BEYOND

Corny
Groń PLAYER'S GUIDE
TO KARPAKI

Author:
KUBA SKURZYŃSKI
Art:
ALA WIŚNIEWSKA
Illustrations:
ALA WIŚNIEWSKA
JACEK KUZIEMSKI
Layout design and typesetting:
MICHAŁ GOTKOWSKI
PAWEŁ DOMOWNIK
Polish Editor:
MACIEJ SZNURKOWSKI
English Editor:
TOMASZ PIĄTKOWSKI
Production:
SZYMON GOSEK

This rulebook also uses public domain artwork

created by numerous artists, including:
Władysław Skoczylas and John Savio.
 PLAYER
STARTER KIT
What you have before you is the Player Starter
Kit – a game aid for Beyond Corny Groń, which
is intended to help introduce players to this
realm and create characters which will be not
completely ignorant about local beliefs and
legends. Along its lines, the starter kit can refer
to either content or tables that will be found
in the main book – as long as you don't have
access to it, consider these parts as places for
your creative invention.
Before publication of the Adventurer's Guide,
this material is also kind of a trailer for the
"main" handbook, its "demo" version. It is
possible that as the work on the book develops,
new content will appear here – consider current
iteration as a beta version.
ENJOY!
- Kuba Skurzyński
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WELCOME
TO KARPAKI
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

D
ue to its topography, development of the splendor of the Commona-
the Karpakian Valley lity and the beginning of its slow decay, which
acts as a natural continues today. This land has always been the
borderland. At the subject of claims made by rulers, separated by
beginning of the history recorded its rocky peaks. The earth is poor here, and the
in the chronicles, it was the mountains have no significant deposits of any
northern border of the valuable, rare, or useful metals nor minerals
legendary Great Mojmor other than flint and quartz – or at least none
Principality. have been discovered so far.
Passes in Karpaki Moun-
tains allow easy travel
between the catchments
of two great seas – the
Sarmatian in the north
and the Scythian in the
south. For these reasons,
the sovereigns of the
realms surrounding the
Karpakian Valley never
had any cause to direct
significant forces to pur-
sue their claims, but at the
same time, they could not
completely abandon them.
Thus, Corny Groń and Karpa-
ki, as well as the secrets hidden
inside them, have remained aloof
from matters of the great world.

Now, the nominal ruler of the Karpakian Valley

It was the stage is Her Solar Grace, the Empress of Styria
of the wars be- and the Queen of Pannonia, Eleanor Angela
tween the dynasties I Dunburg, whose domain extends to the far
of Gniewko I Siem coast of the Scythian Sea, into which streams
and Mieczysław Moj- flow from the southern slopes of Karpaki. Wa-
morowic. Corny Groń, ters that flow along the northern mountainside
the highest peak of this into the weakened and broken Commonality,
massif, observed the merge into rivers flowing into Sarmatian Sea.

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
Extending to the east, inaccessible mountain
ranges, known as the Solar Route, connect
Karpaki with the mighty Antolian Empire,
Gate of the Orient, located in the southwestern
part of the Solina continent.
In the northern part of Karpaki, halfway to
Krakogrod, wanderers can find the city of
New Fair situated at the foot of the mountains,
famous for its markets and festivals, eagerly
visited by merchants walking through the
Valley. At the same time, it is the northernmost
city in the Styrian-Pannonian Empire and home
to a sizable border garrison stationed here to
emphasize Her Solar Grace's dominion over the
realm. From west, the Karpakian massif is clo-
sed by Czarciec, a city whose origins date back
to pagan times, when there were no Polan tribes
in these lands yet. The castle in Czarciec con-
nects with the legends of the Krzyński family,
infamous robber knights, who reportedly often
mixed their blood with the illustrious dyna-
sties of biesy. Currently, Czarciec is the personal
property of the Imperial House of Dunburg, who
bought it from the indebted Polan magnate.
Rumors say that Empress Eleanor herself would
like to make this place her winter residence.
These mountains and valleys have always
attracted people who yearn for freedom, to
temper their spirits like hard rocks amid biting
winds, high ridges, and rustling forests.
Welcome to Karpaki
The highlanders living in this melting pot of
cultural influences speak in a blend of Polan and
Pannonian dialects. When asked about their na-
tionality, they almost always answer that they
are “from here”. Whether the Styrian empress,
Antolian padishah, or the king of Commonality
are ruling, they demand the same tributes and
Character Creation
prosecute for breaking their laws, strange for
highlanders – so what's the difference?
Both locals and visitors from all over the world
surrounding the Karpakian Valley have some-
thing to look for here. The pristine woodland
Exploration
growing on the mountains makes a perfect
place to establish your fortress – from the
endowment of one or another ruler or against
their will. Gazdowie talk about highwaymen's
treasures and moss-covered pagan strongholds
Factions in Karpaki
hidden among peaks, and even about sleeping
knights of prince Gniewek I’s retinue, waiting in
a forgotten cave for the call to come back to bat-
tle for the land of mothers and fathers. Also, the
cold war for influence in the Valley has become a
fact, and various intelligence services may need
Tables
favors from freelance agents to pursue their
plans. Karpaki are also home to biesy, mysterious
mountain and forest beings, which for centuries
could hide their secrets from the greedy eyes of
Treasures
the mortal inhabitants of the lowlands. The un-
crowned ruler of these creatures is undoubtedly
the Mountain Spirit, about whom legends are
whispered by owls and wind blowing among
Bestiary
crowns of sycamores and pines.
Appendix
7
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CREATION
CHARACTER
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

C
reate your characters using the rules of the
game you are playing. Using the tables below,
you can come up with or randomize other
character traits, such as body type, face look,
hair, clothes, virtues, and flaws. You can also come up with
or roll for a name of your character. Then determine or
randomly choose what brings them to Karpaki, what local
rumors and legends they know, and with what equipment
they start their journey.

APPEARANCE…
D20 Come up with something, choose, or roll a d20 to determine the body type of the character:

1 Athletic 6 Crooked 11 Short 16 Plump

2 Solid 7 Sickly 12 Muscular 17 Tiny

3 Robust 8 Rounded 13 Slender 18 Tall

4 Frail 9 Angular 14 Sloppy 19 Flabby

5 Skinny 10 Slim 15 Statuesque 20 Stringy

D20 Come up with something, choose, or roll a d20 to define the character's face:

1 Swollen 6 Long 11 Playful 16 Sharp

2 Dull 7 Noble 12 Narrow 17 Chubby

3 Bony 8 Tight 13 Ratlike 18 Square

4 Kind 9 Menacing 14 Round 19 Broad

5 Delicate 10 Twisted 15 Emaciated 20 Malignant

D20 What kind of haircut does the character have? Come up with one, select it, or roll a d20:

1 Bald head 6 Ruffled 11 Thin 16 Ponytail

2 Braid 7 Kołtun (dreadlock) 12 Long 17 Silky

3 Bristly 8 Damaged 13 Thick 18 Wavy

4 Cropped 9 Coily 14 Only at head tip 19 Head bun

5 Curly 10 Slicked 15 Greasy 20 Dyed

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Welcome to Karpaki
D20 Does the character have a distinctive sign? If so – come up with one, select it, or roll a d20:

1 Scar 6 Acne 11 Humped nose 16 Hare lip

2 Birthmark 7 Tattoos 12 Albinism 17 Earrings

3 Burn 8 Protruding ears 13 Squint 18 Malocclusion

Facial Protruding Gap between Multicolored

4 9 14 19

Character Creation
asymmetry teeth teeth eyes

5 Freckles 10 Dropping eyelid 15 Thick eyebrows 20 Upturned nose

What is the character wearing? Come up with an outfit, choose one, or roll a d10 (choose male or
D10
female outfit, regardless of character's gender). Roll another d10 to determine its type or condition:

Exploration
FEMALE OUTFITS MALE OUTFITS TYPE / CONDITION

Dark, thick skirt, white blouse,

1 Kaftan with buttons, knee-length Too large
and a shoulder scarf

Factions in Karpaki
Long, side fastened shirt Embroidered shirt and trousers
2 Simple
and an apron made of white cloth

Dark cucha (woolen cloak), straight

Dyed skirt, embroidered corset,
3 sweatshirt, kierpce (rustic leather Old-fashioned
and a shirt with turn-down collar
shoes), and a kłobuk (black felt cap)

Żupan (long lined garment) and

Short coat, knee-length dress,
4 kontusz (long robe with buttons Decorative

Tables
and high boots
and loose sleeves) with a belt

Dress with an open front Tight jacket, patterned vest with

5 Sloppy
and bare shoulders sleeves and breeches

Treasures
6 Tunic, tight pants, and a wide belt Tight pants and a loose shirt Weathered

7 Habit Habit Flashy

Hunting jacket and loose, Military jackets with high collar

8 Elegant
Bestiary

strong pants thong and sturdy shoes

Puffed shirt and tailored Doublet, loose linen trousers,

9 Stained
riding pants and high leather boots

Long shirt with stand-up collar

Appendix

Loose shirt, open skirt,

10 and embroidery, and sharovary Fashionable
and an apron
(harem pants)

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

WHAT BRINGS YOU TO KARPAKI? WHO ARE YOU?

Roll the d466 (​​ first the d4, then the d6, then the
d6 again). You can treat the result simply as an
explanation of the appearance in the area, or
as the first task facing the character, and use
it as an idea for a map location or an NPC. The
previous occupation and character background
may indicate what the character can do and
what they know. Remember that the informa-
tion in the table is not binding, and you can
change it to suit your game. Depending on
your interpretation, plots and hooks can con-
nect, especially if more characters get the
same, or at least similar, result.

D4 Roll a d4 to determine what brought you here:

1 Looking for a better life, you came here… p. 15

2 You are from here… p. 16

3 You were sent here by… p. 17

4 You woke up with a headache… p. 18

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

1. LOOKING FOR A BETTER LIFE, YOU CAME HERE…

Welcome to Karpaki
D6 D6 Background...

1 …escaping Krakogrod from creditors – they lent you money for a busi- 1 Alchemist
ness that did not work out. The partner who screwed you over told you 2 Gambler
about the ruins hidden in the nearby forests. Check the Ruins Table to 3 Thief
see what you know about them – maybe you can hide there or even find
something to pay off the pursuers! 4 Merchant

Character Creation
5 Burglar
6 Charlatan

2 …to your grandfather's homeland, searching for the treasure he told you 1 Herbalist
about when you were little. You can use the Table of Mountain Passes 2 Mercenary
or the Table of Mountain Peaks to see where you should start your 3 Worker
search according to the story.
4 Student
5 Artist

Exploration
6 Cook

3 …chased by Sir Krzysztof Żegocki, a powerful magnate from the north, 1 Cultist
whom you served and whom you betrayed. His close relative, count 2 Magician
Otokar Krzyński, who is also Żegocki's greatest rival, lives in the area. 3 Mercenary
Maybe you can find his mansion?
4 Hunter

Factions in Karpaki
5 Cook
6 Artist

4 …after your mother chased you from your family home for having 1 Rafter
romanced the daughter of a hated neighbor. They say that biesy can win 2 Cook
over any, even the most hardened, heart – maybe even the mother’s 3 Smuggler
heart. You can get to them from a certain mountain. Which one? Check
the Table of Mountain Peaks. 4 Artist

Tables
5 Student
6 Outlaw

5 …after wrongful conviction for a crime by the Krakogród court. Evidence 1 Worker
of your innocence is allegedly held by the chief of a settlement high up 2 Alchemist

Treasures
on the slopes – The Table of Villages, Settlements, and Hamlets will 3 Priestess
help you identify this place.
4 Burglar
5 Witch
6 Gambler
Bestiary

6 …counting on the fact that you will manage to find a sister who left your 1 Mercenary
homeland earlier and allegedly joined the outlaws here. Check out the 2 Worker
Table of Highwaymen Bands to see who they are. 3 Rafter
4 Burglar
Appendix

5 Cook
6 Student

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

2. YOU ARE FROM HERE…

D6 D6 Background...

1 …and wanting Old Sablicowa to teach you her magic tricks, you need to 1 Charlatan
bring her at least one pot of seawater. One of the clues leads to the caves 2 Cultist
at the Knights’ Summit, where it is said that sometimes salt springs 3 Herbalist
break out.
4 Outlaw
5 Smuggler
6 Hunter

2 …but as the youngest of siblings, you will neither inherit the cottage 1 Cook
nor land from your parents – so you have to deal with life on your own. 2 Herbalist
It can be difficult to do it alone, so maybe, if one of the Karpakian fac- 3 Shepher
tions will put their trust in you, you will find your way – as long as you
bet on the right horse. 4 Student
5 Merchant
6 Thief

3 …your father is a devoted follower of the Fair Mother and you are fed 1 Outlaw
up with his sanctimonious ways – especially since he made up his mind 2 Rafter
that your place is in the Monastery on Starry Path, famous for its 3 Cultist
many miracles and revelations (apparently not always flowing with the
sun's rays). You know you don't need to wear a habit to count on the 4 Herbalist
favor of the abbot of this abbey – your uncle, privately. 5 Smuggler
6 Shepherd

4 …you couldn't stand living in your hometown, since the fiancé your 1 Artist
mother chose for you – Proćpak, the boldest bandit in the area – 2 Shepherd
murdered your beloved brother. His gang picked a cave for hiding, 3 Cook
found somewhere among the Hanged Rocks, and allegedly cursed
with a pagan hex. 4 Thief
5 Herbalist
6 Smuggler

5 …and you've just left the Eren Castle – the toughest prison in Karpaki – 1 Smuggler
with a clear conscience, empty pockets, and good knowledge of various 2 Charlatan
nooks and crannies in the fortress, where many important guests are still 3 Burglar
being kept.
4 Cultist
5 Outlaw
6 Hunter

6 …and you are looking for a way to avoid being drafted into the personal 1 Thief
army of the noble who owns the land on which you were born. Someti- 2 Hunter
mes you think that it might be easier for him to let go of the chase if 3 Herbalist
it weren’t for the Precious Trinket (see the Treasure Table for what
it is) that you picked up from his office on the day of your escape. 4 Artist
5 Rafter
6 Shepherd

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

3. YOU WERE SENT HERE BY…

Welcome to Karpaki
D6 D6 Background...

1 …Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Natural History of the Krakogrod Academy, 1 Student

so that you could get a lock of Karpakian leszy's hair. Check the Table of 2 Alchemist
Villages, Settlements, and Hamlets for the name of the place where, 3 Enchantress
according to the head of the Xenoethnography Department, one of these
biesy was seen. 4 Charlatan

Character Creation
5 Mercenary
6 Priest

2 …the decree of the exarch Radosta of the Autocephalous Exarchate of 1 Cook

Krakogrod to strengthen faith among highlanders and weaken influence 2 Mercenary
of Archexarchate of Styria, ruled by the self-proclaimed Chosen One of 3 Priestess
the Sun, Empress Eleanor. Empress' famous supporter – wealthy and
influential widow Elisabeth von Schneider née Batorska, who after a 4 Merchant
mysterious death of the good old herr von Schneider, became heiress of 5 Gambler

Exploration
the Red Court, an ancient estate celebrated in many bloody legends. 6 Alchemist

3 …a dream in which the life-giving body of the Father Below opened up 1 Cultist
a chasm at your feet and told you to heal his wounds that fester among 2 Medicine man
the Karpakian peaks. Check the Places of Power Table to see what the 3 Priestess
place where the underground god bleeds looked like in the vision, and
4 Merchant

Factions in Karpaki
what power is provided by his blood.
5 Charlatan
6 Thief

4 …an efreet from a porcelain lamp bought at the Bronze Market in Anto- 1 Mercenary
pol, who stole your heart and promised to give it back only when you 2 Artist
lead him to the place he called the First Pierce, which leads supposedly 3 Merchant
to the heart of Krak the Dragon.
4 Smuggler

Tables
5 Gambler
6 Alchemist

5 …Empress Eleanor's intelligence service with the task of acquiring the 1 Charlatan
help of famous highwayman chieftain, Jurko Janicek, for the Empire 2 Mercenary

Treasures
– whether you will achieve the goal with arguments, bribery, threats, 3 Burglar
or deception is not very important for your supervisors.
4 Gambler
5 Merchant
6 Priest
Bestiary

6 …a partnership of patricians from Krakogrod who dream of finding a 1 Thief

rich deposit among the local caves and securing rights for it before the 2 Hunter
inevitable – as their information shows – war begins. The geomancer 3 Gambler
they hired sensed a geode-like mineral cluster just below the village, the
name of which can be found in the Table of Villages, Settlements, 4 Mercenary
Appendix

and Hamlets. 5 Herbalist

6 Charlatan

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

4. YOU WOKE UP WITH A HEADACHE…

D6 D6 Background...

1 …at Vermin Ridge, holding in your hand a beautifully decorated and 1 Priestess
strong ciupaga (shepherd’s axe) that you saw for the first time in your 2 Cultist
life, on the handle of which the outline of a mountain summit was 3 Gambler
carved. The drawing fits on one particular peak, visible from almost
anywhere when you look south. How it is called can be found in the 4 Outlaw
Table of Mountain Peaks. 5 Worker
6 Artist

2 …on the edge of a pond, surrounded by the corpses of strange, bulging- 1 Rafter
eyed creatures that stink of fish and salt, with an iron scale in your hand. 2 Outlaw
Among the bodies were drawings that looked like clues leading to an 3 Smuggler
unfamiliar valley among the peaks, signed with characters from
a foreign alphabet. 4 Burglar
5 Alchemist
6 Worker

3 …on a wagon that takes waste from the dungeon under the Eren Castle, 1 Burglar
with traces of handcuffs on wrists and feet and with a Precious Trinket 2 Hunter
(see the Treasure Table) hidden behind a coat. You only wonder why 3 Mercenary
the commander hid it in a secret drawer of his desk?
4 Rafter
5 Illusionist
6 Thief

4 …at the entrance to a cave, over which a lonely sycamore grew. Its trunk 1 Herbalist
resembled the head of an eagle owl, with the horns of deer and chamois. 2 Outlaw
He spoke to you, ordering you to return his heart, gave you a certain 3 Shepher
power for a moment (what power? Check the Places of Power Table),
then promised that after completing the mission it would be given to 4 Hunter
you forever, and disappeared. 5 Cultist
6 Mystic

5 …in a lonely bacówka (shepherd's hut), after dreaming about a warm, 1 Worker
stuffy cave, the walls of which were soft and damp like the flesh of a 2 Smuggler
freshly slaughtered ram. When you woke up, your hands were covered 3 Outlaw
in blood. In the hut, though its walls were only soiled with soot, there
was a ferrous smell of gore. 4 Student
5 Herbalist
6 Alchemist

6 …after a lavish party at the inn among the outlaws, who congratulated 1 Worker
you on your courage after you challenged a man called Ondraszek. If 2 Rafter
you only remembered what you challenged him to… 3 Thief
4 Student
5 Priestess
6 Merchant

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Welcome to Karpaki
inally, you can also
find out what your
character's virtues
and weaknesses
are by inventing something
or selecting or rolling from
the lists below:

Character Creation
Exploration
Factions in Karpaki
VIRTUES AND FLAWS…
D20 Come up with something, choose, or roll a d20 to determine character's virtue:

1 Ambition 6 Discipline 11 Nobleness 16 Mercy

2 Caution 7 Focus 12 Humility 17 Integrity

Tables
3 Courage 8 Generosity 13 Idealism 18 Calmness

4 Kindness 9 Sociability 14 Righteousness 19 Tolerance

Treasures
5 Curiosity 10 Honesty 15 Faithfulness 20 Modesty

D20 Come up with something, choose, or roll a d20 to determine character's flaw:

1 Aggressiveness 6 Deceitfulness 11 Laziness 16 Vanity

Bestiary

2 Arrogance 7 Nonchalance 12 Suspicion 17 Vindictiveness

3 Bitterness 8 Gluttony 13 Prejudice 18 Profligacy

4 Cowardice 9 Greed 14 Recklessness 19 Sleaziness

Appendix

5 Cruelty 10 Violence 15 Rudeness 20 Mischievousness

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 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

KARPAKIAN RUMOURS AND LEGENDS

D20 Roll a d20 to determine what the character heard on the trail:

1 Mountain Spirit – the only rightful ruler of this land – supposedly hid his heart somewhere at the
bottom of the deepest cave under Corny Groń, after he fell in forbidden love with a mortal woman from
Kolibova.

2 The favorite knight of prince Gniewko I, Wojmir, together with his company, has been waiting among
the mountains for hundreds of years for the return of his beloved lord, guarding his Eagle Blade, the
prince’s diadem, and the treasure from Gniewek's last expedition beyond the Solar Route.

3 Between the white clouds on the Krzywań and the black, dagger-sharp edges of its gullies, you can find
one of the roads to Eldritch Court, the domain of Skarbek and Marzanna, who claim supremacy over
Karpakian biesy, goddesses, and godlings.

4 The Association of Anatomists from Krakogrod claims that the seamstress Skuba didn't manage to kill
the legendary dragon Krak – but using an enchanted thread she tied him up so that he flew away to the
high Karpakian peaks and tired of breaking free from these bonds, he fell asleep there forever and ever.

5 Karpakian peaks are in fact fingers of the Father Below, who extended his hand to the Fair Mother when
her warm glow reached his underground heart – the winds and streams murmuring between the peaks
whisper that the Mountain Spirit is their son.

6 From the bottom of the Ocean's Eye, the lake at the foot of Knights’ Peak, you can swim to the sea – Sar-
matian or Scythian, or maybe even both.

7 In the lobbies of Krakogrod, they say that a few days after her recent coronation, the young Empress
Eleanor Angela I sent a large group of talented historians from the Danubian University from Wieniec to
the Eren Castle, anointed by the Holy Lady herself.

8 Juhasi (shepherds) grazing herds at the foot of Corny Groń say that the heir of these lands, a magnate
exceptional cruel to peasants, that dates his family back to the times of the first Siems or even further, do
not bow to Commonality nor Her Solar Grace – instead, he is dancing with the Devil himself.

9 Of all the Karpakian goddesses, the most sympathetic to mortal wanderers is the shapeshifting Roe –
she unveils hidden paths and treasures to any girl who manages to grab her hand, and to any boy who
catches a spark from under her hoof.

10 During the night watch, wardens from the Eren Castle repeat a frightful prophecy to each other, saying
that when no more owls be nesting on the castle’s Moon Tower, the whole Karpaki will be flooded by the
infernal heat of the Eastern Sun, and the mountains will turn into a desert.

11 A wise woman from Sichla tells that during the equinoxes, in the clouds over the peaks, Pogwizd, a bies
that rushes with winds, blows towards the Karpaki Valley to spite people – his hot, dry breath makes
brother raise a hand against a brother, the worst nightmares to come for the living, and the dead to get
up from the graves.

12 In the inn near Kuznica, they say that in the caves of Raven Crag, Klimka Sieczka, a famous robber and
an even more famous huntress, who is serving her third life sentence in the Eren Castle, hid her treasure,
stolen from under the imperial escort – maybe this time she will not manage to escape!

18
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Welcome to Karpaki
13 A drunken gazda sneered that all the fame and power of the outlaw Jurko Janicek derives from the gifts
he received from witches, and without these enchanted trappings he would be a nobody.

14 Regardless of the doubts of scholarly minds from universities, spawns of the so-called Araisodarus Chi-
mera, a mutant that escaped two hundred years ago to Karpaki, do in fact torment the highlanders and

Character Creation
their herds to this day and pose a serious threat to caravans and other travelers.

15 At Krakogrod feasts, they say that King Jarema is planning to retake Karpaki not by force, but by decep-
tion – apparently his people, having studied the old grimoires, found a clue about power hidden among
the mountain peaks, which lord Snopowic would gladly claim to save his motherland.

16 Local vodniks tell that the first drowners passed into Karpaki through the caves under the Ocean’s Eye
and that in the depths and pits flooded with poisoned water they worship strange demons and tentacle-
-faced gods with unspeakable names.

Exploration
17 There is a beautiful and sad song that mentions that when you hear a wailing lamentation over the
meadows and among the peaks, it is a sure sign that soon someone of the royal blood of the Melusine
will have to leave this world.

18 Long time ago there was a cruel ruler of biesy, called the Ash King, whom Siemowit, the progenitor of the
royal house of Siem, condemned to be eaten by mice. To this day goddesses and godlings, that are called

Factions in Karpaki
olchy by the locals, which are former subjects of this King, are taking revenge on mortals for this regicide.

19 Certain antiquarian from Czarciec swore that few years ago in his collection he had a rare manuscript by
Lady Twardowska, the famous Polan Lady Sister and a peerless sorceress. The volume was said to descri-
be the route to the moon, but was allegedly lost in a fire that broke out in the store on a full moon night.

20 The war is coming – only that this time, apart from the Commonality and the Empire, other forces
operating in the region, including the biesy and their monarchs, will surely join the game. Karpaki will be

Tables
on fire soon.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TOGETHER?

Treasures
D6 Come up with something, choose, or roll a d6 to determine why characters are traveling together:

1 You are all from the same village and have 4 You escaped together from the captivity
known each other since childhood. of an ogre. Bestiary

2 You have worked for the same noble person, 5 You served in one unit of the imperial
but something went wrong, and they dis- army, but you were accused of crimes
missed all of you. you did not commit.

3 You spent an exceptionally joyful evening 6 Regardless of where you hail from, you
Appendix

together in the inn. are all related – by blood or otherwise.

19
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

E
ach wanderer starts with a supply
of food for 3 days, traveling clothes,
a handful of dutki (d6 silver pieces),
and any melee weapon (e.g. a saber
or a ciupaga) or a bow with ten arrows. The GM
can also allow to roll for armor or start with a
flintlock pistol. Also, randomly select two items
from the Mountaineer's Gear Table and one
each from the two Generic Gear Tables.

BLACK POWDER FIREARMS

Black powder firearms are known and used
in Karpaki. They are usually primitive devices
that require more maintenance than cross-
bows – that's why they do not give such a
great advantage over other ranged weapons.
Single-handed flintlock pistols deal as much
damage as a two-handed melee weapon
with a range of a bow, and take up one
inventory slot, but require two turns to
reload and break faster. Two-handed
muskets are just as unreliable, de-
aling damage one die higher than a
two-handed melee weapon (2d6)
after reloading for three turns,
occupying three inventory slots,
and carrying bullets to the crossbow
range. Also, gunpowder and bullets are
not readily available everywhere – they are ty-
pically two or three times more expensive than
the corresponding number of arrows or bolts.

Use the Knave rulebook or any rulebook of

your choice as a base for firearm statistics.

20
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Welcome to Karpaki
Character Creation
D20 MOUNTAINEER'S GEAR x2
1 Rope, 15m 6 Crowbar 11 Lantern 16 Pole, 3m

2 Pulleys 7 Kindling 12 Oil lamp 17 Cloth bag

Exploration
3 Candles, 5 8 Climbing hook 13 Skis 18 Tent

4 Chain, 3m 9 Hammer 14 Spiked shoes 19 Pitons, 5

5 Chalk, 10 10 Waterskin 15 Mirror 20 Torches, 5

Factions in Karpaki
D20 GENERIC GEAR I x1
1 Pipe and tobacco 6 Saw 11 Fishing rod 16 Fishing net

2 Snare trap 7 Wooden bucket 12 Handcuffs 17 Pilers

3 Shovel 8 Caltrops 13 Glue 18 Lockpicks

Tables
4 Bellows 9 Chisel 14 Mining pick 19 Metal file

5 Grease 10 Drill 15 Hourglass 20 Nails, 10

Treasures
D20 GENERIC GEAR II x1
1 Incense 6 Bottle 11 Pots 16 Hunting horn Bestiary

2 Warm coat 7 Soap 12 Empty book 17 Clean paper

3 Lens 8 Spyglass 13 Deck of cards 18 Small violin

4 Spirit 9 Tar 14 Dice set 19 Pen and ink

Appendix

Sun-blessed Earth-blessed
5 10 15 Counterfeit gems 20 Little bell
holy water holy water

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FACTIONS
IN KARPAKI
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

24
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Welcome to Karpaki
Styrian-Pannonian Empire
Enlightened Absolutism; rules the Karpakian Valley.

Character Creation
A
modern, enlightened empire with FACTION WANTS TO:
its capital at Wieniec, ruled by collect taxes from Karpakian people;

the absolute ruler, the Empress of
Styria and the Queen of Pannonia,
Her Solar Grace Eleanor Angela I Dunburg, head
of the empire which consists of numerous king-
doms controlled by the Dunburg dynasty. The
Exploration
gain sympathy of the simple Karpakian folk;
get to know Jurko Janicek personally;
bring order and stability to Karpaki;
strengthen the Archexarchate's influence;
exemplarily punish foreign spies;

Empress is also the head of church authority,
the Archexarchate of Styria. The Karpakian Val-
ley is officially part of Empress Eleanor's doma-
in, placed in the short section of its northeastern
border, but it is too close to the Commonality,
Antolian Empire, and north-eastern Varasian
Factions in Karpaki
gain an advantage against Antolian Empire;
find minerals in the mountains and start
mining operations;
increase the prestige of the Danubian Uni-
versity through a great discovery;
subjugate the local biesy;

Tables
Tsardom for Dunburgesse to let that raw flint annex more territory controlled by
out of the jewels of her crown. In theory, all the the Commonality.
inhabitants of the Karpaki are subjects of Her
Solar Grace. In fact, a large army of agents not

Treasures
only guards the Valley against foreign influen- FACTION DOESN'T WANT TO:
ces and spies, but also keeps an eye on officials, allow anarchy in Karpaki;
secular and clergy, administering the border- allow the increase of outlaws activity;
land on behalf of the Empress, and army officers miss the opportunity for a strategical use of
Bestiary

guarding the security of the empire on behalf the Karpaki region;

of Eleanor. The capital located far to the west see the raise in popularity of the faith in the
does not trust the province, famous for its Father Below;
unruly inhabitants. lose reign over people in favor of the
Appendix

Krakonian Exarchate;
lose control over Karpaki.

25

Commonality
Nobles’ Democracy; recently lost power in Karpaki
C
haotic and weakened by internal
disputes, a country located north
of the Karpakian Valley (or – as
the highlanders say – "down
below"), combining the worst elements of the
nobles’ democracy of the Lady Sisters and Lord
Brothers, which is a facade for the influence of
several powerful oligarchs, and a monarchy in
which the king is elected by these aristocrats,
powerful, corrupt and focused solely on their
own gain. Karpaki is traditionally regarded
as part of the so-called Crown of the Polan
Kingdom, which was once ruled by the rulers of
the Siem and Jadwigon dynasties, and despite
the current Styro-Pannonian sovereignty, many
Polans still consider the Valley to be part of the
Krakogrod land, and the inhabitants of Karpaki
traditionally speak Polan dialects. Krakogrod
itself – the former capital of the Commonali-
ty – remains the metropolis closest to Karpaki.
Therefore, in these mountains and valleys, you
can often meet many Krakogrod merchants
and scholars, including botanists, alchemists,
and geomancers, who conduct their research
here. Equally, regularly among these people of
business and science, there are spies of King
Jarema Snopowic, who is determined to prevent
26
Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
the ultimate demise of the Polan sovereignty.
To this end, among other things, he must deal
with the threat from the southwest that has
already managed to tear away a sizable portion
of Commonality.
FACTION WANTS TO:
regain supremacy over Karpaki;
find and awake the sleeping knights of
Gniewek I;
use the might of dragon Krak or another
power dormant in the Karpaki mountains;
weaken the Styro-Pannonian Empire;
recruit local allies for the Polan cause;
take care of interests of Polan land-owners;
initiate a local uprising.
FACTION DOESN'T WANT TO:
engage in an open war;
to lose further territories of the Commonali-
ty to the Styro-Pannonia;
lose influence over Fair Mother followers;
allow the Antolian Empire to grow in signifi-
cance in the region;
see dragon Krak's awakening.
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

27
Factions in Karpaki
Appendix Bestiary Treasures Tables Exploration Character Creation Welcome to Karpaki

Party of Wits
Local intelligentsia and revolutionaries; supporters of autonomy
F
or most inhabitants of Karpaki who-
se crowned head is currently called
their ruler remains as important
as yesterday's weather. Yet, some
highlanders notice a clear deterioration of their
fate under the enlightened heel of Empress
Eleanor. They are also in no hurry to return to
the wings of the Polan motherland, noticing its
obvious weakness. The secret Party of Wits, as
they call themselves, sees the potential for au-
tonomy in the Karpakian Valley – and perhaps
even independently of the Highland Kingdom
– believing that local people know best how to
live off the hard soil that gave birth to them.
Coming from local intelligentsia – craftswomen,
teachers, lower-ranking officials, physicians,
and parish vicars – despite their sincere inten-
tions, they don't have many opportunities to
influence the local people. They keep looking for
contacts among local groups, in particular hi-
ghwaymen, who also have conflicting interests
with Styro-Pannonian rule. Sebastian Hook, the
leader of the Party, who dreams of the King of
the Highlanders title for himself, will not miss
any opportunity to gain advantage for his cause
– military, political or magical – which would
allow him to make a new opening in the Valley.
28
Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
ACTION WANTS TO:
freedom and autonomy for Karpakian Valley;
gain the trust and favor of the inhabitants
of Karpaki;
to freely worship the Father Below;
have more people in their ranks;
join forces with some great highwaymen's
chieftain and their people;
start an uprising;
do whatever it takes to achieve their goals –
no matter what the cost.
FACTION DOESN'T WANT TO:
pay taxes and submit to imperial laws;
hand over the land to foreigners;
allow any other factions to dominate
the region;
end up in a prison;
allow for the increase in influence of any
of the Holy Lady's exarchates.
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Welcome to Karpaki
The Antolian Empire
Absolute monarchy; destabilizer

Character Creation
B
ehind the mountains of the Solar nent, to which Antopol serves as a gate. A wise
Route, southeast of Karpaki, lies the ruler willingly supports the entrepreneurship of

mighty Antolian Empire. It is a vast
domain, covered with hot deserts
and fertile valleys of great rivers, ruled by the
lords of the Great Antopol, a true jewel among
the cities of the known world. Current padishah,
Exploration
loyal and pious subjects and will not allow them
to be hurt even in such an inaccessible place as
the land of Corny Groń.

Bayazid the Magnificent, is a sworn enemy of
Empress Eleanor – both because of the religious
conflict (the Scythian and Parthian people
traditionally worship a divine male aspect of
the fiery sun, which is heresy for the faithful of
the Bright Mother from the west) and border
Factions in Karpaki
FACTION WANTS TO:
be the richest and most respected ruler
in the world;
sow political chaos in Karpaki;
ensure security for Antolian merchants;
to see both the Styro-Pannonia and the

Tables
frictions in the lands south of the Karpakian Val- Commonality weakened;
ley where both empires constantly struggle for subjugate the Karpakian biesy;
influence. For many years, Antol has also been spread faith in Allseeing Sun.
involved in a conflict with Commonality over

Treasures
its eastern borders, known as the Wild Steppes,
so the borders of three unfriendly domains FACTION DOESN'T WANT TO:
intersect in Karpaki. Padishah is not interested see any change in the Karpaki region;
in the possession of these cold, hard rocks, but allow any other factions to form an alliance
Bestiary

he is interested in the political destabilization of that could threaten Antol.

the region. However, it cannot be too dangero-
us there, because Antolian traders like to lead
their caravans through local mountain passes –
Appendix

thanks to which, in the Valley, you can often find

various treasures from the remote Solian conti-

29
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

30
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Welcome to Karpaki
Eldritch Court
Feudal monarchy; self-proclaimed rulers of the Hidden Folk

Character Creation
A
part from human rulers and af- FACTION WANTS TO:
fairs of Karpakian Valley, it is the subjugate all Karpakian biesy;

domain of Marzanna and Skarbek,
a pair of powerful yaga and chort,
who consider themselves rulers of all small-
folk, goblins, and other biesy north of the great
Danuba river. In their own eyes, they are equal
Exploration
get rid of biesy that cannot be subordinated;
remove mortals from the Karpakian Valley;
subdue mortals from the Karpaki that can-
not be removed;
destroy mortals who cannot be subjugated

even to Titania and Oberon, but the audacity of
human actions in their domain and the elusive
but undoubted presence of legendary Mountain
Spirit makes many Karpakian biesy very reserved
about their supreme status. Mortals, for whom
local dense forests and inaccessible peaks are
Factions in Karpaki
or removed from Karpaki;
expand influence among the fey domains;
hide all the world's treasures underground;
freeze the entire world;
arouse awe and admiration among mortals,
biesy, and other creatures of the Karpaki

Tables
perfect places to forge their fate away from
feudal systems and hierarchies, even of the fey
nature, also don't rush to recognize the supre- FACTION DOESN'T WANT TO:
macy of biesy monarchs. No one questions, ho- allow mortals to increase their numbers

Treasures
wever, the authority that Skarbek has over the in the Karpakian Valley;
wonders hidden underground, and Marzanna let mortals discover magical secrets
over ice, snow, and cold wind, bringing blizzard and powers;
and frost, reaching as far as the far shores of the harm children;
Bestiary

northern Sarmatian Sea. Eldritch couple wants
nothing more than to turn their claims to the
Valley into real power and will do anything to
make the mischievous Roe, cheeky Pogwizd, the
let mortals discover biesy's weaknesses;
become powerless and forgotten.
Appendix

Mountain Spirit himself, and all the other Kar-

pakian spirits and biesy bow down to them.

31
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Jurko Janicek’s Outlaws

The strongest group of highwaymen in the area with access to magical powers

K
arpaki have harbored and still
are harboring many bold outlaws
and rebels who have been living
heroes of folk tales and legends for
centuries. Some were the bravest, some were
the nimblest, and some were the most beauti-
ful, but all the storytellers agree that there has
never been a greater highwayman than Jurko
Janicek, who does neither kneel nor bow to
anyone. Depending on who is asked, Janicek is
a heroic outlaw and benefactor who distributes
the gold taken from the rich to the poor people
of the Karpakian Valley, or an audacious thug
who has found an easy way to build a fortune
through criminal activity in a politically unsta-
ble region. It may be that all these stories have a
seed of truth in them, which would explain the
enthusiasm with which not only the local boys
and girls with hot heads, but also the veterans
from the army of Her Solar Grace, still proud Po-
lish nobles, and even the truest biesy are joining
Janicek’s band. This sizable army, hardened in
battle and knowing the mountains as the palm
of their hand, can be a serious problem – or a
key ally – for anyone who would like to call the
inhabitants of the Karpakian Valley their sub-
jects. During the evening meetings in taverns,
it is also said – in a hushed voice – that among
the Jurko’s people some crave his position and
would like to see themselves as the leader of his
band.
FACTION WANTS TO:
live wonderfully and freely;
rob the rich and give to the poor;
compensate for all wrongdoings, wicked-
ness, deceptions, and meanness;
subjugate other outlaws leaders;
find a permanent route to the Eldritch Court.
FACTION DOESN'T WANT TO:
get caught by the Empress's forces and end
up in a dungeon or hung on a noose;
submit to anyone;
reveal the source of Janicek's secret powers;
let another band rise in power too much;
let any political force dominate the region.

32
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

33
Factions in Karpaki
Appendix Bestiary Treasures Tables Exploration Character Creation Welcome to Karpaki
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Krakogrod Academy
A university losing its significance, carrying the torch of enlightenment

F
ounded by the Polan queen Jadwiga
in Krakogrod, the sanctuary of
knowledge and reason. Its splendor
became overshadowed by Danubian
University of Wieniec, founded less than a hun-
dred years ago by the grandfather of the present
Empress Eleanor, Leopold Dunburg. Due to
vast resources that Her Solar Grace devotes to
the development of her grandfather's herita-
ge, the venerable Academy in the declining
Commonality means less and less in the arena
of natural and supernatural studies in this part
of the continent. Its deans and chancellors –
although dignity of the academy doesn't allow
them to say it openly – are wondering how to
restore their alma mater to its rightful place in
the world of science. Departments of Natural
History, Experimental Alchemy, and Applied
Theology have always looked with curiosity to-
wards the dark summit of Corny Groń. They are
wondering what secrets may be hidden there.
The breakthrough discovery, commissioned by
the Krakogrod Academy and published in its
papers, could attract the attention of scholars
and nobles not only from the Commonality
and become the beginning of the rebirth of the
Dragon City’s University.
FACTION WANTS TO:
obtain funds for the renewal and expansion
of the Academy;
become famous in the scientific world for a
breakthrough discovery that can be attribu-
ted to honorable professors from Krakogrod;
weaken the reputation of the Danubian
University and to ridicule its staff.
FACTION DOESN'T WANT TO:
prevent the Danubian University from ma-
king any discoveries in Karpaki;
see religious superstitions thriving in the
Karpaki Valley;
see one of their students claim and seize the
results of scientific research in the Karpaki;
let any political disputes or national prejudi-
ces stand against the goals of the Academy.

34
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Krakogrod

Welcome to Karpaki
Autocephalous Exarchate
A powerful church organization loosely associated with Commonality

Character Creation
J ust as the Krakogrod Academy strug-
gles with its Wieniec counterpart’s
perform all forms of disobedience to the foreign
Empress who usurps the title of the Lady of

rising importance, the national church
of the Commonality, whose traditional
capital is Krakogród, is trying to maintain its
influence in the Karpaki Valley. For hundreds
of years, it has been painstakingly trying to
Exploration
the Sun, and will gladly support any force that
opposes her – even the Devil himself.
FACTION WANTS TO:
maintain influence among the Karpakian

Factions in Karpaki
convert the locals to the cult of the Holy Lady. clergy and followers of the Holy Lady;
Now, after mountains became the domain of keep the inhabitants of the Karpaki faithful
the Archexarchate of Styria, and Eleanor Angela to the Holy Lady;
Dunburg, who, apart from religious power, subjugate Karpakian biesy as a servant of
has also an efficient state apparatus to use for the Holy Lady.
converting and reinforcing the love for the Sun

Tables
in the local population. During her reign, the
spreading of the faith of the Fair Mother has
accelerated, which casts entire generations of FACTION DOESN'T WANT TO:
Krakogród’s exarchs in a bad light. But everyone let Empress Eleanor control the Karpaki;

Treasures
here knows that the Holy Lady has Polan roots, allow any discovery inconsistent with the
and it is in the Polan speech that the Karpaki Holy Lady church’s doctrine to be discovered
highlanders are praying, as their fathers and in the Valley;
grandfathers did (their great-grandfathers, turmoils in the Valley to interfere with doing
Bestiary

however, could have been using this speech business in lowlands "down below".
during prayers and rituals but rather intended
for other forces). Local clergy still faithful to the
Krakogrod metropolis – generously supported
Appendix

by the wealthy and clever exarch Radosta – will

warmly encourage the people of the Karpaki to

35
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BESTIARY

Animals and Beasts
Common and uncommon Karpakian fauna
T
here are many representatives of
diverse fauna living among Kar-
pakian glens and peaks. Among
them are ordinary, common
animals – such as chamois, foxes, and wyverns
— as well as creatures endowed with certain
38
Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
supernatural abilities – such as unicorns and
basilisks. This category also includes legendary
creatures of inhuman nature, unrelated to the
world of biesy, yet gifted with consciousness
and alien, often considerable intelligence and
magical powers.
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
Monstrosities
Unnatural and abberant creatures
S
ome creatures are not born, but
created. Whether the source of
their existence is a forbidden
ritual, a disease, or a curse, they are
frightening proof of how dangerous the effects
of magical power can be in determined hands.
Some of them – such as lycanthropes, vampires,
and spooks – resemble cursed biesy by nature,
except that they are the result of a hex affecting
mortals. Transmuters and alchemists someti-
mes learn forbidden formulas that allow them
Welcome to Karpaki
Character Creation
to combine different beasts in a single chimera
body, or mutate them to magnify or suppress
Exploration
certain traits. Others, such as golems or homun-
culi, are not created from living beings at all,
but are made from start to finish by powerful
spellcasters. There are also horrors so terrifying
and alien that they don't even have names –
Factions in Karpaki
they are known only from the incoherent tales
of madmen who saw them out of the corner of
their eye just before they miraculously escaped
from an ordeal that the monster from the abyss
had arranged – for example – for a group of mi-
ners looking for valuable deposits way too deep.
Tables
Treasures
Bestiary
Appendix
39

Giants
Bigfolk – the first stewards of the land, punished by the gods for their hubris
L
egends say that when the gods
created the world, they needed
hands to work. Someone had to dig
ditches for rivers, plant forests, or
blow away clouds to make room for mountain
peaks. The creators assumed that in order to
perform their tasks, the divine strongmen did
not need souls – they, however, constantly
craved them. Later, whether out of pity or as
payment for work, the gods bestowed souls on
the giants, who immediately thereafter raised
their hand against their masters and fomented
rebellions. Mighty bodies housed great strength
and great knowledge, but they lacked divine
wisdom, so the giants became consumed by
hubris, conceited, and arrogant. They destroyed
40
Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
the fruits of their labor, stirring up the sky, dred-
ging the seas and lakes senselessly, or piercing
the earth all the way to the lava springs and
creating volcanoes. In the end, the gods had to
put an end to the giant tribes, bringing destruc-
tion upon them. Those who remained hid from
the divine wrath in deep crypts and hideouts, or
shrunk to avoid the angry gaze of their fathers
and mothers. Over time, the giants took up
residence among humans and biesy, gradually
growing into their communities. There is little
left in them of their former titanic glory, except
their own legends and tales, which still live on,
especially among the giant nobility, dreaming of
the return of the good old days.
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide

Welcome to Karpaki
Biesy
Good Neighbours, Hidden Folk, Cousins, Them – inhabitants of Karpaki from the Other Side

Character Creation
I
n the light of the Bright Lady and on and many arrogantly enlightened scholars
the shoulders of the Father Below, tend to ignore or even deny their existence.

people have been born, live and die
for centuries. However, everyone
in Karpaki has heard, most believe, and some
insist that they personally know at least one
bies – someone who has been here since forever,
Exploration
Meanwhile, any child will tell you that weolca-
ners, netherlings, goblins or wyrdwifes are as
real as wind, coming rain, fun, quiet cry, dream,
sudden love or mischievous joke – they can't
always be seen at first glance, which doesn't

Factions in Karpaki
a being who is immortal, unusual, uncanny mean they don't exist.
or even otherworldly. Biesy
don't live only among these Biesy are creatures almost always
mountains – in many parts of more or less endowed with
the world they are known as abilities that humans used to call
sídhe, jinn or daimon – but the magical, though they may be as

Tables
harsh inaccessibility of the everyday and natural to the
Karpakian Mountains has Hidden Folk as embro-
allowed them to persist idery or blacksmithing
here in numbers and is to men. They live in a

Treasures
diversity that are rarely variety of places – some
seen in other places, whe- close to mortals, just
re mortals have already set below their homes,
their order of things and ta- some deep under-
Bestiary

med nature, leaving little ground, some in deep

room for biesy. They are forests, and some in
called Good Neighbors, hideouts that don't
Hidden Folk, Cousins or seem to be part of the
Appendix

Them by simple people, same world as the lands

41

of humans. They form their own communities –
some are loners, others live in settlements, and
the most powerful create their own societies
and monarchical courts. Biesy themselves
used to call those living "on the other side" as
"mortals," although the bies themselves are not
immortal – but in order to end their life, either
certain circumstances must occur, or the bies
themselves must recognize that their time has
come. Almost all bies are harmed by pure salt
and pure iron (with the exception of earth-bo-
und elementals – which, by contrast, react badly
to sunlight). Biesy are also sensitive to what
mortals used to call superstitions – from cros-
sing fingers for good luck or breaking mirrors to
the law of hospitality and the obligation to keep
promises. Not all superstitions work the same
on bies (few have a problem with black cats,
for example), but breaking a given word, which
for a human would result in remorse or anxiety
for the rest of the day, for gnome may result
with serious jinx or even a transformation into
something pitiful or cursed. Moreover, the older
and more powerful biesy are, the more dange-
rous it is for they to violate a taboo or come into
contact with a ill-substance. A pinch of salt or
the touch of an iron doorknob, which at most
burns like a nettle to a young goblin, can knock
aged yaga down for days, and in extreme cases
– even kill her.
Few biesy give the Bright Mother the kind of
reverence that mortals do, causing her church
to look at best distrustful, and most often – re-
luctant or downright hostile to Good Neighbors.
This doesn't mean that Hidden Folk don't
believe in her existence – they just don't see any
42
Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
reason to give divine honor to someone whose
only merit is that she lives in the sun. Much
closer – literally and figuratively – to them is the
Father Below, with – again – rarely a religious
relationship, but more often a friendly, profes-
sional, feudal or familial one.
There are many legends about how biesy came
to the world – and from where they are still
coming. Some of them resonate with the cosmo-
gonic myths of mortals, indicating, for example,
that Cousins crawled out of the bodies of the
same dead titans that spawned humans, only
that from more "unusual" fragments of them.
Others claim that biesy are the souls of the
dead, who return in this form to help or tease
humans. The bies respond to such insinuations,
brazen in their view, with their legends, accor-
ding to which the first man was an extremely
dull goblin, who was the first to claim the land
that fed him was his own, thus irretrievably
losing his bond with the spirit of free nature and
with his biesy brothers and sisters.
It can't be said that biesy look a certain way –
individual bloodlines, tribes and lineages of
them can differ dramatically from each other,
both in outward appearance and in disposition,
abilities and nature. Various philosophers,
demonologists and folk sages have produced an
outline classification of biesy over the years to
put them in order in their heads, just as they put
all other things in order, but biesy themselves
most often dismiss these divisions with a mi-
schievous giggle and a disbelieved shake
of the head.
 Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
ELEMENTALS (ELEMENTAL BIESY)
Those biesy that are so close to nature that they
seem to be an integral part of it and its forces are
called elementals, or geniuses. They can be as
powerful as a gale or as gentle as a drizzle. This
does not mean that they are mindless and indif-
ferent – but their mood or temperament is often
linked to the weather, the state of the water,
the depth of the earth, or other natural factors
unnoticeable to mortals and sometimes even
other biesy. Their powers are most often related
to the element of which they are composed and
which they can control.
GODDESSES AND
GODLINGS (TRUE BIESY)
True biesy include the most powerful of the
Good Neighbor tribes. At first glance, from a
distance, they are sometimes difficult to distin-
guish from mortals, usually being only slightly
shorter than humans and often assuming
roughly human-like shapes. Only
a closer look allows one to see
snake eyes, goat hooves, or
unearthly delicate facial
features that inevitably
betray a bies. Although
there are different types
of these creatures, some-
times you can find loners
living in their own way
among the wilderness
or comfortably –
thanks to their
abilities –
Welcome to Karpaki
among mortals. It also happens that within
a single tribe individual biesy differ from each
other as significantly as the people of a single
village differ from each other – the head of one
will be adorned with antlers, while another will
have hair woven from storm clouds. In Karpaki
they are called goddesses and godlings, and
Character Creation
sometimes this term also includes extremely
powerful, goblins, smallfolk, or elementals.
SMALLFOLK (MINOR BIESY)
Biesy who usually live close to humans are
Exploration
collectively called smallfolk or littlekin. Some
say their small size – they are rarely larger than
a small human child – is their way of ada-
pting to life behind a stove, in the shadows of
graveyards, or among the cramped tunnels of
Factions in Karpaki
mines. Many smallfolk make snide claims that
if they wanted to, they could grow to the size of
a bear or better (and get very angry when some-
one demands them to prove it). The legends of
the Hidden People often indicate that small-
folk are the ones among biesy that have
Tables
lost the most from their domains
and habitats as a result of mortal
activity, and just as their tribes'
power has shrunk, so has their
Treasures
size. However, this does not mean
that smallfolk remain defense-
less – in addition to many magic
tricks, they have learned to use
Bestiary
their small size to their advan-
tage, whether in playing
pranks, avenging wrongs,
or in the art of war.
Appendix
43

GOBLINS (COMMON BIESY)
The goblin is the most common type of bies –
and at the same time the most difficult to frame
into a classification. It’s because essentially go-
blins are hybrids whose family tree grows from
a wide variety of biesy tribes and strains. And
while at times the various "goblin lineages" be-
come so established and widespread that they
gain their own identity and place in the Hidden
Folk, they remain its most externally and inter-
nally diverse group. Among the biesy courts and
domains, they are the equivalent of the human
commoners – and while this is not the rule, they
often serve godlings or yagas more powerful
than them. Depending on their origins, they can
be inherently benevolent and gentle, cruel and
insane, or – like a twilight – measure a wider
spectrum of personalities and
characteristics.
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Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
CHORTS AND
YAGAS (HIGHER BIESY)
This group includes those of the biesy who have
risen to such a level of individual power that it’s
justified to treat them as a separate kind from
the more numerous biesy tribes. Each chort
and yaga are one of a kind and unique – even
if they hail from among the smallfolk or goblin
families, or if they were born of an "ordinary"
goddess. Some derive their lineage from the old
gods, of whom they are supposed to be heirs or
even earthly incarnations. Legends also men-
tion chorts whose parents are said to have been
ordinary mortals, but whose power somehow
elevated them to chortish or yagish dignity.
UNDEAD (CURSED BIESY)
The least glorious branch of the biesy genus.
Many "true" biesy are repulsed at being linked
in this way with ghouls or wraiths, pointing out
that the curse that poisons some goblin's body
and soul turns him into a monster, a comple-
tely different being, nothing like he was before.
There is no denying, however, that the cursed
creatures retain the memory of their past
lives, an awareness of who they were, and
at least some of their biesy magic – only
that they are warped by hatred and
cruelty unimaginable to most of
the Hidden People.
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45
Bestiary
Appendix Treasures Tables Factions in Karpaki Exploration Character Creation Welcome to Karpaki

Fair Mother and Father Below
Dominant deities of the Karpakian Valley
I
n the world of Corny Groń,
the dominant faith in the Fair
Mother – the female solar
deity – does not exclude the
recognition of the divinity of the Father
Below – chthonic male deity – as, ac-
cording to the doctrine and popular
belief, both these beings
complement
each other.
It is not he-
resy to call the Father
Below a god or to believe in
other deities, including "pagan"
ones, which any Polan theologian
would regard at worst as servants,
and at best as a different
aspect of the Sun or Earth.
46
Beyond Corny Groń – Player's Guide
Religious disputes are raised by the perception
of the feminine aspect of the earth or the ma-
sculine strength in the caring sun. There is also
the phenomenon of lunar worship (comple-
mentary or competing with the worship of the
Holy Lady) and possible contradictory aspects
of the same deities, such as, for example, the
cult of the Rich Lord, the despot of the alleged
underground land of the dead, which in many
sacraments resembles the worship of the Father
Below.
Also, the biesy are not universally recognized
as "servants of the Evil One." Possible conflicts
with church forces, primarily the hierarchical
structures of individual parishes of the Holy
Lady, result rather from the reluctance to submit
to the solar order of human affairs. However,
there is no reason why the much less structu-
red, and therefore less conspicuous, Church of
the Father Below should not recognize biesy as
children of the same Father as mortals.
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47
Bestiary
Appendix Treasures Tables Factions in Karpaki Exploration Character Creation Welcome to Karpaki