A LOST LANDS’ NORTHLANDS ADVENTURE

FROG GOD GAMES

By KEN SPENCER
 By Ken Spencer
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Jeff Harkness Quentin Soubrouillard Giordano Manes

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Quentin Soubrouillard
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Michael Gross Italo Iozzi

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Bill Webb, Zach Glazar, Edwin Nagy, Jeff Harkness,
Casey W. Christofferson, Ken Spencer, and Michael Badolato.

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God Games, the Frog God Games logo, Spring Rites, and the Northlands are trademarks of Frog God Games. All rights reserved. All
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ISBN: 978-1-6656-0361-4
Printed in the US

S pring R ites - 1
 T–
able of Contents
•–
Spring Rites................................................. 3 Chapter Three: Fight at the Stones....... 24
Chapter One: A Fine Spring Day................ 7 Appendix One: New Monsters................. 30
Chapter Two: The Trail of the Aglæcwif.. 13 Appendix Two: New Magic Items.............. 34

Notes on the Northlands Jarl. A local ruler. Becoming a jarl is not just inheritance, for
they must prove themselves worthy of being sworn to. As the
Nørsk are free people, if they find a jarl unacceptable, they are
If you are unfamiliar with the Northlands, here is a short list of
terms you will want to remember: free to leave or remove them.
Kennings. A poetic compound expression with a metaphorical
Aglæcwif. A magic-user of doubtful intentions and suspect meaning.
honesty. Aglœwifs are considered mad and often dabble in dark Nørsk. The human people of the Northlands, they speak Nørsk
forces. as their common tongue and their written language is Runic. There
Althunak. The Demon-God of Ice and Cold, Althunak was is great diversity among the Nørsk as their far sailing ways have
driven from the Northlands a generation ago. Yet his cults pop up brought all manner of strangers to their lands. Mostly, the Nørsk
from time to time, and it is said the Demon-God broods on his icy are farmers, fishers, merchants, and tradesfolk.
throne somewhere in the Far North. Mind’s-Worth. A kenning meaning honor.
Andøvan. A long-dead civilization that once occupied the North Sea. The great sea at the center of the Northlands.
area now known as the Northlands. They built massive stone Nûklander. The reindeer herding and riding elf-like people of
monuments and burial mounds and are said to possess powerful the tundra and taiga north of Estenfird.
magics. Ring Giver. A kenning meaning generous.
Estenfird. A wild frontier across the North Sea. Shieldwall. The common battle formation of the Nørsk is a
Gatland. Home of the powerful Gat clan. densely packed line of warriors three ranks deep with interlocked
Gats. Traditionalists, the Gat clan rules a third of the Northlands. shields. Up to five creatures carrying shields can form a shieldwall
They are rivals of the Hrolfs. as an action, with the entire formation changing its initiative order
Go∂i. A holy person who can talk to the gods. Clerics are the to that of the last person to join. While in this formation, all receive
usual classe to become go∂i, but anyone with the favor of the gods a +1 bonus to their AC for attacks from the front, but the formation
are called go∂i. Go∂i are part-time priests who spend the majority can move only at half their Movement Rate.
of their time farming, fishing, or working a trade. Sif’s Hair. A kenning meaning gold.
Hacksilver (hs). None of the rulers of the Northlands mint their Skald. A storyteller, lore keeper, and musician.
own coins. Instead of coins, hacksilver is the unit of measure that Spear-din. A kenning meaning battle.
is used, with 1 hs equal to 1 gp. Hacksilver takes many forms Storstrøm Vale. The heart of the Northlands, this peaceful
such as foreign coins, broken pieces of jewelry, and even metal region lies south of the North Sea and east of Hordaland. The
shavings. Great Go∂I House is here as well as many of the oldest settlements.
Hordaland. A peninsula that juts out of the southern coast of Trondheim, the oldest city in the North is the capital of the Vale.
the North Sea, home to Silvermeade Hall and the setting of this Thing. A democratic legislative and judicial gathering of all
adventure. adult landholders in an area. All may speak, all may vote, but the
Hrolfs. One of the two most powerful clans in the Northlands, Thing has no power to enforce its decisions.
the Hrolfs have been adopting Southlander ways such as mounted Vastavikland. This rugged, mountainous land in the west of the
warriors, heavy armor, lances, crossbows, and serfdom. Northlands is known for three things: its many volcanoes, its poor
Hrolfland. Easternmost of the lands of the North, Hrolfland is soil, and its aggressive people. Vastaviklander is synonymous with
the home of the Hrolf clan. They dissolved the Things and Althing raider in many parts of the world.
of Hrolfland and rule as petty lords. Whale Road. A kenning meaning sea.
Huscarl. An oathbound warrior or another important retainer Wound-Sea. A kenning meaning blood or battle.
of a jarl.

2 - T able of C ontents
 Spring Rites
–•–
Our heroes, or would-be heroes as the case may be, are retainers,
hangers-on, and lesser relations of the Jarl Olaf Henrikson. They
have spent the past winter at his home, Silvermeade Hall, and Spring Rites
and the Lord of Ice
spring is well on its way. Not yet having won a place in his retinue,
they should be eager to please and impress the jarl. He is known
as a ring-giver, one who rewards those in his service, and to join and Cold Series
his retinue is a mark of honor and distinction. Unfortunately, all he
needs of the PCs today is to guard his three daughters as they pick Spring Rites is the start of the Lord of Ice and Cold
series, the epic tale of the battle against Althunak, the
flowers for the upcoming feast of Freya.
Lord of Ice and Cold, that continues with Wyrd of the
From such humble beginnings great sagas may begin. Winter King, Vengeance of the Long Serpent, Beyond the
The adventure is designed for 1st- to 3rd-level characters, Wailing Mountains, The Death Curse of Sven Oakenfist,
making it a fine introduction to the Northlands and the Lord of and ends with Cannibal King of the North. You can play
Ice and Cold series. Spring Rites calls for characters who are this as a standalone adventure or as part of the series.
of Lawful or Neutral alignments, though good tendencies should Keep in mind that the series hits the high points of the
prevail in the group. A cleric would be very useful in the Barrow saga of the PCs battle against Althunak; there is plenty
Lands, and someone should have the Wilderness Survival skill of room to have other adventures in the spaces between.
(granted by the bearsarker, cunning folk and Nûklander classes)
should they choose to take the forest path. Naturally, this being While set in the Northlands of Frog God Games’ Lost Lands
the Northlands, fighting men and women will be needed. There is setting, it can easily be dropped into any campaign world that has
a fair mix of exploration and combat, with social matters making a strong Old Norse-themed region. Your world does have a region
up the first third of the adventures. with a strong Viking theme?

Adventure Background
The Northlanders have many words for those who practice the daughters, Jarl Olaf thought his life truly blessed by the gods for
dark arts: galdricge, seiðkona, or often simply aglæcwif. Unlike his bravery and honor, but when it came time for the birthing of his
the mysterious, but respected, cunning folk who are accepted third daughter, his wyrd took a dark turn indeed. The jarl’s beloved
into Northlander society for the wisdom they bring and their wife labored for more than a day, struggling, losing blood, unable
connection to the world’s unseen, an aglæcwif exists on the very to deliver the child. The go∂i and cunning women of his hall were
fringes of society. They lurk in the shadows, universally reviled, unable to help and, when after a night and a day, his wife took fever,
subsisting on what little they can find, ever wary of an angry mob the jarl truly despaired. It was then in his fear and desperation that
or vengeful jarl who holds them responsible for a bad accident, he turned to powers he never would have been willing to entertain.
a blighted crop, or simply poor luck on a voyage. Despite all He recalled an ancient crone who lived upon the Moors not far
of these disadvantages, there are always those willing to make from his hall at Silvermeade. Sending his huscarls upon his fastest
whatever sacrifice is necessary to embrace the unnatural power horses, Jarl Olaf summoned the aglæcwif Sibbe the Unkempt to
had by trafficking in such things. And sometimes, if a Northlander attend his wife’s birthing chamber.
is desperate enough, they might be willing to have dealings with Sibbe the aglæcwif was dragged unceremoniously to the jarl’s
such matters themselves. But there is always a price, for no one hall and told in no uncertain turns that if the jarl’s wife and child
can dabble in the dark arts and hope to escape without at least died, her own life would be forfeit shortly thereafter. With that
some small taint of the shadow clinging to them. threat over her head, she attended to the delivery and by the next
Jarl Olaf Henrikson is a man of power and honor, respected evening the child was born alive, and the mother’s fever had
among his peers, carrying a reputation as a fierce warrior and wise broken. Mother and child were fine, and if the newborn babe bore
leader, and ruler of the largest and wealthiest settlement in all the a dark birthmark across her face, her grateful parents saw only a
Northlands. Even a man of such stature, however, can find himself healthy baby where before they saw only tragedy (though more
at the mercy of his wyrd and be truly desperate enough to try to than one householder whispered of the mark as a sign of ill omen
cheat even fate if it be in his power. The father of two beautiful for trying to challenge one’s wyrd).

S pring R ites - 3
 Sibbe said not a word as the jarl expressed his gratitude for the
You have been ordered to appear before your jarl,
miracle she had performed and gave her a fat pouch of silver for
Olaf Henrikson, jarl of Halfstead, greatest city of
her troubles as well. This she took and headed out alone back to the Northlands. For young members in service to
the Moors, soon forgotten by the jarl. But her stone-faced visage his household or visitors who have wintered there
hid much from the jarl’s household as she left. They thought her but have no plans for pursuing their wyrd, this is a
forced intervention a benevolent act, but she knew better. She moment of hope and fear. Hope that he assigns you
knew her magic had left its taint on the child and that the two were a glorious task to prove your mettle but tinged with
now connected. She did not know what she would do with this fear of his wrath should you fail. Your jarl is a good
connection, but she knew something would come of it for her own man, strong and battle-tested, with many famed
purposes someday. heroic deeds to his name.
After making yourself presentable, you and a few of

Adventure Summary
his other retainers and guests walk through the gates
of the great hall’s stockade and present yourselves
to the guards at the carved wooden doors that mark
The initial section begins with the PCs sent to escort and guard the main entrance. After exchanging a few jests with
their jarl’s three daughters as they gather flowers for the Feast of these household warriors that you have known for as
Freyja. The daughters themselves present a bit of a challenge, being long as you’ve been a part of the jarl’s household, Ari
headstrong, having their own agendas, and in general causing Hrokson, your jarl’s herald, comes for you.
trouble. During the morning ride through calm, settled areas of “I needn’t remind you to keep polite and let the jarl
Hordaland near the jarl’s hall, the girls act up a bit, allowing for speak first. And do not keep too much of his time,
ample roleplaying opportunities. Once at the meadows, there this is a busy day,” the old skald states. He then
are a few small events, and one major event presaging events in announces you to the jarl.
Vengeance of the Long Serpent.
Foul magic and a kidnapping interrupt the tranquil scene in The PCs are announced in order of precedence by their status. The
the meadows. The aglæcwif Sibbe the Unkempt plans to capture order is as follows: anyone of noble birth, warriors, go∂i, skaldi,
the girls and sacrifice them to reap their life essence and use it arcane casters, and finally foreigners. Once the introductions are
to bring back her lost youth and increase her arcane power. She complete, continue with the following.
uses powerful ancient magic to put everyone in the meadow into
a magical sleep while her minions grab the girls. Once they are The hall is dimly lit, for this is a normal day and
captured, she takes the three girls to an ancient site of power in the not a cause for feasting. Only a few huscarls stand
nearby Barrow Lands to be sacrificed. about the room, but several thralls busy themselves
Upon regaining consciousness, the party finds that the girls are putting up garlands of flowers and green boughs,
gone, their horses are scattered, and their day has taken a dark turn. preparations for the upcoming Feast of Freyja. The
jarl is seated at the end of the feasting table in
Clues point to Sibbe the Unkempt taking the girls, as well as her
his chair, an ornate piece of work carved from the
nefarious plot and her likely destination. The PCs must choose how trunk of an oak. He is leaning in and talking with a
they plan to reach the stone circle in order to rescue the girls along stranger, a well-dressed man with the bearing of an
one of three possible routes: through the Barrow Lands, across envoy. As you approach, you hear the jarl say, “… and
the Trollfist Hills, or along the forest trails. The route through the thirty-five cattle, that’s all her dowry will be.”
Barrow Lands is the fastest route, but the undead residents of that
The jarl turns to you. “Good, you have come quickly
haunted region do not take kindly to trespassers. The Trollfist Hills and well comported. This speaks kindly of you and
present a slow-but-safer route, as the jarl and his huscarls have your kin. Sit and partake of an early meal; you will
cleared out the resident trolls. Finally, there is the middle-length need it, for I have a task for you. My three daughters,
route along the paths that lead through the forest, which is not as Inga, Fastvi, and Runa, wish to go out this afternoon
swift as the hills, but not as dangerous as the Barrow Lands. and gather flowers for the feast. As this is a rightful
Following one of these three routes, the PCs make their way to thing for young folk to do, I am allowing it. They need
the stone ring deep in the Barrow Lands where Sibbe intends to to be guarded, and this is the task I set before you.
conduct her sacrifice. They must arrive before dawn of the vernal “I know you have longed for a chance to prove
equinox to stop the ceremony and rescue the daughters of their jarl yourselves and rise in my favor as well as allow your
and bring them home safely. mind’s-worth to shine, but there is no spear-din today
and no chance to shed battle-dew. All I have is this
task: Spend a spring afternoon watching young folk

Beginning the Adventure as they pick flowers in the meadows. When you have
your own halls and have seen the swans of blood sip
on many a foeman’s wound-sea, such a day as this
The adventure begins as the PCs gather in the jarl’s hall at will be a boon beyond naming. So remember it well
Silvermeade. He is about to give them their first assignment to and pray you have many more like it. Now, let us eat.
work together and plant the seeds for a life of adventure. This But before that, allow me to introduce our bread-
is a heady moment and should set the nature for the rest of the brother this morning, Ottar Gundrikson, skald and
campaign. herald to the Jarl Ref Solumundson of the Vale.

4 - S pring R ites
 The PCs may ask any questions they wish, but they need to
make Charisma checks to get a polite word in between the two You arrive at the stockade wall to find the gate
older men’s telling of tales of battles and adventures past without open and three young women waiting impatiently
making fools of themselves by interrupting. They may also astride fine horses. The oldest wears a dress of blue
make an Intelligence check to find out something about Jarl Ref linen with a squared border of small yellow flowers
embroidered around the neck, cuffs, and hem. She is
Solumundson of the Vale. This jarl is a landholder of middling
tall and fair of face, her golden hair coiled about her
importance in the Storstrøm Vale but more importantly is joined head in braids and covered in a silver net. Her face
by blood though his wife to the powerful Gat family, one of the favors her father, and she is introduced by your escort
two most-powerful clans in the Northlands. Jarl Ref Solumundson as Inga, the Jarl’s oldest daughter. Next to her upon
has three sons of marrying age, all well accomplished in deeds. a skittish mare sits a girl of perhaps 13. Her dress is
Considering that Jarl Henrikson’s eldest daughter is 19, and thus a plain green smock, and her hair and eyes are dark
of marrying age, the PCs should realize they have likely intruded like her mother’s. She is named to you as Fastvi.
upon a discussion over her dowry. An alliance between Halfstead The third girl is the smallest, perhaps nine or 10
and the Gats would be beneficial but would also put the rival Hrolf years old, with a distant and dreaming look on her
clan at a disadvantage. Adding to this, all the PCs know is that face. Her hair is fair like her older sister’s, but the
Hordaland’s køenig recently passed away, leaving a child on the resemblance ends there. You have heard the rumors
throne. As Jarl Olaf supports the child, he needs allies in the event of Little Runa’s troubled birth near 10 winters ago
of a civil war. whispered around the hearth fires out of the jarl’s
hearing. The truth of these tales seems to be told in
After an early lunch of black bread, butter, the last of the the angry red birthmark that covers her face from
winter’s pickled flounder, fresh spring greens (cooked with white left ear to chin, the girl seemingly unaware of the
beans and a ham hock), and several pints of beer, the PCs are sent rough, wrinkled texture or the ill portent it marks.
away to meet the daughters. Before joining them at the gates of the Worse from the standpoint of omens are her eyes,
stockade, they should stop by the stables and pick up any mounts one blue and one pale green, the eyes of the aglæcwif.
they have (any of the PCs without a mount is loaned a Trondheim Nevertheless, though dreamy and precocious, the
pony for the day). The three girls are waiting impatiently at the jarl and his wife have loved Little Runa dearly, and
front gate. she has enjoyed the privileges and upbringing of a
devoted family despite the ill omens of her birth. If
anything can overcome the spinning of wyrd at her
birth, it would have to be the good Jarl Henrikson, a
man favored by fate as much as any man can claim.

S pring R ites - 5
 After the introductions are made, the PCs have time to get to leads her and her older sister to bicker for several minutes before
know the girls in their charge as they turn their mounts and head Fastvi enters a long sulk.
west down the road toward the Meadows, a location well known Little Runa (normal human) is a different story altogether. She
to the inhabitants of Silvermeade. is nine years old, spoiled, and precocious, and (unknown to the
Inga (normal human) is a young woman of 16 winters. She is of PCs) also tainted. The PCs have heard rumors that her birthing was
marriageable age and has been known to practice using her wiles a difficult one. Rumors say that at Runa’s birth, the midwives of
on the men of the household. As a result, she petulantly expects to the holdfast were afraid that both child and mother would be lost.
be able to charm anyone. Inga is prone to behavior that could best Fearing the worst, the jarl sent his best huscarls across the Moors
be termed haughty but plays out more like insolence. The PC with and into the Barrow Lands to seek out a seiðkona — an evil worker
the highest status is treated with coy respect, while the others are of magic — named Sibbe the Unkempt. They found the filthy, rag-
ordered about. The young woman is unmindful of the fact that her covered woman and brought her back to aid in the birthing. The
father’s householders are not hers and that she has no status save aglæcwif ’s magic saved Runa and her mother, but the child was
that of birth (and birth is regarded, but not overly regarded, in the never quite right, marked by fate for the sorcerous interference
Northlands). at her birth. Furthermore, she seems to see and hear things that
Fastvi (normal human), the middle daughter, is just starting are not there and has on more than one occasion spoken of things
to bloom into womanhood, but has not yet laid aside her wild, she could not know of or of things that occurred well before they
childish ways. The young girl, barely 13, is friendly where her happened. Still, the jarl and his wife love the girl and dote on her
older sister is imperious, reckless where the elder is cautious a great deal of time — at least until recently. With the birth of the
(at least with regard to physical risk), and open where her sister jarl’s first son last year, that mewling babe has garnered the most
is coy. For today’s outing, she has donned a tunic and trousers attention, and Runa has been acting up and causing trouble. The
unseen beneath her plain dress and smock. As soon as she is out of girl is clad in a simple dress whose subtle embroidery denotes her
sight of the holdfast, she pulls the dress off and glares a challenge status, but the dress becomes dirty and disheveled within minutes
at anyone who so much as raises an eyebrow in disapproval. This of reaching the meadows.

6 - S pring R ites
 Chapter One:
A–
Fine Spring
•–
Day
Events During
It is only an hour’s ride through farmland and well-coppiced
woods to the Meadows where the girls want to pick flowers. The
Meadows are beyond the settlements, just inside the boundaries
of the forest and wilder, but still near enough to largely be safe.
The jarl would never send his children into a lawless area, and a the Fine Spring Day
group of huscarls and retainers should be more than adequate to The following events occur as the PCs accompany the girls to the
safeguard his daughters. It is a pleasant spring day, and the girls Meadows. Some of the events are keyed to locations, and some are
are atwitter with delight at their first outing after the long winter. based on timing. Review the events thoroughly before running the
Freemen traveling along the muddy road or out in fields still adventure so you can insert them into play at the appropriate times.
spotted with snow wave to the party as they ride past, and some of
the higher-status hirdmen stop and chat for a short while.
During the journey, Inga is at her worst. She deigns only to give
freemen and their families a slight wave or nod of the head and
Event 1. Fine Work for Warriors
is too curt and short with the hirdmen she encounters. However, This event occurs no more than 20 minutes after the PCs
the young woman acts flirtatiously toward any high-status heroes. leave the holdfast. The party meets a tired and ragged group of
It would simply not do for her to climb onto her horse, and Inga householders and huscarls on their way back to the hall.
will need someone to hold its reins and another to lift her into the
saddle (and thus give the lucky fellow a chance to hold her around Your horses travel at a trot as you make your way
her slim waist). The favored hero’s every comment is shown toward the Meadows. On the muddy track ahead of
appropriate appreciation, his prowess in arms is commented on you, you see an armed group of warriors riding your
with approval, as well as any distinctive physical features. The way. Their horses move more slowly, as if exhausted
others — especially if female, foreign, or of low status — are from long riding, and they and their mounts are
completely ignored. spattered with the mud of hard travel.
Fastvi is enamored with all things martial and heroic and pesters
any warriors in the party with endless questions, requests to hold Once within hailing distance, the PCs recognize this group as
their sword, pleas for them to teach her how to fight, and such huscarls and householders of the jarl. They are Hallbjorn Bolverkson
annoyances. She responds well to anyone who tells her tales of (one of Jarl Olaf’s most-trusted huscarls), Kraki Hallason (an up-
battle — the more gruesome the better — and becomes fast friends and-coming householder), Young Ljot (no relation to Old Ljot),
with any of the PCs who show her some kindness. However, she Hauk Arinbjornson (a hotheaded Vastaviklander), and Berg Geirson
is headstrong and rides off if not stopped — which is a sure way (a sour-spirited warrior). They have been out on the Moors for a
to earn her displeasure unless someone gains her respect with their week, hunting down an outlaw called Styr the Ugly who was spotted
warlike prowess; she stubbornly obeys that individual for a time. trying to sneak into the barn of an outlying farmstead. They were
Unless prevented from doing so, she rides well ahead of the party, unsuccessful but managed to spend several chilly nights sleeping in
jumps her horse over fences, and gallops through pastures and the mud, getting rained on, and in general not having an adventure.
fields. In general, she causes minor havoc. They pause to speak to the PCs to find out what they are up to
Runa, on the other hand, is rather quiet during the entire ride. escorting the jarl’s daughters. As respected members of the jarl’s
She mutters to herself and occasionally laughs at some private household, they are more prone to asking questions than answering.
joke. If listened to closely (as listen at doors, 1-in-6 chance for PCs The party of huscarls are already grumpy and tired, and likely look
without the ability), she is obviously holding half of a conversation poorly upon what they might see as disrespect coming from a group
with some unseen person named Jalvik. If pressed, Runa just stares of untested younglings. Their attitudes and mannerisms are described
daggers at the interruption. Afterward, her half of the conversation below to allow you to adjudicate conversation with them. They tend
gets louder and begins mocking those too inquisitive for their own to overtalk each other and address different members of the party, so
good. As much fun as she is having with this, it’s all just a game. rather than conduct the conversations one at a time, have the players
The girl knows her reputation and is wicked enough to play on it address different members of this group simultaneously to simulate
at the expense of others for her own amusement. group conversation. Regardless of the PCs’ actions, they do not
respect them enough to fight them. If tensions get high, Hallbjorn
exerts his authority to prevent any violence, but bad feelings linger.

C hapter O ne : A F ine S pring D ay - 7

 Hallbjorn Bolverkson (huscarl, see Appendix One: New Berg Geirson (veteran)
Monsters)  Initial greeting (said morosely): “I think I may be catching
 Initial greeting: “Ho there! Where are you bound?” a chill.”
 If the PCs answer civilly and state their purpose, he  He does not respond to threats or endearments alike and

becomes friendly and says: “The Meadows then, keep an responds to word of the PCs’ mission with: “Ah, flowers just
eye out for an outlaw by the name of Styr the Ugly. He’s tall, make me sneeze.”
dark haired, and has a scar across his chin like a serpent’s  If the PCs speak with him, he confides in them: “I

tail. Rumor is he may have fallen in with the aglæcwif Sibbe probably have guard duty tomorrow; I’ll miss the feast.”
the Unkempt, but for what reasons none know.” Otherwise, he remains silent for the rest of the encounter.
 If provoked or if any sort of heated moment arises

between our heroes and the other householders, he snaps at

all involved: “That is enough! Olaf will hear about this, and
not take it kindly, I promise you that.”
Event 2. Fastvi’s Great Ride
A mere 15 minutes into the ride after leaving the returning
Kraki Hallason (huscarl, see Appendix One: New Monsters) hunters, Fastvi spots something interesting across a recently
 Initial greeting: “Some people get all the luck.” plowed field, or perhaps she just wants to take a fast and daring
 Kraki has little to say and will not be provoked. If any ride. Regardless of which, she suddenly turns her horse and jumps
arguments begin between the PCs and the householders, he a ditch along the side of the road, taking off across Old Ljot’s
says: “No need to quarrel. We all have a duty to do.” fields.
 Kraki will not be baited, and his attitude will not change Unless they have been paying close attention to her, Fastvi gains
even if attacked. He responds to such actions: “Hold now, this surprise. Roll initiative for this event as you would for combat. On
is unseemly for our jarl’s followers!” her first round (likely while the PCs are surprised), Fastvi charges
across the fields as fast as her horse can go. About 150 feet across
Young Ljot (veteran) the field is a ditch that can be jumped with Dexterity check. Any
 Initial greeting: “Hello Inga, you look pretty today.” who fail the check find that their horses balk at the ditch and need
 Ljot is friendly but has eyes only for Inga whom he not- to spend their next turn wheeling the mount around. Once across
so-secretly has a crush on. She plays coy with him for the the ditch, Fastvi makes for the next field (300 feet wide), heads
time being which, along with any sort of verbal sparring through a stand of trees (90 feet deep), and rides on until caught or
from the PCs, simply prompts: “Can we just move on, my out of sight of the PCs. If lost, she meets the PCs at the Meadows.
feet are wet and cold.” Not that she tells them that.
 If any sort of hostilities arises, his attitude becomes
To complicate matters, Old Ljot spots this abuse of his recent
unfriendly, but he still attempts to stay out of a fight: “Uh, handiwork and is a little disgruntled. He appears in the first round
this isn’t the time and place, right?” after the surprise round from behind a barn and rails at the party
for losing control of their young charge, as both the jump and
Hauk Arinbjornson (berserker) riding off places her in danger, as well as tearing up his field.
 Initial greeting: “What have we here? Ladies off for a

morning ride?”
 If responded to in anything other than a solicitous way, his

next response is: “Must be proud warriors who escort little As the young girl’s steed tears across the field
girls to pick flowers; fine warrior’s work that is.” toward the nearby ditch, a stooped old farmer rounds
 If provoked, he says: “Step off that horse and learn what
the corner from behind his low-thatched barn waving
an old hoe over his head. “You lazy, pig-brained wastes
the weather of weapons is all about.” (Hallbjorn intervenes of breath! Look what that damned-fool girl did to
before any actual fighting occurs.) my field! Don’t just stand there with your teeth in
your mouth! Do your duty to your jarl and go get her.
Letting a slip of a girl get the drop on you and run off,
and this is what the jarl plans to bring into his hall?”

8 - C hapter O ne : A F ine S pring D ay

 she begins howling in pain. A simple application of a cure light
Event 3. The Dog wounds spell fixes it, but her enthusiasm is killed for some time
(by the time of Event 8 below, she is back up in a tree). If healing
This event occurs shortly after the party arrives at Area 3. A magic is not available, she needs to be treated with a successful
successful listen at doors check detects a rustling in the bushes Wisdom check to stabilize the arm and then taken home. This
toward the western edge of the meadow. Moments later, a stray brings an abrupt end to the day in the Meadows. In this instance,
dog wanders into the meadow, a mangy flea-bitten but friendly Events 6 and 8 occur as the PCs pack up and before they leave the
cur. Runa immediately runs to it with a squeal of delight and, if Meadows.
not stopped, throws her arms around the mutt as it begins to lick
her face happily. She promptly names the dog Bogi and asks that it
return to the hall with her. Anyone examining it with a successful
Wisdom check can determine that it seems to have a fairly gentle
Event 6. A Shadow is Cast
nature and is disease free. It was probably some farmer’s dog This event occurs either while Fastvi is being tended to in Event
that ran away during the winter months and is likely desperately 5 if no healing magic is used or at some later point if the party
seeking a new master — and Runa fits the bill nicely. remains in the Meadows.
The little girl politely asks the PCs to let her keep the dog, and
based on what they have seen of her, the companionship of a pet While picking flowers nearby, Runa stops and
would likely do her good. Also, refusing her such a base request stands up abruptly. She utters a pronouncement in
is unlikely to go over well with the jarl. Besides, if they refuse, a powerful voice unlike that of a little girl, “A storm
the dog still hangs around anyway, just out of reach unless killed is coming to sweep all away. Father will die from
or badly injured, in which case the jarl undoubtedly is angered by bloodied ice. The raven calls for us all.” Then her
their cruelty. He chose them for this task because he thought them demeanor shifts back to that of a little girl in a bright
honorable and worthy enough to escort his children, not because spring meadow as she skips off after a butterfly.
he thought them a pack of violent louts.
If the PCs allow Runa to keep the dog (the jarl can always tell Runa says no more than that, and if asked about it has no
her no later), she looks at the PCs very solemnly and asks them to recollection of saying anything. She vaguely remembers a “shadow
swear to protect her friend Bogi just as they would protect her. It that passed over the sun” but then says it went away. She does not
is true that she is just a child and only the youngest daughter of the know that she received any kind of foretelling. It is nonetheless
jarl, but this is the PCs’ first opportunity to make oath to a lord or chilling to hear the small girl speak of the death of the jarl.
lady (in this case, a future lady), and the oath seems light enough
and quite complementary to what they have already been tasked
to do. Should combat occur later, the dog generally avoids a fight
unless Runa is directly endangered; it barks menacingly from the
Event 7. The Attack
edge of combat. As mentioned at the beginning of the adventure, Sibbe the
Unkempt (an aglæcwif, see Appendix One: New Monsters)
assisted in the birthing of Runa Olafsdottir, and in the process, she

Event 4. A Stolen Kiss managed to corrupt the girl. Sibbe was called in when it looked
as if the child would die and, although mother and child were
Inga tires quickly of picking flowers and, once her basket saved, Sibbe planted the seeds of her own discord in the girl. In
is dutifully filled, she spends her time flirting with her chosen the decade since, Sibbe has been continuing her research among
character. Part of this is walking with them through the meadow, the ancient stones and lost Andøvan magic in the Barrow Lands to
chatting, and gently touching their arm. If in a position where find some way to increase her own power, and she intends to use
the others are either not watching or can’t see her, she attempts the subtle hexes she implanted in young Runa. Now her research
to steal a kiss. This is as far as she goes and is something she has borne fruit. Using a powerful ritual of the Ancient Ones at
considers a great game. If the character chooses to reciprocate the spring equinox will allow her to replenish her youth and grow
the kiss, there is a 2-in-6 chance that Fastvi spies the kiss and greatly in her magical abilities. All it requires is the sacrifice of a
runs by laughing that she is going to tell, which puts Inga into virgin of noble blood, and she knew just where to find one.
a frenzy trying to catch and beat the girl with a switch. In this Using the strange empathic influence that Sibbe has over Runa,
case, a successful Charisma check is needed to stop the beating she implanted in the girl’s mind the idea to come to the Meadows
and convince Fastvi to keep what she saw to herself. On a failed to pick flowers for the equinox festival. Runa, long affected by
check, Fastvi remains noncommittal, though circumstances soon strange moods and an unsettling wyrd, does not consciously know
render the point moot. of the aglæcwif ’s influence upon her. She subtly put the idea of the
girls going to the Meadows into her parents’ heads, which resulted
in the girls and a few unsuspecting retainers coming straight into
Event 5. A Branch too Far the trap prepared by Sibbe.
After about an hour of picking flowers and the PCs dealing with
Unless thoroughly dissuaded from climbing trees as described the girls, Inga stumbles over to the character with whom she has
under Area 3, Fastvi spends most of her time up in a tree trying been flirting and collapses into his arms. Soon after, Fastvi falls
to reach the highest branches. At one point, she goes too far, slips, out of a tree, unconscious, and Runa starts walking toward the
and crashes down into the flowers. Her right arm is broken, and edge of the meadow, her eyes wide and vacant, beckoned by her

C hapter O ne : A F ine S pring D ay - 9

link to Sibbe and, as a result, unaffected by the aglæcwif ’s spell. sympathetic way. If the PCs act in friendly manner, he engages
Have every PC and their mounts make a save vs. spells or be them in conversation.
rendered unconscious for several hours (see Chapter Two) as if
struck in the head by a mighty blow. If successful, they are merely “Morning young folk, care for some dried apples?
knocked prone. A new save vs. spells must be made each round Well, it’s a nice day to travel, and I envy you a
for the duration of this scene. peaceful task for it. I have to head back to the hall
Any PC that is still conscious should check for surprise (a this afternoon and see what ol’ Olaf is planning for
the season. Probably going whaling. The godi and
1-in-6 chance). There is a 1-in-6 chance that any PC notices
cunning women are talking about a dry summer, and
figures among the trees. This increases to 2-in-6 for any PC that that means a poor harvest.”
specifically states they are scanning the wood line (and who have
not been involved in the other goings-on in the meadow). Any PC If the PCs respond kindly and ask for advice or the traveling
that makes their way into the woods 80 feet away automatically conditions (a commonplace thing among travelers on the muddy
stumbles across the group of figure as described below. Detect roads of the North) or even seem like they’ll bend half an ear, he
magic reveals a powerful enchantment over the meadow. relates the following as well.
The source of this magical effect is, of course, Sibbe the
Unkempt and her two henchmen, Njarni the Traitor (berserker) “You young folks should keep an eye out. I heard
and Gufti the Clever (bandit). Sibbe used the magic from the that a couple of outlaws have been spotted out on
stone tablet she discovered in the Barrow Lands. Once read, the the Moors, not to mention the trouble that Jasil the
Andøvan runes on the tablet render living creatures in a broad area Nûklander ran into in the forest – damned fairies.
unconscious as if they had received a powerful blow to the head. And keep a look out for troll sign. We may not have
The area of effect covers the entire meadow and even knocks out got them all when we burned ’em out of the hills last
insects and birds. The PCs may attempt to attack the assailants, winter. Oh, and keep an eye on the weather. I’ve got an
all the while dealing with the magical effect cast upon them but awful crick in my back, sure sign of a storm coming.”
sooner or later they will fall prey to the enchantment.
Once all the PCs are dealt with, the henchmen gather up He has no other specific information to give besides giving the
the sleeping girls and carry them to horses they left deeper in news as he heard it from other travelers, but there are nevertheless
the woods, leaving the PCs unconscious, or fled. With the two several good hints that may be of use to the PCs later.
unconscious girls draped over mounts and Little Runa obediently
following in a daze, the group rides for the Moors, where they
skirt the Trollfist Hills and head south for the Tor (Area 15). 2. The Muddy Track
Encounter Areas Near the end of the ride, the road turns southwest
and heads into the woods. This part of the forest is
fairly tame, and you soon find yourselves on a side path
The following areas are encountered on the way to and upon
that is little more than a dirt double track through
reaching the Meadows. The events described previously occur in the trees, muddy in the low places due to recent
and among these areas, so be sure to coordinate the events that rains. After a few minutes, you hear the lowing of
occur with the appropriate areas. oxen and the raised voice of a man cursing his beasts.
Coming around the corner, you see a small, heavily
laden cart stuck in the mud. A one-eyed, elderly man
1. One-Eyed Sven’s Spring is trying to goad a pair of oxen into pulling the cart
from the mud, with little success. Standing off to the
side, out of the mud, is a strikingly handsome
The main Coast Road crosses your trail blonde woman of middle years and a young
here at One-Eyed Sven’s Spring. Named for red-haired boy.
the old huscarl who enlarged this natural
spring and ringed it with stones as a The man’s cart is completely blocking the
service to travelers and others taking the narrow woodland track. The party would need to
main road, the spring is the best watering take a game trail through the woods to go around.
hole in the area. An older fellow sits and The honorable thing to do would be to help the
whittles under a lean-to by this spring pool,
stranger get his cart out of the mud. However, any
a small pile of wood shavings at his feet. It
is the huscarl One-Eyed Sven who tends this delay simply brings bitter looks from Inga and gives
spring when not called by his duties in Jarl Fastvi a chance to run off again. If the PCs intend to
Olaf’s hall. He hails you as you ride up. help the old man and his family, they need to make a
successful Charisma check to keep Inga from loudly
One-Eyed Sven (huscarl, see Appendix One: declaiming the “peasant” and his “stout” farm wife for
New Monsters) is semi-retired in his service to Jarl Olaf. When blocking the trail, an act that greatly dishonors the PCs in the eyes
not on duty at the hall, he can often be found resting here under of the common folk. Further, a successful Wisdom check needs
a lean-to, whittling, and chatting with passers-by. He is a friendly to be made or Fastvi (if she is present) attempts to bolt again. If
sort, fatherly toward the girls and younger householders in a rather the check is successful, one of the PCs quickly grabs her bridle to

10 - C hapter O ne : A F ine S pring D ay

C hapter O ne : A F ine S pring D ay - 11
prevent her from doing so. If the check is unsuccessful, she makes boon if they help the family, but they are cursed if they ignore
a run for a nearby game trail, and a character will need to prevent the family. The boon and curse affect each character individually
her from making off through the forest, which requires another based on their attitude toward helping the family.
pursuit through the woods. If she escapes, she is encountered
again as soon as the heroes reach the Meadows (Area 3). The boon: The character gains a –4 (or +4) bonus on their next
If the PCs attempt to help the family, moving the cart can be three ability checks, attack rolls, or saving throws.
done with successful Strength checks by creatures with a combined
Strength of 20. Unloading the cart takes time but reduces the The curse: The character suffers a +4 (or –4) penalty on their
requirement to 17. Once the cart is out of the mud and on dry next three ability checks, attack rolls, or saving throws.
ground, the stranger thanks the PCs profusely. If the PCs refuse
to help and simply circle around in the woods, they are roundly
cursed as described in the second box below. 3. The Meadows
It is a warm spring day, and the chosen meadow
A Thanks is nestled in a narrow arm of the forest not far from
the settled lands to the east. Insects buzz about, and
The old man looks at you gratefully with his one the idyllic expanse of flowers is fragrant with fresh
good eye. “Thank you for your aid. You are the sort growth and new blossoms. The girls quickly dismount
of folk who make the Northlands proud. Have a and spread across the meadow.
pleasant journey, wherever you are going. Keep
tight to your mind’s-worth, and may your fates soar The Meadows are on the edge of the settled lands surrounding
through the ages.” Jarl Olaf’s hall, partly in the forest and partly adjacent to fields
and woodlots. The area is largely deserted this morning, and the
party is alone, save for small animals and insects. To the south, the
woodlands extend into the greater forest, and to the west, beyond
the forest’s edge, are the Trollfist Hills and the Barrow Lands. The
A Curse sun is warm, the air is fragrant, and trouble is brewing.
The three daughters of the jarl each pursue a different set of
The old man’s one good eye gleams at you with
malice. “Curse you for selfish fools who would not tasks while in the meadow. Inga busies herself with picking the
stop to help an old man and his family in their time best flowers, gathering them in a basket. She does so in the most
of need. May the gods look poorly on such as you, ladylike of manners, avoiding anything that could possibly dirty
heartless and honorless curs.” her dress. Fastvi picks flowers only if reminded, and then only after
being told several times to get to her work. Instead, she cavorts
about the meadow, throwing a small knife into logs, climbing
The ways of the gods are mysterious, and this little vignette trees, investigating hollows, and trying to read tracks. To keep her
may not be what it seems. It is entirely possible that the old on task requires a successful Charisma check. If care is not taken
man and his family are actually Wotan, his wife Frigga, and his with Fastvi, the heroes will be returning a scratched-up and muddy
son Donar taken on mortal forms. Or perhaps they are mortals daughter to the jarl. Runa gets to the flower picking but is easily
that Wotan has chosen to use in his tests of the PCs’ mettle. distracted by squirrels, mice, insects, odd-shaped petals, and her
Regardless of the case, there are consequences to the PCs’ own hidden conversations. See Events 3 through 7 for encounters
actions in how they deal with this family. They are granted a that occur while in the Meadows.

12 - C hapter O ne : A F ine S pring D ay

 Chapter Two:
The Trail of the
Aglæcwif
–•–
When the PCs recover hours later, the sun is sloping down from the tracks head off to the northwest, are the remains of a large stone
midday toward evening. Read the following: slab the size of a shield. It has cracked in several places, and the
writing on it is faded and almost entirely illegible, as if recently
scoured away. It still bears a lingering aura of enchantment magic,
You come to, your head splitting in pain that no and anyone who can read Andøvan can barely make out that it once
amount of mead or ale could have produced, and blood contained the words of power needed to cast some sort of ancient
trickles from your ears, noses, and even eyes. Your Andøvan word magic.
mouth is a dry roadbed paved with moldy sailcloth. At this point, the PCs must decide what to do. They have been
The sun is slanting down in a mid-afternoon glare; you
charged by their jarl with protecting his daughters on this outing, and
have been unconscious or incapacitated for several
hours. Bees buzz among the flowers in the meadow. the girls were kidnapped on their watch. In addition to the jeopardy
Of the girls – and your horses for that matter – there the girls are in, the PCs’ own honor is at stake. Multiple options are
is no sign. The only other living creature you see is available to the party. First, they can send someone back to get help
the mangy stray dog claimed by Little Runa. It licks and mount a full-scale rescue expedition. This takes the better part
at your faces as if happy for you to awaken. of an hour over the muddy road and probably two hours before a
force can be assembled and return, a lengthy waste of valuable time.
The PCs can quickly confirm that the girls are not in the meadow. A better option would be to solve the problem. Nothing shows that
Adding to their woes, the horses have been scattered. Thirty minutes the girls were harmed, and the footprints look like Runa was even
and a successful Wisdom or wilderness survival check allows the PCs cooperating (the PCs likely remember her walking to the meadow’s
to follow the tracks and bring the horses together. The mounts may edge just when the spell struck), so there is every reason to believe that
be needed to speed up travel, but also horses are very valuable in the they are still alive and only a few hours ahead. To return to their jarl
Northlands. Jarl Olaf raises horses, and this is one of the sources of with tales of a sudden magical attack, strange footprints, and missing
his wealth. Losing a small herd of horses on top of his daughters only daughters will see them cast out and likely challenged to duels of the
makes things worse for the PCs. holmgang between the hazel posts by the older huscarls. The PCs
A search of the tall meadow grass reveals where bodies the size of would be branded liars, brought before the next Thing (should they
Inga and Fastvi had lain, as well as signs of larger tracks around them live that long), tried for murder and kidnapping, and then declared
where they were retrieved. There are no signs of blood or violence, outlaws. After that, it will be a race to see who kills them first, the jarl
however. A successful Wisdom or wilderness survival check finds or someone wishing to curry favor with him.
tracks in the forest’s verge leading off away from the meadow and The PCs should therefore quickly reach the conclusion that they
heading west. These tracks are of two large barefoot men, one smaller have only one clear option: They must recover the girls. The jarl’s
barefoot humanoid — likely a woman — and smaller shoeprints like household knew where they were going with the girls, and when they
those of a little girl, as well as a pair horses. These prints lead off to are missed, help will be sent. The PCs could leave a message here
the northwest, deeper into the forest and toward the Moors beyond. for the jarl’s men while they go in pursuit of the girls themselves.
Following the tracks leads to a small clearing a quarter mile away However, this presents a new set of problems, namely where to go
where three horses had been hobbled for some time and are now from here.
gone. Clearly the kidnappers mounted here to ride with their prisoners The tracks left by Sibbe, her guardians, and Runa lead directly
in tow. The horses’ tracks likewise head northwest into the Moors. If through the narrow band of woods and into a section of the Moors
the PCs were unsuccessful in their check to discover the tracks, Bogi that skirt the Trollfist Hills. The kidnappers are unlikely to head
the dog sniffs out the trail of the PCs’ mounts and the girls for them. It north toward the civilized lands under Jarl Olaf’s sway with his
loyally remains with the PCs for the duration of the adventure. kidnapped daughters in tow, so that leaves only the Moors or possibly
In the forest, just a few yards from the edge of the meadow where the Barrow Lands. In the Barrow Lands beyond the Moors about 20

C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif - 13

miles away is a legendary hill known as the Tor. They also recall that
the seiðkona called Sibbe the Unkempt, a wretched old crone known 4. Sibbe’s Trail
for her witchcraft and delving into the ancient magic of the Andøvan, The trail left by the aglæcwif and her cohorts heads northwest
is known to live in the vicinity of the Tor. Furthermore, Skirting the out of the woods and skirts just north of the Trollfist Hills before
Trollfist Hills would provide a fast route for someone mounted to ride plunging south rapidly for a fast run to the Tor. A successful
to the Tor. Wisdom or wilderness survival check each hour allows the heroes
Three possible ways exist to reach the Tor from the Meadows. to follow this trail, even by moonlight. If the trail is lost, the PCs
The PCs can follow the same trail taken by the kidnappers. This is can continue on their way toward the Tor simply by following the
the fastest route through the relatively flat lands of the Moors and edge of the hills and then the woods. They do not, therefore, need
the Barrow Lands but also likely the most dangerous for the many to worry about becoming lost as long as they stick to this route
undead denizens said to haunt those lands. For Sibbe to have taken it, and attempt a new Wisdom or wilderness survival check each
she must have gained some power over these undead from her time mile to pick up the trail again since it follows that course as well.
spent at the Tor and should make the PCs consider that such a trail Following the trail reveals that the horses are all being ridden hard;
could well be a trap left for any pursuers. Taking the paths through the the riders clearly do not care if the horses survive the trip so long
Trollfist Hills is slower but likely safer, though there is no guarantee as they reach their destination quickly. This gives the aglæcwif’s
that new dangers don’t lurk there now. And the middle-length route party a sizable lead on the PCs, who must also attempt to spare
would follow the game trails through the forest to skirt the Barrow their horses somewhat if they wish to be able to quickly leave with
Lands and the Trollfist Hills. They are not as slow as the hills but not the girls and get back to the jarl’s hall. Refer to The Moors below
as dangerous as the Barrow Lands.. for information about a journey along this route whether the PCs
are successfully following the trail or not.

Timing
From the moment the PCs recover, the clock is The Trollfist Hills
ticking. Sibbe intends to sacrifice the girls atop the Tor
in a vernal equinox ritual. The ritual leads to Sibbe’s Four rugged, round hills looking like the bent
rebirth in a younger and more powerful form but knuckles of a troll’s fist push up out of the moors,
needs to be completed at dawn the next day (8 a.m.). larger than the lower hills around them. The hills are
This gives the party 14 hours to reach the Tor and sparsely vegetated and rather steep, though a path
rescue the girls. It is approximately 6 p.m., and the goes through them. That trail is one of hard-packed
sun will set in two hours, but a full moon offers plenty earth over flinty rock and is as gray and lifeless as
the rest of the territory.
of light to travel and fight by (dim light from sunset to
sunrise). However, the forest is dark throughout due
These low hills lie to the west of the settled portions around Jarl
to the canopy.
Olaf’s hall and represent the western border of the land he and his
Looking at the three routes, the party must balance
followers claim. Named for the resemblance of the four central
speed, risk, and exhaustion. If they take the route
peaks to a great stony fist thrust up out of the ground, the hills are
through the Trollfist Hills, they will spend the night
rocky and largely devoid of vegetation save for scraggly grasses
riding and be forced to attack the stones only slightly
and scrubby trees. A single path winds through the hills and passes
before dawn. This means the entire party and their
through the verge of the forest before ending at the edge of the
mounts will be fatigued, and possibly exhausted if they
Barrow Lands. This path is not straight and only five to six feet
hustled. Without rest, they will be at a disadvantage
wide, which requires the party to move at a walk to safely traverse
in the battle, especially spellcasters. The forest route
the ground. The path is also rather stony, and anyone trying to
allows for some rest, but again, the party might just
force march a mount needs to succeed at a Wisdom check or the
charge in during the middle of the night, meaning they
horse stumbles and comes up lame, forcing the party to abandon
will be fatigued going into the fight. If they choose to
it. The trail from the hills passes through a short stretch of the
pursue straight across the Barrow Lands, the danger
Moors, leaving only the faintest outline of a path through the bogs
is not lack of rest but the inhabitants; however, the
and heath.
route is the fastest and puts the party at the Tor (if
they even make it) shortly after sunset. You should
advise players, especially if they are inexperienced,
as to the dangers of forced marches (see wilderness 5. Troll Sign
adventuring in the Old-School Essentials Rules Tome). Shortly after entering the hills and entering a muddy, overgrown
area, an observant character searching the area has a 1-in-6
chance of noticing tufts of coarse, damp hair stuck to rocks, large
footprints, and fresh claw marks on the stones — certain troll sign.
A successful Intelligence check reveals that the hair and other sign
is from a Northlands’ swamp troll, a rare species of troll known
to dwell in the wetlands of the Moors that has apparently recently
wandered into the area.

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 The Northlands’ swamp troll (see Appendix One: New
Monsters) in question is drawn to the cattle in Area 6. It is
not looking for a fight and would prefer to grab an easy meal.
The Moors
However, horse is almost as tasty as cattle (at least to a troll) and
humans are even more so. If the party is not making any attempt Muddy, heath-covered, and dotted with small bogs,
the Moors run from the coast to the Forest of Woe
to conceal themselves, the troll lurks out of sight, doing its best to
far to the south, interrupted only by the Stonefist
hide among the rocks and brambles. It attacks the weakest-looking Hills, forested areas, and occasional barrow fields of
member of the party if an opportunity presents itself or if the prey the ancient Andøvan peoples. Only the barest hints
appears to be leaving the hills, at which point a desperate action of green have begun to spring up among the broken
on the part of the troll is called for. The swamp troll does not fight rocks and muddy hollows. The winds of a recent
to the death and flees if reduced to 10 hp unless a member of the winter still blow across this flatland and chill through
party calls on Donar’s name during the battle (either as a war all but the heaviest cloaks. The occasional bog pool
cry or in casting a divine spell). If that occurs, the enraged troll still has a rime of fragile ice around its edges. There
sacrifices its life to slay the offender. is no cover on the Moors, leaving you feeling exposed
and vulnerable to any watching eyes.

6. Cattle Thieves A poorly drained, soggy moor dominates the middle of the Hord
Peninsula. This area, known simply as the Moors, is considered
wasteland by most of the Northlanders and is inhabited by strange
The flickering light of a fading campfire can be beasts, crazed hermits, and outcasts from holdings all over the
spotted ahead among the hills right in your path. region. Adding to the dread that most feel when traveling through
Cattle low in the darkness just beyond, and five the area, the higher and drier parts of the Moors often contain rings
figures snore away on the ground, empty wineskins of broken stones or ancient barrows whose occupants are assumed
scattered about in disarray. to be restless and hungry for the blood of the living. No one knows
for sure what is out there, as few people are foolish enough to risk
Of all the nights to choose to make an illicit camp, a group of their lives and sanity by traveling the Moors to any great extent.
five cattle raiders chose this one. They are Dirty Olaf (the bandit Unfortunately, this is where the tracks lead as described in
leader, see Appendix One: New Monsters, armed with shield Area 4. The horizon is a fair distance and it’s a clear day, so the
and sword) and his four accomplices: Arni Buison, Cnut Erpson, PCs can easily see for several miles. Storm clouds are rolling in
Najal the Skinny, and Sigrid Saxisdottir (all bandits but armed and beginning to gather in a spiraling tempest to the southwest
with spears and shields). Five nights ago, they crept into the (recognizable as unnatural and above the Tor to anyone making
barns of Javik Gilson, a freesteader who lives on the other coast a successful Intelligence check). The clouds hover low and send
of the Hord Peninsula. While stealing eight cattle, the thieves down bolts of lightning to strike the stones below due to the ritual
complicated their escape by making too much noise and had to Sibbe is preparing.
fight Javik and his sons. During the fight, Javik was killed and
two of his sons were injured.
Dirty Olaf still considers it a successful raid. He has feuded
with Javik going back nearly 30 years and seeing his rival killed
and a fortune in cattle taken has made him more than a little 7. The Restless Dead
celebratory. As a result, he camped in the Trollfist Hills closer to
Jarl Olaf’s lands than he realizes to uncork some mead and live The land is drier here, the ground higher than that
it up with his companions. By nightfall, all five are drunk and of the surrounding bog lands. Occasional mounds of
oblivious to the goings-on around them; after all, they escaped earth elongated and low dot the terrain. You suspect
unscathed, the cattle are corralled, and the night is a pleasant one. this the edge of the Barrow Lands and dread what
Too bad for them that the Norns decreed that their fate is to be foul specters must lurk beneath the thin veneer of
stalked by a troll and to eventually have a band of the local jarl’s earth that covers them. You can only hope that your
passing does not disturb any of them. Your hope is
householders ride into their camp.
short-lived, however, as in the dim moonlight ahead,
The camp is set right across the trail where the draws between directly upon the path you follow, stand the remains
three hills intersect. No watch has been set. All five raiders of what must have once been one of the mounds.
are asleep but wake to any loud noise. They are not in their Someone recently dug down into the very center of it,
armor, and their weapons are stacked close at hand. Due to their leaving a large crater surrounded by piles of freshly
drunkenness, these thieves all have a –1 penalty to hit. turned earth. More than one glint of bone can be seen
in this churned furrow.

A small spur of the Barrow Lands follows a ridge of dry ground

from the west here. The barrow mounds are old and less frequent
than encountered in the Barrow Lands proper but are present,
nonetheless. In anticipation that someone might attempt to follow
her trail, Sibbe previously unearthed one of the barrow mounds
here to leave a trap for those who might come along behind. As

C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif - 15

the PCs reach this area, 6 skeletons claw their way up through
the loose soil. Clad in tattered rags and carrying bronze-bladed
spears and swords, the dead of ancient Andøvan rise to deal with
trespassers.
The Forest
The forest is relatively open. Few people venture

Bog
here because of its horrid reputation, and thus few
trees are felled these days. It is an old forest, with
soaring towers of tree trunks spreading out above to
At some point, the trail you have been following form a tightly closed canopy, leaving the forest floor
was part of an actual path or road cutting through in deep shade. A low mist hangs about in dells and
the swampy moors. Ahead, a large bog blocks your crannies and seems to flow away as you approach.
path, but someone long ago built a wooden walkway
over it to the far shore that remains lost in the night The forest here is a remnant of the mighty forest that once
mist. You can only hope that it reaches all the way to covered most of the Hord Peninsula. In decades past, it was logged
the other side. The wooden walkway is rickety and and thinned in all but its southernmost reaches where it is still
missing a few planks, but it is wide enough to ride a thick and primordial and is known as the Forest of Woe. However,
horse across and otherwise appears sturdy. since the fey who have long inhabited the depths of the Forest of
Woe have become more aggressive in past years, the logging has
ceased everywhere but on the outermost edges of the tree line.
Built long ago by marsh folk who fished for eels and hunted Even here on the peninsula’s northern reaches, the forest is often
fowl upon the Moors, the five-foot-wide walkway is indeed sturdy looked at askance, as if it were the Forest of Woe itself.
enough for the entire party to traverse single file. Wooden pilings The part of the forest that runs to the south of the Meadows is
are sunk into the bog at intervals so that the entire walkway is a relatively peaceful stretch of woodland, one regularly used by
suspended less than a foot above the surrounding waters. The people from the area for hunting, wood gathering, and other such
waters themselves range in depth from seven to 12 feet (1d6 + 6), activities. However, to pass through this arm of the forest and loop
but they are so murky that it is impossible to tell at any given place around the southern edge of the Stonefist Hills to find safe passage
without probing their depths. The bog extends roughly two miles to the Tor, the party needs to skirt the deeper and darker heart of
east and west, and a mile to the south. The walkway extends all the the forest.
way across it, though visibility is reduced to 50 feet by the mists No straight route runs through the forest. The PCs must either
so that the PCs can never be sure until they approach the far shore. go cross-country or try to navigate a maze of game trails and small
Attempting to skirt around the bog adds almost two hours to the paths. Striking out cross-country is difficult, and the forest floor
journey (one hour and another accumulation of nonlethal damage is dense enough in places that horses have a hard time getting
if they hustle), so despite its sinister appearance, the wooden through. Also, it will be nightfall before the party manages to get
walkway is the most advantageous route for the PCs. far through the forest, making navigation difficult. Going cross-
Even with the shortcut across the wooden walkway, the bog is country requires a successful wilderness survival check from the
a dangerous and creepy place. Midway across the bog is a small, party to find the right route to the Tor, as well as an additional
muddy island, 20 feet on a side. The walkway ends at this island, check after any encounter. If the party does not have a PC with
and another walkway extends out from the other side and continues wilderness survival, there is a 3-in-6 chance of becoming lost
to the far side of the bog. Complicating matters is the fact that the at some point as they move through the swamp (see the Lost!
bog is home to a bog hound (see Appendix One: New Monsters), sidebar). Each hour there is also a 1-in-10 chance that one of the
an undead creature left behind by ancient cults of the Andøvan. PCs’ horses is injured, which delays the party by an additional
The bog hound pulls itself out of its watery grave and attacks any hour.
who trespass upon its island. Sibbe and her minions encountered Following the trails is easier, though they twist and turn,
the bog hound when they passed through hours earlier and battled crossing each other with great frequency. Due to some of the
it for a short time before escaping to the south. The bog hound lingering faerie enchantment of the forest, the trails sometimes
now blocks the south bridge to prevent anyone from fleeing in that change direction and location, especially at night. A successful
direction. Upon facing the bog hound, it is obvious to the PCs that Wisdom or wilderness survival check must be made by the party
it was recently involved in a battle, as several slashing wounds to navigate along the trails. An additional check needs to be made
from axe blades mar its corrupt hide. It fights until destroyed. after any encounter. Failing one of these checks means that the
party becomes lost (see the Lost! sidebar).

16 - C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif

 Lost!
Becoming lost at night is not a pleasant experience, as Have the PCs and the bandits check for surprise unless
the forest itself seems to take a perverse joy in harassing the PCs are not trying to move quietly through the forest,
anyone foolish enough to wander its depths. Lost characters in which case have the party check to see if they spot the
lose 1d4 – 1 hours of travel time (minimum one hour) and bandits in time. If the bandits have time to set up an ambush,
may try again after this to get back on track. Also, each time they do so, seeking to waylay the PCs and rob them, or at
the party becomes lost, you should roll 1d6 on the Random the very least drive them off minus a horse or two. If any
Encounters table: are captured and intimidated, they admit to the location and
details of their hideout at Area 11. The bandits have a total
of 34 hs.
Random Encounters
Shifting Trails: The trail shifts before the PCs’ very eyes,
1d6 Encounter changing direction in front and behind them. They must
1–2 No encounter make a successful Wisdom or wilderness survival check to
3 Bandits find their way back onto the right route through the forest. If
4 Shifting trails
the check succeeds, the party loses only half an hour while
lost; if failed, they continue to be lost for another 1d4 – 1
5 Boar hours (minimum 1 hour).
6 Bear
Boar: An angry boar charges out of concealment from
Bandits: A small band of outlaws has taken to the forest the underbrush, likely upsetting the PCs’ mounts. The boar
and set up a hideout among the trees despite the presence of is very territorial and attacks the nearest character on foot
dangerous faeries and other creatures. The party encounters a or the nearest horse if no one is afoot. All the horses are
group of 2 bandits (armed with spears and shields) and their spooked. A successful Wisdom check is required to control
bandit leader (use Dirty Olaf’s stats below but armed with an the mounts; a failure means that character is unable to do
axe and shield) heading back to their homes in the middle of anything else that round but regain control of the mount.
the night. For the bandits, it has been an unprofitable couple Those who maintain control of their mount can enter the
of days, as they have spent their time fruitlessly staking out initiative order but must still use their move to control their
the coast road from Halfstead south to the Vale. Little traffic mounts during the first round of combat.
is on the road this time of year, and the last few nights have
been rainy. Thus, the bandits are in a foul mood, and intruders Bear: A black bear lumbers out of the woods at the party,
in their domain are the last irritants they are willing to put attacking in a blind rage. The bear makes no attempt to hide
up with. These bandits are part of the gang from Area 11 and simply closes with the nearest character. It attacks until
but have been out on patrol and will not return before the killed.
PCs arrive there, so do not remove their numbers from that
location.

C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif - 17

 and cold threaten the world. The glowing stone must be returned
9. Tree of Woe for mind’s worth.” After that utterance, he returns to his reverie
and says no more.

Beneath the boughs of the forest, in the waning

moments of twilight, you come upon a shocking scene.
A rugged and heavily muscled Northman is tied to 10­. Faerie Gathering
the trunk of a gnarled oak tree, his arms suspended Shortly after the white moon Narrah reaches her zenith in the
above, a foot off the ground. From the way the ropes
night sky, the party sees lights ahead in the forest, low to the
are tied, it is evident that he tied them himself. He is
entirely unclothed, and his body is crisscrossed with ground and glowing with an eerie green color. Should they turn off
scars both old and new. His face is a mask of dried their route to avoid these lights, they find the lights ahead of them
blood on one side where it has flowed down his cheek again moments later. This keeps up until the party advances on the
and onto his chest, and it is evident that his eye has lights or until they try to avoid the lights three times, whichever
been plucked out. His other eye is closed, and his face happens first (avoiding them adds an hour to their travel time). If
is a contorted mask of pain. the party approaches the lights, read the following:

This man is a bearsarker, a sacred warrior dedicated to Wotan, The lights are coming from a ring of large mushrooms,
who hung himself from this tree in imitation of Wotan’s sacrifice to each a little lantern illuminating a circular clearing
gain wisdom. He is deep in reverie and should not be disturbed as in the middle of the forest. Satyrs, dryads, pixies,
he seeks divinely inspired revelations. He has nothing to steal and and other faeries are busy putting up garlands of
is completely helpless if the party is callous enough to harm or kill flowers, bringing in and setting up a long table and
benches, and in general getting ready for a feast.
him. Whatever they do, he does not acknowledge their presence in
any way, even if dying. However, if the PCs elect not to disturb the
The PCs have stumbled upon a rare sight, a picnic feast by part of
bearsarker and if one or more of them helped the old man at Area
the faerie court from the Forest of Woe. They patiently ignore the
2, the berserker’s good eye springs open and he suddenly speaks,
PCs, moving around and past while going on about their business,
“The storm will come, and Donar’s usurper must be laid low. Ice

18 - C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif

 appropriate, as would be poems or orations praising the Forest
casting rude glances at any who annoy them. If the PCs attack,
King and his court. Anything that paints the natural world or fey
the lanterns immediately extinguish and plunge the clearing into
in general in a poor light results in the party waking up in the
absolute darkness as the faeries scatter. By the time the PCs get
forest lost as above. One option is for one or more of the PCs
their bearings, they find that their sword strokes have hit only the
to offer to dance with the dryads or satyrs, something that brings
boles of gnarled trees, and no sign of the fey folk remain. If this
rude catcalls from the court but little more. Another is to offer to
occurs, they will not see the faeries again. However, if the PCs
wrestle a satyr or provide some other form of violent but nonlethal
maintain their good manners and stick around to watch for a few
combat as sport. It should be noted that inflicting lethal damage
moments, their patience is soon rewarded.
goes poorly for the whole party.
When the entertainment is done, the party begins to get drowsy,
In moments, the scene changes, and the faeries lulled into sleepiness by the mead, the company, and the late
assemble along the benches in obvious anticipation. hour. Soon, they find themselves drifting off, whether immune
A horn sounds in the woods, and a tall, regal stag to magical sleep or not. They wake up four hours before dawn
with antlers like birch branches walks to the head of
(even if this means they go backward in their own timeline),
the table. The stag, its rack shimmering as if crowned
by glowing gems or living fire, addresses you in a completely refreshed, as if they spent a night sleeping, and healed
voice like the flow of a fresh, pebbled brook. of all wounds. The faerie court is gone, but the path out of the
forest toward the Tor is clear. The PCs no longer have to make
“Strangers, be welcome as guests or cursed as
wilderness survival or Wisdom checks while they are in the forest
interlopers, the choice is yours. Come and sit. Partake
to avoid getting lost.
of our feast, but repay our generosity in kind, or be
gone and on your way as craven and honorless men,
mere trespassers in our domain.”
11. Bandit Hideout
At this point, the party must make its choice and do so with A band of outlaws resides in the forest, and their hideout lies
bravery and élan. As Northlanders, they are well aware that any upon the game trail that the PCs follow. The presence of the bandits
hesitation on their part will be taken as a refusal of hospitably — a may be learned from a random encounter above, or the party may
grave crime in the Northlands. It takes just one character to speak pick up signs that they are not the only mortals in the forest. If
up and accept, and likewise just one to refuse. Acceptance leads they learn of the bandits, or even suspect them to be present, the
to Payment in Kind below. Refusal leaves the party lost (see party has to decide if they are going to move slowly and with
the Lost! sidebar) as the faeries and all their feast preparations stealth as they pass through the forest or risk discovery during
disappear in the blink of an eye. their midnight ride. Even if the PCs do not directly encounter the
bandits in the forest, they may wish to return after rescuing the
jarl’s daughters to deal with the outlaws.
Payment in Kind
The feast is one of otherworldly fare and beauty. Dainty cups
made of flowers are filled with mead brewed from faerie bees and
water from secret magical streams. Steaming hunks of roast pork Clues to the Bandits
as well as other savory dishes are brought out on platters of bark. The PCs know from Hallbjorn and others that some
The bread is light and airy, yet filling, and both sweet and hearty outlaws were spotted near the settled lands around
as needed. The conversation, to say nothing of the company, is Silvermeade. In addition, human footprints, dropped
beyond words, and the party soon finds themselves swept away on items, and other signs may be found on the trails in
a tide of wonder. All it takes is one character to be rude, to refuse the forest. When within two miles of Area 11, the PCs
to eat and drink, or otherwise to be poor guests for the whole party begin to spot signs that bandit are in the area. These
to find themselves lost (again, see the Lost! sidebar). The feast include footprints, recent campfires, and discarded
continues for hours, and after it is done, the stag speaks again, this equipment.
time in a voice like sultry summer winds blowing through fully
leafed trees. It says, “As you have enjoyed our fare, let us enjoy
yours. What do you offer us in return for our hospitality? Songs,
stories, dances? What entertainment can you show your hosts that
befits the food and drink you have consumed?”
Astrid the Mad is an outlaw from the Vale who was sentenced on
Each of the PCs needs to provide some form of gift in exchange.
what she considers trumped-up charges for murdering her cousin.
Perform checks for storytelling, singing, dancing, or playing of
According to Astrid, her cousin just happened to die near her,
instruments are called for, and as long as an honest attempt is
stumbled into her, and thus got his blood on her clothes and hands
made, it is sufficient payment. Special care needs to be made with
(plus, she drew the dagger out of his chest to try and save him). In
regard to the content of the performance; any character making
her mind, the true reason behind her prosecution and conviction
or conducting a performance needs to be specific about what
was that she had begun showing signs of having arcane powers.
the theme and plot of his song, story, and playing is about lest
Fleeing justice, she headed off into the wilds and eventually met
they offend their host. Glorifying the forest, tales of heroes who
up with other outlaws and began rampaging along the edges of
fell into tragic love affairs (especially with faeries), and such are
the Vale.

C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif - 19

20 - C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif
 Last fall, Astrid led her bandits north into Hordaland, hoping The cave is inside a small hill in the forest. The entrance is
that their relative obscurity would allow them a chance to either nothing more than a narrow opening near the base of the hill,
restart their lives or, better, evade the families of their victims. with the small brook running down the hill nearby. The bandits
Instead, they found the Forest of Woe and struck a deal with the cleared the area around it to make it more accessible and marked
King of the Forest and the faeries who reside there. In exchange the perimeter with stones so that they do not fall in at night. The
for safe passage and freedom to build a hideout in the forest, the opening is only three feet by four feet wide and leads to a short
bandits give the faeries a young adult female at each of the four chimney that drops 10 feet before opening into a larger room
corners of the year (solstices and equinoxes). What happens to (Area 11c). The climb down the chimney is easy in the day but a
these prisoners is none of Astrid’s concern, and the longer she successful Dexterity check is needed or the PC falls the 10 feet and
stays in the forest, the greater her powers grow — as does her takes 1d6 damage. A screen made of woven brush secured at the
inhumanity. bottom of the chimney blocks access to the cavern unless removed
The hideout is impressive, a large cavern formed by the constant by someone below or broken through.
action of water on the limestone foundations of the Hord Peninsula.
Its natural defenses have been enhanced by the construction of
barricades and a lookout post in a nearby oak tree. A natural spring 11c. Inner Cave
bubbles up near the cave mouth and forms a small run of water
that eventually joins the unnamed stream below. The PCs know A wide cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites
that a large stream borders the forest and the Moors and following opens at the bottom of the chimney. The smell and
the water from the spring likely brings them there, thus negating piled refuse show that a number of people have been
any further Survival checks to find their way through the forest. living here in tight quarters for some time. The floor
The bandits are on edge about the faeries and other dangers of is slightly raised with years of detritus fallen in from
the forest, despite their agreement with the King of the Forest. above. The low ceiling shows soot stains from the fire
They are on alert for intruders and keep lookouts in the watch post pit dug in its center.
in the tree (Area 11a) and the cave mouth (Area 11b). In addition,
they practice fairly decent light and noise discipline, keeping fires This large, natural cavern is dotted with stalactites and
to a minimum during the night, and stick to the cave as much as stalagmites. The ceiling is only seven feet high. The floor is
possible. If the party is not trying to be stealthy, their approach is covered in packed dirt and refuse washed down from above
noticed and prepared for. and is slightly convex. The floor of the cavern slopes toward
the walls, most noticeably on the east and north sides. A small
11a. Lookout tunnel to the north leads off to Area 11d. To the east, the
cavern floor ends at a rock wall, though a three-foot-long-by-
A small platform high up in a tall beech tree is 40 feet from the 18-inch-high opening permits water to drain from the cavern.
entrance to the cave. Here the bandits stationed 2 bandits to keep Residing here are 4 bandits led by Styr the Ugly (berserker).
an eye out for approaching beasts or faeries. The platform is small, They normally sleep, eat, and hang out around the central fire that
only five feet by 10 feet, and is 50 feet up the tree. A rope ladder is put out after dark to keep their location hidden. If alerted by the
provides access and is usually rolled up to avoid any surprises. lookouts above, they wait in the darkness around the edges of the
If intruders are detected, the lookouts blow a horn to alert the cavern for the first character to come down with a light source before
bandits sleeping in Area 11c. Anyone looking up the height of the attacking from ambush with their slings. Even if aware of intruders,
beech can make out the platform but a successful Wisdom check Astrid will not stir from her cave to join the fight unless at least five
is necessary to spot the lookouts while they are hidden in their post bandits are killed. Like their fellows, the group is poorly armed,
at night. If the dog from the Meadows accompanies the PCs, it consisting of little more than escaped thralls, failed petty farmers,
detects the bandits from their scent and barks at them, alerting the and wandering beggars, though Styr is a more formidable foe.
whole camp. If the bandits are not noticed by the PCs, then they Styr is a man burdened by neither good looks nor morality. His
attack with surprise from the darkness when the PCs are 50 feet face is coarse and marred by a scar on his chin that looks like a
away. They blow their horn to alert the others. If the PCs do not snake’s tail. His hair and clothing are generally disheveled, and often
make the Wisdom check, they are not able to see where the arrows splattered with dried blood. Styr is a murderer, thief, and worse,
are coming from. and he has secretly been working his own deals with the faeries in
the depths of the forest. These evil fey have been willing to trade
blood sacrifices for magical elixirs, including one that they promise
11b. Cave Mouth will cause Astrid to fall madly in love with him and allow him to
take control of the bandits and gain the young woman’s affections
A search of the area below the beech tree has a 1-in-6 chance
once he brings them enough victims. Each bandit has 2d6 hs.
(2-in-6 for dwarves) of finding the cave entrance.

A natural ring of stones surrounds a cleft in the

ground barely large enough to admit an armored
man. The smell of smoke and unwashed bodies clings
to the wet leaves around the hole. From here, a steep
descent drops into darkness.

C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif - 21

11d. Astrid’s Cave The Barrow Lands
The opening to this side cave is a three-foot-high crawl tunnel
that is eight feet long.
Your horses balk and will not enter this field of
earthen mounds. Built by the long-dead Andøvan
This narrow cave is not much more than a wide tribes, the ancient barrows cover the highest points
tunnel in the rock and appears to be home to the bandit in the Moors. Some of the mounds are only waist
leader based on the bedroll cushioned with evergreen high, others are as tall as a man, but all have a
boughs against one wall. The walls are covered with sinister air about them. Corroded weapons protrude
scratched and painted sigils, a meaningless scrawl awkwardly from the sides and tops of some of them,
of mad designs, geometric shapes, and oddly placed and a few have stone doorways marking their ancient
runes. One wall holds a natural shelf stacked with entrances. Of these, a handful have no stone slabs
assorted odds and ends. blocking them, leaving them gaping open to reveal
only darkness beyond.
Astrid the Mad (see Appendix One: New Monsters) lives
In the far distance, thunderclouds gather and roil
here, keeping herself separate from her bandits whom she sees
as a huge storm builds in intensity before unleashing
as beneath her. Various occult and arcane items — many of them its raging power upon the lands below. Unfortunately,
completely useless but nonetheless intriguing in shape — line this storm stays in one spot rather than moving with
natural shelves on the east wall. Astrid is slowly being driven mad the southern winds, concentrating all its fury in one
by the power in her blood, and the walls of her cave are covered location. In the continual flashes of lightning that
with scrawled shapes, geometric designs, and meaningless arcane lance down to the ground below, you can see beneath
writing. Astrid is a beautiful but wild woman of fewer than 25 this gathering gloom a single tall hill some miles
winters with fair hair, blue eyes, and a generous smile. One of her distant. Multiple lighting strikes impale its peak,
ancestors mixed his blood with the fey, and this taint passed down and from the crown of this hill can be seen a pale,
to Astrid, giving her arcane powers but also ruining her sanity. She muted glow. Dark magic is at work upon the Tor.
keeps on her person 2 potions of healing, a spear, a dagger, and a
pouch with 82 hs and a gold torc (100 hs). This portion of the Barrow Lands stretches north and east of the
Tor, forming a miles-long expanse of low earthen mounds. The
reputation of the Barrow Lands is that of a haunted place of certain
12. Stream doom; it is a reputation richly deserved. Hundreds of barrows are
in this field, most averaging seven feet long by four feet across
and standing three to six feet high. A few are much larger, running
A stream engorged with spring rains blocks your as much as 15 feet in length and seven feet in width. These tend
path. Just beyond is the tree line and the Barrow to be six feet high or more. A few of the larger mounds have stone
Lands beyond, the path that leads to the jarl’s posts and lintels framing an entrance but most of them are closed
daughters.
off with a large stone slab. Some stand open, however, granting
access inside to the foolish or allowing things to come out into the
To pass out of the forest, the party must cross a stream that is world of the living. Many of the mounds have corroded bronze
normally fordable but currently swollen due to recent spring rains. weapons of ancient design — short swords and spears for the
The stream is cold and has overrun its banks, creating a raging most part — sticking out of their upper surfaces like a macabre
torrent of brown water 60 feet wide and eight feet deep at its garden. No plants grow here nor do insects even buzz about.
center, with shallower water extending 10 feet in from the edges. The inhabitants of these burial mounds do not like others
The raging stream requires a successful Strength check to cross; trespassing on their land and often take violent revenge on
failure indicates that the character is swept downstream (1d4 x interlopers. Sibbe possesses an Andøvan barrow charm (see
100 feet), taking 1d4 points of damage and having to make one or Appendix Two: New Magic Item) that she found in a barrow. The
more Strength check to reach the bank. If mounted, the PCs must device allows her and her henchmen to pass through the Barrow
make a successful Wisdom check or the horses balk at the fast- Lands unmolested. Of course, the PCs have no such amulet, which
flowing water and will not cross until calmed down (which takes leaves them at the mercy of those whose rest has not only been
at least 15 minutes). disturbed but whose bloodlust has already been left unslaked.

22 - C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif

13. A Challenge from 14. The Barrow King Scorned
Beyond the Grave This encounter occurs when the PCs come within one mile of
the Tor.
This encounter occurs regardless of the direction the PCs enter
the Barrow Lands. This encounter can be run in various ways
With a loud crash, a stone rolls away from one of
depending on the strength of the party. Keep in mind that there is the barrow openings to reveal a gaping hole into
still a final showdown against Sibbe and her henchmen, and the darkness. Out of the shadows strides a long-dead
PCs will not have time to retreat to heal, rest, and regain spells. hero from before the Northlanders first came to this
Choose the strength of this encounter depending on how well the land. His raiment is grand; he is clad in rotting silks
PCs have been doing up to this point and how battered they are. and fine cloths, armored with a cuirass of bronze, and
carrying a two-handed sword of gold-and-silver-gilt
bronze. The undead king mounts a nearby barrow
The hollow notes of a horn sound from one of the and raises his hands in a silent command, a command
open barrows, and a long-dead Andøvan warrior answered by the hordes of undead crawling forth
emerges from the darkness. The faint moonlight from the surrounding Barrow Lands. The way ahead
reflects from his bronze armor and the finely crafted, is open but does not remain so for long as hundreds of
though somewhat corroded sword he bears. Behind decayed skeletons lurch forth from the cold embrace
him comes an entourage of four dead warriors armed of the earth.
with swords of green-tinged bronze.

Though Sibbe’s amulet allows her to pass through the Barrow

The barrow skeletal chieftain (see Appendix One: New
Lands unmolested, the ritual atop the Tor perverted the natural
Monsters) advances on the party and gestures with its sword
order and sent a shockwave of unrest through the surrounding
toward them. Behind it stand 2–4 barrow skeletal warriors
burial mounds. This ancient Andøvan king has now awakened
(see Appendix One: New Monsters), its retainers in life.
and is calling forth his equally ancient subjects to put a stop to
Depending on the health of the party, the skeletal champion
this desecration. Because of Sibbe’s Andøvan barrow charm, this
may accept challenges only in single combat to the death, until
undead king cannot affect her directly, but it knows that the PCs
unconsciousness, or until first blood. If a character accepts its
can. As a result, even though there is an overwhelming tide of
challenge and adheres to the strictures of honor, fighting only
undead approaching the PCs , the path to the Tor remains open. The
one-on-one, regardless of the outcome if it is not destroyed,
undead do not wish to fight the PCs but merely hope to drive them
it and its retainers return to their barrow and let the PCs pass
onward to their confrontation with Sibbe. If the PCs are foolish
unmolested. If more than one character takes part in the fight,
enough to fight, a couple of rounds against an endless supply of
its retainers quickly join in against the honorless curs.
skeletons should convince them of the folly of their ways. If they
run, they find all ways of egress blocked save the path toward the
Tor. The undead follow but do not too close and do not follow
them up the Tor.

C hapter T wo : T he T rail of the A glæcwif - 23

 Chapter Three:
Fight
–•–
at the Stones
by a spear strung to a bent tree branch of green wood behind
15. The Tor one of the heelstones, out of sight of anyone on the causeway. A
successful search of the area (1-in-6 chance) spots the trap; it can
be removed using a sharp knife. If triggered, the spear attacks the
At the far corner of the field of barrows is the tall person tripping the wire with a THAC0 14 [+5] to hit and inflicts
mound of packed earth known as the Tor. Crowning
1d6 piercing damage.
this hilltop is a ring of standing stones, tumbled
down and long forgotten, built ages ago by the long-
dead Andøvan that once inhabited what is now the
Northlands. The Tor is steeply sloped, and the slopes 15c. Stone Circle
are covered with grasses, herbs, and bracken. Two
causeways march up from the surrounding plains, one A ring of ancient standing stones is at the center
to the southwest and one to the northwest. The stones of the Tor’s summit. A few of the stones still stand as
themselves are cracked and worn with age; green trilithons with posts and lintels 10 feet high, but most
lichen and moss cling to the lower surfaces and run of the stones are on the ground or lean at precarious
up these fissures, contrasting sharply with the dark angles. The dark clouds above swirl in a great spiral
gray rock. Thunderclouds roil overhead, and lighting seemingly only a hundred feet above the hilltop and
flashes down to strike the few stones still standing. are constantly illuminated from within by flashes of
lightning. Other streaks of lightning flash downward
The Tor is 105 feet high and covers 15 acres of ground. The in jagged arcs to strike the still-standing trilithons.
After each flash, the stones radiate a pale glow for a
slopes are steep and count as difficult terrain (halves Movement
few moments as if absorbing the power of the storm.
Rates). Anyone pushed off the edge of the Tor can must succeed at
a Dexterity check or suffer 1d4 points of damage as they tumble
down the hill. Those who fall land prone at its base. All the stones of the circle are carved of the same blueish
dolerite, a type of stone not native to the area. They bear no legible
carvings, but some faded, weathered creases in the rock hint that
15a. Causeways at one time they were richly adorned. At the center of the ring
is a three-foot-high-by-12-foot-long altar stone stained in ancient
Approaching the Tor from the southwest and northwest are two blood. The area between the altar and the ring is open and covered
causeways that allow for easy access to its summit. Both causeways with low grass. Roughly half of the stones are still standing,
are firm, wide, and slightly graded but long, each running for 400 especially the main entrance stones at the south of the ring. The
feet. Anyone walking up a causeway can easily be seen from the flashing lightning of the storm and the glowing stones provide the
top of the Tor, which alerts anyone there to the approach. Anyone entire hilltop with normal lightning. The stones themselves, though
climbing the slope in the dark can make opposed Stealth checks to seething with magical power from the ritual, are not harmful to
avoid being noticed by the watchers there. the touch, though anyone standing atop one has a 25% chance of
being struck by lightning each round for 5d6 points of electricity
15b. Heelstone Gate damage (save vs. breath for half).
If the PCs arrive at night, they find Sibbe and Runa at the altar,
At the top end of each causeway is a shallow ditch that is only conversing in harsh whispers. The remaining two daughters of
two feet deep and 20 feet long. The ditch symbolically demarcates the jarl are tied up nearby. Njarni and Gufti are on watch. Shortly
the entrance to the top of the Tor. Each end of the ditch is anchored before dawn, Sibbe and Runa are at the altar, each raising a knife
by an eight-foot-tall standing heelstone. They lean slightly inward to the heavens and screaming out an incantation to the swelling
toward each other and have tapered tops. Ancient Andøvan runes storm clouds. Inga and Fastvi are tied up next to the altar stone,
once marked their surfaces, but these have been worn to illegibility. guarded by Gufti. Njarni is on watch. The group’s three horses are
Sibbe placed a trap at each of these ditches to slow anyone hobbled outside the circle to the east and are skittish and fatigued
trying to interrupt her ceremony. A thin trip cord has been strung from their long ride.
on the far side of each ditch to snag anyone attempting to step Njarni and Gufti are two large Northlanders who have been
over the shallow depression. Anyone tripping this cord is targeted long ensorcelled by the aglæcwif and serve her in a numb but

24 - C hapter T hree : F ight at the S tones

C hapter T hree : F ight at the S tones - 25
fanatical manner. Both are outlaws she came across on the Moors likewise been on the trail ever since they noticed the girls and the
and can easily be identified as such by anyone who conversed PCs were missing. If the party is in real danger of being destroyed
with Hallbjorn. Njarni the Traitor murdered his jarl in western here at the climax of the adventure, read the following description
Storstrøm Vale, and Gufti the Clever is a known arsonist and thief to the PCs. In this event, some or all of Sibbe’s henchmen must go
from Trotheim. Killing either man will not result in a blood feud and deal with this new threat, leaving the PCs to deal with Sibbe
and likely earns the slayer a reward from the families of their and whoever remains behind. Assume that anyone moving to deal
victims should someone be willing to travel to the Thing of the with the reinforcements described below is slain in the process
Vale to claim responsibility (1d2 + 2 x 100 hs for Njarni, and 1d6 without any loss of life to the householders.
+ 4 x 10 hs for Gufti).
Tactics: Even as the PCs finally make it to the stones, Sibbe
The sounds of pounding hooves and the jingle of
still needs to be physically stopped. Her two henchmen defend
harness and armor rise from the Barrow Lands below.
her to the death, as their minds are entirely under her control. As Below where stood the ranks of the dead who allowed
soon as the party is spotted, Njarni is awakened and Sibbe casts you to pass to the Tor now can be seen a party of
shield on herself. Runa will not join in any combat but cowers at armed warriors riding hard toward the hillock. In the
the edge of the fight. If things look bad for Sibbe and she decides flashes of lightning, you can make out the forms of
to cut her losses and run, she commands Runa to attack and hopes the dead moving aside to allow them to pass without
the confusion covers her retreat. If the battle is going against the a fight. As the riders make hard for the causeway, you
henchmen, Sibbe uses ranged attacks to try to turn the tables but see that though their harness and armor are mud-
will not engage in melee combat unless forced to do so. Once hard spattered and travel stained, the weapons they bear
pressed (her henchmen are dead and her foes are closing in), she in their hands are bright and their faces grim. These
uses Runa as a diversion and flees, using her Andøvan barrow are men going to war. Riding at their head you see
the boar-headed helm of Jarl Olaf Henrikson himself
charm to disappear among the undead gathered below. If Sibbe is
leading three full hands of huscarls and warriors.
slain, both henchmen break and flee in a panic, only to be shortly
dragged down by the undead in the surrounding Barrow Lands.
Development: At sunrise (8 a.m.), Sibbe begins the sacrifice Unless otherwise indicated, these warriors arrive when the
portion of her ritual, and unless either she is slain or the girls battle is over and the girls are (hopefully) freed from Sibbe’s
rescued, the girls are sacrificed in 10-minute intervals in this order: possession. If she succeeded in completing the sacrifice, then
Inga, Fastvi, and finally Little Runa. If Sibbe is slain, her influence she uses her newfound powers to fly into the stormy sky above
over Runa ends, and the little girl falls to the ground sobbing, no and disappear, cackling madly, leaving her minions to be
longer able to take any aggressive actions. slaughtered alone. However, if some or all the girls are rescued,
This is a difficult battle, and it is possible that the PCs may then the ritual is interrupted and the storm soon dissipates,
find themselves quickly overwhelmed. While the PCs have been leaving a clear night sky over the Tor with just a hint of spring-
pursuing Sibbe and the girls, the jarl’s own householders have like wind from the south.

26 - C hapter T hree : F ight at the S tones

C hapter T hree : F ight at the S tones - 27
Concluding Adventure
of gold and silver worth 200 hs. If only one girl was saved, a ring
the of silver is worth 100 hs.
The girls must still be gotten home, though with the jarl and
If the PCs succeeded, then Jarl Olaf is overjoyed to find his girls more than a dozen of his huscarls and finest warriors in tow,
safe with the PCs and the aglæcwif defeated. If some or all of the even the horde of undead seems not insurmountable, though the
girls were killed, he grows grimmer with each one, but as long as warriors eye the surrounding Barrow Lands nervously as they wait
Sibbe is defeated and the PCs did what they could to save the girls, for dawn before attempting to head out. The girls are mounted on
he does not hold it against them. However, if the PCs failed and fresh horses, and the jarl orders the PCs to stay with them and
somehow survived, Jarl Olaf names them cowards and outlaws finish their oath to see them safely home. However, despite the
and allows them only to immediately flee the Tor before he sets grim cast of the warriors’ eyes and the barely contained fear of the
his warriors upon them. The PCs have a hard career ahead of them supernatural on more than one face, a battle against the spawn of
indeed, and the players may even need to start new characters to Hel is not to be. Continue with the following text:
continue their campaign.
If Sibbe is victorious, she experiences a sudden increase in
power and her youth is renewed. She physically becomes 22 years The coming dawn glows pink over the endless field
old again and becomes an 8th-level spellcaster. She uses her magic of barrows that surround the Tor. Jarl Henrikson
to fly away. This makes her a serious threat in the Northlands for decides to make a break for the forest to the south to
some time and, should any of the PCs survive, she can become a try to get out of the accursed Barrow Lands as quickly
continuing nemesis to plague them throughout their careers as she as possible and risk the forest rather than the unquiet
continues to rise in power and wickedness. In this case, the undead dead. The troop gathers at the foot of the causeway
disperse on their own, and the PCs have no problem leaving the preparing to make a fighting retreat as the forms of
Barrow Lands, though the dead begin haunting their lands anew as scores of skeletal remnants of the ancient Andøvan
soon as night falls again. still shuffle about dimly visible in the half-light.
The following description assumes that the PCs successfully The hordes of shuffling undead part at the base of
rescued all three girls. If not, modify the text accordingly. the causeway, however, and one dead warrior steps
forth in front of the others. The rotting silks and
fine cloth still cover his cuirass of bronze below his
From the mud that grimes his armor and the blood hollow-eyed skull, though now in the early light you
that dries on his face, you can tell that Jarl Olaf can see that traces of ancient dye still show where
has had a long night. He and his huscarls gather his raiment was once of the finest fabric. And he still
around you and the girls. Kraki Hallason is there, carries that massive bronze sword of magnificent
and Young Ljot, sour-spirited Berg Geirson, surly make, now point down in the earth. It is the barrow
Hauk of Vastavikland, One-Eyed Sven, and even Old king who first allowed you to pass to reach the Tor,
Ljot. Hallbjorn also looks on approvingly, his helm and he seems to want to parley.
clutched under one arm, his eyes tired but bright.
“It seems you young-spears have had a night of Assuming the PCs do not attack — a very foolish and suicidal
it, too,” your jarl begins. “At first I had thought that option since literally hundreds of undead warriors are ready to
you were young and foolish, unable to oversee my back the barrow king up in battle — the undead creature makes
girls, then I thought you defeated, or your mind’s- no harmful moves. Instead, it lifts its hand to mimic the shape of
worth broken by what strange signs we found at a necklace and then holds its arm out waiting. The PCs have no
the Meadows when you did not return. But when we trouble realizing that it is wanting the Andøvan barrow charm, the
began to follow the trail to find the girls, we realized strange necklace found with Sibbe. It will not relent in this, and the
it was your trail that we followed, and we saw the
PCs cannot hope to win the battle over it. However, as soon as a
signs of your own battle-dew shed upon the path as
you fought to fulfill your sword-oath to me. You have character hands the charm over, the barrow king raises its sword to
fought and bled for my household, and in my mind the PCs, point downward, and allows them to take it in fair trade.
that makes you a part of it.” Then it and the rest of its horde disappear back among the barrow
mounds and are lost from sight in the morning mist. The group
“Glad I am that you have saved my daughters from
that evil aglæcwif, and happy I am to reward such has no trouble leaving the Barrow Lands, though future visits to
warriors as you. When we return to Silvermeade, you the haunted uplands promise no such respite. The sword that the
eat, drink, and fill yourselves with good mead, for barrow king gifts upon the PCs is a two-handed sword +1 named
you have done well this day. And here in the sight “Fury” in Andøvan (Helfath), a relic of the ancient Andøvan.
of my own householders take from my hand these Though it is made of bronze, its magic gives it the hardness of
armbands that have graced my own arms since I steel, and it is a weapon of some power despite its great age —
slew the giant Hastral in furious spear-din. Truly truly a weapon of heroes. All the householders look on in awe
you are warriors of Olaf Henrikson.” at the exchange, newfound respect in their eyes for the one who
carries such a weapon of legend.
If the PCs acquitted themselves well and saved all three girls,
each is given an arm-ring of gold taken from his own arm (a great
honor) worth 300 hs. If only two girls were saved, it is an arm-ring

28 - C oncluding the A dventure

Epilogue
If all goes well, the PCs and their jarl return to Silvermeade, three
tired-but-safe young girls in tow. All three girls are taken by their
female kinfolk and tended to, healers are brought in to see to any
injured characters, and a small impromptu feast is thrown in their
honor. After an appropriate amount of time eating and drinking, the
jarl calls on the PCs to tell their tale, a cry that is quickly picked
up and reverberates through the hall for the story of this latest
deed of valor. Following the recounting of their feats, rewards
are handed out. The PCs are on their way up in the
world with a budding reputation as heroes and
should feel a certain amount of pride.
If the PCs return with less than a
full complement of daughters, then
the feast is much more subdued with
little to no tale telling. The rewards
are less, but the jarl is thankful for
the PCs’ success while he mourns
his losses. The PCs’ status has risen
slightly but being the followers who
let one or more of his daughters perish
is not going to bode well for them in the
jarl’s eyes or for their future hopes and dreams.
Finally, there is the matter of Runa to settle if
she survives. It is obvious that she was under some foul
influence of Sibbe, an enchantment no doubt laid upon her at
her birth. With Sibbe’s death, the connection is no more. She is
comatose by the time the PCs get her back to the hall and wakes
two days later refreshed and back to her usual — if somewhat
abnormal — self. The fact that the PCs saw her demonstrate
sorcerous powers is a matter of some import, though. If the the Tor causes Runa to subconsciously place a mental block on
matter is spoken of to the jarl (or anyone else for that matter, as it her arcane abilities, and it will be many years before they begin to
undoubtedly makes its way back to him eventually), he denies it bud within her again. It is possible that they could emerge again
vehemently and threatens to settle such slander between the hazel and force her into an existence as an outcast from her own people,
posts if the PCs persist. A wiser course of action would be to keep embittered and accursed, or perhaps she could manage to turn
the matter to themselves and just keep an eye on young Runa to to the path of a cunning woman and become a powerful woman
see what develops. Regardless, the trauma of the experience at in Hordaland. Either way, that is a matter for a different story.

Rewards
Character Types Complete Success Partial Success
Warriors (bearsarker, fighter, huscarl,
A fine weapon gilt in gold with amber An armband
Nûklander, Nûklander reindeer nomad,
decoration (valued at 450 hs) (valued at 200 hs)
spear maiden)
Godi (clerics, Nûklander spirit druid, zealot a runescroll (a divine spell scroll with a 1st-level A ring
of the Andøvan Kings ) spell) (valued at 100 hs)
A ring
Runecasters (magic-users, rune caller) a runestick (a randomly rolled wand)
(valued at 100 hs)
a runescroll (a divine spell scroll with a 1st-level
Cunning folk (sorcerers, warlocks) A ring (valued at 100 hs)
spell) A ring (valued at 100 hs)
Outlanders (any non-Northlander, dwarf, a fine tunic
a ring (valued at 200 hs)
elf, giantborn, Halfling, thief, trollborn) (valued at 50 hs)

E pilogue - 29
 Appendix One:
New
–•–
Monsters
Aglæcwif
She squatted there in the cave seemingly oblivious to our
approach. The locals had said she was an aglæcwif, some
sort of local magic worker. Before we could ask our question,
she spoke in a voice like nails along a stone or the chill of
death. “You seek answers, but you must pay the price in blood.”
Then she turned and was upon us.
We paid the price; I’ll miss that torchbearer.

Aglæcwif are evil magic-users who turn to the darkest of arts

to gain power. They forsake all mind’s-worth and society, living
alone in haunted moors and in the depths of the forest. Often, they
consort with outlaws, enthralling them and using them to further
their own ends. At the heart of an aglæcwif is selfish greed, greed
for power, and greed for the life’s blood of others. Even so, their
power is unquestionable, their knowledge of life and death deep,
and thus do the foolish or desperate turn to them for help.

Aglæcwif
AC 8 [11]; HD 5* (22 hp); Att 2 x claws (1d4), curse glare or
magic; THAC0 15 [+4]; MV 120 (40); SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14
(5); ML 10; AL Chaotic; XP 300; NA 1 (1d2); TT L

 Curse glare: One creature the aglæcwif can see must make

a save vs. spells or suffer one of the following curses:

Curse of Blood: The target’s wounds bleed profusely and
cause them to suffer an additional 1d4 damage every
time they lose hit points. When they do so, the aglæcwif
regains 1d4 hp.
Curse of Death: The target dies if they take any damage
before the moon sets or rises and they fail a save vs.
death.
Curse of Ill-Luck: The target suffers a –4 penalty to attack
rolls and saving throws until the next moon sets or rises.
 Magic powers: Aglæcwif are able to use the following magic

powers:
a. Charm person. Can be used at will. Astrid the Mad
b. Curse. Can be used once per day. AC 7 [12] leather; HD 3* (13 hp); Att 1 x dagger (1d4) or magic;
THAC0 17 [+2]; MV 120 (40); SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (3);
c. Hold person. Can be used three times per day. ML 10; AL Chaotic; XP 50; TT 1d4 gp
d. Invisibility. Can be used three times per day.
e. Magic missile. Can be used at will.  Spellcaster: Astrid casts spells as a 3rd-level cleric.
f. Shield. Can be used at will. 1st: cause fear, cause light wounds

30 - A ppendix O ne : N ew M onsters
Barrow Skeleton, Chieftain
The stones rolled away from the barrow and a skeletal figure
sauntered out as if he owned the place. Well, he did. In life, he was
a noble of some kind, clad in green-tinted bronze armor, bearing
a two-handed sword with an antler-shaped crosspiece. The regal
plumage that once adorned his helmet was faded and tattered, but
that did not detract from his regal bearing. Silently he pointed one
hand toward us then whipped his great blade up in a challenge.

The Andøvan peoples who once inhabited the Northlands

left behind great stone circles and sealed burial mounds. These
barrows are said to be haunted, and with good cause. While not
all barrow mounds are enchanted to animate their occupants,
those that contain the remains and burial goods of the Andøvan
chieftains certainly are. When disturbed, and this may be as easy
to do as walking past one, the chieftains awaken and lead their
entourage out to drive off the living or to bring justice to tomb
robbers. While fearsome foes clad in ancient armor and bearing
often magical weapons, the chieftains are honorable and often let
mere trespassers go with a warning and a single pass of arms.

Barrow Skeleton, Chieftain

AC 3 [16]; HD 6 (27 hp); Att 1 x long sword (1d8); THAC0 14
[+5]; MV 120 (40); SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (6); ML 12; AL
Neutral; XP 275; NA 1 (1); TT B

 Undead: Make no noise until they attack. Immune

to effects that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to
mind-affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep).
 Eternal undeath: If reduced to 0 hp, they crumble into a pile

of bones. If those bones are within a mile of their burial mound

on the next full moon, they rise again at full hit points.
 Scent of Justice: 30 ft. range. Barrow chieftains can smell

crimes on others. A target within range must make a save vs.

spells or the barrow chieftain learns every crime they have com-
mitted. Furthermore, the barrow chieftain knows the distance
and direction of every item of grave goods buried with him.
 Language: Cannot speak but understands Andøvan

Barrow Skeleton, Warrior

Barrow Skeleton, Warrior AC 4 [15]; HD 2 (9 hp); Att 1 x spear (1d8); THAC0 18 [+1]; MV
It crawled out of the ooze between the barrows, a risen Andøvan 120 (40); SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2); ML 12; AL Neutral; XP 20;
NA 1d8 (4d8); TT None
warrior in tarnished bronze armor hanging from its skeletal frame.
Without a word, it stood erect and grabbed one of the ancient
 Undead: Make no noise until they attack. Immune to effects
spears decorating the tomb. Armed and ready, it waited for us to
that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-
violate the burial, standing an eternal watch over the resting place
affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep).
of its chieftain.
 Eternal undeath: If reduced to 0 hp, they crumble into a pile

The Andøvan chieftains were buried alongside their closest of bones. If those bones are within a mile of their burial mound
retainers. These warriors who guarded their lord in life carry on an on the next full moon, they rise again at full hit points.
endless vigil in death. To be chosen to become an undead warrior  Loyal Followers: Warriors are animated by the magic

was a high honor and one that many retainers fought for fiercely, that animates their chieftains. If more than a mile from their
and sometimes to the death, to be granted. Clad in their faded chieftain or if their chieftain is reduced to 0 hp, they fall to the
raiment and tarnished armor, these steadfast followers drive away ground in a heap of bones until the next full moon.
the living and awaken their sleeping lord if danger threatens.  Language: Cannot speak but understands Andøvan

A ppendix O ne : N ew M onsters - 31
Dirty Olaf
A bandit captain and cattle raider operating in the vicinity of the
meadows.

AC 4 [15] leather and shield; HD 4 (18 hp); Att 1 x 1ong sword

(1d8); THAC0 16 [+3]; MV 120 (40); SV D10 W11 P12 13 S14 (4);
ML 8; AL Chaotic; XP 75; TT S

Hound, Bog
It rose out of the mire, muck and slime dripping from its head.
The beast looked like a large dog but shrunk and preserved by the
magic that laid it low and the acidic bog it long rested in. Its hide
was like old leather and creaked as it moved. Those eyes though,
they were alive with red anger, and
centuries in the swamp had not
dulled its sharp teeth.

For reasons unknown to

the current inhabitants of the
Northlands, the Andøvan threw
living creatures into bogs,
enchanting them to rise again
to terrorize the night. Many of
these haunted bogs are near burial
mounds, and some say these beasts
are kept for when their Andøvan
masters return. Bog hounds are
one such, and the most common,
bog beast. Their bodies
preserved by the bog and
the magic that animates
Huscarl
them, they appear as Jarl’s keep a set of household retainers known as huscarls. Most
leathery, emaciated versions of these are warriors who strengthen the shieldwall and form a
of their living forms, often covered in the muck and mire of their bodyguard for the jarl. During times of peace, they are the jarl’s
resting place. Bog hounds rarely stir unless disturbed, but when officers empowered to represent their jarl in all affairs pertaining
the residents of the nearby barrows are agitated, the bog hounds to the administration of the jarldom such as keeping the peace
pull themselves to the surface to hunt the living. and pursuing justice. Most huscarls have long served their jarl and
risen to high rank through skill in battle and demonstration of their
wisdom in peace.
Hound, Bog
AC 6 [13]; HD 4 (18 hp); Att 1 x bite (1d6 + 1d6 acid); THAC0
16 [+3]; MV 120 (40), 120 (40) swimming; SV D10 W11 P12 B13
Huscarl
S14 (4); ML 12; AL Chaotic; XP 75; NA 1d2 (1d4); TT None AC 4 [15] chainmail and shield; HD 5 (22 hp); Att 1 x spear
(1d8); THAC0 14 [+5]; MV 120 (40); SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14
 Undead: Make no noise until they attack. Immune to effects (5); ML 10; AL Lawful; XP 75; NA 1d6 (3d6); TT S + T
that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-
affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep). Battle Formations: Huscarl are able to use a series of complex
 Eternal undeath: If reduced to 0 hp, they crumble into a pile battle formations. On their turn (during the declaration phase if
of bones. If those bones are within a mile of their burial mound in combat), a huscarl is able to instruct an ally within 30 ft. that
on the next full moon, they rise again at full hit points. can hear the huscarl to join a battle formation (see Battle Forma-
 Fire vulnerability: Takes double damage from fire-based
tions in the Northlands Saga Player’s Guide) that takes effect
if all participants meet the requirement during the movement
attacks.
phase of combat.
 Infravision: 60 ft.
 Loyal: Huscarls gain a +4 bonus on all saving throws vs.
 Scent: Can detect creatures within 60 ft., 120 ft. if downwind.
magic when within sight of their jarls.
 Language: Cannot speak but understands Andøvan
 Language: Speak Nørsk.

32 - A ppendix O ne : N ew M onsters
Pony, Trondheim Troll, Northlands Swamp
I had to laugh at this shaggy beast, This large hulking brute has long, thick arms and legs, both
barely 12 hands tall. It was a stout little of which end in sharpened and filthy claws. Its body is covered
fellow, like a full-sized horse but shorter. with moss and fungus, and its hair is dark brownish-green. Large,
Sure enough, a grown adult could ride upward-curving fangs jut from its lower jaw.
one. He never moved faster than a hard
trot and certainly was no jumper, but Swamp trolls are large, stocky, dark gray or brown,
he was a fine steed to get around hunched humanoids. Their flesh is slick and slimy like
the rocky terrain of Hordaland. His moss. Swamp trolls make their lairs deep in swampland
name was Hesten. and marshes away from more settled areas, but not far
enough away where they cannot hunt humans if game
Trondheim ponies are the common and other food run scarce in the swamps.
riding horses of the Northlands and Swamp trolls are seven-foot-tall, hunched humanoids
are often used as draft animals for small and weigh about 400 pounds.
carts or plows. They are short ponies, Swamp trolls are aggressive predators that attack living
ranging from 10 to 13 hands tall, but creatures on sight (especially when a swamp troll is hungry).
sturdily built. Despite their small size, they When hunting, a swamp troll moves quietly along, easing
can carry a fully armed warrior to the battle. closer to its prey and then finally striking with its claws
Not into battle, mind you, but they will and bite when within range. Swamp trolls rarely fight to the
get you there. Some wealthy jarls display death unless threatened or hungry.
their power by buying larger horses from
the Southlands, but most prefer their native
breed out of pride. Northlands Swamp Troll
AC 5 [14]; HD 6+3* (30 hp); 2 x claws (1d6), 1 x bite (2d6);
THAC0 13 [+6]; MV 120 (40), 120 (40) swimming; SV D10 W11
Pony, Trondheim P12 B13 S14 (6); ML 8; AL Chaotic; XP 650; NA 2d4 (2d8); TT V
AC 8 [11]; HD 2 (9 hp); Att 1 x bite (1d4); THAC0 18 [+1];
MV 120 (40); SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (2); ML 8; AL Neutral;  Surprise: On 1–3. Swamp troll’s use their thick coating of
XP 20; NA 0 (0); TT None mud to hide and ambush opponents.
 Hateful: Attempts to kill any creatures they encounter.
 Sturdy: Despite being Medium-sized creatures, Trondheim
 Infravision: 60 ft.
ponies can carry a Medium-sized rider.
 Regeneration: Three rounds after being damaged, start
 Beast of burden: Carry up to 4,500 coins
regaining 2 hp per round. Severed limbs reattach.
unencumbered; up to 9,000 coins at half speed.
 Return from dead: If killed (0 hp), will regenerate and
 Domestic: Not encountered in the wild.
fight again in 2d6 rounds.
 Language: Cannot speak, understands
 Fire and acid: Cannot regenerate damage from these
Nørsk.
sources. The only way to permanently kill a troll.
 Scent: Can detect creatures within 60 ft., 120 ft. if

downwind.
 Swamp thing: A swamp troll’s movement is

unaffected by mud, marshes and swamps.

A ppendix O ne : N ew M onsters - 33
 Appendix Two:
New
–•–
Magic Item
The undead are aware of the individuals but do not consider them
Andøvan Barrow Charm interlopers. This does not mean, however, that the undead follow
the wearer’s commands.
This necklace is made of small animal bones and laced with
 Any traps left by the ancient Andøvan will not be triggered by
dead roses surrounding a faintly glowing blue crystal. Despite
the wearer or those designated for protection.
its obvious age, the delicate bones and flowers that comprise the
 The charm protects its wearer from sleep and charm spells.
necklace are still in good repair — every dried rose petal remains
in place as if locked in time. Most known Andøvan burial grounds are located in the Barrow
 The wearer of this charm and anyone designated within 30 Lands of the Hord Peninsula in the Northlands. It is possible that
feet can pass through ancient Andøvan burial grounds without this charm could function at other Andøvan burial sites as well, but
being disturbed by any of the undead that may inhabit those lands. this has not been tested.

34 - AL egal A ppendix
ppendix T wo : N ew M agic I tem
 Legal
–•–
Appendix
Product Identity: The following items are transformed, or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means copying, modifying, or distributing, and You must
hereby identified as Frog God Games LLC’s to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright
Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game publicly display, transmit, or otherwise distribute; holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any
License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic original Open Game Content you Distribute.
Open Game Content: product and product line and includes the methods, procedures, processes, and 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to
names, logos and identifying marks including routines to the extent such content does not embody Use any Product Identity, including as an indication
trade dress; artifacts; creatures; characters; stories, the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in
storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, prior art and any additional content clearly identified another, independent Agreement with the owner of
incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and each element of that Product Identity. You agree
depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, means any work covered by this License, including not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability
themes and graphic, photographic and other visual translations and derivative works under copyright with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in
or audio representations; names and descriptions law, but specifically excludes Product Identity; (e) conjunction with a work containing Open Game
of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, “Product Identity” means product and product line Content except as expressly licensed in another,
teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; names, logos, and identifying marks including trade independent Agreement with the owner of such
places, locations, environments, creatures, dress; artifacts; creatures and characters; stories, Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of
equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, any Product Identity in Open Game Content does
effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that
any other trademark or registered trademark clearly depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity
identified as Product Identity. Previously released themes, and graphic, photographic, and other visual used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights,
Open Game Content is excluded from the above list. or audio representations; names and descriptions title, and interest in and to that Product Identity.
Notice of Open Game Content: This product of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, 8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game
contains Open Game Content, as defined in the Open teams, personas, likenesses, and special abilities; Content, You must clearly indicate which portions
Game License, below. Open Game Content may only places, locations, environments, creatures, of the work that you are distributing are Open Game
be Used under and in terms of the Open Game License. equipment, magic or supernatural abilities or effects, Content.
Designation of Open Game Content: Subject logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its
to the Product Identity Designation herein, the trademark or registered trademark clearly identified designated Agents may publish updated versions of
following material is designated as Open Game as Product Identity by the owner of the Product this License. You may use any authorized version of
Content. (1) all monster statistics, descriptions of Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open this License. You may use any authorized version
special abilities, and sentences including game Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, of this License to copy, modify, and distribute any
mechanics such as die rolls, probabilities, and/or names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by Open Game Content originally distributed under
other material required to be open game content a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the any version of this License.
as part of the game rules, or previously released associated products contributed to the Open Game 10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a
as Open Game Content, (2) all portions of spell License by the Contributor; (g) “Use”, “Used”, or copy of this License with every copy of the Open
descriptions that include rules-specific definitions of “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, Game Content You Distribute.
the effect of the spells, and all material previously modify, translate, and otherwise create Derivative 11. Use of Contribute Credits: You may not
released as Open Game Content, (3) all other Material of Open Game Content; (h) “You” or market or advertise the Open Game Content using
descriptions of game-rule effects specifying die rolls “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement. the name of any Contributor unless You have written
or other mechanic features of the game, whether in 2. The License: This License applies to any Open permission from the Contributor to do so.
traps, magic items, hazards, or anywhere else in the Game Content that contains a notice indicating that 12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible
text, (4) all previously released Open Game Content, the Open Game Content may only be Used under for You to comply with any of the terms of this
material required to be Open Game Content under and in terms of this License. You must affix such License with respect to some or all of the Open
the terms of the Open Game License, and public a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or
domain material anywhere in the text. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this governmental regulation then You may not Use any
Use of Content from Tome of Horrors Complete: License except as described by the License itself. Open Game Material so affected.
This product contains or references content from the No other terms or conditions may be applied to any 13. Termination: This License will terminate
Tome of Horrors Complete and/or other monster Open Game Content distributed using this License. automatically if You fail to comply with all terms
Tomes by Frog God Games. Such content is used 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of
by permission and an abbreviated Section 15 entry Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall
has been approved. Citation to monsters from the terms of this License. survive the termination of this License.
Tome of Horrors Complete or other monster Tomes 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration 14. Reformation: If any provisions of this
must be done by citation to that original work. for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors License is held to be unenforceable, such provision
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to
The following text is the property of Wizards of non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this make it enforceable.
the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the License to Use, the Open Game Content. 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Coast, Inc. (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. 5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000,
1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the If You are contributing original material as Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Reference
copyright and/or trademark owners who have Open Game Content, You represent that Your Document 5.0 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the
contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Contributions are Your original creation and/or You Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford,
Material” means copyrighted material including have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James
derivative works and translations (including into this License. Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris
other computer languages), potation, modification, 6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original
correction, addition, extension, upgrade, the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
improvement, compilation, abridgement, or other to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT Spring Rites, Copyright 2023, Frog God Games,
form in which an existing work may be recast, NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are Author Ken Spencer.

L egal A ppendix - 35
 Notes
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36 - N otes
AN ADVENTURE FOR OLD-SCHOOL ESSENTIALS RULES

Enjoy A deadly SpringTime in the north

It is a time for festivals in honor of the gods and the end of a long winter.
The jarl needs heroes to guard his daughters as they gather flowers for the
feast of Freyja. What could be easier than that?
Come meet haughty Inga, troublesome Fastvi, and Little Runa, whose
very birth was accompanied by dark omens and unfulfilled prophecy. Will
the heroes protect the jarl’s daughters when the spring day turns dark and
deadly, or will this first trusted task be their last?
Spring Rites is designed for new characters and can be played on its own
as an introduction to the dangerous Northlands setting.

SPRING RITES
OLD-SCHOOL ESSENTIALS
PDF
ISBN 978-1-6656-0361-4