RGG7011 Colonial Gothic - The Journey To Norumbega (2017)

Michael LaMonica is a
writer, lawyer, teacher, and his-

torian whose previous published works
include The French Revolutions for Beginners
and The Ultimate Age of Discovery Guide:
Renaissance France. After working for seven years
in the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office, he
returned to graduate studies in history, obtaining his
M.A. from McGill University and is currently work-
ing on his doctorate. His area of expertise is early
modern French Atlantic history, a field that cov-
ers France and its colonies in North America
and the Caribbean from the early 16th
to the late 18th century.
the Journey to Norumbega

RGG 7011 * ISBN: 978-1-939299-51-2
First Published in 2017 by Rogue Games, Inc.
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THE
JOURNEY
TO
NORUMBEGA
AN ADVENTURE
Michael J. LaMonica
CHICAGO:
Printed for Rogue Games.
MMXVII.
AUTHOR
Michael J. LaMonica
EDITING
Tom Cadorette
COP Y EDITING
Steven Jones
ART
Alex Mayo
William McAusland
James Olley
CARTOGRAPHY
Jeff Preston
GRAPHIC DESIGN & TYPOGRAPHY

Richard Iorio
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Contents
Introduction......................................................................... 11
What Is Norumbega?......................................................................12
Act I: Rouen, 1559................................................................ 15
Signing on to the Voyage ...............................................................16
Act II: The Voyage to the New World..................................... 21
The Lay of Halfdan Eiriksson..........................................................22
Locations........................................................................................26
By the Briny Hooks of Fishermen....................................................28
Act III: Up the Penobscot to Norumbega............................... 29
The Discovery of L’Espérance....................................................... 30
Into the Wilderness........................................................................30
Signs of Saint-Cyr’s Expedition.......................................................33
The Templar Cave...........................................................................33
The Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes..................................................34
Mount Katahdin & Pamola.............................................................35
The Discovery of Captain Saint-Cyr................................................39
Act IV: The King of Norumbega............................................ 41
The Crowning of the New King......................................................50
The Epilogue..................................................................................53
New Backgrounds...........................................................................57
New Equipment.............................................................................60
Secrets............................................................................................61
Monsters........................................................................................68
Eldritch Tomes...............................................................................72
13.July.2017
Dear Doug,
My apologies for not responding to you earlier. I assure you
that I am quite all right, but there is a matter of the utmost
importance I need to discuss with you. Do you happen to recall
our former colleague Steven Cohen? I believe you had just joined
the department when he disappeared in 1994. The reason that I
ask is because several weeks ago I received a mysterious package
I believe might have been sent by him. I need to share this with
someone and you’re the only other academic I know who will
take this seriously. There must be no way for anyone to trace
our communication, which is why I chose to send you a physical
letter. We must leave no electronic breadcrumb trail or telltale
Internet residue behind. You’ll understand what I mean as you
read on.
The package itself was a relatively nondescript heavy square
bundle covered in thick brown paper and tied together with a
hemp string. There was no return address or shipping label of
any kind. I find it amazing that this package was simply left on
my doorstep, considering its contents. Inside was a disorganized
amalgam of loose papers, journals, and old microfiche scans.
Rummaging through this strange collection, I came across a
thick composition book with a typewritten label on the cover
reading: Professor Steven Cohen; Department of Archeology
and Anthropology, Miskatonic University; Norumbega Project.
As far as I know, no one has heard from Steven since he went
on sabbatical in 1994. To my knowledge, his case is still open
with the Massachusetts State Police as a missing person investi-
gation. Was it left by someone responsible for his disappearance,
perhaps kidnappers? There was no ransom letter attached and
no good reason I can imagine why any kidnappers would wait
more than twenty years to leave such a cryptic parcel. No, the
only logical conclusion is that Steven himself or someone very
close to him wanted me to see this, but that raises even more
questions than it provides answers.
Although most of Steven’s professional work was on the
Wabanaki Confederacy, he had a long-running interest in all
things relating to Norumbega. Of course, no reputable archeology
― cont. ―
journal would ever publish an article on a mythical lost city with-
out lots of compelling evidence, and good luck getting funding
to research that. Still, he was convinced that Norumbega was
more than just a legend and spent considerable sums of his own
money tracking down any leads that he could find. This package
appears to contain his research on the subject from 1976 until
the time of his disappearance. The contents, if true, are in equal
parts fascinating and incredibly disturbing.
Much of the writing is simply unintelligible, especially Steven’s
later entries where he seems to slip between bouts of diglossic
mania and periods of incredible erudition. The package contained
hundreds of Polaroids of what appears to be some kind of book
or text, but in every photograph the text is blurred or appears
to have moved before it was taken. I sent several of these pho-
tographs to a friend in the Occult Studies department. She told
me that they look nothing like she’s ever seen before, although
there were some in which the characters might have resembled
ancient Hyperborean script, but nothing that she could read or
decipher. As I said, there were literally hundreds of these pic-
tures. One can almost sense his increasing desperation as he took
photo after photo of the same text, trying in vain to capture an
elusive image that refused to yield itself to the camera’s lens.
His fragile mental state seems to deteriorate with each new
entry. The grainy, yellowed artifacts of this bundle are all that
remain of many of these ancient texts. Steven located many of
them in small archives and private collections, allowing him to
either steal or, for some reason I can’t fathom, destroy them.
To wit, on one occasion, he writes for several pages describing
the dusty taste and coarse texture of centuries-old vellum as he
ate an entire folio over the course of four hours in the archival
reading room. Why?
The clearest material in the entire package was a partial
travelogue he discovered, detailing a 1559 expedition up the
Penobscot River. Its authorship is a mystery and the document
is of unknown provenance. However, he was also able to locate
several legal and notarial documents related to that expedition
to prove that the travelogue is not a hoax. This is the crux of
what I used to compile what is, I believe, the most detailed and
― cont. ―
comprehensive account of this previously unknown voyage into
the heart of pre-colonial North America. Much of the information
was unclear and contradictory, but I did the best I could with it. I
have included a copy along with this letter for your safekeeping.
I have entitled it: The Journey to Norumbega.
Steven’s last journal entry is dated a week before his disap-
pearance and states that he is, “going off the grid, to 19H.” I can
only assume that he is talking about grid 19H in the Universal
Transverse Mercator coordinate system, which would place him
somewhere in the Aconcagua Mountains of southwest Argentina.
There must be some reason that he, or whoever left me this,
decided to do so.
So much remains incomplete and I must uncover the answer
to this mystery that lies hidden in the dark corners of the Earth.
I will go there myself and seek him out. Do not attempt to follow
me or mention what I have told you to anyone. Trust that I know
what I am doing in this regard.
I will contact you as soon as I am able.
Your Friend,
INTRODUCTION
he Journey to Norumbega is
very different from other
Colonial Gothic publi-
cations. While it shares
much in common with pre-Revolu-
tionary War supplements such as The
French and Indian War, The Legend of
Sleepy Hollow, The Lost Colony, and
Roanoke Island, it instead takes place
during the earliest days of European
contact with North America. Even
the doomed colonization attempt at
Roanoke lies 30 years in the future,
12 $ The Journey to Norumbega
and it will be more than half a century before the founding of the first permanent
English colony at Jamestown. North America in the time of The Journey to Norumbega
is truly terra incognita to the Europeans, with no settlements existing north of Florida.
It is also the first adventure to take place entirely outside of the English-dominated
Atlantic seaboard, being in some ways both a predecessor and tie-in to the New
France campaign setting.
Those familiar with the works of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft will notice many
tie-ins throughout the adventure. The Journey to Norumbega incorporates Lovecraftian
themes of encroaching madness, dark plots, and unspeakable horrors while drawing
on characters from the Cthulhu Mythos such as Hastur and Eibon. Gamemasters
wishing to learn more should consult Colonial Gothic: Lovecraft for tips on how
to utilize the Mythos in their own Colonial Gothic games.
In this adventure, the player characters take part in a 16th-century “lost” expedition
up the Penobscot River of present-day Maine. This module uses the meta-narrative
that the story is based on a recently discovered travelogue describing the journey – a
kind of “found footage” that adds some historical verisimilitude, which can easily be
ignored if it doesn’t fit the tone of your campaign. The adventure is intended to be
open-ended and flexible enough to allow for Gamemasters to adapt the story to fit the
interests of their own group. Are the players enjoying the Renaissance splendor and
intrigue of Rouen? Let them spend more time there before they embark. Conversely,
if they’re itching to leave the Old World and set sail for the New, there’s no reason
for them to linger. The choice is yours and theirs.
Whether run as a one-off or as a tie-in to a pre-existing Colonial Gothic cam-
paign, the beauty of the setting is its adaptability. Northern Maine exists on a fuzzy
boundary separating both European/Indigenous and American/British territories,
and continues to occupy this position well into the 19th century. There are various
opportunities to incorporate A Journey to Norumbega into later adventures. Maybe a
group of Colonial scholars discover the travelogue in the 1770s and wish to seek out
the secrets of Norumbega as a war-winning weapon? Or perhaps a raiding party during
the French and Indian War gets lost in the woods of northern Maine and stumbles
upon the ancient site? The Gamemaster could even include a “modern” component
where the characters play as the professors in the correspondence or their graduate
students. These scenarios are just a few of the possibilities offered by this adventure!
WHAT IS NORUMBEGA?
Norumbega was one of a number of legendary “lost cities” in the New World and
the uncharted waters of the Pacific, such as El Dorado, Manoa, Bimini, Saguenay,
and Cibola. The legends of these cities filled the maps and imaginations of the first
European explorers to arrive in the Americas. Located somewhere deep in the inte-
rior of the present-day state of Maine, mentions of Norumbega first appear when
Giovanni da Verrazano writes to his patron, King François I of France, that during
What Is Norumbega? $ 13
his 1524 voyage he found a “Refugio” far up a great river inhabited by friendly, highly
advanced Natives who appeared physically perfect. The site was labeled on the first
map of the North American coast as “Norumbega” (Oranbega).
Explorer Jean Alfonce de Saintonge, who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his
1541 voyage, spoke of a city lying up the Penobscot River (La Rivière de Norenbèrgue)
he called Norumbega, where the physically perfect Native “citizens dress in furs,
wearing sable cloaks,” and “use many words which sound like Latin.” Cartographers
back in Europe even began to depict Norumbega on their maps, including Sebastian
Münster’s 1544 Cosmographia, Pierre Desceliers’ 1546 Mappemonde, Giovanni Battista
Ramusio’s 1555 Terzo Volume delle Navigationi et Viaggi, Guillaume Le Testu’s 1556
Cosmographie Universelle, and Gerardus Mercator’s famous 1569 world map.
Norumbega quickly became part of France’s growing imperial rivalry with England.
Although it was depicted as part of England’s American domains in Cornelius Wytfliet’s
1597 map Norumbega et Virginia, the French were the first to explore and settle in
the area. Samuel de Champlain led an expedition in 1612 up the Penobscot River
in search of Norumbega, but his journey ended in disappointment. Finding only
abandoned huts where his native guides told him that Norumbega once stood,
Champlain dismissed the entire story as a myth.
Although Norumbega disappears
from the historical record after this
time, the mythical nature of its exis-
tence hides a far more sinister secret: Y ou might notice that Colonial Gothic:
Lovecraft does not mention a connection
between Hastur and the Book of Eibon. This is
Norumbega is not actually a city at
all, but rather a temple complex that because The Journey to Norumbega interprets
serves as an eldritch conduit to dark Lovecraft’s work in a different way to tie the
forces from beyond the stars. Eons two together. There is no official “canon” for the
ago, the ancient Hyperborean sorcerer Cthulhu Mythos, and the connections between
Eibon enslaved the Natives of the area, the Great Old Ones and the tomes of forbidden
forcing them to build Norumbega as lore should always remain mysterious to keep
a receptacle for the channeling of the the players on their toes.
powerful vril energy emanating from
the dim star Aldebaran to Earth.
According to his calculations, Eibon
determined the optimal time to open a conduit connecting Aldebaran and Earth,
when both moved into a certain state of cosmic alignment that occurred once every
500 years. The temple was completed just before the alignment, in no small part due
to Eibon’s cruelty and ruthlessness in driving the slaves, hundreds of whom perished
in the process. As Aldebaran and Earth moved into cosmic alignment, Eibon initi-
ated the ritual to open the conduit. In the very moment of doing so, however, he
unexpectedly disturbed Hastur, a mysterious being of great power, from his deathless
sleep on lost Carcosa. (For more on Hastur, see Colonial Gothic: Lovecraft). In an
instant, Eibon was wrenched from his reality through the conduit into the demi-ex-
istent dream state in which Hastur slept.
Even in his torpid slumber, the King in Yellow realized the conduit Eibon opened
would serve his own terrible purposes well when the stars were right once again for
his full re-awakening. Rather than destroy the puny, impudent mortal outright,
Hastur instead spared Eibon’s life in exchange for the sorcerer’s vow to bind himself
in service forever to the King in Yellow. By virtue of this binding, Hastur granted
Eibon immense powers and unfathomable knowledge, which he would retain only so
long as he remained within the confines of Norumbega. The sorcerer would have to
serve Hastur as the Guardian of Norumbega, doing whatever was necessary to ensure
the preservation of the open conduit. Eibon would be allowed to extend his powers
into the outside world to summon others over whom he could rule, worshipping
and serving him as a god-king, but the sorcerer would never again leave Norumbega
or forsake his duty as its Guardian.
Furthermore, in 500 years, when Aldebaran once again moved into cosmic align-
ment with Earth, Eibon’s term of service—and his life—would come to an end.
By the time of the alignment, the sorcerer would have to find a worthy successor
to become the next Guardian, and after doing so, he would then have to sacrifice
himself to Hastur to complete the bargain. Failure to fulfill any of these provisions,
or any attempt by Eibon to escape from Norumbega, would result in unimaginable
pain and suffering for him until he complied. Upon appointment, the new Guardian
would serve for the next 500 years, and with the next cosmic alignment, bring their
own term of service to an end as did their predecessor.
Both terrified and elated beyond imagination, Eibon gave his vow without a
moment’s hesitation. No sooner had the sorcerer sworn his oath and damned himself
forever, the King in Yellow ripped out his heart to vouchsafe the oath, his eldritch
power keeping Eibon alive, and sent the still-beating organ through the void to sit in
stasis in the very center of Norumbega. And since that time, the cycle of Guardians
has continued since the dread bargain was made untold millennia ago, and will
continue until the stars come right again for the King in Yellow to re-awaken and,
through the conduit, spread his dominion over the Earth.
Now, in 1559, as Aldebaran and Earth once again move into alignment, the time
is nigh for the current Guardian of Norumbega to seek his replacement as his own
500 years of service draws to its predestined end.
ACT I: ROUEN, 1559
On the Twilight of a Golden Age
ouen in 1559 is one of the

greatest cities in Europe.
The home port for ships
regularly setting sail for
the Americas, the wealth of the New
World pours into the city’s coffers.
By the 1550s, Rouen had grown to
become the third largest city in the
kingdom after Paris and Lyons.
The player characters should sense the energy and dynamism permeating the city.
Rouen is one of the new international cities of the Renaissance, with networks of
trade and exploration that extend across the globe. New construction is everywhere
as the city is quite literally being rebuilt, making it brighter, fresher, and newer than
the dark, dirty, and ancient streets of Paris.
In spite of all this newness, an air of anxiety pervades the city, a worry that the
prosperous times will soon end. Indeed, just after the time this adventure begins,
King Henri II receives a fatal wound in a jousting accident—an event predicted by
Nostradamus—and the fragile peace between Catholics and Protestant Huguenots
is shattered, with war breaking out in 1562. Rouen will be besieged, sacked, and
exchanged several times between the two sides, leaving it a burnt-out shell of its
former self when the strife finally ends in 1598. The city will never again attain the
heights of wealth and splendor it reached in 1559.
SIGNING ON TO THE VOYAGE

The adventure begins in the office of the Company of Twelve Associates. The Company
is a well-known conglomerate of Rouennais merchants and shipping magnates that
sends ships to the Americas to engage in fishing, whaling, and trading with the Natives.
The PCs are all experienced sailors, signing on to what they believe is a fishing voyage
to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland. The audience chamber is suitably impressive,
with polished oak paneling on the walls and a large mahogany desk in the middle.
Displays of the Company’s mercantile prowess adorn the public areas of the office,
including models of their ships, Native American tribal masks, golden statues from the
deep interior of the Amazon jungle, and pelts of exotic beasts from all over the world.
Sitting at the mahogany table is Paul-Marie d’Anton, the company’s notary, and
Simon LePage, the company’s head clerk. Next to them, Captain Jean De La Tour,
First Mate Charles Duval, and Récollet priest Père Yves Martin are also seated, present
to make their own assessment of the crew being hired on.
D’Anton wastes no time informing the PCs that this voyage is more than just
a fishing trip. Two years ago, the Company lost L’Espérance, a ship commanded by
its greatest pilot, Guillaume Saint-Cyr. Like the voyage the PCs are signing on for,
L’Espérance also set sail to fish in the Grand Banks, but did not return as scheduled,
and had not been heard from since. The Company feared the ship was forever lost—
until last year, that is, when a haggard group of sailors from L’Espérance returned to
Rouen aboard another fishing ship that had rescued them in Newfoundland. One of
these men was Charles Duval, the former First Mate of the L’Espérance.
Duval recounted that their ship was caught in a terrible storm and swept far to
the south, where it was too damaged to continue sailing. In order to save the lives
of L’Espérance’s crew, Captain Saint-Cyr intentionally beached the ship upon the
rocky shoals near what he believed was “the land of Norumbega.” The Captain sent
Signing on to the Voyage $ 17
all but a select few of the crew northward up the coast toward Newfoundland, where
they would be more likely to be rescued by
another French ship. Saint-Cyr, along
with the remaining handful of sail-
ors, stayed behind to attempt to
repair the ship.
Since the sailors’ return,
the on-again-off-again war
with Spain made it impos-
sible to send any ship
across the Atlantic to
attempt to rescue Saint-
Cyr and the sailors. With
the recent signing of a
peace treaty, however, the
Company is ready to dis-
patch a ship to determine
the fate of L’Espérance. The
Company offers the PCs
double the standard rate of
pay due to the unusual nature
of the mission. In addition, they
will earn a generous bonus should
they find L’Espérance and, it is hoped,
Saint-Cyr and his men, and return them
safely to Rouen.
Let the players decide which crew roles they would like their characters to play, and
have them present their characters to the notary, reading out their names, occupations,
and religions to the clerk before signing the contract (NPCs fill all unassigned roles).
The Company is seeking experienced sailors to fill the following positions: Boatswain,
Helmsman, Navigator, Sergeant-at-Arms, Ship’s Carpenter, and Ship’s Surgeon (see
“New Backgrounds” below). This will make for a total crew of 24, including Captain
De La Tour, First Mate Duval, Père Martin, and 15 other sailors (the quartermaster,
cook, various deckhands, fishermen, and the like—the GM might want to have some
French names ready for these additional minor crewmen, just in case, but they will
likely remain in the background throughout the adventure).
After the PCs sign the contract, they are sent to report to the ship, Le Grand Cerf.
After that, they will have five days to spend before the ship sets sail for the Americas,
departing on 1 July 1559. If desired, this gives the Gamemaster and opportunity to
further engage the PCs in intrigue and investigation as they explore Rouen.
Locations
Office of the Company of Twelve Associates (Bureau De La Compagnie des
Douze-Associés)
This handsome building of sturdy brick and exposed-wood frame construction is
located on the Rue du Gros-Horologe, along with the offices of the other major
Rouennais shipping firms. D’Anton will meet with the PCs here and answer any
questions he can. None of the Company directors will meet with the PCs at the office.
However, if the characters are persistent enough, and present a good enough reason
for an audience, a Company director might agree to meet with them elsewhere (see
“Dramatis Personae” below).
The Old Market (Place du Vieux-Marché)
This is the business center of the city, where the Medici Bank, Guild Houses, luxury
shops, and all manner of vendors are located. Looming over the Old Market is Le
Gros-Horologe, a grand public clock completed in 1529. Nearly anything is available
in the Old Market for a price, and its multitude of restaurants, taverns, vendor stalls,
and public spaces make it the perfect place for liaisons and encounters of all kinds.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Rouen (La Cathédrale
Notre-Dame de l’Assomption de Rouen)
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is the grandest church in Rouen. Its
newest and most impressive element is the so-called “Tour de Beurre” (Butter Tower),
given its strange name because it was financed by wealthy Rouennais famous for
buying indulgences from the Church that allowed them to eat butter during Lent.
As such, the tower is a divisive symbol, with Catholics viewing it as a source of great
pride, and the Protestant Huguenots seeing it as a prominent example of everything
that is wrong with the Church.
The current Archbishop of Rouen is Charles de Bourbon, a member of the College
of Cardinals and patron to the Knights of Malta. With the help of the Knights, he
will be proclaimed King Charles X by the Catholic League in 1589 to prevent the
throne from passing to his Protestant cousin, Henri de Navarre. Henri will prevail,
however, becoming Henri IV, the first Bourbon King of France, and Charles will die
in captivity in 1590.
The Abbey-Church of Saint-Ouen (L’Abbaye Saint-Ouen de Rouen)
The massive Gothic church of Saint-Ouen is located on one of the oldest Christian
sites in the city and the burial place of Rouen’s first bishop. Although attached to
a nearby Benedictine monastery as its abbey, Saint-Ouen is open to the public for
general religious services.
The abbey-church also serves as the home base for members of the Knights Templar
operating inside the city. The Knights Templar has its roots in the Order of Saint
Benedict, and the two organizations have shared close ties ever since, even after the
official dissolution of the Templar order in 1312.
The Temple of Quevilly (Le Temple de Quevilly)
In spite of having one of the largest Huguenot populations in France, Protestant
worship is strictly forbidden within Rouen. The Huguenots circumvented this pro-
hibition by constructing a simple wooden church across the Seine River in the town
of Quevilly. The only way to get to Quevilly is by ferry, affording it a degree of
protection and privacy.
It is rumored many of the wealthier parishioners there take part in secret esoteric
rites within the church. None will confirm this publicly, vehemently denying any
such allegations as part of a Catholic smear campaign against them.
Rouen Castle (Le Château de Rouen)
This medieval fortress was constructed in the early 13th century and has stood as
a bulwark of royal power in the province ever since. In addition to serving as the
military and administrative center of Rouen, the Castle’s dungeons are famous for
housing political prisoners. Its most famous guest was Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc),
tried and tortured here prior to her infamous execution in 1431, burnt at the stake
in the Old Market’s public square.
The Parlement of Normandy (Le Parlement de Normandie)
The grandest public building in the city houses the Parlement of Normandy. The
regional parlements were quite unlike the English Parliament as they were not legis-
latures but law courts, and centers of noble power. The Parlement of Normandy was
only the second such body established outside of Paris (the first was in Toulouse)
and a relative newcomer, active for the past 45 years. The Parlement is the judicial
center of Rouen and a symbol of the city’s prestige and autonomy.
The Port
The port is a flurry of activity as ships continually depart and return in a never-ending
cycle of trade and commerce, primarily with the Americas. Commodities from around
the globe, however, are not uncommon in Rouen’s markets. The sounds of shouting,
haggling, and swearing are almost overwhelming as is the strange scent of cod mixed
with that of unwashed bodies, tobacco smoke, and exotic spices from the Far East.
All manner of goods are bought and sold here, including fish, Brazilian dyewood,
cotton, sugar, and sassafras (believed to be an exotic cure-all with the ability to treat
syphilis). There are also numerous illicit and under-the-table transactions taking place
amidst all the hustle and bustle.
ACT II:
THE VOYAGE TO
THE NEW WORLD
On the prow of a great ship
he PCs set sail on their

voyage from the port of
Rouen aboard the 130-
ton Le Grand Cerf. The
ship is known as a Terre-Neuvier,
a type of fishing vessel specifically
designed for speed, hardiness, and
storage capacity—more than 60
such ships set sail from Rouen in
1559 to fish for cod in the Grand
Banks. Le Grand Cerf is armed with
three cannons per gunwale, bored
for firing 6-lb shot.
The storage hold below decks is stocked with provisions, along with the disassem-
bled pieces of a 2-ton, 25-ft-long light shallop named L’Erebus (a shallop is a small,
single-masted boat, equipped with oars, designed with a shallow draft for littoral
and riverine exploration). L’Erebus is equipped with one 3-lb swivel gun at the bow,
and has space for a crew of 10, including supplies for two weeks. The cramped space
below-deck, primarily intended for storage, is only 3’ tall in the center, requiring
the crew to crawl there.
Colonial Gothic: Gamemaster will provide the Gamemaster with more informa-
tion on shipborne travel. Le Grand Cerf uses the specifications for the “Sloop, Ship”
entry, with the good trait of Tide Dancer and the bad trait of Unprotected Decks.
L’Erebus uses the specifications for the “Whale Boat” entry (even though it is armed,
decked, and masted), with the good trait of Low Draft and bad trait of Tight Quarters.
The Gamemaster can resolve the voyage narratively or mechanically with dice
rolls. Either way, Captain De La Tour acts as helmsman during the day and First
Mate Charles Duval operates the tiller by night. Duval intentionally steers the ship
several minutes of latitude to the north each night, so that after one month of sailing,
the ship will be in the stormier 54th parallel rather than the calmer 48th parallel. It is
possible that one of the PCs might detect the change in bearing at night due to the
shifting of the stars, but Duval will explain this by saying that he needs to tack to
sail into the Gulf Stream. It is also possible for a PC with a high enough navigation
skill to detect the altered latitude, but this should be a very difficult task for the PC
to accomplish, given that it’s a 16th-century sailing ship in the open ocean.
Duval’s sabotage also adds extra distance to the trip, meaning that Le Grand Cerf will
be sailing through the most dangerous part of the North Atlantic right as the storm
season is picking up in September. Predictably, the ship encounters a massive storm
and barely limps away with severe hull damage. Again, it is up to the Gamemaster
whether to resolve this narratively or mechanically. Given the damage, Captain De
La Tour decides not to risk pushing on toward North America, instead making the
risky choice to sail north to Greenland to make repairs. The trip north to Greenland
will take a nerve-wracking two weeks as everyone must work around the clock to bail
water out of the foundering ship, as well as remain vigilant for icebergs upon which
the ship could smash itself.
THE LAY OF HALFDAN EIRIKSSON

Captain De La Tour knows that the Norse established themselves in Greenland several
hundred years ago—no European ship has visited them in well over a century—and
makes his way toward the southwest tip of Greenland. As Le Grand Cerf limps
along the shore searching for a suitable harbor and a source of wood, the few coastal
Norse settlements encountered are all abandoned, with no fields under cultivation
or domesticated animals visible. Most are now only dilapidated ruins that appear
to have been vacated long ago, the wood too scarce or unsuitable for ship repairs.
The Lay of Halfdan Eiriksson $ 23
After a couple of days of hugging the shore, Captain De La Tour finally spots a
rare copse of trees further inland and sails up a nearby fjord to reach it. Next to the
copse is a small Norse settlement with several wooden structures still in relatively
good condition. Burnt and broken palisades surround the hamlet, suggesting a recent
struggle. Captain De La Tour orders the anchor dropped, and orders a work detail
to go ashore to strip down the structures for wood. Allow the PCs to voice their
opinions and decide what they want to do.
If the expedition stays in the settlement and begins either dismantling the wooden
structures or ventures into the copse, they will be confronted by a haggard-look-
ing man, a frail woman, and two underfed girls hiding there. The man is Halfdan
Eiriksson (see “Dramatis Personae” below), the other three are his family, and they are
quite possibly the last surviving members of all the Norse settlements in Greenland.
Eiriksson does not speak French, but he knows enough Latin to tell Pére Martin, or
any PC who speaks Latin, about the fate of the Norse people of Greenland. Cooling
temperatures, soil depletion, and the exhaustion of scant wood resources combined
to make life in Greenland’s Eastern Settlements untenable. Bands of starving people
began ranging into Inuit territory for hunting and fishing, bringing about conflict
between the two groups. After decades of war, the Norse are now on the brink of
complete extermination.
While Eiriksson will be cautious and suspicious of the party’s intentions, he is also
desperate and attempts to communicate his family’s plight as best as he can. He will
offer anything to win the support of the party—in all dealings, Eiriksson’s primary
wish is to get his family and himself out of Greenland. If asked about provisions or
wood, he tells the party about a nomadic Inuit tribe currently inhabiting the rich
fishing areas further up the fjord, whose war chief is a man named Masaaraq—the
literal translation of his name from Innu to Latin to French is “La Banquise,” which
means “Ice Floe.”
Eiriksson does not readily tell them the most recent conflict between the Inuit
and Norse was primarily his fault for stealing meat from the Inuit left as a sacred
offering to their gods. Instead, he gives them time to investigate on their own, but
eventually grows impatient and takes action if he believes the party will not help him.
Outnumbered, Eiriksson is far too smart to engage in direct confrontation, but will
set fire to the town or trees, believing that the party will help him rather than leave
him and his family stranded in Greenland.
The Lay of Halfdan Eiriksson $ 25
The Inuit settlement is located a day’s walk up the fjord. The PCs will find a modest
collection of sealskin tents housing a community of around fifty or so Inuit. La
Banquise (see “Dramatis Personae” below) agrees to meet with the party, but will only
share information if they agree to trade. Through his own travels to trade with Natives
in America, which also included dealings with French and other Europeans, La
Banquise knows enough Latin and French to be able to converse at a very simple
level. Should the party offer him
a generous deal, he is favorably
disposed toward them and offers
to help them however he can. In
their conversation with the Inuit
chief—comprised of an exotic
mix of Innu, Latin, French, and
lots of gesturing—La Banquise
makes it clear that he considers
Eiriksson an enemy. When con-
fronted with this, Eiriksson
reluctantly agrees to relate the
tale. Fluent in Innu, he also
offers to translate La Banquise’s
side of the story, promising to
do so without deception.
While hunting in the moun-
tains a couple of years ago,
Eiriksson stole some sacrificial
reindeer meat left by the Inuit
in the Walrus Tusk Temple of
Arnakuagsak, their Goddess
of the Hunt, atop Mount
Ulamertorsuaq. The desecra-
tion brought a curse upon the
Inuit, driving away the reindeer,
seals, and whales upon which
their livelihood and survival
depends. Even worse, the Inuit
cannot enter the temple to make amends because an evil spirit now resides there,
feasting on the spirits of their ancestors (see the Keelut in “Monsters” below). La
Banquise believes the only way to remove this curse is to feed Eiriksson’s heart to the
beast, allowing them to enter the temple and appease Arnakuagsak. The Inuit chief
will offer the party provisions and strong wood should they agree to help him, and
even offers to accompany them on their voyage to America as a guide if they rid the
Temple of the Keelut.
There are at least two ways that the PCs can resolve the conflict between the
Norse and the Inuit. They can either ally with Eiriksson or La Banquise against the
other. They can also venture up Mount Ulamertorsuaq and slay the Keelut in a very
difficult combat, opening the way to the Walrus Tusk Temple. If the party decides
upon this latter course of action, La Banquise summons the tribe’s spirit-worker.
When introducing her to the party, La Banquise refers to her as “La Vielle Sagesse,”
meaning “The Old Wise Lady.” Through La Banquise and Eiriksson, La Vielle Sagesse
tells the party it is possible to trick the Keelut by feeding it a “false heart.” To make
this false heart, she needs to craft a large amulet made of whale blubber wrapped
in sealskin called an “i’nogo’tied,” which Eiriksson needs to fill with his own blood,
about a pint’s worth.
Neither La Vielle Sagesse or Eiriksson agree to do any of these things without careful
persuasion, generous gifts, and possibly other requests made or favors asked of the
party as well. Captain De La Tour supports any plan enabling his ship to depart in
the most expeditious manner possible with the smallest risk of casualties. If Duval’s
sabotage remains undiscovered, the first mate attempts to sow chaos in order to delay
the expedition further, hoping to force a return to France.
LOCATIONS
Village of Brattahlíð
This small settlement located at the upper edge of Eiriksfjord was once the home
of Erik the Red and de facto capital of Norse Greenland. Its location on the fjord
protects it from the harsh Arctic weather closer to the coast, allowing cultivation to
thrive as well as the rare growth of patches of trees. It appears as though Brattahlíð
was hastily abandoned. Investigation will reveal signs of a struggle such as burn
marks on buildings and remnants of broken arrows and spears. The most important
structures are listed below:
Thjodhild’s Church / Heathen Temple
The most visually striking building in the settlement is Thjodhild’s Church, the first
European religious structure built in North America. It has a dark wooden edifice
built directly into the living Greenlandic soil. If the PCs investigate the church, they
will discover that it has been converted into a temple to the old Norse gods. The altar
has been used recently and is covered in melted tallow candles, mead horns, and the
dried blood of sacrificial animals. Eiriksson will take a considerably more hostile
approach toward the party if they desecrate the temple in any way.
Eirik’s Hof
Sitting atop a mound appears to be a stone manor house converted into a fortifica-
tion. This was once the home of Erik the Red and has been in the possession of his
descendants ever since. Its last residents were the Eiriksson family, who attempted
Locations $ 27
to hold on to Brattahlíð by fortifying it. It is easily the most defensible position in

the entire settlement.
Longhouse
The largest structure in Brattahlíð is the partially burned-out remnant of a wooden
Norse longhouse. The public business in the settlement was conducted here, and
it once served as the seat of the Greenlandic “Thing” or parliament. The longhouse
provides an abundant source of wood that Eiriksson will quickly offer up as an
enticement to the party.
Iron Forge
A small stone structure with a large, tall chimney served as the village’s iron forge.
The Norse used this forge to smelt bog iron obtained from the nearby wetlands, and
it is still in good working condition. The party can use the forge to make or repair
metal items as long as they find an abundant source of wood or peat to use as fuel.
Mount Ulamertorsuaq and the Walrus Tusk Temple of Arnakuagsak
With a summit just over a mile high, Mount Ulamertorsuaq is one of the tallest
mountains in southern Greenland. It appears to be sheer granite cliffs on all sides,
making it nearly impossible to ascend without climbing tools. There is, however, a
treacherous and difficult trail leading to the top, which can be found only with the
help of Eiriksson or an Inuit guide.
Located at the summit is an impressive temple dedicated to the Inuit goddess
Arnakuagsak, constructed from large walrus tusks and whalebones. Surrounding
the temple are graves and stone sarcophagi containing the remains of Inuit heroes
who earned their final resting place in the bosom of the goddess. Lurking around the
graves is a fearsome Keelut, desecrating the graves, and gnawing on the bones of the
dead. It blocks anyone attempting to enter the temple, attacking the party should
they come too close. The PCs must either kill the Keelut, or pacify it with the false
heart, in order to enter the temple.
BY THE BRINY HOOKS OF FISHERMEN

Eventually the party secures the wood and other materials needed to make repairs to
Le Grand Cerf. They also restock their provisions of food and water by foraging and
fishing, or through trade with the Inuit. All repairs and preparations complete, the
ship sets sail again for America, but the diversion has cost them at least two months.
At best, they will make landfall off the coast of Maine in mid-October rather than
in August as planned.
After three weeks of sailing in the rough winds and waters of the North Atlantic,
Le Grand Cerf sights the coast of Newfoundland. Captain De La Tour knows this
area well, and as the ship sails southward along the coast, he orders the ship to stop
at various inlets and coves where French ships routinely anchor to dry cod and render
whale blubber. The party might even run into French fishermen along the way who
are willing to barter, but none can provide any recent information about Captain
Saint-Cyr or L’Espérance.
If Duval’s treachery has not yet been discovered, he will steer the ship near anchor-
ages known to be used by Spanish-Basque fishermen. The Basques are expert sailors,
and if they spot the ship sailing close to shore, they attempt to take it as a prize.
Three whaleboats with ten men each row out to surround the ship and demand its
surrender. If Le Grand Cerf does not surrender—which Captain De La Tour ada-
mantly refuses to do—the Basques attack to seize the ship by force. Each whaleboat
is equipped with a 3-lb swivel gun that fires grapeshot, and several of the sailors are
equipped with blunderbusses (see “Monsters” below). They are not suicidal, however,
and break off the attack if half of their men are killed or wounded, or if the ship is
able to repel the attack long enough for the ship to maneuver away.
ACT III:
UP THE
PENOBSCOT TO
NORUMBEGA
o encourage free-form
play and reduce linearity,
this act is presented in a
series of potential events
along the way. Major plot point events
are marked with asterisks whereas
others are optional. As always, the
Gamemaster is encouraged to use,
exclude, or alter the events to fit the
tone of their particular campaign and
the interests of their group.
THE DISCOVERY OF L’ESPÉRANCE

The expedition makes its way down the coast of Nova Scotia toward Maine to what is
believed to be the last known location of Saint-Cyr and his ship. After some searching,
they come across the beached wreckage of L’Espérance, finding it completely aban-
doned. Skill checks by the PCs also determine, strangely enough, no repairs were
made or even started for that matter, and the ship has been stripped of all valuables.
If the party searches around the area, they are approached by a band of ten Penobscot
Warriors, making the common hand signs indicating they approach in peace and wish
to trade. A heavy-set Native wearing European trade goods approaches the party and
introduces himself in passable French as La Grosse Bedaine (literally “Big Belly”).
Standing by his side at all times is one of the largest men any of the PCs have ever
seen: Le Grand Orignal (“Great Moose”), his six-and-a-half-foot tall bodyguard (see
“Dramatis Personae” below). Should the party make a good trade with the Penobscot,
or if they offer him valuable gifts, La Grosse Bedaine tells the party he remembers
Saint-Cyr and several of his men being here two winters ago, and that he and his
tribe even traded with the stranded Frenchmen. At the time, La Grosse Bedaine
thought it odd that Saint-Cyr did not seek wood or assistance to repair the ship,
but instead wanted to trade for canoes and provisions. Afterward, Saint-Cyr and his
men several men prepared to row their canoes to the mouth of the Penobscot River,
but not before La Grosse Bedaine warned them all the lands upriver are cursed and
filled with all kinds of monsters and evil spirits. Saint-Cyr did not seem to care and
the Frenchmen set out. Neither La Grosse Bedaine nor any other Native he knows
has heard from them since.
If anyone asks him about or mentions Norumbega, he and the other Penobscot
warriors will shudder at the name. La Grosse Bedaine tells them Norumbega is ruled
by a fearsome king who maintains an army of Tsi-noo. No one will have heard of a
tribe or nation called the Tsi-noo, and when pressed for more information, La Grosse
Bedaine struggles to explain the word, but the best translation in French he can give
is “those eaten on the inside.” Captain De La Tour demands that the expedition press
on, regardless of any opposition, and gives orders for the ship to immediately set sail
for the mouth of the Penobscot River.
INTO THE WILDERNESS

After two days of sailing, the expedition reaches the mouth of the Penobscot River.
Captain De La Tour orders the crew to unload and assemble L’Erebus. He will pick a
select crew to accompany him up the river toward Norumbega, including the PCs,
Duval (if he has not yet been discovered), Père Martin (grudgingly, and only after
much insistence and threats by the priest), and either Eiriksson or La Banquise if
they have joined on. The rest (including Eiriksson’s family if they accompanied the
French) remain on Le Grand Cerf, with the quartermaster in command. Captain De
Into the Wilderness $ 31
La Tour dispatches the ship out to fish off the Grand Banks as originally planned,
with orders to return to the mouth of the Penobscot to retrieve them just before the
onset of winter.
Norumbega lies over 200 miles upriver and L’Erebus will be traveling against the
river’s strong current. Whenever the winds are not favorable, L’Erebus travels only
about 8 miles a day by oar, perhaps 10 to 12 miles if the wind is with them. Even
this sluggish rate is slowed considerably by the need to stop from time to time for
provisions and/or to deal with various obstacles. Depending on the choices the party
makes, the entire length of the journey takes 5 to 8 weeks. The weather becomes a
factor as the season transitions from mild autumn to brutally cold winter. The players
should have a sense they are running against time, and De La Tour will drive that
point home more and more obsessively the longer it takes the party to travel upriver.
The atmosphere should remain tense at all times. The expedition is heading into
an uncharted wilderness with the cramped quarters of L’Erebus being their only island
of relative safety. The constant stress, anxiety, tedium, and ever-present danger will
wear on the party and heighten tensions between crewmembers, especially Captain
De La Tour and Père Martin. Have the players keep track of provisions to force the
party to make difficult decisions about whether to ration food or stop and venture
off into the woods to hunt and forage.
Trading with Natives of the Penobscot, Abenaki, and Passamaquoddy Nations is
also an option, although this becomes less and less possible the further upriver the
party travels, due to the absence of any Native settlements around the Pemadumcook
Chain of Lakes or anywhere near Mount Katahdin (see below for these two locations).
Natives encountered before they reach the Lakes will react fearfully or negatively to
any mention of Norumbega, because of the great evil they believe exists there. The
Natives also warn the party about “Pamola, the storm spirit of the mountain, from
which there is no escape,” imploring them not to pass within sight of Mount Katahdin,
day or night. The Natives might also relate the tale of Ogmakwam if pressed further
about Pamola or the mountain (see the “Mount Katahdin and Pamola” section below).
Here is a list of random obstacles the Gamemaster can throw at the party at any
time. The severity and overall unnatural strangeness of the obstacles will increase
once the party reaches and travels past Mount Katahdin:
The Tsi-noo or other Natives
The Tsi-noo are Natives who have been corrupted and enslaved by the Guardian of
Norumbega. Alternatively, they could just be hostile Natives seeking to take whatever
they can get from the party. They will attempt to disrupt the voyage by direct attacks,
sabotage, and setting traps. The Tsi-noo usually prefer to lay in wait to ambush,
or attack when the party is divided, confused, or dealing with other obstacles (see
“Monsters” below). If Saint-Cyr is with them, however, the Tsi-noo are nothing but
solicitous and friendly, aiding the party in whatever way they can.
Waterfalls
Numerous waterfalls lie along the Penobscot River. L’Erebus is a sturdy ship and might
be able to negotiate some of them, but others will be too steep and require a portage;
the crew will need to remove the ship from the water and haul it over land somehow.
Captain De La Tour will become more driven, even reckless, taking greater risks as
the voyage approaches Norumbega. When pressed, he will insist that Saint-Cyr’s fate
must be determined, but successful skill checks (medium to hard TNs) by the PCs,
using skills appropriate to the way in which they approach or converse with De La
Tour, indicate he has some deeper or ulterior motive driving him.
Rapids
While less extreme than waterfalls, areas of whitewater extend over a longer distance,
making portage a more difficult option. Extreme rapids can result in major damage
to the ship, loss of equipment, and injuries or death to the crew.
Signs of Saint-Cyr’s Expedition $ 33
Shallows
The depth of the Penobscot River varies greatly along its course. Unexpected shallows
can result in L’Erebus running aground.
Rocky canyons
At several points the river narrows sharply, winding and twisting through canyons
of sheer rock faces. The slightest error in piloting can result in L’Erebus being dashed
against the sides of the canyon; rock falls and slides are also dangerous possibilities.
Beaver dams
The beaver population of the Northeast was massive prior to overhunting in the
17th century. Many sections of the river are obstructed by beaver dams. Old dams
often break, sending enormous trees hurtling downriver toward L’Erebus, or forming
dangerous logjams in the middle of eddies.
Blizzards, Extreme Cold, & Ice Floes
Extreme winter conditions overtake the voyage as it approaches Norumbega. Blizzards
can obstruct vision and make sailing too dangerous. Ice floes also begin to choke up
the river, presenting major obstacles to navigation as autumn transitions to winter.
Dangerous Fauna
Wolves, bears, lynx, mountain lions, moose, and giant snapping turtles all present
dangers to the party whenever they step off the deck of L’Erebus.
SIGNS OF SAINT-CYR’S EXPEDITION

The party periodically discovers signs of Saint-Cyr’s expedition along the way such as
old campsites, stray coins, musket balls, glass bottles, or even pieces of parchment.
There will also be French carvings in trees serving as trailblazing marks, almost as
if they were left for the party. The Gamemaster can use these signs to let the party
know they are on their right track, and possibly to locate European goods (rope,
gunpowder, metal tools, mirrors, etc.) that might be needed in a pinch.
THE TEMPLAR CAVE

While ranging through heavily wooded hills, the party discovers a most unusual
site. At the top of a clearing is a stone portal leading into the side of a mound, with
Templar insignia carved above the entrance. If Duval is with the party, he will become
extremely anxious, attempting to redirect the party away from the cave before they
enter it. If the PCs go inside, they will discover a moss-covered stone chamber filled
with small window-like openings carved through the stone, allowing light and air into
the chamber. Symbols and numbers scratched into the rough stone seem to indicate
the positions and movement of stars and planets. A character who succeeds in an
Astrology skill check [TN 14] notices they serve a seemingly astrological purpose; a
Degree of Success of 3 or more reveals it is used for tracking the progression of the
equinoxes; a Degree of Success of 7 or more reveals it is particularly focused on the
movement of the star Aldebaran.
A thorough search reveals a heavy square stone on the floor with a Templar cross
etched in the middle. At this point, Duval is extremely agitated, insisting the party
risks danger by pressing on any further. Should the party succeed in lifting the stone,
they will find crude stairs leading to a small underground chamber. Inside the cham-
ber is the body of a Templar knight in full armor laying upon a stone dais. Whoever
entombed the knight like this is unclear, but located around the corpse are sealed
scroll cases containing astrological observations and maps of the area. A Lore check
of TN 16 (or 12 if the character is affiliated with the Knights Templar) enables the
character to determine the body must be at least around 200 years old, based on
the armor and insignia. On a Degree of Success of 4 or more, the PC determines
the knight was probably part of the Sinclair expedition (see below for details). If the
party chooses to investigate the scrolls, they will find maps showing Norumbega lying
much farther inland, along with stretches of the Penobscot River mapped out with
several obstacles marked along the way, including the Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes
and—most importantly—the location where the mouth of the Penobscot flows into
the lakes, which the party will need to know to continue upriver.
THE PEMADUMCOOK CHAIN OF LAKES

The first substantial obstacle the expedition faces after travelling for nearly two weeks
is the Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes, a series of large, interconnected lakes. Safely
navigating these lakes and relocating the Penobscot River will present a major chal-
lenge to the party (unless they have a Templar map—see below). In order to make
it through the lakes without guidance
or navigational assistance, a player must
succeed on a Daring (TN 30) Navigation
check; a Degree of Failure of 6 or more
results in the party getting lost for at least
a week, possibly longer. If they recovered
the maps from the tomb of the Templar
knight, they will find it much easier to
traverse the interconnected lakes (TN
14), making it back to the Penobscot
in 3-4 days.
The denizens living within them also
present a difficult, potentially deadly
hazard. A clan of Alom-begwi-no-sis, or
Mount Katahdin & Pamola $ 35
“drowner dwarves” (see “Monsters” below), inhabit the lakes, claiming them as their
territory. The party runs into these diminutive creatures while scouting the shoreline
for the inflowing mouth of the Penobscot River—while not overly aggressive toward
humans, the dwarves do resent any human intrusion into their waters. They begin
swimming after the boat as stealthily as they can, shadowing the expedition’s every
move, always lurking beneath the surface, watching and waiting.
Soon, the dwarves begin to harass the expedition in a variety of ways, especially if
the party lets their guard down. For example, if L’Erebus is left insufficiently guarded,
the dwarves attempt to steal food from it as well as loot it for any other items they can
carry, and do whatever they can to damage, cripple, or even sink the shallop. If one or
two PCs and/or NPCs are alone by the lakeshore, a large number of dwarves emerge
from the water to attack them—if possible, they always try to drag their victims into
the water in order to drown them. Obviously, if anyone is foolish enough to bathe or
swim in the lake, or somehow falls in, the dwarves shadowing the expedition swarm
in large enough numbers to try to drown the offender(s).
Among any group of dwarves, at least one carries a magical pot with them that
will replicate a nut, seed, or berry by 100 once per day. If the party somehow gets
hold of their pot, the dwarves pursue them relentlessly, swarming around L’Erebus
in an attempt to capsize it, poking holes in its hull, or pulling unwary or careless
crewmembers into the water to drown them. The only way to make the dwarves go
away is by killing enough of them to scare them off or by returning their pot.
It is also possible for a brave and diplomatic character to attempt to negotiate
with them. The dwarves understand some Algonquin and are intelligent enough to
communicate by rudimentary signs and pointing. Being able to speak Algonquin or
succeeding at a TN 22 Empathy check will reveal that the dwarves are upset that the
party has trespassed on their lakes and disturbed their late season fishing harvest. They
want the boat to leave as soon as possible and will guide the party through the lakes
if they promise never to return. The dwarves also require a gift to make amends for
the damage the party has caused. If any member of the expedition has discharged a
firearm while on the lakes, the dwarves will demand one of these wondrous items as
recompense. Otherwise, the dwarves request a pound of salmon caviar, their favorite
delicacy. Finding this much caviar is a challenge so late in the season, but savvy char-
acters (Survival TN 22 or Observe TN 30) can locate promising caches of salmon
eggs in the gravel of streams and estuaries branching off from the lakes. Each search
and gathering attempt takes a full day.
MOUNT KATAHDIN & PAMOLA

Once the expedition negotiates the Pemadumcook Lakes, and find the mouth of the
Penobscot River, they see the majestic Mount Katahdin looming on the horizon before
them. They also see what appears to be an impossibly large bird circling above and
around the mountaintop. If La Banquise is with them, or if they have encountered
Natives along their journey, they know the bird is actually an evil storm spirit called
Pamola that lives at the top of the mountain—and they have been warned that they
risk being devoured by the spirit should they pass within sight of the mountain, day
or night. “Within sight” should be deliberately left vague in order to complicate the
party’s choices.
As the river flows west-to-east directly in front of the mountain, the boat will be
plainly visible to Pamola should they attempt to continue upriver. The only way to
continue without passing in front of Mount Katahdin is to make a long portage into
the unknown depths of the dense forest along the south bank of the river, and then
west-northwest until they find a point of the river where they cannot be seen from
the mountain. It will be a daunting task to figure out how to haul the 2-ton L’Erebus
through 12 miles of dense wilderness. Unless the party determines some other inge-
nious engineering solution, L’Erebus needs to be disassembled (this will take at least
two days) and then somehow ported overland piece by piece. The possibility of Native
assistance is nearly non-existent: there are no Native settlements nearby, and Native
hunting parties are few and far between in lands considered to be dangerous and
evil, although the Gamemaster might want to have the party encounter at least one,
to either aid them or tell them the tale of Ogmakwam (see below). The PCs might
also choose to lead a small party further south in order to locate Native help. Any
Natives that they do encounter will be understandably reluctant to venture so close
to Mount Katahdin and undertake such a back-breaking task. The party will need
to promise them much (possibly even necessitating a side quest) in order to make
the arrangement worth their while. In any case, De La Tour is strongly opposed to
such a time-consuming and potentially dangerous detour, but he concedes if the rest
of the party agrees with this plan to avoid having his authority further questioned.
If the party chooses to sail on, however, Pamola does in fact spot L’Erebus on the
river and flies to intercept it. Pamola appears as a gigantic golden eagle with blazing
eyes and wispy, ephemeral wings extending well over 100 feet from tip to tip. The
spirit communicates telepathically, each person hearing its voice inside their head in
whatever language they speak, and demands appeasement for their trespass upon on
its land. Pamola commands the party to ascend to the mountain and make a human
sacrifice at its lair before the new moon, which is within three days. If they do not
comply, Pamola vows it will fly down and consume them all.
If the expedition decides to push on in spite of the warning, Pamola will attack on
the new moon. Pamola cannot be harmed by any weapons, and no magic the PCs
have is likely powerful enough to defeat the spirit. This should be made clear to the
players, through all of the tales and warnings they have received about the mountain
by this point: if they do not comply with Pamola’s demands, they are doomed, unless
they flee south deep into the forest, in which case L’Erebus and all of their supplies
and equipment on board will be destroyed.
They do have some options, of course. First, the expedition can make a wide portage
Mount Katahdin & Pamola $ 37
to circumvent the river in front of Mount Katahdin, as described above—they still

run the risk of being attacked by Pamola should they ever come within its sight.
Second, the expedition complies and makes a human sacrifice to Pamola. No NPC
agrees to volunteer as a sacrifice, and De La Tour, Duval, and Père Martin absolutely
refuse to participate or even allow such an unholy thing to happen. Players are free to
volunteer their own characters, of course, or can undertake more nefarious measures
like kidnapping a crewmate or local Native to offer to Pamola. This will satisfy the
dark spirit, but such actions will result in a diminishment of Sanity, the acquisition
of Disorders, and the like. There is also a third way that is perhaps the most difficult
of all: Ogmakwam.
If the party pressed any Natives they encountered earlier about Mount Katahdin, or
if the party encounters a long-ranging Native hunting party as mentioned above, the
Natives would have been able to tell the tale of Ogmakwam (see “Dramatis Personae”
below). Renown as a great Mi’kmaq wizard (m’téoulin), Ogmakwam, which translates
into French as “L’Arbre Frêne,” meaning “Ash Tree,” was legendary for his ability to
lead Native parties around the mountain by obscuring them from Pamola’s sight.
However, many years ago, the wizard was ambushed and imprisoned by a group of
powerful Metee-kolen-ol, a race of evil ice sorcerers who also live on the mountain
(see “Monsters” below).
The Metee-kolen-ol lair is located in a cave close to the summit of Katahdin. Inside
are three Metee-kolen-ol along with all manner of herbs, roots, minerals, and animal
parts for their foul enchantments. L’Arbre Frêne is trapped in a block of ice where
the Metee-kolen-ol feed off of his life essence. If the party is somehow able to free
L’Arbre Frêne, he will be in an extremely weakened state. Out of gratitude for freeing
him, he agrees to aid the party by casting the ritual of obscuring. After L’Erebus sails
past the mountain, the wizard collapses into a death-like coma for nearly a week.
Once he recovers, he offers assist the party by sharing his knowledge, but will be too
drained to cast spells or aid them in any fight.
Regardless of how the party passes by Mount Katahdin, the nature of the journey
changes noticeably after this point. Beginning subtly at first and becoming more
apparent as L’Erebus continues its journey deeper and deeper into the woods, the
party notices the terrain becoming increasingly unpredictable and even dreamlike.
At first, the weather shifts erratically and the party experiences déjà vu with various
terrain features. Next, the party notice that navigational instruments give conflicting
readings—the very locations of the stars themselves will appear to shift from one night
to the next. Arguments erupt between members of the crew as increasing paranoia
sets in once they realize they have no idea where they are. The Gamemaster should
also feel free to throw in supernatural events or monsters from the Colonial Gothic
Rulebook or other appropriate sourcebooks.
Dissension in the Ranks

The constant sense of danger, fear of being lost in an unknown land, dwindling
supplies, lack of space, and an increasingly unfriendly environment creates an all-per-
vading anxiety that eats away at the morale of the crew. Tempers flare and minor
disputes quickly escalate into major arguments. The dislike between Captain De La
Tour and Père Martin has now erupted into open contempt as each man refuses to
speak with the other. Long-simmering religious tensions boil over and the risk of
violence is very real.
The Moss Witch
While walking through the woods, the party hears the sound of a woman crying in
the distance. The resonant sobbing seems to carry on the winds, beckoning those
who hear it to draw closer. If they choose to investigate further (or if they are not
able to resist, see entry in “Monsters” section), they come upon a wide marsh where
a Native woman stands crying in the middle. She leans against the trunk of a dead
tree, her back turned to the party. She is an M-ska-gwe-demoos or “moss witch” (see
“Monsters” below), an evil spirit who lures men into swamps where she can drown
them, and then feast upon their corpse after they’ve rotted enough to her liking. The
charming powers of her cry increase the closer her victim gets, but an astute character
might notice the telltale signs of human bones and decaying equipment scattered
about the growth and mire of the frigid marsh.
The Discovery of Captain Saint-Cyr $ 39
THE DISCOVERY OF CAPTAIN SAINT-CYR

After nearly a month of travel, the expedition will spot a shirtless European on the
north bank of the river calling to them in French. Captain De La Tour is barely able
to recognize the man as Captain Saint-Cyr, but quickly takes him aboard. Saint-Cyr
has a wild, unkempt beard and long hair that extends over his bare shoulders. He
wears a wire necklace upon which hangs nearly 40 human ears in various states of
decomposition, and appears to be covered in crude runic tattoos. If Eiriksson is in
the party, he can read the runes. They are from part of the Hávamál, an epic Norse
poem, describing how Odin learned the secrets of the runes:
I know that I hung on a windy tree
nine long nights,
wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,
myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run.
I know that I hung on a windy tree
nine long nights
wounded with a spear dedicated to Odin,
myself to myself
on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run.
Saint-Cyr’s eyes flash with fanatic elation as he tells the party he has been tracking
them for weeks to see if they are worthy. He has been to Norumbega and raves about
being transformed by it. He describes it as an earthly paradise, the source of all that
is great, beautiful, and powerful. It is ruled by a mighty king who is truly the greatest
and most enlightened man ever to set foot upon the Earth—but not a man as much as
a divine being, greater than all the saints and Apostles, greater than even Jesus Christ
himself. This last blasphemy creates a stir and furor among all who hear him, particularly
Pére Martin and Charles Duval (if he is still present). At one point, Saint-Cyr almost
speaks the king’s name, but he stops himself before doing so, saying he is unworthy to
speak his name because it would presume to “put limits around his infinite majesty.”
Saint-Cyr will answer any question about Norumbega or its king in similarly glowing,
hyperbolic, but incredibly vague terms revealing little about its nature. When no one
has any more questions for him, Saint-Cyr tells them they have passed the king’s tests,
and insists they accompany him to Norumbega, offering to guide them there.
This sparks a heated argument between Captain De La Tour, Père Martin, Charles
Duval, and probably the PCs about where to go from here. Martin and Duval are
both adamant that they have now completed their mission and should return home
immediately with Saint-Cyr. The supplies are nearly spent, the men are demoralized,
many are sick, some wounded, and all are exhausted. The most pressing concern,
Martin argues, is that winter will soon make travel on the river nearly impossible, and
it is unlikely the expedition could survive it in their current state. De La Tour refuses,
demanding that the expedition continue on to Norumbega, and commands everyone
to follow Saint-Cyr. De La Tour has become a man possessed, refusing to listen to
any who argue with him, declaring that any who disagree with him will be branded
a mutineer and immediately shot. The PCs decide for themselves what they will do,
but the rest of the expedition reluctantly sets about preparations to continue upriver.
The final five days of the journey are the tensest of the entire expedition. Captain
De La Tour drives on like a man possessed to Norumbega as Saint-Cyr whispers to
him constantly in hushed tones. Mutiny is in the air, but nobody dares speak or even
think it, suspecting that Saint-Cyr is probing their thoughts.
A thick, blinding snowstorm rolls in, reducing visibility to nearly nil, and mak-
ing the deck slippery and dangerous, but Saint-Cyr insists that the expedition must
continue—despite being nearly naked, Saint-Cyr seems oblivious to the cold. De La
Tour agrees, refusing any arguments to the contrary. He drives L’Erebus on through
the biting winds and all-consuming whiteness of the storm. Any PCs who volunteer
to help him on deck he considers his friends; any who shelter in the cramped space
below deck are his enemies.
After sailing through the storm for what seems like days, the snow finally lifts to
reveal an isolated valley, ringed by mountains, in equal parts beautiful and terrifying.
The river broadens into a wide lake sitting in the middle of the valley. In the middle
of the lake is an island, upon which a preternaturally tall tree-like structure made of
shiny black stone rises high up into dark, billowy clouds. Around the gigantic black
tree is an equally black gargantuan pyramid-like structure, circled by an impossibly
tall wall constructed of cyclopean blocks of gneiss. Amazed and stunned by the
incredible and indescribable sight before them, the members of the expedition can
only stare with mouths agape and eyes wide, as Saint-Cyr stands upon the bowsprit
of L’Erebus, his arms extended wide, his eyes flashing with maniacal excitement,
exclaiming “Behold, Norumbega!”
ACT IV:
THE KING OF
NORUMBEGA
The Horror of the Lost City
s L’Erebus approaches the

shores of the island, scores
of beautiful Natives rush
out of the woods to greet
the party, bearing refreshments of
milk, fruit juices, herbal teas, and
honeyed water. They place gem-en-
crusted golden bracelets on their arms
and heavy necklaces over their shoul-
ders, bidding them to enter the gates
of Norumbega; all of these Natives are
Tsi-noo. Saint-Cyr proudly leads the
party into the complex as though he
were their royal seneschal.
The size and scale of Norumbega is unlike anything the PCs, or any humans for
that matter, have ever seen. The walls
are over 400 feet high, built of impos-
sibly large volcanic stone blocks. Inside
T he players will find their choices extremely
restricted as they come face-to-face with
the power of Norumbega during this final act.
is what appears to be a temple of stone The Temple’s conduit serves to channel both vril
tentacles splaying out from the trunk energies from Aldebaran and Hastur’s powers to
of a black tree-like object. The tree, the Earth, and the PCs have been drawn into a
made of what appears to be onyx, is cycle has been repeating itself for untold millen-
perfectly smooth and soars into the nia. In keeping with the dark, Lovecraftian tone
clouds before exploding in a dizzying of the adventure, even the greatest of humans
array of fractal branches. A vast court- are little more than insects before the incompre-
yard lies between the gates of hensible might of the Great Old Ones. It would
Norumbega and the tall stairs that be incongruous to allow the PCs to “win” by
ascend toward the black tree like an simply defeating Olaf Ragnarsson in combat,
Aztec temple. Lining the courtyard are which they cannot do anyway because of his
rows of menhirs carved in various power as the Guardian. In a world where victory
indecipherable languages. Thousands means delaying the inevitable encroachment
of Tsi-noo are present and standing at of darkness upon the world for another five
attention on the opposite side of the centuries (a meaningless blip to a being such
menhirs, clearly expecting the arrival as Hastur), true heroism requires more than a
of the expedition. As the party few lucky dice rolls. The only way to vanquish
approaches the base of the stairs, they Norumbega, at least temporarily, and to allow
suddenly notice hundreds of heads at least some of the party to survive is by having
mounted on pikes in various states of one of the characters agree to sacrifice himself
decay. As far as the PCs can tell most to take the whole thing down with him. This is
appear to be Natives, but there also an intensely dramatic and weighty decision for
appear to be some African, East Asian, any player to make and the Gamemaster should
and European heads here and there. If acknowledge the seriousness of this choice.
asked, Saint-Cyr gleefully exclaims
they were his companions who sacri-
ficed themselves for the glory of
Norumbega, offering no further explanation. Indeed, the party will not see any of
the crewmembers Saint-Cyr led to Norumbega, as they have all been sacrificed, and
he carries their ears with them.
Several shadowy figures await at the base of the temple for the party to approach.
The PCs will notice that they wear the tattered remains of Viking armor and have
skeletal, corpse-like faces. These warriors bellow out a loud note from large horns
as the party draws near, signaling the Tsi-noo behind them to begin to beat their
drums wildly and dance about in wild frenzy. An imposing figure exits from the
temple, surrounded by four 10-foot-tall robed figures, the group slowly descending
the stairs toward the party. This is Olaf Ragnarsson, the King (and current Guardian)
of Norumbega (see “Dramatis Personae” below).
Ragnarsson is a terrifying sight to behold. His entire face and body are covered
in runic tattoos. Both of his eyes are missing and deep keloid scars spider out from
the bare sockets in all directions. He seems to have perfect vision, however, and
occasional tendrils of blackness slowly wisp out like smoke from the empty holes
before retreating back into his skull. He wears a crown made from three giant pairs
of elk antlers bound into a head circlet, and bears the Book of Eibon on a heavy chain
around his neck at all times. The four immense robed figures who surround him pull
back their hoods to reveal animal heads. Two have the heads of wolves and the other
two heads of ravens. They seem to smirk at the party, but do not speak. The entirety
of these horrific sights should provoke a Fear check at -5.
Ragnarsson addresses the party, saying “I am the King of Norumbega, and I
welcome you here. Like you, I was once a mere mortal, with a mortal’s name, Olaf
Ragnarsson. But that name means little now.” Pointing to the four figures with him,
he says, “This is my honor guard, dedicated to making my will manifest within these
walls.” He introduces the two wolf-headed figures as Geri and Freki, and the raven-
headed ones as Huginn and Munin. The four continue to stare implacably at the
party, making no acknowledgment of Ragnarsson’s introduction.
“Come,” Ragnarrsson booms cheerfully, “as your host, I invite you to feast with
me!” He swings his hand wide, beckoning upward to the top of the temple, and begins
to ascend the stairs. The four animal-headed figures stare menacingly at the party,
waiting for them to follow the King, swiftly moving to block any who attempt to
leave. De La Tour, Pére Martin, Saint-Cyr, and the rest of the crew follow him—one
assumes the PCs will eventually do the same, given few other options, as they are
surrounded by thousands of Tsi-noo, the undead Viking warriors, not to mention

the four dread servitors of the King.
At the top of the temple, an immense balcony juts out and over a giant black chasm,
the bottom of which cannot be seen. In the center of the balcony is a large porphyry
table upon which rests all manner of fine food and drink. In an insane spectacle,
Tsi-noo slaves serve the party, play music, dance, and some even leer wantonly at the
party. Before the table, on the other side of the chasm, is the immense onyx tree. His
eyeless sockets fixed upon the tree, he tells the party he believes it to be “but a small
a branch of Yggdrasil, the world-tree that secures the realm of Midgard,” and the
chasm before them is the Well of Mimir of Norse legend. Perceptive players might
notice that the balcony slopes downward toward the chasm and a large furrow runs
down the middle of the balcony to its edge. Running along the center of the furrow
is a barely perceptible tinge of yellowish-crimson discoloration.
Ragnarsson answers any questions posed to him in a roundabout way, deflecting
them more than actually answering in order to ask his own questions to various
members of the party. He is probing the party to see who among them will make a
worthy successor. After the party eats and drinks their fill, he reveals to them the full
secret of Norumbega and gives them a choice: each must decide whether to sacrifice
himself to feed the great serpent Jörmungandr that dwells at the bottom of the Well,
or to drink from the Well if he believes himself to be the King’s worthy successor.
However, only one member of their group can drink from the Well—if there are
multiple candidates, Ragnarsson says, they will all fight each other to the death in the
morning. He rises and says, “I leave you to spend this night in contemplation how
you will best serve Jörmungandr. I expect your answer at dawn, at which time your
destiny, and mine, will be fulfilled.” He turns to leave but pauses as if he has forgotten
something. He nods to himself, turns back to the group, and, with a strange smile
on his face, says, “Yes, at dawn… unless, of course, one of you finds some other way
to prove yourself worthy before then.” With that, he bids them all a good night, and
he and his four servitors exit.
A multitude of Tsi-noo swarm about, clearing the remnants of the feast. As they
bustle about, Saint-Cyr beams at the party, claps his hands together gleefully, and says,
“Can you begin to fathom the gift the King has just bestowed upon you? Of course
you can, of course you can… how could you not? None of you are dullards! Ah, yes,
it will be an honor to die with you tomorrow! Come, let me show you to your room.”
Before anyone can say anything, De La Tour haughtily declares to the party, “You
would all be wise to spend your last night on earth cleansing your soul in whatever
way you choose, and then prepare for your death. As none of you are more worthy
than me, or would dare to oppose me, at the dawn of the new day, I shall be crowned
the new King of Norumbega, and your sacrifices will do me great honor. And now,
Saint-Cyr, take me to my room!” Saint-Cyr springs up and bows deeply to De La
Tour, and says “This way, my lord!” The two depart, De La Tour striding with his
head high, with Saint-Cyr genuflecting and toadying as they walk away. The Tsi-noo
motion for the rest of the party to follow them, or simply shrug and walk away if
anyone refuses.
The PCs soon discover they remain free to explore Norumbega as they wish, but
are not allowed to leave. They find the gates locked and war parties of Tsi-noo will
attack anyone attempting to climb or dig under the walls, their numbers too large
for the PCs to defeat. Ragnarsson will use his near-omniscience to observe the PCs’
actions, assessing them for their worthiness. The Tsi-noo remain entirely outside of
the columned area but congregate thickly in the territory beyond. There appear to be
several thousand of them, either wandering around aimlessly or standing at attention,
waiting until their King orders them to complete their next task. Should any of the
characters wander outside of the columns, the Tsi-noo block their way, subtly at first
and becoming increasingly more aggressive. If the PCs persist, the Tsi-noo swarm
and savagely attack the character. Any characters killed have their heads prominently
mounted on pikes before the temple steps.
Locations
The Chamber of Angles
Whether they follow Saint-Cyr there, or ask the Tsi-noo to show them to their room,
the party is led to a room in the basement of the right entrance tower. The large
chamber has no windows and the only light comes from smoky fires in several sconces
and braziers. Ripples in the gneiss seem to undulate and shift around the angles in
the room, the light in the room weirdly reflecting off the mica crystals in the rock,
making the masonry extremely unsettling to look at. The claustrophobia-inducing
environment elevates the already-high tensions among the group, triggering argu-
ments and possibly fistfights, or outright combat. The only furniture is a large stone
table in the center of the chamber, several stone bunks lining the walls, and a large,
throne-like chair in the back of the room. All of the walls and furniture appear as
though they grew organically out of the living rock.
De La Tour is completely ensorcelled and sets himself upon the stone chair, con-
tinuing to declare himself the next King of Norumbega. He immediately becomes
hostile to anyone who contradicts him or expresses a similar wish, and he tries to
kill whoever does so while they sleep. Saint-Cyr eagerly supports De La Tour, waxing
rapturously about how he will sacrifice himself the next day in honor of the new
King. Père Martin and Charles Duval adamantly refuse to participate in the perverse
ritual, as well as refusing to remain in the room with Saint-Cyr and De La Tour. If
Eiriksson or La Banquise are with the party, they attempt to escape in the night,
regardless of the consequences. L’Arbre Frêne also refuses to be a part of the horrific
ceremony. While he knows little about either Norumbega or the Book of Eibon, he
surmises the two are inextricably linked, musing to the party that the destruction of
one might lead to the same of the other.
Shambhala Ivonis
The most conspicuous building outside the temple is a large, crystalline structure
supported by silver columns. If Eiriksson is in the party, he identifies some of the
more recent carvings on a mehnir in front of the strange building as Viking runes.
Transliterated into Latin, they read: “Shambhala Ivonis.” This was the personal library,
study, and laboratory of Eibon. Any PCs who enter it will need to face down an
unexpected challenge: their greatest desires.
Upon entering the structure, each character finds themselves isolated and alone in
a crystal chamber. A large silver door sits at the opposite end. Upon opening the door,
the character is presented with
that which they desire most.
The most common exam-
ples are extravagant riches,
sensual delights, sumptuous
banquets, and the like, but
can also be more esoteric, like
religious enlightenment, lim-
itless knowledge, or perhaps
the fulfillment of even darker
desires. The PC will need to
succeed in a Resolution roll
in order to resist the temp-
tation and push on, with the
Target Number and degrees of
success needed to persevere at
the Gamemaster’s discretion.
A good baseline is to make the
test Formidable (TN 22), and
vary the number accordingly
based on roleplaying.
Characters who fail this test
seal their doom. Ragnarsson
deems them as unworthy
successors, suitable only for
sacrifice. A magically induced
drowsiness washes over them,
and they awaken the next morning to find themselves bound and gagged at the top
of the temple, prepared for the final ritual’s sacrifice.
Characters who succeed find themselves in a room that is far larger than the outside
crystalline structure. If multiple characters succeed in overcoming their temptations,
the Gamemaster should go through the next part with each of them individually.
Rows of shelves heavy with books and scrolls seem to stretch off into the distance,
with several pieces of laboratory equipment of indescribable complexity distributed
throughout.
An enormous creature with the body of a black snake but the head of an aqui-
line-featured man stands at the entrance. He introduces himself as Vatsuki, the
Keeper of the Shambhala Ivonis. The Keeper tells them only the current Guardian of
Norumbega, or any who carry with them the Heart of Eibon, are permitted the use
of this vast library of unfathomable knowledge. However, Vatsuki tells them, ancient
custom allows those who did not fail the temptation test to pose one and only one
question to the Keeper, which he is required to answer.
Vatsuki responds honestly, if somewhat obliquely, to any question the PCs pose.
The most common question(s) will likely be: “How do we escape / defeat Ragnarsson
/ destroy Norumbega?” or some variation thereof. Vatsuki’s responses will generally be
along the line of “The Book of Eibon was used to raise Norumbega from the Void. The
Book of Eibon is the source of the Guardian’s power. Within the walls of Norumbega,
the Guardian is omnipotent and cannot be harmed in any way. The Guardian keeps
Norumbega anchored to Earth, floating above the infinite Void. If Norumbega has
no Guardian, it will collapse into the Void. If the Guardian falls into the Void,
Norumbega will have no Guardian, and will collapse into the Void. ”
In short, the players should eventually come to the conclusion that one of them
must become the Guardian and voluntarily jump into the chasm with the Book
of Eibon in order to save the party and send Norumbega back into the Void. If a
character asks how to become the Guardian, Vatsuki says, “Only the Guardian can
choose who will succeed him, and he will choose only the one he deems worthy. The
one whom you obeyed as your leader puts himself forth as the successor, and the
Guardian will deem him worthy, unless someone challenges him. All who challenge
him must meet each other in a trial by combat, to the death. The sole survivor shall
be deemed worthy and chosen by the Guardian to succeed him.”
“There is one other way. As you did not succumb to the temptation of your greatest
desires, you have demonstrated a strong will. But you must show the Guardian you
are also strong of heart. At the top of the Tower of the Black Sun, you will find the
Heart of Eibon. Whoever takes it and offers it to the Guardian will be the worthiest
and chosen as his successor. As long as you possess the Heart of Eibon, you cannot
be harmed, but know that it can still be wrenched from you by force.”
Vatsuki’s answers also pose a danger to the PCs. Should a character ask a ques-
tion with an answer no mortal is meant to know, Vatsuki’s answer could destroy
their mind. Depending on the nature of the forbidden knowledge, the Gamemaster
should inflict a 10 to 30 Sanity point loss, or more. The Gamemaster also needs to
determine whether the PC is capable of remembering the forbidden knowledge or
if their damaged psyche simply rejects it.
Tower of the Black Sun

Lying directly across from the Shambhala Ivonis is a 100-foot-tall structure ascending
into the air like a swirling, ivory pillar. Stairs carved around the pillar lead to an open,
circular platform at the top, 40 feet in diameter. Surrounding the platform are twelve
archways supporting a domed ceiling full of star charts. In each of the archways, a
draugr stands at attention (see “Monsters” section), their lifeless eyes fixed upon the
center of the platform. Engraved into the floor of the platform is a giant black sun,
which entirely covers the platform. Floating just a few feet off the surface, in the very
center of the engraved sun, appears to be a desiccated human heart, slowly pulsing
as if still alive. This is the Heart of Eibon, which Hastur removed from the sorcerer
to vouchsafe the Guardian oath, and whoever holds it cannot be physically harmed.
It does not grant any other powers or strength, as far as this adventure is concerned.
As an artifact of Hastur, it is also invulnerable to destruction by mere human action.
The draugrs attack as soon as anyone steps on the black sun. They are relentless,
continuing to attack until their foes are slain or all the draugrs are destroyed. If a PC
somehow successfully grabs the Heart, the draugrs immediately surround them and
attempt to wrest control of it by sheer physical force. Should the party attempt to
flee, the draugrs pursue them without fail, drawn by the power of the Heart. They
attack any member of the party who gets in between them and the Heart.
Once they reach the bottom of the Tower, they will hear the long note of a horn
echo through the city, seeming to come from the direction where they feasted with
Ragnarsson. The draugr will continue to pursue them, and the party may encounter
other obstacles as well along the way, at the GM’s discretion. The Tsi-noo will crowd
into the streets, cheering on whoever holds the Heart, and form a “corridor,” block-
ing off side streets and walkways, eagerly egging whoever carries the Heart toward
the central temple and the blowing of the horn. The closer they get, the longer the
horn note that sounds.
Upon reaching the foot of the long stairway, the party can see Ragnarsson half-
way up, accompanied by his four servitors, one of the wolf-headed blowing a giant
horn. Any remaining draugr or “new” draugr (see “Monsters” below) redouble their
efforts to reach the stairs first and block the party. Once the draugr are all destroyed,
Ragnarsson and the servitors will come down to the stairs to whoever has the Heart
and stand before them. If the character gives the Heart to the Guardian, Ragnarsson
will smile and congratulate them, telling them “tomorrow you shall drink from the
Well” and become the new Guardian. If the character refuses to give up the Heart,
Ragnarsson’s smile will fade, and he tells the character he will only ask one more
time—the servitors will move quickly to surround the party, each drawing their huge
two-headed axes, and the once-cheering Tsi-noo quickly become restive and angry,
crowding in toward the bearer of the Heart. If the character still refuses, Ragnarsson
simply moves up to the character and plucks the Heart from their hands or wherever
they have it—he is too strong and too powerful to be resisted. Ragnarsson shakes his
head sadly, and tells the refusing character, “You have made the wrong choice, and
tomorrow morning, you will be sacrificed for your mistake.”
It should be noted that this is a tough challenge for the party to succeed at. The
Gamemaster should do their best to make sure every PC and friendly NPC becomes
a part of it at some point, so that the party has their best shot of succeeding. Reward
great role-playing and on-the-fly thinking, but don’t simply let them win—make
them earn their victory.
What Are the NPCs Doing?
Other than De La Tour and Saint-Cyr, none of the other NPCs agree to take part
in the Guardian’s ritual. The party might be able to recruit them to help, based on
the relationships established thus far and the proposed plan’s likelihood of success.
Eiriksson and La Banquise are adamant about attempting an escape, regardless of the
consequences. They agree to let any PCs join them in an escape attempt, but otherwise
refuse to participate in any other plan. Of course, any attempt to escape meets with
failure and death as they are swarmed immediately by several Tsi-noo war parties as
soon as they attempt to climb the walls or force their way through the gate. If any
PCs accompany the NPCs, allow them the opportunity to fight gloriously before
they are overcome, brutally killed, beheaded, and their bodies torn apart.
Both Charles Duval and Père Martin are scared out of their wits, but neither will
brave an escape attempt. Either or both will join with the PCs if they believe their
plan offers any chance to escape with their lives. Otherwise, the two will remain
defiant to the bitter end, holding fast to their faith in God, when they are sacrificed
during the Ritual of Transformation.
L’Arbre Frêne simply disappears that night without a trace.
THE CROWNING OF THE NEW KING

At sunrise, Tsi-noo escort the party to the top of the temple where King Olaf
Ragnarsson awaits them on the balcony, holding an enormous black spear, flanked
by his four servitors, each wielding an enormous two-headed axe. Saint-Cyr is on his
knees at the edge of the chasm, unbound and ungagged, eagerly awaiting his turn to
be sacrificed. Ragnarsson will ask each member in turn to state his intention. Any
who volunteer for sacrifice are escorted by a servitor and motioned to take their place
on their knees by Saint-Cyr, unbound and ungagged. Those who refuse or refuse to
answer, like Duval and Martin, are bound and gagged by the Tsi-noo, dragged to the
edge of the chasm, and pushed to their knees.
Any characters who declare they are the rightful successor to Norumbega must
fight each other to the death. Each character, including De La Tour, will be stripped
of their armor and weapons and given an obsidian dagger (use the knife entry in
the Colonial Gothic Rulebook). Ragnarsson and his servitors will then surround
the party in a circle 40 feet in diameter, giving them just enough room to maneuver
The Crowning of the New King $ 51
and fight each other, but not enough to escape. Only the last man alive moves on
to the ritual. Should De La Tour emerge triumphant, he goes through the Ritual of
Transformation to become the new Guardian of Norumbega, beginning the cycle
anew—this results in the demise of the PCs, of course. If any of the characters prevail,
they can attempt to disrupt the ritual—assuming they want to do so, of course. If not,
your gaming group is about to find itself in a very interesting situation, and likely to
experience some very interesting social dynamics in its current player interactions.
The Ritual of Transformation begins with Ragnarsson chanting an incantation in
a harsh and unknown tongue, repeating the same phrase over and over again, and
the black onyx tree starts to pulse with dark energy in rhythm with his utterances.
Despite the dawn, the skies begin to darken as a strange blackness blots out the sun
and sky, the faint light of the stars become barely visible, with one, dim Alderbaran,
twinkling directly over the tree. Satisfied that the stars are right, the King starts to
chant more rapidly as he removes the Book of Eibon from around his neck, the heavy
chain ripping the skin from his neck as he pulls it off, his blood welling up and oozing
from the torn gash. Unfazed by the pain, he approaches the character and places the
heavy chain and Book around his neck—and with a green, eldritch flame, the chain
immediately sears the character with blinding pain as it grafts itself into the skin of
his neck. The character must make a Resolution (TN 18) test to avoid screaming or
losing consciousness from the intense pain.
Ragnarsson ends his chanting once the character regains their composure from the
transfer of the Book. Standing directly before the character, his empty eye sockets
bore into the character’s eyes, transfixing him in place, as the black tendrils and wisps
within his skull reach out and caress the character’s face and neck, their touch eerily
intimate but deadly cold and numbing. Ragnarsson solemnly tells the character, almost
whispering so that none else can hear, “The Book of Eibon is now yours forever, and
will keep you alive and your powers strong until the day you choose to give it up.
500 years from this day, you will face that choice just as I do today.”
The King looks up at Aldebaran directly above and nods to himself. Turning back
to the character, he says, “The stars are right once again. As you ascend to transform
as the new Guardian, so must I descend to rise yet again.” Holding his enormous
black spear outward with his right hand, Ragnarsson lifts his left hand up. When
he does so, the character immediately lifts up into the air and slowly floats over the
chasm toward the tree, as if guided by Ragnarsson’s hand. As he slowly rotates his
hand, the character rotates with it in until he is upside-down, and then Ragnarsson
gently pushes his hand, pressing the character against the tree.
With one swift and powerful motion, Ragnarsson lifts and hurls his spear through
the air, which pierces the character perfectly through the heart, impaling them and
pinning them to the tree (use damage for the pike listed in the Colonial Gothic
Rulebook). Despite the amount of damage inflicted, the character cannot be reduced
past 1 Vitality die as long as they have the Book of Eibon in their possession, and
no one can take the Book from them unless they choose to give it up. Ragnarsson
tells them “you must now drink from the Well.” The Book, which remains chained
around the character’s neck no matter what, floats before the character’s face, and
opens automatically to the incantation he must recite to become the new Guardian.
Standing at the top of the furrow, Ragnarsson orders the sacrifices to commence.
He draws his own obsidian dagger and slices along the length of each of his arms, and
then flings the dagger out into the chasm. He drops to his knees, holding his arms
downward over the furrow, so that the blood pumps from his arms and flows along
the channel and down into the chasm. As his life slowly drains out, he watches as one
of the animal-headed servitors approaches the sacrificial victims at the edge of the
chasm, the other three standing near should any of the “voluntary” victims change
their minds. Starting with Saint-Cyr, who is maniacally and happily singing some
nonsense song as he gazes in rapture at the tree, the servitor swings the massive axe
in one swift motion and beheads him—as Saint-Cyr’s head flies off into the chasm,
the servitor kicks the body, blood pumping rapidly out of the severed neck, over the
edge. The servitor moves on to the next victim and does the same, one-by-one, until
all the victims have been sacrificed—the GM should likely have the NPCs ordered
before the PCs so that they are sacrificed first, giving the PCs time to act.
At this point, the impaled character should either be reciting the incantation,
and/or attempting to pull themselves down the shaft of the spear, obviously in great
agony and pain, in an attempt to wrest free and hurl himself, with the Book of Eibon,
into the chasm. If at any point, the character stops chanting, or has not started by
the time Saint-Cyr is beheaded, all of Norumbega’s enslaved will stop as if they are
frozen, and turn to stare at the transfixed character.
Ragnarsson, up until now watching the servitor behead the victims, turns to look
at the onyx tree, confused by the transfixed character’s actions, befuddled by the loss
of blood as his life quickly pours out into the furrow. Once it becomes clear that the
character is pulling himself down the spear, Ragnarsson’s eyes go wide and he lets
out an unearthly scream of “NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!” He attempts to stand as the
character reaches the end of the spear. Before he can rise to his feet, weakness causes
him instead to fall back to his knees. His body topples forward and over, and rolls
down the furrow into the chasm.
Once the character frees himself from the spear, he falls with the Book. The
Gamemaster should let the PC have the limelight to describe their final moments in
dramatic fashion. A great rumbling begins to shake all of Norumbega. The onyx tree
cracks and splinters, and after a few seconds, an explosive wave of force bursts outward
from the tree, engulfing all the creatures of Norumbega, Tsi-noo and servitors alike,
in a sickly green eldritch fire that instantly consumes them. The wave is powerful
enough to knock down any surviving members of the party, its green fire otherwise
passing over them harmlessly. The onyx tree shatters into millions of flinders that burst
outward and high up into the sky, which then begin to rain down into the chasm.
The Epilogue $ 53
The rumbling and quaking intensifies, and as the balcony starts to give way and
topples slowly into the chasm. It should be obvious that it’s time for any remaining
characters to flee Norumbega as fast as they can in order to survive. Upon reaching
the gates, the party sees that they’ve been blasted open, and that the gneiss walls have
giant cracks snaking their way up their impossible heights. The entire city begins to
tumble inwards as the chasm expands to swallow it. Any character that stops running
for any reason or turns to watch is pulled into the chasm, lost forever.
Once the characters make it to the riverbank, L’Erebus still awaits, intact and
undisturbed. As they push off and are pulled into the river’s swift downward current,
they see a mushroom cloud of thick, choking gas explode high into the sky from what
was once Norumbega, a powerful shock wave rumbles and rolls over the surrounding
area for miles, quaking the earth and wildly buffeting the waters upon which the
small shallop can barely stay afloat, knocking all of the party into unconsciousness.
THE EPILOGUE
The characters awaken to feel snow falling gently on their faces. They are all covered
in a light dusting of snow, as is the entire deck of L’Erebus, which has run aground
on the banks of the Penobscot River. They cannot quickly determine how long they
have been unconscious, or how far they have floated downriver, but the imposing
presence of Mount Katahdin still looms on the northern horizon, but this time absent
the gigantic figure of Pamola circling its summit.
Surviving Norumbega is itself an amazing feat and a fitting end to the adventure.
After what they have just experienced, the journey home might be somewhat anti-
climactic, but the Gamemaster is certainly free to continue past this point. The most
pressing matter for the party is to decide whether they should push on to the coast,
in the hope that Le Grand Cerf is there to meet them. They must contend with the
onset of winter’s biting cold and heavy snow, not to mention the slow but steady
freezing-up of the river that will make travel difficult—although they cover three times
the distance per day now that L’Erebus is sailing with the strong current. When the
party reaches the Atlantic coast, they will likely find that Le Grand Cerf could wait
no longer for them as winter began to set in. They must make their way northward
to Newfoundland if they want to be spotted and rescued by a fishing ship, but that
will not happen for another six or so months. L’Erebus can easily hug the shallows
along the coastline, as that is what it was built to do, but is certainly not capable of
venturing out onto the open sea—as experienced sailors, the PCs will know this. The
best options for them are to find friendly Natives who will agree to shelter them, or
try to locate French fishermen in Newfoundland who have set up winter quarters,
or attempt to build their own winter shelter.
Once the party returns to Europe, they find a France that has changed significantly
in their absence. As noted above, soon after the expedition departed, King Henri II
was killed in a jousting accident. At age 14, his sickly son François II ascended to
the throne, with the realm governed somewhat poorly by two of his uncles from the
House of Guise as his regents. The fragile peace between the Catholics and Huguenots
in Rouen is unravelling fast as each side gears up for the inevitable conflict. The
party might well find themselves caught in the middle as various factions and secret
societies hear the tales of their journey, and eagerly seek to discover from them the
secrets of Norumbega.
As for Norumbega itself, no amount of searching will ever discover the lost city.
However, not everything was completely annihilated: deep within a huge cavern far
beneath the surface where the city once stood, the Shambhala Ivonis and the Tower
of the Black Sun survive intact, the power of the indestructible Heart of Eibon that
floats above the black sun strong enough to preserve the two ancient structures. Any
who dare to seek Eibon’s forbidden knowledge hears the never-ending slow beat of
the Heart resonating within their dreams, a beacon to lead them to the site. And
throughout the world, a few translated copies of the Book of Eibon still exist…
Several centuries later, the cavern will be discovered by one who follows that eldritch
beacon. He carries with him a bundle of parchment pages from an old manuscript,
dating roughly from the 13th century, written in French by Gaspard du Nord. It is
The Epilogue $ 55
not a complete copy of the Book of Eibon, but with the few pages he has, and the
Heart in his hand, guided by the vast knowledge archived within the Shambhala
Ivonis, all of these are sufficient to draw the original Book of Eibon from out of the
Void. With the Book, he will once again raise Norumbega back to its terrible glory,
and thus begin the terrible Guardian cycle anew. Deep in the wilderness of Maine,
the new Guardian will re-open the conduit, and connect the Earth once again with
dim Aldebaran to channel its evil vril energies until the stars are right again for the
King in Yellow’s re-awakening.
APOCRYPHA
Running Colonial Gothic games in
the 16th Century
he Journey to Norumbega
is different from other
Colonial Gothic set-
tings. It takes place during
the earliest period of European con-
tact with North America—even the
doomed “Lost Colony” of Roanoke is
30 years in the future, and it is more
than half a century before the found-
ing of Jamestown, the first permanent
English colony. This section contains
information for the Gamemaster and
New Backgrounds $ 57
players alike to create period-appropriate characters, and also includes new gear and
equipment for a Colonial Gothic game set in the 16th century.
NEW BACKGROUNDS
One of the biggest differences in running Colonial Gothic in the 16th-century is
that there are no permanent European settlements in North America beyond Mexico
except for one: the small outpost of Saint Augustine in Florida, originally established
as Fort Caroline by French Huguenots in the 1560s before its capture by the Spanish.
Therefore, the Colonist, Freedman, and Military Backgrounds do not exist outside of
the Spanish and Portuguese dominions. The following Backgrounds are designed with
French characters in mind for The Journey to Norumbega, but can easily be adapted
to fit English or Dutch characters.
Mariners
The vast majority of Europeans coming to the Americas in the 16th century are sea-
men looking to fish, trade, and raid for wealth. These Backgrounds are all suitable
for heroes.
Boatswain
The boatswain (pronounced ‘bosun’) is one of the most important deck officers
on a Renaissance sailing ship, being primarily responsible for managing the crew.
Boatswains are also experts in rope use and maintain the rigging, anchors, stowage,
flags, windlasses, and all other parts of the ship relating to cordage.
Background bonus: Intimidation (Orders), Language (French – Fluent), Trade
(Sailor).
Fishermen/Whaler
The first regular American import to Europe was fish, especially cod. In addition
to fish, whales are also plentiful in the North Atlantic, and are just beginning to be
prized for their blubber. Port cities such as Rouen, Saint-Malo, Dieppe, Le Havre,
Brest, Nantes, and La Rochelle dispatch fleets of fishing ships to Newfoundland every
year, and competition is becoming intense—conflicts frequently break out between
the French and their English, Portuguese, and Spanish rivals. Fishermen and whalers
routinely stop in Newfoundland to dry cod, render whale blubber, and sometimes
make winter quarters there. It is likely here the first regular trading contacts were
established between Europeans and the indigenous people of North America.
Background bonus: Language (French – Fluent), Melee (Spear) or Brawl, Profession
(Fishing/Whaling)
Helmsman
While the image most have of a ship’s captain is of them standing bravely at the
ship’s wheel, the reality was usually quite different. The 16th-century captain has a
variety of duties that demand his attention, so most of the time a deck officer known
as the helmsman is responsible for piloting the ship; also, 16th-century sailing ships
did not have wheels, instead using a large tiller to shift the rudder and steer the ship.
The helmsman is also the chief officer of the watch, maintaining and overseeing the
lookout for other ships, bad weather, or navigational hazards when not at the tiller.
Background bonus: Language (French – Fluent), Observe, Profession (Ship Piloting)
Navigator
The rise of oceangoing vessels in the 16th century made having professional naviga-
tors a must. The practice of navigating at sea is undergoing a transformation as it
combines older techniques, like dead reckoning, with newer techniques like celestial
navigation using the star chart, quadrant, compass, and mariner’s astrolabe. Inertial
navigation, which uses the hourglass and chip log, is also seeing usage. Navigators
can determine speed, bearing, and latitude more accurately than ever before, but it is
still impossible to calculate longitudinal measurements while at sea (and will remain
so until the invention of the maritime chronometer in 1761).
Background bonus: Language (French – Fluent), Profession (Navigator), Study
(Mapping)
Pirate
The earliest records of European voyages to the Americas include many mentions of
piracy. The French, especially the Protestant Huguenots, are among some of the first
Caribbean pirates, with Jean Fleury capturing a Spanish galleon containing Aztec
treasure in 1522, and the sacking of Havana in 1555 by Jacques de Sores. The line
separating pirate, privateer, smuggler, and trader in the 16th century is often fleetingly
thin. French, English, Dutch, Spanish, and Portuguese ships all consider each other
“fair game” while sailing in American waters, and there is generally “no peace beyond
the line,” regardless of the political situation back in Europe.
Background bonus: Language (French – Fluent), Melee or Shoot, Trade (Sailor)
Sergeant-at-Arms
The distinction between state-owned military and privately owned commercial ships
was extremely porous in the 16th century. This was especially true in France where
a “royal navy” did not exist prior to Cardinal Richelieu’s efforts to build one in the
1620s. Most ship-to-ship combat is still resolved by boarding rather than broadsides,
and all sailors are expected to have some familiarity and ability with weapons. Most
ships include a Sergeant-at-Arms, often a former soldier or mercenary, to coordinate
shipboard combat. In the lawless waters of the New World where the line between
fishing, trading, and piracy is often non-existent, the Sergeant-at-Arms is one of the
most important roles onboard a ship.
Background bonus: Language (French – Fluent), Melee, Shoot
New Backgrounds $ 59
Ship’s Carpenter
The ship’s carpenter was a highly specialized position onboard a Renaissance sailing
ship akin to that of an engineer. The carpenter is responsible for proper maintenance
of the hull and masts, and for making repairs while underway. The ship’s carpenter
needs a creative mind as well as a steady hand, as ship repairs often require using
whatever makeshift materials the crew have at their disposal.
Background bonus: Craft (Carpenter) or Profession (Woodworking), Language
(French – Fluent), Trade (Repair)
Ship’s Surgeon
Injuries and illness were a fact of life aboard Renaissance sailing ships. The ship’s
surgeon (who also doubles as the barber) tends to the sick and wounded, and oversees
the maintaining of sanitary conditions, such as they are, aboard the ship. Few have
any real medical training, especially during the early Age of Sail, and are often con-
sidered little more than butchers. Still, a good surgeon is essential in administering
first aid, splinting broken bones, removing shrapnel from soft tissue, and, of course,
amputating limbs damaged in battle.
Background bonus: Healing or Physick, Language (French – Fluent), Profession
(Surgeon)
Traders
By the era of the international fur trade and the “Beaver Wars” lie more than 50 years
in the future, but enterprising Frenchmen are already making their presence felt by
trading with the Native peoples of the Americas.
Native Traders
Unlike the Spanish and Portuguese, the French found it far more lucrative to trade
with the Natives than to spend money on troops and permanent settlements. Their
greatest trading partners are the Tupinambá people of Brazil from whom they obtain
dyewoods (particularly important for the textile mills of Rouen), and the Algonquian
and Inuit peoples of North America with whom they trade for pelts. Native traders
often work in tandem with “truchements” (see below) to build strong relationships
with the leaders of certain clans.
Background bonus: Bargain, Language (French – Fluent), Merchant
Truchements
Francis Parkman’s famous quote, “Spanish civilization crushed the Indian. English
civilization scorned and neglected him. French civilization embraced and cherished
him,” does contain an element of truth. Their goals might have been self-serving,
but the French did make more of an effort to understand Native Americans than
any other European power. One such method was by having allied tribes adopt
Frenchmen in order to teach them their language and customs. These people, known
as “truchements,” act as intermediaries and interpreters, linking Native tribes with
French traders.
Background bonus: Diplomacy, Language (French – Fluent), Language (Choice of
Native American Language)
NEW EQUIPMENT
While much of the equipment in the Colonial Gothic Rulebook is easily adaptable
to a 16th-century setting, the weapons and armor are very different. Firearms are still
primitive by the mid-1550s, existing in tandem with older, medieval-style weaponry.
Because of this, armor is still quite common as well. The following list contains some
of the most commonly used types of weaponry and armor during this period. Note:
All prices are listed in livres (£), sous (s), and deniers (d). The conversion is 1£ =
20s = 240d
Type Damage Defend Range ROF Size Cost
Arquebus 3 -- 30/50/70 1/3 2H £4 5s
Matchlock Pistol 2 -- 15/25/30 1/2 1H £2 12s 60d
Arming Rapier 4 +1 -- -- 1H £5 15s
Armor AV Cost
Cuirass +4 £8 2s 35d
Arquebus: Also known as the harquebus, harkbus, hackbut, caliver, and hand-gonne,
the arquebus is the first widely produced, relatively reliable European “musket.” Line
infantry use a larger, heavier version (over 60 inches in length, weighing nearly 40
pounds) requiring the use of a stand, but the arquebus used by explorers and con-
querors in the New World is approximately 25 pounds and 4 feet long. The arquebus
is a clumsy, cumbersome weapon that uses a slow-burning match as its firing mecha-
nism, requiring a lengthy loading time between shots. These weapons are also prone
to misfiring: if the degrees of failure equal 6 or more, the weapon misfires and is
fouled, requiring at least 30 minutes of thorough cleaning before it can be used again.
Matchlock Pistol: Especially popular with cavalrymen and sailors, the matchlock
pistol is designed to deliver a deadly blow at close quarters. European explorers delv-
ing into the dense forests of North America prize the matchlock, quickly learning
that ease-of-use and rate of fire count for more than range or accuracy. While more
sophisticated pistols using a wheel-lock firing mechanism exist, they are extremely
expensive and usually limited to the nobility. Like the arquebus, matchlock pistols
will misfire if the degrees of failure equal 6 or more, requiring at least 30 minutes to
cool and clean before it can be fired again.
Arming Rapier: Not to be confused with the lighter dueling weapon, the arming
Secrets $ 61
rapier (alternatively called the side-sword, épée, estoc, spada da lato, or espada rop-
era) is somewhere between the medieval broadsword and later infantry swords of
the 18th century, making it the premier infantry sidearm of the 16th century. The
arming rapier has a sturdy blade designed for both cutting and thrusting, with a large
bell-guard that doubles as a small buckler shield. Nearly all European visitors to the
Americas in the 16th century travel with one of these on their belts.
Cuirass: While the increasing effectiveness of firearms has led to a reduction in
armor overall, it has not yet rendered it obsolete. If anything, the mid-16th century
marks the pinnacle of armor usage in Europe as advancements in manufacturing have
made body armor available for the first time to non-aristocratic soldiers. The cuirass
is a heavy steel breastplate providing good protection for the vital organs against
non-gunpowder weaponry, and even some defense against wayward shots. The cuirass
is commonly paired with a mass-produced helmet, such as a burgonet or morion.
SECRETS
Secret Societies
The Knights Templar (L’Ordre des Templiers)
Officially disbanded in 1312, a small, underground remnant of the Knights Templar
continues to operate in Europe. (For a more in-depth
examination of this secret society, see the Templar
sourcebook).
The Knights Templar knew about the existence
of the “New World” for centuries before Columbus
“discovered” it. The Order’s most famous explorer
to reach North America was Henry Sinclair (Henri
Saint-Clair in French). The Sinclair expedition
reached Nova Scotia in 1389 and spent nearly a
decade exploring the entire Northeast. Several knights
died along the way (the tomb of one of them, Sir
James Gunn, can be found in present-day Westford,
Massachusetts) and they eventually ran across the
city of Norumbega—and were nearly destroyed by
the encounter.
The Templars do not know what Norumbega is,
or the nature of its mysterious inhabitants, but they
know it is a place of great power, and thoroughly evil
to boot. They have attempted to keep knowledge of
Norumbega a secret for more than a century, and will
do everything in their power to stop their rivals from
discovering it or any information about it.
The Knights of Malta (L’Ordre de Malte)

Much like the Knights Templar, the Knights of Malta trace their pedigree back to the
Crusades. By the 16th century, they have not had a presence in the Levant for over a
century, and are now based on the island of Malta, continuing their centuries-long
struggle against the forces of Islam in the Mediterranean and, more recently, heretical
Protestants in Europe.
While the Order of Malta acts as the public sword-arm of the Church-Militant, it
also has a hidden side it reveals to high-ranking initiates only. Like the Inquisition,
an organization with which it shares close ties, the Knights of Malta are privy to
many secrets concerning the esoteric history of the Catholic Church. They are tasked
with safeguarding these secrets, often coming into conflict with groups seeking to
uncover and expose them, like the Knights Templar. The two orders share a historic
rivalry, as the Knights of Malta rose in power and prominence at the expense of the
Templars after their official dissolution in 1312. The Knights of Malta know little
about Norumbega beyond what legend holds, but should it actually exist and provide
them with a weapon to use against their rivals and the rising Protestant threat in
Europe, so much the better.
The Hermetic Rectified Rite of the Order of Elect Cohens (Le Rite Her-
métique Rectif ié de l’Ordre des Élus-Coëns)
The rediscovery of classical Greek texts during the Renaissance introduced learned
Europeans to the ancient traditions of Hermetic magic from Alexandrian Egypt. This,
combined with a new, critical attitude toward religion attracted the attention of several
Protestant intellectuals. While the outward face of Calvinism is strictly rationalistic
and opposed to all forms of “superstition,” there also exists a strong undercurrent
of esoteric practice amongst its members. This can be seen most clearly seen in the
works of the Huguenot craftsman and natural philosopher Bernard Palissy, who
incorporates mystical and alchemical themes into his famous naturalistic pottery.
The Hermetic Rectified Rite of the Order of Elect Cohens combines Palissian natu-
ral philosophy and classical Hermeticism with Calvinist theology. They see themselves
as the predestined successors of the ancient Hebraic temple priests, charged with
safeguarding the mysteries of the universe from any unworthy of such knowledge—
which is nearly everyone except for them. One such tome containing these mysteries
is the Book of Eibon. They will do everything possible to secure this knowledge so
that it does not fall into the wrong hands.
As a historical aside, the Order of Elect Cohens will not survive the French Wars
of Religion. Their members will be systematically hunted down and killed by the
Knights of Malta, and the few surviving Elect Cohens will merge with the new order
of Rosicrucians in the coming century.
Secrets $ 63
Dramatis Personae
Captain Jean De La Tour
The 41-year-old veteran navigator has been plying the sea-lanes between France and
the New World since his early teens. Widely regarded as one of the greatest ship
captains of his age, Captain De La Tour has a reputation for honesty, bravery, profes-
sionalism, and fair dealing. De La Tour is a committed Huguenot, making no secret
of his religious affiliation, but values competency over orthodoxy when choosing his
crew. His appointment to lead the rescue mission was a compromise between the
Catholic and Huguenot directors of the Company.
Captain De La Tour is also far more learned than he lets on. While he might
downplay his knowledge as being “old sailors’ yarns” or bits of information he gleaned
from travelling all over the world, De La Tour is actually a low-level initiate in the
Hermetic Rectified Rite of the Order of Elect Cohens, and was championed to lead
the mission by Company director Lucas Vaillancourt (see below). While Captain De
La Tour does not know exactly what Norumbega is, his orders are to locate the city
after finding Captain Saint-Cyr. De La Tour’s attitude will change over the course
of the journey as the mission gets closer and closer to Norumbega. His air of steady
professionalism gives way to increasing paranoia and obsession. He absolutely refuses
to return to France without finding Norumbega, and violently resists any and all
who question him, invoking his authority as captain to arrest them or execute them
as mutineers.
M 7, N 8, V 8, Reason 7, Rs 8, A 2, I 7, Sn 40, Vit 37
Skills: Brawl [+3], Language – French [Fluent], Melee [+9], Profession – Navigation
[+13], Shoot [+6], Tactics – Naval [+7]
Gear: Arming Rapier, Brace of Matchlock Pistols, Cuirass, Knife, Leather hat, Sailor’s
clothes
Père Yves Martin
Père Martin is a devoted Roman Catholic priest of the missionary order of Recollect
Franciscans (Récollet in French). He has a bookish personality tempered by a fierce
and unwavering piety. His strict asceticism and uncompromising religious orthodoxy
tends to wear on most people, even observant Catholics. A 1517 French naval ordi-
nance requires that a Catholic priest accompany all voyages to the New World, so Père
Martin was recruited to check a bureaucratic box—or at least that’s the Company line.
Père Martin, in fact, has a secret agenda. He is a plant by Company director
Pierre-Laurent Du Bellay (see below), tasked with locating Captain Saint-Cyr while
preventing Captain De La Tour from locating the lost city. Père Martin and Captain
De La Tour clearly dislike each other, and each attempts to undermine the other’s
position with the crew, but Martin will grudgingly accept De La Tour’s leadership
in the search for Captain Saint-Cyr.
First Mate Charles Duval

The 28-year-old able seaman is a survivor of the L’Espérance expedition and an
experienced helmsman. He is capable and cooperative with a lighthearted, friendly
disposition. He works hard to get along well with the PCs and earn their trust. More
than anyone else on the crew, Duval appears dedicated to doing his job to the best of
his ability with no ulterior motive. He has pacifist inclinations, refusing to join any
factions or even to speak ill of others. He will always attempt to intervene whenever
he sees any argument becoming too heated. All of this, however, is a clever ruse.
Charles Duval is a committed associate member of the Knights Templar who
was initiated into the order by Company director Rémy Ricassoli-Beaumanoir (see
below). He has been tasked by the Order with ensuring that knowledge of Norumbega
remains a secret. Never part of Saint-Cyr’s inner circle, he was sent him back to Europe
without his secret being discovered. His sailing experience and knowledge of the last
known location of L’Espérance made him the obvious choice to act as First Mate
by the Company directors, allowing the Templars to plant their agent aboard yet
another expedition to Norumbega. Duval will attempt to disrupt the mission subtly
at first by taking Le Grand Cerf off course, tinkering with navigational equipment,
spoiling food and water, and sabotaging the ship, until he has no choice but to use
more direct, blunt methods.
Captain Guillaume Saint-Cyr
At only 32 years old, Guillaume Saint-Cyr is one of the youngest and most accom-
plished sea captains of the time. His knack for piloting in shallow waters, along with
his ability to cultivate good relationships with many Native tribal chiefs, established
him as an early master of the fur trade. Saint-Cyr disappeared two years ago while
captaining the ship L’Espérance on a fishing voyage off the coast of Newfoundland.
The reality is that Saint-Cyr was sent to North America on a secret mission cham-
pioned by Du Bellay to discover Norumbega. He was ordered to fake the shipwreck
of L’Espérance and scuttle it as a cover to get rid of most of his crew. He kept only a
small handful of loyal retainers and journeyed into the interior of the continent. Unlike
so many before him, Saint-Cyr quickly located Norumbega only to be immediately
enthralled by the Guardian of Norumbega, King Olaf Ragnarsson—undoubtedly,
Ragnarsson used his powers to draw Saint-Cyr to him in the Guardian’s quest for
a worthy successor. Deeming him a lesser candidate after sensing the approach of
the expedition, Ragnarsson sends Saint-Cyr to find and guide the Europeans to
Norumbega. Saint-Cyr will do everything in his power, up to and including his own
death, to bring the party to his King.
Secrets $ 65
Lucas Vaillancourt
One of the richest merchants in Rouen
and a leader in the Huguenot com-
munity, Lucas Vaillancourt is also
secretly a high-ranking mem-
ber of the Hermetic Rectified
Rite of the Order of Elect
Cohens. He used his con-
siderable influence with the
other Company directors
to have Captain De La
Tour appointed as head
of the rescue expedition.
Vaillancourt knows that
Norumbega might be the
antediluvian temple hous-
ing the Book of Eibon, and
seeks to secure this ancient
knowledge for the Elect
Cohens. At the very least, he
will not allow it to fall into the
hands of the Order of Malta. He
is not easy to contact, but might be
located in the Temple at Quevilly or con-
ducting business at the Castle. Outwardly, he
appears extremely polite and unflappable. While he might give the PCs some support
if he believes they will be loyal pawns of Captain De La Tour, he will not divulge any
information whatsoever to them about Norumbega.
Pierre-Laurent Du Bellay
A large, gruff man who quite literally wears his allegiance to the Order of Malta
around his neck, Du Bellay served with the Order for many years in the Mediterranean
fighting Tunisian corsairs. Du Bellay hates the Huguenots and only feigns the slightest
amount of tolerance until such time he can wipe them—indeed, all Protestants—from
the face of Europe. He only cares about Norumbega insofar as it provides either a
means to enrich the Order of Malta or as a weapon against enemies of the faith. He
fiercely opposes Vaillancourt and De La Tour, and only helps the PCs if he believes
them to be militant Catholics. He can often be found at the Cathedral of Rouen,
praying fervently with his rosary in his hand.
Rémy Ricassoli-Beaumanoir
One of the oldest directors and descendant of an ancient noble line, Ricassoli-
Beaumanoir represents the Company’s interests in the Parlement of Normandy. His
lineage includes several high-ranking members of the Knights Templar, including its
last public Grand Master, Jacques de Molay. Ricassoli-Beaumanoir is extremely active
in the Order himself, and is fully aware of the long history of Templar contact with
the New World and the horrible truth about Norumbega. He actively opposes all
efforts to locate it, working against both the factions of Vaillancourt and Du Bellay.
Of all the directors, Ricassoli-Beaumanior is the most interested in meeting with the
party to ascertain their motivations. If he believes the PCs are amenable, he instructs
Duval to make an attempt to befriend and recruit them. Ricassoli-Beaumanoir can
usually be found at the Parlement or worshiping in the Abbey-Church of St. Ouen.
Halfdan Eiricksson
A tall, well-built man of 44 years, Halfdan Eiriksson is a descendent of Erik the Red
and one of the last Norse remaining on Greenland. Eiriksson is not an evil man,
but he is desperate and will do whatever it takes to save his family. In addition to
speaking Old Icelandic, he knows some Latin and Innu, allowing him to commu-
nicate (if poorly) with the party, and has the ability to read Norse runes. If asked,
Eiriksson will reveal tidbits of knowledge about Norumbega he learned from an old
saga, but his knowledge is actually quite limited, and in fact, he knows little about
the Americas. However, he will say or promise anything to convince the PCs to help
him, including offering to accompany them on their journey if they agree to take his
family as well. Eiriksson is a good warrior who will fight bravely. He and his family
are also “heathens,” worshiping the old pagan Norse gods, a fact that might lead to
friction between him and the devout Christians in the party.
M 10, N 5, V 9, R 6, Res 8, A 1, I 5, Sn 40, Vit 47
Skills: Brawl [+6], Language – Old Icelandic [Fluent], Language – Inuit [Speak],
Language – Latin [Speak], Melee [+10], Observe [+7] Survival [Arctic, +7]
Gear: Brace of axes (hatchet), Knife, Norse clothing
La Banquise (Masaaraq)
The man whom the French call La Banquise is the leader of a local band of Green-
land Inuit who have come into conflict with the Norse. Although he is small in
stature, he is incredibly strong and marked by numerous scars. He has heard the
legends of Norumbega from trading with Natives in North America, but he does
not know where it is. From what he has heard, he believes Norumbega to be an
evil place. He will agree, however, to accompany them on the party’s expedition if
they help him lift the curse plaguing his people.
M 8, N 8, V 7, R 8, Res 8, A 2, In 8, Sn 40, Vit 40
Skills: Brawl [+7], Language – Inuit [Fluent], Language – Eastern Algonquin [Speak],
Language – Latin [Speak], Melee [+8], Observe [+9] Survival [Arctic, +11]
Gear: Pike, Knife, Inuit winter clothing
Secrets $ 67
La Grosse Bedaine (Megedagik) and Le Grand Orignal (W8boz Kaginin8kw1)

This round-bellied member of the Penobscot Nation has grown prosperous by trading
with the French. La Grosse Bedaine speaks passable French and professes the Christian
faith enough to endear himself to the Europeans. He cuts an oddly dashing figure,
wearing an expensive wool coat, leather boots, and felt flop hat, as well as sporting a
steel sword and a brace of pistols. He is always accompanied by his enormous Abenaki
bodyguard, Le Grand Orignal. La Grosse Bedaine will help the party as long as he
believes he will profit by doing so.
L’Arbre Frêne (Ogmakwam)
Standing over 6 feet tall, with a thin, wiry
frame, and having seen at least 60 winters,
the man whom the French call L’Arbre
Frêne is one of the greatest wizards
(m’téoulin) in the entire Northeast.
L’Arbre Frêne wears the furs of sev-
eral animals and carries around a
medicine bag containing various
magical components, including
a set of Algonquin hieroglyph-
ics carved on polished pieces of
bear bone. He warns the party
repeatedly about the dangers of
approaching Norumbega, but
feels honor-bound to accom-
pany them after they saved his
life. L’Arbre Frêne will lend his
knowledge and expertise to the
party, but will be too drained
after casting the powerful ritual
of passing to use any magic.
M 4, N 6, V 5, R 11, Res 12, A 2, In
8, Sn 60, Vit 22
Skills: Dodge [+3], Divination [+9],
Herbalist [+9], Lore [+11], Magic [+13], Resist
[+8], Observe [+9], Survival [Forest, +5]
Gear: Shaman clothing, Medicine Bag
1. That’s is the name in Abenaki, and that is the original spelling to provide some flavor. The Jesuits
used “8” to represent the nasalized “o” similar to “ö”. If you prefer you can spell it as Wöboz
Kagininökw.
Olaf Ragnarsson
The current Guardian of Norumbega, Olaf Ragnarsson was once a Norse inhabitant
of Vinland who reached the cursed site while on a punitive expedition against the
“Skrælings.” The Guardian at the time recognized Ragnarsson as an obviously worthy
successor to replace him. The Ritual of Transformation, however, destroyed his mind
and now Ragnarsson sees himself as the living manifestation of the God Odin. Just as
Odin impaled himself on the World-Tree of Yggdrasil and sacrificed an eye in order
to learn the mystical secrets of the runes, so too did Ragnarsson sacrifice himself by
reading from the Book of Eibon, even clawing out his own eyes in the process. Like
the Guardians before him, he commands an army of corrupted Natives called the Tsi-
noo, or worm-eaten “thralls,” fitting for a warrior-poet and god-king such as himself.
Ragnarsson is always accompanied by four beast-headed humanoid creatures he calls
Geri and Freki (the wolves), and Huginn and Muninn (the ravens). He has no idea
what they are or where they came from, only that they serve him.
Ragnarsson has seen the stars, and knows the time to sacrifice himself rapidly
approaches. He does not see this sacrifice as his necessary obeisance to the King
in Yellow, but instead as his apotheosis, in which he will gain the throne of Asgard
itself. He is obsessed with finding a worthy successor to take his place as Guardian.
Ragnarsson’s power within Norumbega is absolute. Like the Guardians before him,
he can project his mind into the outside world to seek out those those searching for
Norumbega, and influence their thoughts and dreams to draw them there if they are
worthy, or ensure that they never find the lost city if they are not. He can speak all
languages fluently and is invulnerable to all physical and magical attacks.
MONSTERS
Keelut
The Keelut is an evil spirit from the Inuit underworld that takes the shape of a mas-
sive, hairless wolf-like creature. The Keelut stands nearly 7 feet tall at the shoulder
and over 12 feet in length. It has longer jaws than any wolf or dog the party has
ever seen that distend at an unnatural angle. The only hair on the Keelut is located
on its feet, allowing the beast to walk silently through snow without leaving a trace.
M 12, N 8, V 13, R 8, Res 9, A 2, In 8, Fear -4, Tnt 45
Skills: Brawl [+13], Dodge [+8], Intimidation [+10], Observe [+9], Size [+2], Stealth
[+10]
Traits: Bite, Claws, Fierce, Horrific Visage, Infernal, Natural Armor [AV 6]
Monsters $ 69
Basque Pirate-Fishermen
The Basque were the first Europeans to reach the Grand Banks (possibly even before
Columbus) and have a reputation for being fiercely territorial and aggressive.
M 6, N 7, V 5, R 6, Res 6, A 2, In 6, Sn 30, Vit 32
Skills: Brawl [+5], Language – Basque [Fluent], Melee [+7], Trade – Sailor [+9],
Shoot [+7]
Gear: Cutlass, Blunderbuss pistol
Tsi-noo
The Tsi-noo, or “worm-
eaten,” are Natives of
various tribes who have
been drawn to Norumbega
to serve the Guardian, their
souls expelled when he
made them his slaves. Their
existence is tied directly to
Norumbega, sustained only
by the Guardian’s powers
and their worship of him.
The Tsi-noo appear to be
physically perfect, having
tall, lean, and muscular
bodies with flawless skin,
bright eyes, white, straight
teeth, and shimmering hair.
The appearance is literally
only skin deep, however:
any wound they suffer
quickly reveals them to be
completely putrefied within
and infested with worms.
M 7, N 8, V 9, R 8, Res 9,
A 2, In 8, Fear 0, Vit 40
Skills: Archery [+8], Brawl
[+3], Dodge [+8], Observe
[+9], Tracking [+10], Stealth [+12], Tactics – Guerilla [+9]
Gear: Bow and 20 arrows, 2 tomahawks, knife, leather loincloth, moccasins
Traits: Brittle Bones, Elasticity, Undead
Alom-begwi-no-sis (Drowner Dwarves)

The diminutive drowner dwarves stand no taller than 3 feet, with rubbery, bluish skin
and stringy black hair, living beneath the surface of deep lakes and wide rivers. They
are not usually aggressive toward humans, but are very territorial. They attempt to
overturn or sink any vessels encroaching upon their waters, then swarm around the
flailing crew and pull them under the surface to
drown them, and then loot the vessels for food
and whatever they find of interest.
M 4, N 9, V 8, R 8, Re 9, A 3, In 8, Fear -1,
Vit 30
Skills: Athletics – Swim [+14], Brawl [+3],
Dodge [+9], Melee [+7] Observe [+9], Stealth
[+8]
Traits: Gills, Size [-2], Webbed Digits
M-ska-gwe-demoos
These strange spirits of the North American
woods charm passerby with their doleful cries. While they might appear to be women
in distress at first, closer inspection reveals a horrifying sight. Their hair and dress are
made of moss and the twisted, decaying matter of forlorn bogs. Anyone approaching
one of these “moss witches” is violently attacked. With their rending nails and sharp
teeth, they seek to maim their prey enough to drown them, and push them under
the mire at the bottom of the swamp to ferment as a future meal.
M 8, N 8, V 9, R 8, Res 11, A 2, In 8, Fear -4, Pl 55
Skills: Brawl [+9], Dodge [+8], Intimidation [+9]
Traits: Bite, Charm, Claws, Drain, Horrific Visage, Plasm
Abilities:
• Charm: Anyone hearing the cry of an M-ska-gwe-demoos must succeed at a
Resolution roll or be charmed for 1d12 rounds; charmed creatures will seek
to move closer to the M-ska-gwe-demoos.
• Drain: Anybody touched by an M-ska-gwe-demoos must succeed at a
Resolution roll or be drained of 1d12 Vitality, which is then added to the
Vitality of the M-ska-gwe-demoos.
Monsters $ 71
Metee-kolen-ol
Abenaki legend speaks of an ancient time when a race of wizards, the Metee-kolen-ol,
practiced dark and terrible magic, cruelly ruling over the land and keeping all the
people in subjugation. The great hero Gluskabe defeated the Metee-kolen-ol, nearly
destroying them all. He imprisoned the few who survived within Mount Katahdin,
where they remain to this day, nursing their hatred for all things human and plotting
their eventual revenge. Banished from the warming heat of the sun, the hearts of the
surviving Metee-kolen-ol turned to ice, giving them an affinity for any magic having
to do with cold, snow, ice or frost.
M 5, N 7, V 7, R 13, Res 10, A 2, In 10, Fear -1, Vit 30
Skills: Dodge [+3], Herbalist [+9], Lore [+14], Magic [+13], Resist [+8], Observe [+9]
Traits: Immunity – Cold, Spellcaster
Spells: Align – Ice [Arcane; Ice functions as a combination of Water and Ether],
Chill [Common; the reverse of the Warmth spell], Circle [Common], Frost Burn
[Common; the reverse of the Burn spell], Snowmaking [Arcane; Rainmaking spell
that creates blizzards]
Draugr
These decayed, bloated, and rotting
corpses are the former Viking com-
panions of King Olaf Ragnarsson,
forced to serve their master even
in death. They follow his orders
without hesitation, fighting until
they are physically incapable of
doing so. Perhaps their most ter-
rifying trait is their ability to create
new draugr. After dealing a mor-
tal wound, the draugr crawl on
top of their victims and whisper
dark curses into their ears as death
approaches—the cursed victim
arises as a draugr after exhaling
their final breath.
M 9, N 6, V 11, R 4, Re 8, A 2,
In 5, Fear -3, Vit 50
Skills: Brawl [+6], Defend [+9],
Dodge [+8], Melee [+10]
Gear: Decayed Viking armor (2
AV), Viking sword (use Heavy
Saber stats)
Traits: Spawn, Stench, Undead
ELDRITCH TOMES
The Book of Eibon, by Eibon. Publisher unknown (estimated c. 40,000 B.C.). Old
Hyperborean, TR 32
This massive tome was the personal grimoire of the ancient Hyperborean sorcerer
Eibon. It is bound in polished, embossed leather with a spine of lapis lazuli and
contains nearly 1,500 vellum pages. Attached to the spine is a heavy chain made
of solid platinum. The book and chain together weigh over 60 pounds. The Book
of Eibon is enchanted by powerful magic that prevent it from being damaged or
destroyed by corrosion, fire, acid, or physical violence. Very little is known about
Old Hyperborean, but it seems to be a syntactical and etymological forerunner of
the Proto-Indo-European language.
Inside the book is a large list of spells, many of which have been lost through
the millennia, along with ritual invocations to various Great Old Ones, particularly
Eldritch Tomes $ 73
Tsathoggua and Hastur. One such invocation is the Ritual of Transformation, used to
create the new temple guardian at Norumbega. Other sections contain the personal
journal entries of Eibon relating to star alignments, ley lines, and the alchemical prop-
erties of organic and inorganic substances. The final third of the book is an annotated
atlas, making it one of the best historical sources on the ancient Hyperborean world.
Anyone who is able to read this eldritch text without destroying their mind will
discover a trove of benefits, including: +1 to spell tests, +1 to Study (Astrology), +1
Alchemy, +5 Lore: Cthulhu Mythos, along with the spells Animate Dead, Contact
Elder God, Covering Cloud, Distant Eye, Gift of Tongues, Quake, and Thunder.

RGG7011 Colonial Gothic - The Journey To Norumbega (2017)

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Michael LaMonica is a

writer, lawyer, teacher, and his-

the Journey to Norumbega

GRAPHIC DESIGN & TYPOGRAPHY

Bits and Mortar (http://www.bits-and-mortar.com ) is a pro-retailer, pro-brick-and-mortar, pro-PDF, pro-ebook initiative

ouen in 1559 is one of the

SIGNING ON TO THE VOYAGE

he PCs set sail on their

THE LAY OF HALFDAN EIRIKSSON

to hold on to Brattahlíð by fortifying it. It is easily the most defensible position in

BY THE BRINY HOOKS OF FISHERMEN

THE DISCOVERY OF L’ESPÉRANCE

INTO THE WILDERNESS

SIGNS OF SAINT-CYR’S EXPEDITION

THE TEMPLAR CAVE

THE PEMADUMCOOK CHAIN OF LAKES

MOUNT KATAHDIN & PAMOLA

to circumvent the river in front of Mount Katahdin, as described above—they still

Dissension in the Ranks

THE DISCOVERY OF CAPTAIN SAINT-CYR

I know that I hung on a windy tree

nine long nights,

wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin,

I know that I hung on a windy tree

nine long nights

wounded with a spear dedicated to Odin,

s L’Erebus approaches the

surrounded by thousands of Tsi-noo, the undead Viking warriors, not to mention

Tower of the Black Sun

THE CROWNING OF THE NEW KING

The Knights of Malta (L’Ordre de Malte)

First Mate Charles Duval

La Grosse Bedaine (Megedagik) and Le Grand Orignal (W8boz Kaginin8kw1)

Alom-begwi-no-sis (Drowner Dwarves)

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