Hellish Helots

~Hellish Helots~
Written by Tyler A. Thompson

This scenario is released as part of the upcoming A Dark and Salient Land Campaign, the rules to which are available on
DrivethruRPG as a “pay what you want” product. This scenario and others will be released with that product upon its
completion.

The Premise to A Dark and Salient Land: A short time ago, a Great Horde formed far to the east, from deep within the cold
and savage mountains at the edge of the known world: a horde of foul, corrupted men, twisted human-beast hybrids, the
dead walking in perverse imitation of life, and distorted, maddening creatures of corruption and chaos.

This horde marched westward, growing in strength and devouring all that is good and living as it went. The Empire and the
other nations of men rallied a great host of their own, and engaged the forces of evil and corruption across a massive front
spanning the east, a bulwark against annihilation. For years, they fought what seemed a losing battle to push back the foul
tide of corruption, but through the valor, heroism, and determination of the great heroes of the lands and the stoic labor of the
people, the foul host was broken, scattered, and destroyed. The Empire has at last achieved some semblance of peace,
prosperity, and security within its own borders. Corruption, heresy, and the other great evils that plague humanity are still
present, but are for now pushed firmly to the fringes of the realm or beaten back into hiding throughout the realm. The same
cannot be said of the lands beyond the Empire’s core. Those to the east are war torn, and those beyond the final frontline are
desolate and destroyed. Those to the west, while enduring struggles with corruption of their own, stand strong, but consider
themselves the true heroes of the recent war and have themselves settled back into petty politicking, even as efforts to
reconstruct the east have begun. Worse, the lords, priests, and academics of the land have reason to believe the host was
merely a vanguard, and in time a new host will form and once again descend from the mountains. Many believe it to be
unbeatable, a mere fact of existence now. Others have hope that it can be vanquished for good, if only all of humanity
continues to try. What is certain is that the enemy is powerful, and grows more powerful still, day by day. When it will come
is uncertain, but there is every reason to suspect it will indeed come, and just as much reason to suspect that humanity is not
yet ready. The players take on the role of petty lords and their personal retinues, freshly granted title to fiefs in the Zizka
Valley, a region at the border of the Empire, a final gateway to the Eastern Kingdoms and steppe tribes that lie beyond- or the
final gate before the Imperial core, and mere days of travel from the final frontline of the war. A long-neglected region which
has suffered greatly from corruption and waste, the players have been tasked with reclaiming the valley and establishing a
defensive line, a final bulwark to buy humanity time should the evil host return and beat back the crusading forces at the
frontlines. Players will be afforded little help by their Emperor, nor their neighbors; the Valley is a contingency plan, a gap
stop, and not a priority in which to invest too much c\scarce time, money, and resources. How much time they have before
the horde is at their doorstep is unclear and depends on their contributions to the effort, the valor of the crusaders, and
luck. Perhaps they have mere weeks, perhaps years, perhaps it will be vanquished before reaching them at all. All that is
known is their duty, and that the fate of humanity may depend on securing the Zizka Valley.

~ CREDITS ~
Design: Tyler A. Thompson
Additional Design and Editing: Owen L. Luetkemeyer, Tyler J. Urish
Publisher: Sad Fishe Games
Art: Caravaggio

This game product is powered by ZWEIHANDER Grim & Perilous RPG ™, a trademark of Grim & Perilous Studios LLC, in the
USA and other countries. Used with permission. Original text content of ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG is licensed under
a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. ZWEIHÄNDER Logo, content and original
artwork are copyright © 2009–2018, Grim & Perilous Studios, LLC unless otherwise specified.

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 Hellish Helots
INTRODUCTION: KLUGNOST,
FORGOTTEN VILLAGE
The founding of Klugnost in a far southeast corner of
the Zizka Valley predates Imperial control of the
region, and indeed predates even the founding of the
eastern kingdoms that would now lay claim to the
region but for the Emperor’s might. It is an old
settlement indeed, but one looking at it a short time
after its founding would find it much the same as now,
both in size and the lifestyle of those that live there: a
mere few dozen residents, subsisting on a few fields
and the surrounding woodlands, with neither garrison
nor traders of which to speak. It is sufficiently remote,
even for the Zizka Valley, and of insufficient economic
or tactical value to have ever justified much attention
from either its rulers or any would-be invaders. Still,
the world is dangerous, as it was back when the village
was founded, and Klugnost has not been entirely
spared from the banditry, roaming beasts, and latent
corruption that infest the region. So insignificant was
the village that during a time of serious orx pillage
throughout the Valley and the lands immediately east
of it that when the raiders were culled and there was
much to rebuild, Klugnost was simply omitted from
the cleanup effort and subsequent records, and a
generation later forgotten entirely. Klugnost did not
bother to have the record corrected. Paths to the village
faded. Yet, it persists still. At a glance, life there
appears simple, perhaps primitive by the standards of
the day, but otherwise not unlike any other small rural
thorp. How it has survived for so long without any
input of resources or defense from the menagerie of
horrors of these dark times would be a mystery to
anyone who happened upon the place. It is true that
but for the occasional wayward wayfarer or passing
pilgrim who opted to settle there, the population of the
village would have collapsed long ago, but their
method of survival whenever cultists of corruption,
beastly warbands, and monsters pass would remain a
mystery.
The reality is that Klugnost has not survived on its own
(a fact which players should remain ignorant of, at
first). Something protects the village, concealing it
from the horrors of the wilds and shielding it from the
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forces of evil. If the locals were asked, they would
suggest this protective force comes from their folk
worship of a spirit they know as the Guardian. They
would speak openly and in earnest about how it has
kept the village and its residents safe, even when doom
seemed certain, and how wounds and sickness have
been healed by prayer to it. They would not be lying in
saying such things. What they would omit to describe
is the Guardian’s three servants, witches each, who
come when the villagers require the Guardian’s aid, or
when they bring with them the Guardian’s demands
from the villagers.
These witches are far from ordinary. Their birth long
predates the founding of Klugnost, but they have been
present there since. Whatever they were at birth, they
are something other than human or any other worldly
race now, having forgone the typical attempts of witch-
kind to maintain any appearance of humanity; their
bodies are grotesque, mutilated, and bloody. This is in
contrast to their demeanor, which is perfectly pleasant,
almost nurturing, and never angry although sometimes
cold. They are genuine caretakers of the village,
tending to a great many needs the villagers simply
cannot address themselves. It is also these three, acting
on behalf of the Guardian and using its power, that
stave off the dangers of the outside world. It has even
promised its capacity to hold back the tide of evil
consuming the world now, acting as a foul levy against
the coming darkness. Nothing is free, however,
especially not in dealings which those attuned to the
darkness of the world. Protection and health come at a
price, extracted from the villagers seemingly at
random, taken in flesh, pain, and even life whenever
the Guardian demands it.
What exactly the Guardian that offers these things is
remains a mystery, even to the witches. To be certain,
it is not a mere folkgod of the woods, but a mere
singular aspect of something far greater. Perhaps an
elder god beyond our understanding, making requests
for some incomprehensible purpose. Perhaps the
Outsider god itself, as part of its endless scheming
malignancy. The truth matters little. Something
nefarious festers in Klugnost, providing a possible
foothold for worse things to come. This cannot stand.
 Hellish Helots
A VILLAGE REDISCOVERED
A COMMONER'S CLOSE ENCOUNTER
A scavenger, William Knoop, headed home from
looting the ruins of the east has found his way to
Chalice. He is battered, weary, and starving,
having lost his way in the forests of the Zizka
Valley. He has petitioned the local authorities to
tell his story, and if ignored will exuberantly
regale his experiences in every tavern and ale
garden he can find to anyone willing to listen. His
stories will describe getting lost for days at a time,
and the sight of chimney smoke in an area he
assumed to be uninhabited by good folk. Either
his salvation or demise, he headed toward the
smoke, only to find a dense fog rolling into the
forest, and the shambling figures of walking
corpses in pursuit. He escaped, but not without
some scratching and bruising, and not without
spending several more days alone and without
food in the wilderness. He will implore someone
to investigate, convinced that his experiences
were no mere coincidence, and that something
evil is hidden there. He can offer rough directions
as to where these events took place, and could
even be convinced to guide any investigators there
himself- for a fair wage. He has a family back in
Ostfahre to feed, after all.
ON THE TRAIL
The directions William provides will lead to a site a full
1
7 day’s march from Chalice, but this can be reduced to
5 days with William in tow. His directions are
surprisingly thorough and effective, and despite leading
the players through rough trail and eventually
wilderness with no trail at all for the final quarter of the
journey, there is little chance of getting lost if the
directions are followed.
Into the Fog
As the party nears their destination, they will spot
smoke on the horizon, a singular, small trail of it rising
gently into the wind. They might recall William’s
description, or be told by the man himself that that is
the precise sight that drew him in his journey. Heading
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toward the smoke will lead the party into a particularly
dense, dark stretch of forest, with a thick, high canopy
that all but blots out any sun there might be.
Additionally, a TRIVIAL Awareness check would
reveal that this part of the forest is particularly quiet, to
the point that nary a bird, nor insect, nor any other
creature save perhaps some flies can be heard- a rarity,
even in a place as hellish as the Valley’s wilds. As they
continue toward the smoke (now probably unseen,
unless they clamber up a tree), a misty fog will set it,
just as William described. In time, this fog will
become extremely thick, turning everything more than
a few feet away into shadows, and making navigation
difficult. A HARD Incantation or Survival check
would reveal that the fog is of magical origin or is
unnatural, respectively. Staying together as a small
group (6 or fewer) is easy enough, but any larger and
there may be some difficulty; at a party size of 7-12,
the party must collectively pass a Navigation check,
and those that fail find themselves separated in the fog.
Increase the difficulty one step for each 6 party
members thereafter.
Just as the fog reaches its thickest, shadowy, shambling
figures will emerge behind the party (or each separated
group of the party). 2d6 reanimated corpses will be in
pursuit of the party, with an additional 1d6 for every
additional 6 party members. They will make no
attempt to conceal their approach, nor will they
approach with any haste. These are puppets of the 3
witches, designed to drive off certain intruders, and
drive others inward toward Klugnost- their intent is not
to kill, merely to direct, although they will not hold
back if engaged. They will attempt to drive the player
party toward Klugnost, and try to split the party if there
are more than 8 people present. A CHALLENGING
Navigation check will be required to prevent losing
party members in the fog if the party attempts to flee.
A HARD Navigation check Fleeing will always lead
the player party toward the village, in the end, and any
lost members away and out of the fog. Only by
running past the reanimated corpses or destroying them
can anyone find themselves reversing these outcomes.
This pursuit will continue for some time, although the
swirling magic fog and maneuvering of the reanimated
corpses make the precise distance travelled uncertain.
By the time the party sights the village, the
corpses will have abandoned the pursuit, its
 Hellish Helots
purpose served. The fog will fade shortly
thereafter. Should the party attempt to leave
before dealing with or destroying the witches
and/or villagers (or unless the witches want the
party gone), the corpses and fog will return in an
effort to stop their departure.
IN THE VILLAGE OF KLUGNOST
The village is small, populated by only a few
dozen residents spread out over a handful of
cottages. The residents subsist on a few small
fields, the small flock of cows, sheep, and
chickens they raise, and whatever they can forage
in the forest around the village without going so
far as to trigger the witches’ fog and undead
servants. Everything they require they produce
themselves or the witches provide for them.
Outsiders will find their lifestyles, methods of
work, and even their tools, clothing, and structures
to be somewhat primitive compared to even the
villages of the normal world, lacking much of the
innovation and changes in fashion of recent
decades- a side effect of their isolation. This
should be overt to players, as should the lack of
horses or means of ingress or egress from the
village in general.
North of the village is the witches’ hovel, as well
as the altar where they commune with their dark
deity and carry out their rituals and sacrifices. It
is concealed behind a berm and a thick tree line,
but otherwise entirely accessible should the party
stumble upon it while investigating the village.
The People of Klugnost
There are currently 32 residents in Klugnost, all
essentially having peasant statistics, and unless
otherwise stated all essentially accepting of their
life and fearful of the outside. The villagers are
all people who were either born in Klugnost or
stumbled upon in much like the party has. They
are normal people who have found themselves in
a difficult predicament, but they are surprisingly
content with their circumstances and are not under
any direct threat or magical influence. Despite
being trapped, many of them know nothing else,
and those that do recognize how dangerous the
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world outside is, especially now. They appreciate
their health, safety and simple, stress-free lives;
the routine maiming they endure is at least
something predictable and amounts to a small
sacrifice if the alternative is an uncertain and just
as brutal existence elsewhere. Additionally, they
have been told of the coming apocalypse, and that
they will be safe throughout, stories and promises
they have elected to believe. As such, most
villagers will be tight-lipped about the witches or
their darker proclivities, though they will speak
openly and earnestly about the Guardian gifts and
protection.
Each villager is in impeccable health, working
hard throughout the day to maintain their little
paradise. Most are also somehow maimed: scars,
missing fingers, toes, arms, even eyes, although
the damage may not be overt on each person and
the wounds are cleanly healed and tended to.
They will make light of this damage, giving no
indication that it troubles them nor any hints as to
the causes, save by saying that the world is a
dangerous place.
If threatened, they will defend themselves and
each other, although many may not come to the
witches’ aid if it comes to that, seeing the matter
as out of their meek hands (nor will the witches
come to the villagers’ aid, willing to start again
from nothing). Otherwise, they will be overtly
friendly to the party, even going so far as to offer
helping them settle there. They will also attempt
to subtly steer the party away from areas where
anything related to the witches might be found,
turning them instead to their work or other curios
around the village. If given the choice between
death and revealing whatever secrets they have,
most will choose the latter. If the secret is
revealed and the party attempts to harm the
villagers or the witches, they will plead their case,
begging to be left alone. Does destroying what
they have further any cause? Is it worth
destroying what may be the last bastion of
humanity if the coming darkness cannot be
repelled? Is sparing this place worthwhile, or
must it be stopped for serving whatever evil it
does indeed serve?
The following are several interesting residents:
 Hellish Helots
Eadweard
Descended from the residents of Klugnost from
before it was forgotten, Eadweard is the oldest
resident of the village, and the most evidently
mutilated. Over the years he has had much taken
from his body: several fingers and toes, an eye,
and even some organs as revealed by the long
scars on both sides of his body. Despite this, he is
in superb health for a man of his age and is spry
and of clear mind. Still, he is a tired and serious
man, with little interest in outsiders or
newcomers. While not hostile, he will go out of
his way to avoid speaking with any visitors.
He no longer works, save for feeding the chickens
and collecting their eggs. His main job is to tend
to and preserve the contents of his cottage, which
now acts as a repository for the effects of
deceased residents and outsiders that cannot be
saved. The village has few resources, and so
these items are put away until someone needs
them. Metal and anything of practical use is
immediately distributed to those that need it, but
much remains. Many sets of clothes, shoes,
packs, books, and a variety of common wares are
stacked on shelves and in chests throughout his
home. 2d100gc, 1d20ss, and 1d10bp are in box
near the man’s bed, and at the top of a stack of
rotting papers pilfered from travelers are Deeds
for 4 Acres of land around Chalice. Eadweard is
aware of how suspicious the contents of his
cottage are, and so he keeps it locked and the
villagers work hard to keep the party away from
it.
Eadweard is also trusted with a copy of every key
in the village, over a dozen, all of which are
essentially identical in appearance. This includes
the key to the witches’ hovel basement. Guessing
which goes to a given lock may take some trying.
He keeps these keys on his person, in a pouch
tucked beneath his tunic.
Cedric
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Born in Klugnost eighteen years prior by way of
Cassius and Rosa, Cedric is perhaps the only adult
resident other than Vyctor who openly wants
freedom from the witches and the village. A
portly, slow young man, he had his right leg taken
from him as a boy by the Guardian. While he has
since fashioned himself a false leg to get around,
he greatly resents the damage done to him and
wants little else other than to leave the village- at
any cost to the others living there.
His family makes an effort to keep him in
Cassius’s home or otherwise keep him monitored
when new guests are present, but do not restrain
him. In turn, Cedric will make every effort to get
the party alone to tell them all he knows,
including the location of the Witches’ Hovel and
Eadweard’s keys to the basement.
Rosa and Cassius
Like their son, Rosa and Cassius have lived in the
village their whole lives and know nothing else.
They are simple folk, proud of their relationship
to the guardian and set in their ways. They will
do what they can to make any guests comfortable
and convince them of the safety of staying. The
only thing they are unwilling to do in defense of
their way of life is harm their son, Cedric.
Cassius is missing his right ear and has scars on
his legs from pieces being taken, but is otherwise
intact. Rosa is lacking her right thumb.
Jaquelyn
Sweet, beautiful, reserved, Jaquelyn is nominally
the nurse of the village and caretaker of the
children when needed. She knows little of
medicine, however, and is merely the ruse the
witches use to isolate the injured to carry out their
own magical healing- and sometimes abduct their
patients. Jaquelyn, having been orphaned as a
baby before coming there, is accustomed to her
life in Klugnost and accepts her lot, although he
loyalty is only skin deep.
Outwardly, she appears normal, although she
wears modest clothes that cover as much of her
body as possible, even relative to the otherwise
modest attire of the village. This is to conceal her
viciously scarred limbs and especially torso; over
 Hellish Helots
the years, the Guardian has made many requests
for chunks of her flesh and large flayed portions
of her skin. The result is shocking.
Idla
Idla is a young, attractive woman whom the
witches have tasked with following any guests
around to keep them away from any illicit
information. She will keep herself at a distance,
attempting to appear busy, but will be watching
the party and directing others should she become
concerned.
Ellyn
Ellyn is an old widow in the village, who could
never have children after the witches dug into her
abdomen one night. She is frail and perhaps
dying from age, but still plenty capable of
handling much of the village’s sewing. She has
grown bitter with the witches in recent years, but
may have trouble communicating this to anyone;
some time ago they came and took what teeth she
had left, as well as her tongue, leaving her mute
and helpless to feed herself. Still, she will try to
quietly steer the party in the right direction.
Peyton
Peyton is a longtime resident of Klugnost, a
steadfast farmer, and a kind, gentle man. He also
is the most recent sacrifice to the Guardian,
having just had his entire left arm taken a few
days ago, a procedure which did not go well for
him, leading the witches to put him into a
comatose state. He will be unconscious in the
infirmary in Jaquelyn’s home, where she swaps
the bandages on his wound. Others will claim he
had an accident in the field, but will otherwise be
nondescript. The witches are ready to awaken
him, but will be loathe to do so while there are
guests in the village, so waking him will be
difficult without a way to purify him of the
chemical that put him down.
Dain
The middle-aged man who will act as a guide to
the party, as he does with all other guests. He is
the closest thing Klugnost has to an ealdorman,
bailiff, or mayor, and serves a central role in the
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community. He is a family man, with a loving
wife and three children of a range of ages,
including young Lief. He will show the party
around the village if asked, and answer any
questions they might have (if not honestly), as
well as strongly suggest they simply spend a few
days in the village to recover from whatever
ordeal might have brought them there- all the
while being very friendly (perhaps overly) and
very tactful.
Friederik
Decades ago, Friederick was an Imperial soldier,
who stumbled into Klugnost wounded and dying.
His life was saved by the witches, something
which he has never forgotten, despite learning the
price that such aid demanded later. He was left
unscathed for many years before the witches first
took him before their altar, extracting from his
skull his left eye and cutting deep into his side to
remove an unknown number of organs, evidenced
by the long, wicked scar across his chest and side.
Had he the strength, he might have left then, but
by then he was too old, too tired, and too badly
injured. He is frail and out of breath these days,
but can still swing his longsword with vigor.
Freya, Terryn, and Lief
The only halfling family in the village, Freya and
Terryn wandered into Klugnost after being exiled
from their prior community for reasons they will
not discuss. Lief is their young son. All three are
extremely happy with their lives in Klugnost, and
will not talk with the party beyond pleasantries
and will even aid the witches if threatened.
Perhaps this is because they are the only longtime
residents who have not yet been mutilated in any
way by the Guardian.
Alexander, Alyce, and Robin
Three young, inseparable children in the village,
all born in Klugnost. They are sufficiently old to
be left to their own devices much of the time,
spending most of their days playing in a grove
visible from the village center. They are creatures
of innocence, with little idea that a world exists
beyond their village, only that sometimes people
appear from without. They are largely ignorant of
 Hellish Helots
the particulars of the secrets of the village or its
goings on but might be able to allude to pretty
much any information asked of them, in their own
way- they are ignorant, but far from tight-lipped.
They have been instructed not to go near any
visitors, but they will not run if approached (after
all, they did not go near anyone on their own).
The rest of the village will make a subtle attempt
to separate them from the party if they see this.
Vyctor
Vyctor is the second-most recent arrival in the
village, having stumbled in after fleeing westward
when his home out east was destroyed. He
despises it in Klugnost and wants desperately to
leave, but is more cowardly in expressing that
than Cedric. Frail, reserved, and utterly lacking in
confidence, he keeps to himself in the village,
trying to let his work in the fields drown out his
fear and misery as it used to back home. This is
to no avail in Klugnost and he grows more fearful
by the day. He outwardly shows pristine health,
but lacks many of his toes due to past frostbite,
and the witches took from him one of his testes.
He dreads them coming for his other. He will not
make any effort to contact the party himself, but
will happily reveal all he knows if given the
chance in private. He will come to the aid of an
effort to escape the witches.
Henry
The most recent arrival to the village, an
unscrupulous man on the run from something or
other who was thrilled to find a safe place that did
not care about his past malfeasance. He is the
resident of a newly built hovel of his own, and
spends his days pretending to contribute to the
fields and other activities of the village. He has
not yet been maimed, but the Guardian has
recently requested a sacrifice from him, and the
witches have a plan for him afterward. Soon they
will remove both his arms to the elbow, and in
their place affix settings for blades, the idea being
to potentially subject him to all manner of
transformation and use him as a puppet via Skin
Guest to use in protecting the village. Henry
knows none of this, and is supportive of the
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witches and the village, but perhaps would not be
if he knew.
Dorrin
The village’s lone dwarf, Dorrin is a wicked man
with wicked intent, and perhaps the only true
supporter of the darker aspects of Klugnost’s
caretakers. He may not be outright hostile, but he
is cold, harsh, and suspicious. He would be the
first to raise his Meteoric Iron Pickaxe should
the witches ask him to. He is missing a foot and
the better part of his nose.
The Witches of Klugnost
The three witches of the village who tend to the
villagers’ needs and satisfy their unknown deity’s
demands. They spend much of their time
watching their wards, healing their wounds and
sickness, and dragging them into their hovel for
whatever flesh and blood sacrifices are necessary.
They act motherly toward the villagers, but show
no hesitation or remorse when it comes time to do
the cutting.
Each has the base stats of an ordinary witch, but
also suffers from 8 random Taints of Chaos, rolled
randomly from the table. They are likely to be
greatly affected and disfigured as a result of their
long service to the Guardian, but they never
acknowledge their deformity or obvious
connection to corruptive forces.
Each knows the following spells:
They are both vicious and craven in combat,
attacking without restraint once the fighting
begins, but also strongly preferring their own
individual safety; they are more than happy to use
others, including their fellow witches, so save
their own lives.
If a party member is wounded and requires
medical attention, they will attempt to have
Jaquelyn separate the wounded person or persons
from the rest of the party under the guise of
providing medical aid. If successful, the witches
will privately whisk the party member away into
 Hellish Helots
their hovel to heal and then prepare for some
mutilative sacrifice.
Any villagers they suspect of conspiring against
them they will make every effort to isolate and
remove, either themselves or by commanding
loyal villagers to do so.
Witches’ Hovel
Hidden to the north of Klugnost is this hovel. It is
difficult to perceive until nearly upon it, obscured
as it is by trees and a carefully constructed berm.
No obvious walking path leads to it. The witches
will not ordinarily be present here, taking to the
woods to observe the party, nor will they come to
their home’s defense unless the party discovers
the secret basement. The outside of this structure
looks not unlike the rest of the village and is well-
maintained. The inside is no different, taking on
the appearance of an ordinary home with all the
trappings thereto, including three beds and
evidence and wear of someone’s occupancy. The
only evidence of anything out of the ordinary are
the beds themselves, which, if examined with any
degree of scrutiny, will be revealed to have a
number of dull red, yellow, and green stains all
over- pustule leftovers from the witches and their
now inhuman and festering appearance. Beneath
one of the beds is a well-hidden trapdoor, revealed
only if the party is told about it or after a
CHALLENGING Awareness test informs the
party of a strange indenting in the wood where the
panel is pried up with a lever of some sort.
Beneath this trapdoor panel is a locked grate,
under which is a ladder that goes several feet
down into the darkness of the basement. The
grate lock can be picked by a CHALLENGING
Skullduggery (Lockpick) test. Otherwise, there is
several feet of hard earth between the hovel and
the basement.
The basement is where the true nature of the
hovel’s inhabitants is revealed. It is entirely dark,
damp, and lacking entirely the homely traits of the
upstairs. The ground is mud, the walls wet stone.
Shelves line the walls, well-stocked with bottles
and vials, some innocuous, some tonics and
remedies for disease, some poison, and a few of
ZWEIHANDER Grim & Perilous RPG
the witch-kind’s signature mind-control brew. 3
reanimated corpses are propped in one corner,
dormant and harmless. One shelf is full of small,
hinged, wooden boxes. A few are open, but most
are nailed shut. Examination by anyone with
some knowledge of necromancy (TRIVIAL
Incantation check) will reveal these to be the
phylacteries for the reanimated corpses both in the
hovel and throughout the woods of Klugnost, the
destruction of which will destroy the creatures.
On that same shelf rests a pair of vials and a large
sealed jar: two (2) vials of Wytchstone Powder,
and a jar containing twelve (12) Wytchstone
Shards.
At the center of the room sits a stone pedestal,
large enough for a person to be lain across with
their limbs hanging off. It is coated in dark, dried
blood, and has clearly seen much use over the
years, for it is here that the flesh sacrifices from
the residents are extracted from them.
Immediately adjacent is the Guardian’s altar,
taking the form of a featureless face with a gaping
mouth, leading to a basin that doubles as a pyre to
consume the sacrifices in unholy fire. It is
through this altar that the witches are whispered
their commands from the Guardian, and from it
that the power protecting the village emanates.
Without it, the village will be exposed to the
outside world, and the fog will dissipate
permanently. Those around it can feel its
corrupting power in the air itself. It is cracked
and a few clean hacks would be enough to
crumble this altar, but so much as touching it is
sure to incite the full wrath of the witches.
Anyone who moves to harm the altar will hear
whispers from it, promises of power, wealth, and
protection, if only they leave it be. These
promises should appeal to the needs and desires of
whoever is threatening it, but they are empty save
for the promise of protection in the village and the
fairly meager alchemical offerings of whatever the
witches can brew. A single Tenebrae hides in the
shadows here, instructed to defend the altar. If the
party gives any indication they might harm it, it
will attack.
Lingering in the basement will result in 1d6
reanimated corpses entering the hovel and
 Hellish Helots
flinging themselves down into the basement to
attack the party, unless the phylacteries are
destroyed first. If the party exits without harming
the altar, the witches will be waiting outside,
keeping their distance to request that the party
either settle there or depart at once, making the
same arguments the villagers do. They will fight
to the death then and there if refused, as will any
of the diehard villagers. If the party harms the
altar, the witches will immediately lay siege to the
hovel, burning it to the ground, using Skin Guest
to force villagers to enter and attack, and then
attacking anything that emerges themselves.
Over the course of any fighting, any reanimated
corpses that were not destroyed via their
phylacteries should begin to emerge from the
surrounding forest to aid their masters.
CONCLUSIONS
This scenario concludes when the players decide they
have satisfactorily dealt with the problem of Klugnost,
and depart.
If they spared the village and the witches (or most of
both) as well as the altar, life continues as before. The
people continue living in a bubble of safety, and the
witches continue their foul harvest from them. If the
Great Horde of corruption is victorious in the coming
apocalyptic conflict, the witches and the Guardian are
true to their word and manage to keep their small
domain safe from the destruction, allowing the cycle to
persist in perpetuity, and humanity carries on at least
here, farmed for their flesh, organs, and souls. If a deal
was struck, the witches will make weekly offerings of
several (1d6) vials of whatever potions and poisons the
party requests, including their mind control brews. The
party suffers 10 corruption for taking this deal.
ZWEIHANDER Grim & Perilous RPG
If the people of the village are culled or dispersed but
the witches survive with their altar, the witches fade
into the mist, waiting for the next poor soul to find his
way to Klugnost. Their mission continues, the
Guardian’s demands yet unsated. They will rebuild in
time, although they may not be quite so kindly to their
guest-captives in the future. The party has free reign to
pilfer the village unmolested, and then depart freely.
If the witches are slain but the altar spared, the guardian
is left without servants to carry out its requests. It may
attempt to recruit villagers to fill the role, but in time
they will prove unable to adequately do so, and the
village will cease to be protected, abandoned by its
Guardian. Many villagers will depart, and almost all
will succumb to the outside world in short order unless
protected. Those that remain will be deliberately
twisted into creatures of chaos (Rebellious Peasants)
and sent to exact revenge on the party, perhaps on the
road some weeks from their departure from Klugnost.
If the altar and witches are destroyed, the villagers are
left to fend for themselves. Perhaps the party will
protect them, or garrison protectors there, bringing
Klugnost into their demesne. The village has little to
offer, but an outpost in the wilds may be of some use
and, and they can produce 1 unit of any 1 medicine
producible from wild-found items at half cost each
week..
Grant the party 100 RP to each player no matter the
outcome.