Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Seventeen: A Map of the Known World

The Known World

This map shows the extent of the Known World. In the southwest is Alantaris Isle, with Aspiria and Chalcis above it. To the east from the Isle is the Magocracy, and further west are the Marklands. The areas under the ranges of mountains seen about 2/3 of the way up are the Hearthlands, the lands above them the Winterlands, and at the very top of the map can be seen the Ice Wall that defines the boundary of the Hellfrost.

The campaign will mainly take place in the Freelands, immediately beneath the Icebarrier mountains (the long chain on the east of the map), occasionally going into the Winterlands realm of Heligioland immediately to the north, and occasionally to the more centralized Marklands to the south and east.

A closer (though more blurry) look at the Freelands:

The Freelands
  

In the south-west of this map, you can see the Hearth Elven lands of Angarion, above them the semi-independent Angmark, and parts of Royalmark, Nordmark, Ostmark and at the very bottom, Vestmark (All are Saxa Marklands). Also in the south west is the tiny border state of Coglelund, an Anari realm that acts as a buffer state for the Magocracy, which is mostly off map to the south west. In the center of the Freelands are the Withered Lands, a realm inhabited by undead. To the north of the Icebarrier mountains is the Winterlands, from the west to the east depicting the Mistlands, Giant's Throne, Unclaimed Lands, Heligioland, the Cairn Lands, Barony of Cul and the Barony of Trond. To the north can be seen part of Seithrby. Two Dwarven cities, Karad Iarn and Karad Zor mark the western and eastern reaches of the mountain range. 

The towns and cities of the Freelands (and those of Heligioland to the north) are generally independent, mostly Saxa, but with an infusion of Anari. No centralized leader rules these realms, but they do form trading partnerships with each other. Within the Freelands are the headquarters of the Reliquary (The Citadel), the Sisterhood of Mercy (Sanctuary, the Sisterhood are a group of healers not affiliated with the Cult of Eira), and the Hearth Knights (Hellfrost Keep).

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Sixteen: A Brief History

The devastation following the rise of the Hellfrost and the Ice Wall has caused many older records to be lost; in the Saxa lands, oral history was the norm, and the widespread destruction of the Saxa Marklands saw the deaths of many bards, who were tasked with keeping the history of the Saxa people alive. In the west, the destruction of Alantaris Isle and the libraries of the imperial capital left few written sources. As such, the early history of the world is fragmented and the dating given below is hazy at best.

@1100 years ago: The Convocation was founded.
@1000 years ago: The Anari Empire was founded.
@900 years ago: The Black Gate was unlocked by cultists and demons poured into the world.
@850 years ago: The Black Gate is locked and almost all the cultists are found and executed. Most of the demons let loose have been destroyed.
@800 years ago: Hela goes mad and opens the gates to the Underworld, allowing undead souls entrance into the world. Scaetha, a shieldmaiden to the gods, is promoted to major god when she takes over Hela's role and firmly shuts the gates.
@750 years ago: The Liche Lord in the north east rises to power and sends hordes of undead across the north towards the west.
@650 years ago: In the Hearthlands, the Anari subdue the last of the Saxa Marklands, under the pretext of defending them from the forces of the Liche Lord and to bring "civilization" to them.
@600 years ago: The armies of the Liche Lords are finally beaten, and the Liche Lord himself entombed in a secret location for the rest of time.
@550 years ago: Contact is lost with the northern realms of the Selari and others. Merchants and messengers do not return; eventually a scout manages to return, saying that the once fertile lands of the Selari kingdom are now an icy waste.
@500 years ago: The denizens of the Hellfrost, the icy waste that covers the old Selari kingdom, rampage southwards, their armies a mix of Frost Giants, Hellfrost Dragons, savage Vendahl warriors, ice Goblin foot soldiers and all manner of vile creatures led by the first of the Frostborn Hrimwisards. In their wake come severe blizzards, even in the spring.
@475 years ago: Contact is lost with the Dwarven city of Karad Khan, the greatest of all the Dwarven cities. The Anari Empire falls when a huge number of Hellfrost dragons utterly destroys the Imperial capital city on Alantaris Isle.
@450 years ago: The Saxa and Anari manage to fend off the Hellfrost hordes and begin to push them back. In the winter, massive blizzards descend that last for weeks on end; when they finally let up, a huge wall of ice has appeared to the north. Beyond it, the blizzards continue to whirl, and have not let up to this day. Each year since, the ice wall has crept forward slightly as winter begins earlier and lasts longer. The Saxa throw off their chains, freeing themselves from Anari rule as many Anari flee back to their own lands having heard of the devastation there.
@400 years ago: The Magocracy is founded as the inheritor to the Anari Empire.
@350 years ago: The Hearth Knights are founded.
@300 years ago: Hellfrost Keep is built, a massive structure that guards the main land route into the eastern Hearthlands from the Winterlands.
@250 years ago: Visitors find that the great Morenelion Forest, home to thousands of Taiga Elves, has become the Frozen Forest, and all its inhabitants killed. Some say that despite being dead, the elves there still walk their frozen homes...
@200 years ago: The Golem Uprising. Anari wizards have often used golems to carry out menial or back-breaking work. Over the space of one week, these golems turn on their masters, killing many before they are destroyed. A ban is made on the creation of golems, and all texts relating to their creation are destroyed too.
@60 years ago: Karad Marn is attacked by Orcs, and the Dwarves flee, returning with greater numbers to recapture their city. The siege continues to this day as the Dwarves and their allies battle to retake their home.
@50 years ago: Frost Giants and their armies from the Giant's Throne start raiding the local area.
@45 years ago: The Roadwardens are founded.
@30 years ago: Silverdale, one of the Saxa Marklands, is covered with mist which lifts once, revealing the realm to be completely deserted, before falling again, never to lift since. It becomes known as the Mistlands and is avoided.
@25 years ago: The Siphoning takes effect, affecting magic.
@23 years ago: The Raven Knights are founded.
@20 years ago: Orcs pour from the Mace Mountains and capture the southern half of Vestmark, renaming it Orcmark. Battle still rages between the remnants of Vestmark and the new Orcish realm.
@10 years ago: The Barony of Cul is founded, where the Frostborn can live in peace. Shortly afterwards, rumors spread that the Frostborn are treating their "normal" citizens in much the same way as the other realms treat Frostborn.

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Fifteen: Magic

There are several types of magic in the world. Those available to players are outlined in several sections, including under the relevant Factions and Professions entries. This post gives a brief run-down of the types of magic available, some that are not available, and some effects such as the Hellfrost effect and the Siphoning.

Playable Magic

Clerical: Divine magic, granted by the gods. Use the DW rules for clerics, with notes found in the sections for Priests and Paladins in their Factions and Professions entry.

Druidical: Druidical magic is nature-based, and uses the excellent spell list created by a poster on the DW forum. See Old Order Druid for details in the Factions and Professions entries. Humans cannot practice the primal magic that goes into druidical magic, and some druids prefer to focus instead on shapeshifting.

Skaldic: Skaldic magic is song-magic, less powerful and narrower in focus than other types, but it still has its uses. See the Skald in the Factions and Professions entry for notes.

Heahwisardry: Also know as High Magic, this form uses the DW rules for wizards, with notes found in the section for High Wizards in the Factions and Professions entry.

Elementalism: A more primordial magic, elementalism has fewer spells, and most elementalists specialize in one or two elements, thus limiting their spell choices even more narrowly. It can be quite powerful, however, and is the most common form of magic practiced in the world. See the Factions and Professions entries for Convocationist and Unaffiliated Elementalists.

Rune Magic: Used entirely by Frost Dwarves, rune magic depends on having time to carve or draw runes on objects or walls, the ground etc, in order to take effect. It is usually very temporary, but skilled adherents to the art can sometimes make their runes permanent. See the entry for Rune Mages in the Factions and Professions post.

Non-Playable Magic

Hrimwisardry: Also known as Ice Magic, this is the magic used by the Frostborn sorcerers that accompany the Hellfrost hordes. It is often destructive, based on effects relating to ice, cold and snow, and its practitioners often find they face outraged and terrified mobs when they cast their spells in the civilized realms. Its effects are affected by the ambient temperature, and so as the Hellfrost creeps gradually closer, it becomes more powerful.

Solar Magic: Believed to be a dead art, solar magic was practiced by the Selari people, a dead kingdom now, and would have been perhaps the best defense against the Hellfrost. That the Selari were destroyed first by the Hellfrost hordes suggests that Thrym realized this and made them his first target, wiping them out before they could organize against his forces.

Necromancy: The Liche Lord and his followers were masters of this dark art, and with his imprisonment, the practice of this unholy magic has been thoroughly banned, its texts destroyed wherever they are found, and its practitioners put to death (and their corpses burnt). Still, within the shadows, a few necromancers are found...

The Hellfrost Effect

With the coming of the Hellfrost and decreased temperatures, some magic has been waning. The clerical spells of Sigel and Kenaz, and the elementalist Fire school are suffering the most, while Ice Magic is seeing its power increase. The following rules are in effect for these magics:

Hearthlands in Winter (now 4 months of the year) and Winterlands in the rest of the year: All the above named spells are cast at -1, except for hrimwisardy, which is cast at +1. All damage dice are reduced by a dice type (eg D8 becomes D6), with hrimwisardry spells increasing by a dice type.

Winterlands in winter (now 6 months of the year): All the above named spells are cast at -2, except for hrimwisardry, which is cast at +2. Damage dice are reduced or increased by 2 types (ie D8 becomes D4).

Hellfrost lands: All the above named spells are cast at -4, except for hrimwisardry, which is cast at +4. Damage dice are reduced or increased by 4 types.

In all the above cases, a D4 is reduced to D3, D2 and then 1 point of damage. Any further reduction causes no damage at all to be done.

The Siphoning

A more recent magical effect has been named the Siphoning. Sometimes when a wizard casts a spell, it takes more out of him than it previously did. Thus, whenever a mage casts a spell and rolls either a 7-9 or a natural 2, one of the following occurs:

• You draw unwelcome attention to yourself or put yourself in a spot. The GM will tell you how.
• The spell disturbs the fabric of reality as it is cast - take -1 ongoing to Cast a Spell until the next time you Prepare Spells or Commune.
• After it is cast, the spell is forgotten. You cannot cast the spell again until you Prepare Spells or Commune.
• All your ongoing spells are cancelled immediately (you can only choose this if you have ongoing spells active).

The last one is an addition to the normal rules. On a 7-9, you choose, on a natural 2, your GM chooses.

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Fourteen: Languages

There are seven groups of languages; if you are fluent in one of the languages within a group, and hear or read something in another of the languages within that language group, you may make a roll of 2D6-2 + Int in order to be able to understand it according to the following chart:

• 6- You have no idea what it says.
• 7-9 You can just about get the gist of it, you think. Your GM may, at his or her discretion, keep some information from you or mislead you slightly.
• 10+ You can fully understand what is being said / written. 

Each character starts with a number of languages equal to 2 + Int mod. If you have a -1 Int mod, that means you start with your native language and maybe a few words in Trader. Your first and second languages must be your native tongue and Trader respectively.

Anari Language Family

Anari: The language spoken in the Magocracy and Alantaris Isle, and spoken by many of Anari background throughout the lands.

Aspirian: The language used in Aspiria, a remnant of the Anari Empire, and closely associated with Anari and Classical Anari, but with several dialectical changes.

Chalcian: The language used in Chalcis, another remnant of the Anari Empire, again descended from Classical Anari and with borrowed elements from Anari and Aspirian. 

Classical Anari: The ancient language of the Anari Empire, though even there towards the end of the empire's days, Anari, Aspirian and Chalcian were more in common use except amongst the nobles and scholars. Effectively a dead language, though often used by Anari priests, wizards and scholars. Many noble documents are still written in Classical Anari.

Trader: A pidgin language based partly in Anari and partly in Saxa. It was originally used by Anari slavers to their Saxa slaves, but for centuries has been used more by merchants of both races in order to conduct deals. The non-human races have often picked up the language not through trading, but because it is an easy language to learn, and thus they can communicate with humans of all varieties.

Saxa Language Family

Auld Saxa: The ancient form of Saxa, mostly oral, with few written forms of it. A more poetic sounding language, but one more difficult to master.

Saxa: The modern form of the Saxa language has several loan words from Anari and other languages, simpler rhythms and grammar, and a more extensive written form.

Trader: A pidgin language based partly in Anari and partly in Saxa. It was originally used by Anari slavers to their Saxa slaves, but for centuries has been used more by merchants of both races in order to conduct deals. The non-human races have often picked up the language not through trading, but because it is an easy language to learn, and thus they can communicate with humans of all varieties.

Vindari: The language of a related group to the Saxa, the Vindari, who inhabited the lands now covered by the Cairn Lands, Trond and Heldalund. The Vindari as an individual culture gradually died out, as they intermixed with the larger Saxa culture, and the language is all but dead now.

Northern Language Family 

Finnari: The language spoken by the nomadic Finnar peoples who wander the northern Winterlands. It is mostly oral, but a rudimentary written version does exist.

Tuomi: Tuomi is the language spoken by the northern Tuomi tribes. It is mostly oral, but a rudimentary written version does exist.

Vendahl: The language spoken by the savage Dargar-worshipping barbarians of the Winterlands. It exists only in an oral form, the Vendahl being well-known for their destruction of any sign of civilization, such as books and writings.

Dead Language Family

Heligi: The Heligi were a culture that thrived in what is now known as Heligioland. Little is known of their culture, and few can read what few texts remain of their language.

Selari: The Selari kingdom was found in the north, partly in the unclaimed lands below the Hellfrost but mostly within that icy realm. When the Hellfrost hordes appeared, their realm was utterly destroyed, and there are few remnants of their culture. It appears that they were a sun-based culture, Sigel being their patron, and their magic being solar-based. 

Vindari:The language of a related group to the Saxa, the Vindari, who inhabited the lands now covered by the Cairn Lands, Trond and Heldalund. The Vindari as an individual culture gradually died out, as they intermixed with the larger Saxa culture, and the language is all but dead now.

Elven Language Family

Fey: The language spoken by the intelligent denizens of the forests, the fey folk, those strange multitudes of myriad creatures that inhabit the elven woods, the treefolk and the like.

Halfling: The language of the Halflings, a lilting tongue that has borrowed from the Trader language, but which has a non-spoken element that can affect the meaning of the words used. 

Hearth Elven: The language of the Hearth Elves, based on the Fey language but with a wider vocabulary and an elaborate written form.

Taiga Elven: The language of the Taiga Elves, very similar to Hearth Elven, but with elements similar to those used by the Frost Dwarves and even some of the northern human races. Simpler than Hearth Elven in many respects, but more easily understandable and quicker to speak.

Dwarven Language Family

Dwarven: The language spoken by the Frost Dwarves, accompanied by a Runic alphabet thought to be descended from the Old Runic language family but still quite different. Despite being spread over a large part of the world, Dwarves from various Holds can easily understand each other, regional and dialectical changes being few.

Orcish: The language of the Orcs and the goblins, also spoken by many trolls, ogres and giants. Thought to be descended from Dwarven, and sharing much in the way of common terms, though with a debased grammar, and a more violent and simplistic pictographic written form. 

Old Runic Language Family

Black-tongue: The language used by demons and by the sentient undead, an archaic language that hesitates on the cusp of comprehension, even to those who do not know the language - as if there were something primal to it.

Drake-tongue: The language of dragons. Seldom heard, sibilant, and often accompanied by untold devastation of the surrounding area. 

Frost-tongue: The language used by the hordes of Hellfrost creatures that descended into the world to do the unholy bidding of their icy god, Thrym. Often used by the Frost Giant lieutenants of the Thrym, the Hellfrost dragons, and even by some of the evil god's minions (frequently in ritual worship, for example).

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Thirteen: Hellfrost

Since this is part thirteen, I figured I'd go over some stuff on the Hellfrost itself. There'll be more of this in a later post on history of the world, but for now...


About five hundred years ago, a horde came from the north, strange creatures not seen before, in their vanguard Hellfrost Dragons, huge creatures, belching a strange fire that burned like ice, since named coldfire. Other fell creatures accompanied them, Frost Giants commanding them, strange composite armies of Orcs, men and Ice Goblins fighting together under a single banner. Some of the men had a bluish cast to their skin, and seemed impervious to the cold, others were simply tribes of northern barbarians. The armies of the Hellfrost marched south, shattering the Anari Empire in the west, and striking the killing blow when several dozen of the behemoth Hellfrost Dragons utterly destroyed the imperial capital at Alantaris Isle. The capital's buildings were ruined, the imperial family killed to a man, and over 90% of the isle's population succumbed to the destruction wrought by these creatures. In the east, the Saxa, newly free after revolting against their Anari masters, fought back but were steadily pushed back until they were almost at the edge of their lands, with only the sea behind them. Incredibly, they stood and fought, and brought the Hellfrost armies to a standstill. Eventually, they even prevailed, driving the creatures and their armies back, until they turned and fled.

Victorious, the Saxa and their Anari allies pursued them, but as they neared the most northern parts of the world, they came across complete and utter devastation. The northern reaches of the Selari and Vindari, thriving empires themselves, were no more, their lands desolate and covered with snow and ice, with no sign of their former inhabitants. As the vanguard of the allied southern armies approached the rear of the fleeing northern Hellfrost army, the earth itself shook for several days, the skies were blackened, and massive blizzards swept the north. When, after a few days, the blizzards had cleared enough for scouts to venture forth, they discovered that were once had been open plain was now a wall of ice, hundreds of feet high. Beyond it, the land was frozen tundra, and the creatures of the Hellfrost roamed across those icy plains, occasionally descending an attacking the northern realms below the Ice Wall.

A stand-off ensued, the southern armies eventually drifting back to their homes, the Hellfrost armies testing the defenses of the northern realms, but every year since then, the winter has seemed harsher, has started earlier, and has lasted longer. The lands above the Hearthlands are now called the Winterlands, as fully half the year they remain locked in snow and ice, while the warm southern Hearthlands are starting to feel the chill earlier too each year. How long before the Hearthlands are as icy-cold as the Winterlands, and the Winterlands as frozen as the Hellfrost above the Ice Wall?

Frostborn

In the years after the Ice Wall rose and the Hellfrost arrived, several of the pale, blue-tinged men that accompanied those first armies appeared here and there. They were usually killed on sight, but after a few years, when the Winterlands started to suffer and received their name, several children were born with the same bluish skin. Most were put to death as abominations, but some survived, and as the years have passed, more have been born throughout the lands, and not just to humans, but to elves, dwarves and halflings. All seem impervious to the cold, and despite being seen with suspicion, some have claimed that they are normal people, with no more liking for the Hellfrost than 'normal' people. Superstition and paranoia die hard, though, and the Frostborn, as they have come to be known, are almost always distrusted, even in areas where they have grown from childhood, and even where they have led productive lives. In most areas, they are second class citizens, in others hatred and fear of them has led to their exile or death. Only in one realm, the tiny Barony of Cul, have they prospered, and reports by travelling merchants say that as the Frostborn are taking power for themselves and slowly growing into a majority, that the tables are turning and those not born with the bluish tinge to their skin are becoming enslaved to the ice-blooded despots. But then there are many with a bias against the Frostborn, and who is to say whether they are not just encouraging hatred against a misunderstood people?

Thrym, Sigel and Kenaz

The Sun god Sigel and his son, the Hearth god Kenaz, went silent after the rise of the Ice Wall and the coming of the Hellfrost. The priests of both cults have not had any of their usual prophetic dreams, the usual route through which the gods make their wishes known to their mortal followers, and the powers of their magics is starting to dim. Even the sun itself appears to be fading and growing weaker, its rays not as warming as before, and people fear that the two gods are either being held prisoner, slowly wasting away, or are already dead, their divine corpses rapidly cooling. The blame for this state of affairs, it is said, lies with Thrym.

Once a lowly minor god of snow and ice, Thrym has shown his true power and gained standing alongside the major gods. It is he, it is believed, who has captured Sigel and Kenaz, and despite the Compact - an agreement between the gods that they not interfere directly in mortal matters - that he has set foot in the world himself, the Hellfrost his realm, and the Ice Wall his diabolical work. Not only that, but those able to cast ice-based magics, the so-called Hrimwisards (Ice Mages), have seen their powers grow as those who use fire-based magic have seen theirs weaken. Many of the Frostborn are Hrimwisards, and the ice mages are as distrusted as that blue-skinned race. They are found in plentiful numbers amongst the armies of the Hellfrost, and even the most strenuous of the pleading of innocence does little to halt the mob when they find a Hrimwisard in their midst. There are few in the southern realms, but they have learned to remain silent.

The few captured priest and priestesses of Thrym that have talked have boasted that the Fimbulwintr - eternal winter - is the goal of their god, and that with Thrym's aid, the entire world is destined to become like the Hellfrost to the north - nothing but swirling snow and ice, constant blizzards, and civilization utterly destroyed by the roaming Hellfrost creatures. As the snows descend further each year and remain longer every winter, they might be right.  

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Twelve: Factions and Professions W

The last of the Factions and Professions posts. Introducing the Watcher of the Black Gate, the White Ranger, and the Wood Warden.

Watcher of the Black Gate (Req: Any race Bard, Fighter or Wizard)

Almost a thousand years ago, a group of cultists attempted to summon demons into the world to do their bidding, creating a gate with the use of an artifact known as the Black Key. They were eventually defeated, but not before many demons had entered the world through the gate they created. Having eradicated all those who know of the location of the Black Gate, the victors managed to lock the portal. Attempts to destroy the Black Key only shattered it into a thousand pieces, which were flung throughout the world.

Since that day, other cults have risen with similar aims to the original demonic cultists, and they search for the shattered key. In order to thwart them, the secretive Watchers of the Black Gate were formed, their roles to keep the Black Gate under their control, to hunt down and destroy demons wherever they might be found, and to stop these new cults dead in their tracks. Taught special techniques in defeating demons, the Watchers may be all that stops them from pouring into the world and destroying it utterly.

Initial Move: Demonic Lore
When you Spout Lore about demons, on a 10+, you gain insight into a particular demon's weaknesses, and you treat a 6-9 as a normal 10+ roll.

Move (level 2-5): Stoic Mind
Treat your Wis mod as Armor when you are the target of demonic powers, even those that are not affected by armour.

Move (level 6-10): Stoic Body
When you are fighting a demon, take +1 ongoing to any roll you make, and add +1 to Armor.

White Ranger (Req: Any race Ranger)
As the Hearth Knights patrol the borders of the Hearthlands, and the Roadwardens watch the roads of the Hearthlands, the White Rangers patrol the Winterlands to the north. They help stranded travellers, track Hellfrost creatures that make it past the Ice Rise wall, and protect the Winterlands from evils of all kinds. Some will occasionally track Hellfrost creatures to the Hearthlands, and will often work with their comrade Hearth Knights and Roadwardens, but they usually return to the Winterlands when their job is done.

Initial Move: Winterborn
You are at home in the snow and ice. Whenever you need to make a Defy Danger roll that concerns ice, snow or the cold (including sliding, slipping, survival etc), add +1.

Move (level 2-5): Snow Trekking
When making a Perilous Journey in snow, if you take charge, everyone adds +1 to their rolls.

Move (level 6-10): Hellfrost Lore
When you Spout Lore about Hellfrost creatures, add +1 to your roll. If you roll 10+, the GM will give you an idea about its weaknesses.

Wood Warden (Req: Taiga Elf or Hearth Elf Ranger or Druid)

The Wood Wardens are the forest defenders, sworn to the Shining King (the Hearth Elf ruler) and found in all major elven forests. Some operate in groups, usually several rangers and a druid, but others work alone, constantly on the move and with an eye out for possible trouble, interlopers and anything out of the ordinary. They excel in guerilla warfare, hiding and ambushing, then disappearing back into the trees, and using the denizens of the forest and even the very forest itself to aid them.

Initial Move: Beastfriend
Normal animals are friendly towards you unless you do something to hurt them, in which case they will revert to their normal attitudes.

Move (level 2-5): Fauna and Flora
Take the Bardic Lore (Fauna and Flora - natural) Move.

Move (level 6-10): Plantfriend
Entangle becomes a rote spell for you. If you are a Ranger or a Druid who only has Shapeshifting, you are limited to being able to cast this one spell only.

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Eleven: Factions and Professions S-U

Another three: the Skald, Unaffiliated Elementalist and Unguilded Thief.

Skald (Req: Any race Bard)

The Skald is part herald, part messenger, part gossip, part entertainer, even part historian and part magician. They tend to be respected, travel around, and get to know many things about many people, including some things that they were not meant to know. There are few Anari Skalds - most see the song magic they use as primitive, and scoff at their use of oral history rather than written history, but there are many to be found in the Saxa marklands.

Initial Move: Heraldic Lore
When you meet a noble or famous person, you can ask the GM to tell you one thing about them.

Move (level 2-5): Arcane Mastery
You can use your Arcane Art Move to include the following extra abilities:

• Unlock: You play or sing a note that resonates at just the right frequency to make a lock's tumblers slip into place.
• White Noise: By creating just the right pitch, you can cancel out other sounds, in effect creating silence within a limited area around you.
• Slumber: By playing tranquil, soothing music, you can put one person to sleep.

Move (level 6-10): Audience 
When you use your Arcane Art Move, you can affect two people, not just one.

Unaffiliated Elementalist (Req: Any race except Frost Dwarf Wizard)

Almost all Anari and most Saxa elementalists are Convocationists, but amongst the Finnar, Tuomi, Elves and Halflings, few bother to join that organization. Without the aid of that guild, Unaffiliated Elementalists tend to focus on only one element, sometimes a second one, but they tend to be more powerful in their use of magic from their own realm.  See the Convocationist Elementalist for details on elemental spells.

Initial Move: Elemental Strength
You are a master of your sole element. When you prepare spells, you can choose an extra level one spell of that element for free.

Move (level 2-5): Elemental Power
Choose a spell of level 3 or above. You prepare it as if it was a level lower. You can stack this with Prodigy or Master in order to reduce it by two levels in total, or you can choose a different spell to either of those.

Move (level 6-10): Elemental Diversity
You can choose spells of a second element (that cannot be diametrically opposed to your original one).

Unguilded Thief (Req: Any race Thief)

While many thieves find safety in numbers by joining a guild and receiving the benefits of such an organization, some either chafe at being told what to do or having to tithe part of their ill-gotten wealth to the guild. Others have simply stayed under the radar of such organizations, and so never been invited to join, while yet others have been banished for some reason or other, and have a price on their heads. The life of an unguilded thief is fraught with danger - you don't just have to watch out for the law, you have to keep an eye on the shadows too - but it can be rewarding.

Initial Move: No Guild Fees
You don't have to pay any part of your haul to the guild, which means that you can usually get a better price for your stolen goods. When you want to fence your goods, roll 2D6 + Cha and consult these results:

• On a 6-, choose either
• You cannot find a buyer
• You find a buyer but he pays a marginal rate (-20%) and tips off the local guild
• On a 7-9, you find a buyer who pays the going rate, and choose either
• he doesn't tip the guild off
• he won't do business with you again
• On a 10+, you find a buyer who won't tip the guild off and you save on not having to pay any fees to the guild, gaining +20% on the value of the goods fenced.

Move (level 2-5): One Step Ahead
You are used to having to keep an eye out for rivals. When you Defy Danger using Dex, add +1 to your roll.

Move (level 6-10): Shift the Blame
When in a tight corner, point the finger at a nearby scapegoat and roll 2D6 + Cha:

• On a 6-, they don't fall for it.
• On a 7-9, they aren't sure, dithering and arguing for a second or two before they split into to camps and pursue both of you, possibly giving you time to come up with a Plan C.
• On a 10+, they fall for it, leaving you enough time to make your escape while they go for the new target.

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Ten: Factions and Professions R

Not many more of these to go now. This one details the Raven Knight, Reliquary Agent, Roadwarden and Rune Mage.

Raven Knight (Req: Any race Fighter)

The Order of Knights Raven is an odd sort of guild. While some of their members are skilled in arms, their main strength is in leadership and tactics. Nobles tend to hire them as advisors due to their knowledge of strategy and tactics, and they can often be found co-ordinating troops in battle. Some nobles leave the field entirely to their mercenary Raven Knight commanders, in order to either avoid fighting themselves or so that they might throw themselves fully into the fight without worrying about the course of the battle.

Initial Move: Commanding Presence
When you Aid, you can affect two people at once.

Move (level 2-5): Co-ordinate Attack
When you Aid, you can affect another person (stacks with Commanding Presence).

Move (level 6-10): Master Tactician
Before going into combat, bark your orders and roll 1D6 twice, taking the best result; assign this number of points as bonuses going forward to the other players as you like.

Reliquary Agent (Req: Any race Bard or Thief)

The Reliquary is an organization dedicated to the study and retrieval of ancient artifacts. These are magical weapons, armor and objects that have stood the test of time, their powers often unique, permanent and powerful. How they were made is a mystery, since no-one today can come close to discovering the secrets of their manufacture. The Reliquary has agents poring through dry texts looking for information on these artifacts, who when they learn of a possible location of such an item, attempt to retrieve it. Sometimes denigrated as tomb robbers, and rumored to be willing to take extreme measures in order to retrieve an item when the owner does not wish to part with it, the aim of the group is not fully known. Why the reliquary are collecting these artifacts and what they intend to do with them is not known.

Initial Move: Artifact Lore
Take the Bard Move Bardic Lore with an area of expertise being Magical Artifacts. If you are a Bard, you get this in addition to your other area(s) of expertise.

Move (level 2-5): Tomb Robber
When you Defy Danger to evade a trap, or use the Trap Expert Move or the Disable Traps option from Tricks of the Trade, add +1 to your roll.

Move (level 6-10): Arcane Sense
When you Discern Reality, you can also add the question "Are there any magical items here?" to the list. If such items are present, you will be able to perceive them. If there is one nearby, you will be able to tell the rough direction of the item(s).

Roadwarden (Req: Any race Ranger)

While the Hearth Knights protect the borders of the Hearthlands, and the White Rangers patrol the Winterlands, the job of keeping the roads within the Hearthlands falls to the Roadwardens. An informal group, the Roadwardens keep an eye on the roads for bandits and creatures that have slipped past the keen eyes of the Hearth Knights. Some travel, either individually or in groups, throughout the realms of the Hearthlands, while others use one of the many Roadwarden Towers that dot the roads as their base.

Roadwarden Towers are small buildings, usually wooden but occasionally stone that have been erected by the patrons of the Roadwardens (mostly local lords and merchants who use certain roads regularly) that provide shelter and some protection. Passing roadwardens will often leave dried food, kindling and straw for horses. Thankful travellers will often leave a donation behind when they leave (and many will also gather firewood etc to replace what they have used), or will offer what they can to any roadwardens they meet on the road.

Initial Move: Bounty Hunter
When you hear of a crime or see one take place on the road, you gain +1 ongoing to track down the criminal responsible.

Move (level 2-5): Tower Network
When in civilized lands, Spout Lore; on a success, you know of a nearby Tower where you can rest up for the night. On a 10+, it is stocked with rations etc too.

Move (level 6-10): Fletcher
When in a wooded area, you can make your own distinctive arrows. Refill your ammo supply up to 4 (1 weight) and take +1 forward with your next Volley Move.

Rune Mage (Req: Frost Dwarf Wizard)

Frost Dwarves and magic don't tend to mix; the only form of magic open to Dwarves is the traditional school of Rune Magic. Rune Magic is a slow process, involving the inscription (either with some sort of pen, chalk etc) or engraving of runes on particular objects, walls, floors etc. It tends to be temporary, though some of the more expert Rune Mages can make their runes last considerably longer, sometimes even permanently. Rune Mages tend to be more physically capable than wizards of other races, but their magic is not as powerful in most situations. You need to have a few seconds and be able to inscribe the rune on the item concerned; you cannot inscribe a rune on another player's sword while he is fighting, for example.

Initial Move: Runic Insight

You gain an extra Basic Rune to add to your book.  

Move (level 2-5): Etched Rune

Any Runes you engrave tend to last longer. Ignore the first -2 penalty for ongoing Runes.

Move (level 6-10): Hard Engraving

When you create an ongoing Rune, if you roll a total of 12+, then you can choose to make that Rune permanent. If the item or surface it is etched onto is destroyed, then the Rune is also destroyed. Unfortunately, Powered Runes cannot be made permanent; if you inscribe one of these, it only provides a permanent +1 bonus instead. You must also have the appropriate Move to make Axe, Spear, Hammer, Armor or Arcane Resistance ongoing before you can make them permanent.

To create a Rune Mage, use the Wizard template, but replace the following Starting Moves:

• Spellbook becomes Rune Book. You start with a number of Basic Runes equal to your Int mod.
• Prepare Spells is ignored.
• Cast a Spell becomes Inscribe Rune. Use the same procedure as for casting spells.
• Spell Defense is ignored.
• Ritual remains the same.  

The Following Advanced Moves also change:

• Prodigy is ignored.
• Empowered Magic is ignored.
• Expanded Spellbook is ignored.
• Arcane Ward is ignored.
• Counterspell is ignored.
• Master is ignored.
• Greater Empowered Magic is ignored.
• Arcane Armor is ignored.
• Protective Counter is ignored.
• Mystical Puppet Strings is ignored.
• Spell Augmentation is ignored.

Add these Advanced Moves at level 2-5:

• Runic Knowledge: You gain an extra Basic Rune (this can be taken up to three times in total).
• Warrior's Gift: When you inscribe the Weapon Rune on a weapon, it acts as an ongoing Rune rather than simply being carried forward.
• Force of Will: When you inscribe the Shield Rune, Armor acts as an ongoing Rune rather than simply being carried forward. You can also add +1 to your Battle of Wills for Warding, and your Barrier will stop 1D6 attacks from getting through.
• A Thousand Suns: When you inscribe the Sun Rune, Healing does 1D6 rather than 1D4, Fire no longer requires any fuel, and Light becomes more intense, so much so that any creature that is used to darkness rather than light is affected by the glare. This may mean it will roll damage twice and take the worst result, that anyone attacking it will receive a +1 as it cowers, that it may attempt to flee from the brightness, or that it will seek to attack whoever is holding the lit object (GM's choice).

Add these Advanced Moves at level 6-10:

• Runic Mastery: You gain an extra Advanced or Basic Rune (this can be taken twice times in total).
• Craftman's Strength: You spend a lot of time crafting items to engrave, and are no stranger to the forge. Because of this, your damage dice is increased to D6.
• Dwarven Magic is stronger: When you inscribe the Negation Rune, your Arcane Resistance becomes ongoing rather than simply being carried forward. Your Silence can affect a 10' radius around the inscribed rune, affecting others too, and your Negate Magic can permanently dispel most magic if you roll a 12+ and wish to do so.
•  Runic Quest: You have heard rumours of ancient Runes now lost to Dwarves. Tell your GM of an Ancient Rune, including what spells are associated with it. He or she will ensure that you learn of the location os such a rune. Once you have successfully found the rune, which may not be exactly as you heard (The GM may change it partly if it is too powerful etc), you may add it to your Rune Book.
• Powered Runes: If you inscribe any of the following Runes, you receive a +2 rather than +1 carried forward: Axe, Spear, Hammer, Armor, Arcane Resistance. 

Runes

Each Rune has three variations, the basic form remaining the same, with additional lines or shapes representing the different effects. When you inscribe a rune, you choose which of the three effects you wish to use. While a starting Rune Mage gets access to more spells (and sometimes more powerful ones right out of the gate), their spells are generally less powerful than those of other wizards, especially at later levels. You cannot inscribe the same rune twice to increase its effect, but you can inscribe several runes on the same object which give different effects. You can inscribe whatever runes you know, without worrying about their level. If on a roll of 7-9 you choose to forget that Rune, you lose access to  all three spells associated with that Rune until you get a chance to read through your Rune Book again, which takes a good hour or so to do. Most Runes only last for one application; Armor, for example, will last only until someone hits it and ruins it, when it is then triggered. Some may be ongoing, such as Light, 

Basic Runes

Alteration Rune

The Alteration Rune consists of Prestidigitation (as Wizard Cantrip), Invisibility (as Wizard lvl 1 spell) and Growth / Shrink (A new spell: Ongoing, Allows the object or person that the Rune is inscribed on to grow or shrink up to twice or half its normal size).

Hidden Rune 

The Hidden Rune consists of Darkness (as Cleric lvl 3 spell), Cause Fear (as Cleric lvl 1 spell) and Secret (A new spell: Ongoing, Allows another Rune to be concealed. Ideal for setting traps).

Null Rune

The Null Rune consists of Arcane Resistance (A new spell: Going forward, you can add +1 Armor against a magical threat (magical weapon, damage-dealing spell etc), even when armor is usually negated. For example, if you are hit with a fireball, you will receive 1 Armor point to help resist the damage from it), Silence (A new spell: Ongoing, The person holding the inscribed object is utterly silent, which means he or she cannot cast spells, but cannot be heard), and Negate Magic (A new spell, Ongoing, A circle is inscribed around the source of the magic. While the circle remains, the spell or magical effect is dampened and does not take effect. This does not dispel the spell permanently, only stops it from taking effect temporarily.     

Shield Rune

The Shield Rune consists of Armor (A new spell: When engraved on an object (usually a shield or actual armor), gives +1 Armor  going forward to the person holding / wearing it), Barrier (A new spell: Ongoing, A one way wall of force stops 1D4 missile attacks from penetrating. People can still walk through the Barrier and attack with hand weapons through it though. The missile (arrow, sling stone, spear etc) simply cannot pass through the barrier, and so no damage is done. When you first inscribe this spell on the floor, roll 1D4; the spell is ongoing until either this number of attacks have been stopped, or the Rune Mage stops concentrating on it, and Warding (A new spell: Ongoing, When you inscribe a line across the floor, any unnatural summoned creature (demonic, elemental or undead) that wishes to pass the line must engage in a Battle of Wills with you. Roll 2D6 + Int, and your GM may give you a penalty for particularly strong creatures. On a 10+, it cannot cross the line. On a 7-9, it cannot cross now, but may keep trying to beat you in the Battle of Wills.

Sun Rune

The Sun Rune consists of Healing (as Cleric lvl 1 Cure Light Wounds, but only heals 1D4), Light (as Wizard cantrip) and Campfire (A new spell: Ongoing, When inscribed on the floor (up to a 10' circle), and the Rune Mage concentrates, a fire starts, which is ongoing as the Rune Mage continues to concentrate. If fuel is added, the fire will then continue as a normal fire without the Rune Mage needing to concentrate any more.  

Weapon Rune

The Weapon Rune consists of Axe (A new spell: When inscribed on a weapon (which does not have to be an axe, but can be any weapon), the wielder takes +1 going forward), Spear (A new spell: When inscribed on a weapon (which does not have to be a spear, but any weapon), the wielder takes +1 Piercing going forward, and Hammer (A new spell: When inscribed on a weapon (which does not have to be a hammer, but can be any weapon), the wielder takes +1 to damage going forward). 

Advanced Runes

Sight Rune

The Sight Rune consists of Visions Through Time (as Wizard lvl 3 spell), Translation (A new spell: When inscribed onto writing, the Rune Mage can read the text as if it was a language he already understands) and True Seeing (as Wizard lvl 7 spell), which is usually inscribed on a piece of glass or gem held up to the eyes.

Spirit Rune

The Spirit Rune consists of Contact Spirits (as Wizard lvl 1 spell), Cage (as Wizard level 5 spell) and Summon Monster (as Wizard lvl 5 spell).

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Nine: Races III (Humans)

There are four broad Human cultures in the known world, with several that have died out. Information of these dead cultures is difficult to ascertain, and few know much about them or even where they were located. The four existing cultures are the Anari, Saxa, Finnar and Tuomi.

The Anari

The Anari see themselves as the only civilized culture in the world. They are mostly urban, though they also have vast farmlands in certain areas with large-scale agriculture, viticulture and almost industrial-scale mining in some areas. The Anari also see themselves as technologically superior to the rest of the world, looking to the North where the nomadic Finnar roam and the wattle and to the wattle and daub roundhouses and drystone brocks of the Tuomi, and to the East where the Saxa live in log-built longhouses and steadings, and comparing them disparagingly with their own stone-built cities.

The north and west were once part of the great Anari Empire, but that long ago fractured, broken on the twin wheels of the coming of the Hellfrost which dismantled their northern colonies and the rebellion of the Saxa to the west. There are now several successor nations, none of which are anywhere near as powerful. The mighty Magocracy probably lays the best claim to be the heir of the Anari Empire, it's high wizards controlling a large realm by means of their magical expertise and their fine legions. If the Magocracy is the spiritual heir, Alantaris Isle is the physical heir, the once powerful Anari Imperial capital being located here until it was destroyed by a flying horde of hellfrost dragons, the imperial family killed to a man, and over 90% of the population of the Isle dead. Chalcis and Aspiria are the other two largest Anari realms, the latter as famed for its wines as the former is for its mines.

Elsewhere, many Anari can be found, tracing their ancestry to the bureaucrats, soldiers, and functionaries of the old empire. In some small states, such as the eastern Blackstone Barony and the cities and towns of the Crystalflow Confederacy, they even provide a majority of the populace. Buffer states such as Coglelund remain primarily Anari too, but even in the Freelands, sizable numbers of Anari make their homes.

The Anari tend to be either High Wizards (if from the Magocracy) or Convocationist Elementalists (if from Alantaris or the other Anari realms). They worship a wide variety of gods, tending to revere Maera, Var, Hothar and Hoenir as "civilized" gods, but Eostre, Neorthe, Tiw, Ertha and others remain popular amongst large sections of the populace.

Physically, the Anari tend to olive skin, dark hair, and average 5'6" to 5'10". Shirts and trousers are the norm for dress. Many have traditional names such as Bron, Delbaeth, Howel and Serin for men, and Aife, Branwen, Elianor and Lusiane for women. Surnames are usually found by adding ap- to the father's name, hence Bron ap-Howel, though in recent decades, some people have been taking their surnames from their trade (Taylor, Weaver).

The Saxa

Few of the Saxa realms have many large cities, the norm for the Saxa being steadings, collections of longhouses surrounded by farmed fields and commons for herding. Often ringed by palisades, the buildings are mostly built from logs, with thatched roofs. These steadings can be as large as villages, usually containing a clan of several families, with towns built up where the various clans come together to trade. Once under the thumb of the Anari, a rebellion several hundred years ago regained them their freedom.

The Saxa tend towards autonomy, with the High King ruling the country of Royalmark, and Kings ruling the other Saxa marklands of Angmark, Midmark, Nordmark, Ostmark, Sutmark, Vestmark and Veermark. There are some cultural differences between these realms. Angmark is more affected by Anari culture and somewhat more independent, the cattle-herding Midmark being on the verge of civil war, the miners of Nordmark only now returning to their work after the disastrous civil war that took place there recently, Ostmark the home of sea-faring traders, Royalmark the most traditionally Saxa of the lot, while Sutmark is cut off and besieged by the denizens of the Great Swamp, Vestmark has been halved by a huge horde of Orcs who have named their conquest Orcmark, and Veermark has always been two nations in one, the horse-riding easterners and the western farmers. Saxa can be found elsewhere too, such as the burgeoning Heligioland, Seithrby and Heldalund in the north.

The Saxa prefer elementalism, often concentrating on earth magic, and the skaldic song magic that the Anari look down on as primitive. The Saxa pantheon is large, with Eostre, Tiw, Kenaz and Thunor among those revered.

Taller than the Anari, the Saxa tend to rise to around 6' tall, with lighter hair, often blonde or brown. Moustaches and beards are plentiful, and hair is often worn long. Names such as Edwin, Leofric, Penda and Skuli are the norm for men, women being called Eadgifu, Gytha, Wulfwynn and Yrsa. Surnames usually have the father's name with -sunu or -sdohtor appended. Tunics and trousers are usually worn.

The Finnar

The Finnar have always been a nomadic people, so when the Hellfrost swept down from the north, they were able to survive more easily than some of the cultures which they lived alongside. Moving nearer to the Hearthlands, the Finnar now encroach into Saxa lands, and are starting to compete for the dwindling resources on offer before the creeping ice of he Hellfrost. They generally get on well with the Taiga Elves, the latter remaining within their forests while the Finnar roam the plains. Wooden-framed tents, portable by reindeer, allow the Finnar to relocate on short notice. They utilize as much from their resources as they possibly can, little ever going to waste.

The Finnar make their temporary homes in the Unclaimed Lands, the Lakelands, and the Icedale Freeholds in the north east, none of which have any real centralized government. Few Finnar have much to do with magic, preferring Skaldic song magic and elementalism in the main, though few join the Convocation. They tend to worship nature gods, Eostre, Ullr and Freo most common amongst them.

The Finnar average around 5'6" tall, have dark hair, and are often tanned by the sun reflected off the snow and ice. They wear thick tunics and trousers and furs. Names such as Arto, Kaiju, Tove and Vilho are common amongst men, and Hannu, Kaari, Pirkka and Tyko amongst women. Some common surnames are Aho, Jarnefelt, Paatalo and Stenvali.

The Tuomi

The Tuomi of the north west are a proudly martial culture of clans and tribes. While their priests are diplomats, most differences are settled with physical might. They typically dwell in wattle and daub roundhouses, though in recent decades, more sturdy bricks made of drystone walling have been making an appearance, and some villages similar in nature to Saxa steadings have been erected with longhouses at their center.

Few in number, the Tuomi make their homes in the Drachenlands, where Dargar-worshipping despots rule over them, and the Battlelands, both areas far from the 'civilized' lands of the Hearthlands to the south. They tend towards skaldic song magic and elementalism, though as with the Finnar, few join the Convocation. In addition to the worship of the warrior god Tiw, the nature gods are worshipped widely, with few revering the urban gods such as Var and Hoenir. Some, especially in the Drachenlands, are turning to the worship of Dargar.

The Tuomi tend to be smaller on average than other humans, often only 5'4" to 5'6" in height, with long blonde, red, or light brown hair, but this is often dyed a variety of colours. Tattoos are common too. Male names such as Bili, Brude, Canaul and Gart are common, and female names such as Aniel, Cailis, Ila and Tamia can often be heard. A nickname ("the Red", "the Boastful", "the Bear") is often used in place of a surname, and the clan name is appended, such as the Argentocoxus, the Canutulachama and the Tolarggan.

    

A brief update

I started this blog on Posterous, but they've decided that they're going to maybe put up my posts, maybe not, and when they do, it's after some time, and the formatting isn't as it was, and...you get my point. So I've shut that down and C&Ped my posts from there to here instead. I'm still getting to grips with this blog, so it's not going to win any awards, but this should remain the home of the blog.

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Eight: Factions and Professions P

A long post this time, on the many and varied paths of Paladins and Priests.

Paladin(Req: Any race Paladin)

Initial Move: Holy Champion
When you attack creatures of an antithetical nature to your religion (usually evil creatures or followers of evil religions), gain +1 to Damage rolls.

Move (level 2-5): Disciple (Varies by Religion: See below)

Move (level 6-10): Divine Warrior
When you attack creatures of an antithetical nature to your religion (usually evil creatures or followers of evil religions), roll your damage dice twice and choose the best one.

Priest (Req: Any race Cleric)

Initial Move: Signature Power
One particular spell that is particularly relevant to your religion is considered a rote spell for you. See list below.

Move (level 2-5): Disciple (Varies by Religion: See below)

Move (level 6-10): Holy Aura
Any creature attacking you has to roll its damage dice twice, and always picks the worst result (for it, not you). If it already has to do that for another reason, it’s damage is also halved.

Priest Signature Powers:

(The evil gods are not given here, since their followers will be NPCs).

Eira
Cure Light Wounds

Eostre Animalmother
Hold Animal (As Hold Person, but for normal animals)

Eostre Plantmother
Druid spell Goodberry

Ertha
Burrow (New spell) Ongoing level 3 Allows the caster to burrow through earth as if they were a giant mole, the earth closing behind them as they go.

Freo
Shining Path (New spell) level 1 When you come to a fork in the path, casting this spell allows you to ask the GM which way will lead to whatever you seek (ie the safest path, the quickest path to X, etc).

Hoenir
Read Language (New spell) level 3 Alows the caster to understand any script momentarily.

Hothar
Detect Alignment

Kenaz
Druid spell Produce Fire

Maera
Wizard spell Dispel Magic

Nauthiz
Wizard spell Invisibility

Neorthe
Breathe Underwater (New spell) Ongoing level 1 When you cast this spell, the target can breathe normally underwater.

The Norns
Wizard spell Visions Through Time

Rigr
Perceive (New spell) level 1 When you cast this spell, it acts as if you had just rolled a 10 on a Discern Reality Move.

Scaetha
Weaken Undead (New spell) level 1 When cast on an undead creature, it now rolls 2 dice for damage and chooses the worst one.

Sigel
Bless

Thunor
Flight (New spell) Ongoing level 3 When you cast this spell, you can fly around like a bird.

Tiw
Magic Weapon

Ullr
Druid spell Speak With Spirit (animals only)

Unknowable One
Wizard spell Mimic

Var
Wizard spell Charm Person

Priest / Paladin Disciple Moves

Eira
Eira grants a bonus to healing – whenever you roll to heal anyone, roll 2 dice and choose the best one.

Eostre Animalmother
The disciple of Eostre Animalmother gains an animal companion similar but of less power to that of the Ranger. It has 1 instinct and 2 points to be split between Ferocity, Cunning and Armor. You also gain access to the Ranger’s Command Move. When you gain a level, your animal companion gains 1 XP. When it has 4 XP, remove them and increase one of its stats by another point (to a maximum of +3).

Eostre Plantmother
A Priest or Paladin of Eostre Plantmother can use the Cleric Move Turning against plant-based creatures.

Ertha
When in Ertha’s Realm (underground in natural caverns etc), Ertha protects you. Gain +1 armor while you remain in contact with bare rock.

Freo
When undertaking a perilous journey, whichever role you choose automatically succeeds as if you rolled a 10+.

Hoenir
You have an encyclopedic knowledge. Whenever you Spout Lore, you can roll 3 dice and choose the best two.

Hothar
Hothar’s disciples will not be swayed by others. When someone attempts to affect your mind in any way, add +2 to any defense roll you make.

Kenaz
Your divine resistance to fire and heat gives you +2 for any rolls you make involving defense against heat or fire, incl. +2 armour vs fire attacks.

Maera
You can choose wizard spells when picking your spells for the day, but you cast them at -2.

Nauthiz
If you roll a natural 2 on a thieving roll, you can re-roll. In return, you have to steal at least one object and donate it to the cult within the next week or take -1 ongoing.

Neorthe
You receive a +2 bonus to any water survival roll, whether when drowning or when thirsty etc.

The Norns
You can read Omens either for yourself or others. Roll 2D6 (no mods) – on a 6-, that person gets -1 carried forward; on 7-9, the Omens are confused or reveal no info. On 10+ the person gets +1 carried forward.

Rigr
As an alert sentinel of Rigr, you don't need as much sleep. You can take a double watch, and when on watch, count +2 to your roll.

Scaetha
When doing any action which harms undead, add half your level to the damage done.

Sigel
You gain Heat Sight (infravision). Creatures that do not emit any heat are as invisible in the dark as they were before you received this power.

Thunor
Halve all falling damage.

Tiw
You can take 1 Fighter Move (of a level = to your own -1) for free.

Ullr
You can take 1 Ranger Move (of a level = to your own -1) for free.

The Unknowable One
You can choose to Taunt someone. If successful, they will turn their attention to you (either ensuring they attack you in combat rather than an ally, or taking their attention away from an ally who may thus accomplish something without being noticed).

Var
You receive a +1 to all CHA based rolls.

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Seven: Gods

Here are brief write-ups of the major gods in the Hellfrost setting. There are also quite a few lesser gods but I won't go into those at the moment. As with everything in this series of articles, much more information can be found in the Hellfrost Players Guide by Triple Ace Games, which, while written for Savage Worlds, does contain a lot of useful information. Go to www.tripleacegames.com to look at the huge of amount of great stuff available there.

Anyway, on with the info dump:

The Evil Gods

No-one of noble mind or spirit would even countenance worshipping one of these fell deities; they are simply offered here so that the mindful hero might not fall foul of their heresies and be forewarned of their pernicious influence.

Dargar: The Scourge of the Weak
The god of senseless slaughter and violence for its own sake, Dargar's cultists tend to be cannibalistic savages.

Hela: The Black Queen
Hela was once the judge of souls and guardian of the Gates of the Dead but she was corrupted and infamously opened the gates, releasing many undead spirits and demons onto the world. She is now worshipped as the goddess of the undead.

Niht: Mistress of Darkness
Niht is the goddess of darkness and all those who lurk in the dark intent on murder, as well of those who wish to spread ignorance rather than learning in their wake as befits worship of the Keeper of Secrets.

Thrym: The Eternal Winter
 Thrym, it is believed, is responsible for covering the northern world in the Hellfrost and who commands the armies of Hellfrost creatures which plague the lands in greater numbers every year. He seeks to bring about the Fimbulvintr - an eternal winter.

Vali: The Gaunt One
Vali has a two-fold role. His visible cult brings plague and disease in its wake, while his invisible cult corrupts with vice and debauchery. By both means he brings about the downfall of civilization.


The Non-Evil Gods

These are the rest of the gods, some who are seen as essentially good, others who are more neutral but who have some respectable place in society due to their purviews being beneficial to society.

Eira: Mother of Life
Eira is the great healer, whose temples act as hospitals, orphanages, and soup kitchens. Her followers are diplomats, always seeking the peaceful solution.

Eostre: Animalmother, Plantmother
Eostre has a twin role, that of the Barley Queen who tends to plants, ensures good harvests and protects the land, and that of Nurturer who tends sick animals, acting as a midwife and veterinary. Although her cult tends to choose one of these roles over the other, both come together in worship of the goddess and thank her for her bounty.

Ertha: Forgemistress
Ertha's Realm is the Great Underworld, the natural caverns and caves, the stone and metal found there. She is frequently worshipped by Frost Dwarves, miners and smiths and by those who strike at the nuisances which infest her realm.

Freo: Farseeker
The celestial wanderer, Freo can never remain still, and his worshippers likewise travel as often as they can, eschewing permanent bases in favor of exploring unknown lands and revisiting past journeys, relishing the freedom that their god brings them.

Hoenir: Loregiver
It is said that Hoenir gave mankind their first instruction, lifting them above animals and instiling within them a deep yearning for knowledge. His worshippers are a mixture of sages, historians and teachers.

Hothar: The Blind God
The god of both justice and the rule of law, Hothar's cult sometimes come to odds with others within their own temples, but they are prized for being impartial judges whose rulings cannot be bought or swayed.

Kenaz: Hearthwarmer
The elemental god of fire, Kenaz keeps the hearth alive and the cold at bay. Since the Hellfrost appeared, his powers have waned considerably, and it is said that he is a prisoner of the ice god Thrym, dying slowly in his realm. As the winters come earlier every year and grow longer each time, so the power of Kenaz grows dimmer.

Maera: The White Eye
Personified by the moon, Maera's realm is magic in all its forms. Hers are the secrets of magics yet uncovered, of the threads of power which connect all things, of sorcery and enchantment.

Nauthiz: The Hand of Fate
Patron of gamblers, of thieves, and of those who trust themselves to the whims of fate, Nauthiz and his cult are seldom overt in their actions. His temples are frequently hidden (and often reviled by the powers that be) with few formal rituals. While the Norns claim that all destiny is fixed, Nauthiz seeks to steal his own fate from them.

Neorthe: The Turbulent One
God of the rivers and seas, Neorthe is often as placid as at other times he is raging, his temper coming and going with little notice. Propotiated as much as worshipped, even farmers will pray for rain for their crops, but fear lest Neorthe drown them in floods.

The Norns: The Inescapable Ones
The three sisters, responsible for past, present and future, see all. They constantly weave the Great Tapestry of Life which depicts everything, whether it has yet come to pass or not. They offer brief glimpses of this tapestry, but as often as not, their message is veiled in incomprehensible riddles.

Rigr: The Vigilant
Rigr is said to sleep with one eye alwayd open, guarding the heavens as the watchman of the gods. His temples usually possess tall watchtowers, and his priests and paladins often train and suprvise the town watch. In some villages, the local priest or paladin is all that protects the place.

Scaetha: Holder of the Two Keys
When Hela betrayed her position and opened the Gates of the Dead, allowing untold undead spirits access to the mortal realms, it was Scaetha, shieldmaiden to the gods, who took her place after the gates were once more closed. She now judges souls as Hela once did, while her cult hunts down and eradicates undead threats in our world.

Sigel: The Burning Eye
The sun god, Sigel, like his son Kenaz, is believed to be a prisoner of Thrym, and the sun's rays seem weaker with every passing year. The Bringer of Light's cult seeks to preserve all that is good in the world, and shine brightness into the shadows where evils dwell. With their patron growing dimmer with time, their task becomes so much harder.

Thunor: Storm Lord
The sky god, Thunor controls the winds, his cooling breezes bringing succor in summer, his sourtherly winds bringing warm air to combat the icy fingers of the Hellfrost. He embodies freedom and cannot be captured, and his cult rails against those who would shackle others under slavery or despotism.

Tiw: Lord of Battle
The patron of warfare, Tiw is worshipped by soldiers and mercenaries everywhere. Wherever a hand raises a sword, an axe, a spear, Tiw guides that hand, whether it be in defense of an innocent or launching a fierce attack on a rival.

Ullr: The Horned God
 Ullr is the Lord of the Wild Hunt, both patron of hunters and protector of animals from needless harm. The son of Eostre, Ullr demands that the animals of the woods and plains be hunted fairly, their deaths necessary only to feed or clothe others to ensure the cycle of life continues. His priests and paladins, often hunters themselves, ensure that nothing goes to waste after a kill, and that the animals's spirit is shown proper respect.

The Unknowable One
 Knowing that names hold great power, the Unknowable One refuses to give up his (or her?) own. A trickster god, he (or she?) teaches through tricks and taunts, by offering the prize of humility to the overly proud. Where a scholar might relate information gained from years of study, a worshipper of the Unknowable One is apt to make something up in order to impart a particular point.

Var: Sealer of Contracts
Var trades in whatever he gets his hands on, and expects his followers to do the same. Brother to Nauthiz, both seek to profit, and some would argue that their methods are scarcely different, Var being unconcerned with how that profit is earned. Var favors the rich or those who strive to be rich, irrespective of how they accomplish that goal, just as long as the cult of Var gets its cut. Where guilds associated with the worship of Nauthiz are reviled as thieves, those associated with Var are revered as merchants. 

On Race and Religion

While worshippers of all the gode can be found in just about every culture, some gods find more adherents amongst certain cultures. Most people do not choose a patron god unless they are thinking of joining the religious life as a priest or paladin, instead praying to a certain god when they feel that he or she can best help them in their predicaments. For example, a humble farmer might spend most of his prayer time pleading with Eostre to grant a good harvest, but also pray to Neorthe for rain (but not too much), to Eira to soothe his aching muscles, to Rigr to watch over his flocks, and to Var to see that he gets a good price for his crops at the fair, amongst others. The following list shows the more prevalent tendencies in each of the cultures mentioned.

Frost Dwarf
Ertha remains one of the most widely worshipped gods amongst Frost Dwarves, which makes good sense since she rules over the Great Underground where they tend to make their homes, and provides them with the materials that they mine and craft. Her husband Tiw is also favored, the Dwarven race being a martial one and their subterranean enemies many. The Dwarves of Karad Marn swear to Hothar that they shall reclaim their ancestral city. Of the evil deities, Niht has more than a few followers, worshipped as the Master (the Dwarves see Niht as male rather than female) of the Great Dark Below. Most of the prayers directed toward him are propitiatory, however.


Hearth Elf
Eostre is the patron of the Hearth Elves, and temples to her can be found in every elfhome, in both her forms. In Angarion, the largest realm of the Hearth Elves, Sigel is also revered as the husband of Eostre, and Ullr is often revered as the elves are masters of the hunt. Eira is often revered as a herbalist and the elemental gods Kenaz, Thunor, Neorthe and Ertha are all revered. Freo, as the son of Ullr, is reputed to have taught the elves the secret to their swift and silent passage through the woods. Hearthe Elves generally treat Hoenir as a storyteller, and this make him popular. While Maera supposedly gifted the elves with their magical abilities, Rigr is perhaps worshipped more because of the skills he grants relating to their watchfulness over the forests.

Taiga Elf
Ullr is the father of the Taiga Elf pantheon, the great provider who is married to Eostre. Worship of her as the great mother is also strong. Ertha, Kenaz, Thunor and Neorthe are worshipped as the children of Ullr and Eostre, and on the borders with the Liche Lands, worship of Scaetha is popular. The cult of Kenaz is growing stronger as the Hellfrost slowly creeps southward, and with increasing numbers of Hellfrost creatures being spied near the Taiga Elf forests, worship of Tiw is also increasing. The cults of Maera and Sigel are not strong, but worshippers of those gods can be found in most Taiga Elf forests.

Halfling
Halfings tend to have patron deities of particular caravans, or at least of partcular clan and families that make up those caravans. Freo, unsurprisingly, is very popular, with worship of the Norns and the Unknowable One quite popular, followed a ways behind by Nauthiz, who is revered for making his own luck rather than as a thief.

Saxa
Worship of Eostre is common, especially since the Saxa tend to live in smaller settlements rather than cities. The worship of Kenaz is remarkably high too, the hearth being important to the Saxa. Coastal Saxa revere Neorthe frequently, while Thunor is still revered for aiding the Saxa in their rebellion against their Anari masters. Hothar, the Norns, Tiw and Ullr are all commonly worshipped too as major gods of the Saxa pantheon. Each of the Saxa Marklands have their own ways, Sigel being prominent in Royalmark, Freo and the minor goddess of horses, Epona, being popular in Veermark, even Var being popular in Ostmark and Angmark, usually accompanied by discreet worship of Nauthiz. Of the darker cults, Vali is probably most frequently found, though never openly.

Anari
The Anari tend to have a more widely spread devotion to a large number of gods, though the Magocracy is an exception, with worship of Maera there being a state religion, and with the headquarters of the Convocation being on Alantaris Isle, worship of Maera is strong there too. The urban cult of Var is found in most Anari cities, usually not too far from the Library Temples of Hoenir. Tiw is popular amongst the huge Anari legions, Neorthe amongst sailors, and Eostre amongst farmers. Worship of Ertha is surprsingly strong in the more remote parts of the Anari lands, where mining is carried out on almost industrial scales, often linked to the cult of Kenaz, while of the darker cults, that of Vali as corrupter remains insidious in the larger cities where the more decadent hold sway. Sigel's cult, while small, does what it can to prevent this. Firm believers in the rule of law, there are few Anari towns without a temple to Hothar.

Tuomi
Rather warlike, the Tuomi revere Tiw above all, but worship (and sometimes propitiation) of the elemental gods Eostre, Neorthe, Kenaz and Thunor can be found amongst these people. Some Tuomi reject Tiw in favor of his darker rival, Dargar.

Finnar
As nomadic hunters, worship of Ullr is a daily activity, with rituals associated with Freo and Eostre almost as frequent. As some of the closest people to the Hellfrost, Rigr, Kenaz and Sigel are worshipped as the best defense against the ice of that realm, though Thrym finds some propitiatory cults amongst the nomads too.

A brief sojourn into Cthulhoid territory

Interrupting the Dungeon Frost Hell World stuff for a second, here's a new kickstarter for tremulous, a Cthulhu-inspired hack of Apocalpyse World, the game that was hacked to provide us with Dungeon World: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1227949612/tremulus-a-storytelling-game-o...

You should run and join the kickstarter now. Go on, run. No dawdling now.

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Six: Races Revisited (Non-Humans)

I thought I'd make a few notes on the races in the setting, since I've been mentioning bits here and there throughout the blog posts I've made so far. This time, I'm going to cover the Frost Dwarves, Halflings, and Hearth and Taiga Elves, and next time, I'm going to cover the Human cultures of the world.

Frost Dwarves

Dwarven Holds have traditionally been built in snowy climes - even in balmier areas, they inhabit the mountains, above the snow line. As such, they are somewhat acclimatized to the cold, and although several new Holds have been built nearer to the Hearthlands in recent centuries, most of the traditional Holds, huge fortified cities, are to be found in the Winterlands. It is believed that there were at least a couple of Holds within what is now the Hellfrost region, but all contact with these Holds has been lost.

Frost Dwarves are somewhat insular, tend to lethargy in extreme heat, and tend to be pale. They are excellent craftsmen and armorers, and make for fierce warriors. Dwarven Thanes rule their cities, backed by their elite warriors, the Huscarls, but priests and wizards are few in number. They have a fondness for Ertha, goddess of the earth, and Tiw, god of warriors, and their magic is almost always practiced by their Rune Mages. In some Holds, the Old Order Druids are the main religious experts.

Halflings

Halfings tend to be at least semi-nomadic, moving around in large caravans of wagons, stopping from time to time to trade, then making their way to the next town. Most have set routes which they follow, appearing at the same time every year or two, while others travel as the winds take them. In a world where suspicion of unknown faces in the village seems to be rising, not everyone trusts the halflings and their caravans, giving rise to the presence of Bludgeoners, non-uniformed police who watch over the caravans for signs of trouble from within and from locals wherever they are camped. They are sometimes accused of being little but mobile thieves guilds, but the truth is that local ne'er-do-wells often take advantage of their presence to commit crimes which they can conveniently balme on the halflings as scapegoats.

Most of the goods the halflings sell are made elsewhere rather than by their own hands, but they are famous for their brightly-dyed cloth that they weave, and the pipeweed they harvest and dry while they travel. Some caravans are dominated by Old Order Druids, but most have a cleric of one god or another that the caravan revere as their patron. They don't tend to become wizards very often, but are usually skalds or elementalists when they do.

Hearth Elves

Hearth Elves reside in great Elfhomes in the larger forests of the world, sprawling cities that are mostly in the tree-tops rather than on the ground. Hidden bridges and ropes connect the various parts of an Elfhome, so much so that a traveller could easily wander through the largest elven city and not notice a single inhabitant or building. They are guarded by Wood Wardens, forest guardians who seem to be in contact with the forest itself, as they appear to instinctively know when its borders have been breached. Most travellers are subtly warned off of their intended path, the elf forests beholden to no human kingdom, but more malignant invaders are seen off with arrows, sudden ambushes and at times, the forest itself seems to take a role in the battle.

Every elfhome, it is said, has a temple to Eostre in both her forms, as Plantmother and Animalmother, but Old Order Druids abound too. Elementalists can be found here and there, but almost all are of the earth element; few bother to learn even rudimentary fire spells.

Taiga Elves

When the Blizzard War erupted, many elves fled south, settling in the deepest parts of the larger forests of the Hearthlands, but some remaned behind in their ancestral lands. Over the last few centuries, their culture has changed slightly, as they have become more accustomed to the cold (some say by magical means) and as they have formed closer ties to the Frost Dwarf enclaves remaining in the north. Unlike their southern kinsmen, Taiga Elves do not live in the branches of great trees, especially since the coniferous trees of the northern forests do not provide strong branches upon which to build. Instead, they use great sheets of sturdy canvas, furs and skins to create tents which can quickly be torn down and re-erected elsewhere if danger looms. In a few areas of their forests, they have more permanent structures made from logs, but these are rare.

Like their southern kinsmen, they tend to revere Eostre in both her forms, and the Old Order Druids are prominent. There are far fewer wizards amongst them, but they do have access to strange magics which help keep the hearts of their forests warmer. Even so, the Taiga Elves, although in many respects similar to Hearth Elves, tend to have a bluish tinge to their skin and appear to thrive in the colder climates of the north.    

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Five: Factions and Professions I-O

Introducing the Iron Guild Mercenary, the Lorekeeper, and the Old Order Druid

Iron Guild Mercenary (Req: Any race Fighter)

The Iron Guild mercenary group was formed by a crew of merchant caravan guards, and this remains their primay business today. They tend to be well armed and armored, since their patrons pay well, and in return, they strive to protect them.

Initial Move: Alertness
When you settle down to Take Watch or when you roll to Defy Danger to avoid being ambushed, you gain a +1 to your roll.

Move (level 2-5): Good Deal
When you buy anything from a merchant, you get a 10% discount on the price. You are also more
likely to find better quality or more exotic gear than normal.

Move (level 6-10): Co-ordinated Defense
When you Defend, choose another character - they also get as many Holds as you roll.

Lorekeeper (Req: Any race Bard)

The Lorekeepers are more an extended collection of wandering scholars than any cohesive guild. Having seen famous libraries burned and priceless scrolls destroyed, the Lorekeepers were formed. Each member has a collection of scrolls, and when they meet, or when they come to a library, they give copies of the scrolls they have that the other does not have. Most of their time travelling on the road is spent in copying at idle moments, so that upon a chance meeting, scrolls can be swapped quickly. By spreading knowledge over a wide area, the chances of important lessons from the past diminishes.

Initial Move: Linguist
You may add an extra number of languages equal to your Int mod.

Move (level 2-5): Scroll Collection
After perusing your scroll collection for a few minutes, you may add +1 to all Spout Lore rolls.

Move (level 6-10): Library Access
When you have access to a library, roll + Int and consult this table:

• On a 6-, you find some misleading information. Take a -1 forward to your next Spout Lore roll.
• On a 7-9, you pick up some useful information. Take a +1 forward to your next Spout Lore roll.
• On a 10+, you can add the library's specialty to your Bardic Lore areas of expertise.

Old Order Druid (Req: Elf, Dwarf or Halfling only Druid)

You follow the primal forces which were around before the gods came into being. The natural energy of plants and animals calls to you. Humans think of you as primitive, and worship their gods - which, alas, many of your own race do too - but you know the gods are no match for these essential Old Ones.

Initial Move: Nature Sense
When you Discern Reality, you may add the question "What here is unnatural?"

Move (level 2-5): Power Of The Land
When you are in your Land (See Born Of The Soil), you may add a +1 to your Spellcasting or Shapeshifting roll.

Move (level 6-10): Primal Mastery
When you created your character, you chose between Shapeshifting and Spellcasting. You can now take the other Move too.

Druids

In the Rules As Written, Druids are shapechangers. In this setting, however, Druids may also be spellcasters. A poster to the Dungeon World website, Stras, has created  a list of Druid spells found here which we will be using. When a Druid is first created, the player should decide whether he or she wants to be a shapeshifting Druid (chargen as normal) or a spellcasting Druid (using these rules). Old Order Druids who take the Primal Mastery Move can do both.

The Born of the Soil Move is slightly amended. In addition to its current state, it also allows a Druid who communes in that form of land to get his or her level +2 rather than level +1 in spells.

In addition, add the following Move to the level 2-5 Advanced Moves:

Elemental Kinship - Choose one of your spells. You are granted that spell as if it was one level lower.

Dungeon Frost Hell World Part Four: Factions and Professions H

Four more this time, the Hammerhand Huscarl, Hearth Knight, High Wizard and Huscarl.

Hammerhand Huscarl (Req: Dwarf Fighter)

The Hammerhand Huscarls were originally the chief warriors of the doomed Dwarven Hold of Karad Marn. When Orcs rampaged through the fortress city, the dwarven inhabitants fled, but their ruler, Thane Rungar Hammerhand, swore vengeance. With his remaining warriors, he has vowed to retake the city. Since his original band of huscarls was few after the invasion, other dwarves have flocked to his banner. Many reside on the slopes and within the upper parts of Karad Marn, but others wander the land wreaking their revenge on any Orcs they find.

Initial Move: Orckiller
When fighting against Orcs, roll an extra 1D6 when dealing damage to them. You cannot befriend an Orc.

Move (level 2-5): Berserker
When you suffer damage, take +1 going forward against that target and do +1 additional damage to that target.

Move (level 6-10): Throwing Frenzy
You can throw two hammers at once, at the same or different targets, with a -1 penalty to both Volley rolls.


Hearth Knight (Req: Any race Fighter)

The Hearth Knights keep the Hearthlands safe. Their keeps are dotted around the borders between the Hearthlands and the Winterlands, those realms beyond the Ice Barrier Mountains where the Hellfrost is steadily creeping south. They watch the mountain passes and roads entering the Hearthlands, keeping the creatures of the Hellfrost at bay when they seek to encroach into civilized territory. Their lives are often short, but they are perhaps the best bulwark against the icy creatures of the north.

Initial Move: Respected
You tend to have the respect of the people, who know that you do a dangerous but necessary job. When others learn that you are a Hearth Knight, roll + Cha. On a 6-, nobody is too impressed, or you attract the attention of an enemy agent. On a 7-9, choose 1 and on a 10+ choose 2 from the following list:

• Somebody prestigious offers you free food and lodging with them. You get a full night's rest and do not need to use a ration.
• Use their respect for your authority as leverage to parlay with them.
• Get information on any one local area of knowledge.
• Add +1 to any Recruit rolls you make here.

Move (level 2-5): Hard to Kill
Once per day, you may reroll one damage roll done to you.

Move (level 6-10): Frostkiller
When facing a Hellfrost creature, ignore any armor they possess, and add +1 to your Hack and Slash rolls.

High Wizard (Req: Human Wizard)

The Heahwisards, or High Wizards, are Anari mages of noble blood who practice the application of the finest form of magic known to man (or so they claim). Found only within the Magocracy, they provide that country with its ruling elite. Reliant on and augmented by their magical staffs, the High Wizard's magic tends to be slower and more ritualized, but more powerful.

Initial Move: Noble Blood
As one of the noble rulers of the Magocracy, you receive better treatment when dealing with others fo your social class or in Anari lands, equivalent to a +1 Cha bonus when dealing with these people. In addition, you start with an additional 1D6 x 100 gold.

Move (level 2-5): Augment Staff
Choose one of the following powers for your staff:

• Base Damage Dice when using your staff is increaed to 1D6
• Boost Spell - you gain a +1 when spellcasting while using your staff.
• Spell Store - you can place a spell in your staff for later use; it takes but a second to release it, and is counted as having rolled a 10+, but you cannot use the spell otherwise and you lose the level of the spell from your daily allowance while it is stored.
• You can ignore the first ongoing penalty for a spell.
• By calling upon the power in the staff, you can create a forcefield around you that provides you with +1 armor.

Move (level 6-10) Staff Mastery
Choose another option from the Augment Staff list.

Huscarl (Req: Human Fighter)

The Saxa lands surrounding you are filled with what the Anari would consider barbarians, but the Saxa prefer to think of themselves as just as civilized, but with different cultural practices. Many of the Saxa Marks were invaded centuries ago by the Anari Empire, but they regained their freedom and saw the collapse of their erstwhile rulers several hundred years ago when the Great Blizzard war erupted with the arrival of the Hellfrost. Saxa tend to live in smaller steadings, collections of longhouses built mostly of wood, sometimes with thatched roofs. The steading is guarded by professional warriors, the huscarls. They practice whatever weapons they fancy, wear a motley colection of armor, and tend to fight individually except when they fight defensively using their Shieldwall tactics or where they gang up on enemies to gain an advantage through superior numbers.

Initial Move: Shieldwall
Your armor bonus from your shield is doubled, and you can also provide one of your companions standing next to you a +1 armor bonus too.

Move (level 2-5): Outnumber
If you and another character are attacking the same enemy, you can add +1 to your Hack and Slash and damage rolls while you outnumber them.

Move (level 6-10): Bodyguard
When defending, you gain an extra 2 Holds.