Wyrd

The Darkness

Your Elder is dead.

Taken by the Wyrdsong.
You have been abandoned to the World.
A World succumbing to Darkness.
The Horrors remain.
And you are alone now.
But you are not Wyrd yet.

E.J. Taylor
2021 . 2.15
 Wyrd: The Descent

Contents

You Will Need 2

A Grim Trail 3

Ashes 4

Camp 5

Travelling 6

Plight 7

Possession 8

The Possession of Ban 9

Glossary 10

WyrdLaw 15

FAQ 18

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 Wyrd: The Darkness

You Will Need

Wyrd: The Descent 1.2+
1D100 (B) to accumulate Bones.
1D20 (F) showing your Faith.
1D12 (E) to determine Encounters.
1D8 (A) for your Assays.
1D4 (R) a Runestone.
1D6 (M) to track your Magik.
A Pen
Paper

Your Elder departed the physical World long before departing for the Darkness.
A Darkness that you must now face on your own.
It threatens closer around the World of the Living. Their cries of despair echo greater
now more than ever. The death of your Elder was but a drop in the ripples of misery
that claw at your soul.
They need your help.
But they must wait.
Magik liberated you from the numbing monotony of helpless fear that is civilisation.
A lifetime of learning at the hands of the one who raised you with this gift.
You cannot abandon your Elder’s mortal remains to the unspeakable Horrors of the
Hollows.
You owe your Elder that much at least.

Follow the Cycle of Despair through Hollows & Horrors, Scavenge & Press on.
Discover what has become of your Elder.

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 Wyrd: The Darkness

A Grim Trail

The footsteps of your Elder are not difficult to follow. A blasted wake of Possessed
destruction, bloated with the corpses of the damned and the pitiful scavengers that
pick through the decay, leads of course, to the blackest of Hollows. It is to these Bleak
Hollows you must venture to find your peace.

Follow a Cycle of Wyrd: The Descent and once you have expired, leave those dreaded Hollows intact.
Now, take your Acolyte through those Hollows to recover your body.
Leave your accumulated Bones (B) and your Runestone (R) where you died.
Begin again with your Acolyte at the entrance to the Hollows.
Your Acolyte does not possess a Runestone (R) and your Faith (F) begins at 10.
Proceed to the corpse.
Treat all Hollows as having previously been cleared, including Lairs and the Hollow you died in, according
to The Descent.

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 Wyrd: The Darkness

Ashes

The body of your venerable Elder lays slumped against the debris, the carnage of
Horrors that were destroyed in one last, desperate stand.
Your Elder was overwhelmed at last it would seem.
You pluck a purse, filled to burst with Bones from the grisly remains.
As you withdraw that cold metal, your eyes linger on the Runestone, gleaning
sombrely with a sickly sheen from the pale fingers of your Elder.
It is yours now, as is the legacy of the Wyrd.

Take the Bones your Elder died with and add them to any Bones (B) you have found on the way.
Take your Elder’s Runestone (R) at whatever total they died with it on. It is yours now and you may use it
according to the Laws of The Descent.

After taking what is no longer needed, it is time to deliver your Elder back to the Old
Gods.
Whether the words ever existed, or have been forgotten in long exile, it is a quiet
ritual, and can barely be called ceremony.
The fire is warm and keeps the Horrors at bay a little longer.
The smoke rises and takes with it a little of the oppression of these dark Hollows.
The spirit of your Elder will finally be at peace.
But your struggle is only now beginning.

You may Pray after the Sacrifice of your Elder, according to the
Laws of The Descent regardless of whether you are in a
Forgotten Shrine or not.
When you are ready, leave the Hollows by
passing back through where you
began.

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 Wyrd: The Darkness

Camp

You return from the Hollows beaten and weary.

The gravity of your deeds this day weigh heavily upon your soul.
But your purpose is renewed.
All that remains is to nourish the tattered body that carries you through this
Darkness.
Find warmth and food, for deeds and spirit alone will not sustain you.

Roll (E). This is the amount of Firewood you have collected.

Roll (A). This is the amount of Food you have gathered.
For any food you wish to consume, reduce your Firewood (E) by 2.
Firewood (E) can equal 0 but never less than 0.
Reduce your Food (A) by 1. Food (A) can equal 0 but never less than 0.
If reducing Firewood (E) by 2 would take the total to less than 0, you cannot consume any Food.
Each Food consumed restores 1 Magik (M) up to 6.
You may re-roll (A) and or (E) at any time including after having used as much Firewood or Food as you
can. For each re-roll reduce your Magik (M) by 1 to find more.

The life of a wanderer is wrought with uncertainty. But uncertainty is also freedom.
In which direction shall you now turn? The land is surrounded by Horrors, and rife
with despair, all shall be grateful for the aid of Magik.

Once you are satisfied, discard any Food or Firewood remaining and return to the World of the Living.
There is plenty of work still left to do.

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 Wyrd: The Darkness

Travelling

This land was once united by mighty roads, a symbol of Imperial dominance over
both the land and its inhabitants.
The Empire is long gone, regardless of what the Legion may otherwise claim.
Now their roads are unkempt and dangerous. In places, road is a generous name for
the rotten marks that lie hidden below the overgrowth.
Whichever direction you travel, there will be difficulties.

Having left the Wilds, you must travel far to reach even the edges of civilisation.
You must choose one of the following adversities to overcome before proceeding.

Unforeseen Difficulties The weather is horrific. The terrain, unfathomable. The land itself does not
want you to pass. Return to Camp.

Panicked Traveller They’ve heard stories of Wyrd and they will make sure their people are ready
for your Wytchcraft. You do not gain Faith (F) from clearing Hollows or
destroying Horrors on your next Plight.

Possessions Lost* You stumble and fall, or maybe your pockets have grown holes. Lose any
Things that you are carrying.

Ambush Bastard Bandits everywhere.

Roll (E). This is how many Bandits you have encountered. Deal with them
as you would Horrors in The Descent. They may be Scavenged after they have
been destroyed. If you Flee, return to Camp after reducing your Magik (M) 1.

Unforgiving Terrain* The land itself seeks to do mischief on you. Lose 1 Magika (M).

Tempestuous Weather* No God would wish this upon sinners, let alone the faithful. Lose 1 Faith (F).

“Toll”* A group of men claiming to be Legionaries are stopping all on the road for
‘Tithes’. Damned if you know what one was supposed to look like these days.
Lose (A) Bones (B).

* This Travelling Event may not be chosen if it would reduce the relevant attribute lower than 1 or if you
have no Things in your Possession to lose.

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 Wyrd: The Darkness

Plight

Another nameless settlement.

Another flock of dirty and hateful people that stare with suspicion and expectancy.
People cannot abide Magik in this Dark Age. But they cannot endure the Horrors
that encroach upon their tired lives without your aid.
It is a living. Keeping them from being consumed keeps the Horrors further from you.
Keeping the Horrors from consuming them keep the torches and stakes at bay.

Delve once more into the Hollows that threaten to surround this gloomy village.
Begin a new Cycle of The Descent with whatever you have left after Travelling.
When entering the Hollows on the Plight of a people in need, you may leave at any time by passing back
through the way you entered. You will need to carry as much as you need to bring back what little hope you
can give the people, ignore any limits on how many Things you can carry in The Descent.
When you return from the Hollows, deliver the good news to these desperate souls. If you return empty-
handed however, it would be best not to go back at all. Return straight to Camp.

You must increase your Faith (F) by 1 for each Deed you have performed:
20 Horrors destroyed.
10 Hollows cleared.

You may also offer them a Boon to increase your Faith (F) by 1:
Give up 5 Bones
Deliver 3 Medicinal Herbs
Offer up 2 Map Fragments
Bestow upon them 1 Bloodstone

Once you are done, take your leave, your welcome will not last long.
Take whatever you did not give up straight back to Camp with you.

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 Wyrd: The Darkness

Possession

A whispering menace. A clawing at the mind.

The knocks and cracking in the Dark when you’re alone.
Chaos and the Demons that lurk there are nothing new to you.
You see them every night in your terror.
You must fight them always.
All they must do is wait.

Possession is the curse of Magik. The Wyrdsong
will find all eventually. Magik attracts the
unwanted attentions of Chaos. Demons who long
to tear their way into Reality will use your mind
to do this.
If your Faith (F) ever reaches 20 whilst you are
Descending through the Hollows, you must
immediately attempt to resist the Demons that
will use your connection to Chaos to Possess you.
Assay (A) your Magik (M) against your Faith (F).
Roll (A) & (F).
If the total of (A) and your current Magik (M) is
greater than the roll of (F), you have staved off the
advances of the Darkness for now.
Continue from where you were with your current
Magik (M) and the roll of (F) as your new Faith (F).
If (A) & (M) is equal to or less than the roll of (F),
reduce your Magik (M) by 1.
Re-attempt your Assay (A), rolling only (A) until
either you have defeated the Possession attempt or
your Magik (M) is reduced to 0. There is no way to
modify your Assay (A), your Faith (F) has turned
against you.
Sometimes a Demon may just be too strong.
If your Magik (M) is reduced to 0, you have become
Possessed.
Raise your Magik (M) to 6 and your Faith (F) to
20.
You must not leave the Hollows.
You must die. For you are Wyrd now.
If however, you find yourself amongst the Living
and your Faith (F) reaches 20, you will fire alarm,
fear and hatred in the hearts and minds of those
primitive brutes. They will try to destroy you.
Assay (A) your Magik (M) against your Faith (F)
and the Encounter (E) die to see how many
villagers take up arms against you in your pain.
Roll (A) against the total of (F) & (E).
If (A) and your Magik (M) is greater than (F) &
(E), continue on with (F) as your new Faith (F).
If (A) & (M) is equal to or less than the total of (F)
& (E), reduce your Magik (M) by 1 and re-roll (A).
If your Magik (M) drops to 0, you have become
Possessed. Raise your Magik (M) to 6 and your
Faith (F) to 20.
The last number on your Encounter (E) roll is
how many villagers you will have to destroy as
you would Horrors before you proceed immediately
to the Hollows.

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 Wyrd: The Darkness

The Possession of Ban

Many nights, reckless and dementing, had The (A) comes out on 6. The (F) on 9.
brought Brocwald to this Forgotten Shrine.
A close fail.
The decaying stone was pocked and pitted from
creeping vines constricting and penetrating its Brocwald reduces his Magik (M) to 2 and re-rolls
age-worn markings. Any semblance of (A). An 8.
Humanity it may have once possessed was long
Brocwald has only just survived this Possession
gone, it now only held the vaguest of shapes of a
attempt, though it has taken its toll.
head atop a body, swathed in mosses and
decorated with blooming and sickly dew-stricken He is weary and his Faith (F) is ruined as he must
ferns. continue with only 9 Faith (F).
But that didn’t matter.
But it is a stark reminder of the dangers of
The blood weeping from Brocwald’s body stuck to brushing with Possession. His Elder was not so
his tattered and fraying robes, pulling at his fortunate.
sweaty wounds that throbbed in anticipation.
There was power here still.
Brocwald was young then. They had spent days
He lay the wrecked claws of the Horror that had
clearing the Hollows. No rest until his Elder was
almost finished him upon the damp stone ledge.
satisfied that the people could sleep at ease.
With his bleeding hand he smeared his fragile
But the celebration quickly soured.
soul onto that decaying flesh and it burst
instantly into violent and crackling flames, Something was happening to his Elder. With
spitting and hissing as the overgrowth receded every clamouring and grubby palm that pawed at
and the smoke billowed upwards into the her, the light in her eyes glowed brighter, she
unfathomed canopy of darkness. seemed to grow taller, the air around her began to
hum and could be tasted, a bitter tang on a
The Old Gods answered.
clammy tongue. And then she changed.
Brocwald was stricken, his arms strung
outwards, his head ripped back, his eyes glazing
over with blood. Brocwald and his Elder had cleared too many
Hollows, and resolving their Plight brought her
In the sweet melody of Magik that flooded his
Faith (F) to 20.
bones there was a ripping, tearing pain and a
sound that bore such unnatural dis-symphony it She had 6 Magik (M) and rolled 8 on her Assay (A).
burned his mind.
But they were amongst the fickle Living.
And the faces. Those nightmare visages.
Her Faith (F) rolled 12, and the Encounter (E) 3.
There was no way to win this fight.
Brocwald’s Faith (F) rose to 20 after Praying at a
Brocwald never saw Ban again.
Forgotten Shrine.
Demons have come for him.
His Magik (M) is a low 3 and he rolls (A) & (F).

9

Acolyte
One who is under
instruction in Magik
from an Elder. A title of
deference and
acknowledgement of
inferiority.
Assay (A)
A test. Roll (A), a D8.
Bandits
Not your common petty thief
or stricken peasant. The roads
belong to these thugs now.
When Ambushed whilst
Travelling, roll (E) to
determine how much scum
you must deal with. Treat
them as fighting Horrors
according to The Descent.
Bloodstone
An ancient Sage artefact.
When in possession of a Map
Fragment, a Bloodstone may
be unearthed in a clear Vault.
When consumed, restores
Magik (M) to 6, this may be
during an Encounter with
Horrors.
Bones (B)
Currency used amongst the
Living. Track your
accumulation during
Scavenges with (B), a D100.
Wyrd: The Darkness
Glossary
Boon
A gift to the World of The
Living, though you know it for
what it is, the prolonging of
the inevitable. Gain 1 Faith (F)
for every 5 Bones, 3 Medicinal
Herbs, 2 Map Fragments or 1
Bloodstone you bestow upon
‘Civilisation’.
Camp
Any shelter will do when faced
with the unforgiving elements.
Chaos
The unknowable beyond. A
shifting immaterium and
source of Magik.
Cycle/Descent
The Cycle progressed through to
achieve release from your
Possession. Hollows, Horrors,
Scavenge and Press on. Repeat
until dead.
D4
A die or dice with 4 total
sides. Used as your Runestone
(R).
D6
A die or dice with 6 total sides.
Used to track your Magik (M).
D8
A die or dice with 8 total sides.
Used for Assays (A).
11
D12
A die or dice with 12 total
sides. Used to determine the
number of Horrors you
encounter (E), or the type of
Hollow entered (E).
D20
A die or dice with 20 total
sides. Used to track your Faith
(F).
D100
A die or dice with 100 total
sides. Used to track your Bones
(B).
Deeds
Whilst they may appear
selfless, every Hollow you clear
and every Horrors you destroy
are not entirely altruistic, They
keep the Horrors further from
you and ‘Civilisation’ from
remembering to burn you. You
garner 1 Faith (F) for every 20
Horrors destroyed and every 10
Hollows cleared.
Demons
Unnatural monsters born of
Chaos. They ever seek to claw
into the Physical World.
Encounter (E)
A confrontation with Horrors.
Roll a D12 (E) and use this die
to keep track of how many
remain. (E), the D12 is also
used to determine Hollows.

Elder
A title of respect amongst the
Wyrd. Usually reserved for one
who has taken an Acolyte.
Exit
A misnomer. There is no escape
from the Hollows. But you can
delve deeper through here. Fit
to your Map.
Faith (F)
Belief in the Old Gods. Keep
track with a D20 (F) and use
this to augment your
Encounter Assays (A). Can be
replenished at Shrines.
Firewood
Gathering fuel to burn is no
luxury in the wilds. The total
you have collected is
determined with (E). Use two
Firewood to consume 1 Food.
Flee
Sometimes alive is better.
Reduce (M) 1 and go back to the
Hollow you came from. You
cannot Flee back into the
Hollow you have just fled from.
Food
Magik alone will not sustain
you. If only Food could be
conjured. Roll (A) to gather
Food. Use two Firewood to
consume 1 Food to restore 1
Magik (M).
Wyrd: The Darkness
Hollows
Dark places of the world beyond
the abode of the Living. Here be
Horrors. Determine where you
stand with (E) & the Exits
with (A).
Horrors
Monsters. It is these you must
entrust your salvation to.
Determine how many with
(E).
Lair of Horrors
A Hollow that Horrors have
called home. Here you must
destroy two waves of Horrors,
but you may gain twice as
many rewards.
Legion
The last remnants of the
Empire that once had
ambitions of unifying all
peoples and bringing light to
this Dark Age. A shadow of its
former self that leeches life
from the World of the Living
in the name of ‘Peace’.
Magik (M)
An elemental force that can
manipulate the Physical
World. Exert it too much and
you will die. Keep track of this
with a D6 (M).
Map
It would be wise to plot your
progress through the Hollows
so you do not get lost. This can
be done with pen and paper.
Adapt the Hollows so that the
exits match.
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Map Fragment
Although the language of the
Sage is long lost, their
drawings of where they
hoarded their treasures are
readable to even the most
illiterate. This will lead you to
a single Bloodstone in a single
Vault.
Medicinal Herbs
The most called upon task for
an exiled Wyrd is healing. You
may only carry one at a time,
but they can be left in a
Hollow to come back to. Roll
(A) when the Hollow is clear.
If you intend to emerge from
The Hollows in The Darkness,
you may carry with you as
many as you find.
Plight
The Darkness of the Horror-
infested Hollows ever
threatens to overwhelm the
World of The Living. This is
the Plight of Civilisation and
it will be overrun without
you. Gain Faith (F) from the
people for every Deed you have
done in the Hollows and for
each Boon you bestow upon
them.

Possession
A consequence of
drawing too much
attention from
Chaos. A common side
effect of using Magik. Once
a Demon has taken hold of
your mind, the only release is
death. The Demon will not
like this. When your Faith
reaches 20, you must battle
the Demons who seek to claw
their way into Reality
through you. If you are
amongst the Living whilst
this occurs, you will have to
fight off those who will call
for your blood.
Prayers
A supplication to an Old
God. Usually made with
blood to ensure attention.
Can be conducted at a Shrine
after destroying Horrors there
to restore Faith (F).
Wyrd: The Darkness
Runestone
A secret and rare type of stone
presenting properties which
soak up Magik from its
environment.
Sage
The Ancestors of the Wyrd and
legendary Magik users.
Scavenge
The act of taking that which is
no longer being used. Much is
lost in the Hollows and much
can still be useful. Bones,
Medicinal Herbs and Map
Fragments you should covet the
most.
Forgotten Shrine
A Hollow once dedicated to an
Old God. A little Sacrifice and
Prayer should get their
attention again.
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Travelling
You make your shelter far from
hungry stomachs and prying
eyes. It takes time to cross the
land to reach the World of The
Living and you must overcome
adversity even in this simple
task. Choose a difficulty to
tackle.
Vault
A Hollow that was once used
to store the treasures of the
Sage. A single Bloodstone can
be uncovered here, consuming a
Map Fragment.
Wyrd
The reviled descendants of the
Sage. An insult, it is correctly
reserved for those who have
become Possessed by Demons.
 Wyrd: The Darkness

Bones: Medicinal Herbs: Map Fragments: Bloodstones:

 Wyrd: The Darkness

WyrdLaw

Dice
Bones Faith Encounter Assay Magik Runestone
(B) (F) (E) (A) (M) (R)
D100 D20 D12 D8 D6 D4

Cycle
1: Hollows 2: Horrors
Roll (E).
(E) Hollow Exits1 (A)
If (E) > Hollow limit, Press on
1-2 Gloomy Passage Always 1 Assay (A) against (M)
1-4: 0 Exits If (A) =/< (M), -1 (E)
3-4 Claustrophobic
5-8: 1 Exits If (A) > (M), -1 (M)
1-4: 1 Exit
-(F) to –(A)
5-7 Vulnerable 5-6: 2 Exits
(F) cannot be 0
7-8: 3 Exits
1-4: 0 Exits If (A) = 8, -1 (M)
8-9 Forgotten Shrine
5-8: 1 Exits To Flee -1 (M)
10 Ancient Vault Always 0 If (A) < (M), (R) may +1
If (R) = 4, Roll (R)
1-4: 1 Exit
Reduce (E) by (R)
11-12 Lair of Horrors 5-6: 2 Exits
7-8: 3 Exits When (E) = 0, Scavenge
If (M) = 0, You have died

3: Scavenge 4: Press on
(A) Thing
Pass through an exit to discover a new
1 Nothing
Hollow (1)
2-4 Bones (B) + (A)
Pass through an exit to a previously
5-7 Medicinal Herbs
explored Hollow: Assay (A) against (M).
8 Map Fragment If (A) > (M) Horrors attack (2)
 Wyrd: The Darkness

Things
Bones (B) Medicinal Herbs Map Fragment Bloodstone
A form of currency in Restores Magik (M) Use to find a Bloodstone in When (M) = 0,
this Dark Age. (A) +(M) a clear Vault. Useless instantly consuming a
1-2 1 afterwards. Bloodstone restores (M)
3-4 2 to 6.
5-6 3
7-8 4

Prayers
(A) 1 2-3 4-5 6-7 8
Roll (E) for
Response: + 1 (F) + 2 (F) + 3 (F) Silence
Horrors

Camp Possession
Firewood (E) Food (A) If Faith (F) = 20 Roll (A) & (F) / & (E)
-2 Firewood -1 Food If (A) & (M) < (F) / & (E)
+1 Magik (M) -1 Magik (M)
Re-roll (A) until (A) & (M) > (F) / & (E)
-1 Magik (M) = Re-roll (E) or (A)
or (M) = 0

Travelling
Unforeseen Panicked Possessions Ambush Unforgiving Tempestuous “Toll”
Difficulties Traveller Lost Terrain Weather
Return to Horrors Lose Things Roll (E) -1 Magik (M) -1 Faith (F) Bones
Camp Hollows Bandits (B) – (A)

Plight
20 10 5 3 2 1
Horrors Hollows Bones Medicinal Herbs Map Fragments Bloodstone
+1 Faith (F) for each Deed +1 Faith (F) for each Boon granted
 Wyrd: The Darkness

Bones: Medicinal Herbs: Map Fragments: Bloodstones:

 Wyrd: The Darkness

FAQ
Whilst an Acolyte is Can I carry more than 1 If I am resolving a
searching for their Medicinal Herbs to bring Plight, and I have to
departed Elder, can they back from the Hollows? fight a Possession
collect their own Bones attempt, do I re-roll (E)
- Yes. Although the Laws
and add this to those too?
of The Descent demand
found on the body?
only 1 Thing is to be - No. Only re-roll (A) in
- Yes, gather as many as carried at a time, it is any Possession attempt.
possible. You may yet find prudent that you pillage Sometimes you cannot
use for them. as much as you can during win, there are Demons
The Darkness. out there stronger than
any of us. Being
Upon discovering the surrounded as you fight
remains of your Elder, do Do you lose everything them only makes things
you need to take them to a during Travelling if you more difficult.
Forgotten Shrine to Pray choose Possessions Lost,
over their sacrifice? or can you store some
Things back at Camp? How much Faith do I have
- No. You may offer up
to modify my Assay (A)
your Elder to the Old - You lose every Thing,
against Possession?
Gods wherever they have even your Bones. Do not
fallen. A Wyrd corpse is leave your Things - None. The Old Gods
pleasing to the primal unattended, they will have abandoned you to the
powers. surely disappear in your torment of the denizens of
absence. Chaos. Your Faith is the
strength of a Demon now.
Do you venture into new
Hollows with the Bones, When you are making
Faith and Runestone you your way out of the How much Faith do I have
have remaining after Hollows, can you Flee the if I fight off a Possession
Camp and Travelling? Vulnerable Hollow you attempt?
entered and leave the
- Yes. Delve into - The total Faith (F)
Hollows?
unexplored Hollows with rolled that you defeated is
anything left to you each - No. You may only Flee your new Faith (F).
time you begin a Plight, back to the Hollow you
even if you abandoned were previously in.
your last empty-handed.

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