120 feet of it. The puck can act through this duplicate until the
end of its turn, then the duplicate disappears.
Innate Spellcasting. The puck’s innate spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following Actions
spells, requiring only puck’s dust as a component: Superior Invisibility. The puck magically turns invisible until its
At will: dancing lights, druidcraft, entangle concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment
3/day: phantasmal force the puck wears or carries is invisible with it.
1/day each: bestow curse, charm monster (plant creatures only), detect
evil and good, detect thoughts, dispel magic, polymorph Reactions
Plant Bond. Given 8 hours to be within 20 feet of a Huge or Uncanny Dodge. The puck halves the damage it takes from an
smaller plant, the puck can use puck’s dust to form a bond with attack that hits it. It must be able to see the attacker.
that plant. The target must have no Intelligence score and gains

228
Puck Shrub
Medium Plant, Lawful Evil

Speed 20 ft.

12 (+1) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 3 (–4) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)
Damage Vulnerabilities fire

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
Perception 10
Languages understands Sylvan but can’t speak
False Appearance. While the puck shrub remains motionless, it is

indistinguishable from a thorny shrub.
Actions
Thorns. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6
(2d4 + 1) slashing damage. The puck shrub can deal half damage instead
and grapple a Medium or smaller creature (escape DC 11). Until this
grapple ends, the shrub can use its thorns only on the grappled creature.
Hurl Thorns. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, Range 30/60 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) piercing damage.
Puck Tree Actions

Huge Plant, Lawful Evil Multiattack. The puck tree makes two slam attacks.
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) (4d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. The puck tree can deal half damage
Hit Points 114 (12d12 + 36) instead and grapple a Medium or smaller creature (escape DC 15).
The tree can grapple up to two creatures at a time.
Speed 20 ft.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Hit: 32 (5d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and a creature must
succeed on a DC 15 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (target’s
19 (+4) 6 (–2) 17 (+3) 3 (–4) 15 (+2) 3 (–4)
choice) or fall prone.
Damage Vulnerabilities fire Fling. The puck tree throws a Medium or smaller creature grappled
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing by it up to 30 feet horizontally. That creature takes 1d10 damage
per 10 feet thrown and lands prone. If the target is thrown at
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw or take the same damage and fall prone.
Perception 12
Languages understands Sylvan but can’t speak Reactions
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Deadfall. When the puck tree drops to 0 hit points, it falls in a
direction of its choice in a 15-foot line that’s 5 feet wide. Each
False Appearance. While the puck tree remains motionless, it is creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw,
indistinguishable from a tree. taking 17 (5d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one.
Siege Monster. The tree deals double damage to objects
and structures.

229
Salvage
Rime hungers sometimes carry the treasures they had in
life. Some sages claim a rime hunger tongue dissolves in a
potion of cold resistance, doubling the potion’s duration.
However, many alchemists consider this claim to be bunk.
Lore
DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana): A rime hunger is immune to
cold and vulnerable to fire damage. It can’t be poisoned.
DC 15 Intelligence (Religion): One should avoid the
grasp of rime hungers. They can feed on the life and
warmth of creatures they hold, which strengthens the
rime hunger.
Rime Hunger
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil

Speed 20 ft.

14 (+2) 8 (−1) 16 (+3) 3 (−4) 6 (−2) 5 (−3)
Saving Throws Wis +0

Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Immunities cold, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Rime Hungers Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8

Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak
“You almost feel sorry for them. Freezing to death is a bad Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
way to go, but they did something to cause their state. And
they hunger for warm flesh. I think you get my point.” Fed Fortitude. For 1 minute after a rime hunger regains hit points,
when damage reduces the rime hunger to 0 hit points, it can
Rime-Covered Corpses. Rarely straying far from
make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage
where they died and never willingly wandering into
taken, unless the damage is fire, radiant, or from a critical hit. On a
areas of warmth and sunlight, rime hungers are frost-
success, the rime hunger drops to 1 hit point instead.
covered, sickly blue corpses that haunt frozen regions in
continuous search for victims. Actions
Hungry Dead. Rime hungers devour all forms of living Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit:
flesh but crave that of sapient creatures. It’s believed their 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and if the target is a Medium or
undead state is a curse brought on by cannibalism they smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 12). A rime hunger can
engaged in to stave off their original demise. have only one creature grappled at a time.
Persistent Shamblers. While they are slow and will not Sapping Grasp. A creature grappled by the rime hunger must make
follow their prey into warm lands, rime hungers track prey a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) cold damage on
with the persistence of the dead while in colder lands. a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the
Undead Nature. A rime hunger doesn’t require air, food, target fails, the rime hunger also regains hit points equal to half
drink, or sleep. the damage the target took.

230
Salvage
Seaborn Troll Nodules inside primordial trolls empower them with
elemental traits. Someone who has proficiency in the Arcana
“What’s worse than a troll? or Medicine skill can extract these “organs” with a successful
A smart troll with elemental powers!” DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Medicine) check.
Primoridal Trolls. Trolls infused with elemental forces Somebody who has proficiency with alchemist’s supplies can
serve the primordials. These primordial trolls are more take the nodules from one troll, along with other reagents
cunning than their mundane cousins, and their elemental worth 100 gp, to refine an elixir of elemental spittle (see
nature affects their regeneration. Each type of primordial chapter 4). Making one elixir takes 1 day of work.
troll has abilities based on the primordial they serve or have
connections to. Lore
Seaborn troll. As with their Primordial Lord Alondo, DC 10 Intelligence (Nature): Most primordial trolls have
seaborn trolls prefer to be left alone. Their small familial natural weapons empowered with elemental damage.
communes are hidden along remote storm-wracked coasts, Stoneborn trolls don’t, but their strength and resilience
where the trolls hunt the waters. make up for this lack.
Seaborn troll skin ranges from slate blue to mossy green. DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): Powerful primordial trolls have
They are built to easily navigate surging coastal tides. magical abilities tied to their ancestry and traditions.
Among the waves, they hunt using wicked claws and an DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Nature): Only the
acidic bite. windborn troll’s regeneration is sensitive to acid and fire
The most powerful seaborn trolls wield powers of acid like normal trolls. Cold and acid damage affect fireborn
and mist. They can conjure thick and sometimes caustic fog. trolls, while seaborn trolls are susceptible to fire and
These seaborn trolls spit acid at foes before disappearing magical cold. And acid and thunder temporarily shut
into the mists. down a stoneborn troll’s regeneration.

231
Seaborn Troll Fogcaller
Large Giant, Neutral

Hit Points 136 (13d10 + 65)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

19 (+4) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 9 (–1)
Skills Perception +5
Damage Immunities acid
Seaborn Troll Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Large Giant, Neutral Languages Giant
Hit Points 105 (10d10 + 50) Amphibious. The troll can breathe air and water.
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Aquatic Camouflage. The troll has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth)
checks made to hide underwater.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Flexible. The troll can enter a space large enough for a Medium
18 (+4) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 9 (–1) 11 (+0) 8 (–1) creature without squeezing.
Keen Smell. The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks
Skills Perception +3 that rely on smell.
Damage Immunities acid
Magic Weapons. The troll’s weapon attacks are magical.
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Giant Regeneration. The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn.
If the troll takes cold or fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at
the start of the troll’s next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its
turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Amphibious. The troll can breathe air and water.
Aquatic Camouflage. The troll has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) Actions
checks made to hide underwater. Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks, only
Flexible. The troll can enter a space large enough for a Medium one of which can be a bite. It can use call fog in place
creature without squeezing. of two attacks.
Keen Smell. The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8
that rely on smell. (1d8 + 4) piercing damage and 7 (2d6) acid damage.
Regeneration. The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13
If the troll takes cold or fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
the start of the troll’s next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its Spit Acid. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target.
turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Hit: 14 (4d6) acid damage.
Actions Call Fog. The troll creates a 30-foot-radius sphere of fog centered
on itself. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily
Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks: one with its bite and
obscured. It lasts for 1 minute or until a wind of moderate or
two with its claws.
greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8
The troll can choose to make this fog caustic. If it does so, a
(1d6 + 4) piercing damage and 5 (2d4) acid damage.
creature that enters the fog for the first time on a turn or starts its
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 turn there takes 10 (4d4) acid damage. Once the troll makes caustic
(2d8 + 4) slashing damage. fog, it can do so again only after it finishes a short or long rest.

232
Shatter Corpse
Medium Undead, Chaotic Neutral

Speed 20 ft.

13 (+1) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 3 (–4) 6 (-2) 5 (–3)
Saving Throws Wis +0

Damage Immunities poison, piercing
Condition Immunities poisoned
Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can’t speak
Glass Spikes. Each time a creature makes a melee attack against a

shatter corpse, it takes 3 piercing damage. A creature can choose to
make an attack with disadvantage to avoid this damage.
Loud. Creatures have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks
made to hear the approach of a shatter corpse.
Turn Resistance. The shatter corpse has advantage on saving
Shatter Corpse
throws against any effect that turns undead.
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the shatter corpse to 0 hit
points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 +
“The sound of breaking glass startles most, but the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical
think twice before going to see what caused it if it is hit. On a success, the shatter corpse drops to 1 hit point instead.
followed by the sound of moaning.”
Actions
Covered in Glass. When someone dies with glass embed- Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4
ded in their skin—such as being stabbed by a shard of glass (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage and 2 (1d4) piercing damage.
or killed by a falling window—they may rise as a shatter
Volley of Glass (Recharge 6). The shatter corpse flicks a volley of
corpse. Shards of glass continually grow through the skin
glass shards in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make
of a shatter corpse, covering them in razor-sharp weapons.
a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) slashing damage on a
Ponderous and Noisy. Shatter corpses are no more failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
mobile than an average zombie, and the constantly
breaking glass makes them even easier to hear coming.
Dangerous Volley. Shatter corpses can flick hails of glass
shards at nearby creatures. The shards grow back within a Lore
few seconds.
DC 10 Intelligence (Religion): Shatter corpses are a
Salvage stronger kind of zombie that arises when someone dies
from being impaled on broken glass.
The glass from ten shatter corpses can be used to create DC 15 Intelligence (History): Those that attempt to use
a suit of glass-studded armor with a successful DC 10 a melee attack against a shatter corpse are likely to cut
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check by someone proficient themselves unless they attack with carefully.
with jeweler’s tools. Crafting this item takes 10 days and DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana): Shatter corpses can launch
costs 1000 gp. volleys of broken glass.

233
Svangras
Svangras Tiny Plant, Unaligned
Armor Class 10
“In a world fraught with danger,
Hit Points 5 (2d4)
sometimes even the underfoot flora
Speed 10 ft.
is deadly.”
Cursed Grass. Stories claim that imps plant svangras, but it STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
really grows in places where travelers died, particularly from
1 (–5) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 6 (–2) 1 (–5)
exhaustion. Svangras is a bulb plant that looks like a large
onion that can move on small tendrils. When svangras forms,
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, frightened
grass in its area falls under its control. Anyone walking on
svangras is said to be doomed to unending exhaustion. Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive
Perception 8
Salvage Languages —
Where svangras grows, treasure and remains might be Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
found. Finding valuables could require searching the area,
and a search could turn up almost anything. The value False Appearance. While the svangras remains motionless, it is
tends to be 50 gp or fewer. indistinguishable from an ordinary wild onion.
Actions
Lore Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2
DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival): (1d4) necrotic damage.
Svangras can easily be mistaken for an ordinary onion. Sapping Grass (1/Day). Each nonplant creature on the ground within
DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): Svangras is immune to 20 feet of the svangras must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving
being blinded, deafened, and frightened. throw or take 5 (2d4) necrotic damage. Those who fail by 5 or more
DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana): Being close to svangras also gain one level of exhaustion. If the svangras uses this action
allows the plant to sap your life force. while motionless, it doesn’t give up its false appearance.

234
Tangle Weed Tangle Weed
Large Plant, Unaligned
“Tangle weed, tangle weed, grows in the lake.
Tangle weed, tangle weed, your neck will break.
Tangle weed, tangle weed, pulls you down. Armor Class 9
Tangle weed, tangle weed, you will drown.” Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18)
-children’s nursery rhyme Speed 15 ft., swim 30 ft.
Hiding in Plain Sight. Tangle weeds grow in stagnant

lakes and slow-moving rivers amidst other plants and algae.
The long, feathery strands are difficult to differentiate from 18 (+4) 9 (-1) 16 (+3) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 1 (–5)
less dangerous lake plants.
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion, prone
Drowning Danger. While tangle weed constricts its prey,
Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 10
the real danger is the environment. Tangle weed drags its
Languages –
prey underwater where drowning is possible.
Whipping Strands. Pulling a victim free of the tangle weed
is harder than it looks. The plant makes attacks against any False Appearance. While the tangle weed remains motionless, it is
creature pushed, pulled, or shoved out of its grasp, often indistinguishable from a normal plant.
grabbing the victim again before allies move them clear.
Actions
Salvage Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
The strands of a tangle weed can be gathered and Hit: The target takes 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and it is
combined with 25 gp of components to create a potion of grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is
growth. This requires a proficient arcanist to succeed on a restrained, and at the end of the tangle weed’s turn it pulls each
DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check after 4 hours of work. creature grappled by it 5 feet toward its roots.
Lore Reactions
Whipping Strand. When a creature being grappled by the tangle
DC 10 Intelligence (History): Tangle weed looks like weed is subject to an effect that moves it, the tangle weed can use
normal lake-grown seaweed, but it feeds on the rotting its reaction to make another constrict attack against the creature.
corpses of those it drags into stagnant lakes.
DC 15 Intelligence (Nature): Tangle weed constricts its
victims, dragging them underwater.
DC 20 Intelligence (Nature): When a creature is broken
out the tangle weed’s grapple, it makes another attack
against them as a reaction to potentially grapple
them again.

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Frostbite Fox
Tiny Beast, Unaligned
Armor Class 13
Speed 30 ft.

3 (–4) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 3 (–4) 12 (+1) 8 (–1)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5

Languages —
Unusual Beasts Keen Smell. The frostbite fox has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Etharis is teeming with strange and mutated beasts. Actions

The ones listed here are just a few of the monstrous creatures Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1
that characters might encounter on their travels. piercing damage and 1 cold damage. If the target is a creature and
takes the cold damage, the creature can’t take reactions until the
Frostbite Fox start of its next turn.
Rare Hunter. Wild frostbite foxes live in packs in

Grarjord. They change with the seasons, fur turning white
in the winter and brown in the spring. What doesn’t change
is the fox’s weird ability to deliver a jolt of cold with its bite.
Clan Culture. These foxes are an important part of the
Valikan clan culture. Their furs help the people of the
Torcheater
North survive harsh winters, and the clans are careful not Tiny Monstrosity, Unaligned
to overhunt the species.
Armor Class 12
Torcheater
Torcheaters are small batlike creatures that feed on fire,
swooping down to douse torches and campfires.
Salvage 2 (–4) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 2 (–4) 11 (+0) 6 (–2)
Someone who has proficiency with leatherworker’s tools

Damage Immunities fire
can create cold-weather clothing from the pelts of five
frostbite foxes. Doing so takes 8 hours of work.
Languages —
Lore Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
DC 10 Wisdom (Nature): The chilled fangs of a frostbite

Eat Fire. If the torcheater flies through fire, it reduces the fire’s area
fox can overwhelm the senses.
by a 1-foot cube. A fire goes out if its area is reduced to nothing.
DC 10 Wisdom (Nature): These bat-like creatures
terrorize travellers in dark places by consuming fires, Actions
plunging the area into darkness.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1
fire damage.

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Whelmer Whelmer
Medium Elemental, Neutral Evil
“Helping people is all well and good on dry
land, but you won’t see me diving to the rescue Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
of anyone in the water. Not after last time.”
Illusory Lure. A corrupted water elemental, a whelmer Speed 30 ft., swim 90 ft.
likes to lurk in or near a body of water close to areas
inhabited by humanoids. When people pass, a whelmer STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
creates the illusion of a drowning person. Rather than wait
17 (+3) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)
in the water, the whelmer might rest motionless on a path to
a beach or lake, waiting to ensnare would-be rescuers.
Skills Stealth +5
Fey Ties. The whelmers’ powers of illusion stem from
Damage Immunities poison
fey ties. Some water elementals wanted to meddle in the
Damage Resistances acid; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
realms of mortals. Curious about these strange creatures,
from nonmagical attacks
fey saw a chance for mischief and taught these rogue
elementals how to lure people with illusions. Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified,
poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Elemental Nature. A whelmer doesn’t require air, food,
drink, or sleep.
Languages Aquan
Salvage Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
If somebody casts gentle repose on the remains of a False Appearance. While the whelmer remains motionless, it is
whelmer within 1 minute, someone who has proficiency indistinguishable from a pool of water.
with alchemist’s supplies can boil the water down over 1
hour and add other materials worth 25 gp. If the alchemist Freeze. If the whelmer takes cold damage, it partially freezes,
succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence or Wisdom check, the reducing its speed by 20 feet until the end of its next turn.
result is one potion of water breathing. Undertow. The whelmer’s speed is normal when it moves a
grappled target.
Lore
Water Form. The whelmer can enter a hostile creature’s space and
DC 10 Intelligence (History): Whelmers are evil stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide
elementals that drag their victims into water to drown without squeezing.
them. These elementals are stealthy and lie in wait as
still pools of water. Actions
DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): Whelmers lure their prey Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
with illusions of drowning humanoids. 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Large or smaller
creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the
target can’t breathe and the whelmer can’t slam another target.
Illusory Distress (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The
whelmer creates an illusion of a drowning humanoid in a space it
can see within 120 feet of it. The illusion seems completely real,
including sounds, smells, and temperature. The whelmer can use
its action to move the illusion to another spot in range and change
its sensory aspects. The elemental can change minor aspects, such as
sounds, without using an action.
Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion,
as creatures and objects can pass through it. A creature that uses
its action to examine the image can determine that it’s an illusion
with a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If a
creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the creature can see
through the image.

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Appendix B:
NEW MAGIC ITEMS AND SPELLS
This section contains magic items and spells found in this adventure that aren’t from in the fifth edition core rules.
Magic Items Elixir of Elemental Spittle

Potion, Rare
The following magic items are new to this adventure or This foul-smelling liquid is made from the saliva of an ele-
originally found in Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire. mental troll. When consumed, you can use a bonus action
to spit energy at a creature within 5 feet for 1 minute. The
Cloak of Secret Shadows target must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or
Wondrous Item, Rare (Requires Attunement)
take 7 (2d6) damage of a type corresponding to the troll
This jet-black cloak is reversible, with night-black fur on one whose spittle was used to craft the potion. No damage is
side and shiny silver silk on the other. You have advantage on inflicted on a successful save.
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks while you wear the cloak. If the target of the spell rolls a natural 20 on their saving
Additionally, while wearing this cloak, you are unaffected throw, the potion explodes inside you, doing 6d6 damage
when another creature uses its reaction to impose disadvan- of the potion’s energy type to you. The potion becomes
tage on your attack rolls or determine their results. ineffective after the explosion.
The cloak’s other powers depend on which side of the
reversible cloak faces outward while you wear it. You can Flammable Tincture
switch which side of the cloak is showing as an action. Potion, Uncommon
Black Fur. You are silent and invisible to magical
This swirling mixture of red and white liquid is formed from the
sensors created by divination spells, and your presence
remains of a coldfire ooze. As an action, the vial of flammable
doesn’t trigger the alarm spell or other magical alarms.
tincture can be hurled up to 30 feet at a target, which must
As an action, you can pull the hood up to become a
succeed one a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or be covered
flat, intangible shadow. While you are a shadow, you have
with the liquid. For 1 minute, the creature is vulnerable to fire
resistance to cold and necrotic damage and to nonmagical
damage. This overrides any previous immunity or resistance.
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. You also can’t
move, take actions, or touch or interact with objects except
Fey-Eye
those already on your person when you became a shadow.
Wondrous Item, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)
You can pull down the hood as an action, ending the effect.
Silver Silk. You are shielded from the effects of divina- This smooth orb of lapis lazuli glows bears a glowing
tion spells. You can’t be detected by spells like locate crea- dwarven rune, an ever-watchful naiad spirit trapped
ture, and divination spells that reveal information, such as within. As an action, you can speak a command word to
detect thoughts or augury, make their predictions as if you activate the stone. For the next hour, the orb spins and
don’t exist. twitches, as if watching for danger from all directions; you
As an action, you can pull the hood up to cast disguise have advantage on initiative rolls and a +5 bonus to your
self from the cloak (DC 17 to discern that you’re disguised). passive Perception.
This disguise creates an exact copy of a creature you can Once you use this property of the stone, you can’t do so
see that is within 300 feet of you as you cast the spell. again until the next dawn.

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Heartseed Ring Hold Ground (3 points)
Ring, Uncommon, Rare, or Very Rare (Requires Attunement) When standing on stone or natural earth, you can use a
This band of living ash wood contains knowledge of the Circle bonus action to spend 3 maneuver points to stomp your
of Stoneraisers. This ring grants its wearer the ability to use feet into the ground, locking yourself in place and giving
maneuvers described in chapter 3 of Raider’s Guide to Valika. yourself superior footing. Your speed becomes 0 and you
This ring’s magic power is represented as maneuver have advantage on saving throws against being moved, and
points, which you can spend to use maneuvers. When a immunity to the prone condition for 1 minute.
maneuver calls for a saving throw, use the save DC listed Additionally, you have advantage on melee attacks while
below or your maneuver save DC if your subclass grants you are in this state.
you one, whichever is higher. You can end this maneuver as a bonus action.
The maneuvers and number of charges available
depend on the ring’s rarity. Stonespur (3 points)
Budding (Uncommon). In this stage, a single green As an action, you can spend 3 maneuver points to cause
bud adorns the ring. The ring stores 3 maneuver points, a blunt spike of stone, roughly 1 foot wide and 15 feet
and it regains 1d3 expended points daily at dawn. You can long, to erupt from the ground at a point you choose
use the following maneuvers (save DC 13): within 60 feet.
• Tremorcraft • Uplift Ridge If a creature is hit by the spur, it must make a Strength
saving throw. On a failure, it takes 6d6 bludgeoning
Sprouting (Rare). In this stage, the bud has grown
and been encircled by small leaves. The ring has 4 charges damage and is thrown 20 feet away from the spur. It takes
and regains 1d4 points at dawn. You can use the following half as much damage on a success and isn’t pushed. The
maneuvers (save DC 14): ram cracks and falls apart when it hits a creature.
• Tremorcraft • Uplift Ridge • Alter the Board Lindwyrm Venom
Blossoming (Very Rare). In this stage, the bud opens Potion (Poison), Very Rare
into a fluffy white flower. The ring stores 6 points and
recovers 1d6 points at dawn. You can use the following This terrible venom is extracted and distilled from the
maneuvers (save DC 15): deadly lindwyrm. It can be delivered via ingestion or a
wound. A creature exposed to the venom must succeed on
• Tremorcraft • Alter the Board • Stonespur
a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 36 (8d8) poison
• Uplift Ridge • Hold Ground
damage and be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned,
Tremorcraft (1 point) the creature has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity
With a subtle movement, you shift the ground beneath ability checks and saving throws.
your opponents. As a bonus action, you can spend 1
maneuver point to target one Large or smaller creature or Magebane Bomb
object touching the ground within 30 feet of you, which Wondrous Item, Rare
must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be moved 5 This bubbling liquid is distilled from the remains of a
feet horizontally in any direction. magebane ooze. You can throw the container at an enemy’s
You can move one additional target per extra maneuver weapon or armor, or at a spellcaster.
point you spend. Make a simple ranged weapon attack. On a hit, the
Uplift Ridge (2 points) target takes 3 (1d6) acid damage, and their weapon takes a
As an action, when standing on stone or natural earth, -1 penalty to attacks and damage or their armor takes a -1
you can spend 2 maneuver points to slam your foot against penalty to the AC it offers until they complete a long rest.
the ground to create a ridge of stone that emerges from If the target is a spellcaster and you hit them with the
the ground and lasts for 10 minutes. The ridge is 6 inches bomb, for 1 minute they take a -1 penalty to hit with spell
thick, 10 feet long, and 3 feet high. attacks, and their spells' saving throw DCs decrease by 1.
The ridge grants cover to creatures behind it. A Medium
creature has half-cover, while a Medium creature that is Pale Coral
prone, or a Small or smaller creature, has total cover. Weapon (Rapier), Very Rare (Requires Attunement)
Alter the Board (3 points) This blade has a bone white metallic basket hilt, and wails
as it swings through the air. You have a +1 bonus to attack
Your control of the earth allows you to alter the positions
of other creatures by shifting the very ground they stand and damage rolls made with this rapier.
on. As a bonus action, you can spend 3 maneuver points While attuned to this weapon, you are resistant
to target a number of Large or smaller creatures that to necrotic and radiant damage, and can speak and
are touching the ground equal to your proficiency bonus understand Laneshi. You also gain a swimming speed of 30
within 60 feet. Unwilling creatures must succeed on a feet and can breathe underwater.
Dexterity saving throw to avoid being pushed up to 15 feet
along the ground in any direction.
Saga of the Seasons | Appendix B: New Magic Items

239
Spells
The following spells are new to this adventure or from
Grim Hollow: The Players Guide.
Suffocate
Scale of Gegazol 3rd-level conjuration
Shield, Rare
The largest scales shed from the undead dragon Gegazol Casting Time: 1 action
can be used as a shield, though few Valikans are foolhardy Range: 60 ft.
enough to try and steal one from her lair. Components: V, S, M (a leather glove)
This magic shield grants its bearer resistance to cold Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
damage, even cold damage dealt by coldfire. You create a pair of grasping hands made from invisible
forces. Make a spell attack against one creature that you
Scraglung Helmet can see within range. On a hit, the creature is restrained as
Wondrous Item, Uncommon the hands crush their throat or bodily equivalent.
If the creature requires air to breathe, it begins to
This gruesome helmet is fashioned out of the flesh and
suffocate. A suffocating creature can survive for a number
innards of a seaborn troll. You can breathe underwater
of rounds equal to 1 + its Constitution modifier (minimum
while wearing it.
of 1 round). At the start of its next turn after those rounds
Acidic Biology. You take 5 (2d4) acid damage when you
are over, it becomes unconscious, and it can’t regain hit
don this helmet, and again at the start of each hour you
points until it can breathe again.
spend wearing it.
A conscious creature restrained by the hands can use its
Mithra’s Pinion action to make a Strength or Dexterity check (its choice)
Wondrous Item, Rare (Requires Attunement) against your spell save DC. On a success, the spell ends on
the target.
This golden feather is said to have lined the interior of the
hero Mithra’s cloak. While you carry this feather, you use
your reaction to wave the feather and give a creature you Steal Shadow
can see within 30 feet advantage or disadvantage on a saving 4th-level necromancy
throw, including death saving throws, before it attempts the
roll. Once a creature has been the target of this item, it can’t Casting Time: 1 action
be affected by this item again until the next dawn. Range: Touch
Location. This magic item is kept on the person of Components: S
Hrafen av Skeir, or in his chambers in his longhouse, Duration: 1 week
Hrafensheim (see chapter 5). You attempt to curse a creature by stealing its shadow.
Make a melee spell attack to grab the creature’s shadow.
Wyrmbreath If you hit and the creature is not an Undead or a
Weapon (Warhammer), Rare (Requires Attunement) Construct, you steal its shadow. Until the curse ends,
This beautiful smithing hammer shimmers with a faint the creature casts no shadow, and it has disadvantage on
prismatic light. You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
rolls made with this magic weapon. While you are attuned As a part of that spell attack, you can make a Dexterity
to this item, you gain expertise in checks you make with (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the target’s passive
smith’s tools. Wisdom (Perception) score. On a success, the target
This weapon has 2 charges and regains both charges doesn’t notice you’ve taken its shadow. If the target notices,
at dawn each day. When you hit a creature with a melee it can make a melee attack against you as a reaction. If this
attack, you can expend a charge to unleash a burst of attack hits, you fail to take the creature’s shadow, but your
elemental fury. The attack deals an additional 2d6 cold, spell slot is still expended.
fire, or lightning damage (your choice). Until the end You can handle the shadow like a wispy gray handker-
of your next turn, you have resistance to the chosen chief. As long as you carry it, you leave tracks identical to the
damage type. target’s and you cast a shadow that resembles theirs rather
than yours. If the shadow cloth is touched to the victim or
unattended for 24 hours, the spell ends.
This dispel magic spell ends this spell early if cast on the
shadow cloth. The remove curse spell ends this spell early
if cast on the creature whose shadow was stolen. If the
creature dies while its shadow is stolen, the shadow cloth
becomes a shadow that is hostile to all creatures.

240
Appendix C: CALENDAR OF THE SEASONS
Spring Summer
Quest Outcomes Quest Outcomes
Core Quests Raids
Raid Defendses Core Quests
Quest Outcomes Quest Outcomes
Winter Autumn
Saga of the Seasons | Appendix C: Calendar of the Seasons

241
Appendix D:
ABRIDGED RAID RULES
An abridged version of the raiding rules described in Raider’s Guide to Valika is presented herein. Refer to that text for a
full description of raiding rules, particularly if you plan to create new raid sites for your own campaign.
Raiding How to Raid

Raiding, as carried out in Valika, is different from warfare. A raid is split into five parts, regardless of whether you are
It is governed by centuries-old traditions akin to a legal using an assault- or commander-style raid:
system of unwritten rules not understood by Valika’s • Phase 1: Preparation
southern neighbors. • Phase 2: Commanding Raiders
• Phase 3: Storming the Stronghold
Approaches to Playing Raids • Phase 4: Return to the Longships
The Raider’s Guide to Valika describes two approaches for • Phase 5: Downtime Activities
running raids: For either type of raid, it’s assumed that the player charac-
Assault-Style. It focuses on the characters and their ters are the leaders of their raiding party and participate in
conflicts during a raid and is most similar to “normal” the raid.
Fifth Edition-style combat. The characters overcome
challenges before storming a stronghold in a final battle Phase 1: Preparation
and retreating with their ill-gotten games.
The preparation phase of a raid is about gathering and
Commander-Style. This includes the aspects of assault-
utilizing intelligence about the raid site. The raid leaders
style raids but expands gameplay to include the
then choose how many raiders and which resources to
command of raiding parties in a resource-management
employ during the raid.
minigame, targeting locations at the raiding site to
This phase works similarly regardless of which raid
prepare for a final assault of the main stronghold.
playstyle you’re using. Using intelligence and employing

242
resources wisely is key to a successful raid. Likewise, Optional Rules
having incomplete intelligence about enemy defenses and The Raider’s Guide to Valika provides additional optional
numbers could prove catastrophic, ensuring a negative rules to use during the preparation phase, including Quar-
outcome before the raid even starts. termastering, Hunting and Foraging, and Scouting. These
optional rules provided further tools for the player characters
Longships to prepare their raiding parties for assault on a target site.
A Valikan raiding party typically departs with one longship
for every 25 warriors on the raid. Each longship can carry
50 warriors, or replace 1 warrior with 100 lbs. of resources Phase 2: Commanding Raiders
or plunder. This phase of the raid comprises a series of skirmishes in
which the characters serve as commanders and tacticians
Resources for the raiding party. The size of their raiding party
All raiders rely on three core resources: timber, stone, and the special resources they have at their disposal is
and raiders, which are taken from stockpiles the clan has determined by the preparations the characters made in
gathered before the raiding season. Phase 1: Preparation.
• Timber. Used to build ships and shields.
• Stone, iron, and other metals. Used to create weapons Assault Style Raids
and other supplies. In this type of play, the characters work with the knowledge
• Raiders. The people needed to fight the battles when they gain during the preparation phase to plan their raiding.
raiding a settlement. They then undertake the first conflicts leading toward the
stronghold area of the raid site. After clearing the path to the
Timber targeted stronghold, they take on the forces there.
The raiders may acquire timber to create new gear or These skirmishes can be run as combat encounters using
reinforce their vessels and craft supplies. A group of raiders normal Fifth-Edition rules. They should be on the easier
set out from their village with a certain amount of timber side in terms of challenge, with the understanding that the
(measured in pounds). In Saga of the Seasons, this amount next phase (“Storming the Stronghold”) will contain more
is determined by the characters’ actions in previous challenging encounters, and the characters will have time to
chapters of the adventure. take short rests during the raid, but not long rests.
Using Timber. A raider with proficiency in Everything Else Happening. With the assault-style
woodworker’s tools can fashion whatever tools are needed play, the GM adjudicates the conflicts taking place “off-
and to implement simple but effective repairs. Repairing stage.” Decisions about the success of these other conflicts
ships or creating new supplies is a downtime activity that can be made unilaterally based on the success of the recon-
the characters can lead during a raid. See “Downtime naissance, can be determined through rolls as described in
Activities,” later in this section. the commander-style raiding rules, or simply determined in
Gathering Timber. As a downtime activity, the a way to make the narrative more dramatic and interesting.
characters can lead an expedition to gather timber and
iron. See “Downtime Activities,” later in this section.
Commander Style Raids
This type of play follows a standard set of turns and events
Stone, Iron, and Other Metals to reflect the raiders progress. The conflicts in Phase 2
Basic materials or metals such as stone, iron, and copper are resolved by using Raiding Rolls described later in this
can be acquired during a journey through environments section to determine outcomes and consequences. It is im-
that have them naturally occurring, such as mountains, portant to understand that Raiding Rolls and these rules in
arid hills, and badlands. These mineral resources are general involve an abstraction of the results and narratives.
collectively called “iron” for simplicity.
Using Stone, Iron, and Other Metals. A raider with
Turns
proficiency in smith’s tools can create supplies that can This phase of a raid is measured in turns, with each turn
aid in battle. Creating new supplies is a downtime activity typically taking 1 hour of in-game time.
that the characters can lead during a raid. See “Downtime Targeting Conflict Zones. The characters can order
Activities,” later in this section. a simultaneous attack on as many conflict zones as they
Gathering Iron. As a downtime activity, the characters have raiders to spare in a single turn. Completing the raid
can lead an expedition to gather iron and timber. See in fewer turns reduces the chance enemy reinforcements
“Downtime Activities,” later in this section. appear, but spreading the forces too thin lowers the odds of
successfully capturing a conflict zone.
Raiders Turn Count. A turn ends once the Raiding Roll has
Raiders are warriors with a specialized skill set. Although been made for all conflict zones attacked during the turn.
they are living beings, they can still be created from the raw Typically, the next turn begins immediately, and the
materials of members of a clan. The specifics of finding suita- characters must assess the state of their raiding party and
ble raiders and turning them into a well-trained raiding force choose to retreat, which ends the raid, or take another turn
is covered in “Downtime Activities,” later in this section. by launching attacks on new conflict zones.

243
In this phase, events can occur on certain turns that cause Conflict Zones. The conflict zones on the map
certain conflict zones to disappear (as civilians flee), become represent the defensive positions the defenders have
harder to conquer (as they’re reinforced with troops), or established: important bottlenecks in the terrain, stores of
new conflict zones to appear (which are typically mandatory valuable resources that are the target of the raid, or other
obstacles that must be conquered to reach Phase 3 of the areas of importance. Some areas may be optional but are
raid). For more information, see “Reinforcements,” below. not required to claim total victory in a raid.
Reaching the Stronghold. Certain conflict zones must Assessing Conflict Zones. The GM knows the stats of
be conquered before attacking the raid site’s stronghold. a conflict zone, such as the Raiding Roll DC required to
If all zones blocking access to the stronghold have been conquer it, and what rewards it grants when conquered.
conquered, the characters can choose to start Phase 3: These details are private and shouldn’t be shared.
Storming the Stronghold at the end of a turn. However, each conflict zone has some flavor text that
should give the players a hint of what special supplies can
Summary View be used to gain a bonus when attacking it, if any.
In short, a single turn during Phase 2 of a raid looks Allocating Raiders. To conquer a conflict zone, the
like this: characters must first command their raiders to attack
• First turn begins. it. Each conflict zone has a minimum number of raiders
• Players assess their warriors and supplies, choosing needed to attack it. The optional scouting rules in The
which conflict zones to attack on this turn. Raider’s Guide to Valika can provide the characters with
• Players assign a number of warriors and resources to guidance on these numbers. Otherwise, use the Raider
each selected conflict zone, which can’t exceed their Numbers Guess table to give the characters an estimate of
current count of warriors or supplies. those numbers.
• Make a Raiding Roll (see “Raiding Rolls,” below) for
each targeted conflict zone, determining the outcome of Raider Numbers Guess Chart
that attack. d4 Minimum Zone Raid Force Guess Number
• Assess warriors and resources lost or gained in the attack 1 Actual number minus 2
and adjust resource totals.
2 Actual number minus 1
• If there are no other conflict zones blocking the raid
site’s stronghold, the players can choose to move 3 Actual number plus 1
immediately to Phase 3. Otherwise, a new turn of Phase 4 Actual number plus 2
2 begins, or the players decide to retreat.
• A new turn begins. The GM describes the effects of any Assigning more raiders beyond that minimum grants bonuses
events that occur at the start of this turn. to the Raiding Roll that increases the odds of success.
The characters have a finite number of warriors at their
Retreat command once the raid starts. In long raiding campaigns,
Retreat is expected when raiding. Unlike a war of conquest, warriors are persistent between raids. If they run out of
raiders attack fast, plunder as much as possible, and then raiders, they’re beaten. There’s no getting more warriors
leave just as fast as they arrived. During Phase 2 of a raid, unless they spend gold and downtime to hire mercenaries
the characters can order a retreat at the end of any turn. (see “Downtime Activities,” later in this section) or until
Once the characters call a retreat, advance to Phase 4: they return home to train new raiders.
Return to the Longships. Spending Supplies. The characters have special
supplies at their disposal that can improve their odds of
Reinforcements success at conquering a conflict zone without spending
Each raid site has a “timer” in this phase. At the start of additional raiders. For specific examples, see “Supplies,”
certain turns listed in the raid site’s description, the Raiding later in this section.
Roll DC of certain conflict zones can increase, the plunder
gained for capturing certain zones can decrease, and more. Raiding Roll Chart
Reinforcements don’t typically arrive on consecutive Conquering a conflict zone requires the players to make
turns. In most raids, changes only occur starting on turn a successful Raiding Roll. The Raiding Roll is 2d10
four, usually on even-numbered turns, and usually with the added together and potentially modified if the characters
change being forecasted by read-aloud text the turn before it sent more than the minimum number of raiders to a
happens. You can make your raid more frantic by decreasing conflict zone, used special resources, or tapped other
the amount of time before reinforcements start occurring, or bonuses or penalties.
increasing the frequency with which they occur. Doubles! If both numbers rolled on the d10s match,
the result of the attack is a Critical Victory or a Critical
Raid Sites, Maps, and Conflict Zones Defeat, regardless of how many points the Raiding Roll DC
Phase 2 of the raid takes place in conflict zones on an passed or failed by. See the “Casualties in Victory” and
overland scale, generally featuring multiple locations, “Casualties in Defeat” tables below.
structures, and terrain elements.

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Conflict Zone Types
Conflict Zone Minimum Raiding Plunder (Resources) Plunder (Wealth)
Raid Force Roll DC
Shrine 3 8 2d4 captives Religious iconography and art. Their value in gp is a
number of d6 equal to the Raiding Roll DC (e.g., 7d6 gp).
Rural Settlement or 3 9 1d6 × 10 lbs. lumber, 1d4 Livestock, weapons, toolkits, game kits, and jewelry.
Homestead captives, 1d4 horses (see Their value in gp is a number of d4 equal to the
“Supplies,” below) Raiding Roll DC (e.g., 8d4 gp).
Fortified Village 4 10 2d6 × 10 lbs. lumber, 2d8 Livestock, weapons, toolkits, game kits, and jewelry.
captives, 2d10 horses (see Their value in gp is a number of d4 equal to the
“Supplies,” below). Raiding Roll DC (e.g., 10d4).
Fortified granary or other 6 13 Food, which adds 1d4 to the Livestock, weapons, toolkits, game kits, and jewelry.
rural storage first Raiding Roll made next turn Their value in gp is a number of d4 equal to the
Raiding Roll DC (e.g., 13d4).
Monastery 10 14 1d6 × 10 lbs. iron, One uncommon magic item, one potion of healing. Reli-
2d6 captives gious iconography and art; their value in gp is a number
of d6 equal to the Raiding Roll DC (e.g., 7d6 gp).
Military Encampment 12 14 2d6 × 10 lbs. iron, 2d8 captives One uncommon magic weapon or armor, one common
(watch tower, camp, potion. One piece of jewelry worth up to 100 gp.
roadblock, etc.)
Military Fort (hill fort, 15 15 2d10 × 10 lbs. iron, 3d8 captives Two uncommon magic weapons or armor. Three
bivouac, gate, etc.) pieces of jewelry worth up to 100 gp each.
Redoubt 20 18 6d10 × 10 lbs. timber, 4d10 × 10 One rare magic item and one uncommon consumable
(castle, university, cathedral) lbs. iron, 4d8 captives item, and up to 100 gp of other items. One piece of
jewelry worth up to 500 gp.
Conquering a Conflict Zone might choose to have won through stealth, or brute force.
They might decide to slaughter everyone in the zone, or
Each conflict zone has several traits:
they may let them flee. The GM can decide if the narrative
Type. The settlement’s description and purpose.
method of conquering the zone has any mechanical
Minimum Raid Force. The minimum number of
implications for future attacks in this raid.
raiders needed to attempt a Raiding Roll at a conflict zone.
Note the result of this roll and compare it to the
Raiding Roll DC. The number that the Raiding Roll
“Casualties in Victory” or “Casualties in Defeat” tables
needs to meet or exceed to conquer this zone. This is a
below to determine how many raiders were lost in the
suggested DC, and it might be higher or lower depending
attack. In all cases where a percentage is referred to, round
on the specifics of a zone.
down. However, there is a minimum of 1 in all cases.
Plunder (Resources). This conflict zone has resources
or supplies that can be plundered, in addition to gold. Victory: Plunder and Casualties
When you conquer a conflict zone, you gain these When you successfully conquer a conflict zone, you gain
resources. resources and any benefits inherent in the zone, but
Plunder (Wealth). This conflict zone has items or possibly lose raiders.
money that can be plundered. When you conquer a zone,
you gain these items. Casualties in Victory
Assigning More Raiders. Assigning more than the
minimum number of raiders to a conflict zone grants you a Raiding Roll Result Casualties
bonus to the Raiding Roll. Every time you assign an extra Same as DC Pyrrhic Victory. One Special Raider is
number of raiders equal to the minimum number of raiders killed, if any are present. Half of all plunder
to a conflict zone, you gain a +2 bonus to that Raiding at this location are lost. 50 percent of
assigned warriors are killed.
Roll. However, the maximum bonus you can receive for
assigning more raiders is limited to +4. Succeeded by 1–5 Hard-won Victory. Half of the plunder
Making the Raiding Roll. Once you’ve determined at this location are lost. 25 percent of
assigned raiders are killed.
all the modifiers from the size of your raiding force and
any special resources you’re using (see “Supplies” below), Succeeded by 6–10 Excellent Victory. Victory with minimal
losses. 10 percent of assigned raiders lost.
roll 2d10, add them together, and add all bonuses and
penalties you have on the roll. If the result of this roll Succeeded by 11–15 Remarkable Victory. Victory with no losses.
meets or exceeds the DC of the Raiding Roll, your raiders Critical Victory! Epic Result! Victory with surprising good
successfully conquered the conflict zone. Succeeded by 16 fortune. One warrior becomes a Special
The type of victory is up to the player to decide—they or more Raider, and twice the listed plunder is found.

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The resources plundered from a conflict zone are listed in Common Supplies
the zone’s description, and these resources are added to
Resource Raiding Special
your stock of resources after the raid is fully concluded. Name Roll Bonus
Resources found that can be used as part of a raid can be
Horses If opponents aren’t mounted Allows mounted raiders
employed in future conflicts in the current raid. or indoors, gain +1 if at least to attack two adjacent
half of attacking warriors are conflict zones in one turn
Retreat: Plunder and Casualties mounted. Gain +2 when all but can’t add new warri-
When you fail to conquer a conflict zone, your raiders must warriors are riding. ors before attacking.
flee or get captured.
Drake fire Gain +2 when you use a cask; Lights houses and
casks casks can be used after making forests on fire,
Casualties in Defeat the Raiding Roll and can turn a destroying all plunder
failure into a success. Casks are in that conflict zone.
Raiding Casualties consumed when used. Consumed on use.
Roll Result
Tall shields Gain +1 if at least half of at- Casualties are halved
Failed by 1 Effective Retreat. One Special Raider is killed, if tacking warriors are holding against conflict zones
any are present. 50 percent of assigned warriors a shield. Gain +2 when all defended by archers.
are killed. Half all assigned supplies are lost. warriors have a shield.
Failed by 2–5 Costly Retreat. All assigned Special Raiders are Battering Gain +4 when attacking a Consumed on use.
lost. 75 percent of assigned warriors are killed. All ram conflict zone with fortifica-
assigned supplies are lost. tions like walls or gates.
Failed by Horrific Retreat. All warriors, including special
6–10 raiders are lost, except for one survivor. All assigned Horses. Valikans don’t load horses onto their ships
supplies are lost. when going raiding, and rarely bring them home but will
Critical Defeat! Disaster! All warriors, including Special Raiders,
ride them into battle if they’ve plundered during a raid.
Failure by 11 are lost. All assigned supplies are lost. The enemy Riding horses is effective when fighting opponents on flat
or more rallies, and the turn counter increases by one (see ground, granting a +2 bonus to the Raiding Roll.
“Reinforcements,” earlier in this section). To gain the +2 bonus from horses, you must assign a
number of horses to a conflict zone equal to the number of
Preventing Casualties warriors attacking that zone. If you assign horses to only
Losing raiders is costly. Replacing raiders when far from half your warriors, the bonus is +1.
home is an expensive and morally complex question, as Drake Fire Casks. Drake fire is an alchemical
mercenaries can be hired with hard-earned gold, and compound that bursts into flames when exposed to water.
captives can be armed and pressed into service. Whenever A small cask of drake fire is rigged with a small water
casualties occur, the characters can spend a potion of pouch. When the cask is broken by hurling it against a hard
healing or a casting of cure wounds (or other magic that surface, the concoction explodes.
restores hit points) to prevent that casualty. If a spell is A group of raiders equipped with a cask of drake fire, can
used, one raider may be saved per level of the spell slot use it to gain a +2 bonus on the Raiding Roll. This bonus
used (for example, if cure wounds is cast at 3rd level, 3 can be gained after the roll has been made, potentially
raiders can be saved). turning failure into success.
Drake fire casks used against flammable material like
Supplies forests or straw-roofed huts, destroys any plunder that
Supplies can be crafted out of resources during downtime could have been gained from that zone.
or plundered from conflict zones. You can assign supplies If used during combat, it is an action to throw a cask up to
to a conflict zone you’re attacking once you’ve assigned 30 feet. It is otherwise identical to a fireball spell cast at 3rd
warriors, but before you’ve made the Raiding Roll. Each level (spell save DC 13).
supply adds a bonus to the Raiding Roll. Tall Shields. Most Valikan warriors carry small round
Additionally, some conflict zones have special traits wooden shields for hand-to-hand combat. When faced with
that cause supplies to have additional effects, either a barrage of arrows, Valikans use tall shields, positioned
positive or negative. overhead, to advance in a single unit. Using these tall
Due to the wear and tear of battle, half of the supplies shields grants a +2 bonus to the Raiding Roll. Additionally,
you send to a battle are destroyed at the end of the casualties are halved when using shields in a conflict zone
battle. Some supplies, like drake fire casks, are consumed defended by archers.
completely on use. To gain the +2 bonus from tall shields, you need to assign
a number of shields to a conflict zone equal to the number
Common Supplies
of warriors attacking that zone. If you assign shields to only
A sample of supplies is shown in the Common half your warriors, the bonus is halved to +1.
Supplies table. Battering Ram. This simple siege weapon can be
carried by a group of warriors. It has a single purpose:
to bash down weak points in fortifications, like gates or

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cracked walls. If a battering ram is assigned to a conflict Retreating
zone, the warriors attacking that zone gain a +4 bonus to Unlike in Phase 2, the characters can order a retreat at any
the Raiding Roll if it’s defended by fortifications. time. The only catch is, they need to conduct the retreat in
You only gain this bonus if the conflict zone has stationary tactical movement on the 5-foot-square grid the stronghold
defenses; a battering ram is too cumbersome to be effective is drawn on. Typically, to retreat, the characters must
when battling a highly mobile foe. make it back to the place on the map they entered from.
However, you can decide that reaching the edge of the map
Phase 3: Storming the Stronghold in another way allows them to retreat.
Each raid site has a central stronghold containing this Fighting the Commander
area’s most valuable treasures and resources, but also Each destination has a commander, and potentially
its most powerful defenders. Once any conflict zones subcommanders in a larger raid site. Without those
preventing the characters’ raiding force from storming the commanders, the stronghold’s defenses fall into chaos. The
fort have been conquered, Phase 3 can begin. commander is invariably an extremely challenging fight.
Once this phase begins, the characters (and perhaps one
or two NPCs) become the main strike force. All remaining Defeating the Commander
raiders move in to attack the fort as well, keeping the If the characters manage to defeat the raid site’s
stronghold’s forces from boxing the characters’ strike force commander, they gain temporary control of that
in during their own attack. The players can’t assign any destination, resulting in the following:
more raiders to conflict zones once the storming of the
stronghold begins. • Remaining creatures in the stronghold surrender or flee.
There is no difference between Assault-Style and • Reinforcements do not arrive and the raiders can enter the
Command-Style during this phase of a raid. destination’s gates and fortify it against attack themselves.
• The characters can claim any treasure within the
Areas of the Stronghold stronghold.
A stronghold is broken down into areas (typically rooms). • Sometimes, a subcommander becomes the new com-
An area of the stronghold is labeled on its map and mander and must be defeated to conquer the stronghold.
described in the text. Some areas have treasure, some have The characters are free to rule a conquered site but
enemies, some have traps or hazards, and most have a establishing and defending a fortress in hostile territory is
mixture of two or more of these elements. beyond the scope of these raiding rules.
Hit ‘Em Quick, Get Out Fast

Raiders rely on their team’s ability to fight, plunder, and
Phase 4: Return to the Longships
retreat before their target can fully muster their defenses or Eventually, the characters and their raiders must return
call reinforcements from outside the raid site. to the longships and set sail with their plunder and their
The GM must track how many turns have elapsed since dead. Typically, Valikan ships are never far from a raid site,
the start of the raid. In this part, turns are six seconds long, even if the site was approached overland. Longships can
just like a regular combat round. After a certain number of sail in open waters and upriver, so anywhere there is water,
turns pass, the challenges grow more deadly, as described a raid can be exited via longship.
in the “Prepared” section that appears in some raid sites. Typically, it’s simple to retreat to the longships, and no
If the characters don’t defeat the stronghold’s commander checks need to be made and no casualties are incurred in
before the number of turns set forth in the raid site the process. In certain desperate situations, such as if there
description passes, reinforcements arrive and start causing are fortifications overlooking a city’s harbor or a river-gate
casualties among the raiders besieging the stronghold. blocking easy access, the characters must fight their way
Unless the characters want to incur further casualties and through to escape any pursuers who might arrive after the
get captured (or worse), they must break off the raid and raid has concluded.
retreat immediately. In instances where the raid is taking place on land
rather than via water, the phase remains the same. It is
Treasure on a Time Limit assumed that once the raid takes place, the raiding party
Strongholds are brimming with valuable treasure and uses land mounts and vehicles to remove themselves and
resources that lure characters to spend their turns picking their plunder from the area, retreating to a safe place free
locks or smashing chests. If raiders think they can defeat the of pursuers. Only if the raid goes poorly and the raiding
stronghold’s commander before their raiders start taking party must fight their way out should you play this phase
losses outside, they’re welcome to let the treasure wait. out as combat
However, if they think they’ll need to make a hasty retreat, it
might make more sense to plunder the stronghold first, and
then cut and run if the situation takes a turn for the worse.

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Phase 5: Downtime Activities Roll for Resources. At the end of the week, roll 1d100
and add the number of warriors the characters brought
A raid is a lengthy endeavor. In Valika, most raiding clans with them. They return with that number of pounds of
battle all throughout the season of summer. Between raids are timber, and half that number of pounds of iron.
often weeks of downtime spent repairing vessels, foraging for Roll for Danger. At the end of the week, roll 1d6. On
resources, crafting supplies, training raiders, and more. a result of 1 or 2, hostile creatures attack, killing 1d10
The downtime activities presented here take place as warriors before an effective retreat can be staged. If the
part of the total raid activity, and if you use more downtime characters brought more than 25 warriors with them, 2d10
days than one-half of what the raid would normally offer, warriors are killed instead.
the entire raid duration is extended by that many days. All
raiders participating in the core activity must expend the Sailing South to Market
full number of downtime days from the basic activity. Communities exist that are willing to trade with Valikans
in exchange for peace.
Repairing Ships Resources for Sale. Timber can be purchased in 50
Prerequisite: Have at least one damaged longship lb. bundles for 5 sp per pound. Iron can be purchased in
When raiders depart from their settlement, they leave with 50 lb. bundles for 1 gp per pound. The rare materials for
a certain number of longships. Given 1 week of downtime creating drake fire (see “Crafting Supplies” below) can also
and 100 lbs. of timber, they can repair one damaged be purchased at market for 100 gp per cask.
longship. The characters must spend this week of downtime Mercenaries for Hire. Mercenaries can be hired for 10
leading and overseeing the effort to repair the ship. gp per week, with the first week upfront. No more than 10
Additionally, given 4 weeks of downtime, 500 lbs. of mercenaries can be hired per week. Each hired mercenary
timber, and 50 lbs. of iron, they can construct a new increases your raiding crew’s number of warriors by 1.
longship which can carry 50 raiders, or 100 lbs. of cargo in Whenever warriors die, assume that mercenaries die first.
place of 1 raider.
Crafting Supplies
Hunting The characters can spend downtime and resources to craft
It’s assumed that your raiding party has sufficient rations these supplies.
in dried meat and salmon jerky to survive. Nevertheless, Horses. Can only be acquired during raids. They
fresh-cooked meat always bolsters a raider’s spirits. The cannot be crafted as part of this activity.
characters can spend 1 week of downtime hunting. To do Drake Fire Casks. The characters can spend 1 week
so, the characters must make several ability checks. of downtime, 50 lbs. of iron, and 300 gp of rare reagents
Finding Tracks. One character makes a DC 10 Wisdom purchased at market (see “Sailing South to Market,” above)
(Survival) check. On a success, they find a game trail; to create 3 casks of drake fire.
record the result of the check for later. On a failure, the Tall Shields. The characters can spend 1 week of
hunting expedition was fruitless, and the downtime is downtime, 200 lbs. of timber, and 50 lbs. of iron to create
spent in vain. 20 tall shields.
Pursuing Game. One character makes a DC 10 Battering Ram. The characters can spend 1 week
Dexterity (Stealth) check to stalk the game and clear a of downtime, 100 lbs. of timber, and 25 lbs. of iron to
path for the other characters. On a success, the character create 1 ram.
manages to corner the animals; record the result of the
check for later. On a failure, the game is scared away and
the downtime is spent in vain.
Ambushing Prey. All characters make a ranged attack
roll to fell their game. Take the average of all the rolls and
record it.
Overall Success. Add together the three numbers
you recorded. The total is the number of warriors you’re
able to feed with fresh meat. If at least half your warriors
are fed by your hunt, you gain a 1d4 bonus to all raiding
rolls for the next 4 weeks. If at least 25 percent of your
warriors are fed, you gain a +1 bonus to raiding rolls for
the next 4 weeks.
Gathering Resources
If the characters are running low on resources, they can spend
1 week of downtime to lead an expedition into the wilderness.
Party Size. The characters can bring up to 50 warriors
with them.

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Raid Defense Upgrading Fortifications
The main way the characters can customize their defenses
Nowhere in Valika is safe from the raids—even the is by upgrading them. Fortifications are assigned a Rank.
settlements of raiders themselves! There’s always a chance Typically, fortifications start at Rank 1 but can be upgrad-
that a location known or loyal to the characters will be ed to Rank 2. Most inner fortifications can be upgraded
raided. If the characters are fortunate, the raid will occur further to Rank 3.
while they are present and can marshal their forces, but Upgrading a fortification requires the characters to
this isn’t always the case. When those instances arise, the expend quantities of timber, iron, and downtime, with each
location must rally to its own defense. location identifying these costs.
Some raids are led by Valikan warriors, and others are led Repairing Fortifications
by monsters—as in chapter 4 of Saga of the Seasons. When
When a fortification is conquered, it is also damaged. Until
your home settlement or an allied settlement is raided, the
it’s repaired, Raiding Rolls made against that fortification
characters and their warriors can spring to its defense.
have advantage on all future raids. It can be repaired by
spending the fortification’s rank 2 upgrade cost and 1 week
Approaches to Raid Defense of downtime.
As with raiding, the Raider’s Guide to Valika describes two Assigning Defenders
approaches for running raid defense:
At the beginning of a raid, the players can assign their
Assault-Style. This style runs games as a series of combat warriors to their fortifications. If a fortification has fewer
encounters leading directly into one another. This style warriors than its Minimum Force assigned to it, then
suits gaming groups that like the small-scale tactics of Raiding Rolls against have advantage. Every time you
individual combat encounters but aren’t as concerned assign an extra number of raiders equal to the minimum
with battlefield strategy. number of raiders to a conflict zone, you gain a +1 bonus
Commander-Style. This style uses an overland-scale map to its Raiding Roll DC. You can’t assign more raiders to a
of the raid site the characters are defending and a map fortification than its Maximum Force.
of their raid site’s stronghold. This is the style of raid If the players have any warriors left over after assigning
that is described in the rest of this section. their defenders, they are held in reserve. If warriors die
during the raid, these reserve forces can be allocated
Setting up a Raid during the raid at the start of the defenders’ turn.
Below are the guidelines for creating a basic raid defense Creating Waves of Invaders
scenario. Other raids, such as the one in chapter 4 of Saga The Raiders Guide to Valika includes guidance for
of the Seasons, are more elaborate. designing the attackers in a Raid Defense scenario.
Establish Resources Waves of Attack

A clan that is expecting to be raided can assume three or Raiding parties have only so many warriors before they
four raids to occur throughout a season, with two or three run out of steam or decide it’s not worth fighting on. The
weeks of downtime to recover in between attacks. GM doesn’t need to worry about micromanaging how
Some basic guidelines for their starting resources at the many warriors the attacking force has; they only have to
start of a season are: worry about how many waves of attack there are.
• Small Settlement (Village): 500 lbs. timber, 250 lbs. Lanes of Attack
iron, 100 warriors
Each raid site has at least three different lanes of attack.
• Medium Settlement (Town): 1,000 lbs. timber, 500 lbs. When a wave launches an attack against a lane, they attack
iron, 200 warriors the outermost unconquered fortification.
• Large Settlement (City): 2,000 lbs. timber, 1,000 lbs. A wave can choose which lane to attack at the start of
iron, 400 warriors each turn.
Attackers’ Objective Raiding Roll Bonuses

The attackers in a raid defense are trying to reach the Whenever a wave makes a Raiding Roll, it rolls 2d10 and
players' stronghold. To get to the stronghold and break- adds a specific bonus to it. The higher an attacker’s bonus
in, the raiders must first conquer several fortifications they have for their raiding rolls, the better odds of success
blocking their access. The site of the raid defense uses a they have. This represents the physical strength and
connected series of fortified locations identifying the paths cunning of the attackers.
the raiders can take to reach the players’ stronghold. Typically, an Easy raid has a +1d4 bonus to Raiding
The Raiders Guide to Valika includes guidance for Rolls, a Normal raid has a +2d4 bonus, and a Hard raid
creating sites for raid defense scenarios. has a +4d4. However, if you decide that a wave can attack
multiple lanes, each additional lane past the first suffers a
−1d4 penalty. A wave can never have a negative bonus.

249
Special Effects Phase 1: Defending Fortifications
Some waves can afflict fortifications with negative effects, This phase takes place in turns, which are approximately
particularly those with warriors with special items or 1 hour each. This phase lasts until one of two
monsters with supernatural powers, even if their attacks things happens:
fail to conquer a fortification. • The raiders run out of waves of warriors to attack with,
as determined by the GM. The raiders are defeated and
Prepare the Stronghold must retreat or be captured.
The stronghold of a raid site must have a 5-foot-square grid • The raiders reach the defenders’ stronghold, and
tactical map. If the stronghold is breached, the players' Phase 2 begins.
goal is to kill the attackers before their treasure and
First, the raiders take a turn to attack. Then, the defenders
resources are stolen. can take a turn reallocating their warriors to fortifications.
The Raiders Guide to Valika includes guidance for
designing the entrances and rooms within a stronghold and Raiders’ Turns
the raider’s goal for attacking the site. On raiders’ turns, they send forth a wave of attackers. If
this wave can attack more than one lane, choose the order
Resource Piles in which they attack these lanes, and then make raiding
When the stronghold is breached, count the number of rolls for all lanes in order, using the correct bonuses (see
timber and iron resources the characters have. Every 100 “Raiding Roll Bonuses” above).
lbs. of resources becomes a resource pile that takes up a 10- Conquering a Fortification. If a Raiding Roll is
foot by 10-foot space. The characters can decide where these successful, that fortification is damaged, and half of the
resource piles are stored within their stronghold. warriors defending it are killed or captured (GM’s choice).
A raider can pick up and steal a pile as an action on its The remaining defenders can flee. If the Raiding Roll
turn. If that raider leaves the map, it escapes with those succeeded by 5 or more, all the warriors defending it are
resources. If a raider is killed, any resources it has taken fall killed or captured.
into the nearest unoccupied spaces to where it was standing. Repelled from a Fortification. If a Raiding Roll fails,
the raiders do not conquer that fortification, and that wave
Running a Defensive Raid is defeated, but the defenders still take casualties. Roll
1d10, and that number of warriors are slain in the attack.
The raid begins as soon as raiders reach the outer fortifi- The defenders take no casualties if the Raiding Roll failed
cations. Just like commander-style offensive raids, Phase 1 by 5 or more.
of a defensive raid is an overland battle using an abstract Defeat Condition. If the raiders’ turn ends without
flowchart of locations. Phase 2 is a combat encounter using reaching the stronghold and it has no more waves
typical Fifth-Edition rules inside a stronghold. remaining, they are defeated, and the raid ends.

250
Reallocate Warriors. The defenders can reassign which to defend it, the raiders are automatically successful and
fortifications their warriors are protecting. Warriors current- plunder all of their resources.
ly deployed at a fortification can swap to any fortification in
a different lane by spending 1 turn moving. During this time, Phase 2: Attack on the Stronghold
they can’t defend either the fortification they’ve just left or Once the stronghold has been breached, typical Fifth-
the fortification they’re heading to until they arrive at the Edition gridded combat engages.
start of the defenders’ next turn. Undefended warriors can The Raiders Guide to Valika includes guidance with the
be deployed from their stronghold immediately at no cost. encounter design for attacking a stronghold.
Warriors currently deployed at a fortification can also fall
back to a different fortification immediately. Spread Out and Have Multiple Targets
If deploying warriors to a fortification would exceed Most attacks on the stronghold are built from multiple
that fortification’s Maximum Force, any excess warriors crews of attackers, arriving in multiple waves. Each crew
are undeployed and return to the stronghold. (A defender can target different areas of the stronghold simultaneously
may wish to reallocate more warriors than necessary to to pillage and escape most efficiently. Some crews can even
a fortification in case that fortification suffers casualties have a vendetta against the characters, harrying them
before reinforcements arrive.) with attacks while the characters struggle to devote their
Warriors can also be undeployed to send them back to attention to stopping the thieves.
the stronghold at any time. They arrive in the stronghold at
Loot and Scoot
the start of the defenders’ next turn and can then redeploy
Once all of the enemies in the stronghold are dead or have
anywhere at no cost, as stated above.
fled, this phase ends. Once a foe departs the map of the
Defenders’ Turns defenders’ stronghold, they’re considered protected by their
The most important thing defenders can do is observe raiding party and are beyond the reach of the defenders.
where their enemies are attacking from and allocate their
warriors where they’ll be most useful. This is especially
Ending the Raid
true when the defenders are low on resources and don’t Once Phase 2 ends (or Phase 1 ends in defeat for the
have enough warriors to fully stock their fortifications. raiders), this raid is concluded. The characters now get to
Special Traits. Sometimes, the defenders have special assess the damage, how many resources they have left, and
options available to them for story reasons. They can use prepare for future raids.
these supplies or traits on their turn. If any resources, like If the enemy was defeated in Phase 1, any defenders they
spell slots, are expended during this phase, they won’t be took captive (as opposed to killing, at the GM’s discretion)
available in the next phase. are saved and returned to the defenders’ stock of warriors.
Defensive Spells. Spells that protect an area of effect,
such as globe of invulnerability, can be used to protect
one fortification. Spells of 3rd-level or higher increase the
Raiding Roll DC by 2; spells of 5th-level or higher grant a
I don't care what you think! Light the drake fire casks
further +2 to the DC; and spells of 7th-level or higher grant and fall back! NOW! Bringing down the tower atop the
an additional +4. This bonus lasts until the end of the turn. accursed beasts will give us a precious few moments
Explosives. Explosive items or area-of-effect offensive that we so desperately lack.
spells (like fireball or glyph of warding) can trap or
counter-assault a fortification that was conquered on the - Hlökk Warcrier
previous raiders’ turn. By spending an item of this sort
or using a spell slot of 3rd-level or higher, the lane that
this fortification was in can’t be attacked during the next
raiders’ turn. Spell slots of 7th-level or higher prevent a
lane from being attacked for 2 turns.
Healing. During the defenders’ turn, the characters can
expend one or more potions of healing to reverse an equal
number of casualties that occurred in the previous raiders’
turn. Healing spells can also be used, saving one warrior
per level of the spell slot used.
Reaching the Stronghold

Once any inner fortification is conquered, this phase
ends, and the raiders storm the raid site’s stronghold.
The remaining defending warriors swarm to protect the
stronghold while the raiders send a strike team to plunder
it while the player characters strive to defend it. Should
the characters abandon the stronghold and choose not

251
254
CAMPAIGN GUIDE
CAN YOU SURVIVE

THE DARKNESS OF WINTER?
In the perilous world of Grim Hollow, a new saga is being written. For
centuries the Valikan clans have occupied the frozen edge of Etharis.
Yet they struggle to survive their treacherous homeland, waring between
themselves to steal resources for winter. Monsters lurk in the frozen
wastes devouring whoever wanders beyond the campfire light. Entire
villages disappear during the long darkness of winter. The hope of seeing
spring is a distant dream.
Saga of the Seasons is a Nordic inspired, dark fantasy adventure for fifth
edition, where your players will decide the fate of your own Valikan clan.
What seeds shall you sow in spring that will change the outcome of your
story? Will you win glory in the violent summer raids, returning to your
village with a horde of riches? Or are you destined to be defeated and sent
back empty handed? Will you be celebrating your victories in the bonfires
of autumn, or be burning your fallen dead? Will you have made the right
choices when the cold of winter creeps in, and the monsters awaken?
What songs will be sung about your clan after you’re gone?
… the Saga of the Seasons is yours to tell…

Saga of The Seasons Beta

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5E

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Introduction

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Introduction

Saga of the Seasons | Introduction

Your Origin Common Folk Villager Benna Stonebreaker

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Introduction

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Introduction

NPCs of Ragvall Village

Other Characters and Creatures

Leveling up in Spring Major Milestones

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

R12 River Ymor

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

To summarize the above boxed text, Chief av Skeir has

Chief Hrafen av Skeir, dressed in a simple black tunic,

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

R2: Jarnskegg’s Smithy

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

North Shore Sheltering Wood

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Chief Hrafen av Skeir

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Quest: Burning Feud

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Quest: Epic Poetry

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Event: Besting the Braggart

”The last fool that insulted me was this bear!”

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Core Quest: Greenhorn Warrior Training Event: Ship Wars

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Event: Seal Upon the Depths

Quest: Eggs Over Easy

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Core Quest: Raiders’ Blades

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Event: Eyes in the Woods

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Springtime Quests can be started in the spring season is listed below in

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons

Saga of the Seasons | Chapter 1 - Spring: Season of Rebirth

Grim Hollow | Saga of the Seasons