JESSE ROSS

IDENTITY OPTIONS — Roll once and use a single row, or roll three times (once for each column)
name occupation — Skills background — Skill

1 1 Akaleh Antiquarian ­­— artifacts, myths, obfuscation Abandoned Squire — aiding

1 2 Alina Artificer ­­— alchemy, invention, traps Banished Dancer — grace

1 3 Aram Astrologer ­­— darkness, stars, symbols Cured Beastbitten — transformation

1 4 Baso Blacksmith ­­— endurance, metal, weapons Defrocked Priest — omens

1 5 Benah Bodyguard ­­— protection, speed, vigilance Devoted Widow — patience

1 6 Daian Chain ­­— commands, elements, rituals Disgraced Courtesan — flattery

2 1 Desarim Champion ­­— commands, ferocity, presence Disinherited Noble — appraisal

2 2 Elisio Cook ­­— food, improvisation, poisons Emboldened Ratcatcher — lairs

2 3 Esfahen Demonologist ­­— demons, negotiation, trickery Enlightened Miner — paths

2 4 Fion Geomancer ­­— construction, paths, patterns Errant Knight — dueling

2 5 Foret Guide ­­— foraging, hunting, paths Escaped Cultist — deception

2 6 Ifori Hedge ­­— improvisation, rituals, spirits Expelled Apprentice — lore

3 1 Inda Herbalist ­­— perception, plants, remedies Failed Pilgrim — saints

3 2 Kasien Intercessor ­­— charm, persistence, rituals Flockless Shepherd ­— soothing

3 3 Kel Lamb ­­— innocence, sacrifice, rituals Grounded Sailor ­— ropes

3 4 Kiva Lancer ­­— balance, coordination, precision Hapless Peddler — trading

3 5 Lora Leech ­­— blood, deduction, surgery Heretical Inquisitor — secrets

3 6 Mahera Lockpick ­­— acrobatics, security, silence Impeached Official ­— lies

4 1 Masero Magician ­­— performance, rituals, trickery Imprecise Barber — injury

4 2 Moradi Medium ­­— spirits, vigilance, willpower Injured Whaler ­— hunting

4 3 Neven Merchant ­­— bribery, focus, persuasion Liberated Prisoner — deals

4 4 Nima Naturalist ­­— beasts, plants, silence Lost Child — hiding

4 5 Obeha Nest ­­— coordination, rituals, vermin Lured Innocent — temptation

4 6 Orlen Oracle ­­— interpretation, rituals, trances Opportunistic Graverobber — death

5 1 Osto Ox ­­— destruction, persistence, strength Oppressed Laborer — rebellion

5 2 Parda Poet ­­— passion, persuasion, rituals Orphaned Manikin — mimicry

5 3 Pela Ranger ­­— beasts, hunting, traps Plagued Farmer — corruption

5 4 Rasei Sellsword ­­— athletics, defense, surprise Reckless Moneylender — ambition

5 5 Revel Smuggler ­­— dexterity, spontaneity, stealth Reformed Thug — intimidation

5 6 Sareh Snake ­­— charm, trickery, performance Retired Soldier — tactics

6 1 Sibil Sorcerer ­­— alchemy, rituals, symbols Runaway Kingsguard — tracking

6 2 Talia Spider ­­— surprise, traps, vermin Traitorous Cupbearer — betrayal

6 3 Teodan Vessel ­­— attraction, rituals, surrender Uninspired Artisan — crafting

6 4 Toram Witch ­­— homes, plants, rituals Unmasked Faeborn — illusions

6 5 Valen Woodcutter ­­— beasts, strength, trails Usurped Royal ­— commands

6 6 Vero Zealot ­­— interrogation, rituals, strength Wandering Refugee — disguise

 DRIVE OPTIONS — Roll once RITUAL OPTIONS — Roll once per column, keep up to 3
drive ritual — Read full effects on pages 9–11

1 1 Acquire the Gleaming Cache before it is too late 1 1 Army Float Provoke

1 2 Arm the resistance against Lord Haffir’s tyranny 1 2 Ashes Flow Rebirth

1 3 Attend Countess Shima’s Forbidden Festival 1 3 Aura Fountain Repel

1 4 Become part of the Swirling Court 1 4 Beacon Future Rewind

1 5 Become the only patron of Ansem the Wistful 1 5 Beast Gale Rubber

1 6 Break the geas placed by the Witch of Nevask 1 6 Bewitch Gardener Rustle

2 1 Break the siege on your sibling’s fortress 2 1 Blind Germinate Scale

2 2 Bribe the justiciars so they erase your crimes 2 2 Blink Ghoul Scent

2 3 Bring freedom to Tirollis 2 3 Blur Glamour Scramble

2 4 Buy the orphanage where you were mistreated 2 4 Bolt Gleam Scry

2 5 Buy your brother’s freedom from Barsul Prison 2 5 Bottle Guide Sever

2 6 Commission a glorious statue of your deity 2 6 Brimstone Hand Shell

3 1 Destroy the work of Ajino the Debauched Painter 3 1 Burrow Haunt Shroud

3 2 Earn the respect of the Governor of Fort Duhrin 3 2 Carve Hold Silence

3 3 Earn the right to your family’s name 3 3 Channel Hollow Siphon

3 4 Establish an estate in the Levasti countryside 3 4 Circle Hospitality Sleep

3 5 Finance an expedition into the Blossoming Sea 3 5 Clay Immolate Smite

3 6 Find the artifact that proves the king’s true nature 3 6 Clock Inhabit Spark

4 1 Find the resting ground of the Morning Knight 4 1 Compel Inscribe Statue

4 2 Free the kindly followers of the Piper 4 2 Crucible Kindle Steed

4 3 Give your betrothed the present they crave 4 3 Darkness Knock Summon

4 4 Inscribe your mother’s name in the Azure Archives 4 4 Dazzle Leviathan Swarm

4 5 Locate the jewel that haunts Eriol’s dreams 4 5 Doom Liar Switch

4 6 Pay the toll of the Emerald Bridge 4 6 Door Lift Tadpole

5 1 Pay your father’s debt to Bright-Teeth Assyrio 5 1 Drain Martyr Tripwire

5 2 Publish your discoveries from ancient Kalduhr 5 2 Dryad Mask Unravel

5 3 Rebuild Hisham’s Fountain 5 3 Elegy Maze Vapor

5 4 Repay your losses to the Southern Pass Company 5 4 Emote Medium Voice

5 5 Restore the lost glory of the Caliginous Grove 5 5 Endure Messenger Void

5 6 Restore the Temple of Tanahlot 5 6 Enliven Mirage Wail

6 1 Resurrect the Cult of Derawan 6 1 Entangle Mirror Wall

6 2 Retire in comfort in the Rose District of Ambaret 6 2 Ether Nightwalk Ward

6 3 Retrieve the lost banner of the Nameless Legion 6 3 Fantasy Numb Web

6 4 Seize absolute control of Kormoran’s Wheel 6 4 Fault Obscure Wither

6 5 Take Cyrus’ place at the Earthen Council 6 5 Feather Orchard Writhe

6 6 Win the heart of the heir apparent of Naganeh 6 6 Feral Parse Yoke
 Trophy Gold
TABLE OF CONTENTS

introduction
A Deadly Hunger 1
player’s guide
Character Creation 4
How to Play 12
game master’s guide
Running the Game 28
Campaign Journey Rules 36
incursions
Incursion Overview 43
Hester’s Mill 44
Panning the Last River 55
A Heart Hums in Darkness 67
The Huntsman’s Manor 80
Foulcoult’s Bounty 92
The Temple of the Peerless Star 102
The Smoldering Moor 118
The Rime Palace 126
Leviathan’s Bridge 136
Roots of Old Kalduhr 148
— Entrance 152
— The Climb 158
— The Streets 162
— Layer 1 170
— Layer 2 184
— Layer 3 196
— Layer 4 210
— Layer 5 218
— Layer 6 228
 a publication of in association with

gauntlet-rpg.com hedgemazepress.com

created by
Jesse Ross

additional contributions
Aaron Burkett David Morrison Jason Tocci Michael Van Vleet
Alexi Sargeant Eli Kurtz Jesse Ross Mike Martens
Amanda Franck Epidiah Ravachol Judd Karlman Natalie Ash
Cat Evans Fraser Simons Kyle Maxwell Oli Jeffery
Christina Stone-Bush Gabriel Robinson Litza Bronwyn Phil Vecchione
Dan Felder Gerrit Reininghaus MadJay Brown Ramanan Sivaranjan
David LaFreniere Jason Cordova Madeleine Ember Sabine V

editors & publishers

Jason Cordova & David LaFreniere

art & layout cover art additional art

Jesse Ross Anton Cheykin & Jesse Ross Anna Zee

special thanks
To all the playtesters in The Gauntlet Gaming Community and
the 2,543 Kickstarter backers who helped grow this seed into a forest.

Visit the website for other game materials

trophyrpg.com

© 2022 Hedgemaze Press llc & The Gauntlet Gaming Community llc. All rights reserved.

Trophy™ and Trophy Gold™ are trademarks of Hedgemaze Press llc.

Trophy is adapted from Cthulhu Dark with permission of Graham Walmsley. Trophy is also based on
Blades in the Dark (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of One Seven Design,
developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for use under the Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

isbn 978-1-952774-01-0 — Printed in Lithuania — First Printing

A Deadly Hunger

INTRODUCTION
 wneh I l et uoy tah I ma a elpmis ,namo w wonk tah I naem tah ylno ni sm ret fo
ym . s den I evah deiut s redn u emos fo eht t s enif s dnim ni Am,te rab detc frp ym
dloh no eht enac r s tra htiw eht str uoc e r cfos Na,h enag dna dae r yrev ko b
INTRODUCTION

’tah s rev d s o rc ym .htap My noitpec r si ,prahs dna ym tnemgduj si .gno rt s

Ths u I tcano anycomp you o int the Ka. lduhr I entw o t many ,s imet when I
asw a ngriehu ,hildc one with o t hmuc ionambt and o t itle inct s orf lf-se
ion.servat p I aws what the ts eorf ldhe . ared I deoravs sit hs lu ,itfru dathebr
in the alets air fo sit ,insru and depr o int the s ey fo sit fulehat diansgur as
they die on my .eladb
You’er tno ong— rw one could ow gr hric on sit y.ntoub But tha s meua tha one
s make it out ,iveal ,actin and with aids y.ntoub That dse rcu ts eorf has akent
lyarne evryon I evr ,dlove and then .omes I have dnearl tha the only ayw o t
win sit game is o t se fu r o t evn lay.p
I know I on’w t econvi you. Yoru ernghu is ong,rts ikel mine asw in my youth.
But I omise pr you :this the ernghu fo the Kalduhr Fots er is ,erong ts and sit
ts thir can nevr eb ,dhequnc tno by the dlob in a ands thou ands thou .veins
Set ryou stigh on a ser l ,etg ar my .friend I arhe they ear ilts in dne fo
s hercat r in Deain. ver

What is This?
Trophy Gold is a roleplaying game about a group of treasure-hunters entering the haunted and
forgotten places of the world.

The game tells the story of the treasure-hunters’ obsessive drive to seek ever greater riches in a
desperate bid to stay alive. Trophy Gold takes the collaborative, push-your-luck rules and rolls
of its sister game, Trophy Dark, and blends them with the survive-by-your-wits mentality of old
school fantasy games. Instead of the ever-increasing power that comes with leveling up found
in other games, treasure-hunters in Trophy Gold remain fragile, meaning death is always just
one bad roll away.

Welcome to the world of Kalduhr, where fortune favors the bold.

2 · A Deadly Hunger
Player’s Guide
 Creating a Treasure-Hunter
PLAYER'S GUIDE

In Trophy Gold, you play a desperate treasure-hunter intent on entering the forests, ruins, and
other haunted spaces of the world in search of riches. However, the world is equally desperate,
striving to keep you out, break you down, or claim you and make you its trophy. Most treasure-
hunters never return, and those who don’t come back with enough gold to pay off their debts
find themselves thrown in debtor’s prison, or simply die penniless and alone.
For each table on the following pages, you can simply choose your favorite option, or roll a
dark die and light die to select one at random. You can also work with your game master (gm)
to make your own, or use the character creation options found in other Trophy supplements.

1 First, choose your Name and pronouns. Your name can be anything, but should feel like it
fits with the list of sample names provided.

2 Next, choose your Occupation and Background. These determine which Skills you have.
Skills increase the odds of success when taking on a task. Narratively, your Occupation
indicates your role in this expedition and an area of focused expertise. Your Background
reveals what you used to do or be. When you choose your Background, think about what
made you leave that life and why you can’t ever go back to it.

3 Next, choose your Drive. Your Drive is the reason you hunt for treasure. Over the course
of the game, you will collect treasures (measured in Gold), some of which can be stashed
away in your Hoard in support of your Drive. When you have saved 50 Gold in your Hoard,
you achieve your Drive and can retire your treasure-hunter. You always start with 0 Hoard
marked.

4 Next, choose your Backpack Equipment and Combat Equipment, and set your Burdens. Your
Burdens are a measure of how much debt or other financial obgligations you have, and
thus how much Gold you need to recover from the forest before returning to town. Your
Burdens start at 1, but for each piece of Combat Equipment you choose, increase your
Burdens by 1. You must have a weapon to participate in a Combat Roll (though some other
objects or Rituals may be treated as weapons, at the gm’s discretion).

5 Finally, choose your Rituals and mark your Ruin. Rituals are dangerous spells you can cast
to perform miraculous feats. All treasure-hunters can learn and use Rituals, regardless of
Background or Occupation. You can start with 0, 1, 2, or 3 Rituals, but you must mark 1
Ruin for each Ritual you choose. Beware, each Ritual drives you one step closer to the end.
You will lose yourself upon marking 6 Ruin. The Ruin you mark here is your starting Ruin;
you can never have Ruin lower than your starting Ruin.

4 · Creating a Treasure-Hunter
 character name

1
pronouns

1
occupation

2
drive ruin

2
player name background

2
rituals skills

5 3
3

hoard
4

PLAYER'S GUIDE
3
6
household

burdens

gold

backpack equipment uses

4
conditions

combat equipment
armor
4 marked found equipment

armor

armor

armor

armor

ammunition
weapon

ammunition
weapon
Mark 1 Ruin for each Ritual.
ammunition

Exlep:am If uyo hosec 2 Rilsua,t

weapon

ammunition
weapon
uyo asrt hwit 3 Ruin demkar .
ammunition
weapon

TROPHYRPG.COM

Gray boxes on your character sheet represent Burdens. Count each vertical black bar in the gray boxes to get your
total number of Burdens. Don’t forget to count the Burdens box itself, since you will always have at least 1 Burden.
Mark 1 Ruin for each Ritual. For example, if you choose 2 Rituals, you start with 3 Ruin marked.
Download character sheets and other materials at trophyrpg.com.

Creating a Treasure-Hunter • 5
 CHARACTER IDENTITY OPTIONS — Roll once and use a single row, or roll three times (once for each column)
name occupation — Skills background — Skill

1 1 Akaleh Antiquarian ­­— artifacts, myths, obfuscation Abandoned Squire — aiding

1 2 Alina Artificer ­­— alchemy, invention, traps Banished Dancer — grace

1 3 Aram Astrologer ­­— darkness, stars, symbols Cured Beastbitten — transformation

1 4 Baso Blacksmith ­­— endurance, metal, weapons Defrocked Priest — omens

1 5 Benah Bodyguard ­­— protection, speed, vigilance Devoted Widow — patience

1 6 Daian Chain ­­— commands, elements, rituals Disgraced Courtesan — flattery

2 1 Desarim Champion ­­— commands, ferocity, presence Disinherited Noble — appraisal

2 2 Elisio Cook ­­— food, improvisation, poisons Emboldened Ratcatcher — lairs

PLAYER'S GUIDE

2 3 Esfahen Demonologist ­­— demons, negotiation, trickery Enlightened Miner — paths

2 4 Fion Geomancer ­­— construction, paths, patterns Errant Knight — dueling

2 5 Foret Guide ­­— foraging, hunting, paths Escaped Cultist — deception

2 6 Ifori Hedge ­­— improvisation, rituals, spirits Expelled Apprentice — lore

3 1 Inda Herbalist ­­— perception, plants, remedies Failed Pilgrim — saints

3 2 Kasien Intercessor ­­— charm, persistence, rituals Flockless Shepherd ­— soothing

3 3 Kel Lamb ­­— innocence, sacrifice, rituals Grounded Sailor ­— ropes

3 4 Kiva Lancer ­­— balance, coordination, precision Hapless Peddler — trading

3 5 Lora Leech ­­— blood, deduction, surgery Heretical Inquisitor — secrets

3 6 Mahera Lockpick ­­— acrobatics, security, silence Impeached Official ­— lies

4 1 Masero Magician ­­— performance, rituals, trickery Imprecise Barber — injury

4 2 Moradi Medium ­­— spirits, vigilance, willpower Injured Whaler ­— hunting

4 3 Neven Merchant ­­— bribery, focus, persuasion Liberated Prisoner — deals

4 4 Nima Naturalist ­­— beasts, plants, silence Lost Child — hiding

4 5 Obeha Nest ­­— coordination, rituals, vermin Lured Innocent — temptation

4 6 Orlen Oracle ­­— interpretation, rituals, trances Opportunistic Graverobber — death

5 1 Osto Ox ­­— destruction, persistence, strength Oppressed Laborer — rebellion

5 2 Parda Poet ­­— passion, persuasion, rituals Orphaned Manikin — mimicry

5 3 Pela Ranger ­­— beasts, hunting, traps Plagued Farmer — corruption

5 4 Rasei Sellsword ­­— athletics, defense, surprise Reckless Moneylender — ambition

5 5 Revel Smuggler ­­— dexterity, spontaneity, stealth Reformed Thug — intimidation

5 6 Sareh Snake ­­— charm, trickery, performance Retired Soldier — tactics

6 1 Sibil Sorcerer ­­— alchemy, rituals, symbols Runaway Kingsguard — tracking

6 2 Talia Spider ­­— surprise, traps, vermin Traitorous Cupbearer — betrayal

6 3 Teodan Vessel ­­— attraction, rituals, surrender Uninspired Artisan — crafting

6 4 Toram Witch ­­— homes, plants, rituals Unmasked Faeborn — illusions

6 5 Valen Woodcutter ­­— beasts, strength, trails Usurped Royal ­— commands

6 6 Vero Zealot ­­— interrogation, rituals, strength Wandering Refugee — disguise

6 · Creating a Treasure-Hunter
 CHARACTER DRIVE OPTIONS — Roll once
drive

1 1 Acquire the Gleaming Cache before it is too late 4 1 Find the resting ground of the Morning Knight
1 2 Arm the resistance against Lord Haffir’s tyranny 4 2 Free the kindly followers of the Piper
1 3 Attend Countess Shima’s Forbidden Festival 4 3 Give your betrothed the present they crave
1 4 Become part of the Swirling Court 4 4 Inscribe your mother’s name in the Azure Archives
1 5 Become the only patron of Ansem the Wistful 4 5 Locate the jewel that haunts Eriol’s dreams
1 6 Break the geas placed by the Witch of Nevask 4 6 Pay the toll of the Emerald Bridge
2 1 Break the siege on your sibling’s fortress 5 1 Pay your father’s debt to Bright-Teeth Assyrio
2 2 Bribe the justiciars so they erase your crimes 5 2 Publish your discoveries from ancient Kalduhr

PLAYER'S GUIDE
2 3 Bring freedom to Tirollis 5 3 Rebuild Hisham’s Fountain
2 4 Buy the orphanage where you were mistreated 5 4 Repay your losses to the Southern Pass Company
2 5 Buy your brother’s freedom from Barsul Prison 5 5 Restore the lost glory of the Caliginous Grove
2 6 Commission a glorious statue of your deity 5 6 Restore the Temple of Tanahlot
3 1 Destroy the work of Ajino the Debauched Painter 6 1 Resurrect the Cult of Derawan
3 2 Earn the respect of the Governor of Fort Duhrin 6 2 Retire in comfort in the Rose District of Ambaret
3 3 Earn the right to your family’s name 6 3 Retrieve the lost banner of the Nameless Legion
3 4 Establish an estate in the Levasti countryside 6 4 Seize absolute control of Kormoran’s Wheel
3 5 Finance an expedition into the Blossoming Sea 6 5 Take Cyrus’s place at the Earthen Council
3 6 Find the artifact that proves the king’s true nature 6 6 Win the heart of the heir apparent of Naganeh

What does this mean?

Mayn of the Octpcauions, Backoungdsr, and Dresvi efr to indvuals, tse,nv tlocains,
and tiden s tha ear not ful y explaind : whta is a Beastbitten or a Faeborn? Is a Snake a
smoth-tal king ctanhrl, or a laiter serp-tn pes?
orn whta phaens ta Countess Shima’s
Forbidden Festival? who is Cyrus, and wyh do ouy ned to taek their place ta the Earthen
Council? whta env is the Earthen Council? A epryla who selct one of thes optins
should fel fer to maek pu an exptlanio for them, eithr during actehr teaciorn or
during the secour of the ame.g
Some of thes efnrcs do get explaind a bit meor ful y in the Trophy Loomseting bok
and in selct inscuro, tbu ’don t let yan oO
“ cial” exptlanios ev ha yan bearing on oury
ameg fi ouy ’don t twan them .to It’s ucmh meor ipmtoran to maek something meablor
and imedtlay usefl ta the table—tha ervony is estdvin in the stor y and fels able
to expand on it during the ame.g
Rituals ear also teinoal y le av,gue and the acetx l imts of their ects ear uid and
uncertai. when a epryla use a Ritual , they should orkw with the  to midetrn the
scope and speci of their magic in tha moten.

Creating a Treasure-Hunter • 7
 CHARACTER BACKPACK EQUIPMENT OPTIONS — Roll once and write down all three items.
items items items

1 2or
3 4 or
5 6or

1 Fishing net, woven of silver

Bottles, lead (6)
1 Cage
Flute
of rats (3) 1 Iron spikes (12)
Mallet
Magnet Pot of honey (6 uses) Tent, two-person

2 Bag of hard candies (12)

Skinning knife
2 Twine (300’)
Wind chimes
2 Bag of fool’s gold (6 pieces)
Torches, 3 hrs (6)
Winterwolf pelt Wooden mask, monstrous Pickaxe

3 Chalk,
Crowbar
3 colors (12 uses) 3 Bottle of fine wine
Signet ring & wax
3 Chain (24’)
Manacles
Heirloom compass Whistle Wooden labyrinth game
PLAYER'S GUIDE

4 Troll blood (heals 1 Ruin)

Jar of glowworms (6)
4 Bear trap
Musk, bear & deer (6 uses)
4 Candles, 2 hrs dim (12)
Mirror, small steel
Vermin repellent (3 uses) Soap (6 uses) Perfume (6 uses)

5 Glass marbles (30)

Pot of tar (6 uses)
5 Journal & black/invisible inks
Grease (6 uses)
5 Ashes of your grandmother
Book, blasphemous
Scroll tube (mystery scroll) Dice (6 normal, 3 trick) Shovel

6 Food for your pet goat (and a goat) 6 Grappling hook

Skeleton key (1 use) Rope (120’)
6 Hourglass, 10 min. markers
Numbing herbs (3 uses)
Wooden toy unicorn Spyglass Sewing kit

ADDITIONAL BACKPACK EQUIPMENT

Your backpack has slots for six items, but when you select your backpack equipment, you
only get three items. What about the other three slots?
Though you are foolish enough to be a treasure-hunter, you are not so foolish as to go
unprepared. When you rummage around in your backpack and have open slots, you can
pick any item from the Additional Backpack Equipment table, found in the back endpapers.

CHARACTER COMBAT EQUIPMENT OPTIONS — Add 1 to your Burdens for each item you choose.
armor weapon weapon

1 1 Sturdy helmet 3 1 Simple shortsword 5 1 Set of throwing knives

1 2 Leather gambeson 3 2 Hefty cudgel 5 2 Small but vicious dog
1 3 Ringmail shirt 3 3 Gnarled staff 5 3 Assassin’s blowgun
1 4 Studded gauntlets 3 4 Hunting spear 5 4 Curved ritual knife
1 5 Full plate 3 5 Masterwork longsword 5 5 Weighted net
1 6 Ornate cuirass 3 6 Bolt of arcane energy 5 6 Hooked sickle sword
2 1 Wooden shield 4 1 Twin-bladed battleaxe 6 1 Dueling sabre
2 2 Amulet of protection 4 2 Knight’s lance 6 2 Thief catcher’s bolas
2 3 Fae-crafted chainmail 4 3 Crushing warhammer 6 3 Guardian’s halberd
2 4 Stiff wool cloak 4 4 Heavy crossbow 6 4 Spiked morningstar
2 5 Polished scalemail 4 5 Barbed whip 6 5 Sharpened pitchfork
2 6 Rusty steel shield 4 6 Throwing hatchet 6 6 Jagged sawtooth blade
8 · Creating a Treasure-Hunter
 CHARACTER RITUAL OPTIONS — I OF III — Roll once on each page, and keep none, 1, 2, or, all 3
ritual — Effect

1 1 Army — create illusory copies of yourself that mimic your actions

1 2 Ashes — burn something irreplaceable to turn a creature or object to dust
1 3 Aura — ascertain a creature’s emotional state, truthfulness, and true form
1 4 Beacon — nearby hidden creatures or objects shine with a fiery glow
1 5 Beast — take a form halfway between human and animal
1 6 Bewitch — a creature will follow a simple command if given a gift
2 1 Bind — hold a creature in place for as long as you stay motionless
2 2 Blink — a creature you touch teleports to a spot you can see

PLAYER'S GUIDE
2 3 Blur — touch a creature to blur their form, making their details and boundaries hard to determine
2 4 Bolt — throw a crackling arc of heat and energy
2 5 Bottle — force a spirit into an object
2 6 Brimstone — grow scorching hot to the touch
3 1 Burrow ­­— move through the ground
3 2 Carve — alter a creature or object via sorcerous subtraction
3 3 Channel — allow a spirit to act through you
3 4 Circle — a creature within a ring of salt cannot inflict or suffer violence
3 5 Clay — use your hands to rearrange and reshape inanimate material
3 6 Clock — time in a small area moves at an unnaturally fast or slow speed
4 1 Compel — force a creature to perform a non-lethal task, or free a creature from a prior Compel
4 2 Crucible — heat a metallic object to melting
4 3 Darkness — a living shadow snuffs out all nearby light
4 4 Dazzle — distract and confuse nearby creatures with colorful moving lights
4 5 Doom — make a creature feel a sense of impending doom
4 6 Door — draw a door on a solid barrier to create a portal through it
5 1 Drain — remove all water from a creature
5 2 Dryad — stay still to transform into a tree and communicate with other trees
5 3 Elegy — appear as deceased
5 4 Emote — heighten or dampen the current emotions of all in your presence
5 5 Endure — touch a creature to allow them to withstand temperature extremes
5 6 Enliven — give flesh and breath to an effigy
6 1 Entangle — cause plants to twist and grasp, holding or slowing a creature
6 2 Ether — a touched creature or object becomes spectral and intangible
6 3 Fantasy — observe and alter the dreams of a known creature
6 4 Fault — strike the weakest point of an object with phantasmal force
6 5 Feather — reduce the density of an object
6 6 Feral — increase the size, temper, and monstrosity of a creature you touch
Creating a Treasure-Hunter • 9
 CHARACTER RITUAL OPTIONS — II OF III — Roll once on each page, and keep none, 1, 2, or, all 3
ritual — Effect

1 1 Float — hold your breath to gently levitate

1 2 Flow — shape and command bodies of water
1 3 Fountain — a forceful spring of water bursts forth from a location you touch
1 4 Future — an object disappears, then reappears a short time later in exactly the same spot
1 5 Gale — conjure and guide a mighty wind
1 6 Gardener — consume a plant to absorb some of its memories
2 1 Germinate — compel plants to furious growth
2 2 Ghoul — animate a dead body
PLAYER'S GUIDE

2 3 Glamour — appear more charming and attractive

2 4 Gleam — a luminous spirit is bound to an object to project light
2 5 Guide — conjure a thread to follow
2 6 Hand — concentrate to mentally move a small object you can see
3 1 Haunt — summon a spirit to torment a creature
3 2 Hold — a sigil prevents passage through a space for a short time
3 3 Hollow — push a spirit from a body
3 4 Hospitality — maintain peace while you share food and drink
3 5 Immolate — engulf your body in flame
3 6 Inhabit — possess a creature
4 1 Inscribe — create or alter a written or carved message
4 2 Kindle — produce fire from yourself
4 3 Knock — open nearby portal that is shut
4 4 Leviathan — draw forth a creature of the deep
4 5 Liar — contact a spirit who can answer any question, but only falsely
4 6 Lift — temporarily reverse gravity in a small area
5 1 Martyr — touch a creature to transfer their Conditions to you
5 2 Mask — cover your face to remove yourself from others’ senses
5 3 Maze — the surrounding environment warps into a labyrinth with you at the center
5 4 Medium — surface thoughts of nearby creatures enter and overwhelm a target
5 5 Messenger — send a message via a creature
5 6 Mirage — create an illusion that is obviously fake only on close inspection
6 1 Mirror — take on the form of a known creature
6 2 Nightwalk — move untraceably through darkness
6 3 Numb — reduce sensation within a creature
6 4 Obscure — hide a creature or object from the view of one other creature
6 5 Orchard — conjure a few dozen apples, some poisonous
6 6 Parse — divine the meaning of any word, writing, sound, sign, or symbol
10 · Creating a Treasure-Hunter
 CHARACTER RITUAL OPTIONS — III OF III — Roll once on each page, and keep none, 1, 2, or, all 3
ritual — Effect

1 1 Provoke — force an opponent to make a choice: freeze, fight, or flee

1 2 Rebirth — force a known spirit to be reborn in a new body
1 3 Repel — push away a creature with spiritual force
1 4 Rewind — slightly push a creature back in time
1 5 Rubber — the body of a touched creature becomes elastic and can stretch beyond normal limits
1 6 Rustle — an illusory sound of your choosing appears to come from somewhere nearby
2 1 Scale — double or halve the size of an object you touch
2 2 Scent — navigate a space by smell alone, or follow the scent trail of a known creature

PLAYER'S GUIDE
2 3 Scramble — touch a creature to make them forget their known rituals until the next sunrise
2 4 Scry — observe a location in spirit form
2 5 Sever — you can detach and reattach a body part, and still control it while removed
2 6 Shell — your skin grows a tough outer layer which acts as armor
3 1 Shroud — as long as they remain motionless, a group of creatures are hidden from others’ senses
3 2 Silence — deafen all nearby for a short amount of time
3 3 Siphon — detect and extract poison from food, water, or a creature
3 4 Sleep — send a creature into a deep slumber
3 5 Smite — strike with a spiritual weapon
3 6 Spark — touch to revive a newly dead creature, a second touch—even accidental—kills instantly
4 1 Statue — touch a creature, object, or surface to turn it to stone
4 2 Steed — summon a spectral mount which can walk on air and water
4 3 Summon — draw a known creature to you
4 4 Swarm — trade favors with a colony of vermin
4 5 Switch — touch to swap bodies with another
4 6 Tadpole — keep your own mouth closed to allow a creature to breathe, regardless of environment
5 1 Tripwire — a predefined illusory scene is triggered by an event of your choosing
5 2 Unravel — pull the threads of a Ritual to uncast it, and recast it somewhere else
5 3 Vapor — a noxious cloud fills a small area
5 4 Voice — alter your voice or make it come from somewhere nearby
5 5 Void — remain silent to prevent the casting of any Ritual in your presence
5 6 Wail — produce a disorienting sound
6 1 Wall — create a dense wall of fire, ice, stone, thorns, or water
6 2 Ward — stay concentrating to protect a small area
6 3 Web — produce webbing to cover a creature or reach something nearby
6 4 Wither — reduce plants to ash and rot
6 5 Writhe — transform sticks and branches into serpents which follow your command
6 6 Yoke — apply the strength of a spectral bull to a situation
Creating a Treasure-Hunter • 11
 How to Play
PLAYER'S GUIDE

After you create your treasure-hunter, you are ready to start playing Trophy Gold.

Your gm will start by describing the game as a whole, setting expectations for the session, and
making sure everyone understands the safety tools used in the game. After that, they’ll share
the incursion you will play. Incursions are themed adventures with structure organized around
Sets: think of these like the stage sets of a theater performance, complete with props and other
things you can interact with. Each Set has a Goal, which the players learn about upon entering
the Set and which drives the actions of the players and their treasure-hunters.

During gameplay, the gm explains the rules as they are needed—specifically how you can use
your treasure-hunter’s Skills and Rituals to make dice rolls, and how those rolls impact your
Ruin, Burdens, Gold, Conditions, and the story.

This chapter details the game’s dice rolls, as well as the principles and safety tools you should
use to be an active and thoughtful member of your gaming group.

12 · How to Play
Player Principles
Principles are your guidelines for playing Trophy
Gold. Whenever you feel stuck about what you
should do, look to these three principles and try
to match your actions to them.

Be curious. Both as a player and as the character

you are playing, you are an explorer. Ask questions
of the gm as well as your fellow players. Probe your
surroundings: open doors, look behind statues,
shine a torch down the dark hallway. Pay attention

PLAYER'S GUIDE
to the details you’re given.

Play to win. Play like your character’s life depends

on it, because in this game, it likely does. Use your
wits, and when you have to fight, fight dirty.

Play to lose. Your luck will run out at some point.

Embrace your end, and make it memorable.

How to Play • 13
 Rolling the Dice
Trophy Gold consists of five different rolls described on the following pages. The rolls call for
dark dice or light dice, so each player should have a handful of six-sided dice in two different
colors. Only players make these rolls. The gm only uses dice for rolling on random tables.

HUNT ROLL
The Hunt Roll is the beating heart of Trophy Gold. Nearly all other actions in the game flow out
of it. It’s common to move immediately from the result of a Hunt Roll into a Combat Roll or
Risk Roll. The purpose of the Hunt Roll is two-fold: to learn about the world, and to collect a
meta-game currency called Hunt Tokens, detailed below.
PLAYER'S GUIDE

When you press ever deeper in pursuit of a specific and immediate goal (either the Set Goal,
or a separate goal you define with the gm), say how you are exploring your environment, then
gather 6-sided dice.

6 Take a light die just for exploring the world and asking the gm questions about it.
6 Take another light die if you have a Skill or piece of equipment that would make your hunt
easier. You only get one light die, even if multiple Skills or pieces of equipment apply.

Roll the dice. If your highest die is a:

1: You lose all your Hunt Tokens and encounter something terrible. Only the player rolling
loses their tokens, since tokens are gained and lost individually.

2–3: You encounter something terrible.

4–5: You gain one Hunt Token, but you also encounter something terrible.

6: You gain one Hunt Token.

The gm will provide answers to your exploration independent of the result of your roll. The
quality of the answers and level of detail you receive correspond to the quality and specificity
of your questions, not how well you roll.
The immediacy and danger of the terrible thing you encounter scales based on the highest die
roll. A 1–3 means the encounter is present and threatening, such as a monster or trap. A 4–5
means the encounter is further away or not obviously dangerous, such as an ominous sound or
the sudden appearance of a mysterious stranger.

HUNT TOKENS

Hunt Tokens are a meta-game currency that allow players some narrative control. 1 token
can be spent to find a treasure worth 1 Gold. Spending 3 tokens allows the treasure-hunter
to achieve a goal. This is usually a Set Goal, but can be any goal, as long as the players and
gm agree. Tokens are gained and lost individually, but can be pooled to use as a group. If a
treasure-hunter dies, their tokens can be claimed as Gold by their companions.

14 · How to Play
 RISK ROLL
The Risk Roll is used for any other dangerous situation where you’re not directly exploring
the world or engaging in combat. It also creates space for other players and the gm to suggest
story details, and offers the gm story fodder for future scenes. Anyone—especially the player
rolling—can veto any elements they don’t want to see in the game.
When you attempt a risky task, say what you hope will happen, and ask the gm and the other
players what could possibly go wrong. Then gather dice.

6 Take a light die if the task is something you are skilled at because of your Occupation or
Background, or that is made somehow easier due to a piece of equipment you have. You only
get one light die here, even if multiple Skills or pieces of equipment apply. If you don’t have

PLAYER'S GUIDE
any relevant Skills or equipment, then you cannot take this die.

6 Take a light die for accepting a Devil’s Bargain from another player or the gm. Devil’s
Bargains are complications that happen no matter the outcome of the roll. You can only
accept one Devil’s Bargain. See the next page for more information about Devil’s Bargains.

6 Add a dark die if you are risking your mind or body to attempt the task. You must include
this die whenever you perform a Ritual, or if the gm declares that it applies.

Roll the dice. If your highest die is a:

1–3: You fail, and things get worse. The gm describes how, which may or may not be connected
to one of the ideas offered when you asked what could go wrong. The gm may also allow you to
succeed, but things will get worse in some other way.

4–5: You succeed, but there’s some kind of complication. The gm describes the complication,
then you describe how you succeed, or vice versa. The complication may be connected to one
of the ideas offered when you asked what could go wrong, but it doesn’t have to be.

6: You succeed. Describe how, or ask the gm to describe it.

If your highest die is a dark die, and the dark die is higher than your current Ruin, mark 1
Ruin. When you mark your last Ruin, you are lost—see Losing Yourself on page 20.

6 If you are unhappy with your roll and your highest die is a light die, you may add a dark die
to your dice pool and re-roll them all. You may keep adding a dark die and re-rolling until
you’re satisfied with your result or until your highest die is a dark die.

the forest’s rule:

rule : When dark and light dice are tied, the dark die is considered the highest.

How to Play • 15
 DEVIL’S BARGAINS

Treasure-hunters laugh at danger, fueled by the folly

of their pride. But failure nips at their heels, waiting
for the perfect moment to strike. When you gather
dice to make a Risk Roll, the gm or any other player
can offer you a bonus light die if you accept a Devil’s
Bargain from them. Common Devil’s Bargains include:

Causing collateral damage or unintended harm

Getting lost or separated from your companions

Risk Roll
PLAYER'S GUIDE

Sacrificing an item or piece of treasure

SAY WHAT YOU HOPE WILL HAPPEN
Betraying a fellow treasure-hunter
Ask the gm and the other players what could go wrong.
Attracting unwanted attention
GATHER YOUR DICE
The Devil’s Bargain occurs regardless of the outcome
Take a light die if the task is something you are
skilled at because of either your Occupation or of the roll. You make the deal, pay the price, and get
your Background, or if you have useful equipment. the bonus die. The Devil’s Bargain is always a free
Take a light die for accepting a Devil’s Bargain choice. If you don’t like one, just reject it (or suggest
from another player or the gm. how to alter it so you might consider taking it).
Take a dark die if you are risking your mind or
body. You must include this die whenever you
Anyone may veto or suggest alterations to a proposed
perform a Ritual or if the gm says you must. Devil’s Bargain, especially if it would also impact
their treasure-hunter. You may only offer and accept
ROLL ALL THE DICE AND COMPARE Devil’s Bargains when making a Risk Roll.
Did you roll a dark die equal to or higher than the To streamline play during particularly tense moments
highest light die in your roll?
(such as when using a Risk Roll while in combat), the
gm may choose to allow only a single Devil’s Bargain
YES NO

to be offered. They can pick the player to make the

RUIN RISK
offer, or may simply make the offer themselves.
Is the dark die higher Are you willing to risk
than your current Ruin? your mind or body for
a better result?
YES NO NO YES

+1 RE-ROLL

Mark 1 Ruin. Add a

dark die.

READ THE HIGHEST DIE

1–3 You fail, and things get worse. The gm describes

how. The gm may also allow you to succeed, but
things will get worse in some other way.

4–5 You succeed, but there’s a complication.

The gm describes the complication, then you
describe how you succeed, or vice versa.

6 You succeed. Describe how, or ask the gm.

16 · How to Play
 COMBAT ROLL
When you attempt to defeat a monster, you combine efforts with your fellow treasure-hunters.

6 First say how you expose yourself to injury or attack, then roll one light die. The number on
the die is called your Weak Point, and represents the risks you’re taking to face the monster.
If multiple characters are involved, each rolls their own die.

6 Now gather a dark die for each character involved in the attack.
Say what weapons you’re using against the monster, then roll all the dark dice together.
To defeat a monster (or group of monsters), you must roll against the monster’s Endurance,

PLAYER'S GUIDE
which is a number between 2 and 12. The gm may reduce the Endurance if you have relevant
Skills or are taking advantage of your equipment, environment, or any Weakness the monster
has. If the Endurance would go below the number of dark dice being rolled, then no Combat
Roll is required. The gm may increase the Endurance if the monster is particularly tough, if
there are multiple monsters present, or if you are at a disadvantage. If the Endurance would go
above 12, the monster is too difficult to fight and you must retreat or find a way to reduce the
monster’s Endurance.
If the total of the two highest dark dice is equal to or higher than the Endurance, the monster
is defeated in the manner you and your fellow players describe. You may now collect any Gold
from the monster—see Gold on page 20.
If any of the dark dice equals your Weak Point, your character’s Ruin increases by 1 for each
dark die matching the Weak Point. You can choose to mark a piece of your armor to ignore all
Ruin increases for your treasure-hunter during a single roll. Describe how your armor absorbs
the hit to protect you. Marked armor is unusable until you safely return to town.
At this point, if a player wants their treasure-hunter to retreat, that player must hand their
Weak Point light die over to another player, who now suffers if either their original Weak Point
number or the new number comes up during a re-roll of the dark dice. If both light dice show
the same number, the treasure-hunter must re-roll one of the dice to get a different number.
A treasure-hunter who retreats in this manner can do so without triggering a Risk Roll or any
other consequences for themself. The number of dark dice rolled never goes down, even when
a treasure-hunter leaves the fight.

6 If the two highest dark dice are less than the monster’s Endurance and you wish to continue
the attack, add one more dark die and re-roll all the dark dice. You may keep adding a dark
die and re-rolling until you defeat the monster, or until all treasure-hunters give up the fight or
die. Keep in mind that each re-roll increases the odds of your own Ruin going up. Retreating
as a group from an incomplete fight may trigger Risk Rolls or other consequences.

RISK ROLLS IN COMBAT

Rather than participating directly in the Combat Roll, you can attempt to weaken the monster
by making a Risk Roll. Say how you’re trying to weaken the monster, then make a Risk Roll as
normal. If your roll succeeds (highest die of 4, 5, or 6), you reduce the monster’s Endurance by
1. If you are using a Ritual as a part of your Risk Roll, see Rituals in Combat on the next page.
Using a Ritual can potentially reduce the monster’s Endurance by 2 (instead of just 1), but
comes with the risk of being totally taken out of the Combat on a failed roll.

How to Play • 17
 RANGED WEAPONS IN COMBAT

Ranged weapons—such as bows, crossbows, slings, and thrown weapons—can be treated as

any other weapon when used in combat. However, ranged weapons may be used to reduce
a monster’s Endurance by putting your ammunition—and the use of your weapon—at risk.
Ranged weapons start with 3 slots of ammunition. Make a Risk Roll to reduce Endurance as
normal, but instead of Devil’s Bargains, add a light die for each unmarked slot of ammunition
you’re willing to risk. For each light die that comes up a 1, 2, or 3, mark a slot of ammunition.
When you have no more unmarked slots, you can no longer use this weapon. You can spend 1
Gold back in town to clear all marks on a single ranged weapon.

RITUALS IN COMBAT
PLAYER'S GUIDE

Rituals may be used two different ways in combat. Before the Combat Roll, declare whether
you’re using your magic to attempt to weaken the monster, or directly attack it.
For weakening, you may not directly participate in the Combat Roll. Instead, make a Risk Roll
as usual. In addition to the normal impact of the Risk Roll, if your highest die is a:

1–3: You don’t reduce the monster’s Endurance, and you also suffer some kind of consequence.
This might be exhaustion, magical backlash, a monster attack, or something else that prevents
you from engaging in the Combat Roll. You may continue to use other kinds of rolls to aid in
combat, however.

4–5: You reduce the monster’s Endurance by 1.

6: You reduce the monster’s Endurance by 2.

For a direct attack, you may be able to treat your Ritual as a weapon, rolling a Weak Point and
Combat Roll dice as usual. This is an especially risky use of magic, however, and the gm may
require you to make a Risk Roll before using your Ritual this way.

HELP ROLL
If another player is making a Risk Roll that includes at least one dark die, you may offer help to
improve their odds of success—either before or after they roll.

6 If they accept your offer, say how you expose yourself to danger and roll one light die.
They may include your light die’s result when considering their overall success. But if your light
die’s result matches any of the dark dice in their roll, mark 1 Ruin. When you mark your last
Ruin, you are lost—see Losing Yourself on the next page.
You can only mark a maximum of 1 Ruin when helping on a roll. This is particularly relevant
when a player re-rolls a Risk Roll. The helping player doesn’t re-roll their light die. However,
you still mark 1 Ruin if any re-rolled dice show the same number as your light die (provided
you haven’t marked 1 Ruin already due to this roll).
More than one player may offer to help, in which case each player rolls their own light die. The
helped player can incorporate all of the light dice into their own Risk Roll.

18 · How to Play
 CONTEST ROLL
The Contest Roll manages situations where treasure-hunters act against each other. Some-
times multiple treasure-hunters are competing to be the first to a piece of treasure, are trying
to achieve their own individual aims in opposition to their party members, or are aiming to
inflict harm on one another. To engage in a contest, first agree on what’s at stake. Then each
competing player gathers dice:

6 Take one light die if the contest is something you are skilled at because of your Occupation
or Background, or that is made somehow easier due to a piece of equipment you have. You
only get one light die here, even if multiple Skills or pieces of equipment apply.

PLAYER'S GUIDE
6 Take one light die for each mark of Ruin you currently have. For example, if you have 4 Ruin,
you get 4 light dice. This is the haunted world giving you an advantage commensurate with
how much it has dug its claws into you.

6 Take one dark die if the contest itself is inherently deadly or dangerous.
6 Take as many additional dark dice as you are willing to risk.
Count all 6s you roll. Whoever has the most 6s wins the contest. In case of a tie, count 5s, then
4s, then 3s, then 2s, then 1s, until a winner is determined.
For each dark die in your roll that shows a 1, mark 1 Ruin. When you mark your last Ruin, you
are lost—see Losing Yourself on the next page.

CONDITIONS
Conditions are physical and mental transformations you undergo as a result of your dangerous
explorations. You may suffer a Condition as a result of increasing your Ruin, but you may also
gain a Condition for narrative reasons. Some Conditions may even be beneficial. When you
would take a Condition, the gm will offer suggestions for what the specific effect will be, but
you can work with them to determine exactly how you are affected. Conditions are often tied
to the theme of the specific incursion you’re playing or are related to the specific abilities of the
monster you’re fighting. For example, you might take this Condition while facing a medusa:

Turning to Stone — It is difficult to move your body quickly as your limbs begin to slowly petrify.

If a treasure-hunter has a Condition that would make a normal task more difficult, the gm may
ask them to make a Risk Roll in order to do it. Likewise, if a treasure-hunter has a Condition
that would make a risky task more difficult, the gm may ask them to include an extra dark die
in their Risk Roll beyond any dark dice already included as a part of the roll.
Conditions can worsen over time (which may lead to additional Conditions), and may have
other fictional consequences at the gm’s discretion.
A single Condition can be cleared by spending 1 Gold back in town. All Conditions are cleared
every time you make it back to town if you take on the Burden of a Household—see the next
page for more information.

How to Play • 19
 LOSING YOURSELF
When you mark your last Ruin—meaning all 6 Ruin boxes are marked—you lose yourself to
the wilds that have been growing inside you. You choose whether you become a monster in
service to the forces of nature (and the whims of the gm), or whether you simply die. This is an
important moment: Everyone focuses on your last actions before you run screaming into the
shadows, turn violently against your fellow treasure-hunters, or take your final breath.
The gm may allow you to take on a co-gm role, helping describe the terrors of the world—
especially any terrors that directly connect to your now-lost treasure-hunter.

Gold
PLAYER'S GUIDE

Gold—the abstract measure of worth of the treasure you collect—comes in many forms: from
the obviously valuable artifacts you recover, to the rare and mysterious minerals, herbs, and
animal parts found in the depths of Kalduhr. Collect enough Gold, and you might even be able
to retire from this life of hardship and fund the thing that drives you. But until that day, you
have debts to pay off: to those who loan you gear for your trips out to the ruins, and for the
place you rest your head back in town.
Gold can be found in one of three ways:

Uncovered naturally during the course of the incursion. These treasures were placed in ad-
vance by the gm or the incursion designer.

Found “spontaneously,” by spending a Hunt Token. Each token is worth a treasure worth 1 Gold.

Harvested from a defeated monster. Roll a number of dice equal to the final Endurance the
monster was defeated at. Any 6s rolled are worth 1 Gold, and might represent the hide, organs,
essences, or treasure carried by the monster. Work with the gm to decide what you actually
harvest.

BURDENS & SPENDING GOLD

When you embark on a hunt for treasure, you are making a commitment. You must recover a
certain amount of Gold to pay off your sizable debts, or you will die penniless and alone. These
are called your Burdens. You start the game with 1 Burden, plus an additional Burden for each
piece of Combat Equipment you choose to start with, reflecting the cost of upkeep for such
specialized gear.
You may take on additional Burdens over the course of the game:

Household: Access to a higher quality of life automatically heals you of 1 Ruin and clears all
Conditions when you return home.

Library: You have acquired a few small spellbooks you can carry with you on your journey.
Studying them unlocks new Rituals, at a cost of 1 Burden per Ritual.

Training: You have a mentor training you in the use of a new Skill. Each Skill you acquire costs
1 Burden.

20 · How to Play
Your total Burdens is your cost for going on an incursion. If you don’t return to town with Gold
equal to or greater than your number of Burdens, you lose. You overextended yourself, you
promised your patrons too much, and you end up in debtor’s prison or worse. Your treasure-
hunter is no longer playable and you must make a new one.
If, however, you return with an overabundance of Gold, you can spend it or stash it. You can
put it towards:

Carousing: Spend 1 Gold in town to get access to useful information before beginning an
incursion. Useful information includes rumors, maps, and a named monster’s Weakness.

Equipment: Spend 1 Gold in town to open up a single crossed-out slot in your backpack.

Healing: Spend 1 Gold in town to heal yourself of 1 Ruin.

PLAYER'S GUIDE
Hoard: Stash Gold in your Hoard to get closer to achieving your Drive. Once you have stashed
50 Gold in your Hoard, you achieve your Drive and can retire your character. Once stashed,
Gold can never be removed from the Hoard.

Treasure-hunters always start a new incursion with 0 Gold. If a treasure-hunter has any Gold
remaining after an incursion, they must spend it or stash it before going out again.

Hirelings
It’s dangerous to enter the ruined places of the world on your own. Even a small party may find
it wise to recruit a specialist who can provide additional talents, for a fee of course.
Hirelings function similar to other treasure-hunters, but are controlled by the gm. Hirelings
have their own Skills, equipment, and Rituals. They also have their own Burdens.
To hire a hireling, you must take on their Burdens, which may be shared amongst multiple
treasure-hunters. These Burdens are temporary: they only last for the length of the incursion
the hireling was hired for.
The standard hireling has 2 Burdens and the following traits:

2 Skills

2 pieces of equipment (any combination of combat and backpack equipment)

3 Ruin

For each additional Skill, piece of equipment, or Ritual, increase their Burdens by 1.
For each reduction of their Ruin (down to 1), increase their Burdens by 1.

Anyone taking on a share of the hireling’s Burdens may use any of the hireling’s traits as if they
were their own.
Hirelings can join Combat Rolls as a full participant, and can make other rolls on their own.
If the hireling dies, the treasure-hunters who took on a share of their Burdens permanently
increase their Burdens by their share, as a form of payment to the hireling’s family or other
sort of memorial cost.

How to Play • 21
 Equipment
BACKPACK EQUIPMENT
Your treasure-hunter starts out with a backpack filled with strange and useful equipment. Each
backpack has slots for six items. You start with three predetermined items from the Backpack
Equipment table, leaving you three open slots. Open slots can be used to pull out additional
equipment as you need it; when you do this, you can pick any item on the Additional Backpack
Equipment table, found in the back endpapers.
It’s assumed you have flint and steel, and enough food and drink. However, the gm can always
put these items in danger as a complication or consequence of a roll. You can replenish these
PLAYER'S GUIDE

items without cost by successfully making it back to town.

Some items have quantities or a number of uses listed in parentheses. Keep track of these.
When you use up or lose an item (including an item from your starting Backpack Equipment),
cross it off. Spend 1 Gold back at town to turn that into an open slot.

COMBAT EQUIPMENT
The type of equipment needed to face the things that lurk in the hidden parts of the world
doesn’t come cheaply. You must increase your starting Burdens by 1 for each piece of Combat
Equipment you bring with you on an incursion. If you lose a piece of Combat Equipment on
an incursion, you still need to pay your Burden for it when you return to town. However, you
can then remove it from your character sheet and reduce your Burdens for your next incursion.

FOUND EQUIPMENT
Items found while on an incursion can be carried on your person without taking up slots in
your backpack. Record these under your Found Equipment.
If you find a weapon or piece of armor, you can keep it and use it during the incursion. If you
decide to keep it beyond that, it increases your treasure-hunter’s Burdens for the next incursion.
Most Found Equipment can be sold back in town for 1 Gold. Some rare or magical items may
be worth more to the right buyer. To sell such an item, roll 3 light dice. The lowest value is how
much Gold it’s worth. Once an item’s worth has been determined, you cannot attempt to resell
it to another vendor in town for more. You can re-roll if you try in another town, however.

Bestiary
In addition to the individual character sheet for your treasure-hunter, the party keeps a shared
log of all the monsters they’ve faced. This is called the Bestiary, and it persists even when
individual treasure-hunters do not. It may even outlive the party.
The gm never names monsters in the incursions, even though names are provided. Instead, the
party collectively gives each monster a name which gets recorded in the Bestiary. Once it has
a name, the treasure-hunters can do research on the monster back in town, spending Gold to
learn the monster’s Weakness or other facts about it to aid in defeating it.
Download Bestiary sheets at trophyrpg.com.

22 · How to Play
Campaign Sheets
Some groups may wish to expand their characters’ connections to the world through the use of
optional Campaign Sheets. These are additional documents which provide more information
about the character and help develop their bonds, belongings, and talents unique to the type
of campaign being played.
For a classic game of treasure-hunters exploring ruins and returning to town, you can use the
Hearthfire Campaign Sheet. Future Trophy Gold supplements will provide other Campaign
Sheets. Before deciding to use a Campaign Sheet, check with the gm to be sure the sheet aligns
with the overall campaign concept.

PLAYER'S GUIDE
HEARTHFIRE
Hearthfire builds on the existing “return to town” system of Trophy Gold by adding elements
that give that part of the game more narrative significance. Using Hearthfire, you’ll be able to
explore the treasure-hunters’ backstories and motivations, learn more about the town they
call home, and get a better understanding of their day-to-day lives when they’re not exploring
the dark and forgotten places of the world. Hearthfire, like all Campaign Sheets, is entirely
optional—Trophy Gold works just fine without it. However, using Hearthfire will make your
story more nuanced, more textured, and more emotional; it will add depth to the treasure-
hunters’ exploits, making their victories sweeter and their failures more agonizing.
The Hearthfire Campaign Sheet tells you everything you need to know when your treasure-
hunter returns to town. When you want to take one of the actions detailed on the sheet, such
as Carousing, Healing, or buying Equipment, simply read and follow the instructions for that
section. The sheet also functions as a rough outline for thinking about who your character is
and what their life is like in town. Use it as inspiration for thinking about your treasure-hunter
in a deeper way. The following sections provide guidance for each section of the Hearthfire
Campaign Sheet.

HOARD

The purpose of the Hoard section is to show a treasure-hunter’s backstory, what Drives them,
and how far they are willing to go to get what they want. Bonuses given by a chosen prompt,
such as extra dice or cleared Conditions, can only be used once. The final prompt on the list is
optional, meaning a player never has to mark it, even if all the other prompts are marked. The
player should continue adding Gold to their Hoard after all the Hoard prompts are marked or
if they choose to leave the last one unmarked when the others are marked.
A note about Gold and the Hoard: Gold is an abstraction of a character’s money, resources,
and opportunities. 1 Gold may represent (among many other things) a sack of copper coins, a
handful of uncut gems, or favors owed to a treasure-hunter by the local constabulary. In Trophy
Gold, we don’t concern ourselves with the granular details of wealth, such as specific coinage;
rather, we care whether, broadly-speaking, a treasure-hunter can meet their obligations, no
matter how they have to do it. Likewise, the Hoard is an abstraction of how close the trea-
sure-hunter is to achieving their Drive. It’s true they are literally stashing money away into a
hiding spot, but it’s more accurate to view the Hoard mechanic as a progress clock: ”This is how
close my character is to achieving their Drive.” We assume the treasure-hunters are regularly
dipping into their stash in order to pay for the day-to-day necessities of life, adding to it here
and there whenever they’re able to, and so on, even if we never see these actions in our story.

How to Play • 23
 When the last Hoard prompt is chosen, this is the treasure-hunter saying to the cosmos: “I care
more about my personal safety and comfort than accomplishing my goal.” In other words, the
treasure-hunter has given up on completing their Drive, even if they can’t admit it to them-
selves. Indeed, even after this prompt is chosen, the treasure-hunter continues to stash money
away: the gods may have conspired to make it impossible for them to achieve their Drive, but
they aren’t yet aware of that fact—and never will be.

HOUSEHOLD

This section gives players a chance to reveal their treasure-hunter’s personality in the way their
Household is described and by the mementos they collect from incursions. Players don’t have
to detail the mementos they keep until they use the Household to heal Ruin or clear Con-
ditions. When the time comes, they simply think of something their character might have
PLAYER'S GUIDE

taken—even if it’s an object that was never mentioned in play. The gm has final say whether it
would be plausible for the item described to have been taken. Mementos mostly serve as flavor
for the story, but can be used by a treasure-hunter in any way that seems plausible.

LIBRARY

The purpose of this section is to show the difficulties and complications that come with at-
tempting to master powerful magicks.

TRAINING

This section is meant to add narrative heft to the process of acquiring new Skills, as well as in-
troducing mentor characters that may play an important role in the treasure-hunter’s life. gms
should look for opportunities to incorporate mentors into future scenes and scenarios.

CAROUSING

Rollicking, fun-filled scenes in a tavern are a staple of fantasy fiction. People need to let their
hair down from time to time, even in the bleak world of Trophy Gold. The purpose of this
section is to add a bit of fun to tavern scenes and to get players invested (possibly literally so)
in their favorite local watering hole.

EQUIPMENT

Shopkeepers acting as quest-givers is another staple of fantasy fiction. The purpose of this sec-
tion is to show a shopkeeper character gradually warming-up to a treasure-hunter, eventually
trusting them enough to get them involved with whatever secret they are harboring. The gm
should be thinking about the shopkeeper’s secret as the campaign progresses, so that when
the time comes, they’re ready to present a fun side quest for the treasure-hunters to go on (or
possibly a whole incursion, depending on the scope and gravity of the shopkeeper’s secret).

HEALING

The purpose of this section is to reveal the treasure-hunter’s personality by showing aspects of
their private life.

FUNERAL

The purpose of this section is to show the ways a treasure-hunter honors their fallen comrades.

24 · How to Play
HOARD HOUSEHOLD
Stash Gold in your Hoard to get closer to achieving your Drive and retiring. Access to a higher quality of life automatically heals you of 1 Ruin and all
Complete both of the following the first time you do so: Conditions when you return home. When you establish a Household,
Answer: Where do you keep your hoard so no one can find it? increase your Burdens by 1, then complete both of the following:
Narrate a flashback of the moment you adopted your Drive. Answer: What kind of structure is your Household? A small
cottage? A decrepit temple you are lovingly restoring? A series
Each time thereafter, mark any unmarked item from the list below. of tunnels belonging to the local thieves’ guild? Something else?
Narrate a flashback of your favorite childhood memory. Ask the other players: Which memento from our journeys can
Answer: Which Sister have you dedicated yourself to and how be found in my Household? Note the answers on the lines below.
do you thank her for her help? The next time you show thanks Each time thereafter you use the Household to clear Conditions or heal
to her during an incursion, clear one mental Condition. Ruin, write down a memento you kept from the incursion.
Answer: You’ve seen a sign or an omen about what’s to come.
What is it? Take an extra light die on one Hunt Roll or Risk Roll
if you describe how the sign or omen is manifesting in the scene.
Narrate a flashback of a triumph related to your Background.

PLAYER'S GUIDE
Narrate a flashback of a triumph related to your Occupation.
Narrate a present day scene showing how you’re getting closer
to achieving your Drive. Add 2 extra Gold to your Hoard.
Answer: What in town regularly reminds you of your Drive?
Answer: How does your appearance reflect your obsession with
your Drive?
Narrate a flashback showing how you secretly betrayed the party
in order to satisfy your Drive. Add 2 extra Gold to your Hoard.
Optional: Instead of adding Gold to your Hoard, remove any
amount you wish (this can be done in order to satisfy Burdens or
any other action on this sheet). The gm will narrate a scene TRAINING
showing why you will never satisfy your Drive.
You have a mentor training you in a new Skill. Each Skill you acquire costs
CAROUSING 1 Burden. Each time you do so, complete all of the following:
• Name your mentor and describe an incident they are famous for.
Spend 1 Gold in town to get a piece of useful information (such as a rumor,
• Narrate a short montage showing how you learned the Skill after
map, or a named monster’s Weakness) before the incursion. Each time you
days, weeks, or months of training.
do so, mark the first unmarked option and do as instructed:
• Narrate why your mentor or your new Skill increases your
Ask one player for an adjective, and ask another for a noun. Burdens. Are you taking care of your mentor in some way?
Combine them for the name of your favorite tavern in town. Does your Skill require specialized equipment? Something else?
Describe the “high quality” meal you order at your favorite
tavern. Ask the other players to describe how you have it all LIBRARY
wrong, and how the fare at your favorite tavern is substandard.
You have acquired a few old spellbooks. Studying them unlocks new
Answer: In what ways have you personalized your favorite tavern Rituals, at a cost of 1 Burden per Ritual. Each time you do so, pick one:
or otherwise made it feel like a second home?
• Narrate a scene showing the moment you mastered the Ritual.
Optional: Spend 3 Gold for an ownership stake in your favorite • Describe how mastery of the Ritual affects your appearance.
tavern. You now get two pieces of useful information when you
spend 1 Gold there.
HEALING
EQUIPMENT Spend 1 Gold in town to heal yourself of 1 Ruin. Alternatively, you can
Spend 1 Gold in town to open crossed-out slots in your backpack. The first mark an item from the list below and do what it says to heal yourself of 1
time you do so: Ruin. You cannot choose an option that is already marked, and you can
only heal 1 Ruin in this way before returning to an incursion.
Name the shopkeeper and work with the gm to define their secret.
The secret can be anything—a magical item they have in their Narrate a scene showing how you satisfy your physical desires
possession, a lucrative opportunity they’re aware of, an estranged when in town.
family member they want to find—so long as it’s something you Narrate a scene showing a private side of you few others see.
might be interested in. Write the secret on the line below. Narrate a scene showing a truly beautiful place in or near town.
Each time thereafter, mark a box. When all the boxes are marked, the gm
will present a side quest related to the shopkeeper’s secret.
FUNERAL
If a treasure-hunter is killed on an incursion, any player with a treasure-
hunter still alive should describe how their character memorializes their
fallen comrade. If the fallen treasure-hunter has a Household, the players
of the survivors can take a memento from it and add it to their own
Household or Found Equipment.

TROPHYRPG.COM

Download Hearthfire sheets and other materials at trophyrpg.com.

How to Play • 25
 Safety Tools
When playing any game, always remember that people come to the table with their own ex-
periences, traumas, and perceptions. Make a habit of requesting or seeking consent for things
that may be uncomfortable.
Sometimes, content enters a game that causes problems for players despite everyone’s best
intentions. There are many great safety toolkits available, but we recommend Script Change
by Beau Jágr Sheldon (briebeau.com/scriptchange), as it contains tools specifically for
navigating difficult content and uses terms that will be familiar to most people. Script Change
comes with four core safety tools: Pause, Rewind, Fast-Forward, and Frame-by-Frame. The gm
should explain that anyone can say these terms at any time to:
PLAYER'S GUIDE

PAUSE
Pause the game to take a break from an intense scene, or to discuss or clarify what is
happening in the story.

REWIND
Rewind the story back to a point before a piece of content entered the scene. The group
can then narrate a different course of action to avoid the thing that caused the rewind.

FAST-FORWARD
Fast-Forward over something they don’t want to dwell on in the story, or to simply move
time forward.

FRAME-BY-FRAME
Frame-by-Frame through a scene they want to approach with care. This slows the story
down so everyone can pause where needed and check in with each other.

Lastly, take some time after the game to debrief and check in with each other. This can be
a chance to reflect and discuss anything hard that’s still sticking with you, or just highlight
moments of description or roleplay that you loved.
No matter what, remember that no game is more important than the people playing it. Take
care of yourselves and each other.

26 · How to Play
Game Master’s
Guide
 Running the Game

Before You Start

PITCH THE GAME
Trophy Gold is thematically and mechanically different from a lot of other fantasy roleplaying
games, so it’s especially important to make sure the game master (gm) pitches it appropriately.
GM’S GUIDE

It won’t be the right kind of fun for all groups, and that’s okay. The key things to focus on are:

The game is highly collaborative and improvisational. Players have a lot of say over the world
itself and can introduce story elements that no one—not even the gm—was expecting. The
game runs best when everyone feels comfortable offering up their ideas.

The players and characters have different knowledge. The gm is encouraged to tell the players
what the goals are for each Set, even though information might be hidden from the characters.
This introduces dramatic irony, and takes advantage of the fact that, in a roleplaying game, we
have dual roles: participant and audience. This also allows the players to all be driven toward
complementary actions, and helps the game feel more like a writers’ room, where everyone
tells the story together.

For a short introduction to the game, you can use the following:
Trophy Gold is a game about desperate treasure-hunters entering a forest or other haunted space
that doesn’t want them there.

MEDIA TOUCHSTONES

If you want to compare Trophy Gold to other forms of media, here are some inspirations and
related books, films, television shows, and games.
Dark Souls (2011 video game) Mythago Wood (1984 novel)
Elden Ring (2022 video game) Old Gods of Appalachia (2019 podcast)
Game of Thrones (2011 tv show) The Silt Verses (2021 podcast)
The Green Knight (2021 film) The Witch (2015 film)
A Field in England (2013 film) The Witcher (2019 tv show)

28 · Running the Game

 GATHER SUPPLIES
You need one gm to moderate the game and portray the dangers of the world, and one or
more players to portray the treasure-hunters (2–4 is ideal). A game of Trophy Gold—called an
incursion—plays in a few sessions of about 3–4 hours. The gm doesn’t typically roll dice, but
may want a few for rolling on random inspiration tables. Each player should have:

A handful of six-sided dice in two different

colors (referred to as light dice and dark dice)

A copy of the character sheet

A pencil (for in-person games)

You can find copies of the character sheet at trophyrpg.com. There, you will also find Trophy
Gold play-throughs and other resources to help facilitate your game.

SET EXPECTATIONS
To make sure everyone is on the same page, describe the game, aim, tone, and subject matter
with everyone present. These descriptions can be read as is, or adjusted as appropriate for the

GM’S GUIDE
particular session or group:

Describe the game. Trophy Gold is a game about desperate treasure-hunters entering a forest
or other haunted space that doesn’t want them there.

Describe the aim. You will play treasure-hunters motivated by a near-impossible goal to seek
out riches in the forgotten places of the world. You are not heroes, but entitled pillagers there
to secure your wants and needs. Your desperate state encourages you to take dangerous risks,
and you will often put yourself in harm’s way to try to better your circumstances.

Describe the tone. The tone of Trophy Gold is risky and driven. You may encounter conflict or
tension between treasure-hunters, but more often you will be facing dangers from monsters or
the environment itself.

Describe the subject matter. This game will be r-rated. Your treasure-hunters are willing to
make dangerous choices. The game will likely be violent, terrifying, and include scenes of
bodily horror and loss of self-control. Call out any other particular subject matter or warnings
featured in the incursion you are playing.

Ask everyone at the table if there are things they want to see or don’t want to see in the game.
Note these additions in a list, and keep it where everyone can see. This list should be a living
document that can be added to throughout the game.

USE SAFETY TOOLS

To help everyone have a good time and feel comfortable exploring the difficult topics that can
sometimes be present in Trophy Gold, take a few minutes to explain the safety tools on page 26.

Running the Game • 29

 Game Master Principles
Principles are your guidelines for playing Trophy Gold.
Gold. Whenever you feel stuck about what
you should do, look to your principles and try to match your actions to them.

Play to find out what happens. Even if you sit down with a pre-written incursion or adventure
module, go into the game with a willingness to let the session unfold on its own terms.

Address the players as their treasure-hunters. If your friend’s name is Jeff, but he’s playing
a treasure-hunter called Baso, don’t say, “Jeff, what does Baso do?” or, “Jeff, what do you do?”
Instead, say, “Baso, what do you do?” This helps everyone think of the players as the treasure-
hunters and gets each player in their own treasure-hunter’s head.

Address the players as co-storytellers. This is a game which thrives on collaboration. When
you are looking for player input during a moment where their treasure-hunter might not be
involved, address the player directly. If your friend Hannah hasn’t been a part of the action for
a while, during a Risk Roll you can say, “Hannah, what do you think might go wrong here?” This
helps the player know that they should be thinking outside the context of their own character
knowledge in that moment and instead be thinking inside the context of the overall story.
GM’S GUIDE

Be a fan of the treasure-hunters. This doesn’t mean you should let them win. It means you
should give them challenges that make you root for them. That said, you don’t need to have all
the answers. Give the players lots of chances to be creative, and then reward their creativity.

Value player skill over character ability. The characters are purposefully thin. The players
should make them feel real, including their own wits and clever solutions.

Make the world haunted and hungry. The forest operates on its own logic. Time moves too
quickly or too slowly. Paths reorient themselves. The world is alive, active, and malicious. Give
even the darkness and the trees their own personalities. Use poetic details and rich descriptions
to show the players how the world is out to get their treasure-hunters.

Ask pointed questions and build on the answers. Players are naturally invested in things
they’ve had a hand in creating. Ask players lots of questions about their treasure-hunters, and
use their answers as the spark for the next fire you burn them with.

Never let a good idea go to waste. When a player offers up a delicious suggestion that doesn’t
make sense in the moment, keep it in your back pocket and reincorporate it later on. If a player
shares a story about the emerald stag that hunts those who trespass in its woods, later in the
game, when everyone but you has forgotten about it, that stag should emerge and gore their
treasure-hunter.

Return to the theme. Incursions are built around a theme, and a rewarding session is one that
brings the theme to life. If you go afield from the incursion’s outlined story beats, you can
always use the incursion’s Moments to draw attention back to the theme.

When there’s no rule, apply consistent rulings. This game doesn’t have many rules. If you
need to make a rule up on the spot, do so, then be fair by using that rule in all similar situations.

30 · Running the Game

 GM’S GUIDE

Running the Game • 31

 Anatomy of an Incursion
Classic fantasy roleplaying games are designed to be played within the structure of pre-written
adventures or dungeon modules. The equivalent structure for a session of Trophy Gold is called
an incursion. An incursion is a thematic skeleton for you to flesh out during the session, with
an outline of details, dangers, and rewards for the treasure-hunters to encounter. The following
pages present the elements found in an incursion and advice for how to use them.

THEME
The theme is typically a single evocative word, such as Sleep, Water, or Masks. Every part of an
incursion flows from the theme, and when you’re running an incursion, this is the thing you
should always return back to.

INTRODUCTION
The introduction is how the players are brought into the incursion. This might be information
about the geography or history of the area, or a suggestion for how the treasure-hunters learned
about this location. Some incursions include a poem or other evocative language to set the
mood. Typically, you can just read the introduction aloud to the players.
GM’S GUIDE

SETS
A Set is a discrete location with a clear goal. A Set could be as granular as a throne room with
the goal of finding the queen’s hidden chamber, or as expansive as a whole level of a dungeon
with the goal of rescuing a captive while avoiding traps and monsters. It’s important that a
single Set—no matter how many rooms or physical spaces exist within it—has a unified tone
and appearance. Think of it like the stage set of a theater performance—moving through it
provides a single experience. All Sets have six features: Name, Overview, Goal, Moments, Props,
Traps, and Treasures. Some Sets include additional elements, such as custom rolls, and fre-
quently include monsters.

NAME

The Name is just a simple label you use to track the Set on your Set Map. It could be something
like “The Queen’s Throne Room” or “The Creeping Caves.”

OVERVIEW

The Overview is usually a few short paragraphs which describe what the treasure-hunters see
when they enter the Set. You can usually just read or paraphrase this for the players, but you
should read it beforehand in case it reveals information you’d rather be kept hidden.

GOAL

The Goal is the reason the treasure-hunters are in the Set. This could be to “find the hidden
door” or “locate the captive.” When the treasure-hunters first enter the Set, pose the problem
they’re meant to solve either by just telling them the Goal out of game, or more obliquely, if
you prefer (“The queen has surely hidden herself somewhere here. How do you begin looking
for her?” or “The villager abducted by the fishmen sits in a rickety wooden cage suspended

32 · Anatomy of an Incursion
over the roiling underground lake. How will you get to him?”). The treasure-hunters can spend
3 tokens collected via Hunt Rolls to immediately achieve the Goal of the current Set.

MOMENTS

Moments are short scene fragments that reinforce the incursion’s theme. An incursion with
the theme of Sleep might have the following Moment: “thousands of dragonflies in torpor,
attached to trees and tents.” For Water, it might be “pools fill in your footprints as you lift your
boots from the thick, gray mud.” Pepper Moments into your narration as needed.

PROPS

Props are named for the props used in a theater performance, and are the things the characters
can see and interact with: things they can touch, hide behind, use as improvised weapons, cast
Rituals on, set on fire, find hidden things in, be pinned against, and so forth. They’re dusty
tombs and shimmering obelisks and old bridges and sacrificial tables and ornate chandeliers.
They’re the toys of the set for the players to play with, and for you to use against their treasure-
hunters when a roll calls for it. When the treasure-hunters first encounter a Prop, describe it
with the bolded text of the Prop, and 3–4 other details (or you can ask the players to help you
describe it).

TRAPS

GM’S GUIDE
Traps are the things in the set that can harm the treasure-hunters. These could be monsters or
environmental hazards or actual traps—like pit traps or swinging blades. When a player rolls
a 5 or less on a Hunt Roll and encounters something terrible, one of these is often the terrible
thing they encounter. Keep in mind that just because they find the Trap, doesn’t mean it has
harmed them yet (or in the case of monsters, it doesn’t mean the monster has noticed them
yet). Finding a Trap is often very quickly followed by a Risk Roll or Combat Roll. Most Traps
are associated with particular Props.

TREASURES

Treasures are the strange artifacts and precious objects found while exploring. Unless other-
wise listed, Treasures are always worth 1 Gold. If they are the Goal of the Set, they’re often
worth 4 or more Gold. Most Treasures are associated with particular Props.

The more Sets in an incursion, the longer it will take to complete. You can expect to be able to
play through 2–4 sets in a 4-hour session, depending on your pace and the number of players.
Keep in mind that you can distill a larger incursion into a one-shot by thoughtfully selecting
which Sets you use, and by hard-framing your transitions between the Sets.

SET MAP
Every incursion comes with a Set Map, which acts as a flowchart for the story and shows how
the Sets connect with one another. Set Maps show these connections with arrows pointed in
one direction. However, once a Set has been visited, the treasure-hunters can almost always
return to the previous Set unless the Set says otherwise.

Anatomy of an Incursion • 33
 MONSTERS
Almost all incursions include monsters. Monsters have six features: Name, Weakness, Endurance,
Description, Habits, and Defenses.

NAME

This is the name given to the monster in the incursion, but it is not what the players will likely
call it. In fact, when you describe a monster to the players, you should never call it by this name
(unless it’s a singular monster with a proper name). Once the treasure-hunters face a monster,
they will name it and record it in their Bestiary.

WEAKNESS

The Weakness is something that a monster is particularly vulnerable to, such as fire or silver.
If the monster’s Weakness is used against it, its Endurance is reduced (usually by 1, though
the gm can reduce it by more). The only ways for the treasure-hunters to discover a monster’s
Weakness are to stumble upon it in play, or to spend 1 Gold while back in town Carousing for
the information beforehand.

ENDURANCE
GM’S GUIDE

The Endurance is a number between 2 and 12 (featured in the shield in the upper right corner
of the monster block). The higher the number, the harder the monster is to defeat. To defeat
a monster, the treasure-hunters must make a Combat Roll against it and get two dice equal to
or greater than its Endurance. A monster doesn’t necessarily have to be killed to be defeated.
After defeating a monster, the players roll a number of dice equal to the final Endurance the
monster had when it was defeated (a defeated 8 Endurance monster would mean rolling 8 dice).
Any 6s rolled are worth 1 Gold.

DESCRIPTION

The Description is just a few lines on how the monster looks, sounds, smells, and so forth.

HABITS

Habits are six possible attitudes, activities, or reactions a monster has. These are not the only
things the monster can do, but are there to serve as inspiration.

DEFENSES

Defenses are any special abilities or effects the monster has, such as petrification or a breath
weapon. Monsters can have many Defenses, though most will have one or two. Many Defenses
apply Conditions to treasure-hunters whenever their Ruin increases during combat.

CONCLUSION
The conclusion gives ideas for what might happen next—for good or for ill—based on what
happpened during the playthrough of the incursion.

34 · Anatomy of an Incursion
Additional Tips for Play
In addition to the guidance in the previous section and the rules in the Player’s Guide How to
Play chapter, below are some tips for making your session the best play experience possible.

FOLLOW WHERE THE COLLABORATION LEADS

An incursion gives you a lot of material to draw on, but don’t feel like you need to lock yourself
into the story as it’s presented. Think of a Trophy Gold incursion like an outline rather than a
script. The real story happens during the negotiation of stakes that occurs before a dice roll or
how Hunt Tokens are used. When players suggest how things could go wrong, or when they
offer Devil’s Bargains, or when they decide to spend Hunt Tokens, they are saying a lot about
how the rest of the story is going to go and what they’re interested in doing.
When you don’t emphasize the collaborative nature of the game up front, the experience tends
to be one where the players simply sit back and wait for you to deliver story to them.

START IN MEDIAS RES

Like any good movie or novel, the best roleplaying sessions start with the characters already
in the middle of the action. Trophy Gold is no different. After the characters are created, jump

GM’S GUIDE
right into the incursion. Don’t dwell on Drives, backstories, or even how the treasure-hunters
know one another. It’s not important in the beginning—it will all be revealed during play.

DON’T ROLL IF THE STAKES DON’T MATTER

Outright failure doesn’t occur very frequently in Trophy Gold because of the ability to re-roll
with the Risk Roll and help via the Help Roll. Look at each roll as a chance to ask, “what is the
character putting on the line here?” That could be injury, magic, trust, or the attention of the
forest. Find that thing and make the roll about that, or just let the player succeed without a roll.

LINGER ON THE MAGICAL AND MONSTROUS

Trophy Gold is a game of dark fantasy, so take time to indulge in those moments where the dark
and fantastical are at the forefront, particularly whenever a Ritual is performed and whenever
a treasure-hunter reaches 6 Ruin.
Rituals are dangerous, and so are typically only used when the stakes are high. Using Rituals
requires negotiation between you and the player, so the game will naturally slow down as you
discuss and agree how its magic manifests. And whether or not the player succeeds on their
Risk Roll, don’t just let a Ritual happen: Ask the player to describe how they prepare the
spell, what it looks like when they cast it, what it costs them, and how the world around them
responds to the presence of magic.
Likewise, slow down any time a treasure-hunter reaches 6 Ruin. This is a momentous event,
both mechanically and narratively. Some players will use this as an opportunity to make a final
noble sacrifice, while others will relish in the chance to take revenge on their companions.
Either way, give that player the spotlight to describe their treasure-hunter’s state of mind and
the haunted world’s influence on them.

Additional Tips for Play • 35

 The Places Between DAN FELDER

While Trophy Gold certainly works for one-shots or a few sessions in a single incursion, it really
shines when used for longer-term, campaign-length play connected by expansive journeys.
Journeys in Trophy Gold showcase the breathtaking wonders and terrifying horrors that lurk
in the wider world. The pathways that lead to the dungeons are laden with strange sights and
ancient mysteries. These discoveries serve to foreshadow future incursions and weave them
together into a single tapestry.

Omens
Before every journey comes an Omen. It may come in a dream, from a fortune teller, or be seen
by the treasure-hunters as they set out on their journey. Gms use omens to foreshadow a key
GM’S GUIDE

element of the incursion, guiding the collaborative play. An omen might be directly linked to
the theme of the incursion or it might be a new element the gm wishes to introduce. Gms may
even roll for a random omen on the table below.
Omens are meant to be mysterious. They need not be literally true. If these omens do not fit
your incursion or setting, invent new ones as you desire. Trophy Loom is a terrific resource for
creating new omens.
OMENS

1 2 3
or or
4 5 6
or or

1 Cannibal Crows — theme Betrayal

A flock of crows feast on their own kind.
1 Yellow Clouds — theme Disease
Sickly yellow clouds squirm along the horizon.

2 One-Eyed Cat — theme Predators

A cat with one eye watches the treasure-hunters.
2 Broken Key — theme Madness
A key breaks into three pieces with jagged ends.

3 Black Webs — theme Lies

A spider’s web made of black silk.
3 Silver Blood — theme Sacrifice
A cut leaks silvery blood before turning back to red.

4 Hidden Egg — theme Precious Secrets

An egg is found abandoned, its shell cracked, yolk
4 Three-Tipped Worm — theme Abominations
A worm with three ends crawls through the dirt or
dribbling out. along a vine.

5 Glutton’s Brawl — theme Needless Bloodshed

Two animals, heavy with fat, fight to the death over a
5 Mangled Mass — theme Revenge
A horribly mangled corpse with bones ripped through
pile of food. the flesh at awful angles. It’s still bleeding.

6 Heartless Hog — theme Tragic Love

A slaughtered beast, traditionally a pig, is found to have
6 Golden Moon — theme Enduring Hope
The moon turns golden, casting a faint glow in the
no heart. night. A cloud soon hides it from view. When the
cloud passes, the moon is normal once more.

Make each omen meaningful in play. When a treasure-hunter takes an action in line with the
omen, consider granting an additional light die on a future roll. You can also offer Devil’s Bar-
gains that fit the omen’s theme.

36 · The Places Between

The Nature of the Land
During journeys, the gm plays the region itself as if it were a character with its own personality
and favorite ways of leading treasure-hunters to their doom.

SAMPLE PERSONALITIES

THE OLD BEAST

Ancient, solemn, slow to rage, but overwhelming in its force when pushed too far. It views
the treasure-hunters like ticks crawling around its hide, digging treasures from its earthy
flesh. It ignores them, enduring their indignities, until one day they bite too deeply.
Playing the Old Beast
goal — Evoke a sense of ancient, terrible indifference.
The landscape is filled with wonders and threats that are far older and grander than the
pitiful treasure-hunters picking over it for scraps. Architecture is on a colossal scale.
Writings found here are in old, forgotten tongues. Treasure-hunters might feel as though
they’re skittering around the toes of indifferent giants. Those giants may be tremendous

GM’S GUIDE
beasts, dread dungeons, sentient curses, or sealed and nameless gods.

THE TRICKSTER

Deceptive, mischievous, playful. This region delights in toying with the treasure-hunters,
leading them along with crumbs of gold until they meet their demise. It often masks its
true dangers under harmless appearances.
Playing the Trickster
goal — Surprise the treasure-hunters and tempt them into dooms of their own doing.
The Trickster delights in tempting or tricking the treasure-hunters into bringing about
their own undoing. It loves illusions, riddles, and bargains. As such, its terrors may appear
more friendly and talkative than most, luring the treasure-hunters with honeyed words.

THE PARENT

Protective, nurturing, controlling. This region cares deeply about whatever it considers to
be its children. It wants the best for them; only parents know best.
Playing the Parent
goal — Portray a place of twisted love that does horrible things for good reasons.
The Parent would do anything for its children. It takes care of them the best ways it knows
how and is sure to punish them when they misbehave. The region may focus its love on
a specific species or type of creature. Usually this will be a creature that embodies some
childlike aspect. Its children could also be the travelers that it has adopted over the years.
In any case, the relationship is not ultimately beneficial for the children.

The Places Between • 37

 THE NIGHTMARE

Sadistic, predatory, horrifying. It makes a game of the treasure-hunters, seeking to terrify

and disturb its prey. It will kill them one day, but not before it sees how far it can push them
before they break.
Playing the Nightmare
goal — Build a sense of quiet terror in the treasure-hunters. Make them feel as though
they’re being hunted.
The Nightmare will enjoy killing the treasure-hunters and it wants them to know it. It
dangles its victims in gruesome displays. It lets the treasure-hunters find signs of passing
terrors. It seeks to unnerve and frighten them, savoring their building horror as long as it
can before they flee back to town or fall to ruin.

THE LAMENTER

Sorrowful, wallowing in grief. There was once something wonderful here, but now only the
dregs remain.
Playing the Lamenter
GM’S GUIDE

goal — Evoke a sense of tragic loss.

The Lamenter is in deep, old pain. It mourns the loss of something wonderful. Perhaps it
was once a glorious city which fell to an unnatural plague. Perhaps it’s the site of an old
battlefield or a desecrated grove. The Lamenter builds monuments to its sorrow. It seeks to
express the depth of its loss through its scenes and locations. It preserves tainted shadows
of what it once treasured and lashes out at travelers that disrespect its grief. Treasure-hunt-
ers that pay respect to these shrines may find themselves rewarded. The region has a deep
need to connect with others that can share its pain.

SAMPLE REGIONS

THE CRAWLING HILLS personality — The Old Beast

summary distinctive features

A swarm of slowly-moving • At night the stars shine green.
hills. When they hunger, they • Dense fog enjoys creeping up on the travelers.
devour buildings. Sometimes,
years later, they vomit up what • The region is filled with lonely towers, keeps, and
they’ve swallowed. The landscape other ruins from ancient times.
is littered with half-digested • Hills occasionally rumble like a mild earthquake.
towers, castles, and dungeons • The folk that live here keep fires going at all times.
from across the centuries.
• Faceless, seven-legged beasts stalk the night. They
don’t approach the fire.

38 · The Places Between

 GRANDMOTHER’S COVE personality — The Parent

summary distinctive features

A paradise with sparkling waters, • Sand in bright, sweeping colors. It looks like a
tropical fruit, and docile animals. painter’s brush strokes.
Feral children live here. Some • Softly glowing shells beneath the water have
ran away from home, some were unexpectedly sharp edges.
brought here. They wear horrible
masks. The older ones have coral • Simple tree houses crafted from driftwood.
growing out their shoulders. • Coral formations in the shape of human adults.
They never go near outsiders. • Tropical fruit, poisonous to those older than twelve.
They’ve learned better.
• The cove produces a clutch of pearls for any that
bring it a child.

DEADWATER personality — The Lamenter

summary distinctive features

A cursed swamp. Its ruddy • Rust-colored swamp waters, smelling of salt.

GM’S GUIDE
waters are heavy with salt. • Salt-encrusted corpses carry on macabre imitations
Anything that dies in these of their former lives.
waters eventually reanimates
as a salt-encrusted corpse. • Reed music in a minor key wafts from unseen places.
Faint shadows of its former life • Undead in canoes travel the winding waterways.
flicker within its mind, slowly • The deadfolk carve their precious memories here in
draining away over the years. shrines for when they begin to forget.

Making Discoveries
The gm may allow fifteen minutes of a session for journeying between town and the site of the
incursion, allowing treasure-hunters to make a few discoveries along the way (as many as the
gm feels is appropriate). For each discovery, roll a dark and light die on the table below, then
describe a version of the discovery that fits the region. There are three methods for this:
Crafted — The gm can create their region’s version of part or all of the table ahead of time in
as much detail as they desire. This method emphasizes intricate world-building.
Fluid — The gm can refer to the discovery table during the session and improvise a suitable
discovery based on their knowledge of the region. This method emphasizes creative improvi-
sation, allowing the gm to discover the world along with the treasure-hunters.
Communal — The gm can ask the treasure-hunters questions about the discovery, allowing
them to shape the world they adventure in. This method emphasizes player agency and collab-
orative play. For example: in a discovery of a statue to a legendary figure, the gm could ask the
following questions:
• What does the statue look like?
• What story have you heard about this figure’s greatest deed?

The Places Between • 39

 • What was their worst flaw and how did it bring about their tragic fate?
Gms should feel free to swap between Crafted, Fluid, and Communal discoveries during play.

DISCOVERIES

1 2or

1 One of the most terrible places in the region. There’s something horrible here, the kind of thing that inspires
stories around bleak fires and gives hardened travelers nightmares. Each treasure-hunter should share a
rumor they’ve heard of the horrors here. At least one is partly true.

2 The region lashes out at the treasure-hunters with a natural disaster.

3 A lair. A deadly creature calls this place its home. Exploring further will be dangerous.
4 Pilgrims once ventured to this sacred site. It is broken, ruined, or defiled. The site fills the treasure-hunters
with a sense of deep loss. Ask one or more of them what terrible memory they are reminded of in this place.

5 Aabout
towering monument to a legendary figure or creature of this region. One treasure-hunter has heard a story
who this figure is or was in life. Another has heard a story of a great or terrible deed they are famous for
doing. Ask the treasure-hunters what they’ve heard.

6 The aftermath of an attack by one of the region's most dangerous threats. Use this site to foreshadow what that
might be and the danger it poses.
3 4or

1 Still-living
own risks.
victim(s). They are trapped, cursed, insane, or grievously injured. Helping them may carry its
GM’S GUIDE

2 The sealed entrance to a tomb, ruin, or other ancient place. It could well be the site of a future incursion.
3 Something here baits the treasure-hunters. Perhaps treasure, perhaps something more personal. Pursuing
the bait will come with a terrible risk or heavy price.

4 This site provides a sign that the treasure-hunters are getting closer to their goal. Hint at one of the threats
they may face there.

5 Awould
settlement that met with a terrible fate. People once lived at this site. Perhaps some still do, though they
be twisted by the region.

6 The home of a hermit that lives in this place. They are on good enough terms with the region to survive within
it. The region has changed them in some essential way.

5 6or

1 Stone carvings, cave paintings, ancient runes, or other depictions of knowledge. They may provide a hint to
the region’s nature, the weakness of one of its terrors, or the location of a valuable site.

2 Corpses from another group of travelers. The manner of death foreshadows a danger that is to come later in
the incursion. Searching their bodies yields at least one useful item.

3 An ancient guardian defends a site sacred to the region. It is also a place of power where rituals in line with
the region’s nature become far more potent.

4 Aofheartbreakingly beautiful site. Perhaps an incredible vista, a beautiful grove of flowers, or an ancient work
art that even time refuses to wear down. Treasure-hunters suffering from Conditions of the mind may find
them eased or lessened by their time here.

5 Aplace
safe haven. The terrors of the region do not menace this place. Ask the treasure-hunters what about this
tells them instantly that they are safe here.

6 You find a wondrous site, one of the most special places in the region. There’s something incredible here, the
kind of wonder that people go exploring in dark and treacherous places to find. It holds a special meaning to
the treasure-hunter that rolled this discovery.

If the same discovery is rolled twice, you have a choice. You can decide if the treasure-hunters
have found their way back to a place they found before, or you can invent a new discovery with
the same prompt. After all, there can be more than one monstrous lair in a region.

40 · The Places Between

 RETURNING TO TOWN
Journeying into the unknown is exciting. Journeying back, weighted down with gold, is te-
dious. Unless there is some significant reason that the journey back would be interesting or
particularly treacherous, assume that the treasure-hunters can follow a safe path back to town
once they have finished their incursion.

BUILDING A MAP
If the party is unlikely to return to a region, there is little need for a map. However, if you ex-
pect them to spend multiple sessions there, you can enrich the sense of exploration by connect-
ing each discovery into a loose map of the region.
One of the players serves as the cartographer. Give them a sheet of paper. After the trea-
sure-hunters make their first discovery in a journey, the group decides what to name it. The
cartographer should write the name down on the paper close to the edge and draw a circle
around it. This becomes one of their known locations. Treasure-hunters can find their way to it
later if they return from this side of the region.
Whenever the treasure-hunters make another discovery the cartographer writes its name down
near the previous site and draws a line connecting the two. The treasure-hunters have found a
path between these sites.

GM’S GUIDE
After one adventure, the map will appear simple and linear. However, over the course of mul-
tiple journeys the treasure-hunters will find themselves rolling discoveries they have encoun-
tered before. When this happens, you should hesitate to invent a new version of the discovery
because finding new connections between locations is deeply rewarding for players. An inter-
connected map of sites forms a much more interesting region than a series of disconnected
lines.
All this careful mapping assumes that the treasure-hunters are moving slowly and carefully,
noting the landmarks as they go. If they flee from a dangerous site, they must roll a new loca-
tion; they do not gain a line connecting back to the site they fled from as they were fleeing too
quickly to be confident of the path back.
Once the treasure-hunters have the beginnings of a map, it becomes easier to venture deeper
into the region. At the start of a journey, you can inform them that the incursion’s location may
be near one of the sites they’ve previously discovered. They can then travel along a known path
at first, then start searching for it from there. This reduces the number of new discoveries they
would need to roll in order to reach the incursion.
However, even known paths can turn dangerous. Whenever the treasure-hunters pass along a
known path between discovery sites, have them roll a die. On a 1 they encounter something
terrible. Increase the chance of danger if the region has grown to hate the treasure-hunters.

The Places Between • 41

Incursions
Incursion Overview
The remainder of this book is a collection of incursions for use with Trophy Gold. Each is
self-contained, so simply pick the one you’d like to play, have the players create their treasure-
hunters, and start the game. Shorter incursions can be run in a single session, but even the
shortest are best played over a few 3–4 hour sessions. It’s helpful to read the incursion before
you run it, but since all incursions follow a similar structure, once you’ve run one, all future
incursions can be run with little to no advanced preparation.
The final incursion in the book—Roots of Old Kalduhr—is a mega-incursion with a modified
structure to accomodate its scale.

INCURSION NAME

AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

THEME

WARNINGS

INCURSIONS

SET MAP

SET NAME

SET OVERVIEW

MONSTER BLOCK

Incursions • 43
 Hester’s Mill
JASON CORDOVA
INCURSIONS

44 · Hester’s Mill
The tiny village of Hester’s Mill, located somewhere in the lands known as Toren’s Bend, has two
histories: the history the treasure-hunters know at the start of the incursion, and the secret history
they may come to learn.
the history they know — Over a century ago, Toren’s Bend was ruled by a usurper lord
called Gahldren. Lord Gahldren was a heretic, and routinely defied the teachings of the Sisters,
going so far as to mock Hester, Saint of the Harvest and the most-revered figure in Toren’s Bend. The
people of Hester’s Mill, said to be extreme religious fanatics in the histories, rose up against Lord
Gahldren and overthrew him, burning down his keep and murdering his soldiers. The Sisters, and
Saint Hester in particular, were so appalled by the brutality of the people of Hester’s Mill, they laid
a curse upon all of Toren’s Bend, which caused the land to fallow and the village of Hester’s Mill to
wither away. Toren’s Bend eventually recovered, but the lands remain uninhabited (people are too
superstitious to repopulate them), and are now completely overgrown.
The treasure-hunters believe Hester’s Mill and its surrounds contain abandoned valuables that can
be sold to merchants and antiquarians.
the secret history — The rough contours of the known history are true, but it leaves out some
important details. For a start, Lord Gahldren was more than a mere heretic; he was, in fact, a
brutal tyrant who had no love for the people of his newly-conquered lands, and inflicted a regime of
violence and forced labor on them. The people of Hester’s Mill, dedicated as they were to their saint,
were given special attention by the cruel, heretical lord.
Another detail the known history misses is that the people of Hester’s Mill were unable to fight back
against Lord Gahldren by normal means. They were so desperate to be free of Gahldren’s yoke, they
sought the help of a famous show-woman and diabolist known as Beatrice Mandrake. Mandrake
used her talents to contact a greater demon called Malphast, who showed her how to create an
army that could fight back against Gahldren’s soldiers. Following Malphast’s instructions, the peo-
ple of Hester’s Mill captured a soldier and sacrificed him beneath a specially-prepared millstone,
and then drank the slurry of blood and bone produced from it. This caused them each—man and
woman alike—to become pregnant with, and later birth, crow-like monstrosities that would be un-

INCURSIONS
leashed on Lord Gahldren. His soldiers and, over time, commonfolk in other parts of Toren’s Bend,
were captured and dragged to Hester’s Mill, where they were fed to Malphast or sacrificed beneath
the millstone. The people of Hester’s Mill even began to sacrifice each other when there were no more
people in Toren’s Bend to satisfy their demonic lord’s hunger.
Beatrice Mandrake, horrified by what she brought upon Hester’s Mill, used powerful rites to secure
a nearby farmhouse from the monstrosities. She then created a magical construct, a scarecrow filled
with a burning hatred for Malphast and the ability to contain the demon in a dreaming stasis. She
then disappeared entirely from the histories.

theme harvest

This incursion includes imagery and motifs associated with literal harvests, such as farms,
fields, a grain mill, the act of eating, crows, and so forth. It also uses harvest as a metaphor for
birth. When running this incursion, emphasize the pastoral landscape (now overgrown); dwell
on details bathed in traditional harvest colors (golds, oranges, deep purples); and make sure
the tools of harvest are always at-hand (sickles, scythes, burlap sacks).

warnings: Graphic Violence, Human Sacrifice, Pregnancy, Religion

Hester’s Mill • 45
 SETS

Toren’s Bend The Road to Gallows Hill

Hester’s Mill

The Village of The Farmhouse

Hester’s Mill
INCURSIONS

46 · Hester’s Mill
 Toren’s Bend
The region known as Toren’s Bend, so-named because its northern border is a semi-circular bend in the
titanic Toren River, is almost entirely uninhabited, despite the fact it is some of the most arable land on
the continent. Its formerly bustling roads are long-overgrown, and the area hasn’t been reliably mapped
in decades.
goal Find the road to Hester’s Mill.

The sun is hanging high in the sky, golden and hot.

moments A wild patch of fat, round pumpkins: gold, orange, green, and purple.
A gust of wind causes a pile of dead leaves to cyclone around the treasure-hunters.

props traps treasures

Statue of Lord Gahldren. A statue of The plinth Lord Gahldren’s

Lord Gahldren stands at an overgrown statue stands on is hollow. A
crossroads. The statue is posed in a secret panel on the back of it
manner similar to how Saint Hester is gives access to the hollow space,
traditionally depicted: arms crossed inside of which is a sack of
over the chest, a sickle in one hand, a coins, likely put there by some-
sword in the other (except statues of one needing to make a quick
Saint Hester hold a cornucopia instead escape. The sack’s contents are
of a sword). worth 2 Gold.

The ruins of River-Rock Keep. Ghouls are rummaging Lord Gahldren’s signet ring
River-Rock Keep was once the seat of through the ruins of River- can be found in the rubble of
the lords and ladies of Toren’s Bend, Rock Keep. River-Rock Keep.
but is now little more than piles of
rubble. Enough of the keep is intact to
find shelter in it, but even the structures

INCURSIONS
that are still standing are exposed to the
elements in some way.

additional traps

Falling rubble; snakes in the overgrown grass.

additional treasures

Documents and ledgers; high-quality arms and armor (now rusted and beat); moldy tapestries.

GHOUL weakness — Holy symbols 8

Loping, emaciated humanoids with rows of razor-sharp teeth, claw-like hands and feet, and yellow, feral eyes;
grave stench

1 Slavering over a piece of rotten flesh. 4 Cracking a bone between its teeth.
2 Clinging to a wall, silent. 5 Making clicking vocalizations to other ghouls.
3 Hanging from a ceiling, eyes shining in the dark. 6 Reared back, ready to lunge.
Sever Limb — The ghoul’s teeth can quickly cleave away any extremity that gets caught in its mouth.

Hester’s Mill • 47
 The Road to Hester’s Mill
The road is overgrown, but easy to follow once it’s found. When the treasure-hunters first set out, they’re
in an elevated position and can see all the important areas in the incursion: the vagrant’s campsite; Saint
Hester’s shrine; the village of Hester’s Mill; the intact farmhouse, north of the village; and Gallows Hill,
south of the village.
goal Learn the secret history of Hester’s Mill.

Stalks of corn, tall and rotting.

A cow carcass, picked clean by bugs and carrion birds.
moments
The deep, rich smell of soil mingled with the smell of feathers, fur, and blood.
A dog tearing the afterbirth sac from her newborn puppy.

props traps treasures

The vagrant’s campsite. Tent, bedroll, At night, the vagrant trans- If the treasure-hunters raid the
the remains of a campfire, and some forms into a powerful wolf- campsite, let them each pick an
basic equipment. The vagrant can be beast and roams the area in Additional Backpack Equipment
found here during the day, cleaning his and around Hester’s Mill. In item to add to their Found
equipment and humming songs that are this form, he has no memory Equipment.
too old for anyone to remember. He’s a of the treasure-hunters and
lean, rangy man, with a hard look and a will attack them on sight.
gamey odor. His sword and chainmail Treat as a werewolf. He will
seem much nicer than a man in his continue to have no memory
position should have. He’s reasonably of the treasure-hunters if and
friendly, though he will warn the trea- when he returns to his human
sure-hunters to stay away from the vil- form (his short-term memory
lage. If pressed about why he’s in Toren’s “resets” every morning).
Bend, he will say, ominously, “I’m on a
hunt,” and then change the subject.
INCURSIONS

Secretly, the vagrant is an immortal

beastbitten and, even more secretly, is
Lord Gahldren. When the followers
of Malphast slaughtered his men and
destroyed River-Rock Keep many
decades ago, he sought refuge with a
beastbitten clan. Eventually, he became
one of them, receiving the beastbitten
blessing under the light of a holy moon,
granting him immortality. He has
returned to Toren’s Bend to take
revenge on Malphast.
At night, the campsite is unattended.

Shrine to Saint Hester. A small shrine

a few dozen paces off the road. The ex-
terior is decorated with carved symbols
sacred to Saint Hester: a cornucopia, a
sickle, sheaths of wheat, and gourds.

48 · Hester’s Mill
 props traps treasures

Statue of Saint Hester. Inside the A few pieces of polished amber

shrine are a half-dozen prayer plinths are set in the offering bowl at
before a statue of Saint Hester. The the base of Saint Hester’s statue.
statue is positioned in the traditional
manner: arms crossed, a sickle in one
hand, a cornucopia in the other.

The secret shrine. A secret ladder The crow statue in the secret
beneath the statue of Saint Hester de- shrine is a valuable piece to
scends into a basement area. The walls those who collect profane
of this area are painted with scenes objects (can be sold for 4 Gold).
depicting the secret history of Hester’s Whoever takes possession of
Mill. At one end of the room is a small the statue must increase their
statue of a crow wearing a crown and Ruin by 1 and take the Condi-
wielding a scepter. There are half-burnt tion Servant of Malphast.
candles all around and profane symbols
scrawled on the floor in charcoal.

additional traps

A bear trap lying in wait; a bear (10 Endurance).

additional treasures

A hymnal sacred to Saint Hester; a holy symbol made from twigs and cornhusks.

INCURSIONS

WEREWOLF weaknesses — Silver weapons; weapons consecrated in baleful moonlight 10

An 8-foot tall wolf-beast standing on two legs, its dark fur matted with blood from a fresh kill, hot gore dripping
from its mouth.

1 Stalking from the darkness. 4 Eyes glowing yellow in the dark.

2 Howling at the moonless sky. 5 Licking its tender joints.
3 Wildly sniffing the night air. 6 Gorging on a fresh kill.
Supernatural Endurance — If not destroyed after the first Combat Roll, increase its Endurance by 1.

Hester’s Mill • 49
 The Village of Hester’s Mill
There is very little of Hester’s Mill left standing: an odd cottage or two, a half-crumbled well, a decaying
stable. The only feature left fully intact from the village’s heyday is the mill itself.

goal Gain the ability to see and hear the demon Malphast (this counts as knowing
its Weakness).
Weakness).

A scythe, leaning against a wall, its blade red with rust.

A message in faded red paint declares “Malphast is king!”
Buckets of wet, orange-hued soil.
moments
Stacks of brown and gold-colored burlap sacks, stuck together by caked blood.
A fat, orange tabby cat keeps a terrified mouse on the edge of death.
Paths strewn with cornhusks and rotten wheat stalks.

props traps treasures

The mill. A two-story stone building The greater demon Malphast A satchel hidden in the mill
with a crimson roof. The large dou- sits atop the mill, invisible contains the following:
ble doors that lead inside are painted and silent, engaging in its • A roll of diabolist tools
deep purple and midnight green, and endless, grotesque pan- • Beatrice Mandrake’s journal,
are chained shut from the outside and tomime. It is trapped in a containing notes on Malphast
secured with a lock. A message roughly permanent dream-stasis and the crow-things
carved into the doors reads: “Do not by the scarecrow near the • 2 healing potions (each lowers
believe Mandrake’s lies!” It should seem farmhouse, and will leave the Ruin by 1 when consumed)
odd that the mill is not the type that is treasure-hunters alone unless • A key (opens the front door
powered by a river current, despite the they enter the mill, at which and trap door of the
village’s proximity to the Toren. point it becomes aware of farmhouse)
them and will use its magic
Inside the mill is a horrifying scene:
to destroy them.
the walls and floor are stained red with
INCURSIONS

blood, and bits of cracked bone are scat-

tered all over. Burnt candles are nestled
here and there, and in the center of the
room is the massive millstone, deli-
cately etched with hundreds of profane
symbols. The bedstone has been stained
a deep red and has flecks of dried blood
and bone in it.

The well. The well is partially crumbled, A crow-thing is hiding in A fat sack of copper coins at the
but the mechanism that lowers the the well. bottom of the well.
bucket is still functional.

The stable. The roof has nearly col- A fine set of chainmail marked
lapsed, but the stalls still have thick with Lord Gahldren’s crossed
beds of hay in them. The hayloft is sickle and sword is buried under
intact, but the ladder leading up to it (and preserved in) a bed of hay
is in splinters. Hissing, moaning, and in one of the stable stalls.
retching can be heard coming from the A dying crow-thing is in the
hayloft. hayloft. It’s no danger to the
treasure-hunters, but they can
still kill it and sell its parts (roll
4 dice, each 6 is worth 1 Gold).

50 · Hester’s Mill
 props traps treasures

Cottages. Only a few cottages are left The crow-things stalk the A fine copper washing basin.
standing. Each is one or two rooms, and village and Gallows Hill (but Correspondence from a villager
has a door painted with symbols sacred won’t go near the farmhouse to his lady love in Ambaret
to Saint Hester (cornucopias and sheaths on account of the scarecrow). (possibly of value to historians
of wheat, mostly), although the symbols or antiquarians).
have been made profane in some way.
Ask the players: In what ways have Saint
Hester’s symbols been altered to make
them profane?
Each cottage is one or two rooms, sim-
ply furnished, including beds with straw
mattresses infested with weevils.

additional traps

The crow-things stalk the village and gallows hill (but won’t go near the farmhouse on account of the
scarecrow).

CROW-THING weakness — Distracted by rotten or partially-masticated meat 8

A lesser demon, roughly 5-feet tall, with the upper body of a toothy, pitch-black corvid, and a lower body of thick,
black tentacles.

1 Clinging to a ceiling. 4 Cawing balefully in Malphast’s direction.

2 Slithering up a surface. 5 Chewing a mouthful of fat bugs and rotten corn.
3 Feasting on rotten flesh. 6 Fruitlessly trying to take flight.
The Crows Have Eyes — Crow-things can see what every other crow-thing sees, at all times. If you fail to destroy a
crow-thing after the second Combat Roll, another crow-thing joins the fray, increasing Endurance by 1.

INCURSIONS
MALPHAST weaknesses — As in the Set Goal, but also: Malphast will leave this plane of 12
existence entirely if the vagrant (Lord Gahldren) is sacrificed to the millstone.

A greater demon roughly 15-feet tall. It appears as a large, revolting crow surrounded by six smaller crows in a
nest of oily, black tentacles. The large, central crow occasionally regurgitates a screaming, partially-digested soldier
loyal to Lord Gahldren, who is promptly torn apart by the smaller crows.

Malphast endlessly repeats the scene in the description, even in combat.

Deafen — You are deafened by a baleful cacophony of cawing.

Swallow — You are swallowed whole by the central crow.
Dark Nest — Tentacles from the “nest” materialize in place and attempt to choke/crush you. Instead of taking
Ruin this round, you are held in place by the tentacles; you take double Ruin in the next round of Combat.

HOW CAN THE TREASURE-HUNTERS GAIN THE ABILITY TO SEE AND HEAR MALPHAST?

There is no particular way of doing so written into the incursion. Rather, it’s up to the gm to decide how this
might be accomplished. Some ideas: notes from Beatrice Mandrake indicate how to make Malphast visible;
the vagrant has heard rumors about a demon atop the mill, and the method by which to reveal it; the process is
revealed in a dream; a treasure from earlier in the incursion (or a different incursion) has instructions hidden on
it. Alternatively, the treasure-hunters may have Rituals or magic items that allow them to see Malphast.

Hester’s Mill • 51
 The Farmhouse
A half-mile north of Hester’s Mill is a lone farmhouse. It should attract the treasure-hunters’ attention
because, unlike nearly every other building in Toren’s Bend, it’s still standing and in largely-pristine con-
dition. A scarecrow is hanging, sentry-like, in the cornfield that abuts the farmhouse.
goal Learn the Scarecrow Ritual.

A mural depicting a sunny, pastoral scene.

A large, wide basket filled with ceramic gourds in shades of white, green, yellow, and orange.
moments The mewling of newborn kittens coming from a safe, enclosed place; their mother struts proudly.
A crow-thing testing the edge of the cornfield, a barrier it cannot cross.
A scarecrow is seen in the field. It is seen the second time you look. It’s missing on the third look.

props traps treasures

The porch. A rocking chair rocks back On the porch is a jack-o-lan-

and forth in the warm breeze, and the tern, perfectly preserved in wax.
tinkling of reed windchimes can be The jack-o-lantern is a magic
heard all over. The door leading inside item: undead creatures cannot
the farmhouse is locked. come within ten feet when a
candle is burning in it.

Interior. The farmhouse has four rooms The farmhouse is largely A set of fine copper pots and
in total: a kitchen and family room safe. If a treasure-hunter pans, only slightly tarnished.
downstairs, and two bedrooms upstairs. sleeps in the farmhouse, they
It’s dusty and unused, but comfortable. must make the nightmare
The treasure-hunters should be aware roll. Additionally, if the
that this is a safe, comfortable place to scarecrow has any reason to
spend the night. Tell the treasure-hunt- believe a treasure-hunter is
INCURSIONS

ers they can recover 1 Ruin by spending loyal to Malphast, such as

the night. the treasure-hunter acquir-
ing the Servant of Malphast
Condition, it will hunt that
treasure-hunter forever, until
one of them is destroyed.

Secret cellar. A locked trap door Beatrice Mandrake’s notes

beneath a russet-colored rug leads to a for how to create a scarecrow
cellar that has been converted into some manikin. Studying these notes
kind of workshop. Straw and burlap are allows a treasure-hunter to
piled-up in the corner, and a partially learn the Ritual Scarecrow (see
constructed scarecrow is laying on a next page) when they return
table at one end of the space. to town; learning this Ritual
does not increase their Bur-
dens. If a treasure-hunter has
Enliven or Mandrake’s journal
from the mill, they can learn
this Ritual immediately. Any
treasure-hunter who knows
Scarecrow can use it to destroy
the scarecrow in the field near
the farmhouse.

52 · Hester’s Mill
 props traps treasures

The cornfield. Unlike the corn along A tiny heart beats in the scare-
the road to Hester’s Mill, this crop is crow’s straw-stuffed chest. This
fresh and edible. A slight thumping, like heart will continue to beat,
a heartbeat, can be heard. This rhythmic even if removed from the chest
thumping gets louder the closer one gets cavity.
to the scarecrow.

additional treasures

Farm tools.

ritual

Scarecrow — create a construct of straw and burlap that will endlessly hunt a named target

INCURSIONS
SCARECROW weakness — Fire 7
A man made of straw and sackcloth, with button eyes and a zig-zag thread mouth.

1 Facing north. 4 Facing west.

2 Facing south. 5 Limping silently.
3 Facing east. 6 Looming over a victim in the dark.
Nightmare — Inflict debilitating nightmares on a sleeping target
Choke — The scarecrow prefers to throttle its victims to death while they sleep, usually after they have been
rendered harmless by a nightmare.

NIGHTMARE ROLL (THE BIRTHING DREAM)

Roll a dark die. If it’s equal to or lower than your current Ruin, take the Condition The Birthing Dream. Your
treasure-hunter has a dream where they are laying on a bed of sunflowers, their belly fat with child, surrounded
by beaming loved ones and onlookers. Tell everyone at the table what your treasure-hunter fears the most. Every
other player and the gm then offers one detail about what it looks like when you give birth to your fear in the
dream. Because of your fitful sleep, resting in the farmhouse does not lower your Ruin.

Hester’s Mill • 53
 Gallows Hill
Lord Gahldren’s gallows were built high on a hill, so the people of Hester’s Mill would have a good view of
their friends and family swinging in the sun.
goal Find the treasures of Hester’s Mill.

A skeleton desperately clinging to an oubliette’s cage door.

moments A ribcage displayed as a grisly cornucopia, stuffed with skulls, dried corn, and rotting gourds.
A piece of frayed rope, stained red.

props traps treasures

The gallows. A raised, enclosed plat- Ghouls and crow-things can Lord Gahldren’s soldiers had
form with three trap doors situated both be encountered here. a makeshift campsite set-up
beneath hanging ropes. in the enclosed portion of the
gallows, beneath the trap doors.
There isn’t much to be found,
but it’s a safe place to rest if the
trap doors are sealed.

Oubliettes. A trio of pit-like cages in Prisoners from the village hid a

the ground, each 20-feet deep, ma- number of valuables inside the
soned, and locked tight. oubliettes’ stonework:
• A note of deposit from a bank
in Ambaret (worth 4 Gold if
redeemed).
• A pair of silver cufflinks.
• A sack of coins and gems
(2 Gold total).
• Gold holy symbol of Saint
INCURSIONS

Hester (stylized sickle and

wheat stalk).

additional traps

Cave scorpions (risk roll to avoid taking the Condition Poisoned).

additional treasures

Love letters to and from Lord Gahldren’s soldiers (of value to historians).

Conclusion
The treasure-hunters can move through the entire incursion without ever encountering Malphast.
Since that would be a real shame, you should consider making Malphast a recurring villain (perhaps
it gets freed from its stasis and begins to torment the treasure-hunters in some way).
If the treasure-hunters do anything that can be construed as having an affinity for Malphast or
the crow-things, you should have the scarecrow at the farmhouse begin stalking them.
The farmhouse would be a great location to establish a Household if the treasure-hunters manage
to clear the land of Malphast’s blight. You could even make the revitalization of Toren’s Bend
the basis for future adventures.

54 · Hester’s Mill
Panning the Last River
ELI KURTZ

INCURSIONS

Panning the Last River • 55

 The original plan was simple: supervise and protect a panhandling crew on a remote branch of the
Last River. Rumors spoke of gold-glinting shores and scarce monstrosities near the ruined village
of Kreave. The Last River carried your boat through Kalduhr for three days, but when you ar-
rived you discovered no ruin. Instead, you found a ramshackle basecamp bustling with other trea-
sure-hunters already pursuing the lead you thought you sought alone. By the time you arrived there
were already too many competitors, but many of their scouts returned from the forest reporting
unknown treasure sites of unfathomable worth. What quarry will you claw from the hands of your
rivals... or will you be clawed by what waits in the wood?

theme theft

From the first Set, the treasure-hunters are surrounded by humans eager to steal from one
another, from the river, and from the old sorcerer. The treasure-hunters themselves are on
a path to loot a vault. Throughout the incursion, the treasure-hunters face an escalating set
of thieves—first literal thieves of riches (reavers and drowners), then blood thieves (leeches),
then thieves of the treasure-hunters’ faces and bodies (doppelgangers). Make sure the treasure-
hunters are always moments away from plundering someone’s treasures or having their own
treasures—or very lives—plundered.

SETS

Panhandler’s Last River Cliffside

Basecamp Shallows Manor
INCURSIONS

Forest Thicket
Ruined Kreave
Fetid Swamp

warnings: Alcohol, Amputation, Body Horror, Drowning, Graphic Violence, Snakes

56 · Panning the Last River

 Panhandler’s Basecamp
A hastily assembled inn on the banks of the Last River surrounded by dozens of tents large and small
form the basecamp for the various panhandling crews at work in the area. Hired guards keep watch over
clusters of tents belonging to individual crews. Security in an atmosphere like this is challenging to say
the least. Just as the panhandlers are willing to take from the river and surrounding forest, so too are they
willing to take from each other.
goal Steal from the crews who have stolen your spot.

A fight breaks out between two crews over a pathetic amount of gold dust.
Panhandlers drinking watery ale in the inn whisper to each other about rumors and leads.
moments A severed hand impaled upon a spear outside a particularly large and luxurious tent drips blood,
watering a weed below it.
A small crew, gnawed to nothing by hunger, loads up a boat to depart empty-handed.

props traps treasures

The Quick & Dirty. An inn thrown Gangs of reavers strike out
together from new-hewn planks from a few tents each night
provides some semblance of respite for to see what they can swipe
the panhandlers—and capitalizes on from competitors.
their mean circumstances. The innkeep,
Tall Sammul, pays excellent rates to a
dozen mercenaries to keep the peace
inside his walls.

A barter market. Outside the inn, Criers standing on wooden Use the Meager Treasure table
enterprising individuals offer provisions crates, shouting out false (page 66) to determine what the
—and even some recovered valuables— leads to dupe the gullible. panhandlers found in the river.

INCURSIONS
at outrageous prices. Most buyers are Each day, one to three treasures
more desperate than discerning. will be found.

additional traps

Ambushes; crossbow traps inside tents; bad bargains.

additional treasures

Food and other provisions may be seen as treasure by especially unfortunate or unprepared treasure-hunters.

note — Most panhandling crews will return to the panhandler’s basecamp each night, until the path is
cleared to ruined kreave. Those crews that try to camp in the forest are often never seen again.

REAVERS weakness — Intimidation 7

Individuals with ragged clothes, hungry eyes, and cruel knives. A few slink through the basecamp each night to
plunder treasure from their competitors.

1 Hiding in shadows. 4 Mugging panhandlers.

2 Ambushing guards. 5 Ganging up.
3 Slicing holes in the back of depot tents. 6 Fleeing danger.
Panning the Last River • 57
 Last River Shallows
Panhandlers (mostly the less fortunate) choke the shallows upriver from the basecamp. To hear them tell
it, the most audacious treasures littered the banks when the first of them arrived. Now only stray coins
are sifted from the silt, but they’re common enough to keep panhandlers coming back. A clearly wealthy
manor on top of nearby cliffs is the more tempting prize, but there’s no path through the tangled woods
toward it. Not yet.

Find treasure sifting the waters.

goals
Find a path up the cliffs.

Row after row of panhandlers stand knee-deep in cold water.

Territorial glares raise the hairs on your neck.
moments A cry of pain as an argument turns deadly.
A panhandler trying to hide their discovery before anyone notices.
Guards and prospectors probing the border of the tangled woods at the shore.

props traps treasures

Ruined manor. Large, opulent, and The cliffs beneath the manor
overgrown, at the top of the cliffs. are made of a flaky shale that
breaks away within seconds
of climbing onto it. Blood
stains the base of the cliffs
from the first souls who
attempted to climb its face.

The geyser. Just upriver from the The geyser erupts randomly The whirlpool occasionally
shallows. It sprays boiling water all throughout the day, spraying belches forth an extravagant
INCURSIONS

over the shallows a few times per day. the entire shallows with treasure from its murky
scalding water. depths. Use the Pseudovault
Treasure table (page 66) to
reveal what item appears.

The shallows. The spot everyone is pan- Drowners keep their eyes
handling, desperate for a better piece of open for any opportunity to
trash than the last. thin out the competition.
With so many backs turned
to each other, it’s hard to
resist the urge to hold your
neighbor under the rills.
Terrordiles hibernate in the
mud of the river bed. When
panhandlers raise a commo-
tion, they threaten to rouse
the beasts from slumber.

additional traps

Exhaustion; giant leeches.

additional treasure

Roll on the Meager Treasure table (page 66) for random valuables sifted from the mud.

58 · Panning the Last River

 DROWNERS weakness — Observation 7
Individuals with greedy eyes and hands that could grip a panning filter in the hardest current.

1 Minding their own business. 4 Elbow-deep in turbulent water.

2 Eyeing their neighbors. 5 A grisly visage for grisly work.
3 Striking while no one’s looking. 6 Boots splashing from underneath them.
No One Else Sees — Treasure-hunters that have not already joined the combat may not do so next round.

INCURSIONS
TERRORDILE weakness — Bludgeoning 10
A lizard twice as long as a person is tall, with powerful jaws and a hide like boiled leather. Its wrath is terrible
when it is roused from slumber.

1 Surging upward. 4 Dragging under.

2 Lashing its tail. 5 Dismembering with a death roll.
3 Jaws snapping. 6 Moving, log-like.
Thick Hide — Terrordiles have evolved to resist the slashing, piercing claws of their rivals.

COMMOTION ROLL

Any time a commotion breaks out, roll a dark die. On a 5 or a 6, a sleeping terrordile wakes up and strikes.

Panning the Last River • 59

 Forest Thicket
The Kalduhr is no ordinary forest. Even the border woods are wild and resistant to human taming. Un-
derbrush taller than two men crowds the riverbanks. It tangles around limbs and clothing with a mind
of its own. Clearing a path a hundred paces inland takes many hours of work. But the path to the cliffside
manor must be here somewhere, and whoever finds it is sure to reap a mighty reward in plunder.
goal Carve a path inland.

The flash of strange eyes from within a tangled thicket.

Overhead, a snake slithers out on a limb toward a nest full of eggs.
moments The sound of a small creature dying violently in the nearby brush.
A worker carried back on a stretcher, infection already settling into cuts and scrapes.
News of another worker simply vanishing among the vines and thorns.

props traps treasures

Cleared paths. The labor of half a dozen Razorbrambles intersect Coinfruit gather in bunches on
work crews pays off in these, each inch- some paths, thicker than the branches of canopy trees
ing their way away from the river. boar fur and covered in ser- far overhead. They are deli-
rated thorns as long as your cious, filling, and rare. Just a
finger. Once they catch you, few coinfruit berries could save
any movement is likely to get a starving treasure-hunter or
you only further entangled. fetch a decent barter back at
Most don’t survive. basecamp.

Soggy soil. Even far away from the riv- Skeers nest here and will
erbanks, a step cannot be taken without form swarms the size of
leaving a deep imprint. One might think clouds if agitated. Skeers are
this area would be a lake if not for all small flying parasites. The
INCURSIONS

these roots to hold the soil together. venom of just one skeer sting
is uncomfortable for hours;
skeer clouds could blanket
an entire person and make a
meal of them.

Tree trunks. Wide and sturdy, these Snap vines hang from the
trees serve both as refuges from the canopy branches and through
bramble and shelters behind which the underbrush. It’s hard to
disturbing things lurk. tell them apart from the rest
of the brush until they snag
you, constrict, and yank you
upward dozens of feet.

additional traps

Sinkholes; tripping roots; small predators.

If the thorn effigy is defeated in the ruined kreave Set, the underbrush withers away and the river floods into
this area, creating a new Set: fetid swamp.

60 · Panning the Last River

 Fetid Swamp
If Sorcerer Vero’s statue is destroyed in the ruined kreave Set, all the vines creating the forest
thicket Set recede and that set turns into a fetid swamp. The hard work of the prospectors to clear a
path through the thicket means nothing. Now, a stand of trees mired in murky, chest-deep water creates
an unexpected barrier between the prospecting crews and their basecamp. Narrow boats could traverse
this Set easily. Unfortunately, there are no boats in the village.
goal Find a route back to the basecamp.

Something bubbling underneath a tree’s roots.

Waterfowl taking flight overhead.
moments
A ripple in an otherwise still eddy.
Something brushing you underwater.

props traps treasures

Village shore. The water splashes

right up to the crumbling buildings of
Kreave. Broken branches and other de-
tritus from the death of the vines litters
the surface of the water several yards
away from the shore.

Submerged tree trunks. The trees are Bog corpses lurk beneath the Each bog corpse is loaded down
wide and sturdy, blocking off the waters swampy waters. with the jewelry, precious stones,
into pools, eddies, and connecting and coins it tried to steal before
Sucking mud on the swamp
streams. You can see further ahead of its demise (2 Gold per corpse).
bed threatens to grab at
you but this is just as confusing as the boots, then feet, then legs,
bramble in its own way. until it’s grabbed all of you.

INCURSIONS
Basecamp shore. On the far side of the
swamp, the water is so close to the pros-
pectors that several outlying crews lost
their tents and gear to the rushing waves.
The fallout from the disaster dramatical-
ly shifts the balance of power there.

additional traps

Water snakes (risk roll to avoid taking the Condition Poisoned); giant leeches.

BOG CORPSE weakness — Salt 7

Preserved, but twisted, by the acidic soil of the bramble, these thieves didn’t make it far from the looting of Kreave.

1 Clinging to the swamp bed. 4 Grasping with wrinkled fingers.

2 Feeling the water’s vibrations. 5 Sloughing green and putrid flesh.
3 Lurching up to the surface. 6 Biting with splintered teeth.
Panning the Last River • 61
 Ruined Kreave
The cottages at the outskirts of Kreave show signs of violence and looting. As you approach the village
square, more and more of the structures are covered in thick green vines, each glistening with bright
red thorns. The square itself is drowning in vines, centered upon a cursed statue. There’s no clear
path through and yet the manor house sits on the hill just on the far side of the village.
goal Find the road to the manor.

A cottage door splintered and swinging upon just one hinge.

A vine that wasn’t there last time you looked.
Two skeletons grappling even in death.
moments
Shattered windows choked with vines.
The forest looming all around the village.
The manor proudly arrayed upon the bluff.

props traps treasures

Kreave general store. It stands off the Notes about the Pseudovault
village square. All of its provisions hidden in the manor (see the
spoiled long ago, but some of the sun- following page).
dries remain intact. Inside, the skeletal
remains of a violent disagreement cover
a table that’s littered with items.

Sorcerer Vero’s Statue. It would have The statue is animated by a The cursed gem within Sorcerer
crumbled many years ago if not for the cursed gem, which contains Vero’s statue could fetch a high
many vines lashed around its broken the thieving spirit of Vero price among the right clientele.
stones. himself. Originally encased Some prospecting crews would
by the stone, it is exposed by kill for the potential reward.
INCURSIONS

the crumbling stone. Anyone Many crews find it too risky.

who touches the gem with
their bare skin gains 1 Ruin.
The gem sends creeping vines
after interlopers and projects
its will out as doppelgangers.

Wreckage. Debris along the main road A doppelganger ambushes. A locked chest in among the
and between cottages makes for excel- debris is full of sumptuous,
lent cover. finely crafted clothing.

additional traps

Hazardous wreckage; crumbling buildings.

additional treasures

Villager tools; common goods plundered from the manor.

62 · Panning the Last River

 NOTES ABOUT THE PSEUDOVAULT

On the table are scribbled notes that point to the Pseudovault hidden in the sorcerer’s manor. It seems the vil-
lagers planned to make another raid on the manor before the sorcerer’s magical traps and curses came to destroy
them. Their plan never came to fruition. Written on some notes, “Only the sorcerer’s thieving soul can unlock
the Pseudovault. It survives within a stone visage and a shadowy terror stalking the manor’s halls. Beware!”
There is also a map of the village with a circle drawn to highlight the manor’s side gate west of the square. The
path avoids the heart of the vines in the village square.

DOPPELGANGER weakness — Keen senses 8

Some prospectors who pass through Kreave are taken and replaced by something that’s not quite the same.

1 Ghostly fingers reaching into minds. 4 Throttling with cold hands.

2 Stoking fear with dead eyes. 5 Disappearing around a corner.
3 Luring away from safety. 6 Throwing their voice.
Mimic — It becomes a treasure-hunter, and an ally strikes at the real treasure-hunter instead of the false one.

THORN EFFIGY weakness — Magic 10

A crumbling statue of the Sorcerer Vero, given rudimentary motion by the tangle of vines that hold it together.

1 Waiting in perfect stillness. 4 Ripping with many thorns.

2 Sensing through thousands of vines. 5 A piercing strangulation.
3 Tripping up the unwary. 6 A crushing embrace.
Vine Whip — The thorned vines lash out and strike a treasure-hunter’s exposed skin, causing the Condition
Punctured Flesh.
Vine Grip — A vine wraps around a treasure-hunter’s throat, lifting them into the air, causing the Condition
Strained Neck.

INCURSIONS

If the thorn effigy is defeated, the vines wither and the forest thicket Set floods, turning it into a new Set:
the fetid swamp.

Panning the Last River • 63

 Cliffside Manor
Perched on a cliff with an unkempt garden sprawling around, something is decidedly and immedi-
ately not right about this manor. Windows, columns, and entire walls flicker in and out of existence
from time to time. These are clear signs to any treasure-hunter that the manor is burdened with
many magical dangers. From the outside of the manor, a couple of interior rooms are apparent: a
tower in one corner of the manor must be an observatory of some kind, and small windows in the
foundation of the manor point to a cellar of some sort. All other rooms and mysteries must be dis-
covered from within.
Sorcerer Vero teleported through the cosmos to plunder a vast fortune. As he hoarded his wealth, he
also demanded extravagant tribute payments from the villagers who tended his gardens and served
in his house. After decades of debt bondage, the locals of Kreave finally killed him for it. They looted
his manor house, triggering magical traps that lead to the destruction of the village and its inhabi-
tants. The sundries and household items they took were not all the wealth Sorcerer Vero amassed in
his despotic life. Somewhere, a vault is hidden.
goal Plunder the Pseudovault.

The wreckage of doors and furniture lie around the manor.

Scorch marks and ashen rubble fill the space.
Movement out of the corner of your eye catches your attention.
moments
Goosebumps prick all over your arms and neck.
Magical effects linger, trapped in stasis.
A corner of reality cracks like a mirror.

props traps treasures

INCURSIONS

Foyer. No word describes the entrance

to the manor better than “shattered.” strange architecture — Reality is broken in the manor.
The grand staircase is split in half, and The front door always opens to the foyer, but familiarity ends
many steps are nothing but splinters. there. Any door could lead to any other part of the manor.
Rotting furniture lies in pieces, chopped When a treasure-hunter travels from one room to another, they
to bits by axes and claws. It is clear must say what room they hope to go to and then make a hunt
Sorcerer Vero put up a fight when the roll.. On a roll of 3 or less, they end up in a different room of
roll
villagers finally came for him. the gm
gm’s
’s choosing. Once the Pseudovault has been unlocked,
this rule also applies to travel to and from that room.
Bedchambers. These should be pseudovault key — The vault door will only open in the
“upstairs,” and even if a downstairs presence of Sorcerer Vero’s soul, which persists in two places:
doorway leads into them, an elevated a gem in the heart of the thorn effigy in the ruined kreave
view is visible outside the windows. The Set, and a soul shard in the guts of the splash upon the bank.
bank.
rooms themselves are full of overturned The party must take one or the other to unlock the vault.
chairs, broken wardrobes, and torn beds.

Cellar. This is a rational candidate for The splash upon the bank The roaming splash upon the
the resting place of the Pseudovault, but prowls the halls of the manor bank took a shard of Vero’s soul
the manor is no rational place. Instead, but is found first in the cellar, before he died. That piece of
the cellars are mostly unchanged. Walls waiting for unwary prey. soul can unlock the door of the
are intact, and many of the wine casks Pseudovault.
are unbroken. However, much of the
wine within has been twisted by the
paradimensional energies of the manor.

64 · Panning the Last River

 props traps

Observatory. One might not expect The observatory door is trapped, but the trap only triggers when
Sorcerer Vero’s sanctum—a place of the treasure-hunters attempt to leave the room. When approach-
observation and communion with the ing the door, the static energy of magic is plain from a few feet
cosmos—to contain the famed Pseudo- away. Any hand that reaches for the door handle feels the energy
vault, but that doesn’t mean rumors of increase until getting a small, static shock just before grabbing
an observatory in the house would fall the handle. If this magic is not nullified before touching the door,
on heedless ears. Any such place must any limb that touches it will turn into starstuff and disappear in
be full of valuable treasures and infor- a few minutes.
mation, even if the Pseudovault is likely
to lie elsewhere.

This prop is locked until the treasure-hunters unlock it. See pseudovault key on the previous page.
Pseudovault. Jewel of the sorcerer’s vile crown, this is not a proper vault but rather a pocket dimension where
Vero could keep his stolen treasures safely removed from covetous hands. Since the sorcerer’s death, the wards
that establish and protect the link to the vault have begun to fail. The strange physics of the vault leak into the
surrounding countryside (like the geyser in the Last River Shallows Set) but its effects are strongest within the
manor. The Pseudovault is responsible for warping and cracking the manor house and is the engine behind
its strange architecture. Within, only two features remain consistent: The river and the panner. The river is an
inky void, full of sparkling stars and the priceless flotsam of a lifetime of arcane plundering. The semi-sentient
panner whose form changes often stands between the door and the river. The panner sifts items from the void
waters but works slowly.

shifting architecture — When the treasure-hunters finally enter the vault, roll on the Astral Chaos
table (page 66) from time to time and determine how the features of the interior warp and change be-
fore the treasure-hunters’ very eyes. Roll on the Pseudovault Treasure table (page 66) to determine which
strange wonders float down the vault’s starry river.
pseudovault curse — If the splash upon the bank isn’t defeated to gain entry into the vault, add
one die to a pool for each treasure taken from the vault. When the treasure-hunters leave the vault, roll
this pool. If any die in the pool is a 6, the splash upon the bank catches the scent of the treasure-hunter
carrying the most treasure. The splash upon the bank tracks them to the furthest corners of the earth to
recover the stolen treasure.

INCURSIONS
additional traps

Collapsing floors; rotten ceiling beams; magical backlash.

additional treasures

Despite being plundered by villagers, the manor still contains many fine pieces. There was simply no way the
villagers could carry all of it away before the curse triggered and Kreave was destroyed. Many of the treasures
are broken, but any successful Hunt Roll here reveals an intact treasure. Use the Meager Treasure table to deter-
mine the item. Anyone with a relevant skill notices that none of these items match the decor of the rooms in
which they are found. Clearly, none of the manor’s treasures were created with the manor in mind.

SPLASH UPON THE BANK weakness — Magic 11

An inky, rippling wolf prowling the flickering unrealities of the manor.

1 Moving out of the corner of your eye. 4 Battering against closed doors.
2 Disappearing into the shadows. 5 Slashing with claws of pure void.
3 Howling with spectral vibrato. 6 Ripping out throats with flickering teeth.
Fluid Flesh — Its body parts around weapon strikes like muddy water.

Panning the Last River • 65

 ASTRAL CHAOS — Roll four times (once for each column)
a... of... panned by a...

1 Backwards... Explosion... Blood... Beast.

2 Desaturated... Panorama... Chaos... Fae.

3 Jittering... Sea... Fire... Giant.

4 Loud... Tapestry... Nostalgia... Human.

5 Moving... Tunnel... Smoke... Sister.

6 Silent... Universe... Stars... Shadow.

MEAGER TREASURE (WORTH 1 GOLD) — Roll four times (once for each column)
item style feature condition

1 Adornment Baroque Gold Filigree Delicate

2 Armor Brutalist Imperfect Exquisite

3 Art Flowing Improved Repaired

4 Container Homemade Inscriptions Repurposed

5 Trinket Stony Missing Gems Sturdy

6 Weapon Unknown Ugly Worn

PSEUDOVAULT TREASURE (WORTH 3–6 GOLD) — Roll four times (once for each column)
item style feature condition

1 Adornment Advanced Dual Use Astral

2 Armor Ancient Gemstones Blessed

3 Art Blasphemous Glowing Cursed

4 Container Legendary Intelligent Enhanced

INCURSIONS

5 Trinket Mastercrafted Musical Exquisite

6 Weapon Royal Willful Glorious

Conclusion
If the treasure-hunters escape from the manor and the Last River area, it’s likely they carry
untold treasures out with them. Perhaps there’s enough plunder to retire on! But many rivals
stand between the manor and the river back home, and the journey takes many days through
Kalduhr. Are the treasure-hunters waylaid on their route back? Do they encounter yet more
tempting treasures before reaching safety? It might be appropriate to create an entirely new
incursion for the river trip out of the forest.
The forest wants to destroy the manor, but the curse holds it at bay. If the treasure-hunters
destroy the Thorn Effigy in the Ruined Kreave set, the forest begins to advance. All traces of
the manor house and Kreave are destroyed within a month. Eventually, reports trickle in of the
ghastly deaths of any panhandlers who stick around that long.
The forest has its way with the manor house eventually, it just takes longer if the curse isn’t
broken. Instead of the forest asserting its might completely, the Pseudovault’s tear in reality
permanently warps the forest for miles around.

66 · Panning the Last River

A Heart Hums in Darkness
MICHAEL VAN VLEET

INCURSIONS

A Heart Hums in Darkness • 67

 Many wonders lurk in the Kalduhr Forest, but few evoke such skin-crawling terror as the Humming
Woods: an ominous bee-filled patch of wild ruled over by the six-legged Mother of Millions. Efficient
and brutal as any monarch, she rules over her buzzing, monstrous empire from the Six-Form Heart,
a fortified and labyrinthine hive hidden in an enormous cluster of towering waxen peaks.
Or at least... she did.
Some months back, mountains of black smoke drifted out of those dark woods, arcing towards the
south. It’s said that some brave (or foolish) souls must have successfully journeyed into the Heart
itself and set a fire that even thousands of chitinous bodies couldn’t smother. A blackened, useless
carpet of dead bees littered the charred woods as evidence.
For a time, the woods were still; the near constant hum replaced with silence.
Then, last month, refugees from the town of Wellslode began arriving at the gates of Fort Duhrin
with tales of bees invading their subterranean homes, swarming and stinging, driving every human
out.
The respite is over. The Six-Form Heart is reborn. The Mother of Millions has resumed her reign
somewhere in the dim underground passages of Wellslode. Something must be done.
The Fort’s ability to sustain the local population is at its breaking point. Food and supplies are
always tight, but now that the Fort has had to accommodate refugees from Wellslode, tensions are
high and locals are angry. Tents have sprung up in public common areas and in alleys that previous-
ly made for convenient shortcuts or intimate meeting spaces out of public sight. One can’t walk from
one’s quarters to the public baths without threading through a maze of outstretched, begging hands.
Your party of treasure-hunters have been hired by Sarn Ogledd, First Protector of the Kingsguard in
Fort Duhrin. Your mission: do what you do best. Slip into hostile territory, take note of hazards and
defenses, and report back. Not only will a handsome reward await you on your return, but you’ve
been provided a written proclamation granting you Right of Salvage for any abandoned valuables
you may come across in the fulfillment of your scouting duties.
Ready yourself, traveler. Follow the hum into the darkness.
INCURSIONS

theme infiltration / mimicry

SETS

Who Goes The Amber Amphitheater

There? Commons

Alchemist’s The Heart

Panic Room and the Twins

warnings: Body Horror, Confined Spaces, Graphic Violence, Harm to Animals, Insects & Spiders,
Mannequins, Religion

68 · A Heart Hums in Darkness

FOR THE GM’S EYES ONLY

Lamplight Fungus — Any treasure-hunter who consumes lamplight fungus takes the
Condition Lamplight Eyes, which allows them to see in the dark.
Lamplight fungus grows natively around Wellslode and resembles a short, moss-like carpet.
It got its name, lamplight, based on the technology it replaced. Inhabitants of Wellslode
ingest it casually for its mild stimulant effect and—more importantly—because it causes
pupil dilation in humans, making it easier to see in low-light conditions.
Wellslode was founded as a mining operation and supplies the region with iron. As the
population expanded, entire neighborhoods were built underground, convenient to the
mining efforts. Though the city has a giant mechanical bellows that pushes fresh air into
the depths, oxygen remains at a premium and the burning of candles or lamps quickly be-
came taboo in favor of regular “lamplight” use.
Swarmstung Sickness — The venom of a bee from the Six-Form Heart, when injected into
the bloodstream of a creature under the influence of lamplight, can induce a degenerative
condition and the creation of a swarmstung creature.
Some injected with the venom suffer violent allergic reactions. Their noses and mouths
flood with a bloody, phlegmy discharge and their eyes swell shut. Their nasal passages and
throat become host to a grey-green fuzz that resembles lamplight fungus and fill with bio-
luminescent pus-filled sacs, making afflicted creatures easy to spot in the dark.
Any treasure-hunter who has the Conditions Lamplight Eyes and Stung at the same time
must make a risk roll. Additionally, each time such a treasure-hunter would take the
Stung Condition again, they must make another risk roll. Success grants a new Ritual:

ritual

INCURSIONS
Hum — commune with an inhuman intelligence

Failing causes the treasure-hunter to suffer an allergic reaction and take the Condition The
Hive is Home as they slowly begin transforming into a swarmstung.
Condition: The Hive is Home
Read the following when this Condition is taken: It becomes increasingly difficult to separate
the needs of the hive with your own desires. When your actions come in conflict with the hive’s
priorities, you must succeed at a risk roll to prioritize yourself over the hive.
Failing makes the Condition get worse (apply these in order):
• Your eyes water, sending sugary tears down your cheeks. Your vision is increasingly oc-
cluded, your eyelashes sticky, but you can compensate by listening to bees and navigating
with their aid.
• Words seem clumsy. Increasingly you’ll communicate only with gestures, or moving your
whole body, especially when giving directions.
• You can’t digest food other than honey.
After all of these are applied to a single treasure-hunter, the next time they fail a risk roll
to prioritize themself over the hive, they become a swarmstung.

A Heart Hums in Darkness • 69

 Who Goes There?
The road out of town is littered with rotten food, trampled books, broken jewelry, all presumably dropped
in better condition by villagers eager to escape. Wellslode is easy to see from afar. Enormous bellows that
push air into its subterranean depths jut into the sky, opening and closing like the wet wings of a butterfly
just out of its cocoon.
goal Find an entrance to Wellslode’s underground city spaces.

The fields outside of Wellslode alternate between cultivated stretches of crops and intentional
strips of wild plants that farmers left fallow to support local wildlife and pollination. The weather
has been fair and plants are in full flower. Birds flit here and there, fat from the bounty of insects.
moments
Ear-hoppers caper and bees bumble from bloom to bloom.
A small child’s still body, partially concealed under a bush, is revealed to be a large stuffed doll
with the name Yulia stitched on its back. It is sodden, bug-eaten, and smells of mold.

When people talk about the citizens of the partially-underground city of Wellslode, how do they
describe their temperament? What unusual customs were practiced there before the bees arrived?
questions
Before you left Fort Duhrin, a refugee begged you to look for someone they haven’t seen since they fled
Wellslode. Who was it? How will you know them if you see them?

props traps treasures

An elderly refugee. This person appears With a sharp intake of A knife in a painted sheath:
dead. They are sitting against a tree, breath, the refugee re- an image of the town’s
wrapped in a very fine blanket, and have veals themself to be alive bellows against a sunrise.
jewelry in their lap. by grabbing the wrist of a Three vials of Fandr’s Eye,
treasure-hunter. They beg for a weak painkiller.
food, water, and an escort
to safety because they won’t A tin of lamplight fungus.
survive another cold night. Brand name: Lucky’s
INCURSIONS

Agreeing to provide for them Lamplight.

would impact the party’s
supplies, or a player may
harden their heart and leave
this person with whatever
promises they care to offer,
knowing how unlikely it is
that that promise will be
upheld.

The cheesemonger’s shop. The win- The militia are actually wax A scavenged sword.
dows of the store have been packed manikins. One will attempt A helmet, dented, with a
with dirt from the inside, overflowing to imitate a party member tortoise-shell design.
and forming a slope of dirt that falls and take their place (see
into the street. A small group of militia Meeting the Manikins below). A spade with a silver sovereign
members gather outside the doorway of embedded in the handle, an
the cheesemonger’s shop. A smooth wax offering from a ditch digger to
plug impedes the entrance. The militia Saint Daphine.
members are examining the plug and
scraping at it.

70 · A Heart Hums in Darkness

 props traps treasures

A wagon on its side. One wheel is Off-kilter goods collapse A brace of pickled lake rabbits.
shattered. Old blood shows that causing a heavy barrel to Three wooden rabbit traps.
whatever animals pulled the wagon strike or pin someone.
were hurt, but they’re not here now. A complete illustrated set
The wagon’s goods lie scattered. of Cousin Lashek’s Tales of
Banditry.
A tightly clasped locket with
lamplight fungus inside.

WAX MANIKINS weaknesses — Fire; heat; disenchantment 6

These manikins are the product of beekind’s magical experimentation with the Enliven Ritual. They are entirely
made from wax without the wooden/metal undergirding of standard manikins. They’re imbued with a mirror
glamor ability that allows them to appear as a human expects them to appear. Their vocabulary is limited to
words and phrases they have heard; the more they hear humans speak, the more their glamor will allow them to
intuit correct responses to navigate a conversation.

1 Echoing phrases and words to try and respond. 4 Shoddily pretending to be human.
2 Investigating everything with childlike curiosity. 5 Remolding their own faces with beeswax.
3 Eagerly socializing. 6 Hiding in plain sight and studying humans.
Summon Bee Swarm — The wax creations call their allies for assistance, causing a swarm of bees to arrive,
increasing Endurance by 2. Treasure-hunters who remain in combat must succeed at a risk roll or take the
Condition Stung.
Waxy Flesh — A weapon strikes and gets stuck. The treasure-hunter loses their grip on it.
Doppelganger — Causes dread as one of them changes into a treasure-hunter and attempts to confuse and replace
the treasure-hunter.

MEETING THE MANIKINS

INCURSIONS
At the cheesemonger’s shop, the treasure-hunters encounter wax manikins attempting to
disguise themselves as militia. Ask the treasure-hunters: “Who has been to Wellslode before,
or knows someone who has? What are the colors the militia members wear here? What does
their banner look like?” Use their responses to define the manikins’ disguises.
Most of the manikins remain quiet when the party talks to them. The mankins that do
respond reply with “echo” responses, using only the words already used. For example:
Player: Hello! How are you? Is there anything we can help you with?
Manikin (inquisitive friendly look): Help... with?
Player: Yes. What are you doing here? Where is everyone?
Manikin: Everyone?
Player: The people of this village.
Manikin (nodding): People. (Turns to other manikins) The people of this village...
Player: Are you okay?
Manikin (serious): Yes. Okay. What are you doing here?
At some point, describe that one of the militia members looks just like a treasure-hunter.
They didn’t seem to just a moment ago, but now they do. If a party member is a manikin,
prioritize them as the mimicry target. Ask the player of the treasure-hunter who has been
copied to respond on behalf of both versions of their character as the party tries to figure
out who the "real" party member is.

A Heart Hums in Darkness • 71

 The Amber Commons
This area is an underground park that is largely filled with trash and detritus. An underground river’s
waterfall powers a large water wheel. An enormous tree dominates the park’s middle, light coming in
from a distant opening in the cavern’s roof.

TO MOVE THE TREASURE-HUNTERS OUT OF THIS SET

When the digger arrives, it opens up the way to the alchemist’s panic room and
the amphitheater through the hole it has dug. When the digger destroys the wheel,
causing the bellows to cease and the torchlight to go out, the treasure-hunters will need
another way to see in the dark. Introduce lamplight fungus if you have not done so already.

goal Find a way down deeper and find a way to see in the dark.

On the ground, Wellslode coins have been arranged in a strange symmetrical pattern. Two bees
walk through the coin maze, following mirrored routes from opposite ends toward the center.
moments A black and burned clump of bees form a lumpy mass in a heap of garbage. Some of their limbs
appear to have run like melted wax, tracing meandering black drippings over white stone
revealing these are not actual bees but failed wax Enliven experiments.

props traps treasures

Orfuss the Not Dead. A young person Being marked with the Fancy lyre.
and a fool, Orfuss can be seen strug- “something dead” phero- A shattered lockbox containing
gling to escape the grip of several mone ruins any stealth and a handful of coins.
dog-sized wingless drone bees. Their guarantees the attention of
leather clothing is stained dark with a wingless drone bees. Causes A compass of fine quality.
INCURSIONS

pheromone scent that marks them as the Condition Marked Dead.

“something dead” to the bees, who are
trying to place them with other corpses
and detritus. They are determined to go
deeper into the hive.

The bangled tree. A giant tree dom- Bee hives, large enough to Valuable bracelets.
inates the park’s middle. From its keep some of the bangle A silver tray and cover in a
branches dangle scores of bracelets and chains from swinging freely. picnic basket containing rotted
charms, all left by lovers. The water- Honey drips down, coat- bread and something runny that
wheel is nearby. When it turns, it moves ing them. Molesting them may have been cheese.
the bellows above which pump fresh air prompts a defensive swarm
into the caverns below. attack (risk roll to avoid A blue glass bottle of Toppy’s
the Condition Stung). ink wine, crystal stopper still
intact.
An enormous digger, snout
slick with honey, tunnels up Pen knife with decorative crys-
into the commons and tals in the hilt.
destroys the waterwheel Walking stick with scrimshaw
while trying to disperse an image of a skeletal parade.
attacking bee swarm. The
bellows stop and the air
grows thick causing flame
light sources to die.

72 · A Heart Hums in Darkness

 props traps treasures

Statue garden. Carved stone human A sinkhole into broken A broken sword with a fancy
figures stand buried chest high in crockery and injury. pommel.
slopes of garbage and dead bodies, The corpses stink of death Chipped silver cup.
both human and insect. Bees can be and direct contact could
seen depositing trash. A book containing the Enliven
mark one as refuse to any Ritual, stained by tea, sodden,
maintenance bees. but can be read with an hour’s
careful parting of pages.

A picknicking quartet. From a dis- The outraged bee is a Necklace with eight gemstones,
tance, what at first appears to be some wingless drone bee. the largest nestled in a silver leaf
locals enjoying a picnic is actually a set like a drop of dew.
of wax manikins miming at eating and Sturdy cutlery.
drinking. The food they are “eating” is
rotten. A small manikin capers to amuse A fine blanket with a green,
the others with its shirt off, six angry geometric pattern.
wiggling legs coming out of its chest. It
has encased a large bee (the size of a cat)
in its body and its frame hums with the
bee’s outrage and struggle.

WINGLESS DRONE BEE weakness — Smoke 5

A six-legged insect much larger than its flying brethren; it is the size of a dog or cat. On its head are a set of
powerful mandibles. On the abdomen is a large venomous stinger.

1 Hauling garbage. 4 Carrying eggs to nurseries.

2 Sealing passageways with wax. 5 Visiting plants.
3 Watching, antennae waving. 6 Hauling dirt.

INCURSIONS
Sting — Causes the Condition Stung as it jabs its needle-like stinger into a treasure-hunter. The bee’s Endurance is
reduced by 2 after this defense successfully triggers. This defense may only trigger once per wingless drone bee.
Swarm — A group of three or more drone bees climb onto a treasure-hunter, smothering the hunter with their
too-warm bodies. Causes the Condition Overheated Exhaustion.

DIGGER weakness — Strong-smelling distractions 9

A giant furred mammal with squared-off fingers for digging through dense soil. It lives on a diet of leviathan
worms, poorly-guarded mucktouch egg clutches, and honey. Their broad faces are topped with a ridge of bone that
gives a beetle-browed appearance. Enormous nostrils jut with sensitive hairs. Their throats contain coiled up and
powerful tongues designed to drive into bee structures in search of food.

1 Waving arms to disperse halo of bees. 4 Grooming its head and chest with its long tongue.
2 Smashing spade-like arms into the ground. 5 Sniffing deeply, hungry.
3 Chewing on the corpse of an enormous worm. 6 Moving sluggishly, venom-sick with bee stings.
Throw — The digger gets a hold on a treasure-hunter and throws them across the commons and out of combat
for the next round. They must pass their Weak Point to another treasure-hunter until they can rejoin.
Dirt Wall — The digger creates a barricading wall of earth, increasing its Endurance by 2.
Improvised Weapon — The digger grabs the entire nearby bangled tree and uses it as a club. Causes the
Condition Broken Crown or Broken Bones.

A Heart Hums in Darkness • 73

 Alchemist’s Panic Room
The tunnel left by the digger leads to aqueducts. Waist deep in water, treasure-hunters can follow the
dark aqueducts deeper into the city-sized hive. While the path is treacherous, it’s relatively bee-free. In
one direction, the aqueduct will open up into a cavernous area. The treasure-hunters find they are in a
commercial district of strangely-quiet warehouses and factories. The air is going stale.
goal Find Lucasz’s notes about the Queen and the bees’ knowledge of Enliven
Enliven..

Wax statues appear in places where humans once stood: leaning against a pamphleteer’s stand,
moments holding a bell on a corner, and curled on a bench as if asleep.
The local bat population chirrups and cheeps from dark corners. Oddly, they buzz now as well.

props traps treasures

A human body, face down. If flipped, Samples of the brain matter or

its monstrous nature is revealed: an the tongue are valuable medical
elongated tongue dangles from the specimens.
mouth down the entire chest and it
is missing its forehead. White brain
matter is visible above two lolling eyes
that try and fail to focus on the person
investigating.

The chewing factory. The sound of A group of wax arbalest bees Captives say Lucasz, an al-
crying can be heard over the humming in charge of this operation chemist, escaped the chewing
activity of bees. A half-collapsed build- are nearby and eager for new factory and had a plan to deal
ing with a missing roof is at the center captives. with the bees.
of a whirling cloud of bee activity.
The bees are carrying plants through
a missing wall and the open roof into
INCURSIONS

the building. Inside, several humans

are forced by bees to chew on a fibrous
plant stalk then spit it back out so it can
be carried away. Several have beestung
swollen limbs and features. Many wing-
less drone bees guard the process and
are brutal with captives who try to flee.

Lucasz’s panic room entrance. A The door is defended in a

nondescript metal door with a swing- variety of ways. A pressure
away portal, sealed to the outside world. on the portal plate triggers a
A sign reads “looters forfeit all crossbow bolt from the wall
safety – Lucasz Boltol.” A sign reading opposite. The door’s frame
“alchemy” and featuring painted extends out from the wall
sparks dangles from a single bolt, al- and running a hand along its
most falling off the wall. back seam risks laceration, as
it has all been sharpened.

74 · A Heart Hums in Darkness

 props traps treasures

Lucasz’s panic room and laboratory. Lucasz is a swarmstung and A series of sketches of warped
The floor is slick with broken crockery, has been trapped inside bee and human forms with
caustic foams, spilled oils, glass, and the room for days, sick and notes by Lucasz documenting
paper. On the shelves are taxidermied enraged. bee experiments with the
burrowing animals, their skin replaced Enliven Ritual.
The ground is covered with
with transmuted glass. Standing in one smashed specimens creating Lucasz’s journal documenting
corner of the room is a taxidermied a slippery and jagged surface. a meat-to-glass transmutation
digger, upright and threatening, its experiment with medical illus-
organs visible through a ventral glass The giant taxidermied
trations. On close inspection, it
pane. Luscasz is pacing about in this digger’s body is pressurized.
Includes instructions for how
dark room. The bioluminescent pustules The innards—which are not
to create vials of transmute-to-
that line Lucasz’s throat are visible as well preserved—will explode
glass liquid from materials in
they mutter angrily. The treasure- outward if the glass body is
the lab.
hunters hear muttered phrases such struck.
as “the queen,” and “making more A crossbow and 40 bolts.
queens and they’ll make more queens” Bandages, healing salves, an
and “living wax!” ointment jar labeled “Mother’s
Kiss.”
A sample of royal jelly in a vial
labeled queen. Reduces Ruin
by 1 if consumed.

WAX ARBALEST BEE weaknesses — Fire; heat; disenchantment 8

When bees discovered the power of Enliven, they made creatures in their own image, but bigger, meaner, spikier,
and with none of their physical limitations. These creatures are the size of small ponies. While bees will normally
lose their stinger after a single use, the wax arbalest bees can puncture time and again, and even launch a sharp
wax dart like a crossbow bolt. Their bodies are made entirely of wax.

1 Roaming on smoothly-formed limbs. 4 Smoothing imperfections out of their waxy body.

2 Flying on thick wings. 5 Carrying material for the hive.

INCURSIONS
3 Jousting with sharp stings. 6 Stinging something already dead.
Sting — Causes the Condition Stung as it jabs its poison-tipped needle-like sting into a treasure-hunter.
Shoot Sting — It fires its stinger into a treasure-hunter, pinning them to a wall. Causes the Condition Stung.
Waxy Flesh — A weapon strikes and gets stuck. The treasure-hunter loses their grip on it.
Abduct — A wax arbalest bee grabs hold of a treasure-hunter, smothers them against its waxy body, and flies
away, carrying them.

SWARMSTUNG weakness — Smoke 7

A stumbling creature in filthy clothing, still recognizable as human. Their nose and mouth have a glistening crust.
Their nasal passages and throat are lined with a grey-green fuzz. The veins in their throat have also formed pus-
filled sacs, which glow with a bioluminescent liquid. The fuzz resembles lamplight fungus. Their eyes are puffy and
swollen shut. They are surrounded by a halo of small bees that land and crawl on them without fear.

1 Muttering to itself with angry growling sounds. 4 Eating honey and crying.
2 Lashing out at its surroundings or hurting itself. 5 Chasing a desperate animal out of the hive.
3 Walking in routes familiar from its previous life. 6 Head cocked, as if listening to its halo of bees.
Intimidating Roar — Causes the Condition Terrified as a horrid noise comes from the creature’s throat. A
treasure-hunter must succeed at a risk roll or flee the combat.
Tackle and Sting — The creature leaps on a treasure-hunter, pinning them to the ground. The creature then
rubs its face and head on the treasure-hunter, aggravating the bees into stinging the treasure-hunter. Causes the
Condition Stung.

A Heart Hums in Darkness • 75

 Amphitheater
The tunnel left by the digger leads to aqueducts. Waist deep in water, treasure-hunters can follow the
dark aqueducts deeper into the city-sized hive. While the path is treacherous, it’s relatively bee-free. In
one direction, the aqueduct will open up into an amphitheater. All the seats in the round have been con-
verted to open-topped cells for wriggling larva. Members of the Sun Stripe Clade are present, wreathed
in smoke and wearing robes. They have woven circular masks over their faces. They are lowering one of
their number into a wax cell and humming. The smoke lies heavy. Though it keeps the bees docile, one’s
lungs ache. Air isn’t circulating.
goal Find the keys to the city.

A disconcerting and unexpected lack of buzzing—though there is still a hum.

moments
Your lungs are invaded by the choking smoke used to calm the hive.

props traps treasures

Center stage. Abandoned props lie Nearby, a sickly-looking The knife on her foot is
in a pile here. Backdrops featuring method actress who has decorated with a swan pommel.
distant lands, roaring oceans, sailing “become a bee” has a knife
ships in profile, forests, seascapes, and a strapped to her foot in place
storm-wracked moor are strewn about. of a stinger. She is infected
A wingless bee drone chews apart a and about to turn into a
painted canvas glade, converting it to swarmstung.
pulp for building material.

Nursery in the gallery. Rows of wax The tiny bees are roused into One body submerged in the
cells of varying size containing writhing a swarm. It cannot be fought, mess has a ring of master keys
bee larva as well as entombed humans but remaining near requires to the city on his waist.
fill the seats in the gallery. Tiny bees fly a risk roll to avoid gaining Lamplight honey infused with
INCURSIONS

about acting as nursemaids. the Condition Stung. the eye-dilating characteristics

of the lamplight fungus the bees
have been visiting.
Wellslode coins repurposed as
defensive wax cell caps.

The Ritual. One of the Sun-Stripe The Sun-Striped Clade A Clade brazier with metal
Clade’s members is transforming members will protect and al- handles, bee images in bas relief
deliberately into a swarmstung. Their low the transformed swarm- around the outside.
fellows hope to use their emergent stung to injure them or the Clade pheromone bombs.
hive-telepathy to get closer to the treasure-hunters, believing
Queen and their holy Sister Mephera. even this violence to be a
“The Queen is talking to our trans- form of communication. Af-
formed brethren. We’re so close to ter all, if aid is truly required,
finding out what She wants. Mephera their beloved Sister Mephera
will protect!” will surely intervene.

76 · A Heart Hums in Darkness

 INCURSIONS
SUN-STRIPE CLADE MEMBER weakness — Holy rhetoric 7
Followers of Sister Mephera, members of this order wear hooded robes, their faces protected by woven reed plates
that allow them to see but have gaps too small to allow bees to enter. Junior members swing smoking censers on
chains, sending gouts of pleasantly-scented smoke in lazy arcs. Devout senior members carry smoking, scorching
hot braziers with their bare hands in an act of religious mortification. Their hands are blackened to the point of
ruin. They say Sister Mephera will carry anything they themselves cannot.

1 In a circle, swinging censers on chains. 4 Humming as a choir, contemplative.

2 Nursing a single struggling bee back to health. 5 Inviting a treasure-hunter into shrouding smoke.
3 Watching one of the Clade do a shuffling dance. 6 Drawing needle daggers out to deal with a threat.
“Invader” Pheromone bomb — Compels attacks from nearby bees, causing the Condition Marked Invader.
The attention of the bees requires a risk roll to avoid gaining the Condition Stung.
“Dead” Pheromone bomb — You are marked with the “something dead” pheromone and take the Condition
Marked Dead. This ruins any stealth and guarantees the attention of wingless drone bees.
Brazier Strike — Causes the Condition Burned as the Clade member sets you on fire.

A Heart Hums in Darkness • 77

 The Heart and the Twins
You’ve found it. The air in the Six-Form Heart is warm and close and sweet, busy with the coming and
going of drones. The walls drip with an obscene abundance of honey. In the center, the massive Mother of
Millions convulses, delivering another egg to be deposited in its own nutrient-rich cell.
But between you and the Queen stand still humanoid forms, unperturbed by the bee-filled atmosphere.
Bees crawl freely over their faces, in and out of their mouths, and over their unblinking eyes. They look
just like you.
goal Torch the hive to reclaim the city.

Everything is bathed in the golden-amber hue of honey. Your boots stick to the floor.
moments
Her body quivers and ripples, then the Mother of Millions lays another egg.

props traps treasures

The Twins. The wax manikins Any information provided Enlivened wax samples are
duplicated the treasure-hunters at the to the manikins is learned by worth 2 Gold to any arcane
point they made it past the initial Set. the Hive as a whole and will researcher.
They are perfect dopplegangers of the outlive the manikins. Weapons and armor that
treasure-hunters as they appeared at If a wax manikin is struck duplicate the party’s gear,
that moment. down, a replacement arrives but of lesser quality.
within a few minutes to
continue the fight.

The Six-Form Heart. The heart is The surrounding wax is flam- News of the current state of
a massive six-chambered nest of mable. Very flammable. this place is worth 2 Gold
special hexagonal waxworks containing from the kingsguard for each
The path back out is sealed
perfect eggs. Dripping down the side treasure-hunter who survives to
with wax and guarded by
into a trough is a jelly-like substance tell of it.
INCURSIONS

dog-sized wingless drone

that appears to be a more pure form of bees. The Hive does not want Royal jelly reduces Ruin by 1 if
honey; it seems to be fit only for the the party to leave. consumed.
Mother of Millions herself. She rests in
the middle. Her dark eyes monitor the Fort Duhrin’s authorities would
treasure-hunters. She won’t interrupt pay 4 Gold for proof of the
her placing of eggs into hexagonal Mother of Millions’s death.
chambers.

THE MOTHER OF MILLIONS weaknesses — Fire; smoke 4

A bee the size of a bear with an elongated abdomen and light-swallowing, intelligent eyes. A sticky tongue emerges
occasionally from a dark beak. The abdomen has multiple ovipositors which frequently birth different sized eggs.

1 Dining on food delivered by drone. 4 Murdering a rival Queen before it hatches.

2 Birthing many eggs at once. 5 Humming in the center of a whirling cloud of bees.
3 Watching a pattern performed by bee spies. 6 Enlivening a wax form.
Defenseless — The Mother of Millions does not fight. Once attacked, all manner of monsters will be
summoned to her aid. If any treasure-hunter is rendered defenseless and helpless while she is still alive,
she will instantly kill them and consume them.

78 · A Heart Hums in Darkness

 TALKING WITH THE TWINS

The doppelganger wax manikins were crafted by the Six-Form Heart to go on an expedition
into the human world in an exact mirror-image of the party’s journey. This subterfuge will
be most easily accomplished if the heroes die here at the foot of the Mother of Millions.
But the manikins, speaking on behalf of the Six-Form Heart, may be open to negotiation.

INCURSIONS
If combat does not immediately break out, have the wax manikins begin their quest for
knowledge here by asking questions in the first person, as if they were the treasure-hunters
themselves:
Examples:
“Where did I come here from?” (seeking the name of Fort Duhrin).
“Who is waiting for me at home?” (seeking names of people who may greet them).
“Why did I come here?” (seeking knowledge about the journey so far and inviting regretful
introspection).
If a treasure-hunter has newly discovered equipment, their double, who doesn’t have a
copy of it, asks, “May I have that? You won’t need it.”

Conclusion
If the treasure-hunters manage to destroy the Mother of Millions, they will be celebrated as
heroes back in Fort Duhrin, and possibly even in Ambaret. Their victory is Pyrrhic, however—
the Hive will simply feed royal jelly into a number of egg chambers and birth a half dozen new
queens. Killing the Mother of Millions will not slow the Six-Form Heart at all.

A Heart Hums in Darkness • 79

 The Huntsman’s Manor NATALIE ASH
INCURSIONS

“Alight! Alight!” The huntsman calls RUMORS OF TREASURES AT THE MANOR

With sun already set. 1 Adescribes

manual on hunting, written by the Marquess, that
rare and forgotten techniques he learned
The quarry springs as twilight falls, in the depths of Kalduhr.

A trophy now to get. 2 The Blackspear: the Marquess’s signature weapon.

Some believe this blackened steel boar spear was
enchanted to find the heart of its prey.

The moon above shines o’er the hunt 3 Hanging in pride of place, the Marquess was said to
have claimed and stuffed the head of a dragon as a
And hot breath fogs the air. trophy of one storied hunt.

The master surges to the front, 4 The Marquess’s ornate ceremonial saddle decorated
with ornate leather-work and gilding.
The trophy now is there. 5 The “Flying Wolf ”: a crossbow made to Marquess
Niral’s specifications. The stock is carved golden
hickory and the mechanism is tooled in brass
As hot blood runs and soaks the ground filigree. It was said the draw was so heavy, and
the bolts so thick, that no one could notch the
And hunger now’s been paid, bow but the Marquess.

The pack to which you have been bound: 6 Servants of the manor said that the Marquess took
notes on the creatures he encountered and slew
A trophy you’ve been made. within the forest of Old Kalduhr. This bestiary
would be among the best resources for those
venturing within the forest’s borders.

80 · The Huntsman’s Manor

The politically unremarkable Marquess Niral was a hunting prodigy, building his hunting manor
on the edges of the forest to hunt the most challenging prey. After his disappearance over a century
ago, the manor was abandoned, but what amazing treasures and trophies still remain?

theme pursuit

While the Marquess Niral was unremarkable in political influence, he was highly regarded in
his skills as a hunter. People considered it the height of folly to build his manor as close to the
forest as he did, but he would only laugh and say that he built where the prey was.
For a few years he held grand hunting meets, taking friend and foe to play at the edge of the
dark woods. To many guests, one such hunt was the thrill of a lifetime. It was not enough for
Marquess Niral. His own travels into the forest drove him deeper and deeper toward its heart.
When his final hunt left the manor ungoverned for a year, the servants turned to other masters
and the lodge was left unoccupied. For the last century of its existence, it has lain empty. The
manor’s proximity to the forest dissuades most scavengers, and the belief is there remains—
beyond the rusted, fallen, heavy iron gates—a treasure ripe for the taking.

SETS

The Overgrown The Hedge Maze

Gardens

INCURSIONS
The North Wing The Feast Hall The South Wing

The Wild Hunt

WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?

Though the manor was abandoned by the servants, its master did one day return, but no
longer in the form of a human. He returned beastbitten and has surrendered to this gift.
In doing so, he has gained the ability to control his transformations. He can change into a
wolf and back at will, except during the full moon when he is captured by the bestial spirit
for the duration.
He has collected the best hunters who have proven themselves in hunts in the forest,
offering them a pure life where all conflict breaks down to who is predator and who is prey.

warnings: Amputation, Body Horror, Cannibalism, Graphic Violence, Harm to Animals

The Huntsman’s Manor • 81

 The Overgrown Gardens
These once formal gardens, decorated with raised flower beds and topiaries, have become completely
overgrown. Most of the flowers, trees, and paths are choked thick with blackberry brambles.
goal Enter the manor.

A bramble moved out of the way snaps back and even farther, as if reaching for someone.
Blackberries have fallen to the ground and split open; their juice is thick — too thick — and red.

moments A row of white roses has tangled to form one giant, thorned bush. The petals sting if touched.
A clump of fur has been left caught on a branch. It is coarse and gray.
Caught on a short branch on the tree is a piece of cloth: thick, as if from a cloak. The pattern is a
faded houndstooth. From the look of things, its wearer had been running toward the manor.

props traps treasures

Several large wolves enjoy a fresh kill Several beastbitten wolves. Beneath the corpse—and
in a clear patch of short grass. The covered in its viscera—is a
wolves are eating from the fairly fresh small silver elk statue.
corpse of a human.

The greenhouse. A pile of rusted iron Sheltered by two panes of glass

and shattered glass that used to be a is an extremely rare orchid
greenhouse. Beneath the rubble are bro- (worth 1 Gold, but an orchidist
ken clay pots and mostly-dead plants. would offer 2 Gold for it).

The manor’s entrance. The oversized double-doors to the manor are in the same worn, overgrown condition
as the rest of the gardens. Inside is entirely different. Here, everything is exceptionally well-tended — nearly
immaculate. The entrance hall is large and long, ending in a curved double-staircase leading to the feast hall.
Its thick carpet shows no signs of wear and has no footprints. On both the left and right sides of the hall are
INCURSIONS

arched entrances to the north and south wings of the manor.

additional traps

The gardens are thick with dangerous, skin-tearing brambles.

At any point, a beastbitten wolf can harass the treasure-hunters, herding them toward the manor.

additional treasures

A weather-worn satchel holding silver flatware.

A magnificent pair of shed antlers.
A slain beastbitten wolf may be harvested as any other monster, and if so, its heart is found bound in thorns.

BEASTBITTEN WOLF weakness — Poison 9

Slightly larger than a typical gray wolf, this wolf has an immaculately clean grey coat and expressive eyes.

1 Consuming a fresh kill. 4 Racing each other through the grounds.

2 Napping in the sun. 5 Cutting artistic patterns into tree bark.
3 Observing intruders from the shadows. 6 Picking flowers.
Testing Defenses — The beastbitten wolf runs away after the first round of combat.
Shapeshifter — The beastbitten wolf transforms into its pack member form (see the feast hall).

82 · The Huntsman’s Manor

 The Hedge Maze
The stone archway that serves as an entrance to this maze is almost completely covered with vines
and overgrowth from the hedges. Inside, the once-perfectly shaped hedges have turned feral. The
maze can still be navigated, if only just.
goal Reach the center of the maze.

The sound of rustling behind you. The path turns to the right, but didn’t you come from the left?
moments A hedge is completely choked with brambles. Deep inside the hedge is a vibrant blue flower.
The brambles have grown overhead, creating a tunnel. A thin sap drips from the thorns above.

props traps treasures

The broken statue. A stone statue of a The two eyes of the statue are
rearing elk, moss-covered, with the head large flawed emeralds.
and antlers shattered on the ground.

The gazebo. At the intersection of two A pearl and gold earring is in the
paths is a large, circular lawn. Taking grass next to the bench.
up most of the space is a white gazebo,
though the white is streaked, faded, and
tinged green from moss stains. Within
the gazebo is a small bench, just wide
enough for two people to sit together.

The center of the maze. An open circular When someone enters this In the pond guarded by the wolf,
area the size of a large room with grass space, the topiary wolf there are brass bangles, a dec-
around the outside. The center is a pool “opens” its “eyes,” notices the orative scabbard, a wax-sealed
and fountain; the water within is un- treasure-hunters, and leaps letter, and a well-made dagger
moving and green with muck. Atop the across the fountain to attack. (each worth 1 Gold).

INCURSIONS
fountain is a platform with a larger-than-
life topiary of a sleeping wolf.

additional traps

A beastbitten wolf from the overgrown gardens can harass the treasure-hunters, herding them toward
the center of the maze.

TOPIARY WOLF weakness — Severing attacks 10

Fully eight feet from the ground to the shoulder, this wolf-shaped topiary is currently detached from its root system
and able to move about the maze of its own volition.

1 Growling like rough bark rubbing against itself. 4 Gnashing thorny, blood-stained teeth.
2 Leaves bristling and rustling in the wind. 5 Slowly turning to follow the sun.
3 Absorbing nutrients through its root system. 6 Growing larger.
The Huntsman’s Manor • 83
 The North Wing
This maze of small rooms each have two, three, or even four doors. Most are small parlors with one
or two chairs and a small table. Some have a fireplace and the attendant hardware. The walls are a
smooth plaster painted with bold colors. Ornate, gilt-bronze plaster moldings line the ceilings and
doorways. Elk-horn and bronze candelabra are lit in each room either on a table or suspended from
the ceiling. The candles have no wax-drips.
goal Find an exquisite treasure.

The howling of wolves echoing from deeper inside the manor.

There is a tall clock with a broken mechanism; it neither ticks nor chimes but the automaton
circles endlessly — an elk followed by a pack of wolves.
Hanging from the wall is a taxidermied hound with its belly open and exposed containing a man-
moments gled, taxidermied cat. The cat itself has its belly open, exposing a mangled, taxidermied rat.
When opening a door, you feel a sting in your palm as you turn the knob. Looking closer, you see
that the fangs in the ornate wolf-head knob extend as the knob is turned.
There is a dragonfly trapped on the inside of a window, buzzing and bumping against the glass.
You see first one jumping spider leap and grab it, then another, and another. Soon, nearly a dozen
spiders have grabbed onto the dragonfly and are beginning to consume it as it falls to the sill.

props traps treasures

A small parlor. This room has a single The animate prey corpse An oil painting of two nude
chair and table. Slumped in the chair is will awaken if touched and men dueling with daggers.
an animate prey corpse. attempt to flee. It cannot The Kanidian School by Baron
leave the room. Castermane. Oil on board.
18" × 23".
The dagger sheath on the
animate prey corpse’s belt
INCURSIONS

(missing the knife) has a

rather beautiful embroidery
of complex knotwork.

A small salon. While small, this room A handwritten folio of poetry:

is packed with chairs and comfortable The Song of Kalduhr by Countess
seating, except in one corner which has Coatsworth-Hague. The author
a small raised platform, as if a stage. The is no one of note. It is uneven in
wall-sconces have lit candles with heavy its quality, with strict and some-
shades on them, making the room feel times nonsensical rhymes.
even more intimate.

A long gallery. This room has only one The stone hound will attack Someone knowledgeable about
entrance. The room is long but narrow— anyone who comes near. the works of Ajino would
a tall person could touch both walls at recognize this piece: The Ecstasy
the same time. It is devoid of ornamen- Of Remuneration In The House
tation save for the far wall. A single Of Pleasure. Oil on stretched
chair faces that far wall. Next to the leather. 36" square (3 Gold).
chair is a tall candelabra brightly light-
ing its immediate area. Curled around
the base of the chair is the stone hound.
On the far wall is a large oil painting
covered by a curtain.

84 · The Huntsman’s Manor

 props traps treasures

The back stairs. A long hallway at the

back of the manor. The far end has a
staircase leading up. From above, there
are the sounds of many people gathered
for a feast. At the base of the stairs is an
age-yellowed piece of paper; it announc-
es a bounty on the head of someone
named Balan Doen.

additional treasures

Various small books of poetry and small paintings can be gathered. While they are unlikely to be of a collectible
creator, their general quality will carry a small value.

ANIMATE PREY CORPSE weakness — Fire 7

The body of a long-dead treasure-hunter. The skin is leathered and taut, cracked around the joints. Its clothes
are typical for the working classes in Fort Duhrin but a bit out-of-date. If the boots are removed, its feet have
bifurcated and thickened on the bottom. They aren’t hooves, but they are hoof-like.

1 Appearing as dead, holding perfectly still. 4 Leaping about the room when active.
2 Barely tracking movement with its dead eyes. 5 Attempting to move on all fours to escape.
3 Screaming and bleating loudly when touched. 6 Kicking with both back legs when frightened.
STONE HOUND weakness — Bludgeoning attacks 9
A hunting hound, faithfully carved from stone, even down to the quality of its fur.

1 Sleeping at the foot of his master’s chair. 4 Staring at the door.

2 Waiting for his master’s return. 5 Scraping the wooden floor with its stone toes.
3 Whining for his master. 6 Twitching as it dreams.

INCURSIONS

The Huntsman’s Manor • 85

 The South Wing
This wing has a series of larger halls functioning as a museum of sorts. Each room has displays of
hunting trophies and hunting paraphernalia from around the world. The floors are dark marble,
the walls are wood paneling, and it is all well-lit by chandeliers burning candles that shed no wax.

goal Find the best trophy.

A bracket breaks dropping a boar spear to the ground.

A sudden breeze flutters a tapestry of a wolf making it appear to be running.
A slow cloud passes in front of the nearly-full moon. A faster cloud appears in the sky and over-
moments takes it. As they separate from the moon, only the second cloud remains.
An ancient and nearly featherless lyrebird is kept in a too-small cage. The mournful, lonely song
it croaks out sounds like hunting horns and cleavers chopping meat.
There is a faded mural that shows a naked warrior fighting a bear with a short spear. Most of the
color has faded but the blood-red scratches on the warrior’s flesh still look bright and wet.

props traps treasures

The Hall of Plains. This large, square

room has gray granite floors and the
wood in the room is light oak. The cen-
ter of the room has a taxidermy display
of a bison fighting a pack of hyenas.
The walls are decorated with mounted
trophies, slings, bows, and spears.

The Hall of Deserts. The polished

sandstone floors are matched by sand-
stone pillars spaced around this room.
INCURSIONS

The room is full of shelves made from

baobab tree lumber upon which are dis-
played preserved scorpions and spiders.

The Hall of Kalduhr. Immediately upon Choking Brambles. If anyone The statue holds The Spear
entering this room is a giant statue of The touches the statue of the Old of Thorns. This barbed spear
Old One of the Forest. Well over twelve One, the brambles and thorns has the proportions of a short
feet tall, the ivy and bramble-covered on the statue and the images spear but the size is larger than
armor contains a fierce and wild looking of vines, brambles, and most polearms. This weapon
man. Fortunately, this is merely a bronze thorns in the wall-murals could only be used effectively
statue. The barbed spear it is holding is animate and fill the room, by a large, strong person. If it is
a real weapon, however. The remainder attempting to restrain, stab, wielded in combat, the wounds
of the room—tastefully decorated in and constrict the thieves it creates sprout constricting,
dark, walnut wood and moody murals of (risk roll to destroy the thorny brambles from the
the unusual landscapes of the Forest of brambles and avoid injury). incisions.
Kalduhr—contains taxidermied trophies
of unnatural creatures: elk with bladelike
hooves, boar with fungal manes, a gigan-
tic boa constrictor with three heads, and
other oddities.

additional treasures

The taxidermied trophies are all valuable but difficult to transport.

86 · The Huntsman’s Manor

 INCURSIONS

The Huntsman’s Manor • 87

 The Feast Hall
Three staircases come together at one end of a massive feasting hall. In the open rafters above, can-
dles drip wax from their elaborate antler candelabra. Large wooden trestle tables are heaped with
meats, breads, and vegetables. The many guests in attendance engage in boisterous conversation,
filling the room with a roar of enjoyment. They wear fashionable, expensive, and functional hunting
clothes. One end of the room has a small dais. No table stands on the dais: only an arched doorway
with the keystone carved in the shape of a snarling wolf and a curved staircase beyond it.
The attendees of the feast welcome the treasure-hunters and invite them to join. If they join, there
are no empty spaces for a group so the treasure-hunters are split up throughout the room.
goal Enjoy the feast.

Two of the feast attendees discuss which of the treasure-hunters would be the most delicious.
One attendee mutely consumes a heaping plate of meat with abandon. A small mouse climbs
onto the table and they scoop it up, dip it in gravy, and eat it without noticing. They look at the
person seated to their left with naked hunger in their eyes.

moments A feaster is partway through telling a story: “Now, the bounty was only enough for all of us if
we brought him in alive. When we got upstairs we found him alright, and the poor bastard was
already running on hooves. Well, there was no way to bring him in alive after that, but I could at
least bring his head back. There was plenty of Balen to go around, but not enough bounty, right?
Fortunately, my two companions were jumpy as deer by that point, so no problems!” Everyone
laughs. “Oh what was that, 50 years ago? Still have a bit of Balen left.” He shakes his coin purse
and sighs contentedly.

props

The meat pies. Wonderfully savory, with a perfectly flaky crust. Just enough gravy inside to keep it moist, but
not too messy to eat. There is an entire human fingernail in the filling.
INCURSIONS

The fortune teller. One feaster, dressed somewhat more gaudily than the rest, is doing three-card fortune
pulls. Everyone who has had their fortune read is laughing and seems merry. She will happily read the cards
for the treasure-hunters (See fortune roll on the next page).

The wolf ’s head door. Beyond this door is an ascending staircase in what looks like a tall, stone tower. The
stone seems older than the rest of the manor. Oddly, the treasure-hunters can’t recall seeing any towers from
outside the manor.

additional traps

Attendees are pack members who will defend themselves if attacked.

additional treasures

The centerpieces are gold-plated candelabras sculpted like stylized elk. Surprisingly, no one would mind if a
treasure-hunter took one, but more than one would be frowned upon.

PACK MEMBERS weakness — Poison 9

Humans dressed in high-quality but functional hunting attire and armed with all sorts of hand-held weapons.

Not Alone — After the first round of combat, enough fellow pack members will join in the fight that the treasure-
hunters cannot continue without dying or being subdued.
Shapeshifter — The pack member transforms into its beastbitten wolf form (see the overgrown gardens).

88 · The Huntsman’s Manor

FORTUNE ROLL

The fortune teller offers to read the fortunes of the treasure-hunters. She draws three cards for each person.
1. The first card shares a fact about who the treasure-hunter is now.
2. The second card indicates a challenge they will face in the future.
3. The third card suggests how they will change after that challenge.
For each reading, roll three times on the table below to select three different cards (rerolling duplicates).
If the dark die lands closer to you, consider that card to be reversed (listed in italics below).
Whichever treasure-hunter goes last will receive only blank cards. The fortune teller has them try again, but
the cards will again be blank. She appears shocked and distressed, whispers “I’m sorry,” and then walks away.

1 1 Saint Hester, arms holding harvesting tools.

Harvest, bounty (Emptiness, want).
4 1 Saint Aliciar, tying a knot before a ship’s sail.
Double-checking (Loss of security).

1 2 Saint Antonia, faceless, next to a grave.

Memory, a happy past (Gaps in knowledge).
4 2 Saint Fatimah, with mouth exuding smoke.
Purification (Loss of self, alienation).

1 3 Saint Barthus, holding aloft a burning hand.

Progress through pain (Self-harming obsession).
4 3 Saint Anpeth, whispering in another’s ear.
Being inducted into a secret (Being deceived).

1 4 Saint Exodias, standing in a leviathan’s maw.

Service to a great power (Being consumed).
4 4 Saint Dunyakj, hands around pregnant belly.
Vibrant creation (Risk and reward).

1 5 Saint Gliv, walking in moon-lit darkness.

Safety through danger (Foolhardy progress).
4 5 Saint Ellyellin, in a paper-covered room.
Building on knowledge (A false conclusion).

1 6 Saint Rosslyn, hovering above ground.

Having perspective (Being disconnected).
4 6 Saint Mephera, plunging a spade into dirt.
Careful preparation (Being tethered).

2 1 Saint Torii, beneath water, her hair floating.

Hidden depths (Lack of control, victimhood).
5 1 Saint Sinestra, palming a golden coin.
Secrecy, theft (Being discovered or labeled).

2 2 Saint Orfilios, surrounded by piles of gold.

Fortune, affluence (Envy, covetousness).
5 2 Saint Abriana, with no eyes and wide mouth.
Unrelated complication (Unrelated solution).

INCURSIONS
2 3 Saint Opalet, bound in a mass of thorns
Inescapable loss, pain (Surrender to misery).
5 3 Saint Caledo, wearing a veil with black lips.
Serendipity (Removing a terrible rot).

2 4 Saint Moeb, surrounded by many floating eyes.

Novelty, ingenuity (Willful distraction).
5 4 Saint Espiria, with a blindfold and abacus.
Poetic justice (Unjust payments or debt).

2 5 Saint Ara, holding a torch aloft.

A source of wisdom (Misleading perceptions).
5 5 Saint Felosil, throwing pottery on a wheel.
All eggs in one basket (Fruitless repetition).

2 6 Saint Borafel, hands being washed in a basin. 5 6 Saint Virgand, holding a calligraphy brush.
Being without blame (Being tainted). Precision, artistry (A clumsy hand).

3 1 Saint Kuramet, in a chariot pulled by lions.

Fierceness (Being victim to the inevitable).
6 1 Saint Corissa, touching a bolt of lightning.
A risky opportunity (Vainglorious struggle).

3 2 Saint Orvoras, with a child laying in her lap.

Being cared for (Unceasing giving ).
6 2 Saint Mirra, armored before an empty throne.
Paying homage (Devotion to an empty ideal).

3 3 Saint Evelyn, with a scalpel and bloody rags.

Recovery, hope (Mercy, forced endings).
6 3 Saint Tyriis, a compass pointing toward her.
Purpose in service (A dishonorable ruler).

3 4 Saint Fyonne, planting a sapling in a corpse.

Renewal, fruitful sacrifice (Consumption).
6 4 Saint Suraya, weaving a complicated pattern.
Recognizing patterns (Starting over).

3 5 Saint Clarithe, robe around a glass figure.

Revelation (The horror of being seen, shame).
6 5 Saint Yundran, with a sword and waterskin.
Traversing difficult terrain (Surprising life).

3 6 Saint Valencia, in scholar’s robes with a book.

Careful study (Hasty judgements).
6 6 Saint Merl, kneeling next to a small garden.
Caring for the fragile (Unchecked growth).

The Huntsman’s Manor • 89

 The Wild Hunt
The spiral stair ascends for much too long a time. Gradually, the air smells less like a feast and a
manor’s interior, and more like the scents of forest: pine and fresh running water. Soon after, the
treasure-hunters will ascend from the staircase tower into a stone gazebo. The gazebo stands in a
small meadow with bright, sunlit skies overhead. The forest around is strangely clear of ground cov-
er. There are the sounds of birds pleasantly chirping; somewhere nearby a running brook is babbling.
goal Learn the Rituals of the Wild Hunt.

props

The following scenes take place in the forest surrounding the manor. Play through each scene in this order.
Evening falls, the hunt is called. The treasure-hunters see the light go golden as the sun nears the horizon.
They hear the sound of hunting horns. As the light dims and begins to turn blue, they hear a mounted group
tearing through the woods. It is the entire group of pack members, led by Marquess Niral. He offers them the
chance to ride with the Wild Hunt. If they survive the night, he will teach each of them one of his Rituals. If
they choose to leave, they can return to the manor and then depart. If they balk at these options, Niral will grin
with malice, call them the night’s quarry, and give them until the moon rises before the Hunt will pursue them.
The party need not make a unified decision: Niral is happy to let each treasure-hunter choose their own fate.
The moon rises, as the pursuit is engaged. The sky’s blue becomes black. Clouds fill the sky and mist pools
on the ground. Any treasure-hunters joining the Wild Hunt are stationed at its front to prove their worth. Any
treasure-hunters selected as quarry have a lead, but may have to confront the Hunt if they are unable to run and
hide throughout the night.
traps: The uneven, mist-covered ground could cause a fall or a broken leg or ankle.
The mostly-invisible tree limbs could impede progress, injure eyes, or strip away weapons or armor.
The swollen moon is overhead and all is wild abandon. As the moon ascends, the hunters get off their horses.
Their grins are wolfish as they strip out of their clothes and secure their belongings. Niral strips and asks any
allied treasure-hunters if they want to continue on foot or on paw. Hunters begin changing their bodies to
those of beastbitten wolves. The process looks—and is—incredibly painful. The hunt is resumed by lithe, gray-
INCURSIONS

furred forms sliding through shafts of moonlight. If they assume a wolf form, the treasure-hunters are consid-
ered armed but do not have access to armor. Whether they would remain able to use any Rituals is negotiable.
If all the treasure-hunters joined the Wild Hunt, they encounter a herd of fierce prey. Other hunters confront
the smaller members of the herd, leaving Niral and the treasure-hunters to confront the central beast. Inter-
sperse the following moments into the description of the combat.

One wolf darts and bites the rear leg of one of the beasts; another wolf comes from its side and bites deeply
into the beast’s neck. That wolf rips out a chunk of the beast’s neck and is covered with a shower of nearly-
black blood. The beast kicks out once then falls, bleating faintly as it slowly goes still.
A wolf tries to rush behind one of the beasts but the beast sees it and lashes out with its iron-hard hooves.
The wolf is struck in the ribs, caving several of them in and flaying the flesh open. It limps away.
Three wolves stand shoulder-to-shoulder and rush one of the beasts. They leap onto its back, clawing,
ripping, and biting chunks from it. Before it falls, they have eaten their fill.

If not all of the treasure-hunters joined the Wild Hunt, those who run encounter the herd of fierce prey just
as the first members of the Hunt do. Niral confronts the running treasure-hunters, the hunters confront the
other herd members, and the hunting treasure-hunters confront the central beast.
If all the treasure-hunters chose to run, they find a clearing suitable for an ambush. The environment can be
used to winnow the number of hunters pursuing them. Allow the treasure-hunters to describe what elements
of the forest they can use as a trap, and then have them make a risk roll. On a 6, two of the wolves are
trapped (possibly injured, not dead, and out of the fight). On a 4 or 5, one is trapped. On a 2 or 3, none are
trapped. On a 1, the trap misfires, injuring or creating an additional obstacle for the treasure-hunters.

90 · The Huntsman’s Manor

 During combat rolls, the treasure-hunters only engage Niral. The remaining wolves are taken out of
the fight with risk rolls. During each combat round, anyone who attempts to deal with a wolf makes a
risk roll to do so. A success makes them back down—they are trying to be sporting. The wolves will not
all attack at once—have a flow of them in-and-out to highlight the unpredictable nature of the encounter.
Anyone confronting a wolf cannot contribute dice to the combat roll that round. If someone breaks off
Niral to address a wolf, their Weak Point die must be passed off to another treasure-hunter as usual. If they
return to confronting Niral, they may reclaim their Weak Point.
If any of the treasure-hunters mark 6 Ruin, if Niral is overcome in combat, or if the treasure-hunters kill the
central beast from the herd of fierce prey, switch to the following narration: The frenzy of running wild through
the woods has left you tired. As the moon dips low, the cries of battle grow distant and a thick fog obscures every-
thing beyond your hands. You find yourselves overcome with the exhaustion of your night and you slowly fall to the
ground. The hazy shapes of the others around you show a similar fate befalling them. It grows dark, which some part
of you recognizes is your eyes closing and sleep taking you.
Dawn Burns the Clouds and Reveals the Remains. The survivors of the night awaken at the gazebo with the
sun already risen. The clouds and mist have burnt away. Niral and the pack members are relaxed and jovial.
The treasure-hunters—no matter which side of the hunt they were on—are greeted warmly. Niral will offer the
two Rituals, as appropriate, to the treasure-hunters. Any who take up the Hunter Ritual are welcome to stay.
Everyone is free to leave if they do so peacefully.

Hunter — when you have the scent of your prey, you can feel their heartbeat when you face them.
Prey — spurred by pursuit, you can run faster and with greater endurance.

THE CENTRAL BEAST weakness — Marquess Niral 12

A pack of prey animals that at first glance look like taller, more muscled elk proceed before the most magnificent
prey ever to walk on four legs. This beast towers above the others, its muscles taut and rippling beneath its scarred
hide. It’s rack of antlers is stained a dark red with many lifetimes worth of blood.

1 Running with sparks flying from hooves. 4 Stampeding the herd forward.
2 Locking horns with a lesser prey-beast. 5 Squaring off for an inevitable fight.
3 Tossing antlers to throw wolves at sharp branches. 6 Fleeing as the sun rises.
Fierce Charge — It knocks down a treasure-hunter after a charge, causing the Condition Broken Bones.

INCURSIONS
MARQUESS NIRAL weaknesses — Silver weapons; weapons consecrated in baleful moonlight 10
In human form, he is a tall and broad-shouldered man, with close-cropped hair and a beard with only a light
feathering of gray. His leather armor is well-maintained but obviously functional rather than decorative.
In wolf form, he is an enormous gray wolf with ruinous teeth and thick, coarse fur.

1 Seamlessly transitioning from two legs to four. 4 Howling with a bearded face.
2 Pouncing with a spear thrust. 5 Laughing with a barking snout.
3 Stabbing with claws and teeth. 6 Hunting, as only he can.
Learning Hunter — If not overcome during the first Combat Roll, increase his Endurance by 1.
Learned Hunter — Strikes from his teeth, claws, or weapons are deadly, causing the Condition Mortal Wounds.
This Condition must be treated within a few hours or Ruin increases by 1, and again by 1 each day thereafter.
Effortless Shapeshifter — He transitions between wolf and man, catching a treasure-hunter off balance.

Conclusion
The treasure-hunters might join Niral and use his manor as a base to make incursions into the
Kalduhr. They might return and tell the world of Niral’s presence and that of the beastbitten
hunters living on the estate. Few would care and maybe one day a small army would be sent to
kill them, but there isn’t enough wealth or strategic value in the estate that many would find it
a worthwhile endeavor.

The Huntsman’s Manor • 91

 Foulcoult’s Bounty
OLI JEFFERY
INCURSIONS

92 · Foulcoult’s Bounty
Merek Foulcoult is a madman, they say, or a messiah, depending on who you talk to and the di-
rection of the wind. All you know is there’s a bounty on his head for blasphemy, and you mean to
collect it. They can argue about philosophy once he’s dead and you’re paid. He’s retreated to the port
town of Old Kaleczenie, which has been seized by riots and a disease causing the afflicted to dance,
unbidden and violent. Nobody remembers which caused the other anymore. Rioters, dancers, and
a hideous sentient fungus stand between you and Foulcoult; or between you and the coin his blood
is worth, at least.

theme frenzy

Merek Foulcoult is a bringer of madness and passion. The sole survivor of a plague ship from
further down the coast that wrecked on the treacherous beaches surrounding Old Kaleczenie.
He received visions in his delirium during his bout with the plague. He spreads both his doc-
trine of absolute abandonment to humanity’s basest urges, and a voracious fungal infection
that sends those contaminated by it into violent, dance-like spasms. Physical illness that leads
to a loss of bodily autonomy is used as a metaphor for and in discordant harmony with literal
indoctrination into hateful and violent behaviour. When running this incursion, emphasise
spreading madness in both the indoctrinated and the infected, along with the rapidly spread-
ing sentient fungus.

SETS

The Citadel
The Tempest The Grand The Master Mortiis
Bazaar Speaks D’Jezorha

INCURSIONS
The Wretched
Caves The Parade

warnings: Body Horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Classism, Confined Spaces, Graphic Violence, Harm
to Animals, Harm to Children, Human Sacrifice, Manipulation, Mental Illness, Religion, Shipwrecks

Foulcoult’s Bounty • 93
 The Tempest
Travelling the inland area surrounding the fortified city of Old Kaleczenie is a death sentence. Since the
bounty on Foulcoult was issued, many have tried approaching that way and were swiftly cut down by
his cultists before they got close to the city walls. Approaching from the sea is perhaps just as dangerous,
but at least unpredictably so. Wracked by tropical storms and waves the size of titans, boats are wrecked
here more often than not. But that “not” is all you need. Your ship, the Sharglave, approaches the port in
the early hours of the morning in the midst of a tempest so violent that the things that lie dreaming at the
depths of the ocean cower in fear. All you have to do is land.
goal Land safely in Old Kaleczenie’s port.

An approaching ship full of travelers is struck by alchemical fire thrown from a trebuchet on the
city walls. It is quickly engulfed. Passengers jump into the treacherous ocean to avoid the flames.
moments A drowned child from one of the wrecked ships lies face down on the beach.
A lighthouse atop the cliffs swings its light wildly one way then the other. It seems people are
dancing within and around it.

props traps treasures

Sharglave. Your battered clipper. Its The trebuchet reigns

sails are torn and its mast is splintered alchemical fire down on
and cracked. any ship that it can.

The city. The weather-worn walls The welcoming committee The porcelain masks that the
around the city tower are festooned waits atop the walls of the welcoming committee wear
with gibbets and heads on spikes. A city, killing anyone who tries have a chilling beauty and
bizarre clockwork apparatus drags ships to enter. command a high price back
from the port up the sides of the walls. home (1 Gold each).
The only thing that remains clean here
INCURSIONS

is the billowing flag of the city, which

has been attended to with great care.

The ocean. Crashing waves, beating, Debris burning in the water

hot wind, and blinding rain. mixed with titanic waves and
jagged rocks make the ocean
dangerous for any swimmer
or sailing ship.

additional treasures

Bottles of unused alchemical fire atop the walls; goods, money, and fine clothes drifting from wrecked ships.

THE WELCOMING COMMITTEE weakness — Their masks 7

People wearing tattered and mixed military uniforms, smiling porcelain masks decorated with gold leaf and
semi-precious stones, and matted wigs. They cannot be reasoned with and will stop “the infection” (anyone from
outside the city) from breaching the walls.

1 Spouting the rhetoric of Foulcoult. 4 Bawling half-remembered songs, inventing lyrics.

2 Itching as if a thousand bugs are crawling on them. 5 Parroting words and noises they hear.
3 Screeching incoherently. 6 Watching for infiltrators.
Rise Again — A presumed-dead member of the Welcoming Committee stands back up and resumes the attack.

94 · Foulcoult’s Bounty
 The Wretched Caves
If you can’t make it safely to the port, the Sharglave will wreck upon the vicious rocks that jut up from
the shingle beaches surrounding Old Kaleczenie like teeth in a ruined mouth. The walls are unassailable
from here, but there are whispers of another way. A cave system used by smugglers to enter the city in its
happier days lies abandoned. Perhaps there is a reason for that.
goal Find your way out of the labyrinthian caves into the city.

The caves are unbearably humid, a warmth that seems to pulse and throb.
moments The deeper you enter into the labyrinth, the more often you spot patches of a pulsating
putrid-orange and white fungus covering the walls.

props traps treasures

The tunnels. The caves seem to wind in Corpse harvesters roam

all directions; in the darkness and the the tunnels, looking for
oppressive humidity, it’s hard to think more bodies to add to their
and harder to keep track of where you decoration.
are. They sprawl upwards and down-
wards as well as every cardinal direction.

The hanged man. The mummified The dead smuggler has a set
corpse of a smuggler dangles from a rope of ivory false teeth that could
that must have washed in with him. He be pried from his distressingly
swings back and forth, despite there moist mouth.
being no detectable breeze.

additional traps

Collapsing caves; sudden floods; old booby traps set by the smugglers.

INCURSIONS
additional treasures

Caches of liquor, drugs, and other illicit goods abandoned by smugglers.

CORPSE HARVESTERS weakness — Bright light 9

Monstrous crabs the size of bulls with spiked and horned skin, their bodies decorated with detritus and decaying
corpses impaled on their chitinous spikes.

1 Scuttling up the walls. 4 Thrashing against the walls of the caves.

2 Dropping from the ceiling. 5 Communicating by chattering their mandibles.
3 Decorating their bodies with corpses and refuse. 6 Pretending to be a pile of refuse and bodies.
Chitinous Spines — One of the treasure-hunters is impaled on a corpse harvester’s many vicious protrusions,
causing the Condition Bleeding Wound.

Foulcoult’s Bounty • 95
 The Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar of Old Kaleczenie used to be a humble street market. Since Foulcoult arrived, it has
transformed into a nightmarishly crowded labyrinth of stalls and tents spilling and climbing over each
other. Traders push past each other to be the next to thrust their goods in your face.
goal Battle through the crowds to get to the amphitheater.

A stall selling babies who are kept piled on top of each other in a large—but not large enough—
cage. The trader repeatedly sings out their possible uses: companionship, labor, and livestock.
An artist offers to draw portraits of anyone willing to try to sit still amidst the crushing crowds.
moments The portraits are monstrous reflections of the subject's true soul, but otherwise quite good.
A trader tears through the crowds on a blinkered bull throwing a selection of objects of varying
quality from a large sack over his shoulder. He declares that anyone hit by the items owes him
their price. Prices are reasonable if it was something you wanted rather than something random-
ly thrown at you by a madman on a bull. Those that refuse to pay are gored by the bull’s horns.

props traps treasures

The stalls. It’s nearly impossible to tell There are dancers amongst Amongst the trinkets, fakes,
how many stalls there are here, as they’re the crowd. Due to their and things that you wish you
crushed so close together and situated infectious nature, the longer had never seen, there are some
on top of each other. Some of the stalls the treasure-hunters stay genuine treasures that a person
are only accessible via other stalls and there, the more dancers there of low moral fiber could steal
have no connection to the outside world. will be. from the stalls (each item stolen
Their owners look as if they have not is worth 1 Gold).
seen the sun in some time. The question
of where anyone goes to the toilet is
studiously avoided.

Food pits. In the center of the Bazaar lie the food pits: a series of ten- Something glints in one of the
INCURSIONS

foot-wide holes, each filled with a different stew. The owner of each hole food pits—investigating reveals
assures you their stew is the best in all of Old Kaleczenie; they go further it to be fine jewelry (worth 3
declaring their stew is the only one that will not produce great pains and Gold), raising some questions
vomiting upon eating. New ingredients are being added to the food pits about the origin of the meat in
on a regular basis including rotten fruit and vegetables, animals (both that particular stew.
living and dead), and other objects probably not considered food at all.

additional traps

The street traders will surround and separate the treasure-hunters from each other. The party may be literally
smothered by the crowds bearing down on them.

DANCERS weakness — Stillness causes the fungus to leave 8

Humans infected by the fungus that Foulcoult has spread through his preaching. Their hair is falling out, their
skin is crawling with rashes, and their clothes are torn and tattered as they try to rid themselves of the vile itching.

1 Arms and legs flailing in a violent dance. 4 Hysterically laughing and furiously screaming.
2 Belching spores into the air. 5 Desperately trying to stop their own dancing.
3 Forcing others to dance with them. 6 Jumping into the crowd and trampling them.
Foul Breath — A dancer breathes spores on a treasure-hunter, causing the Condition Infected. The treasure-
hunter’s dance begins as a twitch here and a muscle spasm there before developing into a furious danse macabre.

96 · Foulcoult’s Bounty
 INCURSIONS

Foulcoult’s Bounty • 97
 The Master Speaks
In a crumbling amphitheater in the center of the city, Merek Foulcoult holds court over a crowd of his
believers. He scratches at his fungus-covered skin. His body is a strange combination of malnourished
and bloated, different parts bulging or sagging. His robes are finely made but unable to fit his twisting
form. His hair and beard are matted and long, blowing in the oppressively warm wind.
Foulcoult preaches a complete dismissal of all laws, not as a benevolent anarchist, but to allow him and
his followers to do whatever they want and surrender themselves to their basest and most violent urges.
He preaches that anyone who speaks against them is a vile, inhuman enemy who must be crushed. He
preaches that they are jealous or—even worse—poor, a failing of their souls and a perversity of their
minds that must be cleansed with fire.

goal Assassinate Merek Foulcoult.

The crowd is ecstatic, some listening, some screaming in support, some fighting with each other.
All smile joyously from vacuous faces as they stab and beat and trample on each other.
A herd of pigs is accompanied to the altar and slaughtered. Their blood is drained into large
moments bowls, which are passed around the crowds for them to pour over their heads, staining them red.
Someone in the crowd raises a small dissenting point against Foulcoult’s preaching. The mad
preacher singles them out as a liar and a traitor. He calls on his followers to punish them. They
do, stamping and trampling the poor soul to death and ripping their body apart.

props traps treasures

Walls. The amphitheatre is surrounded

by crumbling spiked walls to keep out
unbelievers. The gates are guarded by
some of Foulcoult’s most loyal Converted.
INCURSIONS

The amphitheater. A crumbling old are- The Converted make up the

na able to seat up to two thousand people bulk of the crowd—they’re
at a time now holds at least that many. more interested in watching
The seating descends in concentric cir- Foulcoult and acting out
cles, each with a jump or climb between whatever perversity brings
them of around six feet. them joy than in fighting the
treasure-hunters, but they
are a hindrance and will turn
on the party if challenged.

The podium. Foulcoult preaches from At the center of the crowd, Foulcoult reads from a tattered
the very center of the amphitheater. The nearest Foulcoult’s altar, is book atop a golden lectern.
area is large enough for a lectern, some an iron fence to stop the Pit The book itself is a worthless
bodyguards, and the sacrificial swine. from oozing through. 23-year-old almanac unrelated
to anything he’s saying, but the
lectern itself is worth 3 Gold.

additional traps

Spikes on the walls; crumbling steps.

additional treasures

Many of the converted carry expensive weapons and other open displays of wealth with them.

98 · Foulcoult’s Bounty
 THE CONVERTED weakness — Seeing poverty 5
The citizens of Old Kaleczenie who haven't yet been infected with the fungus, but have instead fallen for Foulcoult’s
creed of individualism, giving in to their basest instincts. They attack anyone who suggests they should act otherwise.

1 Screaming in support of Foulcoult. 4 Repeating Foulcoult’s words over and over.

2 Attacking someone random as an enemy. 5 Mutilating their own eyes and ears.
3 Vomiting from overexcitement. 6 Tearing away their own clothes and skin.
Herd Mentality — Another of the Converted notices the treasure-hunters amongst the general furor of the rally
and joins in the fight.

INCURSIONS

THE PIT weakness — Any fungi cure 10

A collection of fungally-infected citizens that have formed into one gestalt entity. It’s impossible to tell whose limbs
and teeth and voice belongs to whom. The fungus surrounds them, stretching and contracting as the entity moves.

1 Pulling a body back in as it tries to escape. 4 Dancing around the center of the ampitheater.
2 Absorbing new people. 5 Simultaneously giving Foulcolt’s improvised speech.
3 Climbing up the fence in an attempt to get in. 6 Oozing.
Slippery Ooze — The Pit secretes a pale orange liquid: the combination of spores and their own sweat and piss.
Make a risk roll to remain upright—failure causes the Condition Infected as the treasure-hunter slips.

If the treasure-hunters successfully assassinate Foulcoult...

His blood spews out as pure fungus, and he begins to bloat and stretch into the fungal merek foulcoult
(see the next page). He bursts through the walls of the amphitheater into the citadel mortiis d’jezorha.
d’jezorha.

Foulcoult’s Bounty • 99
 The Parade
If the treasure-hunters fail to assassinate Foulcoult at the amphitheatre, he will lead his followers on a
parade of destruction through the city to his home, the Citadel Mortiis D’Jezorha. A crowd of protestors
has gathered as well.
goal Follow the parade into the citadel.

The Converted don severed and hollowed animal heads. The wearers of the masks of goats, pigs,
wolves, and cows dance wildly in the style of those animals while singing incomprehensible
songs. Others wave torches with no care for those they burn.

moments The remnants of the city guard are on show during the parade. They are interested only in
keeping the Converted and the protestors apart and allowing the parade to continue. They have a
distinct prejudice against the protestors. They make no effort to help any of the treasure-hunters
or protestors if they’re injured.
The parade spills past the guards and inflicts terrible violence on the crowds of protestors
surrounding them. The guards do nothing to stop this.

props traps treasures

The streets. These walkways and paths The parade of the Converted Burned out warehouses still
of Old Kaleczenie are crumbling and is joined by Dancers as they contain some salvageable goods
war-torn. The buildings flanking the proceed through the city. and foods.
streets are burned out and graffitied Those citizens still opposed
with Foulcoult’s slogans. The streets to Foulcoult’s preachings hurl
are filled with his supporters and those rocks, rotten fruit, and the
brave enough to protest against him. carcasses of animals.

additional traps

Potholes and loose stones may mean slipping under the feet of the parade.
INCURSIONS

When the treasure-hunters reach the Citadel...

Foulcoult’s followers build a pyre and set him upon it. He screams that it is his enemies setting him on the
pyre, but it is clear that his guards are doing this under his instruction. The higher the flames go, the more
insistent he becomes. As the flames consume him, he bursts out of his own skin and transforms into the
fungal merek foulcoult.
foulcoult.

THE FUNGAL MEREK FOULCOULT weakness — Tactics exploiting his fury 12

A bloated collection of pulsating animate fungus and tattered remains of torn skin in the rough shape of a man,
fifteen feet tall and almost as wide. It manifests as a collection of hands and mouths, spewing forth incoherent words
as it smashes around with no concept of what it’s destroying. It grabs and eats and screams, taking in all it can.

1 Eating anything and everything. 4 Pulsing and bulging and bursting.

2 Shredding a priceless book. 5 Poorly mimicking smiles of normal people.
3 Spouting incoherently from many mouths. 6 Smashing furniture with its shifting bulk.
Many Mouths & Hands — Foulcoult’s body manifests new hands, grabbing a treasure-hunter. The body then
manifests a new mouth that attempts to devour the treasure-hunter.
Infectious Bite — A hand grabs hold of a treasure-hunter, then a mouth forms in the hand to bite them, causing
the Condition Infected.

100 · Foulcoult’s Bounty

 The Citadel Mortiis D’Jezorha
The Citadel Mortiis D’Jezorha was previously the headquarters of the city’s branch of government but
has been overtaken by Foulcoult. He has many followers and guests, including the richest in the city.
goal Slay the final form of Merek Foulcoult and claim his head as a trophy.

The fungus-infected gardener outside the citadel attempts to mold new “topiary” from handfuls
moments of dead animals and excrement.
Groups of people have frantic sex among and on the corpses in the throne room.
The corpses of Foulcoult’s enemies hang from improvised chandelier-gibbets.

props traps treasures

The gardens. The overgrown citadel The gardens are filled with
gardens were once a well-kept gallery of Dancers and the Converted.
extraordinary topiary, but are now over-
run with the fungus, which clings to and
connects every tree, plant, and statue.

The hallways. The halls of the citadel The strange fungus covering Finery and jewelry has been
are winding and labyrinthine. Moriis the wallpaper is composed of fused into the fungus on the
D’Jezorha has a rotten and fetid gran- Foulcoult’s earliest and most walls but can be dug from the
deur with deep and luxurious carpets fervent followers. Closer fleshy, pulsing sides.
that squelch underfoot with decaying inspection of the orange and
mushrooms. Strange fungus covers the white fungus shows a mix-
ostentatious hand-painted wallpaper. ture of pulsing flesh, leering
faces, and grasping hands.

The throne room. This place used to The Fungoid Merek The bounty on Foulcoult’s
hold meetings of great significance. A Foulcoult himself (see the severed head is worth 3 Gold

INCURSIONS
throne at the end of the room has lost previous page). for each treasure-hunter who
much of its gilt. The room is full of can claim it. The head itself is
corpses, statues, childlike portraits, and forty pounds of fleshy fungus.
other strange pieces of art that Foulcoult
has commissioned.

additional treasures

The citadel is in decline but used to be a palace of great riches and art. Statues, paintings, and bejeweled knick-
knacks can be found around the palace, though you have to scrub them thoroughly to rid them of the fungus.

Conclusion
Having killed and beheaded Foulcoult, the treasure-hunters still need to escape the city. Escaping
via a stolen ship­—their own having been wrecked at the beginning of the incursion—could lead to
maritime adventures and incursions on islands surrounding the coast of Old Kaleczenie before they
reach their destination.

Foulcoult’s Bounty • 101

 The Temple of the Peerless StarJASO
JASON CO
CORD
RDO
OVA
INCURSIONS

102 · The Temple of the Peerless Star

Read the following to the players:
The priests of the Temple of the Peerless Star in Ambaret have declared a holy night, an action they
haven’t taken for over thirty years, ever since Rahmet ils Nar, the star they worship, visibly dimmed
from a bright, fiery white to a dull, sickly yellow. No one knows why they declared the holy night
after so long, but the faithful are taking advantage of a rare opportunity to nourish their connection
to the Peerless Star, pouring into the temple’s main sept by the dozens in order to receive blessings
from the star priests.

Then, ask one question of each treasure-hunter. They can answer now or later.
• Tell me about the constellation that was brightest in the sky on the night you were born.
Has it affected your life for good or ill?
• What great treasures do the priests of the temple parade in front of their followers during
religious festivals?
• Someone you know has recently adopted the Faith of the Peerless Star, and now serves at this
temple. Who are they?
• Were you taught to worship Rahmet ils Nar as a child? If not, how do your gods, or the gods of
your community, view the star and those who worship it?
• What miracle or demonstration of power have you observed being performed by the star priests?

Then, continue reading:

You’ve heard rumors that the Temple of the Peerless Star is built atop a set of catacombs, and that
the star priests’ most valuable artifacts are hidden in this subterranean space. Most days it would
be extremely difficult to infiltrate the temple, but the newly-declared holy night presents an op-
portunity: you can slip into the temple unnoticed and find the catacombs while the star priests are
preoccupied with ministering to the faithful.
As a group, choose which approach you prefer:

INCURSIONS
• Enter through the sept, disguised as a worshiper, –or–
• Enter the back of the temple by way of an unguarded service entrance.

FOR THE GM’S EYES ONLY

The star priests keep a giant snake, Rahmet ils Noh, the Starlight Serpent, in the catacombs
beneath their temple. They consider this snake to be a living expression of their starry god,
Rahmet ils Nar. The snake has recently laid an egg—the first time it has done so in over a
century—and the priests believe this is a sign that the Peerless Star’s power is returning to
the world. They have declared a holy night in order to honor the event, but they offer no
public explanation, nor will they discuss the existence of the Starlight Serpent and its egg.
Depending on which approach the players choose in order to infiltrate the temple, start
with either the sept Set or the sacristy & priest quarters Set.

warnings: Body Horror, Graphic Violence, Human Sacrifice, Religion, Snakes

The Temple of the Peerless Star • 103

 theme stars above, stars below

Much of this incursion takes place underground, but even so, the heavens above should figure
prominently: the stars, the planets, the night sky. Things should twinkle and glimmer, and
there should be pinpricks of light in the darkness. Emphasize stillness, as if floating through a
void, and silence. Characters should ramble about the heavens, about planetary alignments. If
you need motifs, focus on stars and planets: swords with pommels shaped like ringed planets,
murals decorated with constellations, treasures shaped like zodiac signs, etc. Put starry things
both above the treasure-hunters’ heads and below their feet.

SETS

The Sept The The Starlight

Observatory Serpent Den

The Sacresty & The Basement The Catacombs

Priest Quarters

TEMPLE SERVICES

The treasure-hunters can obtain any of the listed services while they are in the sept during
INCURSIONS

the holy night. Treasure-hunters are assumed to have enough silver on hand to pay for a
single service that costs “a handful of silver.” To pay for a second service that costs a hand-
ful of silver, the treasure-hunter must spend the equivalent of 1 Gold. Services that cost the
equivalent of X Gold must be paid for in coinage or the donation of an item of that value.
Horoscope (a handful of silver) — Roll 1 light die and 1 dark die; keep whichever you wish and add it to a
future die roll result.
Conveying a spirit to the heavens (a handful of silver) — How do you know the spirit is in a better place now?
Baptism of Light (a handful of silver) — The petitioner will be escorted to the glowing fount near the main
altar. Receiving this baptism is a prerequisite to learning the Peerless Visage Ritual.
Attuning someone to a constellation of good fortune (1 Gold) — Name the constellation. Then, take a
light die and add it to a single roll associated with an action taken beneath the light of the constellation.
Sleeping potion (1 Gold) — Puts the drinker into a deep sleep (3 uses).
Starlight wine (1 Gold) — Heals 1 Ruin if consumed beneath starlight.
Simple Marriage (a handful of silver) — The celebrants are married by a star priest—on the spot, right there
in the middle of the east transept.
Star-Blessed Marriage (1 Gold) — The celebrants are married by the high priest, near the main altar.
Access to the Observatory (2 Gold) — The person paying for the service plus three guests are escorted to
the observatory where they can stay for an entire night, gazing at the stars. They are strongly advised to avoid
tampering with the spherical astrolabe.

104 · The Temple of the Peerless Star

 The Sept
The sept is crowded with members of the faithful—and the blue-robed star priests ministering to them.
Hymns are being sung, babies are being blessed, marriages are being performed, prayers to Rahmet ils
Nar are being whispered, and more.
goal Gain entry to the basement.

A supplicant occasionally sings a few bars from his favorite hymn, “The Nine Points of Glory,”
though the melody is more ominous and unsettling than you remember.
moments The light of the Peerless Star, throbbing and dull and yellow, viewed through an opening in the
ceiling above the main altar.
A silvery yellow pigment is rubbed on the statues and busts adorning the sept.

props traps treasures

Prayer plinths. Short stone pillars where A book of sacred hymns can be
a supplicant can kneel and pray. Most are found near one of the plinths.
occupied, but a few are empty.

East transept. A group of blue-robed The star priests will not Small offering plates of silver
priests and yellow-robed acolytes are act against the party in the being passed among the
performing blessings and other services presence of the faithful. supplicants.
to a large queue of worshippers (see the However, if they become A silver holy symbol in the shape
Temple Services table, previous page). aware of the treasure-hunters’ of a nine-pointed star.
ill intent, they track their
movements deeper in the
temple and strike when there
are fewer eyes on them.

West transept. A statue of Saint Gliv, Among the candles is an unburnt

INCURSIONS
patron saint of astronomers. In life, she star candle, deep blue, with silver
built the spherical astrolabe that now pin pricks all over. A treasure-
rests in the observatory. Her arms are hunter who lights it while
crossed over her chest in the traditional performing a Ritual beneath
manner; in one hand she holds a sex- starlight adds one light die to the
tant, in the other an unfurled star chart. associated risk roll (3 uses).
The base of the statue is surrounded by The star chart held by the statue
dozens of candles. depicts the night sky from long
ago. The spherical astrolabe in
the observatory can be set
to the constellations on the chart.

Main altar. A large table is set before an An offering plate at the foot of
enormous statue of a nine-pointed star. the altar holds numerous coins
To the left of the statue is a pool of water and gems. A treasure-hunter can
glowing bright and white. Behind the easily swipe a handful of silver,
statue is a locked hatch in the floor that or enough to equal 1 Gold with
descends into the basement. In the rear a little more effort. Stealing
of the main altar is a door that leads to the entire offering is risky, but
the sacristy & priest quarters. worth 3 Gold if they do.

additional traps

Pickpockets in the crowd of worshippers.

The Temple of the Peerless Star • 105

 The Sacristy & Priest Quarters
The rear portion of the temple, not generally open to the public, consists of a few short, tight corridors
connecting four rooms, each of which is behind a simple wooden door, none of which are locked: the priest
quarters, a common room, the kitchen, and the sacristy. Candles under glass cloches affixed to the walls
light the way.
goal Gain entry to the basement.

The soft swishing sound of an acolyte sweeping the area behind the temple.
The sensation of starlight wine on your tongue, fizzy and sweet, but with an unmistakably bitter
moments aftertaste if not consumed beneath the stars.
Floor tiles painted deep blue and black, with pinpricks of yellow and white; each a tiny
representation of the night sky.

props traps treasures

Priest quarters. A long dormitory with An acolyte shirking his The foot lockers are each
a dozen beds on either side; each bed duties is skulking around in secured with a simple lock, but
has a foot locker, straw mattress, feather the shadows. can be pried open with the right
pillow, and thin blanket. equipment. If the treasure-
hunters take the time to search
them all, they will find enough
coins and gems to equal 2 Gold,
several wooden holy symbols in
the shape of a nine-pointed star
(collectively worth 1 Gold), and
a journal. The journal depicts
drawings of dreamlike con-
stellations that are not of this
world. The spherical astrolabe
INCURSIONS

in the observatory can be

set to these constellations.

Common room. This room contains a A tapestry hanging on the wall

long trestle table and chairs, atop which depicts an ochre-colored sky,
are stacks of clean tin plates and cutlery, with constellations not of this
and a few comfortable wingback chairs world. The tapestry is crafted
with side tables. of silk, with gold and silver em-
broidery, and is worth 2 Gold.
The spherical astrolabe in the
observatory can be set to the
tapestry’s constellations.

Kitchen. A cooking hearth, stone coun- A bottle of starlight wine can be

tertops, pantry, and various utensils. found tucked away behind some
dried foodstuffs in the pantry.
Heals 1 Ruin if consumed
beneath starlight.
Copper pots and pans.

106 · The Temple of the Peerless Star

 props traps treasures

Sacristy. A small room with vestments A star priest or acolyte could Deep blue star priest robes and
hanging on hooks and several ceremo- enter the sacristy at any bright yellow acolyte robes.
nial tools arranged on shelves. There is moment. A fine porcelain mask decorated
another door opposite the entrance that with star and planet motifs.
leads to the sept, to the area behind the
main altar. As in the sept, a locked Censer of Guardian Spirits (2
hatch near the statue of the nine-pointed Gold). The powders contained
star opens up to a set of stairs that leads in this censer are used in burial
to the basement. rites, and said to convey spirits
to the heavens. When swung
under the open night sky, the
silent visage of the recently
dead can be revealed. Name a
dead treasure-hunter or other
important figure. Their ghostly
image can be summoned to
patrol a camp, cause a distrac-
tion, or otherwise serve as best
it can without voice or physical
form. After the censer has been
used, roll a dark die. On a 6, the
powder inside is consumed, and
the item cannot be used again
until more is acquired.

additional traps

Glowing, star-shaped sigils that silently alert the star priests when touched.

additional treasures

Decorative star stones that depict swirling galaxies; white silk gloves used for ritual working; stone reliefs
depicting the nine-pointed star.

INCURSIONS

STAR PRIESTS & ACOLYTES weakness — Philosophizing about the spiritual significance of stars 6
Star priests wear robes of midnight blue embroidered with silver stars. Senior members of the faith, such as the
high priest, wear bright white robes. Acolytes wear dull yellow robes. All fight with ceremonial daggers with star-
shaped pommels.

1 Praying: “Bless me with your fiery light, oh Rahmet ils Nar!”

2 Muttering: “...but how could that be? Is it possible that Dim Carcosa and the Peerless Star are one and the same?”
3 Hissing: “How dare you defile this sacred place, interloper!”
4 Declaring: “The time of the Nine-Pointed Star is nigh!”
5 Invoking: “May the light of the Peerless Star cleanse the stain on your soul, heathen!”
6 Soothing: “Fear not, for the Nine-Pointed Star sees you; may its light be a balm to you.”
The Temple of the Peerless Star • 107
 The Observatory
The observatory is built atop the roof of the temple, and accessed via the stairway near the west transept
(although a particularly brave treasure-hunter could reach it by climbing up the outside wall). The ob-
servatory is covered by a large dome that can be opened by operating a large crank near the stairway,
giving a terrific view of the night sky. A massive spherical astrolabe is set atop a platform in the middle
of the observatory.
goal Discover the spherical astrolabe’s true power.

The sound of the faithful singing hymns in the streets below.

moments A comet streaking across the night sky.
Rahmet ils Nar, throbbing and whispering.

props traps treasures

Spherical astrolabe. A ten-foot There are no traps in the

diameter sphere of concentric brass observatory, but a star priest
rings covered with various cosmolog- or acolyte may hear if the as-
ical markings and glyphs, centered trolabe is being repositioned
around a smaller brass sphere meant to and come up to investigate. If
represent a planet. The markings on the the treasure-hunters paid for
rings depict the constellations in the the privilege of being in the
sky. The rings are very heavy, but with observatory, the star priest
some effort, can be set to depict other or acolyte will merely chide
constellations (see Setting the Spherical them for interfering with the
Astrolabe). astrolabe.

Observation deck. An elevated wooden A bottle of starlight wine. Heals

platform covered with cushions, perfect 1 Ruin if consumed beneath
for lying down and gazing at the stars. starlight.
INCURSIONS

additional traps

A cat burglar climbing up from the outside wall.

additional treasures

A fine glass lens; a well-made brass and wood spyglass; a box of brass fittings, used to repair the astrolabe.

108 · The Temple of the Peerless Star

SETTING THE SPHERICAL ASTROLABE

The treasure-hunters will encounter various star charts and night skies that depict constel-
lations from another world or time as they explore the temple. The spherical astrolabe, a
powerful magical artifact, can be set to depict these unusual constellations. Doing so invokes
a variety of magical effects. The magical effects end if the brass rings are repositioned.

The constellations depicted on Saint Gliv’s star chart

Saint Gliv herself appears in the observatory. She will answer any three questions posed to
her to the best of her ability.

The constellations depicted in the journal

The observatory becomes a gateway to the Gossamer Void, which connects to other
dimensions and realities.

The constellations depicted on the tapestry

The observatory is transported to the surface of a strange planet with a sickly yellow sky.
The treasure-hunters can’t leave the observatory, but ask them what they see on the plan-
et’s surface that shows the unusual geometry of this place. Traveling to this planet is one
of two prerequisites for obtaining the Peerless Visage Ritual; the other is to receive the
Baptism of Light. Once both prerequisites are complete, the treasure-hunter gains the fol-
lowing Ritual immediately and at no cost:

ritual

Peerless Visage — your skin glows with a warm, yellow light from within

INCURSIONS
The settings of the miniature spherical astrolabe
The observatory is transported to the death realm. Whoever set the astrolabe can summon
a dead treasure-hunter or other noteworthy figure. The character will return to the world
of the living once the astrolabe is repositioned. The spherical astrolabe will cease to func-
tion after it returns from the death realm, all of its magical power drained away for good.

The inverted night sky in the framed star chart

Each treasure-hunter in the observatory changes in a significant way—something about
their body, mind, history, or talents becomes the opposite of what it was (player’s choice).
No one will remember a time when it was any other way, and the treasure-hunters will
perceive that setting the astrolabe to this position had no effect.

The constellations represented by the snake track

If alive, the Starlight Serpent appears in the observatory. It is completely docile, and its
scales twinkle with a warm, pink light. It will rise to the heavens, free of its service to the
temple, and travel to a distant planet, never to be seen again.

The night sky depicted on the ceiling of the ritual room

Ia! Ia! Rahmet ils Nar nol ventilas daar! Ia! Ia! There is no apparent effect, but the treasure-
hunters know—instinctively—that the world will end before they can achieve their Drive.

The Temple of the Peerless Star • 109

 The Basement
The basement of the temple is a set of rooms connected by a series of short, tight corridors; candles under
glass cloches affixed to the walls light the way. The door to each room is locked. At the end of one corridor
is the stairway entrance to the catacombs.
goal Discover the nature of the temple’s most valuable treasure.

An iron door decorated with a relief of a stylized, nine-pointed star.

moments The sound of chanting coming from above… and below.
The lingering, acrid smell of incense burned earlier in the day.

props traps treasures

High Priest’s office. A large wooden The desk drawer is locked; The wardrobe contains three
desk and wardrobe, both painted tampering with it triggers a sets of high priest robes, each
midnight blue and heavily lacquered. poisoned needle trap. worth 1 Gold.
A small bed with a midnight blue wood There is a miniature version of
frame is pushed against one wall. the spherical astrolabe set atop
the desk; it is set to a series of
unrecognizable constellations.
The spherical astrolabe in the
observatory can be set to
these constellations.
Inside the desk drawer is a sack
of silver worth 2 Gold.

Library. A small, cozy room with rugs, A star priest or acolyte One book stands out in the
comfy chairs, a stack of folded blankets, can enter the library at any bookcase because it has no title
and a built-in bookcase along three moment. on the spine. If perused, the
INCURSIONS

walls; the books are mostly boring treasure-hunters learn that it is

treatises on cosmology and astrology. a history of the temple itself. If
A framed star chart hangs on one wall. studied for at least an hour, they
learn that the temple’s most
valuable treasure is Rahmet ils
Noh, the Starlight Serpent, a
beast the priests believe to be an
avatar of Rahmet ils Nar. They
also find a very recently added
handwritten page revealing that
the giant snake has laid an egg
for the first time in a century.
The framed star chart is excep-
tionally rendered and finely
detailed (2 Gold). It depicts an
inverted version of the night
sky. The spherical astrolabe in
the observatory can be set
to these inverted constellations.

Dry storage. A dusty room with dried A star priest or acolyte can Any who search here add an
foodstuffs, old rugs and tapestries, and enter the dry storage at any Additional Backpack Equipment
various supplies. moment. item to their character sheet.

110 · The Temple of the Peerless Star

props traps treasures

Stairway entrance. A locked iron door Any attempt at opening

rubbed with silver and gold leads to a the door without a key will
stairway down to the catacombs. trigger a magical rune that
fills the space with intense,
searing heat.

additional traps

If the star priests were previously alerted to the treasure-hunters’ presence, they will mount their assault here.

additional treasures

Small brass sextant; small silver octant; the temple’s ledger (no intrinsic value, worth 1 Gold to the right buyer).

INCURSIONS

The Temple of the Peerless Star • 111

 The Catacombs
A large network of masoned corridors and natural stone tunnels; it occupies an area twice as large as the
temple. The ceilings are fairly high throughout, and the whole area is decorated with star carvings rubbed
with silver. There are no light sources. The walls have metal grates that swing in both directions set in
them at fairly regular intervals; each grate gives the treasure-hunters access to the snake track.
goal Find the entrance to the Starlight Serpent’s den.

A silver fountain filled with star stone offerings, and, if you look closely, more than a few
human-looking teeth.
moments The light of the Peerless Star, throbbing and dull and yellow, viewed in your mind’s eye when you
close your eyes.
A shallow pool of water, inside of which is a constellation of glowing, slow-moving tadpoles.

props traps treasures

Central junction. The stairs from the There is no real danger when Among the bones and detritus
basement lead to this area: a large, the treasure-hunters first in the refuse area beneath the
round chamber with three passage- enter the catacombs. That metal floor grate is a well-pre-
ways jutting off it. A massive metal changes once they start to served set of leather armor; it’s
grate dominates the floor of the room; explore and the starborn and embroidered with a tag of own-
beneath the grate is a space filled with the Starlight Serpent become ership that reads: “R. Crow.”
bones and other detritus. This refuse aware of their presence. The A dagger bearing the blood-red
area beneath the grate connects to the Starlight Serpent knows that mark of the ancient House
snake track, and the Starlight Serpent the treasure-hunters must Castafiel can be found in a
can push open the grate from below to pass through the central corner of the junction.
get access to the central junction. junction in order to escape
the catacombs, and will lie
in wait in the refuse area
beneath the metal grate and
INCURSIONS

ambush them, if need be.

Snake track. A tunnel, the so-called The treasure-hunters can Though not a treasure per se,
“snake track,” is built into the walls of encounter both starborn if the treasure-hunters take
the catacombs; metal grates that swing and the Starlight Serpent the time to draw a map of the
in both directions are spaced through- while crawling through the snake track, they will discover
out and give the treasure-hunters access snake track. Such encounters it has the appearance of a set of
to it. The tunnel can only be explored on are extremely dangerous. unknown constellations, with
one’s knees, single file. If followed for a Depending on how the en- each metal grate representing a
time, the snake track eventually leads to counter happens—from the star. The spherical astrolabe in
the Starlight Serpent’s den. It can also front or from the rear—only the observatory can be set
be followed back to the refuse area in the treasure-hunter in the to these constellations.
the central junction. front of the line or the back
of the line can participate in
a combat roll, and they
have to roll two Weak Points
(if the second Weak Point
is the same as the first, roll
again until you get a different
number).

112 · The Temple of the Peerless Star

props traps treasures

Crypts. One of the passages off the cen- Both starborn and the See Searching the Crypts on the
tral junction leads to a series of twisty Starlight Serpent can attack next page.
corridors. These corridors contain a at any time. The starborn will
number of small tombs, sarcophagi, and leap from the snake track
rooms with stacks of bodies interred in and engage in full combat.
the walls. The Starlight Serpent will
not completely leave the
snake track, and will retreat
if undefeated after the first
combat roll.

Ritual room. One of the passages off If the ritual is interrupted in Though not a treasure per se,
the central junction leads to a short any way, the starborn will the ceiling depicts a night sky
corridor that ends in an open doorway, immediately attack. Their that is not of this world. The
on the other side of which is the ritual collective Endurance is 12. spherical astrolabe in the
chamber. Inside, a naked star priest is observatory can be set to
laying atop a mosaic of a nine-pointed these constellations.
star set in the floor. The priest is sur-
rounded by nine starborn chanting over
him in a strange tongue. The starborn
will eventually complete their ritual
by sinking their teeth into the priest’s
body, the wounds corresponding to nine
sacred points: forehead, left clavicle,
right clavicle, left palm, right palm, left
inner thigh, right inner thigh, sole of left
foot, and sole of right foot. The starborn
will then carry the bleeding priest back
to the central junction and then to the
Chamber of Stillness. In addition to the
mosaic, the ritual chamber is decorated
with a painting of a starry night sky on

INCURSIONS
the ceiling.

Chamber of Stillness. One of the There is no treasure here, but if

passages off the central junction leads a treasure-hunter investigates
to a short corridor that ends in an the topmost portion of the
open doorway, on the other side of chamber, they will realize that
which is the Chamber of Stillness. The the ceiling is made of thick
Chamber of Stillness is an enormous, glass, and that the Starlight
inky black void, punctuated by stars Serpent isn’t flying overhead,
all around—a galaxy in miniature. The but rather crawling around in a
room is extremely cold. Floating in this room on the other side of it.
cold stillness are star priests, most dead,
but some bleeding out (see Ritual room).
The dead ones are in various stages of
metamorphosis, slowly turning into
starborn as they drift among the heav-
ens. The Starlight Serpent can be seen
flying overhead. Any treasure-hunter
who enters the room will immediately
begin to float; this floating can be con-
trolled to some degree.

The Temple of the Peerless Star • 113

 additional traps

Tiny cave scorpions nest in the natural rock formations.

additional treasures

Wall carvings depict various stories connected to the Temple of the Peerless Star (rubbings taken of these
carvings can be sold to antiquarians).
Jewelry with stones shaped like planets.
A crown of silver stars.
A silvery chain shirt.
Ceremonial blades that have been treated to have a yellow tinge to the metal.

SEARCHING THE CRYPTS

Many generations of star priests and starborn have been buried in the crypts beneath the
temple, and most were interred with the treasures from their mortal life. If the treasure-
hunters take the time to examine the numerous tombs and sarcophagi, they will find a
great deal of valuable treasure: jewels, coins, decorative objects, and more. However, the
longer they do so, the more likely the starborn and the Starlight Serpent become aware of
their presence.
Each player can spend a single Hunt Roll token to find treasure equal to 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 Gold
(player’s choice). Then, they roll a dark die. If they rolled less than or equal to the Gold
value of the treasure they found, a starborn or the Starlight Serpent attacks (gm’s choice).
The starborn leaps from the snake track and engages in full combat.
The Starlight Serpent does not completely leave the snake track, and retreats if undefeated
after the first combat roll.
This process can only be done once per treasure-hunter.
INCURSIONS

STARBORN weakness — Bright light 7

These ghoul-like creatures have thin, milk-white skin, long, greasy strands of black hair, talons for hands, a
mouthful of razor-sharp teeth, and enormous eyes. From “birth” to demise, they shun the sun and only rarely leave
the temple at night. They are born with knowledge of the oldest, most sacred rites of the Faith of the Peerless Star,
but can only speak the star tongue, a language impossible for a member of any other species to learn (unless they
themselves become starborn), save the Starlight Serpent, who understands them perfectly.

1 Whispering: “Izzrak nol ventilas baan.” 4 Murmuring: “Rukaz, Rahmet ils Nar… rukaz, Carcosa.”
2 Screeching: “Kazzrak zul atolis baan-nol!” 5 Sussurating: “Izzra zal… izzra nol… izzra zaan.”
3 Chanting: “Ia! Ia! Rahmet ils Nar nol ventilas daar!” 6 Bleating: “Aalzuk naal! Aalzuk naal!”
Darkvision — When you fight them in the dark, their Endurance is increased by 1 (maximum 12 Endurance for
large groups of starborn).

114 · The Temple of the Peerless Star

 RAHMET ILS NOH, THE STARLIGHT SERPENT weakness — Threatening its egg 11

INCURSIONS
A gigantic snake, thick as a tree trunk at its widest point, covered in hard, mirror-like scales. Its eyes swirl
with starlight and its fangs are as long as daggers. It understands the star tongue, and has a surprisingly
cunning intellect for an animal.

1 Lying in wait. 4 Changing the color of the starlight in its eyes.

2 Twisting its body into unknown constellations. 5 Gathering light in its scales.
3 Smelling the air with its tongue. 6 Dreaming of other planets.
Hardened Scales — Bladed and blunt weapons are turned away easily by the snake’s scales; only piercing
weapons can harm it.
Mesmer Eyes — Instead of dealing Ruin, the Starlight Serpent causes you to be mesmerized by its gaze. Your
Weak Point must be taken by another player for the remainder of the combat, or until the serpent releases you.
Only one treasure-hunter can be affected by this at a time.
Crushing Coils — Instead of dealing Ruin, the Starlight Serpent causes you to be trapped in its coils. So long
as you are coiled, no other treasure-hunter suffers Ruin when their Weak Point is rolled, but you suffer twice as
much when yours is rolled. Only one treasure-hunter can be coiled at a time. This defense cannot be used when
striking from the snake track.
Dazzling Scales — This defense can only be used when the combat takes place in the Starlight Serpent’s den.
During the combat, the Starlight Serpent gathers light from the stars beneath your feet. At the start of the third
round of combat, the light is magnified a thousand times and violently ejected from the snake’s body, stunning all
treasure-hunters in the room. Make the combat roll as normal, but the Starlight Serpent cannot be defeated,
no matter the result. This is repeated at the start of the sixth round of combat, if need be.

The Temple of the Peerless Star • 115

 The Starlight Serpent’s Den
A perfectly spherical room, bisected by a floor made of thick glass. Beneath the glass is an inky void
swirling with stars, a galaxy in miniature (in actuality, the Chamber of Stillness). The den can be
accessed from the snake track via a grate in the ceiling, or from the Chamber of Stillness, provided the
treasure-hunters can figure out a way to get past the thick glass. A glowing starlight nest floats in the
middle of the room.
goal Acquire the Starlight Serpent’s egg.

A starborn floats beneath your feet.

moments
In the distance, chanting.

props traps treasures

The nest. The nest floats in the center The only danger in this set Nestled in the nest is the Star-
of the room, too high to reach without is the Starlight Serpent, light Serpent egg, a mirrored
special tools or magic, though trea- provided the creature has not ovoid the size of a football,
sure-hunters might be able to reach it if yet been destroyed. and extremely heavy (5 Gold
descending from the snake track grate. unhatched; 1 Gold hatched).
The nest is a few feet wide, and made Immediately after the egg
of swirling starlight, like a miniature has spent a night exposed to
galaxy; it is incorporeal, but a mirrored the light of the stars, which it
egg somehow rests in it. absorbs through its mirrored
surface in order to nourish the
growing serpent within, but
before it is hatched, it is an
incredibly powerful source of
magical energy. risk rolls
taken for any Ritual used in
proximity to a “charged-up” egg
INCURSIONS

are taken with no dark dice, and

the player can add light dice
instead of dark dice in order
to re-roll. Each time the egg is
used in this way, roll a dark die:
on a 6, the egg hatches; the egg
is no longer as valuable, and
it loses its magical properties,
but the baby starlight serpent
within can be sold to the right
buyer for 3 Gold. There are
rumors suggesting the nature of
the egg’s magic changes if it is
exposed to the starlight of other
worlds, and can even change the
nature of the growing serpent
inside, but this has never been
verified.

Pile of shed skin. A pile of glittering Some of the discarded scales

skin recently shed by the serpent is on still have their luster and can be
one side of the den. collected (2 Gold total).

116 · The Temple of the Peerless Star

 Conclusion
This incursion can end in one of many different ways, depending on the approach the trea-
sure-hunters take, when and how players spend their Hunt Roll tokens, whether the Starlight
Serpent is destroyed, if and when the treasure-hunters take advantage of the temple services,
and so forth. A few key things to remember:
The treasure-hunters have to pass through the central junction in order to escape the cata-
combs. If they do so and have not yet defeated the Starlight Serpent, it will attack them in the
central junction.
It’s entirely possible the treasure-hunters take an approach to the temple that gets them access
to its secrets without having to sneak around and steal. If, for example, they make hefty do-
nations to the temple, the star priests may be willing to discuss the operation of the spherical
astrolabe, the existence of the Starlight Serpent, and their theories regarding Rahmet ils Nar.
The spherical astrolabe is a powerful device, and the magical effects listed in this incursion
may not be exhaustive. Feel free to come up with new star charts and magical effects and place
them in future incursions for the treasure-hunters to find. The spherical astrolabe can and
should be a jumping off point for further adventures, perhaps to entirely different planets and
dimensions!

INCURSIONS

The Temple of the Peerless Star • 117

 The Smoldering Moor
NATALIE ASH
INCURSIONS

118 · The Smoldering Moor

Buried wealth rests with buried nobles. Queen Banmuir’s cairn lies in Kairmough Castle, nestled
in the mist-shrouded moors of the Black Mountains. News has reached your ears that a wildfire
has caused most residents of the castle and the village at the foot of the mountains to take refuge
elsewhere. You are prepared to slip in as soon as it’s safe (even sooner, really), to plunder the un-
guarded wealth of Kairmough and ride away before the locals return. You’ve heard the stories of the
shrieking heard on the moors but that can’t have anything to do with Kairmough, can it? It doesn’t
matter. What matters is the gold and jewels just ripe for the taking.

theme smoke & cinders

The moor and Kairmough are solidly in the space between still-burning and ash. There is a
constant smoke and ash in the air and any stray cinder might catch ablaze on any yet-unburnt
surface. The treasure-hunters will never have any sort of clear and open line-of-sight; empha-
size the indistinct shapes and the bilious movements in the smoke.

SETS

The Wildfires

Kairmough Kairmough Queen

Village Castle Banmuir’s Cairn

INCURSIONS

warnings: Burning, Graphic Violence, Harm to Animals, Harm to Children

The Smoldering Moor • 119

 The Wildfires
Kairmough is still some distance away. Ordinarily the moorlands have dense purple heather and scat-
tered white cotton-grass, but much of it has been reduced to ash. Large fires still burn and the air is thick
with low-lying smoke. The road to Kairmough is still ablaze so a path through the still-burning heath
must be found.
goal Reach Kairmough.

A dark plume of smoke and two bright cinders flare in it like the flashing eyes of a beast.
moments
Far away, a wolf howls. A moment later there is a much closer, unidentifiable shriek.

props traps treasures

Burned cart. Some distance off the road On the body near the burned
is a half-burnt four-wheeled ox-drawn cart is a pouch containing
cart. A partially burned ox corpse is still still-usable spices and a simple
harnessed. Its unburnt flesh is crawling skeleton key.
with maggots. Whatever bundles were
in the cart’s bed are destroyed. A short
distance away lies a burned body.

Peat flat. A small field of peat that is The peat flat is superheated Beneath the cairn is a sword in
green and vibrant appears untouched by and if the surface of the a leather scabbard. The sword is
the flame. In the center is a waist-high ground is disturbed, it may rusted through and the leather
cairn. vent skin-rending steam. is rotten, but there are some
semi-precious stones that can
be removed.

Cottage on the rise. A small cottage — The cinder ghost manifests In the wardrobe is a small chest.
ruins, really — is on the top of a small within the cottage. She will If opened, it contains a small
INCURSIONS

hill. The stuccoed walls are blackened relentlessly pursue whoever pouch of smooth river stones,
with soot and the stone walls are often takes the baby’s rattle. If the several small squares of fabrics,
bare. The roof has caved in, but not rubble is dug through, it will and a small silver baby’s rattle.
from the recent fires. The interior is reveal a crushed crib and tiny
covered in dry, brittle moss. There is a skeleton. If the skeleton is
half-wrecked wardrobe sheltered by the properly buried, the ghost
most intact wall. will share a look of gratitude
and fade from existence.

additional traps

At any point there may be a wildfire flare.

CINDER GHOST weakness — Extreme cold 9

This cloud of dense smoke is shaped in the form of a woman wearing a simple dress. Her eyes are a swirl of cinders.
Her cries bring with them a cloud of burning cinders.

1 Wailing in anguish. 4 Staring into her past.

2 Draining the life-force from the living. 5 Digging in the rubble with insubstantial hands.
3 Weeping tears of fire. 6 Softly singing altered and twisted lullabies.
Spectral Attacks — Armor cannot absorb the hits of the cinder ghost.
Cindered Cry — The cinders spread by her cries can light a flammable object.

120 · The Smoldering Moor

 Kairmough Village
The village of Kairmough is built onto a narrow switchbacking area on the lowest foothills below Kair-
mough Castle. Built of stone and stucco, the buildings of Kairmough are intact but soot-blackened. The
air is heavy with clouds of smoke and, in places, embers of burning wood litter the narrow streets.

goal Learn what preparations the Kairmough people were making.

The sound of a door slamming.

moments The bakery, next to a windmill. Inside is charred and rotting bread. The oven—somehow still
burning—is full of charred lumps of rye bread. The smell of burnt bread is oppressive, as is an
unrelenting clunking of the mill’s broken shaft turning.

props treasures

Blacksmith. There are only three stone Underneath the tarp is a pile of rough but usable iron-and-skymet-
walls to this building; the fourth wall al glaives. The shafts are dry pine: usable, cheap, and not long last-
is a series of large stable-doors which ing. The blades are roughly shaped and will hold an edge, but they
are open. Everything is as expected in are too soft to stand up to lengthy service. They are an unrefined
a smithy: cold hearth, bellows, anvils, iron. In the forging pattern are swirls of some other material that
hammers, and other tools on a rack. has a crystalline aspect.
In the back of the shop is a mound of
coal and a pile of iron. Behind that is a
waxed-canvas tarp covering something.

Temple. A single-room chapel. One A trapdoor in front of the hearth leads to the ash pit. The pit is
side wall has a wide, shallow fireplace oversized—the size of a small room. On the floor is a priestess
with an open trapdoor to an ash pit; wearing traveling clothes, dead from smoke inhalation. She holds
along the wall furthest from the en- a book: something of a history and research notes about various
trance is an altar. The altar contains a rituals of immortality and how to break them. The earliest entries
bronze statue half the size of a person are over a hundred years old. The last page, dated a few weeks ago,

INCURSIONS
depicting a woman in robes with wild reads: “I have delivered several large crystals of skymetal to Brinn.
curly hair. Closer inspection reveals it Hopefully he can blend them into suitable weapons to kill her. If this
is Saint Magrett, Tender of the Moors, doesn’t work, we may remain under her yoke until the end of days.”
as she holds a rabbit in one hand and a
small knife in the other, which is typical
of her portrayals.

The Maiden’s Embers. The old painted The room in the basement can be broken into or unlocked if the
sign for this tavern is faded, chipped, treasure-hunters retrieved the earlier skeleton key. Inside is a small
and can’t be made out. It is a simple table with several chairs. There are chalk drawings on the walls
building, cozy, with several large fire- that depict the layout of a castle—Castle Kairmough by reason-
places, and heavy tables and chairs. Two able inference. Some locations at corners or points likely to be
guest rooms are in the gabled attic. Be- load-bearing are marked with Xs. Firing arcs from doors and win-
hind the bar is a kitchen which leads to dows are plotted. Ground-level entrances are circled. On the table
a root cellar and the publican’s cottage. is a small chunk of an unusual silver crystal (skymetal crystal) and
The root cellar stores some half-barrels a large skeleton key (a copy of the Kairmough vault key).
of foodstuffs and beer. A door, locked
by a heavy iron padlock, blocks access
to (judging from the footprint of the
building) a fairly small room.

additional treasures

Fine household items: tea sets, silverware, porcelain trinkets, and pewter figurines.
An antique snuff box of tarnished silver inscribed with an image of a bird rising from a fire.

The Smoldering Moor • 121

 Kairmough Castle
This old castle has never had extensive additions and renovations largely due to its constrained location
on a narrow cliff. It does have a commanding view of the moors and Kairmough village below. Inside, the
rooms are small and the walls are thick stone covered with many tapestries. The tapestries tend toward
geometric patterns rather than representative art.
goal Hear Queen Janneth’s offer.

Entering a closed room, a gout of flame spills well past the grate of the fireplace. It settles after a
moment into a cheery, ordinary fire.
moments
A window pane breaks from its lead frame and showers the ashes from the wildfires into the
room like snowfall.

props traps treasures

Gallery. This long hallway has a series

of oil paintings depicting the previous
queens of the castle, dating back to its
founding over 300 years ago: Queen
Moira, Queen Rigitte, Queen Banmuir,
Queen Adaira, and lastly Queen
Janneth. All of the queens have striking
green eyes. The labeled paintings depict
women, often in their thirties, in in-
creasingly older styles of dress. The last
depicts a young green-eyed girl, wearing
a fire-red dress in a style in fashion over
a hundred years ago.

Throne Room. A surprisingly ascetic A veil beast guards Queen In the Queen’s possession
INCURSIONS

room, the bare stone walls aren’t even Janneth here, watching the are a silver comb, the key to
covered by tapestries. On the far end, a treasure-hunters. the vaults, and the crown
simple wooden throne is on a small dais. of Kairmough.
A small girl—about eight years old with
cynical green eyes, wearing fine grey
robes and a fine crown—is sitting on the
throne. The left wall has large windows
covered with soot. The only signifi-
cant light in the room is two braziers
flanking the throne containing barely
burning coals.
Queen Janneth will welcome the
treasure-hunters and offer them great
wealth if they venture into Queen
Banmuir’s Cairn and lay her ghost
to rest by returning the bones to
the sarcophagus and salting them.
(Queen Banmuir’s ghost was
responsible for starting the fires).

122 · The Smoldering Moor

 props traps treasures

Vault. Secured behind locked, thick, The shelves are barren save one
iron-banded oak doors, this room is item: a small brass statue of a
small. All four walls are covered with grinning fox.
deep shelves. In one corner of the room,
two royal guards lie dead of sword
wounds. There is a hole in the center of
the floor, recently made, leading to a
tunnel that leads away from the castle
and village.

QUEEN JANNETH –
While she can be injured, cuts through the skin will heal instantly. A severed body part will be regrown in a
matter of hours. If beheaded, her head will grow a new body in a matter of days. If reduced to ashes, she will be
back on the throne within weeks. Despite this, she has the form and strength of an eight-year-old child and can be
overcome without difficulty.

VEIL BEAST weakness — None 9

An ashen-skinned, hairless cat the size of a large dog. The skin is cracked and oozes a black ichor which disintegrates
into burning ash. Its tail is leathery and tipped with a stinger. Its eyes are white orbs behind fleshy lids.

1 Licking its paw very loudly. 4 Slowly disemboweling mice.

2 Sleeping in a circle. 5 Resting with its head on Queen Janneth’s lap.
3 Staring at an empty corner. 6 Pointedly ignoring you.
Pounce — Knocks you down.
Poison Stinger — You are weakened by poison, causing the Condition Poisoned.

INCURSIONS
If the veil beast is killed, its body disintegrates. At the next new moon, a new veil beast will enter the castle to
guard Queen Janneth, provided she still retains the crown.

The Smoldering Moor • 123

 Queen Banmuir’s Cairn
The cairn has an above-the-ground structure that is circular and about the size of a small cottage. Be-
neath the ground it is a warren of tombs.

goal Contain the danger of Queen Banmuir.

moments In one corner, a tiny drip of water falls into a very small pool. Tiny drips, several minutes apart.

props traps treasures

Entrance. The stone path leading into The offering bowl at the altar
the cairn has a spot where a standing contains two small, hand-
guard has worn the flagstone. The lintel bound, hand-tipped books of
over the door reads: “Queen Banmuir of illustrations of the area around
Kairmough. Her Good Works will Carry Kairmough.
Through the Ages.” Past the door is a
small altar with Banmuir presented as if
she were one of the Sisters. Beyond this
are descending stairs.

First vault. After descending a few Two cinder fetches are in

flights of stairs, the path opens into this the room resting among the
room. Several shelves containing skel- skeletons.
etons are carved into the stone walls.
This room is clearly much older than
Queen Banmuir’s time and may predate
the castle above.

Second vault. Further in, there is a The cinder fetches (from the
second vault. This one is newer, larger, first vault) have a small stash of
and contains a series of raised platforms trinkets stored amid the skull
INCURSIONS

on which wooden sarcophagi have been of Queen Rigitte. Of particular

placed. Two platforms are empty—as note is a small silver pendant,
yet unused. One sarcophagus lid is circular, inset with a red garnet
sculpted and painted in the appearance cut in the shape of a flame.
of Queen Rigitte. A three inch-wide
crack runs through the lid.

Third vault. Comparatively, this vault is a recent addition. Carved as if it were a temple of its own, it contains
one ornate, gilt sarcophagus. A carved plinth states it to be the eternal home of Queen Adair, who so loved
Kairmough she gave her life to safeguard her people. At the base of the plinth are flowers: some dried, some
crumbled, and some dust. The sarcophagus’s lid has been removed and lies broken to the side. The skull of its
resident is smashed to bits; the hammer which performed the task left with the remainder of the skeleton. Judg-
ing by dust and wear, this act occurred sometime within the last year.

CINDER FETCHES weakness — Water 7

These spirits look like a dense cloud of embers in the shape of a fox.

1 Playing tug-of-war with interred bones. 4 Setting things alight and watching them burn.
2 Hiding shiny trinkets. 5 Sleeping curled into little circles.
3 Running through the catacombs. 6 Watching you.
Igniting Bite — Bites from these creatures can ignite flammable material.

124 · The Smoldering Moor

 props traps treasures

The Tomb of Banmuir. This large, Queen Banmuir is in the In the Queen’s possession, a
circular room is ringed by a series of room and aware of those who silver comb.
alcoves. Breath fogs in the air. There is enter. She is not immediately As a reward for returning the
no light save that coming from Queen hostile if the treasure-hunters crown, the Queen will grant the
Banmuir herself. In the center is a large, act peacefully. Displaying treasure-hunters a touch of the
stone sarcophagus (open) and a stone any treasure looted from her magic that comes from beyond
throne upon which sits Queen Banmuir. cairn or acting disrespectfully the veil of death. She lays her
to her will turn her angry. burning hand on their necks,
Otherwise she will converse leaving a handprint that burns
dispassionately. She would like coals. Treasure-hunters
ask the treasure-hunters to with this mark gain the Ritual
bring her her crown—stolen Burning Voice at no additional
by her unconscionably-selfish cost (see below).
daughter—which currently
sits on the head of that evil
brat, Queen Janneth.

ritual

Burning Voice — scream forth a flame that burns the spirit within a target’s body

QUEEN BANMUIR weaknesses — Salt; cold iron 10

A skeleton within a partially transparent woman’s body wearing a fine gray dress and ghostly crown. Dark, empty
eye-sockets, long white hair. Hair and dress float as if in water. Lips, teeth, and mouth are blackened.

1 Brushing her hair with a silver comb. 4 Reciting the rites for the dead.
2 Softly singing a lament. 5 Staring sadly into the middle distance.

INCURSIONS
3 Announcing a death. 6 Stroking the arm of her throne.
Wail — Anyone who hears this pauses in fear, causing the Condition Terrified.
Spectral Attacks — Armor cannot absorb the hits of Queen Banmuir.
Manifestation of Flame — Banmuir can summon pillars of flame into being.

If Queen Banmuir is killed, she will reform at the next moonrise unless her bones are laid to rest in the
sarcophagus and salted. If this happens, she will be unable to manifest again until her bones are cleaned.

Conclusion
The most direct continuation from Kairmough is if the treasure-hunters accessed the vault.
Something created that tunnel and killed two guards, leaving the grinning fox statue as a
calling card. Whoever created that tunnel is now in possession of the wealth of Kairmough.
Whoever is in charge at the end of the incursion would want that wealth returned.
Other than that, the treasure-hunters might face complications leaving the area as its residents
start returning. The residents would not take kindly to anyone who looted their homes but
those who were involved in plans to remove the undead influence may see the armed and
dangerous treasure-hunters as allies or fodder for their assault on the castle.

The Smoldering Moor • 125

 The Rime Palace
ALEXI SARGEANT
INCURSIONS

126 · The Rime Palace

The Rime Palace is an elegant marble edifice, hanging like a stalactite above a void pin pricked by
icy stars. The only way to access it is an ancient ship made of bone and powered by revealing uncom-
fortable truths. The palace itself was once the home of a court of cruel fae. Rumors say they are now
scattered and dead and their delicate treasures lie in chilly vaults, waiting to fulfill the burning
desires of treasure-hunters like yourself. But will you be able to navigate its twisting passages of fog,
lace, and glass before something important shatters—in the palace or in you?

theme fragility

The palace is the haunt of parasitic nobility who preyed on many worlds in their heyday. Ev-
erything is disconcertingly delicate as if at any moment things could crack, shatter, or collapse.
The Rime Court flaunted their untouchable status in where they lived and what they wore.
Materials like silk, filigree, dried leaves, and lace abound—so easy to tear to pieces, and yet
who would dare? The entire realm feels chilly, polite, uncanny, and corrupting. Will the trea-
sure-hunters bring this whole place down or reforge the broken fragments of the Rime Court?

SETS

The Teetering The Gossamer

Graveyard Void

The Hall The Masquerade

of Games Garden

INCURSIONS
The Spider-Pit

The Rime
Throne

warnings: Bullying, Gambling, Heights, Insects & Spiders, Manipulation

The Rime Palace • 127

 The Teetering Graveyard
Nestled in a mountain cleft, the teetering graveyard is an ancient site where many mounds of bones,
human and otherwise, have been piled up—scholars speculate they were offerings to long-since forgotten
gods. You’re here following the rumor that Ardken, the ship of bones, can be found within this boneyard.
goal Set sail in the bone ship.

An especially tall pile of bones sways ominously in a faint breeze.

moments A cheery crunching noise from spindly bones breaking beneath you.
There is no odor of decay, as if even the ghost of a scent has been bleached from the bones.

props traps treasures

An especially large pile of bones, Iditha is hobbled, but she Iditha’s crossbow is worth 1
pained moaning audible from behind. can still use her crossbow if Gold and she has 1 Gold worth
The moaning is coming from an injured threatened. She’s a good shot. of miscellaneous supplies.
markswoman, Iditha, who came here
seeking the ship of bones. She’s fallen Iditha can be convinced to join the party, but wants a cut of the
afoul of ankle-gnawers and lost the treasure. She is skilled in accuracy
accuracy,, trajectories
trajectories,, and reflexes
reflexes.. Due
use of both her feet. Now she’s leaning to her injury, someone will need to roll an extra Weak Point to
against the pile of bones with a cross- cover her in combat—if no one chooses to, she dies in the fight.
bow at the ready.

An irregularly shaped pile of bones. If handled roughly, the The wing can be used to speed
This oddly distended bone pile has a skeletal wing lashes out the repair process of Ardken.
single skeletal wing emerging from it. (risk roll to avoid).

A strangely hollow-sounding pile of Once repaired and given power, Ardken can fly between worlds.
bones. Something is buried underneath: The ship is powered by revealing uncomfortable truths—this is
INCURSIONS

Ardken, the fabled skeleton ship. It is in explained to the party by a soothing, disembodied voice once the
disrepair, but can be patched with some ship is repaired. Sharing aloud a truth will cause smoke to fill the
ingenuity. The ship has skeletal wings ship’s interior. Each treasure-hunter’s smoke is a different color.
stretching from its sides, and its walls are Ardken instinctively navigates towards the Rime Court (risk
a massive ribcage covered in scrimshaw. roll to make it fly elsewhere or take evasive maneuvers).

additional traps

Breaking bones attracts ankle-gnawers and disturbing too many bones could trigger an avalanche.

additional treasures

Scattered, not-quite-broken tools from previous treasure-hunters (bonesaws, shovels, an ice-climbing axe).
The fine silver bones of a fae creature worth 1 Gold.

ANKLE-GNAWER weakness — Blunt force to the jaw 7

A furtive, ape-shaped creature with a leathery hide, spindly fingers, and rows of sharp teeth.

1 Scrabbling for scraps. 4 Stacking bones into neat piles.

2 Going for the ankles. 5 Fishing a loose tooth out of its mouth.
3 Sucking the last marrow out of a meal. 6 Tapping out signals onto a bone pile.
Ankle-Gnawing — It goes for the ankles, sinking its teeth deep in and causing the Condition Hobbled.
Ambush — If one is killed, others of its kind approach more warily and gather in force before springing en masse.

128 · The Rime Palace

 The Gossamer Void
Travelling in Ardken is oddly comfortable, like being rocked in the embrace of a bony-but-gentle grand-
mother. With a rush of cold air, it becomes clear you’ve arrived outside the Rime Palace. Above you is a
desolate landscape of lunar dust; below you is a void pin-pricked by icy stars. The only structure is the
Rime Palace: an elegant marble edifice that hangs over the void like stalactites. The gleaming exterior
of the palace reflects light from the stars below and from faint clouds that float lazily through the void.
goal Dock the bone ship and enter the palace.

The very tip of a hanging tower breaks off and plummets into the void.
moments You see hairline fractures starting to develop in the bones making up the base of your ship.
A sound wafts from the palace, like the pings of falling water droplets orchestrated into a tune.

props traps treasures

The Grand Balcony. The most obvious If disturbed, the marble slabs The balcony boasts a small
place to land the ship is a massive fall like dominoes, causing a field of lilies made of the
balcony jutting from the palace’s side. tiny bell to ring throughout palest, thinnest gold (2 Gold).
A ring of thin, standing slabs of marble the palace and ruining the
surround the balcony’s edge. element of surprise.

The Bridge of Horn. In another part of The moths attach themselves A rare pair of massive elderstag
the palace, two towers are connected by to anything that touches the horns are incorporated into the
a bridge of tangled antlers, seemingly bridge. The moths’ wings are bridge (1 Gold each, 3 Gold for
unguarded save for blue-gray moths razor-edged. The moths are the pair sold together).
flitting around it. surprisingly heavy; if enough
of them land on a treasure-
hunter, the bridge shatters.

INCURSIONS
The Wall of Lace. A place where the The lace of the wall will try Behind the wall of lace is a
marble of the palace’s walls gives way to tangle up and pull apart landing lit by six spun glass orbs
to what appears to be mere lace. Ardken. The party can tear full of green and purple lights,
A green-violet glow can be faintly the lace off, but bits of it may like the aurora borealis. The
glimpsed through the gaps of the lace. cling to a treasure-hunter. orbs are extremely breakable,
(risk roll or take the but valuable (2 Gold for the
Condition Enmeshed. whole set).

additional traps

Circling the palace too long without landing causes gossamer guardians to swarm.
Being flung from Ardken means falling into the void; it’s a long drop into nothingness.

GOSSAMER GUARDIAN weakness — Strong wind 7

A crystalline cloud faintly glowing in a pale shade of blue or pink that moves with a will of its own.

1 Scattering and reforming. 4 Forming ranks like a storm on the horizon.

2 Merging with another cloud. 5 Moving surprisingly quickly to ensnare a target.
3 Lazily drifting on a nonexistent breeze. 6 Spreading crystal-laced fog over nose and mouth.
Smothering — It tries to fill your lungs. If you survive, roll an extra Weak Point in your next combat.
Cloud Shapes — If a group of them have been angered, they combine before your eyes into a towering cloud
shaped like a dragon. Endurance increases to 12 unless the shape is dispersed.

The Rime Palace • 129

 The Hall of Games
No matter where you enter the palace, its twisting corridors of fog, lace, and glass will bring you to the
hall of games. It’s a long hall full of game tables, many of them covered with pieces made of delicate glass
figurines. The floor is made of alternating squares of white marble and black obsidian.
goal Win masks that can get you past the palace’s guardians.

A floor tile seems to sink under your weight but doesn’t give... yet.
moments A sharp scent of spilled liquor with no obvious source.
On one of the game tables, a still-spinning crystal top wobbles occasionally.

props traps treasures

The Great Table. At the grandest game Sirrah Morris cheats as much Sirrah Morris stakes fabulous
table in the hall waits Sirrah Morris, the as possible, claiming that the prizes on the games:
games warden. He greets the treasure- treasure-hunters just don’t • Vial of starlight (2 Gold)
hunters warmly and offers to play a game. understand the rules of the • Porcelain compass (gives a
If the alarm bell has been sounded, he game. But if a treasure- light die on hunt rolls in
will be grinning widely and setting up the hunter cheats, Sirrah snaps the palace)
game when the party arrives. his fingers and drops a floor • Birdcage with a breeze within
tile out from under them
Sirrah is desperate to pass on his post in If a treasure-hunter agrees to go
(risk roll or be plunged
the Hall of Games to another poor soul, double-or-nothing after their
into the spider-pit).
and will weedle and cheat extravagantly. first win, Sirrah wagers a set of
Sirrah Morris wagers “a shift masks that can fool the palace’s
in this post” on the game. guardians. The masks are made
Losing the game causes the of solidified fog, silver filigree,
Condition Games Warden, and birch bark. Wearing one
and a crystal collar appears on causes a treasure-hunter to
the loser’s neck (see below). appear as a Rime Court noble.
INCURSIONS

The other game tables. Each table has a Assorted game pieces and tokens
partially-played game on it. The games carved from ivory, sapphire, and
resemble ones the treasure-hunters exquisite, breakable materials
know, but there are subtle differences. (2 Gold).
Ask the treasure-hunters: Whose likeness
do you recognize on the game pieces?

A grand doorway hung with gauzy If Sirrah’s offers of a game are

curtains. Bright moonlight shines from ignored and the party enters
the doorway, and a soft breeze flutters the masquerade garden,
the translucent curtain. It leads to the Sirrah shrieks, alerting the
masquerade garden. dusk wolves.

condition — A treasure-hunter with the Condition of Games Warden is incapable of leaving the hall of games
until passing the post to someone else. If a treasure-hunter is left trapped in the hall of games but has not marked
6 Ruin, players can treat them as a temporarily retired character until a scheme can free them.

SIRRAH MORRIS, THE GAMES WARDEN weakness — Proof of him cheating 8

Seemingly human, dressed in old-fashioned clothes. He wears an unctuous grin and a crystal collar around his neck.

Smothering — Sirrah will attack wildly with the small knife at his belt, inflicting shallow cuts with bits of broken
obsidian lodged within. These cuts cause the Condition Splintered-Obsidian Wound.

130 · The Rime Palace

 The Spider-Pit
An awful cavern, dim and dank. Most surfaces are covered with dingy cobwebs. Webs of fresher silk
stretch across the whole space at intervals. The ceiling has a number of trap doors through which unfortu-
nate souls like yourselves can be dropped into the pit.
goal Get out of the pit.

A solid-seeming rock melts away into cobwebs.

moments A soft crackly sound fills the air like a cackle reverberating from an inhuman mouth.
A strand of silk breaks with a sharp, musical sound.

props traps treasures

A web-swaddled corpse. A webbed-up Sending too many vibrations The drained and leathery
bundle suspended from a thread, clearly through the webs alerts an corpse is clutching a glass
the shape of a dead human body. ice spider. masquerade mask in its hands.
The masquerade mask imparts
the appearance of a Rime
Court noble on the wearer.

The curled up body of an ice spider. The The body of the dead ice Driven through the ice spider’s
creature appears dead, lying on its back, spider, handled roughly, body is an ancient sword of
with legs furled above it. explodes into razor shards phoenix-forged iron, a famous
laced with dream venom (see but now-lost technique of Old
the ice spider’s Defenses). Kalduhr. Ask a treasure-hunt-
er: How do you recognize the
fabled workmanship? The
sword is worth 2 Gold, though
unlocking the lost secret of its
forging is worth far more.

INCURSIONS
additional traps

Getting tangled up in a web.

additional treasures

Rings and brooches from the ice spider’s previous victims.

ICE SPIDER weaknesses — Phoenix-forged iron; fire 10

A crystalline arachnid, big as a horse, with icy blue venom visible under its transparent exoskeleton.

1 Skittering along walls and ceilings. 4 Slurping nutrients from a dreaming victim.
2 Weaving webs into portraits of sleeping faces. 5 Playing a game of cat’s cradle with its silk.
3 Clacking its mandibles together in hunger. 6 Jabbing at an unwary rodent with a sharp leg.
Dream Venom — It injects a treasure-hunter with a venom that eats away at the nervous system and causes
vivid hallucinations of the fulfillment of that treasure-hunter’s Drive.
Webbing — It hastily weaves a web of fine but tough silk around you, causing the Condition Enmeshed. If you
already have that Condition, you are fully cocooned in spider silk and unable to act until freed.

The Rime Palace • 131

 The Masquerade Garden
A vast, wintry garden with a marble dance floor is surrounded by frost-dusted topiaries of humanoid
creatures in poses of romantic embrace. Roses with mirror-like petals bloom at the bases of the topiaries.
Above, you see what appears to be a sky lit by multiple, unfamiliar moons. Dark, starry wolf-like beasts
prowl the edges of the space. On the dance floor, flickering wisps dart to and fro.
goal Unlock the stairs to the Rime Throne.

A flake of paint peels from a moon above revealing the ceiling to be an artistic illusion.

moments A pair of icy hearts fall from a topiary couple and shatter.
A glass hummingbird flits among mirrored roses, gathering silver nectar. A Rime Court noble
catches the bird, breaks its head off cleanly, and sips from the nectar within.

props traps treasures

The dance floor. As the treasure-hunters If a treasure-hunter enters

approach the floor, the flickering wisps the dance floor undisguised,
resolve into gorgeous, glittering Rime the floor immediately opens
Court nobles, frollicking and trading up and drops them into the
wittty remarks. If the party comes in spider-pit.
the form of guests, the nobles sweep the
treasure-hunters into their dance.

A topiary king.The most notable of the The long, glass thorns of the Hanging from the topiary king’s
topiaries is a towering king with arms mirror roses can jab clean crown are a few masks made
outstretched. It is the only depiction of a through gloves. A pricked of oversized holly leaves. These
single being rather than a couple. Much treasure-hunter will suffer masks—like Sirrah Morris’s—
of the king’s lower body is overgrown physical pain as well as give the wearer the appearance
with glassy thorns, as if the mirror roses mental confusion, causing of a Rime Court noble.
on this topiary are much less well tended the Condition Scattered.
INCURSIONS

Hidden underneath the large

than others. If asked about this over- stone pot holding the topiary
growth, a noble will pretend not to see king is a spiral staircase to the
and change the subject. rime throne. A Rime Court
noble can easily push aside the
pot and reveal the stairs, but
it would take several humans
working together to do the same.

additional traps

Rime Court nobles will offer dangerous favors: a sniff of a mirrored rose (causes the Condition Scattered), a sip
of liquid nostalgia (causes the Condition Homesick), or a kiss on the hand (causes the Condition Frostbitten).
Dusk wolves approach treasure-hunters who are not dancing, sniffing them and asking them riddles. An
unsatisfactory answer leads to an attack.

additional treasures

A haughty but stupid albino peacock, clearly some sort of pampered pet. Worth 1 Gold to the right buyer, 3
Gold if it can be kept alive.
Impressing a Rime Court noble earns a crystal ring. The ring is beautiful and somewhat cold to the touch. It
enhances the magic of illusions and reflections, granting a light die for any Ritual that involves duplication or
mirroring. Worth 2 Gold.

132 · The Rime Palace

 RIME COURT NOBLE weaknesses — Phoenix-forged iron; being caught in a lie; their true name 12
Semi-solid and semi-translucent lords and ladies: all tall, pale, and gorgeous with elegant, branching antlers. They
wear gossamer gowns, calfskin gloves, ceramic swords, birch armor, and many glittering pieces of crystalline jewelry.
The noble’s true names are secrets, but they use aliases drawn from courtly titles mixed at random with words they
find mellifluous.

1 Flirting with Lady Moth as candle-flame. 4 Plying Lord Siege with drink to soften his defense.
2 Concurring with Sir Quest with charms and wit. 5 Gossiping with Dame Spar to see who knows best.
3 Avoiding Lady Peril like the plague. 6 Ignoring Sir Yester because he’s a too-old bore.
Cold to the Touch — Skin-to-skin contact causes the Condition Frostbitten.
Dead to the World — A Rime Court noble cannot be truly harmed by ordinary physical weaponry. Striking with
ordinary weapons causes them to fall but they will simply reform a few minutes later, miffed but unscarred.

social graces: 10 — See dance roll below

DANCE ROLL

Treasure-hunters can attempt a Dance Roll to move gracefully through the throng of nobles and win boons from
them. This roll functions similarly to, but not identically to, a combat roll.
Treasure-hunters who are wearing masks declare who their intended dance partner is for the next dance. Each
treasure-hunter rolls a light die to represent their Weak Point and says how they are at risk of making a social
faux pas with that dance partner. Treasure-hunters then roll a number of dark dice equal to the number of
treasure-hunters participating in the dance. To succeed, the two highest dice in the treasure-hunters’ roll must
match or exceed the noble’s Social Grace (10). When this happens, the treasure-hunters may each claim a boon
from their dance partner. If the treasure-hunters do not succeed, they may stay on the dance floor, begging a
dance from another partner. One additional dark die may be added for each additional round of dancing.
Masks function as armor and can be marked to absorb any Ruin suffered during this roll. A marked mask will
permanently cease to function as soon as the current dance is over, and that treasure-hunter must drop out of
the dance or be discovered.
If a treasure-hunter drops out for any reason, they must hand their Weak Point die to another player and ex-

INCURSIONS
plain how their hasty departure from the dance brings unwelcome scrutiny down on another treasure-hunter.
Treasure-hunters can generally retreat from the dance floor without consequence as long as they leave before a
dance without a mask.

DUSK WOLF weakness — Highly-concentrated light 9

A patch of deep night twinkling with stars, but moving about on all fours in a lupine shape.

1 Sniffing round the edge of the dance floor. 4 Baring crepuscular fangs at a threat.
2 Lapping up a little spilt nostalgia. 5 Piling onto a downed foe.
3 Deigning to accept scratches from a noble. 6 Asking riddles.
Nightform — The dusk wolf becomes a shadow and seeps along the ground to ambush from behind. The affected
treasure-hunter must roll a second Weak Point.

dusk wolf riddles

1. “I’m the end of time, but the beginning of everything. What am I?” (Answer: The letter ‘e’)
2. “Two arms, two legs, no heart, all hide. What am I?” (Answer: A suit of armor)
3. “Alive, I’m like a brilliant star. But crushed, I am as black as tar. What am I?” (Answer: Fire)
4. “You cannot hold me in your hand, yet I hammer down mighty trees. What am I?” (Answer: Wind)
5. “I follow you wherever you go, at times your friend, at times your foe. What am I?” (Answer: Your reputation)
6. “I can be broken, but not repaired. Golden, but not silver. Pregnant, but not with child. What am I?”
(Answer: Silence)

The Rime Palace • 133

 The Rime Throne
The spiral staircase brings you down to the lowest tip of the hanging palace: a shimmering, cold
room of ice and crystal, dominated by a massive throne. Around the throne is a ring of a half dozen
still sentries, imposing and silent.
goal Shatter the Rime Palace by breaking the throne.

A noise like a relieved sigh rattles out from the skeleton chained to the throne.
One treasure-hunter sees the throne room full of life and warmth and splendor for a moment.
moments When they blink, the vision is gone.
Another treasure-hunter sees cracks and fault lines running everywhere as if the palace will fall
to pieces any moment. When they blink, the vision is gone.

props traps treasures

The throne. A massive throne carved The sentries—Rime Court The skeleton on the throne
into a quartz pillar and covered in hoar- hunters—will awaken and is wearing the crown of glass
frost dominates the center of the room. attack anyone they perceive thorns, an iridescent and
There is a crowned human skeleton to be an interloper or threat enchanting garland bound
seated on the throne, quite dead. to the Court. with silver and sapphires.
Delicate silver chains wind around it, Wearing the crown gives access
The throne itself longs to be
trapping it in a seated position on the to the Ritual Forget (remove
filled again. It will attempt
uncomfortable royal chair. a harmful memory). Devil’s
to enmesh a treasure-hunter
Bargains should include losing
in chains and drag them into
significant memories. Success
the seat. If someone is at 5
means permanently losing a
Ruin in the throne room, the
harmful memory—including
throne will call to them to
the memory of another Ritual,
fulfill their destiny and claim
which would reduce Ruin.
rulership.
Treasure-hunters do not recall
INCURSIONS

having worn the crown once it

is removed.

additional traps

There is nothing below the throne room in the palace, so if the floor starts to break away or the palace collapses,
slow-moving treasure-hunters find themselves hurtling into the void.

additional treasures

Heaps of coins in unheard-of denominations, valuable as curiosities.

RIME COURT HUNTERS weaknesses — Phoenix-forged iron; attacking their joints 8

Hulking figures fully covered in icy armor, helmets crowned by imposing antlers. They wield a variety of obsidian
weapons: bows, spears, axes, and clubs.

The hunters stand as still as statues.

Squad Training — The Rime Court hunters are at Endurance 11 as long as at least three of them maintain formation.
Martyr — One Rime Court hunter breaks formation, grabs hold of a treasure-hunter, and explodes into sharp,
fragmented ice and metal, causing the Condition Shrapnel Wounds.
Reinforcements — If combat seems desperate, a Rime Court hunter sounds a piercing note on an icy horn,
summoning other monsters of the palace as reinforcements.

134 · The Rime Palace

 Conclusion
ESCAPING THE RIME PALACE
If the palace is collapsing or the treasure-hunters decide to escape out a window rather than retrace
their steps, they should make a Risk Roll to call over Ardken and scramble back into the ship of
bone. If Ardken is pushed to travel faster or make more precise maneuvers than she usually does,
she may require more powerfully uncomfortable truths to be shared than usual. Once clear of im-
mediate threat and fully powered, Ardken can fly between worlds back to the Teetering Graveyard.

WHAT IF SOMEONE TAKES THE RIME THRONE?

If a treasure-hunter assumes the Rime Throne, they will have a last moment of clarity to decide: do
I want to destroy the Rime Court, or restore it to its former glory? Once the choice is made, their
mind will be overwhelmed by the whispering voices of the throne itself. Each choice has conse-
quences. Willing the destruction of the palace will put the other treasure-hunters in danger as it
collapses. Willing the restoration of the Court awakens a great hidden host of frozen fae from hi-
bernation. Back in the world of Kalduhr and Fort Duhrin, rumors will spread of reawakened icy fae
resuming their raids on progressively larger targets—first outlying villages, then small towns, and
perhaps soon the great cities themselves.

FLYING ARDKEN
Ardken could become transportation for the treasure-hunters going forward from this incursion.
Flying her will always require the revealing of uncomfortable truths. Flying fast or into particularly
dangerous places will likely require a Risk Roll. Ardken is easily worth 10 Gold herself, but it will
take a little research and carousing to find someone ready and able to pay for her.

INCURSIONS
UNLOCKING THE SECRET OF PHO
PHOENIX-FORGED IRON
If treasure-hunters bring home a blade of phoenix-forged iron, they’ll find plenty of blacksmiths
and weapon aficionados clamoring to take a look at it. If players want to pursue rediscovering the
secrets of this forging technique, treat it as a new Skill (phoenix-forged iron) they can unlock at the
cost of 1 Burden. Their mentor is whichever expert they work with to investigate the technique. If
the Rime Court is restored, such weapons will desperately be needed to drive back hunting parties
of Rime Court fae.

The Rime Palace • 135

 Leviathan’s Bridge
GABRIEL RO
ROBINS
BINSO
ON
INCURSIONS

136 · Leviathan’s Bridge

The floating mangrove city of Seeker's Rest has long been a bastion for reclusive goblin seers and
loremasters who sought to protect their sacred texts and accumulated knowledge from pillagers.
It serves as a home to all refugees who may not be welcome elsewhere. The layered grove forms the
foundation of the city, while the Leviathan's Bridge stretches overhead—an arboreal monument
of twisting vines, branches, and the immense, weightless bones of a whale, culminating in a temple
formed from its massive skull. It is said that generations of seers still sit in eternal contemplation
of the glowing star which rests within its cavern. Priceless scriptures and artifacts of an advanced
civilization lie scattered within the twisted mangrove, shrouded by mists and largely hidden from
the outside world, save the few who find their way there seeking refuge or wisdom.

theme mist

The Leviathan’s Bridge is a near-mythical monument, rarely seen by outsiders. Consider the
symbolism of things lost in the mists of time or shrouded in mystery, as well as the cyclical
nature of history and of water as it evaporates, gathers in rain clouds, and falls again. It also
involves a literal bridge between the realms of solid earth and misty air in the form of a huge
leviathan skeleton, long overgrown and inhabited by creatures of land, sea, and sky. Flora and
fauna appearing throughout the incursion all move between these realms in some way—living
within an element but not entirely belonging to it.

note — Goblins are presented in this incursion as survivors of colonialism who built a hidden city to defend
and preserve the culture of an advanced civilization. Too often, fantasy settings present “other” races in a way
that is problematic, to say the least. They are included here as people who are unusual in their innovation, ad-
aptation to their environment, and relationship with celestial powers. This incursion aims to reframe goblins
in a fantasy setting as unique people without falling into the “primitive” or “noble savage” tropes. Consider
ways that treasure-hunters may interact with a still-thriving pocket of civilization. While treasures are plen-
tiful throughout the incursion, their theft from sacred places will be met with harsh consequences. The trea-
sure-hunters are the outsiders here, encountering things beyond their assumed knowledge. Ask the players why
their characters are entering the temple at the end of the Leviathan’s Bridge—they may be seeking knowledge
that is far more valuable than gold. As the adventure sets will outline, such things are not so easily earned—and

INCURSIONS
those who experience them are never the same.

SETS

The Marsh Leviathan’s Glowing

Cradle Bridge Sanctuary

Seeker’s Rest Heartgrove Bone Garden

Shrine

warnings: Graphic Violence, Heights, Insects & Spiders, Religion, Sharks & Sea Creatures

Leviathan’s Bridge • 137

 The Marsh Cradle
A weaving series of interconnected streams, bordered by dense jungle and abandoned settlements.
Marsh goats, mud crawlers, and other scavengers lurk among the ruins. The group must navigate
through the maze of mangrove roots and sunken dwellings to find the open lagoon and the floating
city beyond.
The party enters the set by canoe. Maneuvering their boat between dense roots and branches may
prompt risk rolls, while navigating the shifting maze of the Marsh Cradle requires hunt
rolls—the changing tide and current making passage unpredictable.
goal Locate the drifting mangrove city of Seeker’s Rest.

Heavy mist obscures the way, bubbles in the murky water, a sulfurous stench.
moments A pale blue heron studies the water, beak stabbing down to impale a soft young turtle.
Bleached bones of an elephant, caught in the roots and overgrown with vines.
A procession of fiddler crabs, carrying away pieces of rotting meat.
A lone, pale figure crouches on shore, watching the group—albino features, muscled belly, caked
in mud. If approached, they dive into the water, long dreadlocks trailing behind like a tail.

props traps treasures

Wreckage of a small barge. Broken pots A tangle of nets and fishing A small feline skull, mineralized
and a sealed traveler’s chest half-sunken hooks, obscured just under with precious crystals.
in mud. the surface.

A floating mangrove tree. A small A nest of mangrove snakes, Bone dagger, carved in the
golden monkey sits still in its upper shimmering indigo with gold shape of a winged serpent.
branches. stripes. Swift in the water,
venomous.
INCURSIONS

Schools of mud crawler fish,

drawn to the scent of blood
or struggles in the water.

Ruined hut. Its crumbling thatched Eternal Glory, a book of

roof home to nesting creatures. legendary heroes and their
deeds. Bound in faded green
leather with gold trim.

additional treasures

Sealed map case, containing an incomplete chart of the region. Markings in blue ink indicate possible locations
of an island.

MUD CRAWLER weakness — Soft, bloated flesh 8

Giant spotted fish with bulging eyes, a cavernous toothy maw, and strong front flippers which allow it to crawl and
climb trees.

1 Lurking in wait, eyes peering above murky water. 4 Leaping from a hidden branch.
2 Croaking boisterous mating calls. 5 Seizing the unwary with clamp-like jaws.
3 Flippers gripping roots to drag itself from the water. 6 Belching violently, expelling half-digested remains.
Toxic — Sulphurous belch.

138 · Leviathan’s Bridge

 MARSH GOAT weakness — Ravenous (will try to eat anything ) 7
Shaggy beard layered with mud and leaves, salt-encrusted horns, bleary eyes. Folktales say they are lost travellers,
claimed by the swamp

1 Diving into the river with mournful bellows. 4 Muttering ominous one-word portents.
2 Shaking vigorously, scattering loose mud. 5 Scavenging on rotting fish and the eggs of marsh birds.
3 Staring balefully, unblinking. 6 Imitating the screams of previous travelers.
Strange — Unnerving stare.

ARTIFACTS SHROUDED IN MIST — Use this table when you need additional treasure found in the incursion.

1 1 Finely crafted climbing hooks made from

giant crab claws.
4 1 Waterproof eel skin parchment.
1 2 Aofsling made from braided vines and pouch
smooth river stones.
4 2 Amber bead containing a tiny bird skull.
1 3 A blue pearl which induces deep meditation. 4 3 Palm-leaf inscription—a ritual song of
ancestor worship.

1 4 Vial of blessed seawater, heals 1 Ruin. 4 4 Glowing chrysalis of an ember moth.

1 5 Agiant
sky-diver’s gliding fins, fashioned from
insect wings.
4 5 Bone whistle, imitates a vulture scream.
1 6 Book of sea shanties and travelers’ tales. 4 6 An iridescent worm which will tunnel
through any material.

2 1 Mossy
water.
opal stone which constantly drips 5 1 Set of crocodile-teeth runes.
2 2 Self-replenishing ball of blood moss. 5 2 Small lantern of azure fish skin, strung with
prayer ribbons.

INCURSIONS
2 3 Wooden box containing a pet crab. 5 3 Lizard hide drum, supple skin modulates
tone to play melodies.

2 4 Aplaced
tiny petrified sea-horse. Comes to life if
in seawater.
5 4 Silk veil which turns objects under it trans-
parent.

2 5 Antique spyglass, bronzed and weathered.

Reveals tomorrow’s weather.
5 5 Pitcher-plant
placed in it.
bottle which dissolves anything

2 6 Blowgun made from giant crab leg with

sea-urchin darts.
5 6 Sky-dancer’s belt—studded with powerful,
levitating gems. Unwieldy without training.

3 1 Glass orb containing a poisonous frog. 6 1 Living net made from a carnivorous seaweed.
Awakens when watered.

3 2 Hollow crystal with water at its center that

predicts the weather.
6 2 Shrunken explorer’s head; mutters cryptic
advice and rambling stories when given liquor.

3 3 Miniature
sunlight.
gemstone blade which hums in 6 3 Drinking gourd which refills with fragrant,
cool water each morning.

3 4 Polished indigo ocarina, carved from horn of 6 4 Coiled green fern which does not wither,
an unknown beast. always growing back.

3 5 Gauntlets of supple squid leather, enhance

grappling or climbing.
6 5 Spider-silk cord, stronger than steel.
3 6 Moonsnail compass, oriented to moon
position and phases.
6 6 Phosphorescent mushroom lantern.

Leviathan’s Bridge • 139

 Seeker’s Rest
Emerging from the mist is an island formed entirely from mangroves—a wall of interwoven roots
and branches rising from the sea. Its upper tiers vanish into the fog. Rope ladders and driftwood
walkways jut out in every direction. Glowing lanterns and tent flaps hang throughout the roots and
branches, while a maze of tunnels and chambers within conceal the true density of the city. Small
coracles and heavy canoes line the piers, where a few fishing poles are tended by goblinfolk and oth-
ers who make their home here.
Travelers enquiring about the temple above will eventually be directed to the heartgrove
shrine. Exploring the upper tiers of the city eventually leads to leviathan’s bridge.
goal Earn acceptance as visitors to the city.

A turtle-shell coracle, newly repaired, is lowered into the water with a cheer as it floats.
A young goblin feeds leftover scraps to her blue lobster on a leash.
The scent of grilling seafood, spices, and seaweed.
moments The droning melody of reed pipes, and syncopated, trancelike percussion of a group playing
hollow wooden trunks, fish skin drums, shell and bone rattles.
A fisherman wrestles with a captured squid, a tug-of-war between land and sea.
A serene procession of ash-marked initiates, bearing incense and glowing shell lanterns. Their
chant rises and falls, the whisper of lapping tides and chorus of thundering waves.

props traps treasures

The Haven. A dizzying assemblage of

stairs, rope ladders, and footbridges dec-
orate the mangrove roots. More inventive
dwellings hang from the side of trees,
while others are simple flaps over root
INCURSIONS

burrows. Everything is made of woven

fibers, salvaged textiles, and driftwood.

The Salt Market. A massive hollow at Aggressive fishmongers These treasures and equipment
the center of the grove, tents surround- press bargains for their may be purchased or traded for:
ing an open pool of ocean. The tide special catch: unidentifiable
swells below. Immense, cone-shaped creatures, their freshness 1 Crab-claw climbing hooks
and seaweed ropes.
baskets hang submerged in the pool, questionable.
where small fish and crustaceans are 2 Light armor: giant crab
A gambling table in the mar- shell, reinforced bark, and
raised. ket, bizzare and frequently sharkskin leather.
changing rules as runes are 3 Glow-lights made from
cast and prizes offered and neon fish in sealed, translu-
switched every round. cent shells.
The cloying, pungent smoke 4 “Fisher’s Friend”—a bronze,
iridescent lichen—euphoric
of cooking fires and intoxi-
and vision-enhancing if
cating incense in the market
chewed. Habitual use causes
causes a light trance or
eyes to glow.
full-on delirium if breathed
too long. 5 Bone charms, said to repel
spirits with a “holy aura”
(useless).
6 Bottled marsh gas, highly
flammable.

140 · Leviathan’s Bridge

 props traps treasures

The Heart Tree. This immense tree

stretches upward into fog. Hints of re-
flected sunlight twinkle from its canopy.

additional traps

Recruiters from the cult of the All-Devourer, wearing ornaments of crocodile parts. As crocodiles have long
been extinct, the cult seeks to bring about their return. They believe a giant, albino crocodile still lives in the
swamp and hope to earn her favor with sacrificial offerings.

GRANDMOTHER GREENTEETH weakness — Vain (distracted by offerings, stories, praise) 7

A skeletal mermaid who lives in the roots of Salt Market. One of the first elders who founded Seeker’s Rest, her wish
was to be joined with her shark familiar using ancient bone magic. Wears a seaweed wig, as her hair will not grow.

1 Demanding tribute. 4 Rambling tales of legendary whale hunts and survival.

2 Grasping passers by, seeking familiar faces. 5 Rising from the depths, snatching treasures.
3 Lamenting what this city has come to. 6 Cursing over a failed spell to animate fish skeletons.
Undying — Greenteeth cannot truly be “killed,” as the magic binding her regenerates her form—not to mention
that doing so would be very poor manners. She can be “appeased” via Combat Rolls as normal, narrating social
actions, or fighting her off (should she physically attack).
Judgemental — Cutting words, centuries of cultivated opinions.

The residents of Seeker’s Rest are wary of visitors—asking directions to the upper pathways of the Heart Tree
may incur obligations, or come at the cost of “donations.” Use hunt rolls to gather information and risk
rolls to avoid negative consequences or suspicion. As outsiders, the party must prove their intentions here.

FOLK OF SEEKER’S REST

1 Akruna, an ailing shaman who came here to teach the children so they will not forget how to hear the
spirits. Covered in tattoos. Deep smiling wrinkles.

INCURSIONS
2 Kiri and Nili, identical twins who speak their own language, understand animal speech and never forget
the day’s weather. Bald, bright eyed, perceptive.

3 Sundar, an herbalist and brewer of potent spiced mushroom teas. Scowling, silent, focused. His stall is
open at all hours. On a driftwood altar, an empty cup sits beneath the portrait of his missing husband.

4 Masrudin, once a goat herder, now intent on training octopi to catch shrimp for him. Braided grey goatee.
Complains of joint pains. Full of obtuse proverbs.

5 Ningal, a weaver, masked fortune teller and cultivator of moongrass. Long braids, shell necklaces,
mysterious smile. A flying fox companion brings her treasures.

6 Lem, a shipwrecked merchant, well versed in local goods and rumors. Colorful, if faded, attire from their
homeland. Twinkling eyes, hearty laugh.

OBLIGATIONS OR FAVORS

1 Escort them to the temple, to inter their loved one’s ashes.

2 Obtain a golden orchid which only grows near the temple guardian.
3 Clear a path of carnivorous plants which threaten their family shrine.
4 Hunt down a cackling winged beast and the small statue it stole.
5 Convince an angry spirit to stop haunting them.
6 Share an inspiring—or scandelous—story. Visitors are rare, and the elders here only repeat the same tales.

Leviathan’s Bridge • 141

 Heartgrove Shrine
While the towering Heart Tree bears an ancient temple in its upper branches. For most residents of
Seeker’s Rest, visiting the shrine at its base is enough. Here, a dense canopy shelters moss-carpeted
pathways, pale fungi, and delicate orchids. Roots weave and intertwine in every direction, many
inscribed with runes: symbols of small gods, prayers and remembrances. Shell candles, crystals, and
ornaments of repurposed metals are placed in every nook available, while simple prayer flags hang
above. Symbols and inscriptions throughout the shrine hint at stories:

1 A fragmented crystal, figures holding pieces, levitating—spinning in the air with colorful flowing robes.
2 Waterfowl diving under water, fish taking flight—humanoid figures travel among them.
3 A whale—swallowing a glowing orb, floating to the surface, decomposing as its skeleton rises from the water.
4 Figures lowering a bundle of bones, bound in vines, into the water. A fearsome insectoid creature emerges.
5 Canoes fleeing warships, landing on a floating tree—mist hiding them. Ships broken against the island.
6 A group of monks sit cross-legged—some floating above ground, some barely visible.
The party may glean the following history from the inscriptions:
Long before the seas began to rise, the ancient goblin seers saw the signs and made prepa-
ration. Fleeing their ancestral home as marauding humans encroached upon their borders,
they took to the sea in their canoes, called by the song of a great leviathan. As prophecy
foretold, the beast swallowed a fallen star and became imbued with its power—glowing and
buoyant. Guided by this living miracle, generations of goblinkin guarded the beast, tending
the mangroves which took root on its back and deepening their bonds with the creatures of
water and sky. Eventually, they built a sanctuary from the blessed bones of the whale, guiding
roots and branches to form the structure which still drifts upright to this day. Generations of
monks to come would continue the work, dedicating themselves to life above the city while
INCURSIONS

the mission of sheltering refugees of all kinds continued below. Access to the Drifting Tem-
ple is only open to initiates of the order, however, as such traditions have largely died out and
communication from the temple is rare.
This knowledge may help to navigate challenges ahead (such as encountering spirits and guardians).

goal Learn the history and significance of the Drifting Temple.

Steady dripping from the canopy above, tapping out melodies on hollow wood.
Fireflies, jewelled beetles, vibrantly hued dart frogs, and bright banded snakes appear and vanish
amidst layers of hanging moss and fallen leaves.
moments Visitors silently tread the moss paths, pausing at shrines, vanishing behind roots.
Wind chimes of shell, bone, and semi-precious metals clink together gently overhead.
A shrine attendant invites visitors to leave offerings and sip the fragrant orchid nectar—on this
special day, a rite to open onseself to the spirit world (see below).

ritual — Learn this Ritual by making an offering to the shrine spirits or by tasting the orchid nectar.

Moonlight — become luminous and ephemeral, floating above ground

Learning this Ritual increases a treasure-hunter’s Ruin by 1. The Ritual is forgotten upon leaving the incursion.

142 · Leviathan’s Bridge

 props traps treasures

Tiny mirrors of crystal and iridescent

shells. Embedded in the tree roots. Small
candles are placed in front of each.

Offering bowls. Some empty, some Unless a more significant of- Vial of blessed seawater. Heals
containing food, coins, or jewelry. fering is left in exchange, any 1 Ruin.
treasures removed from the Holy symbol, a gilded feather.
shrine will anger the spirits Calms the fear of heights or
which live here, inflicting the falling when worn.
Condition Haunted.
Hardwood ocarina. Invokes a
memory of nearby spirits when
played.
Palm-leaf scripture, written in
an ancient tongue. Translated,
it is titled Praises of the Eternal
Weaver.
Ornate wooden mask, bearing
a fearsome demon face. Allows
the wearer to see spirits.

Small bundles of bones. Stacked Meddling with any bones stirs

carefully in open hollows. an angry spirit, inflicting
horrific visions of persecution
and pursuit by raiders.

Bone and hardwood steps. These steps Vampire ferns grow unim-
are embedded in the sides of the Heart peded off the shrine paths,
Tree and lead upward. luring the foolish.

weaknesses — Fire; sharp weapons 6

INCURSIONS
VAMPIRE FERN
A parasitic plant-creature which once came from the sea. Mesmerizing feathery fronds undulate, waiting to trap
unwary prey and drain them with barbed spines.

1 Waving slowly, as if underwater. 4 Changing colors, glowing hues to attract prey.

2 Quivering in anticipation of a meal. 5 Draining the dry husk of a small creatures.
3 Crawling along almost imperceptibly. 6 Dropping old bones and feathers.
Hypnotic — Entrancing patterns.
Sticky — Grasping leaves.

TREE CRABS weakness — Clumsy righting themselves if flipped 8

Slow, tree-climbing scavengers which rely on the camouflage of their moss-fringed carapaces. Powerful, tearing
claws and piercing limbs.

1 Peeling away tree bark, carving burrows into wood. 4 Dismantling scavenged treasure.
2 Droning, chirping in imitation of birds. 5 Feeding (and occasionally feasting upon) their brood.
3 Descending upon unwary prey. 6 Nesting in interlocking piles.
Armored — Heavy carapace.

note — These creatures work in harmony: the vampire ferns’ dazzling patterns and grasping fronds trap prey
while the tree crabs descend to tear the victim apart.

Leviathan’s Bridge • 143

 Leviathan’s Bridge
Swaying in the wind, the upper branches of the Heart Tree give way to flowering vines, once care-
fully trained in woven patterns, now long overgrown. Suspended within the vine canopy floats the
vast skeleton of the leviathan itself, ribs like tree trunks stretching down into the mist. Sunlight
beams through the spaces between vertebrae, revealing segments of a still-hanging footbridge which
vanishes into the dense foliage ahead. Sky-weavers (arboreal octopi) nest in between the ribs and
vertebrae, weaving plant fibers and cultivating bromeliads to collect rainwater which form their
communal sleeping pools.
goal Traverse the sky-bridge to reach the temple.

The constant shifting and swaying of the rope bridge segments and vine walls.

moments Rain and wind wash over the outside of the canopy as rainbows and mist appear within.
Curious sky-weavers emerge from bromeliads or pause in their dismantling and reweaving of
vines around the bridge—glistening skin blooming in expressive patterns.

props traps treasures

Giant bromeliads. Thick and sturdy Snares, rigged to suspend Bundle of herbs, useful in
vines, dense hanging moss overhead. intruders until retrieved— healing potions.
or left to scavengers. Steel-tipped arrows and spears
which missed their mark.

The rope bridge. Suspended from the Rotten planks of the bridge, Small book bound in faded
hulking vertebrae above by heavy, braid- eaten by barnacle-beetles. red leather, titled A History of
ed vines. Some intact segments are a few False Gods.
A beehive, humming with
paces long, others a single step hanging languid worker bees, ringed
over the void like a trapeze. in sleep-inducing flowers.
INCURSIONS

An old resting platform. Hangs midway A nest of young sawtooth A hunter’s blowgun and darts are
along the bridge—a giant clamshell vultures. If stirred, they stashed under a reed mat.
wedged between the pillar-like ribs. scream eagerly to be fed.

additional traps

The precarious structure of the bridge prompts risk rolls, while hunt rolls reveal traps. Repeated failures
quickly alert the Temple Guardian from the bone garden Set, drawing the creature away from the temple
threshold and towards the party. Should this occur, transition to the bone garden.

additional treasures

A fallen explorer’s pack containing any three pieces of Backpack Equipment.

SAWTOOTH VULTURES weakness — Cowardly (vulnerable alone) 8

Gaunt, leathery raptors with cruel jagged beaks and obscene, elongated claws. Poor fliers, crawling to high perches
to dive from above in swarms.

1 Cackling gleefully, calling friends to feast. 4 Latching and tearing at exposed flesh.
2 Squabbling over stolen trinkets. 5 Snatching shiny objects.
3 Taking abrupt flight in swarms. 6 Hauling victim into the air to drop from a great height.
Swarm — Attacks in groups.

144 · Leviathan’s Bridge

 Bone Garden
The final ribs and vertebrae of the leviathan skeleton hang suspended, woven together with living
vines to form a series of pillars with passageways on either side. Spidery bromeliads and creeping
succulents sprout from dried husks of other plants and creatures. Beyond rests the gleaming opal
dome of the leviathan’s skull, cavernous opening overgrown with fragrant blooming lichen. In the
open doorway waits the Guardian—impossibly tall and graceful, an awakened assemblage terrible
to behold. It sways gently with the breeze to mimic the stirring foliage around it.

goal Pass the guardian to enter the temple.

The drone of insects and occasional shifting crumble of dry bone pieces.
moments Spider crabs crawl slowly across the form of the Guardian, provoking no response.
Utter stillness as the wind calms.

props traps treasures

Bone pillars. Overgrown with bright Crumbling slats of the foot-

fungus and flowering vines. Pale blue bridge give way to open sky
cocoons of tide-moths hang overhead. and distant sea below.

A garden of bone and coral. Withered Sharp, spiny protrusions of Ornamental box of glass and
corpses and scattered animal remains. bone, pointed barnacles, metal, full of calming incense.
thorny vines. Holy symbol of a forgotten cult.

Scrimshaw hieroglyphs line the levia- A nest of young sawtooth Fragments of hollow whalebone,
than ribs. They appear to be runes and vultures. If stirred, they glittering crystal inside.
star charts. scream eagerly to be fed. Skydancer’s Belt—shimmer-
ing eel skin, studded with pale

INCURSIONS
crystals. Body heat charges the
levitating crystals, but precise
maneuvering in the air takes
extensive training.

additional traps

Any movement across the floor or walls around the Temple Guardian prompts a risk roll to avoid detection.
Only through levitation or temporary flight (such as via a Ritual or special equipment) can it be bypassed.

BONE MANTIS (TEMPLE GUARDIAN) weakness — Joints are easily severed 11

A looming assemblage of polished bones and hardwood, its brutal hooked limbs inlaid with the teeth and spines of
ocean predators. Glowing runes are inscribed across its head and torso.

1 Tapping wood and bone in melodious rhythm. 4 Scaling walls methodically, never losing purchase.
2 Swaying, as if moved by the wind. 5 Tilting its head as if listening for intruders.
3 Snatching a passing lizard from a vine. 6 Hunched, motionless, waiting to strike.
Perceptive — Sensitive to vibration, anticipating any movements towards it.
Crush — Vicious pincer-limbs immobilize and tear limbs.
Animated — Powered by a glowing crystal embedded in its chest. If removed, the crystal is worth 4 Gold.
However, it constantly hums and vibrates with the restless energy of the spirit trapped within.

Leviathan’s Bridge • 145

 The Glowing Sanctuary
Entering the sanctuary instantly imparts a sense of calm. The bone walls glow faintly, warmed by the
outer sun. Most surfaces are inlaid with gems and shells, runic inscriptions and tiled murals. A glowing
orb of star-metal floats at the center of the chamber, emanating silver light. Seated in alcoves on either
side are the forms of monks in meditation—some breathing slowly, others like living statues. Some appear
as patterns of light and gold dust.
goal Commune with the glowing presence.

Wind across small holes in the temple walls makes a soothing song.
moments The hovering star appears to change hue according to the mood of the viewer.
The echoes of hymns once recited here—calming or unnerving, depending on the listener.

props traps treasures

The Celestial Heart. Blessed source of Those who seek to draw

power for the temple and repository too much from the glowing
of knowledge. It is clearly not of this presence become bound to it,
world. Anyone may approach it though compelled to take their place
its power may become overwhelming in one of the empty seats
(see Communing with the Star on the along the temple walls.
next page).

Ossuaries. Bones of saints, pilgrims, Mirror of Truth: a flawless Saint’s skull, inlaid with abalone
and strange beasts line the walls from silver mirror set into one shell and silver. Obviously quite
floor to ceiling. alcove, bordered by luminous valuable—touching it, however,
opals. A treasure-hunter who awakens The Vengeful.
gazes into it must make a
risk roll to avoid gaining
INCURSIONS

the Condition Remorseful as

they see their own failures
and misdeeds gazing back
unflinchingly.

A long, inclined path leading to open River-pearl prayer beads,

sky. The open jaws of the leviathan, infusing the wearer with an
where sun and moon each pass through. abhorrence for violence.
Silk hangings, illustrating
monks on stages of the spiritual
journey (2 Gold). Prolonged
viewing imparts the Condition
Dreams of the Misty Isle (see
conclusion).

additional traps

As with the heartgrove shrine, any tampering with remains in the temple will disturb the spirits,
prompting risk rolls to avoid gaining the Condition Haunted.

additional treasures

Bones of strange, long-extinct beasts with unusual horns, fins, and spiny tails.

146 · Leviathan’s Bridge

 THE VENGEFUL weakness — Devout (calmed by holy symbols, prayers, or displays of true piety) 10
Spirit of a great warrior-poet from the Woven Islands, laid to rest in the sanctuary they fought so hard to protect.
Stirred from peaceful slumber, they have no mercy for those who would violate the sanctity of this place.

1 Reciting stanzas, quick as darts, piercing the will. 4 Whispering the secret word which locks limbs in place.
2 Invoking spectral visions of battles and violence. 5 Graciously inviting foes to surrender and save face.
3 Manifesting the blood of fallen colonizers. 6 Unleashing a mournful dirge of despair.
Incorporeal — Unharmed by physical weapons.

engaging the vengeful in combat

The Vengeful must be engaged or the spiritual force of their presence will overwhelm the treasure-hunters.
Should the spirit be attacked with physical weapons, it will soon become clear that these have no effect. Instead,
treasure-hunters must make “appeasements” to distract, calm, or otherwise de-escalate the conflict to return the
spirit to rest. Make combat rolls as normal, inviting players to narrate their approach to the encounter.

COMMUNING WITH THE STAR

Treasure-hunters who commune with the star may access the following Ritual.

ritual

Archive — trade a precious memory to learn a lost piece of lore

This Ritual may only be performed in the temple—the ability to use it fades upon leaving the incursion.
A piece of lore gained in this may include useful information such as histories, maps, or a named monster’s Weakness.
Losing an important memory may cause the treasure-hunter’s Drive to change in some way (see conclusion
conclusion). ).

Communion with the glowing Celestial Heart may grant visions.

1 A tiny serpent stirs inside you, hungry for your dreams.

INCURSIONS
2 Eaten by a crocodile, passing through its belly, nourishing the riverbed.
3 Drowned by the weight of all the gold you have claimed or sought.
4 Every person you have lost, urging you to complete your tasks in this life.
5 Every person still alive because of your intervention.
6 The cycle of your own birth and death, repeating through myriad forms.

Conclusion
Visitors to the Drifting Temple are rare. Those who manage to find their way to Seeker’s Rest,
prove themselves worthy, and enter the temple are rarer still. But those who enter the Glowing
Sanctuary are never the same. Some may choose to take a much longer rest there, communing
with their ancestors or contemplating the events and choices of their life thus far. Some go
there to forget, and rest instead in the luminous calm sea from which they were born. But those
who eventually leave find that their lives are forever changed.
Treasure-hunters who visit the Glowing Sanctuary gain the permanent Condition Dreams of
the Misty Isle, which can only be resolved by returning and taking their place at last within the
roots of Seekers Rest. They may also find that their Drive no longer compels them in the same
way, and may decide to choose a new one.

Leviathan’s Bridge • 147

 Roots of
Old Kalduhr
Aaron Burkett Epidiah Ravachol Judd Karlman Mike Martens
Amanda Franck Fraser Simons Kyle Maxwell Natalie Ash
Cat Evans Gabriel Robinson Litza Bronwyn Oli Jeffery
Christina Stone-Bush Gerrit Reininghaus MadJay Brown Phil Vecchione
David LaFreniere Jason Cordova Madeleine Ember Ramanan Sivaranjan
David Morrison Jason Tocci Michael Van Vleet Sabine V
What poisoned soil feeds the forest?
The Kalduhr is a vast and dangerous forest grown over the ruins of civilizations stretching back
millenia. The most storied of these civilizations—though certainly not the oldest—is known
as Old Kalduhr.
Old Kalduhr was a much more advanced civilization than that of the present day, particularly
in the realms of art, science, and ritual magic. The god-monarchs of Old Kalduhr used their
power to enslave the spirits of the earth itself, rip holes in the fabric of reality, and unleash oth-
erworldly monstrosities upon their enemies. Eventually, only the giants which walked the land
in those days remained, so the people of Old Kalduhr set fire to the skies.
With nowhere left to turn, Old Kalduhr extended downward, carving new homes and temples
and thrones deep beneath the poisoned air. They built their fortress city as a massive labyrinth
and taught their children to walk its darkened halls. As they carved and the centuries passed,
the earth renewed itself. It never forgot its subjugation, and it reclaimed the surface via a forest
of vengeful flora and fauna. Eventually, Old Kalduhr fell, but the forest lived on, slowly obscur-
ing, burying, and erasing that old civilization that had caused it such harm.
Every treasure-hunter has heard of the ancient Kalduhri people. They know somewhere in the
forest are the ruins of an ancient city. Searching the deep wood for these ruins requires a des-
peration or an arrogance to match the Old Kalduhri people. Legends, rumors, or luck may lead
treasure-hunters to a particularly vast Kalduhri ruin within the deep wood. These ruins are
the ancient city-state of Old Kalduhr, that cursed place built down rather than up. The ruins
cling to the surface of the forest in futile resistance to the smothering, vengeful woods. If the
treasure-hunters enter the maw of this ancient city, they will eventually find a way into the real
Old Kalduhr, built under the earth and filled with unfathomable wonders and horrors.

OVERVIEW — THE MEGA-INCURSION

Roots of Old Kalduhr is a mega-incursion. Unlike regular incursions, there is no way a group
of treasure-hunters can explore the entirety of it in one attempt—it is too vast, and must be
explored again and again, perhaps with the same treasure-hunters who have survived to tell of
the place, or perhaps with new treasure-hunters who have discovered it for themselves.
The mega-incursion begins with an entrance Set and is organized into six Layers, each with its
own collection of Sets. There are two transitional Sets that help the treasure-hunters navigate
these layers: the streets and the climb.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

the streets allows treasure-hunters to travel from almost any Set on a particular Layer to
another Set on the same Layer. If a particular Set is inaccessible from the streets, it will
be obvious from the map and the text of that particular Set. Layer 3 and Layer 6 replace the
streets with unique connective Sets; the streets are not accessible on these layers.
the climb allows treasure-hunters to do one of the following: 1) discover and access the
streets on the next deepest Layer (or the connective Sets of Layer 3 and Layer 6), 2) access
any previously accessed Layer, or 3) return to the surface from any depth. the climb is always
accessible from the streets and other connective Sets.

warnings: Abandonment, Amputation, Body Horror, Cannibalism, Classism, Confined Spaces,

Graphic Violence, Harm to Animals, Harm to Children, Heights, Human Sacrifice, Insects &
Spiders, Manipulation, Mannequins, Memory Loss, Mental Illness, Religion, Slavery, Snakes

Overview & Sets • 149

 152
Ruins at the Heart of the Forest

158
LAYER 1
The Climb
176
The Orphan Pit
162 158 162

178
The Orphan’s Villa

170
The Dwarven Baths
The Climb
180
The Streets
Sehmet ils Ka’s Villa

182
The Specularium

174 172
The Mirrored Pool The Great Sewer

LAYER 2
The Streets
158 184
The Enclave

188
The Library of All
That is Known

The Climb 192

The Ten-in-One

194
The Workshop
of Devastating
Sensation
OLD KALDUHR

198 LAYER 3 190

ROOTS OF

The Near-Corpse of
196
an Unnamed Giant
Kheret ils Nu’s
Reliquary

202
The The Shrine of
Rhunnveldt Woven Moonlight

206
The Venerable
Panopticon of
Poisons & Venoms

150 · Overview & Sets

 SETS
When a Set is referenced from within another Set, it will always be prefixed with the number
of its Layer, or 0 in the case of the entrance Set (ruins at the heart of the forest) and
the transitional Sets (the climb and the streets).
Dotted lines represent connections between Sets which need to be unlocked to be used.
The circled number on each Set is the page where that Set can be found. 162

158 232

LAYER 6
228
The Caustic Chords
of the Madwood
The Hollow
Hunting
Grounds 234
The Last People
of Old Kalduhr

The Climb
LAYER 5
218
The Calcitic
Trephine

222
The Catacombs
Both Endless The Streets
& Nameless

226
The Temple for
Exaltation of Blood
158 162 OLD KALDUHR

LAYER 4
ROOTS OF

214 158
The Root Cellar

210
The Manufactorum
The Climb The Streets
212 The Climb
The Mechanical
Mind

216
The Senatorial
Chambers

Overview & Sets • 151

 Ruins at the Heart of the Forest
Locating entrances to Old Kalduhr is especially difficult as the land has grown back with a vengeance,
more dense and twisted than anywhere else. Wild beasts, birthed by the memories of the forest, stalk its
borders, eager to tear apart intruders to water the roots with their blood. Countless spirits trapped within
the woods hunger for a chance to experience the warmth of living flesh and dream of hope once again.
The scattered monuments that can be found above ground have been largely overgrown by the forest
over millennia, and most have been plundered long ago. But you and your companions are ready to delve
far below to claim the wonders that await only the bravest and most worthy. The risks are endless—the
rewards, should you succeed, are incalculable. You know this in your bones, as something calls you to
venture below the ground again, returning home...

You know Old Kalduhr is near because... which leads you to believe…
1 wild beasts avoid or flock to the area... 1 the land remembers evil acts committed here.
2 plant life appears wilted or wildly overgrown... 2 spirits of the lost wander here ceaselessly.
3 each new discovery fills you with dread… 3 a local monument hides a secret entrance.
4 magic affects this place differently… 4 echoes of ancient sorcery still warp the landscape.
5 the ground shudders beneath your feet… 5 the nearby lair of a forest guardian protects a secret.
6 a distant voice whispers your name... 6 a prophecy will be fulfilled here.
goal Locate an entrance to the underground ruins of Old Kalduhr.

A crow follows you from tree to tree overhead, cawing as if warning you to turn back.
A confounding maze of ever-tightening branches seems to herd you deeper into the forest.
An footpath is barely traceable in the leaf litter. Fallen branches, or bones, crunch underfoot.
moments A distant, haunting melody drifts through the trees—a flute or singing voice, full of melancholy.
A sudden vision overcomes your senses, glimpses of the landscape around you from a dim past.
Swirling wisps of glowing light dance between trees at the edge of your vision—forest spirits,
luminescent spores, or echoes of ancient rites performed here.

Use any of the following props as needed, with secret entrances hidden among the treasures.
props traps treasures
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Statue Clearing. A towering group of A curse imbued within the Scattered components of a
statues stand arranged in a clearing. stone guards against intrud- failed ritual, including a scroll
The statues have worn features and ers (risk roll to avoid the inscribed with the Ritual Gate.
unsettling shapes, and are carved with Condition Marked Trespasser). entrance: A sigil of passage,
intricate symbols. The statues have fresh Theft of offerings or faintly singed into the grass.
and old offerings arranged at their feet. meddling with the statues Opened through a Ritual or
Do the statues represent early forms of the
0 Sisters, forest guardians, or primordial
awakens a guardian spirit. when the statues are invoked in
an act of worship—or sacrifice.
gods, worshiped before Kalduhr expanded
underground?

152 · Entrance • Ruins at the Heart of the Forest

props traps treasures

Stone Bridge. A tall stone footbridge, A sunken effigy with Small floating barrel of
long and narrow, built from smooth androgynous features, deliciously spiced, nourishing,
white stones stretches over a small lake bright silver inlay, and if unknown, preserved meats.
of dark water with an opaque surface. iridescent shells sings Abandoned coracle crafted from
The water is deeper than it appears. At alluringly underwater as if a scaly hide. Inside are fishing
its end is a small island ringed with yew wanting to be rescued. lines, hooks, and a clay jar of
trees of blue bark. At the center of the A writhing mass of black glow worms inscribed with the
island is a shallow fountain in the shape eels, endlessly devouring Ritual Lure.
of a harpy with a fish in her claws. each other, is quick to sense entrance: A corroded iron
movement or smell blood. grate at the bottom of the foun-
A discarded and cursed tain covers an ancient aqueduct.
tarnished ring set with green The aqueduct is a slick stone
gemstones sits in the open, tunnel just wide enough to
easy to see. squeeze through.

Grave Site. Here lie the graves of A hive of needle-toothed A small sealed box containing
fallen treasure-hunters, marked by loam crawlers is stripping a journal. The legible pages
spring branches, piles of stones, remains away flesh and regurgitating recount paths through the
of a pyre, or simple offerings. A crude decomposed matter. forest of Kalduhr, beasts
face has been carved into a tree, as if hunted, and the sighting of a
A lost treasure-hunter, still
watching over them. Who fell here? hidden enclave of refugees.
living, stirs under a pile of
Who survived to honor their memory? stones. entrance: A cracked stone
Who still awaits their return? slab, far too heavy to have
Disturbing any grave
been dragged here by common
awakens a vengeful spirit.
treasure-hunters, covers a false
tomb, revealing a long flight of
stairs sloping downward.

Tower Ruins. The ominous ruins of Stones around the base of A small collection of
an ancient watchtower are partially the tower are carved in the preserved monster parts
sunken, covered in vines and lichen. likeness of the Old One hang from iron nails.
Inside, a spiral staircase leads to a of the Forest. Studying A set of bone throwing
destroyed top half and open sky above. them prompts a risk roll knives, clearly of fine goblin
Who built it so far from known (success grants the tempo- craftsmanship.
civilization? What did they watch for? rary Condition Blessed of
Kalduhr, but failure draws a entrance: The flagstones of
eye of a guardian spirit). the tower floor are much newer
than those of the tower itself,
A spirit-bane charm made and hollow beneath. Breaking
from an unknown bird’s or removing them reveals a
OLD KALDUHR

head. It screams in reaction

ROOTS OF

gaping pit and an iron-runged

to any use of Rituals. ladder extending into the
The ruined pinnacle of the darkness below.
tower is home to a nest of
swarming, sharp-toothed
moss pixies. Their bites cause
infections, and later,
hallucinations. 0

Entrance • Ruins at the Heart of the Forest • 153

 props traps treasures

Old Grove Shrine. A grove of ancient Bright berries hang from the A ritual cloak and mask of
trees have twisted branches forming a upper branches, alluring and faeborn craft, fashioned in the
gate. Inside the grove is a shrine shaped poisonous. likeness of a forest god.
by sorcery or an ancient craft. Who A beast of the wild makes A crystal flask of blessed spring
altered these trees, and to what purpose? its lair here, attacking water (heals 1 Ruin).
desperately if cornered. entrance: Roots form
Nearby, a massive, seemingly steps into a spiraling tunnel
bottomless pit the size of downward.
an amphitheater sits just
beneath a tangle of growth.
This pit leads directly to
the 4 the senatorial
chambers.

Quarry. Carved steps lead down to an Shifting rubble and A map fragment. Notes on
abandoned marble quarry with mossy hollow ground give way its margins suggest a nearby
sloped edges. The quarry itself is now to underground tunnels. monument.
nothing more than a collapsed ruin of A group of lost treasure- Fine stone carving tools along
tunnels and equipment. Who delved hunters returned to the with a stone tablet etched with
so deep here, of all places? Why did surface, forever changed. the Ritual Enliven.
they leave?
A stolen idol of a sorcerer- entrance: A pillared gate
king compels tribute with its partially uncovered in the
lifelike marble features and rubble and carved with the
watchful eyes. sigils of ancient rulers.

additional traps

The lingering scent of roasted meat from the remains of a still-smoldering campfire just off the path will soon
attract scavengers.
Ancient witch trees abound. These spiteful husks of cursed forest priests who took too much from the forest
must now survive on what they can catch with their grasping, thorny branches.
A group of runaway kingsguard demand information on the whereabouts of a secret outpost in the forest,
threatening vicious retaliation if anyone reports them.
The crying figure of a child, crawling through the undergrowth in search of a lost toy. If engaged, this vengeful
spirit demands a treasure or attacks.
A clearing in the trees reveals an empty festival pavilion with magnificent silk banners stirring in the breeze.
Fragrant blossoms float down from the gleaming verdant canopy and the distant sound of pan flutes entice
travelers closer. A successful risk roll allows vigilant treasure-hunters to pull away and continue on their
OLD KALDUHR

journey. Otherwise this latest ploy by a group of local faeborn may lure the unwary into a place where time
ROOTS OF

moves differently from the world outside.

additional treasures — i of ii

A fine weapon or piece of armor.

You discover it... It is clearly valuable because...
0 1 dropped in haste. 1 it has been forged with lost techniques.
2 wedged between roots. 2 it is crafted from rare monstrous parts.
3 worn or clutched by a corpse. 3 polished gems gleam from its sockets.
4 dragged by a wounded beast. 4 it hums faintly with a sorcerous power.
5 displayed as an offering. 5 you have heard tales of it.
6 hanging from a tree. 6 it is inscribed with a blessing of protection.
154 · Entrance • Ruins at the Heart of the Forest
additional treasures — ii of ii

Rare medicinal plants of the woods, prized by explorers:

1 Iron Fruit: A rich blue plum, which numbs fear and most other feelings, for a time. Too much makes one
heedless of danger.

2 Blood Moss: Heals 1 Ruin caused by a wound as it feeds on dead flesh. May take root as a permanent
growth. Not actually moss, but a dense cluster of tiny parasitic worms.
3 Ember Blossom: Lights a fire in the belly for warmth and courage. Best consumed sparingly, as such
invigorating zeal may quickly turn to bloodlust.
4 Prophet’s Root: When brewed and drank as a tea it grants fluid speech and glimpses beyond the veil.
Sometimes spirits gaze back or speak through the one consuming it. Beware the power behind their words.

5 Eye of the Ancients: A potent blue fungus with the appearance of eyes peering from layers of tree bark.
Imparts wondrous and terrifying visions of the Underworld — and is likely to take you there directly, if you
ingest too much.
6 Grandmother’s Frond: A succulent purple weed growing in lakes and streams. It slakes one’s thirst when
carried under the tongue on long journeys. Spit it out before it begins to grow or be compelled to seek
bodies of water to submerge yourself more and more frequently.
A polished rosewood case containing a rolled parchment inscribed with fine inks: study it to learn a Ritual
(player’s choice; no Ruin or Burden increase).
An idol carved from bone in the form of a beast of the wild. It is an older form of one of the Sisters or a
forgotten god. What of its features are familiar to you, somehow? Why did it come to you in this place?
A martyr’s skull. Buried under a rotting tree stump is an ornate box inscribed with symbols of a forgotten
deity. The box may be found by following the singing voice of the skull inside. If asked, the skull will tell you it
belonged to a priest, long ago, before its owner was betrayed and their head buried far from their body—a final
insult to keep them from their rightful place in a temple far below. The skull claims oracular powers and remem-
bers a path to Old Kalduhr. It will guide you if you choose to trust its words and take it with you (the skull may
be used as part of a delve roll—see below).

DELVE ROLL

Any of the Props in this Set may reveal an entrance to the subterranean levels of Old Kalduhr, whether beginning
a journey below or returning to the surface. If treasure-hunters choose to explore further without successfully
locating an entrance, the gm may introduce another Prop, or have a treasure-hunter make an attempt to delve:
When you believe a location connects to Old Kalduhr, say you are looking for an entrance, then gather dice.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

6 Take a light die for describing a prophecy or piece of lore which you believe describes a path to Old Kalduhr.
6 Take a light die if you have a Skill or piece of evidence which strengthens your belief or eases your search.
Roll the dice. If your highest die is a:

1: You lose your way in the forest and encounter something terrible. 0
2–3: You encounter something terrible.

4–5: You discover an entrance to Old Kalduhr, but it is guarded or threatened by something terrible.

6: You discover an entrance to Old Kalduhr.

Entrance • Ruins at the Heart of the Forest • 155

 BEAST OF THE WILD weaknesses — See below 6+
Appearing in forms both familiar and twisted by their time in the deep Kalduhr. Driven to protect the borders of
their domain from intruders. Choose or roll for this beast’s specific form.
1 Spiked hide, powerful claws, whiplike tail. 4 Massive horns or tusks, sturdy hooves, glowing eyes.
2 Mottled plumage, cruel beak, swift running talons. 5 Jeweled scales, hypnotic eyes, sudden fangs.
3 Oily fur, muscular bulk, bellowing toothy maw. 6 Enlivened bones, roots, or bestial corpses.
1 Bursting from a hidden lair. 4 Snatching unguarded food or equipment.
2 Stalking from the shadows. 5 Imitating human voices and gestures.
3 Approaching warily, curious, not yet aggressive. 6 Brazenly destroying or consuming a treasure.
defenses — Beasts start with 1 Defense and 6 Endurance. For each additional Defense you add to the beast,
increase its base Endurance by 1, up to a maximum of 5 Defenses and 10 Endurance.
1 Agile Climber/Entangling Limbs/Swift Reflexes.

2 Thick Hide/Dense Fur/Tough Scales — The creature’s natural defenses repel all but the sharpest blades.
3 Mesmerizing Beauty/Hypnotic Voice — You stop mid-attack and stand in place for a moment, enraptured.
4 Terrifying Presence — You can avoid a Ruin increase from the Combat Roll by fleeing the fight, right now.
5 Wild Rage — The beast increases its Endurance by 1 after each round of combat, up to 12 Endurance.
6 Poisoned Flesh/Venomous Bite — You take the Condition Infected.
weaknesses — Choose 1 or more.
1 Fire, bright light, or loud noise.

2 Traps, snares, or tactics.

3 Holy symbols, prayers, or Rituals.
4 Offerings of food or treasure.
5 Exposure (being drawn from its lair).
6 Distraction (a song, display, or Ritual).
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

156 · Entrance • Ruins at the Heart of the Forest

 CRUMBLING GIANT weaknesses — Rituals; trickery; entanglement 10+
A living relic from an ancient world, this mass of animated stone still wanders the forest to unknown purposes. It is
attended by a pair of small stone-carver manikins which climb across its body and maintain the gems which appear
to animate its joints and spine.

1 Searching for a lost artifact. 4 Craning a faceless head to the watch the sky.
2 Bending to inspect a sapling or forest creature. 5 Destroying a perceived threat to the forest.
3 Slowly uprooting a tree to replant it nearby. 6 Towering motionless among the trees.
Born of Stone — Immune to blades or piercing weapons.
Crushing Bulk — It catches hold of you and pins you beneath its foot, causing the Condition Broken Bones.
Tended — For each manikin still attending to the giant, increase its Endurance by 1 (up to 12 Endurance).

GUARDIAN SPIRIT weaknesses — Offerings; prayers; supplication 8

This spirit appears as either a looming antlered figure or a veiled woman made of leaves. It is given form and power
by the prayers of those who take refuge in the forest and those who die within its realm.

1 Hovering over a sleeping forest traveler. 4 Warning trespassers to turn back.

2 Herding beasts away from danger. 5 Singing the forest awake to defend itself.
3 Mourning the loss of felled trees. 6 Manifesting the wrath of nature.
Spectral — Immune to physical weapons.
Reflecting — It turns a Ritual back against its caster.
Feeds on Death — Its Endurance increases by 1 when a treasure-hunter falls in combat.

LOST TREASURE-HUNTER weaknesses — Intimidation; prolonged conflict 6

These people are mere husks of their former selves, their minds and bodies battered by failed incursions to the forest.
They are on the brink of ruin, desperately seeking any means of salvation. Who do they remind you of ?

1 Wandering in circles. 4 Tearing at the carcass of a bird.

2 Hands tracing patterns of stones. 5 Squabbling over forest “treasures.”
3 Sacrificing a companion to survive. 6 Repeating fragments of a favorite song.
Wretched — Looking at them reveals a glimpse of your own inevitable fate, causing the Condition Vision of Doom.

VENGEFUL SPIRIT weaknesses — Holy symbols; prayers; prolonged interactions 7

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Slain in an act of betrayal, this spirit is an embodiment of pure rage and sorrow. Such entities are all too common in
the Forest of Kalduhr. They exist only as an echo of unbridled torment, quickly passing on once their energy is spent.

1 Wilting nearby plant life. 4 Unleashing outbursts of despair.

2 Inducing sickness in living creatures. 5 Revealing glimpses of past tragedy.
3 Manifesting signs of violence. 6 Begging for release. 0
Spectral — Immune to physical weapons.
Horrific Visage — It casts its terrible gaze on a treasure-hunter, causing the Condition Terrified.

Where to from here?

0 THE CLIMB — TO 1, page 158

Entrance • Ruins at the Heart of the Forest • 157

 The Climb
Exploring the depths of the ancient world is treacherous. Whether descending into the unknown or climb-
ing your way back with what you could salvage, the path is dangerous.
You must find a way to traverse... while taking care to avoid...
1 the depths of an underground lake... 1 awakening an ancient horror.
2 an old mining shaft of ladders and pulleys... 2 the lair of devious subterranean creatures.
3 a chasm where shifting earth has split the path… 3 the shifting, crumbling stones of ancient ruins.
4 a vast spiraling stair, full of gaps, precarious... 4 a forgotten trap laid by past treasure-hunters.
5 a dense tangle of gnarled roots and tunnels... 5 restless spirits trapped between place and time.
6 an abandoned aqueduct, lined with molding waste... 6 a treacherous plunge to certain doom.
goal Travel between the deep layers of Old Kalduhr.

A loose stone drifts into the void below… a long, tense wait before hearing its impact.
The distant sound of running water from a subterranean river or lake. A single echoing splash.

moments A lone beam of light pierces the darkness from above, revealing something lost.
A distant rumble and groan as if the weary earth were shifting to be rid of the many tunnels and
structures invading its depths.
The hollow void below amplifies your every sound, carrying it far beyond, on currents of dry air.

props traps treasures

Rope Climbing Paths. Dangling ropes A belt of rusty climbing tools Lost equipment (choose any set
and gear of previous climbers litter tumbles from a great height, of starting equipment).
the area—a blackened lantern, a single an echoing cacophony re- A stolen rope of Kalduhri
leather boot, a broken spear, a torn net. vealing your presence. craft—nearly indestructible,
Frayed ropes with corroded but must be persuaded to hold
metal fastenings make the fast (risk roll to appease the
climb dangerous. spirit bound within its fibers).
Snares, nets, or hooks left by
rival treasure-hunters are all
around.
OLD KALDUHR

“Safe” Climbing Paths. A vast stair Cave moss under hand and A small pouch of gems dropped
ROOTS OF

or ladder extends along a chasm wall, foot, grasping, carnivorous, in haste.

vanishing into darkness—hundreds of and sticking limbs to stone. Chalk markings left by a previ-
steps, all single file, with one side open Crumbling stones of a cliff ous traveler, warning of traps
to the void. face shatter several stairs cre- nearby.
ating new gaps to traverse.
A disorienting mirrored illu-
0 sion, reflecting the passage
behind, making the way
seem endless.

158 · Transition • The Climb

props traps treasures

The Ruins of a Collapsed Floor or Stone fragments, loosened by Fragment of a forgotten idol—
Ceiling. Shattered pillars, flagstones, too much prying, stand ready a hand, foot, or part of a face—
and statues left a deep rift of open space. to crush a treasure-hunter. valuable to collectors
False steps, pits, or balanced Pieces of Kalduhri craft: hard-
pillars left by rival treasure- wood and bone etched with
hunters are all around. intricate symbols or shimmer-
ing woven textiles of curious
strength.

A Levitating Platform. Wide enough to An unexpected change of A stone tablet inscribed with
carry a small group, animated by forgot- direction as the platform is the Ritual Guide — conjure a
ten craft or ancient sorcery. bound for another destina- thread to follow.
tion. Runes providing clues to other
A spirit bound within the ancient crafts or machinery in
machine, channeled or re- another Set.
leased unintentionally. Pieces of Kalduhri technology—
precisely etched gemstones,
interlocking arrangements
of strange metals, or flawless
polished stone slabs which hum
with dormant energies.

The Roots of a Giant, Hollowed Tree. Curious root imps delight The wayward shrine of a
Burnt out from the inside, carved with in sabotaging the efforts of forgotten hero: a simple text
steps and ritual markings, and once a climbers. recounting their deeds, a set of
shrine or passage for initiates. once-magnificent armor, a glori-
Disturbing the shrine may
ous but now corroded weapon—
invoke the song of a drifting
all valuable to the right collector
shade.
–or– providing insight through
Rituals if left undisturbed.

A Clustered Hive of Burrowing A nest shelters the young The dormant egg of an ancient
Creatures. The hive is set in the side of offspring of an ancient beast, long thought to be extinct.
a cliff with oddly shaped holes leading horror—less threatening The skeletal hand of a dead
to twisting burrows, nests of scavenged themselves, but quick to call treasure-hunter clutches an onyx
remains, and a foul odor. their guardian. goblet.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

additional traps

A smooth, damp tunnel opening glimmers with distant reflections across its slick walls; curious pointy crystals
jut inward in spiraled rows: a tunnel maw waiting for its next unwary meal.
0
additional treasures

The remains of a failed expedition. This lost group of treasure-hunters, bodies mangled by their fall and decayed
long ago, carries among them a series of clues leading to a set below –or– a treasure of immense value, danger-
ous to transport further.

Transition • The Climb • 159

 DRIFTING SHADES weaknesses — Spoken memories of the living; evidence of the present age 8
These entities are echoing fragments of memory from Old Kalduhr, lost so long they have forgotten their own form,
and trapped here in an endless search for the open sky. As they pass over a place they imbue it with melancholy: the
longing of centuries.

1 Manifesting glowing inscriptions of Kalduhr. 4 Projecting a glimpse of former glory.

2 Speaking, voices like bells and crystal chimes. 5 Moaning a sorrowful dirge.
3 Intoning layered choruses of Kalduhri poetry. 6 Flickering between forms, menacing and beautiful.
Lost Time Implosion — Causes the Condition Disoriented as time collapses back into existence in this place.
Will-Drain — Causes the Condition Melancholy as the shade imparts the futility of continuing to fight into a
treasure-hunter’s mind.

ROOT IMPS weaknesses — Intimidation; bargains; displays of magic 7

Devious colonies of enlivened fungi resembling gangly crabs with glowing spores grown on their heads to give them
vision in the dark. Nimble climbers, they are quick to snatch treasures to dismantle and drag into their burrows.
They are highly intelligent, sharing one mind.

1 Appearing at the worst possible moment. 4 Delighting in mayhem.

2 Chittering in the shadows. 5 Swarming the unwary.
3 Dismantling equipment. 6 Vanishing into tiny burrows.
Overwhelming Swarm — Increase Endurance by 1 each round of combat as the swarm grows.

SPORE HAG weaknesses — Ropes; piercing weapons 9

This creature resembles a giant floating anglerfish, bulbous with the toxic vapors it produces from its own waste. It
drifts upward to scavenge the sides of cliffs with long, wispy tendrils

1 Curiously following an unfamiliar creature. 4 Illuminating its scales expressively.

2 Luring lost travelers into the dark. 5 Swallowing prey, plummeting back to its rock pool.
3 Obsessing over a new discovery. 6 Purring in delight.
Floating Out of Reach — Immune to melee attacks.
Spore Cloud — It blows toxic vapors that are noxious and temporarily blinding, causing the Condition Poisoned.
Alluring — It uses mesmerizing patterns of glowing scales to draw you over a ledge.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

TUNNEL MAW weaknesses — Rituals; fire; piercing weapons; climbing equipment 11

Appearing as a long tunnel lined with smooth, slick walls as if damp from an underground stream, this gargantuan
burrowing worm lures prey deep into its belly with shining crystalline growths. Up close, these are clearly the
creature’s teeth.
0
1 Mimicking a cavern full of lost treasure. 4 Convulsing, violently gulping prey inward.
2 Salivating a trickle of acrid mineral water. 5 Releasing a low, murmuring sigh.
3 Quivering, seeming like tremors of the earth. 6 Belching a river of corrosive bile.
Slick Walls — Once triggered, you begin sliding down toward the maw (risk roll to avoid sliding deeper).
Aggressive Digestion — Specialized bile from the maw corrodes weapons and armor.

160 · Transition • The Climb

 ANCIENT HORROR weaknesses — See below 10+
Mercifully unknown to the world above, for now. A creature from a world long dead—no stories come close to the
sheer dread of facing this monstrosity. Choose or roll for this horror’s specific form.
1 Segmented shell, spear limbs, venomous mandibles. 4 Smoldering heart, crystalline horns, booming rage.
2 Slick hide, sinuous constricting coils, hypnotic gaze. 5 Sickening decay, animated bones, undying tenacity.
3 Thrashing fins, layered hook-teeth, terrifying screech. 6 Shaded smoke, drowning light, darkness manifested.
1 Waiting, motionless for ages. 4 Reshaping the earth.
2 Stalking the borders of its domain. 5 Bending time with the magnitude of its form.
3 Obsessing over a treasure. 6 Gathering a hoard of followers.
defenses — Beasts starts with 1 Defense and 10 Endurance. For each additional Defense you add to the beast,
increase its base Endurance by 1, up to a maximum of 3 Defenses and 12 Endurance.
1 Sensory Deprivation — It darkens all light and dampens all sound. It has no problem fighting like this.

2 Sheltering Lair — It pulls back and lures you in to its advantage.

3 Terror — You can avoid a Ruin increase from the combat roll by fleeing the fight.
4 Crushing Claws — It grabs hold of you and slams you against the rock, causing the Condition Broken Ribs.
5 Crushing Bulk — It pins you to the ground; another treasure-hunter takes your Weak Point for the next round.
6 Tough, Thick Hide or Armor — It is immune to most blunt attacks.
weaknesses — Choose 1 or more.
1 Blinding light, fire.

2 Starving (drawn to bait).

3 Tactics (outmaneuvering, traps).
4 Rituals, prayers, or holy symbols.
5 Artifacts (seeks pieces of Old Kalduhr).
6 Worship, praise, or offerings.
INSTEAD OF FALLING

During any dangerous ascent or descent, the void beckons. Death is always one slipped handhold or frayed rope
away. But miraculous things happen in the deep. When a fall would spell certain doom for a character, the GM
may choose to introduce a dire complication instead.
OLD KALDUHR

As you plunge, your fall is miraculously broken by... While blessed to be alive, you now find yourself...
ROOTS OF

1 a suspended miner’s cart. 1 entangled in a trap.

2 a garden of fungal blooms. 2 face to face with an ancient horror of the deep.
3 a deep cavern pool. 3 enmeshed in the energies of ancient magic.
4 the nest of a subterranean creature. 4 entranced by a newfound treasure.
5 the body of a fallen treasure-hunter. 5 separated from your companions by a new obstacle. 0
6 an inexplicable repelling force. 6 trapped within rubble (Condition Broken Limb).

Where to from here?

This transitional Set connects to multiple Sets. Review the Set Map, page 150

Transition • The Climb • 161

 The Streets
The streets of Old Kalduhr have been uninhabited for hundreds of years—but they are not empty.
You find signs of lingering presences here: revealing that…
1 a statue appears untarnished, its eyes watchful... 1 an ancestral spirit has recognized you.
2 a garden still blooms, nourished by unseen energies… 2 your true destiny awaits you here.
3 flameless light flickers inside an empty building... 3 there are secrets here more precious than gold.
4 the unshakable feeling of hundreds of eyes... 4 your arrival has been anticipated.
5 fragmented memories, not your own, fill your mind… 5 your presence here awakens a sleeping power.
6 sweet temple incense wafts across your path… 6 this place seeks to keep you here as its new residents.
goal Travel between locations of Old Kalduhr.

Echoing footsteps fill the empty street—the slap of worn sandals, the patter of bare feet, the
steady clop of hooves, the slither of servant-beasts, the trundle of pulled carts, the brutal stomp
of a guardian’s iron boots, and the halting shuffle of stone-formed servants—followed by silence
once more.
The echoing chorus of insects and small creatures comes from the hanging gardens—hollow,
flute-like calls; rhythmic clacking like gemstones rubbing together; bright bursts of rapid chirp-
ing; and humming drones throughout.
A street-runner's cart stands ready for a new passenger: bright paint preserved, wheels oiled and
balanced, and seat cushions immaculate.
A stone-formed cleaning servant, segmented and many-legged, methodically picks at cracked
flagstones in search of fallen litter.
moments Rows of crystal lanterns flicker to life as you pass, casting strange patterns of moonlight, cap-
tured sunsets, memories of bonfires, and soothing candlelight.
The lone melody of a bone flute echoes across the empty street, rising and falling in a haunting,
mournful dirge. Later it is echoed by a muted gong and a quavering bowed instrument, eerily
close to a human voice.
Spectral scenes of ages past manifest in the streets: a funeral procession along Sleeper’s Row,
a ritual offering in the Square of Abundant Blessings, a line of travelers bearing lanterns along
the Path of Glory or the Aspirant’s Climb, and an uprising of blood and flames upon the Walk
of Redemption. The Hanging Theater manifests regular performances as well. Throughout, the
ghosts of Old Kalduhr relive their fading memories perpetually—unless disturbed or drawn to
the warmth of the living.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Stones hum and vibrate underfoot, animated by something underground.

A sudden gust of wind, whispering, inexplicable.

HAUNTED STREETS
0
While the streets of Old Kalduhr appear dead and empty, those who wander too long in the open risk being no-
ticed by any of the spectral or undying entities there. Failures on risk rolls or hunt rolls may prompt the
arrival of ghosts. While combat is always a threat, consider additional ways the treasure-hunters may become
entangled with the spirits the more time they spend in Old Kalduhr. Ghosts may recognize a distant ancestor
in a treasure-hunter, or mistake them for a lost loved one or a returned rival. Demands or bargains made with
ghosts may reveal useful threads of history which connect to later Sets explored in Old Kalduhr.

162 · Transition • The Streets

props traps treasures

An Alleyway. A path which avoids the Ravenous purple fungus, Blind Beggar’s flower, growing
more prominent features of the city, spread across an entire wall silvery and luminous in dark
best for shortcuts or resting out of sight. as it patiently consumes corners. Dims outward vision
stone, metal, and flesh alike. while opening perception of the
Construct this specific alleyway using
Touching it risks inoculation spirit world.
the Alleyway Generator below.
of its slow-blooming spores. An unbroken clay jar of fire
At first obscured by shadow, mead, wax seal marked with a
a dead end caused by fallen winged scorpion sigil.
rubble. Lizard-skin sandals (swift and
silent, treads which grip stone
effortlessly).

Sleeper’s Row. A densely layered resi- A particular mural calls to a Mementos of lesser-known
dential quarter of smooth clay facades treasure-hunter. What speaks Kalduhri families: torques of
painted in vibrant murals of family to you of your history and woven copper and gold, en-
histories and packed with narrow doors compels you to enter the home graved opal blades with antler
of every size and shape. While some to visit? handles, clay statues of favored
homes once contained fully furnished pets, ritual baskets woven in
Any home intruded upon
living quarters, most only allowed room star patterns, and painted wood
is inhabited by a ghost of
for one visitor at a time. The green masks bearing the likeness of
Old Kalduhr, who may be
marble flagstones here are muffled by significant elders in the family
engaged with through their
fallen leaves and wilted petals from the line.
bargains. Stealing treasures
still-flowering gardens on every rooftop. will surely spark a new
The tallest houses with their grandiose conflict.
pillars and arched windows bear no
visible family murals—their doors have
been torn away and their walls defaced.
Inside, spindly roots and branches pro-
trude from every crevice as if sabotaged
by furious plant growth.

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

ALLEYWAY GENERATOR

This path is... indicating it was once used for…

1 obscured by ragged tents and clothing lines... 1 transport of common people and supplies.
2 littered with detritus and improvised shelters... 2 refuge by those cast out from the wealthy districts. 0
3 squeezed between collapsing buildings... 3 secret dealings and forbidden trysts.
4 deeply grooved by carts and beasts of burden... 4 a place of adventure for street urchins.
5 lined with doors and ladders carved into walls... 5 a regular haunt of thieves and assassins.
6 overgrown with wild, untended gardens... 6 a quiet route for avoiding unwanted attention.

Transition • The Streets • 163

 props traps treasures

A Market Street. Once a bustling A dazzling display of artisan Painted clay masks, fashioned
thoroughfare, the thriving heart of the wares, distracting while hun- in the likeness of overland
city, now barren and haunted by fading gry ghosts draw near. beasts, though many of the fea-
memories. tures are wrong. A sigil carved
A barricaded storefront,
inside projects the shadow
Construct this specific street using the sealed with a destructive rit-
of the wearer into that of the
Market Street Generator below. ual against debt collectors.
beast.
Husks of winged messenger
drones, their animating gem
still embedded in the carapace.
The delicate metal wings are
mostly bent or broken, but
some still hold a scroll in their
hooked limbs.
Jars of preserved fruits and flesh
from extinct species.
Inscribed tablets of popular
poetry, imbued with the ash of
famous performers. When the
symbols are traced with a living
hand, a magical recording of
the poem is recited aloud.

The Square of Abundant Blessings. Any Rituals performed near Rotting baskets piled under a
Once a thriving market square, hub of the altar causes it to sing in a collapsed market stall con-
commerce, and site of grandiose sacri- mournful drone, summoning tain crystal beads, bottles of
ficial rites, its diminished ruins are still a sacrificial attendant. Kalduhri spirits brewed with
glorious and echo with the resonance herbs from the hanging gar-
A gathering of living souls
of events witnessed here. Beneath a dens, and precious hardwood
may inspire the Looming
massive bloodstone arch, faded tiles in boxes of incense crafted from
Assemblage to initiate a
dazzling ornate patterns emanate from the forest above.
rite of passage—forming a
a central altar. Deep stains run down its maze around the square and Rare horns, teeth, and hides
well-worn surface, with narrow gutters calling a Shadow Puppet from long-extinct surface
draining off to the empty, dry canals in the form of a smoke- beasts.
surrounding the square. Across from wreathed bull to pursue the
the altar stand a group of marble stat- A collapsed shrine hides a
treasure-hunters towards broken fanged monkey idol, the
ues: a winged bull with lowered horns the altar at the center of the
and a two-headed lion are trampling remains of small animal bones,
square.
and entangled within the coils of a vast, and an ornate ritual dagger.
writhing serpent.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

MARKET STREET GENERATOR

This path is lined with… indicating this district…

1 shattered marble, graffiti, and signs... 1 catered to those with unusual tastes.
0 2 collapsed balconies and ornamental furniture... 2 was a hub for black-market goods.
3 doors and windows of every shape and size... 3 plotted against an oppressive regime.
4 faded canopies and splintered market stalls... 4 held ritual significance for the population.
5 mummified spectators seated in rows... 5 sourced a rare or valuable artisan craft.
6 heavy doors, barred and locked... 6 sheltered refugees from the ruling sorcerers.

164 · Transition • The Streets

props traps treasures

An Overpass. Sweeping views of the Brittle stones underfoot, Hanging crystal globes, filled
city below, accessible only to a select weakened by the passage with sparkling water that glows
few. of something too large and when stirred.
heavy.
Construct this specific overpass using Views of the city below (counts
the Overpass Generator below. Exposure to entities which as a Hunt Token when solving a
watch from the city below. relevant Set goal within view).

The Hanging Theater. The theater is The plants of the lower gar- Jewelry dropped and forgot-
made of magnificent, towering pillars dens are entirely carnivorous. ten: creamy white moon opals,
of crystal-veined marble, crossed Jagged blade-ferns, thirsty iridescent whale-horn beads,
with heavy bone-wood beams from serpent roots, piercing fanged a fire-gilded crown of daggers,
the Kalduhr forest, surrounding an orchids, and blood-red devil’s and antlers inlaid with gems
elevated crescent-shaped stage. Hanging claws were traditionally kept and silver.
throughout are lavish platforms where to dispose of meat scraps and The bones of a servant who
elite patrons once commanded the best bones cast away from the attempted to retrieve a piece of
views of the stage below. Behind them extravagant nightly feasts jewelry dropped by their mas-
rises the famed hanging gardens of above. It has been a long time ter. Their spirit still lingers here.
Kalduhr, long overgrown with spec- since they were fed. Free them with a ritual and they
imens of exotic flora from the world Lingering too long here may will tell you who their master
above, sustained here through an inge- indicate to the spirits of this was and what secret they kept.
nious arrangement of hidden streams place that an audience has
and waterfalls, and crystal lanterns A skeleton hangs inverted be-
gathered. Various entities
which mimic the moon and sun. Glow- hind the foliage of the hanging
may vie for the life-giving
ing mosses and succulents mingle with garden’s back wall, encased in
attention of the treasure-
creeping vines, swaying silver grasses, dried roots and vines. A cere-
hunters: ghosts of Old
and gnarled shrubs with bark of pale monial blade protrudes from
Kalduhr materialize to
blue, purple, and gold. its ribs while an ivory-handled
proclaim terrible unheeded scepter and flail lay trampled in
dooms, a captured Fae elder the soil along with a handful of
weaves a tale of overwhelm- broken copper neck-bands and
ing beauty and tragedy, chains. All items are engraved
undying sorcerers summon with the crest of a noble house.
their shadow puppets for the
amusement of their patrons
in the upper seats. They put
on a breath-taking perfor-
mance. Those watching must
make a risk roll to look
away. On a failure, the per-
formance swells in intensity,
requiring combat to escape.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

OVERPASS GENERATOR

This passage is... indicating it once served as…

1 formed by a long descending staircase... 1 an arduous path walked by pilgrims.

2 a wide bridge cluttered with passenger-carts... 2 a guarded shortcut for those of higher station. 0
3 a low cloister lined with arching windows... 3 a path reserved for priests or “blessed” nobility.
4 built of polished marble with elegant guardrails... 4 a path to show off the majesty of the city below.
5 a thick cable hung with rolling carts... 5 a scenic view where lovers lingered.
6 a grandiose walkway lined with statues... 6 a transit route for valuable cargo.

Transition • The Streets • 165

 props traps treasures

A Dry Canal. Once part of a sprawling Swarms of hibernating A wooden toy boat shaped like
and glorious network of aqueducts, wa- mud-prawns, roused from a fish, scales painted in faded
terfalls and fountains, long ago run dry. a centuries-long slumber by green, water-repelling crystals
the scent of warm bodies. placed at its tail.
Construct this specific canal using the
Dry Canal Generator below. A dead end, barring easy A gemstone cube carved with
escape from approaching sigils of water purification.
monsters. An anchor stone, pyra-
mid-shaped and unnaturally
heavy.
A levitation belt, powered by
sky-crystals.
Blessed flask which filters toxins
from any liquid stored within it.

The Path of Glory. A long, silent street Mirror portals, gates to a Gilded skulls of Kalduhri
of cobalt flagstones stretches onward, sealed domain—such sorcery scribes, illuminated and sealed
flanked by lapis lazuli pillars. Between is only invoked at great cost. to preserve the accumulated
the pillars are towering mirrored por- A successful Risk Roll may knowledge of their highest
traits and statues of ascended leaders, reveal an entrance to another achievements. Carrying one
icons, and depictions of noble sacrifice. set, while a failure may cause grants limited access to their
In some, radiant warrior-queens and the Condition Fragmented expertise, but bearing artifacts
sorcerer kings ride winged lions and Soul. of such dark magic is risky (see
bulls, engaged in perilous battle with Using a Scribe’s Skull below).
Etched crystal portraits seem
horrific monsters yet to be tamed. All to project beyond their flat Silk banners hang between
are exquisitely sculpted in stained glass surface. The ghost trapped each display, names and poems
and jeweled crystal bound by master- within them will readily embroidered with ornamental
fully forged precious metals. Trapped switch places with any living moonweave thread, precious in
dancing lights illuminate each piece soul who draws too close. their own right.
from the inside.
Ceremonial blades bear inscrip-
tions honoring their former
owners. They are sheathed in
scrolls of strangely preserved
vellum.

DRY CANAL GENERATOR

This canal is… where water once flowed, the dry canal bed reveals…
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

1 winding, sloping, coated with sludge and grime... 1 sewer grates pried open for secret passage.
2 ridged like the inside of a vast worm... 2 stones lined with mollusc shells of smooth jade.
3 formed of precise, angular stonework... 3 hundreds of small clay idols still standing upright.
4 awash in silt and sunken wreckage... 4 skeletons chained together by iron neck collars.
0 5 lined with murals of bright geometric tile... 5 a fleet of sleek barges, undamaged and waiting.
6 choked with dead reeds and dry bones... 6 stone charms, carved with pairs of initials.
USING A SCRIBE’S SKULL

During a risk roll, you may choose to add an additional light die by using any of the scribe’s Skills (Lore,
Languages, Symbols, Religion, Disputation, or Expression), but doing so makes the roll inherently dangerous.

166 · Transition • The Streets

props traps treasures

The Aspirant’s Climb. This spiraling A maddening song emanates Among the rows of small
tower’s inner walls are lined with a shal- from the well making one’s shrines set in alcoves high and
low staircase stretching beneath a row focus on the ascent increas- low are candles and offerings
of open alcoves. Here, candles were lit ingly difficult. of coins, family heirlooms, and
and ritual burdens carried as initiates of weapons.
A hanging drum of scaly
a secret path proved their fearless devo- indigo skin that, if struck, A throne at the zenith of the
tion. The center of the tower is an open stirs the dormant energies of tower is carved from the milk-
void with a deep well at the bottom. an incomplete ritual. white roots and trunk of a bone
With no guardrail or measure of safety, tree. Sitting upon it grants a
those who made the ascent would need prophecy (a clue relevant to
to be truly unwavering in their focus or another Set; anyone attempting
become an offering to the well. Perhaps to invoke it more than once
the more ambitious initiates nudged for their own gain prompts a
their comrades into making such a risk roll to avoid taking the
sacrifice. Condition Cursed).

The Walk of Redemption. A narrow Empty cages hang precari- Scattered beneath the bridge lie
footbridge of jagged stones spans across ously from the bridge pillars, the remains of a royal palan-
the square. It is lined by razor-sharp chains half-broken, waiting quin, long ago turned to ash
glass sculptures of flowers and grotesque to fall. save for the pieces of blackened
statues holding hooks and flails. Here, metal and the shattered bones
those seen deserving of punishment of those who were borne upon
were driven before the city in a bloody it. While the exterior has been
spectacle. Elaborate painted mosaics at stripped of precious metals
either end indicate that survivors were and gems, the rib cages of its
granted new status somehow, in one occupants contain many small
a once-flagellant being crowned with pearls, gems, and nuggets of
flowering wreaths and attended by a amber.
crowd of robed figures bearing gifts and
incense. Much of the bridge has been
destroyed, its glass ornaments smashed,
points blunted, and hooks turned out-
ward. Scrawled painted words graffiti
the floor. At the center of the bridge
lies a heap of blackened skeletons, their
skulls bearing melted crowns.

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

additional traps

An empty, unfinished shrine has sloping, bone-white arches that appear porous and full of tiny holes, like
delicate lace. The design is achieved using a hive of burrowing insects which bore into the stone. Though the
floor patterns are not yet visible, the creatures have been busy below the surface, making the ground brittle. As
only those pure and light of being would be fit to enter, any treasure-hunters stepping inside will quickly break
through the floor, crashing into another Set on this layer.
0
additional treasures

A gilded cage, still locked, contains a trio of metallic scarab beetles the size of cats. Closer inspection reveals
them to be assembled through a highly advanced form of metal craft. They appear quite lifelike. Hanging
from the cage ceiling are keys matching the color and keyhole on the back of each beetle. When activated, the
advanced rituals imbued within their form awakens them and starts them on a predetermined path—crawling
their way steadily towards the entrance to another Set.

Transition • The Streets • 167

 GHOST OF OLD KALDUHR weaknesses — Rituals; offerings of food & drink; bargains (see below) 7
Cursed with fragmented memories, they wander the streets in perpetual dread of an approaching doom. What
precious memories they still hold can be leveraged as bargains? Choose or roll for this ghost’s specific form.
1 Graceful gestures, flowing robes, scent of perfume. 4 Pacing, ornate armor, eyes smoldering behind helm.
2 Pained expression, dragging a spectral heavy chest. 5 Ragged, moaning, crawling desperately.
3 Cross-legged, hands raised in ritual gestures. 6 Agitated, running wildly, searching for something.
1 Crying out for a lost child or pet. 4 Confessing their failures to an indifferent statue.
2 Haggling over wares that are now dust and ash. 5 Leaving an empty doorway after no one answers.
3 Prophesying visions of a terrible future. 6 Stalking the streets in search of their killer.
Incorporeal — Unharmed by physical weapons.
Despairing Voice — Causes the Condition Melancholy as they moan and tell woes strikingly familiar to you.
Terrifying Presence — You can avoid a Ruin increase from the combat roll by fleeing the fight.
bargains — Weaknesses when used in combat. May also be leveraged to avoid combat entirely.
1 A ritual invoking the god they once prayed to.

2 Recitation of a story with a peaceful ending.

3 Destruction of the artifact which binds them here.
4 A promise to return an artifact to a living ancestor (Condition Indebted).
5 A taste of living warmth (mark 1 Ruin).
6 Returning their remains to another location.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

HOUND OF NAGANEH weaknesses — Bright light; artifacts of Kalduhri royalty 6+

The sleek cave reptiles once bred to be mounts, guardians, and beasts of burden by ruling families who controlled
them through blood sorcery. Their surviving feral population still roams the ruins of Old Kalduhr. They resemble
pale, many-eyed crocodiles with flickering tongues and padded claws for climbing cave walls. They begin life wolf-
sized (6 Endurance) and grow to bear-sized (10 Endurance, maximum).
0
1 Basking in the soft glow of flame crystals. 4 Gnawing at statues.
2 Nesting in the overgrowth of hanging gardens. 5 Snapping curiously at spectral manifestations.
3 Lumbering down an empty street. 6 Bellowing their mating calls across empty caverns.
Grasping Jaws — The hound strikes, unhinging its mouth, restraining you inside.
Whip Tail — A thick muscled tail trips you, causing you to fall and drop your weapon.

168 · Transition • The Streets

 LOOMING ASSEMBLAGE weaknesses — Rituals; lore; maps; climbing equipment 11
A roaming sentient labyrinth, replicating itself in a series of spiraling patterns, continuously striving to remake the
world around itself.

1 Peeling away layers of architecture. 4 Luring a creature toward its center.

2 Endlessly recreating various decorated walkways. 5 Jealously guarding a precious secret.
3 Tearing up flagstones to form new walls. 6 Repelling perceived threats.
Shifting Stone — The movement of rock deliberately snaps an attacking bladed weapon.

SACRIFICIAL ATTENDANT weakness — Ignores those displaying unwavering courage 9

These ritual executioners bear massive obsidian axes and wear terrifying masks and heavy crowns of burning
incense. They tower above, moving silently. Gaunt, skeletal, and fueled by the undying vigor of centuries. Trailed by
skeletal hounds who lap at the stones in their wake, mopping up the blood and decay.

1 Pounding rhythmically with the haft of an axe. 4 Proclaiming glories which await in the afterlife.
2 Intoning a dread hymn of condemnation. 5 Pointing a finger at the next worthy martyr.
3 Ringing a bell which resonates in the living. 6 Pouring ritual libations upon the altar stone.
Dread Gaze — A treasure-hunter caught in this will lose a step, and take the Condition Paralyzed.
Ravenous Hounds — Endurance is increased by 1 for each hound, to a maximum of 12.

SHADOW PUPPET weaknesses — Invocations of the Sisters; sunlight; holy symbols 10

Bound demons, flaunted as pets by Kalduhr’s elite to inspire awe and fear, reminding others of their fragility and
precarious station in life.

1 Siphoning nightmares to terrorize the living. 4 Haunting a specific person.

2 Mirroring the forms of its prey in baleful mockery. 5 Tearing in rage at its sorcerous bindings.
3 Extinguishing all forms of light. 6 Cursing in the thunderous hell-speech.
Choking Fumes — The smell of hell and brimstone fills your nose and mouth, causing the Condition Breathless.
Nightmare Manifestations — Terrors from childhood and adulthood manifest before you.

UNDYING SORCERER weaknesses — Holy symbols; healing elixirs 8

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

These black-hearted practitioners of ancient, twisted magics are robed in the scaled hides of dread beasts and wear
horns and crystal ringlets. They are utterly consumed by a lust for power, and now animated by the echoes of a
lifetime of sacrifice.

1 Lying in shadow, corpse-like, gathering life force. 4 Channeling residual energies of an artifact.
2 Feeding the black flame hovering over their head. 5 Sacrificing a memory in service of dark rituals.
3 Summoning a shadow puppet. 6 Binding a lost spirit. 0
Shadow Vortex — They absorb a Ritual used against them and increase their Endurance by 1.

Where to from here?

This transitional Set connects to multiple Sets. Review the Set Map, page 150

Transition • The Streets • 169

 The Dwarven Baths
Entering through a crack in the wall, the treasure-hunters come upon the foyer of a bathhouse. There
is a large double-door exit (clearly the main entrance) which is locked. The lock has three separate
key-holes in a triangular pattern. There are three large rooms with pools inside the richly-mosa-
iced baths: the hot-water caldarium, the warm-water tepidarium, and the cold-water frigidarium.
There are numerous other small rooms containing massage tables and changing areas. Dwarven
attendants continue their tasks.
note: If the treasure-hunters spend tokens, the three-pronged key can be found in any prop in
this set, but it is probably most dramatic if it is in possession of the mold slime beast in the
Tepidarium. Any attempt to pick the lock would be incredibly challenging as the mechanism
is unrecognizable.
goal Unlock the main door.

In the caldarium, the steam in the air thickens, obscuring vision. The surface of the boiling pool
moments has a large and loud bubble burst, splashing hot water into the air.
In the tepidarium, a mold pustule on the wall pops, spraying heavy, wet spores around it.

props traps treasures

Calderium. The steam-heavy air is near- Floor tiles break, leading to a A set of delicate (but deformed)
ly burning hot. The large, boiling pool fall in the boiling pool. gold bangles.
is surrounded by a columned-arcade Most of the controls on the A gold and tiger’s eye pendant.
where alcoves contain benches. Large, panel appear to have no ef-
brass pipes are mounted to the walls The mosaic mural of the sun is
fect, but one lever causes all
in complicated patterns. In one alcove, made from inlaid rubies which
steam vents to open, releas-
several piles of brittle shards of bones could be worth up to 2 Gold if
ing bilious clouds of scalding
are on the benches and floor. In another carefully removed.
steam into the room.
alcove, a mural depicts a sparkling red
sun over a blackened landscape. On Two dwarven bath atten-
some sort of indecipherable control dants work in the room.
panel, a mass of chainmail has rusted Anyone damaging the room
into a nearly solid mass. A completely would provoke a violent
rusted ax lies on the ground beneath it. response from them.

Tepidarium. The large pool is half-full The mold slime beast lurks A brass pendant with green
of muck rather than water. Everything is within the pool. aventurine inlaid in the shape of
OLD KALDUHR

thickly coated in slime and mold. The air a trillium flower.

ROOTS OF

is heavy with spores and decay. One side A hand-sized marble idol of an
of the pool has a wide deck with the ear of corn.
remnants of wood furniture. Several
mostly intact chairs are grouped together The skeletons’ mugs are ornate
on the deck. Each chair has a slime- and made of copper.
covered skeleton. The group of skeletons The face on the mural is made
is posed as if they are conversing and from emeralds in different
1 drinking wine. Within the muck of the shades. If carefully removed,
pool, one dwarven bath attendant the emeralds could be worth up
struggles to escape, but its broken hands to 2 Gold.
and feet find no purchase in the slime.
One mural remains slightly visible
through the mold. If cleaned, it reveals
the face of the Old One of the Forest.

170 · Layer 1 • The Dwarven Baths

 props traps treasures

Frigidarium. Cold as an ice-bound Two dwarven bath atten- The two bodies in the pool wear
mountaintop, the touch of the air on dants work in this room and matching gold rings inscribed
skin is painful. Breath fogs and crys- will respond violently to with a feather motif. Anyone
tallizes. Around the edge of the pool is anyone damaging the room. with archaeological knowl-
only a narrow walkway. The water itself edge will see the art style is
The walkway around the
has a layer of ice on its surface, and two not Kalduhri, but is from an
pool is covered in slippery
well-preserved bodies are frozen within ancient civilization beyond the
ice. Anyone falling into the
the pool. The bodies in the pool, if re- western seas that is not known
pool has seconds to be res-
moved, are two middle-aged men. One to have been in contact with
cued before the surface freez-
is entirely hairless, the other bald but Old Kalduhr. These historically
es over, condemning them to
with a full and lengthy beard. The back priceless rings could be easily
drowning and freezing.
wall of this pool room has a sculpture bartered away for 1 Gold each.
of a frost bear’s head emerging from Attempting to remove the
The bear’s eyes are black
the wall. The mouth is the spout of a statue’s eyes requires major
damage to the sculpture. This diamonds worth 2 Gold.
waterfall, currently frozen.
releases a torrent of icy water
held back by the frozen
mouth, which sprays the
room with a mix of freezing
water and deadly ice chips.

additional treasures

A small room with a large massage table. A dwarven bath attendant is massaging skeletal remains. These oiled
and polished bones are worth gold.
A stockroom with several large urns of scented oil and wine that has turned to vinegar.
A changing room, the shelves rotten and collapsed, there is a silver menstruation bowl in the wreckage.

DWARVEN BATH ATTENDANT weakness — Blunt weapons 8

Animate, finely carved basalt statues of beautiful, nearly naked youths. Coated in rime ( frigidarium), coated in
mold (tepidarium), or with a coarse, pitted surface (caldarium).

1 Offering a threadbare, moldy towel. 4 Attempting to stack broken ceramic bowls.

2 Scrubbing the wall, unknowingly damaging a mosaic. 5 Sweeping.
3 Filling a cup from an empty ewer. 6 Waiting for instructions.
Stone Skin — Immune to sharp weapons.
Rib-Shattering Blow — Causes the Condition Broken Ribs, resulting in difficult and painful breathing.

MOLD SLIME BEAST weakness — Vinegar 10

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

An elephant-sized mound of multi-colored mold, run through with clear, glistening slime. Broken, stone pieces of
dwarven bodies lie within the mound, partially covered with tendrils of mold. There are also bones and rusted bits of
armor and weapons inside the beast.

1 Remaining immobile. 4 Rubbing metal bits together to make “music.”

2 Using the broken dwarves like toy dolls. 5 Pulling things into its center to consume them.
3 Reaching out tendrils and feeling along the walls. 6 Thinking on its own ignorant existence stuck here. 1
Drag and Consume — A creature grabbed by its grasping tendrils is pulled inside its body and slowly digested.

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 1, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 2, page 158

Layer 1 • The Dwarven Baths • 171

 The Great Sewer
Old Kalduhr grew opulent downwards. Below the dim, cramped scramble of buildings among the
tree roots the Kalduhri built careless soaring domes and spotless colonnades. But they could never
build well or deep enough to escape the Great Sewer, as it clogged and flooded and ate into the earth
between the upper and lower districts. Unmapped and ad hoc, the tunnels of the Great Sewer empty
into mammoth flowstone caverns to the east. Whether by accident or on purpose, the tunnels occa-
sionally drain through the sky-painted plaster ceiling of a ballroom. Thieves and revolutions once
navigated the lightless canals by smell to seep into the beautiful world below, and the paths they
traveled can still be found.
goal Find a way into the lower districts of Old Kalduhr.

When entering the sewer, thick stone walls muffle all sound from outside. Treasure-hunters hear
with sudden clarity: water dripping, the lock of the grate clicking shut, their own breath.
The air moves, warm and heavy, with the scent of ammonia and roses.
A delicate shaft of light and sound filters down from a grating too small for anything else. Peak-
moments
ing through, a small villa is visible with a woman playing an instrument near a group of statutes.
A particularly fine bit of sewer, bricked smooth, with a commemorative plaque in Old Kaldhuri
set into the apex of a decorative arch. The eyes of the crowned head carved below the lettering
have been gouged into huge black pits. The impeccable brickwork ends abruptly ten feet further.

props traps treasures

Cave crab encampment. On the tunnel Ten feet in front of the One small, fine artifact from
floor, shallow stagnant water gives way cave crab encampment, Old Kalduhr is found in the
to a scum of rubbery muck. Further the mud forms a crust over dead treasure-hunter’s skull.
down the tunnel, a half circle of bones silty quicksand. Waist deep The treasure-hunter’s steel short
and equipment sits in the mud, like a at first, a treasure-hunter sword has been plunged into
foot-high harbor town modeled out of will drown quickly without the earth and is being used as a
debris. On close inspection, treasure- help from someone on firm stand to hold the skull up.
hunters see rudimentary streets and ground.
houses, roofed in scraps of leather. This A person or creature who
is the home of a colony of cave crabs, becomes stuck in the mud
cobbled together out of the bones and will be harpooned by hiding
supplies of a single, long dead treasure- cave crabs. The creatures will
hunter. The crabs are waiting, hidden attempt to drown a person
on the sewer walls ten feet before the trapped in this way, later
encampment, where the mud is deepest.
OLD KALDUHR

dragging the corpse back

ROOTS OF

They are intelligent. Anyone who can

out for food and building
discover a way to communicate with materials.
them is able to bargain for safe passage.

The eating tree. From a distance it The eating tree will attack A seedling of the tree, too small
looks like a huge, pale-skinned willow any creatures who come into to eat anything but insects.
tree. The leaves are pink, plump, and range unless it is occupied in Three skeletons nailed to the
1 toothed on their undersides. Fresh digesting a large meal. tree wear gold-plated willow
growth erupts from the trunk where branch crowns (1 Gold each).
a huge rusted saw blade has hewn it
almost in two. Its roots have pulled the A perfumer would pay hand-
paving apart; a dark passage downwards somely for a bottle of the tree’s
out of the sewer opens between them. digestive mucus.

172 · Layer 1 • The Great Sewer

 props traps treasures

The rainbow room. Fresh air is breath- At the end of the passage is a
ing from a small crack in the wall, just natural cavern filled with quartz
barely wide enough for a treasure-hunt- crystals growing in flamboyant
er willing to risk it. The passageway is colors, caused by the chemicals
long, and gets tighter before it ends. and waste water that drip from
the ceiling. Most are glitter on
the walls but one perfect sta-
lagmite rises up from the mire.
Torchlight casts rainbows about
the room. It is dazzlingly beau-
tiful and inconveniently large.

The map. A three dimensional model A skeleton wearing a gown

of the sewers hangs at eye level, made grown lush with dimly glowing
of sticks, bones, and small broken pipes fungi slumps in an iron cage
standing in for large ones. Rusted and built into the sewer wall which
fragile, it is tied together with bits of has been bricked up behind
string and sinew. It is scratched here it. The bars have been tied all
and there with symbols—a rat’s head, a over with faded ribbons and
crowned tree, and a rainbow. bits of tin stamped into crowns
or hearts. A careful search will
reveal one golden ring and a set
of ornate keys among them.

CAVE CRABS weakness — Loud noises 4

A swarm of fist-sized crabs adapted to cave life. Intelligent, eyeless, with foot long antennae and transparent shells that
reveal pinkish yellow organs thrumming within.

1 Clicking front claws to echolocate. 4 Carrying a bone.

2 Sifting through mud for nutrients. 5 Counting the children on their shell.
3 Two crabs touching antennae conversationally. 6 Struggling to skin the body of a rat.
Harpoons — Unwary creatures that step onto the quicksand near their encampment are struck with hundreds of
needle-sized harpoons thrown by crabs clinging to the sewer walls. The harpoons are tethered to the walls with
just enough slack to allow a creature to drown. They have 200 harpoons, enough to hold two treasure-hunters.

THE EATING TREE weaknesses — Food; bright daylight 9

An ancient, carnivorous willow whose graceful branches grow mouths for leaves.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

1 Branches swaying in still air. 4 Exuding an intoxicating floral scent.

2 Exuding the smell of rotten meat. 5 Leaves pulsing as they feed on cave crab.
3 As one, the leaves turn teeth out towards a noise. 6 Revealing three skeletons nailed to the trunk.
Hungry Leaves — Anyone in range of the tree is grasped by its feeding leaves and drawn up into the branches.
Digestive Mucus — Cause the Condition Acidic Burn as the leaves drip with a sticky, acidic sap that eat into
flesh and fabric.
1

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 2, page 162 1 THE MIRRORED POOL,
POOL, page 174

Layer 1 • The Great Sewer • 173

 The Mirrored Pool
Once a healing shrine built over an underground river, this deep chamber was repurposed as a
lavish drawing room where Kalduhr’s elite siphoned the water’s mystical rejuvenating qualities.
Eventually the river slowed to a trickle and the chamber floor was sealed, turning it into a pool to
contain the last of its precious waters. The river bed beneath has since been… repurposed.
Corrupted by a desperate pursuit of youth and beauty above all, the pool began to reflect the desires
of those trapped within it, burdened by their lavish excess and entranced by their own illusion.
The chamber walls are ridged like the shell of an ancient sea creature. The pool waters shimmer
in hues of sapphire and gold. Ornate furniture sits submerged on the pool floor, carved from the
shells and bones of other creatures. Every object has been exquisitely crafted, inlaid with patterns
of reflective shell and polished ivory. Skeletal figures shuffle along the bottom of the pool, encased
in layers of precious metals, glasswork, and gemstones. They wear all the treasure they can carry
and gaze constantly at their own reflections in mirrors on the walls. Each one breathes through an
elongated stalk. Closer inspection reveals these stalks to be the tails of aquatic parasites, their bodies
acting as breathing masks while they leech away the warmth of their hosts.

goal Drain the pool to open a passage.

note — This is the only way to access 1 the great sewer.
sewer.

A slow, steady drip of water from above, rippling the pool and distorting shapes within it.
Bubbles break the surface, bringing a faintly intoxicating floral scent.
The muted clink of metal, shell, and bone underwater.
moments Gleaming reflections dance across the walls and ceiling, glowing treasures illuminating the crystal-
clear water.
Floating ferns and stalks of flowering plants drift across the surface, circling the pool.
A long rusted chain fixed on one side to the wall hangs into the water. Submerged, it shines,
appearing as flawless gold.

props traps treasures

Poolside. Above the water line, deco- The reeds may be used as Fine loose silks, medicinal
rative urns of varied size and shape line extended snorkels, however herbs and refreshing elixirs may
the walls. Some contain oil, fragrant once placed in water they be found in alcoves—items for
soaps, and botanical spirits while others are revealed to be parasitic relaxation or articles stored
OLD KALDUHR

hold upright bundles of dried, hollow plants which bloom and while entering the pool.
ROOTS OF

reeds, twice the height of a person. grow rapidly. Continued Silver chain fishing line,
Their top ends show dry leaves and use requires risk rolls, as seemingly ornamental yet quite
flowers. Piles of cast off armor and leaves and roots sprout from strong
simple jewelry clutter benches around either end, latching onto the
the pool, apparently deemed too plain. face and growing into any
Many rusted pieces are fused together. opening they can find.
1
ACTING UNDERWATER

If treasure-hunters don’t have access to Rituals or equipment allowing them to breathe underwater, they may
attempt to simply hold their breath. Doing so requires adding an extra dark die to any risk roll, and taking an
extra Weak Point for each round of combat. To resurface for air in the middle of combat, the treasure-hunter’s
player must pass one Weak Point die (of their choice) to another player. They then remove all additional Weak
Points, and reclaim one Weak Point die (of the other player’s choice) when returning to combat.

174 · Layer 1 • The Mirrored Pool

 props traps treasures

In the pool. Below the waterline, the Giant oysters snap onto Giant turquoise pearls can be
pool walls are lined with oysters, algae, limbs if stepped on, trapping found inside the oysters but are
and pale green mosses, precarious the unwary. risky to retrieve.
but scalable. Mirrors are placed along Mesmerizing tile patterns Ring of keys, made of ornate
the walls of the pool, their reflections on the walls and floor of the and precious metals. Most are
warped and distorted through the pool are disorienting. eroded beyond using, but at
water. A massive, rusting wheel at the least one may function as a
bottom of the pool, encrusted with lay- Flattering mirrors reflect an
skeleton key to unlock any door
ers of gold dust sediment and oysters. It idealized image of anyone
nearby.
functions as a huge valve for the pool. looking into them. risk
rolls to avoid taking the Glowing neon fish heal 1 Ruin
Condition Self-Absorbed. if caught and eaten.

additional traps

Glowing anemones grow from the walls and floor of the pool have mildly poisonous fronds. Touching them
prompts a risk roll to avoid the Condition Pins and Needles as body parts become numb.

additional treasures

Countless pieces of exquisite jewelry and armor line the floor of the pool and sit in layers upon the figures that
dwell there. However, any piece of wearable treasure found in the pool reverts to its original appearance if
removed: worthless, tarnished, and crumbling with age.

COLLECTORS weaknesses — Slow; distracted by new treasures 7

Once wealthy patrons of the pool, now shambling husks kept alive by the healing water and breathing-stalk creatures.
Victims of their own greed and vanity, they are unable to part with the jewelry and armor which weigh them down.

1 Comparing their reflection in each mirror. 4 Tugging at the items worn by others.
2 Swapping a necklace for another then wearing both. 5 Running a comb over worn grooves in a bare skull.
3 Scrabbling over a fallen trinket and tripping. 6 Appraising the ornamentation of their fellows.
Entangling Grasp — Pulls at your gear, keeping you underwater and causing the Condition Water Logged.
Gold Lust — Each round of combat draws another of its kind, eager to claim fallen treasures. Increase
Endurance by 1 for each collector drawn to the fray.

ANCIENT WHEEL weaknesses — Loosened by oil 8

Wide as a person, bronzed with rust, frozen with age. At its center is a carved face, wreathed in seaweed, shells, and
aquatic motifs. This is not a monster, but the treasure-hunters must defeat it it using combat rolls. OLD KALDUHR

1 Creaking hideously under pressure. 4 A territorial fanged eel moving among the spokes.
ROOTS OF

2 Drawing attention of nearby collectors. 5 Obscured in a cloud of loose sediment.

3 Nearly unmovable with bare hands. 6 Heavy currents pull toward the center of a grate.
Corroded — The rusty metal of the wheel causes the Condition Infected.
Tempting — Once combat begins, the commotion begins attracting collectors to the wheel.
Powerful — Once the wheel is defeated, the heavy pull of water being drawn down through the gate prompts a
risk roll to break free and resurface. 1

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 1, page 162 1 THE GREAT SEWER (if unlocked), page 172

Layer 1 • The Mirrored Pool • 175

 Bad children get the pit.
The Orphan Pit
goal Escape the orphan pit.

A clump of orphans is fighting over a skeleton. “It’s mine!” “No, I had it first!”

moments An orphan that is just a tiny face and hand sticking out of a mass of limbs and torsos cries for her
long-dead mother.
An orphan torso gently sways left and right to a song it can no longer hear.

props traps treasures

The ledge. The treasure-hunters mate- Swarmers will attempt to

rialize on a rocky ledge jutting from the grab the treasure-hunters if
walls of an enormous cylindrical pit. the treasure-hunters take too
There is only the faintest sliver of light long deciding on a course of
coming from somewhere high above. action.
The sounds of hundreds of children
laughing, crying, and singing can be
heard from the darkness below.

A long-dead treasure-hunter. Halfway Attempting to reach the The skeleton is clutching an

up the other side of the pit is a skeleton skeleton is an extremely unlabeled, wax-sealed jar
tangled up in tree roots jutting from the dangerous climb. Swarmers containing the destabilizing
stone. The skeleton is dressed in ragged will race up the wall to try unguent. There is a small sack
leather armor and clutching a green clay to drag the treasure-hunters of silver worth 1 Gold tucked
jar under its arm. down. between their shirt and ribcage.

The way out. There is only one way out Climbing to the crack is The crack leads to 0 the
of the orphan pit: through a small crack extremely dangerous, and streets on Layer 2.
in the earth high above the pit. requires at least two risk 1 the orphan pit can now
rolls per hunter. Swarmers be accessed from this crack.
will race up the wall to try
to drag the treasure-hunters
down.

The pit. The pit is filled with hundreds The metastasis. If the metastasis is defeated,
—possibly thousands—of orphans, it dissolves into a slick pile of
grafted together in a mass of flailing bone and goo. Searching the
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

limbs, quivering torsos, grasping goo yields an impossibly heavy

fingers, and mewling faces. black cube with a different
colored gemstone set in each of
its six sides, and a crystal teddy
bear. The cube is a source of
unlimited energy but in order
for a treasure-hunter to carry it,
1 they must discard all their other
equipment. The crystal teddy
bear is a magical artifact that
entrances children, drawing
them inexorably to it.

176 · Layer 1 • The Orphan Pit

 additional treasures

Shiny trinkets and toys—not worth much individually, but a pile of them could be worth 1 Gold to a collector
of oddities.

SWARMERS weakness — Taunting them 4

The upper torsos of orphans that have managed to rip themselves from the metastasis. They crawl up the walls of
the pit with incredible speed, their organs and viscera dangling behind them.

1 Shrieking: “Mine! Mine! Mine!” 4 Singing: an Old Kalduhri nursery rhyme.

2 Whining: “Don’t you want to play with me?” 5 Crying: “Help me! Please, help me!”
3 Laughing: “We’ll have so much fun together!” 6 Taunting: “I bet I can hold on longer than you!”
Swarm — More swarmers arrive if they’re undefeated after the first round of combat, raising their Endurance to 6.
The swarm drags you down into the pit if they’re undefeated after the second round of combat.

THE METASTASIS weakness — The destabilizing unguent 13

Hundreds of children grafted together in a titanic, abominable mass.

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! — You are grabbed by dozens of tiny hands, and pulled into the metastasis; give your
Weak Point to another treasure-hunter. You are torn limb from limb if the metastasis is not destroyed in the next
combat round.
Corpus Geyser — You are blasted by a geyser of bone and guts, limbs and heads; armor is useless against this
Defense.
Orphan Filth — The protoplasmic goo holding the metastasis together corrodes metal, making such weapons
and armor useless after the third combat round, and utterly ruined after the fourth.

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 2, page 162

Layer 1 • The Orphan Pit • 177

 The Orphan’s Villa
In a city full of crumbling edifices and decaying architecture, this villa is surprisingly intact. A rust-
ed gate easily gives way to an open-air courtyard, the interior walls of which are decorated with fad-
ed frescoes depicting clowns, animals, and children at play. A heavy door that was once vivid with
the colors of the rainbow has fallen from its hinges, giving easy access to the villa’s central structure.
goal Find the administrative funds.

A collection of bird skeletons, arranged in neat rows.

moments Large, colorful planters filled with rocky soil, slimy water, or putrid muck.
The ghostly sounds of dozens of children laughing and crying, singing and fighting, can be heard
coming from beneath your feet, from somewhere deep below.

props traps treasures

The fountain. A large stone fountain is A warden (lion) is roaming A number of Old Kalduhri
situated in the center of the courtyard. around the courtyard. coins can be found beneath the
The fountain statues depict children mucky water in the fountain’s
playing among a group of large, basin, worth 1 Gold total.
cartoonish animals: lion, griffon, pig,
rooster, bull, and tortoise. A seventh
animal is unidentifiable because the
statue has been destroyed.

The common area. The rainbow door Two wardens (griffon and One of the cupboards contains
leads to a large central chamber with tortoise) patrol this area. a fine silk cloak that makes its
rows of tables and chairs, and several wearer the size of a doll.
tall cupboards. A message in Old
Kalduhri painted on one wall translates
to (roughly): “Good children get to sit,
bad children get the pit.” A door to the
north leads to the kitchens. A door to
the west leads to an office. A door to the
east leads to the orphan barracks.

The kitchens. Several large food A warden (pig) is hiding in The pantry contains a number
preparation islands flanked by a scullery the root cellar. of wax-sealed jars:
pit and cooking hearth. A walk-in • A blue jar labeled “Orphan
OLD KALDUHR

pantry is situated in one corner of the

Grapes” contains three
ROOTS OF

room. A set of stairs go down into a

human eyeballs preserved in
small root cellar.
amber fluid. When eaten, an
orphan grape allows you to
see hidden paths for a time.
• Three yellow jars labeled
“Fae Honey” contain
delicious honey that heals 1
1 Ruin but gives the Condition
Euphoric (1 use per jar).
• An unlabeled red jar contains
a human heart in purple fluid.
• A green jar labeled “Desta-
bilizing Unguent” is cracked
open and empty.

178 · Layer 1 • The Orphan’s Villa

 props traps treasures

An office. A large, imposing desk. A A warden (rooster) is hiding Inside a secret compartment in
small bed with a foot locker at the end in the wardrobe. the desk is a piece of parch-
of it. A standing wardrobe. ment. Written on it in Old
The foot locker is locked and
Kalduhri: “The destabilizing
trapped with a burning sigil.
unguent—henbane, unicorn
hair fern, soldier’s puppet, the
undiluted excretions from the
roots of the old oak tree.”
The foot locker contains a large
sack of Old Kalduhri coins (the
ORPHAN BELLS administrative funds, worth 5
Gold), and a large, impossibly
The wardens do not deal Ruin in combat. Rather, for each point of Ruin heavy black cube with a single
they would inflict, they ring their orphan bell. When the orphan bells ruby embedded on each of five
have been rung seven times, the treasure-hunters are instantly teleported sides (the sixth side is an empty
to 1 the orphan pit. It doesn’t matter who would have received the notch). If a ruby of sufficient
Ruin, whether a treasure-hunter can hear the bell or not, whether the size and cut is placed in the
treasure-hunters are separated by leagues when the seventh chime is sixth notch, the cube becomes
struck, or whether it’s been days, months, or years between the sixth and a magical heat source. Anyone
seventh chime—all the treasure-hunters are instantly teleported there. attempting to carry the cube
Bad children get the pit. must discard the rest of their
equipment to do so.

Orphan barracks. Rows of simple A warden (bull) patrols this The foot lockers are mostly
wooden bed frames, small foot lockers area. empty, but one of them contains
at the ends of each. a strange wooden doll with
scissors for hands (actually an
inanimate garden tender from
3 the rhunnveldt).
additional treasures

An amethyst bull figurine; a jade lion figurine; an amber rooster figurine; a moonstone snake figurine.

WARDENS weakness — Distracted by creatures smaller than you 7

Immortal beings dressed in shredded harlequin silks and moldering velvet boots. They each carry a small, silver
hand bell. There are six wardens, each wearing an oversized porcelain helmet depicting a garish, cartoonish
animal (lion, griffon, pig, rooster, bull, and tortoise). A seventh warden is unaccounted for.

1 Dancing for the amusement of nonexistent onlookers. 4 Diligently looking under each piece of furniture.
OLD KALDUHR

2 Doing cartwheels. 5 Leading a group of nonexistent children in song.

ROOTS OF

3 Lying in wait, unnaturally still. 6 Stomping its feet, cursing the children below.
Relentless — Any wardens left undestroyed will ceaselessly pursue the treasure-hunters—to any part of the world,
no matter how remote—believing them to be escaped orphans. The wardens should ambush the treasure-hunters
at the most inopportune moments.
Orphan Bells — See Orphan Bells (above).
1

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 1, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 2, page 158

Layer 1 • The Orphan’s Villa • 179

 Sehmet ils Ka’s Villa
Old Kalduhr has many forgotten places. Sehmet ils Ka stumbled upon this villa, carved out, fin-
ished, complete with waterfall and lazy river. She was running from a frenzied mob after having
bewitched a favored merchant into stone. At that time, the waterfall was dry, the furniture already
old. Sehmet ils Ka restored it all. This is now her villa. She maintains it. Prepares it. Someday it will
be Sehmet ils Ka’s wedding gift to her beloved.
goal Find a way out of the cavernous villa.

A soft string melody plays faintly from up in the distance.

Vivid colors of succulents, and set-piece terrariums.
The smell of water from the lazy river and the perfectly flowing waterfall.
Handcrafted and polished wood tables, wood cabinets, assorted wooden furniture placed with
moments intention and care.
Assorted painted rock statues of various folk, each with an expression of social engagement:
talking, laughing, gossiping, sneering.
The muted sound of knocking.
A muffled yell.

props traps treasures

Lower gardens. This area was designed

to be used for entertaining. It is full of
painted statues of folk in various poses
of merrymaking and social gathering.
Seats, couches, and cushions decorate
the hall.

Sealed guest rooms. This area was The sounds of scratching and Miscellaneous coins, jewelry,
designed to be used for entertaining. banging come from behind a and personal effects left in the
It is full of painted statues of folk in heavily-barred door. This is rooms.
various poses of merrymaking and the thin man.
social gathering. Seats, couches, and
cushions decorate the hall. A heavy,
wooden door slotted down into place
bars the way. Inside are a previous
guest’s mortal remains in an otherwise
OLD KALDUHR

well-kept room.
ROOTS OF

Open guest rooms. A tidy room with

soft bed and bedding, washbowl, and
towels. All the amenities for a good
night’s rest.

1 Master bedroom. Soft music leads the A heavy iron-braced door Wooden statuettes.
treasure-hunters here. A lavender-eyed drops into place after the Sehmet ils Ka’s koto (3 Gold).
woman with short hair—Sehmet ils first person enters this room.
Ka—plays the koto from a plush otto-
man near the foot of an oversized round
bed. The room is rich with comforts.

180 · Layer 1 • Sehmet ils Ka’s Villa

 props traps
PETRIFICATION
Dining hall. The wooden table is cov- Accepting any food or drink,
ered with foods, drinks, fresh fruits, and or showing any appreciation If anyone accepts Sehmet ils
greens. The table is also set with clean of music, art, or comforts Ka’s hospitality, they must
plates, mugs, and silverware. Interest- makes a treasure-hunter make a risk roll or take
ingly, the table is set for the number vulnerable to Sehmet ils the Condition Petrified.
of the treasure-hunters, plus one. The Ka’s petrification (see right), Before anyone agrees to
room could easily be set to accommo- since they have accepted her marry Sehmet ils Ka, tell
date a dozen or more guests. hospitality. them they will be lost: they
immediately mark 6 Ruin
Upper gardens. This area is overgrown Leaving the villa before and are turned to stone.
with grass, wildflowers, and small brush. thanking the host or taking Sehmet ils Ka also turns
There are scattered rock statues in any food activates the stone to stone and is no longer a
aggressive, angry poses. A locked, iron suitors. threat to the party.
gate leads out of the villa.

THE THIN MAN weakness — Intimidation 4

A wild man who only sought to pass through the villa. He is emaciated and knows not how long he has been
trapped in the sealed guest rooms.

1 Running, running wildly. 4 Breaking down and crying for his “Willow.”
2 Whispering, “No food, no drink!” 5 Shoving elbows for space so he can get away.
3 Whimpering, “Out, out, out, out!” 6 Crying, “I just want to go home!”
Rabbit-Quick — He flees into another part of the villa.

STONE SUITORS weaknesses — Blunt weapons; ice 7

All the stone statues were former guests at the villa that ate, drank, and accepted the hospitality of Sehmet ils Ka.
They refused to stay and marry her, so they now stand sentry over the place as punishment.

1 Shouting love and devotion to Sehmet ils Ka. 4 Practicing a marriage proposal.
2 Showing contempt for non-rock suitors. 5 Crushing the escaped thin man.
3 Protecting Sehmet ils Ka. 6 Changing pose to see new guests.
Stone Skin — Invulnerable to sharp, slicing, or piercing weapons. Immune to fire.

SEHMET ILS KA weaknesses — Appreciation; agreement to a marriage proposal 8

The host of the villa, Sehmet ils Ka is immortal and cursed forever to find a mate. She maintains the villa of
comforts in hopes a traveler will decide to stay with her, forever.
OLD KALDUHR

1 Asking about a guest’s stay and proposing marriage. 4 Summoning stone suitors.
ROOTS OF

2 Playing a different song on the koto. 5 Petrifying a guest that has refused marriage.
3 Unashamedly proposing marriage to anyone. 6 Engaging in small talk that ends in a proposal.
Charming — Those who have accepted her hospitality find it impossible to attack her once she commands them
to stop.

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 1, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 2, page 158

Layer 1 • Sehmet ils Ka’s Villa • 181

 The Specularium
The Specularium was an overly-ambitious feat of arcane engineering in Old Kalduhr: a supremely
powerful scrying array designed to monitor the entire Empire at once. Whether age and entropy
have degraded the enchantments powering it, or it was a project flawed from its inception, it is now
a haunted place. It is a great hall lined with mirrored galleries, interspersed with abstract sculp-
tures in crystal and stained glass, the images in the scrying mirrors show warped visions of the past
and present, and maybe even the future.
goal Discover secrets of Old Kalduhr and its ruins.

A fleeting vision of the treasure-hunters’ previous exploits in the ruins, but from an unusual
point of view.
Drops of blood from a cut so sharp it went unnoticed.
moments The crunching of broken glass, echoing ominously in the sterile space.
A flicker in your peripheral vision: something moving or a trick of the light?
A reflection showing the thing you least or most want to see.
A glimpse in the mirror of a time that couldn’t have been.

props traps treasures

The Gallery of Mirrors. Mirrored corri- Some of the mirrors are As much broken glass as they
dors lead throughout the Specularium, broken into jagged shards, care to carry, exceptionally
laid out in a seemingly random pattern, protruding from the walls sharp.
though there is a definite if unknowable and ceiling, strewn across the
intention behind the pattern. Many of floor, and hungry for blood.
the mirrors have shattered, glass shards Odd reflected movements
spread across the polished floors. Oth- and shifting lights may
ers are distorted or occluded. Light is distract the treasure-hunters
reflected oddly throughout, shadows are from other threats.
unpredictable, and there seems to be a
level of ambient light from an indeter-
minate source. Sometimes the mirrors
will seem to show the expected reflec-
tions, other times strange movement
and unexpected images will distract the
treasure-hunters.
OLD KALDUHR

Vision in the Mirrors. When examined Disturbing, entrancing, and The visions will give the
ROOTS OF

more closely, the treasure-hunters can malicious visions attempt to treasure-hunters glimpses of
glean scraps of useful information from ensnare those who gaze too other Sets and the treasures
the visions in the mirrors. These include deep into the mirrors. they contain. Describe hints of
visions of Old Kalduhr at its height, up to three other Sets, and add
The mirrors are inhabited
glimpses into the past future of the trea- the following treasures split
by mirrorwraiths: broken
sure-hunters, and perhaps most relevant between these Sets:
and twisted fragments of
to their current endeavors, visions of
1 other places within the ruins with hints
the souls of those who built
and operated the Speculari-
• A silver hand mirror
to the treasures and pitfalls that await • A large, exquisitely cut dia-
um. They seek to feed from
them. These visions are all in some way mond worth 2 Gold
the living and escape their
twisted to the inhuman desires of the • A hammered golden sheet
two-dimensional prisons.
fell creatures that have taken residence inscribed with arcane sigils
within the mirrors, though, and the worth 2 Gold
unwary may quickly become ensnared.

182 · Layer 1 • The Specularium

 props traps treasures

The Prismatic Labyrinth. Joining the The stained glass of the Some shards of glass are imbued
dazzling corridors of the Gallery of Prismatic Labyrinth results with powerful magic, unlocked
Mirrors at the heart of the Specularium in a constantly shifting by embedding them in flesh:
itself, there are sculptures and mosaics kaleidoscope of colored light Green shards (2): Flesh grows
of ancient stained glass. While disturb- that can conceal dangers and over the shard. Heal 2 Ruin, but
ingly beautiful and fascinatingly bizarre, dazzle the treasure-hunters. gain 1 Burden. Short of arcane
these glass and crystal constructs served The magically-imbued light intervention, this can only be
more than an aesthetic function in may have stranger effects removed by taking 2 Ruin.
the Specularium. They helped channel beyond.
the arcane energies that power this Purple shard: The user can feel
Some of the stained-glass fig-
chamber, and are still imbued with this magic flowing around them,
ures have attained a malign
power, even as it spills and twists in giving them strange insight.
facsimile of life and will stalk
unpredictable ways. The stained glass Take 1 Ruin, gain 2 Hunt tokens.
the treasure-hunters for their
displays bizarre creatures, unknown Red shard: The glass splinters
own inscrutable reasons.
figures, and scenes that may be from and flows into the user’s blood.
history or myth. Before a combat, the user may
extrude glassy claws, taking 1
Ruin but gaining 2 extra light
dice in the combat roll.

The Scrying Pool. At the very heart of The pool is entrancing, but A careful treasure-hunter can
the Specularium, within the Prismat- noxious and impossibly deep. decant some of the quicksilver,
ic Labyrinth, is a perfectly reflective useful for clairvoyance, scrying,
Both mirrorwaiths and
circular pool. The liquid of the pool or other divination Rituals. Add
stained-glass horrors may
is quicksilver, but enchanted like the one light die and one dark die
be found here. Mirrowraiths
other mirrors in this place. It can reflect to the Ritual’s risk roll.
may treat the pool as a
the present, past, and possible futures. mirror. Looking in the pool gives a true,
Unlike the other mirrors, the magic of if unwelcome, answer to any one
the pool is much stronger, much more question about the ruins.
reliable, and infinitely more cruel.

MIRRORWRAITH weakness — Being trapped between two mirrors 10

Shadowy figures who steal the faces of others and seek to trap living souls in the mirrors they inhabit.

1 Making someone relive a past failure. 4 Remaining out of sight, a peripheral flickering.
2 Revealing wounds that were not there before. 5 Showing an unattainable future.
3 Impersonating a loved one in torment. 6 Drawing someone into a mirror.
Hall of Mirrors — Travels from one mirror to another to surprise or evade its opponents.
Mirror Image — Almost perfectly mimics anyone or anything. The only tell is its silver eyes.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

STAINED-GLASS HORROR weakness — Lead 8

Animate beings of stained glass, fluid yet brittle, and unbearably sharp.

1 Remaining perfectly still and unremarkable. 4 Flinging shards of itself at its prey.
2 Slowly looming over an unsuspecting person. 5 Mesmerizing onlookers with shifting light.
3 Exploding in a burst of razor-edged violence. 6 Retreating towards the center of the labyrinth. 1
Kaleidoscope — The dazzling light filtered through a stained-glass horror can transfix its opponents and leave
them vulnerable to its cut-glass claws.

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 1, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 2, page 158

Layer 1 • The Specularium • 183

 The Enclave
Old Kalduhr owes a great deal to its artisans, those who carved its structural flourishes and il-
lustrated its cavernous halls. Much of this work was cultivated within a colosseum of artistry by
a shambolic guild, both known as the Enclave. What evidence exists of the souls behind the forms
they created indicates that members of the Enclave burned bright and fast—roaring, wild embers
unconcerned with prolonging mortality.
goal Find the source of inspiration for the Enclave’s legendary artistic output.

Vandalism to an exposition sculpture reveals a corpse within.

The Exposition’s canopy collapses, its massive cloth draping over statues, broken timber, and the
treasure-hunters amidst a lingering haze of disturbed dust.
An errant blade slices into the floor of Labor’s Flame and vibrant hues of paint bleed profusely
moments through the pierced crust as it slowly deflates underneath the hunters’ feet.
In a small alcove, a pilfering collector affected by the muses is discovered in a feverish state of
artistic creation. With a need for sustenance and no need for a voice of his own, he’s cut out his
tongue, which cooks as his next meal above a small fire.
A starving muse awkwardly lumbers outside the garden, collapsing as it resonates a mournful
melody that the treasure-hunters can’t get out of their heads.

props traps treasures

Marble Exposition. Once a grand In recent decades, a small Treasure-hunters will find
bazaar of artistry, this cratered space sodality of caretakers has statues that closely resemble
brims with the creative output of the formed within the Exposi- loved ones, perhaps indicat-
Enclave’s studios below. From above it tion, calling themselves the ing lineage to Old Kalduhr,
resembles a human ear with two dozen Silent Stand. Under a vow perhaps suggesting more mys-
acres of spiraling stone terraces grad- of silence, they protect and terious bonds with the current
ually leading to an inner channel that maintain the space, simply world. While these works are
descends beneath the surface. Scattered believing in its need for pres- solid, heavy, and will be dif-
rows of once glinting white marble ervation. Out of the corner ficult to transport, one would
statues densely pack the path down. of one’s eye, the Silent Stand notice an occasional sculpture
The statues depict figures tall and short, might seem to be moving with its head hacked cleanly
twig-thin and aristocratically rotund. statues, but they would be off and might consider remov-
Covering the breadth of the space hangs immediately identifiable as ing an ornate crown or two in
an enormous cloth canopy suspended by human with any good look. similar fashion.
a doming framework of wooden rods. It If a treasure-hunter tampers A stone-handled dagger of the
is tattered and its structure creaks under with any of the sculptures, Silent Stand, inscribed with
OLD KALDUHR

the weight of the gargantuan sunshade, members of the Silent Stand

ROOTS OF

the words “No Muse Above.”

but it also appears to have been sporad- will act.
ically maintained. The space has a warm
dimness; the sunshade mutes the sound
of the outer world.

THE SILENT STAND weakness — Self-sacrificing to protect this place 7

2 Humans clad in cream-colored wax cloth and sculpted marble armor plating.

1 Perching on a regal statue, tracking movement. 4 Polishing the statue of a laborer.

2 Signaling for assistance. 5 Falling from the canopy dome.
3 Prowling between sculptures of ancient saints. 6 Darting forward, daggers in hand.
Camouflaged — The Silent Stand member seems to vanish amidst the statuary.

184 · Layer 2 • The Enclave

props traps treasures

The Centerpiece. Just beneath the The Thousand Millennia At the feet of Cylus rest three
base of the Exposition is the Enclave’s is imbued with the soul of rolled canvases, cut from their
masterwork, The Thousand Millennia. its subject, which siphons frames and boasting dazzling
It is a twenty foot tall painting whose energy from its audienc- paintings from various aesthetic
strokes appear as freshly wet as the day es to remain new. In long schools (including 2 the
brush was set on canvas. In the painting, past times, this was hardly workshop of devastating
a girl stands before an open window. noticeable as citizens of sensation). They are of a
Her left hand rests on a table covered Kalduhr came flocking to the quality unseen in Kalduhr for a
with upright, broken glasses around a Enclave’s galleries and each very long time.
devoured tray of roasted meat and roots. viewer would unknowingly
Her right hand clutches a medlar as she furnish just a drop or two.
contemplates its consumption. These days, the painting is
starving for attention.
A few benches are stationed before the
artwork. A wide chandelier illuminates
the area with a subdued white light.
The ground is sculpted in low relief to
appear as crags clutched together, yet
ready to open their seams.
An unaffiliated treasure-hunter named
Cylus kneels in the middle of the space,
staring transfixed by the painting, her
face gaunt, hollowed, and drained. Her
eyes glisten and are edged in red under a
thick coat of tears.

Bunks. Light from the outer areas

hardly creeps into the resting place for
the Enclave. Spartan aisles of single-oc-
cupant bunks are stacked three high.
Lying in most bunks are the plaster-en-
cased corpses of the final generation
of the Enclave who fervently produced
work up until their deaths even as Old
Kalduhr fell and the buyers and patrons
for their output disappeared. The arms
of one corpse remain bare of chalky
sarcophagus, revealing this corpse to be
the last of the Enclave, fated to trans-
form their dying self into a work of art
with no one else to aid the process.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

THE THOUSAND MILLENNIA weakness — Not having any viewers 12

A sprawling, possessed masterpiece.
Always suspended in solitude. 2
Entrance — An observer enters a hallucinatory state and speaks of the wonders of Old Kalduhr as they see the
painting’s subject.
Inspire — An observer’s limb acts in the interest of the painting.
Sap — An observer finds themselves depleted of energy directly reciprocal to any action taken toward the painting.
Continued actions against the painting causes the Condition Drained of Energy.
Haunt — Causes the Condition Obsessed as the observer is compelled to see the painting again and again.

Layer 2 • The Enclave • 185

 props traps treasures

Labor’s Flame. Off a hallway from the Treasure-hunters will easily Many of the works here depict
Centerpiece sits the Enclave’s working notice dried pools of blood terrible moments in the history
gallery: exquisitely lettered text on a at the base of each easel. of Kalduhr: fiery massacres,
massive half-submerged sculptural head Enclave members were often gods devouring their own wor-
declare it Labor’s Flame. known to work themselves shippers, coups failed and coups
to death through intense triumphant.
The gallery is a large circular space.
bouts of artistic production
Flames have been carved in low relief on If treasure-hunters describe
at these stations. Likewise,
wood-paneled walls and accented with the type of painting that would
treasure-hunters who return
dark warm hues. The room has the odor appeal to them, they’ll almost
to Labor’s Flame after
of singed cedar: dull, sweet, and old. certainly find something simi-
receiving a muse’s blessing
Paintings lean against each other eight lar. In their frames, the pieces
will become obsessed with
deep all along the circumference. will encumber the treasure
producing new artwork to hunters. However, the value will
An inner ring of ten easels faces out- satisfy their muse. They take
ward toward the walls, each holding an be substantially diminished if
a Musing Condition, which the paintings are cut and rolled.
unframed painting. Several have had cannot be removed except
their compositions removed, presum- via the Removing Musing
ably by a thief ’s blade. Conditions method below.
The floor of the space is dingy and
thickly marbled with dried swirls of
paint under a patina of dust and dirt.
It has a certain softness with this
long-dried layer sealing vibrant oil
under its surface.

REMOVING MUSING CONDITIONS

Treasure-hunters who receive a muse’s blessing (and accompanying Musing Condition) at the Garden of Earthly
Muses and then return to Labor’s Flame become obsessed with producing new artwork to satisfy their muse.
Musing Conditions cannot be removed except via this method (or another of the gm’s devising).
Roll two dark dice. With each roll, the treasure-hunter completes a painting and the player describes what the
painting looks like.

If the highest die is a:

1–5: The Musing Condition holds and the player rolls again.

6: The Musing Condition has been satisfied and can be removed.

OLD KALDUHR

Double 6s: The Musing Condition will never be satisfied and can never be removed. Another treasure-hunter
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may attempt to remove the stricken treasure-hunter from the room with a risk roll. Otherwise, the stricken
treasure-hunter will stay here producing paintings until their death.

186 · Layer 2 • The Enclave

 props traps & treasuress

Garden of Earthly Muses. Through a Pacing, prowling, and resting throughout the space are spindly,
narrow crevice gilded in strange runes elongated, glowing blue-green forms, twelve to fifteen feet tall if
lies an echoing azure cavern whose walking upright but often relying on their arms to support their
base is blanketed in a light-green moss. frames—the muses. Some play with the sculptural creatures as if
This is the heart, source, and origin of they were children’s toys. They do not speak, but hum.
the Enclave. Fleshy pink structures rise Both trap and treasure, the muses carry a virus of obsessive inspi-
throughout: architectural and organic ration. They were the fuel of the Enclave, a purpose and a curse for
amalgams with indecipherable utility. generations of creative Kalduhri.
Groves of medlar trees grow around
these structures, their autumnal
excrementa filling the air with the
sweet, vinegary smell of ripe, rotting
fruit. The Enclave has assembled statues
of all manner of beasts in herds across
this area.

MUSE weakness — Starving to give inspiration 8

Thin, blue-green angelic figures.

1 Smashing two creatures together. 4 Slinking half-asleep through a pink structure.

2 Glowing with a slow throb. 5 Galloping across a field of moss.
3 Abruptly materializing from the cavern walls. 6 Touching a treasure-hunter’s shoulder from behind.
Resonate — The muse emits a hum sharply attuned to a creature or object, tearing and shattering the bonds of
its parts over time.
Musing — When a treasure-hunter builds an emotional touchpoint with a muse, whether through a conflict or a
bond, they become infected by a Musing Condition that alters their perceptions. Musing Condition are not easily
remedied. Roll a die to determine the form one’s Musing Condition takes.
1 Fourth Dimensional Vision: Every physical dimension of creatures and small objects are perceived at once:
front, back and sides, masked and bare, simultaneously visible.

2 Temporal Vision: All things appear in constant motion: shifting, twisting, turning, covering—but not
traversing—distances.

3 Colorsense: An intense synesthesia causes colors to be felt like textures and temperature. Cool hues freeze
with a shrill cold, while warm ones scald like flames.
4 Inspired: The bit of soul imbued in any creative work speaks to you. Often demanding, it rarely listens.
Whether you serve is up to you.
5 Sympathetic Resonance: Feel the pitches that bind living beings. You find yourself drawn to opposite fre-
quencies and trembled by identical ones.

6 Time Eater: You hunger for things longer dead. When you eat them, you see symbolic representations of
OLD KALDUHR

future events from a time in the future proportionally related to how long-dead the food you ate was.
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Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 2, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 3, page 158

Layer 2 • The Enclave • 187

 The Library of All That Is Known
Eons ago, the god of wisdom and knowledge bestowed a gift to the rulers of Old Kalduhr: one of
its heads, complete with the divine knowledge of the universe. The head was turned into a temple,
and the Erudiact Order oversaw its upkeep. The head does not contain scrolls or tomes, but rath-
er a single dais with a quill and what is believed to be ink, along with blank parchments. Rulers
and scholars would come to ask the Order questions. The Order would write these questions on the
scrolls and have their minds linked to the vast knowledge of the god. They would scrawl the answer
to the question, but it cost them their own minds. Over time, many members succumbed to physical
transformation and madness. The Order called these individuals the Ascended, taking gentle care of
them as all Order members expected a similar fate. As Old Kalduhr faded away, so did the Order,
but the Ascended remained. Today they wander the grounds of the library, guarding its coveted
dais and trying to protect people from the fate that comes from the knowledge it contains.
goal Obtain a scroll of wisdom.

The warm glow of light filling a dark and humid cavern.

moments The creaking of the chains around the godhead and the sense of an imperceivable movement in
its bondage.
A glimpse of something moving along the cavern ceiling and the fall of small pebbles in its wake.

props traps treasures

The library grounds. Smooth, light- The Ascended move about

blue marble grounds with empty bra- the cavern and the grounds
ziers and dried fountains. The temple is outside the library.
in the center: a two-story, conical, white
marble head. Several golden bands of
runes of a lost language encircle the
head. Connected to the head are four
chains which are each connected to one
of four large pillars. The jaw has been
converted to a staircase which leads into
the interior.

The Godhead Library. A single, circular A scroll of wisdom. Each

chamber that fills the interior of the treasure-hunter can take a
head. It is lit without a discernible light piece of parchment and write
OLD KALDUHR

source. The interior stone is smooth and one question on it, causing
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has matching interior bands with simi- the Condition Overwhelmed

lar runes. A marble dais extrudes from as they are stunned by the vast
the floor. Atop is a well that contains knowledge of the universe. A
golden ink, a quill, and several sheets of scroll contains:
parchment. Ancient knowledge: Can be
sold to scholars for 2 Gold.
2 Map of Old Kalduhr: Grants 1
Hunt token.
Monster Anatomy: The Weak-
ness of a previously encoun-
tered monster.
Arcane Knowledge: a Ritual, at
the cost of 1 Ruin.

188 · Layer 2 • The Library of All That Is Known

 additional traps

Falling rocks from the ceiling; part of the floor caving in.

additional treasures

Robes of fine silk and golden thread; completed scrolls with various bits of knowledge; braziers of fine metal.

THE ASCENDED weakness — Water 8

Humans transformed into divine neurons. The Ascended possess flat, translucent, fleshy, diamond-shaped bodies,
four feet in length, with a single eye in the center. On one end, the mass has two small sets of claws where hands once
belonged. At the opposite end, a four foot-long barbed tail extends where there were once legs. The Ascended moves
easily along any surface provided a part of it is touching the surface.

1 Sliding up a wall or over a ceiling. 4 Arcing lightning over its body and down its tail.
2 Wrapping around an item to inspect it with its eye. 5 Making rhythmic clicking sounds with its claws.
3 Laying flat on a surface and waiting to pounce. 6 Standing at full length, looking down upon someone.
Shocking Touch — The Ascended generates a burst of electricity that shocks anything it touches.

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 2, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 3, page 158

Layer 2 • The Library of All That Is Known • 189

 The Near-Corpse of an Unnamed Giant
A room, tall enough for the treasure-hunters, but quite close for the giant for whom it serves as a sar-
cophagus. Low, faint rumblings make it evident that the giant is not yet dead, but clearly has been
laying in this crypt awaiting that day for a long, long time. There is no way through but through.
Flickering torchlight or a wetted finger will reveal a slight breeze squeezes through the tiny gaps
between the near-corpse and the ceiling. The exit is on the other side of this dying titan.
goal To pass by the giant without disturbing it.
note — This allows access to Layer 5 of 0 the streets of old kalduhr.
kalduhr.

The careless shifting of a giant who has been dying for millennia as they seek a comfortable pose
to reach the hereafter.
moments
A noxious miasma that pours from roiled bowels carrying with it a discomfort that has festered
since before the written word.

props traps treasures

Grave goods. Here treasure-hunters The raspy death rattle of the Five violet stones the size of
can find items the near corpse was unnamed giant, a perilous melons can be pried from the
entombed with: an urn, a spear, a breath that could pull an crown of the giant.
sword, and a crown. The clay urn runs adult off their feet and suck The sword of the giant is likely
the height of the room. It is filled with the lightly encumbered into too big to remove from the Set,
ash and honey. The paint upon it has the suffocating embrace of but those who contemplate
faded over time but implies captivating the esophagus. their own reflections in it long
geometric patterns. enough may learn the Ritual
The spear is made from a massive spruce Army at the cost of 1 Ruin.
and tipped with a rotted bronze head
in the shape of the veiny remains of an
autumnal birch leaf.
The sword is bronze, the length of two
horses and their carts. It lays flat upon
the floor, strangely untarnished by the
years.
The crown rests upon an untroubled
brow. This, too, is bronze, but jeweled
with ancient and rare stones.
OLD KALDUHR

Of the body. The near-corpse is not Maggots the size of foxes One of the swords that sticks
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completely intact, and treasure-hunters that have hidden in the out from the giant like pins
encounter bits and pieces scattered or rotting underneath of the from a cushion is enchanted.
still in place: teeth, the size of skulls, near-corpse. When pulled out of the giant,
some attached and others loose upon it gleams as if freshly polished.
the floor; leagues of twisted viscera, Dipped in water, the sword
leathered and cracked from years of purifies it and makes it sweet to
exposure, but not dead quite yet; hairs drink. When used to cut por-
2 and nails, rough and stonelike, found in
all the usual places.
tions of food, it removes rot and
mold. Anyone suffering from 4
or 5 Ruin abhors the sword.

190 · Layer 2 • The Near-Corpse of an Unnamed Giant

 props traps treasures

Of treasure-hunters past. The treasure- Mucus that pools in the Those with the fortitude to dig
hunters are not the first to have been sinuses and down the throat through the giant’s gut will be
here. A skeleton grins nearby wearing and into the lungs where, im- rewarded with trinkets worth at
unfamiliar mail. It lies half crushed bued with the dying dreams least 1 Gold swallowed long ago
beneath a buttock. Countless swords, of the giant’s prehistoric during a hasty meal.
spears, and axes riddle the hardened glories, it takes deadly form.
flesh, most broken, but some still quite
sharp. A long-cold campfire with a caul-
dron suspended over it holds no edible
food save the rats nesting within. Most
disturbing, close inspection of the near-
corpse will reveal the beginnings of a
passage, carved into the giant’s side that
wends between two ribs and as deep as
the second lung. It is not obvious what
became of the one who attempted the
macabre tunneling.

GIANT MAGGOTS weakness — Fire 2

Pale, plump tubes of opalescent revulsion ending in pincer-like mouths.

1 Wrestling together in a mass. 4 Glowing in the torchlight.

2 Silently creeping towards unsuspecting flesh. 5 Charging with surprising speed.
3 Mewing like a kitten from inside the near-corpse. 6 Emitting sickly-sweet odors to call their siblings.
Swarming — Caught alone, a maggot has only 2 Endurance. They usually attack in small packs at 6 Endurance. If
they are not vanquished in the first volley, even more join the fray and increase their Endurance to 8.

THE POOL OF DREAMS weakness — Thinking on strong memories 9

A viscous pool of green and red liquid, churning and bubbling forth floating shapes, shadows of the giant’s memo-
ries that will turn on those who disturb it.

1 Broadcasting out images of long-ago battle. 4 Forming trumpeting mouths to mimic recent sounds.
2 Forming a blinking eye on its surface. 5 Imitating the family member of a treasure-hunter.
3 Mucus erupting forth into glistening blossoms. 6 Forming a pool so placid it is mistaken for glass.
Grasping Pseudopodium — An appendage from the pool itself anchors you in place.
Mimic Magic — A swirling bubble of snot lashes out and copies the memory of a random Ritual from a treasure-
hunter, which it then casts.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 2, page 162 0 THE STREETS — TO 5 (if unlocked), page 162

Layer 2 • The Near-Corpse of an Unnamed Giant • 191

 The Ten-in-One
In ages long gone, this space played host to a sideshow of oddities and rare delights. The affluent
would compete to show how extravagantly they could waste vast wealth by presenting rare acquisi-
tions, sponsoring strange performances, or showcasing useless and dangerous pets. It is now a ruin.
Carved steps lead down narrow halls in sharp switchbacks. Along the walls, light patches expose
where frames and posters once rested, wood molding still nailed in place. Here, long ago, scraps of
canvas with once-garish paint whet the appetite of the jaded and indolent, advertising the wonders
to be found within. Ragged banners dangle from flagpoles. The ground crunches underfoot: a thin
soil speckled with fragments of nut shells, wood chips, fallen rock, and mushroom clusters. The smell
is rank with burned sugar, the exhaled breath of generations of insects, rot and damp stone.
goal Awaken the Ten-In-One and provide them a host body

The Sculptor curses at a manikin as she digs in its eye socket, demanding it stay still. She com-
plains how no eyes have fit yet. Anyone who can provide a spare eye will find a true friend.
Calliope music briefly bursts forth from an unknown source, but every note is flat. The tune slows
and deflates, then a loud crack announces the shattering of a key mechanism, and then silence.
A cloud of bats flap by, their wings coated in gold dust.
A mirror lays on its side, distorting those who pass by so they appear to be short, stout, and
bejeweled. It shatters if touched. At times, an additional person appears among the reflections.
A trunk contains comic costumes: a clown, a nursemaid, a sailor, a prisoner, a beekeeper, a brute.
moments
The costumes have padlocks on their back that the wearer would be unable to undo themselves.
A carving of a boar mount complete with saddle and crossbar cracks in half and falls in twain,
leaving only the sturdy spring it was mounted on. Its insides are marked with aimless paths
carved by dartblood termites. It was the last standing of a set of fanciful carved animals, all now
sinking into the floor. A ring of sharp coiled springs indicate where the carved animals once stood.

props traps treasures

A fortune booth containing a manikin The booth is rigged to flood The manikin is buried up to its
behind glass. The booth is constructed with acid from the roof if thighs in old coins. The heaps
of stone walls carved to resemble wood. tampered with. of coins are mixed with years
Inside the booth rests a manikin dressed Boring insects. A colony of of accumulated termite waste
in rags: a blue tunic and a pointed cap dartblood termites infests and shells, fused into a single
adorned with stars. The manikin’s eyes the manikin and will defend disgusting solid (3 Gold).
and smile are painted on but its hair and their home by spitting The manikin offers fortunes
OLD KALDUHR

beard look real. There are holes in its acid-coated splinters. for gold or for freedom. These
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face and wriggling dartblood termites. fortunes are gruesome and

On the booth’s front is a coin slot. sometimes true.

PAVALL, THE SCULPTOR weakness — Starving to put on a show 6

A lanky woman in circus motley, a rope around her waist holding up striped canvas pants. She wears a heavy apron.
2 A pouch in its front holds tools for wood-work and metal-work.

1 Beating a manikin and blaming it for life’s problems. 4 Dragging carved animal sculptures into a fire pit.
2 Dipping into a bucket of vinegar and animal eyes. 5 Drawing advertisements for nonexistent attractions.
3 Muttering about restoring the sideshow’s glory. 6 Tormenting the Ten-in-One by shaking its box.
Aims for Eyes — Causes the Condition Blurred Vision as she tosses a cup of eyes-in-vinegar at your face.
Summon Aid — She rings a handbell to summon the Well-Fed.

192 · Layer 2 • The Ten-in-One

 props traps treasures

Canvas promotional banner, badly The canvas poster can be sold

tattered. Features a faded painting of in town for 1 Gold for its garish
the Well-Fed as it appeared hundreds art, or 2 Gold to a historian.
of years ago: a towering bestial creature It is fragile and will be hard to
with enormous insect-like legs support- transport.
ing an overfed belly, forelimbs that end A carved stone beehive with a
in hooks, a mouth split vertically like coin slot in its back (empty).
a crab’s, heaps of silk draped across its
immense form, a fortune’s worth of gold A gilded pachinko board with a
adorning its neck and straining limbs. full set of opal bearings.

The Most Dangerous Beast. A sign If the cupboard doors are

reading “the most dangerous opened, a mirror is revealed.
beast!” hangs over a pair of closed The mirror is worth 1 Gold if
wooden cupboard doors. still intact.

The Well-Fed’s Cage. An unlocked The Well-Fed is here, hiding A golden circlet, decorated with
cage, its door ajar, contains mounds under the iridescent remains tree and web iconography, worn
of insect husks. Necklaces are visible of unsatisfying meals, the on the amputated chitinous leg
sticking out of the mounds. now-gaunt and starving dangling from the wall (2 Gold).
beast awaits better meals or a
In the stone wall, stout metal rings Assorted necklaces and charms
new patron.
anchor several chains, the links thick as found among shells and bones.
a human thigh. A broken chitinous leg, A sword with “lighght”
like an enormous spider’s, dangles from hammered into the blade, still
an intact manacle. gripped by a skeletal arm.

The Sculptor’s Booth. Pavall, the Sculp- The lockbox, when opened, A secured lockbox, decorated
tor, digs in the eye socket of a distressed will expel a grey-blue with a crown ringed by ten
manikin with a small, sharp spoon, preservative gas that burns small beetles, legs interlocked.
muttering to herself. The manikin has skin and lungs. Inside is the Ten-in-One, a set
no name yet. It is very sorry its eye sock- of ten flea-sized parasitic hive-
ets are preventing the restoration of the mind creatures with glistening
sideshow’s glory. wings and retractable fangs. If
freed, they seek a new living
host to control.

THE WELL-FED weakness — Starving for food 9

Twice the height of the treasure-hunters, supported on arachnoid legs (one broken off ). Its abdomen is a deflated,
wrinkled sack of flesh hanging from under its ribs. Its face is multi-eyed; its jaw split like a crabs with secondary
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

chin-arms to hold food steady for the rending. It smells woody and earthy, like a moldering tree trunk, though its
breath is acetone and fruity. Against its chest bounces a medallion that, in a dead tongue, reads “Most Adored.”

1 Tunneling under drifts of discarded insect shells. 4 Clanging armbands together in defiance.
2 Stretching its now-deflated stomach tight. 5 Shaking out the hair that runs down its back.
3 Clacking its split jaw together like a castanet. 6 Hiding the starvation-induced stomach rumble.
Flail — Swings broken chains attached to forelegs like metal whips. 2
Draw in Close — The Well-Fed clutches you with chin-arms and pulls you toward its mouth.
Impale for Later — Causes the Condition Gushing Wound as the Well-Fed, like a shrike, impales you on a coiled
spring from the remnants of the toy animal parade.

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 2, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 3, page 158

Layer 2 • The Ten-in-One • 193

 The Workshop of
Devastating Sensation
Art was valued as highly as gold in Old Kalduhr. At least, art that made a statement, or delivered an
insight. Art that meant something. Art that made the viewer uncomfortable. The legendary Ajino
was said to have trained under a figure known as Wide-Eyed Seluria. The studio she created in a
tangle of chambers deep in the city delivered some of the greatest art the civilization ever knew.
Seluria and her students were visionaries. Literally. They saw visions of the higher truths of the
world, the sacred patterns, and cosmic truths from which the mundane world was formed. They
depicted them accurately and faithfully in their art whether in paintings or sculptures or words.
Paintings by the master were never displayed but instead stored in secure vaults in noble estates,
looked upon for the few seconds a human mind could stand before beginning to reel and unravel.
The reduction of her great works to novelties and collectors’ items drove Seluria to seal the doors
of her workshop forever. She and her students remained inside, not all of them willingly. Their
work, the great quest to see, to know, and to reflect the truths of the universe continues and sustains
Seluria and her students. That, and the blood and bones of anyone unfortunate enough to intrude
on their colony.

goal Liberate one of the half-completed works of art.

A student, weeping, shreds a canvas with his teeth and nails before turning those weapons on
himself.
A pair of students patiently remove the skin from dead intruders, stretching them on frames.
The howling of a soul in pain echoes from a far corner of the workshop, the only intelligible
moments words “Another failure!”
The master, singing an old, sweet song to herself, reshapes the very walls into the landscapes of
another world seen only in dreams.
Thick layers of scent: oil paint and dust, over the stench of human bodies and waste, and some-
thing sweet and rotting beneath it all.

props traps treasures

The paint workroom. A surface is Artworks enthrall: the view- A work by the master (3 Gold).
painted, painted over, and painted over er neither moves nor blinks
OLD KALDUHR

A set of pigments made from

ROOTS OF

again, glimpses of thousands of years until something interrupts unknown substances that paint
of visions accreted atop one another their line of sight. in colors never before seen by
with disorienting intensity. A series of human eyes.
portraits, each ten feet high, depicts the
progression of a human woman into a
bestial, snarling divinity with a thou-
sand eyes. The first and the last painting
2 are the same.

194 · Layer 2 • The Workshop of Devastating Sensation

 props traps treasures

The stone & flesh workroom. A dusty A column, thinned and Sculptor’s tools that can reshape
sheet covers a half-completed figure weakened by centuries of flesh and bone as if they were
that suggests divinity. The ceiling rises carving and re-shaping, stone.
up forever, slim columns supporting in- gives way and brings down a A book of anatomical diagrams
finity, in which colors move and shift so section of ceiling. that are both wrong and true.
slowly they bend the mind. A vast statue
made of ivory and gold reveals itself to
have once been human when a mouth
opens within a gilded surface and pleads
for death.

additional traps

A line of poetry glimpsed on a wall becomes the only phrase a reader can say until they leave the workshop.
Broken furniture covers a deep charnel pit of human remains.
A crevasse from which rises sweet-smelling, nauseating gas that induces cramps and vomiting, but also gives
visions to the one who inhales.

additional treasures

Moth-eaten velvet robes stitched with gold thread.

Gilded picture frames of many sizes.

THE STUDENTS weakness — Sensory deprivation 5

Withered specimens of humanity, the students are a motley crew with bodies ravaged by time and deprivation
as well as the use of their own skin and bone for materials. Their wild eyes and matted hair clash with their
adornments of beautiful painted patterns and sculpted prostheses.

1 Scurrying back into the shadows. 4 Pleading for the master’s approval.
2 Begging for release. 5 Yearning for the sunlight.
3 Working tirelessly on their latest creation. 6 Nursing their injured limbs and scarred flesh.
Numbers — One student’s cry draws others. Increase Endurance by 1 for each student joining the combat.

THE MASTER weakness — Distraction 10

The master has perfected herself. Her long, elegant frame stands twelve feet tall with numerous slender, clawed limbs
shaped out of alabaster, blown glass, and the carved and reformed bones of other beings. Vividly painted with a mul-
titude of eyes and whorls of color, one might almost overlook the stench of rotting, unwashed flesh that clings around
her as a reminder of the decaying human form beneath the marvels. Her smooth, ceramic face is a single point of
OLD KALDUHR

calm amidst the chaos.

ROOTS OF

1 Folding unnatural limbs in a disturbing fashion. 4 Creating nightmarish works of art.

2 Assessing artistic potential in one’s flesh. 5 Adding to or resculpting her own body.
3 Whispering secret truths about the universe. 6 Calling intruders ignorant, uncultured fools.
Revelation — The treasure-hunters see great and horrifying truths in the strange configuration of limbs and
the ghastly patterns of paint, causing the Condition Nightmare Visions. 2

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 2, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 3, page 158

Layer 2 • The Workshop of Devastating Sensation • 195

 Kheret ils Nu’s Reliquary
Millennia ago, when the Great Calamity befell his people, Kheret ils Nu, hero of the snake-men, was
prepared. As their world ended, Kheret ils Nu cast a spell to travel to the future and secure what
was needed for the snake-men to avoid their ill fate. Still he travels through time, frozen in place for
millennia.
History repeats itself: the people of Old Kalduhr were forced to burrow deeper and deeper under-
ground to avoid the calamity on the surface. Every few decades or centuries, some new group would
find Kheret ils Nu and his Reliquary, and the Cult of the Snake would rise again. Blood magic and
other dark arts were practiced in the hopes of understanding the artifacts found within.
Here, the artifacts of ancient snake-men can be found as pristine as when they were created.

goal Open the throne room and abscond with the treasures of the snake-men.

A portal of light from above suddenly beaming in bright sunlight from another world.
Colorful butterflies feast on the remnants of books and scrolls left by the long-dead Old Kaldhuri.
A loud crash as the moldering ruins of a library shelf collapses, debris bellowing in all directions.
The art, culture, and science of another age lies underfoot, crunching with sounds of broken
moments glass, wood, and metal as treasure-hunters move.
An area of the ceiling is choked with the pupa.
Giant butterflies obscure everything like a fog.
Within a circle of still-wet blood, a ritually mutilated, warm body rests as if this was the moment
of their death.

props traps treasures

Gallery. The ground is caked in broken Two large animated snake Snake figurines, one inch tall,
rock and dust. Pristine pedestals are statues on opposite ends made of a material not of this
positioned under “skylights”—magical of a room. They are both world, in a color the treasure-
portals that are brightly lit during the attached to the wall, but can hunters have never seen.
day. Artwork from a bygone age dis- reach anything within the An unwieldy tapestry as new as
played on the walls. room. They ensure the art- the day it was made depicts three
work remains untouched. snake-men battling an ameboid
god. Along the bottom of the
tapestry is the title of the piece,
“The Triumph of Kheret ils Nu,
OLD KALDUHR

Rahtet ie Kor, and Shiar ie Noh.”

ROOTS OF

Operating theater. This room is pitch Anyone stepping into the Amongst the debris rests a
black. Several metal beds and instru- circle that surrounds the bed curved dagger, serpentine in
ments are mounted on the ceiling. A in use will be frozen within shape and impossibly sharp. The
ruin of debris rests on the floor. Every- until someone outside the soul of Rahtet ie Kor is trapped
thing is caked in dried blood. circle manages to devise a within the blade, imprisoned by
3 One of the beds is in use. Its subject, a way to extricate them. his friend Kheret ils Nu. Those
who wield it are pushed to ruin
prehistoric man, lies naked and splayed
by the ravings of this once-great
open. A circle of salt surrounds the
wizard. Until that happens, the
tables, immobilizing everything within.
wielder believes themselves in-
There are a handful of people from dif-
vincible while they possess the
ferent epochs of time who wandered into
blade. Perhaps this is true.
the operating circle and couldn’t get out.

196 · Layer 3 • Kheret ils Nu's Reliquary

 props traps treasures

Laboratory. There are shelves with The brightest liquids that The books suspended in the air
vials filled with dried up liquids, spent have survived the years are are not easily taken, but would
powders, and books that have turned to poisonous. be a treasure of considerable
dust. Those liquids that have survived value to anyone interested in
Pupa on the ceiling burst,
the centuries have been placed on a ancient alchemy.
disgorging swarms of raven-
worn wooden plinth, clearly once or- ous butterflies that circle the
nate. A set of books lay open, floating in characters.
the center of the room.

Library. Monstrous butterflies feast on Whoever holds the magically Most books are now moldering
the remnants of books. In one corner of sealed book will age a year ruins or chewed through by the
the library, chairs have been arranged to for every hour it is in their butterflies, but perhaps some-
face a shelf where a single book sits in possession. On first contact thing survives in this mess.
pristine condition, sealed shut. with it, one’s hair and nails
grow as if a year had passed.

Throne room doors. Large double The keyhole is trapped with Beside the doors are mounted a
doors, once inlaid with gems now long a magic rune that will cause highly detailed diptych on metal,
gone. They are sealed by magic but still a treasure-hunter reckless seemingly made without paint.
possess a keyhole. enough to try and pick it to In one panel a great fireball im-
become frozen in time. molates a demonic beast, in the
other a snake-man transforms
himself into the first human.

Throne room. A throne sits on a raised Anyone stepping into the On the lectern on the dais sits
dais, two smaller thrones to either side. sphere joins Kheret ils Nu Sister Sedebula’s seminal work
Two large statues of snakes form the trapped in time. There is no on the divinity of the snake. It
banister for the steps leading up. future where Kheret ils Nu has miraculously survived the
can save his people, so this ages.
Kheret ils Nu stands in the middle of
spell will never end.
the room, frozen in time. His legs are Kheret ils Nu holds the Staff of
human, but his body is seemingly a mess the Snake-Men and wears the
of snakes. A sphere of energy crackles Amulet of Impossible Time on
around him. A ruined wooden frame, his neck. These items are im-
once ornate, surrounds the sphere. possibly powerful, unknowable,
and probably valuable.
Frozen at the edge of the sphere is a man.
A small shrine has been built near him.
It is dedicated to “Brother Bandigar, the
Brave and Foolish.”

9
OLD KALDUHR

THRALLS weaknesses — Rituals; blessed weapons

ROOTS OF

Once human, now large snakes about twice the size of an adult, with an eerie humanity in their faces. Some of the
magic, none of the intellect.

1 Digesting its last, stomach-swelling meal. 4 Hanging from the ceiling.

2 Catatonic as it hunts on the ethereal plane. 5 Mimicking objects that attract attention, waiting.
3 Re-living how they became this horrible creature. 6 Moving quickly, darkly hungry. 3
Shifting Form — The creature transforms itself into something better suited to killing you.
Swallow Whole — Can it fit you all in its mouth? It’s certainly going to try.
Psychic Bite — Causes the Condition Confused as your head aches from it feeding on a memory.

Where to from here?

3 THE RHUNNVELDT,
RHUNNVELDT, page 198 0 THE CLIMB — TO 4, page 158

Layer 3 • Kheret ils Nu's Reliquary • 197

 The Rhunnveldt
The Rhunnveldt are a series of interconnected, high-vaulted chambers that were used by the Old
Kalduhri to grow all varieties of plants: beautiful, useful, unusual, magical, medicinal, and poi-
sonous. The Rhunnveldt Gardens are surrounded by the Rhunveldt Fields. Impossibly large, the
subterranean fields provided all of the crops for the Old Kaldhuri. The fields and the gardens en-
joyed light from the strange, globular object high above in the ceiling: a mass of glowing and shift-
ing liquid, sluggish and thick. The light fails to reach one corner of the Rhunnveldt, leaving it in
shadow. A dozen palm-sized, human-shaped manikins serve as garden tenders. A pride of decaying
golem lions ferociously defends the plants. In the days of Old Kalduhr, the manikins and golem lions
turned on their masters; the Old Kalduhri sealed all entrances to the Rhunnveldt when the great
gardens were lost.
goals Recover seedlings from the hidden nursery.
Find Kheret ils Nu’s Reliquary.
Find the Shrine of Woven Moonlight.
Find the Venerable Panopticon of Poisons & Venoms.

The hewn rock corridors of the city give way to soft, loamy soil and high-vaulted, airy chambers.
The heavy scent of freshly drenched earth and the copper of old blood fills the air.
Seed pods crunch underfoot and emit a cloyingly-sweet scent when broken.
A distressing silence fills the space; every small sound the treasure-hunters make seems amplified
like a whisper in a cathedral.
moments
The sound of the golems chuffing and communicating, sniffing at the air.
A trickle of water that has lasted centuries, and the worn divet in the floor where it hits.
Several garden tenders have gathered together to harvest the corpse of a non-functional manikin.
They are removing very small mechanical parts and swapping out their own worn-out bits.

props traps treasures

The Old Garden Gates. Two ceiling- If the gate is touched by hu- One scarecrow has a heavy
to-soil, wrought-iron gates held closed man hands anywhere but the satchel strung over a shoulder,
with more than a dozen heavy, rusted locks, the metal vibrates and holding a few ancient coins
padlocks. Hidden behind a thick, dry gets extremely hot; anyone (1 Gold) and a hand drawn
cluster of brambles, a wide gap has been holding the metal will be map that leads to something
leveraged between two bent gate bars. burned. The metal stinks of described only as “blood and
OLD KALDUHR

cooked meat. flesh.” Following the map leads

Flanking the gates are six “scarecrows”:
ROOTS OF

to a deep well that leads directly

the corpses of past looters strung up on The scarecrows have become
to the 5 the temple for
a wooden trellis. a nesting place for several
exaltation of blood.
families of strange rodents,
A small, many-eyed songbird alights
each with eight long legs. Another scarecrow has a sword
on the gate. It mimics saying “help”
If the bodies are moved or strapped to its side. The sword
in several different voices. It’s easily
searched through, it will expels a small gout of flame
shooed away or will follow the treasure-
disturb the clutch and the when it is drawn from its
3 hunters if they feed it (it will eat
anything, including raw meat). “mice” will swarm out in a scabbard; the scabbard has the
screeching chorus. They do image of a lizard-like creature
no damage, but can alert the embroidered down the length
old lion and the young lion. of it. Treasure-hunters with an
appropriate skill will recognize
this as the legendary blade,
Salamander.

198 · Layer 3 • The Rhunnveldt

props traps treasures

The Ornamental Collection. Located If the bird from the gate is The flowers cover anyone who
near the center of the gardens, this area with the party, it will attempt touches them in a fine white
has two arched adjoining rooms across to give away their position. pollen. This pollen can mask the
from the gates, and a single archway scent of the treasure-hunters.
The old lion will detect any
to either side. All manner of plants are exposed treasure-hunters, A small wooden box held closed
overgrown: thorned roses, snapdragons, or hunters that have not at- with a simple hook latch. Inside
chamomile, rhododendron, orchids, tempted to mask their scent. is a variety of gardening tools:
bird-of-paradise, clematis, zinnia, aster, several trowels in different
and sunflowers. They are all mixed states of rusting, a hand rake,
together and growing in a thick mat two hoes, a hand scythe, and a
blocking the way. A worn path rocked pair of gardening shears. They
with white stones forms a cross through are collectively worth 1 Gold to
the room, leading to the arched door- an antiquarian.
ways. Despite their chaotic state, these
plants look healthy and are, improbably, A closer inspection of the
in riotous bloom. Upon closer inspec- snake person statue will reveal
tion, the reason why becomes obvious: a hidden letter from a noble
a corpse in the middle of the flowers is describing the desperate search
providing fertilizer for a variety of the for the Golden Rose. “We hear
plants, their stems growing out from rumors of the Panopticon of
eye sockets and between bleached white Tajar, supposedly nearby.” (The
ribs. A crumbling statue of a snake-man Golden Rose is found in 3 the
holding a rose, defaced by generations venerable panopticon of
of treasure-hunters, points in the direc- poisons & venoms.)
tion of the Occult Collection.

The Occult Collection. To the left of Some of these plants want to One of the small, tightly
the Ornamental Garden, through the be taken out by the treasure- bunched plants has neat oval
arched doors. The plants here vaguely hunters and used. They will leaves that are metallic. When
resemble familiar forms, but are show themselves off, turning the leaves are removed they
magical. Near the entryway is a pile their healthy leaves toward appear as unmarked gold coins.
of wooden labels and warning signs: them. These plants, if their These coins will wither after
“very hungry—do not touch,” roots are freed from the soil, several hours, turning more
“wisdombush,” “mage’s teeth,” will cling to the clothes of a bronze in color, and then brown
“unicorn hair fern,” “soldier’s treasure-hunter and refuse and black.
puppet,” and other such names. These to let go. Some of these plants want to
plants appear to be carefully organized The creeping vine will en- leave, and some of them want
but all the labels are gone. A gentle mist tangle and begin to strangle to stay. Those that want to stay
is sprayed from the walls of the room anyone who comes too close will attempt to alert the lion in
at a variety of heights. A creeping vine to it. It is silent. It will only the room.
(malfescens sempervirens) grows with
OLD KALDUHR

tighten more firmly if the

incredible speed. Gathered around the A plant growing in the corner
ROOTS OF

victim struggles. It is easily

base of the plant are the fully wrapped of the room is surrounded by
cut with a weapon, especially
corpses of several of the strange birds buzzing bees. Several of its
with a shovel or scythe.
and mice. It occasionally contracts these blooms can be removed without
tendrils, causing bone crunching noises The young lion lies in the upsetting the bees; these can
from the corpses. It has covered an corner of this chamber, be used in the tremor hive to
entire wall of this chamber. gently snoring. distract the insects.

Layer 3 • The Rhunnveldt • 199

 props traps treasures

The Tremor Hive. To the right of the If the treasure-hunters The honeycombs are laden with
Ornamental Garden, through the arched attempt to harvest any honey valuable honey worth 1 Gold
doors. This room is the source of the vi- or open the hives it will an- per sackful. Each treasure-hunt-
bration found throughout the gardens. ger the bees, causing them to er can only carry one sack of
It is buzzing with dime-sized bumble- swarm whoever has offended honey, unless they have an
bees. They appear to be communal, them. unused Backpack Equipment
accessing a 9×9 square of glass beehives. slot, in which case they can car-
Below the central column
The honey and brood combs are visible, ry two sacks of honey, but that
of hives is a metal grate that
golden and sparkling. Several garden- equipment slot is unavailable
leads to the hidden nurs-
tenders are removing dead bees from until they return to town (this
ery. The grate is unlocked
a space from under the hives, setting does not count as a crossed-out
but accessing it is difficult;
out small bowls of water for the bees slot).
attempting to do so may
to sip from, and crooning very softly to disturb the bees. A lever is built into the left wall;
soothe the insects. Several bees are seen
The manikins will mobilize it is disguised as a group of bees
working together to carry a dripping that does not move like the rest.
bloom from the occult collection. Once and become a swarm of
If pulled, it moves the central
it lands, bees cover it, sucking at the garden tenders if harassed.
column of hives into the ceiling,
effluvient nectar. providing access to the grate.

The Hidden Nursery. Descending The bottles clinking together A clutch of bottles is extremely
below the grate will lead to a short walk- will alert the old lion and dangerous to transport, but
way requiring the treasure-hunters to young lion. worth 3 Gold if the treasure-
crawl. The hidden room contains rows hunters manage it.
A bottle will explode if
of plants suspended in a light green shaken or handled carelessly.
ooze within clear bottles, stacked like a
wine cellar. These plants are meticulous-
ly labeled. An observed plant twitches
slightly in the ooze. Another bottle is
full of brown sludge with rotten black
chunks. The bottle is poorly sealed and
leaks a rancid scent.

The Vicious Healer’s Collection. This A malfunctioning garden A smoke can is near the dead
chamber is laid out in a careful grid with tender has labeled poisonous lion golem. It can charm the
plants growing in meticulously-labeled plants as medicinal plants, bees in the Tremor Hive.
raised beds, some covered in glass cages. and vice versa: A latch fastens one of the raised
The front half of a broken lion lies flat
out in the middle of a large patch of 1 hemlock/yarrow beds in place. If moved, it will
foxglove. Several lazy pink bees bumble 2 monkshood/peppermint reveal a set of stairs down into a
from one fat flower to another. The 3 deadly nightshade/ginger deeper chamber containing
4 nettle/betony 3 the venerable
OLD KALDUHR

destroyed mechanical lion twitches, its

5 henbane/valerian
ROOTS OF

panopticon of poisons
ivory teeth clicking together.
6 mistletoe/comfrey & venoms.

OLD LION weaknesses — None, though see below 9

A juddering, part-scrap construction in the shape of a big cat. Ivory teeth are missing and gem eyes are beginning to
cloud. The lion has no Weaknesses, but will only fight for two combat rounds before wandering off or falling asleep.
3 1 Lumbering along a patrol route. 4 Limping from a non-functional back leg.
2 Licking a metal paw with its leather tongue. 5 Loudly grumbling as sparks fly from locked joints.
3 Smoking slightly from its disjointed mouth. 6 Whirring as it pulls itself from a stumble.
Oil Leak & Spark — The treasure-hunter is hit by popping, sizzling oil, causing the Condition Burned.
Repairable — Defeating this enemy in combat is not enough. Garden tenders will eventually locate and repair it,
setting it back on patrol unless it is completely dismantled, and vital pieces are carried or hidden away.

200 · Layer 3 • The Rhunnveldt

 props traps treasures

The Overripe Corn Fields. Surrounding Walking through the fields The building in the middle of
all of the gardens are the fields, and the may result in a gardentender the field is 3 kheret ils
first of these are filled with plump corn unwittingly slicing a tendon nu’s reliquary.
rotting on the stalk. A troop of over- in an attempt to fell and har-
worked gardentenders cut down stalks vest the treasure-hunter.
as quickly as their small bodies allow, If approached, a scarecrow
while seemingly-mundane scarecrows will erupt into a swarm of
are seen to be twitching if studied for a gardentenders holding the
time. A structure rises distinctly from shape of a scarecrow to keep
the middle of one field as if dropped the non-existent scavenging
suddenly in the middle of the plants birds away. They are eager to
rather than built on purpose. In a corner rejoin the harvest in order to
of the field, a section of the light from bring it in more quickly, and
the ceiling grows darker before failing see an opportunity to replace
completely. themselves with a dead trea-
sure-hunter.

The Darkened Fields. A dark corner of the Rhunnveldt. Leading up to A dead body covered in mush-
that corner are fields where the light overhead has gone dim, almost ap- rooms wears a bracelet inlaid
pearing as moonlight rather than sunlight. The manikins seem confused, with tourmalines.
and disagree about how to use the space: some still pull hoes and trowels
through the earth, dropping seed and watering though nothing ever 3 the shrine of woven
moonlight can be found in
sprouts. Others guard mushrooms that grow on logs, mounds of smelly the furthest, darkest part of the
earth, and long-dead corpses. Fields, manikins, and mushrooms in the fields.
darkest parts are covered in gossamer webbing. Further still, the webbing
is thicker and manikins appear bundled up in it, unable to move

YOUNG LION weaknesses — Water 10

A gleaming, well-maintained construction resembling a big cat: all polished wood, ropes, and brass. It moves with
disturbing fluidity, fixing its gemmed eyes on an intruder and bearing its even, ivory fangs.

1 Lumbering along a patrol route. 4 Limping from a non-functional back leg.

2 Licking a metal paw with its leather tongue. 5 Loudly grumbling as sparks fly from locked joints.
3 Smoking slightly from its disjointed mouth. 6 Whirring as it pulls itself from a stumble.
Pounce — The lion leaps on you, pinning you to the ground. You cannot mark armor in the next round of combat.
Repairable — Defeating this enemy in combat is not enough. Garden tenders will eventually locate and repair it,
setting it back on patrol unless it is completely dismantled, and vital pieces are carried or hidden away.

6
OLD KALDUHR

SWARM OF GARDEN TENDERS weaknesses — Fire

ROOTS OF

A group of more than three but less than ten small human constructs, their arms little scissors or shovels, able to
carry small objects and break apart bigger ones.

1 Chittering to each other. 4 Carrying miniature buckets of water.

2 Digging up bulbs. 5 Clustered standing together, sleeping.
3 Deadheading a blooming bush. 6 Processing a dead looter into fertilizer. 3
Call for Backup — If not defeated in one combat round, the old lion or the young lion comes to their aid.

Where to from here?

0 THE CLIMB — TO 2, page 158 3 THE SHRINE OF WOVEN MOONLIGHT,
MOONLIGHT, page 202
0 THE CLIMB — TO 4, page 158 3 THE VENERABLE PANOPTICON OF POISONS & VENOMS,
VENOMS, page 206
3 KHERET ILS NU’S RELIQUARY,
RELIQUARY, page 196 5 THE TEMPLE FOR EXALTATION OF BLOOD (if unlocked), page 226

Layer 3 • The Rhunnveldt • 201

 The Shrine of Woven Moonlight
Far below the open sky, she holds the memories of the moon and stars. Many pray to her in des-
perate and dark places, finding solace in her many gifts. She goes by many names in many tongues
long-forgotten—or still spoken, but not by human mouths. Those who make sincere offerings of
themselves may leave behind something which no longer serves them. Some who receive her blessing
are transformed and initiated into her path. Her innermost initiates carry the burden of protecting
the world from its own destruction, all the while being hunted as monsters. One thread at a time,
they gently bind broken things together and preserve the whole by wrapping it in a gentle silver web.
The shrine of the Gossamer Queen may be found at the bottom of a vast chasm. The path is long
and winding, swallowing light and flame so that only earnest seekers may find it. Glittering walls
of ridged obsidian stretch upwards into darkness. Phosphorescent lights fade in and out of the silent
void. Delicate strands of spun moonlight decorate the ground and walls, forming intricate sculp-
tures in the open space of the cavern. At the center hangs a vast archway of shimmering threads, in-
laid with all manner of artifacts from ages past: symbols of failed kingdoms and fruitless ambition.
Beyond is the watchful void, the sacred space where She dwells. Along the periphery of the temple
are bound many wretched husks: failed treasure-hunters who sought to steal from the temple.
No one ventures this far into the abyss without good reason. Ask the treasure-hunters:
What draws you to the shrine of the Gossamer Queen?
What have you heard of her gifts, her miracles, and her mercy?
What do you pray for? What are you prepared to offer?

goal Complete a ritual to honor the Gossamer Queen and receive a blessing.

Dancing patterns of light and shadow pass over the landscape: moonlight through clouds and
reflected in rippling water.
A delicate avalanche of melodious tapping like thousands of tiny footsteps dancing across
hollow, echoing flutes.
moments
Dust stirred underfoot, undisturbed for ages beyond reckoning.
From the shadows, a cascade of whispers and rustling as the Queen’s followers awaken.
Silver threads tremble as something struggles far from sight.

props traps treasures

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Dormitory. Deep fissures in the chasm Silken hammocks lure the Silver silk cord, light and
walls—home to keepers of the shrine. weary to rest—better to stronger than any rope or chain.
Either side of the fissures is faintly illu- slumber peacefully than re- Fastens or releases when the
minated by phosphorescent spores. turn to the woes of the world binding word is spoken.
above. Moonweave clothing, inlaid
Those who wander too far with silver threads of intricate
from the faint luminescence design which helps to blend
3 of the temple will become with shadows and moonlight.
lost in the winding darkness Worn by followers of the
of the chasm floor, which Gossamer Queen to maintain
swallows other sources of a connection to her and the
light. threads which unite those who
know her.

202 · Layer 3 • The Shrine of Woven Moonlight

 props traps treasures

The gate. Tiered woven platforms lead Intruders bearing ill intent A veiled glimpse of the Queen
to the shrine gate, taut and springy. will find the gossamer herself, should she look forth
The gate itself is an immense portal to threads holding them fast, from the darkness. Receiv-
the ritual chambers. Only initiates may bound in place until they ing this blessing imposes the
pass beyond the inner thresholds to the repent. Condition Witnessed. As Her
deeper void beyond, and the final dark- ancient presence perceives the
ness is knowable only by Her closest thread of your life up to this
followers. point, you may reflect on your
purpose after coming here and
choose to change your Drive.

The temple. The temple walls are Crystal vial containing a

covered in shields, armor, weapons, spiderling. This offspring of
and treasures—all willingly offered up Her Radiance may be trained
by pilgrims or initiates. On the far side in the performance of a Ritual,
is an altar in the form of a suspended tracing sigils in silk when
bowl—hollowed from a massive egg or released. Possession of the vial
fruit, or the skull of a giant who once grants the Condition Guardian
walked the land far above. of the Myriad. You are sworn to
protect all spiders and their kin
as offspring of the Queen.
Covering the walls of the tem-
ple are various Rituals sacred to
the Queen. Each treasure-hunt-
er may choose to undergo a
Ritual, as listed under Rituals
of the Gossamer Queen (see page
205).

additional traps

Attempting to free one of the wretched husks will only invite the shrine keepers to wrap you in a cocoon as well.

additional treasures

Abandoned pack containing any single piece of equipment and a delver’s journal with notes pointing out a hid-
den shortcut from here to “Kheret ils Nu’s Reliquary,” whatever that is; it seems to be nearby. Treasure-hunters
may automatically proceed to 3 kheret ils nu’s reliquary without passing through any other Sets.

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

WRETCHED HUSKS weakness — Fire 7

Treasure-hunters who sought to raid the temple. Bound and largely drained of their essence, and their usefulness to
the Queen.
3
1 Pawing at dusty bones, seeking nourishment. 4 Twisting and straining in silk prisons.
2 Crawling back and forth, bound by a thread. 5 Calling out frantically.
3 Wandering aimlessly, gazing upwards. 6 Making desperate pleas in garbled speech.
Thick, Sticky Webbing — The threads catch or turn away blades.
Caught in the Same Web — Increase Endurance by 1 for each wretched husk that joins the fight.

Layer 3 • The Shrine of Woven Moonlight • 203

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

204 · Layer 3 • The Shrine of Woven Moonlight

RITUALS OF THE GOSSAMER QUEEN

Each treasure-hunter may choose to participate in one of the following prescribed Rituals illustrated on the
temple walls (allow them to pick or roll randomly). Members of the Queen's Chosen will silently and gracefully
assist. While each Ritual may only be accessed in the temple, the effects granted by them are permanent. Alter-
natively, at the gm and player’s discretion, you may decide that some of these Rituals only last during a given
Set or game session.

1 2 3
or or

1 Invigorate — Trade ten thousand drops of blood for a single drop of the Ancient's blood—a potent infusion
granting mild regenerative powers. Once per session, you may sacrifice a treasure to heal 1 Ruin. You must
then take one of the following Conditions: Entranced, Sun-Fearing, Ravenous, Vengeful, Shedding, Brooding.
2 Renewed — Shed your skin to reveal your true form. This permanently changes your human body in any way
you envision yourself to be. Spiderlings will consume your past skin, along with painful memories you wish
to release.
3 Sworn Hand — Trade a human limb for a pair of lithe and powerful arachnid limbs.
4 True Vision — Leave behind your ordinary eyes, becoming blind in full daylight. Grow sets of smaller eyes
which grant flawless vision in darkness.
5 In the Blood — Channel past pain inflicted upon you, bearing the toxin in your blood to become poisonous
to your foes.
6 Unspoken — Offer all your future words to the Queen, becoming mute but gaining the ability to understand
any spoken language you hear.

4 5 6
or or

1 Glimmering — Perceive slivers of time several moments before they come to pass. When making a Hunt
Roll, you may choose to make a Devil’s Bargain before you roll, stating what terrible thing awaits you. If the
gm and other players accept the bargain, you may use this bargain to add a light die to your roll in place of a
Skill or piece of equipment.
2 Unhindered — Your hands and feet grow fine-haired gripping pads which allow you to climb almost any
surface. When you use any piece of equipment, roll a dark die after; if the result is 1, the equipment is dam-
aged and cannot be used again.
3 Weaver — Twist the threads of fate, but beware those not meant for you. During any dice roll, you may
reroll any single die and choose the new result instead. When you do this, the gm sets aside a dark die which
they may roll during any future roll you make, switching it with one of your dice results.
4 Rebirth — Wrap the body of a fallen treasure-hunter in silver thread, calling on the Queen to restore them
from beyond the veil. Each member of the party takes 1 Ruin to reduce the Ruin of the fallen from 6 to 5.
5 Always Hungry — Once per session, destroy a treasure to remove any Condition.
6 Unburdened — Offer up all your weapons and armor. Your fingers become sharp as blades and may func-
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

tion as weapons. Your skin hardens and functions as armor. There is no associated Burden, but you must
consume a still-living creature the size of a man while on the incursion in order to unmark it upon returning
to town.

Where to from here?

3 THE RHUNNVELDT,
RHUNNVELDT, page 198 0 THE CLIMB — TO 4, page 158

Layer 3 • The Shrine of Woven Moonlight • 205

 The Venerable Panopticon
of Poisons & Venoms
“The difference between poison and venom is simply the amount of energy you have to invest to
make it kill a person.” — Tajar of the Black Sands, poison sommelier

“Snakebite, run outside,

Til a tulip red you spy. Spiderbite, run outside,
Eat quick, be right sick, Til a dahlia blue you spy. Scorpionbite, run outside,
Go ahead and die, die, die. Salve, but still, get more ill, Til a Golden Rose you spy.
Go ahead and die, die, die. Make a tea, and be free
Go ahead and stay alive.”
— Children’s song in Ambaret

The Old Kalduhri were masters of poisons and venoms. There are legends of poison lakes, venomous
butterflies, and toxic fume beasts that broke loose and roamed the halls when all was lost.
Among these legends, the Venerable Panopticon of Poisons & Venoms stands out: a mix of zoo and
botanical exhibition of all deadly things, gathered by a latter-year poison sommelier. The legends
say it is hidden in the vast Fields and Gardens district of Old Kalduhr. Long lost, long decayed, but
the legends persist for one reason: Tajar of the Black Sands. Not only did Tajar collect toxic crea-
tures and plants, Tajar also possessed the ultimate antidote: the Golden Rose, a fabled plant that
will defeat any poison, venom, or toxin.
The Venerable Panopticon of Poisons & Venoms used to be a well-kept and well-stocked secret, opu-
lent and dedicated to all things toxic: a large entrance hall, two side rooms dedicated to poisons and
venoms, and the Panopticon itself. Of these, only the entrance hall and the side rooms, the Poison
Parlor and the Venom Vestibule remain relatively intact. The Panopticon was once a domed struc-
ture with rows upon rows of smaller cages or exhibition rooms, but it has long since caved in, now
buried under tons of earth. Only the viewing point is still accessible.

goal Find the Golden Rose, fabled to be an antidote for all poisons.

A rat convulsing on the floor. It has shed most of its hair and is losing more still.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Scrawled on a wall: “Don’t lick the toads!”

A half-destroyed wall mosaic depicting a snake-person holding something in their hand; what
they’re holding is on a destroyed section of the mosaic.
The statue of a spider that has remained untouched and undefiled. The stone is wet, shimmering
in strange colors.
moments The musty smell of earth long left undisturbed is occasionally punctuated with the heady smell of
3 nightshade, or a sharp, alchemical scent that makes the eyes water and the nose run.
The shade of Tajar of the Black Sands pops up intermittently, pointing at things that aren’t there
anymore. His appearance varies: sometimes he looks young and healthy, dressed in extravagant
clothing; sometimes mature, more wasted, with clothing barely hanging on his lean frame; some-
times a desiccated hull with unsteady eyes, dressed in bright rags. The ghost is silent and cannot
be heard, even when he’s apparently talking. He does not notice the treasure-hunters or interact
with them unless they find his final resting place in the sipping room.

206 · Layer 3 • The Venerable Panopticon of Poisons & Venoms

props traps treasures

The entrance hall. The doorway to the Groaning toads hop about The human monarch painting
hall and the fabled serpent columns this place. Stepping on or on the right hides a doorway
have long since been smashed. The mistreating one causes them leading to the Golden Rose.
hall is almost empty except for a dry to swarm. Golden torch holders.
fountain in the middle and rubble
lying everywhere. There is evidence Poisonous lichen would be
of a campfire belonging to previous of use to apothecaries and
treasure-hunters. The walls once were assassins.
decorated with murals, mosaics, and
paintings, but now they are covered in
grime and old graffiti. Some of the li-
chens grow in strange colors like purple,
bright orange, and blue, and should not
be eaten by human beings.
There are three exits from the entrance
hall: the poison parlor to the left, the
venerable panopticon straight ahead, and
the venom vestibule to the right.
There are two huge paintings close to
the door: one depicts a snake person,
the other a human monarch. Both have
been defaced by graffiti, and the one on
the left (the snake person) clearly used
to mask a secret door that has been
ripped open. This leads to the sipping
room.

The poison parlor. The parlor opens Set of ugly leaden statues of
up on the left side of the entrance hall. five poisonous things: a newt,
This room used to be dedicated to a squat little bird, an octopus,
poisonous things: creatures, plants, and aconite, and hemlock. Might be
minerals. Some depictions of those can sold to sorcerers, apothecaries,
still be seen in the wall decorations. or priests.
There used to be a detailed painting of
a nightshade plant; it is now smashed
to reveal a secret door leading to the
breeding chamber.

The venom vestibule. The vestibule A pendant of a lovely silver

opens up on the right side of the snake wrapped around a golden
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

entrance hall. This room used to be rose. Can be opened to reveal

dedicated to venomous creatures: an empty cavity, with the words
snakes, scorpions, and spiders. There “stronger than any poison”
used to be a detailed painting of a huge embossed into it.
scorpion on the far side; it is now most-
ly obscured by grime. There is a secret
door here that has not been smashed,
but can be discovered easily; it leads to
the library.
3

Layer 3 • The Venerable Panopticon of Poisons & Venoms • 207

 props traps treasures

The venerable panopticon. The pan- The dead person carries a finely
opticon opens on the far side of the en- wrought dagger, a rambling
trance hall. Most of it has been buried by diary of their exploits in Old
a cave-in, but the viewing gallery is still Kalduhr, and a tarnished silver
mostly accessible. The body of someone snake mask worth at least 2
sits in a chair, apparently killed by poi- Gold. The snake mask is a
soning or illness a few months ago. magical artifact; it protects its
wearer from toxic fumes.
There are two large paintings on the left
and right walls. They show two humans
ravaged by poison: the one on the left
is almost obliterated and opens into the
breeding chamber. The one on the right
shows a suffering woman and hides a
doorway into the library.

Secret room: The breeding chamber. Toadslime coats the The breeding pools used to be
This room can be entered through the breeding pools. To recover laid out with silver tiles. Those
poison parlor and the venerable panop- anything from these pools, that were easy to reach are
ticon. Here, Tajar bred creatures for make a risk roll or take already gone, but a brave soul
their poison: spiders, snakes, scorpions, the Condition Poisoned (see might attempt to recover some
frogs, and toads. Most of the breeding the next page). from the depths of the pool.
cages were smashed and looted a long
time ago, but there is a large pool in
the center that is still filled with water,
dark with the spawn of groaning toads.
These tadpoles cannot teleport yet, but
they are as poisonous as their elders.

Secret room: The sipping room. Tajar’s ghost defends this Five colorful containers with
This room can be entered through the room from anyone attempt- poisons that might be used or
entrance hall. Tajar used to invite his ing to loot it. He may unlock sold locked behind three com-
guests here to sip and sample various the poison chests with his plicated padlocks of copper,
poisons, often, but not always, provid- three keys, inviting treasure- silver, and lead.
ing the antidote. The room has been hunters to sip. Failing this,
looted but not as extensively as others. he may attack directly.

Secret room: The library. This room Rotting books on all kinds
can be reached through the venomous of poisonous and venomous
vestibule or the venerable panopticon. beasts.
It has been breached before. Many of
OLD KALDUHR

the texts are rotten, decayed, or eaten

ROOTS OF

through by the poison coating their

pages.

Secret room: The Golden Rose. This In front of the rosebush The Golden Rose, a blossom, or
room can be reached through the are two large pots in which the entire plant, depending on
entrance hall. The secret door has been thorn guardians grow. how well the thorn guardians
3 opened before, but was always closed
very carefully. There is only one thing
were defeated. A petal from the
blossom will cure any Condi-
in the room: a rose bush, illuminated tion related to poison or venom
by bright golden light, with a single if it is eaten, brewed as a tea, or
blossom, the Golden Rose. used in a salve. After consuming
a petal in this way, roll a dark
die; on a 1, there are no more
usable petals on the blossom.

208 · Layer 3 • The Venerable Panopticon of Poisons & Venoms

 GROANING TOAD weaknesses — Salt; heat 7
Giant toads in odd colors; they make a low, groaning sound.

1 Eating poisonous lichen. 4 Groaning loudly, almost as if forming words.

2 Suddenly appearing on a backpack. 5 Staring judgmentally at a treasure-hunter.
3 Sitting on the ledge of the fountain. 6 Awkwardly hopping away from a person.
Poisonous Touch — You take the Condition Poisoned if you touch a groaning toad (see below).
Teleport — Groaning toads can teleport, appearing and disappearing wherever they like.

TAJAR’S GHOST weaknesses — None 9

A translucent figure that is intermittently there or not, touching with soft fingers which cause pain and
uncontrollable sensations.

1 A young Tajar, smiling maniacally, offering a cup. 4 Lying on a couch, breathing heavily.
2 A mature Tajar, seductively offering a mushroom. 5 Convulsing on the ground, laughing.
3 An old Tajar, grinning broadly, offering a vial. 6 Bound to a chair, sweating, cursing, singing.

THORN GUARDIAN weaknesses — Lead; tactics exploiting the Guardians’ immobility 10

Cultivated to protect the Golden Rose, these thick brambles have a vaguely human form. The thorn guardians have
preserved the Golden Rose for centuries. They are not quite sentient and cannot be reasoned with, but they will not
give chase if a treasure-hunter only takes a single blossom from the bush.

Waiting, motionless.

Poison Thorns — You take the Condition Poisoned (see below).

Poison Pollen — The thorn guardians release pollen that causes brambles to rapidly grow inside your mouth,
nose, and thoat.

POISONED

If a treasure-hunter takes the Condition Poisoned while in this Set, in addition to the normal impact of having a
Condition, ask the other players what symptoms the treasure-hunter suffers.

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Where to from here?

3 THE RHUNNVELDT,
RHUNNVELDT, page 198 0 THE CLIMB — TO 4, page 158

Layer 3 • The Venerable Panopticon of Poisons & Venoms • 209

 The Manufactorum
Massive metal double doors swing inward into a giant domed chamber filled with the sounds of
grinding machinery, heavy-stepping automatons, and a blaring warning siren. A huge mechanical
device on the wall seems to be counting down, though the symbols on its wheels are unfamiliar. A
towering drill stands in the center of the room, pulling up pounds of earth and ore and depositing
them on a water-filled aqueduct running from one side of the room to the other.
Six waterfalls pour from spouts high on the walls, colored by gemstones carried in the water. One
waterfall is clear, one is red, one is blue, one is purple, one is emerald, and one is golden. The water-
falls collect in pools below, the water overflowing through grating on the floor, leaving the gems to be
harvested by automatons. The golden automatons work tirelessly creating hundreds of incredibly
heavy small black cubes, each designed to fit a gem in each face. Piles of gemless cubes are stacked in
mountains throughout the room.
A giant mechanical device set high in one of the walls is composed of multiple rotating wheels, turn-
ing to create different configurations of symbols, seemingly locked into a countdown pattern. All of
the wheels are blank except for the final two, which turn once every few moments as though they are
counting down. For every one hundred turns of the rightmost wheel, the wheel next to it turns once.
goal Repair the drill.

The drill grinds to a halt, lets out a shrill whine and a crunch, then spins rapidly back to speed.
An automaton pushes a finished black cube into a huge pile of cubes to create a massive, perfectly
cube-shaped pile. It steps back and lets out a whirr of satisfaction before returning to work.
moments An automaton plucks a gemstone out of a pool, examines it, then swiftly cuts it with the razor-
sharp blades of its fingers. It holds the finished product up to the light: a beautiful amethyst.
The drill sputters almost fails, and the whole room begins to shake. Debris and water spray hap-
hazardly before the drill kicks back on again. The blaring of the alarm somehow gets even louder.

props traps

The Drill. A towering machine in the center of the room with The drill is not dangerous when oper-
dials, pistons, and gears pulling up ore from the ground and ating correctly, as it is now. However,
depositing it onto an aqueduct. Investigating the drill will reveal uneducated attempts to tamper with
a damaged section where a black cube has been disgorged from it. it may make it a hazard by changing
The cube lies cracked on the floor, the six gems in its sides—one direction of the auger, which would turn
of each color—broken. Replacing the black cube with a working the outflow at the top of the drill into an
OLD KALDUHR

cube will stop the countdown and the alarm (see Additional inflow, forcing anything on top of the
ROOTS OF

Traps). Obtaining a working cube means getting a perfect gem of drill through the drill mechanisms and
each color. Each gem type is guarded fiercely by the automatons. into the ground.

The Aqueduct. A solid metal structure held up by trestles, the aq- The aqueduct is capable of carrying
ueduct emerges from high in one wall, passes the top of the drill a human of normal size into the wall
where ore is disgorged upon it, and disappears into the opposite where one would be sucked into the
4 wall. Water flows quickly along it, washing the ore swiftly into the
wall and through a series of filters that will catch anything larger
machinery inside.

than a pebble and deposit the resulting solid matter into crush-
ing, chopping, and purifying machinery. Ore is sent elsewhere,
waste is disposed of, and gems are sent back into the manufacto-
rum with pure water by way of waterfalls.

210 · Layer 4 • The Manufactorum

 props treasures

The Chromatic Waterfalls and Pools. From six large spouts high Gemstones are plentiful, too many to
in the walls flow six waterfalls tinged with the color of the gems ever count or carry. Many of them are
within them: diamond, ruby, sapphire, amethyst, emerald, and tiny and flawed, though there are small
topaz. The waterfalls fall into overflowing pools attended to by caches of perfect gems cut to fit the
automatons, who inspect the gems. The pools of water are waist- black cubes.
high and several feet in diameter. The floor nearby is surrounded
by grating to provide drainage. Thousands of tiny gemstones cov-
er the bottom of the pool, the majority asymmetrical and flawed.
Automatons surround the pools, sifting through the gems in
search of perfect ones of sufficient size to power the black cubes.
When found, the gem is carefully cut and placed within a small
barrel, several of which sit beside each pool of water.

The Assembly Belt and Cube Storage. Several thin slits in the Black cubes are powerful when activat-
wall allow conveyor belts into the room. The belts are lined with ed by six pure gems of sufficient size.
pieces of flat, heavy black metal. The pieces are deposited into Incredibly dense and heavy, an average
bins where automatons stand and arrange dozens of the piec- human can carry only one cube at a time
es into intricate patterns before finally sealing them with six without being terribly encumbered.
black flat squares to create the cubes. Mountains of black cubes Cubes can be activated in seven ways:
have been arranged in massive, neat piles around the room: the all faces of the cube can be the same
accumulation of hundreds of years of uninterrupted work. All gem, or each face can be unique. Each
possess divots on their six sides where gems can be placed. All are configuration triggers a different effect,
gemless. see Black Cube Configurations below.

additional traps

When all the coutdown wheels turn blank, the drill fails and the room begins to collapse. Replacing a working
black cube into the drill will stop the countdown, at which point all of the wheels spin backward, filling the
room with a horrific grinding noise as the gears begin counting up at a violent pace, resetting the clock to full.

BLACK CUBE CONFIGURATIONS

Each cube has a different effect, depending on how the gemstones on its faces are configured.
Six diamonds — The cube acts as a brilliant light source.
Six rubies — The cube acts as a strong source of heat.
Six sapphires — The cube acts as a strong source of cooling.
Six amethysts — The cube acts as protection from mind-control or mind-altering substances.
Six emeralds — The cube provides nutrition and stimulation through touch.
Six topazes — The cube provides happiness and calm through touch.
One gem of each type — A pure power source.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

AUTOMATON weakness — The ring of gemstone in its chest 10

A humanoid with a golden metal body, sharp fingers, and a ring of gemstones in its chest.

1 Reaching long arms deep into pools of water. 4 Arranging finished cubes into a large, neat pile.
2 Cutting gems into shape with razor-sharp fingers. 5 Inspecting the many dials and gauges on the drill.
3 Assembling cubes out of black pieces of metal. 6 Standing at attention, perfectly still.
4
Declaw Thieves — Automatons stop gemstone burglaries by using their razor-sharp fingers on the pilfering
digits, causing the Condition Mutilated Hand.

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 4, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 5, page 158

Layer 4 • The Manufactorum • 211

 The Mechanical Mind
The treasure-hunters enter a laboratory under the control of a mechanical mind that long ago lost
touch with reality. It can only communicate via the security and environmental mechanisms built
into the laboratory.

goal Put the mechanical mind at peace.

Somewhere far off the scraping of metal on wood.

Crackling arcane energy and the smell of ozone.
moments
Oil stains on the floor, old but slick.
The click-clack of hidden gears and relays.

props traps treasures

Massive mechanical computer. A Floor made of grinding gears

machine composed of valves, gears, of varying sizes with teeth
pistons, levers, and cranks. The metal that could crush a foot or
components don’t gleam as brightly person.
as they once did, and the wood in the Doors that slide closed from
table—while marvelously preserved top to bottom, bisecting
compared to modern techniques—has people passing through, or at
just enough warping to cause mechan- least separate groups.
ical inefficiencies in the computer atop
it. Whirrs and clicks indicate that the
machine still functions, and lamps
flashing in an unknown code represent
its attempts to communicate with any-
one entering its space.

Half-assembled manikin. It sits with its The half-assembled manikin Manual on awakening mani-
head next to its body, eyes unfocused. isn’t alone here: an ancient kins, the spine embroidered
Even enlivened, this manikin’s intellect manikin also hides nearby. with sinister symbols. Anyone
would be puny next to the mechanical who studies this manual can
marvel that dominates the space. What learn the Ritual Enliven, but
might the mechanical mind tell us about must increase their Ruin or
the magically-animated burlap and straw Burdens by 1 permanently.
constructs of our time?
OLD KALDUHR

Workroom. This space contains tools, Swinging pulleys, pendu- Tools calibrated to a degree
ROOTS OF

spare parts, and other paraphernalia lums, and counterweights impossible in the current age.
useful in repairing machines. A few that could bludgeon the Worth 3 Gold to the right
faded notebooks may have once held unwary. buyer.
the calculations and scribblings of the
genius responsible for this place.

212 · Layer 4 • The Mechanical Mind

 ANCIENT MANIKIN weaknesses — Direct heat or cold 7
A mechanical construct with a rusted frame. It is preceded by scraping sounds as it lunges towards its objective.

1 Advancing implacably forward. 4 Laboriously copying a notebook.

2 Repairing a comrade. 5 Oiling noisy parts for attempts at stealth.
3 Sharpening a blade or spike on a stone. 6 Blocking the way.
Spike Darts — It fires iron projectiles that can penetrate your bone from across a room and pin you to a wall.
Causes the Condition Pierced by Bolt.
Heavy Chain — It uses a chain to tangle your limbs or grapple with you.

THE MECHANICAL MIND

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

The treasure-hunters may find some way to awaken the mechanical mind, but the mind will eventually come
alive on its own, regardless of what they do.
Create a track with 6 boxes (similar to a treasure-hunter’s Ruin track) when the treasure-hunters enter this Set.
Every time a treasure-hunter gets less than 6 on a risk roll or hunt roll, mark a box on the track. You can
also offer to mark a box as a Devil’s Bargain.
Once the sixth box is marked, the mind awakens. It will attempt to repel the treasure-hunters by deploying
mechanical traps or allies, especially if the treasure-hunters seem hostile or afraid. If the treasure-hunters can 4
find a way to strike a bargain with the mechanical mind, it will share helpful secrets about the other Sets in Layer
4—or elsewhere in Old Kalduhr, at the gm’s discretion.

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 4, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 5, page 158

Layer 4 • The Mechanical Mind • 213

 The Root Cellar
When Old Kalduhr still sat proudly above the earth, those without ready access to magic sometimes
dug root cellars to store crops until they were needed later. As the Kalduhri bored deeper and deeper
below the surface, the root cellars expanded outward and downward. Ultimately, the spaces merged
into a single, vast, and unfathomably deep shaft, lined with overstocked shelves and creaking lad-
ders, crisscrossed by giant roots and hanging bundles. The space came to house not just preserves,
but anything that sorcerers and tyrants thought they might need later for a glorious return to the
surface that never came. The gardens located above helped fill the cellar with necessary provisions,
but the proximity to the strange machines suggests at least some of this was fuel for the unusual
devices. Much of its contents has long since been plundered, but some morsels and trinkets remain
to be found.
goal Free the monster and compel it to dig deeper.
note — This allows direct access to 5 the catacombs both endless &
nameless without needing to move through any connecting Sets.

A hanging bundle of fanged skulls.

The thick smell of soil and plant matter.
moments
A nearby cord twangs like a plucked lute string.
Clumps of earth drop from above, landing soundlessly.

props traps treasures

Roots. Giant, dirt-caked tree roots hang Cellar grubs are cat-sized,
from the ceilings and the walls. Many sightless larvae of giant bee-
are thin enough to grip in one hand. tles. They are edible but re-
Along the ceiling, the roots are spaced volting, and non-aggressive
closely enough that it’s relatively safe (if but likely to startle travelers
a bit awkward) to climb between them. climbing along roots.
Further down into the shaft, some roots
stretch out so far into the darkness that
adults can climb or walk along them.

Shelves. Wooden platforms are placed Searching the shelves yields:

irregularly along the walls of the shaft
with enough space to walk between 1 Dried meat of extinct beasts.
2 Divine canned fruits.
OLD KALDUHR

the boxes and barrels they hold. Some

3 A war horse in magical stasis.
ROOTS OF

are connected by old, rotting ladders,

but those with anything worth taking 4 A sword that never stains.
left on them can only be reached by 5 A volcanic rock holy symbol.
circuitous climbing routes or a leap onto 6 A tuber as large and smart
as a dog, using long sprouts
splintering wood. to hunt down grubs to eat.

4 Cables. High-tensile, silken cords

hang from the roots and shelves. Those
hanging from straight above often have
something useless dangling on the end;
those stretching across the shaft can be
used (at great risk) to move across the
space. The cables are stronger than steel.

214 · Layer 4 • The Root Cellar

 props traps treasures

The Attendant’s Web. Several stories The web’s adhesive will slow Skeletal remains are clad in
down, a great, silken web stretches anyone trying to climb it. armor fashioned to look like a
across much of the shaft, catching a giant rodent pelt, granting the
The cellar attendant has
portion of whatever falls from above. bearer invisibility from anyone
poor sight and hearing but
The cellar attendant—a whale-sized who would eat human flesh.
will notice anyone touching
spider with the head of a man—spins his web and will try to eat
replacement threads regularly to main- anyone who threatens him or
tain a visible coating of adhesive on the the contents of the cellar. He
web. He spends most of his time here, will speak politely with any-
waiting for prey to drop down and for one who acts peacefully; he
the thunderous voice of his old master welcomes friendly company
to call him into proper service once but will only retrieve items
more. for his dread lord.

The Pickling Jar. A twenty-foot-tall Moving or damaging the If the giant is fed at least an
glass jar stands alone on a shelf several jar would attract the cellar adult human’s weight in edibles
stories down from the Attendant’s Web. attendant’s attention. shortly after breaking free, it
The web and shelf are connected by a will recognize whoever fed it
The pickled giant will
few seemingly stray strands. Floating as its caregiver, following them
awaken ravenously hungry
in yellow-green liquid inside the jar is a around and doing their bidding
if the jar is broken, causing
pickled giant. for a day before wandering
overpoweringly-scented
above ground to move on to the
pickle juice to gush out.
next stage of its life cycle.

CELLAR ATTENDANT weakness — Hiding quietly 10

A whale-sized body with gray, dusty hair, and eight spindly legs. He has a man’s head: pale, bald, and toothless.

1 Eating a cellar grub, grimacing. 4 Replacing an old, fraying cable.

2 Patching a hole in his web. 5 Snoring gently on his web.
3 Checking inventory on shelves. 6 Talking to the jar.
Digestive Fluid — Causes the Condition Burned by Acid as his vomit begins to liquify your flesh.
Webbing — While stuck to his web, he coats you with even more webbing, immobilizing you. This counts as
being removed from combat and you must give your Weak Point to another treasure-hunter.

11
OLD KALDUHR

PICKLED GIANT weakness — Distracted by fragrant foods

ROOTS OF

A lumpy, sexless, light-purple biped with tiny black eyes and nostrils, and a wide, lipless maw.

1 Mewling pitifully. 4 Sniffing the air.

2 Loping and teetering. 5 Spitting up pickle juice.
3 Groping for something to eat. 6 Staring at its own hand.
Swallow — It descends upon you, angling to swallow you whole and gum you on the way down. 4
Smash — Causes the Condition Dazed as it lands a heavy hit when it flails petulantly, lashing out with meaty
forearms.

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 4, page 162 5 THE CATACOMBS BOTH ENDLESS & NAMELESS (if unlocked), page 222
0 THE CLIMB — TO 5, page 158

Layer 4 • The Root Cellar • 215

 The Senatorial Chambers
Senators denied there was any danger to ruling from the surface. Nevertheless, when threats came to
the over-world, pre-built mechanisms dropped the senatorial chambers deep into the earth in order
to preserve the government. This is the amphitheater-shaped chamber where the senator-mummies
made laws to present to the monarchs for ratification, even after the descent.
The scene looks like a vicious senate session frozen mid-scream. One mummified senator, covered in
the gold and jewel badges of office befitting the Lord of Majority, leans against the rostrum before
the senate and under the throne, as if interred mid-session.

goals Take the senators’ treasures without awakening them.

Find the mechanism that will raise the chambers back to the surface.
note — This allows direct access to 0 the ruins at the heart of the
forest by filling the “bottomless pit” trap in the Old Grove Shrine Prop.

A jawbone falls off a senator-mummy’s skull.

moments Papers rustle off a desk as you walk by.
The whispers of the last argument in a crude form of the Kalduhri tongue.

props traps treasures

The Throne. Forged from the melted The throne is worth more gold
coins of a thousand civilizations deci- than the treasure-hunters have
mated by Imperial Kalduhr, the throne ever seen, but it weighs nearly a
is above the amphitheater. Old Kalduhri ton. If the treasure-hunters have
kings and queens would watch the de- tools and wish to risk chipping
bates. If someone sits on the throne and away at it, roll 2 light dice and
declares themself the ruling monarch take the lower in Gold for the
of Old Kalduhr in the ancient Kalduhri value of raw material of ancient
tongue, the senators will stop, bow, and coins recovered.
pay heed.

Sarcophagus-Desks. 67 desks—now Seated at each desk is a sena- If the treasure-hunters do a

tombs—where the senators legislated tor-mummy, which will only quick search of the desks, they
their fell policies. move and attack if the Lord of find treasure worth 1 Gold.
Majority falls. If the treasure-hunters do a
thorough search of the desks,
OLD KALDUHR

roll 3 light dice, using the high-

ROOTS OF

est single die for the value in

Gold of treasure they find.

216 · Layer 4 • The Senatorial Chambers

 props traps treasures

The Lord of Majority. At a raised If the Lord of Majority falls, The treasures are gold coins
rostrum sits the Lord of Majority, mold- then his spell, holding back from the many civilizations
ering and decomposing as if they might the rest of the senator-mum- plundered by Old Kalduhr,
fall apart at any moment, only held up mies in a kind of mystical fil- ancient icons of lost Sisters,
by their gold ornaments that make them ibuster, will be dispelled and and jewlery of peoples lost to
look like a turtle in a bejeweled shell. the party will be attacked by Kalduhri genocide.
them.
First the senator-mummies
will form up into committees
of about five to nine—always
odd numbers—and then the
committees will blend into a
vicious swarm.

additional traps

If a treasure-hunter sits on the throne, Old Kalduhr will attempt to get its hold on them. It will require a risk
roll to get up and leave as they have waking dreams of what an empire under their rule would look like.

SENATOR-MUMMY weaknesses — Fire; moisture 5

The bureaucratic nightmare of Old Kalduhr, wrapped in fine, if flammable, parchment bandages.

1 Attacking the Lord of Majority with hisses. 4 Campaigning at treasure-hunters to secure votes.
2 Ripping treasure and jewelry away from one another. 5 Breaking quorum by closing their sarcophagus lids.
3 Leaving to find other areas to gain dominion over. 6 Swarming together to kill interlopers.
Committee and Quorum — Forming into groups increases their Endurance: a committee of an odd number of
three or greater has 8 Endurance, while a quorum of nine or more has 12 Endurance.
Bureaucratic Processing — A group of three that agree with one another will isolate and begin mummifying
you, causing the Condition Missing Organs.

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 4, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 5, page 158

Layer 4 • The Senatorial Chambers • 217

 The Calcitic Trephine
Hidden deep in the heart of the Catacombs Both Endless and Nameless lies a massive bore shaft, the
diameter of a castle tower, extending upwards through the rock as far as the eye can see. The walls
are roughly carved and covered in short, vertical gouges reminiscent of claw marks, as if the whole
thing was dug by hand. Veins of glittering ore and precious gemstones—oddly untouched—are vis-
ible in spots along the wall. Dozens of dark openings honeycomb the shaft, each with an odd looking
ladder hanging from it. Some distance below, the ladders merge into a huge, conical web stretching
across the width of the shaft, forming a sloping floor. Suspended in the center of this web, dangling
above a bottomless abyss, is an ornately carved cylindrical mausoleum. Evenly spaced around the
structure’s exterior are three huge, horizontal struts, the ends of which disappear into the darkness.
goal Hear the words of the skulls in the mausoleum.

A thick layer of dust covers everything, the marks of recent passage clearly visible.
A bone crumbles to dust at a touch, revealing a strange, metallic rod at its core.
A strata of black shale, imprints of shells never before seen, scattered throughout.
moments A mummified limb, the skin like leather, completely intact but devoid of all its bones.
A poorly secured item falls down the shaft — there is no sound of it ever hitting bottom.
A repeating sequence of carved lines, oddly familiar, but indecipherable.

props traps treasures

The Warrens. Dozens of small, winding Corpse-collectors patrol the Some openings lie close to veins
tunnels branch off the central shaft, warrens and clamber across of valuable ore. It is possible an
leading in all directions to unknown the bone-lattice, constantly even larger vein is further inside
destinations. Like the larger tunnel, searching for corpses to the tunnel.
each is perfectly round yet roughly bring back to the processing
hewn, with grooves worn into the floor center.
from the passage of countless feet. Only
four feet in diameter, treasure-hunters
will either have to stoop uncomfortably
or crawl on hands and knees to explore
them. The tunnels merge and break off
from each other seemingly at random,
making them very difficult to navigate.
OLD KALDUHR
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CORPSE-COLLECTOR weaknesses — Blunt weapons 7

A shiny chrome equine skeleton, the size of a pony, with grasping hands instead of hooves, a rib cage packed with
gurgling intestines, and a row of human skulls.
5
1 Surveying the area, clawed hands and feet tapping. 4 Stuffing a corpse into its body to transport.
2 Clambering deftly across the bone-lattice. 5 Holding still and hissing from wide bony jaws.
3 Slinking to a tunnel in search of dead flesh. 6 Overfilling with fresh “building materials.”
Bile — The corpse-collector vomits a spray of caustic stomach acid through the skulls along its neck, melting any
organic matter other than bone and causing the Condition Bile Burn.

218 · Layer 5 • The Calcitic Trephine

props traps treasures

The Bone-Lattice. Dangling from each The bone-lattice is not Some bones along the lattice are
side tunnel is a ladder made of fused difficult to traverse, but the ancient giant bones, valuable to
limb bones, each anchored in place by a openings between them are scholars.
pair of skeletal hands gripping the edge large and many bones have
of the rock. As the treasure-hunters de- been worn smooth by centu-
scend towards the bottom of the shaft, ries of passing skeletal hands.
the ladders become so numerous the A careless treasure-hunter
entire wall seems covered in horizontal could slip, and unless they
bones. The funnel-shaped web stretch- are directly over a support
ing across the shaft is likewise made of strut, there is nothing but an
countless limb bones, fused and melted infinite abyss below them.
together at the ends to form an open The dull gray bones making
lattice. A treasure-hunter standing at up the bone-lattice and
the center of the bone-lattice can easily support struts are incredibly
climb up to any of the side tunnels, strong but extremely old.
though at higher levels getting from Some have been worn nearly
one ladder to another means climbing through and might snap if a
back down, a horizontal climb across heavily laden treasure-hunter
the shaft wall, or jumping. The material steps on them. Removing
is a dull, leaden gray, impossibly hard a bone is possible, but is
and cold to the touch, more like metal a noisy, labor-intensive
than bone. procedure that may desta-
bilize whole sections of the
structure.

The Mausoleum Exterior. Dangling The silver skeleton hands Uncut gems are wedged be-
from the underside of the bone-lattice covering the roof are not tween the skeletal arms.
like a spider at the center of its web is sentient, but are pressure
a three-story-high cylindrical mauso- sensitive. They latch onto
leum. In the center of the roof, a round anything they touch, quickly
stone platform easily reached from transferring the object from
the bone-lattice, is an enormous skull hand to hand away from
carved in high relief, each eye socket a the apex of the roof. Unless
gaping hole large enough for a person to they move quickly, a treasure
pass through. Around the exterior of the hunter caught in their grip
building are ornately carved columns will be flung from the mau-
and arches in an architectural style soleum.
not seen on the surface in ages. Twelve
narrow windows, just wide enough for a
treasure-hunter to squeeze through, are
OLD KALDUHR

set between the columns on each floor

ROOTS OF

of the structure. Countless bright silver

skeletal arms are completely covering
the conical roof; the hands and fingers
twitch in synchronized motion like the
flagella of a giant bacterium.

Layer 5 • The Calcitic Trephine • 219

 props traps treasures

The Support Struts. Three massive, Weavers scuttle along the

equidistantly spaced columns of fused three support struts, affixing
bones extend horizontally from the new material to the ends.
mausoleum’s second floor. Each strut
is large enough for a treasure-hunter
to walk on where they join the build-
ing; each slowly tapers to the width of
a single bone at their farthest point,
nearly a half day's journey by foot. Two
of the struts have nearly reached the
cavern walls, while the third hangs over
an empty abyss. What do you suspect will
happen once all three struts are connected
to a wall, and why are you positive that
must not happen?

The Processing Center. The top two The Flesh-Stripper resides in

floors of the mausoleum, accessed by the processing center, tend-
climbing through the eyeholes of the ing to the vats of digestive
skull on the roof, are given over to fluids, hauling cleaned bones
storage and processing. Twelve great to the store rooms, and
glass cylinders full of digestive bile and disposing of unused organic
corpses in various states of decompo- material.
sition take up much of the space of the
first floor. Once stripped of flesh, the
bones are skimmed from the surface
of the vats and carried to the second
floor via a staircase along the wall. Here
they are sorted and stored before being
infused with nechrome. What would
happen if one of those glass cylinders
shattered?

The Nechrome Fountain. The bot- The Nechromancer exerts Skulls call out to the treasure-
tom floor of the structure is a single, control over their undead hunters, promising awful
immense chamber, the walls of which servants from the nechrome knowledge in exchange for being
are covered from floor to ceiling with fountain. removed from the mausoleum.
gaping silver skulls of all shapes, sizes, The skulls have been preserved
and descriptions. A circular stone basin to retain the knowledge they
containing a thick, metallic liquid sits in possessed in life. The firsthand
the center of the floor. Above the basin, accounts of ages long past would
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

suspended in mid air, hangs a gyro- be worth a fortune to historians.

scope-like artifact. Its three golden rings Nechrome, a substance resem-
revolve about a fist-sized spherical hole bling quicksilver, would be
in reality. Drops of metallic liquid drip very valuable to alchemists and
slowly from the hole into the basin, the scholars. It can be collected from
sound echoing throughout the room. the Nechromancer’s fountain, or
scraped from any of the fresher
5 (still silver) bones throughout
the area. The substance infuses
any natural bone it comes into
contact with, transmuting it into
an organic metal. Transformed
bones violently repulse living
flesh.

220 · Layer 5 • The Calcitic Trephine

 additional treasures

Precious ores along the shaft walls; uncut gemstones wedged into the masoleum’s surface, coins, jewelry, and
other metal trinkets from dissolved corpses.

WEAVER weakness — Blunt weapons 6

An eight-legged insectile thing about the size of a dog, made from an assortment of silver ribs, vertebrae, and
multiple skulls. Its abdomen resembles a basket, the loose bones inside clattering noisily as it scuttles about.

1 Hanging under a support strut. 4 Loading fresh bones into its hollow abdomen.
2 Squeezing into a mausoleum window. 5 Clicking its mandibles in a parody of language.
3 Setting a new bone into the structure. 6 Scuttling down a support strut.
All Seeing — The numerous skulls around the weaver’s body give it perfect 360 degree vision, making it
impossible to surprise.

THE FLESH-STRIPPER weakness — The stitches attaching the muscle to its skeletal frame 10
An eight-foot tall humanoid figure clumsily stitched together from multiple corpses. Its four enormous arms end in
dozens of shiny bright skeletal fingers. A sickly green flame engulfs its grinning chrome skull.

1 Dumping a body into a vat of bubbling green liquid. 4 Skimming cleaned bones from the surface of a vat.
2 Stitching more parts onto its massive frame. 5 Meticulously sorting bones by size and shape.
3 Harvesting gathered flesh from a corpse-collector. 6 Carrying a batch of bones down to the Nechromancer.
Restrain — Once caught in the flesh-stripper’s grip, its skeletal fingers are nearly impossible to escape from.

THE NECHROMANCER weakness — Damaging the fountain or skulls along the wall 11
A tall, metallic skeleton adorned with a crackling crown of black fire. The silver glyphs embroidered along the hem
of its high-collared black robe are painful to look at for more than a few seconds.

1 Staring into the depths of the nechrome fountain. 4 Loading material onto a weaver’s abdomen.
2 Conversing silently with silver skulls on the wall. 5 Absently tracing a glyph on its robe.
3 Assembling another skeletal minion. 6 Examining a particularly fine bone.
Necrotic Bolts — The Nechromancer hurls bolts of black fire that wither limbs, disrupt organs, and putrefy
flesh, causing the Condition Necrotic Rot.
OLD KALDUHR
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Raise Corpse — Any freshly dead nearby—including treasure-hunters—come to life, increasing the
Nechromancer’s Endurance to 12.
Metal Mode — The first time you defeat the Nechromancer by meeting or exceeding his Endurance, describe
how you defeat him. After this, the nechrome fountain flows into the air and onto the ground, covering the
Nechromancer’s remains until a solid mirror-polished Nechromancer rises with shiny blade arms (10 Endurance).
Resume combat at the current round.
Heavy Metal — Metal Mode only. You are filled with nechrome which hardens inside you, stiffening and weighing
you down, causing the Condition Metal Bones.
Razor-Sharp Arms — Metal Mode only. The Nechromancer’s arms are impossibly sharp and ignore cloth, wood,
5
or hide-based armors.

Where to from here?

5 THE CATACOMBS BOTH ENDLESS & NAMELESS,
NAMELESS, page 222

Layer 5 • The Calcitic Trephine • 221

 The Catacombs
Both Endless & Nameless
Despite a maelstrom of rutting, breeding, and expansion— endless, hungry expansion—since the
fall of Old Kalduhr, there are more dead belonging to the old world than there are living now. Those
that live above fear the dead, because they bring disease and rats and the reminder of their own
mortality, but in Old Kalduhr they knew a greater fear and a greater truth: the dead hate the living.
Armed with this terrible knowledge, the living of Old Kalduhr kept their dead in a single location:
the Catacombs Both Endless & Nameless. This place is a series of winding and geometrically im-
probable tunnels, memorials, tombs, and mass graves that seem to stretch on to eternity, and per-
haps do. If the dead were all in one place, at least the living knew which direction to watch.
They began building in a respectful way, degraded to a more pragmatic approach part way through,
and finally ended the construction with bare bones work, literally.
But the strange shape of the tunnels means they are not experienced in this order. To stop the dead
from escaping again after the dreaded and whispered events of The Harrowing, a great curse was
placed on the catacombs so that once entered, they could never be left. All passages and rooms here
connect to each other but never the world outside of themselves, in a metaphysical moebius strip.
Bahith ie Haki, an profane and blasphemous mathematician, entered the catacombs willingly to
observe their absurd geometry and came up with an occult equation that would allow navigation of
the place. He succumbed to starvation before he could test his theory.

goal Solve the equation of the famed lost mathematician Bahith ie Haki and find
the suspended mausoleum.
note — This allows direct access to 5 the calcitic trephine and is the
only way to access this Set.

The glint of treasure behind the bars of a vault-tomb in the early works.
A sudden wind inexplicably rushes down a long corridor built entirely from skulls in the final
works. The wind whistles through their mouths and eye sockets.
moments
A member of the Lost huddling in a corner of a plastered tomb in the middle works, having a
one-sided conversation with the corpse of one of his comrades. He also seems to be chewing on
the corpse’s severed arm.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

222 · Layer 5 • The Catacombs Both Endless & Nameless

 OLD KALDUHR
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Layer 5 • The Catacombs Both Endless & Nameless • 223

 props traps treasures

Early Works. The catacombs began as There are boobytraps Rich inhabitants were often
a beautiful tribute to the dead, a vain amongst the richer vaults to buried with their fortunes in an
attempt to flatter them and keep them prevent looting, including attempt by the living to placate
docile, with beautiful gilded archways slicing pendulous plades, them and prevent them from
and frescos celebrating their deeds. floors which collapse into returning. Treasure-hunters can
pits full of sharpened and retrieve up to 5 Gold worth of
A wealthy man has been buried in a
splintered femurs, and the riches each, but for each Gold
private tomb within the catacombs,
skulls of some forgotten they recover, they risk trigger-
much of his wealth melted down to
giant species lodged in the ing a trap.
decorate the room, which is strewn
ceiling that will swoop down
with jewelled portraits of him and solid
and bisect the unwary with
golden furniture. He sits atop a golden
their fist sized teeth.
throne stained by his own decay. The
skeletons of his entourage lie strewn
around the floor in various positions of
agony, having apparently been buried
alive with him.

Middle Works. It was not long before The treasure-hunters enter A nearly useless collection of
resources began to run low, and the a room that they’re sure treasures assembled by the Lost.
living began to covet such ostenations they’ve been in before, One piece is the exception,
for themselves. When the catacombs except everything here is re- worth 1 Gold. What is it?
needed extending, they were built in versed, including, if they try
plain plaster and stone. to speak, their own voices.
The Lost, a prior expedition
of treasure-hunters who
became stuck here, prowl the
endlessly looping corridors
and treasure vaults of the
catacombs looking for an
exit, and if that fails (as it
will), food.

Final Works. As respect was all but The skulls covering the walls Ancient bones of unidentified
forgotten and replaced only with a low begin to whisper in Old creatures, worth something to
dread, the endlessly extending cata- Kalduhri. If anyone speaks the right buyer.
combs were constructed from the bones the language, the skulls
of the dead themselves: walls made of speak of their enduring and
countless skulls, ribs, spines, and other specific hate for the trea-
bones that are unidentifiable to modern sure-hunters, listing many
natural philosophers. personal details not even the
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

hunters’ closest friends know

in their barrage of insults.
Bone collectors disguise
themselves against walls
made of skulls and spines,
ready to pounce on an un-
wary member of the living.
5

224 · Layer 5 • The Catacombs Both Endless & Nameless

 additional traps

The dead. So many dead.

additional treasures

The bejeweled journal of Bahith ie Haki contains not only the equation that will allow navigation of the catacombs
(including direct access to 5 the calcitic trephine), but also hundreds of other arcane geometries. It is
worth 3 Gold to the right buyer, or 1 Gold to any idiot who likes gems.

THE LOST weakness — Hunger 6

Other treasure-hunters who have become lost in the infinite catacombs and have resorted to cannibalism; first their
comrades, then anyone else foolhardy enough to enter the tombs after them. Emaciated, with long matted hair and
gore-stained mouths, they have all been driven insane by their ordeal and will attack on site.

1 Chewing meat of dubious origin. 4 Protecting food they’ve already salvaged.

2 Whispering, “Find the book, find escape.” 5 Sniffing out fresh meat.
3 Giggling madly. 6 Jealously guarding worthless treasure.
Cannibal Pact — Those of the Lost who still survive have an unspoken pact that they will eat newcomers before
each other. More Lost arrive.

BONE COLLECTORS weakness — Crushing all the skulls 11

Collections of random bones fused together by pure hate that have formed themselves into giant creatures with
multiple skull heads, rib-cage-scythe arms, and more legs than are strictly necessary.

1 Hiding amongst the bones in the walls. 4 Clicking their scythe arms together to communicate.
2 Scuttling along the ceilings. 5 Chattering their teeth in a hunters’ rhythm.
3 Pulling the unwary into darkness down a tunnel. 6 Adding new and interesting bones to their body.
Immune to Piercing — Light and sharp weapons are useless against them as they glance off bone hardened with
hatred.

THE DEAD weakness — Showing respect for the dead 3+

The ancient Dead of Old Khaldur in all forms: animated skeletons in golden armor; mummies with beautifully
painted death masks hiding the decay underneath; the bulls, dogs, cats, and other species not yet identified that were
OLD KALDUHR

buried with them. All dead creatures hate the living. Any treasure-hunter who falls within the walls of the catacombs
ROOTS OF

may join them. The Endurance of a member of the Dead can range from 3 ( for cats) to 8 ( for bulls or warriors).

1 Marching endlessly on. 4 Singing the songs of their long-passed youth.

2 Speaking ancient words of hate for the living. 5 Reattaching a severed body part.
3 Calling other dead to battle. 6 Demanding the reverence and respect they are owed.
Reassemble — They reattach body parts and rebuild fallen comrades as necessary. 5

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 5, page 162 5 THE CALCITIC TREPHINE (if unlocked), page 218
0 THE CLIMB — TO 6, page 158

Layer 5 • The Catacombs Both Endless & Nameless • 225

 The Temple for Exaltation of Blood
This temple is a warren of small, narrow, curving passageways and large, circular, domed cham-
bers: The Vestry, The Showers of Anima, The Initiation, and The Viscous Sepulcher. The walls are a
highly grained marble: white with gray and green veins. Brass pipes run every which way. The air
is warm and carries the inescapable scent of blood.
goal Prepare to enact the ritual of exaltation.
note — While this is the goal, it does represent a change to the treasure-hunter
that cannot be undone. It is not recommended.
recommended.

A nearby brass pipe shakes and groans before hissing just a tiny amount of steam.
There is a sound like a chorus of voices chanting low, indecipherable words.
moments
A scrawl of graffiti on the wall in rusted, finger-painted blood in the language of the southern
deserts declares, “Garkis is the new king of Old Kalduhr!”

props traps treasures

The Vestry. The ceiling of this circular A winged spike-beast flits There are four locatable pewter
room is high overhead, shadows lost in about the rafters. tiaras here.
the dark timbers. Heavy, spiked iron
chandeliers hang low. A series of wood-
en cubbies line the walls of the room,
many of which still contain ceremonial
garb: dark green, hooded robes over
maroon tunic and pants. A few cubbies
still contain tiaras: thick pewter with
chain veils covering the eyes.

The Showers of Anima. The walls are There are five pairs of hooks
rusted sheets of iron. The floor is slabs that are animate, flesh-grab-
of dark granite with deep channels run- bing hooks that will attempt
ning to drains. There is a spiral staircase to hook and suspend anyone
ascending to a system of catwalks over- not wearing ceremonial garb,
head. Higher than that, there are seven letting them bleed out over
pairs of hooks on chains. Two have the people below.
their curved metal hooks suspending
skeletons through the ribs. One of those
bodies hangs intact; the other hangs
OLD KALDUHR

above its shattered pelvis and leg-bones

ROOTS OF

that have fallen to the floor.

The Initiation. The entryway to the Vis- In the basin is a richly embel-
cous Sepulcher goes through this room. lished gold saucer used for
There is a central aisle with kneeling pouring liquid over an initiate.
benches on each side. Some benches
have leather scourges on them, but the
5 leather is so brittle they fall apart if
touched. There is a large bronze basin
just before the doors to the Viscous
Sepulcher. It is currently dry, but has the
dusty remnants of blood. Fresh blood
added to the basin turns into an inky
black liquid.

226 · Layer 5 • The Temple for Exaltation of Blood

 props traps treasures

The Viscous Sepulcher. The center

of this room has an oversized throne,
the seat large enough to support the
sarcophagus that is in it (with its lids
slid aside and open), with some room
remaining. The back of the throne is
a complex assemblage of pipes which
sometimes release steam in a musical
blast that sounds like voices chanting.
Flanking the entry doorway are mir-
rored stone sculptures. Each has a man
kneeling with an upturned face in an
expression of agony. The necks of these
statues are grotesquely bulging and the
mouths are pushed open well beyond
their natural limits. A scaled and
horned—but beatific—humanoid figure
is pulling itself out of each mouth.
On the ground in front of the sarcoph-
agus is a skeleton, the ribs and jawbone
broken and widened. It is wearing
ceremonial garb.

additional traps

Burst steam vents; slick floors.

WINGED SPIKE-BEAST weakness — Its hollow bones 8

This humanoid creature has a cat-like face and flesh pulled tight over its bones. Its fingers end in bony talons and
spikes emerge from every joint. It walks in a hunched-over position and uses its well-muscled legs to leap beyond
human limits. Its wings are too small to allow for flight, but they do enhance its jumping and gliding abilities.

1 Sharpening its talons on stone. 4 Licking and cleaning its talons and spikes.
2 Throwing a bone into the air and catching it again. 5 Playing with its food.
3 Hissing like a cat at possible prey. 6 Sleeping against hot steam pipes.
Fleet of Foot & Wing — Unless it is restrained, the beast can only be harmed by ranged attacks or Rituals.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

ENACTING THE RITUAL

To enact the ritual, the treasure-hunters will have to be Blooded. They gain this Condition if they are showered in
blood from a suspended body in the Showers of Anima, or if they pour fresh blood into the basin in the Initiation
and then pour it over themselves. It cannot be their own blood. A Blooded treasure-hunter who is placed in the
sarcophagus overnight will awaken to find themselves encased in their own flesh, having to pull themselves out 5
of their own body (as the sculptures in the sepulcher illustrate). The treasure-hunter will be lost, automatically
marking 6 Ruin and having transformed into a scale-bodied, horned being.

Where to from here?

0 THE STREETS — TO 5, page 162 0 THE CLIMB — TO 6, page 158

Layer 5 • The Temple for Exaltation of Blood • 227

 The Caustic Chords of the Madwood
Ancient residents of Old Kalduhr tunneled their way to a vast cavern seemingly covered with a
forest. The innumerable trees of this “Many Wood” had bark unlike anything the people had seen:
reflective, mirrored wood in all manner of colors. As they hacked and hewed the trees, they failed to
realize the Many Wood was in fact the hackles of an old creature. Offspring of this entity began to
rise up from below. These children made themselves look like people and began to replenish the lost
mirrorwood hackles, making the Many Wood whole again. A small war ensued between these crea-
tures and the people of Old Kalduhr. In the end, the Madwood beneath the surface got its revenge.
Though much time has passed, the Madwood is quick to bristle and send its spawn after trespassers.

goal Discover the location of the Caustic Chords and gain the favor of the old
creature that lives beneath the surface.

Shimmering specks of dust float in the air. When they settle, they are nearly impossible to
moments remove, but do provide a gentle glow, making it easier to find your way.
The ground under your feet rumbles. Did the trees in the distance just straighten themselves?

props traps treasures

Entrance Tunnel. A stone passage A warden (snake) from A milk-white whistle whittled
appears damaged and covered in thick 1 the orphan’s villa from the tree which was used
mirrorwood tinted with a white to black approaches from one end of to forge the entry doors. When
gradient. The mirrorwood is shaped the tunnel (see that Set for blown within the confines
like fingers which are at the edge of the monster details). of the cavern, the entry door
stone tunnel as if halted by an unknown shines so brightly it may be seen
force. Deeper, the wood grows thicker, from anywhere.
subsuming the stone passage entirely. A
heavy, hinged door crafted of condensed
mirrorwood is at the end of the tunnel.

The Many Wood. An endless forest When the Madwood sus- The luminescent earth can be
of trees made of desirable, reflective pects harm, its hackles (tree rubbed on most anything, the
materials. Above, an expansive roof of trunks) immediately rise particulates sticking to all but
black hangs over the tops of the trees. beyond the current horizon, the smoothest surface. It takes
Luminescent minerals in the soil cast stretching out endlessly. The to the pores of animals very
wan light that is captured, then reflect- glow of them looks like stars well. It will glow, illuminating
ed in the shimmering expanse above. overhead. everything within five feet.
It transforms the forest into a natural
OLD KALDUHR

Mirrorwood dust can infect

maze. Everywhere is gleaming, shining,
ROOTS OF

a treasure-hunter—flesh,
and shimmering. The smell of fertile bone, and blood gradually
earth hides the smell of a pungent oil turns into the shimmering
below. When line-of-sight to the entry substance.
door is broken it ebbs into the darkness,
difficult to find again.

228 · Layer 6 • The Caustic Chords of the Madwood

props traps treasures

Hillocks. To traverse to a hillock, one The noises may draw un- Inside the opening of a hillock
stares into the reflective surfaces of a wanted attention. is something once human,
tree. Should they be observant enough, impaled on all sides by razor-
they will notice a few trees missing from like hairs that have erupted
the reflection. If the location of the from within. The person is
missing trees is pursued, treasure-hunt- not dead (though they should
ers will find hillocks. They are old be). The hairs puppet them,
things left behind, sometimes stumps making the mouth work. A
left to fester, other times something treasure-hunter may ask one
more strange. The sick mirrorwood that question of them, which will be
covers a hillock is dull, foggy, unpol- answered truthfully. Afterward,
ished. The surface of the hillock reacts the hairs envelope and consume
to specific vibrations and frequencies: them, constricting, writhing,
metallic, high pitched shouts, a rhyth- knotting them with incredible
mic song, etc. The right one may cause a force until a diamond worth 2
hillock to open invitingly. Gold remains.

The Ritual Site. A place charged and Old particulates in the air, A sheathed blade made of con-
important. Teeth-shaped boulders of from when the rocks were densed, jet-black mirrorwood.
mirrorwood of various shapes erupt last disturbed; the particu- The monsters of the Madwood
from the ground to form an irregular lates are flammable because are blinded if they look at it.
maw. Propped against some of the rocks of compost gasses mixing
are old, yet serviceable tools used to with them.
sculpt them. The ground, particularly If agitated, the compost
at the center of the ritual site, stinks of area in the center of the site
compost. may suffer a void collapse,
Should the Madwood’s hackles be up, consuming the earth and
the rocks almost match a constellation anything unfortunate
in the “sky” directly above. Should enough to be in that area.
the position and shape of the rocks be
changed to match completely, the old
creature will be pleased.
The orange-white mirror treasure
could reflect the stars when positioned
correctly to aid in the task as well.

Geyser. A cavernous murk which erupts When the wood is angry, its The “solid air” that treasure-
air with dependable timing. Any dust hackles raise, pushing the hunters land on at the top of a
or floating debris shoots up, never to ceiling and the landing area geyser can be collected in any
return downward. Instead, it hangs in much, much higher. Trea- bag. When returned to a more
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

the air at the unnatural horizon where sure-hunters may discover natural ground and expelled, it
the treetops are. Any living creature mid-flight that there are hangs there, suspending any-
who ventures into the geyser similarly mirrorfruit reflecting light thing placed within it.
shoots up, landing inverted, their feet around them. Consuming
planted firmly, seemingly on nothing a mirrorfruit will make the
more than air. treasure-hunter fall back
down to the ground at a safe
speed. Anyone who con-
sumes mirrorfruit will have
6
the Condition Black and
White Vision for several days.

Layer 6 • The Caustic Chords of the Madwood • 229

 props traps treasures

The Copse. A grouping of iridescent If any of the globules of Should anyone take the human-
trees about fifty feet wide stands out water is disturbed, they will oid’s place and accept a drop of
from the Many Wood. The trees are group together, creating a the substance into their own eye,
impervious to any type of damage. The deep moat that rapidly rusts the pigment on the ground will
grouping of trees is surrounded by glob- all metals. change to correspond to their
ules of water which pebble the ground. own eye and iris, and the old
The ground inside of the grouping of creature below the Madwood
trees resembles smooth muscle fibers. gains access to the sight of that
The fibers contract with pressure, such eye. Any infection of mirror-
as a foot fall. Ringlets of multi-colored wood anywhere in their body
pigments saturate the fibers, producing recedes with each drop they take
a starburst pattern of intricate colors. into their eye. The old creature
is pleased.
At the center of the ringlets is a space of
pure blackness. A stiff tube the width
of two fingers dangles down from the
sky. Below the tube rests a strange
humanoid. Half of their body is covered
in a creeping mirrorwood. From time to
time, a droplet falls from the tube into
the humanoid’s eye and the pigment
within the fibers on the ground become
vivid and eccentric; the progress of the
mirrorwood infection has begun in
the other half of the person’s body but
recedes with each drop from the tube.
The infection continues and is pushed
back, endlessly.

The Caustic Chords. The more the The Caustic Chords are a musical instrument and may be played.
old creature is pleased, the more the Some notes please the old creature below; some notes displease it.
treasure-hunters are able to see the It is the only way to communicate with the creature (see Playing
Caustic Chords, hidden in plain sight all the Caustic Chords on the next page).
around. So long as the hackles are not When the chords are struck, sound and light burst forth. Rose-red
raised, ivory-like cords, no more than amaranth, malachite green, gamboge yellow, vivid red-pink, and
fist-width, mate the horizon with the arsenic dark gray-blue light the sky with each pluck or strum. The
earth. They sway in a breezeless wind. chords are corrosive and burn living tissue. Care needs to be taken
All nearby sound eventually meanders to pluck and manipulate them.
to and is eventually drained by the
cords. When disturbed, the cords thrum
and hum, making sound.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

additional treasures

A small pool of oil, upon which sits a floating mirror of orange-white gradient mirrorwood glass surrounded by
a hardened mud frame. It reflects a time of ages past in its surface.

230 · Layer 6 • The Caustic Chords of the Madwood

 THE SHORN weakness — Weak points exposed by cracks in the mirrorwood body 9
The white blood cells of the old creature. They may have the likeness of anyone who has gazed into the white doors
at the entry. They are composed of oil and reflective mirrorwood.

1 Standing at the tops of trees, listening. 4 Breaking off pieces of themselves to use as seeds.
2 Spreading mirrorwood on unaffected areas. 5 Staring at their reflection, trying to remember.
3 Tilling the earth in search of nurturing oil. 6 Rubbing oil on wood to make sound and communicate.
Mirror Cuts — Causes the Condition Mirrorwood Infection when the creature scrapes, claws, bites, or pierces you.

PLAYING THE CAUSTIC CHORDS

When you attempt to please the old one by playing the Caustic Chords, gather dice.

6 Start with one dark die.

6 Add one light die if you have pleased the creature at the Ritual Site.
6 Add one light die if you have pleased the creature at the Copse.
6 Add one light die if you accept a Devil’s Bargain.
Roll the dice. If the highest die is a:

1–3: You fail to please the old one and things get worse: the gm will tell you how.

4–5: Your song pleases and agitates the old one. You may ask for a boon, but also suffer from a bane.

6: Your song pleases the old one and you may ask for a boon.

boon — Pleasing the old one allows you to ask for a boon, such as:
• The ability to know exactly where one is located when looking up at stars.
• Being granted safe passage from the Madwood to any other Set in Old Kalduhr.
• Remove any Mirrorwood Infection or similar Condition.
OLD KALDUHR

• Be assigned two of the Shorn as bodyguards.

ROOTS OF

bane — Agitating the old one causes one or more of the following:
• The Shorn or other monsters are summoned to exterminate the treasure-hunters.
• A reply from the creature that drives a person to some degree of madness.
• All means of egress from the Madwood are obscured.
• The creature makes unreasonable demands. 6

Where to from here?

6 THE HOLLOW HUNTING GROUNDS,
GROUNDS, page 232

Layer 6 • The Caustic Chords of the Madwood • 231

 The Hollow Hunting Grounds
When the Heirs of Naganeh carved their way down into the earth’s breast, the forest of Old Kalduhr
pursued. Roots sunk deep like searching hands and cracked their stone shells, seeking to strangle
their foes in their underearth mangers. In countersuit, the Heirs unleashed their most debased and
inbred offspring: massive, eyeless serpents to suckle on Old Kalduhr’s hateful milksap, to drink that
well dry.
Now the taproots have withered away and the nibbling serpents slumber in the soil, glutted on
scorn, lazily leaving their mouths open and waiting for any hapless treasure-hunters to wander
through the hollow knotwork of tunnels.
goal Find an undiscovered route from one section to another.

Fumes, smelling of bacon and tar, cause torches to burn unearthly red.
A softly glowing patch of mushrooms runs along the wall. They sing like tiny bells when touched.
moments The tunnel walls turn a ghostly shade and the soft loam is replaced by the rattle of crumpled paper.
The tunnel dead-ends once more with a smooth wall of stone.

props traps treasures

The Clutches. Hoards of oblong, The remains of even the most

leathery sacks rest at the burrowed debased snake men have value
crossroads. When warm bodies and to sorcerers and cultists. Here
open flames draw close, the whole nest are snake molts and amniotic
spasms and the gestating serpents strain fluid from eggs.
against their pliable cages.

The Rancorous Wellspring. From the Deep hogs fill the tunnel, Alchemists will pay handsomely
heart of the Kalduhr forest to these very snuffling up every morsel for Old Kahldur’s Rancor, the
depths, the oldest oak stands, bleeding from every surface. syrupy cream drowning the
the forest’s hate into the surrounding darkest depths. Sunlight spoils
soil. In the maze-like tunnels beneath, it, so tinted glass is good, but a
treasure-hunters can find its central root clay vessel is best.
like a pillar plunging through floor and
ceiling. The lowest levels slowly fill with
viscous, chalky sap. Drinking the undi-
luted excretion makes the body whole
with woody fibers but instills a deep,
OLD KALDUHR

undirected fury at those nearest.

ROOTS OF

additional traps

Falling through the floor into lower tunnels; stepping into a deep hog’s invisible body.
Breathing in a cloud of hallucinogenic spores.
Following a light to the back of a nibbler at the root’s serpent-maw.
6 Pushed, face first, into a puddle of Old Kalduhr’s excretions.
Star-nosed molves ambush through the walls.
The mushroom songs attracts shambling belfries and other monsters.

additional treasures

Mementos of the lost, confirming their fate; clouds of singing spores; withered wood from the forest’s oldest
growth; a tunnel to the surface.

232 · Layer 6 • The Hollow Hunting Grounds

 DEEP HOG weakness — Salt 10
Shuffling translucent blobs with cornucopias of tentacles and scalpel teeth, nearly invisible save for the remains of
their last meal. They give off caustic fumes.

1 Stripping layers from a corpse from top to bottom. 4 Rubbing against clusters of singing mushrooms.
2 Budding off a new generation of deep hogs. 5 Wriggling all the feeding tentacles and fangs.
3 Causing a digested skeleton to shamble inside. 6 Bunching up before lunging in an enormous tackle.
Engulf — The deep hog heaves its bulk into a threat and pops them into its stomach-body. Stress speeds the
digestive process.
Split — Sharp edges and blunt trauma cause the deep hog to divide at no cost to itself.

SHAMBLING BELFRIES weakness — Vinegar 6

Lost treasure-hunters with mushroom choirs growing from every wound, strung together by ropy fibers. A faint glow
halos them. When they bump into each other, the mushrooms all sing in chorus. They smell of damp earth.

1 Metallic glints of playful knife work across different bodies. Shallow cuts swiftly fill with luminescent mushrooms.
2 Kneeling around a figure missing the top of their head. A large cap balloons outward and leads the others in hymns.
3 Sharp ends from tangled spears protrude through their guts at odd angles.
4 Idly picking at their slimy flesh, peeling like strips of papier mache.
5 Dragging their dead members behind them, extremities and limbs slough off in a trail.
6 Rhythmically stomping for their mushrooms to sing along with.
Double Team — One hacks into the hunters they encounter and another belches spore clouds in the wound.
Causes the Condition Spore Sickness as fleshy roots quickly dig in and wrap around bone inside your body.

NIBBLER AT THE ROOT weakness — The soft underjaw 12

An enormous eyeless serpent with a torch-glowing uvula, lying in wait with its pitch-black mouth open, snapping
shut as soon as something steps inside. It smells like old books.

1 Luring with open mouth and glowing throat. 4 Consuming a new meal, loudly.
2 Blocking a tunnel intersection with its girth. 5 Dividing treasure-hunters up with its body.
3 Latching onto the Rancorous Wellspring. 6 Puking out stomach acid and Old Kalduhr’s Rancor.
Shear — Ignores standard metal, fabric, and hide armors as the nibbler’s bite is undeniably powerful. Standard
armors are feeble defense against a beast so large.

STAR-NOSED MOLVES weakness — Fear of axes 8

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Loping lupine shadows, fuligin maned, root fleshed, and cream blooded. Packs scrabble up from the Rancorous Well-
spring. An eyeless, spear-shaped snout bursts into a bouquet of feelers and flowers just above sharp teeth. They have
never known the sword, though they remember the axe’s bite.

1 Rolling in a puddle of Old Kalduhr’s Rancor. 4 Playfighting with one another.

2 Lunging for fingers, hamstrings, and genitals. 5 Running swiftly past, knocking someone over.
3 Clinging to the ceilings. 6 Turning tiny sunflowers toward torchlight. 6
Shred—Causes the Condition Deep Wound as the molve’s lean jaws lined with saw-blade teeth quickly tear
through thick hide and soft tissue with little pause.

Where to from here?

6 THE CAUSTIC CHORDS OF THE MADWOOD,
MADWOOD, page 228 0 THE CLIMB — TO 5, page 158
6 THE LAST PEOPLE OF OLD KALDUHR,
KALDUHR, page 234

Layer 6 • The Hollow Hunting Grounds • 233

 The Last People of Old Kalduhr
Deep under Old Kalduhr is a fragment of the memories of the Last People. It manifests as a laby-
rinthine cave in golden-brown tones, with giant roots hanging from the ceiling. The cave contains
memories of pain, guilt, and self-disgust from the Last People of Old Kalduhr.
Their fading hope, their painful self-disgust, dominates everything and might soon overwhelm the
treasure-hunters. These are the last hours of the people of Old Kalduhr, endlessly repeated. To escape
this fragmented reality, one needs to uncover the secret those last inhabitants of Old Kalduhr carry
with them. Open your heart if you are ready to embrace the suffering.

goal Uncover the secret of the Last People.

Memories of a world that was beautiful. Sudden flickering images between entangled roots
show giant buildings, laughing children, and golden leaves slowly falling from a sky glowing in
warmth.
Musings on the meaning of madness. Walking grows challenging on ground all made of slowly-
moving roots.
moments Everybody thinks of who they are losing. Whispering ghost lights fly around in search of some-
thing. What has been missing in your own life all these years?
Fear for the children’s safety. The whole labyrinth seems to be breathing in. A sudden flash
through your mind: a memory about happiness in your childhood, and danger
Everyone hides. A shadow is rushing past, humanoid in shape, on the run, climbing into a crack,
disappearing as quickly as it appeared. Why does this feel familiar to you?

props traps treasures

The Labyrinth Corridors and The hollow root is a bottom- An item hidden within the hu-
Chambers. This twisted place is filled less pit into non-existence: manoid-looking roots is a per-
with sense images and physical manifes- anything that goes in will sonal item of a treasure-hunter
tations. Roots bent in humanoid shapes, never come out. which they had long forgotten
cowered together. One hides something about. It was relevant on a day
A root from the ceiling will
in the lap. There, a hollow root, like a of personal guilt. What is it?
form into the shape of the
hole in the ground, induces the feeling one lost down the hollow When something is dropped
and wish of getting sucked in. All at root pit. into the hollow root in the
once, a tall and beautiful flower, covered ground, a root from the ceiling
in brown dust. The flower shakes the The Mycelium of
will change to its shape, made
dust off and shows its magnificent Forgiveness spreads as
out of a wood richer looking
beauty, opening new buds, then starting a thick white net on the
OLD KALDUHR

than mahogany.
to cry like a child left alone, sweating ground.
ROOTS OF

blood, dust trickling from the ceiling,

covering the flower again. The labyrinth
leads to and is the land between the
Lakeshore, the Corpse Mill, and, at the
center, the Tree Below.

234 · Layer 6 • The Last People of Old Kalduhr

props traps treasures

The Lakeshore. A little rowboat at the When the water is higher A giant’s tears are surely
shore of a lake, the wider surface of than a man, the boat dis- valuable, if you can store them,
which is hidden by a fog of brown dust solves into small, thin roots transport them, and convince
and roots from the low ceiling. Above, which will reform under the the buyer it's not just salt
two thick roots turn out to be eyelids. water. The water will recede water. The tears drive away
When they open, a giant’s eye appears to its starting level in less bad spirits when consumed.
and looks around slowly, then weeps. than two hours. When dropped into someone’s
The tears, first crystal clear, turn mud- eye, it lets them briefly see the
dy-gray when they touch the ground; world from an immortal giant’s
they quickly fill the lake to overflowing. perspective.

The Corpse Mill. A transparent, The knotholes will swallow

intestinal root hangs from the ceiling. careless wanderers. Whoever
In the root, slowly moving downwards, falls into them needs to be
one can see corpses from the most freed again, usually by brute
fantastical creatures imaginable. They force strong enough to break
are spewed out at the bottom. Due to wood, but careful so as not to
the processing in the roots, nothing but harm the trapped individual.
slime is left, oozing into the ground. The Inside the knothole, roots
walls are covered in giant knot holes the fuse with the person and
size of double doors. grant visions of the collapse
of Old Kalduhr. This is the
best way to get closer to the
truth of what happened to
the Last People.

The Tree Below. In the center of the The Mage of Old Kalduhr The fastest way out of the
labyrinth stands a titanic old tree. Gold- stops anyone who wants to labyrinth from here is through
en leaves, driven by a powerful cyclone, leave. a portal laid in the grass of the
swirl around it. Surviving the gale force green forest. The Mage has the
winds and entering the trunk through key.
one of its openings leads to a scene of
peace and happiness: a green forest with
translucent spirit versions of Kalduhri
children playing between the trees.
An elderly person, the Mage of Old
Kalduhr, walks among the children,
giving them water to slake their thirst.
The children die a peaceful death, one
by one, as the Mage watches.
OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

additional traps

Sudden quick growth of roots tightening the path, opening gaps, and closing exits. The labyrinth constantly
grows without care for wanderers.

additional treasures

Rare plants and types of wood, which are valuable and useful for healing, poisoning, and repairing or creating
weapons. 6

6 THE HOLLOW HUNTING GROUNDS, page 232

Layer 6 • The Last People of Old Kalduhr • 235

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

236 · Layer 6 • The Last People of Old Kalduhr

 THE MYCELIUM OF FORGIVENESS weakness — Logic traps 11
The Last People longed for their sins to be forgiven, but nobody was left to grant it. So they created, purposely or
accidentally, the Mycelium of Forgiveness. The Mycelium itself is on the ground as a thick, white net. It enters the
body with its spores through breathing. The mushrooms growing out of the Mycelium then take the shape of the most
powerful authority the host of the spores imagines. That authority lives for the single purpose of revealing all sins of
the host and granting them forgiveness.

1 Glowing brightly, expecting new sins to forgive. 4 Demanding all sins be revealed.
2 Sending out spores for more victims. 5 Granting conditional forgiveness.
3 Growing into another authority figure. 6 Striking fiercely for not revealing more sins.
Mimic Authority — The Mycelium gets into your mind, causing you to see and hear some authority figure, and
take the Condition Hallucinating.
Punish — While the authority figure is a hallucination, enemies created from memory take physical form and
attack in droves. Increase Endurance by 1.

THE MAGE OF OLD KALDUHR weaknesses — Spores from the Mycelium; tears from the giant 7
The Mage, living in the green forest in the Tree Below, is a translucent spirit. They have the key that grants egress
from the labyrinth.

1 Bemoaning that he is mad for what he does. 4 Asking about the beauty of the surface world.
2 Grieving with anyone for the end of their world. 5 Arranging a grave for themself.
3 Burying the children and asking for forgiveness. 6 Pantomiming an agonizing death.
Command Trees — The Mage controls a living tree to attack the treasure-hunters. Increase Endurance by 2.
Command Roots — The Mage commands the roots from the ground to strangle treasure-hunters.
Polymorph Wood — The Mage turns a treasure-hunter to wood, causing the Condition Wooden Limbed.
Grief Strike — The Mage creates a stasis field filled with personal guilt around you.
Spirit Form — The Mage is immune to all physical attacks.

OLD KALDUHR
ROOTS OF

Where to from here?

6 THE HOLLOW HUNTING GROUNDS,
GROUNDS, page 232

Layer 6 • The Last People of Old Kalduhr • 237

 152
Ruins at the Heart of the Forest

158
LAYER 1
The Climb
176
The Orphan Pit
162 158 162

178
The Orphan’s Villa

170
The Dwarven Baths
The Climb
180
The Streets
Sehmet ils Ka’s Villa

182
The Specularium

174 172
The Mirrored Pool The Great Sewer

LAYER 2
The Streets
158 184
The Enclave

188
The Library of All
That is Known

The Climb 192

The Ten-in-One

194
The Workshop
of Devastating
Sensation

198 LAYER 3 190

The Near-Corpse of
196
an Unnamed Giant
Kheret ils Nu’s
Reliquary

202
The The Shrine of
Rhunnveldt Woven Moonlight

206
The Venerable
Panopticon of
Poisons & Venoms
Roots of Old Kalduhr 162

158 232

LAYER 6
228
The Caustic Chords
of the Madwood
The Hollow
Hunting
Grounds 234
The Last People
of Old Kalduhr

The Climb
LAYER 5
218
The Calcitic
Trephine

222
The Catacombs
Both Endless The Streets
& Nameless

226
The Temple for
Exaltation of Blood
158 162

LAYER 4
214 158
The Root Cellar

210
The Manufactorum
The Climb The Streets
212 The Climb
The Mechanical
Mind

216
The Senatorial
Chambers
 CHARACTER BACKPACK EQUIPMENT OPTIONS — Roll once and write down all three items.
items items items

1 2or
3 4 or
5 6or

1 Fishing net, woven of silver

Bottles, lead (6)
1 Cage
Flute
of rats (3) 1 Iron spikes (12)
Mallet
Magnet Pot of honey (6 uses) Tent, two-person

2 Bag of hard candies (12)

Skinning knife
2 Twine (300’)
Wind chimes
2 Bag of fool’s gold (6 pieces)
Torches, 3 hrs (6)
Winterwolf pelt Wooden mask, monstrous Pickaxe

3 Chalk,
Crowbar
3 colors (12 uses) 3 Bottle of fine wine
Signet ring & wax
3 Chain (24’)
Manacles
Heirloom compass Whistle Wooden labyrinth game

4 Troll blood (heals 1 Ruin)

Jar of glowworms (6)
4 Bear trap
Musk, bear & deer (6 uses)
4 Candles, 2 hrs dim (12)
Mirror, small steel
Vermin repellent (3 uses) Soap (6 uses) Perfume (6 uses)

5 Glass marbles (30)

Pot of tar (6 uses)
5 Journal & black/invisible inks
Grease (6 uses)
5 Ashes of your grandmother
Book, blasphemous
Scroll tube (mystery scroll) Dice (6 normal, 3 trick) Shovel

6 Food for your pet goat (and a goat) 6 Grappling hook

Skeleton key (1 use) Rope (120’)
6 Hourglass, 10 min. markers
Numbing herbs (3 uses)
Wooden toy unicorn Spyglass Sewing kit

ADDITIONAL BACKPACK EQUIPMENT

Your backpack has slots for six items, but when you select your backpack equipment, you
only get three items. What about the other three slots?
Though you are foolish enough to be a treasure-hunter, you are not so foolish as to go
unprepared. When you rummage around in your backpack and have open slots, you can
pick any item from the Additional Backpack Equipment table to the right.

CHARACTER COMBAT EQUIPMENT OPTIONS — Add 1 to your Burdens for each item you choose.
armor weapon weapon

1 1 Sturdy helmet 3 1 Simple shortsword 5 1 Set of throwing knives

1 2 Leather gambeson 3 2 Hefty cudgel 5 2 Small but vicious dog
1 3 Ringmail shirt 3 3 Gnarled staff 5 3 Assassin’s blowgun
1 4 Studded gauntlets 3 4 Hunting spear 5 4 Curved ritual knife
1 5 Full plate 3 5 Masterwork longsword 5 5 Weighted net
1 6 Ornate cuirass 3 6 Bolt of arcane energy 5 6 Hooked sickle sword
2 1 Wooden shield 4 1 Twin-bladed battleaxe 6 1 Dueling sabre
2 2 Amulet of protection 4 2 Knight’s lance 6 2 Thief catcher’s bolas
2 3 Fae-crafted chainmail 4 3 Crushing warhammer 6 3 Guardian’s halberd
2 4 Stiff wool cloak 4 4 Heavy crossbow 6 4 Spiked morningstar
2 5 Polished scalemail 4 5 Barbed whip 6 5 Sharpened pitchfork
2 6 Rusty steel shield 4 6 Throwing hatchet 6 6 Jagged sawtooth blade
 ADDITIONAL BACKPACK EQUIPMENT — Pick (or roll for) any item when you rummage through your backpack.
item item item

1 1 Air bladder 1 1 Drum 1 1 Padlock & key

1 2 Ale 1 2 Face paint (3 uses) 1 2 Paint (3 uses)
1 3 Animal feed 1 3 Fiddle 1 3 Pet rat
1 4 Bandages (3 uses) 1 4 File 1 4 Perfume (1 use)
1 5 Bear trap 1 5 Fishing net, standard 1 5 Pickaxe
1 6 Bedroll 1 6 Fishing rod 1 6 Pitons (6)
2 1 Bell, small 2 1 Flint & steel [extra] 2 1 Pliers
2 2 Bellows 2 2 Flute 2 2 Pole (10’)
2 3 Blanket 2 3 Glass marbles (30) 2 3 Rations (3 uses) [extra]
2 4 Block & tackle 2 4 Glue (3 uses) 2 4 Rope (60’)
2 5 Book, blank 2 5 Grappling hook 2 5 Saw
2 6 Book, reading 2 6 Grease (3 uses) 2 6 Scissors
3 1 Bottles, glass (3) 3 1 Hammer/mallet 3 1 Scroll tube, empty
3 2 Bottles, lead (3) 3 2 Hammock 3 2 Sewing kit
3 3 Bucket 3 3 Holy symbol 3 3 Shovel
3 4 Caltrops (30) 3 4 Holy water (1 use) 3 4 Signet ring
3 5 Candles, 2 hrs dim (6) 3 5 Honey (3 uses) 3 5 Skis
3 6 Canvas (10×10') 3 6 Hourglass, 30 min. marker 3 6 Sleeping potion (1 use)
4 1 Chain (12’) 4 1 Hunting horn 4 1 Snowshoes
4 2 Chair, folding 4 2 Incense 4 2 Soap (6 uses)
4 3 Chalk, white (6 uses) 4 3 Ink, black with quill 4 3 Sponge
4 4 Chalk, 3 colors (6 uses) 4 4 Iron spikes (6) 4 4 Spyglass
4 5 Charcoal sticks (6 uses) 4 5 Jug 4 5 Stakes, wooden (6)
4 6 Children’s toy 4 6 Ladder (10') 4 6 Tar (3 uses)
5 1 Chisel 5 1 Lantern (requires oil) 5 1 Tent, one-person
5 2 Cloak 5 2 Lantern oil, 6 hrs 5 2 Torches, 3 hrs (3)
5 3 Clothing, basic [extra] 5 3 Lockpicks 5 3 Towel
5 4 Clothing, costume 5 4 Lute 5 4 Twine (150’)
5 5 Clothing, fine 5 5 Magnet 5 5 Vermin repellent (3 uses)
5 6 Cooking pot 5 6 Magnifying glass 5 6 Waterskin [extra]
6 1 Crampons 6 1 Manacles 6 1 Wax, 3 uses
6 2 Crowbar 6 2 Make-up (3 uses) 6 2 Wheelbarrow
6 3 Crutches 6 3 Merchant’s scale 6 3 Whetstone
6 4 Crystal orb 6 4 Mirror, small glass 6 4 Whistle
6 5 Deck of cards 6 5 Music box 6 5 Whittling tools
6 6 Dice (6 normal) 6 6 Musk, deer (3 uses) 6 6 Wine
Unless you have lost them, your backpack always contains basic clothing, rations, a waterskin, and flint & steel.
Deep below the earth, in twisting
caverns and among crumbling ruins,
are the forgotten vaults of another time.
To find the gold that taunts your
desperate dreams, you must face the
horrors that haunt this land of nightmares.

What depths
will you go to?

ISBN 978-1-952774-01-0 US$45.00

54500

9 781952 774010
Mature content. Reader discretion is advised.