1

2

This eZine is, more or less, a brazen method for us to

promote our latest titles and share with the RPG

community some of the cool stuff we're excited to be

working on right now and some of the projects our friends

and friends of friends have going on. We don't anticipate

shattering any boundaries or promise anything particularly

ground breaking in these pages, what we do hope to do is

give our fans and the folks who play our stuff some heads

up on future projects, some insights into the things we

already offer and, of course, coupons and discounts on our

titles (and possibly titles from our friends as well). All for

free and maybe more will emerge as we get comfortable

with the ezine format.

In the meantime, many thanks for downloading and I hope

you enjoy this first issue!

- DS

Forever Folio Issue 1, May 2015

© Forever People Digital Press, all rights reserved 2015

Graphic Design: David Sharrock

Written and produced by: David Sharrock, Wyn F

Dawkins, Sue Llewelyn.

Cover Art: Yarnia, world map from the Wyrd title Age of

Thaw, by David Sharrock

Art Credits: David Sharrock, Mark Hultgren

Thanks to: Dan Davenport and the chatters at #RPGNet

www.foreverpeople.co.uk

foreverfolio@foreverpeople.co.uk

If you redistribute or share this electronic product please ensure

you do so for non-profit purposes and that no part of this PDF is

in any way altered from its original format and that all contents

in their entirety are included.

3

New reduced price of just $4.98, available to download now at Drive Thru RPG

4

Focus on FP's epic fantasy/horror system and

setting and an interview with the author.

An awesome Kickstarter project. FP looks

into Chris Raney and Zachary Amundson's

motion picture proposal

THE DWARVES OF DEMREL

Forever People's chilling new RPG ' a horror

experience unlike anything you've tried before'

5

The Unsung Weave is a complete

campaign for your Wyrd game,

serialised from start to finish only in

Forever Folio.

Mazes, Maps & Monsters is a

serialised roleplaying game for a

younger audience. Humour, high

adventure and Lego. Introduce

your kids to the tabletop hobby!

Begins on page #

5

Forever People's flagship roleplaying system and

setting, Wyrd is a genre-busting epic RPG, four years

in the making and, we believe, one of the most unique

roleplaying experiences available to the modern

gamer community.

The following annotated transcript is from the

#RPGNet Q&A session with author David Sharrock.

The full log can be found here

Dan: What would be the easiest way to break down the setting

a bit?

DS: The setting: this is going to be hard to explain in a sentence

because it‟s pretty vast. I suppose I‟ve taken the classic method

by starting with a mythology then building from there, up to the

present day, which is when the Age of Thaw setting is based and

where the game takes place.

Xyphoid: what do PCs do in this game? what‟s a „standard

adventure‟ look like?

DS: Well, to begin with PCs are not human. There are no

humans. The principle race are the wyrmen, humanoid but born

of a mixture of divine seed and oak.

Silverlion: Why do they not have noses in the cover art?

DS: the sensory organs of the wyrman are vision and most of

the rest of his interaction with his environment comes through

his „gia‟, a kind of fleshy hood that frames his head. The eyes are

literally windows into his soul, which is why they glow with a

divine light.

Silverlion: That‟s very different. I don‟t see a hood in the art?

DS: It looks different depending on the race. There are several

offshoots of the wyrman, including the Elkenwyr who are probably

more like Ents than anything else. Wyr-women are more

humanoid than the males. The image on the front of the

System/Setting book is of a Vanyirborn, which is an immortal

daughter of the gods, so she also looks a little different. Elkenwyr

are tall (12ft) powerful with bark-like flesh and long thin limbs.

Their faces are more elk like than anything and their gia extend

outward as antlers. They have the ability to generate plasma

between the antlers, which they can fire as a ranged weapon.

Dan: So tell me about the system, what is it like,

is it skill based?

DS: The system is skill based but uses a method

of multi-dice rolls which I don‟t think many

gamers will be used to. I‟ve tried to create

something unique.

Janus: What sort of multi-dice system?

DS: Rather than rolling dice aiming for a value,

there‟s a kind of binary system. So you might roll

a bunch of dice and you‟re aiming to roll

instances of (1) in order to succeed. The more

1's you roll, the more you succeed. All other

numbers are fails.

Janus: On how many sided die? d6? d10? d4?

DS: all the polygons. The number of sides on the

dice indicate the probability of success. So if you

possess high skill levels in a certain attribute,

you‟ll roll low polygons, d4 or d6,

Janus: so, if I had a 10 skill level, I would likely

rill 10d6 looking for as many 1‟s as I can get,

right?

DS: Right. The attributes are broken down into

Core Characteristics to give a base value

(number of dice in the roll) and then individual

skill sets belong to the parent Core

Characteristics (I called them Active Abilities

because they‟re actively used). The number of

dice is informed by the basic ability then

increased by focused skills. If a task is difficult the

GM can increase the polygons. If it‟s easy,

decrease them. The aim is to get as many

instances of (1) on any given roll. This allows

players to roll sometimes stupidly large handfuls

of dice without requiring a calculator.

Dan: So attribute = number of dice, skill = size

of dice?

DS: No, the number of dice is informed by the

value of the Core Characteristic + Active Ability,

then the polygons are increased or decreased

depending on certain factors.

Dan: Oh! Okay. And what die type is the

default?

DS: So the base dice are d6. There are four

levels of difficulty called Difficulty Dice (DD for

short) and the number is either 1,2,3 or 4

depending on how hard the task is. So DD1

changes the dice to d8, DD2 changes them to

d10, DD3 to d12 and DD4 to d20. Evident Ease

reduces difficulty. Difficulty Dice swaps all the

dice but Evident Ease swaps only a number of

dice with d4.

6

Dan (examining the character sheets): Interesting

breakdown of the Core Characteristics. Now, I see

you have a detailed breakdown of where equipment is

carried. Wow… Right down to the rings on individual

fingers, no less! What was your thinking there?

DS: Equipment plays a major role. I‟ve tried to

embrace some of the more modern aspects of

MMORPGs as well as the old school tabletop classics.

Gear and the acquisition of shiny stuff is a large part of

the game and a large part of what turns a character

into an epic hero. There‟s no real levelling up system,

other than improvements in skill sets and combat

abilities. This was a risk because I know a lot of gamers

don‟t like the idea of mixing computer or online RPG

with tabletop.

Dan: Speaking of equipment, can you say a bit about

the tech level of the setting? What‟s the steampunk

aspect?

DS: The tech level differs depending on the location.

There are several civilisations, interspersed with

„badlands‟. There‟s steampunk, medieval, classic fantasy,

Victoriana, something akin to ancient Rome – tech

ranges from swords/sorcery to missiles and firearms.

Gunpowder has been invented/discovered. The use of

tech depends largely on the religious belief of the

nation in question. In the north where steampunk is

the theme, there‟s a monotheistic cult akin to

Christianity who abhor all forms of magic (in fact magic

is outlawed), giving rise to tech in its place.

Maxmahem: what is the magnitude of the typical die

pool?

DS: The number of dice can get crazy. In playtests I

think the most rolled were thirty at one go.

Xyphoid: what do PCs do in this game? what‟s a

„standard adventure‟ look like?

DS: I‟ve tried to produce enough detail that a group

can pretty much take on the setting as they like,

exploring freely or focusing on rumours. The choice of

character class (Creeds) will decide what the group do

for the most part. Whether they act as mercenaries or

explorers, travelling gentry or diplomats. The options

are pretty much endless

Dan: What prevents the higher-tech civilizations from

running over the lower-tech ones? Is magic a sufficient

check on technology, and do any civilizations use both?

DS: Yes, magic prevents technological supremacy. The

polytheistic cults have outlawed technology. Firearms

are considered an affront to the naturalistic ideologies

of those civilisations. The monotheists consider magic

in the same way. So there‟s a real schism between old

world and new world.

Dan: So how advanced is the tech in the high-tech

civilizations? Is it equivalent to stereotypical Victorian

steampunk, with zeppelins, ironclad ships, cartridge

ammo, etc.?

Meduselah, an immortal Elgan daemon

The Irgin Crone, a Fell construct made by Gungin,

the spirit of Chaos and lord of the Gungin Gap.

7

DS: I‟ve tried to avoid stereotypes. The steampunk is

very much mixed up with the fantasy. Steamtech and

electratech (electricity – very much frowned upon by

magic users) is born in a sort of hotbed vertical high rise

city called Stratum. The entire city is like a giant steam

based power generator. There are no zeppelins but

there are giant tortoises which carry village-sized

gondoliers on their backs. It‟s the main form of transport

after the railway.

Dan: Slow and steady?

DS: Given their size, what they lack in speed they make

up for in stride. And if your transport is attacked it just

hides in its shell until the peril is passed.

Dan: I‟m afraid to ask what would attack a town-sized

tortoise.

DS: A perfect opportunity to introduce the Wyrd

Pandemonium (the setting bestiary). [A link is provided

to the Wyrd Pandemonium and pictures of some of the

monsters therein].

Dan: Those are some seriously freaky beasties. Fantastic

artwork, by the way. The only drawback is that there is

no way I could describe those things to my players. “You

see a… Well, it looks like a… Oh, dammit, HERE.”

*shows picture*

DS: Each entry in the bestiary comes with a picture and

a description to read aloud too.

BlasterKyubey210: Yea, though honestly, showing

your players a picture feels like a minor irritation so it‟s

nice that each entry has a picture and a description.

Dan: I see the words “Fell” and “Fae” there. Can you

explain what they mean in this context?

DS: Sure. The Fell are the spawn of Gungin, the spirit of

chaos. As a result of events that are a bit long winded to

cover in one sentence, Gungin has broken into the

corporeal world through a rift called the Gungin Gap.

The Fell are what come crawling out of that. They have

their own city, which kind of festers on the edges of the

gap. The fae are the indigenous (but no less bizarre)

lifeforms of the setting world, Yarnia.

Dan: A city of chaos-spawn? I suspect poor urban

planning.

DS: Very poor, though it has a weird symbiotic

relationship with the neighbouring wyrman civilisation

who have done their best to introduce some municiple

aspects. Luckily Fell don‟t generate sewage.

Dan: So, I have a bit of a general question… It seems

like Wyrd would have a similar issue to that with other

strange, detailed settings, such as Mechanical Dream and

Talislanta: namely, having players feeling lost and GMs

unsure of what to do. Any thoughts on the subject?

DS: Yes. The previous question about adventures is

addressed more in the books I haven‟t released yet (the

Overmaster's Companion), which tackles this more.

Players acquire more of a structured method of play

with a list of rumours to investigate, each rumour a

plot hook to a one session adventure which provides

some linear structure. The wyrmen are also a lot more

humanoid than alien in feel once you start playing them.

Players tend to forget the unusual visual aspects and

adopt regular character personalities.

Willows: From the art it seems like wyrmen are

basically just people without noses. Why make them

not-people at all?

DS: I‟ve tried to create something a little different.

There are a lot of games where humans take the

central role. I wanted to try something where humans

were actually unusual, if not omitted altogether,

without presenting something overtly alien that players

couldn‟t relate to.

Dan: But does it help with what looks like a steep

learning curve regarding the setting as a whole?

DS: A fair question. I‟ve tried to present the setting as

something that most gamers will find familiar to some

extent but with unusual aspects. I‟ve marketed the

game as something for experienced players who fancy

trying something outside their comfort zone for this

reason.

Dan: To be clear, I‟m certainly not criticising the game

for being strange. That‟s a big part of the appeal, as I

see it. It just seems like strange, unique settings are a

bit of a double-edged sword.

8

DS: I‟m happy to field any viewpoints, critical or non

critical and I agree very much with that. However, I also

feel there‟s a lot of material out there and as a game

designer I feel a certain responsibility to keep what I do

fresh and interesting. RPG has a tendency to get stuck

in the mud sometimes. I get what you mean though,

expecting players to take on something completely new.

It can be daunting.

Dan: So in terms of the bestiary, for example, can you

give a rough percentage of the familiar to the unfamiliar,

assuming there‟s any of the former at all? Are there

dragons, goblins, etc., for example?

DS: For traditionalist gamers there‟s certainly the

familiar. You might say orcs are there, and goblins, in

different guises and sub-races. The type of creature is

less important than the way they behave. Some of the

behaviour patterns of the creatures, particularly those

that come from other planes, can be very bizarre. The

Naderfell are similar to dragons, in that there‟s a limited

amount of them, they‟re all named and extremely

powerful. They resemble dragons in some ways, and

have the seem feel about them. There‟s also certain

familiarities with MMORPGs. Fell, for example, revert

to the raw stuff of chaos when they‟re killed. These

chaos stones are then routinely traded and can be used

to create magical effects or energy.

Dan: Heh. That‟s rather clever.

DS: Players can spend their entire game, if they like,

grinding through Fell, then use what they collect to

generate wealth and gear.

Dan: Speaking of magic, what form(s) does it take, and

how powerful is it?

DS: Magic is a major aspect after equipment. Sorcery vs

technology is an important dynamic. There are

numerous schools of magic but all of them are based in

the use of runes. All characters can cast magic, but only

trained magic users can specify schools and get access

to the longest lists of spells. Geomancers, for example,

work with runestones, drawing magical energy from an

enormous mystical stone that stands at the heart of

their school (literally a school of magic). Wytches cast

elemental magic and Wythians use druidic magic,

standing stone portals and magic more familiar to the

D&D style.

Dan: What (if any) limiters are on magic? Is this a

magic point system, for example?

DS: The magic casting system is based on the same

multi-dice method. Dice, in this instance, represent

runes. Runestrings are determined using a set system,

or a reference given in the spell description, then

players roll a bunch of dice and attempt to match the

string. Nudges are awarded based on magical ability,

allowing the rolled dice to be changed so they can be

„forced‟ to match the runestring. There are also

magic points in the form of magical energy. A typical

manna system which prevents magic users from

becoming all powerful. Magical energy is either gained

through religion or, more easily, by converting chaos

stones collected from dead Fell.

Dan: Hmm. So all secular magic is dependent upon

slaying Fell creatures?

DS: Yes. Which, as you can imagine, puts the Fell in a

rather tenuous position. Luckily, when they die, they

merely „respawn‟ from the Gungin Gap. Over

harvesting is a problem though and as the chaos

stones tend to be a major form of currency in the

setting the wyrmen have lots of checks in place to

prevent over harvesting.

Warcabbit: That really doesn‟t sound like a system

that can have any potential drawbacks, ethically.

DS: Fell aren‟t considered equal by the wyrmen so

ethics don‟t matter. The Fell probably have their own

opinion

Warcabbit: Wait, do they respawn as themselves

or as new people?

BlasterKyubey210: Yea, how do Fell Souls work?

DS: Fell don‟t have their own souls. They are small

chips of the soul of Gungin, the spirit of chaos, and

represent a kind of blasphemy against nature by their

very existence in the universe, especially on Yarnia

which is considered the „cradle of creation‟ and

divine by right...

Jeffszusz: can you play as the Fell?

Dan: Only if there‟s not a secular wizard in the

party, apparently! “I need some more juice for this

spell. Sorry, Hank…”

9

DS: You could, but you wouldn‟t last long unless all

players were Fell. As Dan said, Fell are an endangered

species, despite being (in real terms) immortal.

Warcabbit: Right, but do they respawn, or re-spawn?

As in, do they come back to life, or are you actually

offing the Fell and a new Fell is born?

DS: Some respawn as themselves. If Gungin decides the

Fell creature didn‟t work the first time around he might

produce something a bit different. There is the

infamous case in Gungingeth (city of the Fell) where a

Shabble warlord purposely recaptures the same Orflin

every time it respawns, then tortures and kills it for the

entertainment of the masses.

BlasterKyubey210: Ah but beyond that, anything can

happen when a Fell gets offed (temporary)

DS: Yes. If Gungin decides to create something new

and hellish for the mere fun of it he will. This makes for

a very flexible bestiary, potentially.

Dan: Gungin sounds a bit like Abhoth.

BlasterKyubey210: Yea… thus there are several

“Unidentified Fell” species running around thanks to

that in the mix. At least theorectically.

DS: Fell stones are also varied in their power. If you

slay a major Fell, like a Naderfell (equivalent of most

campaign dragons) you‟re looking at a lifetime of wealth

and magical energy. But then again, everyone is trying to

kill the big ones and few succeed. It‟s a form of

Darwin‟s Law.

Dan: heh

BlasterKyubey210: So on the matter of the

Unidentified Fell, any examples in the lore/stories

assosiated iwth the UFs?

DS: Unidentified Fell lore exists, certainly. There are

examples in the existing bestiary. Some pretty horrific

stuff wanders about on the northern banks of the

Gungin Gap. The city on the southern side tends to

monitor carefully what crawls out and if it‟s too hideous

they send it north. Even a city of pure chaos has to have

some standards.

Dan: *Chuckles* that's funny. “Okay, I don‟t like to

judge, but… that‟s just too many damn pseudopods.”

How would you describe the morality of the setting?

Black and white? Shades of gray?

DS: Morality is.. unique. Actually, theology is a massive

theme and one that led to plenty of discussion in play

tests (to my delight). I should also add that there‟s a

morality system, which rewards characters who play to

type.

BlasterKyubey210: Essentially, the answer of Morality

is “Good question”. or alternately “Covers the full

spectrum, including Blue and Orange”.

The Gungin Gap and the chaotic city of Gungingeth festering

on the southern (left of the picture) edge of the chasm.

From this rift in the reality of the corporeal plane crawl

forth the Fell horrors of Gungin's imagination. Central to

the Gap, rising into the stratosphere of Yarnia's sky is the

shaft of Yrmynsyl, all that now

remains of the fabled World Tree.

Dan: How about the level of action in the game? Would

you describe it as gritty? Cinematic?

DS: Action depends on the player group. I played with two

groups in playtests. One chose to play as Soul Reapers,

essentially mercenaries who spend their lives hunting Fell

and trading fell stones. That game was crazy. The other

group delved more into the cults, magic and travelled a lot.

They saw a lot more of the world and killed a lot less of it.

Dan: Well, I was thinking more in terms of what the system

supports rather than playstyle. Like, by default, how deadly

is combat?

DS: It doesn‟t really support any specific style, was my

point. Combat, for example, is reliant on the players

choosing their foes carefully. If they head out to the north

side of Gungingeth they‟re „gonna have a bad time‟ but

10

if they take their time to establish how the world

works and what foes are within their capabilities they

can survive.

Dan: Ah, I see. So in what remains of “regular” time,

is there anything we haven‟t covered that you‟d like to

bring up?

DS: Sure. My website is: www.foreverpeople.co.uk

and if anyone wants to find out more about Wyrd and

about the things I have planned for Forever People

this year they are most welcome there. And a

reminder that the free system/setting for Wyrd is

here [see links to the right]. And just want to say

thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk about my

favourite subject (as in RPGs) and to meet some new

folks.

Dan: Absolutely, David! And please know that you

are always welcome to do so here.

#RPGNet, once the official chat room for

www.RPG.net, is now registered with Dan

Davenport who runs regular Q&A sessions

covering new releases and also moderates

general chat. The chatroom is here and a

schedule of upcoming Q&As with game

developers can be found here.

EXPLORE WYRD

The official product page on Forever People website

Free 'Wyrd Lite', System & Setting PDF. Download it

now. Everything you need to run a basic game.

Wyrd System & Setting full version

Wyrd Pandemonium (the Wyrd bestiary)

Chronicles of Yarnia 1 - The Age of Thaw (setting)

Visit the Forever People website and sign up for our

newsletter for details on future Wyrd releases including

an extensive campaign The Unsung Weave and the

GM's essential guide, The Overmaster's

Companion.

11

12

In order to run this campaign successfully the

GM will also need the essential Wyrd

rulebooks including System & Setting, The

Wyrd Pandemonium and the first of the Wyrd

gazeteers: Chronicles of Yarnia 1 - Ereth in the

Age of Thaw.

PLAYER INTRODUCTION

The player group are assumed to be new to the

Wyrd setting and are also assumed to be playing

newly rolled characters, fresh from their respective

places of origin and seeking an itinerant lifestyle and

the mutual help of similar individuals.

At some point on the road the group have met and

a serialised adventure campaign for

the wyrd setting and elderune

multi-dice roleplaying system.

AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION

Four years ago I began writing Wyrd, starting with

a mythology and following (with all due humility) in

the footsteps of Tolkien by constructing a language

from which the mythology would evolve. From

language and mythology came the Wyrd setting,

the epic world of Yarnia and the continents of

Ereth, the wyrmen and their rich civilisations. The

result was Chronicles of Yarnia 1 - The Age of Thaw

and the work you may already have seen me

discussing elsewhere in this issue of Forever Folio.

One year after putting pen to paper on Wyrd, I also began

working out the framework for a fully realised adventure

campaign which I intended to publish as part of a

gamesmaster's guide covering the setting. However, the

title in question (the Overmaster's Companion) has since

ballooned beyond my original plans and is unable to

sensibly support the campaign, which itself is sizeable and

no longer fits as a mere addendum to another title.

For a while I considered collecting The Unsung Weave

into a separate title for sale in the usual outlets, but then

decided instead to give those gamers who have gone out

on a limb to give Wyrd a try the break I think they

deserve and which I am only too happy to give them by

offering the campaign here, in the free pages of Folio.

Here it will be serialised over the coming issues into a

complete and unabridged volume.

Here, in issue #1, is an introduction to the campaign along

with a list of rumours which relate directly to the

adventures Forever Folio will run over the course of the

next ten issues. Also included in this issue are a list of

supplemental rumours (idle gossip) and incidents to beef up

the main adventures. Full background disclosure, for the

benefit of the GM, can be acquired from the Forever

People website as a short PDF. This full background is

provided as a separate file in order to ensure players

don't discover any major spoilers by leafing through

copies of Forever Folio. The GM Background is

priced at $1.98 in order to fund the continued release

of Forever Folio and to dissuade casual acquisition

of the file. Visit www.foreverpeople.co.uk

13

Never have you seen so many people or so

much activity in one place.

Using the city plan in the Age of Thaw (page 106 in

the PDF version) the GM can give a succinct

description of the city should the player group wish

to explore in a linear fashion, or players can engage

in zoomed out play and give the GM some idea of

what they'd like to achieve while in the city.

If players seem uncertain how to proceed the GM

should offer the following bait:

Several things catch your eye. To the south,

crushed between stately buildings and looking

homely by comparison, is a thatched tavern by

the name of the Ducal Rose. A figure in heavy

black robes emerges from the front door, his

features hidden by a cowl. He pauses at the

door then glides away, melting into the crowd

and is soon lost behind a large group of high

spirited wyrmen dressed in the colourful robes

of the Mistonian University.

Players won't find the sinister looking character if

they search for him but he is known to the barman

of the Ducal Rose as an unwholesome character

who typically drinks alone but occassionally meets

with others dressed in a similar fashion.

The students are on a 'bar crawl' to celebrate

Merrydew and intend to take in every bar in

Verdandi, starting with the Ducal Rose. They might

be a fun crowd to fall in with.

At some point the player group will come across a

torn note which seems, at some point, to have been

scribbled down in haste by someone then ripped

from a notebook or perhaps the page of a book. If

the GM wishes, the barman of the Ducal Rose will

present the note if player characters enquire

whether he has any information pertaining to local

work. Or the note might be found pinned to the

door of the tavern, an open invitation to any

mercenaries passing through.

It is assumed that the GM is playing this campaign in

a linear fashion rather than as a completed

campaign. If this is not the case then all rumours

associated with all adventures detailed in the

campaign may be presented to the player group at

once, giving players the choice of rumour to

investigate.

agreed to travel together for mutual safety. This

meeting occurs on the country roads of The Angle.

Characters from Santun Morvagh or Skytor are

assumed to have arrived in The Angle after a few

days travel aboard a Gigaerack. Characters from

Listholm came to the Angle on the Hyns-Horn.

The group assemble in Verdandi, capital city of the

Anglian counties, on the first day of Apryl at the

start of Merrydew, a series of spring festivities

celebrating the coming of summer.

The GM may choose to establish this initial

gathering in one of the city's many inns or taverns

(The Ducal Rose is a likely spot, the group entering

Verdandi from the Southern Gate) or may merely

open the game with a general description of the city

and a vague suggestion of where in the city the

group are currently to be found.

Alternatively the GM may read the following aloud,

the campaign subsequently starting in parkland

within the southern gates.

You arrive in the capital city of the Angle,

Verdandi - whose white walls of Gorzonite stone

and grand architecture loom and glisten in the

midday sun. Getting past the ostiary guard at

the main gate was difficult and you were forced

to watch as the guards rummaged through your

gear. But now you are inside and the city is

yours to explore.

You find yourself now on a large semi-circular

courtyard of white stone, a wide road dividing

segments of open parkland to north and south.

A tremendous fountain ornamented with

hulking stone figures of the various gods of old

stands centrally. Soil beds around the edges of

the parkland display the first flowers of the

season and on the grass beyond or between

copses of trees citizens and tourists bask in the

sunshine and stroll through the park.

Tents and stalls here and there offer food and

drink while street performers entertain small

crowds, marking the celebrations of Merrydew -

the coming of summer.

To the east the courtyard opens onto a main

thoroughfare crossing north to south, rows of

tall houses facing onto the parkland. Carts and

wagons rattle along the cobbles and people

bustle to and fro, all shapes and sizes, all creeds

and genders.

14

give players only the Idle Gossip rumours listed

below, along with the note from the previous page.

The visual aid featuring all rumours will be included

with the concluding part of the campaign.

Players should be given some time to study the

rumour sheet (or the torn note and city rumours as

applicable), which will give them some ideas for

exploration and investigation. Between scenarios

triggered by the following of rumours (or during)

the player group will also be able to freely explore

the setting and develop their characters.

At times events may arise that are not instigated by a

rumour and such encounters or scenarios will

require the GM think on her feet and use either the

gazeteer volume Chronicles of Yarnia 1 - Ereth

in the Age of Thaw, the Wyrd Pandemonium,

the System & Setting volume or The

Overmaster's Companion to moderate their

game on the fly. The GM should not shy away from

inventing events as they come to her, or embellishing

details of the setting without reference to a gazeteer.

Ereth is both highly detailed and highly adaptable,

allowing the imaginative GM to insert most spur-of-

the-moment inventions into the general melee of

background information.

Where reference to a gazeteer is preferred, the

Age of Thaw in particular contains a vast quantity of

essential information the GM will be able to use in

order to describe locations and introduce

consistent details, with all of the major cities of

Ereth and the various wilderness locations mapped

and described in exquisite detail.

During the initial session the GM should give

players free rein to explore Verdandi or the

outerlying land, study and follow rumours or merely

wander and establish themselves. Some characters

will be wealthier than others at the start of the

game and some players may wish to visit a store or

similar provisioner in order to equip themselves.

Others may wish to jump in with both feet and seek

out institutions, guilds and cultic temples in order

to explore the Allegiance aspects of their game.

The GM should give advice and information where

necessary but should avoid prompting players to

take any one course over another.

SETTING

The campaign begins in the central location of The

Angle, a largely civilized nation whose people live

under the benign rule of the Wythian cult and the

somewhat more austere and authoritarian rule of

the noble houses.

As players investigate rumours they will likely travel

beyond The Angle and experience the perils and

wonders of other lands.

The Angle is not a kingdom but a kingdom in

waiting, its capital city home to the steward of the

unified Anglian households, the melancholy Grand

Duke Triton Gwelenbryal and his ailing consort

the Duchess Coriola Eaglewood, adopted orphan

of a wealthy Skyssan Patrician.

The thriving and aristocratic cityport of Verdandi,

where the campaign begins, is a common draw to

aspiring and youthful travellers who, fresh from

apprenticeship or newly released from the bosom

of a protective family or community, come seeking

excitement and independence.

Such itinerants will invariably be daunted by the

overwhelming sights and sounds of the city, with its

glistening walls of white Gorzonite stone, golden

university spires and crystal towers. They may

linger nervously near the taverns and inns by the

city wall, finding solace in the more earthy patrons

of the outer wards and the anonymous nature of

those passing through on their way to somewhere

more important.

Such characters usually find one another as a matter

of course, banding into groups on the understanding

that numbers equal strength and allies make for a

more profitable existence. Once grouped, these

characters may then flock slowly inward toward the

city centre, the harbour and the promise of

mercenary work.

This is how the newly formed player characters

come to be where they are and how they come

now to share their company amidst the dizzying

bustle and confusion of Verdandi in this, the year of

1963 - the Age of Thaw.

FIRST SESSION

At the start of the first game session, players should

be presented either with the printed visual aid

showing a brief outline of rumours their characters

have picked up or heard and noted down during

their travels prior to the formation of the group (if

the GM is playing this as a completed work with the

fully serialised campaign already collected and all

rumours available to the player group) or should

15

CAMPAIGN RUMOURS

The origin of rumours is assumed to be irrelevant,

gathered together by the various player characters

during their travel to Verdandi and shared as

possible leads for mercenary work. The GM can

either present rumours as scrawled notes in her

own hand, or she may wait for the concluding part

of this serialised campaign in which the rumours will

be presented as a visual handout, all rumours

collected onto a single A4/Letter sized page for the

GM to print and give to players.

Note: if the GM chooses to offer players all

rumours immediately she will only be able to offer

scenarios related to those rumours for which she

has published adventures. The number of

adventures the GM has at her disposal will,

obviously, be dependent upon the number of

Forever Folio issues available at the time.

THE BEARING PIT

A break-in at the house of the noble Lord Gonville

Bromhead resulted in the theft of several red Soul

Stones which had been in the Bromhead family for

generations. A reward is offered for the capture of

the thief and the safe return of the stones.

Interested parties should attend the Ducal Order of

Abbraxists and ask for an audience with Lord

Bromhead.

Forever Folio #2

THE AURA OF CORIOLA

The Grand Duke's wife, Coriola, has not been seen

in Verdandi for many months. Some say she has lost

her mind and languishes now in the Salver's Asylum

of Listholm.

Forever Folio #3

THE GEOTANEUM MOLD

Something odd afflicts the Geotaneum of Gor,

otherwise known as the Quarry Master's Society.

The nature of the problem is vague, but rumours

seem to suggest some kind of fungal infestation in

the building itself.

Forever Folio #4

THE WOLVES OF ULYAN

Wolves are rumoured to have become

exceptionally bold in the south of the Angle, even

venturing into the cities of Pelgallo and Carnuntun

in search of prey. City masters seek mercenaries to

cull the packs and make safe the land once more.

Forever Folio #5

THE NIGHT WATCH

Verdandi's museum is at the centre of controversy

after a series of gruesome murders which mystify

local authorities. The library has been locked down

and managers refuse to disclose any information

about why or when the building will reopen. Students

and teachers at the Mistonian University are said to

be particularly affected by the closure. Some say the

Dean of Mistonia is actively looking for and willing to

pay anyone who can shed light on the mystery.

Forever Folio #6

SLEEPER AGENTS

The authorities of Tunturthis and Verdandi have

finally decided to make long needed repairs to the

ailing Hyns-Horn railway. Guards willing to face the

perils of Sanas Morcorm are called for and should

apply to Excubist's Order in the Ward of Orders.

Those who take this work face a difficult, terrifying

and tremendously perilous journey through Sanas

Morcorm's wastelands, deserts and forests. Repairs

will require regular stops in some of the most

dangerous places in Ereth, with trouble guaranteed

at almost every turn.

Forever Folio #7

BEASTS OF THE FIELD

Inhabitants of Elowen have been losing livestock to

a strange humanoid creature that emerges from the

treeline of Wõdoak at nightfall. Mutilated carcasses

are found outside the woods the following morning,

their bodies savaged in unspeakable ways. The

creature seems not to feed but only to brutalize. It

has been seen lurking on the outskirts of Elowen

and even as far south as the town of Drawn, though

so far it has made no attack against any wyrmen in

the region.

Forever Folio #8

MERCENARIES OF MENHIRNAR

Mercenary fighters and those undaunted by the

prospect of coming face to face with Fell horrors

are always needed to support Grenadier units

stationed in Menhirnar, the Anglian front line

against the perils of the Gungin Gap and the city

dwellers of Gungingeth. Applicants should attend

the Order of Excubists in the Verdandian Ward of

Orders where they will be given further instruction.

Forever Folio #9

THE RAVEN STEPS

Couriers are required to travel to Skyssa to collect

some items of considerable value and return them

to Verdandi. A handsome price is offered to the

winning applicant and travel expenses will be

16

IDLE GOSSIP

The following idle gossip is specific to the cities of

Ereth and can be introduced by the GM in any way

she sees fit. Most will likely be offered as part of

general conversation with NPCs, but the GM may

prefer to simply give players one or two items of

idle gossip per session, representing things the

group have heard during their travel or picked up

by listening in to the conversations of other people.

Gossip: the Albion wall of the Angle wasn't built to

keep out the Fell of Gungin. It was built to keep out

the strange folk of Santun Morvagh. Who knows

what dabbling with elemental magicks does to a

wyrman over a long period of time. Certainly the

Morvanians are a freakish people, so they

covered. Those interested in accepting the contract

should ask at the bar of the Blade & Lion in

Verdandi for the address of Lady Grame Orl.

Forever Folio #10

THE DUN WYTCH HORROR

Something sinister is said to lurk in the Sailing Hills.

Travellers in the area have reported sightings of

hideous creatures wandering in the hills at night.

Fires have been seen burning on certain hilltops and

an entire patrol of Grenadier from Dunkunom have

disappeared along with several people from the city

who were walking in the hills. Mercenaries have

been camping in the hills, searching for signs of Fell

enemies in the hope of earning a reward for their

capture and acquiring their Soul Stone, but thus far

there have been no confirmed reports to

substantiate the rumour.

Forever Folio #11

should know better than most.

GM's Eyes Only: this is true, in part. The Albion

Wall was originally commissioned by Lornir

Gwelenbryal, grand-daughter of Kenwythi who lies

in state on Ylyntor Hill. The wall was originally built

because Lornir feared the Morvanians and

anticipated an invasion from Santun Morvagh, at

that time a relatively new city whose people had

every reason to seek revenge on the Anglians. Later

the wall served to keep out the Fell threat and has

remained ever since as a barrier against the horrors

of Mortun Pandi.

~ Gossip: you should visit the Halig Plough in

Breetun. The barman has an interesting skull and a

story to tell about its origins.

GM's Eyes Only: see page 143 of Age of Thaw.

The skull is that of an Irgin Crone and hangs on the

wall behind the bar. The owner of the bar will

probably defer anyone enquiring about the skull to

one of the old gents who drink at the pub on a

regular basis and who will be only too happy to

recount the tale.

~ Gossip: if you travel in the Sailing Hills be certain

to stick to the Carnvale road. The land there may

look benign enough, but there are many old

mineshafts, abandoned and filled in. Few know

where these pits are but many a wanderer has

stepped on the wrong spot and plunged into the

dark, never to be seen again.

GM's Eyes Only: the mines of the Sailing Hills are

not the only peril; natural potholes, caves and sink-

holes where underground spaces have caved in are

also common, swallowing up the unwary and leaving

no trace of their fate.

~ Gossip: the people of Elowen in the northeast of

the Angle have never been what you might call

'regular Anglians'. They practise strange religions

and they have a troubling history. A place of

elemental wytches and unwholesome types.

Especially in the town of Drawn. Best to avoid the

place altogether.

GM's Eyes Only: the people of Elowen are

considered an enclave of elementalists, more

sympathetic to the folk of Santun Morvagh and their

way of life than to the common wyrmen of the

Angle. Queen Morvagh Elowen, founder of the city

of Santun Morvagh, and her brother Loren Elowen,

founder of Lorel, both came from this region, chased

out of the Angle during the civil war of 185AD.

17

Gossip: be cautious of the woodland known as

Wõdoak where animals walk and talk like wyrmen

and the trees are alive with daemons. They say the

place is full of strange twists and turns. If you don't

stick to the path you never know where you might

end up. Some say those who lose themselves in

Wõdoak walk right off the edge of the world itself,

or so I've heard.

GM's Eyes Only: Wõdoak is indeed a strange

place. See page 101 of Age of Thaw for further

details.

~ Gossip: there's a lighthouse down on the

southwestern headlands of The Angle, by Gondaras.

They call it Dunrevy. They say the place is haunted

and the lamp that lights the way to ships crossing

Fynereth lights and turns itself.

GM's Eyes Only: this gossip is false, born of

suspicious rumours. See also page 145 of Age of

Thaw.

~ Gossip: have you visited Jesterton? Sounds like a

jolly place, eh? There's a field there where the grass

is burned. Burned by the feet of a living daemon.

They say anyone who stands on the burned patch of

ground will hear the voices of Barrowomb and will

see the skull of old Kenwythi floating in the air.

GM's Eyes Only: the area where Barrowomb

manifested in 185AD and where Kenwythi

Gwelenbryal was slain stands in a fenced off field in

Jesterton, a strange hamlet which still seems to bear

the scars of that terrible event even after all these

years (see page 145 of Age of Thaw).

~ Gossip: beneath Ylyntor hill you'll find what

remains of Yseldyr, the house of Mot Elyeth, made

by him when he first came to Yarnia before even

the wyrmen were made. Only the Weavers are

allowed inside the hill.

GM's Eyes Only: Ylyntor will be of great interest to

any Wythians in the player group (see page 148 of

Age of Thaw).

~ Gossip: whatever you need, whatever you want,

the place to go to acquire services or goods is the

Ward of Orders in Verdandi.

GM's Eyes Only: the Ward of Orders is a place to

find representatives of most of the main industries,

professions and services offered in the city. See

page 115 of Age of Thaw.

Gossip: The wreck of Ereth's most famous ship -

the Argos - a vessel that purportedly circum-

navigated the world, lies wrecked on the east coast

of Listholm. Local folklore speaks of a terrible

creature dwelling in caves close to the wreck, a

great worm-like leviathan of vile proportions. Few

have seen this great beast, which locals refer to as

The Mere Wyrm (Worm of the Sea) yet rumour of

its presence is enough to have rendered the eastern

coast a barren place. Nobody lives or ventures

there unless to hunt the Mere Wyrm.

GM's Eyes Only: The Merewyrm is one of the

Naderfell, details found on page 84 of the Wyrd

Pandemonium. The Naderfell are an enemy beyond

the capabilities of most player groups, but the

Merewyrm is rarely in residence in its caves and the

rumour may prompt an interesting investigation of

the wreck of the Argos.

~ Gossip: Of the city of Tunturthis, people seem

often to speak about the mansion of Jugo Dracks,

heir to the estate of Captain Strongburg Dracks,

captain of the Argos, whose family would become

almost as powerful and wealthy as that of the Lairds

themselves. Jugo, last of his lineage, is strange and

isolated and many believe he has constructed a

bizarre underwater city whose bubble-like domes

contain him and those who serve him under the

waters of Tunturthis harbour.

GM's Eyes Only: though these rumours persist

and are even supposedly confirmed by the oyster

divers of Tunturthis, they are not true. Jugo Dracks

has excavated cellar levels under his mansion and is

shy of public exposure, but does not inhabit an

underwater city. He may be an interesting NPC to

bring into the game, having powerful contacts in the

aristocracy of Listholm. He may also be a way for

the GM to introduce her own plot hook for some

deed Dracks may require of the group at a future

point in the game.

~ Gossip: it is said that the Lairds of Listholm give

the gift of the White Elephant to those foreign

dignitaries they despise the most. The elephants are

as noble and beautiful a steed as any could wish for,

but so great is the cost of their keep that they

invariably bankrupt those upon whom they are

bestowed and are invariably returned after a time.

GM's Eyes Only: this is a true rumour, though

how such a snippet of information may become

useful to the player group remains to be seen. At

the least they may be intrigued enough by the idea

18

of the White Elephants to visit the Bargen Eboria

where the creatures are stabled and bred, or they

may simply file the information away as interesting

but ultimately trivial.

~ Gossip: The giant god of the northlands, Fingal the

Great, is no more, but his heart is said to prevail

beneath Blaedart Tower in Listholm. At night the

sound of the heart beating may be heard and

anyone who walks along the ridge line beneath the

tower can look down and see the giant's blood

pouring from the cliffs and down into the river

Nova.

GM's Eyes Only: such fables are an intrinsic part

of Listholm's mythological heritage. Full details can

be found on pages 59/60 of The Age of Thaw.

~ Gossip: the legendary Megdart of Mot can be found

on the summit of Mount Medrina in Listholm,

somewhere beneath the weeping rock.

GM's Eyes Only: see page 63 of the Age of Thaw

(PDF version) for further details.

~ Gossip: have you heard of the city of Drood-

Cynncarn? The empire of the Cornovish once

called that city its capital, but the people who lived

there have all perished and the city is now a place

of ghouls and heathen cults. Nobody knows what

killed old Jarl Megalamon, but they say his headless

corpse was found by the southern Weavers hanging

from a gibbet, the blood drained out. Strange magic

surrounds that place. I have heard there is a temple

dedicated to daemons and the dead of Tansys

wander there, seeking the blood of the living.

GM's Eyes Only: details to whet the appetite of

players who may be unaware of the nature of

Drood-Cynncarn and the role it played in creating

the wastes of Sanas Morcorm. For further

information see page 66 of The Age of Thaw (PDF

version).

~ Gossip: You have heard, no doubt, of the Anglian

Mariner's Shrine in the city of Arvortun. The Shrine

was once a cult in and of itself. The Weavers

disliked the cult's worship of the sea and Chersyan

conspirators worked with the Grand Duke at the

time to force the Shrine to take the status of a

guild. That's the origins of The Guild of Crewmen.

Those who live and die by the sea know her wrath

can be terrible. This so-called guild is the only way

those who fear the Elvia can show their respect.

GM's Eyes Only: a hint at the origins of the Guild

of Crewmen and the strange history of Arvortun.

Further information can be found on page 116 of

The Age of Thaw (PDF version).

Mikelbreg, the bane of Arvortun, from whose diabolical arse the local brew, Inksquit, is said to be derived.

19

Gossip: the castle on Garwan Tor, overlooking the

city of Arvortun, used to be the home of the

Chersyas but they moved to Dunkunom long ago.

The people still hold a grudge against that noble

family. The old castle is a prison now. A dark place,

best avoided.

GM's Eyes Only: referring to Tornyth Castle on

the summit of Garwan Tor outside of Arvortun.

~ Gossip: if you want an experience head to the

Merry Mikelbreg in Arvortun and ask for a flaggon

of Inksquit. Rinan knows You'll not find the stuff

anywhere else. Careful though, all Inksquit is old

and tar-like. Comes straight from Mikelbreg's arse.

GM's Eyes Only: Inksquit is a thick stout brewed

locally and served in The Merry Mikelbreg tavern.

Despite the urban myth, the stuff is brewed from

hops in the usual way but has a thick tarry

consistency and is rich to those unused to drinking

it. One flaggon (one pint) is equal to 8 units of

alcohol (see The Overmaster's Companion, Effects

of Inebriation).

~ Gossip: steer clear of Ragworm Docks in Arvortun

if you know what's good for you. That part of the

city belongs to the Redshields. A bad lot, in with

dark cults and wicked types. Anyone you ask from

that old city will tell you the same.

GM's Eyes Only: referring to the Mansion of the

Redshields. See page 120 and 124 of Age of Thaw.

The Redshields have fingers in most of the criminal

activity within Arvortun but are a powerful family

and a dangerous enemy to make.

~ Gossip: the City of the Dead is a Wythian

cemetary south of Arvortun in The Angle. The dead

lie there, but many are restless and might be seen

drifting in the moonlight. That place is the domain

of Gloose, spirit of the cairn. The living have no

right to be there.

GM's Eyes Only: referring to the great Wythian

cemetary outside Arvortun (see page 122 of The

Age of Thaw).

~ Gossip: on the top of Stourbrick Tower is a sundial

forged by the hand of Mot Elyeth himself. The

Weavers live there. That's why they call themselves

the Dial Keepers of the West.

GM's Eyes Only: referring to the tower detailed

on page 122 of the Age of Thaw (PDF version).

Gossip: you'll not find a more grand place of

worship than Arvor Cathedral in the city of

Arvortun, but they say the great foundation slab on

which the cathedral is built once supported a

temple from before the winter of discontent. Mot

Elyeth made the stone and the temple was his, back

when all these lands were covered by the sky-

reaching Wythywyr trees. Who knows what

wonders lie hidden beneath that old building.

GM's Eyes Only: this information is true, but

covenants and laws forbid anyone from tampering

with the foundation stone in an effort to find a way

into the cellar chambers rumoured to exist below.

See page 122 of the Age of Thaw (PDF version).

~ Gossip: they're a strange lot in Verdandi. The cats

of Cormislew are said to emerge hours before the

Gigaerack arrives. They stand in rows along the

landing ground and greet it as it comes in.

GM's Eyes Only: the locals of Cormislew insist

the cats are merely curious. In fact the cats think of

the Gigaerack as an enormous mouse they can

never catch, thus Cormislew has earned the

affectionate title of The Mousehole.

~ Gossip: if the tales of old interest you, head up to

Chippingstone Mine. There's a story there that

should grab your attention, though it might take

you a while to read it.

GM's Eyes Only: referring to the Chamber of

Secrets Underground wherein it is said the entire

story of creation is written on the walls of the mine

adit. Those who read the story in full will earn the

respect of the people of Carnuntun but the reading

can take many years. See page 127 of the Age of

Thaw (PDF version).

~ Gossip: visit the Stella Rotunda and look up. The

rafters of the open tower roof criss cross the sky.

They say each beam marks the route of a ship of

the Agg - the lights of the ships you see sparkling in

the sky when night comes. They say when the ships

cross the beams at a certain time and in a certain

way a prophecy will be fulfilled.

GM's Eyes Only: though the Stella Rotunda is an

observatory for measuring the movements of the

stars, all rumours of a prophecy are exagerated if

not fabricated. Any Stellamancer will know that the

tower is merely a method for measuring the

passage of stars, though the reason this

measurement might have been required by those

who built the tower is today unknown.

20

Gossip: the Banquet Halls of Dunbragh stands on

the western side of the city of Carnuntun, a city

built by the first wyrmen to walk the world. The

Halls used to house the hunting dogs of the gods -

the Black Brach. Mot Elyeth himself had such a dog.

They say the Ulyan Wolf is a direct descendant.

GM's Eyes Only: this is a well known piece of

local folklore, oft repeated but never proven.

~ Gossip: The Chersyas own a castle in the South of

Sanas Morcorm, but the place has supposedly

become a burden. Lord Edgar has found a use for

that old ruin though. He's sent his useless son

Conteth Cherubyn there to lord it over the quarry

workers at Trestun Mill. Cherubyn is a lazy swine

who cares nothing for the soldiers under his

command. You hear terrible stories.

GM's Eyes Only: see the section on Trestun Mill

on page 72 of the Age of Thaw. The Chersyan

family purchased Trestun Mill, Darras Castle and

Gorstone Quarry from the Gwelenbryals in 746AD

but shortly thereafter business at the quarry and

mill declined and the Chersyas lost a great deal of

their wealth. Many believe the Gwelenbryals knew

the deal would hurt the Chersyans but in those

days the Chersyans were direct competition for the

rule of the Angle, thus Darras is a bone of

contention even for the current Lord, Edgar

Chersya and a source of gossip for the common

Dunkunian citizen.

~ Gossip: Go to Dunkunom, the city of smoke

stacks. You can get whatever you want in the

Newtun district much cheaper than elsewhere, but

be careful of those migrant folk. They're thieves and

reavers to a man.

GM's Eyes Only: many are the suspicions and

prejudices the common people of Dunkunom

harbour against the impoverished of Newtun.

Nevertheless, it is true that the Newtun folk can

acquire most items for a greatly reduced price if

given time enough to 'find' the item.

~ Gossip: that great swirling thing on Fossil Hill in

Dunkunom is more than just some old rock. It

comes alive sometimes, climbing down off the hill,

uncurling like a millipede, and walking through the

streets. If you hear the sound of its many feet then

they say your dreams that night will be terrible and

in them you'll vanish into the Nether Dymension,

never to be seen again.

GM's Eyes Only: folklore surrounding the fossil

on Fossil Hill varies, but tends to run along similar

themes. The fossil is said to come alive and wander

through the city. The folklore is entirely

unsubstantiated and false, but entertaining to impart

and to hear.

~ Gossip: go to the tavern called the Pickled Egg and

when you go in shout out as loud as you can 'The

Gaffers Rule!'. The Pickled is a folkball pub the

Gaffers like to patronize. You'll get a free drink and

probably more from the good folk there.

GM's Eyes Only: a common trick played on

strangers to Dunkunom, a city obsessed with the

sport of folkball. This particular version of the trick

will be played by citizens from Norsia. The Pickled

Egg is a Dunkunom City supporters pub and anyone

announcing their love for the Gaffers (Norsia

Folkball Club supporters) or Rovers Folkball Club

will be greeted with a stoney, if not violent

reception.

The same trick is played by citizens of Sergon (the

South Ward) by directing strangers to visit Brume's

Closet (a Norsian tavern) encouraging the player

group to enter the tavern and announce their love

for Dunkunom City FC, The trick has become so

common, however, that the effect is greatly diluted.

Player characters who fall for the trap should make

a Spirit roll, and if successful their announcement

will be greeted by sneers and derogatory remarks

but nothing worse.

The citizens of Underlith are a more reserved and

kindly people and no such trick will be played on

strangers in their midst.

~ Gossip: the waters of Lake Sulis in the south of

The Angle have healing properties, but taking the

waters away is forbidden.

GM's Eyes Only: anyone drinking from the lake

heals one Life-Force point per day for every day

they take a drink. Removing the water in flasks or

bottles is forbidden, however, and anyone caught

doing so risks arrest by the city watch.

~ Gossip: the Pellodrome is a good way to make fast

wealth, but perilous and not for the weak of heart.

Make sure you know what you're signing up for

before you enter.

GM's Eyes Only: both a true statement and wise

advice. See page 139 of the Age of Thaw.

~ Gossip: the Catamite Falls of Carnuntun in The

Angle go down, but anyone who goes into the cave

where the river originates will see the water comes

21

up from below. Some kind of ancient magick is at

work, whether for good or for ill.

GM's Eyes Only: see Cattamite Falls, page 144 in

the Age of Thaw. This refers to the famous Middle

Mist cavern wherein the source of the river Carnun

can be found, a strange and enormous inverse

waterfall that thunders upward from the depths of

the earth and into the cavern to create a great

turbulent lake.

~ Gossip: the mountains surrounding the city of

Santun Morvagh are not a natural formation. They

were made when the Hammer of Merrlith was

thrown down by the All Father, Seth Elgan and his

son, the dark god Uselyorn. The great weapon of

the stars, Merrlith was used to destroy Mot Elyeth

and the world of the wyrmen. Santun Morvagh is

the core of that great detonation where the world

of old suffered its final days.

GM's Eyes Only: This is true, so far as scholars

can ascertain, though there are certain schools of

thought that believe the precise location of the

detonation was somewhere closer to the Hammer

Dwale.

~ Gossip: If you're a Soul Reaper take a gift to the

gate-keepers of Tollboreth Tunnel in Santun

Morvagh and they'll let you watch the wastes of

Mortun Pandi for Fell from the safety of their

barbican.

GM's Eyes Only: competition is stiff for the favour

of the gate-keepers who portion out time at

Tollboreth to those Soul Reapers who give the best

gifts. Alcohol, good food and trinkets the gate

keepers can take home to their wives will generally

win them over.

~ Gossip: Visit the Temple of Senses, the shrines

they call Alkoremmi in Santun Morvagh. There you

can indulge yourself. It is an experience no visitor to

the Morvanian city should miss.

GM's Eyes Only: information on the Temple of

Senses can be found on page 163 of Age of Thaw.

~ Gossip: be careful in the Ward of Golems, a

northern district in Santun Morvagh. Not all the

golems are tame.

GM's Eyes Only: true, and helpful information.

More on the Ward of Golems can be found on page

166 of the Age of Thaw.

Gossip: let me tell you of the Citadel of

Levenbrand in Santun Morvagh. A tower sealed so

that none may gain entry. Within stands a large

stone chest and within the chest is something so

terrible that none are allowed inside the Citadel, or

even upon the land near the tower. Whatever lurks

inside is too hideous to speak of and remains a

secret known only to conspirators at high level of

office in the city guilds, institutes and church.

GM's Eyes Only: Whatever is held in the Citadel

of Levenbrand, it may be as terrible as the rumours

suggest, or nothing so disturbing as a particularly

valuable treasure the owners wish to keep safe

from thieves.

~ Gossip: Gallo House in Santun Morvagh isn't just a

The Anglian city of Dunkunom,

home of the Folkball phenomenon

22

stately house or another guild but the Statehouse of

the Assassin's Guild. You'll not see the assassins

going in and out, but that's what it is. Just read the

inscription on the statue that stands in the front

courtyard. You'll see.

GM's Eyes Only: this is true, though most

Morvanians know better than to spread this idle

gossip unless they are either mad, drunk or

extraordinarily sure of themselves.

~ Gossip: Arnun Mened is an old fortress in the

southern mountains of Mortun Pandi. You can see it

by ship if you sail along the Fynereth Canal, but

most sailors avert their eyes. Evil festers there.

Spirits of the dead and the cursed dwell in that dark

place. Be wary if you go that way.

GM's Eyes Only: see page 171 of Age of Thaw for

details.

~ Gossip: do a good deed and visit the hapless

soldiers of Arn Merrtor in the mountains of

southern Mortun Pandi. Be sure to take food and

alcohol for them. They live a lonely, cold existence,

but the work they do keeping Santun Morvagh safe

is commendable.

GM's Notes: see page 171 of Age of Thaw.

~ Gossip: Lorel Elowen was the brother of the queen

of Santun Morvagh of old, Queen Morvagh herself.

Lorel's people lived in the south of Mortun Pandi,

but the dire folk of Gungin destroyed them. Some

still live, but you rarely see them. They call

themselves The Loremasters and can be dark in

their ways. If you cross their path it is best to be

wary. Some are better than others but they live a

desperate life and are known for banditry.

GM's Notes: all true and helpful information for

the itinerant intending to travel the southern lands

of Mortun Pandi. See also System & Setting, Creeds.

~ Gossip: they say Yrmynsyl was once a mighty tree,

grown from the acorn that fell as a tear from

Womad's eye when that ancient elemental spirit

sank to the earth and died. Look there, to the

highest point in the sky, where Yrmynsyl's tapering

end seems to vanish and you will see Karrekith, the

floating mountain. Upon the mountain summit, they

say, can be found Haligvalt, city of the gods. Some

say Seth, the All-Father, lives there still. But if that's

true he is silent and watchful. I would prefer to

think his kind are long gone.

GM's Eyes Only: Yrmynsyl's immense shaft looms

above Santun Morvagh and is visible from every part

of Ereth as a vertical sliver dividing the sky.

~ Gossip: It is said that nobody walks in Skyssa if they

can punt by boat or better still travel in style by

sky-tram.

GM's Eyes Only: see page 195 of the Age of Thaw

for details of the sky-tram.

~ Gossip: the government of the city of Stratum in

Skytor is labyrinthine. The Haligentsia and the

Temple of Forallum both know the real authority in

that city remains hidden and protected on the

highest levels where nobody can touch them. They

would storm the city if they could, and destroy

those who dwell in the upper reaches, but Skyssa is

too reliant upon the genius of the wyrlung to take

such reckless action. They won't unseat the evil that

hides upon the roof of Stratum so easily.

GM's Eyes Only: such gossip is idle indeed in the

city of Skyssa, where the words of citizens must be

carefully measured. Most would never dare to utter

such rumours (though almost every Skyssan citizen

has heard them) except within the safety of their

own home or somewhere equally secure.

~ Gossip: the vast city of Skyssa has its fair share of

secrets. The Mordran Hall is one. Not the only one,

but perhaps the most interesting for anyone who

hails from the south or the west.

GM's Eyes Only: see page 197 of the Age of Thaw

for details on the nature of the secret of Mordran

Hall.

~ Gossip: Leonid Stromm is a well known character

in the land of Skytor - a steamsmyth genius. But

some say he belongs to a secret underground

organisation of intellectuals, and I don't doubt it,

though I doubt I could ever join myself. In order to

become a member you must find the organisation's

headquarters by locating and solving a number of

puzzles Leonid has hidden in and around Skyssa,

each puzzle leading to the next, the last leading to

the headquarters of the group. I have never even

found the first of these puzzles, nor would I know

where to begin looking.

GM's Eyes Only: Idle gossip that might lead to

adventure. The puzzle of Leonid is detailed in

greater depth in the scenario entitled The Raven

Steps (issue 10 of Forever Folio).

23

Gossip: Maus Tower is probably the most unusual

location in the north of Annarr. A stranger place I

doubt exists in this part of Ereth, the land they call

Skytor. They say the island is ruled by rats and the

ghosts of the dead. I say stuff and nonsense, but to

my shame I would not set foot there. Nor should I

even speak of the place.

GM's Eyes Only: for more information on Maus

Tower see page 199 of Age of Thaw.

INCIDENTS

Incidents are spontaneous events designed to

provide a moment of action and intrigue

during the game.

Players will not experience incidents as a result of

following any specific rumour. The GM should

instead introduce Incidents as roleplay events as

and when she feels the need, though the use of

incidents to fill quiet moments in-game should be

avoided if the player group are making good use of

their down time.

If players are already bogged down with the amount

of rumours they've chosen to investigate (and

especially where they have embarked on more than

one rumour at a time) the GM should keep

incidents to a minimum or omit them altogether,

reserving them for times when the group are less

busy or moments when she needs something simple

to fill a half hour or so of game time.

In some cases incidents support campaign rumours

and will either be related to or will move forward

the background campaign story. Others will just

present moments of interest and enhance player

immersion.

A FESTER IN VERDANDI

Somewhere in the city of Verdandi the Craven

runespell Abominable Guardian is cast. A Plague

Golem (known less commonly as a Fester) is

summoned and unleashed upon the city. The

summoner is a Warlock called Duetonom

Damcrosser, a member of an underground Elgan

cult known as the Temple of the Black Dyad.

Shortly after this incident, Duetonom's body turns

up in the city, floating in one of Verdandi's

harbours. Pinned to Duetonom's body is an

apparent suicide note, apologising for the 'accidental

summoning' of the Fester. If the character of

Duetonom is investigated by the player group they

will discover he was a clerk at a local bank. His

colleagues remember him as a mean spirited man

with a creepy demeanour. Many examples of his

hand writing will be available in the form of his

administrative work and it will therefore be a simple

matter for players to determine that the suicide

note was written by somebody else.

Before any of this occurs, the Fester glides out of

the house of Duetonom and into the city, spreading

a diabolical terror throughout Verdandi.

This incident should occur when the player group

are present in Verdandi and will give them an

opportunity to face a challenging foe, thus the

incident may be worth introducing when the group

have had a chance to investigate one or two

rumours.

The location of the Fester's first appearance is left

to the GM's discretion but need not be within

immediate range of the player group. Instead, news

of its presence may reach them as the streets

empty of citizens and city guards rush to the scene.

THE FESTER

Festers are created by Craven rune casters using

the corpse of a victim slain and marked with the

appropriate runes. They cannot be controlled and

cannot be dismissed, remaining in the Entopic plain

until killed.

The Fester will not attack the summoner but nor

will it obey their demands, attacking anyone else

within range before gliding away in search of fresh

victims.

The golem's sole desire is to spread the plague that

festers in its core, its presence in the Entopic

serving no other purpose.

In appearance the golem is vaguely feminine, dark

and slender and seemingly enshrouded by tattered

black robes, though this leathery garb is in fact a

form of flesh and covers the creature from end to

end. Only the diseased whiteness of the withered

arms and clawed hands appear bare of the dark skin

which seems to ripple and flow with a life all of

its own.

The monster's head is a dark, oily shell, similar to a

leathery cowl, with a gaping hole in place of a face.

From this hole drools a steady stream of viscous

black ooze which slimes the front of the golem's

body and collects on the floor where it seethes and

bubbles like boiling pitch.

The creature hovers a foot or so above the ground,

the lower half of its strange upright body graduating

into a vile tail of prodigious length whose snake-like

form is covered in the same leathery black flesh

along with protruding thorns, spikes and pustules.

24

A smell so foul surrounds the Fester that anyone

within 10ft must make a successful AA Endurance

dice check or vomit, losing one Life-Force if

they fail.

The Fester is a deeply disturbing monstrosity whose

mere touch is capable of inflicting death and

pestilence. In combat she will either try to touch

her victims with her crone-like claws or with her

lashing tail.

The claws inflict Life-Force damage while the tail is

capable of dealing both damage and disease,

inflicting the plague on those grievously wounded by

its multi-barbed edge.

Once a victim contracts the plague from a wound

inflicted by a Fester they are then carriers and can

potentially pass the disease on to others in range.

The illness will cause them to lose d20 Life-Force

every in-game day they have the plague and anyone

who comes within 10 feet of them (or whom the

GM deems has touched items or surfaces the

diseased character has touched or used) will need

to make a successful AA Immune to Disease dice

check (one per in-game day) or contract the plague

themselves.

The plague causes loss of weight, ugly blisters and

pustules and ultimately death unless healed or

treated.

All claw based attacks are made using AA Brawl and

are opposed by AA Dodge in every instance. Tail

attacks may only be made using the Lash Combo.

The golem is slow and languid in her movements,

thus her touch can usually be avoided without too

much effort, while the tail will

prove the most dangerous of

her natural weapons.

The ooze that streams constantly

from the golem's gaping skull

also carries the plague and

should be avoided. Anyone touching

the stuff with bare skin will

immediately contract the disease.

The ooze will remain even after the

golem has been slain, though it

will gradually vapourize over the

course of 1d6+4 in-game days,

becoming safe thereafter but

leaving an ominous stain.

The Fester cannot be

dismissed, by either

the summoner nor another Craven spell-caster and

is immune to the effects of counterspells or spells

that would normally dismiss the effects of Craven

magick. It will remain indefinitely until killed, though

if it remains undetected it is unlikely to remain in

Verdandi and will drift out of the city to spread its

sickness as far afield as it can, a trail of sick and

dying victims in its wake.

At the GM's discretion the player group will either

encounter the Fester after local soldiers have

arrived to deal with it or before. If before, soldiers

will turn up 1d6 skirmish rounds after fighting

begins. The first to arrive will be 1d6+2 Grenadier,

followed by 1d6+2 White Thorn Guards.

After a total of 2d20+5 skirmish rounds have been

completed (from start of combat to end) the Fester

will be overwhelmed by a veritable army of White

Thorn guards and will be destroyed.

1d6+2 Grenadier will either already be battling the

Fester or will arrive 1d6 skirmish rounds after the

player group engage the creature. The GM should

treat them as NPCs who will ignore any commands

given them by the player group, though they will

fight bravely.

1d6+2 White Thorn Guards will arrive or will

already be on the scene and engaging the Fester at

the GM's discretion. The White Thorn are an elite

unit and stronger than the Grenadier. Once the

White Thorn arrive the Grenadier will start taking

orders from them.

White Thorn Guards will either carry a polearm or

two swords, one in each hand. For a randomized

guard GM rolls 1d4 and on a 1,2 or 3 the guard

carries swords, on a roll of 4 a polearm.

The GM may wish to allow players to make dice

rolls for the NPC fighters in order to

include players in the process of

battle between the Fester and the

guards. The GM may also wish

to allow players to decide

which Combos the White

Thorn use at what time. The

GM alone should determine

how the White Thorn and

Grenadier behave and how they

direct their attacks in general.

25

FESTER

Type: Metazoid (Magick)

Common Names: Plague Golem

Class: Single Entity

Allegiance: none

Temperament: sinister, slow but grim to behold

and surrounded by a reek of death and decay

Language: none

Challenge: medium to high

Rune School: none

Size Bonus: 9

Spirit: NA

Art & Expertise: 4

Brawl [+4], Sneak [+10]

Force & Form: 18

Physical Intimidation [+6]

Mind & Memory: 1

Sense & Sympathy: 1

Hear a Pin Drop [+3], Orphic Effect [+12], Spot

Secrets [+3]

Fate & Fortune: NA

Storm & Stamina: 5

STRENGTH

Life-Force: 84

Max Psychic Wounds: NA

Max Severe Wounds: 3 (all Severe Wounds

convert into double damage with no need to roll on

the Severe Wounds table)

COMBAT

Skirmish Smarts: 1

Weapons: Claws of the Diseased Touch (natural

touch, magickal melee weapon (AA Brawl, opposed

by AA Dodge in every instance) b+5); Tail of Festering

Doom (natural tail, melee weapon (Lash Combo only)

b+6, see description for plague damage)

Armour: none

Common Gear: none

COMBOS: Lash (3 Attacks)

GRENADIER

Size Bonus: 4

Spirit: 10

Art & Expertise: 7

Acrobatics [+2], Archery [+1], Bladed Weapons

[+2], Brawl [+3], Climb [+2], Combat Talent [+3],

Craft [+3], Dodge [+1], Engineer [+1], Firecraft

[+3], Hit Bullseye [+2], Leap [+2], Polearm [+1],

Rune Scribing [+2], Sling [+3], Sneak [+2], Swift

[+3], Swim [+4], Two Weapon Combat [+1]

Force & Form: 8

Mind & Memory: 8

Allure [+2], General Knowledge [+4], Immune to

Charm [+1], Intellectual Intimidate [+1], Learn [+2],

Meditation [+1], Orphic Knowledge [+3], Place in

the Cosmos [+2], Read Person [+2], Speak/Read/

Write Language [+2]

Sense & Sympathy: 8

Kinship [+3], Orphic Effect [+2], Sense Motive [+2],

Spot Secrets [+2], Taste & Smell [+3], Zone Out

Noise [+2]

Fate & Fortune: 10

Aesthete [+2], Courage [+3], Opacity [+1], Orphic

Talent [+3], Resistance to Evil [+2]

Storm & Stamina: 8

Endurance [+1], Hold Breath [+1], Immunity to

Disease [+1], Recover [+2], Skirmish Strength [+2]

MAGICK (Anarchaic only)

Nudge Bank: 13

Orphic Plasm: 24

STRENGTH

Life-Force: 80

Max Psychic Wounds: 5

Max Severe Wounds: 4

COMBAT

Skirmish Smarts: 20

Weapons: Pikestaff of the Forward Ranks (large

polearm, weapon (AA Polearm): b+2, 112w/75k);

Sweord of the Reserve Guard (large sword, weapon

(AA Bladed Weapon): b+1, 85w/28k).

Armour: Anglian Chain Hauberk b+6; Anglian

Grenadier’s Tabard b+2; Bronze Great Helm of the

Anglian Reserves b+6 (Ee5 to Granite Skull dice

checks); Kite Shield of the Anglian Reserves b+8;

Total Armour Bonus +22

Common Gear: see Grenadier Creed in System

& Setting (only applicable where the body of a fallen

Grenadier is robbed of spoils).

COMBOS: none

26

THE BANE OF WYRDORPH

If the player group investigate The

Bearing Pit, The Aura of Coriola or

The Raven Steps rumours, or if they

are seen investigating Duetonom

(see A Fester in Verdandi) they

come to the attention of an agent

working for the Temple of the Black

Dyad, a dark Elgan cult operating in

the city of Verdandi.

The agent will present himself as a

simple peddler selling various items

at reduced prices. The peddler will

describe himself as desperate, which

is why most of his wares are

cheaper than usual. Most of his

things will be of little interest,

broken and/or of poor quality, but

he will have two weapons in his

keeping, both of which he will seem

to have no idea of their true value.

Both weapons are fetishes marked

with the Bane of Wyrdorph

Anarchaic rune.

If any player character purchases

one or both Fetishes he will notice

his Orphic Plasm and any magickal

items he owns losing power and

points. The Fetish drains all

magickal energy possessed by the

owner, either from his own

Orphic Plasm or from items

imbued with magick, and then

transfers them directly to the

creator of the hex - in this

instance the high priestess of the

Black Dyad, Grame Orl (a

character players won't encounter

as a significant enemy until they

investigate the rumour, The Dun

Wytch Horror).

The rate of the magickal drain is

left entirely to the discretion of

the GM. As a rule of thumb 1xd10

points of Orphic Plasm per in-

game day and an equivalent from

any magickal items should prove

adequate. In addition, all Orphic

Plasm costs for spell effects are

doubled while the Fetish remains

in the caster‟s possession. One half

of this will be drained by the Fetish

itself and transferred directly to

the Fetish creator.

WHITE THORN GUARDS

Size Bonus: 4

Spirit: 12

Art & Expertise: 9

Acrobatics [+4], Archery [+2], Bladed Weapons [+6], Brawl [+5], Climb

[+2], Combat Talent [+8], Craft [+3], Dodge [+5], Engineer [+1],

Firecraft [+4], Hit Bullseye [+3], Leap [+2], Polearm [+6], Rune Scribing

[+2], Sling [+4], Sneak [+2], Swift [+4], Swim [+4], Two Weapon

Combat [+6]

Force & Form: 8

Bludgeon [+2], Might [+2], Pitch [+2], Sturdy on the Feet [+2]

Mind & Memory: 8

Allure [+5], General Knowledge [+4], Immune to Charm [+4],

Intellectual Intimidate [+1], Learn [+3], Meditation [+1], Orphic

Knowledge [+3], Place in the Cosmos [+2], Read Person [+2],

Speak/Read/Write Language [+2]

Sense & Sympathy: 8

Hear a Pin Drop [+2], Kinship [+3], Orphic Effect [+2], Sense Motive

[+2], Spot Secrets [+3], Taste & Smell [+3], Zone Out Noise [+4]

Fate & Fortune: 12

Aesthete [+2], Courage [+6], Opacity [+4], Orphic Talent [+3],

Resistance to Evil [+10]

Storm & Stamina: 10

Endurance [+6], Hold Breath [+1], Immunity to Disease [+1], Recover

[+4], Skirmish Strength [+5]

MAGICK (Anarchaic only)

Nudge Bank: 13

Orphic Plasm: 24

STRENGTH

Life-Force: 95

Max Psychic Wounds: 5

Max Severe Wounds: 5

COMBAT

Skirmish Smarts: 32

Weapons: Ferrule Mace of Reaching (2 handed polearm, large melee weapon

(AA Polearm) b+1 [Reach: 6, A long wooden staff of unexotic wood

furnished at the end with a detachable ferrule of lead connected by a short

length of chain] 23w/35k); or 2x Thelion Blade (1 handed divine sword, large

melee weapon (AA Bladed Weapons) b+2 [Thin-bladed sword with an

ornate silver hilt, wide cross-guard and pommel fashioned to resemble the

symbol of Wythia, the Cosmic Tree Yggdruskyl] 43w/18k).

Armour: x2 Ailette of Adamantine Steel b+36; Gorget of Tempered Steel

b+3; Habergeon Shirt of Light Chain b+3; White Satin Great Helm of the

Chivalrous b+12 (EE5 to Granite Skull dice checks); White Satin Plate of the

Chivalrous b+12; White Satin Plate Solarets of the Chivalrous b+4; White Satin

Gauntlets of the Chivalrous b+4; Total Armour Bonus +74

Common Gear: White Thorn guard carry only their weapons and

armour, weight considerations preventing them from carrying much else.

COMBOS: Backslash (2 Attacks, requires guard is armed with a sword,

not polearm), Barbed Lunge (4 Attacks, requires guard is armed with two

swords, not polearm), Polearm Cyclone (3 Attacks, requires guard is

armed with polearm, not swords).

27

A LOOSE ARROW

This incident should include the player group and

occurs, in a similar fashion to the Fester incident, as

the group are exploring or staying in the city

of Verdandi.

The group hear sounds of turmoil on the road

ahead and are suddenly greeted with citizens

dashing toward them, some screaming, others

yelling incoherent warnings as they hurtle past.

If the player group investigate they will come face to

face with a Sandlew Tiger prowling down the

middle of the now deserted road.

The tiger belongs to Trevana the One-Armed

Tamer, a Beast Master who specializes in training

and showing his three Sandlew Tigers on a nightly

basis at the Blade & Lion inn, one of Verdandi's

most popular drinking holes and one of the largest

inns in the city. This particular tiger, whose name is

Arrow, has somehow gotten loose and is now

abroad in the city.

The tiger is exceptionally tame, having been raised

from a cub by Trevena and accustomed to the

crowds of the Blade & Lion, but will attack if

cornered or if she feels threatened. She is also

hungry and may seem agitated as a result. If the

tiger is called by name, or coaxed with some raw

meat she will happily allow a collar or chain to be

placed around her head and will then wait to be led

back to Trevena.

Trevena himself is unaware of Arrow's break for

freedom. His assistant, a somewhat incompetent

young wyrman called Ophus, left the door to the

tigers' pen unlatched then fell asleep on the job.

Trevena will be infinitely grateful to the player

group if they manage to capture Arrow without

bringing harm to the tiger. He will give the group

free tickets to nightly shows at the Blade & Lion,

along with instructions for bar staff to charge any

drinks the player character's order to Trevena's

own expansive tab, an offer that will remain open

for so long as they remain in Verdandi.

Trevena also knows some of the most interesting

characters in the city personally. These include

the beautiful Ethenan siren-songstress Xanadu

Nucissus (another performer at the Blade & Lion)

and the celebrated Bard of Avalon, Hamnet

Chamberlain, frequent patron of the B&L and a

potential doorway into celebrity circles if the

player group can befriend him.

Grame stores all transferred Orphic Plasm in a

variety of orphic sinks which she keeps in her lair in

the Sailing Hills (see Forever Folio issue 11).

The only indicator that the owner is in possession

of a cursed fetish will be apparent when casting

spells as all orphic investments will remain at double

the cost, interpreted in-character as an exhausting

effort when casting usually standard spells. In the

meantime the GM should ask to see the player's

character sheet and note down in secret the

player's Orphic Plasm and any Orphic Plasm

associated with carried gear, deducting from these

values as necessary but making no alterations to the

character sheet. If the player tries to spend Orphic

Plasm he doesn't have, only then should the GM

make the adjustments to the player's sheet and

announce that his Plasm has somehow been

drastically reduced.

The Fetish cannot be destroyed and can only be

passed on to a new owner. See page 231 (Hex of

the Fetish) in System & Setting for further details.

The weapon fetishes offered by the peddler

include:

Quadric Blade of the Assassin (large sabre, 1 handed

melee weapon (AA Bladed Weapons) b+3 [curved,

razor-sharp sabre with a rectangular vamplate. The

hilt is encrusted with gems and the blade is etched

with runeforms, those of the Hex of the Fetish

hidden among them - successful passive AA Orphic

Knowledge dice check with Dd1 to spot the

Anarchaic runes] 38k/normal Wealth value 423w

but the peddler will sell the sword for just 120w).

Flanged Mace of the Titan-Slayer (large mace, 2

handed melee weapon (AA Bludgeon) b+10 [sturdy

uber-mace furnished with four dull-edged flanges

surrounding a thick head of solid brass. A brass

knob on the end of the hilt unscrews if the owner

makes a successful passive AA Spot Secrets dice

check with Dd2 when handling the weapon. The

Hex of the Fetish runes are etched into the end of

this knob, hidden when screwed into the hilt]

68k/normal Wealth value 525w but the peddler will

sell for 180w).

28

If the player group slay or harm Arrow, Trevena's

wrath will know no bounds. He will expend all his

energy on a campaign of vengeance, seeking the

help of the Assassin's Guild and his powerful friends

in Verdandi's celebrity and aristocratic societies.

Whatever the reaction of the player group, 1d12

skirmish rounds after they encounter Arrow

prowling through Verdandi's streets the city watch

and a unit of White Thorn guards will turn up.

These will recognise Arrow and send a runner for

Trevena who will subsequently arrive to round up

the tiger. If the player group are deemed to be

responsible for containing Arrow prior to this point

Trevena will be grateful, as detailed above.

UNDER THE WEATHER

A bitter storm front rolls in over the Angle. The sky

blackens and over the course of 24 hours the land

is assailed by ferocious winds, heavy rains,

hailstones and monstrous waves that batter the

coast.

Perils facing the player group might include waves

crashing over sea defences, trees falling in their

path, tiles flying off rooftops, debris blown along

roads, exposure to cold and flash floods or tidal

bores along the Angle's rivers, The city of Verdandi

will also be particularly prone to flooding.

FREE THE GIGAERACK

This incident occurs somewhere either in the Angle,

in Skyssa or in the city of Santun Morvagh. It will not

occur in Listholm. It can be played in one of two

ways. Either the player group stumble across a

strange object which turns out to be a bomb. Or the

player group witness the bomb exploding. This latter

option is most likely to occur at a distance, the

player characters hearing the sound of a distant

report, the ground underfoot shaking momentarily

followed by a rising mushroom cloud of smoke on

the far side of the city. The GM should not impose

the explosion on the player group within their

proximity, thus injuring them, or even killing them

without giving them fair warning and fair time to

get clear.

The bomb, if found, is an iron sphere with a strange

device on top consisting of various magnifying

lenses over a series of taut cotton threads and

metallic clamps. At a certain time of day the light of

the sun will fall on the lens, the focused rays

burning the taut cotton which will, in turn, cause a

small bowl of kindling to ignite. This will then light a

fuse of gun-powder which will subsequently cause

ARROW (SANDLEW TIGER)

Size Bonus: 8

Art & Expertise: 8

Acrobatics [+4], Brawl [+6], Climb [+6], Combat

Talent [+2], Dodge [+5], Leap [+7], Sneak [+9],

Swift [+9], Swim [+4]

Force & Form: 16

Bludgeon [+3], Granite Skull [+2], Might [+3],

Physical Intimidation [+2], Sturdy on the Feet [+6]

Mind & Memory: 3

Allure [+8], Immune to Charm [+2], Learn [+3],

Place in the Cosmos [+4], Read Person [+2]

Sense & Sympathy: 2

Hear a Pin Drop [+9], Spot Secrets [+4], Taste &

Smell [+12], Zone Out Noise [+6]

Fate & Fortune: 5

Courage [+2]

Storm & Stamina: 6

Endurance [+10], Immunity to Disease [+12],

Recover [+6], Skirmish Strength [+5]

STRENGTH

Life-Force: 80

Max Severe Wounds: 3

COMBAT

Skirmish Smarts: 11

Weapons: Slashing Claws of the Big Cat (natural

claws, melee weapon (AA Brawl or AA Bludgeon)

brawl b+6, bludgeon b+0); Fearsome Bite of the

Saber Toothed Cat (natural bite, melee weapon (AA

Brawl) b+16 [one use per skirmish round only]

Armour: pelt b+1 (doesn't deplete when reducing

damage); Total Armour Bonus: +1

COMBOS: Maul (2 Attacks, target Size Bonus

cannot exceed 6).

the bomb to explode. On the side of the bomb are

scrawled the words

and beneath this

The device is planted by a Gigamyrwen agent of the

terrorist organisation known as the Togaedere (see

page 281 of System & Setting, PDF version).

29

The bomb will most likely be planted somewhere

significant to the gigaerack's relationship with

Verdandi. It is large and extremely destructive, with

a Splash value of 60 and causing 6d20+120 Life-

Force damage at ground zero. If the bomb is inside

a building anyone in the same building will incur an

additional 3d20+30 Life-Force damage as a result of

the structure collapsing around and upon them.

They may also be buried alive under rubble and

debris, requiring rescue.

Anyone outside the Splash range must make a Spirit

roll and where the roll fails they are hit by shrapnel,

incurring 1d20+20 Life-Force damage.

The same level of damage can also be applied to

structures where the GM requires a specific

evaluation of how much damage occurs. Otherwise

damage should be assumed to be violent and

extensive, any building within which the bomb is

situated being largely destroyed, with additional

structural damage to nearby objects and buildings.

If the bomb detonates in a public location the GM

should determine NPC deaths as equal to 1d10 for

an out of the way or quiet part of the city, 2d20+10

for a relatively well travelled part of the city and

4d20+80 for a popular part of the city.

The bomb's ignition system requires the sun is high

in the sky and the detonation is therefore most

likely to occur at midday. The bomb will probably

be situated on a flat roof, or somewhere it won't be

found, as the lens assembly is extremely delicate

and easily defused. The gunpowder inside is very

stable and the bomb is highly unlikely to explode

without applying fire to the fuse.

If the GM wishes, the player group might be roped

into hunting down those responsible, though no set

scenario is provided for such an adventure.

Next Issue...

THE BEARING PIT

Introducing players to Dunkunom and the industrial

culture of that city. The Bearing Pit focuses on

magickal rules and is a particularly useful scenario

for player groups with numerous rune-casters. This

scenario also introduces buy and sell methods

typical of Wyrd, giving players the opportunity to

garner wealth by procuring and selling apparently

mundane materials.

A break-in at the house of the noble Lord

Gonville Bromhead resulted in the theft of

several red Soul Stones which had been in

the Bromhead family for generations. A

reward is offered for the capture of the thief

and the safe return of the stones. Interested

parties should attend the Ducal Order of

Abbraxists and ask for an audience with Lord

Bromhead.

30

It's a simple premise: bring some of the most

popular tropes of the steampunk and fantasy

genres to the big screen. Simple, but costly.

Thankfully, we live in the age of the crowdfund

when projects which, ten years ago would be

tossed aside by studio execs, can today appeal

directly to the end-user for funds. Ultimately,

its future audience will decide if the Dwarves

of Demrel find gold on the silver screen.

In this steampunk fantasy adventure, a collapse imprisons three dwarven

miners who must now work collectively to combat starvation, despair, and a

mysterious creature. Further complications arise when one of the dwarves

learns of their shared, morbid fate, and must decide whether to tell the truth,

or keep it a secret and preserve their hope.

ORIGINS OF AN IDEA

While finishing up at Ohio State in 2012, Chris Raney (Director/

Writer/Producer) and Zachary Amundson (Writer/Producer) saw the first

of three Hobbit films, attending a 3:30am screening which would galvanize

them to emerge blinking into the dawn light with the nugget of an idea forged

and shining in their minds.

Zachary explains: "Walking out of that theatre, there was this epiphany

moment - we would concentrate our filmmaking efforts toward making a

studio-quality fantasy film... but we weren't going to wait until we had

millions. We started referencing different one-location films as inspiration to

tell a gripping story in a singular setting. This would enable us to keep

production costs down.

"Rodrigo Cortés "Buried" (2010) was particularly inspiring because of the

intense, fast-paced drama the creators were able [to] achieve with just one

character and his cellphone, trapped

underground, in a 7 X 3 ft. casket.

"We thought - 'How entertaining would it be to

take some of these same filmmaking principles

into the fantasy genre?'...And hence "The

Dwarves of Demrel" was born.

"The coolest part is... this is only the first film

we have planned for the 'universe' we've

created. You're not just investing in one film, but

a new fantasy franchise. The script is written.

The characters and their costumes are set. The

equipment needed to shoot is already

assembled. We have the time. We've found the

perfect mine to shoot in. All we need, is your

help in bringing the mine to life."

YEAR OF THE DWARF

With the last of the Hobbit trilogy now available

on DVD and Blu-Ray, 2015 truly does look set

to be the year of the dwarf. Zachary gives other

reasons for the timing of their movie release.

"There aren't many fantasy films being made, and

we plan on this being the first of many films to

remedy that. We'll do it by telling smaller-in-

scale stories, that are equally as gripping to

watch as a summer blockbuster.

Muscular, tattooed, and rugged, Brenn has been a

miner all of his life and a pretty good one at that.

Think of him as your veteran factory worker. Relying

on alcohol and tobacco to deal with life's problems.

31

Because the film takes place in one setting (the mine), we have this great

opportunity to tell an engaging, beautiful fantasy story without it costing an

exorbitant amount.

"Fantasy films are very difficult to produce because of the many expenditures

involved in creating a completely immersive world e.g. costumes, make up,

set(s) design, etc. We believe the most important element in the fantasy

genre is escapism. The mine can give the film an epic, authentic space for our

story to take place in. But it needs your help.

WHERE YOU CAN HELP

The team behind this project still need your support to finish the work

already started. Set designs, additional armour, weapon designs and labour

costs all need funding, along with the transformation of a real mine into an

epic underground dwarven kingdom.

Zachary explains: "We've self-financed everything to date and with only four

main actors, we've been able to afford top-of-line costumes for each

character. We've taken great strides in ensuring that everything is authentic

to the world so that the audience will remain completely immersed. We

can't suspend disbelief unless the mine looks convincingly dwarven. [The

crowdfunding] help is the last piece we need in order to do just that.

"The script calls for some key set pieces that are essential to the film's plot.

These include pillars, frames, stone tables, a giant steampunk electric

generator, circuit breakers, dwarven inscriptions, a 'creature's lair', The Pit

(the capital's garbage site in the mine) and styrofoam rocks (for rock

collapse). There are also the less exciting, but equally as important

expenditures, such as airfare and labour costs the pledge money will help us

pay for."

If there was a black sheep within the mining

company, Calcas is it. As an ex-accountant with a

questionable past and questionable loyalties; he is

an enigmatic, cryptic figure.

Married early with five kids, Odryd is a "family

dwarf" by default. Although he floats from job to

job. Odryd is also probably the most charming due

to his natural optimism.

A styrofoam core, just itching to be carved into something Dwarven

32

Zachary goes on to talk about preshoot tests. "As with any film, there are a

number of things that can happen to hinder a project. The good thing for us

is, we've ironed out most of the foreseeable delays because we've already

shot in the mine for the teaser!"

OBSTACLES

"As with any film, there are a number of things that can happen to hinder a

project. The good thing for us is, we've ironed out most of the foreseeable

delays because we've already shot in the mine for the teaser!

"Time - The mine is not an easy place to shoot in. Travel within takes a long

while and safety is always a concern. Fortunately we've worked there before

and have a strong sense of what we can accomplish in a days shoot!

"Weather - As you can imagine, snowfall in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula

is brutal. This is why we have decided to shoot in the fall. It allows us enough

time to prepare properly for the production, while also keeping us out of the

UP's harsher winter months.

"Lighting - As with any mine, there is no light. We will be utilizing excellent

low-light cameras, fast glass, natural flames and portable battery powered

LED's to cost effectively strike our sets!

If you would like to read more about this project and see more images of set

pieces, costumes, cast, crew and location, or if you would like to pledge your

help, visit the official Kickstarter page:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/257801402/the-dwarves-of-demrel

A byproduct of nepotism, Drusso is a human from

the "Capital" -- the largest metropolis in Rye.

She came into a position of power when her uncle bought the mining company.

A collection of costume pieces already ready to be used on set Circuit Breaker design

33

The player edition comes with

everything players need to embark on

a game, while the Overseer edition

includes a free player edition plus a

license to print and distribute up to

eight copies of the player edition to

players in the same gaming group,

saving all players in the group the

expense of a separate reference file.

Included with both editions is an

extensive and essential equipment

catalogue listing state of the art ghost

hunting gear, from EVP recorders to

antiqe spirit boxes, from Ovilus and

God Helmets to Ouija boards and

tipping tables.

Emphasis is firmly on the mechanics

and logistics of paranormal

investigation, drawing on the author's

personal experiences as well as a

wealth of media sources, from

mainstream television shows like

Ghost Adventures and Ghost

Hunters International to YouTube

favourites like Live SciFi.

Introducing Forever People's

latest release. EVP is a subtle

modern horror RPG which puts

players in the shoes of a ghost

hunting team investigating some

of the world's most notoriously

haunted locations.

Chilling to the core and with a

brooding atmosphere and mounting

sense of anticipation, EVP sessions

will have players on the edge of their

seat as they use all the means at their

disposal to record evidence of the

paranormal.

Complete with an easy to learn and

easy to implement game system, EVP

follows the exploits of a group of

paranormal investigators gathering

evidence for a college degree in

parascientific theory. Scenarios are

limited entirely to on-site

investigations where players will need

to use equipment, wiles and courage

to capture the data they need.

Each month Forever People will be

releasing a new 'Haunt', a free

investigation site for your EVP game,

giving GMs (Overseer) the

opportunity to run a monthly session

with options to play a different

location every month.

In-game progress is reliant upon the

gathering of compelling evidence, first

and foremost, but later might also

encompass the acquisition of an

internet based audience and then

even a television show, the efforts of

players switching from the gathering

of evidence to the generation of

ratings and viewer interest.

Horror is the underlining theme

throughout, with each Haunt

presenting a new and different

mystery to solve, thrilling new

locations to explore and bone chilling

new phenomenon to experience.

As the efforts of players are inevitably

rewarded by the acquisition of kudos

and funds, they will be able to delve

into the huge index of ghost hunting

gear to purchase ever more technical

and ever more impressive items for

recording and revealing ever more

profound aspects of the spirit realm.

But equipment is also supplemented

by the skill sets of the hunters

themselves which can be both

technical and spiritual, the game

allowing for either approach with

plenty to keep skeptics and debunkers

happy while those players who wish

to explore the psychic, empathic and

spiritualist possibilities will find

enormous scope for entertainment.

Visit the Forever People publisher

page at Drive Thru RPG, or the

Forever People website to get your

copy of EVP. We recommend the

Overseer Edition is acquired by your

gamesmaster and the cost of the PDF

is then spread between GM and

players, who will subsequently have

access to the accompanying free

player editions.

www.foreverpeople.co.uk

34

You know... for kids. Want something that will

tear them away from the iPad, the app store and

the TV? Want to spend some quality play time with

them but feel stupid dressing up as a Power Ranger?

Want to give them something that will test their

brain-power, their imagination and their creativity?

Mazes, Maps & Monsters is a serialised fantasy

roleplaying game for you and your minions.

Designed with an old school structure but using

new-school methods to engage a younger audience,

MM&M will introduce them gently to the roleplay

hobby while simultaneously giving them something

substantial to cut their teeth on.

The system is designed to appeal to, and to be

understood by, players between the ages of 6 and

14. This is a considerably broad brushstroke, but

the system has been thoroughly playtested, with

successful sessions including players belonging to

the full spectrum of suggested age groups.

CHOOSING CHARACTERS

Your players will need a pencil, a copy of the

character sheet (see below), an eraser and the

following dice: 1d4, 2d6, 1d12, 1d20.

To begin with players choose a 'Character' and may

choose from The Wizard or The Sorceress, The

Virtuoso, The Champion or Heroine, the Gnome

or the Fairy.

The Enchanter or Enchantress is a talented

magician who can use magic. Players who choose to

play as this character will get to cast plenty of spells.

The Virtuoso is an expert in the use of mystical objects,

including rings, talismans, amulets, wands and any other

kind of magical item. This character will get to collect

lots of special and interesting items of equipment.

The Brave is a mighty warrior or warrioress whose skill

lies in the ability to use a sword, or any other kind of

weapon. These characters can expect to be involved in

lots of fighting and will be able to use their strength and

bravery to protect the other characters in their team.

The Shortling is a small, shy characters. The Shortling's

speciality is climbing, tumbling and hiding. The Shortling

can also hover using their wings and can turn invisible if

they need to.

The GM should read out these Character

descriptions, giving players a chance to choose one

character each. Characters can either be taken at

the start of the first session then used for

subsequent sessions, or players can try a different

Character each session. Where some players wish

to change their Character but others wish to keep

theirs, the GM should be flexible and allow this,

though any equipment collected by previous

Characters in previous sessions should not be

carried over to the new Character.

ROLLING ABILITIES

Each player rolls dice to generate the following

abilities:

Agility =1d6+6 Representing the character's skill and natural ability.

When using Agility the player rolls 1d12 and aims

to roll a value which is the same as, or lower than,

his Agility value. If the roll is successful the player

gains a Character Point. Agility might be used

where the character is climbing a stone wall, fighting

an enemy, dodging out of the path of a rolling

boulder or swinging across a pit on a rope.

If the Agility roll is made and fails (the roll is higher

than the value of Agility) the player may spend

Character Points to change the result. The dice roll

value may be reduced by one for every Character

Point spent until the value is equal to or less than

Agility.

35

Life Points =2d6+12 Representing the character's health. If the character

is hurt or becomes sick they might lose Life Points

and if Life Points are reduced to zero the character

has been killed. Life Points are replenished by eating

food, resting and sleeping, by drinking healing

potions or by using magical items.

Fate =1d6+6 Representing the character's luck and good fortune.

When using Fate the player rolls 1d12 aiming to roll

the same as, or less than, his Fate value. Whenever

Fate is used and the roll is unsuccessful the value is

reduced by one point. Fate cannot be reduced to

less than 1 and is replenished by spending character

points, resting, eating food or using magical items.

Character Bonus =1d4+2 The Character Bonus determines the value of

abilities associated with different Characters. These

are:

Enchanter/Enchantress: Luck, Blessing, Spell

Casting, Speak to Animals and Knowledge of

Monsters.

Virtuoso: Power Bonus, Ring Lore, Wand Lore,

Problem Solving, Detect the Presence of a Trap and

Identify Magic Item.

Brave: Acrobatics, Use Magical Weapon, Dodge

Attack, Resurrect Other Character, Defence

Bonus, Damage Bonus.

Shortling: Hide From View, Spot Hidden Secrets,

Hypnotise Monster, Hover, Vanish.

See Character Details for more information.

Endurance =1d4 Endurance makes the Character stronger and able

to resist damage. When the Character incurs

damage he adds his Endurance value to his Life

Points and then rolls 1d20. If he rolls equal to, or

less than the total of Endurance+Life Points he

resists damage and doesn't lose Life Points. If he

rolls greater than Endurance+Life Points he incurs

damage and Life Points are reduced accordingly.

Destiny =1d6 The player's Fate value increases by a number equal

to his Destiny value at the start of every game.

CHARACTER DETAILS

Each Character type has its own special abilities and

strengths. Players should be encouraged to try

different styles of Character if they don't enjoy

playing with their initial choice.

ENCHANTER / ENCHANTRESS

The Enchanter/Enchantress gains the following

special abilities.

Luck When making a Fate dice roll, the Wizard/

Sorceress player may deduct their Character Bonus

from the dice roll.

Blessing The player's Destiny value is increased by 2.

Spell Casting Spells, once acquired and learned, are kept forever

but may only be cast a number of times per game

session equal to the Character Bonus value.

Speak to Animals The Wizard/Sorceress may speak to animals. When

attempting to do so the player rolls 1d6, aiming to

roll the same as or less than their Character Bonus.

If they succeed they understand what the animal

says and may speak to the animal.

Knowledge of Monsters The Wizard/Sorceress has knowledge of monsters

which they learned during their magical training.

When they encounter a new monster they may roll

1d6, aiming to roll the same as, or less than, their

Character Bonus. If they succeed they can speak the

monster's language and can also intimidate the

monster, causing it to turn around and run away.

The successful roll only works on one monster (if

there are a group of the same monsters, for

example, only one runs away) and monsters will

only flee if they have 5 Life Points or less.

VIRTUOSO

The Virtuoso gains the following special abilities:

Power Bonus When using any magic item which possesses a

magical effect with a limited amount of uses the

Virtuoso may add his Character Bonus to the

36

number of times the magic may be used. For

example, if the item magical effect can be used

twice, and the player has a Character Bonus of 2,

the magical effect can be used a total of four times.

This does not apply to potions or items which

vanish when their magical effect has been used

once.

Ring Lore Only the Virtuoso may use magical rings.

Wand Lore Only the Virtuoso may use magical wands.

Problem Solving When the group encounter a problem for which

they can think of no obvious answer, or where they

are faced with a puzzle or a riddle which has them

mystified, the Virtuoso may roll 1d6 and compare

the result with his Character Bonus. If he rolls the

same or equal to his Character Bonus the GM

should award the player with a clue. If he rolls

greater than his Character Bonus he gains no

insights into the problem.

Clues should be considered carefully by the GM

who should try to achieve a balance wherein he

lessens the difficulty of the puzzle without simply

giving away the answer.

Detect the Presence of a Trap Where the Virtuoso suspects there might be a trap

hidden somewhere, behind a closed door for

example, or under a stone floor, the player may roll

1d6 and compare the result with his Character

bonus. If he rolls a value the same as or equal to his

Character Bonus he detects a trap if a trap is there

to be detected. The Virtuoso can only detect traps

and cannot disarm them.

Identify Magic Item The Virtuoso is an expert in magical items and

when he comes across a mysterious object he will

be able to identify any magical aspect and where a

magical effect is attached to the item he will be able

to use it. Alternatively he may unlock the magical

aspect and give the item to another player to use.

No dice rolls are required when using this ability.

BRAVE

The Brave gains the following special abilities:

Acrobatics The Brave has increased agility. When making an

Agility roll the Brave may deduct their Character

Bonus from the dice roll.

Use Magical Weapon Only the Brave may use magical weapons which

have a weapon bonus.

Dodge Attack If the Brave is damaged during combat the player

may roll 1d6 and if the value is equal to or less than

the value of their Character Bonus they successfully

dodge the attack and do not incur damage after all.

Resurrect Other Character Because of his honour, the Brave has acquired the

blessings of the great gods. They bestow upon him

or her the ability to restore life. The Brave may

bring any one dead player character back to life.

The ability can only be used once per game but

renews at the start of the next game.

Defence Bonus Bonuses from shields, armour and helmets are

doubled when used by the Brave.

Damage Bonus Any damage roll of 6 results in a mighty blow and

double damage. Damage is doubled after any

weapon bonuses or ability bonuses are added.

SHORTLING

The Shortling gains the following special abilities:

Hide From View Whenever the Shortling wishes to hide from an

enemy or some other kind of peril the player

should roll 1d6 and compare the result with their

Character Bonus. If the result is the same as or less

than their Character Bonus they successfully hide,

melting into the shadows or curling up beneath

their cloak so that they appear to be a part of the

landscape.

Spot Hidden Secrets The GM might ask the player to roll a dice when

there is something hidden within the Character's

vicinity which the Character might spot but which

the player is unaware of. Or the player might

request a dice roll when he or she wants to search

37

a room for hidden items or secret doors. 1d6 is

rolled and compared with the Character Bonus. If

the roll is equal to, or less than, the Character

Bonus the hidden item or secret door is found or

noticed by the Character.

Hypnotize Monster The Shortling can use their special empathic powers

to put monsters into a trance. The player rolls 1d6

and compares the result with their Character

Bonus. Where the result is equal to or less than the

Character Bonus the monster enters a trance and is

stunned for a few in-game minutes, giving the group

a chance to escape. If the monster is touched,

attacked or moved in any way he will emerge from

the trance immediately.

Hover The Shortling may hover for a few seconds using his

or her wings. This should not be mistaken for flight.

If the Character falls from a height they will still

plunge to their doom in the same way as any other

character and they will be unable to fly to any

considerable height. Instead they may use their

wings to hover upward to a height of one foot and

from there may then fly in any direction a distance

equal in feet to their Character Bonus before they

must land again. If this distance carries them across

a great drop (a pit for example, or chasm) and

allows them to reach the other side they will be

able to fly across the span safely.

Vanish The Shortling may disappear, using their special

magical abilities to turn invisible at will. The effect

lasts only a few in-game minutes and is exhausting.

For this reason the ability can only be used once

per game.

FINDING AND CASTING MAGIC

Magic comes in a variety of different forms in the

game universe and only certain types of magic can

be used by certain Characters. In some cases magic

can be used by anyone, but the way in which the

magic is used will be different depending on the

type of Character.

Spells Spells within the game universe are small hovering

creatures which, when found and captured, can be

added to the player's character sheet.

To capture a spell, the player must make a

successful Agility roll. If they fail the roll, the spell

flies away and vanishes into the dimension of magic

where it is lost forever. If the roll succeeds, the

player catches the spell and may add it to his or her

character sheet under 'Spells'.

When the Enchanter or Enchantress catches a spell,

that spell is theirs forever. They are deemed to

have learned the spell but they may only cast it a

maximum number of times per game session equal

to their Character Bonus value. For example, if

their Character Bonus is 4 they may only cast any

given spell four times per game.

When any other character catches a spell they may

use that spell only once, after which the magic of

the spell is deemed to be spent and the spell

vanishes into the dimension of magic.

Magical Potions Magical Potions may only be used once but can be

used by any type of Character. The Character

drinks the entire potion and enjoys the effect as

specified in the potion description.

Magical Rings Only Virtuoso Characters understand how magical

rings work and so only they may wear and use the

magic of a magical ring. The spell connected to any

magical ring can only be used once per game, the

magic renewed at the start of the next game.

To any other Character a magical ring will merely

be of interest as an item they might sell for gems.

Magical Wands Only Virtuoso Characters understand how magical

wands work and so only they may use them. When

a Virtuoso has a magical wand they may increase

the number of times they can use any spell on their

character sheet by an amount equal to the wand's

bonus value. Once the spell has been used up it

vanishes in the usual way.

Magical Items Magical items can be any type of object, from

something as mundane and boring looking as a

potted plant to an object more likely to be magical,

such as a staff or a wizardish cloak.

Only the Virtuoso Character will immediately

recognise a magical item and will be able to identify

its magical effect. All other Characters must make a

Fate roll and if successful correctly recognize the

object as magical and spot the hidden magical effect

which they may then use.

38

Magical Weapons Any weapon which comes with a weapon bonus is

deemed to be magical. Only the Brave may use

magical weapons and therefore only Brave

Characters will benefit from weapon bonuses.

Magical Scrolls Magical scrolls provide spells which can be kept and

used by anyone. The scroll has a number of charges,

with each charge powering one cast of the spell

written upon the scroll. Once the charges are

spent, the scroll crumbles to dust.

COMBAT

When player characters encounter monsters or

other enemies they may find they must engage that

enemy in combat.

When attacking a monster any player who steps

forward and makes an attack is then deemed to be

'engaged' in combat and cannot retreat without

incurring a penalty unless his retreat is aided by

another player (see Retreating, below).

When a character and a monster are engaged in

combat the following three steps occur.

1) Both the monster and the character roll 1d6.

The highest roll goes first in combat order and

becomes the 'attacker'.

2) The attacker rolls 1d12, attempting to roll a

value greater than or equal to the enemy's Agility

value. If they succeed they land a blow and roll 1d6

for damage. Damage is deducted from the target's

Life Points. If the attacker rolls less than the

enemy's Agility they miss and no damage is inflicted.

3) The defender becomes the attacker and vice

versa. Step one is repeated and then the round is

deemed to be complete. The next round begins

with the next set of combatants (which might

include one of the combatants from the previous

round) and all three steps repeat. Rounds proceed

until one fighter wins by reducing his enemy's Life

Points to zero.

If the attacker is carrying a magical weapon, the

weapon bonus is added to the damage roll.

If the attacker is a Brave and rolls 6 the result is a

mighty blow and damage is doubled (damage is

doubled after bonuses are added for weapons

and/or abilities).

If the target is using a shield, armour or helmet the

bonus associated with that item is deducted from

the damage roll.

Retreating Once a Character is engaged in combat they may

retreat from their enemy but their enemy lands an

automatic blow and deals damage without needing

to roll vs their target's Agility. By retreating the

character is able to run away and is safely out of

range unless their enemy chases them.

A Character (or monster) may retreat if one of its

allies (another player character for example) moves

forward and 'distracts' the enemy. This requires the

ally engages temporarily in combat for one round

while the retreating character flees. Afterwards the

ally may also retreat without penalty and both he

and his friend may escape the battle.

Shooting Arrows and Crossbow Bolts

The GM must determine whether a target is in

range or not. Any given Character may only fire an

arrow a maximum distance equal in feet to their

Endurance value x 10. If the GM decides the target

is further away than this the player may attempt to

shoot but the arrow will fall short.

If the GM is unsure whether a target is too far away

to be struck by an arrow he may call for a Fate roll,

though the player may opt to simply not fire if he

doesn't want to risk losing Fate points.

Crossbow bolts always fire 50ft regardless of the

strength (Endurance value) of the firer.

GOLD, GEMS AND GEAR

Items of equipment, when found or purchased, are

added to the player's inventory box on their

character sheet. The player may only carry as many

items as there are inventory slots and if they amass

too many items they will need to either forego new

items or swap them for old items.

Items of equipment can be traded in at any time.

Regardless of the value of the item when purchased,

items are always sold for 1 Gold. If the item is

magical it will sell for 5 Gold and if the item has a

bonus (such as armour or a weapon) the item will

sell for 6 Gold.

Gems are valuable jewels which have a value equal

to 20 Gold. Gems can be converted into Gold at

any time during the game.

39

40

This introductory adventure is designed to bring

players gently into the fantasy world of Mazes, Maps

& Monsters, cutting straight to the meat of the

action. No reason need be given for why the group

are adventuring together beyond the friendship of

the various Characters and their desire to see

justice done. In later scenarios players will be given

the opportunity to start their game in a local village

or town in order to buy gear and talk to locals to

discover rumours about adventure to be had in the

nearby region. To begin with the game lands our

intrepid party in the middle of a story which most

players will find easy to pick up and run with.

PLAYER BACKGROUND

To be read aloud to players at the start of their first

game and after Characters have been created.

You are summoned before the wizard master

Adagio LeSpell who has heard of your heroics in

other lands. He tells you that the great Keys of

the three Dwarf Kings, which were in his safe

keeping, have been stolen by the evil Lord

Rankinphile.

The keys are powerful and important, for they

can be used to unlock the chambers of the

hidden cities of the Red, Green and Golden

Dragons. If ever the doors were unlocked, the

dragons would fly free and might burn all the

towns and cities of the good people who live in

the valley.

Adagio tells you that Lord Rankinphile has

taken the keys to his hideout in the mountains,

an old ruined castle known by locals as the

Ruins of Peril. Adagio wants you to go there to

find the keys and defeat Rankinphile.

You begin your quest by travelling the long road

into the mountains above the valley and soon

come to the entrance of the Ruins of Peril.

Before you stands an open doorway, crumbling

and cracked. But you cannot simply go through

the door because standing in front of it is a

giant guard dressed in armour!

GM INFORMATION

The 'evil Lord Rankinphile' will feature heavily

throughout the player group's game as a familiar

and oft-recurring villain. This familiarity will establish

a comfort zone, ensuring the group are never

overly fearful of the villain they must face.

Rankinphile is a stereotype, but necessary for

various reasons. His presence as a familiar 'overlord

of evil' antagonist will reassure players who are

entirely new to the tabletop roleplaying experience

of a certain stability and comfort zone which they

will recognize and will find easy to assimilate. Later,

when the cliché has been established, the GM might

play with the stereotype and introduce twists and

turns. For now the comfort level of players and

their ability to absorb the workings of roleplay and

the game rules are far more important than

introducing original elements to the adventure

story.

USING LEGO

The GM may wish to use LegoTM floorplans to

enhance his game. In playtests Lego was used

extensively and provided a much needed visual aid

to younger players who were then able to focus

their imagination on something solid.

41

1" scale plastic miniatures should be used with the

Lego floorplan, their bases neatly compatible with

the standardized Lego brick sizes and their inclusion

another way to grab the imagination of younger

players. Monsters, NPCs and rooms will come to

life this way for players who might otherwise

struggle to form an image in their minds eye of the

scenes their GM describes. This, of course, is not

always the case, and some players might have ample

imagination to envisage the fantasy world in which

their Character has been immersed. In other cases

Lego and miniatures will only create a distraction.

Ultimately the GM must decide, based on the

knowledge he or she has of his or her own young

group which the author does not, whether Lego

and miniatures are appropriate.

In any case ground rules should be laid down when

using visual props. Players should be informed that

they may not touch or move figures unless the GM

says they may do so. Similarly the Lego may not be

touched without the express permission of the GM.

It should be made clear that the visual props are

there to give players a good idea of the shape and

layout of the place their Characters are exploring,

of the exact position of monsters and of the

Characters themselves, and that the props are not

provided as a kind of toy to be used in the way

players might be used to using toys for imaginative

gameplay.

These instructions which, at first, might seem harsh,

will soon be accepted and will ensure the GM does

not spend his or her game keeping the Lego props

and miniatures under control.

THE RUINS

The following key and maps detail the Ruins of Peril

and provide the GM with everything he or she

needs in order to run the adventure from start to

finish. The GM should anticipate several game

sessions to complete the adventure, ideally running

each session for no more than one to two hours

depending on the likely attention span of the group.

One key will probably be recovered by the group

LOWER FLOOR UPPER FLOOR & ROOFTOPS

1

2a

2b

3 pool

4

up up

up

5

5a

5b

6

7 7a

8 9

10

11

12

13 14

15a

15b

15c

16 17

18

19b

19a

42

for every session they undertake, the final session

seeing them confront the evil Lord Rankinphile.

Images included below show the Ruins of Peril

constructed out of Lego and in the midst of playtest

action. It should be noted that particular efforts

were made to build this Lego model in order to

showcase what can potentially be built, and a great

deal of Lego was used in the construction. By no

means should the GM reading this feel they are

required to present anything so intricate or

expansive for their own group (unless, of course,

they relish a challenge and, like us, have a great deal

of Lego to play with). One layer of bricks can be

used effectively enough to outline the edges of

rooms and passageways, with standard Lego doors

used for thresholds and simple offset bricks used to

indicate stairs. Players will need to be informed that

the Lego merely indicates and does not precisely

represent the place they are exploring in order to

prevent younger players from mistakenly assuming

they can step over walls in order to reach adjacent

rooms.

1 Dung, the Philosophical Giant

As the players approach, Dung scratches his head

and demands they answer his riddle in order to

pass through the door and into the Ruins of Peril.

Dung may seem to be an ignoramus but his riddles

will suggest hidden depths. The GM should choose

a riddle based on the perceived ability of his group.

As a rule of thumb the GM should never

underestimate the intelligence of his players, but on

the other hand should avoid giving them a riddle

they have no hope of answering. The level of riddle

varies from 1 to 3, with 1 being suited to 6 to 8 yr

olds, level 2 suited to 9 to 11 yr olds and level 3

suited to 12 to 14yr olds (or older). This level

system is used throughout the adventure.

Dung prefers the right answer but will accept any

answer provided it is philosophical. Regardless of

whether the riddles are answered correctly or

incorrectly, Dung will step aside and allow the

group to enter the ruins. He is not a guard but

merely lives at the entrance where he finds he is

more likely to meet people who seem willing to

listen to riddles and give philosophical insights.

Level 1 Riddle

Q. The queen in her castle had six sons and two

daughters. How many princesses lived in the castle?

A. two.

Level 2 Riddle

Q. What invention lets you look right through a

wall?

A. A window.

Level 3 Riddle

Q. If a debt, subtracted from zero, is a fortune and

a fortune, minus zero, is a fortune, what is a debt

minus zero?

A. A debt.

2 Boulder Trap of Inevitable Cliches

Hidden in the floor here (2a) is a small catch which,

if trodden on, will trigger a boulder trap. The

boulder will emerge from a place at the opposite

end of this long corridor (2b) and will rumble

toward the player group.

Any Character passing location 2a makes a Fate roll

Dung, the Philosophical Giant

43

and if unsuccessful they lose 1pt of Fate in the usual

way and step on the catch. They will hear an

ominous click and then the boulder will start to

rumble toward them.

The boulder can be easily outrun but the group will

need to decide if they are going to go back the way

they came or try to run for the door to room 3. If

they go back the way they came the boulder will

smash into the corner, blocking the way ahead. The

group will need to find the necessary spell to

dislodge the boulder before they can proceed.

The GM should not allow players too long to

decide, hurrying them to reach a decision before

the boulder hits them.

3 Mutant Sea Bass

This room is divided into three parts. The part just

inside the door is a stone platform with a retaining

wall. The wall retains a pool of water filled with

angry mutated sea bass (no lasers) which will attack

the feet and ankles of anyone wading through the

water. This will cause 2d6 Life Points damage to

anyone who doesn't 'take precautions'.

On the other side of the pool is a small raised

porch which leads to room 4.

A treasure chest stands just inside the door leading

to the corridor. In the chest are six normal swords

and a Sword of Legend (magical weapon +2 bonus).

The chest also contains 15 Gold.

4 Mel Kholly, the Convenient Store

The door leading to room 5 is locked from the

outside, while the door leading to the porch in

room 3 is unlocked but the pool of angry mutant

sea bass prevents easy crossing of that room.

Here is a fairly comfortable chamber with a

fireplace, a table and a chair. Various odds and ends

stand on shelves around the room and sitting at the

chair, supping from a cup and eating dry bread is a

solemn looking old man who introduces himself as

Melon, seller of things. This, he will explain, is his

convenient store, conveniently placed in the middle

of the evil Lord Rankinphile's headquarters in order

to provide the adventurers who come questing

here with things they might buy in exchange for

gold. Melon turns a fairly good profit as adventurers

are plentiful, even if they don't live very long.

Melon's wares:

Battleaxe of Astounding Might +2 (magical

weapon) costs 6 Gold.

Potion of Healing (one draught heals 10 Life

Points) costs 4 Gold.

Spell in a Jar (the spell is Fireball and allows

the caster to fire a fireball as though it were a

crossbow bolt. The fireball causes 4d6 damage)

costs 5 Gold.

Spell in a Jar (Freeze Monster, allows the

The Boulder of Inevitable Cliches

44

caster to freeze any monster for long enough to

land two free blows) costs 1 Gem.

If the players engage Melon in conversation and, for

example, wonder aloud why he looks so solemn

and unhappy, he will explain that he is forced to

work in the store by the evil Lord Rankinphile who

has kidnapped Melon's daughter and holds her in

some hidden part of the ruin.

If the players offer to help Melon escape he will

explain that he cannot, for if he does Rankinphile

might never return Melon's daughter to him.

Instead Melon will ask the players to find his

daughter and if they return her to him he will then

escape with them. He will also give them a special

spell which he keeps hidden for special occassions.

The spell is Return Life to the Dead and Melon will

give it to the players if they save his daughter and

release him from this room safely so that he can

escort her out of the ruin. The spell returns any

dead Character back to life, restoring the

Character's Life Points in full. The spell is worth 2

gems.

5 Lazy Goblin Guards

Four goblins are stationed here, guarding the locked

door to Melon Kholly's room. As soon as the player

group appear they will rush to attack.

Lazy Goblin Guards x 3

Agility 6

Life Points 6

Endurance 1

Goblin Commander

Agility 7

Life Points 10

Endurance 2

The Goblin Commander is carrying a Club of

Doom which is a +2 magical weapon (the +2 bonus

applies to damage the Goblin inflicts using the club).

Along with this club the goblins are carrying 4 Gold,

a joint of smelly rancid meat, A copper token

shaped like a wheel and an iron token shaped like

square.

5a Strongbox

An iron strongbox embedded in the wall. A square

shaped slot will accept the square iron token

carried by the goblins (see location 5 above) and

this acts as a key, unlocking the box.

Inside is a gem and a lever which, when pulled,

unlocks the door to room 4. Here also is a

triangular token marked 'Level 2'.

5b Ladder

A ladder lies against the wall here. The ladder can

be propped up against the wall of the structure

housing room 4 and the players will then be able to

climb to the roof of that structure (location 8). The

ladder can also be taken into room 6 and used to

reach the wheel situated on the wall there.

6 Tower of Tempting Wheels

The door into room 6 is furnished with a locked

copper padlock which has a slot shaped like a

wheel. The slot accepts the wheel shaped token

held by the goblins in room 5.

Inside this room, which is housed in a free standing

tower of considerable height opposite the tower

housing room 7 (the two towers connected by a

bridge which is too high to be reached by the

ladder in room 5) is a tall thin room with tiled walls

and pipes running horizontally at various heights. A

wheel is situated in the wall opposite the door,

higher than can be reached from the floor but low

enough to be reached using the ladder in room 5.

If the wheel is turned counter-clockwise it shuts off

the water flow into room 3 and the pool there will

drain. If the players return to that room they will

find the pool has emptied and is full of dead mutant

sea bass.

If the wheel is turned clockwise again the water

flow is switched back on and the pool will refill,

45

though the mutant sea bass will remain dead.

7 Were Hamster of Doom

This room is occupied by a monstrous giant Were-

Hamster. The Hamster is voracious and will attack

anyone who dares either to open its door and let it

loose or to enter its room.

Were-Hamster

Agility 9

Life Points 10

Endurance: 1

Thick Fur (acts as armour with a +1 bonus)

If the Were-Hamster is released when the goblins

are still in room 5 he will attack them first.

If the Were-Hamster is slain and players search the

creature's squalid straw covered lair they will find 2

Gold and an Ancient Shield of Defence which has a

+2 armour bonus).

7a Small Cupboard

This cupboard is on the corridor side of the wall

and cannot be accessed from room 7.

If the cupboard is opened a snake springs out and

bites whoever opened the cupboard unless the

player makes a successful Agility dice roll. The bite

causes 1d6 Life Point damage.

In the snake's nest is a gem worth 20 Gold and a

Potion of Good Fortune which restores one

Character's Fate to its original level.

8 Roof of Sudden Fear

The ladder at location 5b must be propped against

the wall of the building housing room 4 in order to

climb up to the flat roof here.

When the players arrive and if they head toward

the stairs leading up to location 9 a ghost appears at

the other end of the roof and starts to moan in a

ghoulish way. Everyone who sees the ghost must

make a Fate roll and if they fail the roll are so

frightened that they lose one point of Agility.

The ghost vanishes shortly afterwards and does not

return.

9 Roof of the High Tower

The steps from location 8 lead up to the roof of the

high tower housing room 6. Up here players can

access the bridge which spans the gap between this

tower and the one housing room 7.

On the floor of the roof lies a skeleton dressed in

the tattered clothing of an adventurer. Next to the

skeleton is a backpack within which is a jewelled

tiara worth 25 Gold, a mouldy old jar filled with

biscuits, a pipe (for smoking) and a note. The note

reads:

"Day 6 - The ruins are overrun with goblins and

I'm stuck here and can't get off the roof in case

they get me. Thank goodness I have my pipe to

smoke. It's a terrible habit to break, a really

A cupboard snake - bad times - and a gem - good times!

46

terrible habit to break, but it is a comfort in this

difficult time."

"Day 7 - uh oh. I've run out of food. I only have

these dry biscuits and I really hate dry biscuits."

10 Bridge Over the Span

In the middle of this bridge is a tower of stone

which blocks anyone from simply walking across.

Instead anyone who tries to get past the tower

must sidle around a very narrow ledge, holding

onto the flat walls of the tower as best they can.

Any player who attempts this must make an Agility

roll. If they fail the roll they slip and fall. They may

then make a Fate roll and if successful manage to

grab the ledge and pull themselves back up. If they

fail they fall to the ground below, incurring 1d6+6

Life Point damage.

If the player edges around the tower or pulls

themselves back up after slipping they may continue

to location 11.

11 The Master Switch

This is the rooftop of the tower housing room 7. At

the back of the roof is a plinth upon which rests the

Red Key of the Dwarven Kings, one of the three

keys the players have come to find.

Behind the plinth is a lever which, if thrown,

switches off all the traps in the ruins. The boulder

trap at location 2a/2b will deactivate; the pool in

room 3 will drain; and the pivoting floor at location

17 will lock so that it no longer triggers when

stepped on.

12 Lava Pit of Further Cliches

Stairs rise to this pit which is approximately 10ft

wide. The sides of the pit are sheer and there is

apparently no way to get across by going around

the edges.

Note: a goblin archer keeps watch on this part of

the ruin from the battlements above (see location

14) and will fire down on anyone who enters this

area without first dealing with him. His arrows will

cause 1d6 damage if they hit their mark.

Some fifty feet below the players will see a bubbling,

seething lake of lava and a considerable heat will

rise from this to their position above.

A narrow platform extends out from the stairs to a

point halfway across the pit, apparently reducing the

distance a person must jump to cross the pit to the

other side from 10ft to 5ft. However, the platform

is hinged underneath on the stairs side and any

weight placed on its unhinged end will cause it to

pivot, dumping anyone standing upon it into the lava

The ghost of Adventurer's past makes an appearance

47

where they will perish.

The hinge is visible to anyone who inspects the

platform thoroughly and the platform will give way

if anyone tests its stability by putting something

heavy on the unhinged end or the centre but not if

weight is merely placed on the hinged end.

The ladder from room 5 is too short to span the

gap and anyone who tries to jump across will fall

short by a distance of a few feet at least and even if

they are able to jump across using magic or some

kind of rope the searing heat from below will boil

them before they can reach the other side, causing

1d6+10 Life Point damage. The lava pit should be

considered impassable for this reason.

13 Landing and Locked Door

A halfway landing in this stairwell. Here is a treasure

chest containing a magical ring of Fire Blast (shoots

a blast of fire at enemies, using crossbow rules,

causing 1d6+2 damage if it hits them) and a spell in

a jar. The spell is 'Stone to Dust' and will turn any

boulder from solid rock into a small pile of ash. The

spell only works on unworked stone, not any kind

of stone that has been 'worked' such as bricks or

stone blocks used in construction (i.e. the spell will

not cause walls to crumble).

The door at the top of this stairwell is locked. The

padlock is furnished with a triangular shaped slot

and is unlocked using the triangular token found at

location 5a.

14 Snotspreader the Goblin Archer

Keeping watch on the lava pit and the long passage

where Lord Rankinphile dwells is Snotspreader the

Goblin archer. He patrols up and down this stretch

of battlements, looking down on the area below.

Anyone who climbs the stairs to the battlements

will be fired upon by Snotspreader as soon as he

sees them. He is an abject coward, however, and

will run away if his arrows miss and he realises he

must fight his target in hand to hand combat.

Snotspreader will throw down his bow and arrow

and jump over the parapet, landing awkwardly on

the edge of the lava pit before falling headlong into

the pit itself. His cowardice will, therefore, be his

downfall in more ways than one.

The bow and arrow may then be picked up by the

player who was brave enough to storm

Snotspreader's battlements. Hanging from the bow,

attached by a piece of string, is a tiny silver token

marked with a key symbol.

15a The Dangerous Gate

This area is a battlement overlooking the front of

the ruin. If players peer over the walls of the

battlement they will see the road leading to the

front door below and the head of Dung the

philosophical giant as he stands guard.

A huge iron gate set into a stone arch bars the wall

opposite the edge of the battlements. Beyond all is

in darkness beneath a high tiled roof. A lever juts

from the wall next to the gate and if this is pulled

the portcullis at location 15c will rumble open and

the giant spider Limbtangle will scramble to

freedom. If Snotspreader the goblin archer prevails

at location 14, Limbtangle will eat him before

heading off to follow the scent of the player group.

If the lever is thrown again the gate will shut, but by

then Limbtangle will be free.

15b Limbtangle the Giant Spider

Lurking in the darkness is Limbtangle, the Giant

Spider. He is extremely voracious and eager to

escape this prison cell where he has been trapped

by Lord Rankinphile.

Limbtangle the Giant Spider

Agility 10

Life Points 16

Endurance: 2

In the desolation of Limbtangle's cobweb strewn lair

anyone who performs a search will find a bag

48

containing 5 Gold, some old bones and a jar

containing a spell. The spell is 'Alchemy' and when

cast upon anything edible the spell effect transforms

the food into 5 Gold. Food to be transformed

should be treated as single items where they are

listed as such (for example - a loaf of bread, or

some dry biscuits would both be treated as one

item of food).

If the player group wish to get to the second

Dwarven Key and rescue the imprisoned daughter

of Melon Kholly they will need to deal first with

Limbtangle.

They can achieve this by posting the Rancid Meat

found in room 5 through the bars of either gate

leading to Limbtangle's cell. Limbtangle will be

drawn by the smell of the meat and will be busy

eating it. The player should then pull the lever next

to the same gate which will open the opposite gate,

allowing Characters who should be waiting there to

hurry through to room 16.

There may be other methods to get past

Limbtangle, including a fight with the spider to the

death, but this is the method Rankinphile's minions

use when they need to access room 16.

15c The Other Dangerous Gate

A gate identical in every way to that which can be

found at location 15a. Next to this gate is another

lever which, when thrown, causes the gate at 15a to

rattle open, allowing Limbtangle the giant spider to

scurry free onto the battlements there.

It should be noted that Limbtangle is a spider and

therefore able to crawl over the walls and rooftops

of the ruin. He will not be restricted by locked

doors and once free he will soon catch the scent of

the player group and will come looking for them.

If the lever is thrown again the gate will shut, but by

then Limbtangle will be free unless he can be

somehow lured back into his cell.

16 Deidre's Cell

Inside this dank and darkened cell, Deidre, daughter

of Melon Kholly, has been imprisoned. There is no

lock upon her door, for the giant spider Limbtangle

guards the passage outside and keeps her from

venturing out.

Deidre will be extremely grateful if rescued. She will

explain to the players that Lord Rankinphile dwells

beyond the lava pit which is impassable. He can be

reached only by opening the pivoting floor in the

room next to her cell (room 17). But before the

players do that they will need to lock the pivoting

A player character peers into Limbtangle's lair

Snotspreader Meets Limbtangle

49

floor in order to reach the strongbox there, which

contains the second of the Dwarven Keys.

The lever for locking and unlocking the pivoting

floor at location 17 is found at the back of Diedre's

cell. If the lever is in the up position the floor is

locked in place and if the lever is in the down

position the floor is unlocked and will drop away if

anyone stands on the weak point directly in front of

the strongbox.

Note: if the master switch at location 11 has been

thrown the reverse will be true and the floor will

be locked when the lever is in the down position.

When the players first enter Diedre's cell the lever

will always be in the down position.

17 Pivoting Floor

A short stretch of corridor leads to a dead end. On

the wall at the end of this corridor, built into the

wall of the structure housing Diedre's Cell (location

16) is a strongbox. The box is furnished with a slot

marked with a key symbol and is opened by using

the silver token that Snotspreader the goblin archer

keeps tied to his bow for safekeeping (see location

14).

The floor of this short corridor is hinged on one

side and will drop out from beneath anyone who

stands in front of the strongbox and who has not

first deactivated the trap. The trap can either be

deactivated by using the master switch at location

11 (which turns off all traps in the ruin) or by using

the lever in Diedre's cell (location 16). The GM

should note that if the master switch is thrown and

then the lever in Diedre's cell is also thrown the

second lever will reactivate the trap rather than

deactivate it (see location 16).

When the floor pivots anyone standing upon it will

drop down into the room below, landing withour

injury on the sloping platform (location 18) before

sliding into Lord Rankinphile's lair (location 19). The

floor will immediately spring back into place.

If only one Character falls through, leaving the

others behind, he will be dazed from his fall and will

be grabbed by Rankinphile's guards and chained up

in the lair. He will be found there when the rest of

the party reach that room. If this occurs early on in

the adventure the GM should contrive to have the

captured player character delivered to the goblins

in room 5 instead where he will be shackled to one

of the walls in that room. When the rest of the

group enter that location for the first time they will

be able to kill the goblins and rescue the captured

Character.

The pivoting floor may seem to be a trap but is in

fact the method used to enter Rankinphile's lair and

the players will need to use the floor to achieve

this, switching it on and off as required.

Pivoting floor madness

50

Inside the strongbox is the Green Dwarven Key,

second of the artefacts the players have come to

find and recover.

18 The Slide of Doom

A slide which offers a safe ride down from the

pivoting floor above (see location 17) into the lair

of Rankinphile. The slide will also present a surprise

to any player who manages to somehow cross the

lava pit, the character failing to anticipate the slide

and probably expecting more stairs to match those

on the other side of the pit.

19a Lord Rankinphile's Evil Lair

Seated in his throne of bones is the evil Lord

Rankinphile, an enemy the GM may describe as he

or she sees fit, though the description should be of

a dark and powerful foe, bristling with spikey

armour plating and probably with glowing red eyes

or something of that ilk. Horns of some kind should

probably be included as well.

To one side of Rankinphile's throne is a great heap

of stinking compost and sticking out of this is a

plinth upon which lies the third Dwarven Key, this

being the Golden key, most fabulous of the trio.

Rankinphile will stand as the player group arrive to

greet his worthy adversaries. When performing the

voice of Rankinphile the GM should attempt his or

her most gravelly and sneering role to date.

"Ah, puny and pathetic adventurers. I wondered

how long it would be before my splendid traps

and guardians were defeated. How is the

Wizard Adagio LeSpell? I assume you come on

his command?"

Regardless of the response...

"It matters not who pulls your strings, for you

are nothing to me, mightiest and darkest of all

the lords of the black mountain! I shall smite

you now. Or perhaps I shall have my final and

most terrible guardian smite you for me. Hm,

yes, that's what I'll do. Emerge CHAOSIA, my

most loyal warlord!

If Chaosia is defeated he transforms into a pile of

three gems, each worth 20 Gold. His tone

somewhat less confident, Rankinphile will resume

his narcisistic rant:

"Bah! Foiled again! But this time I'm not going

to let you confounded adventurers get away

with it. I expect you know what a birthday is?

Well today we celebrate something else. Not

the day you were born but the day you will die!

Bwahaha. Let me give you your present now.

His name is Stenchblossom. ARISE

STENCHBLOSSOM!"

The compost heap next to the throne seems to

heave upward and takes on the form of a great

shambling mound of rotting vegetables and moldy

grass cuttings. Bits of apple core and banana peel

scatter as the great monster reaches for the Golden

Key, brings it up to his mouth and swallows it

whole, belching loudly afterwards. He then lurches

forth to attack the player group. His stride is

extremely slow and as he comes Rankinphile will be

unable to resist further gloating, giving away a vital

secret in the process...

"Wonderful isn't he? He's utterly invulnerable to

your pathetic weapons and magic. Only one

thing will give him pause for thought, and that is

a command letter. Only one thing will stop him

and that is a command word which turns him

back into a pile of rubbish. A shame only I know

the command letter and word, and I'm not

going to help you by giving you any clues, like

for example, if you take a bit away from

something that's very hard to break, you'll get a

little bit of help. You might be able to get both

the letter and the command word from that

clue if I was stupid enough to give it to you, but

I'm not so dumb as to... Aaaargh. What have I

said!? Stenchblossom! Attack them, protect the

Dwarven Key!"

The GM should repeat the pertinent aspects of the

rant if players request it.

The solution to Rankinphile's clue is H for the letter

and Habit for the word. If you take a bit (ABIT)

away from something that's very hard to break

51

If the word Habit is shouted, Stenchblossom

transforms back into a heap of rotting compost and

the Gold Dwarven Key will rattle across the floor

where players can recover it.

Rankinphile will roar with indignation and will sneer

in his very best defeated dark lord tones:

"Aaargh, you have bested me and my greatest

guardians. Return now to your wizard master

and tell him of your victory, but know this. You

have not heard the last of me, for I shall return.

Spell casting RETURN TO SOURCE!"

As Rankinphile utters these words he will seem to

transform into a whirling tornado of dust which

gradually vanishes into the air, his disappearance

accompanied by a fading malevolent laughter.

19b Chaosia, a Most Loyal Warlord

From this alcove steps forth Chaosia to attack any

who dare to enter the lair of Lord Rankinphile.

Chaosia is a huge chaos golem made of stone and

metal plates. He carries a huge warhammer

furnished with spikes and has fists the size of

boulders.

Chaosia

Agility: 11

Life Points: 18

Endurance: 2

Aftermath

Once Rankinphile is defeated, the player group may

wish to return to Melon Kholly to help him escape

the ruins. They will then return to the road and

head back into the valley to visit with the wizard

master Adagio LeSpell.

LeSpell is overjoyed to receive them and to have

the Dwarven Keys safely back. He will offer the

player group a choice of one of four rewards.

Players must discuss between them which reward

they will choose and which of them will take the

reward. All players except the player who accepts

the main reward will be given 40 Gold each by

LeSpell.

Sword of Divine Fire (magical weapon with a

weapon bonus of +3 which may only be used by

Brave characters).

Healing Potion of Power (a potion which, when

consumed, raises the drinker's Life Points to 24, the

maximum allowable).

Spell in a Jar (the spell is Formidable Fate and

when cast on any Character, including the caster

himself if the caster wishes, Fate is raised to a value

of 12).

Wand of Wizardly Power (+2 bonus to this

wand which may only be used by Virtuoso

characters).

Written by David Sharrock, playtested by David (41), Cate (age undisclosed), Cerin (6) and Annie (13).

(habit) you'll get a little bit of

help (H). The command word is

therefore Habit.

When the letter H is uttered

Stenchblossom will freeze for a

few minutes, allowing players a

chance to think about the rest of

the clue. If the player group are

smart they will merely shout out

the letters of the alphabet until

they hit the right one, buying

themselves enough time to solve

the rest of the riddle.

52

NEXT ISSUE

Exploring the World Wide Web of Wyrd

The Plasmic Priest

An exclusive character creed for the Wyrd universe. The

Plasmic Priest is an elementalist creed who fuels his runic

spell casting by generating orphic plasm using totems.

Call to Action

Another crowdfunder under the spotlight (content to be

decided).

Latest Releases

More on Forever People's latest releases (content to be

decided).

The Unsung Weave

The Bearing Pit

Our serialised Wyrd campaign continues with the first

adventure associated with rumours. The Bearing Pit takes

players into the industrial smoke-stack city of Dunkunom

on the trail of a Soul Stone thief.

Mazes, Maps & Monsters

The Forest of Fang

Our introductory roleplaying game for younger players

takes your game into the wilderness on the trail of the

legendary Troll Stones of Fang.

www.foreverpeople.co.uk 2015