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Chronicle System - Woodland Creatures
Chronicle System - Woodland Creatures
CREATURES
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the first of our Chronicle System releases,
Woodland Creatures. Woodland
The Chronicle System is the name we’ve given to the me-
chanics engine that runs A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying.
Creatures
While the rules of this system were designed specifically
This product is a bestiary for the Chronicle System, divided
for George R.R. Martin’s Westeros, they will work just as
into four sections, focusing on some of the creatures one
well for any other setting.
might find living in and around woodland areas.
In order to facilitate such game play, we are develop-
The Animals section expands the game stats for normal
ing a series of modules under the Chronicle System name,
animals, with an emphasis on forest-dwelling creatures.
providing new elements and ideas for use with the system
These animals are perfectly suited for the Animal Cohort
that might not always fit into the established world of A
Benefit, as well as those instances where they might be
Song of Ice and Fire. We feel this will give Narrators more
encountered, such as on hunting trips. This section also ex-
choices and plenty of flexibility to make their games truly
pands on the rules for training animals.
their own, whether they are adapting the system to a set-
The Beasts section focuses on creatures of roughly animal
ting of their own, or simply providing their players with
intelligence and capability, although they are not found in
a Westeros that diverges in some way from the accepted
our modern real world. Creatures of dire size, strange (but
canon. Please keep an eye out for new Chronicle System
plausible) physiology, and weird niches in their environ-
products!
ment all fall into this category.
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Introduction
As a reminder, any target in combat that is significantly smaller than its attacker gains a +2 to Combat Defense
due to the discrepancy in size. A solid majority of the creatures in the Animals section qualify for this bonus if they
are attacked by an opponent of adult human size.
Likewise, any target that is significantly greater in size than its attacker receives a -2 penalty to Combat Defense
due to its great size. This generally includes creatures of horse-size or larger against an opponent of adult human
size.
Throughout this work, we have included the modified Combat Defense for creatures fighting adult human-
sized opponents in parentheses. Thus, an eagle has a Combat Defense of 10 (12), reflecting the +2 Combat De-
fense bonus it gains against larger opponents.
The Horrors, on the other hand, are explicitly fantastic Beast-Infested 2 points
and quite monstrous. Many of these things have the faint-
est touch of magic to them, or are otherwise far more intel- The woodland domain of choice is infested with a beast
ligent that one might expect such creatures to be. Horrors of some kind, chosen from the Beasts chapter of this or
are usually quite rare in low-magic, gritty fantasy settings, other Chronicle System Bestiary works. Attacks against
but more common in high-magic tales. individuals traveling through the forest are common, and
Finally, the Legends. These creatures are overtly magi- even travel in groups is no guarantee of safety.
cal or otherwise fantastic. In low-magic, gritty fantasy set- Gain a -1 to House Fortune rolls. Population Resource
tings, they are the subjects of legends and stories, often decreases due to a House Fortunes roll are increased by 1.
fearful ones. Whole bodies of superstition and myth may
crop up around them, and they may have been more com- Horror-Prowled 4 points
mon at some point in the past.
Something unwholesome and hungry haunts your woods,
chosen from the Horrors chapter of this or other Chron-
Beast-Haunted icle System Bestiary works. You lose smallfolk to it all the
time, and occasionally patrolling soldiers run afoul of the
Domains horror as well.
Gain a -1 to House Fortune rolls. Population and Power
Because of the scale the Chronicle System operates on, Resource decreases due to a House Fortunes roll are in-
the terrors in this book might not just threaten individual creased by 1.
characters that encounter them, but also entire domains
unfortunate enough to be near or even within the wood- Legend-Haunted 6 points
lands that the creatures call home.
With the Narrator’s permission, players may purchase Tales are told of your woodlands, and the mystical, ac-
the following Domain Drawbacks. cursed thing therein, chosen from the Legends chapter
of this or other Chronicle System Bestiary works. Your
Woodland Domain smallfolk have generations of tales about it, and probably
a handful of superstitious protections supposed to protect
Drawbacks against it. So fearful are those tales, and widely spoken of,
that many merchants refuse to enter your domain.
Purchasing a Domain Drawback grants a small pool of Gain a -2 to House Fortunes rolls. Population, Power
points that may be directly added as bonus points to other and Wealth Resources decreases due to a House Fortunes
Resources at domain generation. These points may not be roll are increased by 1.
added to any Resources that are penalized by the Draw-
backs, however.
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ANIMALS of the WOODLANDS
Even in a setting that might be called “high magic,” the Some animals may find themselves in situations where
woodlands are usually populated mostly by normal ani- they may try and throw off the training in order to re-
mals. Though they are usually quite shy of the people who act according to their instincts, e.g., a dog wanting to bark
tromp through their forest home, it is not uncommon to at something when he’s been ordered to be silent, a horse
encounter these creatures, whether as chance encounters, wishing to flee from fire when it has been ordered to stay
as the prey of a noble’s (or poacher’s) hunt, or even serving and the like. When the master is present, it is a simple
at the side of those with the skill to train them. Animal Handling test against the animal’s passive Will; if
This chapter presents a set of expanded training rules for the master is not present, it is the animal’s Will test against
domesticating and teaching animals of a variety of tricks the master’s passive Animal Handling.
and roles, including a set of Benefits for those characters
who specialize in that task. It also includes a set of stats for Agility Tests Dogs, Horses
normal animals that might be found in a woodland setting,
adding to the animals found in Chapter 11 of the A Song The animal is trained to perform a variety of leaping and
of Ice and Fire Roleplaying (SIFRP) core book. agility tricks. For dogs this is usually leaping through
hoops, and for lighter animals, tumbling and flipping. For
horses this is often course navigation, leaping fences and
Expanded the like.
Training an animal to perform a single task or role requires With this command, the animal will attack any individual
an Animal Handling (Train) Extended test, requiring a that is currently menacing its master. Horses trained to
number of successful tests equal to the animal’s Will mi- this will lash out with hooves, which is rarely a natural
nus Cunning (minimum 1). Each test assumes a week of inclination. A rider giving this command from horseback
regular training, working with the animal for several hours may use the Ride Specialty.
every day. The Difficulty of this roll is based on the animal’s
Will rating: Bear a Rider Dogs, Horses
Animal Training Difficulties The animal is trained to bear a rider, with or without sad-
dle. The rider must be of a size and weight that the animal
Will 1 Routine (6)
could reasonably bear. No roll is necessary to have the ani-
Will 2 Challenging (9) mal perform this function, although all commands given
Will 3 Formidable (12) while in the saddle use the Ride Specialty.
Will 4 Hard (15)
Bear a Burden Dogs, Horses, Ravens
Will 5 Very Hard (18)
The animal is trained to bear burdens on their backs or
An animal may learn a number of tricks equal to its
pull wayns and sleighs as appropriate for their size. Ravens
Cunning. After that, training each additional trick increas-
trained to this will carry messages tied to their legs without
es the Difficulty of the task by +3, cumulative.
trying to rid themselves of it. All commands given with
this skill use the Drive Specialty.
Tricks
Charm Dogs, Horses
These individual Tricks can often be learned by a variety of
animals, each performing them somewhat differently from
The animal will perform any number of trained actions that
one another. Commanding an animal to use one of these
most people find entertaining or endearing: bows, counting
Tricks is an Animal Handling test, with the Charm Spe-
tricks, eliciting sympathy by drooping ears and sighing and
cialty, unless otherwise noted in the Trick.
the like. The animal can also perform basic dance steps to
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ANIMALS of the WOODLANDS
music, and animals with both this trick and the Agility Tests by the master placing that person’s hand on the animal’s
Trick can perform quite advanced dances. flank while giving the command. An animal with this
training issues a vocal warning to those getting too near
Come Dogs, Horses, Raptors, Ravens to it.
The animal is trained to come when called. Dogs, horses, Harry Dogs, Raptors
and ravens will answer to their names or a whistle; raptors
usually are trained to a bell or whistle. Some animals can be trained to harry an opponent, dis-
tracting them from their tasks. Hounds will bark and snap,
Fetch Dogs, Ravens sometimes even grabbing onto limbs and pulling, while
raptors flap in a target’s face with wings and talons. An op-
The animal is trained to fetch either something that is ponent who is harried is -1D on all tests until the animal
thrown by the master, or retrieve a specific kind of item, is recalled or stopped.
such as food, shiny things, pieces of paper and the like. An
animal may be trained to this Trick multiple times, each Heel & Stay Dogs, Horses, Raptors, Ravens
time adding another kind of item it will fetch.
With this command, the animal remains calmly beside the
Guard Dogs, Horses master, remaining with him when either walking or stand-
ing still. The animal can also be commanded to remain in
This command causes the animal to either remain in one one place. Raptors and ravens will follow a master from the
spot and guard it against everyone it is not familiar with, air, but cannot be commanded to stay in one place.
or to remain with and protect an individual, designated
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Unlike other Tricks, these are a specific function for the The animal is trained as a farm animal, for the myriad pur-
animal, rather than an individual limited command. These poses to which horses are put on the farm. The animal is as-
are “jobs,” as it were, training the animal to the numerous sumed to know the Bear a Rider and Bear a Burden Tricks.
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The animal is trained to live indoors, well-socialized, quiet Your affinity with animals is almost legendary. Reroll all
and tending to its wastes outdoors rather than inside. The 1s on all Animal Handling tests. Additionally, animals you
animal is assumed to know the Heel & Stay and Silence train are considered to have one additional point of Cun-
Tricks. ning for the purposes of determining how many Tricks
they can learn.
Hunter (+6 Difficulty) Dogs
Dogs with this training are taught to be hunting compan- Animal Traits
ions, remaining near the master until they are given word
to flush out the prey. They range outward, barking to drive The following creatures are considered normal animals,
larger prey back towards the hunting party. The animal is and adhere to the rules for such creatures from Chapter
assumed to have the Attack, Fetch, Heel & Stay, and Track 11: The Narrator, in the SIFRP core book.
Tricks.
BB Creatures have rank 0 in the following Abilities:
Animal Handling, Deception, Healing, Language,
Warrior (+6 Difficulty) Dogs, Horses
Knowledge, Marksmanship, Persuasion, Status, Thiev-
ery, and Warfare. They can never take tests related to
The animal with this training has been accustomed to the
these abilities and automatically fail when called to do
chaos, blood, and pain of battle, and will not spook in such
so. Certain uses of other abilities may be impossible.
situations. Such animals are considered to have the Attack,
Creatures can make Fighting tests with their natural
Guard, Heel & Stay, and Wear Barding Tricks for dogs, or
weapons only.
the Attack, Bear Rider, Guard, and Wear Barding Tricks for
horses. These animals qualify as “war-trained” for the pur- BB Some animals may have access to a Fly specialty in
pose of those rules that require it in the SIFRP core system. Athletics, the equivalent of the Run specialty for ani-
mals capable of flight.
Animal
BB Abilities not listed for an animal, but not forbidden,
Trainer Benefits are assumed to be at a rating of 2.
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Badger Catamount/Puma
Agility 3 (Contortions 1B, Dodge 1B), Athletics 2 Agility 4 (Balance 2B, Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Athletics 4
(Climb 1B, Swim 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 2 (Resilience 1B), (Climb 2B, Jump 2B, Run 2B, Strength 2B), Awareness 5
Fighting 3, Survival 3 (Forage 1B, Hunt 1B), Will 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3 (Stamina 1B), Fighting 4,
Stealth 5 (Sneak 1B), Survival 4 (Hunt 2B)
Combat Defense: 7 (9) ❂ Health 6
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 4 yards Combat Defense: 13 ❂ Health 9
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 8 yards
Bite 3D 2 Damage
Bite 4D 4 Damage Vicious
Tremendous Digger: Badgers primarily hunt burrowing animals
and can dig with great speed. A badger can dig through normal Claws 4D 6 Damage Powerful
soil at a rate of 3 yards a minute.
Leaping Charge: When it charges, the catamount can make two
Bobcat/Lynx attacks: once with its bite, and once with its claws.
Larger and more likely to fight back than deer, elk antlers exceptional speed and ability to take down larger birds while
have been known to gore a hunter. on the wing. Males may also be known as tercels.
Falcon Fox
Extremely smart and easy to train, falcons are one of the pre- One of the smallest wild canines, foxes are popular for
ferred hunting birds for nobility. They are known for their hunting because of their exceptional cunning and stealth.
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Snake Vulture
Agility 2 (Quickness 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 1B), Awareness 4 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3,
Cunning 1, Stealth 2 (Blend-in 1B) Fighting 1, Survival 3 (Forage 2B)
Combat Defense: 9 (11) ❂ Health: 6 Combat Defense: 8 (10) ❂ Health 9
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 3 yards Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 1 yd (or Fly 5 yds)
Bite 2D 2 Damage Venomous Beak 1D 2 Damage
Venomous: Snake venoms act in a variety of fashions, but can be Weasel
represented generically with the following toxin:
Agility 2 (Contortions 2B), Cunning 1,
Endurance 2 (Resilience 1B), Fighting 2,
Snake Venom Injected
Survival 2 (Forage 1B, Hunt 1B)
Virulence: 3 (normal) Toxicity: 2 (small snake) Combat Defense: 8 (10) ❂ Health 6
4 (deadly) 3 (large snake)
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 4 yards
Diagnosis: Routine (6) Frequency: 1/hour
Bite 2D 2 Damage
Snake venoms affect the blood and central nervous system of the
Trainable: Weasels are very clever and take training easily. Treat
victim, causing bleeding and in the most deadly cases, respiratory
them as Will 1 for the purpose of Animal Handling (Training)
paralysis. On a successful attack, the victim takes 1 Wound as the
tests.
toxin spreads and cripples the victim.
Recovery: Wounds can be recovered normally, once the toxin has Wildcat
run its course.
Agility 3 (Balance 2B, Dodge 1B, Athletics 2
(Climb 1B, Jump 1B, Run 1B), Awareness 4 (Notice 2B),
have tremendous endurance, gliding and flying long dis- Cunning 1, Stealth 5 (Sneak 3B), Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)
tances to find fresh carrion to consume.
Combat Defense: 9 (11) ❂ Health: 6
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 6 yards
Weasel
Claws 2D 1 Damage
Weasels are small, clever predators that can be trained to
perform simple tricks. These statistics can also represent Wolverine
stoats and ferrets. Agility 3 (Contortions 1B, Dodge 1B, Quickness 1B),
Athletics 3 (Climb 1B, Run 1B, Strength 1B), Awareness 3
(Notice 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3 (Resilience 2B,
Wildcat
Stamina 1B), Fighting 4, Survival 3 (Forage 1B, Hunt 1B),
The smallest of the hunting cats, this can also be used to Will 3 (Courage 2B)
The largest natural member of the weasel family, wolver- Claws 4D 4 Damage Powerful
ines are aggressive, foul-tempered and nearly fearless. They Implacable: Wolverines can take Injuries to reduce damage to their
regularly drive wolves and even bears off of kills to claim Health.
the meat for themselves.
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BEASTS of the WOODLANDS
In the context of the Chronicle System, “beasts” are crea-
tures that do not actually exist in our modern real world,
Ant, Rounder
but are close enough to reality that they either could exist
Also called “cutter ants” or “scoop swarms”, there is no uni-
or may have even once existed. These creatures are all of
versally agreed upon name for these large, vicious insects.
animal intelligence, generally occupying niches similar to
Individually, they do not seem to present much of a men-
real-world animals in their environments.
ace: large for an insect, rounders average between 3 and 4
inches in length, with a third of their size being a set of
Training Beasts
enormous, lopsided, and razor-sharp mandibles. It is these
Because they are so similar to animals, beasts may be mandibles that earn the creature its variety of nicknames:
trained using the Expanded Training Rules (see the Ani- when employed against larger creatures, the result is a
mals of the Woodlands chapter). They are considered to hemispherical divot roughly an inch across. The removed
have a Will of one rank higher than their actual statistics gobbet of meat is taken back to the rounder nest, where
for the purpose of such training. the colony can feed on the mold and bacteria that grow on
the slowly putrefying flesh.
Ant, Giant Despite their savage mandibles and noisome feeding hab-
its, rounders only present a real threat in the wake of spring
The size of large cats, giant ants roam widely through the rains that flood their burrows, driving the entire colony into
forest from great burrows foraging for food. Wise hunters the open. It is under these circumstances that the insects have
know to stay away from the game trails that grow wider as been known to swarm, creating dense clouds composed of
they near an ant burrow. Farmers see giant ants as a bane hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of rounders. These
because they can clear a field of crops and carry away small rounder swarms ravage vast swaths of land as they search for
animals and children. a new place to house the colony, and have been known to
bring down dogs, horses and even humans beneath the tide
of hopping, flying chitinous horrors.
Rounder fighting, where a single rounder is placed in a
box to try and kill another large insect (or in some instanc-
es a small mammal) constitutes a common pastime for
peasants. Exceedingly rural taverns, as well as seedy dives
sometimes encourage wagering on these fights and may
have a small fighting area purpose built for such matches.
When the swarm swells to a significant size, it acts as a
single entity, rather than thousands of individuals. They are
so densely packed that hitting any one insect is a simple
task, but they are so numerous that it is difficult to make a
dent in the swarm’s capabilities. It is impossible to kill them
all, but a spirited defense will cause the swarm to disperse.
Battlehorn
The battlehorn is a creature of much debate. These massive
creatures are often found among caribou and reindeer herds
but never seem to form herds of their own. Instead they ap-
portion themselves to one per herd of their lesser kin, com-
ing together only during the spring mating season. Calves
tend to remain by the sides of their mothers until they reach
maturity, at which point the herd splits off into two smaller
herds, each with its own battlehorn.
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Rounder Ant Charge: Given at least a 6-yard distance to their target, battlehorns
can charge their target as a greater action. This grants them +1D
Athletics 1 (Climb 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 1, Fighting, +2 damage, and the attack gains the Staggering and
Survival 2 (Forage 1B) Vicious qualities.
Combat Defense: 5 (7) ❂ Health 3 Defending the Herd: When defending other moose, caribou,
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 2 yards or Fly 1 yard reindeer, or similar creatures, the battlehorn gains +1B on Fighting,
Awareness, and Athletics checks.
Bite 2D 1 damage Piercing 2
Ferocious: A battlehorn can take Injuries to reduce damage to its
Rounder Swarm Health.
Athletics 4 (Climb 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 6 Stubborn: Battlehorns reduce all penalties due to Injuries by 1.
(Resilience 3B), Fighting 4, Survival 3 (Forage 2B)
Bone Ape
Combat Defense: 6 (4) ❂ Health: 18
Agility 4 (Acrobatics 2B, Dodge 1B, Quickness 1B),
Natural Armor: AR 1 ❂ Movement: 2 yards or Fly 1 yard
Athletics 5 (Climb 4B, Jump 2B, Strength 2B), Awareness 3
Swarming Bite 4D 4 Damage Piercing 3 (Notice 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4 (Stamina 1B), Fighting 5,
Stealth 3 (Sneak 1B), Survival 4 (Hunt 2B, Track 1B), Will 3
Swarm Body: The “body” of the swarm is easy to hit but difficult
to injure. Piercing and slashing weapons lose three degrees of Combat Defense: 12 ❂ Health: 12
success for the purpose of inflicting damage. Bludgeoning weapons Natural Armor: AR 3 ❂ Movement: 3 yards
lose two degrees of success for the purpose of inflicting damage.
Additionally, the swarm can take both Injuries and Wounds as part Strike 5D 5 damage Powerful, Grab
of normal combat, representing the loss in effectiveness that comes Bite 5D 4 damage Vicious
of individual rounders dying.
Attack From Above: If a bone ape is at least 3 yards higher than its
Vulnerable to Fire: Like all swarms, the tightly packed rounders in a target, it may leap down and make a strike attack, gaining a +2B to
swarm are exceedingly vulnerable to fire. Flaming oil and other fire- its attack roll and +2 damage. Regardless of whether the attack hits,
based attacks score an automatic additional degree of success. the bone ape takes regular falling damage but can reduce it with an
Disfiguring Marks: The victim of a rounder swarm is lucky to survive Agility (Acrobatics) test as normal.
the experience, and those who do are often left permanently scarred Camouflage: A bone ape gains +2D on Stealth tests made in snowy
by the encounter. A character that takes 2 or more Wounds from a terrain.
Rounder swarm also receives the drawback Marked to represent the
myriad circular divots that scar his or her face and arms.
ing it very difficult for them to be eliminated in order to
According to legend this is because the battlehorns are make hunting the herd easier.
sent from the gods or the spirits of the forest to prevent the
herds they guard from being overhunted. Considering the Bone Ape
unbridled violence that battlehorns show when reacting to
Bone apes are massive creatures, standing nearly nine feet
an attack on their pack, this does not seem implausible.
tall when upright. Their appearance is much like that of a
Battlehorns look much like very large moose, standing
silverback gorilla, only larger and covered in white or gray
twelve to fifteen feet tall at the shoulder. Their antlers are
fur. Bone apes can stand on their legs, but when running
especially large and sharp, a result of the battlehorns sharp-
tend to use their arms for support. They are far more at
ening them on rocks, a grating sound that canny hunters
home in the trees than on the ground, and can brachiate
learn to listen for. As a battlehorn ages it develops growths
easily among the branches of large, old-growth trees. They
similar to its antlers on its shoulders, spine, and other vital
are also quite skilled at navigating the straight lengths of
areas, growing a form of organic armor over many years.
coniferous tree trunks.
Arrows bounce off the hide of a mature battlehorn, mak-
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Beasts of the Woodlands
These rare primates are found in more northern climes parts to the vicinity of the victim’s fellows out of some kind
where snow is present for much of the year. Largely soli- of territory-marking behavior.
tary, these omnivores spend most of their time hunting for
the food necessary to sustain their massive bodies. To that Butcher Bird
end they eat a wide variety of berries and tubers, but prefer
meat when it is available. According to folklore, they show A grisly display of severed limbs and bloody meat is often
a special fondness for human flesh and will often seek it out the first and last indicator that another victim has walked
in preference to other options. Bone apes are widely said to into a region of woods claimed by a butcher bird. Standing
be terrible, cruel beings that brutally murder lone hunters over nine feet tall, these flightless birds boast a heavy, curved
or those who get lost in the woods. In the regions they are beak that is ideally suited for slicing through meat and bone.
known to haunt, few dare to venture into the woods alone This lends itself well to the creature’s primary method of
and many a missing hunter is ascribed to them. food storage. Rather than risk that food might not be avail-
Bone apes are excellent at concealing themselves in the able for its mate or chicks, the butcher bird will aggressively
snowy trees of the forest, leaping down to ambush victims, attack anything it considers prey. What it cannot eat imme-
striking with the force of their entire body. They prefer diately is cut into pieces and carried back to the nesting area,
attacking solitary targets, but will attack larger groups of where it hangs the remains in tree forks and on sharp limbs
humans if hungry or they feel their territory is threatened. as a kind of larder to which it can return when prey is scarce.
Bone apes are very intelligent, ambushing individuals who The beak is only one part of this bird’s arsenal. Its strong,
leave their group, even creating diversions and traps to en- hardened legs can deliver a powerful defensive kick to any-
courage such behavior. While bone apes consume most of one foolish enough to get too close. Butcher birds primar-
their kills, they often return bones and other unconsumed ily hunt in the daytime, relying on their keen eyesight to
locate targets. Despite their size and (in the spring at least)
flamboyant color patterns, these giant birds can remain
hidden by standing extremely still. In the dappled leaves
of the forest, the patterns of black, green, and yellow blend
into their surroundings, allowing the bird to ambush prey
when they find it.
Butcher birds do not rely solely on stealth when hunt-
ing, however. Rather it allows them to get close to a target,
after which they burst out of the growth in a tremendous
display of speed. Butcher birds have been recorded chasing
down horses and deer over short distances, and have no
difficulty running down human prey.
Butcher Bird
Agility 3 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Athletics 5
(Run 2B, Strength 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 2B),
Cunning 1, Endurance 3, Fighting 5, Stealth 3
(Blend-In 2B), Survival 4 (Hunt 3B)
Combat Defense: 11 (9) ❂ Health: 9
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 10 yards
Beak 5D 7 Damage Powerful, Vicious
Kick 5D 5 Damage Staggering
Sever Limb: The butcher bird’s beak is a brutal weapon, designed
to hack off limbs and break down bodies. If a butcher bird scores
four degrees of success in a beak attack against a character, the
character also receives the drawback Maimed as it rips off an arm
or part of a leg.
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Butcher birds are extremely territorial and are known are perfectly capable of killing small groups of humans
to kill rivals that invade their area. At the same time, they though, and will do so given the chance.
are monogamous and protective, if gruesome, parents. A single flock of claw-wing lizards can devastate an area
Both the male and the female share the task of raising if it grows large enough, killing every animal it can find
chicks, and take turns stocking the larder while the other to feed the flock’s rabid hunger. Luckily claw-wings hi-
protects the nest. If the nest is attacked, the alarm call of bernate through the winter, hiding in logs, in mud, and in
the parent will bring the other running, and the unfor- hollow trees to survive the cold. They also exhibit this hi-
tunate transgressor will soon be facing two angry parents bernation behavior when fully sated after gorging on food.
instead of one. For some, however, the risk is worth it, as This gives other creatures time to recover from the preda-
the chicks are intelligent and easy to train, making them tions of the claw-wing flock and to kill the claw-wings in
highly sought after as guard animals and in some regions a more vulnerable state.
as exotic mounts. In the regions where claw-wing lizards are common, lo-
cal farmers and hunters often spend much of their winter
Claw-Wing Lizard months hunting down the hibernating lizards and killing
them in order to spare their herds and game for the com-
Found primarily in more southern climes, claw-wing liz- ing year. They are universally seen as a blight to be wiped
ards are hound-sized reptillian carnivores that roam in out to the extent that a small number of claw-wing hunt-
flocks that number up to dozens. These cold-blooded crea- ers have appeared in recent years, offering their services to
tures are eating machines, constantly on the hunt to keep smoke out and kill claw-wings, using a variety of special
their hunger satiated. Claw-wing lizards will attack any tools and tactics.
prey, but fear fire and avoid large groups of humans. They
Corpse Owl
Claw Wing Lizard
Corpse owls are most commonly found in northern for-
Agility 5 (Acrobatics 1B, Balance 1B, Dodge 1B,
Quickness 1B), Athletics 3 (Climb 2B, Jump 1B), ested areas, but they can also be found in low-lying for-
Awareness 4 (Notice 1B), Cunning 1 , Fighting 3, ests near water where heavy fog is a common condition.
Stealth 3 (Sneak 2B), Survival 4 (Hunt 2B) Corpse owls are large, reaching a wingspan of up to 10
Combat Defense: 12 ❂ Health: 6 feet, with a white, gray, and black coloration scheme. This
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 3 yards or Glide 6 yards coloration allows them to easily blend in during snowy or
Claw 3D 3 damage Vicious foggy conditions, but also gives them the appearance of
Flocks: Claw-wing lizards attack in flocks, usually numbering 8
a skeletal face and limbs. Often in particularly dense fog
to 10 members. They are very adept at targeting a single victim, or snow corpse owls look to be flying skeletons, hunting
repeatedly attacking it until it can no longer fight back. When a
claw-wing lizard gains two degrees of success on an attack any other Corpse Owl
claw-wing lizards attacking that same target before the victim’s turn
comes again, they gain +1B to their attack rolls. This is cumulative Agility 4 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Athletics 3,
across multiple attacks. Awareness 4 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3, Fighting
3, Stealth 4 (Sneak 1B), Survival 4 (Hunt 2B, Track 2B)
Glide: Claw-wing lizards cannot fly, but can glide when leaping
from a height. For each yard of height they leap from, they can Combat Defense: 11 ❂ Health: 9
glide 2 yards. They can try to extend this range each round with a Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 1 yard or Fly 8 yards
lesser action, making an Routine (6) Agility (Acrobatics). Success
Talons 3D 3 damage Vicious
decreases the height lost that round by 1 yard, with each degree
decreasing it another yard, e.g., a claw-wing that leaps from a tree, Corpse Cry: The cry of a corpse owl sounds much like that of a
spends a lesser action to stay aloft farther, and rolls a 12 on its wounded person. It requires a Challenging (9) Survival (Hunt) test
Agility (Acrobatics) test will reduce any height lost by two yards to tell a corpse owl cry from that of a wounded person.
for that round.
Hidden Attack: As a greater action, the corpse owl may make move
Dive Attack: As a greater action the claw-wing lizard may make up to half its Fly movement, attack a target, and move at least half its
move up to half its Glide movement, attack a target, and move at least Fly movement again before making a Stealth check. This can only be
half its Glide movement again. performed when visibility is at least Shadowy and in forested terrain.
Camouflage: A claw-wing lizard gains +2D on Stealth test made in Creature of the Night: Corpse owls suffer no penalties due to
forested terrain. darkness. They gain +1D to Stealth tests in darkness.
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Devourer
Agility 3 (Quickness 1B), Athletics 5 (Strength 1B),
Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4
(Resilience 2B, Stamina 2B), Fighting 4, Stealth 4,
Survival 5 (Forage 3B, Hunt 2B)
Combat Defense: 11 (9) ❂ Health: 12
Natural Armor: AR 1 ❂ Movement: 6 yards
Bite 4D 5 damage Powerful
Claws 4D 4 damage Piercing 1
Panic-Inducing Musk: Normal animals that smell the devourer
will attempt to flee. A trained animal may be calmed by making a
Challenging (9) Animal Handling (Charm) test. This increases to
a Formidable (12) test if the animal is attacked by the devourer, or
someone the animal is carrying is attacked. For the purposes of this
effect, an Animal Cohort is not considered a normal animal.
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Dire Wolverine
Agility 4 (Balance 1B, Contortions 2B, Dodge 1B, Quickness
1B), Athletics 4 (Climb 2B, Run 2B, Strength 2B, Swim 1B),
Awareness 4 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4 (Resilience
3B, Stamina 1B), Fighting 5, Survival 4 (Forage 2B, Hunt 2B,
Track 1B), Will 4 (Courage 2B)
Combat Defense: 12 (10) ❂ Health: 12
Natural Armor: AR 1 ❂ Movement: 7 yards
Bite 5D 6 damage Powerful
Claws 5D 4 damage Fast
Vicious Wound: Dire wolverines are skilled at crippling their targets,
and then allowing the creature to bleed to death rather than expend
the energy needed to kill their prey outright. If a glutton scores 3 or
more degrees of success on a fighting test, it delivers a vicious wound
that will continue to bleed at a rate of 1 health per round unless the
character (or a healer) succeeds at a Challenging (9) Healing (Treat
Injury) test.
Scent Marker: Gluttons are notorious for their pungent aroma, and
the first sign that one has visited the area is the thick musky order that
surrounds them and lingers after they’ve gone. For characters with a
working sense of smell, it is a Routine (6) Awareness (Notice) test to
notice that a dire wolverine has been in the area in the last 4 hours.
Emperor Stag
Agility 4 (Balance 2B, Dodge 1B, Quickness 2B), Athletics
4 ( Jump 2B, Run 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Endurance 4,
Fighting 4, Stealth 3 (Sneak 1B), Survival 3
Large Spider
Combat Defense: 11 (9) ❂ Health: 12
Agility 2 (Dodge 1B), Athletics 3 (Run 1B),
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 10 yards
Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Stealth 3
Antlers 3D 4 Damage Piercing 1 (Sneak 2B), Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)
Hooves 2D 4 Damage Combat Defense: 8 (10) ❂ Health: 6
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 7 yards
Emperor Stag Bite 2D 3 damage Spider Venom (see sidebar)
Poison: The venom injected by a spider’s bite is actually the animal’s
Also known as the lord of the forest, the emperor stag is a digestive enzymes, designed to liquefy their prey’s innards before eating.
majestic white hart that stands taller than a palfrey. It is said
that there can be only one emperor stag in a forest at a time Spider Venom Injected
and that it is crowned by magnificent antlers that are as hard
Diagnosis: Routine (6)
as iron and as sharp as swords. When born, an emperor stag Virulence:
or Challenging (9) if
(Spider’s Athletics)+1
resembles other fawns. As it grows, though, instead of losing delivered on a weapon.
its spots, its spots grow until its coat is almost completely Toxicity: 2 Frequency: 1/round
white. The hide of an emperor stag is highly prized.
Failure to resist the toxin’s effects cause the victim to suffer -1D
on Athletics and Endurance for each failure. If either attribute is
Large Spider reduced to 0, the victim dies.
The toxin breaks down quickly in air, but can be stored in glass
The smallest of the great spiders are still quite large, jars for up to a week. In this case, the typical method of delivery
with an average size of 2-3 feet across. They prey pri- is coating the point of a weapon, as the toxin must reach the
marily on small vertebrates, but are not above attacking bloodstream to be effective.
larger prey if they have the advantage, or are defending Recovery: The victim recovers 1 point of Endurance per day after
the toxin has run its course.
their territory.
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Spiders
In the deep woodlands, things can sometimes grow beyond all expectation. The diminutive spider is a com-
mon example of this, and tales are often spread to warn children that if they go too deep into the forest, then the
spiders will get them. While they never approach the monstrous size reported in some fables, these arachnids
can still grow to be much larger than most people prefer.
The default spider presented hunts through prowling its territory for prey. These are far from the only types
of spiders, however. The next most common type of spider in the woodlands is the weaver, which stretches its
web between two trees and waits patiently for prey to come to it. To create a weaver from the example, replace
the Sneak Specialty of Stealth with an equal amount of Blend-in. These spiders use their webs first, to trap their
prey, then attack once it is entangled.
Ambush spiders create a burrow for themselves, capped with a piece of webbing coated with dirt and sticks.
Extremely sensitive to vibration, this predator charges out of its burrow and drags its prey back down with it.
As a result, it preys on smaller animals than its more ambitious cousins. To create an ambush spider from the
base example, replace the Sneak specialty of Stealth with an equal amount of Blend-in, and increase Awareness
by 1. Remove Dodge, as these spiders tend to be tightly packed in their burrow and don’t move well.
The final spider type, and perhaps the most fearless, are the jumping spiders. These aggressive predators will
attack nearly anything, and have the ability to take down most prey they encounter. Their standard hunting
tactic is to sneak within pouncing distance of their prey, then leap and drag the target to the ground while in-
jecting it with venom. To create a jumping spider from the template, add the Athletics specialty of Jump equal
to half the spider’s Agility (round up); to represent their tenacity, jumping spiders can take injuries to reduce
damage to Health.
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Harvesting Poisons
Many of the creatures that inhabit this book wield poisons as part of their deadly prowess. A character look-
ing to take advantage of that in a defeated creature might look to harvest poison from the creature itself. This is a
three-step process: Understanding the Creature, Harvesting the Remains, Preserving the Venom.
BB Understanding the Creature: To understand what must be done in order to harvest the venom, a character
must succeed at a Knowledge test. This is a Routine (6) test for Animals, Challenging (9) test for Beasts,
Formidable (12) test for Horrors and Hard (15) for Legends. A character may use the Research Specialty if
she manages to find a good library or other written works that could help reveal such lore.
BB Harvesting the Remains: Cutting into the creature and retrieving the poison sacs, venom glands or whatever
else it is that generates the toxin in question requires either a Healing or Survival test. This is a Formidable
(12) test, but the Difficulty is reduced by one step for each degree of success past the first on the Understand-
ing the Creature test.
BB Preserving the Venom: With a Challenging (9) Knowledge or Healing test, and ingredients costing 20 silver, a
character can preserve the venom for use on weapons and the like later. Alternately, a character may bring the har-
vested material back to an apothecary or other similarly learned individual, and have them preserve it for 50 silver.
Giant Wasp
Enormous Spider
Agility 4 (Acrobatics 1B, Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B),
Athletics 3, Cunning 1, Fighting 3
Enormous spiders can reach 5 feet across, though most
are in the 3-4 foot range. Easily capable of bringing down Combat Defense: 9 (11) ❂ Health: 6
foxes and other medium to small vertebrates, they have Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 1 yard or Fly 6 yards
little fear of man. They are also the first with webs strong Sting 3B 1 Damage Poison
enough to hold up a person. Poison: The venom injected by a giant wasp is paralytic and necrotizing,
causing muscles to seize and tissue to quickly blacken and fester. :
Giant Spider
Giant Wasp Venom Injected
Masters of the forest, giant spiders can reach 7 or 8 feet Virulence: 4 Toxicity: 2
across, and view anything they can catch as prey.
Diagnosis: Routine (6)
or Challenging (9) if Frequency: 1/round
Wasp, Giant delivered on a weapon.
Failure to resist the toxin’s effects cause the victim to suffer -1D on
Large pests that can have a wingspan of a foot or more. Agility and Athletics for each failure. If either attribute is reduced
They dwell in towers of mud built against cliffs and large to 0, the victim falls down paralyzed.
trees. Giant wasps dislike direct sunlight and are more of- Recovery: The victim recovers 1 point of Agility and Athletics per
ten found in the dark of the woods. day after the toxin has run its course.
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HORRORS of the WOODLANDS
In the context of the Chronicle System, “horrors” are crea- groups but showing no fear of fire. Barghests seem to have
tures of strange supernatural provenance, or simply crea- an uncanny knack for recognizing truly vulnerable prey:
tures that do not and could not exist in our world for some traps laid for them in the form of deceptively weak-look-
reason. Most such creatures are roughly of animal intel- ing travelers have not worked. Victims of the barghest who
ligence, though many show a low, fearful cunning to their survive report being stalked by a massive black dog with
actions; some others are more intelligent still. glowing eyes that seems to bring the fog with its howl.
Those who do not survive are found ripped to shreds, their
Training Horrors remains left in a prominent place along the road, a warning
Though many horrors are of animal intelligence, their in- to other travelers.
stincts and reactions are not like normal creatures. They tend According to legend, barghests cannot cross running
to be driven by urges that men cannot anticipate or curb, water and cannot enter holy ground. They are also known
making them impossible to train. to be highly resistant to most weapons. Killing one is a
major feat and most regions tormented by a barghest have
Barghest hefty outstanding bounties for its death.
These large black dogs are the subject of much legend Black Web
and gossip, lurking on the edges of the territory man has
claimed for himself. Barghests are reported mostly near The black web is a fungus that lives in the earth, send-
roads through dark forests or bogs, menacing travelers ing dark strands up through nearby plants, slowly corrupt-
on particularly foggy or dark nights. They usually stalk ing them and taking them over. An area infested by black
lone travelers or small groups, avoiding large, well-armed web is covered by dark strands of fungus, absorbing the
light and stilling the life of all within the area. A beast
Barghest
Agility 4 (Dodge 1B, Quickness 1B), Athletics 3
(Climb 1B, Jump 2B, Run 3B, Strength 1B), Awareness 4
(Notice 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4 (Resilience 2B,
Stamina 2B), Fighting 4, Persuasion 2 (Intimidate 2B),
Stealth 3 (Blend In 1B, Sneak 2B), Survival 3, Will 4
Combat Defense: 11 ❂ Health: 12
Natural Armor: AR 1 ❂ Movement: 8 yards
Claw 4D 3 damage Vicious
Bite 4D 4 damage Vicious, Slow
Howl: The howl of a barghest can summon fog in a 1-mile radius.
This takes several minutes, and there must be conditions conducive
to the formation of fog. The fog reduces Lit conditions to Shadowy
conditions in the affected region. This is not something barghests
use in combat, but should instead be used to foreshadow the
appearance of a barghest.
Born to Darkness: Barghests are completely at home in darkness
and suffer no penalties due to it. They do suffer a -1D penalty to all
tests in Lit conditions. Barghests gain a +2D bonus to Stealth tests
made in shadowy or darkness conditions.
Unholy Hide: When attacked by weapons that are not holy, have
not been blessed, or are not made of silver, barghests gain 6 points
of armor.
Wards: Wards cannot cross running water or enter holy ground.
If forced to do so they suffer one injury each round they are in the
proscribed area.
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back. Other, nearby roots will also loop about the helpless Once the spores begin to grow, the spores kill by growing rapidly
in the victim’s body and consuming him for nutrients. Each day,
target, and reflexively, the tree will begin to constrict its the spores make an attack. This inflicts 1 Wound on a successful
victim. Each time its prey exhales, the roots get tighter, attack, plus another for each degree. When the victim takes a
until the victim can no longer inhale and the pressure on Wound, he must also immediately resolve an attack on his Will
and Cunning, as above.
the heart and organs becomes fatal. A typical cocoon tree
can hold and consume 3 victims at a time. A cocooned Recovery: Will and Cunning return at a rate of one of each per
day of bed rest. Only once all Will and Cunning damage has been
victim can be freed from outside by attacking the roots healed can Wounds sustained from spore consumption be healed,
that hold them, which is often easier than attempting to as normal.
kill the whole tree. Hard to Kill: The black web is deeply rooted in the earth and the
Once it has subdued its target, the root-encased vic- wood of trees. It may be subdued, but to truly kill it, the ground must
tim hangs within the canopy, while feeder systems from be turned over and sterilized so that it does not return.
the aerial roots penetrate the flesh and extract the nu- Vulnerable to Fire: Only fire attacks cause any damage to black web.
trients. When nearly all usable material has been ab- All other attacks simply result in clouds of spores, subjecting those
making the attacks to inhalation.
sorbed, the roots relax and the desiccated remains drop
to the base of the tree, where they finish decaying, and Cocoon Tree
nourish the broader ecosystem at the tree’s base. This Athletics 3 (Strength 2B), Awareness 4 (Notice 2B),
habit makes the trees a tempting target for overcon- Cunning 1, Endurance 6, Fighting 4
fident cutpurses, as coins and other metals often end Combat Defense: 9
up around the base of the tree. Most are not prepared Health: 18 (Whole tree) or 6 (Root tendril)
for how quickly the tree can move when it attacks, and Natural Armor: AR 3 ❂ Movement: 0 yards
quickly meet the same fate as those whose possessions Root 4D 3 Damage Grab
they came to collect.
Constrict: 4D, 3 Damage, only used against grabbed opponents
(remember that grabbed opponents are -5 to Combat Defense,
minimum 1)
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can be led astray far from familiar paths and into thickets been known to risk entering villages and camps, braving
and bogs. When not lit, forest lanterns are difficult to see. fire and crowds to get their prey.
They resemble a hollow ball or pine cone. During the
day, forest lanterns rest in trees. A person that ventures Gryphon
too close to a forest lantern may be blinded by a flash or
receive a shock. Majestic beasts with the head and forelimbs of a bird and
the torso and hindquarters of a lion. They are relentless
Ghost Taker hunters. The smallest and only nocturnal gryphon is the
forest gryphon, which has the head of an owl and the body
A rare breed of forest cat, ghost takers look much like of lynx. Slightly larger is the brown gryphon, which has the
gray-furred pumas. These creatures are seen by many prim- head of a hawk and the body of a panther. Brown gryphons
itive tribes as holy creatures that are to be honored—and are found in a variety of areas including plains, hills, and
avoided. According to these tribes, the ghost takers are the mountains.
guardians against the spirit world, working to keep it from
intruding in the world of mortals. In the legends of these Gryphon, Greater
tribes, ghost takers are gifts from the gods or agents of the
Larger even than the brown gryphons are the two greater
forest, able to track and slay those spirits of the dead who
gryphons. The sea gryphons have the head and forelimbs
somehow return to the land of the living. Unfortunately
of an osprey and the torso and hindquarters of a lion. Sea
for the living, this does not make the ghost takers any more
gryphons are found along coasts and tidal rivers. Largest
well inclined towards them.
of all are the mountain gryphons, which have the head and
Ghost takers are hunters and are more than happy to
forelimbs of an eagle and the torso and hindquarters of a
hunt humans when the opportunity presents itself, though
lion. The greater gryphons can range far from their nests
they do not seek humans out and will avoid large groups
while hunting for food. Mountain gryphons are known for
or fire. Among the tribes that honor them, those killed
being partial to horseflesh.
by ghost takers are seen as being possessed and rightfully
killed by the ghost taker, but more civilized folk rarely ac-
cept such explanations. Ghost takers have shown a partic-
Scavenger’s Rot
ular hatred for magicians, especially those who traffic in or
Scavenger’s rot is a disease that breaks out among the
with the dead. To slay such individuals, ghost takers have
wildlife in deeper parts of the forest, sometimes surviving
Gryphon
Greater Gryphon
Agility 3 (Quickness 2B), Athletics 4 (Fly 1B, Jump 2B),
Agility 3 (Quickness 1B), Athletics 4 (Fly 2B, Jump 2B,
Awareness 4 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3, Fighting 4,
Strength 1B), Awareness 5 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1,
Stealth 4 (Sneak 2B), Survival 4 (Hunt 1B)
Endurance 4, Fighting 4, Stealth 3,
Combat Defense: 11 ❂ Health: 9 Survival 4 (Hunt 2B, Orientation 1B)
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 1 yard or Fly 6 yards Combat Defense: 12 ❂ Health: 12
Beak 4D 2 Damage Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 1 yard or Fly 8 yards
Fore Talons 4D 4 Damage Grab Beak 4D 3 Damage Piercing 1
Rear Claws 4D 4 Damage Fore Talons 4D 5 Damage Grab
Rake: If a gryphon succeeds in grabbing its opponent in its fore Rear Claws 4D 5 Damage
talons, it may make an additional attack with its rear claws.
Rake: If a gryphon succeeds in grabbing its opponent in its fore talons,
Swoop: A gryphon can swoop down upon its target, moving up to it may make an additional attack with its rear claws.
twice its flight Movement in combination with an attack. The attack
Swoop: A gryphon can swoop down upon its target, moving up to
is at -1D and at +2 damage for the round.
twice its flight Movement in combination with an attack. The attack
Sneaky: A forest gryphon gains +1D on Stealth tests at night. is at -1D and at +2 damage for the round.
Trainable: Gryphons are considered beasts for the purposes of Trainable: Gryphons are considered beasts for the purposes of
training them, but their fiercely wild nature is harder to tame, their training them, but their fiercely wild nature is harder to tame, their
Will considered one rank higher for training rolls. Will considered one rank higher for training rolls.
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BB Modify the creature’s abilities as follows: Plants evolve numerous ways to survive, especially in the
Reduce Agility, Awareness, Cunning, Deception, often nutrient-challenged soil of marshy woodlands. The
Knowledge, Persuasion, Marksmanship, Survival, skullwort, sometimes called “sleepwort,” is one extreme to
Thievery, Warfare, and Will by 2 ranks (minimum 1). which some plants will go to enrich their soil, while the
Reduce Language and Status to 0 rank. cocoon tree (page 19) represents the opposite extreme.
Skullwort is a low plant, with broad, slightly swol-
BB Claws and Teeth: Rotters use their hands and teeth len leaves that surround several cup-shaped flowers. The
to attack. Unless otherwise noted with the creature’s flowers bloom from spring through first frost, when
abilities, these attacks deal Athletics -1 damage and the plant goes dormant for the winter, and produce a
have a chance to infect the target with scavenger’s rot. delicate smell that has been compared to freshly baked
For human rotters, these attacks also have the Grab bread or various other appealing scents. While the flow-
quality. ers contain the pollen that earns the plant its name, it
is the leaves that seal its deadly reputation. If any sig-
BB Creatures gain the Horde ability. When multiple rot- nificant weight is placed on one of the leaves, the plant
ters attack the same target, for each additional rotter will reflexively release a cloud of pollen from one of the
they all gain +1 to their attack rolls. flowers, affecting everyone within 1 yard. As the victim
BB Lethargic: Rotters may only take a single action each stumbles and falls, however, they are likely to hit more
round. leaves, increasing the dosage of the pollen and quickly
overwhelming even large prey. (See the statistics for
BB Swarmer: Rotters tend to cluster around singular foes, more information.)
excitedly grasping and biting. Rotters unconsciously Once the prey has succumbed to the toxin, the leaves
use the Assistance rules (see Chapter 2: Game Rules slowly cover the body. The underside of each leaf releases
in A Song of Ice & Fire Roleplaying) in normal combat. a cocktail of digestive enzymes that accelerate the break-
In such situations, the rotters who are assisting lend down of the body and allowing the waiting roots to gather
their full Fighting rating (instead of half their rating) up the nutrients as they are released.
as a bonus to the attack roll of the main attacker, as
well as to the opposed Fighting test to escape from Skullwort
the Grab. All Abilities at 1 (or 0 where sentience is required)
Use the following statistics for typical human rotters. Combat Defense: 3 ❂ Health: 3
Natural Armor: AR 0 ❂ Movement: 0 yards
Rotter Swarms
Skullwort pollen is an inhaled poison that affects the target’s
Rotters congregate into large groups of shambling horrors. coordination and mental faculties, causing clumsiness, drowsiness,
They can be reflected best using the presented statistics. and in cases of extensive exposure, death. Each flower is able to release
a single dose of the pollen, affecting any target within 1 yard.
Armor Rating: 0 ❂ Armor Penalty: 0 Diagnosis: Easy (3) or Frequency: 1/round (but
Formidable (12) if the multiple flowers can
Defense: 4 ❂ Health: 9 ❂ Fighting Damage: 2 plant is not apparent. attack, and stack results)
Endurance 3, Athletics 2, Fighting 2
Should the poison overwhelm the target, the victim suffers -1D to
Mindless Horde: Rotter hordes only carry out a single order each Agility and -1D to Cunning. If Cunning is reduced to 0, the target
round, which must be selected from Attack, Charge, and Move. The falls unconscious, where it may yet be exposed to the poison. If the
unit must attack or move towards the closest non-rotter unit. Rotters target’s Cunning falls below 0, he or she dies.
will never move away from their attacker when routed. Any unit
Recovery: The victim recovers 1 point of Cunning and 1 point of
damaged by a Rotter horde suffers a -1 penalty to the Casualty roll
Agility per day after the toxin has run its course.
after the battle.
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LEGENDS of the WOODLANDS
In the context of the Chronicle System, “legends” are the corpse, pulling it into the empty space so it can digest
strange creatures almost too terrible to be real. They defy its prize.
what men understand about the world, suggesting the While their mimicry is excellent, natural horses can
existence of terrible things beyond what mortal creatures sense the inherent otherness of a corpsehorse, and will not
can know. These creatures may not even actually exist in allow it into a herd. In some cases it can still stand on the
the world, and may indeed just be legends, stories told to edge, making it more likely to be singled out, but more
frighten or teach lessons. often the natural horses will avoid it altogether.
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Crossroads Guardian
Agility 4 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Awareness 4
(Empathy 2B), Cunning 6 (Logic 2B), Deception 6 (Bluff 2B,
Cheat 1B), Endurance 4, Fighting 4, Knowledge 4,
Persuasion 5 (Bargain 2B, Charm 1B, Convince 1B,
Seduce 1B), Status 6, Stealth 4, Thievery 4
(Sleight of Hand 2B), Will 4
Combat Defense: 9 ❂ Intrigue Defense: 16
Health: 12 ❂ Composure: 12 ❂ Movement: 4 yards
Quarterstaff 4D 2 Damage Fast, Two-handed
Guardian Might: Blows from a crossroads guardian can be
surprisingly powerful. All attacks have the Staggering quality.
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Legends of the Woodlands
Cult followers live and work day-to-day, just like every- guises, donning the skins and blood-markings of their lord,
one else in their communities. On important dates, like and take to the forests to worship his power through the
solstices and harvest festivals, the Cult throws off their dis- hunt. On such occasions the Cult often pursues particularly
dangerous beasts and horrors, such as ghost takers or bone
Huntsman apes—sometimes even going so far as to import such crea-
Agility 2 (Quickness 1B) Animal Handling 3 tures that have been caught elsewhere. Many cults, however,
(Charm 1B, Ride 1B), Athletics 3 (Climb 1B, Run 2B, Swim soon grow tired of such mundane fare and instead turn to
1B), Awareness 2 (Notice 1B), Endurance 3 (Stamina 1B), hunting their fellow man. They will kidnap victims from the
Fighting 3 (Spear 1B), Marksmanship 3 (Bow 1B),
Status 1, Stealth 3, Survival 3 (Hunt 2B) surrounding region, release them into the forests, and hunt
them down in cruel and sadistic fashion. Cults like these are
Combat Defense: 7 ❂ Health: 12
the scourge of the region where they are found, reviled by
Armor: Hard Leather (AR 3, Armor Penalty -2)
honest men. Nonetheless, they do run rampant because no
Movement: 4 yards
one can know who its members are with surety.
Spear 3D+1B, 3 damage Fast, Two-Handed
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Legends of the Woodlands
Agility 4 (Quickness 2B), Athletics 5 (Strength 2B), Agility 3 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 3B), Animal Handling 5
Cunning 2, Deception 4, Disguise 2B), Endurance 3, (Charm 2B), Awareness 5 (Notice 2B), Cunning 4, Endurance 2
Fighting 4, Stealth 4, Will 3 (Resilience 3B, Stamina 2B), Fighting 3, Healing 5, Language
4, Knowledge 5, Marksmanship 3, Persuasion 4, Stealth 3,
Combat Defense: 11 ❂ Health: 9 Survival 3, Thievery 4, Will 5
Natural Armor: AR 2 ❂ Movement: 4 yards
Combat Defense: 10/11 w/dagger ❂ Health: 6
Claws 4D 3 Damage Grab Armor: Soft Leathers (AR 2, Armor Penalty -1)
Can only be used against Movement: 3 yards
Bite 4D 5 Damage a grabbed victim
Defensive +1, Off-hand
Horrific Visage: The appearance of a drowning lady can chill the Dagger 3D 1 damage
most hardened of souls. Seeing one in her natural state (rather than +1
in disguise) is cause for a Challenging (9) Will (Courage) test. Those Quarterstaff 3D 2 damage Fast, Two-Handed
who fail are -1D on all tests, and must test again the next round.
Critical failure causes the victim to scream and attempt to flee, both Goodly Neighbor: While the Hag of the Dark Woods has been
of which can be dangerous if already underwater. twisted by the blood power she has absorbed, she still retains
many of the powers of her otherworldly kin. The Hag does not
Grisly Puppet: A drowning lady can hold the legs of a victim to age and gains +2B to resist all mortal forms of disease or poison.
operate the corpse like a puppet, mimicking the actions of life. It All attacks made with iron weapons that hit the Hag gain one
is a Challenging (9) Awareness (Notice) test to recognize that the
additional degree of success, or she takes one point of Health
puppet is not alive.
damage if she comes into contact with any iron object. If the Hag
Waterbound: While long of arm, a drowning lady cannot leave the takes damage in excess of her Health from an iron weapon she is
body of water she inhabits. If not in contact with her watery home, immediately slain.
a drowning lady suffers -1D to all tests. If dragged more than 100
yards from the water, she suffers -2D and take 1 damage to Health Hag’s Curse: The Hag can lay a terrible curse on others, but only
every round. in certain circumstances. She must either have been insulted or
injured by the target of the curse, or a supplicant must have
offered a sacrifice of blood or other object of symbolic power
she reaches out to drag the hapless victim into the water in exchange for the curse. Placing the curse requires the Hag
to their doom. Most insidious and gruesome of all, in- to either put a physical item on the target, or gets the target
stead of eating their catch, some ladies rest in the middle to eat some sort of offered food, such as an apple or a loaf of
of the waters, manipulating their most recent victim like bread. Assuming the curse is delivered, the target suffers either
a specific penalty, such as all the target’s cows giving nothing
an grisly puppet, flailing them about as someone in the but spoiled milk, or a general -1D penalty to all skill checks.
throes of drowning. Whoever jumps in to save them usu- The curse can only be removed by the will of the Hag or upon
ally find themselves in the lady’s underwater larder as her her death.
next meal, once she devours her original catch. Forest Home: The Hag can move in forested treacherous terrain,
Drowning ladies have been known to grant boons to or from branch to branch, as if it were normal terrain. The Hag
those who aid them, and in some rural communities, the gains +2D to Stealth in forested terrain.
spirit is the subject of worship rather than fear. Strangers, Blood-Tree Bond: The Hag is a forest spirit, bound to a massive
or a child determined by the drawing of lots, are taken to tree at the heart of the forest, twisted by centuries of blood
sacrifice. If the Hag is slain, she grows a new body at her tree over
the lakeside and drowned, and left for the spirit to find.
the course of the next month. She can only be permanently slain
In return, the drowning lady agrees to not prey on the by cutting down and burning the tree to which she is bound.
village’s children, and/or villagers to take water for their
Blood Oath: The Hag can empower oaths sworn in her presence
needs. These degenerate villages invariably frame this un- if made with an offering of blood, inflicting one point of Health
holy bargain in terms of the greater good, rather than see damage on all involved. If any party breaks the word of the oath,
it as the evil deal it truly is. they immediately suffer one wound. Alternatively, breaking the
oath may activate the Hag’s Curse (see above).
Hag of the Dark Woods Poisons: The Hag has ready access to a wide array of poisons,
herbal remedies, and other alchemical products.
In one of the less-traveled portions of the forest stands a Shapechanging: The Hag can change her form into any mundane
dark and twisted oak tree, its leaves eternally red and its animal commonly found in a forest. Changing form takes one
bark as black as pitch. Legends say this massive old tree round, during which she is considered a helpless target. She does
take any clothes or equipment with her when changing form.
was once home to a dryad, stricken by grief when her lover
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Legends of the Woodlands
Head-Hunter
A hideous undead monstrosity, head-hunters are not crea-
tures that hunt for heads, but rather unnatural horrors that
Head-hunter
are heads, hunting for bodies in which to dwell, moving
Agility 3 ( Dodge 1B), Athletics 4, Awareness 3 from one to another in much the same way as a hermit
(Empathy 1B, Notice 2B), Cunning 3, Endurance 3,
Fighting 4, (Axes 2B, Bludgeons 2B), Stealth 4 (Blend-In 2B) crab changes its shell.
When attached onto a body, the head-hunter looks like a
Combat Defense: 10 (9) ❂ Health: 9 (3)
normal person, though the attentive observer might notice
Armor: varies, depending on armor worn (0)
an unusual stiffness in the neck or a difference in skin color
Movement: 3 yards (2 yards)
between hands and face. Because of this, head-hunters prefer
Axe 4D+2B 5 damage Two-handed
to stay in remote or out-of-the-way places, replacing woods-
Club 4D+2B 3 damage Off-Hand +1 men and crofters, those with whom others have little contact.
Bite 2D 1 damage Upon finding a prospective new host, the head-hunter
Nightmare Creature: Seeing a head-hunter pull itself free from its will attempt to smother or poison the victim. If driven to
host body is an event that can damage even the toughest psyche. violence, it will strike for the head, rather than risk harm-
Such an unfortunate must immediately succeed at a Hard (15) ing a body that it desires. After overcoming its victim, the
Will (Courage) test. If failed, the victim is -2D to all tests, and flees
screaming. head-hunter removes the head and neck, then reaches into
the opening and removes any viscera. Once the new host
Horrific Vanity: Head-hunters can be distracted by mirrors,
fascinated by their own appearance within them, and the look of their is prepared, the head-hunter detaches from its old host, its
host body. Showing a head-hunter a mirror will cause the creature to natural form simply that of a head, on four spindly legs,
go into a fugue state for several minutes, or until attacked. trailing a gore-soaked mass of its own viscera. It carefully
Dreadful Host: Head-hunters operate their host bodies as though inserts itself into the new host body through the opening,
the were their own, inserting their spindly legs into the spinal column settling itself on the stump of the neck at last. After the
to take control of all its functions. As a result, unless the neck injury
is visible, it is a Challenging (9) Awareness (Notice) test to detect a exhausting effort, it replenishes its strength by consuming
head-hunter is more than the addled peasant it appears to be. the brain and organs of its new host.
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his head has not impaired the headless knight’s ability to Combat Defense: 11 (10 w/armor) ❂ Intrigue Defense: 8
sense and strike at his foes. The legends never agree why the Health: 12 ❂ Composure: 6
knight is missing his head. The exact story changes from Armor: Soft Leather (AR 2, AP -1) ❂ Movement: 7 yards
place to place, depending on that place’s own history. Quarterstaff 3D 4 Damage Fast, Two-handed
Great Leap: Jumping Jack’s leaps are reduced in difficulty by two
Jumping Jack degrees (what would be Formidable for someone else is Routine
for him).
The tall, gangly creature known as Jumping Jack is a mis- River Warden
chievous fellow. Standing taller than a mounted knight, he
Athletics 8 (Strength 8B, Swim 5B), Awareness 3
bounds through the forest on long legs with great spring- (Notice 1B), Cunning 4, Endurance 8, Fighting 6,
ing steps, covering several leagues a day. It is said that he Knowledge 4, Stealth 3 (Sneak 1B)
can jump over cottages and small trees with ease. He is Combat Defense: 13 ❂ Intrigue Defense: 10
fond of stealing things from farmers: pumpkins, pigs, pies, Health: 24 ❂ Composure: 6 ❂ Natural Armor: AR 5
and kisses (or more) from their daughters. Movement: 1 yard or Swim 8 yards
Exactly what the arrival of the Jumping Jack portends for
Bite 6D 18 damage Powerful, Vicious
a settlement is largely unknown, although any with a history
of having seen them each have their legends. The Jumping Long Neck: A river warden has a long neck it uses to rapidly lunge
out at its prey, extending to the surface of the water while it rests on
Jack almost never appears alone, though—his appearance is the bottom. Its neck can extend out almost as far as its shell is long,
always a bad portent: whether disastrous weather, great trag- about 3-5 yards, but with AR 0.
edy, or a warning of something truly terrible to come.
the bank, floating in calm water, or resting just below the
River Warden surface of the water. Travelers sometimes tell of sitting
along a river bank only to find the bank sliding out into
A giant turtle with a back as large as a lord’s dining table, the middle of the river. Plants, shrubs, and even small
the river warden spends much of its time sunning along trees grow on the back of a river warden, furthering the
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Legends of the Woodlands
Rock Giant
Creatures of a time before man walked the earth, rock gi-
ants are from an age where magic was a major force in the
world. At some point, the rock giants who survived the an-
cient conflicts and cataclysms found they tended to sleep
longer and more, as the magic in the world faded. Soon
they found a suitable place and laid down their huge bod-
ies to sleep for countless millenia. In time, their sleeping
forms became rocky outcroppings and hills, holy places,
and some were even mined for their high quality stone,
slowly killing the rock giant without men ever know-
ing what they did. The rock giants slept through all this
nonetheless, nothing able to stir them from the deepest of
slumbers.
Occasionally some unusual magical event, such as a sol-
stice, planetary alignment, or a ley line convergence will
focus enough magical power around or at a rock giant to
awaken it. This happens only once every few centuries—
but the destruction that follows is enough to ensure the
tale is remembered from one waking to the next. Rock gi-
ants that awake are confused by all these tiny, fast-moving
beings around their feet who cannot speak intelligibly , re-
acting with shouting and fear.
Rock giants tend to react violently to this, striking
out at anything below their feet or in their path. Due to
their strength and size, they are capable of leveling en-
tire villages. It often takes siege engines or a small army
to stop a rock giant, though if someone could somehow
drain the magic that woke it might also prove a feasible
means to return it to slumber. These wakeful periods usu-
ally only last a few days before the rock giant returns to
sleep, wherever it originally awoke or wherever it might
be taken down.
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