The land is desperate for aid…

A realm’s history has much to say about looming threats, about its peoples, and about
heroes both untested and legendary. When forgotten evils stir and your hearthmates need
you, it is time to gather allies and come to a broken kingdom’s defense.

Venture beyond the wall and into a kingless realm…

A Kingless Realm introduces new ways to extend your campaigns of Beyond the Wall and
Other Adventures. This volume contains a selection of new rules and options for adven-
turing, whether a group wants to extend a campaign with heroes after tenth level, expand
character creation and multiclassing options, or start play with even younger villagers
experiencing their very first adventures. Also included is a ready-to-play and customisable
campaign setting: the lands of the Broken Kingdom, a shattered realm where the Horned
King waits to rise again.

• Expanded character and campaign options, including legendary

heroes, untried heroes, and more.
• A host of gamemastering advice and guidelines for running a cam-
paign spanning seasons and years.
• Three new Character Playbooks: the Failed
Ranger, the Horned King’s Blood, and
the Reavers’ Descendent.
• New rituals, magic items, Traits,
bestiary entries, and personalities to fill
your world.
• A full campaign, including a
three-front Threat and a new Sce-
nario Pack.
• A new world, with associated
maps, history, monsters, and
more, all ready for your group to
make it your own.

an adventurous pastime by flatland games

 A Kingless Realm
Contents
Introduction 2
Untried Heroes 4
Mighty Heroes 10
Legendary Heroes 19
New Traits 29
Gamemaster Advice 32
Gifts of the Hearth 51
Tales of Years 54
Legendary Items 68
The Broken Kingdom 74
Magic of the Broken Kingdom 106
Bestiary 113
The Village of Wenfeld 123
Campaigns in a Kingless Realm 131
Return of the Horned King 135
Appendix: Region Tables 151
Character Playbooks and Scenario Packs 155

Design, Writing, and Layout: John Cocking and Peter S. Williams

Development: Flatland Games
Color Art: Jon Hodgson and Scott Purdy
Black and White Art: Miguel Santos, Erin Lowe, and Seth Meeks
Cartography: Sofia Pereira
Editorial Assistance: Seth Meeks
Graphics Whip: Jesse Wolf
Special thanks to John Marron for a barrow.

For Oswald, who went ahead, and Callum and Fergus, who came after.

published by Flatland Games

www.flatlandgames.com
Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY
 Introduction
In a broken land, kingless for generations, there are
many evils stirring. The peaceful inhabitants of the
villages and fiefdoms of the realm will need brave
heroes to face the coming trials. There are fallen
lands to explore, ancient darks to defeat, and terrible
secrets to uncover. The sins of the past haunt the land
as surely as do the armies of the Ghost Empress of the
Underworld, the draconic cult of the great fire wyrm,
and, perhaps most frightening of all, the ancient fae
lord known as the Horned King and his emissaries of
winter.
A Kingless Realm is a supplement for Beyond the
Wall and Other Adventures which includes several
new ways to play the game, a collection of advice for
gamemasters, and a sample setting: the Broken King-
dom.
2 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
The first four chapters describe numerous new
options and modifications for creating characters for
games of Beyond the Wall. The first of these, ‘Untried
Heroes,’ provides rules for 0-level characters, naive
and completely untested village youths with the
makings of true heroes. The next, ‘Mighty Heroes,’
provides guidance for increasing the power and
capability of characters, including rules for new,
additional class abilities and for more adept multiclass
characters. The third, ‘Legendary Heroes,’ presents
rules for continuing to gain experience points after
reaching 10th level and for spending them on incre-
mental advances; these can help with lengthening a
beloved campaign or giving players the chance to play
the greatest heroes of myth and legend. Finally, the
fourth chapter provides many new Traits with which
players can customize their characters.
The fifth chapter is devoted to advice for the game-
master on running campaigns. This includes tips on
maintaining tone, managing NPCs and plots, running
exciting combats, and employing optional systems.
This is a lengthy chapter, and scattered through-
out are several lightweight and helpful rules, like a
simple mechanic for morale and flight in combat,
introducing changes to the village, and tables for
handling magical miscasts.
This is followed by three chapters detailing new
options for groups playing campaigns of Beyond
the Wall. The first of these, ‘Gifts of the Hearth,’
presents a new shared resource, Hearth Points,
which are gained by building bonds of friendship and
protecting the village. The next, ‘Tales of Years,’
provides a host of resources for running campaigns
lasting years of game time, including troupe style
play with multiple GMs, managing the events and
inhabitants of the characters’ home village, crafting
and business endeavors, aging and death, and various
downtime activities. This is followed by a chapter on
legendary magical items which increase in power as
characters wield them.
The final major section of A Kingless Realm contains
five chapters and an appendix describing a sample
setting: the Broken Kingdom. This fractured and
wild land was once ruled by high kings and queens,
but that was long ago. Featuring disparate peoples,
encroaching spirits, and capricious faeries, the Broken
Kingdom is intended to provide inspiration for a
group’s own world or an easy-to-use campaign setting
which can easily accommodate any material already
published for Beyond the Wall. The first of these
chapters describes the world itself, while the next
gives more details on one particular village, Wenfeld,
and its surroundings. This is followed by a chapter
on using the Broken Kingdom for campaigns, two
chapters detailing special magic and monsters for the
setting, and an appendix which provides region tables
for use with the travel rules from Further Afield.
Finally, the book contains some helpful reference
sheets for combat and village management, and three
new Character Playbooks: the Failed Ranger, the
Horned King’s Blood, and the Reavers’ Descendent.
These new Playbooks will work in any game of Beyond
the Wall, but are particularly appropriate for use in
the Broken Kingdom setting.
Multiclass Characters
Two of the three Character Playbooks included in this
volume are for multiclass characters. The rules for
multiclass characters can be found on p.31 of Beyond
the Wall and Other Adventures. Each of the multi-
class Playbooks in this set has all of the rules for its
class on the last page of its document.
The Failed Ranger
A sturdy traveler and competent fighter, this
character is a hybrid of the warrior and rogue classes.
With ties to a secretive organization of protectors and
wardens, the ranger has access to many skills, has the
base attack bonus, weapon specialization, and the
high hit points of a warrior, but is limited in available
armor.
The Horned King’s Blood
This character, representing a mortal cursed with the
fae blood of the terrifying Horned King, is a hybrid of
the rogue and mage classes. Gifted with strange luck,
the character has the increased Fortune Points of a
rogue, similar fighting capability, and can cast spells
like a mage, but not cantrips or rituals.
A Kingless Realm 3
 Untried Heroes
One of the core conceits of Beyond the Wall and Other
Adventures is that the game centers around the
exploits of young heroes ready to face a dangerous
and unknown world. The characters created using
our Character Playbooks are new to their adventur-
ing lives, largely untested, and often unsure of them-
selves. They are not, however, total novices; many
of them have received formal or informal training,
and they have all had a previous adventure or two as
dictated by the results of the tables in their Playbooks.
This chapter provides a new, special system for play-
ing true novices, young characters on the cusp of their
first adventure, often untrained and unprepared. We
call these characters ‘untried heroes.’
The rules presented in this chapter offer players a
chance to play even younger, more inexperienced
heroes, often as a prelude to a longer campaign.
These characters will likely be at the very end of their
childhoods. In rules terms, they will not yet have any
levels in any of the three classes, but they will have
inclinations toward one or more of those classes.
If mages, they will be unable to cast many, if any,
magical spells. Promising young warriors will have
potential and spark, but will not be able to hold their
own against serious opposition. Those with roguish
proclivities may know a bit more about a skill, or be a
bit luckier than their compatriots.
Where other characters share a background entry
or two from their Playbook tables which tell of their
first small adventures together. Untried heroes will
instead have their first adventure together at the table.
They still know one another from childhood, but they
have not faced a ghost, negotiated with bandits, or
wandered to the dark heart of the woods together.
Groups should choose to create characters of this sort
if they have an interest in a particularly challenging
adventure, if they wish to have a preface to their
long campaign, or if they like the flavor of mostly
4 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
ordinary kids facing their first troubles. In general,
this method of character creation is not
recommended for new groups, as it requires more
thinking on the feet for the players and GM, provides
fewer immediate hooks, and creates characters much
more likely to die in their first session.
Ability Scores
Young, untried heroes begin with lower ability scores
than first level heroes. They have great potential,
however, and will see their ability scores increase greatly
should they survive to first level. For untried heroes,
each ability score starts at 5, except for a single ability
score of the player’s choice, which starts at 10 instead.
These scores are further modified by the tables below.
Background
Players can make an untried hero from any of the
usual backgrounds provided in the Playbooks. Most
often, this will be the villager background or the
nobility background, but the group may decide to
have someone play a young barbarian transplant, or
perhaps even a dwarf, elf, gnome, or halfling.
In any event, after choosing a background, a player
will then use the typical three tables from the begin-
ning of that type of Playbook. This will tell the player
about the character’s early childhood, natural gifts,
and a friendship or two in the village; if choosing an
unusual background, it will tell the player how the
character grew up among his own people and then
came to live in the village. The results from these
tables will also give the characters some much-needed
bonuses to their ability scores.
As is usual with these tables, they will also give each
player a chance to add a single NPC and location to
the village, as described on p.40 of Beyond the Wall
and Other Adventures.
Special, two-page Character Playbooks are provided
with this volume to make untried heroes from the
village or nobility backgrounds. These untried hero
Character Playbooks reproduce the three childhood
tables from the appropriate settings, as well as the
tables presented below. If the group decides to create
untried heroes from barbarian or other backgrounds,
players should simply use the first three tables from
any of the Playbooks which match their chosen origin.
Class Inclination
While zero level characters are not yet technically
members of a class, they do all show inclinations
toward certain classes and will have special abilities
similar to first level members of those classes. They
may also show inclinations toward more than one
class, in which case they will become multiclass char-
acters upon reaching level one (see p.31 in Beyond
the Wall and Other Adventures for more details on
multiclass characters).
Players should choose twice from the following table
to represent their characters’ class inclinations. Brave
or unsure players may choose to randomize these
results instead. Characters may only receive each
result once. This table, as well as the gift table which
follows, is included after the childhood tables on the
special untried hero Playbooks presented with this
volume. The results from these tables also give the
characters further bonuses to their ability scores.
After the second pick or roll from this table, the player
should add an additional location to the village map.

Roll Class Inclination

1 Warrior Inclination - Student At Arms. Even as a youth, you have received some martial training and
show particular aptitude with one weapon. You have a +1 bonus to hit with a single weapon of your
choice, and will receive the Weapon Specialization class ability should you reach level one. Decide
who trained you and why. +2 Str, +2 Dex, +1 Con
2 Warrior Inclination - Gifted Fighter. A natural warrior, you have exceptional reflexes and fortitude.
Anyone who has fought you recognizes your potential. You gain +3 hit points, and will receive the
Knacks class ability should you reach level one. Decide when your gifts first became apparent. +2 Con,
+2 Wis, +1 Str
3 Rogue Inclination - Quick Study. You are an apt pupil and pick up information and training with ease
and speed. You gain one extra skill, and will receive the Highly Skilled class ability should you reach
level one. Decide who trained you in this skill and what your relationship is with that person. +2 Dex,
+2 Cha, +1 Int
4 Rogue Inclination - Lucky. Fortune smiles upon you and always has. This manifests in small, often
unnoticed ways, but there is no denying that things often go your way. You gain one extra Fortune
Point, and will receive the Fortune’s Favor class ability should you reach level one. Decide a time in
your childhood when you were extremely lucky. +2 Con, +2 Int, +1 Dex
5 Mage Inclination - Learned Caster. Whether from the village witch, a book of arcane secrets, or some
other means, you have studied the arcane arts. You gain the Sense Magic class ability and know how
to use a single cantrip of your choice, and, should you reach level one, you will gain the Spellcasting
class ability with the ability to cast cantrips and rituals, but not spells. Decide how you learned magic.
+2 Int, +2 Wis, +1 Dex
6 Mage Inclination - Natural Sorcery. The power of the arcane flows through you, though you cannot yet
control it. You gain the Sense Magic class ability and know how to cast a single spell of your choice,
and, should you reach level one, you will gain the Spellcasting class ability with the ability to cast
spells, but not cantrips or rituals. You may cast your spell once per day, but suffer 1d4 damage when
you do so. Decide when this ability first manifested. +2 Con, +2 Cha, +1 Int

A Kingless Realm 5
 A Gift
Each untried hero also begins with a special item of
some kind, just as with characters created using ordi-
nary Character Playbooks. The following table gives
an idea of what sort of item this is, but the player will
have to fill in the details. As with the above class incli-
nation tables, the player may pick or roll on this table;
we prefer to roll.
Roll Gift
1 You possess an extraordinary or even magical
weapon of some kind, whether a familial blade,
a found item of ancient origin, or something
you worked to build yourself. +2 Strength
2 You have an unusual tool of some sort, such
as a special rope, a set of lockpicks, or access
to a workshop in the village. +2 Dexterity
3 You bear a piece of unusual or valuable jewelry
or clothing, like a special cloak, a family signet
ring, or a golden bracelet. +2 Constitution
4 You have a piece of important information
or lore, such as a catalog of noble families
and their enemies, a map of an interesting
location, or a book of magic. +2 Intelligence
5 You possess a truly strange item unrelated to
the lands of men, like a faerie token, a cursed
trinket from a tomb, or an object of religious
significance. +2 Wisdom
6 You have a strong bond with an ally, whether
your childhood rival turned bosom buddy,
a special animal, or a friend from a distant
land. +2 Charisma
Skills
Each untried hero should also pick a single skill,
representing some special training he has received, or
something learned in his youth. Perhaps the character
is apprenticed to someone in town or has picked up his
skill from something suggested in one of his class incli-
nation results. Each player should decide where the
character learned the skill and share with the group.
Experienced players are likely to have a skill or two in
mind, but, if needed, examples can be found in other
Character Playbooks. If truly stuck or indecisive,
a player should pick one of the following: athletics,
stealth, a crafting skill, search, alertness, gossip.
After picking this skill, the player should add an
additional NPC to the village map.
Other Things
With the above steps completed, the untried hero is
almost ready to play. See below for rules for 0-level
characters and other game statistics and equipment.
Alignment
Untried heroes should choose an alignment just as
any other character.
Hit Points
Each untried hero begins with 6 hit points, plus any
bonus or penalty from Constitution score. Note that
the warrior inclination ‘Gifted Fighter’ grants an
additional 3 hit points.
Base Attack Bonus
Untried heroes have a BAB of +0. The character
will receive any bonus or penalty from Strength or
Dexterity on rolls to hit as usual. Note that the
warrior inclination ‘Student At Arms’ grants a +1 to
hit with a single weapon.
Initiative
Each untried hero has an initiative score of 0, plus
any bonus or penalty from Dexterity.
Fortune Points
Due to their uncanny potential, untried heroes still
begin the game with 3 Fortune Points each. Note that
the rogue inclination ‘Lucky’ might modify this, as
might a character’s nature or background, such as if
playing an elven hero.
Saving Throws
Each untried hero, regardless of class inclination,
begins with a score of 17 for all saving throws.
Equipment
Untried heroes begin with little equipment. They
have a dagger, a single appropriate weapon or piece
of armor of their choice, any tools necessary for their
skills, clothing suitable to their station, and 2d6 silvers.

6 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

Running the
First Adventure
Running untried heroes through a standard adventure
or scenario pack will produce difficult and potentially
deadly play. Another good option is to structure
challenges a little differently than you would for first-
level player characters.
Two of our scenario packs are perfect for untried
heroes: The Troubled Village (Dangers Near and Far,
p.150), and The Lordling’s Lament (Dangers Near and
Far, p.134). Each focuses on social issues, or problems
that can best be solved by working together with the
villagers. Untried heroes have a different disadvantage
in these situations - it is not their lack of strength or
skill at arms which hold them back, but that they are
children, not yet blooded heroes who have the respect
of the adults of the village.
For village-focused campaigns, adventures might
stress social conflicts around becoming an adult
member of the village. Adventure seeds might include
being accused of a crime by an adult, witnessing
terrible crime, a ghost who will talk to the characters
about what it needs, or perhaps a goblin or some
other small fae who is stealing to feed its family.
For martial campaigns, a good first adventure might
be to have the characters in a position to spot an
incoming invasion and to participate in the impending
battle using the war and battle rules (Dangers
Near and Far, p.21), which encourages scenes with
non-combatant characters preparing for the battle
as well as supporting, surviving, or fleeing the battle
itself.
Combat against even a 1 HD creature will be fraught
for our untried heroes, who will likely have to spend
more Fortune Points than their later selves would
against tougher foes. Even with this added risk,
combat is a thrilling part of gameplay. To give our
plucky upstarts a chance, we should consider giving
them extra opportunities to take advantage of clever
tactical decisions, and to pick their foes with care.
A Kingless Realm 7
 Giving the characters tactical advantages can also be
a great opportunity to flesh out the description of the
village and its environs. Put the goblin or bandit camp
in the valley under a cliff or scree so the characters
can set off a rockslide, ensure there is something to
block a door with to make an escape, let the children
catch their foes on the rope bridge out of town, and
perhaps there won’t even need to be a fight...
The best guide to preparing fights for untried heroes
is the phrase “pick on someone your own size.”
While our characters might be able to handle a social
encounter with a group of Satyrs (p.121), they would
be unlikely to survive a knock-down, drag out fight.
When looking for inspiration for appropriate foes,
we recommend picking a couple entries from one of
the categories in the list below, and maybe adding a
creature from another for a surprise.
Nature: Bats (BtW p.75), critters (BtW p.78), giant
rats (BtW p.82), dogs (BtW p.98), perhaps an insect
swarm (BtW p.86) that they can quickly escape
Lesser Fae: Kobolds and Goblins (Dangers Near
and Far, p.33), a sprite (BtW p.95), perhaps a faun
(BtW p.82) or a Wyrmling (BtW p.98)
The Dead: A skeleton (BtW p.91), a zombie, (BtW
p.99), or a phantom who wants to talk (BtW p.90)
Reaching Level One
Characters at 0-level do not have, gain, or track
experience points. Instead, the GM and group decide
when the characters reach first level and become
burgeoning new heroes.
We recommend running one adventure for the
untried heroes, with the characters reaching level one
at the end of this trial. The adventure itself may last
a single session, or perhaps two or three. At the end
of this adventure, each character, regardless of class
inclination, reaches level one and gains the following
benefits. This is a great feat and an event worthy of
celebration. It will result in a drastic increase in their
powers and abilities, representing the youths finding
their footing and beginning to reach their potential.
8 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Adding an Elder to the Group
It might be particularly fun to have one
member of the group play a character
made with the rules for elder heroes found
on p.3 of Heroes Young and Old. Perhaps
the Learned Magician sees a special fate
in store for the village youths and must
prepare them, or the Retired Veteran,
knowing the dangers of the world, decides
that he must begin training the young
heroes early.
In this case, the elder will demonstrate an
even greater level of power compared to
his 0-level compatriots. The elder character
will still affect the ability scores of one
other PC in the same way as with first level
characters, as described in Heroes Young
and Old.
A Skill
Each character gains a single skill after reaching level
one. This should either be something immediately
obvious to the character’s class, something they
had been in the process of learning for the past
several years, or best of all, something related to a
particularly important roll or event from the previous
adventure.
Ability Scores
Upon reaching level one, the character comes into her
own and discovers just how far she can push herself
and what her gifts are. This results in a great increase
to ability scores. First, each of the six ability scores
improves by +1. Then the player should pick three
different ability scores to receive a further +1. Finally,
the player should pick a single ability score to receive
a further +2. All told, this will result in a total increase
of 11 points to a character’s ability scores, and will put
him on par with other first level heroes made from
ordinary Character Playbooks.
The player may choose to forgo a single one of these
ability score points and have the character gain
another skill instead. The player should discuss this
skill with the group.
Class
The character becomes a member of one of the
three classes upon reaching first level, or becomes a
multiclass character. A PC with both inclinations
from a given class becomes a full member of that class
(for instance, a character with both of the warrior
inclination results will become a level one warrior).
Characters with one inclination from two different
classes will become a multiclass character of those
classes (for instance, a character with one rogue
inclination result and one mage inclination result will
become a level one rogue-mage).
The characters will already have weaker versions of
their class abilities gained from their two inclinations.
These inclinations will be replaced with full class
abilities and will improve as follows:
Student At Arms - Characters replace this inclination
with the Weapon Specialization class ability and will
now receive a +1 to hit and +2 to damage with their
specialized weapon.
Gifted Fighter - Characters replace this inclination
with the Knacks class ability and should immediately
choose one knack of the player’s choice. The character
may not choose the ‘Weapon Specialization’ knack
unless she also had the ‘Student At Arms’ class
inclination and now has the Weapon Specialization
class ability.
Quick Study - Characters replace this inclination with
the Highly Skilled class ability and should immedi-
ately choose another skill to learn. As always, the
character may choose to improve an already known
skill by +2 instead of gaining a new one.
Lucky - Characters replace this inclination with the
Fortune’s Favor class ability and immediately gain
another Fortune Point (usually for a total of 5).
Learned Caster - Characters replace this inclination
with the Spellcasting class ability and may cast can-
trips and rituals, but not spells. They immediately
learn a second cantrip. We also recommend some
downtime with access to a teacher or spellbook,
resulting in a chance for the character to learn two
different level one rituals.
Natural Sorcery - Characters replace this inclination
with the Spellcasting class ability and may cast spells,
but not cantrips or rituals. We also recommend some
downtime with access to a teacher or spellbook and
the chance for the character to learn a new spell or
two.
Other Features
Upon reaching level one, all of the hero’s other class
features become that of his class as an ordinary level
one character. For instance, the character’s hit points
become either 6, 8, or 10 plus Constitution bonus,
depending on the class. The player should recalculate
BAB, initiative, and saving throws as appropriate.
Players with multiclass characters will already have
worked out their hybrid class abilities, but will still
need to work with the group and GM to figure out
what BAB, Hit Dice, initiative, saving throws, and
armor allowances are appropriate. For guidance, the
group should refer to the multiclass rules on p.31 of
Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures.
Character Traits
for Untried Heroes
If the group is playing with Traits as
described on p.32 of Further Afield, they can
choose to have each of their untried heroes
start play with a single Trait, or they might
instead prefer to wait and choose Traits
upon reaching first level. Giving the Trait
from the start will make the young PCs feel
more like budding heroes with a special
fate, while waiting until level one will make
that transition even more exciting.
Another fun option is to do both. The
suggestions for creating mighty heroes
presented in the next chapter discuss start-
ing characters with two Traits instead
of one. If the group likes this idea, having
the untried heroes begin with a Trait at
0-level and then gain another at first level
will make them feel special indeed.
A Kingless Realm 9
 Mighty Heroes
Characters in games of Beyond the Wall are gifted,
skilled, and competent, but are still definitely mortal
folk in a dangerous world. Our starting characters
know a couple of spells, or can fight as well as two
soldiers, or have the skills and knowledge of three
craftsmen, but they are still immediately recognizable
as relatively ordinary men and women of their village.
To be sure, they are special. They have Fortune
Points, they have more hit points than most of their
neighbors, and they are often friends of the witch, but
they can still be laid low by a sword thrust, and their
meagre magical abilities often only manifest one or
two times in an adventure.
This chapter provides a selection of levers for the
group to pull in order to change the power level
of characters in their games. Perhaps the group
envisions mightier heroes, able to fight off an attacking
warband or journey deep into an accursed crypt.
In general, these rules are only recommended for
experienced groups. While Beyond the Wall has
relatively simple and streamlined rules they can still
take some time to master for a novice player who is
playing their first roleplaying game. The last thing
such players need is more complicated characters.
On the other hand, a few of these optional rules are
quite simple and give the characters some extra hit
points or one more Fortune Point. The gamemaster
might decide that this is altogether appropriate and
desirable for a new player. Conversely, even experi-
enced groups may not prefer to use any of these at
all; despite their experience, the players may like
keeping things simple, or may like the power level of
characters made using the default rules of the game.
These rules do not affect the characters’ levels in any
way, and characters will still begin the campaign at
level 1 (unless the group decides otherwise), and will
still grow in power as they level.
10 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
A group wishing to use these rules should talk ahead
of time about which options to employ, up to and
including all of them. Groups deciding to use only one
or two of these optional rules will find their characters
of roughly the same power level as those in typical
games of Beyond the Wall, while characters will most
or all of these options will be significantly more pow-
erful. The gamemaster should be aware of this and
adjust adversaries and perils accordingly.
So long as all characters receive the benefits of these
increases in power, no one should be overshadowed:
the group should still feel cohesive and like every
member of the team is valued.
Why not a higher level?
As mentioned above, another way to have
more powerful characters is simply to start
at a higher level. Why would a group choose
to use the optional rules in this chapter
instead of simply starting the campaign at
level three or level five?
These rules allow far more granular control
over the power of heroes than starting at a
higher level would. As characters gain levels
in Beyond the Wall, they tend to become
more broadly competent at everything;
their class abilities improve, they have
more hit points, their saving throws are
better, etc. This chapter gives the group
ideas about adding just a single feature or
two, and even a couple of completely new
powers and novel class abilities. In most
cases, having an extra Trait or the ability
to cast an extra spell does not mean that
a level one hero need not fear a pair of
goblins, whereas a level four character is
likely to shrug at their presence.
More Hit Points
Perhaps the simplest way to make characters more
powerful, especially level 1 characters, is to give them
a few more hit points. It is not unusual for a level 1
mage, for instance, to be felled by a single arrow.
One way to do this is to have the characters start with
the maximum number of hit points for their hit dice
as usual (10 for warrior, 8 for rogue, 6 for mage), and
then to roll their hit dice once and add them to the
base, just as when they level up. This will give a small
boost.
A more significant increase would be to have the
characters start with the maximum number of
hit points for their hit dice as usual plus their
Constitution score. This will result in much tougher
characters to start.
Either way, this option will result in an increase to
the survivability of first level characters, but the dis-
tinction will start to become less noticeable as the
characters level. Players should still be careful! Even
a character with 23 hit points can be taken down by a
couple of lucky goblins.
More Fortune Points
Another simple way to increase characters’ power
and versatility is to increase the number of Fortune
Points they receive. When doing this, we recommend
adding only a single Fortune Point to their pool
(usually resulting in 4 for warriors and mages, and 6
for rogues).
During an adventure, most players like to hold one
Fortune Point in reserve to prevent their character
from facing a final death, and so, under the normal
rules, have two more to spend on rerolls and bonuses
during an adventure. Granting them an extra Fortune
Point will give them just a little more wiggle room
to interact with the Fortune Point mechanics, but
leave them largely of the same power level as typical
characters.
As with all rules which interact with Fortune Points,
this option can feel very different based on the group’s
typical practices around regaining spent points. A
group with a GM who tells the players to refresh their
characters’ Fortune Points between each session or
short adventure will likely not see the need for this
bonus; indeed, adding it may result in players feeling
like they have too many rerolls. On the other hand,
a group with a GM who only has the players refresh
their characters’ spent Fortune Points after major
story arcs or whole seasons of playing lasting ten or
more sessions will probably quite enjoy this bonus,
and it will have only a small effect on the PCs’ power
level.
Greater Armor Class
All heroes, regardless of class, get better at fighting
as they level, but, according to the default rules,
only warriors have the opportunity to improve their
Armor Class through the ‘Defensive Fighter’ knack.
Using this rule, all characters begin with a +1 bonus to
AC and gain a further +1 bonus at 4th and 8th levels,
representing their increased martial skills.
This will result in a very small bonus to survivability
for first level characters, and will allow them to keep
pace with the attack bonuses of stronger monsters as
they level.
Additional Skill
Using this option, players may give their characters
a single extra skill of their choice after traditional
character creation.
This option results in a relatively small increase in
character power, and allows the players to tailor their
characters to their liking.
Another Trait
If playing with Traits as presented on p.32 of Further
Afield, the group can decide for their characters to
start with two Traits instead of one.
This is another addition that will only result in a small
power change. Traits usually offer small situational
bonuses and unusual abilities, so the characters will
feel more unique when using this option. The group
could choose to add even more Traits to their charac-
ters, but the situational and special bonuses of Traits
can quickly become difficult to manage and track with
characters that have too many.
A Kingless Realm 11
 Increased Ability Scores
The group may decide that they would like their char-
acters to start significantly more competent in many
areas. A group choosing to do so may allow players
to add a +1 bonus to two different ability scores after
creating their characters.
How do I choose
between all of this?
It can be hard to choose from all of these
options and keep them straight. Our first
and most important piece of advice is to
talk to your group, particularly if you have
players who know the rules well or are
experienced roleplayers. They are likely to
be able to help you think about what you
all want. “Hey, John, I really like playing
mages, but I get so frustrated at first level
when I can get killed in one hit after I fail
my cantrip roll.”
Secondly, and more difficultly, it is worth
thinking about the playstyle of the group.
Some of these powers will be much more
powerful in some games than others.
Consider the discussion on Fortune Points
found above on p.11. Does the GM tend to
let characters refresh their Fortune Points
between every session? If so, giving even
one extra Fortune Point will make a large
difference. In another group, the GM
may only give a refresh of Fortune Points
between major adventures and story
elements, in which case adding a single
extra Fortune Point will not have a large
effect.
One of the most significant manifestations
of this comes up regarding the passage of
time in the game. Do you tend to have whole
adventures that only last a day or two of
game time? If so, any powers that characters
can only access a certain number of times
per day (such as spells) are going to result
in only small increases in power. If, on the
other hand, your games tend to feature only
a single fight or significant event per day,
those additional powers will show up much
more often and likely have a more drastic
effect on your game.
12 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
This will result in a moderate increase in character
power. Since characters in Beyond the Wall can
usually attempt any task, and they use their ability
scores to do so, even a single extra point in an ability
score can become noticeable after a couple of sessions.
It may also allow characters to gain additional
bonuses from high ability scores, such as a bonus to
hit or AC which they would not have had otherwise.
Additional Class Abilities
When using this option, characters get additional
abilities based on their class. Two options are
presented for each class. The group can decide for
characters to receive two of these additional class
abilities or just one.
If the group chooses for each character to receive a
single benefit, multiclass characters will gain one
new ability of their choice from either class. If the
group chooses to give single class characters both
abilities from their respective classes, then multiclass
characters may choose one ability from each of their
classes, or two from one. Multiclass characters may
only receive benefits that access or modify basic class
abilities they already have; for instance, a multiclass
warrior who does not have access to knacks may
obviously not receive the ‘Additional Knacks’ benefit.
Giving characters one of these additional abilities
will result in a moderate increase in character power.
Perhaps more important than a raw power increase,
they will give characters more options and flexibility,
making them more versatile and increasing player
decisions during play.
Giving characters two of these options will result in
noticeably more powerful characters.
Warriors
Additional Knacks - Every time the character gains
a new knack, including at first level, she gains two
knacks instead.
Each individual knack gives only a small benefit, but,
since their bonuses stack, doubling the number available
gives a character a nice boost, and allows players
to tailor their own warriors’ personal fighting style.

Keeping Track of It All
One danger in using too many of the levers
presented in this chapter is that the group
could end up with characters far more
complicated than those created with the
base rules for Beyond the Wall, which, very
intentionally, has rather simple characters
designed to keep the players focused on the
play and narrative happening at the table
and not on the options listed on their sheets.
Some of the options in this chapter will result
in increased character complexity and some
will not. In general, adding bigger numbers
to the character sheet, such as when giving
extra hit points, Fortune Points, or armor
class, will not make anyone’s character
harder to play.
On the other hand, adding an extra Trait
will increase the complexity of the charac-
ter much of the time, though only by a small
amount. Adding the new class abilities or
the ‘Class and a Half’ rules below will result
in a noticeable increase in the complexity
of a character. We recommend these op-
tions only for experienced groups who are
already comfortable with the rules of the
game.
For instance, starting with two picks of the ‘Defensive
Fighter’ knack gives +2 AC at first level, which is
significant and will be felt at the table.
Some players of warriors will enjoy the extra layer of
tactical choice that this ability provides, while others
may dislike having to track an extra set of powers.
Call to Action: As an action, the character
may have himself, the other PCs, and any
allies in his presence regain 1 hit point per
level of the recipient.
Mighty Blow: The character delivers an
additional 1d10 damage on a single successful
attack.
Perfect Strike: The player may take the die
result of any single attack roll and change it to
a natural 20.
Physical Feat: The player may take the die
result of any single ability score check roll
related to physical action (almost always a
Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check)
and change it to a natural 1.
Reserves of Strength: The character automat-
ically passes a single saving throw.
Seize the Initiative: The character goes first
for a single round of combat, regardless of the
initiative scores of participants or any other
circumstances.
Swift Attack: The character may make two
attacks during a single combat round.

Skills of War - The warrior has mastered a set of tricks

and tactics to use on the battlefield, though she only
Rogues
Exceptional Success - When the rogue rolls a 20 to
has so many up her sleeve and has a limited supply of
hit or a 1 on an ability score check, he has achieved an
energy. At level one, the character may use any one of
unusual and exceptional success. The gamemaster or
the tricks from the list below once per adventure. The
player of the rogue may narrate an additional benefit
character may use an additional trick per adventure
to the success beyond what was intended. This ability
for each odd level past the first; for example, a third or
has no effect on casting or magic rolls.
fourth level warrior may use two tricks per adventure,
in any combination, while a fifth or sixth level warrior
Examples include a single attack roll which strikes
could use three per adventure. Access to these tricks
two opponents, an attempt to coerce an innkeeper
refreshes in the same way as Fortune Points; when
which succeeds and additionally endears the rogue
the warrior has had a chance to rest and recovers all
to the inn’s staff, or successfully picking a lock and
Fortune Points, he also recovers his tricks.

A Kingless Realm 13
 additionally disarming an unnoticed trap. As a gen-
eral rule of thumb, the success should become equal
to two successes on two different rolls.
This option will particularly appeal to creative players
and gamemasters who enjoy thinking on their feet
and coming up with interesting results.
If the player or GM is unable to think of an appropri-
ate exceptional success result during play, it is best to
move on. There is no reason to hold up the game; the
rogue can simply enjoy his benefits the next time he
achieves a special success.
Shared Fortune - The rogue may spend his Fortune
Points on the behalf of the other player characters or
any of his allies. At the rogue’s discretion, the recip-
ient might get to reroll a die, activate a special Trait,
cheat death, or do any of the other things normally
available to a player when spending Fortune Points.
This option will not necessarily make the rogue more
powerful himself, but it will make the party more
effective as a whole, and will likely endear the player
of the rogue to the rest of the group.
Mages
Spell Mastery - The mage gains the ability to cast an
additional spell per day at first, fourth, seventh, and
tenth levels. The following chart shows how many
spells per day a mage with this ability may cast.
Mage’s Spells Per
Level Day
1 2
2 3
3 4
4 6
5 7
6 8
7 10
8 11
9 12
10 14
14 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
This option will result in significantly more flexibility
for spellcasting characters, particularly at first level,
when mages may usually only cast a single spell
per day. If the group decides to use this option, we
recommend having the player of the mage, the GM, or
the whole group choose one to three additional spells
for the character to know at first level. This will add
further flexibility, and keep the magic feeling special
so that the mage does not cast the same spell or two
over and over again.
Ritual Mastery - Once per level, the mage may cast
one of his known rituals in a single round without the
use of ritual components. The mage must still make
the typical Intelligence or Wisdom test to cast the
ritual, with failure resulting in unexpected results as
usual. After using this power, the mage immediately
falls to 1 hit point due to exhaustion. A mage who
does not use this ability before gaining a new level
may save its use for later.
Example: At first level, Anselm of Orford found
himself in dire straits and chose to cast Steed of
the Sorcerer without following the usual ritual
rules. He exhausted himself and fell to 1 hit point,
but summoned the steed with the snap of his
fingers and made an escape from the agents of
the Horned King with his friend Violet in tow.
While second level, Anselm did not use this ability at
all. Anselm is now third level and has two potential
uses of this special power available to him should the
need arise.
This power will come up rarely in a campaign, but
can be extraordinarily powerful when used at the
right time and will make for dramatic scenes when
it is used.
Class and a Half
Ordinarily, characters in Beyond the Wall have all
the abilities of a single class, or roughly half of the
abilities of two classes as described in the rules for
multiclass characters on p.31 of Beyond the Wall and
Other Adventures. The benefit described here allows
characters to have all of the abilities of a single class
and roughly half of the abilities of a second class in
addition.
We first found rules of this sort in the Castles and
Crusades game. Other games have also had similar
systems allowing for a character to have all of the
rules of two or even three classes.
Just as when making a multiclass character, the player
and group will need to work together to decide which
abilities of the half class make the most sense for the
character in question. The multiclass character rules
on p.31 of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
provide guidance on what powers are available when
choosing the half class. In general, the character
will gain one of the portions of a class’ powers using
the same guidelines for picking class abilities when
making a multiclass character.
The most important rule for class and a half charac-
ters is this: the character will always retain all of the
abilities of their primary class in full, and will gain a
portion of the abilities of another class in addition.
For instance, a warrior with a half class in rogue will
have d10 hit dice, the ability to wear any armor, a high
BAB, access to weapon specialization and knacks, etc,
and may gain either the rogue’s ‘Highly Skilled’ or
‘Fortune’s Favor’ class ability. If the warrior instead
had a half class in mage, he would retain all of the
warrior’s abilities, and gain the ability to sense magic
and cast either spells or cantrips and rituals.
Giving characters a class and a half will result in a
significant increase in power for the characters.
Playbooks and Half Classes
Players may create their characters using Character
Playbooks as usual and still make characters with a
class and a half.
Doing so is particularly easy when a player is using
a Playbook which already creates a multiclass char-
acter. In this circumstance, simply pick one of the
two classes and give the character the missing class
abilities of one of them. A couple of other things may
need to be adjusted in collaboration with the rest of
the group, such as hit dice, saving throws, or allowed
armor.
For instance, the Fae Foundling is a multiclass warrior-
mage who has access to knacks but not weapon
specialization, and may cast spells but not cantrips or
rituals. After making a character using this Playbook,
the player might decide to make the character a full
warrior and a half mage, in which case she will gain
weapon specialization and an increase of hit dice
from d8 to d10, or may choose to become a full mage
and a half warrior, in which case the character would
gain the ability to cast cantrips and rituals.

The character will use the experience progression chart

for the less favorable class (that is, whichever of the two
classes requires more experience in order to advance).

As with other multiclass characters, the group will

still have to make some decisions where there are not
clear cut answers, such as when choosing which saving
throw table the character will use, which initiative
bonus is more appropriate, and what armor the hero
may wear. Characters using these rules will always
use the more favorable BAB of their two classes.

Likewise, a character gaining a half class may have

a change in hit dice; as usual, d8 is a good default
hit dice for multiclass characters. Note that, if a full
warrior gains a half class, his hit dice will not go down
and will remain at d10, since characters using these rules
always retain the better features of their main class.

A Kingless Realm 15
 Adding a half class is a little harder when building
a character from a single class Playbook, but still
relatively painless. In rules terms, the player and
group will still choose which half class to add, and
which abilities from the class the character gains
access to.
In the fiction however, the group may have to come
up with some backstory to explain the character’s
abilities. This is particularly true when adding a half
class of mage. It is relatively easy to add rogue or
warrior half classes to a character; anyone could be
a bit luckier or a bit better at swinging a sword, but it
requires some explaining if the Knightless Squire is
suddenly a sorcerer as well.
The player should consult the group and think
about the results from all of their Playbooks, as well
as the village they have created, to come up with a
good backstory for these unusual abilities. Maybe
the Self-Taught Mage trained in the arts of war with
the New Guardsman’s father, or perhaps the Village
Hero learned a skill or two while growing up with the
Untested Thief. Did the witch teach the Young Woods-
man a couple of cantrips and rituals? Did the Future
Warlord study with the court sorcerer? The more the
players can tie their characters’ extra abilities to their
home and the NPCs of the campaign, the better.
After adding the character’s new class abilities, the
player may have some other decisions to make. If,
for instance, the Playbook does not ordinarily grant
knacks, but the character now has access to them,
the player will have to pick the knack of his choice. If
the character can now cast cantrips, he should begin
the game knowing two as any other mage. Discussing
these choices with the group is always a good idea.
Putting It Together
As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, the
group may decide to add these character options in
any combination of their choosing. Simply giving the
characters one extra hit dice worth of hit points will
change the first game a lot, but a longer campaign
very little. Giving the characters all of these options
will be fun and exciting, but also change the feel of the
game, as the characters will be better at everything
and much more broadly competent than usual.
16 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Below are two examples of groups choosing different
options for their characters.
Example 1: Drew’s group has decided to make
their characters a bit more powerful and more
unique. They decide to give the characters one
additional skill and one additional Trait each.
Drew uses the Novice Templar Character Play-
book to create Roderick, the third son from a
family of wicked noblemen known for their
cruelty and deceit. Hating his family’s history,
Roderick swore himself to the order of templars
and entered the service of a senior knight,
dedicating himself to righting wrongs and
protecting the weak.
The Playbook gave Roderick the skills Alertness,
Religious Lore, and Subterfuge. Since Drew can
pick an extra skill for the character, he thinks
about Roderick’s history and goals, as well as
the needs of the group, ultimately deciding to
give him the Healing skill. Roderick always
stops to tend the wounded and give succor to
those in need.
Drew also gets to pick an extra Trait for the
character, for a total of two. For his first Trait,
he used the suggestions by Playbook listed
on p.35 of Further Afield and chose ‘Unusual
Companion,’ giving Roderick a trusty and
perhaps slightly supernatural warhorse. It
may not be the first time he’s chosen this type of
companion, perhaps, but he loves the imagery.
He thinks about the other suggested Trait for
his Playbook: ‘King’s Touch.’ He knows that
it is a great power, and it does fit his desire to
help the wounded, but he decides to flip through
the list instead and see if anything jumps out.
Ultimately, Drew decides to give Roderick
the ‘Very Helpful’ Trait. When Roderick offers
assistance, it is worth taking.
Ultimately, in the above example, Roderick is
almost in line with a traditional character. He
has one more trick up his sleeve in terms of his
training with the Healing skill, and he has an
extra Trait which will probably come into play
for a roll or two every few sessions.
Example 2: Lori’s group has played several
campaigns of Beyond the Wall and they are
ready to try something different. The GM,
Greg, pitches an idea for a campaign that is
exceptionally dangerous, with deadly foes
around every corner from the very first session,
but with powerful heroes ready to face the
challenge.
The group goes all in and decides to give their
characters extra hit points equal to their
Constitution score, an extra Fortune Point each,
increased ability scores, one additional class
ability, and a class and a half. These will be
mighty heroes indeed.
Lori chooses the Reformed Bully Playbook and
creates Eliza, a woman who grew up teasing all
of the other children in the village, but ultimately
saw the error of her ways when she was saved by
the player characters after being lost wounded
in the woods, despite how she had treated them.
After creating the character as usual with the
Playbook, Lori needs to choose two ability scores
to increase by +1 for Eliza. The character’s
Charisma score of 8 is low enough that she has a
penalty to the number of allies she can have, and
she is worried about failing every Charisma test
she has to make, so she bumps it up to 9.
Eliza’s Dexterity is pretty good, at 13, but Lori
remembers that one of her tables told her that
Eliza used to lie in hiding and listen to every-
one’s secrets. In order to make Eliza more likely
to pass any checks to sneak around or hide, Lori
increases this to 14.
Ordinarily, Eliza would start with 10 hit points
plus her Constitution bonus of +1, for a total of
11. However, the group has chosen the greater
of the two hit point increase options from this
chapter, and so she adds her Constitution score
to this total, for a whopping starting hit points of
24. This reformed bully is very tough!
Eliza also gets to choose one of the two warrior
additional class abilities. She very much likes the
look of the tricks from the ‘Skills of War’ option,
but eventually decides that she would prefer not
making the decisions at the table while in the
heat of combat; one of the reasons she chose to
make a warrior and not a mage was because
she doesn’t like managing such things. Instead,
she takes ‘Additional Knacks.’ She already has
the ‘Great Strike’ knack from her Playbook.
After some thought, she decides to take it again
for her extra knack, giving every one of her
attacks with her trusty axe an additional two
points of damage.
Finally, Lori has to choose a half class for Eliza.
Since she was made with a single class Playbook,
Lori can choose either rogue or mage for her half
class, and can pick the class abilities she likes.
Lori likes the idea of her reformed bully being
lucky. Maybe that is why the other characters
were able to find her when she was lost in the
woods, and maybe it explains why she was able
to get away with so much before changing her
ways.
Therefore, Lori makes Eliza a half class rogue
and chooses the ‘Fortune’s Favor’ class ability.
Ordinarily this would give the character 5
Fortune Points instead of 3, but, since the group also
decided to give each character an extra Fortune
Point, she now has 6. If the GM gives the group
many opportunities to rest between sessions,
that will equate to a lot of rerolls, but Lori has the
feeling that Greg has a fast-paced game in mind,
so she likes the idea of being able to stretch out
her rerolls and bonuses. She also likes the idea of
having more Fortune Points to lend aid and give
the helping bonus; it fits with her vision of Eliza
now wanting to atone for her mistakes.
To finish off her half class, the group also decides
that Eliza can get the extra initiative boost of the
rogue, and suggests that Lori choose whether to
use rogue or warrior saving throws. Since the
warrior tables are already on the back of her
Playbook, Lori decides to stick with those.
A Kingless Realm 17
 Unlike Roderick, from the previous example,
Eliza is rather more powerful than a typical
character in Beyond the Wall. Compared to
what the character looked like after completing
the Playbook, she has more than twice as many
hit points, does an extra point of damage with
every melee attack, gained two ability score
bumps, has twice as many Fortune Points, and
got a small boost to initiative.
All together, Eliza is a mighty hero, or at least
has the makings for one. A dragon can still eat
her for breakfast without a second thought, and
she would still have to be careful when planning
a counter attack against a group of determined
bandits, but she is significantly less likely to fall
quickly in battle, and much more likely to succeed
at tasks leading up to the fight.
Weaker Heroes
Some groups will want just the opposite of what is
provided in this chapter. Whether because of dogged
determination or a desire for danger, there are many
groups that would prefer to have weaker characters.
One way to achieve this is with the rules presented
in the ‘Untried Heroes’ chapter on p.4. Further, the
group could choose to extend their playtime with their
weaker characters by having them wait to reach first
level until after two or even three longer adventures.
An industrious group could even allow their level-0
untried heroes to advance incrementally, for instance
by granting each character a single +1 to an ability
score after each adventure until they have amassed
the total ability score points of a level one character,
and only then advancing to first level.
Finally, for players truly seeking a sense of danger,
the group could have characters roll their hit dice
for their first level hit points, instead of taking the
maximum, or could give everyone one fewer Fortune
Point. Either of these options will make for a poten-
tially very deadly game. It is hard to survive the goblin
infestation with 2 hit points and only 1 or 2 Fortune
Points!
The group could take any of the suggestions from this
chapter for creating mighty heroes and do the reverse
in order to create weaker characters. With an eye
toward the multiclass rules, a depowered character
could have access to only half of a class’ abilities, like
a full warrior with knacks but not weapon specializa-
tion, or a mage who may cast cantrips and rituals, but
not spells. Such characters might gain access to the
rest of their class abilities at level two or three, or they
may remain with only half of their class’ abilities for
the whole campaign.
Just as when making mighty heroes, the group should
agree on all of the penalties appropriate to the feel of
the game they want and then apply these penalties to
all characters. This will stop any significant disparity
between the heroes and will keep the experience rules
working in relation to the player characters.

Another way to create weaker heroes is to lower the

characters’ starting ability scores. A fun method for
doing this is to have each player think of a flaw for the
character, and, after typical character creation, pick a
single ability score and set it to 5. This will result in
characters with a significant penalty in one particular
area and a real need to lean on their comrades in
times of weakness. For a less dramatic option, the
players could create characters as normal and then
pick a single ability score to adjust by -2 and one more
to adjust by -1.

18 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

 Legendary Heroes
Sometimes a campaign is too good to give up, and a
group wishes to continue playing even after reaching
10th level. Alternatively, some groups desire a game
with characters stronger than those represented by
the usual rules for Beyond the Wall and Other Adven-
tures. When this is the case, the gamemaster and
players may consider using the rules in this chapter
for characters beyond 10th level.
The Further Afield supplement suggests that the
group can extrapolate the level charts for the three
character classes past the 10th level, allowing charac-
ters to become level 11 or higher. The rules presented
in this chapter provide an altogether different method
for characters to continue to grow after 10th level.
Using these rules, characters will not continue to gain
levels, but may instead spend experience points to
gain specific, smaller bonuses called “advancements.”
This is a slow process, representing the fact that 10th
level heroes are close to the pinnacle of human ability
within the game world, but will still let players feel
that their characters have a chance to learn new
things and become more potent.
When playing with these rules for legendary heroes,
a character continues to gain experience points after
reaching 10th level, and may spend those experience
points in chunks on the advancements listed below.
Players may spend their characters’ experience points
on these bonuses between sessions or at any appro-
priate time of rest agreed upon by the GM.
If you wish to keep track of a character’s overall
progress as well as knowing how many experience
A Kingless Realm 19
 points remain available to spend on new powers, we
recommend recording a character’s total experience
points on the character sheet as normal, and then
marking experience points available to spend on new
advancements in parentheses or beneath that total.
For instance, a mage attains 10th level at 450,000
experience points. If that same mage is a legendary
hero and has gained an additional 100,000 expe-
rience, but has spent 75,000 of those on additional
advancements, we would record his xp as “550,000
(25,000).” This way the group would know how many
total experience points the character has gained over
the course of his career, but also know how many he
has available to spend on new advancements. If the
mage then gains 4,500 experience during the next
session, that number would be added to both totals.
The parenthetical total should be decreased each time
the character takes a new advancement, but the main
total should never go down.
Reaching Level 10
If the group is playing with the legendary hero rules,
it means that the campaign is not coming to a close
when the PCs reach level 10 or soon thereafter.
Therefore, it is important for the characters to feel a
substantial increase in power upon reaching this
milestone.
To this end, legendary heroes should immediately
gain an increase to their ability scores. The Further
Afield supplement suggests allowing each character
to increase two different ability scores by +1 when
reaching levels 3 and 7. Legendary heroes should do
so again once they reach level 10.
The Advancements
Legendary heroes may purchase the following
advancements with the experience points they gain
after reaching level 10. An analysis of these costs and
interactions between the powers follows later in this
chapter.
Additional Ally
15,000 experience, 3 sessions
The character may gain an additional ally beyond his
usual maximum (4 plus Charisma bonus).
20 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Extra Hit Points
15,000 experience, 3 sessions
The character gains 2 hit points, regardless of class.
The character receives no additional benefit from a
high Constitution score, special Traits, or any other
means.
Further Study
15,000 experience, 3 sessions
The character may attempt to learn spells or rituals
which he has previously failed to master.
Ordinarily, a mage who has failed the Intelligence
check to learn a new spell or ritual must wait to try
again after earning a new level. Since 10th level char-
acters no longer gain new levels, they must instead
spend experience in this manner to try again. Taking
this advance effectively “resets” their chances to learn
any new magics.
Improved Saving Throw
15,000 experience, 3 sessions
One of the character’s saving throws improves by +1.
Note that warriors with access to knacks are likely to
want to wait to gain an additional knack as described
below, since the resilience knack grants them a +1
bonus to all saves.
Improved Initiative
15,000 experience, 3 sessions
The character’s initiative score improves by +1.
Additional Knack
35,000, 7 sessions
This may only be chosen by warriors or multiclass
warriors with the Knacks class ability. The character
gains a new knack. Note that, technically, there is no
reason for a warrior to spend this advancement on the
fleet knack, as the ‘improved initiative’ advancement
listed above is cheaper. Likewise, as mentioned under
the ‘improved saving throw’ advancement above,
taking the resilience knack with this advancement is
superior to that one in every way, though it is more
expensive.
Improved Base Attack Bonus
35,000 experience, 7 sessions
The character’s base attack bonus improves by +1,
regardless of class.
Improved Spell Casting
35,000 experience, 7 sessions
This may only be chosen by mages or multiclass
mages who can cast spells. The character may cast
one additional spell per day.
New Skill
50,000 experience, 10 sessions
The character gains a new skill, or may improve an
already known skill by +2.
New Trait
50,000 experience, 10 sessions
The character gains a new Trait.
Increased Favor
65,000 experience, 13 sessions
This may only be chosen by rogues or multiclass
rogues with the ‘Fortune’s Favor’ class ability. The
character gains an additional Fortune Point.
Additional Fortune Point
85,000 experience, 17 sessions
The character gains an additional Fortune Point. Note
that rogues and multiclass rogues with the ‘Fortune’s
Favor’ class ability have access to this for a decreased
cost as described just above.
Improved Ability Scores
100,000, 20 sessions
Two of the character’s ability scores increase by
+1 each.
Pace of Advancement
High level characters, such as experienced heroes
who have already reached level 10, tend to gain
significant amounts of experience commensurate
with the powerful monsters and dangers they face.
Even so, the rate of experience rewards tends to
vary from group to group, particularly when using
different combinations of the experience options
found on p.36 of Further Afield.
Likewise, the gamemaster and players may have
different desires regarding the legendary hero sys-
tem. Does the group want to keep playing a beloved
campaign but are mostly happy with their charac-
ters where they are? If so, gaining a small increase
in character power even just once every ten or fifteen
Maximum Fortune Points
When playing with a party of legendary
heroes, the GM or group may wish to set a
maximum ceiling on Fortune Points. They
are a powerful and flexible tool, and it can
quickly devalue the importance and drama
of failed dice rolls if the characters have
access to too many of them. As always, the
right answer will depend upon how often
the characters are allowed to refresh their
Fortune Points; if they typically regain
them between every session or every short
adventure arc, the group might want to al-
low access to only a single additional point,
while groups which refresh their points only
at significant periods of downtime will like-
ly be hungry for more.
We suggest allowing each character to gain,
at most, two additional Fortune Points. This
would mean that rogues could have a max-
imum of 7 Fortune Points, and warriors
and mages 5. Elven characters would retain
their usual penalty, and therefore have a
maximum of 4 (or 6 for an elven rogue).
sessions may be all that is required to keep things
moving. On the other hand, would the group prefer
for their characters to gain these incremental bonuses
frequently? If so, it might be better for characters to
have access to the cheapest legendary hero bonuses
every two or three sessions.
Given all of this, the gamemaster or group might find
that they need to adjust the experience costs listed
above. The presented costs were calculated with the
assumption that experience awards are likely to vary
from session to session, but will average to around
5,000 with each meeting, and that the players would
like to be able to purchase one of the midrange advances
for their characters every five to ten games. Likewise,
we assume that occasionally the characters will gain
significantly more xp, such as when facing a mighty
dragon or spirit, or if wasting a treasure hoard using the
rules for spending money for xp as described on p.36 of
Further Afield. If the group tends to gain significantly
more or fewer experience points when they play,
or if they have other expectations about the rate of
A Kingless Realm 21

Legendary Knacks
As mentioned above, the fleet knack be-
comes superfluous when playing with leg-
endary heroes. Later in this chapter, we
also discuss limiting the maximum number
of times a warrior can take a single knack.
Given this limit, the group may wish to in-
troduce the additional knacks described in
this minibox for their legendary heroes to
choose in order to increase the variety of op-
tions available to warriors. Note that, when
using these new knacks, the great toughness
knack will always be better for a warrior
to take than the ‘additional hit points’ ad-
vancement, though it is more expensive.
General - When using the ‘War and Bat-
tle’ rules found on p.21 of Dangers Near and
Far, one unit under the character’s com-
mand gains +1 quality.
Great Toughness - The character gains
+6 hit points.
Flexibility - Pick one of the stances found
on p.69 of Further Afield and decrease the
AC or to hit penalty associated with that
stance by -2; may only be chosen once per
stance (change the numbers on the second
page of your character sheet so this is easy
to track).
Weapon Mastery - Pick a weapon with
which the warrior already has weapon spe-
cialization and gain an additional +1 to hit
and damage with it.
advancement for their heroes, the costs above can
easily be modified; provided the proportion of differ-
ence between the cheaper and more expensive options
remains, everything should work relatively well.
The group may even wish to make adjustments to
the costs as the campaign goes on. Their characters
might gain several advances relatively quickly after
attaining level 10, but then slow down after each
character has purchased four or five of them.
22 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Groups which play without tracking experience points
are encouraged to continue to do so when playing with
legendary heroes, but will have to record the num-
bers for their characters. The GM can simply award
a lump amount after each session without worrying
about which adversaries they faced or any of the other
specifics of gaining experience. Again, we recommend
3,000-5,000 for most sessions, with larger awards of
20,000 or even more at the end of major adventures.
The Ends of Power
Even when playing with legendary heroes, the game-
master should keep an eye on how powerful the
PCs are becoming. This all comes down to the types
of stories the group wishes to tell. There is no right
or wrong way to play a roleplaying game. Plenty of
groups enjoy campaigns featuring demigods who can
slay small armies, travel the planes, or face down the
gods. Other groups prefer quieter campaigns where
even heroes who have surpassed 10th level and con-
tinued to grow have reason to fear a faerie warband.
The ‘Maximum Fortune Points’ minibox above
addresses just this topic when suggesting a cap on
Fortune Points for the PCs. Likewise, the group or
GM may wish to put a ceiling on any other abilities
that characters can gain, whether that be hit points,
spells per day, base attack bonus, or anything else.
In addition to the Fortune Point cap mentioned above,
we recommend that, at the extreme, mages be able to
cast no more than 20 spells per day, that no charac-
ter have any saving throw better than 4 or have more
than six Traits, and that a warrior may take no single
knack more than four times. We like these numbers
because they allow plenty of room for growth for our
legendary heroes but still keep them grounded in the
realities of the fantasy stories we most enjoy. Other
groups may have varying tastes.
Groups will also have to pay attention to certain com-
binations of powers and abilities as well. For instance,
certain Traits which cost the character a Fortune
Point to activate might become more powerful than
expected once the PCs have more points to spend
than at the start of the campaign. Likewise, a warrior
with extremely good saving throws, armor class, and
defensive Traits may stop being fun to have around
when there are no more monsters who can harm him
(or, worse still, when the only monsters that can harm
him are also immediately and overwhelmingly deadly
to the rest of the party). The gamemaster in particular
should pay attention to this closely, but it is the job of
the whole group to keep the game fun. Everyone at
the table should feel empowered to speak up when a
combination of advancements seems that it will have
a detrimental effect on the game. The worst situation
is when an overpowered combination is missed, the
character has already taken the advancements, and
the game is starting to suffer. Even then, however, all
is not lost. The GM can work with the player to refund
some of the experience spent on one or more of the
offending advancements. Better still, she could look
for a solution to leave the character with the powers
but make adjustments to tone down their combined
power, or she could come up with a creative and
balancing downside or penalty to accompany them.
When considering the powers and scope of legend-
ary heroes, it is perfectly acceptable to begin with one
desire and then adjust later in the campaign. A group
may start using these rules very conservatively but
then find that the campaign is still progressing fine,
whereupon they may decide to increase the rate of
advancement or the ceiling on new abilities. They
might even decide to introduce the mighty hero
rules from the previous chapter in conjunction with
the legendary hero rules as described in the section
below. On the other hand, the group may find just the
opposite, that their characters are progressing too
quickly for their tastes, in which case they can slow
or even stop the introduction of new advancements.
There is nothing wrong, after all, with continuing
a beloved campaign without any further increase
in character power at all. Finally, the group might
employ the legendary hero rules, enjoy them for a
time, but then decide that it is time to end the game
and retire their characters after all (and after a fitting
grand finale, of course).
See the example at the end of this chapter for a
description of how legendary heroes work in general,
as well as how a GM might adjust expectations.
Heroes of
Might and Legend
Some groups may wish for their characters to grow
even more powerful than suggested by the legendary
hero advancements presented above. In this case, the
rules in this chapter may be combined with the rules
for mighty heroes presented in the previous chapter.
Groups which are already using mighty heroes should
find it relatively easy to transition to layering the
legendary hero rules on top once their characters
reach level 10. The only thing of immediate note is
the additional class ability for mages, Ritual Mastery.
Ordinarily, this allows the character to cast a ritual
under special circumstances once per level. Heroes of
level 10 do not gain new levels however; if this comes
up in a game, we recommend having the character
gain an additional Ritual Mastery casting each time
he takes the ‘further study’ advancement listed above.
This will mean that the mage effectively resets his
level in all ways when taking that advancement.
Whether the PCs are already using the mighty heroes
rules before reaching level 10 or not, a group wishing
to explore even greater power may add the following
advancements. Note that gaining a new class ability
or a new half class represents a significant increase
in character power and versatility, unlike the basic
advancements given above. This is reflected in their
costs, but the group should still give them special
consideration. Advancements of this type should be
reflected in the fiction. Perhaps the characters gain new
class abilities after a great adventure, or perhaps they
gain a new half class after years of training or study.
New Class Ability
140,000 experience, 28 sessions
The character gains an additional class ability from
those presented on p.12. For multiclass characters, the
new class ability must make sense given their existing
abilities; guidelines for this are given on p.14 as well.
Below are notes on gaining these new abilities:
Additional Knacks (Warrior) - The character imme-
diately gains all of the bonus knacks she would have
learned between levels 1-10 had she had this ability
all along. This means that she will gain four knacks
upon choosing this additional class ability. Note that
A Kingless Realm 23
 the experience cost for this is the same as for taking
the ‘additional knack’ advancement above four times.
Therefore, as an additional perk, the warrior should
immediately gain 6 hit points as well.
Skills of War (Warrior) - This ability functions just as
described on p.13 above. Note that the character will
also gain access to take the ‘improved skills of war’
advancement listed below.
Exceptional Success (Rogue) - This ability functions
just as described on p.13.
Shared Fortune (Rogue) - This ability functions just
as described on p.14.
Spell Mastery (Mage) - This ability functions just as
described on p.14. Note that the experience cost for this
is the same as for taking the ‘improved spellcasting’
advancement above four times. Therefore, as an
additional perk, the character should immediately
learn two spells without any necessary study or roll.
Ritual Mastery (Mage) - The character begins with
the ability to perform the special ritual casting once,
and does not gain the previous charges of ritual casting
from levels 1-10. She may gain additional charges of
this ability as described above by taking the ‘further
study’ advancement.
Improved Skills of War
50,000 experience, 10 sessions
This may only be taken by a warrior or multiclass
warrior with the Skills of War additional class ability.
Once per adventure, the character gains an additional
use of the ability as described on p.14. A character
may only ever take this advancement twice, for a total
of seven uses of the ability per adventure.
Half Class
200,000 experience, 40 sessions
The character gains a half class. As with any half class
character, this will require some negotiation and
decision-making. The guidelines described on p.14
will help with this.
The addition of a half class for a character likely
represents significant training, practice, or study, and
24 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
should only be taken when appropriate within the
fiction of the campaign. If the character is already
multiclass, she gains the full class abilities and
bonuses of one of her classes, retaining the partial
abilities of the other.
Characters are likely to see an increase in base attack
bonus or initiative due to their new half class, or they
may gain the ability to wear heavier armor. These
changes take effect immediately. Characters who gain
a half class do not adjust their saving throws, even if
one seems slightly better.
Hit points are trickier to manage. A character who
has an increase in hit dice due to gaining a half class
is owed some past hit points for levels 1-10. Usually
this will be an increase of one die size (for instance
d6 to d8, or d8 to d10). There are two easy ways to
handle this.
First, the GM may simply award the character half
of the difference in hit points per past level; this
amounts to +1 hit point per level, or an immediate
gain of +10 hit points.
Secondly, the character could instead roll for hit
points completely from scratch, using the new die
type and remembering that PCs receive maximum hit
points at 1st level and add their Constitution bonus at
each level. This can be a more exciting and interesting
method, but could conceivably result in the character
having fewer hit points than he started with; in this
case, we recommend leaving the character with his
starting hit point total, plus an additional 1d6 for his
trouble.
Choosing some combinations of half class at a late stage
in a campaign can result in a couple of disappointing
numbers. For instance, a warrior gaining a half class
in rogue will likely only see his initiative improve by
+1 and no other change beyond the new class ability as
discussed below. In these sorts of instances, the group
may decide to give such characters an extra perk. We
recommend that the character roll an additional hit die
of hit points (including adjustments for a Constitution
bonus or penalty). This should only be done when the
group and GM deems it necessary to make the new half
class feel as exciting as its steep cost suggests.
The character will immediately gain one of the class
abilities appropriate for a 10th level character of
the new half class. For instance, gaining a warrior’s
knacks will result in learning four of them, and
gaining a rogue’s skills will result in learning a
staggering six new skills. Whether this advancement
is taken during a period of downtime and study
or not, it is perfectly appropriate to spread out the
acquisition of these new powers. As an example, a
full class rogue who just gained a half class in warrior
and the ability to take knacks might see an immediate
increase in hit points or base attack bonus, but might
only have mastered two of his four knacks when the
next adventure starts. The gamemaster and players
can then work together to introduce the character’s
two additional knacks over the course of a few
sessions of play, representing the hero coming into
his own as a greater warrior.
Characters who gain the ability to cast cantrips
should immediately learn a single cantrip which
seems appropriate and a second after a few sessions
of experimenting with the new powers. Characters
who gain the ability to cast spells or rituals must learn
them as usual, which can be worked beautifully into
the story about gaining these abilities.
Ordinarily, this advancement is only available to
characters who have not already taken it. It is usually
best to keep some degree of niche protection between
characters and classes. Particularly ambitious
groups, however, might decide to throw caution to
the wind and allow characters to gain even more half
classes. Under no circumstances do we recommend
that a character be allowed to have more than two full
classes or one full class and two half classes.
Extended Example
The example below describes a group’s process when
using the legendary hero rules over the course of a
long campaign. It will be helpful as an illustration
of spending experience on advancements, changing
expectations, and continuing a favorite game.
A Kingless Realm 25

Phase One
Lori has been running a campaign of Beyond the
Wall for a very long time with a dedicated group
of three players. After more than two years of
weekly play, the characters are approaching
level 10, but they still feel that they have plenty of
stories to tell. They decide to stage an epic show-
down with the Horned King to round out their
path to level 10, but then to pick up with their
characters again using the legendary hero rules
after two years have passed in the game world.
After discussing what happens during the inter-
vening year, Lori begins a new campaign arc
which sees the heroes traveling to distant lands
on the southern continent and facing an impe-
rial sorcerer who intends to rule the world. The
characters earn very few experience points in
some sessions and many more in others, but they
average around 5,000 per week of play. They
gain significantly more than that every now and
then, such as when they face a coven of seven
powerful witches and their spiritual protectors
at the end of a long adventure, for which they
gain almost 28,000 xp.
Peter is keen to keep his Student of the Dark
Arts, Aelfric, alive, and so buys several of the
relatively cheap ‘extra hit points’ advancement
early on. He also grabs the ability to cast an
additional spell, a small increase in BAB, and,
at some point, resets his chance to learn spells
and rituals after he fails to master three which
he particularly wanted. After six months or so of
regular play, his character has earned and spent
175,000 experience points; the mage still looks a
lot like an ordinary 10th level character, but he
has 6 more hit points, is a little better at fighting,
and can cast an additional spell.
Jillian is playing an Elven Ranger named Niamh.
She has found that Niamh is a very talented
faerie when in the woods, but she has lamented
her lack of Fortune Points as an elf. She also
wants Niamh to be a bit more deadly with her
bow. While Aelfric spends his experience rather
26 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
quickly, gaining small boosts to hit points a few
sessions at a time, Jillian saves up and pur-
chases an additional Fortune Point after several
months of play, bringing Niamh’s total to 3. She
then improves her BAB twice, by +1 each time,
and saves her final 15,000 experience in the
hopes of picking up a new Trait.
Lastly, John is playing Bran, a Village Hero. As a
10th level warrior, Bran already has three charac-
ter Traits: Always Prepared, Distracting Fighter,
and Reassuring Presence. John has had his eye on
a couple of other Traits, though, and Lori knows
that he is pretty good with the rules, so she trusts
him to keep track of it all. Over the course of the
extended legendary campaign, John spends his
first 70,000 experience points getting two new
ones: Impossible Perseverance and Spearman
(he always loved using a spear and has weapon
specialization with it, but hates its 1d6 damage
rating). Lori tells John that she is capping Traits
at six, so he may only ever gain one more. With
100,000 experience points, he decides he wants to
increase Bran’s Intelligence and Dexterity. John
saves his remaining 5,000 experience.
This is where the characters stand after a nice
long six to eight months of play on the continent,
during which they overthrow the imperial
sorcerer and bring peace to the land.
Phase Two
After taking a break from their legendary cam-
paign to play some other games, the group
decides to return to their characters. This time
Lori wants to try something different: she sug-
gests breaking the story into two distinct chap-
ters, and she wants to see the characters grow
fully into the greatest heroes in the world. She
says that, during the first chapter, as the charac-
ters become even greater movers and shakers in
their homeland, they will be gathering resources,
training armies, and collecting magical lore.
They will gain experience during this time as
usual, but she encourages them to save it up.
Between the two chapters, the characters will
narrate the passing of another year as an
ancient dark lord of legend begins to rise, and
Lori will give them an extra pile of XP and allow
them to use the mighty hero rules.
This excites Jillian and John, but Peter isn’t so
sure. He admits that he is a little selfish and is
worried that his character’s uniqueness will
vanish if the other characters take half classes
and gain more magical powers. The group talks
it over and agrees to use the mighty heroes rules,
but that no one else will learn how to cast can-
trips and rituals. This pleases everyone.
Peter’s mage, Aelfric, gains another 200,000
experience after a few months of play. He
intends to save it, but is finding that the adver-
saries they are facing are too easily able to resist
his magics, and so, after a couple months, he
relents and spends 50,000 on the Trait Potent
Magic. That leaves him with 175,000 in the bank
when the first chapter ends. Lori keeps true to
her word and gives each character a massive
300,000 experience points at the chapter break.
As Peter narrates the building of a great tower
and Aelfric’s research into arcane mysteries, he
decides to spend 140,000 on the Ritual Mastery
additional class ability from the mighty heroes
rules. It’s a lot of experience for an ability that
he can only use once, but he knows that a well-
timed ritual can be hugely powerful, especially
one which he can cast in one round without any
need for material components. He also knows
that he can spend another 25,000 later on the
‘further study’ advancement to reset the abil-
ity’s powers. In fact, he decides to save 25,000
xp for just this purpose, which leaves him a still
impressive 210,000 to spend after he sets aside
his savings. Continuing his mastery of magic, he
spends 100,000 on the ‘improved ability scores’
advancement, choosing to gain +1 to both Intel-
ligence and Wisdom, and then two picks of the
‘improved saving throw’ advancement in order
to improve his saves versus spell and magic item
by +1 each. Whereas, at the end of phase one of the
legendary campaign, Aelfric was only slightly
more powerful than another 10th level mage,
he now feels the power increase more acutely;
it is one thing to gain a few hit points, get a +1
to hit, and be able to cast one additional spell,
but it’s a much larger increase to be able to cast
rituals on the fly (even in a limited capacity),
gain a Trait, improve two ability scores and two
saving throws by +1, and still have xp to spare.
Lori’s plan is having its intended effects.
Jillian was excited by the mighty hero rules, but
ultimately decides that they do not fit her picture
of Niamh. Instead, she spends her saved 15,000
experience, as well as the first 55,000 that she
receives in the new phase, to improve her BAB
by another +2. Her base attack bonus is now
almost as good as a 10th level warrior’s, and
Niamh becomes a terror with her elven bow. She
gains another 125,000 xp before the end of the
first chapter of phase two, and decides to gain
yet another Fortune Point. Lori notes that she is
capping additional Fortune Points at two, and
so Niamh has reached her maximum of 4 as an
elf. When the chapter ends and Niamh gains
another 300,000 xp, she’s not quite sure what to
spend it on. After taking advice from the other
players and looking through the book, she first
decides to spend just over a third of it on some
small number increases: a +2 to initiative, +1 to
three different saving throws, and +2 hit points.
These may not be the most exciting benefits,
but they will surely help. From the remaining
295,000, she decides on the ‘improved ability
scores’ advancement. Niamh has suffered a
Constitution penalty for the whole campaign, so
Jillian raises that from 8 to 9, and then chooses
to spend the last point on Dexterity, increasing
her already impressive score of 17 to 18. These
increases involve some bookkeeping, as the
change in Constitution penalty retroactively
grants her 1 hit point per level (for a total of
+10), and the improved Dexterity bonus will give
her an additional +1 to hit with missile weapons,
as well as to AC and initiative. Jillian smiles.
She hadn’t quite planned on the ability score
improvements making that big a difference, and
she still has 95,000 experience to spend!
Finally, John knows just what he wants to do
with Bran. He’s always seen his character as a
jack of all trades, someone who learned a little
A Kingless Realm 27
 from everyone in the village and helps all of his
neighbors. John decides that he wants to save his
points and use the mighty heroes rules to gain
a half class in rogue. At the end of chapter one
he has 300,000 xp and decides to spend most of
them to do just that. First, looking at the class
rules, he notes that there are very few ways in
which a rogue’s basic numbers and stats are
better than a warrior’s. This makes sense, as
warriors require more experience to level, but
the group does decide that he will receive the
rogue’s greater initiative over his base warrior
class. As suggested in the rules above, the group
also decides to grant Bran an additional hit die
due to this lackluster increase; John rolls his
warrior hit die of 1d10 and adds Bran’s Consti-
tution bonus of +2, gaining an additional 7 hit
points. With that out of the way, John gets to
what he really wants: the Highly Skilled class
ability. This will give Bran a whopping six skills
to choose. After talking things over with Lori,
Bran improves his existing Farming skill by
a further +2 and gains the three new skills of
Command, Gossip, and Stealth. He intends to
spend the last two skill picks on improving Com-
mand by another +2 and taking Boating, but he
and Lori decide that these skills will manifest
themselves when appropriate during the sec-
ond chapter of phase two. John is pleased. With
100,000 xp left to spend, he decides to follow
Jillian’s lead and increase some basic numbers,
gaining a +2 BAB, another +1 initiative, and a +1
to his polymorph saving throw.
The heroes are ready to face the return of a dark
and terrible power. Over the course of the next
couple of months the characters will gain some
more experience, but not nearly as much as
they had at the chapter break. They spend some
smaller xp rewards on a couple of advancements
and, more importantly, thwart the rising dark
lord.
Phase Three
After playing phase two of their legendary cam-
paign for almost a year, the group takes a long
break. They have other stories to tell, and John
28 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
has been craving some board games as well.
After a few months, however, Lori pitches a
grand finale to their legendary campaign.
This time, she suggests a slower pace and a
smaller story. The characters are already the
greatest heroes in all the land. Lori’s idea is that
the group will leave their beloved heroes behind
once and for all after about three months of
weekly sessions. She will introduce lost friends,
forgotten rivals, and one more dark secret and
deadly peril. By and large, however, the heroes
will not be gaining in abilities over the course of
this phase. This will be about their retirements
or deaths and, perhaps, the introduction of some
new, younger faces ready to adventure in the
world.
Lori asks the players what ideas they have and
what their goals are for their characters. They
mostly agree that they do not need to gain many
more advancements, but Jillian does say that
there is a particular Trait she wants Niamh to
gain and have a chance to use before retirement.
Lori agrees that this would be fun, as do the
other players. They each have a little bit of xp
left from the second chapter of phase two, when
they saved their homeland from destruction and
rallied the people into a great force for peace.
Lori gives the characters around 3,000 experience
per session, but the phase won’t last that long,
and there will be no more great gains in power.
Niamh gets the Trait that she wanted and gets to
play with it for four sessions, Bran improves his
numbers a little bit, and Aelfric gets some more
magical abilities before the end of the campaign.
The campaign comes to its natural end with Bran
dead after giving his life to save the village from
a natural catastrophe. Niamh takes her leave of
mortals, choosing to wander the woods in grief
and perhaps return to the courts of her people
when the time is right. Aelfric, meanwhile, suffers
a terrible wound at the hands of a powerful
demon before sealing it away for eternity, and
retires to a life of quiet study in his distant tower.
The group bids farewell to their legendary heroes.
 New Traits
Traits are optional special abilities, bonuses, and
knacks available to player characters (and perhaps
important NPCs, should the gamemaster think it
right). They were originally described on p.32 of
Further Afield, and some additional ones can be
found on p.10 of Heroes Young and Old.
Traits provide players an additional layer of character
customization. This chapter presents the group with
several new Traits for use in their games.
As a reminder, if the group is playing with Traits,
each character should receive one during character
creation, and then an additional one at levels 5 and 9.
Following is a list of sample Traits divided into five
categories. This should not be seen as a definitive list,
and GMs and groups are encouraged to modify Traits
or develop entirely new ones that are appropriate to
their characters.
General Traits
Beloved Village Fool
Every village needs its fool; he is a strange fellow, both
beloved and scorned. This character always takes the
last turn when using the ‘Tales of Years’ rules for
downtime detailed on p.54. If the fool is consistently
narrated as embarrassing themselves during the
other players’ downtime events, the following things
happen: the GM adds +3 to the event table roll for
the fool, this character receives a -4 penalty to their
own livelihood check but will never fail by 10 or more
(use the preceding table result for a typical failure
instead), and the group gains an additional Hearth
Point when the next season begins. Before choosing
this trait, be sure that your group plans to use the
downtime and Hearth Point rules, and that you don’t
mind being comic relief.
Gift for Business
Whether due to a particular acumen or an almost
supernatural luck, the character is naturally blessed
when it comes to business. When using the ‘Tales of
Years’ rules for downtime found on p.58, the character
always gains a +5 bonus when making the livelihood
check for a season.
Horse Master
The character is beloved by horses. They naturally
take to him, and he receives a +3 bonus on any rolls
to influence or tend to them, as well as on any rolls to
ride or control them.
Impossible Perseverance
The character may stay on her feet and continue to
act or fight until reaching -6 hit points instead of the
normal 0. Note that he still loses a single hit point per
round as usual when at 0 or fewer hit points, and still
perishes at -10 hit points.
Tavern’s Favorite
The character has the uncanny ability to get free
drinks in taverns, inns, and public houses. When in
such a situation, assume that he gets his personal
drinks (and a bit of food, if he wants it) without
spending any coin. His companions are not so lucky.
Toolless Craftsman
When using one particular skill, the character ignores
all penalties for having poor quality tools, or even for
lacking them completely. It still must be feasible for
the character to accomplish the task; a thief might be
able to pick locks with a dagger or splinter of wood,
but not with his fingers, while a blacksmith might be
able to make due with a small hammer or large rock,
but not his bare hands.
Unburdened
The character ignores penalties for being encumbered
or weighed down in all but the most extreme circum-
stances. The GM is the final arbiter, but, if her hands
A Kingless Realm 29
 are free and the load is even slightly reasonable, she
can bear it with no ill effect. See p.27 of Further Afield
for more on encumbrance.
Combat Traits
Careful Tactician
Whether acting as an advisor or leading the army
personally, the character may protect his side
from losses. When using the ‘War and Battle’ rules
described on p.21 of Dangers Near and Far, the
character’s side may ignore the effects of a single
failure during the aftermath stage.
Cavalier
Trained to fight from horseback, the character
receives a +1 bonus to AC and to damage when mak-
ing melee attacks while mounted.
Cleaving Blow
If the character is armed with a great weapon and
facing a group of man-sized, humanoid foes in melee
combat and slays one of them, any excess damage
from the attack carries over to one of the other
enemies.
Defender of Home
When the character is fighting in direct defense of his
home, he receives a +1 bonus to rolls to hit, to AC, to
initiative, and to all damage rolls. This benefit would
come into play if the character’s village or personal
dwelling were being besieged, or if a foe were attempt-
ing to poison the well, but not when fighting a ruffian
in the inn, or when fighting foes at another location,
even if they are planning to attack the village later.
Master Archer
Due to keen senses, skill, or finesse, the character may
add either her Dexterity or Wisdom bonus (whichever
is higher) to damage rolls from ranged attacks.
Might of the Reaver
By concentrating, screaming, or chanting, this char-
acter may enter a ritualized state of abandon, but only
when at or below half hit points. Doing so takes one
round of inaction, after which she gains a +2 bonus to
hit and damage but may not flee or take a defensive or
protective stance for the rest of the encounter.
30 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Spearman
The character is well-trained and deadly with spears.
When fighting with a spear, the weapon does 1d8
damage (instead of the usual 1d6) if wielded one-
handed, and 1d8+1 if wielded with two hands.
Spellcasting Traits
Devoted Student
The mage is a fast reader and dedicated scholar.
When using the ‘Tales of Years’ rules for downtime
described on p.58, she may be assumed to have an
additional two weeks of time to spend learning spells
or rituals (or crafting magical items as described on
p.50 of Further Afield) unless the GM determines
that too much of the season was spent in active
adventure for the mage to be able to spend in pursuit
of arcane knowledge.
The Druidic Arts
The character receives a +2 bonus to casting rolls for
cantrips and rituals when outside of a dwelling and
within a forest, as well as to rolls to gather herbs, tend
trees, or otherwise interact directly with woodlands.
Fast Caster
With speed and precision, this character may cast
certain rituals with alacrity. Choose four rituals known
by the character; she may cast those rituals in half
the usual time (i.e. 30 minutes per level of the ritual
instead of one hour).
Gifted Healer
The character is a master of sorcerous healing. Any
of his magics which heal damage directly, such as
the Healing Touch spell, heal an additional point of
damage per level of the recipient. Any items created
by his magics which heal indirectly, such as the
Goodberry or Nepenthean Drink rituals, heal a single
additional point of damage, regardless of level.
Light Mastery
The character has a natural affinity for the magic
of light. She may control the color and intensity of
lights made with magics like the Mage Light cantrip
or the spell Flash of Brilliance effortlessly. Should
she choose to do so, she may additionally have any
lights produced by her magic cause harm to creatures
of darkness, such as goblins, the fomor, and most
demons, who take 1 point of damage the round in
which the lights first appear.
Shared Power
The character may grant a portion of his magical
energy to another. In lieu of casting a spell, the mage
may expend a single “spell slot” to grant another
mage the ability to cast an additional spell of his own.
Student of the Arcane
Due to a studious nature or keen intellect, the char-
acter is extremely adept at learning new spells and
rituals, and receives a +3 bonus on any rolls to do so.
Supernatural Traits
The Homeward Call
The character has the uncanny ability to sense when
his home is being threatened. Regardless of where he
is, he will have a premonition or dream weeks, days,
or just moments before his village, town, or estate is
under attack.
Faerie Paths
The character is either at home on the paths of the
fae or is somehow resistant to their confusing magics.
She receives a +4 bonus to any rolls to resist becoming
lost or to find a path or shelter in faerie places. She
also receives a +2 bonus to any saving throws to see
through faerie illusions.
Rope Song
The character has a strange gift. If she sings to a rope
for a minute or so, she may have it tie itself into a
tight knot or have an already existing knot in the rope
untangle itself. Under most circumstances, this
power is automatically successful, though the GM
may call for a roll of some sort for exceptional or
magical ropes or knots.
Sixth Sense
With unerring accuracy, the character can tell when
he is being targeted by magic or other supernatural
effects. He does not necessarily know the source or
nature of these magics, but he always knows that
something unusual is happening.
Traits and Playbooks
Given group and GM approval, any charac-
ter can gain any Trait with only rare excep-
tions (there is no purpose in someone who
cannot cast spells gaining the ‘War Wizard’
Trait, for instance). However, some Traits
obviously lend themselves more immedi-
ately to some characters. For players who
do not want to pour through a large list
of Traits, p.35 of Further Afield provided
a simpler choice between only three Traits
for each Character Playbook published up
to that point. The following list provides
similar choices for the Playbooks published
since then. If you do not want to go through
the whole list of Traits, choose one based on
your Playbook using the following list of
suggestions.
The Failed Ranger - Impossible Perse-
verance or Pure of Heart or Unburdened
The Horned King’s Blood - Great Bravery
or Combat Mastery or Formation Fighting
The Reavers’ Descendent - Cleaving
Blow or Crowd Pleaser or Friendly Face
Song of Ease
The character has a great musical gift, and her songs
bring respite to the weary. Once per day, she may sing
a song of ease. This performance must last for at least
fifteen minutes, and her audience must be at rest,
such as in a camp, inn, or home. All who hear the song
regain 1 hit point per level of the recipient.
The Winter Court
Many of the fae are sworn to the court of one season
or another. Some mortals are as well, whether due to
faerie heritage, an ancient pact, or strange magics.
During winter, the character receives a +2 bonus to
all saving throws and regains an additional hit point
when resting. However, during summer, she suffers
a -1 penalty to all saving throws. Groups should feel
free to make other versions of this Trait for spring,
summer, and autumn, each providing a similar
bonus, as well as a penalty during the opposing
season.
A Kingless Realm 31
 Gamemaster Advice
This chapter provides some helpful tips and advice
for new and experienced gamemasters alike.
This job of the GM is a hard one, but a rewarding
one. When running a game, there is a lot for the game
master to keep track of. The best gamemasters are
fair, quick-thinking, creative, and have a sound
understanding of the rules.
Even more importantly, as Vincent Baker points
out in his Apocalypse World game, a good GM is a
fan of the players and their characters. She wants to
challenge them, test their strengths, and present them
with agonizing choices at times. Occasionally, she may
even be “responsible” for the death of one of them. But
she always does this with an eye toward showing them
to be the heroes that they are and weaving a great tale.
The GM is not the characters’ or the players’ adversary,
but an active participant in the game, and one who
wants to see the characters as the heroes in a great
fantasy story just as much as the players do.
Know Your Players
The single most important piece of advice is to know
your own group. Most, but not all, of the advice
presented here represents the tastes of the authors
and the groups they typically play with, and so much
of it could result in disaster if playing with folks with
very different tastes.
Some groups prefer sessions full of tactical combat
and lengthy decision making, while others prefer fast-
paced action or quiet games of social engagement. In
general, provided folks are having fun, there is no
wrong way to play a roleplaying game.
This leads to one question: How do I know what my
group wants? The simple answer is: Ask them. Talk
with your players at the outset of a campaign, and
touch base with them after every session or two. Ask
them how it went, what hopes they have for their
characters, and what scenes or encounters were their
32 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
favorites. While a GM can certainly learn a lot by
reading the mood at the table, there are times that
this can give misleading information. By talking
regularly with her players, a good gamemaster can
tailor sessions to the players in the game, get ideas
for new story hooks, and make a plan for how best to
reward, threaten, and challenge them.
Additionally, the GM should pay attention to how her
players interact with the rules. This begins at character
creation. The player who chooses the Witch’s Prentice
Character Playbook is telling the gamemaster that he
wants the witch to feature prominently in the story,
even if only in her absence. The player who chooses the
Village Hero likely wants a chance to test his character
physically and to help his neighbors.
Some Playbooks, by their very natures, suggest
significant things for the setting. The Novice Templar
Playbook, if chosen, necessitates an order of holy
knights, for instance. This is good for an enterprising
GM, who should immediately begin asking herself
(and the players, if she likes) who these knights are,
how they came about, and where they hold their
headquarters. Is there corruption in the order? Who
are their allies and their foes? Likewise, the presence
of even a single elf tells the group and the GM that
at least one player is interested in elves and other
creatures being around in the game. When players
choose some of the more unusual Playbooks like this,
it is worth asking them what their hopes are for their
backgrounds in the game. Some players, for instance,
might choose the Elven Highborn Playbook hoping to
be the only elf around, while others may be hoping for
many adventures involving the fae and their courts.
To get the authors’ biases out front, our groups have
a wide variety of players in them, but tend to prefer
games with a focus on a web of NPC interactions, a
mix of fast-paced combat and social interaction, and
a decidedly homey but mythical feel. Again, most of
the advice in this chapter comes from that lens.
Feels Like Home
Perhaps the most central conceit of Beyond the Wall
and Other Adventures is the village and its inhabitants.
In most campaigns, the village becomes a sort of central
character in and of itself. PCs may change over the
course of a game, some characters may die, and the
central adversaries may fall to be replaced by new
dangers, but the village remains. It is a home base, a
community worth fighting for, a source of succor in
times of need, and often the site of adventures.
The game is, of course, robust enough to handle many
styles of play and settings. In fact, while the Playbooks,
Scenario Packs, and Threat Packs for Beyond
the Wall constantly refer back to the village, the core
rules of the game are similar to many other roleplay-
ing games on the market, and there is no reason that
a group could not decide to set their games not in a
village, but in a great walled city, aboard a traveling
ship, or with no home at all, instead following
peripatetic heroes as they wander the lands seeking
fame and fortune across many regions. Nonetheless,
the game evokes a certain feel, and that feel is usually
about a small community, likely embattled, but with
stout neighbors who look after one another.
Village Background
To make the village feel like a living breathing
community, the GM should pay close attention during
the first session. While the players are designing their
characters and the gamemaster is setting up the first
Scenario Pack, the group as a whole is building a
tapestry of people and places tied intimately to the
village. The first game is likely to have enough going on
for the gamemaster to keep track of, but we encourage
her to study these notes carefully after the first session,
and preferably soon after, while it is fresh.
The GM should think about the NPCs the players
added to the map, and about the men and women
mentioned in the results of their Playbooks. How
do they interact? If one character is betrothed to the
miller’s son while another is playing the Heir to a
Legend, it is worthwhile to think about how the miller
feels about the Heir’s father. Can you imagine of an
interesting event that happened in the past involving
them? Ignoring the Heir entirely, just how big is the
miller’s family anyway? Were their ancestors involved
somehow with the coven of witches hinted at in the
Student of the Dark Arts’ Playbook? Returning to the
Heir to a Legend, is there another NPC in the village
who seems like he would have befriended the Heir’s
father or even know something about his claims to a
heroic past?
When designing and developing the characters’ home
village, the chapter on p.4 of Dangers Near and
Far can give the GM and the group many prompts
to make the home village interesting. The series of
questions and prompts there will help flesh out the
NPCs and customs of the village.
If the GM has a bit of time and even a modicum of
artistic ability, she can also take the worksheet map
that the players scribbled on during the first session
and make a fuller, more interesting map for later
games. This can be as attractive or elaborate as the
GM likes, but she shouldn’t feel pressured; even a half
hour’s work from a non-artist can produce something
A Kingless Realm 33
 much more evocative than a messy worksheet. There
are also numerous maps available online and from
other sources which the GM can use or modify. We
particularly like those from Dyson Logos.
A Somewhat Safe Haven
Secondly, the GM should be sure that the village is a
source of rest and aid for the PCs (unless, of course,
they do something during the course of play worthy
of true exile or shunning). There are troubles in the
village for certain, and the NPCs who live there will
need the characters for aid, but, as mentioned on p.41
of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures, the players
may tire of their friends and relations if they are only
used by the GM for plot hooks and placed in danger.
The witch can provide the characters with healing
magic or protection in need. The village elders, if
properly convinced, can muster the militia for the
characters to lead when the village is under attack.
Grandmother Weaver can share stories and lore for
the characters when they are lost as to how to solve
a problem; better yet, she can begin to tell the char-
acters’ own stories as they accomplish heroic deeds.
While characters regain hit points for any appropri-
ate rest, they only recover their Fortune Points when
truly as ease, usually between longer adventures.
While this does not strictly require being at home
in the village, that is the most probable location for
such recovery. Another way for the GM to reinforce
the importance of home is by emphasizing this rule
in play.
Not only will this opportunity for aid and rest keep
the PCs from rolling their eyes when the GM does
put a beloved NPC in danger, it is also likely to lead
to more interest on the part of the players. They will
care much more about saving the local fishermen who
have run afoul of a barbarian warband if those same
fishermen fed them last winter after the bad harvest,
than if they are constantly in danger and never a
source of help.
A Changing Home
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the game-
master should have the village change and grow over
the course of a campaign. If the PCs are out adven-
turing for a month or two at a time, they should not

Roll Downtime Event

1 A death. Due to disease, old age, or accident, an NPC in the village dies and is mourned. Who has
died? Who will need help with that person gone?
2 A birth. One of the NPCs in the village, perhaps even a family member of one of the PCs, gives birth
to a new child. Who are the new parents? Is this child a blessing, or is the family on hard times and
will face difficulty with another mouth to feed?
3 A wedding. Two NPCs get married. This could be two villagers known to the characters, or it could
be that one of the villagers marries someone from another land who comes to stay. Who was wed?
How do their families feel about the union?
4 Stranger in town. A group of travelers, perhaps merchants, wandering scholars, or even other
adventurers, settles in town for a time. Where are they staying? How do they behave?
5 New neighbors. Settlers from another area move into town. They might be from the next village
over or from more distant lands. Where do they build their homes? Where are they from? How do the
other villagers feel about the newcomers?
6 Natural disaster. A great storm, drought, flood, or other natural disaster befalls the village. Who is
hurt? How do the PCs help?
7 A skirmish. Whether with bandits, a rival village, or a marauding nobleman’s forces, the village
fends off a raid. Who attacked and why? If they were there, what did the PCs do? What was lost?
8 Fortune. One of the NPCs (or perhaps even a PC who practices a trade or runs a business) has great
fortune and earns twice as much as they usually do in silver or barter. Did the miners find a rich vein
of ore? Did the inn see exceptional traffic and generous patrons? Did the cobbler sell a bundle of shoes
to a wandering peddler? What will the villager do with her newfound wealth?

34 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

return to find things just as they were when they
left. The GM should exercise some restraint here,
however; the players are likely to tire of it if every
time they return they find that the village has suffered
a catastrophe. Sometimes that is great, but it is also
nice to return home to find that the smith’s son is
celebrating the birth of his first child, or that the
elders have raised funding for a palisade to protect
the village against attack.
Hand-in-hand with this, the gamemaster should
not be afraid of letting time lapse in game, especially
between adventures. If the characters’ lives are
constant adventure, exploration, and danger, it can
begin to stretch the limits of verisimilitude, particularly
if the characters themselves go from inexperienced
teenagers to the greatest warriors in the land over the
course of a few weeks within the fiction.
Instead, the GM should consider letting a month or
even a year pass between major story events. What
has happened in that time? Did one of the characters
earn a living as a craftsman? Did one of the major
NPCs fall ill and die? Who tended the crops?
Enterprising mages are also always eager for down-
time so that they can get some rolls in while studying
spells and rituals. This is great, but the GM should not
forget to ask them what else they are doing. How does
the mage earn his living? Where does he stay?
Our Tales of Years system presented on p.54 provides
a strong framework for this style of play. For groups
looking for a less elaborate and involved variation, we
provide simpler guidelines here.
Some groups even enjoy having a whole session, or
at least a good portion of a session, devoted to down-
time. The gamemaster can use such an opportunity
to describe daily life, important events, and the
PCs’ own less adventurous endeavors. Usually this
involves bouncing around from player to player, ask-
ing for one detail of what happened over the month or
the year; when the player describes an event, the GM
can run a quick scene featuring a conversation with
an NPC, a single ability score check, or the chance to
learn a bit of magic from hard study.
The GM should be sure to take her own turn in
such montage sessions or mini-sessions, using her
opportunity to narrate some events involving the
PCs’ friends and neighbors, or describing an unusual
event.
To aid the gamemaster, the following simple
downtime event table can get ideas flowing about
what might happen in the village either while the
characters are away or during a period of downtime.
Interesting Combat
Combat is often a major fixture in roleplaying games.
It is usually the part of the game that has the most
robust rules, and the part with the highest stakes.
In our games, we like combats to occur in varying
amounts from session to session. Sometimes, we
enjoy an action-packed evening featuring three or
more combat encounters, our characters facing
danger after danger as their hit points and Fortune
Points dwindle. Other sessions we prefer lengthy
social interactions and a few ability score checks with
no swordplay at all. On average, we have one or two
combats per session, but it truly does vary, and we
like it that way, as it makes the game feel natural and
the world feel complex.
To accomplish this, the GM should present a variety
of settings and problems before the characters and
then let the situation naturally dictate the events of
the session. This also gives the players an opportunity
to show the GM what interests them. When presented
with the risen dead ravaging the countryside, do
the players groan and try to get the problem solved
with as little excitement as possible? When there
are rival families causing trouble in the village, do
they perk up and want to have lengthy in-character
conversation? The answers to these questions tell
the GM a great deal, and they may vary from night to
night. Maybe the characters usually turn their noses
up at difficult social situations but suddenly become
interested after a couple of sessions crawling through
dungeons.
A Kingless Realm 35
 Fast Pace
When combat does occur, we like it fast and furious. Players’ Role in Fast Combat
The gamemaster can accomplish this with a couple of
tricks. There are a couple of things that players
can do to speed up combat and help the GM
First, players should be pressured to take their turns evoke this feeling.
in a round quickly. Arrows are flying, and there is no
First, players should familiarize themselves
time to sit and ponder over a spell list! In our games, with the rules of their own characters.
if a player sits idle for more than five or six seconds Instead of looking up how a Trait works
when it is his turn, the GM moves on. every time it comes up, they can make a
shorthand note on their character sheets to
This should never be done to punish the player or remember. The player of the mage can make
spell cards, at least for his most commonly
to seem draconian, but to keep the action moving. If
cast combat spells. At a minimum, players
the player has not declared his action because he is should be sure to have an accurate record
asking for more context or information about the of their to hit and damage rolls for each
scene, that is fine. Likewise, a player who needs a weapon in the space provided on their
moment to double check the rules for a spell or ability character sheets.
or to decide whether to spend a Fortune Point should
Another helpful tip: players can roll their
be given the chance, but never to the detriment of the
d20 to hit roll and their damage die at the
group or to the feeling of danger and haste. same time. If the blow lands, they already
know how much damage it does. If it miss-
One way to avoid having this feel like a punishment is es, they can simply ignore the damage roll.
simply to have the unsure player make their action at
the end of the round instead of missing it altogether.
The GM can simply say, “Okay, the orcs are approach-
In practice, this means that the PC with the highest
ing and about to swing! I’ll return to you at the end of
initiative will go and then (often even while he is roll-
the round.”
ing his attack) the GM will roll the attacks for the two
orcs attacking him, for instance. Then play will pass
In this style of play, new players should obviously be
to the next PC, his personal adversaries attacking
given some grace, especially when it comes to checking
either just before or just after he rolls his dice. This
a rule or asking for clarification on how they make a
makes things move much faster, and even helps with
roll. However, if the GM is trying to evoke the feeling
narration; after determining the outcome of the indi-
of danger and confusion, even new players should not
vidual PC’s attack and those of his foes, the GM can
be given too much leeway; it will only feel fast and
give a quick description of that particular piece of the
confusing if the GM truly does press the issue a bit.
action. “Cassandra, your staff swings wide and misses
If you have players who enjoy this style of combat,
the first orc, who manages to slash you across the
they will ultimately appreciate you pushing it a little,
cheek for two points of damage, while the second orc
even if they feel a bit frustrated at an individual lost
strikes clumsily at you as you step aside. Alright, Eric,
or delayed action.
your turn. What are you doing?”
Another way to make combat feel fast paced and
While we love it, there is a downside to using relative
uncertain is to use relative initiative scores. We have
initiative in this way. If, for instance, all of the char-
found that players sometimes get bored and the GM
acters have higher initiative scores than the group of
herself flustered if she has to roll all of the enemies’
orcs, then there are some clever tactics they might
attacks at once. Instead, we often have one or more
miss out on by having the orcs’ actions interspersed
adversaries square off with each PC and act either
throughout theirs. They are not at a significant dis-
before or after each individual PC’s action depending
advantage; if they were going to kill three orcs before
on whether they have higher or lower initiative scores.

36 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

they got to attack back, they still will. It will just occur
one at a time before each individual group of enemies
takes their turn. However, if one of the players was
going to leap to the aid of another and stand in the
orcs’ path before they attacked, the players might feel
cheated. By stating their intentions, the players can
still ensure that the GM knows they would like to do
things like this, and the GM can adjust accordingly.
Lastly, the GM can make combat go more quickly
by having a record sheet of the characters’ most
important statistics. Just having a sheet with the PCs
names, initiative scores, and armor class can speed
things up significantly. The gamemaster has a lot to
keep track of and can hardly be expected to know the
AC of each character, but she can prepare ahead of
time and keep it in her campaign folder. We provide
just such a sheet on p.182.
At the risk of repeating, it is worth adding an extra
caveat here: some groups do not like playing this
way. There are players who love pouring over the
minutiae of rules and spell descriptions, or coming
up with the perfect action to take in concert with
their allies. Admittedly, Beyond the Wall does not
offer much in the way of complex combat rules and
actions, and so those players are likely to gravitate to
other games, but the point stands. Players with such
proclivities will probably become irritated and think
the GM needlessly pushy if they are pressed to make
quick decisions and not allowed to make the desired
tactical choice.
More dangerously, a group may have one or two
players of this sort when the rest of the group is
looking for fast-paced combat as described above.
Even leaving aside desires for the feel of combat in a
roleplaying game, we all think at different paces on
different evenings, especially when being pressured
to make a decision while a beloved character’s life is
on the line. A group with drastically different desires
or speeds is much trickier to navigate.
In such a situation, the best decision is to compromise.
The rest of the group, and particularly the GM, can try
to slow down a little bit to accommodate the desires of
the more deliberate player, and that player can likewise
try to speed up just a bit and accept that every choice
will not be perfect. As always, talking about it between
sessions is the best course of action.
The Fog of War
Hand-in-hand with fast combat, we also enjoy a style
of combat that feels a little bit confusing. While some
groups like to play with detailed maps and beautiful
miniatures, we prefer quick sketches of relative
position, or even nothing at all to keep track of where
characters are in a fight. This is sometimes described
as “theatre of the mind” play.
In this style of play, the gamemaster has the duty of
letting the players know roughly how many enemies
the characters are facing and where they are coming
from, as well as the general shape of the battlefield,
but, beyond that, the group is left with some light,
intentional confusion about things.
Done well and with the right players, this can create
a true sense of desperation and immediate need in
combat. It can also give the players a sense of the con-
fusing and uncertain nature of a bloody battle where
no one is fully clear on what will happen next. Done
poorly, or with players who demand precise informa-
tion about the scene, frustration will occur.
To help create this style of play, the GM should feed the
players quick bits of information, preferably as she calls
on each of them for their action for a round. “John, the
wight is rising from its sarcophagus and you also hear
more men joining the tomb robbers behind you. What
do you do?” “Scott, the arrow you just missed with last
round has clattered off of the bronze doors at the back
of the room. Cassandra is about seven feet to your right
in a struggle with the giant snake. What do you do?”
“Peter, your last sword blow has left the necromancer
bloodied and wounded, but he is still on his feet and
has begun chanting and pointing to a magical circle in
the corner. What do you do?”
Another tip here is to be flexible. If the GM had imag-
ined the wight to be roughly sixteen feet away in the
large chamber, but the player was thinking more like
eight and says that his character leaps atop it, we usu-
ally let him. Only if it disrupts something important
in the scene, or seems highly improbable and jar-
ring to the image that the rest of the players had, do
A Kingless Realm 37
 we stop players who have a conflicting image of the moment to know that it does not replicate the effects
action. If a group is going to play in this manner, by of the powers of other characters in the immediate
its very nature, there must be flexibility. group.

Clever Maneuvers Secondly, the GM should let the character do it! If

As stated previously, Beyond the Wall has mostly the action is in the realm of the possible for a non-
simple and straight-foward rules for everything, superhero action or fantasy character from fiction,
combat included. This leaves the option for players then it will probably feel right and exciting in the
to come up with clever actions during a fight. game.

Especially considering the above bit on the ‘Fog of
War,’ we expect our players to come up with inter-
esting narration for their actions. Sometimes they
simply say, “I swing my sword!” but they are just as
likely to say, “I step to the side, my back against the
wall, and thrust directly into the necromancer’s gut.”
Often, these narrations are just for color, but it is
sometimes fun when the gamemaster allows them to
have special outcomes in the game. While a colorful
description of how a character attacks is still likely
just an attack roll, sometimes more is in order. If the
player says, “I leap from the wooden balcony of the
inn and dive on top of the thief, my dagger pointed
downward!” then it is not an ordinary attack.
While the specifics are too myriad to give any precise
rules here, as a general guideline, the GM should
assess a relevant ability score check for the action,
a positive outcome or bonus should it succeed, and
a penalty or drawback should it fail. “Okay, John,
you can make that leaping attack. You will need to
succeed on a Dexterity check with a -3 penalty. Skills
like Athletics can help. If you succeed on the Dex
check and then make a successful roll to hit, the attack
will do double damage, but if you fail the Dex check,
you will take 1d4 points of falling damage for landing
badly and turning your ankle.”

Beyond the Wall leaves the outcome of such actions

squarely in the hands of the GM, and this is inten-
tional, even if not to every roleplayer’s tastes. We
recommend a few rules of thumb when determining
what happens when players get creative in this way.

First no special action of this sort should reproduce

the precise abilities of another character’s special
abilities, spells, or Traits. It is not much fun to spend
a character’s precious, single Trait choice on the
‘Duelist’ Trait, only for the GM to give the exact same
bonus to another character on a regular basis because
of clever descriptions.

This is one of the reasons for having simple rules in

the first place; if the rulebook contains guidelines for
dozens of special attacks, the GM is hard pressed to
remember whether the player’s description matches
any of them. On the other hand, even with a simple
game, it can be hard to be certain that a given
action is not replicating the effects of any rule in the
whole game or in its supplements. It is enough in the

38 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

Making Equipment Matter
Another way to make the simple and straightforward
combat rules of Beyond the Wall more interesting
is to pay attention to the characters’ equipment and
make it matter. It is a fact that, by the book, there is
no reason to take a short sword rather than a long-
sword, save a slightly lower cost. The short sword
does less damage for no real benefit.
In game, the gamemaster can use the characters’
surroundings to make equipment choices more
interesting. One such way is described in the rules
on p.13 of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
regarding the penalty to stealth checks when wearing
heavy armor. We will start there. This rule is often
forgotten! It is a great way to give the characters a
reason to wear lighter armor. The knight or legion-
naire may need to discard his suit of plate when
storming a castle at night.
The GM can use similar considerations to make other
equipment choices matter. Are the characters fight-
ing in close quarters or with a military formation?
Maybe the longsword wielder deserves a -1 penalty
to hit in such a situation, while the short sword
wielder is not penalized. Are they marching in single
file down an underground corridor when attacked by
goblins? Only the first character can attack in that
case, but what if the second character has a spear?
Why would one character carry a longsword and a
shield, but another just a longsword? Perhaps the
latter character needs to hold the lantern or have a
hand free to cast a spell. A greatsword, strictly by the
rules, is the best weapon in the game, but a character
swinging one in a particularly small room may
strike an ally a glancing blow for one point of
damage should he miss his attack roll by 10 or more.
A longbow is difficult to maneuver or draw almost
anywhere save on the field of battle.
There are also social implications to weapons and
armor. The GM is encouraged to have a nobleman’s
retinue require the party to leave their arms outside
the gate when visiting with the lord, but a woods-
man’s handaxe or any of the characters’ daggers may
be allowed. The guardsmen of a large city will likely
let those unarmored or wearing leathers or even chain
into the gates, but it would not be unusual for them to
bar entry to an unknown man in full plate with a two-
handed axe strapped to his back.
A character’s equipment likely says a lot about her
social station, or at least will lead others to make such
assumptions. If she is wearing a longsword at her
hip while walking about town, she will probably be
assumed to be a noble. Her companion with a bow and
quiver on his back will probably be taken for a hunter (if
he is allowed to carry such equipment past the gate at
all), or, if armored and equipped with other weapons, a
mercenary soldier instead. Sometimes it is best for the
characters to leave their war mantles at home. If they do
so, they may need to rely on daggers, or perhaps a short
sword or a staff, should they be attacked. In situations
like this, suddenly the warrior may wish that he had
used his weapon specialization on something less
conspicuous than a great axe.
The Oddity of Hit Points
To be sure, hit points are a strange game mechanic.
Just what are they? What do they represent? Why can
a first level warrior fall to two sword thrusts, but a
seventh level warrior can withstand a dozen? When
surrounded by archers in an open field and ordered
to stand down, can high level PCs simply attack, sure
that their high armor class and hit point total will
mean that they will emerge relatively safe, looking
like pin cushions, bleeding in many places, but other-
wise as hearty as they were before the first adventure
of the same campaign?
There is no easy answer here, and the best way to
handle hit points is a source of much debate.
We prefer for the hit points of first and second level
characters to be a rough representation of how
much physical damage they have taken, each attack
representing a wound of some sort. We do not narrate
individual attacks that cause a few points of damage
as gruesome spear thrusts to the gut, but rather as
smaller cuts, bruises, and abrasions. The arrow that
brought a character from 10 hit points to 6 landed,
but is a light wound to the shoulder. The sword blow
which brought the warrior from 12 hit points to 10 is
a shallow cut to his hand. Only when characters fall
to 0 hit points do we begin to describe more serious
wounds.
A Kingless Realm 39
 For higher level characters, however, we play with
our narration a bit more. In the fiction emulated by
Beyond the Wall, no hero is immune to swords, fire,
or arrows. We assume, then, that hit points beyond 20
or so represent instead improved fighting capabilities,
grit, and luck. When narrating damaging attacks
above this hit point level, we do occasionally mention
a cut to the arm or a grazing blow, but we are just as
likely to describe a narrow miss that results in slipped
footing, a loss of focus, or a light sprain.
If the gamemaster chooses to describe hit point loss in
this manner, she should also do the same for healing.
Only in dire circumstances need she narrate the
effects of a healing potion or spell as literally closing
bleeding wounds and knitting broken flesh. Instead,
such healing actions can slow bleeding, restore energy
and vigor, and clear the head.
Morale and Flight
Some sister games of Beyond the Wall and Other
Adventures have interesting rules for monster
morale which help the gamemaster determine when
the characters’ adversaries will give up the fight and
quit the field. While we do not have such rules, we
certainly enjoy the principle, and make regular use of
it in our games.
While a group of mindless zombies or skeletons may
fight to the last, most sentient beings will not. The
gamemaster should consider the motivations, drives,
and will of any opponents facing the characters and
have them act in accordance when losing a fight.
By having NPCs and monsters flee or surrender
when badly beaten, the GM can accomplish two
things. First, she can stop fights with little at stake
or in doubt before they become boring. While it is
occasionally exciting to experience a battle where the
heroes are clearly the stronger party, there is usually
nothing more tedious than rolling out the attacks of a
dozen more kobolds after the first thirty have fallen to
a group of eighth level PCs.
40 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Much more importantly, a foe who flees or surrenders
is one whom the PCs did not kill. This means that it is
a foe they have the chance to spare, a villain who can
be reformed, or an adversary who can be forced to an
oath or a truce. The heroes in our games are hardly
pacifists, and they do kill enemies, but we also like
them to show mercy and find better ways to solve a
problem. If the GM’s monsters always try to kill the
PCs with every chance they get, down to their last hit
point, the game is tacitly encouraging the characters
to become more murderous and less forgiving. It
should go without saying that, in order to encourage
noble actions on the part of PCs, they should still
receive experience points for defeated but not killed
foes as described on p.26 of Beyond the Wall and
Other Adventures.
We leave decisions about when a monster or NPC gives
in to the GM. The circumstances can vary so wildly, we
think it is best for the gamemaster to make the call.
As an aid, the GM may use the following as a starting
point when considering the morale of the characters’
foes and when they are likely to flee or surrender.
If the GM is looking for a die roll to suggest whether
adversaries flee or not, we recommend two options.
First, once the circumstances suggest that the ene-
mies are likely to consider flight as suggested below,
the GM can roll a die each round (until circumstances
change, such as if the battle turns again in their favor).
Each round the shaken foes have a 50% chance to flee
or surrender, whichever is more appropriate for the
situation.
Even more fun, after passing the threshold at which
the foes would consider flight, the GM can give the
most conspicuous player character a chance to make
a Charisma check, perhaps modified based on the
strength of the opposition. Success means that the
enemies give up.
Mindless Creatures - this category of foe includes
the weakest of the living dead and certain other
unusual beings, such as animated objects or mobile but
unthinking walls. They are relentless and will fight to
the last unless called away or distracted by something
else.
Beasts - creatures of roughly animal intelligence can
vary wildly in how long they will fight and against
what odds. In general, a common bear or wolf has
little interest in sticking in a fight after being seriously
wounded. A pack of the creatures will be very likely
to flee if they are outnumbered and have lost 10% of
their number or so.
On the other hand, in some circumstances, such
creatures will fight to the death. A mother protecting
her cubs, or a beast driven mad by disease or pain, or
even one who simply sees no means of egress and is
cornered may well fight to the death.
Sentient Creatures - men, some faeries, and other sentient
beings are driven largely by their own individual motiva-
tions. Most have a strong sense of self-preservation, and so
are unlikely to fight to the death, but sentient beings often
also hold strong beliefs or have goals for which they are
willing to suffer or even die.
Non-combatants, like common villagers, are unlikely
to continue to fight after being even lightly wounded
unless they are defending their homes from certain
destruction or they believe that they will be slaught-
ered after surrender.
Trained soldiers are much sturdier folk. While they
are very unlikely to fight to the last man, a group of
soldiers are unlikely to run when wounded, or even
when taking casualties. Not until they have lost 20%
or so of their number will they begin to consider it.
Note that not all of these fallen soldiers are necessarily
dead. All but the most determined of soldiers will
probably run when 40% of their comrades have fallen
in battle.
Honorable templars protecting their lord’s keep, rival
adventurers on a vital mission, or the insane followers
of a wicked cult are a different matter. Foes of this
sort are likely to fight even to the death, though they
will probably consider their situation when taking
60% casualties.
Supernatural Foes - demons, elemental spirits,
and some faeries are so unusual and varied that no
guidelines will suffice. Most demons are functionally
immortal, simply being banished to another realm
should they fall in battle, and so they will not flee
under any circumstances. On the other hand, some
demons have a vested interest in staying in this
world to accomplish some task or another, and so
they are likely to flee when threatened seriously. All
adversaries of this sort are unique, even more than
in other circumstances, the GM must use her best
judgment when determining their morale.
Magical Magic
The nature of magic in Beyond the Wall can be tricky
to understand. While we write regularly about the
rarity of magic in the game, and with the intention
of creating the feeling of a mostly mundane world
with strangeness on the edges, there is no denying
that there are plenty of fae, undead, and goblins in
our Playbooks and Scenario Packs, a witch in every
village, lists of magical items, and many mage or
multiclass mage character options available in the
game.
A Kingless Realm 41
 Common Magic, Uncommon Mages
One way of viewing this dichotomy is to accept a
world where the magical is everywhere, though often
unnoticed, but where spellcasters are very rare. The
village might have a well or spring with subtle healing
properties, and the woods may be alive with super-
natural threats for those foolish enough to venture
there at night, but the witch rarely, if ever, casts
obvious spells in the presence of the villagers, and
they have probably never met a true wizard like those
they hear about in legends.
Keep magic subtle, even if common. The aforemen-
tioned blessed well in the village is almost certainly
called magical by the villagers, but they do not view
it as they would a mighty wizard who calls lightning
from the sky. The former is part of the tapestry of
daily life, however special, while the latter is danger-
ous and to be feared.
As mentioned on p.12 of Beyond the Wall and Other
Adventures, true spellcasters are very rare. Across an
entire campaign map as described in Further Afield,
there might be 40 spellcasters, leaving aside monsters,
demons, and faeries. Over half of these would be the
equivalent of first level mages, and perhaps three or
four of them would be over fifth level. Some worlds
might feature only a single mage of such power.
Despite this rarity, are there two or three mages or
multiclass mages in the group? Very well, that is as it
should be! The PCs are exceptional, and their actions
are likely to change the world.
There is other magic than that of mages, however.
The smith three villages over might have such a talent
with working metal that her horseshoes never need
repair or her daggers never rust. The weaver in the
nearest town may have a loom which has been in
her family for generations and produces cloth which
keeps the wearer always dry or protects as well as

Roll Cantrip Mishap

1 The cantrip goes off mostly as intended, with a small twist of some sort. Perhaps the magelight appears
as a strange color, or emanates from an unintended but still mostly useful place. Perhaps the blessing
affects another ally than the one intended, or gives a bonus to the target’s next roll of a different type
than the one stated.
2 The cantrip has its intended results, but with a strange side effect of some sort. Perhaps the hexing is
successful, but then gives the target a bonus to its next roll after the hexed action. Perhaps the mage
is able to speak to the pack of wolves, but then finds that all animals try to talk to her until the next
moonrise.
3 The cantrip is successful, but additionally produces the effects of a completely unrelated type of magic.
These additional effects should be roughly equivalent in power to a spell, and may be beneficial or
harmful. Perhaps the mage produces a magical light and simultaneously curses an ally with the witch
laughter. Perhaps the caster turns on second sight but also produces a jet of flames from his hands.
4 The intended cantrip does not happen, and an unrelated effect happens instead. This effect should be
roughly equivalent in power to another cantrip or a spell. Perhaps the mage attempts to encourage a
plant to grow, but instead cloaks the area in a mysterious silence. Perhaps a blessing results instead
in the target being surrounded by shimmering, multihued lights.
5 The cantrip produces the opposite of its intended effect. These effects should remain roughly equal in
power to other cantrips. An attempt at producing magelight instead covers an area in darkness. An
intended blessing instead curses the target.
6 The cantrip produces the opposite of its intended effect in an intensified manner. These effects should
be roughly equal in power to a spell. A blessing results in the target or the caster herself being cursed
with a penalty to all rolls for three days. An intended invocation of second sight renders the caster
completely blind until a good night’s rest.

42 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

leather armor. The young boy with a green thumb
who lives on the farmstead may sing to his plants in
such a way that they grow at twice the rate of those
tended by others. None of these folk are mages, and
none of them can cast a single spell, but there is a
magic about them nonetheless.
Supernatural Creatures
What of faeries, goblins, and dragons? The world
hinted at in the Playbooks and Scenario Packs is
one where everyone has a story of these creatures,
but most folks have not seen them themselves. Such
beings are rare and storied, and not a part of everyday
life. At least they are until the game starts, that is.
Just as the classic stories of young adult fantasy it
seeks to emulate, Beyond the Wall is intended to tell
tales of great but untested heroes living in momentous
times. Maybe no one in the village has seen a goblin
in three generations, but they certainly will when
the Goblin King comes to claim a forgotten debt and
the characters must rally the villagers to defeat him.
Begin with simple stories, but let the legendary seep
into the mundane as play proceeds.
While considering this, however, never forget to tell
some stories with little or no magic present. Even
when the Goblin King is a large and long-term danger
in the campaign, there are still bandits to face,
noblemen’s disputes to settle, and natural disasters
which threaten the village.
Regarding characters of a folk other than human,
such as those made with our fantastical creatures
Playbooks, the default assumption is that they are
the only people of their sort in the village. What
do the villagers think of the dwarven craftsman or
halflings farmer who has taken up residence in town?
Likely, most of them are used to these folks by now,
but they will probably still be the source of rumor and
sometimes suspicion. Does a faerie lord, like an elven
highborn, live in one of the rooms of the inn? That
is strange indeed! And what do people think when
he starts leading the village youths on adventures to
the barrows or forests outside their palisades? Most
villagers will be dubious, even if they have come to
think of that same faerie lord as their neighbor and
have generally grown to trust him.
Casting Higher Level Rituals
On p.56 of Beyond the Wall and Other
Adventures, there are rules for casting
unknown rituals with a large penalty.
They still state, however, that a character
must be of the appropriate level in order to
attempt the ritual.
If the group desires, they may allow charac-
ters in great need to attempt to cast rituals
of levels beyond their capabilities. In such
an instance, the mage must have access to
information about the ritual, such as in a
spellbook, and must have all of the necessary
components. She then receives a penalty to
the casting roll equal to 10 + the level of the
ritual. This will almost certainly result in
a failed casting roll. Remember, however,
that rituals still produce their effects when
their checks are failed, just with altered
results or side effects.
If choosing to allow this, the group or GM
is saying, “Hey, your level two mage is
desperate and wants to summon a great
wall of stone to protect her home? Okay,
you’ll have to find a book with one of the
rarest rituals in the world, you’ll need to
gather components probably far outside
your league, and, unless you roll a 1, you
will fail the casting. But you’ll get your wall
of stone! Who knows what will come with
it, though.”
When visitors come to town, or when the elven or
dwarven characters travel to other villages, their
nature will be the source of more talk. Some will treat
them with fear, some respect, and many awe. Others
may simply mistake them for very unusual men and
women, never guessing at their true nature.
Dangerous Spellcasting
Another conceit of magic in Beyond the Wall is that it
is unpredictable and often dangerous. In game terms,
spells are rather safe, but cantrips and rituals can
sometimes go awry.
As described on p.47 of Beyond the Wall and Other
Adventures, when a mage fails a cantrip roll, the player
A Kingless Realm 43
 may decide either to exhaust the character’s magical
powers for the day, or to have the magic run out of
control. The GM is encouraged not to make cantrip
miscasts too punishing, at least not all the time. She
can certainly, though, use the opportunities to high-
light the unpredictable nature of magic. It is always
best to use the current circumstances of the game and
the GM’s own creativity to determine the exact effects
of a miscast. If stuck, however, the gamemaster may
use the following table to get an idea of what sort of
trouble the magic causes.
We will consider a selection of level one rituals and
examples of what might happen if the caster fails the
casting roll.
Circle of Protection - When failed, the circle works as
intended, but additionally affects all those who try to
enter, regardless of their natures or alignments. The
caster may even find himself stuck in his own circle
for a time.
Goodberry - When failed, the mage produces the
berries, and they heal as intended. In fact, they all
heal an additional point of damage (for a total of 2),
save one. This cursed berry instead will cause its
victim to lose 1d4 points of damage.
Staff of Might - When failed, the mage’s staff is blessed
as intended, but now also glows with an unearthly
and very conspicuous light for the duration of the
ritual’s effects.
Steed of the Sorcerer - When failed, the mage sum-
mons his trusty steed, but the horse is more spirited
than usual. The mount will only obey the caster’s
orders upon a successful Charisma check, and will
ride twice as fast.
Magic, Not Science
The primary purpose of unintended consequences
from failed cantrip and ritual casting rolls is to make
magic feel otherworldly, unpredictable, and strange.
There are other ways that the gamemaster can evoke
this feeling as well.
Some fantasy stories or settings describe magic as
a defined collection of knowledge, with magicians
44 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
seeming almost like scientists. The stories which
inspire Beyond the Wall do not do this. Magic is never
certain. It is difficult, dangerous, and its results can
always have unintended consequences.
For groups looking for other ways to push this feeling,
we suggest allowing the players of mages to attempt
unusual effects or interactions with their magics.
This requires flexibility on the part of the GM and
creativity on the part of the players, and should never
be overused.
There are many ways to encourage this kind of
creativity with players. Does one of them have a
neat idea about casting a cantrip ‘into’ an object
while crafting a magical item? Does another have an
idea for what happens when two of his rituals have
complimentary effects? The GM can reward such
clever ideas, but should always do so thoughtfully in
order to avoid increasing the power of the spellcast-
ing characters.
The effects of most spells are rather strictly defined,
but the player of a mage could have fun combining
spells or even casting counter-magics against an
enemy wizard. What happens when a mage summons
fires and then blows upon them with a gust of magical
wind? What occurs when one mage attempts to
abjure a dangerous ghost while his ally casts Banish
the Dead on it in the same round? Mages are already
powerful, and the group should be careful that they
do not become too dominant because of these interac-
tions, but a quick-witted GM can make magic feel much
more exciting by coming up with some interesting
effects in these situations. Perhaps the first mage
failed to abjure the ghost, but the weakened and
distracted target receives a significant penalty to its
saving throw against the second caster’s spell.
Perhaps when one mage shrouds an area in darkness
which his rival clears by summoning a mage light,
the effects do not simply cancel one another out,
but instead create a mystical twilight in the area for
several days.
The gamemaster does not have to create interesting
interactions in this manner all the time. Even doing
so once every four or five sessions will add to the
strangeness of spellcasting.
Rituals are the most powerful magic in the game.
The player of a mage may have some creative ideas
about how to change the effects of a ritual his
character knows. What if a mage wants to use Circle
of Protection not to make a protective ring, but
instead to create a barrier at a door or gate? We allow
mages to effect such minor twists, but assign a small
penalty to the casting roll, like a -1 or -2.
Likewise, what if a mage has great need of a ritual but
lacks the components necessary to cast it? Perhaps
the player can come up with alternate components
which have similar magical significance and then
attempt the ritual with a penalty. Again, a creative GM
can have a lot of fun with this. Is the mage unable to
find a fire elemental in order to cast Fireball, but does
have access to the hearthfires of an ancient temple?
Maybe the mage can try the ritual with a -4 penalty,
failure meaning that she produces the fireball but also
draws the attention of the deity itself.
With enough downtime, mages should be able
to produce variants of the rituals or spells they
already know. A character who has been casting the
Staff of Might ritual since level one may now find
herself a mighty sorceress of sixth level. Perhaps with
six weeks of study, she might invent a new ritual of
sixth level which further enchants her staff. The GM
should treat this just as learning any other sixth level
ritual, and the group should approve the effects and
required components together. Such a ritual might
look like this:
Level Six Ritual
Greater Staff of the Sorceress
(Wisdom)
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 week/level craftsmen might produce minor magical items.
Save: no
The caster imbues her staff with newfound powers.
The weapon gains a +3 bonus to hit and damage, and
may harm any foe, regardless of any special powers
or protections. Additionally, should the caster roll a
natural 20 to hit with this weapon, it will cause an
additional 1d8 points of damage. This ritual only
works on a staff which has previously been blessed
with the level one ritual Staff of Might.
In addition to a staff or cudgel previously blessed with
Staff of Might, the caster requires water from a holy
or magical spring, and a stone or small piece of ore
of some significance, such as a rock from the depths
of a dwarven kingdom, a chunk of meteoric iron, or
a bar of moonsilver. The rock or ore is submerged in
the water, along with the staff. As the water bubbles
and smokes, the ore or rock is consumed, but the staff
emerges whole and enchanted.
Magical Items
In addition to the cantrips, spells, and rituals of mages,
characters often also have magical items of many
different types. Enchanted swords, faerie tokens, and
healing potions are all staples of fantasy gaming.
Too easy access to such items can cheapen their
importance, and make players treat them without the
significance they deserve. On the other hand, much of
our source fiction is full of relics and magical objects, and
most players enjoy the interest they bring to the game.
The GM can balance these desires by having low level
magical items be somewhat more common (though
still rare), and by having their origins not come from
the works of great wizards, but rather from the magic
of the natural world. Every character does not need
access to a dozen alchemist’s potions clanging from
his belt, for instance, if the work of an “ordinary”
herbalist can produce interesting effects, such as
those described on p.9 of Heroes Young and Old.
Alternatively, a bargain with faeries might allow the
characters access to some small amount of their wine
each autumn, which might heal the imbiber of 1d4+1
damage when drunk.
Just above, we describe the ways that exceptional
Further Afield, on p.50, describes three different
ways to create magical items, and only one of them is
the work of sorcerers.
Save the truly powerful items for storied objects of
great import. The game mechanics and needs of
play might tell the group that a warrior is in need
of a magical sword to defeat a wicked phantom; in
this instance, a journey to a fabled blacksmith and a
hefty barter might be enough to get the character a +1
A Kingless Realm 45
 longsword. A character coming into possession of the
Frostbrand, however, should have greater weight in
the story. A blade of such power might have been in
her family for generations and must be found in her
grandfather’s tomb, or it may be hidden in a danger-
ous cavern, or it might be the gift of a powerful noble
whose realm was saved by the character. In any event,
she is unlikely to relinquish the blade, and the GM is
encouraged not to have her replacing the sword after
three or four sessions with an even greater weapon,
or, worse, carrying around a bag of magical weapons
of great power and choosing which to use from round
to round. An object with more than two powers or
which grants a +3 or greater bonus to rolls should be
a source of wonder.
Another way to encourage this feel is to use items that
grow in power with the characters as they level. We
call these ‘Legendary Items,’ and several examples
are presented in the next chapter.
46 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Artifacts are the most powerful magical items in
Beyond the Wall. Examples can be found on p.71
of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures, p.51 of
Further Afield, and p.52 of Dangers Near and Far.
As those examples show, artifacts have serious
ramifications for a campaign, often becoming the
focus of the whole game or at least a major story arc.
We often run campaigns with no artifacts appearing at
all, or maybe just one. Save these items for truly earth-
shaking events.
Motivated NPCs
and Multiple Threads
How does a gamemaster balance the desire to have
plots and events which drive the action of a campaign
with the ever important aspect of player-driven story
and character motivations? How can she dangle
hooks, present a breathing world, or weave an epic
narrative without robbing the PCs of their place in
the story? How can she help to tell a memorable tale
without “railroading” her players?
The answer, as we have found time and again in
our own games over the years, lies in crafting and
managing a cast of motivated and interesting NPCs.
By thinking about the desires and activities of the
campaign’s villains, mentors, and other important
NPCs, a skilled gamemaster can present the illusion
of a living, breathing world. Take, for instance, the
classic trope of an elderly wizard who hires or inspires
the player characters to investigate and ultimately
thwart an evil dark lord. If handled clumsily, the play-
ers might yawn, take the bait grudgingly, and then
complain about just being along for the ride while the
GM tells her own personal, pet story. No gamemaster
wants bored players or, worse yet, to be accused of
being a frustrated novelist.
If, on the other hand, the gamemaster devotes some
time between sessions to determining the interests of
the elderly wizard and the machinations of the evil dark
lord, she can present the story hook as only one of many
possible avenues for adventure. Do the PCs decline the
call to adventure? Then what will the elderly wizard do?
More importantly, what will the dark lord accomplish
without the PCs to stop him? Our Threat Packs can
serve as good models for this type of NPC design.
Hand-in-hand with the consideration of NPC moti-
vation comes perhaps an even more important piece
of advice: good gamemasters often have several story
hooks and plot threads going at once. Yes, the elderly
wizard might be in town to seek the aid of the heroes,
and, yes, that is a worthy goal, but there is also the
matter of Farmer Aelfric’s missing livestock, the
unrequited love of two of the characters’ childhood
friends, and the rumored goblin hole beneath the local
lord’s keep. Which of these various pursuits will the
characters tackle first? How will the others progress
while they are trying to solve the one they choose? Are
any of these things related to one another?
The gamemaster can make the world and its cast
of characters come alive with less effort than it
might first appear. Rather than designing elaborate
dungeons or a scripted series of scenes (as we often
did in our youth), we instead tend to prepare for our
adventures by scribbling notes on a sheet of paper or
two about who is doing what and when. In this way,
the PCs can go about their business or undertake one
quest while other things are afoot in the world. This
helps greatly with player agency; there is a world of
difference between choosing between one of three
plot hooks and having only a single train to jump
aboard, even if all three of the ideas exist only as a
few paragraphs and a hasty timeline of events in the
GM’s notes.
Even in a one-shot or single adventure, having but
one plot moving in the background can make the
PCs become doggedly single-minded. For this very
reason, our Scenario Packs tend to feature red
herrings, side quests, or multiple adversaries. If the
only thing happening in the village is goblin raids,
then the best course of action becomes immediately
apparent when the heroes discover the location of the
villains’ warren. The decision of what to do is much
more interesting for the players and their characters
if, just as they discover the site of the warren, there
is a fire at the inn and a traveling market has arrived
to set up shop. Now the players have to weigh their
options. Will they go straight to the warren, leaving
the inn to its fate and missing out on the wonders and
potential aid of the market? Will they split up to try
to deal with two things at once? Will they risk giving
the goblins another chance to attack in the hopes of
purchasing a book of spells at the market, or gather-
ing the villagers to help them?
This method truly begins to shine with a group of
players who wish to develop and explore their own
PCs’ motivations. If the Nobleman’s Wild Daughter
wishes to prove herself by winning a tourney, the
Village Hero wants to aid a neighboring village with
their worg problems, and the Novice Templar hopes
to set out in search of a buried temple to his god,
then the GM’s job is easy. One or two other things
happening in the village or the wider world will mean
that the players have a host of options before them,
and they will feel all the more motivated for the
choices they will have to make.
A brief word of warning is in order: following this
advice too fervently can make the players or char-
acters feel overwhelmed. If they never get to pursue
their own motivations because there are too many
crises on the horizon, or if they can never accomplish a
goal because other dangers continually present them-
selves, the GM could find that her efforts produce the
opposite of the intended effect. Some moderation and
balance are required. The gamemaster should read
the room and check in with the players to see how the
campaign is feeling, and should be prepared to adjust
from session-to-session as need be. As always, “know
your players” is the most important advice.
Decisions & Ramifications
The above section provides advice on managing NPCs
and plot hooks in order to provide choice and options
for the players. The final piece of the puzzle for giving
the players a sense of agency and impact lies with the
ramifications of their decisions within the game.
Clever gamemasters are always thinking of what
happens next when their players act. Did the PCs
manage to stop the marauding band of goblins? What
does that mean for their status in the village? Are they now
celebrated as heroes? If so, what are the ramifications
of that? Will they now be sought by neighboring villages
or pestered with hangers-on and would-be apprentices?
Or, instead of being praised, are they mistaken for part
of the problem because of how they approached the
issue? What about the goblins’ own rivals and allies?
Have the heroes attracted their attention?
A Kingless Realm 47
 The characters’ actions must have weight in the world
for the players to remain engaged, and at least some
of the story elements in a campaign must flow from
one to the other for a cohesive narrative to emerge.
When important events occur in an adventure, the
GM can introduce logical ramifications by having a
quick pause between sessions or even during a game
to ask a few questions.
• How did the heroes’ actions appear to the
rest of the village or to other NPCs? Did they
seem brave or crazy?
• Whom did this event anger? What might
they do as a result?
• Whom did this event please? What might
they do as a result?
• Who is now free to act in ways they were not
before? Have old magics been unleashed, or
old gods awakened? Does a greedy trader
have a newfound monopoly?
• What systems are affected by this event?
Consider the local economy, the balance of
power in a region, or even the hierarchy of
the wildlife.
When the GM asks herself these things, it is best to
take a breath and give an impartial eye to the matter.
She should try to remember that, for instance, the
local villagers were not with the heroes during their
adventure and may not have a full understanding of
what happened, or that the nearby predators may not
care for the social implications of a recent monster
hunt, but only that they are no longer threatened or
contained by the beast that was slain.
As with the final piece of advice in the previous section,
moderation is important when using this approach.
The heroes deserve to have a respite some days, and
all of their actions cannot immediately lead to new
troubles. Sometimes, they haven’t angered anyone
or accidentally freed an ancient demon, and they just
get a win and rest. Still, some thinking along these
lines is another tool to help the world feel alive and to
minimize the work of the gamemaster.
48 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Optional Systems
Across its supplements, Beyond the Wall has added
multiple optional subsystems. The inclusion of these
systems in a campaign is ultimately left to the group
as a whole, but the gamemaster plays a particularly
important role in their selection. While all of the
players will interact with such rules, and they will
change the feel of the game for everyone at the table,
it is the GM who will have to administer them, and it
is her responsibility to ensure that the rules remain
manageable for the group.
Experienced players will be comfortable using any of
these optional systems; after all, the core rules of the
game are easily mastered in an evening or two, and
each of these add-ons is either simple in its own right,
only situationally applicable, or both. Nonetheless,
a campaign can become convoluted if they are not
chosen carefully, or, worse yet, if a group chooses to
incorporate them when they are counter to the players’
desires for the game. There is nothing worse, for
instance, than drawing a group’s attention and focus
to the ‘War and Battle’ rules when the players or GM
have, as their primary goal, a combat-light campaign
about low-level heroes navigating complex social
situations with the craftsmen and nobles of a region.
Additionally, Beyond the Wall is often considered to
be part of the OSR, or Old School Renaissance. This is
a family of games which share similar base mechanics,
and one of their great advantages is that they are
all largely compatible with one another. Many more
subsystems or add-on mechanics ideas can be found
in these various games, and most should be easily
included in a game of Beyond the Wall.
But best of all, these subsystems can serve as inspira-
tion to the gamemaster for devising her own new rules.
A clever GM can invent a new subsystem like these in
order to highlight the focus of her group’s campaign
or to keep her players interested in their favorite parts
of the game. Does the group crave more detail when
dungeon-delving? Perhaps a more elaborate system
for tracking light sources or encumbrance is in order.
Do the players want the management of an estate to
be central to their stories? An entrepreneurial GM can
devise rules for tracking expenditures, repairs, and
the household. Is everyone interested in dangerous,
realistic, or survival-oriented sessions? Introduce a
simple tally system to track the wear and damage of
the characters’ gear, or use more specific penalties for
lasting injuries and wounds.
To assist the gamemaster with the task of choosing
which of the existing subsystems to use, if any,
we provide below a brief summary of the most
prominent examples, as well as references for where
to find them and guidance regarding their complexity
and benefits. Dangers Near and Far has an index of
Traits, cantrips, spells, rituals, threat packs, character
playbooks and scenario packs starting on p.55 which
may also prove useful.
Traits
Character Traits are a very simple add-on which
allows players a chance to customize their PCs. Traits
tend to offer either situational bonuses or powers, or
to change a character’s attributes. The complexity of
this system is all (or at least mostly) on the player
end, with very little for the GM to manage. Traits are
a good choice for most groups, provided the players
don’t mind adding one or two more things to remem-
ber about their characters.
Traits are introduced on p.32 of Further Afield. More
can be found on p.10 of Heroes Young and Old and
on p.29 of this volume.
Campaign Locations
For groups looking to jumpstart a campaign on a
wider map, the locations system introduced on p.4 of
Further Afield can provide a lot of grist for the mill.
Since this system introduces places on the game map,
there are no complications, save for the GM to track
how accurate the player characters were in describing
the locations.
Travel and Regions
Also introduced in Further Afield, these rules for
traveling, managing supplies, exploring regions on
a hex map, and facing encounters are helpful in a
longer campaign. There are a few things for the GM to
keep track of with these rules, though they can make
traveling across the map smoother over the course of
a campaign and can actually lower her stress in the
long run.
When do I choose subsystems?
Despite the advice about deciding on sub-
systems presented in this section, the truth
is that the GM and the group can choose
to add or remove them from a campaign
at any time. There is no reason to make a
campaign decision about whether to use
‘War and Battle,’ for instance, until or
unless the campaign begins to feature larger
conflicts. Even the add-ons which seem
to suggest themselves for inclusion at the
beginning of a campaign can be added
later; characters can earn Traits after a
few adventures, and the GM can call for a
session of location generation whenever she
chooses, for instance.
We admit to using the various subsystems
when it suits us in our own campaigns. In
one session, a large conflict might be a back-
drop to a more personal scene, in another
it might be abstracted by a single roll, and
in yet another we might use the full ‘War
and Battle’ rules. The GM should feel free to
try things out and use them when the mood
strikes.
The rules for this subsystem are found in several
chapters of Further Afield, starting on p.14 and p.22.
Sample regions are given on p.70. Tables for the
regions of the Broken Kingdom setting are given on
p.151 of this volume.
Threats
A system for semi-automated campaign villains and
dangers, Threat Packs can make the gamemaster’s
life easy, but are designed for a few particular types
of threats, which might not serve her interests for a
particular campaign. They can interact with character
creation, which makes them more involved if used
at the start of a campaign, but use a worksheet to
require a very light amount of work to manage.
The rules for Threats are detailed on p.16 of Further
Afield, and several sample Threat Packs are given
on p.75 of the same book. More Threat Packs can be
found on p.61 of Dangers Near and Far. Advice on
using Threats in the Broken Kingdom can be found
on p.49 and p.131 of this volume.
A Kingless Realm 49
 Combat Stances
Described on p.69 of Further Afield, combat stances
provide some fun options for characters when fighting.
They are a good option for groups looking for more
tactical depth to their fights.
Stances require tracking some modifiers by both the
players and the gamemaster. While the modifiers
are quite simple, they can become a hassle for some
players to remember, as they are in effect at all times
during combat. The 2-page character sheet has the
stances and their associated modifiers listed for ease
of use.
War and Battle
Detailed on p.21 of Dangers Near and Far, the ‘War
and Battle’ subsystem is a good option for groups
which enjoy larger battles, or for campaigns which
feature the raising of armies or large-scale conflicts.
The rules do not affect gameplay outside of the battles
themselves, but do require the GM and the players to
learn a new mechanic.
Goblin Caves
This rather self-contained subsystem provides the
GM with a quick method for making a randomized
goblin warren, both its special rooms and locales and
its myriad of connecting tunnels. There is little to
learn here. Indeed, it is mostly given as a tool to ease
the GM’s burden when designing a dungeon featuring
goblins. The system is described on p.36 of Dangers
Near and Far.
The Veil and the Underworld
A somewhat intricate system for tracking the
relationship between the lands of the living and the
dead, these mechanics can enrich a campaign which
features the undead and ghosts prominently. They
are probably not worth bothering with otherwise. The
responsibility for this add-on is almost entirely on the
GM, though players of mages might have access to
certain magics which interact with it as well.
The Underworld itself is detailed on p.27 of Dangers
Near and Far, while rules for the Veil appear just
after, on p.29 of the same book.
50 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Other Heroes
This volume presents three new ways to play games
of Beyond the Wall, one for even younger and more
inexperienced characters, one for more powerful PCs,
and one for continuing play beyond 10th level. Any
of these can be a good choice for groups looking for
a change of pace, but are likely not a good fit for new
players. The mighty heroes and legendary heroes
rules, in particular, add further complexity and
powers for the players to track, making them poor
choices for groups with players who do not learn or
remember the rules very well.
All three systems appear in this volume, on p.4, p.10,
and p.19 respectively.
Hearth Points
Found in the very next chapter, on p.51, Hearth Points
are a simple add-on which gives the PCs and their
village a new shared resource to spend in order to
help one another and their friends and families. These
points are gained by the characters as they build
connections with one another and their home. This
is a good system to add for groups who wish to
encourage and reward play which is in keeping with
the game’s themes of friendship and the value of
home.
Tales of Years
For groups looking for a much more elaborate system
involving downtime than the simple table and guide-
lines presented above on p.33, this subsystem can
breathe a great deal of life into a campaign centered
on a home village and lasting for years of game time.
In addition to giving information on events that occur
outside of the characters’ main adventures, the ‘Tales
of Years’ system also helps with the tracking of NPCs
in the village, the managing of characters’ wealth and
crafting businesses, and other lengthy endeavors.
 Gifts of the
Beyond the Wall is, above all, a game about lasting
friendships, the pleasures of family and loved ones,
and the defense of a valued home. This theme is
present in almost all of the Character Playbooks and
Scenario Packs, but also in several of the game’s rules,
including those for true names, for helping with skills
and Fortune Points, and for allies, as well as in several
spell and ritual effects.
This chapter provides guidelines for a new, relatively
simple and lightweight optional system which can
further this theme: Hearth Points. Using this sub-
system, the group receives access to a new shared
resource called Hearth Points. The players gain these
points by cultivating close connections to themselves
and their village, and they may spend them to help
one another and those who share their home.
Hearth
At their most basic level, Hearth Points act like a pool
of shared Fortune Points which any character may
access when in need. Beyond this, the characters may
use them for some additional, unique effects, and
they may also be used for the benefit of the character’s
home village or its inhabitants. The pool of Hearth
Points regenerates very slowly, only in times of
highest fellowship or at great sacrifice.
The rules for Hearth Points are straightforward and
easy to use, making this an excellent system to add
to any campaign. All but the newest players and
gamemasters should find them a helpful addition to
their games. While they could technically be used
for one-shot sessions, they are particularly geared
towards campaign play; indeed, if used in a one-shot,
they will likely just have the effect of increasing the
characters’ Fortune Point pools. When available,
they will make the PCs slightly more powerful. More
importantly, their inclusion will guide the players
toward acting in character and in alignment with the
themes of the game. Groups which have mastered
the basic mechanics of the game (particularly the use
of Fortune Points), which are planning a campaign
centered on the PCs’ homes, or which are enamored
of the trappings of village and friendship will find
them most beneficial for their games
A New Resource
Hearth Points are a new game resource which belong
to no single character, but are instead shared between
the group. Indeed, in a sense, they do not even belong
to the PCs as a party, but rather to the village or noble
estate which they call home.
The group can track their Hearth Points in whatever
way they see fit, but they should not be recorded on
any individual character sheet.
The next chapter introduces several guidelines for
tracking information about the village as a whole. If
the group is using the information from that section,
A Kingless Realm 51
 they will find a helpful village record sheet, which con-
tains a space to record Hearth Points for the group.
Groups which are not using those guidelines or the
village record sheet might instead prefer to have the
gamemaster track their Hearth Points for them, or
for one particular player to take on this extra duty.
Another fun option is to place a number of tokens,
poker chips, or tasty chocolates in the center of the
table to represent the group’s Hearth Points.
Spending Hearth Points
Hearth Points can be spent by any player to receive
one of the benefits described below. In general, no
permission is needed. In practice, however, their
nature as a shared resource means that the group may
wish to allow for the veto of their use: if the group
desires, they can decide that the unanimous decision
of the other players means that one of their number is
not able to use a Hearth Point when he desires.
52 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Some of the uses of Hearth Points interact with other
optional subsystems which may or may not be in use
in a particular campaign.
Within the fiction of the game, Hearth Points
represent the bonds of friendship between the PCs,
their connection to their home, and the morale or
goodwill of their entire village. When they are spent,
their mechanical benefits are a sign of the characters’
determination, their strength of will, or even the
subtle magic of love and fellowship.
The Fortune of the Hearth
This is the most basic use of Hearth Points. Any player
may spend one to function just as a Fortune Point for
their character.
The Health of the Hearth
Bonds of friendship, love, and kinship can save
those in need. Whenever one of the characters heals
another, one of their allies, or a fellow villager,
whether with magical means or simply by tending
wounds, that character’s player can spend a Hearth
Point to increase the amount of healing received by
1d6 per level or hit die of the recipient.
The Defense of the Hearth
When using the ‘War and Battle’ rules described on
p.21 of Dangers Near and Far, any of the players can
spend a Hearth Point in order to increase the quality
of one unit from the village by 1, provided that unit is
acting in direct defense of their home.
The Community of the Hearth
The power of the hearth protects whole communities,
not just their heroes. Instead of using a Hearth Point
as a Fortune Point for his own character, a player may
spend one on behalf of an NPC from his home or one
of his allies.
The Protection of the Hearth
A player may spend one Hearth Point in order
to negate a single negative outcome from the down-
time tables presented in the ‘Tales of Years’ system
next chapter. The group should narrate the manner
in which the village averts the crisis. Perhaps they
manage to convince a group of attacking marauders
to depart peaceably, or perhaps the whole community
rallies behind a sick or aged individual once thought
to be upon her death bed.
The Hearth Point Pool
Hearth Points are a rare and precious resource. The
pool starts small and tends to replenish at a much
slower rate than the PCs’ own Fortune Points, usually
only after significant story events.
Starting Pool
At the beginning of a campaign, the starting Hearth
Point total is calculated based upon the number of
characters in the group.
To determine the starting points in the pool, total the
number of PCs in the group and any of their allies
who live in the same home village or estate as them.
Divide this number by 2 and round up. This is the start-
ing pool. A generous gamemaster may then decide
to increase this number by 1 if the players were
particularly inspirational when describing their
characters’ connections to one another and to the
village.
Gaining Hearth Points
The Hearth Point pool only increases when the PCs
interact with one another, their allies, or their home
in a manner which indicates a significant growth in
bonds of friendship or love. The gamemaster is the
final arbiter of when just such a moment occurs.
Examples include the following:
• the dramatically-timed sharing of a true
name with a friend, lover, or family member
• the hosting of a celebratory feast after a great
victory or success
• the birth of a significant NPC, like a new
heir to the lord, the witch’s child, or one of
character’s own children
• the wedding of one of the player characters
to another in the village
• the successful defense of the village when in
dire straits
• the construction of a significant new structure
in the village, like a protective wall, a new
keep, or a temple
• the celebration of a major commemoration,
like the 300th anniversary of the founding of
the village, or the 50th anniversary of a great
military success
• the successful thwarting of a great disaster,
like plague or famine
• the death of a character or important NPC in
aid of the village
As these examples indicate, the gaining of a new
Hearth Point is no small feat. It is an event likely to
occur only once in several adventures, or once per
adventure at most.
A Kingless Realm 53
 Tales of
Designing and playing a long campaign is the dream
of many groups, and it is an art unto itself. The best
campaigns have central themes, recurring villains,
and satisfying story arcs. They also keep the player
characters and their own ambitions central to the
game, and have plenty of side quests, single-session
romps, and player driven goals. Some even have
multiple central story arcs.
This chapter presents a new way to look at setting up
and running an epic campaign with a major story arc
running through its entirety. An example of such a
campaign, The Return of the Horned King, follows.
Much of the information discussed in this chapter
will make more sense when looking at that sample
campaign as a model.
The structure presented here gives the gamemaster a
central story running through the campaign and pro-
vides a listing of major events (by season and year)
involving that arc. The GM is then encouraged to run
side stories, work with the group to narrate down-
time, and have the characters explore the map and
pursue their own goals in between these events.
These rules work just as well in any game setting
as they do in the Broken Kingdom. The Return of
the Horned King sample campaign, however, was
specifically designed to leverage the background of
that setting.
The sections of this chapter focus on helping the GM
to manage a campaign which has a slower pace and
which stretches over many years. Most of these sec-
tions are devoted to advice about the passage of time
and what happens between adventures and years.
A Changing of Seasons
Sometimes the players can become so driven, or the
dangers so active, that a campaign devolves into con-
stant action. In such games, the narrative can begin
to lack verisimilitude, especially when the PCs are
54 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Years
adventuring every night, never taking time to live
ordinary lives, and rocketing from levels 1-10 in two
months of game time.
On p.33 we discuss this very problem and provide
ideas for a group looking for a slower pace and inter-
esting downtime between major adventures. All of
the advice and downtime tables given there will be
very helpful when using the campaign structure from
this chapter.
Tales of Years campaigns have the GM building a time-
line of events involving the major story arc for each
season during a period of several years. These events
start small and then slowly build as the campaign
reaches its crescendo. The events of the first year or
two might involve rumors of distant happenings, or a
brush or two with the main adversary’s minions, while
the last year or two will likely be devoted wholly to the
final confrontation and its buildup.
The most important thing to note is that this campaign
timeline describes events that will happen without the
characters’ interference. The gamemaster must not
insist on being tied to the events of the timeline as
though dictated by fate. That way lies the dreaded
railroad and unengaged players who feel that their
characters’ actions have no meaning.
This style of campaign requires some buy-in from
the players too, or at least a group with a particu-
lar kind of play style. Some players insist on tack-
ling every single problem before them with dogged
determination until the issue is resolved, all
other considerations be damned. This will not work
in Tales of Years campaigns. The characters will
either wind up dead from plunging straight into
the den of the campaign’s greatest villains from the
outset, or else the GM will have to make so many
adjustments and allowances for their success that the
group ends up back at a campaign of constant action,
fast-paced leveling, and narrative dissonance.
Rather, players in these games, just as in those
described in the Further Afield supplement, must
develop motivations and desires separate from the
primary arc of the campaign. They must be prepared
to hear rumors of the Demon Cult’s rising one year,
root them out from a neighboring village the next,
defeat their local leader in the third, and finally
destroy their temple and vanquish their master in
the fourth. All the while, between these adventures,
they should be seeking magical lore, helping a nearby
lord drive back a barbarian warband, getting married,
sailing to distant lands, and overseeing the construc-
tion of a defensive wall around their home village.
If a group can manage this, the reward is great. They
will feel that their characters are real people living in
a moving world. They will witness the passage of time
and changes in the village. They will slowly uncover
the truth about the campaign’s greatest dangers, and
they will face that danger directly when the time is
right.
Running a Year
As mentioned above, a campaign set up in this
manner will have a list of events which happen each
season for a number of years. At the start of a
particular year or season, the GM will look ahead to
the major events on the timeline and think of ways to
work them into her own group’s activities.
During a given season, the group may have a single
adventure or several; they may even have no
adventures at all some seasons. The GM can use the
events listed on the campaign timeline as story hooks
of her own, which the PCs may or may not choose to
pursue. She may (and should) also have other events
worthy of adventure going on at the same time. These
additional adventures could be derived from a Scenario
Pack, a favorite adventure module from another game,
or story ideas of her own imagining. We recommend
having a healthy mixture of events from the main
campaign timeline, unrelated quests and adventures,
and player-led activities, especially during the early or
middle portions of the campaign.
Before the start of any year of play, the GM should
sit with the players and discuss their intentions. This
can be done in character if the group likes, perhaps
with the gamemaster playing the role of the witch or
another mentor. This is the time for the GM to share
rumors or advice, and for the characters to make
plans for the year. The players might share their
characters’ personal ambitions, or they might just
express desires they have for the game out of charac-
ter. They should say things like:
“I want to journey to the great city in the south this
spring in search of supplies for setting up a magical
laboratory.”
“That adventure last season seemed to suggest that
there is a mystical connection between several of
the barrows in the Homelands. I want to check out a
couple more.”
“House Carvaryth has made too many untrustworthy
moves against my family. I want to raise a warband
and bring battle to them.”
“We haven’t touched on the barbarians much at all
this campaign. I want something to happen with
them.”
“I really want a magic sword. Can you present a hook
or two this year for me to pursue?”
The GM can then take this information, combine it
with her own ideas and the events on the timeline,
and make a rough adventure plan for the year. No
plan will survive intact when the players start acting
and dice are rolled at the table! Nonetheless, this plan
will help the GM determine what important hooks
will present themselves, and get an idea as to what
sessions she should plan.
What am I keeping in mind?
As a summary of the topics covered in this
chapter, the GM might find the following
checklist handy when she is planning sea-
sons:
• Character Goals
• Campaign (Main Plot) Events
• Side Stories
• Player/GM Interests
A Kingless Realm 55
 Example: Lori is running the Return of the
Horned King campaign. The group is now in
the fourth year, and things are starting to heat
up. After a couple years of rumors and ominous
happenings, the King is beginning to show him-
self more as an active threat.
Meanwhile, the village of Orford has its own
problems completely apart from the Horned
King: a group of dangerous bandits have been
waylaying travelers on the roads near Orford,
and the Miller’s son accidentally unleashed
a group of dangerous ghosts who are now
haunting the village. (These are the side stories.)
In addition to this, the characters have their own
goals. Ystran, the Self-Taught Mage, is interested
in seeking an audience with the great wizard
Karzandrius. Graham, the Village Hero and son
of the blacksmith, has plans to forge a new sword
and has heard that the village of Thunorslee is
home to a chunk of meteoric iron. Kyla, the Fae
Foundling, discovered last year that her true
father may be in danger somewhere deep in the
Gloaming. They are all keen to end the problems
with the bandits, but so far no one has seemed
that interested in the Miller’s son and his haunt-
ings. (These are the Character Goals.)
Graham’s player has told the group how much
they like campaigns with dragons, so Lori has
been itching to have a dragon show up. The
characters are far from ready to tackle a power-
ful one, but she feels comfortable throwing some
information their way about a lesser wyrm
which awakens nearby. (This is a Player/GM
Interest.)
Finally, Lori checks the details of this campaign
year and sees that one of the Horned King’s
followers will stage an assassination attempt
against a faerie lord this spring, that the King
will slay a southern scholar who knows the
whereabouts of his sword this summer, and that
a local cult will raise its own militia this autumn.
(These are the Campaign Events; while they
may start in a particular season, Lori doesn’t
feel obligated to contain them.)
56 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Putting this all together, Lori makes the follow-
ing rough plan for the year in her gamemaster’s
journal:
Spring 725 -
• An adventure dealing with the bandit problems
(one to two sessions).
• Since the heroes aren’t involved with the faerie
court, some survivors of a failed attack on
the court of Lord LightLeaf come to seek aid,
revealing that the Duchess of Roses may be
behind the plot (one or two session adventure
lending aid if the players pursue)
• Rumors reach town of a scholar of faerie lore in
the great city to the south who fears for his life.
Summer 725 -
A great journey! The characters head out of
town to do one or more of the following, based
on their interests:
• Visit the people of Thunorslee, who are
willing to give away their meteoric iron if the
characters clear their mine of goblins (one to
two sessions).
• Visit the tower of Karzandrius and impress him
to receive tutelage (probably only one session,
need to find a way to make it interesting to the
other two characters).
• Spend time in the great city seeking to protect
the scholar, and get caught up in a plot or
mystery of some kind (three to four sessions).
• If they don’t save the scholar, the Horned
King’s agents kill him and he gets closer to
finding his sword. This will be a busy season,
and the journey is long enough that it could
last into autumn.
Autumn 725 -
• Tempt the characters into the Gloaming with
clues to aid in the search of Kyla’s father. If they
follow the clues, they will find him as one of the
targets of the Duchess of Roses, a pawn of the
Horned King (three to four sessions, maybe use
the mass combat rules for the first time).
• If it feels like we need to, run the Troubled
Village Scenario Pack when they return to bring
it back down to earth and have some interesting
things going on at home (one to two sessions).
Winter 725 -
• A terribly cold winter and a bad plague (one
session to do some montage scenes and some
downtime; plan for 726 in the same session).
• Work in rumors about burned farmsteads and
disappearing livestock; the dragon is awake!
Lori knows that these plans are likely to change.
Maybe the characters travel to Thunorslee,
become especially close with one of the NPCs and
they end up staying and adventuring around
this village for a couple more sessions. Maybe
Karzandrius will be impressed and agree to
give the characters some magical items if they
can clean out his storerooms. Maybe they will
become so enamored of the great city that they
stay through to the new year.
Lori is fully aware that being flexible and adapt-
able as the players interact with the world is
much more important than following her notes.
Experience
One advantage to a Tales of Years campaign is that
the group could do away with the sometimes tedious
experience rules and simply have their characters
steadily progress as time passes.
If the group chooses to use this method of advance-
ment, each character will receive a certain number
of experience points each season, regardless of how
many adventures they had, or even if the character
was present for every session. The experience awards
for each season should be listed on the timeline for
the campaign. As with everything presented in this
chapter, the Return of the Horned King campaign
described in the next chapter makes for a good model.
This example has the characters moving rather quickly
through the first few levels and then slowing down
significantly in terms of progression.
Additionally, characters should receive experience for
finishing stories outside of the campaign as described
in p.26 of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures,
and experience for personal milestones as described
A Kingless Realm 57
 on p.38 of Further Afield. Unlike the seasonal
experience awards, characters only receive these
extra points for adventures in which they were active
participants.
The GM and group can then dispense with awarding
experience points for all other reasons. If the game-
master enjoys giving out awards for clever ideas or
inspiring play, she may continue to do so, but only if
these are rare or small.
Downtime
A Tales of Years campaign is perfect for allowing
the characters to enjoy some downtime between
adventures. We intentionally do not present elaborate
rules for downtime activities, as we prefer this to be
an opportunity for the group to flex their creativity.
Instead, the guidelines and tables presented below are
intended to help the GM and players establish stories
involving the NPCs and key locations of the village;
these side stories and events happen in the village
while the characters are busy with their other affairs.
Our downtime system works by suggesting categories
of events which will occur in the village during a season
of play. As with many systems and tables in Beyond
the Wall, these downtime mechanics work best when
the players sit together, use the suggestions to get
their creative juices flowing, and then riff on the
results, weaving their own ideas into a shared story.
Just as when the players were making characters using
their Playbooks and found themselves elaborating on
table results and drawing connections, they should
take the results of their downtime rolls as starting
points for further narration and description.
To use this system, each player will narrate a single
village event and make one livelihood check each sea-
son. If a player has multiple characters (see troupe
style play below), he should pick one character to focus
on and leave the others to the side for this season.
Most of the time, a group will do this for a single season
after running a series of adventures. However,
depending on the needs of the group’s story, the
gamemaster could decide to run multiple seasons of
downtime, representing a relatively quiet period in
the campaign between big adventures. This might be
58 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
especially appealing if the group wants to let some
time pass and have their characters grow up a bit.
Village Events and Livelihood
To start, the player tells everyone what the character is
spending their time on that season: “Niamh is working
to develop her apiary and help around the house with
Grandmother Weaver” or “Bran is going to practice
his archery and hunt for additional food this winter.”
Based on this narration, the gamemaster picks an
appropriate event table from the choices below and
then rolls 1d10 on that table. The event tables can be
found later after this section on p.64.
The gamemaster reads the result from the table, and
the group starts to formulate an idea about what
might be going on in the village and how the particular
player character might be connected. In many groups,
the gamemaster will take the lead in this process. This
is not the time to determine the particulars of this
event. For now, it is enough to set up the problems at
hand. The group will discover how it turns out later
after the player makes an appropriate ability score
check based on the result (see below).
In addition to the event table, the character should
also make a test for his livelihood. Each character has
a livelihood rating. A starting character is assumed to
have a “steady” livelihood, but this may change during
the course of play. A livelihood rating is not precisely
intended to describe how wealthy a character is, but
rather how their livelihood is going currently. For this
reason, we use three simple categories: a character’s
livelihood is either going “poorly,” “steady,” or “well” as
compared to their usual status. Certainly, a noble with
a well-stocked treasure hoard who is doing “poorly”
for a season will still have more silver pieces than a
peasant farmer whose life is going “well” during the
same season. Players may record their characters’
livelihood ratings in the margins of their character
sheets or in the spaces provided on the village record
sheet found at the back of this volume.
To test their characters’ livelihoods, players make an
ability score check assigned by the gamemaster based
on how they spend the season. As always, they will be
able to apply an appropriate skill, and they will get
a bonus or penalty based on their current livelihood.
Players may help one another with appropriate skills
or by spending Fortune Points as usual but with a
caveat: since the characters are each tending to their
own lives and affairs, they may only help one other
PC during each season of downtime. There is only so
much time to go around!
This ability score check will tell the group two things:
how well the predetermined event turns out, and how
well the character’s personal life and business has
gone for the season.
If the ability check succeeds, then the character’s
influence in the town has helped with the event. If
the check fails, the event may still be resolved, but
it might not, and it might have severely affected the
townsfolk or even riled them up against the character.
The degree of success will also tell the group a great
deal about the character’s lifestyle in town.
For example, while Bran is practicing archery and
hunting for the winter, the GM rolls on the pastoral
table and sees that a marriage will unite two families
this season. Bran now needs to make his own check
for the season. The gamemaster thinks that Wisdom
is the appropriate ability score and tells Bran that,
of course, his hunting skill may help. The results of
Bran’s Wisdom check will now be used to determine
how his livelihood is affected this season and will
also inform the narration of the village event. If his
roll goes well, his hunting will have been successful;
perhaps he has provided the town with meat for the
winter and caught a great boar for the marriage feast.
Or, if his roll goes poorly, perhaps he has embarrassed
himself and come home empty handed, leaving the
newlyweds to a smaller celebration full of laughter at
his expense.

Margin of
Success or Livelihood Result
Failure
Succeed by • improve the character’s livelihood by one step if possible (from “poorly” to “steady”
10+ or from “steady” to “well”)
• the character gains an ordinary item with a special non-magical +1 bonus (like a
particularly well-made work hammer, a unique plow, or even a new addition to a home)
• if the character’s livelihood was already going “well,” his fortunes have a significant
impact on the world and the player should add a new NPC or location to the map
related to his success (this likely will lead to an adventure idea for the next season)
• the character’s actions affect the seasonal event, the character’s status, or the village
itself. in a particularly impressive, positive manner

Succeed • the character’s livelihood remains at its current rating

• the character’s actions affect the seasonal event, the character’s status, or the village
itself in a small, positive manner
Fail • the character’s livelihood remains at its current rating
• the character’s actions affect the seasonal event, the character’s status, or the village itself
in a small, negative manner
Fail by 10+ • reduce the character’s livelihood by one step if possible (from “well” to “steady” or
from “steady” to “poor”)
• the character loses one of their favorite items, a commonly-carried object, or a tool
(like a map, a smithing hammer, or even a workshop)
• if the character’s livelihood was already going “poorly,” it will collapse, and the
character will have to find another job, start something new, or somehow come up
with a new way to get by (this likely will lead to an adventure idea for the next season)
• the character’s actions affect the seasonal event, the character’s status, or the village
itself. in a particularly embarrassing, negative manner

A Kingless Realm 59
 The table below describes the personal results of the
livelihood check for the PC. It is up to the player (with
the group’s input) to determine how the roll affects
the narration of the event. Usually, players will use the
result of their roll to tie in directly with the seasonal
event which the GM established earlier, but this is
not strictly necessary. Bran’s player could decide that
Bran is not really involved in the wedding at all, but
the results of his check will still help to add flavor to
how well Bran is being perceived by his neighbors
this season. See below for more suggestions on how
to narrate the results of the character’s roll.
When narrating the results of these checks, it is
important to remember that the default assumptions
of Beyond the Wall make it clear that our characters
are the young heroes of their home village, noble
estate, or region. Their seasonal activities will affect
their home.
For example, a player who succeeds by 10 or more
and affects things in an “impressive, positive
manner” might narrate how his character impresses
the villagers, and perhaps the lord, by making a
meaningful contribution to the village this season.
To continue with our example involving Bran, this
level of success likely indicates that he has not only
contributed the feast of boar meat to the wedding,
but also that he has helped feed all of his neighbors
during the cold, dark months of winter. If Bran fails
his check (by less than 10), his livelihood will be
unaffected, but he will come home with light hunting
that winter, either no contribution to the wedding or
only a small one, and his neighbors might grumble a
bit about how they had little meat.
For another example, Aisling, an Adventurous Trader,
rolls extremely well on her livelihood check (an
Intelligence check using one of her trade skills) and
succeeds by 12. The GM’s table result had told her
earlier that the seasonal event in question was going
to be dangerous, a failed crop lost to thieves. In
keeping with the tone of Beyond the Wall, Aisling’s
success is not likely to result in her creating a monopoly
or exploiting her neighbors in order to inflate her own
wealth. For certain, she will do well this season and is
likely to make some coin, but her narration is more
likely to lean in the direction of opening up new trade
60 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
routes with nearby settlements, spreading her good
fortune around the village, and sharing success with
her neighbors. Perhaps a new fruit is now available
in town, a new market opens for a local craft, or the
Miller is able to improve his own business too as a
result of her successes.
After making the livelihood check, updating the
character’s livelihood (if necessary), and narrating
the seasonal event, the player will use the following
table to see if the character has managed to gain a
bit of coin, suffer setbacks, or connect further with
neighbors. The table results include a couple of
questions to help the player make a final narration
regarding the character’s personal successes or
failures for the season.
Livelihood
Gains and Losses
Rating
Poorly The character loses a quarter of his
saved money trying to keep things
afloat. In the unlikely event that
the character has no stored wealth
at all, his life or business suffers a
catastrophic setback, like the loss of
a house or other precious holding.
What went so wrong? Which villagers
stepped in to help?
Steady The character gains or loses coins
equal to the results of a 1d12-5 roll.
If the character is a typical villager,
these are coppers. If the character
is a noble or a wealthy trader or
merchant, these are silvers. What in
particular resulted in this small gain
or loss of wealth? Who in the village
was involved in your progress?
Well The character gains a reward appro-
priate to his lifestyle. This could be
a parcel of land, 2d10+3 coins of the
type described above, or an addition
to a herd. How did you come by this
newfound wealth? How was the vil-
lage involved in your good fortune?
After a player has finished accounting for his own
character’s livelihood and the associated downtime
event, play proceeds to the next player. Once each
player has had a turn, all characters regain any spent
Fortune Points.
A group of four players and one gamemaster are
likely to spend between twenty minutes and an hour
working through this process for the whole group. A
particularly chatty group of players (always a good
thing!) or a very large group with eight or more players
will clearly take longer. If the players especially enjoy
this sort of collaborative storytelling and downtime
narration, they might decide to make a whole session
of it. Most groups can get by with ending an adventure
a bit early and covering their season’s downtime or,
alternatively, spending the first part of a play session
on downtime and then planning out the next season
for the rest of the session. As a reminder, the gamemas-
ter might decide to run multiple seasons of downtime
back-to-back; this will obviously take longer than
narrating only a single season.
Characters should not reset their Fortune Points
during downtime, but rather at the end of each block
of downtime, however many seasons that might
comprise. This detail is very important, as Fortune
Points are tied to heroism, and resetting them each
season would grant far too many bonuses to these
downtime rolls.
Mages and Downtime
Players of mage characters are likely to want to spend
some of their hours studying new spells and rituals
during downtime. This is well and good, but we
assume that even a scholarly wizard is still a member
of the community! This means that he will not have
unlimited time to devote to his studies, but will also
have to make his way, feed himself, look after his
home, and, yes, take part in the life of the village or
noble estate.
Ultimately, how much time a mage has to devote to
learning new spells and rituals is up to the GM. The
study times presented on p.28 and 29 of Beyond the
Wall and Other Adventures are measured in weeks.
As a default, we recommend assuming that a mage
can count a quarter of his weeks of downtime as weeks
towards learning magic. This means that, if the group
devotes an entire season to downtime, the mage
character may spend three weeks in study. Note that
these are not necessarily three consecutive weeks, but
rather three weeks worth of time spread across the
three months of the season. If a good portion of the
time during a season is spent in adventure and active
play, the GM should adjust accordingly, resulting in
fewer weeks of study. We suggest simply using this as
a rule of thumb and not carefully counting individual
weeks on an elaborate calendar, though a GM making
good use of a calendar like that described on p.20 of
Further Afield may be able to make a pretty precise
count with relative ease should she choose to do so.
It may be that a mage, particularly a high level one,
needs to devote more time to learning a high level
ritual (or crafting a powerful magical item using the
special rituals described on p.53 of Further Afield).
This is a costly and potentially alienating endeavor.
With the right outlay of coin and perhaps the assis-
tance of servants and apprentices, a mage can devote
every week of downtime to study. The other PCs
might even be able to help the mage with mundane
affairs. We leave the specifics to the GM, but, in any
event, the character will not roll for livelihood or
narrate an event at all, may only participate in other
players’ event narrations lightly, and may find him-
self shunned a bit by the villagers as an outsider. This
is why they end up in towers.
Background Event Tables
The following tables will provide the gamemaster and
group with the background events happening in the
village during each character’s livelihood check and
event narration. For each character, the GM should
choose the table most appropriate for how that
character is spending the season of downtime.
The gamemaster would do well to remember that the
events described on these tables are intended to be
things happening in the background during a season
of downtime, not adventures. The events might lead
to trouble in a following season, to be sure, but they
are much more likely to be fully resolved during the
season of downtime. Even an exceptional and unusual
event, like a supernatural plague, is something which
occurs with comparative quiet when considering the
A Kingless Realm 61
 actions of the heroes during a traditional adventuring
session. A downtime narration is not the time for a
player to jump into a series of probing questions with
a burning intensity. Rather, the GM and group should
guide one another toward telling brief stories which
make the village feel more alive during everyday
activities, even if a few of the results clearly suggest
things which are out of the ordinary or change the
previous balance of life in the village.
Please note that, while the tables lend themselves to
being associated with particular types of characters
(i.e., the pastoral table for the shepherd character or
the market table for the trader character), the GM
should feel free to mix it up based on the narration.
Maybe the shepherd is more involved in martial
events this season. In this way, the types of actions
the characters are taking will be reflected in the sorts
of events happening with the other villagers.
62 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Troupe Style Play
A campaign of this sort is perfect for using troupe
style play. We first encountered this method of play
in the seminal game Ars Magica.
In troupe style play, the game may feature a rotating
cast of characters. There may even be more than one
GM. The gamemaster (or one of the gamemasters)
will run one adventure at a time, and the group can
decide which PCs will take part. If a particular char-
acter is engaged in extended downtime activities,
perhaps he misses an adventure or two. Likewise, if
a player is unavailable due to real life considerations,
the group can come up with a quick explanation for
that character’s absence. In this way, the game can
keep moving even if someone is not available to play.
Using this style of play frees up players to make more
than one character should they wish, choosing which
one to bring on any given adventure. It also allows the
group to include less dedicated or available players,
whose characters will act as background NPCs in
the village most of the time, but will join for the
occasional session at other times.
Multiple Gamemasters
If a group using troupe style play chooses to share
GMing duties, the rewards can be enormous. It lets
two or more group members share the load and
helps avoid GM burnout, all too often the killer of a
campaign. The GMs usually make PCs of their own,
having them stay back for the adventures they are
running and then join the party when they pass the
gamemaster mantle to another group member.
There are some potential pitfalls to having multiple
GMs. What happens when one of them introduces a
story element which contradicts what another was
planning? What does the group do when an important
NPC dies while one GM is running a session, but that
NPC would have featured prominently in the planned
adventure of another?
If the group chooses to have multiple GMs, it is vitally
important that everyone remember that the campaign
belongs to the group, not the GMs, and certainly not
any one of them in particular. Those choosing to GM
will have to remain flexible and roll with the punches.
This is a vitally important skill for any gamemaster, imaginations that one of the village’s heroes does not
but particularly for those choosing to share duties in take part in its defense. In these instances, the group
troupe style play. should come to a consensus before the session as
to what to do. The GM or another player could take
GMs can also avoid stepping on one another’s toes by control of the character if absolutely necessary. There
having “pet” storylines or groups of NPCs. Maybe one are also many other ways to explain the absence.
of them agrees to be a primary gamemaster and look Perhaps the witch has sent the character on an
after the main storyline of the Tales of Years campaign, important mission and he will return with required
while another chooses to be responsible for an aid or the hook for the next adventure. Or perhaps the
important side story involving another major villain, character has been struck ill and is recovering during
and a third agrees to run mostly adventures centered the dangers. Naturally, it is best if the player of the
in the village. This can go a long way toward clearing missing character has some say in this.
things up. Still, players are unpredictable, and there
is nothing to stop them from veering off mid-session
and following another arc that the current GM agreed
to defer to another. Again, it is important for the GMs
to remain flexible and avoid being territorial. It is also
perfectly acceptable for the current GM to say to the
players, “Hey, sorry folks, but that’s not what I had
planned this evening. I think John can run something
if you want to follow that lead next session.”

When setting up the year for a campaign as described

above, the GMs should work together to decide who
will run what for the year. They can even still keep
secrets from one another. They can do this by claiming
sessions in the plan for the year without sharing any
exact details with their co-GMs.

Character Absence
In troupe style play, individual characters will drop
in and out from session to session. Usually this is no
problem, but there are times that it can be hard to
explain their absence.

In most cases, a character’s absence is easily explained.

Our characters have lives in the village. Maybe
they are maintaining their forge for this adventure,
studying magical spells, or are off with their flock in the
mountains. The GM may even have such a character
make a cameo during the adventure, particularly if
it seems natural that the other PCs would seek the
character out for aid or to ask a question. This is best
kept to a minimum, however, as players tend to be
possessive of their characters.

Sometimes, however, particularly when the village

itself is seriously threatened, it can stretch the players’

A Kingless Realm 63
 Trade, Crafting, and Market Events
d12 Choose this table if the character is working a job or involved with trade.
1 A caravan of seemingly trustworthy merchants comes to the village. Somehow, their relationship with
the village falls apart in anger and mistrust and a family is grievously hurt in the process. Where were
these merchants from? Did they arrive with ill intent, or did something happen to cause this calamity?
How do the characters help the affected families get through the ensuing hard times?

2 The head of one of the village’s larger families dies, and the family is split arguing about the inheritance.
People have come to blows, and there is some fear a blood feud could develop. How did it come to this?
Which villagers are involved?
3 A potentially catastrophic theft is carried out. Was a herd rustled, the grain stores emptied, or trade
caravans robbed? Were the thieves humans, faeriekind, or some fresh danger?

4 One of the most important trade routes is broken when the buyers suddenly refuse all the village’s goods.
Why did this happen? Was some insult given, a better source found, or did some outside force threaten
the buyer?
5 A number of small thefts occur throughout the season: a sheep here, a scythe there, a bushel of apples
one day, and a barrel of mead the next week. Who is responsible? Are people desperate, or has some
mischievous new person or group come to town?
6 Some imported wares are hard to come by this season. Their prices are at least doubled, if they can even
be found. Which goods are affected? Why are they now so scarce? Have bandits taken a key route? Has
a tradesman or merchant fallen ill? Perhaps a village-wide feud has begun?

7 A noteworthy and unexpected event happens at one of the village’s festivals this season. Perhaps a local
lad wins the archery contest, besting the reigning champion from a neighboring settlement, or perhaps
a foreign merchant opens seven casks of expensive wine as a gift to the village after receiving excellent
hospitality. Do the characters participate in this happy event? How does the village celebrate the act?
8 Some new and unusual wares are available from traders this season, such as new tools for various crafts.
New styles of clothing are passing through as well, catching many an eye. Where do these come from?
How can they help the villagers?
9 A new trader makes the village part of their route or even sets up shop here. Add a named NPC to the
village. There are ripples throughout the social fabric of the village. Add a new named NPC to the village.
What brings them here? How well do they get along with the existing traders?
10 One of the local craftsmen or farmers has a remarkable and unexpected success. Perhaps the smith
makes an incredible discovery and can now forge an entirely new ware or produce unusually strong
blades, or perhaps a shepherd has a breakthrough regarding animal husbandry and doubles the size of
his flock this year. How does the village celebrate this success? Does the victory bring new visitors to
town? Are any jealous of this event?
11 The villagers come together and pool their resources to make an impressive addition to the infrastruc-
ture of the community, whether an improvement to the palisade, an addition to the inn, an enlargement
of the bridge across the river, or a new stone house for a prominent local. What prompted this act? Do
the characters participate in the construction? How might this change life in the village?
12 A new trade route opens itself to the village. This could just be a single shop in a neighboring settlement
buying from the blacksmith, or it could be something as grand as a distant nation that has developed ties
with the PC’s home. What goods are bought and sold along this route? What new people come through,
and how does the village benefit?

64 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

 Social, Farming, and Pastoral Events
d12 Choose this table if the character is involved in farming, homemaking, or other typical village activities.
1 An entire harvest or birthing season has failed, or a stored crop has been entirely lost for some of the
farms in and around the village. How do the townsfolk prepare for the lean times to come? What is the
local lord’s response? Was this loss a natural calamity, or is something strange afoot?

2 The region is struck by a serious and deadly plague. At least two of the PCs’ associates or named NPCs
die. How do the characters help the village through these times? Are there rumors about the origin of the
disease? Do any of the survivors take on new roles or responsibilities as a result of the deaths?

3 An accident or illness results in the death of one of the villagers. One of the PCs’ associates or named
NPCs dies. Who was it? Was this death expected? How is the village handling the loss?

4 A disaster befalls a member of the community. Perhaps one of the tradesmen is injured permanently,
the Miller’s house burns down, or a sudden flood destroys one of the farms. Who is affected directly by
this event? How does the village come together to help? Do the villagers turn to recriminations or remain
trusting of one another? What do the characters do to assist the unfortunate family?

5 Two prominent individuals or families in the village are quarreling mightily. The quarrel is threatening
to spill across the whole community. What started this feud? Why is it spreading as people take sides?
How can it be resolved?

6 Shared labor brings the village together. Perhaps this is a barn-raising for a new couple, repairs after a
large storm, or a beating of the bounds. What needs doing? Does everyone work well together? How do
the player characters get involved?

7 One of the many simmering rivalries that make village life so interesting has been settled to great cheer.
Perhaps two rival craftsmen make a new deal or two squabbling neighbors build a new wall together
and settle their property disputes. What brought the peace? How many new friendships are flourishing
across the old lines of division? Who’s secretly mad about it?

8 A minor but happy event leads to a celebration in the village, whether the repairing of a dam, a
particularly tasty apple harvest, or the completed training of a new smith. Does the village have a feast
to celebrate, hold a dance, or conduct a ritual? Do visitors come from nearby settlements? How do the
characters participate?

9 A newcomer joins the local community. This is likely a humble shepherd or farmer, but could also be a
skilled craftsman, an established trader, or a retiring warrior. Add a new named NPC to the village. Is
the newcomer accepted by the villagers? With whom does he make friends first? Where does he make
his home?

10 A new marriage unites two families. Was this an expected union? Had the families previously been
rivals, allies, or indifferent? How is the village celebrating the new couple?

11 A child is born into the family of one of the characters or the named NPCs. Is it an easy birth? Most of
the village is cheerful, but are there any who are not? What do the characters do to help the new parents?

12 Several local farms, trades, or industries have such a successful season that there is a bit of a labor
shortage and many of the villagers chip in to help. Is this success in wool, grain, or fruits? Or is there
a new vein of tin found in the old mine outside of town? How are the villagers enjoying this newfound
prosperity?

A Kingless Realm 65
 Military, Noble, and Political Events
d12 Choose this table if the character is involved in soldiery, noble politics, or diplomacy.
1 The unthinkable occurs, and the beginnings of a petty war comes to the village. At least two of the PCs’
associates or named NPCs die in the ensuing fight. Who brings the battle and why? How do the characters
pitch in to help? Is this war settled after this single battle, or will it continue into the characters’ coming
adventures?
2 An organized group of bandits form or move in the area. They occasionally block roads, disrupting travel
and trade. Add a new location to the map representing the general area of the bandits’ lair and operating
area. Why have these people turned to banditry? How is the village affected? What does the community
think about their new neighbors?
3 A murder shocks the local community. One of the characters’ associates or a named NPC dies.
Alternatively, someone is killed in one of the neighboring settlements or noble estates, resulting in great
distrust. Do the villagers become fearful? Is the murderer caught?
4 The farmers are unable to organize, plan, and distribute crops this season. Perhaps too many plant the
same crop or there are repeated squabbles which stop trade and the food supply. Why did this happen?
Was the local lord unable to lead, or were previously agreeable neighbors driven to rivalry? How do the
PCs help the village cope with the resulting shortage?
5 A minor disaster befalls a local castle, either that of the village’s own noble estate or one nearby. Did a
portion of the walls collapse, a prisoner escape the dungeons, or the well go dry? What does the keep’s
lord do in response? Do the villagers pitch in to help?
6 Tensions mount with a nearby local lord. The situation could be kept to the unpleasant but relatively
safe realm of improper taxation and traded slights, or could escalate to one of the lord’s knights leading
a small raid with his retinue in the area of the village. Who has been harmed? Do the villagers give tit for
tat and begin a new tradition involving burning a wicker figure or reciting poetic insults at one of their
festivals? If there is a noble estate at the village, what does this lord think of the new rival?
7 A difficult case of justice creates division in the region. What crime has occurred and who dispensed the
potentially improper justice? Was the village the site of the crime or trial?
8 An area noble, soldier, or hero does something, likely unwittingly, to trigger a prophecy told for generations
by the village elders. Perhaps a lady’s diadem falls from her head while she walks the walls of the castle, or
a local ruffian too deep in his cups slays a domestic pet of the village. What do the elders think is going to
happen? How will the villagers treat the offending actor? Or is the prophecy actually a positive one?
9 A birth or marriage in one of the nearby noble families brings celebration and change. Whose child or
wedding is it? Is there a festival in honor of the new lordling or union? Will this alter local politics?

10 A warrior of some reputation moves into the area, whether a famous swordsman, a knight errant, or a
veteran mercenary. Alternatively, one of the locals begins training and proves to be a talented fighter.
Add a named NPC. What is the new warrior’s disposition? Who befriends her? Does the community feel
that they have become more or less safe as a result of this arrival?
11 An end comes to some potentially dangerous pre-existing tensions. Maybe a group of bandits moves out
of the area, a despotic neighboring lord dies, or an unpredictable and threatening warrior dies in the
region. What does the village do to celebrate? Do people change their habits now that they feel safer?
12 A compact or treaty is made with a power outside of the village, whether a noble lord, a distant free city,
or even a power from another land. An emissary from this other power moves to the local village or noble
estate. Add an NPC to the map. Does this emissary move to the area alone or with a retinue? How does
she integrate with the community? What new prosperity might come from the treaty?

66 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

 Arcane, Supernatural, and Fae Events
Choose this table if the character is involved in magical study, fae politics,
d12 or other matters beyond mortal ken.
1 A new and dangerous creature settles somewhere near to the village. This beast might be a giant, a family
of ogres, or even a dragon. The threat makes itself known in a fierce and sudden attack while someone is
away from home, but then goes into hiding. One of the characters’ associates or named NPCs dies. How
does the community come together in this time of fear? Do the villagers become distrustful? Is the beast
gone for good, or will this lead to a dangerous adventure for the characters next season?
2 A dark omen falls over the village and a local power for good is driven away. Is this power a friendly troll, a
faerie knight, the village witch, or even one of the Wise? Do they leave a warning, or do they disappear in the
dark of night? How will the village cope with this loss? Does a new darkness move in to replace the light?
3 A faerie raid terrifies the village and kills one or more of the characters’ associates or named NPCs.
Which fae conducted this raid? Were they lowly goblins, devious redcaps, or elven nobles from a local
court? What did they seek? Did they find it or were they driven away?
4 A strange illness of obviously supernatural origin passes through the countryside and burns its way
through the village. Perhaps livestock are born with additional limbs, children’s eyes change to mysteri-
ous colors, or people begin speaking in ancient languages when affected by a fever. How does the village
work its way through this short-lived but dramatic event? How do the characters help?
5 A misunderstanding between villagers and a nearby supernatural power leads to hard feelings on both
sides. Is the nearby power a fae noble, a hermit wizard, or an intelligent magical beast? What was the
source of the misunderstanding? How are the now chilly relations changing things in town?
6 A marriage, death, or naming ceremony falls on a day of high magic when the veil between the worlds
wears thin. What voices make themselves heard through the weakened veil? What precautions does the
witch take before the ceremony? How does the village come together around the event?
7 For almost an entire moon, the villagers’ dreams seem to hold the power of prophecy. These visions are
usually related to normal life, but occasionally about more arcane affairs. How do the villagers react to
their dreams? Do they seek guidance from Grandmother Weaver, the witch, or the PCs themselves? Do
the visions affect any village relationships?
8 One of the Wise visits the village on one of its greater market days. Why did the wise one come? Was
she selling wares from a painted wagon? Did he seek a strange item which the heroes have recently
encountered or claimed?
9 The local faeries and the villagers help each other out of a bind. At least for a time, each community
leaves gifts for the other in thanks and friendship. What precipitated this brief alliance? How will the
village use their faerie gifts?
10 An unexpected and uncertain discovery! A clue to a new source of magic comes to the village. Does this
discovery take the form of an ancient text, a recurring omen, or an ancient standing stone never seen
before? How does the village react to this omen? Does it alter any of their customs?
11 A newcomer of a very unusual sort joins the village community. Add a new named NPC to the village. Is
this newcomer a sorcerer, a werewolf, someone of an even stranger type? Or are they a mostly normal
mortal with a mysterious mien? Why have they settled here? What are they seeking? Who might be
following them?
12 An extraordinarily unusual object of magical import comes to the village, whether a book of spells, a
helpful magical item, or a fabled shield. Alternatively, this might even be a newly created artifact, like a
great standing stone raised by the villagers’ combined efforts or a local loom blessed by a powerful but
humble magic. How does this new object change life in the village? What effects does it have on those
who possess or use it?

A Kingless Realm 67
 Legendary Items
Most magical items have rather defined properties,
granting a set of bonuses or powers to any user. Some
are slightly more complicated or varied, granting
additional powers to those who know the right
command words, or a number of charges, each of
which can be used to activate a number of different
abilities. Many artifacts have even more complex
powers, some of them growing in power with use.
Legendary items, though, are of a different sort. These
magical items grow in efficacy with their bearers as
they gain levels. Each has a list of powers or benefits
for levels 1-10, and the item unlocks these new
powers based on the level of its owner.
Usually, simply gaining a level is enough for the new
power to become available, though the gamemaster
might instead make the character enact a special ritual
to gain the ability, or have it become known when
there is great need.
Likewise, it may feel a bit strange for these items to
gain their full list of powers immediately when found
by characters of higher level later in a campaign. The
gamemaster or group might decide that a character
who acquires a legendary item gains only the first
level benefit until spending some time with the new
treasure. In these cases, the character might gain a
single one of the item’s powers each session until
reaching the appropriate level. For instance, a 6th
level character who acquires the Shield of the Village
would receive the level one benefit right away, the
level two benefit after one session of play, the level
three benefit after the next, and so on, until, after six
sessions, the shield’s powers have caught up with the
level of its owner.
Legendary items are a great way to make a charac-
ter’s prized possession seem truly special, as they will
stick with the character for the duration of even a long
campaign. The gamemaster might decide that one of
the special objects gained in a Character Playbook is a
68 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
legendary item, or might give one out as a reward for
an early adventure. They can be granted at any level,
but tend to work best when first introduced in the
earliest stages of a campaign. Anytime before fourth
level or so should work.
Two legendary items which were published previously
are reproduced below. These are Father’s Sword and
the Witches’ Blade, found in Heroes Young and Old
and in Dangers Near and Far respectively. These
are joined by six more examples of legendary items.
Each is listed with suggested Character Playbooks for
which they are particularly appropriate, though this
should not be read as binding.
Above all, the gamemaster is encouraged to use the
examples below to design her own legendary items
which are appropriate for her campaign and the PCs.
Less Legendary Items
While they begin with only minor powers,
the legendary items given as examples
here all become quite powerful by the
time a character reaches level 10. The
gamemaster might wish to consider making
lesser legendary items whose powers cap
out at a lower level.
Perhaps there is an enchanted quill which
gives bonuses to academic and magical
skills at each level up to third, or an
ensorcelled dagger which grants powers
up to level 5.
The Cloak of Stars
Whether made by faerie craftsmen, a great mage,
or a supernaturally gifted tailor, none can now say,
but the Cloak of Stars is a beautiful and otherworldly
prize. It usually appears as a fine but plain black
cloak. When its more overt powers are activated,
however, it takes on the appearance of the night sky,
all deep blues, blacks, and purples, with shimmering
starlight between. The Cloak of Stars gains a new
magical property for each level of the character using
it. The following table describes these powers. The
cloak always has the properties of its wielder’s level
and all previous levels.
This is a particularly appropriate legendary item for
characters made with the Elven Highborn, Elven
Enchanter, Local Performer, or Novice Templar
Character Playbooks.
Level Properties
Level 1 - The cloak may never be rent, cut, or frayed,
and the wearer receives a +2 bonus to all tests to re-
sist the elements.
Level 2 - The wearer may see at night under the open
sky as well as she can during the day.
Level 3 - The cloak grants its wearer a +1 bonus to
rolls to sneak or hide under most circumstances; this
increases to a +3 bonus to do so when under the sky
at night.
Level 4 - The wearer may cause the stars of the
cloak to shine at will, illuminating all in near range as
though under the light of the stars and the full moon.
Level 5 - The cloak grants its wearer a +2 bonus to
AC and saving throws.
Level 6 - By whipping the cloak around her with a
flourish, the wearer may cast one of the following
spells once per day: Clear Eyes, Conjure Darkness,
Masked Image, Obscurement, or the Rising Dawn.
Level 7 - The cloak grants its wearer an additional +1
bonus to AC and saving throws, for a total of +3.
Level 8 - The bearer may now cast two spells per day
from the list given in the level six power.
Level 9 - Once per day, the wearer may draw the cloak
wide across her arms and stun mortals with its beauty
as its powers transform it into the very semblance of
the night sky. All in its presence must make a saving
throw versus magic item or find themselves dumb-
struck and agape for as long as the wearer concentrates
and remains still. Viewers who are attacked or are
otherwise in immediate danger ignore this effect.
Level 10 - Once per week, the wearer may fling the
cloak behind herself and take to the skies as though
affected by the Wizard’s Flight ritual.
The Faerie Bow
This beautiful bow of pale wood is carved with delicate
spirals and interlocking patterns. Its string is made
from the wound hair of elven lords and ladies, and
it bears a grip of supple, dark leather. The bow is
ancient, perhaps as old as the faerie courts them-
selves, and it featured in many fae songs before
passing out of understanding, perhaps finding its way
into the hands of a mortal. The Faerie Bow gains a
new magical property for each level of the character
using it. The following table describes these powers.
The Faerie Bow always has the properties of its
wielder’s level and all previous levels.
This is a particularly appropriate legendary item for
characters made with the Elven Ranger, Fae Foundling,
Goblin’s Child, or Young Woodsman Character
Playbooks.
Level Properties
Level 1 - The bow leaps quickly to the hand, granting
its bearer +3 initiative when using it. Additionally, its
string will never break and cannot be cut.
Level 2 - The bow grants its wielder a +1 bonus to hit
and damage.
Level 3 - The bearer of the bow may cast the Elfshot
spell once per day while firing an arrow from the bow.
Level 4 - The bow grants its wielder an additional +1
bonus to hit and damage, for a total of +2.
Level 5 - Arrows shot by the bow automatically
pierce and dispel any illusions which they strike.
Level 6 - The bow grants its wielder an additional +1
bonus to hit and damage, for a total of +3.
Level 7 - The wielder of the bow always has another
arrow in her quiver. This does not preserve magical
or special arrows when spent, and the bearer must ac-
tually have a quiver for this power to take effect, but,
otherwise, she will never run out of arrows.
Level 8 - The bow grants its wielder an additional +1
bonus to hit and damage, for a total of +4.
Level 9 - The bow grants its wielder an additional +1
bonus to hit and damage, for a total of +5.
A Kingless Realm 69
 Level 10 - The bearer of the bow may make extraor-
dinary shots in the woods and miraculous shots while
in faerie woods. The precise effects are left to the GM,
but, in general, the bearer may ignore cover penalties
when shooting at foes in woodlands, and may even
sometimes hit targets completely hidden by trees
when in a faerie wood, as the arrows fired by the bow
turn in their flight.
Father’s Sword
This blade has been passed down for generations and
carries great magic. It grows in power with its wielder,
matching the might of its bearer. The sword gains a
new magical property for each level of the character
using it. The following table describes these powers.
The sword always has the properties of its wielder’s
level and all previous levels.
Because the powers of this item grow as the character
levels, it allows a character to begin with a family
weapon and keep it for the entire campaign, as in
much fiction. It would fit with almost any character
in Beyond the Wall, but is a particularly appropriate
item for characters made with the Forgotten
Child, Heir to a Legend, Last of a Fallen House, or
Nobleman’s Wild Daughter Character Playbooks.
The gamemaster and group should feel free to invent
their own versions of this item, changing its specific
powers or form. The daughter of a blacksmith might
love to keep her mother’s hammer, while a hero from
an earlier culture might bear an ancient spear.
Level Properties
Level 1 - The sword is magical, but has no bonus to
hit or damage. It can, however, harm any creatures
immune to mundane attacks. Also, the sword always
finds its way home when lost; it is never apart from its
rightful owner for more than a day or two.
Level 2 - The sword aids its bearer and grants a +1
bonus to hit and damage.
Level 3 - The bearer gains a +1 bonus to all saving
throws. The sword also sends vague dreams to its
wielder when there is grave danger in the near future;
the specifics of such dreams are left to the GM.
Level 4 - The sword gives its bearer another +1 to hit
and damage, for a total of +2.
Level 5 - The sword warns its bearer of impending
70 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
danger. When there are enemies within a radius of 30
yards, the sword glows with a dim light.
Level 6 - The sword gives its bearer another +1 to hit
and damage, for a total of +3.
Level 7 - The bearer gains a +2 bonus to AC.
Additionally, the sword leaps quickly to hand and
makes its wielder swift in battle, granting a +3 bonus to
initiative.
Level 8 - The sword gives its bearer another +1 to hit
and damage, for a total of +4.
Level 9 - The sword looks after the health of its
bearer, who can no longer become poisoned or sick in
any way when in possession of the sword.
Level 10 - The sword gives its bearer another +1 to
hit and damage, for a total of +5.
Grandmother’s Gift
Such is the age of this plain, bronze amulet that none
now remember just which grandmother first gave it. It
has been in the family for countless generations, and
tradition dictates that only the oldest living woman of
the bloodline may transfer its ownership to another
family member. The Gift gains a new magical property
for each level of the character using it. The following
table describes these powers. The Gift always has the
properties of its wielder’s level and all previous levels.
This is a particularly appropriate legendary item for
characters made with the Assistant Beast Keeper,
Lost Barbarian, Reformed Bully, or Witch’s Prentice
Character Playbooks.
Level Properties
Level 1 - The amulet has the strange ability to stay
with its bearer at all times and is impossible to
remove by force.
Level 2 - The wearer gains a +1 bonus to all their
saving throws.
Level 3 - By gripping the amulet in hand, the wearer
may cast the spell Sanctuary of Peace once per day.
Level 4 - The wearer gains the ability to recognize her
kin at sight immediately, even if previously unknown.
Additionally, her kin receive an additional +1 bonus
anytime they are helped by the wearer.
Level 5 - The wearer gains an additional +1 bonus to
saving throws, for a total of +2.
Level 6 - The wearer gains a +2 bonus to both their
AC and initiative.
Level 7 - The wearer may cast the Healing Touch
spell once per day.
Level 8 - The wearer gains an additional +1 bonus to
saving throws, for a total of +3.
Level 9 - So long as she is wearing the Gift, the bearer
gains a permanent +1 to any two of her ability scores;
she must name these two ability scores upon reaching
level 9 and may not change them later.
Level 10 - The wearer regains a single spent Fortune
Point after a good night’s rest in a safe location.
The Shield of the Village
This ancient shield has served as a protection for the
warriors of the village for generations. Upon the death
of its previous owner, the witch always grants it to a new-
born babe, often seemingly without rhyme or reason,
at least until the child grows and becomes a protector
of his kin. The shield gains a new magical property
for each level of the character using it. The following
table describes these powers. The shield always has the
properties of its wielder’s level and all previous levels.
This is a particularly appropriate legendary item for
characters made with the Knightless Squire, Retired
Veteran, Village Hero, or Would-Be Knight Character
Playbooks.
Level Properties
Level 1 - The shield is lightweight and unnaturally
easy to sling over the shoulders or call to hand,
granting the bearer the ability to draw it immediately,
even when surprised. It otherwise acts as an ordinary
shield, granting a +1 bonus to AC.
Level 2 - The shield gives its bearer a +2 bonus to
AC, like an ordinary reinforced shield.
Level 3 - The shield begins to fit the bearer’s arm with a
strange comfort and ease, allowing him to hold a torch,
lantern, or other object in his hand without penalty.
Level 4 - The shield gives its bearer another +1 bonus
to AC, for a total of +3.
Level 5 - The bearer may hide behind the shield for
greater protection, receiving a +3 bonus to saving
throws versus breath weapon and spell when doing so.
Level 6 - The shield gives its bearer another +1
bonus to AC, for a total of +4.
Level 7 - The bearer gains a +2 bonus to initiative.
Level 8 - The shield gives its bearer another +1
bonus to AC, for a total of +5.
Level 9 - The magical protection of the shield extends
to the bearer’s allies, all of whom gain a +1 bonus to AC
when the shield is being used in near range.
Level 10 - The shield gives its bearer another +1
bonus to AC, for a total of +6.
Weyland’s Hammer
The greatest smith in the world worked his art with
this hammer for many years before relinquishing it
under unknown circumstances. It is a plain smithing
hammer, save for a faint, delicate golden filigree under
the base of its head. While it was made for crafting, it
may be wielded in battle, and does 1d6 damage. The
hammer gains a new magical property for each level
of the character using it. The following table describes
these powers. The hammer always has the properties
of its wielder’s level and all previous levels.
This is a particularly appropriate legendary item
for characters made with the Adventurous Trader,
Dwarven Mentor, Dwarven Rune Caster, or Learned
Tutor Character Playbooks.
Level Properties
Level 1 - The hammer is a joy to craft with and grants
its user a +1 bonus on any smithing rolls.
Level 2 - The hammer grants its wielder a +1 bonus
to hit and damage.
Level 3 - The hammer grants its user an additional
+1 bonus on any smithing rolls, for a total of +2.
Level 4 - The hammer grants its user the ability to
craft magical items with relative ease; any rolls to
enchant an item made with the hammer receive a +3
bonus, and the GM may grant those items additional
or greater powers at her discretion. See Further
Afield, p.50, for rules on crafted magical items.
Level 5 - The hammer grants its user an additional
+1 bonus on any smithing rolls, for a total of +3.
Level 6 - Once per day, by shouting a command word,
the bearer may cause triple damage with a single strike.
Level 7 - The hammer grants its user an additional
+1 bonus on any smithing rolls, for a total of +4
Level 8 - The hammer grants its wielder a further +1
bonus to hit and damage, for a total of +2.
Level 9 - The hammer grants its user an additional
+1 bonus on any smithing rolls, for a total of +5.
Level 10 - The bearer of the hammer becomes com-
pletely immune to fire damage from all sources.
A Kingless Realm 71
 The Whispering Staff
Legends claim that this twisted yew staff originally
belonged to the sorceress Maeve, and that she crafted
it herself while still in her own apprenticeship. It is
sturdy but plain and stands almost six feet tall. Its
magical might is hidden to many, even other mages.
The staff gains a new magical property for each level
of the character using it. The following table describes
these powers. The staff always has the properties of
its wielder’s level and all previous levels.
This is a particularly appropriate legendary item for
characters made with the Apprentice Court Sorcerer,
Initiated Magician, Recluse Wizard, or Self Taught
Mage Character Playbooks.
Level Properties
Level 1 - The staff grants its bearer a +1 bonus to any
Sense Magic rolls. Additionally, any rolls to detect the
staff’s own powers suffer a -5 penalty.
Level 2 - The staff grants its wielder a +1 bonus to hit
and damage.
Level 3 - The staff whispers to its bearer at night,
granting him knowledge of a single new spell or ritual
automatically upon reaching third level. The player
and GM should pick an appropriate spell together.
Hereafter, the staff will do this again each time the
bearer gains another level.
Level 4 - The staff grants its bearer a +1 bonus to AC
and all saving throws.
Level 5 - The staff grants its wielder a further +1
bonus to hit and damage, for a total of +2.
Level 6 - Once per day, the bearer may use the staff
to cast one of the following spells: Bar the Way, Brave
the Flames, Feather Fall, Mystical Shield, Opening
Touch, or Silence.
Level 7 - The bearer gains a +2 bonus to cast rituals
while holding the staff.
Level 8 - The staff grants its wielder a further +1
bonus to hit and damage, for a total of +3.
Level 9 - The bearer may now cast two spells per day
from the list given in the level six power.
Level 10 - Targets of the bearer’s magics suffer a -3
penalty to their saving throws.
72 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
The Witches’ Blade
Forged by an ancient coven of witches and enchanted with
dark magics, this longsword is made of patterned star
metal, its delicate, silver hilt inscribed with subtle runes.
It grows in power with its wielder, matching the might
of its bearer. The sword gains a new magical property
for each level of the character using it. The following
table describes these powers. The sword always has the
properties of its wielder’s level and all previous levels.
Because the powers of this item grow as the character
levels, it allows a character to begin with a special
weapon and keep it for the entire campaign, as in
much fiction. It would fit with almost any character
in Beyond the Wall, but is a particularly appropriate
item for characters made with the Devout Acolyte,
Gifted Dilettante, Lord’s Secret, or Student of the
Dark Arts Character Playbooks.
The gamemaster and group should feel free to invent
their own versions of this item, changing its specific
powers or form. A barbarian might love to keep her
father’s axe, while a hero from an earlier culture
might bear an ancient spear.
Level Properties
Level 1 - The sword is magical, but has no bonus to hit
or damage. It can, however, harm any creatures immune
to mundane attacks. Also, the sword allows its bearer to
see incorporeal or invisible undead when drawn.
Level 2 - The sword gives its bearer +1 both to hit
and damage.
Level 3 - The sword glows with the cold light of the
moon when drawn and grants its bearer a +2 bonus to
rolls to find hidden things at night; this light may be
dimmed at will by the wielder.
Level 4 - The sword gives its bearer another +1 to hit
and damage, for a total of +2.
Level 5 - The bearer gains a +2 bonus to all saving
throws versus the magic of the dead and necroman-
cers, and deals double damage to undead creatures.
Level 6 - The sword gives its bearer another +1 to hit
and damage, for a total of +3.
Level 7 - The bearer gains a +2 bonus to AC.
Additionally, the bearer gains a +3 bonus to command
or coerce ghosts and other spirits of death.
Level 8 - The sword gives its bearer another +1 to hit
and damage, for a total of +4.
Level 9 - The sword emits an eerie howl when first
drawn in battle, causing humans and other similar foes
to make a saving throw versus magic item or flee for
1d8 rounds; the wielder may silence the blade at will.
Level 10 - The sword gives its bearer another
+1 to hit and damage, for a total of +5.
The Horned King’s Bane
An ancient weapon hammered from meteoric iron,
this six foot long, solid metal spear is never touched
by rust, and never too heavy for the hand that would
lift it in hunger or fear. It was crafted in the dawn of
human time by many tribes bringing together their
hopes for their children, their fears of the fae, and
their desire for a better life, as well as all the meteoric
iron they could scavenge from across what would
later become the Broken Kingdom.
Level 6 - The spear grants its wielder the ability,
once per day, to break initiative order and take an
immediate attack with the spear.
Level 7 - The spear grants its wielder the ability
to summon the light of dawn as per the The Rising
Dawn spell (p.107) once per day.
Level 8 - The spear grants its wielder the +3 to hit
and damage (+5 against fae).
Level 9 - The spear grants its wielder immunity to
fae illusions and mind control.
Level 10 - The spear grants its wielder immunity to
all fae powers.

This spear would teach humanity to hunt the fae,

and would eventually become a great part of the
human revolt against their kind. In the centuries that
followed, the Horned King’s Bane found bearers to
carry it as it stalked the liminal spaces between the
human and fae worlds, hunting for its old foe, until
eventually it fell and it was lost in the dark places
between the worlds. Some few prophecies foretell
that it will come once more into the hands of mortals
and will save them from the cruelest of the fae.

The Horned King’s Bane, or Human’s Hunt, cannot

be lifted or carried by any but humans. Not even
beasts of burden or familiars, unless they pull a cart
or carry a human who bears the spear.

Level Properties
Level 1 - The spear grants its wielder +1 to resist any
fairy illusions, including invisibility.
Level 2 - The spear grants its wielder +1 to hit and
damage (+2 against fae).
Level 3 - The spear grants its wielder +3 to Hunting
and Survival Rolls.
Level 4 - The spear grants its wielder the +2 to hit
and damage (+3 against fae).
Level 5 - The spear grants its wielder the ability to
see, speak to, and stalk spirits like the cantrip Second
Sight (p.48 of Beyond the Wall)

A Kingless Realm 73
 The Broken Kingdom
Ours is a forsaken and lost realm. For time beyond
human reckoning the land has been warred over,
claimed by one people or another, and then thrown
again and again into disarray.
No one now living can remember the times of the
High Kings and Queens. Few know the stories of the
folk who came before them. Reavers and barbarians
threaten every village. The dead stir, and ancient evils
begin to remember the wrongs of the past.
In these dangerous times, people tend to one another,
gathering in simple villages and looking to their own
protection. All folk in the Broken Kingdom need their
neighbors, and the peaceful villages of the Homelands
are havens from the threats of the world.
Once, long ago, the faeries and their courts ruled
here. What were the fair folk like in those days before
men? While now they seem to live in a mockery of
the doings of mortals, holding court, honoring their
nobles, and building towers, did they know to do this
before humans tamed the wild places? Were they so
different then as to be unknowable? Or is it instead
just the opposite? Was it mortals who emulated the
doings of the fae?
When men and women first mastered fire, and then
learned to work metal, the time of the faerie courts’
ascendancy was already nearing an end. Humankind
bred too quickly, spread too far, and worked and built
at such a prodigious rate that the fae could not resist
their encroachments.
And so the first men ruled this land, forming
kingdoms, warring with one another, and building
rough towns of a sort. For an unknown number of
generations, these folk fought one another and their
fae neighbors with blades of bronze and then iron.
They erected great stone monoliths. They buried
their dead in rough barrows and laid them to rest with
rich grave goods.
74 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
This too could not last. Eventually, the ships of a
mighty empire to the distant south landed on the
shores of this land, and they would not be refused.
The first men fell in battle, became tributaries, and
were eventually conquered altogether. For six hun-
dred years the land was but one of many provinces of
that great empire.
And yet, mighty as the southern empire was, it too
fell, or at least receded so as to be but a distant leg-
end to the people left in its wake. Soon the empire’s
temples, roads, and towns fell into ruin, themselves
now the stuff of legend and superstition. For another
period of centuries the folk of this land lived, laughed,
and died as the remnants of a forgotten people.
Then the reavers came. In long ships and decked in
mail, they took what they wanted, settled where they
wished, and laughed at the natives who spoke a lan-
guage they did not understand. These were dark years,
and for three generations the people cowered in fear,
sometimes praying to old gods to protect them, often
simply trying to keep their homes safe and hoping to
go unnoticed.
Eventually, a hero came, a puissant warrior and
a charismatic leader of men. She was the first high
queen, Tosia of the Southmarch, called Bright Helm
by some, Fell Hand by others. She went from village
to village, farmstead to farmstead, and forgotten
town to forgotten town. By strength of will and force
of personality, she gathered the folk of her realm into
a mighty host and drove the reavers from the land.
With those who wanted to stay peaceably, she made
truce and welcomed them to her kingdom. In the
first year of the common reckoning, she was crowned
High Queen of the Land in the ruins of a temple built
by people long forgotten and dedicated to a god no
longer worshipped.
Tosia ruled well. While she and her people did not
possess the secrets of the forgotten southern empire,
she was able to reclaim and repair some of their major
roads. On the southern shores, she refounded the
land’s only major city. Her court honored the barrows
of the ancient kings lest they rise again, drove the fae
further into the wild and magical places of the world,
made pacts with the faeries she could, fortified towns
and villages against the reavers, and brokered a peace
with the barbarians of the northern mountains.
With the passing of Tosia, the kingdom was able to
hold on to its prosperity. Seventeen kings and queens
of her line ruled, and folk were safe, happy, and loyal.
The fates of the land’s previous rulers should have been
a warning, however. No kingdom lasts forever. When
Morven the Tall, the seventeenth monarch, grew old
with no living heir, a crisis emerged. Morven attempted
to set his kingdom in order before his passing,
seeking to name an heir and avert the coming disaster,
but it was for nought. No noble family could agree
upon a candidate for the throne. The common
folk had foolishly come to honor Tosia’s bloodline
beyond all else, and refused to accept a new heir. The
reavers returned, sensing that the kingdom was weak,
and the northern barbarians came to claim lands for
themselves.
In the year 386, Tosia’s kingdom collapsed. The
nobles bickered, many claiming themselves as the
new kings of petty realms of their own making.
The people were once again unsafe as the reavers
landed where they liked and stole what they wanted,
just as in the old stories. The dead kings of the first
men were no longer honored by the living king, and so
became restless. Much of the land turned haunted and
sparsely populated.
A Kingless Realm 75

Using Further Afield
The Further Afield supplement presents a
method of campaign creation in which the
players take turns describing interesting
locations on the map which they have heard
of in legends, stories, or rumor. The GM
then secretly checks the veracity of these
stories based on the characters’ skills and
ability scores, meaning that the players are
left with adventure hooks to follow, but no
definite knowledge of what lies ahead.
Whether the stories that the players come up
with are accurate or not, the gamemaster is
left with some juicy notes and, likely, some
idea of the type of adventures the players
are looking for. It is an easy and engaging
way to get a campaign off the ground.
The Broken Kingdom works very well with
this method of campaign generation. While
the largest areas of the map are already
filled in, there is a great deal of room for
the players to inject their own adventure lo-
cations. The Broken Kingdom is large, and
many interested locations are lost to legend
or known only to a select few.
If the group wishes to use the map gener-
ation method presented in Further Afield,
all they need to do is print out the map with
the hex overlay and start telling their own
stories about interesting locations in the
Broken Kingdom. While we encourage
players and the GM to come up with entirely
new locations across the land, they could
also use their turn not to add a location but
to tell a story about one of the interesting
places already listed.
See p.151 for region encounter tables for the
Broken Kingdom.
This is the Broken Kingdom, a dangerous and kingless
realm where people huddle by their hearthfires, tell
stories of ancient struggles, and pray for the return
of better times. It is now the year 722, and the land
has been without a ruler for generations. Most cannot
even recall the names of the kings and queens of old.
Ancient evils are stirring, and nobles still think them-
selves able to claim the realm for themselves. A fae
76 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
lord wronged long ago moves to action, and the dead
rend the Veil between the worlds. But the folk of the
Broken Kingdom love and protect one another still,
and a home is worth fighting for. It is a time when
every village needs its heroes.
Playing in the
Broken Kingdom
This chapter presents a sample setting for use in your
games of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures.
The Broken Kingdom is described here only in broad
strokes. This is intentional; the purpose of this setting
is not to provide a wealth of detail, history, and
geography for the gamemaster and players to study
and learn, but, instead, to sketch a rough outline of
a setting appropriate for your own campaigns and
which evokes the feeling of the game’s source fiction.
In order to operate as a setting appropriate to any
game of Beyond the Wall, we have endeavored to
have as close to all of the elements mentioned in
the published Playbooks and Scenario Packs appear
in the world as is feasible. For instance, there is a
great city to the south, a distant continent beyond,
barbarians to the north, and barrows and faerie woods
across the land. A small circle of templars protects
the land, and there are noble families matching the
descriptions from the nobility Playbooks. The general
milieu is that of the Celtic or Anglo-Saxon dark ages,
though with a hint of the high medieval and plenty of
influences from around the world.
The maps of the Broken Kingdom are presented so
as to make the group feel that they can tweak or add
to the setting as they like. There is plenty of room on
these maps for the group to add its own mark, and
there are many villages, ruins, and faerie forests left
unmarked. The Broken Kingdom setting allows the
GM to start her game with as little fuss as possible
and to have a setting filled with flavor of classic young
adult fantasy right off the bat, but she and her play-
ers are still encouraged to make it their own. We also
present one map with a hex overlay of the same size
described in Further Afield.
To encourage the gamemaster to think of the Broken
Kingdom as her own, we provide a few different
maps of the setting, each slightly different. One of
these is very much a historical map, a record of how
the Broken Kingdom appeared long ago, while the
other two are both “current” within the setting, but
demonstrate how inaccurate cartography can be. The
maps can be given to players as in-game artifacts with
the understanding that every village is not listed and
every dragon’s lair not named. The world is vast and
there is much to explore. The GM should add castles,
villages, and even whole regions wherever she likes.
If the group does not want to set their game in this
sample setting, there is still much here for them. The
group can use this setting as inspiration for their own,
lifting whole portions of the map or just an idea or
two as they like. The GM could also use the Broken
Kingdom as a neighboring land within a world of her
own creation. Perhaps the characters leave home and
sail to another land and find themselves in the realm
described here.
The Homelands
The most peaceful and populous portion of the Broken
Kingdom is known by most people simply as the
Homelands. While still threatened by the reavers and
other dangers, this central region is largely insulated
from frequent attack. Here live eight of the noble
houses of High Queen Tosia’s realm, and here the
people dwell in over a dozen villages, each home to
hearty folk and young heroes.
Despite its numerous villages and noble estates and
the many farmsteads between, the Homelands is still
covered in wilderness. This is the site of the faeries
courts’ most enduring kingdom, a massive forest in
which most men dare not tread. Much of the land
outside the villages, if not covered in woodlands, is
dotted with the mounds of the kings of the first men,
and it is said that to rest for a night near the barrows
is to invite death.
Villages
Most of the folk of the Homelands live in small
villages. Some of these settlements are home to
three or four extended families with perhaps fifty or
sixty residents. The largest of them have almost 500
inhabitants and can sport wooden palisades and
two-storey inns. All are havens for good folk in a wild
and haunted landscape.
Choosing Your Village
When a group chooses to set their game
in the Broken Kingdom, they will need to
determine the location of their village. The
Homelands will work best for most groups,
though the other regions presented below
are also options.
The villages named here - Marhurst,
Glassonby, Barrowtun, Cricklade, and
Thunorslee - are marked on the map and
given as examples. If the group likes the
sound of one of these villages, they may
choose to use it as their home for the game.
Each is sketched in vague terms, leaving
plenty of room for the group to make them
their own. There are also other villages
mentioned throughout this chapter and
situated in other regions of the Broken
Kingdom.
Eight Noble Houses each have an estate and
surrounding village in the Homelands as
well. Four more noble families from other
regions are described below. These also
make excellent choices for a home setting.
One of them, the village of Wenfeld and the
estate of the Lord Asconsia, is described in
much greater detail on p.123, along with its
surrounding lands.
Of course (and perhaps best of all), the
group can still make a village wholly of
their own creation, instead preserving the
sample villages as neighboring settlements
or adventure sites. Outside of the Gloaming,
the Homelands probably has a sizable
village every 10 or 20 miles, or every hex or
two if using map rules from Further Afield.
There is plenty of room to play around.
The men and women of these villages trade
often with one another, though usually through
wandering peddlers or one or two merchants who
call their village home. When strangers come to
town, the villagers often gather in the inn, on the
village green, or at some other significant location to
hear tales of the outside world.
A Kingless Realm 77
78 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Without a king, the villagers look to their own
defences. Most men and women across the Home-
lands can wield spear, sword, or bow, and are ready
to be called to form the militia and protect their
home should bandits, reavers, or worse attack. Some
villages can support a dedicated watchman or two,
and the largest have as many as a dozen folk devoted
to the task of maintaining arms and protecting the
land from invaders.
Most village folk are farmers, shepherds, and fisher-
men. It is hard to feed the mouths of a settlement of
any size, and so the lands for a couple miles or more
around each village are given over to intermittent
farmland. Only a dozen or so men and women in
most of these villages can dedicate their time to more
specialized trades: a smith, a miller, an innkeep or
common house owner, and a village witch who gives
names and tends the sick.
When the surrounding farmers are counted along
with the inhabitants of the village proper, some can
claim a citizenry of a thousand, though most are
much smaller.
Between the villages, in the wild places, single
families or small bands of settlers watch over
individual farmsteads. This is a dangerous life.
Without the protection of neighbors, life in the
Broken Kingdom is hard. Still, many such folk live
in small cottages or hovels, and some of them are
visited by the same peddlers who serve the villages.
They are a hardy and somewhat wild people, and they
sometimes travel to the nearest village to celebrate
holidays, trade, or attend the festival.
The village of Glassonby sits on the great river Ussa
where a stone bridge of the High Kings is still kept.
Its nearest neighbor is the settlement of Marhurst,
the most fortified village in the land. Despite its small
size, Marhurst is partially surrounded by an ancient
wall of stone, the broken portions replaced by sturdy
wooden defences. The village sits atop a tall hill by
a lake teeming with fish. Glassonby and Marhurst
waged war on one another five generations ago, and
now commemorate this bloody past with great games
of occasionally violent sport between them.
While all across the Homelands are the tombs of
forgotten kings, the village of Barrowtun is surrounded
by them. Legends say that its founders swore an oath
to a mighty sorcerer of the southern lands to banish
the dead from the village, and that the inhabitants
still mark the cornerstones of each of their houses
with his rune. It is an idyllic place by day, but haunted
by night, and none leave their homes after nightfall
save to journey in groups to the inn for fellowship.
As these groups disperse late into the night, dropping
one villager after another at their homes, the last man
or family in the party is always called the Wicked
Wanderer. A common saying in Barrowtun is “unlucky
as the Wicked Wanderer.”
Cricklade is the largest village of the Homelands. It is
a coastal village with many fishermen. The farmland
here is particularly good, though to the north and
east it gives way to fetid marshland. The villagers fear
the swamp, and claim that it is inhabited by marsh
goblins and other fae.
Built on the remnants of a large imperial settlement
from before the times of the High Kings, Thunorslee
is surrounded by marble ruins. At the center of the
village are two ancient and empty temples dedicated
to the old gods. A sole priest tends these sites,
uncertain of which belonged to which god, and fearful
of missing an offering. While generations of villagers
have laughed at the old man’s superstition, they are
always sure to find him an apprentice before he grows
too old or sick to continue on his own.
The Eight Noble Houses
When the High Kings ruled, all the land was divided
between noble houses who swore fealty to the king or
queen and, most hoped, ruled their lands honorably.
Now, almost four hundred years after the fall of the
kingdom, only twelve such families survive. Eight of
them hold estates in the Homelands.
Each of these clans has a keep of some sort, which is
surrounded by its own village and farmsteads. Most
of the villagers of these settlements keep to the old
ways, swearing fealty to the lord or lady of the house,
providing military service when called upon, and
expecting protection in return.
A Kingless Realm 79
 For folk further away from the estates, such as those
living in the independent villages or wild places
described above, the concept of nobility and fealty is
a more distant concept. Most of the noblemen of the
Homelands keep old, often conflicting maps, which
recall their ancient borders, and they consider those
of one village or another their subjects. Few have
the might to enforce this rule. Instead, they show up
occasionally to demand a small taxation, or to muster
troops. When they do this, the need is usually great
enough that the folk of the villages go along for their
own protection, though many of them forget the
nobleman’s claimed rule as soon as he is out of sight.
Nonetheless, most villagers have an idea of who their
noble house is. They are likely to feel some sense of
duty to that house, distant as it may be from their day-
to-day lives. For the villagers living in the immediate
area of a noble estate, the locals’ liege house is a part
of their identity, and there is little question they will
muster for the lord’s army should the need arise.
This loyalty is not guaranteed, however. The folk of
the Broken Kingdom only honor their lord as much as
he honors them. They expect their lords and ladies to
be fair, brave, and forthright.
80 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
The eight houses of the Homelands are a varied lot,
and have been known to make small wars on one
another, though not for forty years now. When last
they fought, House Faerdref, known for their large
library and the rumors that their matriarch of four
generations ago was a sorceress, enlisted the aid of
the soldiers of House Aethendir in order to seize
lands from House Dwiffyd and force a treaty which
would allow them access to their rival’s libraries and
records. The purpose of this is still debated. While
House Dwiffyd boasts the finest knights in the realm,
even they could not stand against the might of two
other houses. One knight or man-at-arms from the
Houses Faerdref and Dwiffyd still meet at a standing
stone every year and duel to commemorate the end
of this war.
House Wettin, whose seat is in the town of Alden-
hamm, is certainly the most powerful noble house in
the Homelands. Their great rivals, Ingevenny, have
tried on and off for generations to find a way to wrest
the town from Wettin’s grasp, but to no avail.
The Houses Asconsia and Marconia have the clos-
est bond of any noble lines left in the Broken King-
dom. Their lands are near to one another, and many
times they have repelled barbarian invaders, bands of
reavers, or other nobles bent on seizing their holdings.
Together, they represent the most stable power in the
Homelands, save that of Aldenhamm and House Wettin.
The last of the great families of the Homelands is
Glarnost. This noble line holds sway over the larg-
est unforested stretch of the region, and their farms
produce much grain and other food which is traded with
other noble families or in lands further from home.
Noble Characters and Houses
When making a character with a Playbook from the
nobility setting, the first table asks for the background
of the character’s noble family, and there are twelve
possible results. In this chapter, we provide brief
details on the twelve extant noble houses of the Broken
Kingdom. After deciding which noble estate they will
use as their home village, players may choose the
corresponding result from that table instead of roll-
ing. The noble families and the table results align as
follows:
 Noble House Now there are fewer than thirty of this cadre in the
d12
Broken Kingdom. Those that remain hold to their
1 betrayal - House Ingevenny of the
ancient oaths, occasionally training the sons or
Homelands
daughters of noble families. They are most often
2 arms - House Lunestyr of the Last Wall found in the Homelands as itinerant knights,
3 wealth - House Ordentur of the Southern traveling the countryside and serving the people
Coasts as their founders did. Some still dwell in the noble
4 knowledge - House Faerdref of the estates of the Homelands, honoring forgotten fealties.
Homelands
5 harvests - House Glarnost of the Homelands Queen’s Road
In many parts of this land, travelers may stumble
6 beauty - House Marconia of the Homelands
upon a bit of broken stone road, sometimes as long
7 honor - House Wettin of Aldenhamm as a mile, more often only recognizable for a hundred
8 defence - House Aethendir of the Home- yards or so. Most of these connect to more recent
lands roads or paths, the ground gradually giving back to
9 standing - House Asconsia of the packed earth as the stonework recedes.
Homelands
10 knights - House Dwiffyd of the Homelands There are many stories of these roads, some claiming
that they are the work of faeries, the first men, or the
11 gardens - House Carvaryth of the Riverlands
old kingdom. In truth, they are the remnants of the
12 lasting - House Kieren of the Southmarch great empire which once ruled the land, built first by
its massive armies and then finished by its merchants
There are also several lost houses of nobility from and town magistrates.
earlier ages, and the GM might use the ruins of their
keeps as sites for adventures. A player using the Last Only one such road remains relatively intact. Called
of a Fallen House Playbook may determine that their the Queen’s Road, it was repaired and maintained in
character is from one of these forgotten families. the time of Tosia and her descendents. This highway
Suitable names include the Houses Sieberht, Crawe,
and Ordgar. An ambitious player may even choose for
his character to be descended from House Tosia, the
clan of the High Kings, if the group agrees.

The Templars
Tosia, the first High Queen, had in her service seven
knights of peerless skill called the Templars of the
Realm. These warriors formed her personal body-
guard. Upon the founding of her kingdom, four of
them traveled across the land, one in each direction,
either serving as the elite guard and counselors of other
noble families or wandering the countryside, alone or
with small entourages, righting wrongs and aiding in
the defence of villages and towns. In time they trained
others and founded a small but elite order.

With the collapse of the kingdom, the numbers of the

Templars dwindled. Some of them founded the more
secretive and less martial order now known as rangers.
Many died fighting bands of reavers or other invaders.

A Kingless Realm 81
 runs from the city of Essenbur on the southern coasts,
to the town of Aldenhamm, all the way to the Last
Wall. Some say it goes even further north than this.
The Queen’s Road bisects the Homelands, and,
along with the river Ussa, is the most well-known
landmark in the region. Many folk find their way by
the great road.
Unlike the other, less impressive, roads and paths of
the Broken Kingdom, the Queen’s Road runs almost
always straight. It is nearly twenty feet wide, mostly
made of pale stone. While the days of the High Kings
are gone, and the road has fallen into some disrepair,
it is still maintained by many folk along its length.
Virtually every village or town within a day’s journey
of the road has an annual custom of tending to their
portion of the road, and so it remains a boon to
travelers and traders.
82 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Aldenhamm
The Homelands have only one settlement of significant
size, and that is the ancient imperial town now known
as Aldenhamm. The town sits on the banks of the
river Ussa, and the Queen’s Road runs straight into its
southern gate and out its northern.
This is the last major trading center of the kingdom.
In the days of the empire, it was called Alta Har,
which means High Seat, and it was their northern-
most major settlement. At one point, the governor of
the province made his home here, and the remnants
of his ruined villa now form the great market which
sits at the town’s center.
Aldenhamm boasts over two thousand residents;
additionally, many farmers live within sight of its
walls. It is the home of the Lord Wettin. The nobles of
this house have held a keep in the town of Aldenhamm
since before the fall of the kingdom, and they see to its
defences to this day.
For the villagers of the Homelands, Aldenhamm is a
source of great pride, though most have never been
within its walls. Children often threaten that they
will “run away to the high seat” and dream of finding
a new life there. Most of the goods not made by the
villagers of the land come to them through this town,
and some who live within two or three days make
a point of traveling there once a year, especially at
festival time.
The Gloaming
The Gloaming is a massive forest, dense in many
parts but open and serene in others. It stretches
across most of the Homelands. This is the last
great bastion of the faerie courts. Here the Autumn
Princess has held sway for millenia, safe from the
reach of men and the fortunes of mortal wars.
The men and women of the Homelands know that
the Gloaming is a strange and fae place. At its edges
it is mostly a normal wood, but when travelers stray
too far under its boughs, the world turns strange.
Sometimes after journeying a mile or two into the
forest, sometimes much sooner, wanderers find that
they are in a perpetual twilight, regardless of the time
of day. When glimpsed through the trees, the stars
appear strange, and the moon and the sun always
seem to share the sky, though both are small and pale.
Even close to the edges, the Gloaming always seems
to have a bit of autumn about it. While the leaves
turn as usual, the air has a chill to it, though it is not
excessively cold. Closer to the center, the leaves
always appear in the fiery colors of autumn, or in
strange hues of purple and blue.
Somewhere within this forest is the Dark Heart of the
Wood, a dank and foreboding place. Its exact location
seems to shift, and most who venture there do not
return. The trees in and near the Dark Heart are
sentient and watchful, and mortals get the feeling
that an ancient wrong was enacted here.
Most villages have woodsmen, hunters, or herbalists
who venture into portions of the Gloaming. These
folk have learned the safest portions of the wood, and
tend to stick to known paths. They are mostly safe.
Even so, sometimes they go missing for months or
years at a time, only to return thinking that an hour
or a day has passed.
The Festival Folk
Across the Homelands travels a caravan of tinkers,
mummers, and craftsmen. These are the Festival
Folk, and their coming is celebrated in every village.
Each village and noble estate has a unique holiday on
which the festival comes to town, and it is rarely late.
They might arrive two days early, filling the villagers
with excitement as their colorful tents and banners
are erected, or they may be a week late, during which
time the village is filled with suspense, but they always
arrive. At their festival rare goods are for sale, such
as books, weapons of rare metals, and fruits from
distant lands.
The Festival Folk seem strange, but are still ordinary
men and women. Their numbers include those native
to the Broken Kingdom, northern barbarians, outcast
reavers, men and women of the Summer Isles, and those
from places still unknown. Mostly, though, the festival is
run by villagers from the Homelands who took to the
road as youths when they were filled with wanderlust.

The Barrows
While signs of their era and the burials of their kings
stretch across the whole of the Broken Kingdom, the
first men most often entombed their honored dead
in the Homelands. What religious or supernatural
significance the region held for them is now forgotten,
but the mounds of their barrows are everywhere, as
are the massive stone monoliths or circles they raised.

Many barrows are small mounds, some not even

recognized for what they are. The largest of them are
tall hills. A few have visible entrances, usually held
shut by great carved stones. Most are naught but dirt
and grass, the means of ingress buried by time.

Some villagers remember old customs related to these

kings, and leave wreaths of flowers or other offerings
at a particular local tomb on a special day whose
significance is now lost. Mostly, the men and women
of the Homelands avoid the barrows, fearful that their
inhabitants will rise again.

A Kingless Realm 83
 Despite this, the Festival Folk can be uncanny. The
unusual is commonplace when the festival is in town.
Their caravan is sometimes found between villages,
but, just as often, is nowhere to be seen even a day
after departure, until appearing at its next destina-
tion.
The Southmarch
Once, Southmarch was the center of the realm. Here
the High Kings made their home, and the lands were
populous and peaceful.
Upon the collapse of the kingdom, Southmarch
became a ruined land. Within two generations, almost
all of the cities, towns, and keeps had been destroyed
or abandoned, and all but one of the noble houses
here had fallen. The people of this region either fled to
the Homelands or the southern coasts, or else made
small homes as they could in forgotten places.
Now Southmarch is a desolate place. Packs of wolves,
lone drakes, desperate bandits, and even warbands
84 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
of goblins roam the countryside. There are several
villages across the landscape, but far fewer than in the
Homelands, and they are more fortified and wary of
outsiders. While trade still flows along the Queen’s
Road here, and a few small settlements cling to its
sides, most notably the village of Hayslee, famous
for its bowmen. Most of the land is forsaken, dotted
by ruins and infested with dark creatures. Only the
watch of the rangers keeps this portion of the road
safe, and they fear that their vigil will not be able to
last much longer.
The Ruined City
At the center of the Southmarch sits the ruined city
of Regihar, or Caer Vellum. While never as large
or prosperous as the coastal city of Essenbur, this
was once a place of ancient imperial power, and
later was where Tosia, the first High Queen, was
crowned. Every High King and Queen after her
held court here, and it was once the heart of the
kingdom.
When the last High King died, Regihar was doomed to
fall. Warring nobles set upon the city, and it suffered
one siege after another. When a large army of reavers
marched inland, the remaining inhabitants found
themselves unable to defend the walls, and many of
the buildings were ransacked, looted, and burned.
Numerous temples to the old gods still stand or
half-stand inside the city. Here too are the remnants
of the Great Library, once the largest repository of
knowledge in the land. This is what gives it the name
Caer Vellum Folks say that ghosts wander the streets
at night, and travelers on the Queen’s Road avert
their eyes as they pass by, fearful of a curse should
they glance through the breaks in the crumbling
walls. None enter the city of Regihar.
Or almost none. The wanderers known as the rangers
make their home base here, and their leader, the
sorceress-warrior, Aife, directs her order from the
ruins of the High Kings’ Keep.
Three years ago, a large band of wicked goblins
moved into the ruins and now holds the western half
of the city. The rangers and the goblins have fought
one another to a stalemate for now, both keeping
an uneasy watch on their rough borders within the
The Arms of Dwarrowlyth
While the greatest forges of the Under Cav-
erns are now cold, the fae who still dwell
there continue to craft sharp blades and
sturdy mail of steel, mithril, and many oth-
er metals.
Almost every weapon or suit of armor made
by the fae of the Under Caverns is magical.
Some such items have found their way into
the hands of men, who hold them in rev-
erence and pass them down as heirlooms,
though they are unlikely to know the details
of their origin. All are rare, but the most
common arms of Lost Dwarrowlyth are
broad-bladed +1 short swords and battle
axes, and always-bright suits of +1 chain-
mail. These objects never rust or tarnish,
and they are noticeably lighter than others
of their sort.
ruins and engaging in the occasional skirmish. These
goblins, under the direction of a dangerous bugbear
named Kor’nall, were almost certainly sent by the
Horned King as a way to weaken the only mortals who
know the truth of his past.
An Ancient Order
Few in the Broken Kingdom know the dangers await-
ing men as well as the ancient order now known as
the rangers. They are a rugged folk, stout of heart,
and they roam the lands in search of evil. At night,
they protect the villages and towns of the Broken
Kingdom, traveling in bands of three or four, slaying
dark faeries or the risen dead.
The true name of this group is the Order of Alekaneros,
and they have a double founding. This order was
originally founded by the first men when they
battled the faerie courts and claimed homes in this
land for mortals. With the coming of the empire and
then the reavers, their numbers dwindled until few
could remember them.
With the death of Morven the Tall and the collapse
of the kingdom, three of the remaining Templars
of the Realm and the last descendents of the Order
of Alekaneros refounded the society. They swore to
protect people from the terrors lurking beyond their
settlements, and to hold what peace they could until
things were set right again.
Now the rangers face a more dangerous task than ever
before. They know that the dead stir, and that the Horned
King would once again claim the land for his kind.
From their fortified headquarters in the ruined city of
Regihar, the rangers send small bands of their num-
ber across the Broken Kingdom. They are watching,
beating back the dark where they can, and hoping for
the return of peace and order.
House Kieren
When the other noble houses of the Southmarch fell
to infighting, civil wars, and invasions, House Kieren
lasted. For over a dozen generations since the fall
of the old kingdom, against all odds, Kieren has
maintained its lands, protected its people, and held to
its hearthfires.
A Kingless Realm 85
 The house holds power in an eastern portion of
Southmarch, at a keep called Rosewall, so named
for the strange delicate ivy and purple roses which
grow up its fortifications. Kieren is a large house, with
many cousins and minor lines. By necessity, it must
hold a greater number of men-at-arms than most
noble houses, and it is a tradition that third sons
and daughters of the house dedicate their youths to
serving in a warrior cadre called the Black Guard,
who don dark suits of mail, stand watch on the
battlements of Rosewall, and venture forth to watch
the borders of Kieren lands.
The Under Caverns
Across almost the entirety of Southmarch is another
realm, one hidden from the eyes of men and the light
of the sun. Now called the Under Caverns, these are
the remnants of the great faerie court of Dwarrowlyth.
Here many clans of dwarves and other fae made a
wondrous home of stone and metal. The lords and
ladies of Dwarrowlyth existed apart from the other
86 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
faerie courts, trading with the dwarven cities of the
northern mountains and at times with the men who
lived above their caverns. While travelers were rarely
permitted entry, those who did stay for a time and
return told of massive chambers of beautifully carved
rock, suspended globes of rainbow lights, and faeries
of every sort crafting wondrous items.
Now most of the chambers of the Under Caverns are
dark, though enclaves of the fae continue to exist here
and there. Goblins and other enemies of the dwarves
inhabit many of the tunnels, and a strange and bitter
struggle persists beneath the lands of men.
To most men, the Under Caverns are but a legend. Its
entrances are many, and the folk of the Southmarch
warn their children not to wander into caves or
abandoned mines. Once a generation or so, a mortal
goes missing but returns a year or two later with tales
of lost Dwarrowlyth and bearing an unusual broach,
belt buckle, or weapon of exquisite craftsmanship.
The Kikullian Islands
Off the western coasts of Southmarch are a number
of islands home to a people who came in the days of
the fifth High Queen, Serenda. Neither reavers nor
folk of the Summer Isles, nor those of the southern
continent, their original homeland is forgotten to all
save perhaps their greatest loremasters.
High Queen Serenda granted these islands to the lost
wanderers and welcomed them to her kingdom. They
named them for their greatest knight and horseman,
who ruled his newly settled people as a vassal to the
High Kings.
Now the folk of the Kikullian Islands live much as the
other folks of the Broken Kingdom, only their names
and a handful of traditions betraying their origins.
They are insulated from much of the troubles of the
rest of the realm, and cluster in small settlements and
fishing villages. The largest of these is named Alqa
and has its own stone walls and port. Merchants from
the mainland often come here in hopes of trading for
their masterful woven goods and fruit wines.
The Southern Coasts
Along the southern coasts of the Broken Kingdom can
be found the most prosperous and densely populated
portions of the realm. While more men and women
live in the Homelands than along the coast, nowhere
else do the folk of the realm live in such close
proximity to one another. This is the most traveled
region of the kingdom, and it sees regular trade and
war from the south and east.
The land’s only true city is here, the walled port of
Essenbur, a metropolis of almost 100,000 souls. The
folk of the south are outward looking, educated, and
accustomed to strangers and unusual goods.
If any part of the land can claim to be the inheritor to
the lost realm of the High Kings and Queens or the
imperial conquerors, it is the southern coasts. The
people here are more organized, wealthier, and more
literate than anywhere else, and a bold but careful
ruler could galvanize the entire region to action.
Essenbur
The great city of the Broken Kingdom, Essenbur is a
mighty, walled burg sitting on the southern coasts.
The River Samus, which branches off the Ussa near
Briwendon, empties into the sea here, and its mouth
makes a natural harbor.
The first men built a settlement on this spot, and the
bravest of them rowed to the southern continent to
trade tin, wool, and stone in exchange for copper and
grain. When the imperials came, they immediately
seized this port for themselves and fortified it. Under
the rule of the High Kings it continued as a major
location for trade, and it persisted when the kingdom
collapsed. To most folk, Essenbur seems eternal.
It is a free city ruled by no lord. Every year, a council
of three mayors is elected by all the men and women
of the city from among the leadership of the guilds,
and these mayors make all major decisions about
trade law, taxation, and relations with the rest of the
Broken Kingdom.
Essenbur’s walls contain almost 100,000 inhabitants.
While there are farms and villages surrounding the
city for several miles, it still must rely on constant
trade for much of its food and wine. This makes it
easily the most cosmopolitan location in the land, and
many languages are heard in its streets.
The city is protected by a small, professional army of
300. Every five years the families of the city and its
surrounding villages send their sons and daughters
to serve a stint in the City Legion, which is organized
much as the imperial army of centuries ago.
Indeed, the citizens of Essenbur bear much in
common with the imperials, and they held onto
much of imperial culture after the empire departed.
The people here are forward thinking, stern yet
friendly, and they take their laws and customs very
seriously. Some still worship the old gods. They are
skilled craftsmen, practiced sailors, and quick-witted
merchants. In much of the Broken Kingdom people
speak of Essenbur as a place of wealth and foreign
values. “Strange as Essenbur,” “rich as Essenbur,”
and “strong as Essenbur” are all common variants.
A Kingless Realm 87
 The Wizard’s Tower
On a rocky cliff overlooking the southern seas is a
lone, tall tower. Here the wizard Karzandrius keeps
his sanctum.
Karzandrius is from a far away realm, and many whis-
per that he is immortal. While this is unlikely to be
true, it is certain that he has lived for longer than any
can remember, and the witches and grandmothers of
the villages speak of him already being in residence
at his tower when they were young. Many would-be
mages come to the tower in search of tutelage. Most
never gain an audience with the great wizard. Those
that do are usually rebuffed gently but gruffly. Very
occasionally they are instead granted what folk call
“The Gift of the Master,” a blessing from the archmage
which protects them in dangerous situations (see the
spell of the same name described on p.106 below).
Once every decade or so the wizard takes an appren-
tice for four or five years; most of these journey to for-
eign lands in search of lore and fame upon completing
their studies.
While he lives alone with only a half dozen servants
and a flock of goats, Karzandrius is a member of a
powerful order of thirteen wizards from across the
world. These mighty mages and sorceresses keep
in frequent contact with one another, whispering
messages into scrying crystals every full moon.
88 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
The Recluse Wizard
and the Order
In most campaigns, Karzandrius will be
the only mage of his order in the Broken
Kingdom, his compatriots serving as a bit
of background flavor, or perhaps the source
of an adventure on the southern continent.
However, the Initiated Magician Playbook
from Heroes Young and Old allows a player
to create an elder character who is a wizard
belonging to a mystical order. If a player
uses this Playbook, he may choose to have
his character be the junior-most member of
the order of thirteen wizards, perhaps even
a former apprentice of Karzandrius himself.
Braidrwaite
A small town on the coast, Braidrwaite is the only
settlement in the kingdom that is home to recent
settlers from the reavers’ lands.
Fifty years ago a warlord named Garthur gathered an
impressive seventy longships and a full complement
of warriors from the homeland of the reavers. He tried
to seize Essenbur and its surroundings for himself.
After two years of bloody war across the southern
coasts, Garthur was repelled, and he and most of his
men retreated across the seas. Six ships stayed, how-
ever, and they settled a portion of lush farmland on
the coast after driving the previous inhabitants away.
The armies of the great city and its allies were too
exhausted to stop this action, and so Braidrwaite has
persisted. The town is now mostly accepted in the
region, and trades freely with its neighbors. Last year,
in the winter of 721, they even aided other coastal
settlements in driving off raiding parties of their
former kinsmen.
The Petty King
The only remaining noble house of the southern coasts
is also the most powerful in the Broken Kingdom.
House Ordentur has the largest keep, the widest
lands, and the most soldiers of any in the realm.
Indeed, the current lord of House Ordentur, Aelsin
the Golden, styles himself High King of all the lands.
While he is mighty, this is an obvious lie to most.
His power does not extend to any of the towns in the
land, nor to the great city of Essenbur, nor even to the
Southmarch. He is no High King.
Nonetheless, his castle, the Grey Keep, is massive,
built by generations of forebears. The full extent of
its passages and storerooms is not fully known to any
of its inhabitants, save perhaps the aging seneschal,
Abdollan. The walls of this fortress intersect directly
with those of the settlement of Enginhar, a small
but well-fortified town of over a thousand which has
its own harbors and a fleet of seven ships of war.
With enough patience, dedication, and luck, Aelsin
Ordentur could perhaps launch a war of conquest to
claim the kingdom for himself.
Spiderholm
While there are few faeries in the region of the southern
coasts, and even fewer dragons or other monsters, there
is an insidious threat of an altogether different sort.
Ancient enemies of the fae from the days before men,
the spiderlings are a secretive folk, always plotting,
always working. They love perfect order, and toil
for long months building beautiful webs of exacting
shapes. At times they sneak into a human settlement,
intent on capturing prey to take back to their own
lands as tribute for their Silken Empress.
The Riverlands are home to two important villages.
The settlement of Anginslee boasts two rival witches,
both givers of names, and folk from across the region
come here to receive their names when they come
of age and can make the journey. Two days’ travel
south is the village of Drynsford, whose founder tried
to separate himself from the old kingdom but was
subjugated by High King Manid. The people of Dryns-
ford are known still for their stubborn independence,
and they have never participated in a nobles’ war.
The Great River
The Ussa is the Broken Kingdom’s greatest waterway,
a mighty river starting somewhere in the northern
mountains, perhaps even beyond the lands of the
barbarians, and emptying into the southern seas. It
is nearly four miles across at its widest point, and it
has many tributaries, some small streams, and others
themselves larger rivers. In places, the Ussa can be
crossed by bridges, usually recent wooden structures
wide enough for a wagon to cross, but occasionally
larger, more impressive stone structures dating to the
days of the High Kings or imperial rule. Most of the time
travelers wishing to cross the river must find a ford or
other natural crossing and proceed with caution.

While pockets of these creatures can be found across

the land, they are most common along the coast. In
caverns beneath the ground, dense woodlands, and
hidden valleys, they build their nests. Some say that
their greatest realm is beneath the very streets of
Essenbur, and that these tunnels extend across the
seas and to the southern continent.

The Riverlands
The lands immediately surrounding the great river
Ussa are known as the Riverlands. The people here
are great boatmen and are more likely to wander from
their home villages than those of the Homelands.
They are sometimes called faerie friends, for the fae
of the Riverlands, while scarce, are more likely to
interact with mortals than those elsewhere. Most River-
landers scoff at such talk and say that they have never
seen a faerie, but they secretly feel pride at this talk.

A Kingless Realm 89
 For folk in the regions near the Ussa, she is a source of
trade, news, and food. Many fish swim in her waters,
and many small crafts travel her length carrying wares
from village to village, or even all the way upstream to
Aldenhamm. She is also the most frequent means of
ingress for reavers seeking to raid inland.
The Ussa can also be dangerous at times. While the
river folk train from childhood and are often safe on
these waters, they are careful to leave gifts at certain
bends or avoid the deepest pools. There are strange
creatures which dwell here, and most are not friendly
to men.
House Carvaryth
The nobles of the Riverlands all hail from House Cav-
aryth. They are a quiet sort, as nobles go, and not often
giving to the raising of armies or the exercise of power.
Lady Mindorell is the current ruler of the house, and
she holds her court in her castle only a day’s travel
from the town of Briwendon. Castle Carvaryth is
known far and wide for its fabulous gardens, which
contain foreign fruits and vegetables which do not
grow easily in the Broken Kingdom, as well as magical
herbs and deadly poisons.
90 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Briwendon
Also known as Rivertown, Briwendon is the River-
lands largest settlement. It is located on a large island
in one of the Ussa’s widest points. Five bridges lead
from this island to either bank, and each of these
bridges boasts a narrow gate and small dock leading
into the town proper.
Perhaps 3,000 people live in Rivertown. It is a
sometimes lawless place, and one attacked frequently
by reavers. Indeed, it was wholly destroyed almost
two hundred years ago by the Reaver Lord Ingruln,
who seized the town, ruled it poorly for three years,
then held a feast on the river’s shores while watching
his men burn the town.
Only the concerted efforts of the town’s survivors,
Riverlanders from several nearby villages, and House
Carvaryth were able to rebuild the walls and restore the
town’s prominence in the region. Even still, some say
that it was a marvel beyond men, and that supernatural
aid of some sort was required for the undertaking.
The River Fae
When the faerie courts still held sway across the
land, rule of the great river did not pass between the
traditional sovereigns of the fair folk. Rather, the
lords and ladies of the Flowing Courts held the Ussa
and tended to its currents as vassals to the greater
lords of their kind.
The Flowing Courts persist. At the right turns, on the
right days, a traveler can pass into their realm if he
knows the right charm or is unlucky. When they do
so, travelers find themselves on waters now bubbling
gently with bright greens and blues, and they can
hear the singing of water elves, the susurrations of
the nelkies, and the laughter of kelpies. The six lords
and ladies of the Flowing Courts occasionally greet
visitors themselves; while their will is still alien and
fickle to men, they are more apt to treat mortals with
kindness, sometimes welcoming them to dine on the
banks of the river or swim beneath the waters with
them. There are even stories of lost mortals being
invited on great adventures and hunts in the river
fae’s eternal struggles against the monsters of the
river’s deepest waters.
The Northern Mountains
To the north of the Broken Kingdom are rugged high-
lands and, beyond that, steep mountains inhospitable
to most men. There was a time when the boundaries
of the old kingdom stretched into these lands, and the
High Kings claimed portions of it for themselves, but
those days are in the distant past. Even in the time
of the eighth king, Ceynan, the lands past Last Wall
were lost to the men of the south.
This is the home of the folk called barbarians by those
who live in the Homelands and further south. They
build their own homes and fight their own wars. Too,
they have their own legends, and tell of a dark lord
who once held sway even before the first men, perhaps
even before the faerie courts, and will one day return.
Last Wall
At the largest pass of the northern mountains is the
fortified village of Last Wall. Once a large town, now
only 300 men and women dwell here, and it is left to
them to hold back invasions from the north.
They are lucky, then, that the fortifications at this
pass can rival even those of Essenbur. The tenth
High Queen, Morvena, built this wall after the lands
beyond were lost, and the town is well protected.
winters here are cold, and it is hard to grow crops and
protect livestock from the beasts of the north.
When this land finally fell to barbarian tribes, and
Queen Morvena shut it closed behind Last Wall, it
became known instead as Lostmarch. Few from the
south now travel here, and those who do are viewed
as strange or foolhardy by the guardians of the wall.
There may still be villages, farmsteads, or towers of
the old kingdom here, the homes of desperate folk
waiting for a return of the kingdom.
Barbarians
Sometimes allies, sometimes trading partners, and
sometimes vicious raiders, the barbarians of the
north are a people whose lives are closely entwined
with those of the Broken Kingdom.
Living in small clans occasionally united in larger
groups by a powerful warchief or religious leader, the
barbarians are a strong and proud people. They train
in war from an early age, and eschew the ways of the
south. They build no towns or cities. They never had a
High King and do not want one now.

Inhabitants of other northern villages and farmsteads

send their strongest sons and daughters to join the
guardians of Last Wall for a year or two at a time,
for they all know that their lands too will fall should
Last Wall succumb to invasion. There has not been a
significant barbarian attack here in generations,
though the northerners sometimes approach the
defenders to parlay, trade, or hurl insults.

House Lunestyr, one of the twelve remaining noble

families of the High Kings’ realm, holds this land. Their
keep is on the wall itself, and the youth of the family
are known for strength of arms. Their stout arms are a
welcome addition to the defenses here, and one of their
number always commands the watchmen on the wall.

Lostmarch
Beyond Last Wall is the land once known as the North-
march. This was the furthest part of the old kingdom,
and was always a rugged and challenging land. The

A Kingless Realm 91
 In truth, the barbarians are the remnants of the first
men who once dwelt across the entire realm. When
the empire conquered the land, they were unable to
penetrate the northern mountains, nor did the reavers
find easy plunder here, nor were the High Kings and
Queens ever able to conquer them. And so the barbar-
ians persist, holding to the old ways, erecting stone
monoliths, worshipping the old gods, and battling the
fae with a fierce intensity.
Sometimes, a warband of barbarians comes to the
south through the mountains in search of food or the
spoils of war. More often, small groups venture as far
south as Aldenhamm to trade. They cover themselves
with tattoos and runic paintings, and they can be as
quick to laugh as they are to anger.
Her Valley
Before the first men, some say even before the fae,
a dragon made his home in these lands. He was the
mightiest of his kind, perhaps even the father of
all wyrms. His name has been lost to time, but his
offspring remain.
92 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Chief among these is his eldest daughter, called Ingromyr
the Scarlet, Engrethel, the Empress of Fire, and many
other names. It was she who burned to ash the first men’s
great city of Ygdemos, she who destroyed the lost twelfth
legion of the Empire, and she who burned Aelfren, the
cursed third king, in his camp as he hunted for sport
across the northern marches of his realm. Her image is
carved in many stones and emblazons many banners.
Her descendents, lesser drakes and serpents, can be
found here and there across the Broken Kingdom. In
fact, in the distant lands of the southern continent,
the Broken Kingdom is sometimes called the land
of dragons, for there are more of this kind here than
anywhere else in the world. Most settlements across
the realm have stories of their local dragon, though
he may only wake every hundred years or so. These
children of Ingromyr are fell and terrible, but their
might pales in comparison to that of their foremother.
Ingromyr herself makes her lair in a far northern place
known only as Her Valley. It is a lush and idyllic land,
set low in the northern mountains. In rocky caverns,
under the bows of massive oaks, or even in the open
beneath the sun and stars, here sleeps the Empress
of Fire. She wakes but rarely. When she does, the
shadow of her wings darkens the land as she flies far
and wide on the hunt. Usually she gorges herself on a
herd of cattle or three dozen large stags before return-
ing to Her Valley to sleep again, sometimes for several
months, sometimes for centuries. Occasionally, she
decides that she instead has a taste for man-flesh and
flies to more populated lands. When this happens,
noble houses fall, barbarian tribes disappear, castles
are burned, and she consumes a large portion of the
realm’s gold, gems, and weapons. She returns to add
new treasures to her meticulously kept hoards.
This mother of drakes is fawned over and served by
a small cult of dragon worshippers. They live in the
caverns of Her Valley, usually venturing forth only to kid-
nap or convince the occasional villager or towns- person
to join their ranks. When Ingromyr rises, she usually eats
one or two of these cultists, which they view as a great
honor. The rest of the time, they guard her sleep, polish
her scales, and catalog her treasures. They wait for the
day when she will rise fully, shake off her millennia long
lethargy, and burn the realm to a barren waste.
Other Folk
and Distant Lands
The world is vast, and no one has seen its end. The
Broken Kingdom is but a small part of this larger
world. Often, particularly in the great city and along
the southern coasts, other folk come to visit or stay.
The Southern Continent
Across the seas to the south is a large continent, or maybe
several. People from many cultures live here, all with
customs strange to the people of the Broken Kingdom.
Numerous traders from the continent can be found in
the city of Essenbur bringing news of distant happenings.
Here was the seat of the ancient empire which once
ruled the Broken Kingdom in the days before Tosia.
There are conflicting reports of whether this empire
still exists. Some traders and their guards claim to be
representatives of the empire, which they say is still
the mightiest power in the world. Others share similar
tales to the people of Tosia’s realm, saying that they too
remember the empire in their stories and lore, but that
none living can remember the days of the emperors.
Adventuring in Distant Lands
While the Broken Kingdom is a large setting
with room for many adventures and tales,
characters may also find their stories taking
them to other places.
A whole campaign could find the group
setting up a new kingdom, politicking in
imperial courts, or exploring while in
unknown lands. More likely, an arc lasting
five or six sessions might take place beyond
the borders of the kingdom, with the char-
acters returning home after an exciting
voyage. If things become dull in the village,
the GM may want to consider doing just
this. Adventures in other locations allow for
a shift of tone; the gamemaster can use this
as a chance to explore outlandish cultures,
introduce strange and unknown magics
and monsters, or even get the characters
embroiled in a war between distant nations.
It is not unusual for foreigners from the continent
to stay for a time in the Broken Kingdom, or even to
settle permanently. Many even find their way to the
Homelands, and most villages boast several families
descended from the men of the southern lands.
Reavers
For centuries now the reavers have been a scourge to
the people of the Broken Kingdom. They come from
the east in long wooden ships, and they row up even
small rivers with astonishing speed. They are raiders,
warriors, and thieves. All folk fear their passing, and
most pray for the return of a High King or Queen who
will rid them of this evil.
Or at least that is what the folk of the Homelands say.
As always, the truth is far more complicated.
Yes, many of the reavers’ people who come to the
Broken Kingdom are seeking treasure, glory in battle,
or even bloodshed, but the lands across the eastern
sea are also home to villages and towns of their own,
places where the citizenry vote together on outcomes for
the general good, raise families, and farm their lands.
A Kingless Realm 93
 Long ago, many reavers settled across the realm,
and High Queen Tosia offered those who preferred
peace a chance to stay. These folk were a respected
part of her kingdom. Most men of the villages do not
realize that many of their neighbors’ names and
several words in their own language descend from the
tongue of the reavers.
In the south, too, the reavers are not always treated
with suspicion and fear. It is true that the southern
coasts are often the site of the worst raids from reaver
ships, but many of their folk often trade peaceably in
Essenbur and other settlements.
The Summer Isles
Somewhere to the east, either beyond the reavers’
homeland, or perhaps to the south of it, are the
Summer Isles, a massive chain of islands home to
many tribes, clans, and towns.
The folk of the Summer Isles are traders and explor-
ers without peer. They are a relatively common sight
in the southern city, and some of their folk trade
across the whole of the Broken Kingdom, bearing
94 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Playing a Hero
of the Summer Isles
A player may decide to play a hero from
the Summer Isles who has settled in the
village. This will be a character of a different
background to other villagers, nobles,
or barbarians. Since they are made to
represent outsiders who have moved into
the village, the player may select any
of the barbarian outcast Playbooks and
replace the first table and its results with the
following:
Your people are great seafarers, traders,
and travelers. +2 Con, +1 Int, +1 Cha, Skill:
Sailing. Embroiled in a war between distant
nations.
colorful silks, wondrous musical instruments, and
coats of brass mail which are valued by noblemen and
merchants. They are renowned poets, historians, and
adventurers.
These men and women are often the target of raids
from the reavers, and the two peoples contest the
eastern seas. Sometimes they befriend one another,
however, and sail on great adventures. Many stories
are told of Adimu of the Summer Isles and her first
mate, Torsten Red Hand, who braved the Uttermost
West and returned.
Halflings
Somewhere beyond Last Wall, perhaps even beyond
Lostmarch, lies a dale of more temperate climate than
the rest of the north. This is the home of the halflings,
a folk strange to men and the fae alike.
The halflings live an idyllic life in villages and
communities of their own across this great dale. They
are a quiet folk, hidden from the dangers of the world,
and they love good food, fine drink, and friendly
company. They are expert farmers, pig herders, and
craftsmen.
Their dale is large and rich in farmland, and is mostly
protected from outsiders due to the rugged mountains
which surround it. Most men in the Broken Kingdom
have never seen a halfling. Occasionally goods from the
dale make their way to the south; when this happens,
the villagers of the Homelands rarely know the origin
of their most prized wooden buttons, pipes, or shears.
Once a generation or so, a lone halfling, or perhaps
an extended family, comes down from the north and
lives among men. Most of them return eventually
to their own homes, but some settle permanently in
hidden holes or houses beyond the sight of men.
The Faerie Courts
For over three millennia, since the days of stone and
bronze, the mortals of this land have battled the fae.
While most ordinary people no longer see the fair folk
at all, and would be surprised to learn that they are at
war with these legends, they do tell stories of faerie
wickedness, weave charms of protection, and leave
gifts for their ancestral enemies.
There are more kinds of faerie than most mortals can
even begin to imagine, from kindly gnomes to cruel and
dangerous goblins and orcs. While they are rarer now
than they have ever been, they live across the Broken
Kingdom in small enclaves; these enclaves were first
founded in the distant past, when the fae were trium-
phant against dread terrors in the Fomoroian Wars.
They are most often found in the wild places of the
world. Deep in the forests and mountains, the fair folk
live strange, parallel lives to mortal men and women,
and they are exceptionally good at remaining hidden.
When the first men began to work metal and build
stone walls, the fae sought to stop them. Doing so
likely brought about their own long decline. Organizing
themselves into the first warbands and armies of
history, the first men fought the faerie courts with a vigor
and stubbornness that shocked them. Over generations,
the fair folks’ kingdom receded further and further into
the wilds until they were legends to mortals.
Before men, the fair folk organized themselves into
four great courts, each associated with one of the four
seasons. Upon the changing of seasons, the previous
ruling faerie aristocrat would hand over the regalia of
their folk: the Eternal Crown, the Mantle of Stars, and
the Blade of Beginnings and Endings. The fae nobility
of the next season would take these objects of power
and rule for three months before passing them on.
In this way, the Green Prince of Spring, the Radiant
Summer Queen, the Weeping Princess of Autumn,
and the Cruel King of Winter shared power, and the
myriad peoples of the faerie courts endured for an age.
When the first men slew all the lords and ladies of
the Court of Spring at the battle of the three fords,
they unwittingly set in motion the collapse of the very
fabric of faerie culture. There followed a terrible
crime, the ascendency of the cruelest ruler in the
long history of the Broken Kingdom, and the hidden
plague of fae maliciousness which has haunted the
lives of men for generations.
What Faeries Are These?
The fae defy categorization. This chapter
makes mention of elves, dwarves, ogres,
and goblins, but only a foolish mortal would
think that these groupings are in any way
definitive or fixed.
Most faerie nobles fit at least generally to the
category that men call elves, but certainly
not all. More dwarves and goblins are found
beneath the ground than other types of fae,
but so are tiny gremlins, giant firbolgs, and
faerie salamanders. Many more fair folk
are unique creatures belonging to none of
these categories.
In game terms, almost any creature in the
bestiary can be considered a faerie. The
gamemaster should modify any creature
which she wants to be fae by making them
vulnerable to iron and having them possess
a true name, as described on p.24 of Beyond
the Wall and Other Adventures. The GM
may also consider giving them access to the
faerie presence power described on p.106.
Players choosing to make an elven, dwar-
ven, or gnomish character are encouraged
not to think of these as fully defined or
recognized species, but as rough categories
of faeries. They may even enjoy modifying
their faerie characters’ appearances in
strange ways, such as by giving their gnome
bluish skin, their elf hair of leaves, or their
dwarf gem-like eyes.
A Kingless Realm 95
Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
The Horned King
Once known as the Cruel King of Winter, this faerie
lord was one of the most powerful beings in the land.
He and his sister, the Summer Queen, were birthed
by the dreams of dragons, gods, or the primordial
precursors to men, and they in turn dreamed into
being noble elves, winged pixies, industrious house
fairies, and all the other countless types of fair folk.
They were wed by sky and earth in an unprecedented
ritual, the echoes of which still exist in all such
ceremonies of men and fae alike.
Together, before the reckoning of time, these beings
led their people in a war with the dread powers of pure
Chaos known as the fomor. Through this conflict they
claimed a place in the physical world for themselves
and their dreamkin, and thus were born the first of
the faerie courts.
Double-kin, the two great rulers complemented one
another completely, but they were too different to
rule together in harmony. Their first children, the
Spring Prince and the Autumn Princess, balanced
their natures, and it was they who first organized the
faerie courts and convinced their parents to share
power with them in the dance of seasons.
For aeons the Winter King held to the bargain, ruling
for his portion with an alien but fair cruelty. It was
for him to watch over the dead times, to strike down
primitive men and women with sickness and age to
keep the hearthfires of the faerie courts lit when the
world was dark. He sat for long days and nights on
the Throne of Vines, deep in contemplation, his head
adorned not with the Eternal Crown (which instead
he liked to clasp in his lap), but with massive antlers
as great stags wear.
With the death of his son at the hands of the first
men, the Horned King went mad. He pleaded with
his sister to alter the balance of things, to let him rule
until the crisis was averted, and to cover the land in a
chill which would allow men to gather no food before
launching a faerie army to wipe them out completely.
Under the boughs of the Heart of the Woods, the Radi-
ant Queen refused her brother. Enraged, the Winter
King seized from the body of his dead son the Blade
of Beginnings and Endings and pierced her through.
Now known as the Horned King of the Eternal Court,
he ruled in terror for generations of men. The land
was covered in frost, mortals huddled close to their
fires, and even other fae feared their own king’s
wrath. The men and women of the world were driven
nearly to extinction.
It took an alliance between men and fair folk to
dethrone the Horned King. Striking a bargain, the
Autumn Princess agreed to lead her people in revolt
and join a mortal army led by a warlord of the first men
named Ebhos. Together these two forces besieged the
Eternal Palace, routed the Horned King’s armies, and
cleaved him from his power.
For the millennia since, the Horned King has existed
in a state of semi-dreaming, wandering paths beneath
the earth or in hidden groves, haunting the dreams of
humankind, and holding in the cold barbarian lands
of the north a twisted shadow of the faerie courts
of old. He constructed a massive tomb to his slain
sister and son and sat weeping at it for three hundred
years. He kidnapped the forgotten emperor Lanius
and played cruel games with him for a year and a day.
He slew the dwarven mountain thanes one by one and
threw down the capital of their northern realm.
In this lost and confused state, the Horned King
was a frightening power and a dread foe, but one
unorganized and lost in his own madness. A little less
than a century ago, however, a mortal bard by the
name of Adanmor journeyed to the northern lands
and met the King, staying long in his court and singing
to him songs of his past, his sins, and the wrongs
done to him by men. Now, because of this terrible and
foolish mistake, the Horned King is beginning
to remember. Slowly, year by year, he gathers to
himself armies of goblins, ogres, and other dark fae.
Soon mortals will tremble and shiver again.
Stats are provided for The Horned King on p.118.
A Kingless Realm 97
 The Princess of Autumn
With her brother and mother dead and her father
lost to madness, the Weeping Princess of Autumn
is the last ruler of the greater faerie courts. She has
shepherded her people for an age, ruling over a
perpetual autumnal twilight from her many estates
within the Gloaming and deep in faerie.
Under her rulership, the fair folk have largely
remained hidden from mortals for generations. She
is filled not with hatred or a desire for victory, but
instead a fickle and unknowable morality. The faeries
of her realm alternately gift humans with treasures
or favors, and play cruel tricks or lure them to their
deaths. Mostly they keep to their own strange lands
and sing songs of how the seasons once turned for
them but now do so only for men.
Mortals who stumble into the Princess’ realm in the
Gloaming, or into the other smaller faerie realms
which owe her at least nominal fealty, may find
wonders untold, be set upon by cruel torments, or
worse -- a mixture of both.
98 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Many generations ago, while the High Kings still
ruled, the founder of House Asconsia accidentally
discovered a path to one of the towers of the Autumn
Princess in the Gloaming. She showered him with
gifts, married him to one of her daughters, and had
him rule as one of her lords for a hundred years. When
he finally returned to the lands of men, he found that
only a season had passed, and he died six weeks later
in his bed as a decrepit, ancient man.
The lost village of Pentref was once a favorite of the
Autumn Princess. She would visit it with her court
once every twelve years and sing songs of peace
and joy to its inhabitants. They in turn would carve
tokens in her likeness, leave her portions of their
bounty every feast day, and once even joined her in
war against an upstart elven rival. A generation later,
when the river rose and began flooding their homes,
the villagers followed the princess’ musical laughter
to a new home in the forest. They saw her face in the
stars before their town was finally submerged.
Above all else, the Princess fears the return of her
father. He visits her rarely, perhaps once every hundred
years. When he comes, she entertains him at
court, always keeping her distance as he raves.
Usually he challenges one of her champions to a duel, slays
the poor fellow, and then leaves after mourning his death.
Goblinkind
Even before the death of the faerie courts, the dark fae
known as goblins were shunned by the other fair folk.
They were birthed in dreams of hatred and cruelty,
and their warbands were a scourge to primitive men
and other faeries alike. While some lone goblins, or
small groups of them, live among other faeries, acting
as merchants in their markets or laborers in their
quarries, the majority keep to their own clans.
Goblins and their ilk occasionally make their homes
in ruins, dank marshes, or the deepest woodlands,
but they are most at home underground. Almost
without trying, they create complex warrens of tunnels
twisting beyond reason, which tend to warp space and
time. A goblin can begin digging in the marshes of the
Riverlands and emerge three hours later in a barbarian
village beyond the northern mountains, though he can
rarely repeat this precise act when he intends to.

Can Faeries Die?
The fae are immortal, after a sort. They do
not age, or at least do not die of old age,
and are immune to most types of sickness,
disease, and poison. They do not truly need
to eat; while they feast often in their courts,
they rarely farm, and seem to be able to
endure for long periods of time with no
sustenance. They can, however, be killed by
violence, and this is as permanent for them
as it is for humans.
Faeries who live among men for long find
themselves becoming more like them. They
even find that they feel true hunger as
mortals do, and that they must eat. Player
characters from fae backgrounds are
of this sort. However, even these faeries
find themselves no longer requiring food or
drink when deep in a fae place, though they
may still desire it.
Once, these malevolent creatures would emerge
from their caves and raid and pillage the land, often
under the command of the strongest orc or bugbear
of their clan. They have not done so in any significant
numbers for an age of men, or else they leave no sur-
vivors to tell tales of their passing when they do so.
is the Mountain of Mirrors, the Crystal Chasms of
the Lost Dwarves, and the Court of All Stars, where
a ruler far more powerful than the Horned King or
the Autumn Princess rules for eternity. Travelers
trapped in Faerie can sometimes find their way back
by obeying strange logic and following hidden paths,
but most are lost forever.
Even the fair folk themselves can become lost here,
though they have an easier time finding their way
home than mortals. The denizens of this realm are
unable to enter the physical world at all, and so relish
the chance to entertain or torment visitors.
Terrors of the Dark Below
Before they battled with the first men, the fae
had another foe: the dreaded fomor. Creatures of
darkness, fear, and the deep earth, these beings
waged war against the faerie courts when men were
little more than beasts. The heroes and deeds of the
Fomorian Wars feature heavily in the songs and
legends of the fae, though even they have forgotten
much of what truly happened. In the poems of men,
too, the fomor live on as half-remembered fears and
the names of lost gods.

When he was deposed by his daughter, the Horned

King spent many centuries among goblinkind, and
almost all of their sort now recognize him as their
liege. They believe that he will give them a place of
honor in his new court when he reclaims the faerie
throne, and they are mustering for war once again.

Into Deep Faerie

While all the lands of the fae are strange and foreign
to men, some are even more so. In certain places, at
certain times, a traveler in a faerie realm can find
himself suddenly not in our world at all. Instead he
will find himself in Faerie, a place of dreams and
confusion, a land without reason, and a haven for the
wishes and nightmares of all folk.

The lands of Faerie cannot be mapped, or at least

not reliably so, though some places within it seem
to retain their general shape for most visitors. Here

A Kingless Realm 99
 Whether they were once mortal beings, spirits from
another world, or a type of faerie creature themselves,
the fomor were irrevocably changed at the beginning
of time due to a pact with dark powers. They became
creatures half mortal and half spiritual, the union of
sentient humanoids and the demons of Chaos. Serving
inscrutable masters from beyond our world, they
sought to bring about the destruction of all order and
end the world so that they might laugh in an unending
void. Their physical forms became twisted and
monstrous, and they grew to care only for breeding,
destruction, and the worship of the powers of Chaos.
Utterly insane, they sought to open portals to other
realms, summon their unknowable masters, and
slaughter all other creatures.
While the fae were no servants of Law or order them-
selves, they did construct and live in a civilization of a
sort. Therefore, they and their works were anathema
to the fomor, and the greatest and earliest war of
this world began. The fae allied with and used the
precursors of humankind, who joined them in their
100 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
fight against the dark. In the end, the faerie courts and
their mortal pets were victorious, but all of the fomor
were not slain. In the deepest and darkest places
beneath the earth, they carved for themselves meager
kingdoms and terrible spawning pits. Here they have
remained, the forgotten nightmares of civilization.
The Deep War
While the battles of dwarves and goblins are unknown
to most mortal folk, the truth is that their struggles are
only a portion of the terrible battles waged beneath
the earth.
In forgotten places, in caverns which have never seen
the light of the sun, in ruins which would twist the
minds of men, the fomor still prey upon their foes,
both ancient and new. Their natural enemies are
the deep faerie courts, bands of subterranean elves,
dwarves and other fae. But the dread fomor hate all
who live on this world and defy the empty void of
their chaotic masters.
Their bitterest foes are the spiderlings, for their webs
and machinations are hateful to creatures of Chaos.
Mortals, too, sometimes meet their wrath, either
when they delve too deep for precious metals or
wander and become lost beneath the earth.
The fae call this eternal struggle the Deep War. It is a
contest which would drive mortal men mad, a thrice
cursed war between fomor, fae, and spiderlings.
Occasionally, a band of heroes or even ordinary men
and women might become embroiled in these battles,
finding themselves in a dark and terrible world below
where they must act as diplomats, face their fears
with steel, and choose a side.
The Realm of the Dead
What the first men knew of death is a mystery to mages
and scholars. They had an obsession with that which
awaits mortals when they die, and a fear of their dead
returning. It is for this reason that they buried their
fallen kings in such elaborate fashion, erected stone
circles on liminal sites, and carved warding runes
throughout the land.
Whatever their reasons, however they came to
possess their lore, the first men were right to be
afraid. Many of those who die in the Broken Kingdom
do not rest, but instead live on in a shadow realm, a
grey mirror of our world that exists just beyond the
Veil between the living and the dead.
The Underworld
The Underworld is a whole realm unto itself. It exists
alongside our world and is home to the spirits of men
and women long ago or recently departed. It is unclear
why some lie at peace when they die and others exist
in an eternal mockery of life within the Underworld;
while it is true that many ghosts, phantoms, and wights
are the spirits of those wronged in life, there are other
times when unfortunate souls find themselves trapped
in the Underworld seemingly without reason.
These spirits live in a shadow realm, a world where
the geography is superficially similar to the lands
of the living and where ghosts haunt the places
important to them in life, forever cold, forever
hungry.
Veil Mechanics
This section makes references to the Veil
which separates the worlds of the living and
the dead. The group can have the Veil exist
as a piece of background and mystery in the
game. For most campaigns, this is sufficient.
However, a group whose game focuses on
undead adversaries and the Underworld is
encouraged use the rules for the Veil and the
lands of the dead found on p.29 of Dangers
Near and Far. These rules give firmer
mechanics for managing the separation of
the worlds, the abilities of ghosts, and the
doings of necromancers.
Not all ghosts are cruel or evil; indeed, many of them
are the souls of departed men and women who did
good in life and would still help those of their blood-
line or village. Nonetheless, most find themselves
filled with a hatred or envy for the living, even if they
try to feel otherwise.
There are many stories in the Broken Kingdom of
warriors or wanderers who journey to the lands of the
dead and return. This is the greatest feat a hero can
achieve, for it means that she has beaten death itself
in a way. While she is still mortal and must die as all
men do, never again do the dead hold fear for her.
The First Henge
The earliest and greatest circle of stones built by the
first men sits near the western coast on a flat, grassy
hill. The stones, despite their size, are hard to find.
Many who seek them never discover their location,
even with a reliable map or directions. Many lost
wanderers, on the other hand, spot the stones as they
travel, or even stumble upon them almost without
notice.
The First Henge was built as a gateway between the
worlds of the living and the dead. Here the Veil is not
just weak: it does not exist at all. Those who know the
proper means of entering and departing the circle
can move freely between the living realm and the
Underworld, for the Henge exists fully in both places.
A Kingless Realm 101

The Seat of the Wise
The First Henge is also known as the Seat
of the Wise, one of the first and greatest
magical items made by men and an artifact of
immense power. Rules for the Seat of the Wise
are found on p.53 of Dangers Near and Far.
At this site of mystical confluence, once every three
years, a gathering of the Wise occurs. Just who are
the Wise and how one comes to be counted amongst
their number is uncertain. Most agree that the great
wizard Karzandrius is one of the Wise (and perhaps
the greatest of them). Aife, the chief of the rangers, is
one as well. A handful of village witches who are more
than they seem are likewise members of this group.
Some say that the aged matriarch of one of the noble
houses holds a seat among the Wise, others that a
dealer in oddities and curios from the city of Essenbur
is one of their number, and others still that one of the
lords of the fae joins this group. What they discuss
when gathering is also unknown, but the doings of the
dead are certainly on their minds.
The Necropolis
On the western coast, at the Bay of Barnesse, many of
the greatest kings of the first men were buried. Their
barrows are large and imposing, and a silent wind
blows there at all times.
When High Queen Tosia died, it seemed only fitting
that she be laid to rest in the same location. Among the
barrows her folk built a tomb of pale stone, its shape
reminiscent of the temples to the gods built by the
long-departed imperial conquerors. Her descendents
were entombed here in like manner, though none
with a final resting place as large or rich as that of
their kingdom’s founder.
In the Underworld, at this very spot by the bay,
is found neither barrows nor temple-tombs, but
the deads’ only and greatest city. Known as the
Necropolis, this is a sprawling mass of crooked
buildings surrounded by basalt walls.
102 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
In the rest of the Underworld, at the locations of
large villages, towns and cities, there are only barren
plains, for, while it is a mirror of our world, the realm
of the dead cannot hold a vision of the hearthfires and
gathering locations of the living. The Necropolis,
then, is the only major power center within the
Underworld, and many spirits find themselves drawn
inexorably here. It is truly massive, for so many have
died since men first settled the land that even the
greatest cities of the living cannot hold them.
Many times the size of mighty Essenbur, the Necrop-
olis is managed by a dizzying array of ghostly nobility,
arcane guilds, and phantasmal covens. The ordinary
ghosts of this spirit-city live in houses of many stories
which lean precariously over streets lit by pale lamps.
The walls of the city are manned by legions of silent,
ghostly warriors who guard against no attack, for
none would be foolish enough to assault these walls.
The Ghost Empress
Recently, there has been a stirring in the lands of the
dead. Within the Underworld, a queen has arisen.
Always hooded and wrapped in a cloak of shadow
and cloud, this Empress has taken up residence in the
Necropolis and seeks to rule all departed spirits. It is
said that she wishes to destroy the Veil and conquer
the lands of the living as well as the dead, making one
mighty kingdom which none may rival.
No one knows the identity of the Ghost Empress, not
even her most valued lieutenants. She rarely speaks,
and when she does her voice is filled with a hollow
and ominous echo. Some spirits, themselves fearful
even in death, say that she is Tosia, the first High
Queen, filled with a sudden yearning for a new and
greater domain. Others say that she was a famed ruler
of the first men, and that her barrow was disturbed
and then flattened by mortals. Whatever the case, she
is a dread power, a queen both new and old, and a
threat to all who live and walk beneath the sun.
The Hungry Dead
Across the Broken Kingdom, the dead do not rest
easy. From the barrows of the Homelands to the
lichfields of villages and towns, most sites of burial
are haunted places.
Every settlement has its ghosts. Sometimes travelers
report sightings of the skeletal or zombified remains
of the departed walking in the physical world. Wights
stir at times within their barrows. And every decade
or so a foolish mortal comes across a cursed book or
scroll and starts down the path of necromancy.
Recently, with the actions of the Ghost Empress, these
dangers have grown. Now hunting parties or peddlers
go missing, and some villages report that their commons
or squares are host to the undead at night. Rangers,
templars, and town watches are uneasy, and all folk
make signs and charms to ward off the unliving.
Forgotten Gods
The people of this land worship no gods. Once, long
ago, in the days of the first men and the imperial
conquerors, there were gods. They answered the
prayers of their priests, who in turn built them great
temples as homes on earth. All folk made sacrifice to
these old gods and prayed to them in times of danger.
Few such priests are left, and those that are often
face ridicule and confusion. Some try to revive their
cults, but mostly the gods are remembered only in
aphorisms or their long-since disassociated holidays.
The greatest of the old gods received no direct
worship even in the days of the empire; he was known
as the Dead God, the Eater of Children, and he was
overthrown by those of his own deific offspring who
survived his voracious appetite.
Six of the old gods are still remembered in the Broken
Kingdom, though almost none are actively worshipped
these days. Sephondria, the Holder of Wisdom, was
a goddess of secrets, inspiration, and hidden things;
scholars, poets, and sorcerers still occasionally
whisper ancient bits of formulaic prayer to her, though
most do not know why. Her rival was her brother,
Caddos, a god of order, war, and conquest. These two
were the chief deities of the emperors of old.
Zerakus was a god of new beginnings, fire, and cleans-
ing. His priests oversaw weddings, births, and the
openings of new years. Many villages in the Broken
Kingdom still “leave a bit for Serkos” at the beginning
of spring when they dispose of a bit of the last of their
winter stores in the hearth. Urilius was the god of
agriculture, death, and the Underworld, though his
cult had a great deal of trouble gaining traction in this
realm, so given over to the relationship between the
living and the dead already with its many barrows.
On the other hand, Tyrindrus, god of oaths, pride, and
the hearth was worshipped widely across the realm,
Devout Acolytes
Characters made with the Devout Acolyte
Playbook are young worshippers of the old
gods. Indeed, their magical powers seem to
suggest that the old gods are still a presence
in the land, no matter how many have
forgotten them.
The final table of that Playbook determines
which of the old gods is particularly fond of
the character. The six gods presented here
in this chapter correspond to the results of
that table.
A Kingless Realm 103
 and many villagers still unknowingly swear oaths by
one of his cultic titles: the Red Hand and the Open
Heart. His consort was Aetha, goddess of suffering,
healing, and light. These two were dear to the people
of this land for generations, and more temples were
built to them than any others here. In villages which
still boast remains of their temples, or are near to such
ruins, it is often a custom to gather and feast the pair
on the solstices, though the locals are just as likely to
believe that the celebration is in honor of a long dead
couple from the early days of the village.
To the current inhabitants of the Broken Kingdom,
it is unclear whether the first men and the imperial
cultists worshipped the same gods or different ones.
In addition to their deities, the first men seem to
have prayed to and honored the dead, leaving small
sacrifices and offerings at their tombs, and
occasionally consigning an unfortunate soul or two to
be interned alive in a barrow.
Holy Magic
Two Playbooks, the Devout Acolyte and the
Novice Templar, present characters with
a religious flavor to their magical powers.
When playing a game set in the Broken
Kingdom, the group will need to decide
how to address the religious beliefs of these
characters. Of the two, the Devout Acolyte is
clearly best aligned to the old gods. On the
other hand, the Novice Templar is probably
better counted as a remnant of those who
followed the cult of the defied High Kings.
The precise nature and source of these
characters’ magic is left unclear. The Nov-
ice Templar gains spells not through study
but from divine inspiration, but we do not
go so far as to say that High Queen Tosia is
now a god granting magical powers to her
followers. The Devout Acolyte learns magic
from books and teachers as any other mage,
but the GM may similarly wish to grant
that character new spells from a mysterious
source instead. The exact nature of the gods
is a mystery left to the gamemaster and her
players.
104 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
From the rule of Tosia onward, the cults of the gods
vanished. In their place, semi-religious customs
around the veneration of the High Kings took hold.
With the collapse of the kingdom, most of these
customs vanished as well, though many households
still have a clay image of a king or queen set on the
mantle. Almost all villages still celebrate Crowning
Day, an annual event when the children ask the king
for gifts, and all folk feast.
Languages
Unsurprisingly for a land so often conquered and
resettled, there are many languages spoken and read
in the Broken Kingdom. While there are even more
tongues spoken in the wider world than the ones
presented here, these are the most commonly
encountered in the realm. Characters from distant
places, on the streets of the great city, or traveling to
other lands will encounter many other languages, and
players may want to invent such a language for their
characters to know.
The Common Tongue
To those of the continent or other far off places,
this is sometimes called Kingdom Speak, but to the
inhabitants of our land it is simply the common
tongue, and they feel no need to name it. It bears
words and structures of all the languages spoken in
the land’s long history. Almost every inhabitant of the
Broken Kingdom can speak at least competently in
the common tongue.
Classical
Once spoken widely across the realm, the Classical
tongue is now mostly the domain of scholars and
poets, though it is still sometimes spoken in Essenbur
and other southern settlements. Some of those who
visit from the continent seem to speak debased forms
of this language, but many speak different languages
altogether. While the common tongue is occasionally
written, most scribes, scholars, and record keepers
write in Classical as a custom.
Northresse
Spoken by the northern barbarians and by those
who dwell in Last Wall, Northresse is a form of the
language of the first men. It is written in spidery runes
making up a complex syllabary often set on straight,
barred lines interspersed with other markings which
denote subtle changes in meaning.
Reaversprak
The language of the reavers can sound harsh and
guttural to their victims, but few of them have
ever heard the epic poems or persuasive speeches
common in the reavers’ homeland. This language
has a written form rarely encountered in the Broken
Kingdom, but sometimes found etched on the swords
and axes of fallen raiders.
Summer Talk
While rare in the Broken Kingdom, the language of the
Summer Isles is common across the rest of the world.
It is used sometimes by traders and merchants, who
also like to pepper their use of the common tongue
with words and phrases from Summer Talk in order
to confuse or impress outsiders.
Old Speech
The original language of creation, the Old Speech,
sometimes called Truespeech or the language of
magic, is no human’s native tongue. It is complex and
difficult, and is most often encountered in the books
and scrolls of mages. Only dragons and some ancient
fomor now speak it with any true fluency. Young sor-
cerers spend many years practicing its hieroglyphs,
and it is dangerous to utter in haste. The true names
given to villagers when they come of age are of this
tongue, and its influence is felt in every language of
the world.
Faerie Tongue
While they speak the languages of men with ease,
faeries do have their own tongue, or rather they
have a variety of dialects which they use in different
situations. Some mortals confuse these, thinking
that there is distinction between the Elvish tongue,
Dwarven runes, and goblin speak. In truth these
are all forms of one language, and all are mutually
intelligible and legible to the fair folk. It is a musical
language which can sound light as air or dense as
stone. Sometimes mages learn spells in this tongue,
and a few of the rhymes of village children are in a
garbled form of it.
Starting Languages for Characters
When playing a campaign set in the Broken Kingdom,
the group should assume that all characters know the
common tongue. Any player may, with the group’s
agreement, decide that he would rather his character
not know the common tongue for story reasons, but
it is always best if the group (and most of those they
encounter) share a language.
Characters also begin the game knowing their native
language if it is different from the common tongue.
For instance, a barbarian from the North will know
Northresse in addition to the common tongue, a
trader from the Summer Isles will know Summer
Speak, and an elf or dwarf will know the faerie tongue.
Mages are assumed to know a smattering of Classical,
Old Speech, and the faerie tongue from their studies
in the arcane. This is not enough to speak these
languages beyond a few words or simple sentences,
and they will quickly become lost when trying to
understand a native speaker or read a book with
speed. Nonetheless, this rudimentary knowledge
does help them decipher certain runes and study
tomes of magic. In general, a mage will be able to
read these languages slowly and with quiet study,
understand them when spoken with roughly 50%
accuracy, and only speak them themselves in brief,
halting sentences.
Characters know additional languages based on the
bonus from their Intelligence scores. Characters with
a penalty to Intelligence do not know fewer languages
than the default. A mage may, of course, learn
Classical, Old Speech, or the faerie tongue to full
ability by using one of these additional language slots.
While many folk in the Broken Kingdom cannot read
or write, or can only read a few words, there are also a
great many literate men and women across the land.
Players may decide whether their characters can read
any of the languages they know.
A Kingless Realm 105
 Magic of the Broken Kingdom
This chapter details some of the spells, rituals, and
magical items of the Broken Kingdom. While they
are all tied to the background or people of that land
in some way, they can also be used with only slight
modification in another world or in a home campaign
setting of the group’s creation.
Spells
Forgotten Presence
Range: Near
Duration: Instant
Save: yes
The mage, as the faeries do, muddles the minds of
all those in near range, save those of his companions
whom he wishes to spare from this magic. The targets
must make a saving throw versus spell, and the game-
master is encouraged to roll only once for a whole
group of less important monsters or NPCs. Failure
means that their memories of their interaction with
the caster and her allies become hazy and confused.
They will certainly remember that something
happened, and may even remember the general sort
of interaction (a quarrel, a trade, a bargain), but will
be unable to recall details or the specifics of the caster
or any of his companions.
Faerie Presence
The fair folk have many ways of staying hid-
den, and one is the uncanny effect they have
on the minds of mortals. If the GM desires,
she can have any human suffer the effects of
the Forgotten Presence spell after leaving the
presence of the fae. Note that the faerie does
not actually cast the spell per se; rather, this
is just a natural effect of faeries upon mortals.
Mortals who interact with the fae regularly,
have befriended one of the fair folk, or bear
certain faerie tokens or warding charms
may be immune to these effects.
106 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Gift of the Master
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 week/level
Save: no
In a selfless act, some mighty wizards grant a portion
of their power to a recipient with a firm touch, kiss on
the head, or some other gesture. For the duration, the
recipient bears a single “gift,” which he may spend to
do one of the following:
• heal 2d4+1 hit points of damage
• immediately find his way if lost under
ordinary, non-magical circumstances, or
receive a +5 bonus on any checks to find
his way if befuddled or lost under magical
circumstances
• automatically pass a single saving throw
• gain a +5 bonus on a single ability score check
• sleep utterly undisturbed and undetected
for a single night, even while in the most
dangerous locations
• automatically hit with a single attack, and
receive a +2 bonus to the damage roll
The spell is intended to ease the sorrow of difficult or
dangerous partings, and so the magic of this gift is
only fully active while the recipient is at least one mile
away from the caster. If closer than one mile to the
bestower, the recipient may not activate the powers
of the spell, though the gift does remain available
for future use once there is more distance between
recipient and caster.
The mage finds his own powers diminished after
bestowing the gift. He may cast one fewer spell per day
than usual until the gift is expended or the duration
ends. An individual recipient may only bear one gift
from this spell at any given time, though a single mage
might grant multiple gifts to different individuals,
each successive casting robbing him of an available
spellcasting opportunity.
One with the Frost
Range: Self
Duration: 10 minutes
Save: no
A faerie charm once taught to mortals to protect
themselves from the fae courts of winter, this spell
protects the caster from the effects of all forms of cold,
frost, or ice. For the duration, the caster suffers no
penalties based on cold and even takes half damage,
rounded down, from attacks associated with frost. At
every odd level beyond 1st, the caster may extend this
protection to a single other recipient in arm’s reach;
for example, a 5th level mage may protect herself and
up to two companions.
Reaver’s Oars
Range: Touch
Duration: 15 minutes/level
Save: no
The sorcerers of the reaver folk usually learn this spell
before any other, to earn their place on their first raid.
By touching the oars of a ship and singing a charm,
the caster enchants the vessel to travel three times as
fast as it otherwise would when rowed by a crew.
The Rising Dawn
Range: Far
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Save: yes
Some mages can summon the pure, bright light of the
dawn. This radiance is anathema to goblins, fomor,
demons, and other creatures of darkness. The mage
raises a glowing hand and fills a large area of 300 yards
or so with light. In addition to the illumination, this
has two other effects. When the light is first produced,
all creatures of darkness in near range of the caster
immediately suffer 1d4 damage. Any surviving
creature of darkness in the area must make a saving
throw with a penalty equal to the caster’s level or flee
until the light disperses.
Spider Song
Range: Near
Duration: Concentration
Save: special
This charm was used by the fae in their wars with
the spiderlings when the world was young. Wizards
in the south now teach it to their apprentices. The
What is a creature of darkness?
The Rising Dawn spell given above and
the Light Mastery Trait described on p.30
make reference to “creatures of darkness.”
Both descriptions specifically mention that
goblins, fomor, and demons are creatures of
darkness, but just what else might count as
such is left to the GM.
For instance, dragons are not generally
creatures of darkness, but a smoke wyrm
who dwells deep beneath the earth might
be. Most faeries are not, but almost all
those of the winter court are. Note that un-
dead are not all mentioned as creatures of
darkness; there are already other sorts of
magics which have special effects on them.
However, a vampire probably does count,
as might a particularly nasty wight who
has been entombed in the dark for millenia.
mage sings a low, susurrous hymn; while singing, no
spiderlings will attack the caster or her immediate
companions. Most are lulled into a light, swaying
sleep. The spell ceases to have any effect if the caster
or her companions attack or harm the spiderlings in
any way. Should the characters instead try to take
anything of value from them or breach their most
secret places, the spiderlings may make a saving
throw versus spell to shake off the effects of the magic.
Sussurating Curse
Range: Near
Duration: 1 minute/level
Save: yes
With a whispered word, the sorceress strikes a single
target in near range with a debilitating spell of
weakness. The target becomes extremely feeble,
moves at quarter speed, may not fly or run, and suffers
a -5 penalty on all rolls to hit or ability score checks
related to physical activity. This magic of this curse
contains a powerful reversal, however; anyone
under its effects who is struck and takes damage
finds themselves immediately free of the penalties
and, instead, gains a +5 bonus on comparable rolls
for the next round.
A Kingless Realm 107
 Level One Rituals
The Hearth Feast of Winter (Wisdom)
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 season
Save: no
The Hearth Feast is a ceremonial banquet taken by
many villages and noble households at the beginning
of winter. When blessed by the village witch, a kind
priest of the old gods, or a magically inclined cook,
this feast protects the participants from the travails of
the season. During downtime, when the gamemaster
rolls on the background events tables presented on
p.64, she should add +1 to her roll for any character
who participated in the ritual feast.
There are no arcane ingredients required for this
ritual, but the whole village or estate must pitch in
when preparing the meal, and all must devote their
best to the effort; a good rule of thumb is that this
costs either 1 silver or three day’s labor per attendee
at the resulting banquet. However, a poor family in
lean times could certainly meet the requirements by
bringing their last suckling or a bundle of their best
wheat from the harvest instead.
True Friend (Wisdom)
Range: Far
Duration: Permanent
Save: no
The exchange of True Names carries an enormous,
mystical weight of connection, even more so for mages.
The caster of this ritual forms a bond with a trusted
friend. Thereafter, wherever the friend is, if he is
in danger of dying, the caster will instantly become
aware of her true friend’s danger, though she will
not know any specifics regarding his circumstances
or location. The caster may then spend one of her
own Fortune Points to preserve him from death; the
effects are just as if the endangered recipient had
spent one of his own Fortune Points to accomplish
the same thing as described on p.21 of Beyond the
Wall and Other Adventures. The effects of this ritual
are reciprocal, and the recipient will become aware if
the caster is about to meet her doom and may spend a
Fortune Point to save her as well.
108 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
While a simple, low level magic, this ritual bears great
power. Should the true friends ever become hostile to
one another in the future, they will each immediately
drop to zero Fortune Points and become weakened
for 2d8 rounds, during which time they will suffer
a -3 penalty to all rolls. Note that, as the duration
of this spell is permanent, it may end due to being
dispelled or other similar situations. Should this
happen, the true friends will become weakened as
described above (though they will not lose their
Fortune Points), as will any sorcerer or creature
responsible for the breaking of the bond.
The casting of this ritual requires that both friends
spend one hour in meaningful conversation or song
with one another, perhaps sharing stories, chanting
epic verse, or making lasting promises. During this
time, each must each make a gift of a meaningful
and precious item to the other, like a handcrafted
ring, a favorite dagger, or a childhood token. At the
culmination of the ritual, the two friends exchange their
True Names aloud to one another, even if they were
previously known.
Level Four Ritual
Faerie Knighting (Intelligence)
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Save: no
Great lords and ladies of the fae courts sometimes
grant a special knighthood to their most trusted
servants. The recipient of such a knighthood must
be a willing participant in this three hour long ritual,
whereafter he will receive several benefits. First, while
within his lord’s realm, the knight is able to journey
at great speed, whether mounted or on foot, and will
cover 50% more ground while traveling. Secondly, the
knight may be called by his lord at any time as though
he had cast the Whispering Wind spell. Finally, the
knight receives a +1 bonus to hit, initiative, and AC
while within his lord’s realm; this bonus is increased
to +2 when in the presence of his lord.
There is a reason that the faerie nobility do not grant
this knighthood to all of their vassals; the knight is
forever after connected to the very life of his lord. The
knight will act as an arcane connection to the lord,
meaning that he can be used with certain rituals to
scry upon or harm the lord. Furthermore, should the
knight ever be slain, the lord will immediately suffer
2d10 points of damage.

Ordinarily, only faeries may cast this ritual, but a

clever mortal mage could certainly make the
necessary adjustments to do so; nonetheless, the
caster must be the lord of a defined realm. The
specifics of the ritual and its components vary from
court to court, some favoring a great feast or tourney,
and others a grim and shadowy ceremony.

Level Five Ritual

Crossing the Veil (Intelligence)
Range: Near
Duration: 1 day
Save: no
This terrifying ritual allows a caster to open a small
tear in the Veil to admit themselves and up to a dozen
companions. They may return to the living world
any time within the next 24 hours by returning
through that tear at the location where they entered.
Otherwise they will be trapped and will have to recast
the ritual from the other side or find some other way
back to the lands of the living.

This ritual requires a sizable amount of blood from

the caster and any travelers who wish to accompany
them, all of whom suffer 1d4 points of damage. The
blood must be drawn with a dagger of pure silver,
which is then used to rend a path through the Veil.
This same dagger must be used to cut the way back,
and it will melt and then vanish into a puff of sickly
green smoke afterward or upon the end of the
duration of the ritual’s effect. If using the rules for
the Veil found on p.29 of Dangers Near and Far, this
ritual may only be cast at a location with a Veil rating
of 7 or lower.

Level Ten Ritual

The Blade Repurposed (Wisdom)
Range: The Cosmos
Duration: Instant
Save: no

A Kingless Realm 109

 With this ritual, the very nature of the faerie courts,
the Horned King, and his fabled weapon can be
rewritten. Once cast, the mage may bend the magic
of this ritual to replace the Blade of Beginnings and
Endings as the symbolic power of the Horned King
with any other object of his choosing. Doing so will
shift the symbolic connections of the fae. Connecting
the Horned King with a scepter instead of his Blade
would make him considerably more focused on gov-
erning than on destruction for instance, while placing
a plow as his armament in the metaphysical tapestry
would turn him to a harvester and likely make him
cease to be one of the fae at all. In any event, his True
Name is replaced by a new one and is instantly known
to the caster.
The exact effects of this ritual should be crafted
together by the player and the gamemaster. The
Horned King’s bestiary entry and powers (found on
p.118) will certainly be rewritten; he might find himself
considerably weaker, considerably stronger or just
different. Beyond this, even more profound changes
will begin to manifest in fae society at large as the
courts begin to shift in nature, purpose, and ability to
match this fundamental alteration. To state it clearly,
this will almost certainly end the campaign.
The Blade of
Beginnings and Endings
Also known as the Horned King’s Blade, this was once
one of the great treasures of the faerie courts and
part of the regalia of their shifting monarchy. It is a
greatsword, though a bit small for its type, and has
a glossy black blade and a long silver hilt with a
large emerald set in the pommel. It was lost when
the Horned King flung it into the River Ilthryn after
slaying his sister with it.
Under most circumstances, this weapon acts as a +2
greatsword with no other special properties. How-
ever, should the bearer ever become aware of the
history and nature of the blade, its powers grow in
her grasp. Thereupon, its bonus to hit and damage is
increased to +5, it deals triple damage to the bearer’s
own kin, and it sings with an eerie song when
swung in battle. When wielded by the Horned King
himself, a possessor of his True Name, or one who
has faced him and lived, it will shroud the bearer in

The caster does not need to possess the Blade of Be-

ginnings and Endings in order to cast this ritual, but
he must have touched it at least once. Possessing the
blade at the time of casting does grant a +5 bonus to
the casting roll however. The ritual can only be cast
on an equinox or solstice and requires that the caster
stand within a place of faerie power. He must bring
the replacement armament with him, and this must
be a suitably impressive item. A simple rolling pin
does not have enough metaphysical weight and will
not do, but an iron plow, a platinum scepter, a golden
quill, or a verdant frond would all be appropriate.

Magical Items
Ardent Ring
The Ardent Ring is a simple band of silver bearing
no mark, design, or inscription. It has a deep con-
nection to the dead and the Underworld. The wearer
can see invisible or incorporeal ghosts, and the Veil is
decreased by 1 in her immediate presence.

110 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

faerie frost granting a +2 bonus to AC and a +5 bonus
to saving throws versus the cold and any checks
involving intimidation or command.
The Bright Helm
High Queen Tosia bore no crown, but instead wore
this fine, masked helm as a sign of her authority. It
shines like polished silver and is covered in a delicate
golden filigree, and its mask bearing the likeness of a
serene but fearsome warrior. It grants its wearer a +2
bonus to AC, a +1 bonus to command troops in battle,
and decreases the damage of any successful physical
attack by 2, to a minimum of 1.
Fomorian Stones
In dark caverns and lost ruins, mortals or faeries
occasionally find these strange stones. They range
in size from that of a large coin to fist-sized chunks
of rock. All are of the deepest black with no shine
or luster to them at all. Bearers of fomorian stones
suffer a -3 penalty to all Charisma checks, save those
to frighten or intimidate. They may see even in pitch
blackness when beneath the ground, may speak the
Old Tongue with fluency to fomor and faeries, and
can see demons of Chaos as though they had cast the
Second Sight cantrip.
The Horned King’s Bane
An ancient weapon beaten from meteoric iron, this
six-foot long spear has long guided humanity in its
struggles against the fae. A legendary weapon, it
grows in power with its wielder. See more about The
Horned King’s Bane on p.73.
Jewel of the Wyrm
The great dragon Ingromyr held this fist-sized ruby
as her most prized possession until it was stolen from
her hoard two centuries ago by Melisen, a great thief,
sometimes called the Princess of Shadows. When she
wakes, Ingromyr frequently remembers its loss, and
her servants seek it for her always. It gives its bearer
a +6 bonus to any saving throws related to fire and a
+1 bonus to all Charisma checks. If Ingromyr is in the
presence of the Jewel, she will be filled with covetous
rage and receive a +1 bonus to hit and damage but a
-5 penalty to AC.
The Last Crown
There were three crowns for the High Kings of
old. Tosia’s helm was the sign of Kingship until it
was lost with the death of the third king, Aelfren.
The second crown was lost beneath the waves with
High Queen Maebhren. The last of the High Kings,
Morven the Tall, and his father, Imdrich, wore the
Last Crown. Some say that a forgotten sorcerer from
the south had a hand in its making, and that he
cursed the line of kings with its gifting. Its current
whereabouts are unknown; a few of the Wise believe
that Aife, the chief ranger, holds it in Regihar,
waiting for the return of a ruler. Others hold that it
is in the treasuries of House Ordentur, or that it is in
the hoard of some trolls or goblins who do not know
its true origin.
The Last Crown grants its wearer a +1 bonus on
all rolls to command or coerce, and it increases his
financial wealth in slow, subtle ways. However, the
wearer also suffers a -3 penalty to AC and receives an
additional 1d4 points of damage from any physical
attacks which hit him.
Marks of the Old Gods
While their cults are gone and their temples in ruins,
there are still worshippers of the old gods throughout
the Broken Kingdom. For these lonely folk, there
is no greater treasure than a mark of their god.
Sometimes lone worshippers discover an ancient
pendant in the most unlikely of places, a gift for their
piety. These pendants are called marks of the old gods.
Each is unique, but they are all amulets of precious
metal or stone bearing the symbol or imagery of one of
the gods. If its wearer is a worshiper of the associated
god, the pendant provides a +1 bonus to AC and a
+2 bonus to saving throws versus spell and magic
item. Each provides a further bonus according to its
particular deity:
Mark of Sephondria, the Holder of Wisdom - The
wearer gains a +2 bonus to rolls to discover secrets,
puzzle out riddles, and find hidden passages or trea-
sures.
Caddos, the God of Order, War, and Conquest - The
wearer gains 5 additional hit points while wearing the
mark.
A Kingless Realm 111
 Zerakus, Lord of Fire and Cleansing - The wearer
takes half damage from fire and gains a +1 bonus to
ritual rolls when casting them in preparation for a
voyage or new undertaking
Urilius, Ruler of the World Below - The wearer may
see even in total darkness when below ground, and
receives a +1 bonus to rolls related to farming or
mining.
Tyrindrus, the Master of the Hearth - The wearer and
all of his companions heal an additional 2 hit points
when resting peacefully in a well-tended home.
Aetha, the Mistress of Health and Light - The wearer
gains an additional 1d4 hit points when healed
magically, and his own healing magics heal an
additional 1d4 hit points for their recipients.
Spider Silk Robes
When the first men waged war against the faerie
courts, the spiderlings, ancient enemies of the fae,
sent aid to the upstart men. When the six kings of
the north joined their armies to attack the fair folk,
the spiderlings made a special robe for each of the
six kings’ sorcerers. It is unclear how many of these
precious objects survive, but the archmage Karzan-
drius is rumored to have one in his possession.
They are soft, black robes woven with faint patterns
or runes of shimmering, silvery thread. They provide
any mage wearing them with a +4 bonus to AC, a +4
bonus to saves against faerie magic, and the ability
to sense the presence of other wearers of such robes
within a mile or two.
Token of the Summer Court
When the Horned King went mad and made war on
mortals and faeries who opposed him, these tokens of
his slain queen became highly sought after. They are
small jewels, delicate rings, or intricate scabbards.
The bearer of one of these tokens generally feels cold
less than others and receives a +8 bonus to any saving
throws related to the cold or frost. Once per year, the
bearer may heal 2d10+2 hit points worth of damage.
112 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Herbs
A number of semi-magical herbs are described
on p.9 of Heroes Young and Old. All of these are
appropriate for use when playing in the Broken
Kingdom. The following herbs can be added to that list.
Drake Slip
A long, slender, and fibrous weed, this plant drives
dragons and their ilk to confusion and befuddlement.
When draped across the shoulders and neck, the herb
gives its wearer a +4 bonus to stealth checks to avoid
dragonkind, and a +2 bonus to saves versus breath
weapon.
Friends’ Thyme
This tasty herb is prized by cooks, witches, and inn-
keeps. When applied to food in a proper way, it grants
all who partake a +1 bonus to Charisma checks for
the next hour, and makes those consuming the meal
together feel bonds of friendship.
Hearth Fern
This very rare, small fern has leaves of a deep red
which grow more fiery and spectacular in the winter
months. When chewed, the leaves grant a +1 bonus
to any rolls to resist the cold. While the leaves do not
readily burn, when prepared in a special way and
thrown into a large campfire or hearth, any who sleep
by the fire will regain a single spent Fortune Point.
Weeping Leaf
Superficially similar to common dandelions, the
stems of this plant contain a bitter juice which stings
at the touch. When combined with certain other, more
common herbs, a skilled herbalist can make a sticky
substance which harms those who touch it, causing
1d4 damage unless the victim makes a successful
saving throw versus poison. This concoction can be
used to coat arrows and blades, which will cause
+2 damage to any struck by them, but only for a
single attack.
Wildmoss
A peculiar moss of a greyish green, this plant grows
only on the trees of the deepest woods or at the
entrances of forlorn caves. When chewed, it grants
the user a +1 bonus to rolls to impress, soothe, or
befriend animals.
 Bestiary
This chapter presents a selection of monsters, people,
and creatures found in the Broken Kingdom. Many
of these creatures are specific characters, like the
powerful wyrm Ingromyr or the wizard of the
southern coasts, Karzandrius. Some others, like the
Great Fithich, are new generic creature types. All of
the entries in this Bestiary are also appropriate for use
in other settings with either no or minimal tweaking.
The Drake Cult
Ingromyr, the fiery wyrm of the Broken Kingdom,
is not just a great power in her own right. She also
attracts to her power hungry cultists, draconian
sorcerers, and obsequious followers. Most of these
she treats as pawns and even meals, but some she
gifts with the power of her blood and elevates to the
status of the dragon-blessed.
Hit Dice: 2d6 (7 HP)
AC: 11
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d6 damage (staff)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 85
Notes: Spellcasting (dragon sorcerers may cast
cantrips, spells, and rituals as a level 2 mage; each
is unique, but their favorite spells are Brave the
Flames, Burning Hands, Commanding Word, and
False Friend, and their favorite rituals are Gather
Mists, Goodberry, and Unseen Servant; assume that
they have an Intelligence and Wisdom of 14 for the
purposes of casting rolls)

Draconic Cultist
Most of Ingromyr’s followers are ordinary men
and women of unscrupulous character who now
find themselves sworn to a power beyond their
understanding. These cultists tend to their mistress’
hoard, infiltrate the villages and noble houses of the
Homelands, and seek ever more treasure for the
wyrm.

Hit Dice: 1d6 (4 HP)

AC: 12
Attack: +0 to hit, 1d6 damage (staff or blade)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 15

Dragon Sorcerer
Some foolish apprentices, new to the powers of the
arcane, seek out Ingromyr in order to learn sorcery
from her or gain access to magical secrets. These
petty wizards and sorceresses become the leaders of
her cult. They come from all lands, even as far away
as the southern continent, and their devotion to their
mistress is complete.

A Kingless Realm 113

 Blood of the Wyrm
To her most favored servants, Ingromyr grants a por-
tion of her blood. Over time, this subtly transforms
mortals until they begin to take on a more and more
draconic form, eventually sprouting reddish scales,
clawed talons, and decidedly serpentine snouts. Un-
able to walk among normal humans unless masked by
magic, these choice servitors are Ingromyr’s greatest
protectors and enforcers.
Hit Dice: 4d10 (22 HP)
AC: 16
Attack: +4 to hit, 2d4+2 damage (wicked claws)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 275
Notes: Fiery Blood (bloods of the wyrm receive a +5
bonus to saving throws related to fire), Flame Breath
(once per day, a blood of the wyrm may breath fire,
causing 1d12 damage to all in near range; targets
who pass a saving throw take only half damage),
Spellcasting (bloods of the wyrm may cast spells as
a level 3 mage and know the spells Flame Charm,
Masked Image, Mystical Shield, and Terrifying Pres-
ence)
The Dreamers
Tempted by strange dreams, these are the poor
creatures, human and fae alike, who have sworn
allegiance to the Horned King in their dreams and
gained power in the waking world. At first, their
powers and influence are slow growing, but soon
enough they will be wielding both magic and the
might of soldiers in the service of their cruel master.
See the Horned King on p.118 below.
Dream Touched
At first the dream touched seem little changed from
their lives before. Fae or human, they carry on with
just a bit weirder and colder outlook. The strange
insights they gain through their dreams give them
successes and will draw in others who seek to learn
from them. A few will be offered a choice to swear an
oath of fealty. If they do, they gain some measure of
control over their powers.
114 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Hit Dice: 1d6 (4 HP)
AC: 10
Attack: +0 to hit, 1d4 damage (dagger or club)
Alignment: usually Chaotic
XP: 15
Notes: Dream Magic (the Dream Touched has one of
the following powers: a single cantrip such as Second
Sight or Glamour Weaving, assume that they have
an Intelligence and Wisdom of 13 for the purposes of
casting rolls; +1 to hit, damage, or armor class; or a
single spell such as Commanding Word, False Friend,
Flash of Brilliance, Greater Illusion, or Terrifying
Presence), Dreamer’s Charisma (the Dream Touched
is especially interesting and convincing when
talking about their dreams, assume that they have a
Charisma of 15 for such purposes.)
Dream Counsel
After some time in the dark tutelage of the Horned
King’s dreams, the dream touched grow into their
powers and begin to take on students. Some of their
apprentices will be other dreamers too afraid, at first,
to swear; they will draw in others with promises of
power and revenge.
Hit Dice: 2d6 (7 HP)
AC: 11
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d4 damage (dagger)
Alignment: usually Chaotic
XP: 150
Notes: Spellcasting (the Dream Counsel casts can-
trips, spells, and rituals as a second level mage with
Intelligence and Wisdom of 15), Dream Magic (the
Dream Counsel also has one of the following powers:
+1 to hit, damage, or armor class; or the ability to cast a
single spell one extra time per day, such as Command-
ing Word, False Friend, Flash of Brilliance, Greater
Illusion, or Terrifying Presence), Dreamer’s Charisma
(the Dream Teacher is especially interesting and
convincing when talking about their dreams, assume
that they have a Charisma of 16 for such purposes).
Dream Masters
With a few other dreamers serving them, those teachers
have grown into even fuller power. With a full retinue of
servants of various talents, this servant of the Horned
King is trusted with more difficult missions and
strategic aims. Not the least of which is the gathering of
ever more worshippers and servants for their master.
Hit Dice: 5d6 (20 HP)
AC: 13
Attack: +3 to hit, 1d6+3 damage (enchanted blade)
Alignment: usually Chaotic
XP: 300
Notes: Spellcasting (the Dream Master casts
cantrips, spells, and rituals as a fifth level mage
with Intelligence and Wisdom of 15), Dream Magic
(the Dream Master also has one of the following
powers: +1 to hit, damage, or armor class; or the
ability to cast a single spell one extra time per day,
such as Commanding Word, False Friend, Flash of
Brilliance, Greater Illusion, or Terrifying Presence),
Dreamer’s Charisma (the Dream Master is especially
interesting and convincing when talking about their
dreams, assume that they have a Charisma of 17 for
such purposes).
Great Fithich
Objects of awe, fear, and admiration, the Great Fithich
are large ravens with ice-blue eyes and sable beaks.
They are liminal messengers, and move freely in the
worlds of men, faeries, and the dead. In forgotten
times, they traveled between the three peoples,
carrying warnings, blessings, and desperate tidings.
These days, when mortals, the dead, and the fae
are often at odds, the Great Fithich keep mostly to
themselves; some stories say that they are gathering
information about all of these people, and that they
will have a great part to play in future events. While
rare, most people of the Broken Kingdom have seen
at least one of these creatures, either perched atop the
inn at night, flying above the barrows, or talking with
a mage or witch.
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 HP)
AC: 15
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d4 damage (claw)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 55
Notes: Flight (Great Fithich may fly), Free Travelers
(the Great Fithich exist simultaneously in the lands
of the living and the Underworld at all times; they are
never lost in faerie places; they may give others a +3
bonus to find their way from any of these places to
another), True Name (each Great Fithich has a true
name, which gives its foes power over it)
Cultists at Home
The cultists who have taken hold of the vil-
lage in the Hidden Cult Scenario Pack can
be of any type. The default assumption is
that they are the followers of demons, but
they could just as well be worshippers of old
gods, dead lords, or anything else.
The GM may wish to have them be a band
of Drake Cultists. To do this, she can use the
stats presented here for the adversaries,
and should feel free to play with the recent
events table and other cult activities; giv-
ing the happenings a fiery or scaly flavor
should do. Likewise, she could instead have
them be a fomorian cult, using the statistics
for twisted changelings and other fomor
given below, in which case she should lean
in to imagery of darkness, Chaos, and cor-
ruption.
The Return of the Horned King campaign
outlined in this book demonstrates how to
adapt the Scenario Pack for use with the
Horned King’s dreamers.
Emissaries of Winter
The chief followers of the Horned King are his Emis-
saries of Winter, cruel and pitiless lords of the fae in
their own right. They usually appear as tall, beautiful
elven folk with pale bluish skin, silvery hair, and
gaunt faces. At times, they journey among men in the
guise of hooded and cloaked travelers, stooped and
plodding, as though suffering from plague. Winter
follows them wherever they go, and mortals and fair
folk alike fear their passing.
Hit Dice: 7d12 (46 HP)
AC: 19
Attack: +7 to hit, 1d8 + 3 damage (chill swords)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 1,200
Notes: Fear (an Emissary may spend an action emit-
ting a fearful aura; all enemies in sight must make a
saving throw versus polymorph or flee or cower for 2d6
rounds), Shifting Form (the Emissaries may change
their appearance at will, though will always remain
A Kingless Realm 115
 roughly elven or human shaped, and cannot imitate
specific individuals), Spellcasting (the Emissaries
may cast spells and rituals as a level 4 mage; they
know several spells and rituals but are particularly
fond of the spells Commanding Word, Frozen Wind,
and True Strike, and the rituals Call Storm and Mighty
Glamour; assume that they have an Intelligence and
Wisdom of 14 for the purposes of casting rolls), True
Name (the Emissaries have true names, which gives
their foes power over them), Vulnerable to Iron (the
emissaries take double damage from iron), Wintry
Presence (each time a living creature enters an em-
issary’s presence, it must make a saving throw versus
polymorph or suffer 1 HP of damage each round; if
an emissary stays in one place for a whole month, the
general weather begins to resemble winter; the em-
issaries may dampen this power, but will always be
surrounded by a chill air)
The Fomor
These demonic humanoids now dwell only in the deep-
est and most forgotten places of the world. They are
hulking, twisted brutes, each unique in form. Most are
hideous, with bulbous heads, misshapen limbs, and
cancerous growths, though a few are darkly beautiful
and terrifying. Their hides are tough and chitinous,
and they can rip a man’s arms from his torso with their
great strength. They are enemies to fae, human, and
spiderling alike, and their powers are great.
gain a +2 bonus on rolls to hide or ambush their
prey), Spellcasting (changelings may cast spells as a
level 1 mage and know the spells Conjure Darkness,
Greater Illusion, The Howling, and Masked Image),
True Name (all fomor have true names, which give
their foes power over them)
Fomorian Kin
The least of the true fomor are often the most twisted
and hideous of them all. Most fomorian kin stand taller
than a man, and would stretch to nine or ten feet were
they to stand up straight.
Hit Dice: 2d10 (11 HP)
AC: 16
Attack: +4 to hit, 1d6+2 damage (pummel)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 60
Notes: Creature of the Ancient Dark (fomor can see
even in pitch blackness, are immune to fear, and gain
a +2 bonus on rolls to hide or ambush their prey),
True Name (all fomor have true names, which give
their foes power over them)

Read more about the Fomor on p.99.

Twisted Changelings
In addition to their own foul breeding pits, the fomor
also reproduce by corrupting mortal men and women.
They do this either by stealing away human infants,
or by twisting the minds of mortals and mutating un-
witting cultists. These changelings, as they are known,
still appear somewhat human, though their forms can
be almost as twisted as those of true fomor.

Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 HP)

AC: 14
Attack: +2 to hit, 1d6+1 damage (blade or bow)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 55
Notes: Creature of the Ancient Dark (fomor can
see even in pitch blackness, are immune to fear, and

116 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

Warrior Fomor
These are the elite warriors of the fomor, many of
them so ancient that they have waged the Under War
since before the days of the High Kings. They are larg-
er and more powerful than their lesser kin.
Hit Dice: 4d10 (22 HP)
AC: 18
Attack: +6 to hit, 1d8+2 damage (pummel)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 170
Notes: Creature of the Ancient Dark (fomor can see
even in pitch blackness, are immune to fear, and gain
a +2 bonus on rolls to hide or ambush their prey),
True Name (all fomor have true names, which give
their foes power over them)
Terror of the Ancient Dark
Some fomor have grown so twisted and corrupted
by the powers of Chaos and the dark places in the
world that they are barely recognizable as humanoids
anymore. These terrors are hulking brutes twice the
size of their kin, often with tentacles, extra limbs, or
additional heads sprouting from their foul bodies.
They are always whispering terrible and indiscernible
things, driving mortals to distraction, fear, and ulti-
mately madness.
Hit Dice: 6d12 (39 HP)
AC: 21
Attack: +8 to hit, 1d8+2 damage (pummel)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 600
Notes: Creature of the Ancient Dark (fomor can see
even in pitch blackness, are immune to fear, and gain
a +2 bonus on rolls to hide or ambush their prey),
Mutated Limbs (a terror of the ancient dark may
attack twice each round), Sussurating Whispers
(all enemy spellcasters in near range of a terror of
the dark must make a Constitution or Intelligence
check at the GM’s discretion in order to main-
tain concentration or cast magic), True Name (all
fomor have true names, which give their foes power
over them)
A Kingless Realm 117
 Fomorian Caller
The leaders of the fomor are dread priests of Chaos,
breeders of demons, and masters of the dark. They
care for nothing but death, destruction, and the void.
Hit Dice: 8d10 (44 HP)
AC: 19
Attack: +10 to hit, 1d8+2 damage (pummel)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 1,350
Notes: Creature of the Ancient Dark (fomor can see
even in pitch blackness, are immune to fear, and gain
a +2 bonus on rolls to hide or ambush their prey),
Spellcasting (a fomorian caller may cast cantrips,
spells, and rituals as a level 5 mage; it knows the
cantrips Conjure Sound and Second Sight, the spells
Conjure Darkness, Greater Illusion, The Howling,
Magic Missile, Masked Image, and Terrifying Presence,
and the Summoning ritual and whichever others seem
appropriate; assume that it has an Intelligence of 16
and a Wisdom of 11 for the purposes of casting rolls),
True Name (all fomor have true names, which give
their foes power over them)
The Ghost Empress
From atop her throne in the Necropolis, the Ghost
Empress rules a new empire of the dead. None know her
true nature nor her age, but her expansionist activities
are relatively new. She is therefore the newest of the
great powers of the Broken Kingdom. The Empress
appears in black iron armor, a full helm covering her
face and a ghostly white death shroud fluttering about
her in tatters. Should her plans come to fruition, the
Veil would be forever sundered, and the living would
be made her undead servants.
Read more about the Ghost Empress on p.102.
Hit Dice: 13d12 (85 HP)
AC: 24
Attack: +13 to hit, 2d4 damage (touch)
Alignment: Lawful
XP: 7,500
Notes: Drain Vigor (anyone touched by the Ghost
Empress must make a saving throw versus poly-
morph or lose a point of Strength and Constitution),
Empower Undead (all undead creatures of 4 or fewer
hit Dice within 3 miles of the Ghost Empress gain a +2
118 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
bonus to initiative, AC, and all rolls to hit and damage),
Raise Minions (once per day, the Ghost Empress may
animate other dead in near range, causing them to
rise as zombies, skeletons, or wights), Shrouded Blade
(instead of using her touch attack, the Ghost Empress
may strike with her magical blade, causing 1d10+2
damage), Swift (the Ghost Empress may attack a num-
ber of times equal to the number of foes in range, up
to three attacks, using her touch and shrouded blade
in any combination she chooses), Weakened Veil
(when in the land of the living, once per day the Ghost
Empress may suffer 2d10 damage to decrease the Veil
rating by 1d4 for that day)
The Horned King
Wicked, cruel, and uncaring as a winter storm, the
Horned King is thoroughly mad. Driven to grief by
his past crimes and millenia of torment and exile, he
will rise again soon to claim the faerie courts for him-
self, wipe men from the land, and plunge the Broken
Kingdom into eternal winter. A master of trickery and
illusion, the Horned King may change his shape and
visage at will, sometimes appearing to be nearly four-
teen feet tall, other times only the height of a human
youth. In all forms he can be known by the great
antlers which sprout from his head. He is the oldest
and most potent master of this land, and even the
Mother of Wyrms, the Ghost Empress, or the other
lords and ladies of the fae would likely fall before him
in his wrath.
The Horned King’s blade, The Blade of Beginnings
and Endings (p.110) is a powerful artifact in its own
right. Though he lost it after he slew his sister, if the
Horned King is reunited with this blade, it will grant
him an additional +2 AC of frost armor in addition to
its other formidable bonuses.
Hit Dice: 17d8 (78 HP)
AC: 28
Attack: +17 to hit, 1d12+5 damage (King’s Blade)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 12,000
Notes: Chill Fortitude (the Horned King always
emits an aura of icy cold; each round he may either
extend this outwards, causing 1d4 damage to all foes
in near range, or focus it on himself, healing 1d10 hit
points of damage), The First King (if the Horned King
is not actively engaging in combat himself, a foe must
make a saving throw versus spell with a -4 penalty
in order to attack or harm him), Lord of the Night
Fae (all wicked faeries and goblins in his service gain
+4 hit points and a +2 bonus to saving throws when
in the Horned King’s presence), Shifting Form (the
Horned King may change his appearance and size
at will; should he grow to a particularly great size,
he immediately gains an additional 20 hit points),
Spellcasting (the Horned King may cast spells and
rituals as a level 9 mage; he knows many spells and
rituals and is particularly fond of the spells Com-
manding Word, Flash of Brilliance, Greater Illusion,
and Terrifying Presence, and the rituals Call Storm,
Contagion, Storm of Ice, and Word of Truth; assume
that he has an Intelligence and Wisdom of 17 for the
purposes of casting rolls), True Name (the Horned
King has a true name, which gives his foes power over
him), Vulnerable to Iron (the Horned King takes dou-
ble damage from iron)
Greater Wight
The buried kings and queens of the first men some-
times rise and walk again as wights. The greatest of
these are sometimes known as wight lords. Paragons
of death, these foul rulers of the grave animate other
dead and lead them against the living.
Hit Dice: 6d10 (33 HP)
AC: 19
Attack: +6 to hit, 1d8+2 damage (burial sword)
Alignment: Any
XP: 675
Notes: Drain Strength (anyone touched by a greater
wight must make a saving throw versus polymorph
or lose a point of Strength), Raise Minions (once per
week, a greater wight may animate other dead in near
range, causing them to rise as zombies, skeletons,
or wights), Rulers of the Dead (greater wights may
command other undead; targeted undead of 4 HD or
less must make a saving throw versus spell or become
controlled by the greater wight)
Ingromyr the Scarlet
The Empress of Fire, the Mother of Wyrms, the Eater
of Kings, Ingromyr the Scarlet is perhaps the greatest
dragon still alive in the world. She spends much of her
time sleeping and consuming. When she does wake,
she speaks with or torments her cultists, hunts with a
ravenous hunger, and occasionally visits her kin, the
lesser wyrms and drakes of the Broken Kingdom. No
man can stand before her, and she brooks no rival.
Hit Dice: 18d10 (101 HP)
AC: 30
Attack: +18 to hit, 1d10 damage (claw), 6d6 (bite)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 20,000
Notes: Blood of the Wyrm (Ingromyr may feed a drop
of her blood to a human, who is immediately affected
as though by the False Friend Spell; after five
such feedings, the target must make a save versus
polymorph or be transformed into a blood of the wyrm
as described above on p.114; bloods of the wyrm are
permanently affected as though by the False Friend
spell), Breath Weapon (once every five rounds
Ingromyr may breathe fire, causing 1d12+36 points of
damage to all in near range; targets who pass a saving
throw take only half damage), Consume Treasure (as
an action, Ingromyr may eat a mouthful of treasure,
whereupon she immediately heals 1d12+2 hit points of
damage), Dragon Fear (all foes in Ingromyr’s presence
must make a saving throw versus polymorph or be
gripped by a powerful physical fear, receiving a -3
penalty to all rolls unless they flee the dragon’s
presence), Flight (Ingromyr may fly on her huge
wings), Magician (Ingromyr may cast cantrips, spells,
and rituals as a level 6 mage; she knows the cantrips
Glamour Weaving and Hexing, and many spells and
rituals, but is particularly fond of the spells False
Friend, Greater Illusion, and Obscurement, and
the rituals the Great Curse, Invisibility, and Mighty
Glamour; assume she has an Intelligence and Wisdom
of 16 for the purposes of casting rolls), Swift (Ingromyr
gains a number of attacks equal to the number of
opponents in close range of her, up to a maximum
of two claw attacks and one bite), Transformation
(Ingromyr can adopt the shape of a beautiful,
red-haired woman at will), True Name (Ingromyr has
a true name which gives her foes power over her)
A Kingless Realm 119
 Karzandrius, Wizard of
the Southern Coasts
Karzandrius the Archmage is the greatest human
sorcerer of the Broken Kingdom. Quite active in his
youth, he is now content to stay in his tower most of
the time, lost in study and experimentation. He is
concerned, however, about the rising threats in the
Broken Kingdom, and converses regularly with oth-
ers of the Wise as they keep watch over the land.
Hit Dice: 7d6 (32 HP)
AC: 20
Attack: +6 to hit, 1d6+3 damage (magical staff)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 1,100
Notes: Arcane Protections (Karzandrius receives
a +5 bonus to all saving throws), Enchanted Wards
(Karzandrius ignores the first 20 hit points of damage
he takes each day), Magic (Karzandrius may cast
cantrips, spells, and rituals as a level seven mage; he
knows the Mage Light and Second Sight cantrips and
any spells and rituals the GM sees fit, though he is
particularly fond of the spells Commanding Word,
Gift of the Master, and Veil of Sleep, and the rituals
Augury, Determine True Name, Mage Armor, and
Nepenthean Drink; assume that he has an Intelli-
gence of 18 and a Wisdom of 16 for the purposes of
casting rolls)
120 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Rangers
The rangers of the reformed Order of Alekaneros are
hidden protectors of the Broken Kingdom. There are
perhaps 250 of these brave souls scattered across the
realm, keeping their watches alone or in small bands.
Each of them knows at least something of the rising
threats posed by goblinkind, the Horned King, and
the restless dead.
Recruit to the Order
It is dangerous business being a ranger, and many
do not live beyond their first year of service. These
recruits are either in training with a more senior
member of the Order, or are recently initiated as full
members themselves.
Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 HP)
AC: 14
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d8+1 damage (sword or longbow)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 20
Notes: Learned, Watchful, and Unseen (all rangers
receive a +2 bonus on rolls to sneak, spot hidden
things, or recall lore about dark powers)
Veteran Ranger
Rangers who manage to survive their watches
become skilled warriors, great collectors of lore,
and fell enemies of the dark. These veterans tend to
operate either individually in a specific region, or else
oversee one of the Order’s hidden waystations.
Hit Dice: 3d8 (14 HP)
AC: 16
Attack: +3 to hit, 1d8+2 damage (sword or longbow)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 110
Notes: Learned, Watchful, and Unseen (all rangers
receive a +2 bonus on rolls to sneak, spot hidden
things, or recall lore about dark powers), Magical
Item (each veteran ranger bears a special treasure,
either found in travels or claimed from the Order’s
storehouses; the GM should customize an individual
veteran with an item of her choice)
Aife, Chief Ranger of the Order
From the rangers’ base of operations in the ruins of
Regihar, Aife directs the actions of her hidden Order.
Born as a daughter of the noble House Lunestyr, she
left Last Wall as a youth and never returned. Now in
her fifth decade, she is an accomplished sorceress, a
powerful warrior, and a severe but caring mentor.
Hit Dice: 5d10 (28 HP)
AC: 17
Attack: +5 to hit, 1d8+4 damage (enchanted sword)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 400
Notes: Chief of the Order (any rangers in Aife’s
presence receive a +1 bonus on all rolls), Learned,
Watchful, and Unseen (all rangers receive a +2 bonus
on rolls to sneak, spot hidden things, or recall lore about
dark powers), Spellcasting (Aife may cast cantrips
and rituals as a level 5 mage; she knows the Mage Light
and Second Sight cantrips and several rituals but is
particularly fond of Augury, Goodberry, and Wizard’s
War; assume that she has an Intelligence and Wisdom
of 15 for the purposes of casting rolls)
Satyrs
Heartier and somewhat less secretive than other
varieties of fae, satyrs have human forms above the
waist, but the legs of goats or fauns. Beyond this, their
appearance is quite varied. Some bear monstrous
visages, great horns, or multihued fur, while others
have ordinary human faces. They are fierce warriors,
gifted musicians and poets, and delighters in revelry.
Hit Dice: 2d10 (11 HP)
AC: 14
Attack: +2 to hit, 1d6+1 damage (spear)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 50
Notes: Revelry and Song (once per day, by singing or
hosting a party, a satyr may attempt to instill a single,
intense emotion in their chosen subjects in near range,
who must make a saving throw versus polymorph or
become intensely angry, joyous, or sorrowful; affected
targets will receive a +3 bonus or a -3 penalty to
appropriate rolls for one hour), True Name (satyrs
have true names, which gives their foes power over
them), Vulnerable to Iron (satyrs take double damage
from iron)
The Weeping
Princess of Autumn
Now the last of the fae royalty, the Weeping Princess
rules as queen of the faerie courts in the Broken
Kingdom. Frequently overwhelmed by unspeakable
sorrow, her will is fickle and strange, though she is not
altogether cruel. She fears the return of the Horned
King and what it might mean for the worlds of men
and fae alike.
Hit Dice: 14d8 (63 HP)
AC: 21
Attack: +14 to hit, 1d10+3 damage (Queen’s Blade)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 7,500
Notes: Awful Presence (attempting to attack the
Weeping Princess requires a successful saving throw
versus spell), Paths Between the Courts (once per
week the Weeping Princess may teleport from one
place of faerie power to another), Queen of the Faerie
Courts (all faeries in her service gain +4 hit points
and a +2 bonus to saving throws when in the Weeping
Princess’ presence), Spellcasting (the Weeping
Princess may cast spells and rituals as a level 8 mage;
she knows many spells and rituals and is particularly
fond of the spells Commanding Word, Flash of
Brilliance, Greater Illusion, and Terrifying Presence,
and the rituals Goodberry, Shapeshift, and Word
of Truth; assume that she has an Intelligence and
Wisdom of 17 for the purposes of casting rolls), True
Name (the Weeping Princess has a true name, which
gives her foes power over her), Vulnerable to Iron
(the Weeping Princess takes double damage from
iron)
A Kingless Realm 121
 The Village
This chapter presents an example of a village and its
surroundings set in the Homelands of the Broken
Kingdom: the village of Wenfeld and the estate of the
House Asconsia.
Just as with the larger Broken Kingdom setting
described in the last chapter, groups may use this
as their own characters’ home, or they may use it as
a model for a village and noble estate of their own
creation. Alternatively, they may steal an idea or two
and port them into their own, otherwise original
village, or they may use it as an additional location
and adventure site in their games.
Geography
Situated in the northern reaches of the Homelands,
Wenfeld is a sizeable village, boasting over 400
inhabitants. Almost that many more men and women
live within 10 miles of the village, either on isolated
farms or in small clusters of two or three families.
The land is generally open plains and grassy foothills
dotted with small clumps of forest. To the south and
west, however, lie dense and sprawling tracks of the
Gloaming, and few mortal folk spend long beneath its
eves.
The river Ut runs directly through the village. It begins
somewhere far to the north in the distant mountains,
and runs a south-easterly course before joining as
a tributary of the great river Ussa. Indeed, in the
forgotten tongue of the first men, Ussa meant “the
larger Ut,” and some say that the lands surrounding
this river were the center of a great kingdom of the
first men.
The Rook Holt
Ancient seat of House Asconsia, the Rook Holt is old,
older even than the first High Queen. It takes its name
from both its dark stone walls and looming appear-
ance and from the ravens who regularly sit upon its
towers and walls. It is rare that at least a half dozen
of Wenfeld
such birds cannot be seen upon the castle at any given
time. Sometimes, one of the Great Fithich can be seen
among its more common cousins, its eyes glowing an
icy blue.
It is unclear who laid the first stones of the Rook Holt.
Some say that it predates even the imperial conquest,
though that seems unlikely. The castle took on its
current form at the order of the first Lord Asconsia,
who required a fortified keep in the days of the
worst ravages of the reavers, directly following the
departure of the imperials. Since that time, small
additions and repairs have been made, but little has
been done to change its overall shape.
The castle is large and, in truth, its full upkeep is
beyond the means and manpower of its current lord.
While the battlements are strong and the central keep
well-maintained, there are several towers which are
now abandoned, and some of the more labyrinthine
corridors are in disrepair.
Furthermore, the castle boasts extensive spaces
below ground. For generations the lords and ladies of
House Asconsia have been buried in crypts beneath
the keep, and the storerooms and unused dungeons
have numerous passages which connect to each other
and the burial chambers. It is unlikely that any among
the living know the extent of these works.
The Hidden Smith
In a little grove in the woods a few day’s walk from
town, a happy little stream burbles down a hillside
and just through the middle a tidy little open-air
workshop, just next to the forge and the anvil. Just
inside the woods, looking out on the workshop, a
comfortable half-hall hides between the trees.
The master of the workshop and the hall is an
unprepossessing figure of indeterminate, perhaps
middle age, strong of form and slightly pocked from
forge-spits, Wayland is to all appearances an artist
A Kingless Realm 123
124 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
as much as a smith in pursuit of perfection. A figure
of welcoming hospitality, but few words, Wayland
tolerates guests well, but is obviously happiest working
in the forge and talking about metalwork. Quiet and
modest about times past, few would suspect that this
Wayland is the Wayland, the first smith and has been
perfecting the craft since its invention.
But of course, everything Wayland forges is wound
through with a touch of magic apparent to those
who know how to look. Sometimes, at great urging,
Wayland will create a great work to shape the course
of history, though it might be as humble as a perfect
iron nail to seal a chest or as fate-tempting as horse
shoes that cannot lose a race.
The Fae Lady’s Court
Just a few hours, or sometimes a few steps into the
Gloaming starts a path that leads to the court of the
Lady of the Leaves. (see p.129) She holds her court
from a silver chair set under an ancient oak sitting
in the middle of a clearing, her knights at her side
and her court comfortable under the stars above the
Gloaming.
The Lady takes a friendly interest in the humans who
surround her, despite the ancient enmities. She has a
particular and peculiar hobby of testing young heroes
to their limits and rewarding them well, according to
her shifting moods.
After all, this is the fateful court wherein the bard
Adanmor first performed for the fae. After a few years
of practice, the Lady determined he was ready and
introduced him deeper into the faerie lands, to ever
increasingly powerful noble courts. Eventually he
even sang for the Horned King. But that is a story for
another time.
The Moorlands
Not much but heathers and grasses like growing in
the acidic soil of the moorlands north of Wenfeld,
but life does find a way. And even in this rough land,
people follow. The barbarians, for so the people of
Wenfeld have named the moorlanders, keep sheep for
wool, meat, and milk and follow the grouse, merlin,
plover, and other birds for signs from beyond. A few
small tribes live in the area. Those who venture as far
south and the lands near Wenfeld tend to be followers
of Daricia. (See p.128).
The southernmost bits of the moors hold a special
fascination for the children of the village, who
mythologize them as being infinite, barren, haunted,
and somehow also full of violent strangers who speak
a terrifying language so different from their own.
The Fetid Tarn
Perhaps a week to the east and maybe a little north of
Wenfeld is a lake with no tributaries. Carved into the
rocky earth by some ancient force, the Fetid Tarn lies
at the bottom of a twenty-foot slope made of sharp
rock and loose scree. No streams or rivers feed this
swampy lake, but it has accumulated many years of
rainwater and, if the wise ones are to be believed, the
blood and tears of many who have fallen prey to the
Smoke Talon, Drake of the Tarn (p.130).
Long has she slumbered beneath the fetid waters of
this impossible swamp, and the piteous creatures
that make their home here fight tooth and nail for life
amongst the run-off of more pleasant lands and the
decaying bodies of those plants and animals which
could not make it.
When she rises, throwing off the accumulated foul-
ness of her many years of sleep, the waters of the
swampy tarn shudder and splash falling away from
the Drake and back into the hole where what life
remains cowers away from her power and even more
importantly, her hunger.
The Barrow Fields
Like most lands of the Broken Kingdom, the lands around
Wenfeld are the site of numerous ancient barrows.
In older days, when House Asconsia ruled more openly
and securely, many of these barrows were well known
to the lords and ladies of the Rook Holt, and offerings
were left regularly for their long-dead inhabitants. No
regular offerings have been made at the barrows now in
generations, but the lord’s keep may still contain records
or maps of their locations somewhere.
The most concentrated collection of these tombs can
be found to the southeast of Wenfeld. These are the
Barrow Fields, a region three or four miles across and
A Kingless Realm 125
 home to at least five dozen barrows of the first men.
Most of these are small affairs, just simple mounds
with a single inner chamber. Several are much larger,
with twisting passages leading ever farther beneath
the earth, and many chambers housing ancient kings,
their treasures, and those ordered to guard them in
death.
For obvious reasons, the villagers fear the Barrow
Fields. Children often dare one another to collect
flowers or berries growing atop the mounds, or even
to sleep in the Fields to prove their bravery. Usually,
during the day at least, all seems well when a pair
of lovers or brave youths wander here. Sometimes,
though, folk here are overcome by a wicked chill or
become suddenly lost. Once every decade or two a
villager goes missing on the Fields and is never seen
again.
On the western end of the Barrow Fields is the
lichyard of Wenfeld. Here, within view of the
ominous mounds, the inhabitants of Wenfeld burn
their dead on pyres and bury their remains, marking
them with simple stones.
Somewhere within the Fields is the tomb of one of the
greatest and earliest kings of the first men, Labhos,
he who learned the riddle of steel. King Labhos battled
126 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
the fae in ancient times, and it was he who first brought
iron to bear against them. His tomb is a simple
affair, at least from the outside, and appears much as
any of the other small barrows on the Fields. Within,
however, are deep tunnels and secret rooms, as well
as cursed treasures unknown to the living.
The Flowered Vale
To the northwest of Wenfeld is a storied and hidden
valley of idyllic beauty. It is difficult to find, even for
those who have found it before, its location seeming to
shift from year to year, its boundaries often shrouded
in mists. Known as the Flowered Vale, the villagers
sometimes send an herbalist or a group of warriors in
search of this place when they have need of healing.
Most return empty-handed.
The valley is small, only an acre or two in size. Every
spring, the highly valued flowers known as blue
hallows grow here. These delicate blue blooms are a
great aid to healers. Sometimes other rare plants can
be found in and around the valley. More information
on blue hallows can be found on p.9 of Heroes Young
and Old.
The Flowered Vale lies six or seven miles beyond the
bounds of the village, well within the foothills of the
great mountains. There are no farms or homesteads
near it. The villagers are not the only ones who seek
it; sometimes folk from other villages or distant lands
come in search of it, though few find what they seek.
The Red Company
Swidhun the Red, described as both mercenary
captain and bandit lord, has won the loyalty of a hardy
band of battle-hardened warriors and their families.
After fighting for various causes along the southern
coasts and even on the continent itself, they regained
a taste for Swidhun’s homelands to help Lord
Asconsia in a battle against barbarian invaders.
Now, so the rumors say, they have made a home to
the northeast of Wenfeld and have begun preying on
travelers to support themselves, but the truth of the
matter is more complex. See more about Swidhun on
p.130.
Personalities of Wenfeld
Below are descriptions of and statistics for numerous
folk, monsters, and adversaries who live in Wenfeld,
the Rook Holt, or the surrounding lands. Even in as
populous a region as this, there is ample opportunity
for the players and gamemaster to develop many
more inhabitants.
Old Agnes, the Witch of Wenfeld
Agnes has been the village witch in Wenfeld for longer
than any can recall, and she named even the elders.
She lives in a large, round hut just outside the village
on the edge of the Gloaming. Often accompanied by
an ever-shifting menagerie of beasts and vermin, she
is simultaneously feared and trusted by the villagers.
The inhabitants of Wenfeld mostly leave her be,
only calling on her when there is a grave illness or a
difficult pregnancy. Otherwise, folk speak to Agnes
when she comes to them. While she often keeps to
herself, she attends all the major festivals and likes
to drink at the common house when the moon is full.
Witches from other villages sometimes visit Agnes,
and it seems that she is accorded a place of honor
among her sort.
Hit Dice: 4d6 (16 HP)
AC: 17
Attack: +4 to hit, 1d4+3 damage (enchanted dagger)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 200
Notes: Spellcasting (Agnes may cast spells as a
level four mage; she knows the Beast Ken and
Hexing cantrips and any spells and rituals the GM
sees fit, though she is particularly fond of Blight of
Loneliness, Healing Touch, and Veil of Sleep; assume
she has an Intelligence and Wisdom of 16 for the
purposes of casting rolls)
The Barrow Stalker
This terrifying beast hunts among the barrows
outside of the village. Sometimes taking on the form
of a massive hound, sometimes a flock of crows, and
other times a large man with a bristling black beard,
the Stalker’s shape is always hazy and wavering, save
for its glowing red eyes. When hungry, no beast or
man is safe from its attacks.
A Kingless Realm 127
 Hit Dice: 3d12 (20 HP)
AC: 16
Attack: +3 to hit, 1d6+2 damage (hazy talons)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 120
Notes: Creature of Shadow (the Stalker receives a
+5 bonus to sneak or hide and may disappear from
view for 1d6 rounds twice per day), Shapechanger
(the Stalker may take on any shape roughly the size
of a large man), Swift (if there are enough foes in
range, the Stalker may attack twice with its talons),
Weakened by Sunlight (the Stalker receives a -3
penalty to all rolls while under the sun)
Bimia, the Odd Peddlar
Bimia is a strange sort. She keeps a small house on the
outskirts of the village but is rarely home. Instead, she
and her beloved mule Long Ear are most often found
on the road, both of them covered in road dust and
laden with an assortment of dubious goods. She loves
children and oddballs, and her hospitality is legendary.
Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 HP)
AC: 13
Attack: +0 to hit, 1d6 damage (staff)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 20
Notes: Treasures (Bimia always has almost any
mundane item at hand and, occasionally, minor mag-
ical items as well)
Daricia, Watch Chief of the Moor-
landers
When the strange barbarians of the moors come as
far south as the lands around Wenfeld, it is almost
always under the leadership of Daricia. She is a
skilled hunter and a fierce warrior. While she dislikes
trespassers on the moors as much as the rest of her
folk, she is fair and honorable.
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 HP)
AC: 14
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d6+1 damage (spear)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 50
Notes: Hunt Mistress (Daricia receives a +2 bonus to
any rolls to hunt, track, sneak, or spot hidden things)
128 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Lord Drumath Asconsia
The current lord of the Rook Holt is a stern but
respected nobleman, held in esteem by the villag-
ers but rarely seen. He is a bit stooped and greying,
but still an able warrior. In his younger days, he led
numerous small wars against barbarian invaders, and
is rumored to have visited at times with the Lady of
the Leaves in the Gloaming.
Hit Dice: 3d10 (17 HP)
AC: 16
Attack: +4 to hit, 1d8+2 damage (sword)
Alignment: Lawful
XP: 90
Notes: Lord of the Rook Holt (Wenfelders who are
led in battle by the Lord Asconsia receive a +1 bonus
to hit and AC)
Faunum, the Gloaming Knight
A short but broad faerie of the Gloaming, Faunum is
the favorite knight of Gwyneth, the Lady of the Leaves.
Two small horns protrude from his brown hair, and
he is always dressed in shining silver mail. He rides
a stunning white stallion and is quick to befriend any
who are not enemies of his lady.
Hit Dice: 4d8 (18 HP)
AC: 17
Attack: +4 to hit, 1d8 damage (faerie blade)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 200
Notes: Faerie Knight (Faunum has been affected
by the Faerie Knighting ritual as described on p.108),
Protector of the Lady (when acting directly in
defense of his Lady, Faunum receives a +2 to hit and
damage; should the Lady be harmed, Faunum will be
driven to further martial excess, and may attack twice
each round), Spellcasting (Faunum may cast spells
as a level four mage; he knows several spells, but is
most fond of Entanglement, Obscurement, and True
Strike), True Name (Faunum has a true name, which
gives his foes power over him), Vulnerable to Iron
(Faunum takes double damage from iron)
Fisker the Fisherman
A strong, stout young man, Fisker is the most skilled
fisherman in the village. He is often found at the river
or small ponds and even ventures into the Gloaming
on occasion, when the thinks the catch warrants the
risk. The river loves him too, and the villagers often
say that he is “one with the Ut.”
Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 HP)
AC: 12
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d6+1 damage (hand axe)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 15
Notes: Fishing (Fisker gets a +4 bonus to all fish-
ing-related rolls)
Gwyneth, the Lady of the Leaves
Ruler of these lands for far longer than the Lord
Asconsia, Gwyneth is the local ruler of the faerie
courts. A niece of the Weeping Princess of Autumn,
she shares her aunt’s fickle ways and shifting moods.
Usually content to hold court in her corner of the
Gloaming, Gwyneth sometimes becomes fascinated
by the affairs of mortals within her lands. She even
loves many of these mortals, in her own way, enough
to conceal her faerie nature from them. The Lady of
the Leaves is a noblewoman of surpassing beauty,
always clothed in diaphanous gowns, her hair wound
with leaves.
Hit Dice: 6d10 (33 HP)
AC: 17
Attack: +6 to hit, 1d8+3 damage (magic sword)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 650
Notes: Awful Presence (attempting to attack the
Lady requires a successful saving throw versus spell),
Spellcasting (the Lady may cast spells as a level four
mage; she knows several spells, but is most fond of
Commanding Word, Mystic Shield, and Whispering
Wind; additionally, she can cast any ritual of level 6
or less with automatic success while within her do-
main), True Name (the Lady has a true name, which
gives her foes power over her), Vulnerable to Iron
(the Lady takes double damage from iron)
Imani of the Summer Isles
A great traveler of the folk of the Summer Isles, Imani
settled in Wenfeld several years ago after a decade
of adventure throughout the world. He is gregarious
and easy-going, and many of the village youth like to
travel with him as he takes his flocks to the hills so
that they can listen to his tales of far-off places.
Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 HP)
AC: 13
Attack: +0 to hit, 1d6 damage (short sword)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 20
Notes: Storyteller (Imani gets +4 to all Charisma
rolls related to storytelling)
Ossa, the Troubled Soldier
Ossa is a bear of a man, a bully, and a braggart. Now
approaching his 40th year, he settled in Wenfeld
after serving with distinction in the Lord Asconsia’a
forces for several years. He is not evil and can become
a friend to the characters, but is an unsavory sort,
unkind to outsiders and quick to anger.
Hit Dice: 3d10 (17 HP)
AC: 14
Attack: +4 to hit, 1d8+2 damage (axe)
Alignment: Lawful
XP: 35
Notes: Hangers On (Ossa is usually accompanied by
1d6 1HD bullies who are ready to fight with him)
Sinde the Innkeep
Orphaned during the long winter three years
ago, Sinde now looks after the common house of
Wenfeld, the Hound and Crescent. The inn has
been in her family for generations, and continues to
prosper under Sinde’s care. Despite her young age,
she knows most of what happens in the village, and
always collects stories and gossip from travelers.
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 HP)
AC: 10
Attack: +0 to hit, 1d4 damage (dagger)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 14
A Kingless Realm 129
 Smoke Talon, Drake of the Tarn
A lesser drake and a four times granddaughter of
Ingromyr the Scarlet, the serpent known as Smoke
Talon sleeps beneath the Fetid Tarn to the east of
Wenfeld. When last she was fully arisen, she visited
the village and slew the then Lord of the Rook Holt,
Ulfreth. That was seven generations ago, and now few
in the village know of her, save in vague legends. Her
black and green body is long and snakelike, covered
in shimmering scales and adorned with two large,
leathery wings. Her long snout ends in two great fangs
which extend far beyond her mouth, and she belches
a sulfurous smoke often. It has been an age since any
dared visit her in her secret lair beneath the swamp,
but some stories hold that she can be a gracious
hostess when flattered and given gifts.
Hit Dice: 10d8 (45 HP)
AC: 16
Attack: +10 to hit, 1d6 (claw), 4d6 (bite)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 3,900
Notes: Breath Weapon (once every five rounds
Smoke Talon may breathe corrosive smoke, causing
d12+20 points of damage to all in near range; targets
who pass a saving throw take only half damage),
Dragon Fear (all foes in near range of Smoke Talon
must make a saving throw versus polymorph or be
130 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
gripped by a powerful physical fear, receiving a -3
penalty to all rolls unless they flee the dragon’s pres-
ence), Flight (Smoke Talon may fly), Swift (Smoke
Talon gains a number of attacks equal to the number
of opponents in near range of her, up to a maximum
of two claw attacks and one bite), True Name (Smoke
Talon has a true name which gives her foes power
over her)
Swidhun the Red
A mercenary warrior of prodigious skill and a veteran
of numerous campaigns, Swidhun hails originally
from a village to the west. He has fought in
skirmishes along the southern coasts and even in
wars on the continent. Four years ago he was hired
by Lord Asconsia in his last battle with barbarian
invaders. Rumors are that he has returned with his
Red Company and is extorting travelers from his
camp to the northeast of Wenfeld.
Hit Dice: 4d10 (22 HP)
AC: 18
Attack: +5 to hit, 1d6+3 damage (great mace)
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 170
Notes: Captain of the Red Company (Swidhun leads
thirty trained warriors, all of whom receive a +1
bonus to damage while fighting in his presence)
 Campaigns in a Kingless Realm
Campaign Ideas Threat Packs
While the Return of the Horned King, described Threat Packs, as presented in the Further Afield
fully in the next chapter, is our sample Tales of Years supplement, are another way of running a longer
campaign, the Broken Kingdom setting suggests campaign with recurring villains. It is possible to
many other possibilities for the GM. The group could use Threat Packs in addition to the main storyline of
even run multiple Tales of Years campaigns at once, a Tales of Years campaign, though it will take some
or run one to completion and then have another begin finesse.
after a year or two of peace.
All of this means that, in addition to mapping out a
Here are some ideas for other campaigns set in the year of the campaign at a time as described above,
Broken Kingdom: the GM will have to make appropriate rolls for the
Threats of the campaign. This will occur at the normal
The Ascension of the Empire of the Dead - The times as described in the Threat Packs.
activities of the Ghost Empress cause strife in the
lands of the dead, and then destruction in the lands of
the living. Early stages of this campaign likely involve
actions in the Underworld, far away from the players.
Nonetheless, these events cause great unrest for
ghosts and buried kings, who in turn become more
active themselves in the world of the living. Later
stages likely involve the discovery of the Empress’s
true identity and her attempts to stop her conquest
of the living.

The Rise of the Empress of Fire - Finally, after

many centuries, Ingromyr wakes fully and seeks to
drown the realm in flames. In the early stages of this
campaign, her drake cult becomes active across the
land. In the middle part, she begins to venture from
Her Valley and leave ruin in her wake. In the final
stages, the PCs must strike at her directly in her lair,
or else mount a significant defense in the south. We
explore converting the Vengeful Wyrm Threat Pack to
power a Tale of Years campaign about Ingromyr below.

The Struggle for the Crown - Civil war breaks

out across the land as several noble houses seek
to reclaim the High Kingship. House Ordentur is
certainly involved, but so are several others. The
campaign begins with intrigue and backstabbing and
likely ends in total war.

A Kingless Realm 131

 The Broken Kingdom has been designed with our
existing Threat Packs in mind. A group playing in the
setting and wishing to use any of the published Threat
Packs should find it relatively easy to do so. Below are
some ideas about how the various Threat Packs work
in the setting.
The Barbarian Invasion - The barbarians beyond Last
Wall could easily decide to invade the realm, as could
a well-organized band of reavers sailing from the east.
The Blighted Land - Nothing in the background of the
Broken Kingdom suggests an immediate connection
to this Threat, but it does a fine job of setting itself up
with its own backstory and fits into the setting easily.
The Grey Prince - As with the Blighted Land, noth-
ing in the Broken Kingdom ties immediately with the
Grey Prince, but he can still be used with no changes.
The GM might consider his origins. Is he a fae lord
unconnected to the Faerie Courts? Is he the Horned
King himself?
The Imperial City - The southern city of Essenbur is
an ideal candidate for this Threat. The GM will need
to determine who is backing the city and its push for
dominance; an empire on the continent, a distant
power from other places, or the petty king of House
Ordentur might be behind the city’s sudden rise.
The Risen Dead - This Threat is particularly fitting for
the Broken Kingdom, which already has a described
Necropolis and Underworld. The Ghost Empress,
detailed on p.102 and p.118 should replace the Ruler
of the Dead.
The Vengeful Wyrm - This is another Threat which
works particularly well in the Broken Kingdom. The
dragon Ingromyr and her drake cult, described on
p.92 and p.113, should replace the Vengeful Wyrm
and its followers. We explore converting this Threat
to a Tale of Years campaign below.
The Wicked Tradesmen - Unscrupulous traders any-
where in the Broken Kingdom could easily become
this Threat. The villages of the Homelands make an
excellent starting point for the cartel, as would the
settlements of the southern coasts.
132 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
The Rise of
the Empress of Fire
Here, we take the Vengeful Wyrm threat pack and
map it into the Tale of Years style in three differ-
ent ways. It’s also fine to just do your Tales of Years
game and use regular threat packs without changing
anything. Try the “lunar convenient” calendar from
Further Afield’s handouts. In that calendar, each
month has four weeks and one full moon cycle, so
everything lines up nicely.
Finally, after many centuries, Ingromyr wakes fully
and seeks to drown the realm in flames. In the early
stages of this campaign, her drake cult becomes active
across the land. In the middle part, she begins to ven-
ture from Her Valley and leave ruin in her wake. In
the final stages, the PCs must strike at her directly
in her lair, or else mount a significant defense in the
south.
Let’s see how we can use the Vengeful Wyrm Threat
Pack to help us.
Option A
In this, the simplest option, we replace the Wyrm
from the Threat Pack with Ingromyr. In order to
emphasize the slow build of a Tale of Years, we start
the threat at Imminence Rating 1 and increase it at
each solstice or equinox. This means the Imminence
Rating will increase every other season: choose
between summer/winter or spring/fall.
We will keep to the original Threat Packs’ schedule
for events and roll for these weekly. This means run-
ning on a couple time scales: weekly, and seasonally.
Using Further Afield’s “convenient lunar” calendar
will make this easy to track.
Option B Option C

Here, we make a few more changes to the Threat Pack.
In addition to the changes we made in Option A, we’ll
convert the threat effects table to make it seasonal
rather than weekly. To do so, we need to make each
result provide more than a singular event, but rather
a pattern of raids, or other activity that stretches
across the season.
d6 Threat Effects
1 Ingromyr goes on a rampage in a neighbor-
ing area and burns several small villages and
settlements over the course of several weeks.
2 A farm at the characters’ home village loses
its crops and livestock to the beast, or a large
swath of the village’s hunting grounds are
turned to ash. Meat will be even scarcer this
winter.
3 Ingromyr is on the prowl. Ensure several of
the characters’ random encounters are with
Ingromyr itself. They should probably hide
when this happens.
4 Ingromyr sends agents looking for her
descendents. If one of the characters is a
descendent of Ingromyr, then any encounter
rolls this season will be with 1d6 Dragon
Born. (see Further Afield p.96)
5 Ingromyr sends agents to several cities
or villages looking for delicate artifacts to
add to his hoard, such as books or scrolls.
Sometimes they will be subtle, other times
they will not.
Here, our plans are a little more elaborate. We will
take the table of events from the Threat Pack and
spread it out into a multi-year progression.
In our first season, we will start things off using the
Hidden Cult Scenario Pack. We will just pick out a
few details about the cult instead of rolling for them.
They will worship Ingromyr and this will introduce
the great dragon to the campaign.
Since we want to have other adventures as well, we
will advance its Imminence Rating two seasons a year,
probably every spring and autumn, unless events
warrant a shift. With the table below, this will take
six years of game time. For a whirlwind of panic, we
could advance the Imminence Rating every season, or
for a slower burn campaign with a dangerous threat
growing in the background, we could increase Ingro-
myr’s Imminence Rating only one season per year.
For each Imminence Rating listed below, we describe
a category and a more detailed description of events.
We rely on the Drake Cult on p.113, Her Valley on
p.92, and Ingromyr herself on p. 119.

6 This season, Ingromyr comes to human set-

tlements several times a week, every week,
to challenge people in games and contests.
If the characters are spending time in public
houses, inns, and taverns, they will probably
be the ones challenged.

A Kingless Realm 133

 Imminence Threat Effects
1 Drake Cult - We will kick off the threat with the Hidden Cult Scenario Pack (Beyond the Wall
p.142) with a few modifications. One of the persistent threats in this campaign will be cultists
in the service of the great wyrm Ingromyr. See The Drake Cult on p.113 for more details.

For the table “What is the cult’s true purpose?”, the cult worships Ingromyr.

For “Who is the leader of the cult?”, any result will do, but consider using a Dragon Sorcerer
(p.113).

For “What hint do the characters find?”, the characters should receive a hint to the location of
Her Valley (p.62) and the gamemaster might wish to introduce a hint of Blood of the Wyrm
(p.114) activity nearby.
2 Raided and Burned - A random village or settlement other than the characters’ home village
is burned by Ingromyr. Word will come quickly to the village. How will trade be disrupted, and
whose friends might be lost?
3 Drake Cult - Ingromyr sends agents to a city or village looking for delicate artifacts to add to
her hoard, such as books or scrolls.
4 Raided and Burned - A random named NPC or location outside the village is burned by
Ingromyr.
5 Drake Cult - Ingromyr sends agents looking for her descendents. If one of the characters is
a descendent of Ingromyr, then any encounter rolls this season will be with Dragon Born. (see
Further Afield p.96)
6 Ingromyr is out and about. While she may not be seeking them out directly, the characters
will have an encounter with Ingromyr herself. They should probably hide when this happens.
7 Raided and Burned - At least one farm at the characters’ home village loses its crops and
livestock to the beast, or a large swath of the village’s hunting grounds are turned to ash. Meat
will be even scarcer this winter.
8 Drake Cult - The Jewel of the Wyrm (p.111) is uncovered. Can the heroes keep it from
Ingromyr, to use it against her, or will she reclaim it?
9 Drake Cult - The Cult now operates openly with its own rough army. A small lord a few
counties away is toppled.
10 Ingromyr is out and about. The characters will have an encounter with Ingromyr herself.
Perhaps she is looking for them, or is raiding closer to home? They should probably hide when
this happens.
11 Drake Cult - Local lords are not just toppled, but their thrones usurped. Ingromyr now holds
territory outside Her Valley.
12 Ingromyr is out and about AND Drake Cult - The characters will lose loved ones to Her.
The cults continue to expand their conquest. The village itself is threatened.

134 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

 Return of the Horned King
Welcome to Return of the Horned King, an example
Tale of Years campaign for Beyond the Wall and
Other Adventures. In this campaign, we see the
Horned King, the fallen king of the fae, attempt a
return to power. Stirred awake by the tales of the Bard
Adanmor of Wenfeld, his dreams turn to the realms he
once ruled in a time before humankind. Our heroes,
children coming of age in Wenfeld this very year, are
the Kingless Realm’s greatest hope.
The Horned King’s dark plans have three distinct
avenues of pursuit: regaining his throne in the realms
of the fae, securing his grasp on the mortal realm,
and reclaiming his greatest artifact: the Blade of
Beginnings and Endings. Cast away in his grief after
he slew his sister (see p.97), reuniting with this blade
will grant him immeasurable power and will turn him
fully onto this dark path of revenge for a crime he
himself committed.
To run this campaign, skim through this section so
that you know what the Horned King has in mind,
and then go run the Omen of the Horned King
scenario pack. This is designed to be the perfect
jumpstart for your campaign.
This is a Tale of Years (p.54) so we will be tracking the
passing of the seasons each year of the campaign and
exploring background events as well. For each year,
the campaign will provide you with three season’s
worth of events, one for each of the Horned King’s
advances. As gamemaster, determine how the player
A Kingless Realm 135
 characters are affected by these events and work them
into the events of your game, both its main plot and
the results on the Background Events Tables.
We present the three prongs of the Horned King’s
attack much like the escalating threat packs in
Further Afield. Each has a list of advances the enemy
forces will make, what the player characters are likely
to encounter as a result, and what things the players
might do to slow the pressing threat. Sometimes,
especially at the start of the campaign, a particular
scenario pack will be suggested, but it is not otherwise
guaranteed that the heroes will directly interact with
the threat that season, unless they seek it out.
We suggest leaving one season of the year free from
the direct meddlings of the Horned King. This will
give your heroes some time to rest between troubles,
and to pursue their own interests as well. We recom-
mend shuffling events between the different seasons
to match the needs of your plot, and to prevent your
players (or their heroes) from becoming complacent.
Experience
For those gamemasters who wish to eschew
traditional experience points and use the system
presented in Tales of Years (see p.54), each step
also provides a number of experience points that
player characters should gain for interacting with the
campaign that season.
Following this guidance will rush our heroes
quickly to level two, then quickly march them to the
middle levels, where their progress will slow. With
only campaign adventures under their belts, expect to
see mages and warriors reach level 6 at the end of the
campaign, and rogues reach level 7.
However, the campaign explicitly leaves room for
further adventures - not only a whole season free for
gamemaster or player follies, but space exists within
each season for further adventures, and gamemasters
may wish to reward their players (and their
characters) for particularly clever play. Indulge.
Don’t be afraid to let your players gain higher levels
as the campaign progresses.
136 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
At least of the possible resolutions to the campaign
requires the use of a level 10 ritual, and to meet the
Horned King in battle means a group prepared to face
a 17 Hit Die villain. The heroes will need to be well
prepared, and very skilled, to succeed, whatever their
path.
To ensure a hale and hearty group of heroes of level 8
or so by the end of the campaign, gamemasters might
consider granting experience bonuses of as much as
a quarter level for achieving a victory against a threat
during a season, in addition to the experience awards
mentioned in Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
(p.26) and Further Afield (p.38).
Threat Packs
Each threat -- fae, human, and sword -- progresses
along its own line of events. By default, unless some-
thing special happens, the events described in the
entry will happen and the threat will progress to the
next level. For each entry, check the labeled victory
condition to see what might be able to prevent the
threat from advancing. Unlike the Threat Packs in
Further Afield, the Horned King’s progress never
reverses. This ensures an irreversible movement
towards the final showdown and still gives the players
the chance to slow it down to build up their own
power.
Gamemasters take note: each step explains what
changes are afoot in the campaign world, including
a list of story points and clues to be sure to get to the
players. Feel free to change the details of the events to
fit your world - work in NPCs your group has devel-
oped, move things around on the map, personalize
everything. The key is to ensure you communicate
and develop the list of campaign advances labeled
with must. For items labeled should, savvy heroes
who are doing well are likely to encounter these. For
items labeled might, even good and lucky heroes are
not guaranteed their benefits.
Each step also provides a number of experience
points for use in the Tales of Years experience system
described on p.57.
 The Sword
1 A prophecy is fulfilled, heralding his return - 1,000 XP
This is the Return of the Horned King Scenario Pack on p.168. The Horned King begins to wake; some fae who
hope to profit from his ascent to power are part of the fae court near the village. These servants begin their search
for the Horned King’s Sword. This will disturb the village and alert the player characters to the king, and to two
great weapons of destiny: the much-cursed blade the Horned King’s Sword, and the iron hunting spear Horned
King’s Bane.

It must reveal that the Horned King has arisen.

It must reveal that the Horned King is seeking his sword.
It must tie the PCs’ home into the story.
It might reveal that there is an iron spear named the Horned King’s Bane that can counter him.

Victory: If the village is able to completely repulse the faerie raid and break the influence of the Horned King’s
servants in the local faerie court, the threat will wait one season before it advances.
Defeat: If the faerie raid against the village is successful and the character’s efforts cause the Horned King’s
servants to gain power in the local court, advance the threat an extra step.

2 Dead servants of old awaken into service - 500 XP

A forgotten tomb in the barrow fields is breached. It was breached from within - a greater wight (p.119) has
broken out. Bound by an oath stronger than death, it has gone to serve the Horned King.

Other tombs, likewise, are disturbed. If the cultists of the dream touched are active, they may seek to open some
tombs from the outside to raise other servants of the Horned King.

If investigated, a pattern emerges: most of the disturbed tombs bear iconography of a sword and spear raised
against each other and one or more of the symbols of the Horned King. Certain amongst the wise might recognize
a connection.

If the heroes have a network in place and are around, they may get a chance to intervene, instead of investigating
after the fact.

It must reveal that some ancient dead are rising.

It should reveal that they go to serve the Horned King.
It should reveal one or more of the Horned King’s symbols.
It should reveal a hint about the Horned King’s Bane.
It might reveal a hint about the Horned King’s Sword.

Victory: If the heroes happen to be in the right place at the right time to catch the Greater Wight as it escapes
its tomb, and can hunt it down and defeat it before it reaches the dark fae gloaming, the threat will not advance.
However, please note that the Greater Wight is a 6HD creature and a deadly threat to characters, especially this
early in the campaign.

Defeat: If the heroes accidentally reveal information to the cults, or if they make a stand against the Great Wight
and one or more of their number falls, advance the threat an extra step.

A Kingless Realm 137

 3 Rumors and questions amongst the wise - 1,000 XP
Several traveling wise persons of various types pass through the village: wizards, witches, story keepers, bards,
and rangers. All will end up casually inquiring about some of the events that have happened in the village since
the start of the campaign.

They will, as is the way of the wise, be circumspect about their inquiries, but the sufficiently clever and paranoid
may learn that they are following the trail of the Horned King’s Sword [use name] and searching for further clues
about his movements.

It will not be clear what their motives are; if they aim to serve or thwart his ends, but they will vary, and all will be
concerned, at least tangentially, with the Horned King. At least one of the visitors will be one of the Alekaneros,
the Rangers, who are actively resisting the Horned King’s advances.

It must reveal that Adanmor, the bard who woke the Horned King a century ago, came from the village.
It must reveal the growing interest in the Horned King amongst all the powers of the world.
It should reveal the growing knowledge of the connection between the heroes’ village and the Horned King.
It might reveal the existence of the Alekaneros.
It might reveal the existence of the level 10 ritual The Blade Repurposed (see p.109).

Victory: The most likely successful outcome is that the heroes will learn that the wise search for something near
Wenfeld. The only way to slow down this stage of the threat is if every traveler leaves convinced the village isn’t
involved.

Defeat: If the heroes or their village friends give away too much information about the village’s connection to
the Horned King, the threat will skip ahead, and his Emissaries of Winter will make their way towards Wenfeld.

4 thefts, murders, and disappearances: part 1 - 1,500 XP

Thefts, murders, and disappearances are beginning among the wise. The Horned King’s minions have begun their
research in earnest, and are collecting tools of power to help them in their coming struggles. Other powers now,
too, begin assembling their defenses and considering their stratagems as the weight of history shifts into motion.

Wenfeld is not immune to the events unfolding across the Kingless Realm. Nearby minor locations believed to
house magic will be raided during this season. If those raids are successful, they will extend to the village itself.
See the earlier scenarios for village locations which might be the target of these raids, especially the Return of the
Horned King Scenario Pack, whose events may have become legend amongst his followers.

Any known “wise persons” in the area of the village might be visited, threatened, converted, and/or killed. It’s
clear that these visitors are trying to get researchers to help find the location of the horned king’s sword.

In areas already controlled by the Horned King’s bandit lords, the violence will be so complete that it will be
difficult to catalog.

It must reveal the growing power and brazenness of the Horned King’s minions.
It must reveal the focus of their search is the current location of his sword.
It should reveal the massing of magical arsenals.
It might reveal some hints of places worth raiding or wise ones in need of protection.

138 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

Victory: The only response strong enough to hold back the threat here would be the creation of a popular
organization to coordinate a defense against these crimes. Such an organization would need to have some
members amongst the wise, and enjoy support from lords and villagers alike.

Defeat: If the heroes somehow lose a magical item to the thieves, or if they reveal the location of a cache of magic
or a wise one not previously known, then the threat will advance an extra step.

5 thefts, murders, and disappearances: part 2 - 2,000 XP

The word is out among the wise and the gossips that carry messages between them - the Emissaries of Winter (see
p.115) are about again and acting in concert. It is they who have directed so many of the brutalities we have seen
so far, and they are becoming bolder and crueler now as they sense the end of their search approaching.

This boldness has stirred up other powers to stand against them. This is a good time to make sure the heroes
know about the Templars, the High Queen Tosia’s Seven. Once protectors of this land, they will have some
knowledge of the Horned King’s Blade, and of the Iron Spear that is said to be his bane.

The many raids conducted by the Horned King’s servants will begin to provide clues to the location of the dun-
geon where his sword rests, awaiting its reunion. The raids will also reveal many small caches of magical items.
How badly will they be ransacked? Will only clues to the sword be taken?

It must reveal the influence of the Emissaries of Winter.

It should reveal clues to the dungeon holding the Horned King’s blade.
It should introduce the Templars if they have not already made an appearance.
It might introduce clues to the retrieval of the Iron Spear that is the Horned King’s Bane.

Victory: The only response strong enough to hold back the threat here would be if the organization suggested
in the previous step were able to stop the raids or recover the stolen goods for at least three quarters of them.

Defeat: It should be very unlikely, but if the heroes’ actions lead to great powers (lords, wizards, lands) falling
to the Horned King, then advance this threat an extra step.

6 Magical powers are forced into service - 2,500 XP

The Emissaries have had time now to assemble power in the form of looted magic as well as mortal servants. They
are now turning this power to force the mighty and the wise into their service. Great wizards and faerie lords alike
are their targets now.

If the Horned Kings’ minions have already seized power in the mortal and fae realms, that power will be turned
against the wise here. If not, the Emissaries are up to the task, weaving together threats, promises, falsehoods,
and truths into nets to catch even the mightiest.

In some cases, the Horned King himself will venture into the mortal world to seal his victims’ oaths, or to punish
those who have failed him. His pressure upon the wise, the seers most of all, will reveal the location of his sword.

Other threats noted in the setting chapter will be amongst the Horned King’s targets. Imagine the power of the
Drake Cult (p.113) turned to find and guard the Blade of Beginnings and Endings, or a fae lord who abandons her
court and takes her knights on a single-minded hunt across the Kingless Realm.

A Kingless Realm 139

 It must directly affect one of the wise -- the magically powerful -- that the heroes know best.
It should reveal clues to the dungeon holding the Horned King’s blade.
It might reveal the location of the Horned King in the mortal world to the heroes.
It might reveal the location of the dungeon to the heroes before the Horned King reaches it.

Victory: The only way to hold back the threat would be to prevent all the seers from working their rituals for the
Horned King. If as few as three of the wise fall to his power, that will be enough for the Horned King to triangulate
the location of his lost sword of power.

Defeat: If the heroes somehow reveal the location of the sword and leave him time to investigate it unopposed,
advance the threat an extra step.

7 The Horned King retrieves his sword - 3,000 XP

The Horned King knows the location of his sword and sets off to retrieve it. The sword is at the end of a dangerous
dungeon and guarded by a powerful keeper. This will not be enough to stop the Horned King on its own, but does
present a possible climax to the campaign if the heroes follow - or precede - the Horned King into the dungeon.

It must reveal the location of the dungeon, if not already known, once the Horned King retrieves his sword.
It should present a chance for the heroes to confront the Horned King as he approaches his goal.
It might threaten a total party kill.

Victory: For as long as the heroes keep the Horned King from his sword, the threat will not advance.

Defeat: Since the next step is the final one, the only
defeat so thorough as to skip that would be the fall of all
of our heroes to the Horned King.

8 The power of the sword

is unleashed - 6,000 XP
Reunited with his sword and ensconced in his power,
the Horned King can turn his attention to his progress
in the fae and mortal realms. He thinks he’s won; can
the PCs save the day by facing the Horned King and His
Sword?

All of his minion’s efforts are doubled now that the

Horned King is free. Each threat should advance two
seasons each year instead of one.

It must demonstrate the cruel inhuman power of the

Horned King.

Victory: The heroes must defeat the Horned King.

Defeat: The only defeat left is the end of the resistance.

140 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

 The People
1 Contact through dreams with receptive folks - 500 XP
Strange dreams trouble sleepers across the Kingless Realms. Shadowed figures call to the dreamers from the dark
woods, revealing truths they had sought in their waking hours, and promising more. Not all sleepers meet this
figure in their dreams, but those who do are touched by the figures’ prophecies throughout their days, and as they
are drawn in, they are offered a choice.

Those who swear to the power in their dreams see it revealed as the Horned King. Under his cruel tutelage, they
begin gaining powers, including some Cantrips. They grow strange in their thoughts and their appetites and no
longer discuss their dreams in the open.

Those who do spurn the power find these dreams fade as quickly as they are rejected, and are easily forgotten.

A few dozen people in the region of the village will have these dreams at first, and they’ll be discussed in the inn
or another social occasion where the players are present. Only a few (2d4) will entertain the dreams further, and
only one or two will swear. See more in the bestiary entry for Dream Touched on p.114.

Whenever an adventure calls for the involvement of villagers, take the opportunity to pick one of the folks
affected by the dreams, or their family.

It must reveal that strange dreams of a shrouded figure calling from the dark woods trouble the region.
It might reveal that the figure is offering power in exchange for allegiance.
It might reveal that some have accepted the power.

Victory: To slow down the progression of this threat, the heroes would have to find everyone tempted by the
dreams and convince them to reject the offer. This should be very difficult and unlikely, but would hold things
until the next year’s wave of dreams began again, and in a nearby region this time.

Defeat: If the players somehow convince someone to take the bargain who otherwise would not have, advance
the threat an extra step.

2 The Dream touched take on students - 500 XP

Those in the Horned King’s ominous tutelage begin to come into their power, ready to act in their master’s
interest. And so, they slowly take on apprentices to darkness.

No more than one or two at a time, the dream touched find folks ready to hear them. Sometimes, these are folks
who had also had dreams of the Horned King’s power, but were afraid to swear. Sometimes, they seek out those
people carrying petty grievances in their hearts and offer to feed it.

Folk will start to talk. Heroes who are too often away from home won’t have a chance to observe it, but the dream
touched, even those with a single student, will become better known in town. See more in the bestiary entry for
Dream Touched on p.114.

It should inform the heroes of an uptick in minor magics. (e.g. at the level of village witches, not of the
mighty) This stage is mostly intended to be an opportunity to hint at what is to come.
It might reveal one or more of the dream touched.

A Kingless Realm 141

 Victory: To slow the progress of this threat, the heroes must stop two or three of the dream touched from
taking students. Not just a particular student - the heroes must ensure that no students or apprentices are chosen
from any in the village and surrounding farms. In this case, the dream touched may try again next year, may just
recruit from other areas, or both. (If the dream touched recruit elsewhere next time, that’s where they’ll have to
be stopped.)

Defeat: If the heroes encourage the dreamers, or if their actions lead to more students being chosen through
these dreams, then advance the threat an extra step.

3 Cults start to form around them - 2,000 XP

The dream touched and their apprentices start to influence others to their dark ways, and cults form around
them. One of these cults is forming in the characters’ own village. For this adventure, we recommend playing The
Hidden Cult Scenario Pack (see Beyond the Wall p.140) with a few changes to ensure it fits into the campaign.

For the table “What does the cult desperately need?”, any result will do, but be sure to tie it to the Horned King,
who gives power to his dream touched servant who leads the cult.

For “Who is the leader of the cult?”, choose or introduce a villager from the player’s and make them one of the
dream touched (see p.114).

For “What do the characters find in the cult’s lair?”, change all the references to demons to fae when describing
them. It’s okay to continue to use the provided statistics for demons, just ensure that they have the fae’s
vulnerability to iron.

In the table “What hint do the characters find?”, replace all references to chaos and demons with the Horned
King and fae.

With these changes, the scenario pack will introduce the player characters to the dangerous reality of the Horned
King’s dreamers and, hopefully, see them save their town, at least for a while.

Additionally, the characters are likely to be around third level or so at this point in the campaign, so it will be
important to ensure the threats match the players’ power. One advantage to this particular Scenario Pack is that
many of the adversaries are the characters’ own neighbors and fellow villagers, so violence will be a less tempting
approach in some areas. In others, consider both choosing bestiary entries with higher hit dice, and giving the
antagonists defensive advantages that the players must overcome.

It must reveal the Horned King’s symbol.

It should reveal the connection between the Horned King and the cult.
It might reveal the existence of other local cults.

Victory: Completely eradicating the cult and deprogramming its members will hold the threat back. The cults
will still form in other villages, but will take longer to affect home.

Defeat: Failure at the scenario pack jumps the threat ahead an extra step.

142 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

4 Armed groups form around dream cults - 1,500 XP
The cults have grown in size and power now, and no longer operate entirely in secret. Bandits and other desperate
souls have taken up the symbol of the Horned King and begun to recognize each other.

Their depredations so far are not much worse than before, but they do act in concert with the cults lead by the
dream touched. Many of the dream touched will begin leaving their homes. It won’t be immediately clear, but
they are going to lead, or advise, these armed groups.

It should reveal that a few armed folk have taken on the Horned King’s symbols.
It might reveal that the power grows from the cults.
It might reveal that the dream touched are beginning to act in coordination.

Victory: If the players disrupt two or more cults in the region, the threat will not advance this time, but cults
elsewhere will continue to grow, and will eventually return to the region.

Defeat: If the heroes take a decisive stand against an armed cult and lose, their new found notoriety will increase
their power. Skip ahead one threat level.

5 Armed groups start raiding - 2,000 XP

Numbers of armed and desperate folk have gathered around the growing power of the cults. Feeling flush in their
power, they are brazenly raiding first the trade routes, and then the outlying farms and hamlets.

Bandits along the Ussa River are extracting more extravagant prices for passage, and merchants report depreda-
tions even along the Queen’s Road.

Prices will start to rise, and trade will plummet. People will become fearful and suspicious. Nonetheless, stories
of heroes on the roads begin to spread, legends of the old Alekaneros, the Rangers. (see p.120)

It must reveal the growing power of the increasingly organized bandits and armed groups.
It should reveal the growing stories of the Alekaneros.
It might make a connection between our heroes and the rangers.
It might reveal the name and general location of Aife, the rangers’ leader.

Victory: If the players lead a village in a successful battle against the home of one or more bandit groups, their village
will be safe from depredations for a while, and the threat will not advance this time. See p.21 of Dangers Near and
Far for rules on battles.

Defeat: If the players fail in leading a village in battle against the bandit groups, or if any of their number, or a
local power such as the witch or lord fall to the bandits, advance the threat an extra step.

6 Armed groups start taking territory - badlands - 2,500 XP

The most successful of the Horned King’s raiders have amassed enough wealth and power to begin to take and
hold territory in the badlands on the edges of the Kingless Realms. The more territory they take and hold, the
more they expand.

Even before the border lords begin to call for help, local lords begin expanding their levies and preparing their defenses.
Some craven even seek alliances with the upstart new badland lords who fly the ancient symbols of the Horned King.

A Kingless Realm 143

 Those fae powers which serve the Horned King will make contact with the bandit lords. Their obedience to their
master trumps their mutual distaste for now. Soon, unless something interferes, their shared work will make
them even more solid allies.

Mark the territory held by the Horned King’s thralls on the map to track their expansion, which will follow
quickly in each of the following stages. You can use the Threat Effects and guidance on warbands from the
Barbarian Invasion Threat Pack in Dangers Near and Far (see p.64-65) for guidance.

We recommend the rules for war and battle on p.21 of Dangers Near and Far for playing the many deadly battles
that will face the Kingless Realm. If you do use these rules, Claim Territory and Lose Territory results are key to
advancing the threat.

It must reveal that the Horned King’s servants rule territory at the edges of the Kingless Realm.
It should introduce war to the campaign, if not to the players.
It might reveal alliances between the new rulers of the badlands and those taking power amongst the fae.

Victory: The threat will only be abated if two or more of the bandit lords nearest Wenfeld are defeated and their
forces scattered. In this case, pause the threat, and new bandit lords will claim territory further into the badlands
next time.

Defeat: Each time the players lead forces against the bandits and lose decisively, advance the threat one
extra step.

144 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

7 Armed groups take territory - villages - 3,000 XP
The more successful bandit lords start taking and holding villages near the badlands, and then push on into
greener, richer lands. Some say dark fae advise mortal commanders, even on the battlefields themselves.

Fae activity will be greater in areas held by these bandits. If the fae have started mingling with the mortal world,
there may be fae soldiers present sometimes as well. The Emissaries of Winter are most likely to become involved
in locations likely to house clues to the Horned King’s sword.

There are clearly different types of bandit lords now. Some rule through martial prowess and command growing
armies. Others rule smaller, stranger forces through magical power not seen in generations.

It must reveal that the bandit forces are pushing into civilized lands.
It might reveal that the bandits seem drawn to old sites of power where the Horned King seeks his sword.
It might reveal alliances (or the details of alliances) between the fae and mortal raiders.

Success: If the heroes manage to liberate two or three villages from the bandit lords and keep them free, the
threat will be abated and will not advance. Next time, the villages in need of saving may be further away.

Defeat: It will not be directly threatened at this point unless the heroes bring this upon it, but if Wenfeld is lost,
the heroes will be forced into exile and the threat will jump ahead an extra level.

8 Armed groups take territory - bandit kingdoms - 6,000 XP

Once the villages were forced into submission, the rest was inevitable. The bandit lords have gained recognition
amongst the noble class. Many of them have successfully negotiated a peace with their new neighbors and feign
contentedness in their territories. The continued martial talk and adulation of the blade hints that they will soon
swell again against the borders of the civilized lands.

Within the taken territories, exploitation is the rule. Even the least peasant is commanded to turn to a war effort
that has become intertwined with forbidden rituals and unforgettable cruelty.

How will Aldenham, once a center of trade, fair during this time? Will it remain reduced, but unbeaten, or will it
fall to the Horned King’s bandit lords?

If the fae have also fallen, they will be openly joining with these bandit lords. If not, the bandit lords will focus
their efforts on turning the fae whose realms they border.

It must show the extent of the Horned King’s power.

It must make travel in the mortal world difficult for any not in the service of the Horned King.
It should show the coordination between his servants.
It should reveal hints about the remaining moves the Horned King has to make: war plans in the fae realm
and the recovering of his sword.
It might reveal the search for the Horned King’s sword.
It might reveal the locations of other items of power.

Victory: The heroes must defeat the Horned King.

Defeat: The Kingless Realm is at war! The various forces of the Horned King are mounting a constant assault
against the remaining free holds and are winning. Reavers terrorize the guilty and innocent alike. Still, even when
the Horned King’s servants rule the mortal lands, if some resistance remains, defeat is not complete.

A Kingless Realm 145

 The Fae
1 The lowest of the dark fae begin to stir - 1,000 XP
Goblin servants of the Horned King search the village for a sacrifice to power a dark ritual. For this adventure, we
recommend playing The Goblin Infestation Scenario Pack (see Dangers Near and Far p.126) with a few changes
to ensure it fits into the campaign.

To answer the question from the table “What do the goblins want desperately?”, the goblins are trying to find the
right sacrifice to power a magical ritual brought to them in their dreams by the Horned King. They don’t know
exactly what they need, just that it is a human from the village, so they will keep trying different villagers until
they succeed.

Each day, the goblins will set out to capture a villager for their ritual. Once they’ve found and taken their victim,
the goblins will keep their sacrifice imprisoned from midnight until dawn, when the ritual must begin. Each
attempt at the ritual will take four hours, and will culminate in the death of the villager. The goblins will not find
a suitable sacrifice until their third victim, and so the ritual will fail the first two times, despite the death of the
villager. If they are able to complete their ritual successfully, the threat will advance an extra season.

For the table “Who is the goblin king?”, since the goblins are motivated by the dreams the Horned King sends
them, this is a perfect fit for result three: a dark and distant power, but any leader or mob influenced by the
Horned King will do.

For the table “What hint do the characters find?” in The Road Goes On section, choose result three to give the
characters some hints about the Horned King and his plans, or use the other results to introduce more goblin-
related adventures outside of the main campaign plot.

It should reveal the influence of the Horned King over the lesser fae.
It might reveal hints about the Horned King’s plans.

Victory: Only turning the goblins away from the service of the Horned King to become sworn allies of the village
or, perhaps, the local faerie court, will slow down this threat.

Defeat: If the goblins are able to complete their ritual, advance this threat an extra step.

2 The Dream touched take on students - 500 XP

Those fae who have accepted the Horned King’s cruel tutelage begin to come into their power, ready to act in their
master’s interest. And so, they slowly take on apprentices to darkness.

No more than one or two at a time, the dream touched find fae ready to hear them. This will most likely make its
way to the players in rumors, as some of the fae apprentices learn by trying their tricks on vulnerable villagers.

It should inform the heroes of an uptick in troubles with the fae. This stage is mostly intended to be an op-
portunity to hint at what is to come
It might reveal one or more of the dream touched fae, or their sanctum.

146 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

Victory: To slow the progress of this threat, the heroes must stop two or three of the dream touched fae from
taking students. Not just a particular student - the heroes must ensure that no students or apprentices are
chosen from any in the surrounding faerie courts. In this case, the dream touched may try again next year, may
just recruit from other areas, or both. (If the dream touched recruit elsewhere next time, that’s where they’ll have
to be stopped.)

Defeat: If the heroes encourage students, take a failed stand against these dream touched fae, or if their actions
lead to more students being chosen, then advance the threat an extra step.

3 Faerie orders form around the dream touched - 2,000 XP

As the power in Faerie gathers around the Dreamers, their troubles spill into their relations with the mortal
world. A villager has gotten caught up in the struggles between the Fae and accidentally dragged the village,
and our heroes, into it as well. For this adventure, we recommend playing The Angered Fae Scenario Pack
(See Beyond the Wall p.132) with a few changes to ensure it fits into the campaign.

For the table “How did the character above bring this problem upon your village?”, the precipitating event is that
this villager has run afoul of one of the fae cultists and so come to the attention of the local faerie court.

For “What do the faeries need the characters to do in order to be appeased?”, a member of the fae court has been
taken by the dream touched cultists, and the characters must rescue it. Did this fae go willingly or as a prisoner?
Why did the dream touched take it? Perhaps it was dear to the local lord, or prophesied to grow into power?

For “What stands in the way of the culmination of the quest?”, the dream touched fae and their apprentices. See
more in the bestiary entry for Dream Touched on p.114. As the characters are likely to be around third level or
so at this point in the campaign, it will be important to ensure the threats match the players’ power. Consider
matching the powers and numbers of the Dream Touched to suit your group of heroes.

It must reveal that the fae realms face a similar threat to the mortal one.
It should make a connection between sympathetic local fae and the heroes.
It might reveal more about the connections between the dream touched.

Victory: Success in the scenario pack is not enough to hold back the threat. If a second fae dream touched in the
region is similarly defeated, the threat must try again next year, most likely in an adjoining region.

Defeat: Defeat in the scenario pack is enough to weaken the hold of the rightful rulers of the fae and to skip the
threat ahead an extra step.

4 faerie courts are claimed through fear, assassination,

and politics - part 1 - 1,500 XP
Fairy orders started by the dream touched seize power in distant courts, and their influence reaches into the
courts nearest the village as well. Any faeries the heroes know are likely to mention this, and just as likely to ask
the heroes to get involved. This can be an excellent opportunity to revisit the Angered Fae scenario pack.

Opportunities for friendship - or tension - with the fae abound as the local courts begin mounting more serious
defenses against the mounting threat. It is difficult for them to mount defenses, for the Horned King’s fae use
different techniques where they are best suited. From bloodless palace coups, to ensorcelling the ruler, to flaying
their foes alive in the middle of court, nothing is beyond them.

A Kingless Realm 147

 Rumors spoken only in hushed tones say that the Emissaries of Winter move amongst the fae, raising up those
lords who serve their master and striking down those who do not.

If the mortal world is dealing with bandits or even bandit lords, their depredations may well interact with some
of the politics of the fae realm. Perhaps bandits are sent to desecrate standing stones which marked a protective
boundary around a faerie court?

It must reveal that distant fae courts have fallen under the sway of a cruel power.
It should reveal that the Horned King’s dream touched are behind this.
It might reveal the places the fae are searching on the Horned King’s behalf, providing broad clues to his
hunt for this sword.

Victory: In order to hold back the threat at this stage, the heroes must save two or more faerie courts from these
threats and build a network of allied courts helping each other.

Defeat: Only a defeat so ignominious as the loss of a player character or two or more local faerie lords would
cause the threat to skip a step.

5 Faerie courts are claimed through fear, assassination,

and politics - part 2 - 2,000 XP
The very court of the Weeping Princess of Autumn, Queen of the Fae (see p.98, p.121) is threatened as war erupts
amongst the fae! The Horned King’s followers no longer stoop to assassination and blackmail to gain power, but
muster armies and march openly to war.

At least one corrupted faerie noble will make war upon his erstwhile allies, those bordering one of the fae most
friendly, and nearest, to Wenfeld and the heroes. This will lead to some strife within the friendly court as tensions
mount. Perhaps an assault from both within and without could come this season.

If the Horned King has followers in the mortal realm as well, they will occasionally interfere on behalf of his fae
servants, and vice versa.

We recommend the rules for war and battle on p.21 of Dangers Near and Far for playing the many deadly battles
that will face the Kingless Realm. If you do use these rules, Claim Territory and Lose Territory results are key to
advancing the threat.

It must reveal that the Horned King now rules, in proxy, throughout much of the faerie realms.
It should reveal allies to stand with the village heroes against the Horned King.
It might reveal more of the Horned King’s plans in the hunt for his sword.
It might reveal connections between the Horned King’s mortal and fae servants.

Victory: The only success that could hold back the threat this season would be for the network of allies built in
the previous step to be able to militarily defeat the Horned King’s servants.

Defeat: If the local fae courts are taken by the Horned King’s servants, move the threat ahead an extra step.

148 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

6 Fae openly intermingle with the human world - 2,500 XP
The fae have begun openly intermingling with the human world, usually through raids, but also through
negotiations between nobles. The first nobles they treat with openly are the bandit lords serving the Horned King
they once supported clandestinely.

There will be raids on the local fae court, the village of Wenfeld, and places important to them both. Are the PCs
at home to help? Can they break the raiders sufficiently to hold back progression?

The Emissaries of Winter now stalk openly amongst both the mortal and the fae, wielding dread power in the
Horned King’s name. Both they and the raids act in direct service of advancing the Horned King’s quest for his
sword.

It must reveal the breaching of the borders between the fae and human worlds.
It should reveal the direction and nature of the Horned King’s search.
It might reveal clues to the location of the Horned King’s Sword.
It might reveal clues to the location of the Horned King’s Bane.
It might reveal the existence of the level 10 ritual, The Blade Repurposed (see p.109).

Victory: If the heroes and their allies are able to break the raiders so that they can no longer afford aggression,
or no longer wish it, they are able to hold back the threat for a season.

Defeat: If the local fae court falls, or if the raids are left entirely unopposed, even by NPC powers, advance the
threat an extra step.

7 Faerie courts are claimed through fear, assassination,

and politics - part 3 - 3,000 XP
The Weeping Princess of Autumn is overthrown. The Horned King’s servants rule all or most of the fae realm in
his name.

All of these courts are now united in the tireless pursuit of the Horned King’s goals. They will focus first on the
return of his sword, and then upon the conquering of the mortal realms. Part of this work is the weakening of
the barriers between the fae and mortal realms. Soon, they hope to have the fae realms swallow the mortal one.

Can the PCs save their local court? Will that be enough to save them?

It must reveal the inhuman cruelty of the Horned King’s reign.

It should provide clues to the location of the Horned King’s bane.
It should provide clues to the location of the Horned King’s sword.
It should reveal that the fae are destroying the barriers protecting the mortal world from them.

Victory: If the PCs are able to save their local fae court and hold it and their local mortal county against the
Horned King’s servants, they can hold this threat at bay for their area. In the rest of the greater realm, the fae and
mortal worlds will still converge.

Defeat: Since the next step is the final one, the only defeat so thorough as to skip that would be if the players
destroy one or more of the barriers between the fae and mortal worlds and cause them to converge.

A Kingless Realm 149

 8 The fae and mortal worlds converge - 6,000 XP
The fae realm has fallen to the Horned King, as have the barriers between the worlds. With nothing stopping
them, the fae minions of the Horned King rampage throughout the mortal world. If his mortal servants have not
yet seized power, they will now, with the help of their immortal allies.

Fae horrors ravage the guilty and innocent alike, an alien invasion with no end in sight.

If the Horned King has not yet reached his sword, all of the efforts of the fae will be focused on helping him reach
it, so this threat will now advance two seasons each year.

It must demonstrate the cruel inhuman power of the Horned King.

It must make travel in the fae and mortal worlds difficult for any not in the service of the Horned King.
It should reveal hints about the remaining moves the Horned King has to make: war plans in the mortal
realm, and the recovering of his sword.

Victory: The heroes must defeat the Horned King.

Defeat: Only surrender, or death.

150 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

 Appendix: Region Tables
In this appendix can be found several encounter tables useful for groups playing a campaign set in the Broken
Kingdom. Tables of this sort were first described in the Further Afield supplement, and a full description of their
uses can be found on p.14 of that volume. Each of the regions listed below are described in detail in the setting
chapter for the Broken Kingdom beginning on p.74 of this book.

The Homelands
There are numerous paths through the forests of the Homelands; these count as normal terrain. However, if the
characters leave the path and go into uncharted territory, this region counts as difficult terrain. Game is plentiful
here, giving a +2 bonus to all hunting and foraging checks.

Encounter Chance: 1 in 6
1d6 Homelands Encounters
1 Lost! Make a Wisdom check to find the way or lose a day wandering aimlessly.
2 Turned around. Make a Wisdom check or exit from a random hex edge instead of where you
thought you were going.
3 Deep ravine. Make a Dexterity check to get across or everyone takes 1d4 damage. If you have beasts
of burden, also make a Wisdom roll to get them across or lose a whole day’s travel.
4 Deceptively deep river crossing. Make a Strength check or the guide takes 1d6 damage and loses
an item to the current. If you have beasts of burden, also make a Wisdom roll to get them across or
lose a whole day’s travel trying to find another way.
5 Fae-touched campsite. Make an Intelligence check or be visited by the fae this very night. Will they
be mirthful or angry at the player’s intrusion?
6 Bear attack. Make a Wisdom check or be surprised by an angry bear.

The Riverlands
Use this table when traveling along the great river Ussa and its major branches. The river is used for shipping,
travel, and fishing, and its people are travelers themselves. Game, mostly fish, and water are plentiful here.

Encounter Chance: 3 in 6
1d6 Riverlands Encounters
1 River pirates. Make an Intelligence check or be surprised when 1d6+2 river pirates attack the
characters, attacking from both water and shore in an obviously well-practiced ambush.
2 Damp. Make a Wisdom check or a piece of equipment aboard the ship is ruined.
3 Storm. Make a Dexterity check or be badly battered. The craft will have to pull to the bank and seek
immediate repairs.
4-5 Other Rivergoers. Make a Charisma check to have a friendly encounter with another river craft.
6 Dangerous waters. Make an Intelligence check or drift into dangerous shallows, rapids, or the path
of another, larger river craft, any which will require clever boating to survive unscathed.

A Kingless Realm 151

 The Queen’s Road
The Queen’s Road is a major thoroughfare which cuts through the country. This region and its encounter tables
represent that broad, straight road and the towns and villages nearest it. It is the most heavily traveled highway of
the realm, connecting Last Wall in the north to Essenbur in the south. The Queen’s Road is normal terrain. Game
is somewhat scarce due to the traffic, so all hunting and foraging rolls suffer a -2 penalty.

Encounter Chance: 2 in 6
1d6 Queen’s Road Encounters
1 Weather problems. Make a Strength check to clear the road or lose a day’s travel trying to find
another way around. This result could represent deep and dense mud, a fallen tree blocking the road,
or a flooded out bridge across a stream or river.
2 Road Festival. The nearest village is celebrating its annual festival of the Road. Dozens of adults and
their attendant children, earnestly making repairs and trimming plant growth, block the road for a
mile in either direction. Will you join them, or try to go around? Either way, you’ll make no significant
progress for the day.
3-4 Fellow travelers. Make a Charisma check to have a friendly encounter with a small group of
travelers. These travelers could be pedlars, refugees, or even other adventurers. They are likely a
source of information, and may have goods for sale.
5 Caravan. Make a Charisma check to have a friendly encounter with a large group of travelers, like a
traveling carnival or merchant group. The caravan is likely to have a great many goods for sale, and
could offer protection or services for weary adventurers.
6 Bandits. Make a Wisdom check or be surprised by 1d8+2 bandits. The bandits do not necessarily
attack immediately; they are after valuables, not lives.

The Southmarch
The abandoned fields, grasslands, and moors of Southmarch are normal terrain. This fallen land has the shape of
productive farmland, but grows more ghosts than greens these days.

Encounter Chance: 1 in 6
1d6 Southmarch Encounters
1 Lost! Make a Wisdom check to find the way or lose a day wandering aimlessly.
2 Turned around. The party has lost their way and comes upon an abandoned town or village with a
shadow hanging over it. If passing it by, make a Wisdom check or be surprised when the malevolent
forces within start tracking the party. 1d6+2 bandits or 1d3 angry spirits make their home here.
3 Sudden storm. Make a Constitution check to keep walking, or else lose a full day seeking shelter.
If you have beasts of burden, also make a Wisdom roll to keep them from panicking or spend the
following day repairing their harnesses.
4 Hunting wolves. Make a Wisdom check or be surprised by a pack of 1d6+1 desperate and hungry
wolves, or perhaps, something worse.
5 Desperate travelers. Make a Charisma check to have a friendly encounter with other travelers; if
failed, they will try to rob the characters, now or later, acting as 1d6+2 bandits.
6 Farmstead. Make a Charisma check to be offered a place to sleep by a farming family. If the check is
failed, the farmstead will treat the characters as a threat and defend themselves appropriately.

152 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

The Southern Coasts
Use this table for the roads, fields, and beaches of the Southern Coasts. This is normal terrain and represents the
roads between the many villages of the region, the fields and farmlands that surround them, or the areas along
the shore between fishing villages and port towns.

Encounter Chance: 2 in 6
1d6 Southern Coast Encounters
1 Good deeds and fair companions. Stop early for the day with some strangers. Are the characters
helping travelers with a broken cart? Have they saved a merchant from brigands? Have they been
invited to dinner? Make a very difficult (-5) Charisma check or have a relatively pleasant encounter
that’s just impossible to leave politely.
2 Turned around. Make a Wisdom check or exit from a random hex edge instead of where you
thought you were going.
3 Sudden storm. Make a Constitution check to keep walking, or else lose a full day seeking shelter.
If you have beasts of burden, also make a Wisdom roll to keep them from panicking or spend the
following day repairing their harnesses.
4-5 Travelers. Make a Charisma check to have a friendly encounter with other travelers.
6 Farmstead or fishing village. Make a Charisma check to be offered a place to sleep by a
hardworking family.

The Northern Mountains

Even with a road, the mountains are difficult terrain. Game is rather scarce here, giving a -2 penalty to hunting
and foraging rolls. It is assumed that these mountains are generally traversable by foot, but several areas of the
mountains may be completely impassible.

Encounter Chance: 1 in 6
1d6 Northern Mountain Encounters
1 Barbarian travelers. Make a very difficult (-5) Charisma check to have a friendly encounter with
2d4+2 barbarians traveling the other way; if failed, the encounter will become hostile and possibly
violent, and the barbarians know the terrain well.
2 Turned around. Make a Wisdom check or exit from a random hex edge instead of where you
thought you were going.
3 Deep ravine. Make a Dexterity check to get across or everyone takes 1d4 damage. If you have beasts
of burden, also make a Wisdom roll to get them across or lose a whole day’s travel trying to find
another way across the ravine.
4 Rockfall. Make a Wisdom check or everyone takes 1d12 damage from the cascade.
5 No water. Make a Wisdom check or suffer a -1 penalty to all rolls due to lack of water as described in
the ‘Sustenance’ rules on p.26 of Further Afield.
6 Beast of legend. Make an Intelligence check to recognize the ancient signs or be surprised by a beast
of legend, like a giant, a great eagle, a dragon, or perhaps Ingromyr herself. This beast may or may not
be hostile to the characters trespassing in its realm.

A Kingless Realm 153

 The Sea
Seas are always normal terrain for ships and impassible for travelers on foot. There is no normal hunting or forag-
ing on the sea, but characters may use their fishing skill instead to get food. There is no fresh water available at sea.

Encounter Chance: 3 in 6
1d6 Sea Encounters
1 Listless wind. Make an Intelligence check or the winds are not in your favor today. If your ship
relies on sails, you only travel 30 miles today.
2 Damp. Make a Wisdom check or a piece of equipment aboard the ship is ruined.
3 Storm. Make a Dexterity check or be badly battered. The craft will have to seek repairs at the
next port.
4 Attacked! Make a Wisdom check or be attacked by pirates, reavers, or vicious sea creatures such as
a mad shark.
5 Other sailors. Make a Charisma check to have a friendly encounter with a passing craft.
6 Dangerous waters. Make an Intelligence check or drift dangerously near to rocks, hidden shoals,
or dangerous currents.

The Realm of the Fae

Only use this region while traveling along a path in the fae realms. The region might represent a narrow footpath
through the woods of the Gloaming, the roads through one of their established but hidden kingdoms, or a boat
ride in the domain of the river fae. The road is normal terrain; straying from the path will leave this encounter
table and dive right into an adventure. Both game and water are somewhat scarce here, if they can be trusted at
all, so all hunting and foraging rolls suffer a -5 penalty.

Encounter Chance: 3 in 6
1d6 Fae Encounters
1 An impossible transition. Something about the path the characters follow undergoes a dramatic
and incomprehensible change. Test a random ability score to understand how to follow the path,
or lose a day’s travel trying to find the way to go. This result could represent a fork in a path in the
Gloaming, a sudden change in the waters of the River Fae, or even a puzzle or magical trap set in the
player’s path.
2 Sudden, unnatural storm. Make a Constitution check to keep walking, or else lose a full day
seeking shelter. If you have beasts of burden, also make a Wisdom roll to keep them from panicking
or lose one as it flees in terror or injures itself in its panicked flight.
3 Spirited place. Your path takes you through a place that is special to one or more fae. This might
represent an encounter with a treant tending his trees, stumbling upon a nymph or dryad’s sacred
home, passing over a bridge where a family of trolls are raising their young, or even an encounter with
a kelpie or cat sidhe.
4 Almost friendly interest. A pukka, kelpie, or similar trickster fae takes interest in the characters
and decides to play some tricks on them. Make an impossible (-10) Wisdom check or lose your way to
its tricks. If he spotted and approached in good humor, make a very difficult (-5) Charisma check to
convince him to speed your travels instead and move an extra hex today.
5 Fellow travelers. A small group of fauns, satyrs, redcaps, or similar fae pass the characters on their
way. Will the fae take an interest in the player characters, and of what nature?
6 A great beast of faerie. Make a Wisdom check or be surprised by a fae out of legend: perhaps a
griffon, an Emissary of Winter, a Great Fithich, a griffon, the Green Man, or a unique monstrosity.

154 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

 Character Playbooks,
Scenario Packs, and Handouts

A Kingless Realm 155

 The Failed Ranger Playbook
Upon coming of age you left home to join the hidden order of rangers. Under their tutelage, you trained to protect all folk from
dark powers and learned many secrets about forgotten evils. Due to unforeseen circumstances, you have left the order and
returned home. Now you protect the village of your birth, though few know of your task.

You are deft and clear-headed. Your Dexterity and Wisdom begin at 10, and all of your other ability scores begin at 8.

Everyone was a child once. How did you grow up?

1d12 What did your parents do in the village? What did you learn from them? Gain

1 You are an orphan. Things were hard for you, but you remember all of your father’s stories. +2 Wis, +2 Con, +1 Int

+2 Int, +1 Wis, +1 Con,

2 Your father was an outcast, rightfully or not.
Skill: Survival
+2 Dex, +1 Str, +1 Wis,
3 Your parents were fishermen and you grew up by the river.
Skill: Fishing
+2 Con, +1 Wis, +1 Cha,
4 Your family worked a small farm outside the village.
Skill: Farming
+2 Str, +1 Dex, +1 Cha,
5 Your father was the local smith and taught you both hammer and bellows.
Skill: Smithing
+2 Con, +1 Dex,
6 You led the sheep out onto the mountain like your father before you.
+1 Wis, +1 Str

+2 Cha, +1 Int,
7 Your parents ran the local inn. You grew up meeting many travellers and hearing their tales.
+1 Dex, +1 Wis
+2 Dex, +1 Int, +1 Cha,
8 You worked the loom, cutting and twisting as the Fates.
Skill: Weaving
+2 Int, +1 Cha, +1 Wis,
9 Your father or mother kept the old stories. Your head is filled with them.
Skill: Folklore
+2 Str, +1 Cha, +1 Con,
10 Your father was a watchman, stern but fair with child and stranger alike.
Skill: Athletics
+2 Wis, +1 Con, +1 Dex,
11 You went on journeys into the woods to gather herbs and berries.
Skill: Herbalism
+2 Cha, +1 Int, +1 Dex,
12 Your father was a local merchant. You learned to name your price and charm your customers.
Skill: Haggling

1d8 How did you distinguish yourself as a child? Gain

1 Children often fight, but you never lost. +2 Str, +1 Wis

2 There wasn’t a game you couldn’t win. +2 Dex, +1 Int

3 You were the toughest kid around. +2 Con, +1 Cha

4 No secret escaped you. +2 Int, +1 Dex

5 Your empathy made you a sought after confidant. +2 Wis, +1 Con

6 You never met someone who didn’t like you. +2 Cha, +1 Str

7 You solved everyone else’s problems, and never mentioned your own. +1 Str, +1 Con, +1 Cha

8 Everyone has something to teach, and you learned a little from them all. +1 Dex, +1 Int, +1 Wis

Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY

156
 The other player characters were your best friends. Who else in the village
1d8 Gain
befriended you while you were growing up?

1 Laboring with the blacksmith took your mind off your troubles. +2 Str, +1 Cha

2 The fishermen took a liking to you and you swapped stories with them. +2 Dex, +1 Wis.

3 You went camping with the hunters. +2 Con, +1 Int

4 The village elders taught you the ancient game of chess. +2 Int, +1 Dex

5 You are about to marry into the Miller’s family. +2 Wis, +1 Str

6 You broke someone’s heart, or maybe they broke yours. +2 Cha, +1 Con

7 The old widow needed help around the house. +1 Str, +1 Int, +1 Cha

8 The grizzled mercenary who settled in town taught you a thing or two. +1 Dex, +1 Con, +1 Wis

You joined an ancient and secretive order which protects all folk. You become a level 1 Warrior-Rogue. You gain the class
abilities Highly Skilled and Knacks, and the skill Forbidden Secrets. The tables below will further define your class abilities.

Your time in the order, although short, has changed you for the better.

1d6 Why did the order of rangers choose you as a recruit? Gain

You accidentally came upon a ranger unawares in the woods. Impressed, he watched you for +2 Dex, +1 Wis,
1
several years before deciding you were a perfect candidate for the order. Skill: Stealth

Your mother once told you that you carried the blood of kings, but you never spoke of it again.
+2 Cha, +1 Wis,
2 A stranger came to the village and whispered the same thing to you, saying that you were
Skill: Command
destined to protect common folk from the dark.
You always preferred the company of beasts to that of men. One day a rugged man with a +2 Wis, +1 Con,
3
strange, bestial companion came to the village and recognized you as a kindred spirit. Skill: Animal Ken

You killed your first stag when you were but a child. You did not know it at the time, but a +2 Str,
4
watcher and protector marked you then as a future recruit. Skill: Hunting
The deep places in the woods always called to you. When you wandered too far there one day +2 Con, +1 Wis,
5
and were threatened by hidden foes, a ranger saved you and then took you away. Skill: Survival
When you were very young, you uncovered a goblin plot and somehow frightened them away.
+2 Wis, +1 Dex,
6 No one in the village believed you, but the ranger who had been secretly protecting your home
Skill: Alertness
took note.

1d6 When you left home, who was your trainer among the rangers? Gain

+2 Wis, Knack:
A great healer and wanderer of the order, who showed you how to tend the wounded
1 Resilience,
and survive long treks alone.
Skill: Herbalism

+2 Dex, Knack: Fleet,

2 The swiftest and most skilled warrior among them, who taught you many tricks.
Skill: Athletics

+2 Cha, Knack:
3 An old veteran of many secret battles, who had once been a former seneschal for a great noble. Defensive Fighter,
Skill: Etiquette

+2 Con, Knack: Great

4 A strong and clever ranger, who often went among ordinary folk in various disguises.
Strike, Skill: Deceit

+2 Str, Knack: Great

5 Your own mother, who was secretly a ranger herself and fought like the warrior queens of old.
Strike, Skill: Intimidation

+2 Int, Knack: Resilience,

6 The chief of the order of rangers, who is weary of the darkness of the world but saw much hope in you.
Skill: Forbidden Secrets

Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY

157
 What caused you to leave the order before taking your final vows and
1d6 Gain
reunite with your childhood friends? With the player to your right.
You tracked to the village a hunting party of dark creatures from legend. You fought them off,
+2 Str,
1 but fear more may be coming, though the order does not believe you. The friend to your right
Skill: Hunting
rejoined you at the battle and saved your life in the melee, and gains +1 Str.
Your trainer was slain by an ancient evil just before you became a full ranger. As he was dying,
+2 Dex,
2 he warned you that there may be treachery within the order. The friend to your right helps
Skill: Stealth
hide you when necessary, and gains +1 Dex.
You were traveling with a small band of rangers near your home village when you were waylaid
+2 Dex,
3 by horrible creatures. You were the only survivor, and went to where you felt safest. The friend
Skill: Alertness
to your right found you wounded and helped you back home, and gains +1 Dex.
A spirit of the woods showed you to a magical grove near the village, convincing you that,
+2 Con,
4 instead of joining the order, you must protect it and others like it throughout the world. The
Skill: Survival
friend to your right comes with you to the grove every solstice, and gains +1 Con.
The chief of the order told you that, one day, ancient faeries would attack your old home, so
+2 Con,
5 sent you to guard it instead of joining the order and patrolling the land. The friend to your right
Skill: Search
does not fully understand your task, but sometimes keeps watch with you, and gains +1 Con.
Strangely respectful of your village witch, the rangers sent you back to her. She made you her
+2 Str,
6 champion against the thing under the forgotten bridge. The friend to your right once fought
Skill: Hunting
strange things at the bridge with you, and gains +1 Str.

1d6 What token from your time as a ranger do you keep still? Gain

1 A weapon of ancient and uncertain make. +2 Str, an ancient blade

2 A map of the land which marks the lairs of evil things. +2 Int, a map

3 A delicate bow of strange make. +2 Dex, a faerie bow

4 A wild horse of an ancient bloodline who lets only you ride. +2 Con, an unusual ally

5 A far-seeing hawk who is never far from you. +2 Dex, an unusual ally

6 A bright star set with a jewel on your cloak. +2 Cha, an ancient symbol

Fill out Your Sheet!

1. Record your name, class, and level.
2. Record your ability scores. In the space beside each,
record your ability score bonus using the chart on the back
of this booklet.
6. Your Initiative is equal to your level, plus your Dexterity
bonus, plus 1 for being a Warrior-Rogue.
7. Your Armor Class is 10, plus your Dexterity bonus, plus
the bonus of any armor you have.

3. Jot down your skills, class abilities, and starting
equipment, as well as any other pieces of gear you
may want to buy. The Failed Ranger begins with the
following equipment: a knife or dagger, practical clothing,
leathers (+2 AC), heavy cloak, flint and tinder, waterskin,
a weapon of your choice, and 4d6 silvers.
4. Pick an alignment. Your character may be Lawful,
Chaotic, or Neutral. If you can’t decide, simply choose to
be Neutral; most people are.
5. Your Base Attack Bonus comes from your class. As a
level 1 Warrior-Rogue, you have a BAB of +1.
Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY
158
8. Your Fortune Points are 3.
9. To start, your hit points are 8 plus your Constitution
bonus.
10. Fill in your saving throws using the chart on the back
of this booklet.
11. Record the ‘to hit’ and ‘damage’ statistics for any
weapons you think you might use. Your to hit bonus for
a melee weapon is your BAB plus your Strength bonus,
while you use your Dexterity bonus instead for any missile
weapons. Your Strength bonus also adds to the damage of
any melee weapon.
 Reference
Making Tests Fortune Points
Ability Score Checks: Roll a d20 and compare the A character may spend a Fortune Point in the follow-
result to your score in the relevant ability. If the number
on the die is equal to your score or lower, you succeed. If it ing ways:
is higher, then you fail.
Help a Friend: Normally, a character may only help a
Saving Throws: Roll a d20. If the result is equal to the friend with an ability score check if he has a relevant
saving throw number or higher, the roll was a success. skill. By spending a Fortune Point, a character may
Combat Rolls: Roll a d20 and add the relevant attack lend a helping hand and thereby give his compatriot
bonus. Compare the result to the enemy’s armor class. a +2 to his score for a single roll, even without having
If the number equals that armor class or exceeds it, the an appropriate skill for the task at hand.
attack was successful. Otherwise, the attack missed.
Second Chance: A character may spend a Fortune
Class Abilities Point to get a reroll on any failed roll during the
Hit Dice: d8 course of play, such as an ability score check, saving
Initiative Bonus: +1 throw, or to hit roll.
Armor: The Failed Ranger may wear any armor.
Cheat Death: A dying character may spend a Fortune
Highly Skilled: The Failed Ranger receives two additional Point to stabilize at 0 hit points and not continue
skill at first level. Your Playbook has already given you your taking damage every round.
extra skills. The Failed Ranger gains an additional skill
every odd numbered level thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, etc).
Instead of gaining a new skill, they may get better at one Ability Score Bonus
which they already have, increasing the bonus for that skill 1 -4
by a further +2. 2-3 -3
4-5 -2
Knacks: Over the course of their careers, warriors pick
up several tricks which make them even more formidable 6-8 -1
opponents. Your Playbook gives you your first Knack. 9-12 0
See p.10 in the Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures for 13-15 +1
rules for the different Knacks and for gaining new ones. 16-17 +2
18-19 +3

Base Breath
Attack Poison Weapon Polymorph Spell Magic Item
Level Experience Bonus Save Save Save Save Save
1 0 +1 13 16 13 15 14
2 2,500 +2 13 16 13 15 14
3 5,000 +3 13 16 12 15 14
4 10,000 +4 13 16 12 15 14
5 20,000 +5 12 15 11 13 12
6 40,000 +6 12 15 11 13 12
7 80,000 +7 12 15 11 13 12
8 150,000 +8 12 15 11 13 12
9 300,000 +9 11 14 9 11 10
10 450,000 +10 11 14 9 11 10
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159
 The Horned King’s Blood Playbook
You grew up in the village unaware of a terrifying fae heritage hidden deep in your family’s past. As you approached adulthood,
you found yourself troubled by dark and terrible dreams sent to you by your ancient forebear. Now you must choose your fate.

You are graceful and quick-witted. Your Dexterity and Intelligence begin at 10, and all of your other ability scores begin at 8.

Everyone was a child once. How did you grow up?

1d12 What did your parents do in the village? What did you learn from them? Gain

1 You are an orphan. Things were hard for you, but you remember all of your father’s stories. +2 Wis, +2 Con, +1 Int

+2 Int, +1 Wis, +1 Con,

2 Your father was an outcast, rightfully or not.
Skill: Survival
+2 Dex, +1 Str, +1 Wis,
3 Your parents were fishermen and you grew up by the river.
Skill: Fishing
+2 Con, +1 Wis, +1 Cha,
4 Your family worked a small farm outside the village.
Skill: Farming
+2 Str, +1 Dex, +1 Cha,
5 Your father was the local smith and taught you both hammer and bellows.
Skill: Smithing
+2 Con, +1 Dex,
6 You led the sheep out onto the mountain like your father before you.
+1 Wis, +1 Str

+2 Cha, +1 Int,
7 Your parents ran the local inn. You grew up meeting many travellers and hearing their tales.
+1 Dex, +1 Wis
+2 Dex, +1 Int, +1 Cha,
8 You worked the loom, cutting and twisting as the Fates.
Skill: Weaving
+2 Int, +1 Cha, +1 Wis,
9 Your father or mother kept the old stories. Your head is filled with them.
Skill: Folklore
+2 Str, +1 Cha, +1 Con,
10 Your father was a watchman, stern but fair with child and stranger alike.
Skill: Athletics
+2 Wis, +1 Con, +1 Dex,
11 You went on journeys into the woods to gather herbs and berries.
Skill: Herbalism
+2 Cha, +1 Int, +1 Dex,
12 Your father was a local merchant. You learned to name your price and charm your customers.
Skill: Haggling

1d8 How did you distinguish yourself as a child? Gain

1 Children often fight, but you never lost. +2 Str, +1 Wis

2 There wasn’t a game you couldn’t win. +2 Dex, +1 Int

3 You were the toughest kid around. +2 Con, +1 Cha

4 No secret escaped you. +2 Int, +1 Dex

5 Your empathy made you a sought after confidant. +2 Wis, +1 Con

6 You never met someone who didn’t like you. +2 Cha, +1 Str

7 You solved everyone else’s problems, and never mentioned your own. +1 Str, +1 Con, +1 Cha

8 Everyone has something to teach, and you learned a little from them all. +1 Dex, +1 Int, +1 Wis

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160
 The other player characters were your best friends. Who else in the village
1d8 Gain
befriended you while you were growing up?

1 Laboring with the blacksmith took your mind off your troubles. +2 Str, +1 Cha

2 The fishermen took a liking to you and you swapped stories with them. +2 Dex, +1 Wis.

3 You went camping with the hunters. +2 Con, +1 Int

4 The village elders taught you the ancient game of chess. +2 Int, +1 Dex

5 You are about to marry into the Miller’s family. +2 Wis, +1 Str

6 You broke someone’s heart, or maybe they broke yours. +2 Cha, +1 Con

7 The old widow needed help around the house. +1 Str, +1 Int, +1 Cha

8 The grizzled mercenary who settled in town taught you a thing or two. +1 Dex, +1 Con, +1 Wis

The woods called to you, and you spend most of your time away from the village now. You become a level 1 Rogue-Mage.
You gain the class abilities Fortune’s Favor, Sense Magic, and Spellcasting, and the skill Faerie Lore. The tables below
will further define your class abilities.
What secrets did the woods, and your dreams, reveal?
As you came of age, you began to sprout horns like a stag.
1d6 Gain
What other strange trait betrays your heritage?

+3 Wis,
1 Disturbing eyes which seem to glow with their own chill light.
Skill: Alertness

+3 Cha,
2 The presence and bearing of a natural lord.
Skill: Command

+3 Str,
3 A supple grace and often frightening aura.
Skill: Intimidation

+3 Dex,
4 Unnaturally long and agile fingers and limbs.
Skill: Forbidden Secrets
+3 Int,
5 A thick mane of pure white hair.
Skill: Investigation

+3 Con,
6 Hardened, almost crystalline skin.
Skill: Survival

As you came of age, how did you respond

1d6 Gain
to the first dreams sent by the Horned King?

You accepted an offer of warmth on a chill winter night and awoke a little colder +2 Wis,
1
than you had been. Spell: One with the Frost

When a crowned and shadowed figure stepped into your dreams, searching for you, +2 Int,
2
you instinctively cast it away. Spell: Abjuration

When in dreams you stumbled upon a fae ritual celebrating the rise of spring, +2 Wis,
3
you found it appalling and silenced it before you realized quite what you had done. Spell: Silence

At a recent festival, when you won the archery contest, you found that it was not your own skill +2 Dex,
4
which guided your eye and had, but a talent gifted to you in your dreams. Spell: True Strike

Dreaming that you were trapped, alone, and frightened on the barrow downs, you accepted the +2 Int,
5
help of an ancient king and raised his old servants for protection. Spell: Reanimation

When some dark, horned figure from your nightmares entered your dreams to offer you +2 Dex,
6
impossible gifts, you found that you could only escape the temptation with your own flight. Spell: Swift Step

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161
 What misadventure with one of your friends revealed the truth of your dreams?
1d6 Gain
With the player to your right.
Coming home empty handed from your first unsupervised autumn hunt, you and your
+2 Wis,
1 companion startled a great stag, who charged. After you instinctively felled the beast with
Spell: Magic Missile
your powers, the friend to your right helped you dress and transport it, and gains +1 Wis.
Traveling with a neighbor as she transported her goods to a nearby village, you leapt to defend
her when bandits launched an ambush. As you stepped away from a swordblow and coldly +2 Dex,
2
commanded the aggressors on your side of the cart to flee, the friend to your right incapaci- Spell: Commanding Word
tated the two attackers on her side with a sack of flour, and gains +1 Dex.
When a traveler at the market raised his hand against Grandmother Weaver, you found your-
+2 Int,
3 self filled with a cold rage. As you froze the villain in his tracks with a look, the friend to your
Spell: Petrifying Gaze
right bound the assailant until the watch could arrive, and gains +1 Int.
While wandering in the depths of the forest, you and your companion came upon a deranged
+2 Dex,
4 errant knight attacking a fae craftsman. After you stealthily incapacitated him with an
Spell: Elf Shot
enchanted arrow, your friend rushed to the faerie's aid, and gains +1 Dex.
You and a friend found yourselves cornered by the angry dead upon the barrow downs. After
+2 Wis,
5 you forced the hungry spirits away, the friend to your right led you back to the lands of the
Spell: Banish Undead
living, and gains +1 Wis.
While walking home from gathering herbs on the edge of the forest, you and your companion
were accosted by a hated bully from the village. After you unleashed the horned nightmare +2 Cha,
6
from your dreams and forced him to flee, the friend to your right helped smooth things over Spell: Terrifying Presence
with the villagers when you returned and gains +1 Cha.

1d6 What token of your fae heritage has come into your possession? Gain

+2 Str,
1 On your naming day, your grandfather gave you an impossibly old torq of graven bronze.
an ancient charm
One spring morning, you found a deer’s skull with a strange silver disc set into its interior +2 Dex,
2
which sometimes answers questions by moonlight. a talking skull
While bathing in an icy stream deep in the woods last winter, you found a broken silver blade +2 Con,
3
between two rocks. a broken dagger
Led into the woods on a moonless night by the familiar horned figure of your dreams, you +2 Int,
4
came upon a matte black disc carved with the shape of horns. a fomorian stone
A strange goblin handed you a map in a dream one winter night, and you found it under your +2 Wis,
5
pillow when you woke. an ancient map
+2 Cha,
6 Awaking in a chill sweat after a nightmare, you found yourself clutching a thin ivory circlet.
a fae diadem

Fill out Your Sheet!

1. Record your name, class, and level.
2. Record your ability scores. In the space beside each,
record your ability score bonus using the chart on the back
of this booklet.
6. Your Initiative is equal to your level, plus your Dexterity
bonus, plus 2 for being a rogue-mage.
7. Your Armor Class is 10, plus your Dexterity bonus, plus
the bonus of any armor you have.

3. Jot down your skills, class abilities, and starting
equipment, as well as any other pieces of gear you may
want to buy. The Horned King’s Blood begins with the
following equipment: a dagger, your favored weapon,
supple leathers (+2 AC), a heavy dark cloak, sprouting
horns, and 4d6 silvers.
4. Pick an alignment. Your character may be Lawful,
Chaotic, or Neutral. If you can’t decide, simply choose to
be Neutral; most people are.
5. Your Base Attack Bonus comes from your class. As a
level 1 rogue-mage, you have a BAB of +0.
Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY
162
8. Your Fortune Points are 5.
9. To start, your hit points are 6 plus your Constitution
bonus.
10. Fill in your saving throws using the chart on the back
of this booklet.
11. Record the ‘to hit’ and ‘damage’ statistics for any weap-
ons you think you might use. Your to hit bonus for a melee
weapon is your BAB plus your Strength bonus, while you
use your Dexterity bonus instead for any missile weapons.
Your Strength bonus also adds to the damage of any melee
weapon.
 Reference
Making Tests Fortune Points
Ability Score Checks: Roll a d20 and compare the A character may spend a Fortune Point in the follow-
result to your score in the relevant ability. If the number
on the die is equal to your score or lower, you succeed. If it ing ways:
is higher, then you fail.
Help a Friend: Normally, a character may only help a
Saving Throws: Roll a d20. If the result is equal to the friend with an ability score check if he has a relevant
saving throw number or higher, the roll was a success. skill. By spending a Fortune Point, a character may
Combat Rolls: Roll a d20 and add the relevant attack lend a helping hand and thereby give his compatriot
bonus. Compare the result to the enemy’s armor class. a +2 to his score for a single roll, even without having
If the number equals that armor class or exceeds it, the an appropriate skill for the task at hand.
attack was successful. Otherwise, the attack missed.
Second Chance: A character may spend a Fortune
Class Abilities Point to get a reroll on any failed roll during the
Hit Dice: d6 course of play, such as an ability score check, saving
Initiative Bonus: +2 throw, or to hit roll.
Armor: The Horned King’s Blood may wear any
armor lighter than plate. Cheat Death: A dying character may spend a Fortune
Fortune’s Favor: The Horned King’s Blood has luck Point to stabilize at 0 hit points and not continue
beyond that of other men. They receive five Fortune taking damage every round.
Points instead of the normal three.
Spell Casting: The Horned King’s Blood may cast
spells like a mage, but not cantrips and rituals. Your Ability Score Bonus
Playbook has given you your starting magics. 1 -4
Sense Magic: Being naturally sensitive to the world 2-3 -3
of magic, The Horned King’s Blood may determine if
4-5 -2
a person, place, or thing is magical. Doing so requires
concentration and a few minutes, and so they cannot 6-8 -1
tell if something is magical simply by being in its 9-12 0
presence, and people tend to notice if a mage is staring 13-15 +1
at them intently and ignoring his food during a meal. The 16-17 +2
GM may rule that, when in the presence of particularly 18-19 +3
intense sorcery, the mage notices such immediately.

Base Breath
Attack Poison Weapon Polymorph Spell Magic Item
Level Experience Bonus Save Save Save Save Save
1 0 +0 14 15 13 12 11
2 2,500 +1 14 15 13 12 11
3 5,000 +1 14 15 13 12 11
4 10,000 +2 14 15 13 12 11
5 20,000 +3 14 15 13 12 11
6 40,000 +3 13 13 11 10 9
7 80,000 +4 13 13 11 10 9
8 150,000 +5 13 13 11 10 9
9 300,000 +5 13 13 11 10 9
10 450,000 +6 13 13 11 10 9
Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY
163
 The Reavers’ Descendent Playbook
Your great grandparents came to the village many years ago. While it is true that many of their folk were raiders and warriors,
they were also competent traders, craftsmen, and sailors. Your ancestors settled peacefully, becoming trusted friends and neigh-
bors. In many ways, you grew up like any other village youth, but you also learned the reavers’ ways of war and much of their lore.

You are hardy, brave, and strong. Your Strength and Constitution begin at 10, and all of your other ability scores begin at 8.

Everyone was a child once. How did you grow up?

1d12 What did your parents do in the village? What did you learn from them? Gain

1 You are an orphan. Things were hard for you, but you remember all of your father’s stories. +2 Wis, +2 Con, +1 Int

+2 Int, +1 Wis, +1 Con,

2 Your father was an outcast, rightfully or not.
Skill: Survival
+2 Dex, +1 Str, +1 Wis,
3 Your parents were fishermen and you grew up by the river.
Skill: Fishing
+2 Con, +1 Wis, +1 Cha,
4 Your family worked a small farm outside the village.
Skill: Farming
+2 Str, +1 Dex, +1 Cha,
5 Your father was the local smith and taught you both hammer and bellows.
Skill: Smithing

+2 Con, +1 Dex,
6 You led the sheep out onto the mountain like your father before you.
+1 Wis, +1 Str

+2 Cha, +1 Int,
7 Your parents ran the local inn. You grew up meeting many travellers and hearing their tales.
+1 Dex, +1 Wis

+2 Dex, +1 Int, +1 Cha,

8 You worked the loom, cutting and twisting as the Fates.
Skill: Weaving
+2 Int, +1 Cha, +1 Wis,
9 Your father or mother kept the old stories. Your head is filled with them.
Skill: Folklore
+2 Str, +1 Cha, +1 Con,
10 Your father was a watchman, stern but fair with child and stranger alike.
Skill: Athletics
+2 Wis, +1 Con, +1 Dex,
11 You went on journeys into the woods to gather herbs and berries.
Skill: Herbalism
+2 Cha, +1 Int, +1 Dex,
12 Your father was a local merchant. You learned to name your price and charm your customers.
Skill: Haggling

1d8 How did you distinguish yourself as a child? Gain

1 Children often fight, but you never lost. +2 Str, +1 Wis

2 There wasn’t a game you couldn’t win. +2 Dex, +1 Int

3 You were the toughest kid around. +2 Con, +1 Cha

4 No secret escaped you. +2 Int, +1 Dex

5 Your empathy made you a sought after confidant. +2 Wis, +1 Con

6 You never met someone who didn’t like you. +2 Cha, +1 Str

7 You solved everyone else’s problems, and never mentioned your own. +1 Str, +1 Con, +1 Cha

8 Everyone has something to teach, and you learned a little from them all. +1 Dex, +1 Int, +1 Wis

164 Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY

 The other player characters were your best friends. Who else in the village
1d8 Gain
befriended you while you were growing up?

1 Laboring with the blacksmith took your mind off your troubles. +2 Str, +1 Cha

2 The fishermen took a liking to you and you swapped stories with them. +2 Dex, +1 Wis.

3 You went camping with the hunters. +2 Con, +1 Int

4 The village elders taught you the ancient game of chess. +2 Int, +1 Dex

5 You are about to marry into the Miller’s family. +2 Wis, +1 Str

6 You broke someone’s heart, or maybe they broke yours. +2 Cha, +1 Con

7 The old widow needed help around the house. +1 Str, +1 Int, +1 Cha

8 The grizzled mercenary who settled in town taught you a thing or two. +1 Dex, +1 Con, +1 Wis

You grew strong and brave, like your ancestors. You become a level 1 Warrior. You gain the class abilities Weapon
Specialization and Knacks, and the skill Folklore. The tables below will further define your class abilities.
You grew up a villager and a reaver, learning from both.

1d6 What did your father make you swear never to forget? Gain

How to hide a dry bowstring on your person and where to find the truest feathers for your +3 Dex, Weapon
1
fletching. Specialization: Bow

The story of the fateful night that your great grandparents were driven from their home in the +3 Con, Weapon
2
dark of night with only a hand axe and a seven year old daughter. Specialization: Hand Axe

+3 Str, Weapon
3 The secret name of the god of mountains and steel, whose favor holds your life in the balance.
Specialization: Longsword

+3 Str, Weapon
4 The discipline and training of forming a sturdy shield wall with your closest comrades.
Specialization: Spear
The desperation you felt at seven when a cruel older child trapped you behind the inn, and the +3 Con, Weapon Special-
5
pride you felt when you grabbed a short stick and drove him back. ization: Short Sword

The tales of your namesake, your great-great-grandparent, who first bore the axe you now +3 Str, Weapon
6
carry. Specialization: Great Axe

1d6 What wisdom did your grandmother share with you? Gain

+2 Con,
1 The easy, patient breath of the long distance runner and the stalwart guardian.
Knack: Defensive Fighter

+2 Dex,
2 How to spot those telltales that presage an opponent’s strike.
Knack: Fleet

+2 Wis,
3 How to rise gracefully from the most agonizing falls.
Knack: Resilience

+2 Str,
4 That every foe has a weakness, which can be the key to your greatest successes.
Knack: Great Strike

+2 Int,
5 When to stand firm and strong, but also when to know that discretion is the better path.
Knack: Defensive Fighter

How to hold your friends, family, and the stories of the past close to your heart in times of +2 Cha,
6
trouble. Knack: Resilience

Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY 165

 Last Autumn, you and one of your friends witnessed a thing not seen in years: the
1d6 arrival of a single ship of reavers. What did you do? Gain
With the player to your right.
Scouting and sneaking, you identified this as a band of warriors and pillagers. The friend to
+2 Dex,
1 your right helped you chart their path and raise the village militia in time to frighten them
Skill: Stealth
away, and gains +1 Dex.
You quickly made contact with the reavers and convinced them to come to the village for trade
+2 Cha,
2 and fellowship. The friend to your right helped organize the deals and festivities, and gains
Skill: Haggling
+1 Cha.
Intent on plunder, the reavers pulled ashore and gathered their arms. The friend to your right
+2 Con,
3 stood as your second while you challenged their champion to formal combat, and gains +1
Skill: Intimidation
Con.
When you greeted them in their native tongue, the reavers bid you join them for a meal. The
+2 Wis,
4 friend to your right sat with you while you traded old stories and advice with their soothsay-
Skill: Folklore
er, and gains +1 Wis.
This particular group of reavers were of a wicked sort indeed, and they immediately sent three
+2 Str,
5 men ashore to attack you. The friend to your right helped you fight them back to the boat and
Skill: Athletics
then flee, and gains +1 Str.
When you made contact with the reavers, they invited you to join them for one changing of the
+2 Con,
6 moon as they sought an ancient heirloom of their people. The friend to your right joined you
Skill: Survival
on this sudden and perhaps foolish errand, and gains +1 Con.

1d6 What familial heirloom do you keep? Gain

1 A gorgeous harp with the carved head of a swan. +2 Wis, a harp

2 A map showing the seas and rivers of the world. +2 Int, a map

3 The well maintained keelboat in which your family arrived. +2 Dex, a ship

4 A never-aging songbird who has long kept your family's company. +2 Cha, an ally

5 One braid of golden hair from a distant and forgotten queen. +2 Str, braid

6 A shield bearing your family's arms from the old country. +2 Con, a shield

Fill out Your Sheet!

1. Record your name, class, and level.
2. Record your ability scores. In the space beside each,
record your ability score bonus using the chart on the back
of this booklet.
6. Your Initiative is equal to your level, plus your Dexterity
bonus, plus 1 for being a Warrior.
7. Your Armor Class is 10, plus your Dexterity bonus, plus
the bonus of any armor you have.

3. Jot down your skills, class abilities, and starting
equipment, as well as any other pieces of gear you may
want to buy. The Reavers’ Descedent begins with the
following equipment: dagger, simple clothing, your
chosen weapons, a suit of old but well-kept chain (+4 AC),
an engraved armlet, and 4d6 silvers.
8. Your Fortune Points are 3.
9. Your hit points are 10 plus your Constitution bonus.
10. Fill in your saving throws using the chart on the back
of this booklet.

4. Pick an alignment. Your character may be Lawful,
Chaotic, or Neutral. If you can’t decide, simply choose to
be Neutral; most people are.
5. Your Base Attack Bonus comes from your class. As a
level 1 Warrior, you have a BAB of +1.
11. Record the ‘to hit’ and ‘damage’ statistics for any weap-
ons you think you might use. Your to hit bonus for a melee
weapon is your BAB plus your Strength bonus, while you
use your Dexterity bonus instead for any missile weapons.
Your Strength bonus also adds to the damage of any melee
weapon. Don’t forget your weapon specialization!

166 Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY

 Reference
Making Tests Fortune Points
Ability Score Checks: Roll a d20 and compare the A character may spend a Fortune Point in the follow-
result to your score in the relevant ability. If the number
on the die is equal to your score or lower, you succeed. If it ing ways:
is higher, then you fail.
Help a Friend: Normally, a character may only help a
Saving Throws: Roll a d20. If the result is equal to the friend with an ability score check if he has a relevant
saving throw number or higher, the roll was a success. skill. By spending a Fortune Point, a character may
Combat Rolls: Roll a d20 and add the relevant attack lend a helping hand and thereby give his compatriot
bonus. Compare the result to the enemy’s armor class. a +2 to his score for a single roll, even without having
If the number equals that armor class or exceeds it, the an appropriate skill for the task at hand.
attack was successful. Otherwise, the attack missed.
Second Chance: A character may spend a Fortune
Class Abilities
Point to get a reroll on any failed roll during the
course of play, such as an ability score check, saving
Hit Dice: d10
throw, or to hit roll.
Initiative Bonus: +1
Armor: Warriors may wear any armor.
Cheat Death: A dying character may spend a Fortune
Weapon Specialization: All warriors have a favored Point to stabilize at 0 hit points and not continue
weapon with which they are particularly skilled. taking damage every round.
Your Playbook tells you your favored weapon. Your
character receives a +1 to hit and +2 to damage while Ability Score Bonus
wielding that weapon.
1 -4
Knacks: Over the course of their careers, warriors 2-3 -3
pick up several tricks which make them even more 4-5 -2
formidable opponents. Your Playbook gives you your 6-8 -1
first Knack. See p.10 in the Beyond the Wall and Other 9-12 0
Adventures for rules for the different Knacks and for 13-15 +1
gaining new ones.
16-17 +2
18-19 +3

Base Breath
Attack Poison Weapon Polymorph Spell Magic Item
Level Experience Bonus Save Save Save Save Save
1 0 +1 14 17 15 17 16
2 2,000 +2 14 17 15 17 16
3 4,000 +3 13 16 14 14 15
4 8,000 +4 13 16 14 14 15
5 16,000 +5 11 14 12 12 13
6 32,000 +6 11 14 12 12 13
7 64,000 +7 10 13 11 11 12
8 120,000 +8 10 13 11 11 12
9 240,000 +9 8 11 9 9 10
10 360,000 +10 8 11 9 9 10
Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY 167
 Omen of the Horned King
Scenario Pack
The Horned King begins to wake; some fae who hope to profit from his ascent to power are part of the fae court near the village.
These servants begin their search for the Horned King’s Sword. This will disturb the village and alert the player characters to
the king, and to two great weapons of destiny: the much-cursed blade the Horned King’s Sword, and the iron hunting spear
Horned King’s Bane.

This scenario pack kicks off the Return of the Horned King campaign, and is the first step on the Horned King’s path to
regaining his sword. See p.135 for the campaign overview and p.137 for this entry in its Tale of Years campaign pack. If this
scenario pack isn’t being used in that campaign, reduce the power of the Horned King and his sword to be appropriate regional
villains in your campaign.

If you need to come up with names of people and places on the fly, use the following tables. We have chosen to use primarily
English names for this scenario pack.

The setting is presumed to be the village of Wenfeld in the Homelands (see p.123), but any similar village will do.

A note on noble families - the ones rolled up for the village might not match the dominant family in the region. This is okay.
Between fostering arrangements, strategic marriages, and the meddling of the fates, minor branches of the various houses
are scattered across the Broken Kingdom.
= add a location to the Map
Reminder!
= add an NPC to the Map
You will learn a lot about the characters’ village from the events they roll while making their characters. This will include
information on the people who live there.
Use this table to come up with names for some of those people or the characters themselves.

1d20 Female Names 1d20 Female Names 1d20 Male Names 1d20 Male Names

1 Arianrhod 11 Melusine 1 Arawn 11 Gwydion

2 Camilla 12 Nina 2 Arden 12 Lukas

3 Dana 13 Rhiannon 3 Baird 13 Manfred

4 Deirdre 14 Rose 4 Bjorn 14 Manuel

5 Erin 15 Sabine 5 Callum 15 Oswald

6 Esme 16 Sarah 6 Cedric 16 Owen

7 Hilda 17 Theresa 7 Erik 17 Russel

8 Ingrid 18 Ursula 8 Ewan 18 Svenn

9 Judith 19 Willow 9 Fearghus 19 Torr

10 Letitia 20 Yseult 10 Filip 20 Viktor

168 Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY

The local faerie court
A rogue or splinter group of the local fae are already secretly aligned with the Horned King. (If you want to know more about
your local faerie court, the tables in the Angered Fae Scenario Pack can be of help.)

1d6 What is the nature of this splinter group of faeries?

An elderly satyr, seemingly grown soft and comfortable in their role at court, has turned a popular poetry
1
symposium into a recruitment center for the cruelest of the fae.
A wintry faerie princeling leads a band of secretive satyrs, goblins, and elves, all of whom make their homes in a
2
shrouded grotto.

3 A band of wicked sprites plagues the local fae and mortals alike every decade or so.

The long-lived offspring of a faerie lord and a mortal woman keeps a shadow court beneath the waters of a lake
4
deep within the woods.

5 A fell-handed elven lady astride a coal black unicorn is an infrequent and ill omen among the local fae.

A group of industrious and stout miners secretly delve deep and craft dangerous treasures beneath the hills near
6
the village.

1d6 How is this splinter group connected to the Horned King?

Several or all of these faeries swore binding oaths to the Horned King long ago - oaths which they now regret but
1
cannot break.
2 The group is secretly supported by the family which were lords when the Horned King reigned.
3 One or more of the Horned King’s descendents is among the local fae.
4 They are foolish enough to think they can use him to their own ends.
These faeries trade strange goods to the Horned King's minions once every 40 years; in return, they receive magical
5
protection and faerie gold.
6 They are fae of the most wicked sort, true servants of the Horned King and disciples of an eternal winter.

The Hunters’ search

A rogue or splinter group of the local fae are already secretly aligned with the Horned King. (If you want to know more about
your local faerie court, the tables in the Angered Fae Scenario Pack can be of help.)

1d8 Who alerts the village to the stirring threat?

__________ saw the horned king’s face in the clouds above the barrow fields outside of town, and then the next day a
traveler at the inn reported that one of the barrows has been ripped asunder and its contents strewn about the downs. Even
1-4
now, ______ the local lord, is gathering people to help rebury everything before the new moon in three days’ time. Each night,
the village’s work will be disturbed by 2d4 zombies who seem to be searching for something in the wreckage.
__________ swears the family house was ransacked by three angry bears, but none of their neighbors heard a thing, and no
food was stolen. Besides the damage, the only thing missing was a little lockbox that had been handed down, unopened, for at
5-7
least ten generations, or so their great grandmother says. Three days after the visit, the family will catch a wasting sickness that
the witch says she can dispell, ummm, cure with a recipe she hasn’t had to use in time out of mind.
A stranger passing through, followed by a personal raincloud, and with incredibly bad luck, spent a day in the inn telling everyone
8 about his run-in with a fae hunting party near town. He is certain they’re tracking him. Cha tests reveal he has a map to what
he thinks is the location of an iron spear named the Horned King’s Bane.

Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY 169

 1d8 What location will the Horned King’s servants’ search reveal?

A hidden faerie door that opens to a place far away from the village, a cursed valley of the dead. Undead servants
of his of old will try to come through the door to serve the horned king until the PCs can destroy it, probably with
1
help from the witch. Increase the Horned King’s Fae Forces by one each season the door is open. OR increase the
horned king’s fae forces by one if it isn’t closed within a week.
Beneath the root cellar of _____’s house is a forgotten shrine where humans once worshipped the Horned King.
2 A little of his magic lingers there, now. All spellcasters get a +5 bonus to spellcasting rolls (including spell damage)
while in this shrine, but The Horned King will become aware of it.
The carving that _______’s great grandfather brought back from the South is actually a map showing the
3 location of Wayland’s Forge, where some say both the Horned King’s sword and the iron spear that is his
bane, were forged.
A huge ring in the center of ________’s orchard is clear cut and burned, revealing a strange circle fifty yards in
4 diameter made of sandstone not native to the area and set into the ground. Any oath sworn in this ring cannot be
forsworn, no matter how much the pledger regrets the promise.
5 A cache of forgotten musical instruments, some dating back hundreds of years. Amongst them is an unassuming tin whistle.
Forgotten in the attic of _______’s house is the journal of a mage who studied the Horned King. His basic story
6
is told, and a cypher hides its secret - the Horned King’s True Name!
7 A special vault, room, or statue in an important place such as the lord’s keep, a local temple, or even the inn itself.
8 A magical item or religious token is sunk to the bottom of the village well.

Word reaches the village of an

ancient weapon tied to the horned King
Near the beginning of the session, while the characters are just getting started, what kicks things into high gear? Bring this
result in after 15-30 minutes of play. These tables reveal clues that will be important to building up the story of the Horned King
for the campaign, but can be safely relegated to background information if your game has already gone wild for the evening.
1d6 How does news of the weapon reach the village?

1 It is stolen from its hiding place in the village.

2 An elderly storyteller who left years ago has returned to town telling the old stories about the sword.

3 A person carrying it is chased through town.

4 Auspices recall all the old prophecies and stories about the sword and its struggles.

A treasure hunter comes asking enough questions to remind everyone of the old wives’ tales of the village. This might reveal
5
some information about Adanmor, the bard who they say woke the Horned King. (See p.125)

A Great Fithich surveils the village for a while and then comes to the witch, and any wizard in the castle, asking about a strange
6
sword left around the village “last winter”.

1d6 How do the fae conduct their search for the sword through the village?

1 One by one, several faeries sneak through the village, breaking into houses and stealing clues to the sword’s location.

2 A few hunting parties of several faeries at a time break down doors and accost any villagers they encounter.

3 One of the village elders, the innkeep, or another important villager is kidnapped and questioned. Did they know anything?

4 One of the player characters’ relatives is kidnapped and interrogated. Did they actually have any information to reveal?

5 The fae use their magic to influence humans, and perhaps even animals, to search on their behalf.

6 Disguise: the searching fairies try to pass as human investigators. What will give them away?

170 Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY

The Dungeon: a great fae raid!
A good dungeon is a staple of fantasy gaming, and this Scenario Pack reverses the classic dungeon crawl: the player characters’
home is the site of a raid by violent fae intruders.

The fae find what they think is a clue in the village/castle (see earlier location) and decide to raid it to claim their treasure and
placate The Horned King.

1d6 How might the player characters and villagers gain forewarning about the raid or its location?

1 Intrigue at the faerie court - who might trade the PCs this knowledge? And for what?

Several spots touched by fae around the village have become mysteriously cold, some snowing.
2
The location of the raid becomes cold as well.

3 A goblin trickster is caught in the village and tells in a bid for its freedom.

4 A villager touched by dreams From the horned king gives warning about the imminent raid through their visions.

5 The witch has a premonition and begins trying to warn the town. Will they listen?

6 One or more of our heroes witnesses.

1d6 Which troops will be sent on this raid?

1 The local fae lord themselves, with a few handpicked troops.

2 Wild ones and animal spirits in several groups.

2-3 Faerie rangers scout and stalk through the village in a careful hunt,
3
then 2d6 redcap types in 2-3 groups ravage the town in a frenzied search.

4 3-4 Satyrs loudly converge upon the location of their search, with various serving spirits plying them with alcohol throughout.

Some dozen skeletons and zombies are compelled to do the bidding of a single fae necromancer who walks along unperturbed
5
as their abominations pull apart wood, flesh, and stone in search of their master’s desire.

6 Brutish fae - goblins, orcs, and redcaps conduct a brief and brutal search.

1d6 What surprises both sides?

1 A hearth fae stands up to the hunt! Why is it successful?

2 An undead spirit is bound to the target of the raid and must travel with it, if taken.

3 A local villager has amulet which wards against the fae and their powers.

The witch prepares a powerful circle of protection against the fae, securing a single location
4
where the villagers can take shelter, can they but reach it.

An incredibly powerful storm that affects even the spirit world crashes down upon the village just as the raiders reach the village.
5
Can the villagers use this in their defense?

One of the Horned King’s foes shows up to steal the same thing the fae raiders seek.
6
Can the village survive this clash? Can they turn it to their own advantage?

Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY 171

 The Road Goes On
If you are playing this scenario as a one-shot, protecting the village from the faerie raid will probably be satisfying enough for
the players. However, we recommend using this scenario as the start of the Return of the Horned King Campaign (see p.135).

1d6 What treasture or reward might the characters gain?

1 Information to help the player characters learn about and hunt for the Horned King’s Bane.

2 A blessing for the village in the Tale of Years: +1 to all Background Events checks for the next year.

The curiosity of the fae. One of the fae who went on the raid takes an interest in the village the way some folks feed feral cat
3
colonies, and so may become a friend of heroes soon enough.

A hidden cache of treasure is revealed by the raid. The coins and gems are worth about 2d4*100 silvers. How will the village
4
handle this discovery?
Friendships and alliances. The town and manor come together after this incident and a small mutual aid network is born. Gain
5
1 hearth point and +1 to charisma checks when helping locals for the next year.

Lost fairy artifact. During the raid, one of the fae loses a minor magical item (+1 or +2 bonus on a nonmilitary item or tool such
6
as a cloak or tinderbox). Will its owner come in search of it?

Recent Events
Just before the adventure begins, the player characters are all
away from home together. Roll once for the entire group on the
following table to determine what they were doing just before
the session and how well it went for them. This is the reason they
arrive together to face the events of this scenario pack.

Each of these events gives a necessary die roll. If it is a saving

throw or attack roll, every character in the group must make
the test. If it is an ability score check, then, while everyone is
working on the problem together, only a single character may
take
the lead and make the roll. Discuss the scene and determine
which character will make the test; others may help as normal.
If there is any serious argument about who gets to test, use
Initiative to solve the dispute.

When the characters return from this event, they will walk
directly into the villagers discussing the warning given by the
first table in this scenario pack.

172 Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY

1d8 What have the characters been doing just as the story starts?

Fallen trees blocked a local stream feeding ______’s pastures, so a group of strong young villagers and their friends have gone to
help clear the blockage. Test Strength (Athletics, as well as your friends, can help) to clear the blockage. Success: Your contributions
1 to the hard work of clearing the stream have impressed your fellows. Gain +2 to Charisma checks with villagers for the rest of this
adventure. Failure: In a dramatic catastrophe, you are knocked down and pulled under the water when the logjam bursts. When
you come to later, on the bank, you have taken 1 point of damage and had a vision of the Horned King.

Grandmother Weaver inveigled your assistance on a trip to visit her friend Grandmother Tanner in a village a few day’s travel from
Wenfeld. It’s good that she did, for on the second day of travel, you frighten off a small group of desperate bandits. Test Charisma
to recount the story to Grandmother Tanner (Storytelling and similar skills might help). Success: Your first reward is her belling
2
laughter at the tale, the second a story of her own encounter with a demanding fae in one of the summers of her youth. Gain +3 to
hit and damage in any one fight against a fairy as you apply the lessons of her tale. Failure: Grandmother Tanner thanks you, curtly,
for helping her friend and rewards you with a pointed tale about a peacock who strutted himself to death.

Westfeld, the village _____’s cousin is from, was having its annual market dance. In this strange tradition, no one may sell their
wares unless they dance at the opening and closing of the market. This always leads to laughter and good humor when the brewer’s
dance begins, but also, sometimes, draws strange visitors who whirl and dance with bears, or pots of fire on chains, or in large
flailing groups of young men. This year, each of the heroes has something they’re on the lookout for at the market dance, and most
of them will spot it, or something similar. The most responsible hero should test Wisdom (Alertness may help) as they browse
3
the market stalls. Success: One of the sellers, an old woman whose dance had told the story of a mortal caught by the Wild Hunt,
is selling antler pendants, brooches, and rings. Just as you get the feeling that you will see this symbol again, a light catches in
her eyes and she offers you a gift of one. (GM: This is a mild magic which grants all fae a slight bonus to magics scrying upon the
wearer. The symbol is one of the Horned King’s own.) Failure: Everyone has too good a time and is still a little hungover when they
return to Wenfeld after the final dance.

Some hunters reported strange sounds and tracks in their usual hunting grounds. One of the lord’s men took a few of the town’s
youth, including our heroes, to search for the markings and to determine their nature. Test Intelligence (Hunting and related skills
might help). Success: You find a set of the strange tracks and follow them back to a cave that seems to have no back. The old hunter
4
backs away and leads the group home, saying this is likely a portal to the fae realm that some spirits are using to cause trouble in
ours, and no place for such youth. He plans to warn the lord. Failure: The group comes home sweaty and tired, having followed
these strange tracks in spirals for hours without learning anything.

Our heroes have accepted a foolish dare to brave a night in a cursed glade in the gloaming wood. Test Wisdom. Success: You are
terrified by visions of the ghost of an Emissary of Winter (p.115) passing to the south. Failure: Terrified by visions of the ghost of
5
an Emissary of Winter, you try to stand your ground. Save vs polymorph or take 1 HP of damage from its wintry aura before you
flee back to the witch or Grandmother Weaver, who will tell you the Emissaries’ story, in brief.

__________, just out of town, found an unmarked herd of sheep in her upper pastures, and needed help rounding them up and
checking their health. Test Wisdom (Animal handling and similar skills might help). Success: The round up goes well and the herd is
healthy. You happen to notice that none of the fences or walls are damaged, so there’s no way these sheep could’ve gotten in without
interference. Looking around, you see a fae laughing from the edge of the woods. Seeing she’s been spotted, she winks, nods, and
6
fades into the woods. GM: This is one of the fae of the local court. She’ll remember you fondly when your paths cross again. The sheep
are fine, and ______ shares her good fortune with the village. Failure: The sheep keep somehow -- impossibly -- switching pens,
and it takes all day to wrangle them. Then, at sunset, a horn sounds from the forest, and the sheep run to it, knocking down doors,
barrelling through gates, leaping fences and walls alike and rushing into the forest. Hyena-like laughter echoes from the woods.

Separated while out on the moors looking for _________’s lost flock and now out after sundown, our heroes find themselves
collecting around a standing stone lit by a reddish moonlight not visible elsewhere. A voice begins to speak to the group’s most quiet
member. That hero should test Charisma (Etiquette may help). Success: You manage to convince the spirit that you were not there
to open the portal, and that this is not the time of prophecy. Failure: The voice convinces you to reach out to open a portal. Offer
7 the other heroes a chance to intervene. If they do not, the character who touches the stone must save versus polymorph or take
1 hit point of freezing damage. The standing stone shatters like ice hit by a hammer, revealing a dark tunnel leading downwards
towards the sound of approaching drumming. The heroes wake up in the moors the next morning around a shattered standing
stone. There is no staircase in evidence. GM: This site will be a great place to revisit as a site breaking the boundaries between the
worlds later in the campaign.

After some disturbances and perhaps tomb robberies in the barrow downs, a group led by the local lord’s advisor goes to close the
tombs that have been opened. Test Intelligence (Investigation or Forbidden Knowledge skills may help). Success: Whilst rebuilding
the entrance to a tomb, you spot an engraving of a horned figure pierced by a spear, and see an altar beneath it. It looks like a
8
spear has been removed from the altar. Failure: In sealing one of the tombs, you encounter the risen dead. The now-living corpse
is pinned under some fallen debris just inside the entrance to the tomb. If any have the eyes to observe, they will see that it seems
to have been raised by some ancient magic, an oath that has recalled it to service.

Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY 173

 suggested monsteRs
The following monsters are particularly appropriate Fae nobles and rangers
for this scenario pack, and so their summaries are Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 HP)
provided here for your convenience. Feel free to use AC: 14
any other monsters from other sources as you see fit, Attack: +1 to hit, 1d8 (sword) or 1d6 (bow)
of course, including our various bestiaries. Alignment: any
XP: 20
The Fae Raiders Notes: Spellcasting (fae nobles and rangers may cast
Obviously, the focus of this Scenario Pack are the fae a single spell once per day)
who raid the village and the damage they cause the
characters and their home. They are by far the most Satyrs
common adversary. Satyrs have human forms above the waist and the legs of
goats or fauns. Some bear monstrous visages, while oth-
Goblins ers have ordinary human faces. They are fierce warriors,
Hit Dice: 1d6 (4 HP) gifted musicians and poets, and delighters in revelry.
AC: 14 Hit Dice: 2d10 (11 HP)
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d6 (short sword) AC: 14
Alignment: Chaotic Attack: +2 to hit, 1d6+1 damage (spear)
XP: 15 Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 50
Orcs Notes: Revelry and Song (once per day, by singing or
Hit Dice: 1d10 (6 HP) hosting a party, a satyr may attempt to instill a single,
AC: 14 intense emotion in their chosen subjects in near range,
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d8 (long sword) who must make a saving throw versus polymorph or
Alignment: Chaotic become intensely angry, joyous, or sorrowful; affect-
XP: 20 ed targets will receive a +3 bonus or a -3 penalty to
appropriate rolls for one hour), True Name (satyrs
Redcaps and Wild Ones have true names, which gives their foes power over
These faerie hooligans are a plague on fae and mor- them), Vulnerable to Iron (satyrs take double damage
tal alike within the faerie woods. Expect to find them from iron)
haunting the dark paths of the forest and the side
doors at court. Fae Hound
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 HP) These lithe dogs have coats of moonlight and eyes
AC: 14 of amethyst. They are far more intelligent than the
Attack: +3 to hit, 2d4 (wicked blades) hounds of men, and are tireless trackers.
Alignment: Chaotic Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 HP)
XP: 40 AC: 14
Notes: True Name (redcaps and wild ones have a Attack: +3 to hit, 1d6 damage (bite)
true names which gives their foes power over them), Alignment: Chaotic
Vulnerable to Iron (redcaps and wild ones take dou- XP: 85
ble damage from iron) Notes: Uncanny Trackers (fae hounds never lose
their prey under any natural circumstances), Vulnera-
ble to Iron (fae hounds take double damage from iron)

174 Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY

Animal Spirits
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 HP)
AC: 12
Attack: +2 to hit, bite or claw for 1d6+2 damage
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 150
Notes: Irreality (even while outside the lands of the
fae, animal spirits are impervious to the weapons of
men until they attack the mortals, or unless the mortals
mistake them for their normal animals), Beautiful
Form (animal spirits are the perfect embodiment of
their kind, so stunning that all who see them must
make a saving throw versus polymorph or be transfixed
and unable to act for 1d6 rounds), Primal Fear (animal
spirits are the very things mortals fear most, and so all
attacked by animal spirits of any predatory nature must
pass a saving throw versus spell or be affected by great
fear: either fleeing immediately or trembling in place).
Other Interlopers
Great Fithich
Objects of awe, fear, and admiration, the Great
Fithich are large ravens with ice-blue eyes and sable
beaks. They move freely in the worlds of men, faeries,
and the dead. Some stories say that they are gathering
information about all of these people, and that they
will have a great part to play in future events.
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 HP)
AC: 15
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d4 damage (claw)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 55
Notes: Flight (Great Fithich may fly), Free Travelers
(the Great Fithich exist simultaneously in the lands
of the living and the Underworld at all times; they are
never lost in faerie places; they may give others a +3
bonus to find their way from any of these places to
another), True Name (each Great Fithich has a true
name, which gives its foes power over it)

Hearth fae Necromancer

Hit Dice: 3d4 (8 HP) Hit Dice: 2d6 (7 HP)
AC: 14 AC: 11
Attack: +1 to hit, 1d4 (broom) Attack: +1 to hit, 1d4 damage (dagger)
Alignment: Neutral Alignment: usually Neutral
XP: 150 XP: 100
Notes: Hearth Charms (hearth fae cast spells and ritu- Notes: Spellcasting (may cast spells and rituals as a
als as third level mages, but are limited to spells to protect second-level mage with Intelligence and Wisdom of
and maintain the house and its inhabitants, not them- 14; favorites include the spells Banish Undead, From
selves. Their favorite magics include the spells Abjura- the Brink, and Reanimation; and the rituals Unseen
tion, Bar the Way, Phantom Skill, Sanctuary of Peace, Servant and Call Storm).
Tinker’s Gift, and Warping Song; and the rituals Circle
of Protection, Witch’s Watchman, and Wizard’s Home) Skeletons
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 HP)
Villagers AC: 13
Hit Dice: 1d6 (4 HP) Attack: +1 to hit, 1d8 (longsword)
AC: 10 Alignment: Neutral
Attack: +0 to hit, 1d4 damage (dagger) XP: 20
Alignment: usually Neutral Notes: Dead and Mindless (skeletons are immune to
XP: 15 sleep and charm effects)

Guards and Watchmen Zombies

Hit Dice: 1d6 (4 HP) Hit Dice: 1d6 (4 HP)
AC: 14 AC: 10
Attack: +0 to hit, 1d8 damage (long sword) Attack: +0 to hit, 1d6 damage (claw)
Alignment: usually Neutral Alignment: Neutral
XP: 20 XP: 15

Copyright © 2023 Flatland Games, icons by Lorc under CC-BY 175

 villAge RecoRd sHeet
pair this with your village map

Village Name: Hearth Points:

NPCs: Special Places:

PCs and their livelihood

 combat reference sheet
Making Tests Weapon Damage Damage from Other Sources
Ability Score Checks: Roll a d20 and compare the result dagger, sling, cane, club, Falling causes the following damage:
to your score in the relevant ability. If the number on the die d4 sap, dart, crutches 5 ft = 0 HP 10ft = 1d6
is equal to your score or lower, you succeed. If it is higher, 20ft = 3d6 30ft = 6d6
then you fail. spear, staff, mace, bow, any more = death
d6
Saving Throws: Roll a d20. If the result is equal to the sav- short sword, hand axe, rapier Fire is also a frequent source of problems for adventurers (and
ing throw number or higher, the roll was a success. d8 longsword, battle axe, longbow for the monsters they face!).Fire causes the following damage
Combat Rolls: Roll a d20 and add the relevant attack bo- per round of exposure:
d10 great sword, great axe, lance, halberd
nus. Compare the result to the enemy’s armor class. If the Torch = 1d6 Burning Oil = 1d6
number equals that armor class or exceeds it, the attack was Bonfire = 3d6 Burned at the stake = 6d6
successful. Otherwise, the attack missed. Use 1d6 as a basic amount of damage, while serious
Weapon Ranges situations, such as a lightning strike, may cause as much as
Combat Stances Bows and Slings - about 50 yards effective range 6d6 damage or simply kill outright.
Normal Stance - This is the assumed mode of combat. Longbows - up to 200 yards effective range
There are no changes to the rules. Extreme Range - Fire up to twice as far with a -2 penalty to Monster Saving Throws
Aggressive Stance - The fighter is attacking wildly, leaving hit for the extreme range. Hit Poison Breath Polymorph Spell Magic
himself open to attacks. The character gets a +2 bonus to hit Dice Save Weapon Save Save Item
but a -4 penalty to AC. 1 14 17 15 17 16
Defensive Stance - This represents a fighter being more Protective Armor
cautious and on guard. The character gets a +2 bonus to AC,
2 14 17 15 17 16
but a -4 penalty to attack rolls. +2 AC leathers 3 13 16 14 14 15
Protective Stance - Using this stance, the character at- +4 AC chain mail 4 13 16 14 14 15
tempts to guard a companion who is near to him. The char-
acter in protective stance gets a +2 bonus to AC but may not +6 AC chain and breast plate
5 11 14 12 12 13
attack. If the protected companion is injured this turn, the +8 AC full suit of plate
character using protective stance may choose to take the hit
6 11 14 12 12 13
+1 AC simple shield
instead. 7 10 13 11 11 12
Commanding Stance - The character conspicuously ex- +2 AC reinforced shield
horts her companions to greatness. The character gets a -6 8 10 13 11 11 12
to AC and may not attack, but may make a Charisma check 9 8 11 9 9 10
to give all companions and followers +2 to hit for the round.
Typical Bonuses and Penalties 10 8 11 9 9 10
Easy task: +2, climbing a rope ladder under pressure, sailing
Spell Ranges on an open bay, reading a dusty parchment Player Records
Self - A range of Self means that the magic only works Normal task: +0, climbing a tall tree, sailing on calm seas, Name Initiative Armor Class
on the caster. reading hurriedly with dim light
Touch - Touch is self-explanatory. Hard task: -2, climbing over jagged rocks at night, sail-
Near - Near spells only affect targets within the immediate ing against the wind on choppy seas, reading the runes on a
presence of the caster (perhaps 50 yards in an open field, or worn and forgotten altar
in the same room if indoors). Very Difficult task: -5, climbing steep and treacherous
Far - Spells with the range of Far can affect things at even cliffs, sailing in a great tempest, reading the forbidden texts
greater distances; the spell description will say just how far. of the sorcerer king
The Cosmos - Some few spells affect things from outside Almost Impossible task: -10, climbing the Walls of
of our own plane of existence, such as creatures within the Glass, sailing through the Water Lord’s barriers, reading the
realm of Chaos, or the deepest parts of the world of Faerie. names of the gods at the End of Time
 RetuRn of tHe
campaign worksheet
HoRned King
The People The Fae The Sword

Clues: NPCs:

Locations:

The Horned King Powers: Chill Fortitude (the Horned King always emits an aura of icy cold; each round he may either
extend this outwards, causing 1d4 damage to all foes in near range, or focus it on himself, healing 1d10
Hit Dice: 17d8 (78 HP)
hit points of damage), The First King (if the Horned King is not actively engaging in combat himself,
AC: 28
a foe must make a saving throw versus spell with a -4 penalty in order to attack or harm him), Lord of
Attack: +17 to hit, 1d12+5 damage (King’s Blade)
the Night Fae (all wicked faeries and goblins in his service gain +4 hit points and a +2 bonus to saving
Alignment: Chaotic
throws when in the Horned King’s presence), Shifting Form (the Horned King may change his appear-
XP: 12,000
ance and size at will; should he grow to a particularly great size, he immediately gains an additional
Notes:
20 hit points), Spellcasting (the Horned King may cast spells and rituals as a level 9 mage; he knows
many spells and rituals and is particularly fond of the spells Commanding Word, Flash of Brilliance,
Greater Illusion, and Terrifying Presence, and the rituals Call Storm, Contagion, Storm of Ice, and Word
of Truth; assume that he has an Intelligence
and Wisdom of 17 for the purposes of casting
rolls), True Name (the Horned King has a true
name, which gives his foes power over him),
Vulnerable to Iron (the Horned King takes
double damage from iron)
 A Kingless Realm uses several terms and names that are Copyright 2000-2003 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. These terms are
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15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures, Copyright 2012-2014, Flatland Games, llc.
Further Afield, Copyright 2015, Flatland Games, llc.
Heroes Young and Old, Copyright 2012-2016, Flatland Games, llc.
Dangers Near and Far, Copyright 2020, Flatland Games, llc.
Through Sunken Lands, Copyright 2020, Flatland Games, llc.
A Kingless Realm, Copyright 2023, Flatland Games, llc.

System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cor-
dell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

184 Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures

A Kingless Realm 185