2018 - April - Adventure Packet 008

Let Thrones Beware
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Bells of War: A Playtest Adventure
CHANGELOG
Bells of War
Revision History
January, 2018 007 Preliminary adventure document
April, 2018 008 Revised and refined

Clarified
Added personality options for Chael Hollow inhabitants
To Come
Rev 009 Updated to match 009 system revisions
Revision 008 – April 2018
Playtest Documents
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
AFTER THE ADVENTURE ................................................................42
WHAT TO DO NEXT ............................................................ 42
CHANGELOG......................................................................................................... 2
APPENDIX A: ADVERSARIES....................................................... 44
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................... 1 BRIGAND ........................................................................... 44
BELLS OF WAR ................................................................................................... 2 CONDEMNED ..................................................................... 49
OVERVIEW ........................................................................... 2 MILITIA ............................................................................. 52
STARTING YOUR CAMPAIGN ....................................................... 3

GETTING STARTED................................................................ 3
STARTING YOUR ADVENTURE ................................................. 6

STARTING YOUR ADVENTURE ...............................................6
12 DAYS: THE FOREST RAID ............................................................ 11

ABOUT THE FOREST RAID ....................................................11
12 DAYS: FLY PEDDLERS, FLY ....................................................... 15

ABOUT FLY PEDDLERS, FLY ................................................ 15
11 DAYS: ENEMY AT THE GATE................................................. 20

ABOUT ENEMY AT THE GATE ............................................. 20
11 DAYS: INVESTIGATE THE ATTACK.............................. 22

ABOUT INVESTIGATE THE ATTACK ......................................22
8 DAYS: AMBUSH IN THE TOWN ........................................... 24

ABOUT AMBUSH IN THE TOWN ...........................................24
7 DAYS: HUNT THE MASTERMIND.................................... 26

ABOUT HUNT THE MASTERMIND ........................................26
6 DAYS: INTERLUDE ............................................................................... 28

ABOUT THE INTERLUDE..................................................... 28
2 DAYS: A DARING ESCAPE............................................................. 29

ABOUT A DARING ESCAPE ...................................................29
1 DAY: BANDIT PATROL ...................................................................... 32

ABOUT BANDIT PATROL .....................................................32
1 DAY: RUINS OF OLD ............................................................................. 34

ABOUT RUINS OF OLD ........................................................34
1 DAY: YOU ARE CONDEMNED ................................................. 36

ABOUT YOU ARE CONDEMNED ...........................................36
DISTURBED, SOMETHING WAKES ..................................... 38

ABOUT DISTURBED, SOMETHING WAKES........................... 38
CAPTURED AT LAST ...............................................................................40

ABOUT CAPTURED AT LAST ................................................ 40
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BELLS OF WAR
Overview
Who Should Read This Adventure?
Bells of War is an adventure for the Let Thrones Beware roleplaying game. It is
intended for groups who are new to the system, and was designed with several goals in
mind:
First, Bells of War serves as introduction for everyone at the table to the core concepts,
mechanics, and style of Let Thrones Beware. Through a series of encounters, players
will learn how the non-combat and combat challenge system works. GMs will learn how
(and why) the system works the way it does, how to build effective and challenging
encounters, and how to respond to player decisions.
Second, Bells of War establishes the groundwork for a long-term campaign spanning
the hero, champion, and legend tiers of play. Primordial forces, mythic foes, and
settlement management are all introduced to the groups who complete this adventure.
Third, this adventure is a template for anyone who’s interested in designing their own
quest for Let Thrones Beware heroes. The challenges, decisions, and structure of the
quest contained herein are representative of the system. Following the example set out
by Bells of War will allow you to construct balanced adventures that challenge players
and take advantage of all of the functionality Let Thrones Beware has on offer.
Where This Adventure Fits

Bells of War is the first adventure of nine in the default campaign for Let Thrones
Beware and is the first of three in the Adventurer Tier.
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STARTING YOUR CAMPAIGN
Getting started
Read This
“Given the paucity of Man's presence in the Deep Wood, it was only natural that
cataclysm which was his undoing sent the peoples of Argohex hurrying for shelter
under its foreboding canopy. Though it was the Cabeiri who Man first ripped from
forests centuries ago, the flood of refugees encompassed all those who were close
enough to reach the massive trunks of the Wood before the lands of Man were
completely consumed by the conflagration that brought low his kingdom. Myrmekes,
Dactyl, Ipotane, and Cabeiri, all released from the domineering hand of Man, found
themselves alone in an isolated and primeval land. While freed, their civilizations and
cultures had been lain to waste, and all found themselves facing the daunting prospect
of forging a new destiny in a strange and unfamiliar place.
Spirits buoyed by their freedom, the refugees set about claiming the Deep Wood.
Sprawling settlements were established, open to all those that desired to make a home
for themselves. It was not an easy life; food, tools, and comfort were in short supply,
but compared to the atrocities that came before, it was good living. Sadly, hope of a
tranquil existence was short-lived. While there was little internecine violence between
the refugees, they soon discovered that Man had avoided the Wood with good reason.
The Deep Wood, remote and isolated, had never been cultivated by the Cabeiri, and in
their absence, darker, more insidious forces had taken hold. The presence which lurked
behind the trees fed off the Cataclysm, and its hunger was to be insatiable.
Absent the threat of Man, the refugees had given scant thought to protection, and the
communities which they had founded were largely indefensible. When the Deep Wood
first was inundated by fog, they thought little of it, even when the concealing vapour
lingered, refusing to dissipate for weeks at a time. Wild animals were blamed for the
first disappearances, as was getting lost in the mist, but as the vanishings increased in
both number and frequency, it became clear that something more insidious was at
work.
The first walls were erected shortly after the fifteenth year, a too-late response to the
realization of the true threat. In what is known as the First Reaping, Watcher’s
Redoubt, a 300-person farming community saw its population cut by a third in a
single night. Thatched roofs staved in and doors shattered, the town saw its populace
reduced by a third in a single night of carnage and bloodshed. It was only then that the
true nature of the Deep Wood was realized. With haste, the survivors constructed
rudimentary defences; wooden palisades, shallow trenches, and rickety towers went
up across the hamlets and villages of the Deep Wood.
In time, a connection was made between the attacks and the thick, rolling fog that
blanketed the forest; when the fog receded, so too did the savage slaughter of anyone
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who dared venture into the trees abate. When it poured back from between the trees,
the fog meant almost certain doom for anyone unlucky enough to remain outside the
relative safety of the refuge villages. The times without fog, the longest of which
occurred like clockwork at the end of each season, came to be known as the Passage.
During these respites, merchants and peddlers took to plying their trade between the
refuge villages, performing a vital service at tremendous personal risk. As years
churned by, trade between the villages increased, and the Passage gradually took on
shades of ritual. The scourge of bandits has grown in recent years, and merchants
have begun to band together in caravans for safety.”
Campaign Setting
Bells of War is designed to be the beginning of an epic campaign of Let Thrones Beware.
The adventure introduces players to the concepts and mechanics used by the system. It
also establishes Chael Hollow as the players’ home and base of operations for the first
chapter of the campaign.
The Primordial
Argohex is a world in conflict, catastrophically damaged by Man’s incursion and
destruction. So badly wounded is Argohex that the primordial forces of Trauma are
ascendant. While they are not sentient beings, these malevolent forces exert powerful
influence wherever good and righteous heroes seek to combat evil. Throughout the
adventure, the decisions the heroes make will either feed the primordial forces of
trauma or bolster the forces of light.
When the heroes make choices that bolster the forces of light, the primordial forces of
heroism may increase.
If you are playing in a campaign, any Trauma that has not been extinguished is rolled
over to the next quest (only Trauma is carried forward; heroic advances are not retained
between adventures).
Force Opposes Starting Value

Traumatic Malice - 2
Greed - 2
Despair - 2
Disorder - 2
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The Primordial Forces of Trauma in Combat Challenges
The primordial forces of trauma manifest themselves during combat challenges in
opposition to the goals and aims of the heroes. Each point of Trauma may be exhausted
in a combat challenge (during the Trauma phase) to add complication to the battlefield.
When the heroes have resolved the combat challenge (whether they win or lose), refresh
the expended Trauma so that it is ready for the next encounter.
As GM, you may exhaust one point of trauma per tier per turn (one point in the
Adventurer Tier, two in the Champion Tier, three in the Legend Tier) until the combat
challenge is resolved. A list of traumatic effects and their costs are provided in each
encounter.
The Primordial Forces of Heroism in Combat Challenges

As they progress through the adventure, the heroes may make choices that bolster the
primordial forces of light. As these forces are strengthened, abilities are unlocked.
Heroes may expend points from their Refresh Pool in combat to activate the abilities
and receive the benefits associated with their chosen primordial force.
Create Characters
Players create their heroes in the standard fashion, as described in the player’s guide.
Heroes will begin this adventure with the full compliment of equipment provided during
character creation.
Building Bonds
During the character creation process, players should identify how they are interrelated
(you will find that the adventure flows much more smoothly with a group that has a
reason for cooperating, rather than a group consisting entirely of mysterious loners who
keep to themselves). A good rule of thumb is that each hero should have a tie to at least
one companion.
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STARTING YOUR ADVENTURE
Starting Your Adventure

The Adventure is Won
The adventure is won if the heroes unmask and defeat the brigand who has infiltrated
the refuge village of Chael Hollow before the Passage ends. When the adventure is won,
advance the Chapter Track by one. Upon completion of the adventure, the heroes also
increase to the first milestone of the Adventurer Tier.
Solving the Mystery

In order to win, the heroes must uncover the brigand infiltrator. The identity of this
infiltrator is up to you: the adventure is written in such a way that clues to the traitor’s
identity point to a number of different prominent inhabitants of Chael Hollow.
Remember to take advantage of this flexibility – give each of the main inhabitants life
and personality, and encourage the heroes to conduct a thorough investigation.
The Adventure is Lost

The adventure is lost if the heroes do not stop the brigand infiltrator before the end of
the Passage. When the adventure is lost, decrease the Chapter Track by one.
A Note on Railroads
Experienced players may find this adventure to be fairly directed and straightforward.
This is by design to ensure that your table progresses through the components of Let
Thrones Beware in order, adding complexity with each encounter they face.
It’s natural that the subsequent adventures you design will be considerably more free-
form and permit greater player choice. The only recommendation is that you keep the
challenge / rest intervals consistent with what is presented here: three non-combat and
three combat challenges before the heroes have an opportunity to take a long rest.
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Adventure Setting
The adventure takes place in the refuge village of Chael Hollow and the surrounding
Deep Wood. Later in their quest, the heroes may stumble upon an abandoned refuge
village nestled deep in the forest. Ravaged and deserted, it hints at the fate that may
befall Chael Hollow if the heroes are unable to vanquish the darkness.
The Deep Wood

The Deep Wood is a gloomy, forlorn forest of densely packed trees. Sunlight has
difficulty penetrating the canopy, even on a cloudless day, casting the forest floor into a
perpetual twilight.
Travel in the woods is fraught with peril, home to a multitude of savage beasts,
murderous bandits and brigands, and horrors beyond comprehension. Only the brave or
foolhardy venture willingly into the Wood. Despite ever-present danger, the Wood is
home to a number of refuge villages, in which descendants of the survivors of the fall of
Man eke out a precarious existence.
A thick fog envelops the Deep Wood; travel through the is almost always impossible.
Travelers who merely get hopelessly lost are fortunate souls indeed. A far more likely
fate for those bold enough to venture into the mist of the Deep Wood is vanishing
without a trace.
Respite comes but once a season, when the mists recede. These chaotic, tumultuous
times are known as the Passage. The brief, two-week windows of calm are the only
opportunity the denizens of the refuge villages secreted in the Deep Wood have to leave
the confines of their walls and venture into the forest. Merchants and peddlers scuttle
between settlements, braving the Woods to make a few coins. Bandits, brigands, and
freebooters stalk the worn trails, hoping to steal enough to last them through the next
season. Hardscrabble villagers venture into the trees, setting out on dangerous journeys
to find safety, missing loved ones, or work in need of doing.
Two weeks after they vanish, the mists come roiling back, and any soul unfortunate
enough to be outside the safety of a stout wall is lost forever.
The Deep Wood is a challenging obstacle for heroes, especially new adventurers. Many
players accustomed to pen and paper roleplaying games will be of the mind that any
obstacle placed in front of them is one that can be defeated in a stand-up fight. This isn’t
the case in the Deep Wood. To drive home the danger of being out amongst the trees in
between Passages, you should conduct encounters as non-combat challenges. This will
drive home the point that fighting isn't a solution.
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Chael Hollow
Chael Hollow is a small refuge village nestled in the darkest reaches of the Deep Wood.
Home to a few dozen families, it is a shabby, rundown place protected by a rickety
wooden palisade and a handful of poorly trained militia.
Chael Hollow is home to a decrepit town hall, several more ramshackle dwellings than is
needed to house the inhabitants, a small trading post, and two farmsteads. The Hollow's
sole productive activity is farming; a quirk of the Deep Wood results in a nearby
meadow being spared the deadly fog, and the intrepid villagers have turned it into
productive farmland. Typical for a refuge village, Chael Hollow is of predominately
wooden construction. The only stone used in the construction of the foundation of its
town hall.
This refuge village is intended to become home to the party of heroes over the course of
the Adventurer Tier. How well the heroes succeed at each adventure they undertake will
influence the Chapter Track; when they do well and the Track increases, Chael Hollow
will grow and thrive. Travellers will take up residence, merchants will settle, and the
refuge village will prosper. Mechanically, this means that the players will add
enhancements to the domain of Chael Hollow. If they do poorly, failing to complete
adventures, the Chapter Track will be reduced, representing a setback for the village.
Mechanically, this means removing an enhancement from the domain.
Domain Enhancements
Chael Hollow begins the campaign with the following two enhancements. These
enhancements come into play at the beginning of every adventure, where they provide
benefits to the party (Adventure Start), as well as at the end of a campaign chapter,
when they are used to determine how many points the heroes have for mass combat
(Mass Combat).
The heroes do not receive any starting bonuses at the beginning of this adventure, as
they do not yet have a domain. At the conclusion of this adventure, the refuge village of
Chael Hollow will become their domain, and they will gain bonuses going forward.
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Town Hall Palisade
Tier Adventurer Tier Adventurer
Type Enhancement Type Enhancement
Adventure Start Adventure Start
• None • None
Mass Combat Mass Combat
• Provides 2 points worth of • Provides 1 points worth of
units units
Special
• Cannot be destroyed
Chael Hollow’s Inhabitants of Interest

Below are listed several of the individuals of import who reside in Chael Hollow. To
increase the replayability of this adventure, three different personality options
accompany each description. Choose any option you like for each resident, or feel free to
make up your own. Each personality comes with a suggestion for why this denizen is the
guilty party, that’s who your table ends up selecting as the infiltrator.
Xvkr'll, the Burgomeister

Xvkr'll, a 42-year old Myrmekes who was elected to lead the refuge village of Chael
Hollow three years ago and a half years ago. The next election is a scant six months
away.
PERSONALITY REASON
Nervous, succinct, gentle Desires money to escape the refuge villages
Power-hungry, out-going, confident Coopt the Brigands into a personal guard
Absent-minded, rambling, friendly Blackmailed - loved ones threatened
Dieda, Captain of the Militia

Dieda, a 28-year old Cabeiri, serves as the captain of the Chael Hollow militia. Dieda has
more scars than one would expect for militia involvement, and his past is something of a
mystery.
PERSONALITY THE TRAITOR BECAUSE…

Ruthless, Articulate, Sober Wants to eradicate the weak of the Deep Wood.
Dedicated, Caring, Colourful Coopt the Brigands into a personal guard.
Remorseful, Hurried, Faithless Being blackmailed over past.
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Reka, Militia Sargent
Reka is a formidable 22-year old Echthroi who’s second-in-command of the village’s
militia.

Cautious, Decadent, Skeptical, Believes the village owes him.
Pretentious, Dogmatic, Prudent Tired of being given all the difficult work.
Idealistic, Intense, Fanatical, Thinks Dieda and the refuge villages are soft and
wants to prove that the Deep Wood needs to be
militarized.
Ninki, Ambitious Merchant

Ninki is a 63-year old Ipotane merchant, whose ambition and greed are rumoured to be
outsized in comparison to the modest dwelling in which he resides.

Witty, Surprising, Argumentative Wishes to force the Baronet to take an active
stance in protecting the Deep Wood.
Brittle, Folksy, Observant A sense of obligation to a child who's joined the
Brigand.
Genuine, Absentminded, Mawkish Believes that there's an opportunity for profit.
Nisil, Curious Preacher

Nisil is a 27-year old Dactyl preacher, who has an unexpected fascination with the
mysteries of the Passage and the corrupting influence of the Deep Wood.

Naïve, Solemn, Open The Brigands are people who need help just as
everyone else does.
Modest, Droll, Political Wishes to overthrow the Baronet of the Gate of
Thorns.
Fanatical, Romantic, Earthy Fulfilling a prophecy describing the end of life in
the Deep Wood.
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12 DAYS: THE FOREST RAID
About the Forest Raid

The Forest Raid is the first opportunity the players have to experience the challenge
system in Let Thrones Beware. They will find themselves facing down a number of
Brigand minions in this combat and should not find the experience too difficult.
Minions are a special type of adversary; they are the fodder through which the heroes
scythe on the way to dispatching the real threats. Minions are special in two ways. First,
unlike other adversary types, a minion always dies following a melee engagement. No
matter whether it wins or loses, the minion isn’t strong enough to withstand a hero's
onslaught. Second, minions can be given triggers that fire if a minion wins an
engagement. For example, a minion standing on guard could be assigned a sentry
trigger, which raises the alarm if the minion wins the engagement; if the heroes wish to
sneak, they will have to win the fight.
If your players are experienced with pen and paper roleplaying games, you can increase
the challenge's difficulty by making use of the sentinel trigger on the minions.
Read this
“It has been three and a half days since your caravan departed from the Gate of
Thorns at the behest of the Baronet. Three and a half long, stressful days. The reason
for the caravan's departure before the Passage is known only to Xcvrrvy, captain of
the guard. Rumour and speculation abounds; guards and peddlers alike whisper that
the Baronet has entrusted Xcvrrvy with a secret treasure, but no-one can guess at why
it is being brought to the small refuge village of Chael Hollow.
Twilight has fallen and with it, the beginning of the Passage. Moods amongst your
fellows have lightened considerably, especially as only five of their number vanished
during the journey. The caravan has stopped for the evening, and camp has slowly
been established. The two wagons have been parked at an angle, providing a rickety
line of defence that shields the tents pitched between them. A crescent of torches casts a
dim light to the treeline, giving those who nervously watch the shadows some degree of
comfort. Xcvrrvy has taken four soldiers out on patrol. With her gone, the camp has
relaxed.
You lucky few have been exempted from guard duty this night.”
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Setup
Allow the heroes time to interact with one-another as well as their comrades in the
caravan. After they have bedded down for the night, a group of bandits will attack,
surprising everyone and generally laying waste to the caravan. Xcvrrvy, Captain of the
Guard, will charge the heroes with escaping the ambush and escorting a small group of
peddlers and merchants to Chael Hollow.
She will also hand over a parchment bearing the heavy wax seal of the Baronet. Upon
opening the letter, the heroes will learn that Xcvrrvy was charged with investigating
rumours that Chael Hollow has been infiltrated by Brigands. The bearer of the letter is
charged with rooting out the traitor hiding within the village.
The Fight
Read This
“The evening passes without event, and gradually the camp quiets for the night. You
settle in, slowly drifting off to sleep. Unexpectedly, it is a deep and restful respite.
You dream. You dream of the great festival that marks the coming of the Summer
Passage in the Gate of Thorns. Giant bonfires, pageantry, and the beautiful music of
traveling bards, spinning such stories. You dream of the happy chatter of frolicking
children, the hustle and bustle of the great open-air markets, the elated chatter of
people as they trade with the peddlers before the caravans depart with the dawn. You
dream of the Baronet come down from his spire, a crazed rictus grin splayed across
his lips.
You dream of screams.
You wake.
You wake to the boot of Xcvrrvy catching you in the stomach.
"Get up, wake up!" Her frenetic voices booms in your head, blasting you from your
slumber. All around you, the forest is aflame. The camp is in chaos, and the sound of a
struggle most fierce echoes from the tree-line.
“We are overrun!” You notice four quaking peddlers behind her, flinching at the
screams echoing across the camp. “Protect the merchants. Get them to Chael Hollow.
We will slow pursuit.” She wheels without waiting for you to acknowledge her
command, rushing back into the fray.
Moments later, a group of Brigands slinks from the forest, cutting off your line of
retreat. You must deal with the threat, or you will surely die in these woods.
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Setup
The players must face one Brigand Hatchet for each hero in the party. If the players have
experience with roleplaying games and tactical combat, you can give several of the
attackers the Sentinel trigger, which will add to the difficulty of the fight.
This combat should not last much longer than a single round (two if you use the Sentinel
trigger).
Don’t forget to place four merchants on the battlefield. They each have a speed of 4, take
their turns after the Hatchets act, and will die if they end a round adjacent to a Hatchet.
Sentinel:
If this minion wins a melee engagement, another minion of the same type enters combat
at the beginning of the next round.
Tactics
As minions, Hatchets are a weak adversary type. They will attempt to close the distance
with the merchants, sacrificing as many as needed to distract the heroes in an attempt to
end up beside the merchants and slay their targets.
You’ll notice that one of the Hatchet abilities, the ‘Lobbed Axe’, which has the
Commanded tag. All minions have this type of power, which can only be used when a
Commander adversary issues a command (you’ll be introduced to a Commander in the
last fight of this adventure). Commanded actions are special for two reasons – first,
they’re free actions, meaning that a minion can use them even if it’s already exhausted
its two standard actions for the turn. Second, using a Commanded action means that the
minion does not automatically die at the end of an engagement.
Map
Absent a pre-generated battlefield (which will be included in later iterations of this
adventure), you should provide the players with a 10 x 10 battlefield.
The heroes and the merchants begin the combat in the middle of the map, huddled
around a campfire and tents (if a combatant is pushed into the flames, she or he suffers
one point of damage). Ringing the outskirts of the map, the Hatchets surround them.
Litter the battlefield with large trees (each of which occupies an entire space, thereby
providing cover). Add patches of debris; these will act as rough terrain, slowing
movement.
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This particular fight is a fight of Despair. In the update phase of each round, you may
exhaust a Traumatic Force to place a gaping sinkhole on the battlefield.
Traumatic Forces: Despair
The very ground gives way, solid earth collapsing into a ravenous void, leaving a gaping
sinkhole in its place. The sinkhole is impassable terrain, and does not provide any cover.
Combatants may use powers with forced movement to knock enemies into the sinkhole.
If this occurs, the target of the movement must make an easy save or be knocked into
the pit, suffering two points of damage. A move action is required to clamber out of the
sinkhole.
A sinkhole cannot open in the same square as a combatant.
After the Fight

The players win the fight if they defeat the Hatchets without a single merchant being
slain. If this is the case, add 1 to this adventure's Hope rating.
If the heroes survive the combat, reduce this adventure's Despair rating by 1 and
continue to Fly Peddlers, Fly.
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12 DAYS: FLY PEDDLERS, FLY
About Fly Peddlers, Fly

Fly Peddlers, Fly explores how the heroes escape from the Brigand ambush. No matter
whether the players follow Xcvrrvy’s orders or abandon the peddlers to flee into the
Wood, they will have to escape the bandit’s pursuit.
Alternatively, the heroes may decide to take a stand to fight off the ambush, but the odds
will be stacked against them. Using the same map as in the Forest Raid, place one
Hatchet, and two Marauders on the field for each hero in the party. If the heroes defeat
this group, they can proceed to leave the area unmolested.
The Non-Combat Challenge

Setup
This is the first non-combat challenge the players experience in Let Thrones Beware,
and like the previous combat, it’s intended to introduce your group to how non-combat
challenges are conducted. To maintain the difficulty of this challenge, you should have
no more than one obstacle per player.
Setup Phase
Set out the goal for the heroes; in this case, it’s to safely escort the peddlers the rest of
the way to Chael Hollow. Your table might decide to sneak away from the ambush, they
might try to crash through the Wood and outrace the brigands. They might even try to
concoct some sort of poison to incapacitate the brigands and leisurely stroll back to
Chael Hollow.
Ask your heroes to plan out how they’ll accomplish this goal (it’s possible that they’ll
decide they want to ignore the adventure and do something else entirely too). These
actions that make up the plan will be the Obstacles the heroes must overcome. Use your
judgment to assign each obstacle a difficulty (one easy, two medium, and one
challenging obstacle is a great mix). It’s a good idea to assess and describe the difficulty
of the plan as the players describe their intent (e.g. “You can try to sneak back into the
ambush site, but it’s going to be challenging to do undetected”).
Obstacle Wrinkle Setback

Tier Difficulty Force Score Force Score Force Score
Adventurer Simple 0 2 1
Moderate 2 4 3
Challenging 4 6 5
Nigh-impossible 6 8 7
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If the plan the heroes concoct includes an Obstacle that is exceptionally difficult (i.e.
Challenging or Nigh-Impossible), consider adding an additional, easier optional
Obstacle that, if the heroes overcome, reduces the difficulty of the primary challenge.
Allow the players to revise their plan as much as they like before moving to the
execution phase. However, once they’ve locked it in and the game progresses to the next
phase, there’s no going back.
Execution Phase
The Execution phase is where you and the players resolve the Obstacles that you have
set out. Unlike combat, there is no initiative to determine. If the players are reacting to
an Obstacle, you as the GM will initiate the engagement (as shown on the left side of the
following chart). On the other hand, if a hero is being proactive, you will respond to the
Act power with either a Wrinkle or a Setback (as shown on the right side of the following
chart).
GM Initiated Non-Combat Engagement Player Initiated Non-Combat Engagement
GM Initiates With Player Initiates

Obstacle With Act
Ex: Force Score 10 Ex: Force Score 10
GM Victory: Player Player Victory: GM

Player responds GM responds with
Unable to exceed Unable to exceed
with React Wrinkle
Force Score Force Score
Player Victory: GM GM Victory: GM GM Victory: Player Player Victory:

unable to exceed responds with unable to exceed Player responds
Force Score 13 Setback Force Score 13 with Overcome
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Modelling the Plan
During playtesting of this adventure, one group of heroes decided that rather than flee
from the Brigands, they would instead seek to incapacitate them with poison, allowing a
leisurely stroll to Chael Hollow rather than a frantic escape. By not making use of set-
piece challenges, the non-combat resolution system accommodates this sort of
creative thinking by not imposing limits on what the heroes are able to do. Talking
through their plan, the GM came up with the following series of Obstacles to model their
plan.
Distract patrols
Find ingredients in Manufacture the Poison the food and
the Deep Wood poison escape
Sneak into camp
Blockers
Certain obstacles can act as blockers, preventing the heroes from progressing along the
challenge chain. In the following example, “Sneak into camp” is a blocker for “Poison the
food and escape.” If the heroes do not successfully overcome the first obstacle, they
cannot attempt the second – it automatically counts as a failure.
Distract patrols
Poison the food and
escape
Sneak into camp
Note that it’s not necessary to use blockers in your challenges, as failures during the
challenge chain affect the overall outcome. A more forgiving approach to this plan,
without the blocker, could narrate failure to sneak into camp as something going wrong
during the attempt, meaning that the infiltrating heroes lose a portion of their supply of
poison, reducing the overall affect on the Brigands.
17
Complications
Complications can be added to individual Obstacles to make them more interesting.
These complications generally increase the difficulty of the Obstacle by placing
limitations on the hero or heroes attempting to overcome the Obstacle. When adding a
complication, the reward for overcoming the challenge should be commensurately
increased (awarding one additional Influence to the party per complication is a good
rule of thumb).
Unable to use Contact influence Must spend two influences to use one
Unable to use Research influence Only one hero may engage this Obstacle
Unable to use Inventory influence
Zones
If the plan involves the heroes splitting up, each group of heroes is considered to be in a
separate zone. Heroes in one zone are isolated from the rest, and they cannot use
powers, cooperate with or otherwise support heroes in another zone (remember that
heroes in the same zone can cooperate to overcome an obstacle by contributing powers).
Distract patrols
Sneak into camp
In the model described above, heroes in the “Distract patrols” zone are unable to
support heroes in the “Sneak into camp” zone, and vice versa.
Resolution Phase
Once the Execution Phase is complete, it’s time to tally up the number of successes and
failures. How well the heroes were able to overcome the challenge is determined by the
following chart. Once you’ve determined the degree of success, it’s time to narrate the
resultant outcome. When describing the outcome, it’s important to keep tone in mind. If
you’re playing a serious game about competent heroes, successes and failures should be
explained differently than they would be related in a game that features extensive
slapstick.
18
>100% Total success. The hero accomplishes their objective in a manner that is better
than expected
100% Success. The hero accomplishes their objective
<100% Partial success. The hero accomplishes the task, but the success is coloured by
a complicating factor
No successes The hero does not succeed as hoped; though unsuccessful, an alternative
means of achieving the goal may present itself
In the playtest where the heroes tried to poison the brigands, they scored four successes
and one failure (Manufacture the poison). The GM narrated this resolution as the heroes
accomplishing their goal of incapacitating the enemy, but the poison turned out to be
less effective than anticipated. While most of the Brigands were unable to pursue the
heroes as they sped to Chael Hollow, a few were healthy enough to give chase. This
resulted in some of the possessions carried by the peddlers being lost in the excitement.
As a result, the heroes gained a smaller reward when they arrived at the refuge village
than they otherwise would have received.
Read This
With the last Hatchet slain, you quickly take stock of your surroundings. The sounds of
slaughter echo through the forest as the Brigands grind through the remaining
defenders. You're rocked on your feet as a blinding flood of pain and anguish crashes
over you. Xcvrrvy's death knell rattles in your head. Her silent scream heralds the end
of the battle, as the raiders put the remaining victims to the sword.
You bundle the peddlers and their goods into a nearby wagon, and without looking
back, set out into the wood. It won't be long before the brigands realize you've escaped,
the night is dark, and Chael Hollow is still far away.
After the Challenge

If the heroes completely win the challenge, the peddlers will reward them with 3
influences; one inventory, one research, and one contact. The party may distribute these
amongst themselves as they see fit. Increase Hope by 1.
If the heroes have only partially won the challenge, reduce the number of awarded
influences by one for every failure that occurred in the challenge.
Reduce the Primordial Force of Greed by 1. Turn to Enemy at the Gate.
19
11 DAYS: ENEMY AT THE GATE
About Enemy at the Gate

Bandits at the Gate is the second combat encounter in Bells of War, and takes place
outside the gates of Chael Hollow. Upon arriving at the worn palisade of the refuge
village, the heroes find a group of brigands menacing the few militia that remain behind
the walls.
Building on the earlier combat encounter, this is the first real fight the heroes will
experience. Rather than facing simple minions, the party will square off against a larger
number of tougher opponents.
The Fight
Read This
At last, the harried escape is at an end. Ahead, through the trees, you can make out the
wooden palisade of Chael Hollow. Your elation, however, is short-lived. A terrible
realization dawns as you near the refuge village; though the Passage has begun,
though the sun shines down through the thick canopy above, the settlement's gates are
closed.
Hope turns to ash in your mouth as you realize you and your charges are not yet safe.
Ahead are a group of rough figures, hacking at the gate with sharp-looking axes. Chael
Hollow is under attack.
Setup
This is a standard difficulty fight; this means that there is one standard adversary and
one minion per hero. In this fight, since we still want to keep things simple, we’ll use
Marauders as the standard adversaries. Marauders are formidable melee combatants
whose forceful attacks can push the heroes around the battlefield and inflict bleed
attacks that damage over time. In later fights, we’ll add ranged adversaries, which will
force the heroes to react to attacks at a distance.
This is the first combat that will go for longer than one round. Remember that you will
need to increase Desperation each round. Each increase will change the bonus the
heroes receive when they have Edge, and just as importantly, will change the tactics and
powers of the Brigands involved in this combat. Be sure to consult the Desperation Mod
section of enemy powers to see what's changed.
20
The players may attempt to surprise the Brigands; to see whether they're successful, run
an easy non-combat challenge for the party. At least half of the heroes must succeed in
order to achieve surprise.
Tactics
The Brigands are intent upon breaking down the gate and creating a hole in Chael
Hollow's defences that they can exploit later. Two Hatchets will remain beside the gate,
chopping at it with their axes. If not stopped, they will finish breaking through at the
end of the fourth round of combat.
The rest of the Brigands will wheel about and confront the players. They will use their
strike and fade ability to flank the heroes, which will allow them to take advantage of
their bonus from flanking.
Should the heroes slay three of the Marauders, the remaining Brigands must pass a
morale check, or they will attempt to flee. The morale test must be repeated if the last
Marauder is slain (no morale tests are necessary when the Hatchets are slain).
Map
adventure), you should provide the players with a 15 x 10 battlefield. One 10-space side
of the map is the wall and four space-wide gate of Chael Hollow. Set the Brigands up
against this wall. Thick forest flanks either side of a well-worn path that cuts through the
length of the map. The trees provide cover to combatants positioned behind them.
Traumatic Forces: Greed
Black tendrils envelope your foes as they stalk closer, evil-looking blades intent on
carving flesh and slicing tendon. Select one adversary for this turn. If this adversary
wins an engagement, its attack inflicts an extra point of damage; this extra point of
damage is added to the adversary’s health.
After the Fight

The players win the fight if they defeat the Brigands without the gate being destroyed. If
this is the case, add 1 to this adventure's Hope rating. If the gate has been destroyed, the
heroes can contribute to its repair by expending 4 resources amongst the party. If they
choose not to
If the heroes survive the combat, reduce this adventure's Despair rating by 1 and
continue to Investigate the Attack.
21
11 DAYS: INVESTIGATE THE ATTACK
About Investigate the Attack

Investigate the Attack takes place in the aftermath of Enemy at the Gate. With the
Brigands driven off, the gate will swing open and they and the surviving peddlers will
be welcomed into Chael Hollow. As the heroes investigate Chael Hollow and the attack,
they will slowly realize that the rumours are correct: something is amiss in the village.

Setup
Upon being told of the Baronet’s letter, Xvkr'll will encourage the heroes to seek out
answers, beginning with the attack upon the gate, as it is surely linked to the infiltrator’s
presence. Should the heroes decided to investigate the attack, there a number of
questions they might seek to answer:
• What did the witnesses to the attack see?

• Why were the militia absent?
• Where did the brigands come from?
• What happened to the captain of the militia?
A number of clues are listed below; players can uncover these answers as they conduct
their investigation. The truth of the matter, which they can piece together if their
investigation is thorough enough, is that the Captain of the militia was incapacitated by
an unknown assailant, and the militia were led away from the unreinforced gate by the
militia’s Sargent, ostensibly to patrol the nearby fields. The Sargent will protest his
innocence, claiming that he didn’t believe that there were Brigands in nearby this soon
after the Passage began; normally, Brigands leave their home villages and travel for
some time before arriving at their hunting grounds.
Investigate (Sample Clues)

Witness They came out of the Woods as the mist lifted – like they’d
been waiting there.
The gate hadn’t been reinforced in years – it’s like they knew it
was weak.
Where did the brigands come from? We found a camp a short distance outside of town. How did
they survive the mist?
Where were the militia? The Sergeant had taken them on a patrol of the fields. They
weren’t in the village.
What happened to the Captain? We finally found him, unconscious in a shed. What a lazy fool.
We’ve found traces of poison; the Captain’s absence was
deliberate!
22
Read This
The Brigands driven off and defeated, you are at last able to catch your breath and
take stock of your destination. Chael Hollow is a small, grimy, village, home to no
more than three dozen families. The rickety palisade has withstood the brigand attack,
but the gate appears to have sustained significant damage.
Moments after your victory, the unmistakable mental projection of a Myrmekes booms
in your head, “I am Xvkr'll, Burgomeister of Chael Hollow. You have our eternal
gratitude for defeating these marauders.”
With that, the gate swings open and you are ushered in to Chael Hollow. It is what you
expected, but not what you had hoped. A dilapidated town hall, an empty market, a
smattering of cottages, and too many hovels make up the entirety of the refuge village.
As you enter, one of the peddlers, an aging Ipotane named Ninki reminds you of the
sealed warrant. “It’s from Xcvrrvy,” she says reluctantly. “She said that if she didn’t …
you were to take up the charge.”
Breaking the letter’s seal, you read the parchment, covered in thick black ink. The
Baronet suspects that a brigand infiltrator is active in the village. The bearer of the
warrant is charged with ferreting out the traitor.
After the Challenge

If the heroes overcome all obstacles, they are rewarded with 3 influences to share
amongst the party: two Contact and one Research. Lower the awarded influences by
one for every failed obstacle.
Reduce Disorder by 1 and turn to Ambush in the Town.
23
8 DAYS: AMBUSH IN THE TOWN
About Ambush in the Town

Ambush in the Town is the second significant combat in this adventure, and the first
combat that is not Brigands. While running this fight, you'll want to pay close attention
to the tactic and strategy of Militia, as well as the tactics for each adversary type. These
poorly trained guards approach combat differently than do Brigands, and your group
will get more out of the experience when fights against distinct adversary types have
different styles of fighting.
The Fight
Read This
As the short duration of the Passage does not usually allow travellers to make round
trips between the refuge villages in the Deep Wood, it has become custom for
settlements to construct lodgings for those who are left stranded when the fog returns.
These dwellings are usually small but serviceable, and littered with the leavings and
discarded belongings of those who have stayed in years past.
The grateful burgomeister will see to it that you heroes are quartered in one such
building at the centre of the village. Ramshackle and in need of some repair, the small
wooden cottage will serve a small group of travellers well over the chilly fall months
that lie ahead.
Several nights pass uneventfully in Chael Hollow. However, this peace does not last. It
is well past midnight when your alert ears detect the soft clink of mail and the scape of
weapons being drawn from just beyond the fragile wooden walls of the cottage. Some
enemy has gathered outside, and clearly seeks your demise.
Setup
This is a standard difficulty fight against militia; this means that there is one standard
adversary and one minion per hero. The standard adversary in this fight is the
Halberdier. The minion adversaries are all Footguard. The adversaries will begin
combat on one side of house. Two Footguard stand beside the door, while the rest of the
enemy are spread out in pairs along the length of the house.
The intent of this battle is to introduce your table to a new type of adversary; while the
adversary types the heroes will face are the same (a minion and a standard opponent),
they are facing militia rather than brigands. This means that the enemy types are
somewhat different (they will have different combat powers and different behaviours
24
depending on the Desperation). Furthermore, you will use a new tactic and a new
strategy for the adversaries.
Tactics
At the beginning of combat, the Militia will attempt to group together in small
formations. This may make them susceptible to area of effect attacks. They will disperse
after suffering the first such attack in an effort to guard against further vulnerability.
Should the heroes fortify themselves inside the house, the militia will attempt to force
their way inside. With at least one standard foe alive to organize their approach, the
militia will coordinate so that they breach the house through different windows and
doors at the same time, with the Footguard leading the assault.
Map
adventure), you should provide the players with a 15 x 15 battlefield. In the middle of the
map lies a 10 x 7 space ramshackle wooden house, inside which the heroes are located.
The house contains two rooms; a kitchen/living area centred around a stove, and a
bedroom with four beds.
The house has two doors, one facing the militia and one on the opposite wall. They may
be opened or closed as free actions. When closed, the doors cannot be opened from the
outside unless forced (which can be done at cost of exhausting one melee attack power).
Windows dot the walls. By treating the space as difficult terrain, combatants may
clamber through the windows.
Traumatic Forces: Disorder
Solid surfaces weaken, buckle, and break. Where once stood stout wood and solid stone,
a gaping void exposes you to the machinations of evil forces. All barriers in one space
are destroyed; this may eliminate cover and open new pathways for combatants to move
about the battlefield.
After the Fight

Should the heroes prevail, reduce Disorder by 1. Turn to Hunt the Mastermind.
25
7 DAYS: HUNT THE MASTERMIND
About Hunt the Mastermind

In the aftermath of the attack, the heroes will likely want to know why they were
targeted (and more importantly, who gave the order). The raucous combat will wake the
village, and a small crowd, nervous and fearful, surrounds the cottage. Dieda, Captain of
the Militia and Xvkr’ll, the Burgomeister are present, and will approach the heroes in an
attempt to placate them following the heated battle.
Both will deny knowing anything about the unexpected raid, and since the heroes
possess the letter from the Baronet, will encourage them to investigate the
circumstances surrounding the fight and find the mastermind.

Setup
The heroes are likely going to want to immediately find out why they were targeted (and
by the town’s militia, no less). Xvkr’ll and Dieda will encourage the heroes to uncover
the truth behind the attack. They’ll lend their full support.
This challenge is a chase; the heroes must race against the clock to identify and catch the
mastermind. A chase differs from a normal non-combat challenge in that there are only
two possible resolutions: the heroes will catch their quarry, or the mastermind will
escape. Because this is a contest between two parties, you’ll want to use an odd number
of Obstacles for this pursuit (otherwise you could wind up with a tie). Five is a good
number for the heroes to overcome.
Because this is a pursuit, you’ll want the heroes to react to Obstacles rather than leading
with Act powers. This will give the Mastermind an opportunity to respond (assuming
they use React powers instead of Overcome powers). If the roles were reversed, the
heroes would play Act powers as they attempt to escape.
Through the Fields

The Sargent’s
Militia Hot Pursuit
Cottage
To the Barn
26
Hunt (Sample Pursuit)
Militia Our Sargent ordered us out here, said that you were Brigands
in disguise, planning to attack us from within this very night.
The Sargent’s Cottage A pouch of coins and a wicked-looking knife are secreted
under a loose floorboard.
There are husks of wheat strewn about the floor – perhaps
more than there should be for someone who doesn’t farm.
Hot Pursuit That cry! They’ve spotted him on the other side of the village!
Through the Fields These fields are thick with wheat ready for the harvest. This is
hard work to navigate.
To the Barn If we tread slowly, broken stalks and trampled plants are more
obvious. It’s not too late.
Read This
Despite the late hour, a concerned crowd has gathered around your cottage.
Unquestionably alarmed by the carnage, villagers mutter and stammer amongst
themselves as they mill about.
Xvkr’ll and Dieda emerge from the crowd, the captain brandishing a sharp-looking
blade.
“What is all this?” Dieda’s voice booms, his eyes flashing accusatorily. A villager,
claiming to have seen the whole thing, steps out from the crowd. A few angry minutes
of arguing later, and the Captain appears to be mollified.
Xvkr’ll approaches. “It would seem that your suspicions about an infiltrator are
correct. We would be most grateful if you were to investigate this ambush and find the
mastermind behind this attack.”
After the Challenge

The heroes must defeat more than half of the Obstacles they encounter in order to
successfully catch the Sargent. If the heroes are successful, then he is apprehended.
Reward them with 3 influences; two Contact and one Inventory. Reduce Malice by 1.
If the heroes are unsuccessful, they are unable to capture the Sargent, who escapes into
the darkness. Increase Despair by 1.
The heroes have reached the Interlude.
27
6 DAYS: INTERLUDE
About the Interlude

The Interlude is an opportunity for the heroes to catch their breath and rest.
Mechanically, it is a long rest, which means that the players may fully heal and restore
their Reserve to maximum.
As the name implies, the Interlude is also a quiet period in which nothing much
transpires. Time advances during this period, and when action resumes, the heroes will
have a scant 48 hours until the Passage comes to a close and the mists return to the
forest.
With some down time, especially if they aren’t satisfied that the Sargent is the traitor,
the heroes will probably want to continue to hunt for the traitor. Encourage this, and
feel free to run non-combat challenges to help them uncover clues.
The traitor’s identity is revealed in the next chapter – and if your players are actively
engaged in the investigation, a great idea is to pick their most likely suspect.
When you are ready to continue the adventure proper, turn to A Daring Escape.
28
2 DAYS: A DARING ESCAPE
About a Daring Escape

A Daring Escape reveals the true identity of the brigand infiltrator and challenges the
party to apprehend her before she’s able to escape into the shadows of the Deep Wood.
The Baronet has dispatched a Judicar, one of the Baronet’s feared enforcers, who arrives
a scant two days before the end of the Passage. Furious at the loss of the convoy and the
whispers of ongoing brigand activity in Chael Hollow, the Baronet has charged the
Judicar with cleansing the corruption in the refuge village.
The Judicar’s first action upon arriving is to summon Xvkr'll and Dieda. Their meeting
lasts late into the night, and at some point, during the evening, the heroes are
summoned to give their account of the brigand attack on the convoy and the assault they
endured at the hands of the local militia. Once they have given an account of their
experiences, they are thanked and dismissed.

Setup
This is a social challenge. The Judicar is naturally suspicious of the heroes at the
beginning of his questioning, but as they defeat obstacles, will slowly come around to
believing them.
Below is a sample social challenge structure. As the heroes win arguments and make
their points (by overcoming obstacles), they will win over the Judicar, changing his view
of them. This particular challenge is set up so that the heroes have several different
avenues of discussion to make their case; once any one of their explanations wins over
the Judicar, he becomes curious rather than suspicious, and the heroes can cooperate on
defeating the fourth obstacle, and then the fifth in turn.
29
Suspicious Curious Won over
The Forest Attack
The Rescue What you found in Town The Hunt
An Ambush in Town
An Accounting (Sample Social Engagement)

The Forest Attack Describe the attack on the convey – how did they know where to find
you? How did they bypass the guards?
The Rescue How is it that you managed to escape from the attack with a group of
survivors that large? Didn’t they track you?
An Ambush in Town How was it that you came to be attacked by Chael Hollow’s militia?
What crime did you commit?
What You Found in Town Tell me more about what you found in the town. Who do you suspect
to be the infiltrator?
The Hunt What happened when the Sargent escaped?
Read This
The tenth morning of the Passage begins with a clatter and commotion at the gates. A
Judicar has arrived, sent from the Gate of Thorns by the Baronet himself. An enforcer
of the Baronet’s will, the Judicar serve as judge, jury, and when needed, executioner in
the Deep Wood. Dreaded as they are, the arrival of the enforcer inspires curiosity
amongst the inhabitants of the village, and they shout and clamour as the Judicar,
flanked by a squadron of black-mailed soldiers.
The Judicar is met by Xvkr’ll, and after a brief greeting, they retire to the town hall.
Dieda, passing by on his way to the hall, claps you on the shoulders. “I wouldn’t stray
far,” he says grimly. “There’s no doubt that you’ll be questioned.”
Sure enough, it is not long before you are found by one of the black-clad soldiers and
two of Chael Hollow’s militia. “You’re wanted at the hall,” stammers a nervous-looking
footguard. “The Judicar wishes to speak with you.”
The Judicar is perhaps not what you expected. An Echthroi clad in the Baronet’s black,
he is seated at the head of the Burgomesiter’s table. After a few silent minutes of
regarding you suspiciously, he speaks “You’d best explain yourselves. Where is
Xcvrrvy? How was it you came to escape the brigands in the Wood.”
30
After the Challenge
Reduce Malice by 1.
The morning after the Judicar’s questioning, the heroes awake to calamity! The traitor
has fled Chael Hollow, leaving a swathe of death in his or her wake. If you haven’t yet
selected a guilty party, now’s time to do so. This non-player character has been exposed
(or believes that their nefarious behaviours will soon be uncovered), and has fled Chael
Hollow.
The Judicar has taken command of the militia and sealed the gates, swearing that no-
one will be allowed in or out until the traitor is apprehended. The heroes have been
charged with this task.
If the heroes completely defeated the non-combat challenge, the Judicar will provide
them with three Influences too aid in their pursuit. For every failed obstacle, reduce the
number of Influences provided by one.
Turn to Bandit Patrol.
31
1 DAY: BANDIT PATROL
About Bandit Patrol

Having left the safety of Chael Hollow and ventured into the Deep Wood in pursuit of
the traitor, the heroes will be set upon by a brigand patrol that has been keeping watch
on the village. The patrol, acting on orders to protect the traitor, will wait until the
heroes are well away from Chael Hollow's walls before springing into action.
The introduction of ranged enemies will also complicate things for the heroes; defending
against missile attacks will eat up combat powers they would otherwise feel safe
expending in melee combat, and the heroes may for the first time feel seriously
threatened.
The Fight
Read This
The trees of the Deep Wood loom ominously above as you depart from Chael Hollow
and make your way into the forest. The trail of the traitor is easy to find, and you
follow without difficulty. Within moments, the bright light of the morning sun is lost,
and you enter a world of perpetual twilight.
Pushing onward, your chase lasts hours. Too late, you realize that the forest has gone
quiet; not even chirp of birds can be heard.
Setup
There are two new aspects to this combat challenge – surprise and adversaries who use
missile weapons to attack at range.
Because the Brigands are attempting to catch the heroes unawares, a surprise test is
necessary. To resolve this, each hero must overcome a single medium-difficulty obstacle
(if a particular hero has conveyed special alertness, substitute an easy challenge for the
medium that they would otherwise face).
If more than half of the heroes succeed, the alert heroes detect the ambush and combat
unfolds as usual. Otherwise, the party is caught off-guard and suffers the surprise
condition for the first round.
32
In this fight, the heroes once more find themselves facing down Brigands. In this
encounter, a new adversary type is added – the Brigand Knife is an archer enemy with
ranged single-target and area of effect powers. The ranged adversary is the last standard
adversary type with whom the heroes will have to contend.
Tactics
The heroes will have to adapt to a new type of threat – the bandits Marauders will
attempt to prevent the heroes from engaging with their ranged compatriots.
Map
Traumatic Forces: Malice
The ground bubbles and boils underfoot, sharp spikes of rock lancing out and shredding
the feet of the unwary. The jagged stone is difficult terrain, halving movement in three
spaces (selected by you). Combatants may elect to move at full speed through designated
spaces, but suffer one point of damage to do so. Forced movement is not affected.
After the Fight

A quick search of the defeated Brigands will reveal a parchment with roughly scratched
orders scrawled upon it. The note instructs the patrol to protect the traitor until a
Brigand commander can rendezvous with the traitor in the old ruin of an abandoned
refuge village. A village which, as it turns out, is nearby.
Turn to Ruins of Old.
33
1 DAY: RUINS OF OLD
About Ruins of Old

An abandoned refuge village far within the Deep Wood looms in the shadows of twisted
trees. Somewhere within hides the traitor, cowering inside a shed as something terrible
follows close behind.

Setup
The heroes have tracked the traitor to the desiccated ruin of Watcher’s Redoubt. Deep
within the abandoned village hides the traitor, secreted away until brigand allies can
arrive. The heroes are in a race against time to track down the location of this hiding
spot.
The Search (Sample Exploration Engagement)

The Shattered Gate The gate is burst from the inside out, rotted timbers and shattered
stone strewn across the road. What could have inflicted such damage?
The Abandoned Hall The decrepit hall is blackened by fire long extinguished and covered in
thick ash, a yawning hole where the thatched roof once stood. The
door still barred from the inside.
The Ruined Stable This stable, a rarity in the Deep Wood, once housed powerful horses. It
still does, though their bones have bleached in the sun.
The Broken Gaol Though this Gaol must have once held prisoners, its cells have long
been empty.
The Blackened Crypt Superstition screams that you stay away from this house of the dead,
though within lies only the remains of ancestors. Ancestors and a
gaping hole, carved stone blocks punched out of the wall and scattered
across the floor. Beyond them, a dark cave, empty.
Read This
Your battle against the brigands has led you to the outskirts of an ancient refuge
village, clearly abandoned and reclaimed by the Deep Wood. The village seems to be
the one referenced in the paper you seized from the brigand patrol, and the trail of the
traitor leads into the depths of the settlement.
As you draw near, it becomes clear that this is not just a failed village. Something
terribly wrong has transpired here. The gatehouse is shattered, the remnants of a
wooden palisade are blackened and broken, scarcely able to now protect the ruin from
the dead leaves that carpet the forest floor.
34
After the Challenge
Reduce Malice by 1.
Successful or not, the heroes will locate the shed which is the traitor's hiding place at
the end of the challenge. Surrounding this shed are a number of horrifying shadows –
the Condemned. If the heroes defeated all obstacles in this non-combat challenge, they
will have four combat rounds until the Condemned break through the shed's meagre
walls. For each obstacle they did not surmount, reduce this number by one.
Turn to You Are Condemned.
35
1 DAY: YOU ARE CONDEMNED
About You Are Condemned

Nestled within the Old Ruin are a pack of Condemned, dormant and resting within the
shattered remnants of an old cottage. They awake when something living enters the
village, though they must through fallen debris for some time before they are able to
escape the dwelling and pursue their quarry. This means that the Traitor, who intended
to rendezvous with Brigand companions, managed to reach the temporary safety of a
ramshackle shed before being set upon.
If the heroes wish to capture the traitor and return to the Judicar for justice, they will
have to defeat the Condemned first.
The Fight
You pick your way through the abandoned village, hunting for the traitor. As you
move deeper into the ruin, you detect the low, rhythmic beating of bone and sinew on
wood.
Soon, the source of the noise comes into view. Ahead of you a pack of horrors surround
a ramshackle cottage. The fragile timbers of the building shudder and splinter under
furious blows. Whatever shelters within will soon be at the mercy of the monsters.
Setup
This fight introduces a new adversary group – the Condemned, which are twisted,
corrupted echoes of miserable souls unfortunate enough to get lost in the Deep Wood.
There is no negotiation with them, no pleading, no mercy. The Condemned are
unyielding hunger, bent on consuming all sentient life.
Tactics
The Condemned are malevolent and hungry. They care not for pain, nor discomfort,
rushing in to savage the unfortunate any living they find. Condemned, driven by their
need to inflict hurt, seeking out the most vulnerable and wounded to prey upon first.
36
Map
After the Fight

Once the Condemned are defeated, the heroes are able to free the traitor from the
sheltered hiding spot and take him or her into custody.
If the Condemned broke into the traitor's hiding spot during the battle, the heroes will
have to expend Influences to mend the grievous wounds inflicted by the malevolent
beings. One Influence is required for every round a Condemned had access to the
traitor.
Turn to Disturbed, Something Wakes.
37
DISTURBED, SOMETHING WAKES
About Disturbed, Something Wakes

Disturbed, Something Wakes is an introduction to the ultimate adversaries of Let
Thrones Beware: Mythic Foes. Unprepared, heroes can no more face down such an
opponent as they can calm an earthquake or wrestle a tornado. Mythic Foes cannot be
confronted in open combat until the heroes have completed a specific set of tasks that
erode their innate power.
The Mythic Foe featured in this adventure is Asag, an ancient, lurking corruption that
has poisoned the Deep Wood. In this challenge, the heroes can no more defeat Asag
than they can quell a raging forest fire; their only hope is to escape. Later, in subsequent
adventures, the heroes will chance across rumours and ancient texts that will allow them
to learn more about this ancient enemy and allow them to undertake Asag's defeat.

Setup
This non-combat challenge is an escape challenge – while the players have experienced
a chase before, in this case, they are fleeing rather than pursuing.
Earlier, in Hunt the Mastermind, your table experienced a chase. In that challenge, the
heroes were the pursuers; in this chase, they are the quarry. This means that you should
have the heroes lead each section with an Act power to which Asag will respond.
To set up the dynamic fight in the final adventure, you'll want to funnel the heroes
toward the west edge of the village, near the cluster of buildings and the cliff.
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5
38
The Flight (Sample Flight)
Stage 1 Straightforward flight will get you moving, but only keep you free for so
long.
Stage 2 Running perpendicular to the flood ought to work, but there is so much
of it, and it … follows you.
Stage 3 Putting a wall between yourself and the ichor buys you time, but soon
the wall is eaten away, and you must flee again.
Stage 4 Rubble makes it difficult to hurry, and you must carefully thread
between collapsed buildings.
Stage 5 To the cliff! A chain of buildings snakes it’s way to the bottom of a
towering cliff. If you can reach the buildings, you can get above the
flood and escape.
Read This
The shambling monstrosities defeated, you pry the traitor from the ruins of the
dwelling. A horrified, broken wreck, you'll have no further trouble from your quarry.
A low rumble catches your attention, and you turn in response. Some distance away,
an old wall has collapsed. A viscous, oily, liquid blackness envelopes the fallen timbers.
Before your eyes, the wood bubbles and blisters away. Soon, there is only the black, but
now there is more of it.
First a pool, next a flood, and then a wave. Its inky darkness is so black that the Wood
itself disappears, as if you were witnessing a tear in the fabric of reality itself. The
wave grows higher, almost reaching the tops of nearby cottages, which themselves
burn and collapse as the wave envelopes them.
The air itself is screaming as the wave thunders toward you. You are horribly exposed,
and terribly vulnerable.
After the Challenge

Reduce Malice by 1.
For every obstacle the players failed, they must discard one Influence or lose two points
from their health.
Turn to Captured at Last.
39
CAPTURED AT LAST
About Captured at Last

Captured at Last is the last challenge of the adventure, and pits the heroes against the
Brigand squad which has been sent to retrieve the traitor. If the heroes captured the
traitor earlier in the adventure, this squad attacks them, intent on rescuing their
comrade. If the traitor had earlier eluded the heroes, both groups could chance across
each other in their flight from Asag.
The Fight
Read This
As you climb to the top of a nearby building, the thunder of the flood quiets and the
rush of blackness slows. Nearby, you hear shouting. A quick glance westwards reveals
the source of the cry; a party of Brigands, desperate to evade the flood, has clambered
atop a nearby roof.
The traitor moans and you realize you are not yet safe. The flood continues to rise,
even now cresting above the roof upon which you stand. Ahead, across several
adjoining roofs is a path to safety; a path open to you and the bloodthirsty party on
the roof nearby.
The Brigands quickly come to the same realization, and with a shout, their leader
begins racing to safety. His group rushes to follow, but not before several Hatchets are
caught in the wave, screaming and struggling for an instant before they are lost
forever.
Only one of your groups will live to escape.
Setup
This combat is the last one in the adventure and is intended to introduce the final type
of regulatory adversary: The Commander. The Commander is a strong adversary with
powers that focus on reinforcing and strengthening the opposition. Once a round, a
Commander adversary may issue a Command to a minion as a free action. This causes
the minion to immediately use their Commanded action.
The heroes begin this fight facing down one brigand Sargent, two Marauders, one Knife,
and four Hatchets.
40
Tactics
The Sargent, followed by the Knife, will attempt to rush ahead of the heroes, gaining the
high ground, while the Marauders and the Hatchets form a defensive line that prevents
the heroes from escaping Asag’s damaging corruption.
Map
This combat takes place at the west edge of the abandoned village, near the cliff. You'll
want to design the map such that it contains a series of five elevations – connected roofs
upon which the combatants may cross. Every time desperation increases, the lowest
clear elevation will flood with Asag's corruption.
Combatants who begin a round in the corruption suffer an unavoidable two points of
damage. If this reduces an adversary to zero HP, the adversary is killed and removed
from combat. A hero who is so reduced to zero HP is rendered unconscious, but will
survive the fight if the remainder of the heroes triumph.
After the Fight

At the conclusion of the battle, Asag gradually recedes, leaving any overcome heroes
behind to be recovered. If a player's expressed some dissatisfaction with their hero, this
is a good point for them to create a new character. Otherwise, their comrades can revive
the fallen.
With the brigands defeated, the adventure is at an end. The heroes may return to Chael
Hollow without further incident to rest and recover, arriving just as the Passage ends.
The adventure has ended. Turn to After the Adventure.
41
AFTER THE ADVENTURE
What to do Next
The adventure has ended, and the brigand threat is either dispatched or the heroes
failed to address the issue.
Character Advancement
After completing this adventure, it’s time to advance the heroes to the second milestone
of the Adventurer tier. A hero reaching this milestone gains both an increase to his or
her Roll Bonus (from 0 to +1) and an additional class combat power.
Updating the Chapter Track

If the heroes succeeded in dealing with the threat, advance the Chapter Track by one
position (as this is the first adventure, the track will move from two to three). If the
heroes failed in their quest, reduce the Chapter Track by one position (the track can
never go below one).
Bandit Queen Chapter Track

Tier Track Track Increase Benefit
1 The Bandit Queen controls the Deep Wood with an 1 Enhancement
iron fist, terrifying all who dwell within. Her minions Battle required
raid villages, taking what they want with impunity. Duel required
2 (Start) Even with heavily armed militia escorts, travel 2 Enhancements

between villages is virtually impossible. Battle required
Duel required
3 Bandits prey upon travelers in the Deep Wood. 3 Enhancements

Battle required
Duel required
42
At this point, updating the Chapter Track means that the heroes will have to either add
or subtract on enhancement to Chael Hollow.
If they are adding to the domain, they may choose either the Smithy or the Inn. This
new enhancement enters play immediately, and will provide its benefits to the players at
the beginning of the next adventure.
If they are removing an enhancement, they must choose to remove the Palisade, as the
Town Hall cannot be destroyed.
Smithy Inn
Tier Adventurer Tier Adventurer
Type Enhancement Type Enhancement
Adventure Start Adventure Start
• Provides the party with 1 • Provides the party with 2
Inventory Influence at the Social Influence at the
beginning of each adventure. beginning of each adventure.
Mass Combat Mass Combat
• Provides 2 points worth of • Provides 1 point worth of
units. units.
43
APPENDIX A: ADVERSARIES
Brigand
Tactic Strategy
(All Brigands) (Brigand is the most numerous adversary type)
Strike and fade: Move after successful Encirclement: In the Deep Wood, adversaries who
engagement. move off of one side of the map may reappear on
the opposite side.
44
Hatchet
ADVENTURER TIER
SKIRMISHER MINION The Hatchet is a timid foe
whose ability rests in large
Tier Dice 2d6 Initiative +0 part upon the commands of a
HP Minion Hard Save -1 more experienced leader.
Resistance Minion Easy Save +1
Speed 6 Edge +1
Respond with lowest Force
Score first, counter before
interrupt.
Respond with highest Force

Score first, interrupt first
TENTATIVE STRIKE SHIFTY PARRY

Type Melee Versatile Type Melee Counter
Force Score -2 Force Score 0
Reach 1 Reach 1
Range 0* Range 0*
Damage 1 Damage 1
1 Damage 1 Damage
1 Damage 1 Damage
1 Damage 1 Damage
2 Damage 2 Damage
LOBBED AXE
Type Free Action, Ranged Attack
Force Score -2
Reach 1
Range 10*
Damage 1
Range 10
Range 8
Range 5
Range 3, Damage 2
COMMANDED
45
Marauder
ADVENTURER TIER
STANDARD ATTACKER The Marauder is a violent and
brutish brigand who relies on
Tier Dice 2d6 Initiative +2 raw physical strength to win the
HP 3 Hard Save +1
Resistance 2 Easy Save +3 day. Arrogant and overconfident, the
Speed 6 Edge +1 Marauder won’t recognize a losing
situation until it’s too late.

interrupt.

CUTTING SPIKE FORCEFUL BLOW

Type Melee Versatile Type Melee Attack
Force Score 0 Force Score 2
Reach 1 Reach 1
Range 0 Range 0
Damage 1* Damage 1
Nil. Knockback 1
2 Damage Knockback 2
2 Damage Knockback 1, Prone
1 Damage Knockback 1, Prone
BRUTAL SLASH
Type Melee Counter
Force Score 4
Reach 1
Range 0
Damage 1
Bleed (1), Easy save
Bleed (1), Hard save
2 Damage, Bleed (1), Easy save
2 Damage, Bleed (1), Hard save
46
Knife
ADVENTURER TIER
STANDARD RANGED ATTACKER The Knife is a cautious fighter
who prefers to do battle from a
Tier Dice 2d6 Initiative +2 distance. Only when
HP 2 Hard Save +1
Resistance 3 Easy Save +3 circumstances grow dire will a Knife close
Speed 6 Edge +1 the distance.

interrupt.

AGGRESSIVE STAB HURTLING BLADE

Type Melee Versatile Type Ranged Attack
Reach 1 Reach 0
Range 0 Range 10*
Damage 1* Damage 1*
Nil. Nil.
2 Damage Range 8
2 Damage Range 6, Damage 2
1 Damage Range 4, Damage 2
FIREPOT
Type Ranged Attack, Zone 1*
Force Score 1
Reach 0
Range 5*
Damage 1
Nil.
Zone 2
Zone 3, Range 4
Zone 2, Range 3
47
Sargent
ADVENTURER TIER
COMMANDER The Sargent is a powerful and
experienced tactician who is
Tier Dice 2d6 Initiative +4 well versed at leading from the
HP 4 Hard Save +3
Resistance 6 Easy Save +5 front line.
Speed 6 Edge +2
interrupt.

PROBING FEINT FORCEFUL BLOW

Type Melee Versatile Type Melee Interrupt
Reach 1 Reach 1
Range 0 Range 0
Damage 1* Damage 2
Nil. Knockback 1
2 Damage Knockback 2
2 Damage Knockback 1, prone
3 Damage Knockback 2, prone
GUTTING SLICE BLOODTHIRSTY DIRECTION

Type Melee Attack Type Move, Zone 3
Force Score 2 Force Score Nil.
Reach 1 Reach Nil.
Range 0 Range 5*
Damage 1 Damage Nil.
Bleed (1), Easy save Spawn 1 Hatchet
Bleed (1), Hard save Spawn 2 Hatchets
2 Damage, Bleed (1), Easy save Spawn 2 Hatchets
2 Damage, Bleed (1), Hard save Spawn 3 Hatchets
48
Condemned
Tactic Strategy
(All Condemned) (Condemned is the most numerous adversary type)
Form the line: Any Condemned which is occupying Corruption encroaches: Any non-minion adversary
a space in which it cannot be seen by any hero may that has succeeded a morale check in this combat
move to any equally hidden space as part of a Move reduces Resistance by an additional 1 point.
action.
49
Broken
ADVENTURER TIER
SKIRMISHER MINION Mindless and directionless, the
Broken is a lost soul whose
Tier Dice 2d6 Initiative +0 disturbing visage and
HP Minion Hard Save -1 surprisingly quick steps make
Resistance Minion Easy Save +1 it a dangerous foe.
Speed 7 Edge +1

interrupt.

GRASPING TALON SQUELCHING LUNGE

Force Score -2 Force Score -2
Reach 1 Reach 1
Range 0 Range 0
Damage 1* Damage 2*
Nil. Nil.
Halve target movement until end of Move before attack, 1 Damage

their next turn
Halve target movement (easy save Move before attack, 2 Damage
ends)
Halve target movement (hard save Move before attack, 1 Damage
ends)
HORRIFYING BURST
Type Free Action, Zone 1* Attack
Force Score -1
Reach 0
Range 0
Damage 1
Nil.
Zone 1, Knockback 1
Zone 1, Knockback 1, Prone
Zone 2
COMMANDED
50
Wretched
ADVENTURER TIER
STANDARD ATTACKER The Wretched is a stout jumble
of melted limbs and twisted
Tier Dice 2d6 Initiative +2 features. Clusters of teeth break
HP 2 Hard Save +1
Resistance 3 Easy Save +3 the skin like scales, and ichor trips from
Speed 6 Edge +1 slavering jaws.

interrupt.

SCYTHING CLAW BALEFUL TEAR

Type Melee Versatile Type Melee Interrupt
Reach 1 Reach 1
Range 0 Range 0
Damage 1 Damage 1
Nil. Nil.
Nil Nil
Nil Nil
Nil Nil
RAVENOUS MAW
Type Melee Attack
Force Score 2
Reach 1
Range 0
Damage 1
Nil.
Nil
Nil
Nil
51
Militia
Tactic Strategy
(All Militia) (Militia is the most numerous adversary type)
Form the line: Not subject to forced movement Redouble: As long as a Commander is alive, one
when adjacent to an ally. combatant gets an additional turn each round.
52
Footguard
ADVENTURER TIER
SKIRMISHER MINION The footguard is poorly-trained
and ill-prepared for violence.
Tier Dice 2d6 Initiative +0 Only when directed by
HP Minion Hard Save -1
Resistance Minion Easy Save +1 experienced soldiers will they pose a
Speed 7 Edge +1 threat.
If not adjacent to an ally, one

action must be spent to move
toward friendly units.
Move towards Commander, if

still on the field.
NERVOUS PROD WEAK SLASH

Force Score -2 Force Score 0
Reach 1 Reach 1
Range 0 Range 0
Damage 1* Damage 1*
Nil. 1 Damage
1 Damage 1 Damage
1 Damage 1 Damage
2 Damage 2 Damage
ORDERED HURL
Type Free Action, Zone 2 Attack
Force Score -1
Reach 0
Range 0
Damage 1
Knockback 1
1 Damage
1 Damage
2 Damage
COMMANDED
53
Halberdier
ADVENTURER TIER
STANDARD ATTACKER The Halberdier is a trained and
hardy soldier who is more than
Tier Dice 2d6 Initiative +2 happy to face down danger with
HP 2 Hard Save +1
Resistance 3 Easy Save +3 one foot of steel and seven of wood.
Speed 6 Edge +1
If not adjacent to an ally, one
action must be spent to move
toward friendly units.
Move towards Standard unit, if

still on the field.
HALBERD THRUST HALBERD PARRY

Type Melee Attack Type Melee Counter
Reach 2 Reach 2
Range 0 Range 0
Damage 1* Damage 1*
Knockback 1 Knockback 1
1 Damage 1 Damage
1 Damage 1 Damage
2 Damage 2 Damage
HALBERD RUSH
Type Melee Attack, Gout 4
Force Score 2
Reach 0
Range 0
Damage 1
Knockback 1
1 Damage
1 Damage
2 Damage
54

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2018 - April - Adventure Packet 008

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Let Thrones Beware

April, 2018 008 Revised and refined

Revision 008 – April 2018

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BELLS OF WAR ................................................................................................... 2 CONDEMNED ..................................................................... 49

OVERVIEW ........................................................................... 2 MILITIA ............................................................................. 52

STARTING YOUR CAMPAIGN ....................................................... 3

STARTING YOUR ADVENTURE ................................................. 6

12 DAYS: THE FOREST RAID ............................................................ 11

12 DAYS: FLY PEDDLERS, FLY ....................................................... 15

11 DAYS: ENEMY AT THE GATE................................................. 20

11 DAYS: INVESTIGATE THE ATTACK.............................. 22

8 DAYS: AMBUSH IN THE TOWN ........................................... 24

7 DAYS: HUNT THE MASTERMIND.................................... 26

6 DAYS: INTERLUDE ............................................................................... 28

2 DAYS: A DARING ESCAPE............................................................. 29

1 DAY: BANDIT PATROL ...................................................................... 32

1 DAY: RUINS OF OLD ............................................................................. 34

1 DAY: YOU ARE CONDEMNED ................................................. 36

DISTURBED, SOMETHING WAKES ..................................... 38

CAPTURED AT LAST ...............................................................................40

Where This Adventure Fits

Force Opposes Starting Value

The Primordial Forces of Heroism in Combat Challenges

Starting Your Adventure

Solving the Mystery

The Adventure is Lost

The Deep Wood

Chael Hollow’s Inhabitants of Interest

Xvkr'll, the Burgomeister

Dieda, Captain of the Militia

PERSONALITY THE TRAITOR BECAUSE…

PERSONALITY THE TRAITOR BECAUSE…

Ninki, Ambitious Merchant

PERSONALITY THE TRAITOR BECAUSE…

Nisil, Curious Preacher

PERSONALITY THE TRAITOR BECAUSE…

About the Forest Raid

You dream of screams.

You wake to the boot of Xcvrrvy catching you in the stomach.

Traumatic Forces: Despair

A sinkhole cannot open in the same square as a combatant.

After the Fight

About Fly Peddlers, Fly

The Non-Combat Challenge

Obstacle Wrinkle Setback

GM Initiated Non-Combat Engagement Player Initiated Non-Combat Engagement

GM Initiates With Player Initiates

GM Victory: Player Player Victory: GM

Player Victory: GM GM Victory: GM GM Victory: Player Player Victory:

Sneak into camp

After the Challenge

Reduce the Primordial Force of Greed by 1. Turn to Enemy at the Gate.

About Enemy at the Gate

Traumatic Forces: Greed

After the Fight

About Investigate the Attack

The Non-Combat Challenge

• What did the witnesses to the attack see?

Investigate (Sample Clues)

After the Challenge

Reduce Disorder by 1 and turn to Ambush in the Town.