Baptism of Fire (OSR)

Santok This is a Polish fortress within Pomerania, still controlled by the King. It has a population of a few hundred, mainly soldiers. It is located where the Notec and Warta rivers meet. It was an old settlement but was rebuilt as a fortress by Boleslaw the Brave. Slupsk This is a town on the Slupia River. It is also known as the “stilt town,” as it is built on boggy ground, and the houses are constructed on stilts. It is a fortified grod built on an island in the middle of the river. The whole area around Slupsk is swampland. The town itself is built on a man-made mound. In 1015 Boleslaw the Brave took the town, making it the northernmost settlement still in direct control of the Piast Crown. There is a trade route from Slupsk to Greater Poland, but it is a treacherous route, requiring heavy guard to protect any travelers. Even so, its value as a trading post makes it worthwhile for merchants from Poland to travel into deep pagan territory. The population here are still mainly pagans themselves but are generally contented with the attention given to them by the King. The population of this island fortress is around 900. The men of Slupsk wear tall boots ideal for marching through swampland. Szczecin This is a city of traders and craftsmen, with around 3000 inhabitants. It is situated near the end of the Oder River, where it empties onto the Pomeranian Bay. The people of Szczecin have their fortress built on Lake Dabie, allowing them greater security but rapid access to the north and the south via waterways. Since its establishment (some 300 years ago), it has become the second major Pomeranian trading port; only Wolin is more prosperous. The native population is pagan, but its trade value to the Baltic and to the Polish core region obliged them to be somewhat more tolerant of Christians than usual. This is in spite of the fact that the area is considered holy to the Pomeranian pagans, and there are several significant holy sites nearby, including three temples to the three-headed god Triglav. The priests of Triglav are said to be able to perform divination by studying the movements of a horse. This is the starting point of the Baltic coastal road, which goes from here east toward Kamien, to Kolobrzeg and Gdansk, and from there, it goes into the lands of the Prussians and the town of Twangste, inland through the lands of the Latvians, and then onward to Novgorod. Wolin The island of Wolin is the most advanced and prosperous settlement in Pomerania, a pagan stronghold in the Baltic Sea. They have 70 towns on the island, all fortified. It had been taken by Duke Mieszko I in 967, but 294

they expelled the Christians in 1007. Since that time, in addition to trade, the people of Wolin have increasingly practiced piracy. The major port city, also named Wolin, is the island’s capital; it has about 3000 permanent inhabitants, including large numbers of foreign pagans who settled there. In particular, there’s a large community of Viking pagans who have settled in a community just outside Wolin that they call Jomsburg. Christian traders are also allowed to travel there and do so from as far off as Byzantium, but Christian proselytism is forbidden. The Veleti The Veleti Union is an alliance of tribes to the northwest of Poland; it is an area of pagan Slav peoples that was controlled by the Holy Roman Empire (where the Veleti were known as “Lutici”) under Christian rulers until the “Great Pagan Uprising” of 983. Later on, in 1003, Veleti mercenaries were used by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry II to attack Poland, but the pagan soldiers quarreled with the Christian Germans. Henry II again attempted to use the Veleti in war against Boleslaw the Brave in 1015, but when a German noble defaced a pagan idol, the Veleti abandoned the Germans. When Boleslaw was crowned King of Poland, he claimed the Veleti lands as part of the Polish territory, although, in fact, the Polish Crown has no power there yet. His successor, Mieszko II, is planning an invasion of Veleti territory, and the Veleti, in turn, are once again seeking an alliance with the Germans. The Veleti are a union of various large clans, among which the four greatest are the Ciripani (based on the Peene River), Kycini (based around Warnow River), the Redari (based around Lake Tollensesee), and Tholenzi (based around the Tollense river). Of these, the Redari are the most powerful, controlling the entire territory between Radgosc and Hobolin. Each clan rules over its own affairs and has its own nobles and chiefs, but the Veleti as a whole make collective decisions for the entire Union under a governing body known as “The Assembly of the Free.” They have no single ruling monarch or grand chief; motions of the assembly must be unanimously accepted by all the tribal representatives. The Veleti consider themselves different from the Pomeranians, not having the same culture in spite of both being Slavic pagans and while they may sometimes ally with the Pomeranians, at other times, they may be hostile to them. The island of Rugen, just off the coastlands of the Veleti territory, is considered their holiest place of pagan worship, and the city of Arkona on that island contains important temples and an organized priesthood. 295

Czerwien, the Red Lands The region called Czerwien means “The Red Lands” in the Slavic language. This territory, south and east of the Vistula region, is populated by a tribe of people known as the Lendians. This area was ostensibly under the control of the Bohemians at the same time as they ruled the Vistula but was conquered by Mieszko I in the 970s, at the same time as he took over the Vistula region. He only ruled it for a few years before the Kievan Prince Volodymyr the Great moved in and took those lands. In 1018, Boleslaw the Brave reconquered the area. This conquest greatly angered the new Kievan Prince Yaroslav, causing a collapse in relations between the Poles and the Kievan Rus. The Red Lands have already been Christianized by the efforts of Volodymyr (who converted to Eastern Christianity in 988), although pagan elements continue to survive in the countryside. The city of Czerwien, known as The Red City, was not retaken by Boleslaw, as it was too large and well-defended; it is currently a semi-independent vassal of Kiev. It is at least 500 years old and has a population of 2500, with many villages surrounding the grod itself. The grod of the city is protected by both ramparts and moats, and is on the bank of the Huczew river, with an unwalled area connected via bridge on the other side of the river. It is very rich from trade. 296

Przemysl The is the largest city in the Red Lands under Polish control. It has 600 inhabitants within the grod and another couple of thousands in the villages around the area. It is located at the start of a mountain path through the Carpathians known as the Przemysl Gate. The city is on the bank of the San River. This puts them at a focal point of an important trade route with the lands of the Kievan Rus to the East and the lands of the Croats to the south. The city was founded by a Lendian tribe over 200 years ago. It was conquered at different moments by the Moravians, the Hungarians, the Poles in the 970s, then the Kievan Rus, and finally the Poles again in 1018. When Boleslaw reconquered the city, he made a point of promoting the Christian rulership of the city (already established by the Kievans) and engaged in the construction of the city, including an impressive castle and a Latin rotunda-style church. As the local Piast power base, the people here are fairly satisfied with Polish rule. Lubaczow This is a grod that was founded by the Piasts as a measure to guard the area from Kievite incursions. It is about a two-day ride northeast of Przemysl, enough distance that advance warning could reach that city should a large invasion force be detected. It is otherwise in a remote hilly area of the sub-Carpathians. It has less than 150 inhabitants. 297

298 Pagans and Pagan Magic

The Slavic pagan people live in a world where they are constantly surrounded by the spiritual forces of nature. The pagans make offerings of different sorts to them for favor or to prevent punishments. Each family has a specific spirit, said to be the incarnation of their founding ancestor, who inhabits the family house. There are spirits of the threshing floor and of the bath-house, the courtyard, and of the stables. They are typically invisible and do not interact with the world, but they will sometimes manifest themselves to warn of danger or to punish bad behavior. Pagan magicians are generally called weidzmak (if male) or vedma (if female); both words mean “knowing ones.” Some of them also act as de facto “priests” of the local pagan cult. However, in more organized pagan religious centers, the priest is a separate role from a magician; here, they are called “zyrka”, which roughly means “in charge of sacrifices.” The word zyrka is also synonymous with “matchmaker” because in pagan communities with a priesthood they are in charge of approving of all marriage unions and directing the marriage feast. Like most Christian priests, these formal pagan priests are not necessarily magicians or capable of performing any magical feats. Another term is “Wolchw,” which is best translated as Shaman. They are magician/ priests dedicated to the god Veles; the learned among them are familiar with Spirit Magic, similar to that of the Skomrozny. Another shamanic term is “guslarz” (or female “guslarka”) which are shamans that specialize in contacting the dead and venerating ancestors. With a body part or object that belonged to someone who is deceased or with a direct blood descendant of theirs present, they can summon the spirit of the dead (in a manner similar to that described in the Dziady ritual below, but which they can do on any night of the year). There is also a very rare type of magician known as a Kresnik. These are magicians bound to the pagan god Chors, who have dedicated their lives to fighting the undead, particularly upierzs. They know the secrets of a magical technique that allows them to transfer their consciousness into the bodies of animals. Pagan Magical Times and Practices Dziady: On Dziady, the night sacred to Veles, the deity of death (on the 1st week of November), pagan witches and magicians can perform a rite that allows them to contact the deceased spirits of their own ancestors or the ancestors of others present at the ritual. This ritual is done outdoors, along a path lit by candles, ending in a bonfire (typically near an oak tree, which is linked to the underworld in pagan magic) where offerings of food (grains, eggs, and honey) and drink are made for the ancestral spirit to be summoned. The magician (or the person the magician is summoning the ancestor of) wears a special wooden mask made to look somewhat like a skull. On a DC15 magic check, the ancestor being summoned will appear and will be able to answer questions that he or she knew in life. They can answer a number of questions equal to the level of the magician. If the spirit of the deceased knows 299

the answer, they will answer truthfully based on what the spirit knew in life. Note that if the answer the spirit believes is, in fact, wrong, they will nevertheless provide this wrong information. If they do not know the answer, they will say as much, but the question still counts against the possible maximum. Witches’ night: the 12th of December, in the deep of winter, is the night that is most sacred to the Witches who serve the Earth Mother. It is on this night that their spells are most powerful, and ordinary pagans are deeply fearful of this night. No one goes out on this night, and children and virgin girls are watched with great care lest the witches steal them as sacrifices. Strong snowstorms are a sure sign that witches are performing powerful magic nearby. Witches will meet on this night in magical places; these could be places that are known to be weak in the veil between this world and the faerie world, or in places at the edge of the forest and civilized land, or at the junction of rivers. Southeast of Tyniec on the Slovak border, the largest grouping of witches come together on Babia Gora, the Mountain of Crones. They are protected during their sabbath by bears, lynxes, and wolves whom they control. Witches can be found on the mountain at any time of the year, making it very dangerous, but on the Witches’ night, it is especially deadly. 300

Witches’ ritual to cure a plague: when a village is afflicted with a plague, a coven of 12 witches can cure it. Nine of these witches must be virgin maidens, the other three aged widows. The ritual must be done in the night, and all the people in the village must stay indoors. The witches will take scythes and move naked while wearing animal skulls on their heads. They will very slowly circle the village nine times while howling and shrieking inhumanly, invoking the Earth Mother, as they mark the earth around the village in a circle. The difficulty of the ritual is DC13, cast by the highest level witch. If the ritual succeeds, the village will be cured of the disease afflicting it, as it will stop spreading (those infected may still die but can no longer infect others). However, if any man comes across the ritual while it is being performed, the witches must attack and slaughter him as a sacrifice to the Earth Mother, or the ritual will fail and cannot be repeated. Magical Places Lysa Gora: this mountain found between Sandomierz and Zarnow was the most sacred place to the goddess Ziewanna, the savage female goddess of the hunt. Her temple was there and said to have been built by giants. The temple was destroyed by lightning on the day Mieszko I was baptized. At present, a Benedictine monastery has been constructed there, named “Holy Cross”. But much of the surrounding area is still pagan, and there are constant accounts of witchcraft activity happening on the mountain. The White Stone: the Pagans speak of a place found on the border between the mortal world and the fairy world. This place is marked by the White Stone. The stone is found between a great tree and a lake. The great tree is the World Tree, and those who know how to enter it can travel to the worlds of gods or demons, to the primordial world of fire and that of water, to the world of good fairies and the world of evil ones. The waters of the lake can make a barren woman fertile. The lilies that grow by the lake can make a love potion. A sacrifice made on the stone can cure any disease. The place is sometimes guarded by dangerous fairy creatures. Most often, giant snakes (gadzin) or flocks of large birds found only in the area, with metal beaks and claws. White Stone Birds Init:+2 AC:14 MV:20/50(fly) HD:3d8 SV:16 AL:N Ml:8 Att: 2 claws (+4, 1d4) + 1 bite (+4, 2d4) A typical encounter is with 2d6 birds. 301

Wyraj: the otherworld. Slavic pagans believe that Wyraj is an unearthly garden realm where it is always springtime and where the souls of the dead travel, but only if they have been cremated by the proper funerary rites. However, it is also possible, though very difficult, to travel to Wyraj while still alive, and some pagan shamans know how to do it. It requires following the route that birds take when they fly south for the winter and following a route delineated by the stars at that time of the year, guided by the Milky Way. The entry to Wyraj is another border area between the world of men and the fairy world. It is guarded by powerful spirits of dead heroes (as Phantom Warriors, but they will fight against all intruders) and by firebirds (Zar-Ptak). Pagan Magical Objects (Roll 1 d100) (01-05) Adder’s Tongue Love Bath: Adder’s Tongue is a fern that grows in forests throughout the region. It is so named because its stalk looks a bit like the tongue of a snake. Many wise women know the secret of this plant: if you pick it on midsummer’s night and then put the stalks in a bath while performing a ritual (with a magic check of DC14), it is the component of a magical spell. A girl or woman who bathes in the adder’s tongue bath will be able to make the boy or man she names fall in love with her. The target gets a saving throw vs. magic, with a +2 bonus if he is already in love with another, a +2 bonus if he is a Christian (or a +4 bonus if he is a Holy person), and a +4 bonus if he is not attracted to women. If he fails the save, he will fall madly in love with the girl. (06-09) Belladonna ointment of flying: Belladonna is both a medicinal herb and a dangerous poison. Useful in small doses as an anesthetic and to aid sleep (in said use, the cost of preparation is only 2dn), the poison version will create disorientation when drunk and make a person highly susceptible (save vs. poison or will answer all questions posed with disinterested candor). Anyone affected by belladonna poison must make a save vs. poison with a +3 bonus or will die within 1d6 hours. But in the southern Vistula region near and in the Carpathian mountains, the local witches know how to use belladonna as a vital ingredient in the creation of a magical ointment that, when slathered on the body, will grant the person who applies it the power of flight for 1d6 hours. Characters who apply the ointment will be able to fly at a velocity of 60’ per round. The secret of making this ointment 302

is very strictly kept, and it would be highly unlikely that any outsider would be taught the method (and it is not as a rule written down but passed on by direct instruction). Making the ointment would require that the character have the apothecary or herbalism skill with a DC13 check and would additionally have to make a magic check DC15 to be able to correctly empower the ointment. Failing at the first check means that the ointment would not work and would have the full poisonous effect that belladonna usually has. Failing the second check means that the magic will not work, but the character would not be poisoned (unless both checks failed). (10-13) Birch ward: specially crafted from birchwood with certain magical symbols and empowered by magic. When a birch ward is worn around the neck, the wearer will gain a +1 bonus to saving throws versus magic and a +4 bonus against magical curses specifically. Creating a birch ward requires knowledge of the correct symbols and ritual words and a DC15 magic check. As typical, these are kept guarded secrets and not passed down in writing. (14-17) Garland of Protection from Fairies: some pagan magicians and witches know how to make a special type of garland necklace from herbs that can grant protection from fairy creatures. The garland is made from mugwort and other herbs and must be tied and woven in a particular way while the magician chants in magic tones. The creation of the garland takes several hours and requires a DC15 magic check. If the check is successful, then whoever wears the garland will be protected until the next sunrise. They will count as if invisible to fairy creatures (not demons or the undead) as long as they are wearing the garland, but the effect breaks immediately if they touch or attack the fairy creature (even at range). (18-21) Kwiat Paproci: a magical flower that blooms from a fern only for a very short while on the summer solstice. It is a red-colored flower with five petals. If the flower is kept in a portion of alcohol for two weeks and the alcohol is consumed, the imbiber will gain the power to speak with animals for a day. The flowering ferns are typically only found in dense regions of the forest, and on the summer solstice, when they flower, they tend to attract fairy creatures, so attempting to obtain a fern flower can be dangerous without magical protection. (22-26) Lady’s Mantle: This is a shrub common in the woods. Some pagan witches or shamans know a folk magic spell by which if they burn Lady’s Mantle in a fire while uttering certain tones, a storm will be dispelled. To succeed in this spell requires a DC14 spell check or DC16 if the storm is magical in nature. (27-30) Ledum: a magical plant found in swampy regions; Ledum is identifiable by its white flowers with fuzzy leaves that are reddish on the bottom. Ledum can be brewed into a tea that has the power to grant powerful visions, mainly to see a vision of where something you seek can be found. However, Ledum is potentially poisonous. To brew it safely requires a DC15 check of the herbalism or apothecary skill. Failure means that whoever drinks it will be poisoned; they would have to do a saving throw versus poison, and on a success, would become violently ill for 2d12 hours and lose 1d6 temporary points of constitution. On a failure, they would become gravely ill and die within 1d4 hours. (31-35) Linden potion for madness: The Linden tree is considered sacred to the Earth Mother, and it is found in most settlements throughout Poland; their presence is thought to be protective, and pagans even use them to 303

make cradles for their babies, believing that it encourages sound sleep. The attachment to Linden trees is so strong that the Christians have not bothered attempting to remove the trees. Instead, the Bishopric has given orders to all new churches to plant Linden trees on the church grounds. Many witches and shamans know of a magical potion that can be brewed out of the flowers and leaves of the tree. The brewing requires a DC10 apothecary/herbalism check and a DC15 magic check. If either check fails, the potion does not work. If they are both successful, then anyone who is suffering from some kind of madness and drinks the potion will get a saving throw vs. magic to recover from their insanity. The leaves and flowers must be picked in the month of July, but the potion, once created, can last for at least a year. (36-40) Magic Bread: Baked by the wise women of the people of the wild, the so-called “Kurpie” people of the White Wilderness. This magic bread can only be baked on the day of the new year. It is baked into the form of a human figure or a bird figure, depending on the village. The bread will remain unspoiled for the entire year. If the bread is eaten by one of the children of a household, that household will have rich harvests in the coming year; however, the child cannot be told to eat it. (41-45) Motanka: a type of colorful doll made in the region around Sandomierz, the motanka is a doll made entirely of woven threads, which has the humanoid shape of a girl with a dress, but instead of a face, its head features an eight-pointed star. The secret of making true motanka dolls is known to many wise women, and the person the doll is gifted to (often a child) will be granted restful sleep and pleasant dreams. (46-48) Pomeranian Bear Amulet: an incredibly rare magical object created by the ancient Pomeranian shamans. The amulet is made from pure amber, carved in the form of a small bear. It has a drilled hole so as to wrap a cord around it and wear it on one’s neck. The amulet grants the wearer some of the strength of a bear, granting a +2 bonus to their Strength score. (49-51) Pomeranian Chief’s Wand: only a handful of these wands remain in known locations. They were said to have been created by shamans in ancient times. They are made from the antler of a reindeer and carved with symbols. A hole is drilled near the base where a piece of amber is set in place, and the antler tip is notched. The magical power of the antler wand is that it will point in the nearest direction of game for hunting, but perhaps more importantly, it is a symbol among Pomeranian pagans of political power and chiefly authority. In the present time, no one knows the secret of creating a functioning wand of this kind, but sometimes false, non-working copies are created for political purposes. (52-55) Rozryw: a magical plant, exceedingly difficult to find. It is said to resemble a grassy herb with four leaves, potentially easy to confuse with clover. To find it requires following a hedgehog. The herb must be plucked when green. It can be used as an ingredient in many secret magical recipes, according to legend, to create a potion that brings about happiness, to make a charm that can uncover hidden treasure, and some accounts even suggest it is an ingredient that facilitates the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone. But the most basic and common trait it has, usable by anyone, is that touching the Rozryw to any metal chain, seal, or lock will dissolve both the herb and the metal. 304

(56-59) Shaman’s Rattle: among many of the Slavic pagan tribes, one of the important magical objects of their priests, witches, or shamans is the magic rattle. The rattle is not itself magical, but if it has been crafted by a shaman, it can be used by any magic user who knows the right rhythm to create and the right tones to repeat. When applied in an area, any supernatural spirits or fairy creatures (but not undead) will potentially be forced to stay away or flee. The magician must know the right way to use the rattle and must make a magic check of DC12+HD of the most powerful creature confronting them. This magic affects nature spirits, fairy creatures, and any non-undead creature that cannot be harmed by ordinary weapons. If the check succeeds, a number of monsters equal to the magician’s level will be held at bay, unable to come within 30’ of the magician (if they are already closer than that, they will have to move away in their first available action). If the magician’s check succeeds by a margin equal to or greater than the HD of the most powerful creature (for example, against a 3HD creature, the magician rolls an 18 or higher), a number of creatures equal to the magician’s level will flee the area entirely. If the magician fails the check, he cannot attempt it again for at least 10 rounds. (60-65) Spring Branch: it is a custom among pagans on the first day of spring to cut a thick branch off a verdant tree. This branch is then magically blessed by the Shaman. Tied to the window of a house, it will protect that house from lightning strikes during storms; its power only lasts until the next spring equinox. (66-68) Svarog Sword: Some of the pagan magician-priests of Svarog know how to create swords holy to that high god, which imbues them with certain magical powers. This is done by carving certain glyphs associated with Svarog on the sword. In the hands of pagan warriors, this sword will be able to strike the undead (even ones that are immune to normal weapons) as well as injure any creatures that are vulnerable to fire or sunlight. (69-72) Sweet Clover Wine: a common weed with yellow flowers, a student of herbalism or apothecary knows that a tincture of sweet clover can reduce swelling and congestion. However, some pagan folk magicians know of a magical rite to create a magical potion, combining sweet clover with alcohol, which has the power to remove a curse. This technique is usually secret, but if a PC magician were to learn how to create this potion, it would require a full day of preparing the potion and a DC15 check to correctly empower it. Any person under a curse who drinks the potion gets to make a saving throw (WIS) versus magic for the curse to be lifted. (73-75) Thunder Candle: the Polish pagans consider candles to be sacred, mystical sources of light, and every household has a special candle blessed in honor of the gods, which they hope will protect their home from storms or lightning strikes. But the witch-priestesses of the goddess Ziewanna also know how to create a special magical candle known as a “thunder candle.” The candle must be made of beeswax, and the wick must be made from a plant known as verbascum. The candle is thick and long and is inscribed with magical symbols connected to that goddess. Only one thunder candle can ever be created for a person in their lifetime, and if it is ever fully consumed, the person it was made for will die. When the candle is lit, it illuminates in the normal way any candle would. However, in the presence of wolves (natural or supernatural) or shapeshifting creatures (if they come within 30’ of the wielder), the fire of the candle will suddenly erupt into a great length (about the length of a 305

sword), and the wielder will be able to attack the creatures with the flame. The candle grants a +2 bonus to hit, and on a strike, the flame does 1d8+2 damage and can harm creatures immune to normal weapons. When it first activates, normal wolves will have to make an immediate morale check to avoid fleeing from it, and if they do not will suffer a -2 penalty to hit the wielder. The candle’s power cannot be used by anyone other than the person whom the specific candle was created. In theory, a person who is not of the pagan faith could have a candle made for them, but using it would be considered a grave sin for Christians. A thunder candle will burn for a total of 168 hours precisely, at the end of which the person it was made for will die. (76-80) Warriors belt: the greatest warriors among Polish pagans will wear wide belts around their waist. These are very long belts made of strong material that are wrapped repeatedly around the waist. Some of these are true magical belts that are created by pagan magicians and gifted to the greatest warriors by chiefs as a sign of status. The belts contain various magical symbols on the hidden side of the belt and grant the warrior protection in battle. Most of these belts, when worn, grant a +1 bonus to AC. But perhaps more significantly, if they are unwrapped and put around someone on the ground in a circle, the undead or demons will be deterred; they will feel a strong repulsion from the belt circle and will only be able to attack the person inside the circle if there is no other reasonable target to hit, and even then only if they succeed at a saving throw versus magic. (81-85) White Bryony: this is a very common weed with greenish-white leaves and dark berries. It is often a problem for farmers because it is a highly poisonous plant, and livestock that eat its leaves or berries will often die. The berries are poisonous to humans as well, although an adult human would need to eat at least 40 berries to die from it. Anyone skilled in herbalism or apothecary could make a concentrated ingested poison on a DC5 skill check (it would take 4 days to prepare it). Anyone who consumes the poison would need to make a saving throw vs. poison (CON) with a +2 bonus; if they succeed in the save, they would only feel terrible stomach cramps and pain as well as diarrhea, but if they fail the save, they will fall unconscious and die in 10-60 minutes. White Bryony has a magical connection to children and is thus used in witchcraft. Witches can use white bryony to make a charm pouch (worn around the neck) that would protect a child from curses or to make a ritual that would cause a child to suffer a sudden death. (86-90) Willow Bud Potion: a potion made by pagan shamans and wise women, it requires a willow bud and and water from a sacred pool or spring. The willow bud potion can cure someone suffering from influenza. (91-95) Willow Knot Love Charm: Witches can make use of a willow twig to cast a love spell to make someone become entirely enamored with them. Taking a willow twig and carefully twisting it into an intricate triple knot while using their own saliva to wet the twig, the witch must name the person she wishes to make smitten, or if she does not have his true name, must have some personal object or a strand of his hair to tie to the knot (which makes the magic stronger). On completion of the knot (which is a DC13 spell check), the target must make a saving throw (WIS), or he will fall madly in love with the witch when he next looks upon her, to the point of being willing to do anything for her. Characters who would not normally be attracted to the witch get a +2 bonus; devout Christians also get a +2 (and Holy persons get a +4), but 306

if the witch used a strand of the target’s hair, the saving throw has a -2 penalty. If enchanted, the target is only freed if the love charm is broken or destroyed or if he has not seen the witch for 14 days. However, if the witch orders him to kill a friend or kinfolk or to violate his religion, the target gets another saving throw to break free of the enchantment. (96-00) Wormwood Potion: Wormwood is a poison in its natural form, but only in very large dosages. It is sometimes used by regular people to flavor alcoholic drinks or herbal beverages to no harm. A skilled apothecary could concentrate wormwood to create a drink that would be mildly hallucinogenic or in greater concentrations that would create a poison that could cause severe nausea and potentially seizures or even death, though the flavor would be fairly easy to notice, and as there are easier herbs to make into poisons, it is not commonly used. In the hands of a trained witch, it can be used to create a potion that would be capable of curing common diseases (though not plague or infection from wounds). This requires a DC15 apothecary/herbalism check and then a DC15 magic check. If the magic check fails, the potion will not cure the disease, and the patient will likely experience nausea and stomach upset from the intensity of the concoction. If the apothecary check fails, the patient will have to make a Saving Throw vs Poison (CON) to avoid dying from the cure. Pagan Deities The high god of Slavic pagans is known as Svarog, the god of the sky and fire. Lesser local gods and spirits of natural places are also worshiped. In the west, the Veleti worship the god Svetovid, with four heads, a god of the harvest. Triglav, the three-headed god, is another popular deity in parts of Poland. Some tribes have their own deities that are only very locally worshiped, though sometimes they are clearly just variant names of similar deities elsewhere. The following is a list of the most common deities: Chernobog: a dark and sinister deity; he is considered the god of evil and misfortune. His name means “the black god”. He is generally not worshiped except by the most depraved people, and his appearance is described in such a way as that of a black-skinned horned deity that Christians are certain that he is the Pagan’s interpretation of the devil himself. In feasts and special ceremonies, pagans will pass around a bowl of water into which they will utter words meant to remember Chernobog so as to keep 307

him from bringing misfortune on those in attendance. His twin is Bailobog, a “white god” of warmth and light. Chors: A thunder god, Chors is mainly worshiped by Slavs further to the East; his cult was popular among the Kievan Rus before their conversion. However, he is sometimes venerated by Polish pagans in the border regions of Masovia and Vistula. He is a masculine god of virility, a warrior god who slays monsters and is generally venerated by copious amounts of drinking. There is an order of pagan Witch Hunters dedicated to Chors, known as the “kresnik.” They are sworn to fight against the undead (particularly upierz). Among other more common magical skills, they know of a secret magical technique that allows them to transfer their consciousness into the bodies of animals. The animal must be a natural animal, though it may, in some cases, work on a giant version of a natural animal. To do so requires having an animal within line of sight, and spending a full round performing a spell check DC15. They can remain inside the animal for as long as they wish (requiring a standard action to return to his body), and the animal can move out of the line of sight of the magician’s body, which is in a trance and helpless while they are in the animal’s body. If the animal is slain while the kresnik is in the animal body, the kresnik must make a saving throw (CON) to avoid dying (if he saves, he is instantly moved back into his own body). If his body is killed while he is in the animal, his spirit is trapped inside the animal form. He retains his intelligence but cannot speak or do anything beyond the physical limitations of the animal while he possesses it; however, he has any of the special abilities that the animal has. Dazbog: the sun god. He is presented as a benevolent god, the giver of good fortune. He is the son of Svarog. Polish pagans pledge the truth of their word to the sun god, raising their hand to the sun as a sacred bond that they are true to their word. He is said to live in a great palace in the East, beyond the veil of the mortal world, where it is always summer and pleasant. The Earth Mother: The world itself is considered by the pagans to be a goddess, the mother of all living things. No statues or idols of her are found among the pagans because she does not have a human form like the other gods. When pagans mean to make a holy and unbreakable oath, they put one hand on the ground so that the earth mother is their witness. The Linden tree is sacred to the Earth Mother, and so most pagan houses outside of towns will have a Linden tree near it, planted from the time when the home was first built, to which they make offerings in the hope of protection. 308

Gosk: Among the Pomeranians, this is the God of the Sea. In the coastal regions, he is one of the most important for fishermen and traders alike, and so he is very widely worshiped. He has power not only over the waters and the waves but also winds and storms; thus, placating him is important to the pagans. It is said that he lives in a great palace at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Jaster: The Pomeranian god of springtime. His name means “brightness”. On the coastline several days north and west of Gdansk, there is a sacred temple dedicated to his veneration. He is celebrated at the start of May in feasts with much singing and frantic dancing. Marzanna: The winter goddess, Marzanna, is associated with fertility rites, death, birth, and dreams. She is venerated throughout pagan Poland, and in most villages that have not been converted, there will be an idol of her alongside her sister, Ziewanna, the goddess of spring. They are celebrated together in a festival at the start of spring. When Mieszko converted to Christianity, he ordered that in all the villages converted to the true faith, the twin idols should be cast into water (symbolically “drowned” in the chaos from which they came); and now, in those Christian villages, the start of spring is celebrated by creating mock idols and casting them into the water again. Her name is derived from the Polish word meaning “dream.”She was said to curse those who did not venerate her appropriately by striking them with illness. Some magicians devoted to Marzanna are called “Mora” and have the ability, said to be granted by the goddess, to separate their spirit from their body during sleep. They can then fly through the world, looking like thin, hairlike wisps that, in the dark, might be mistaken for moths. In this way, the mora can observe things in secret. They can travel to anywhere that is not a sanctified Christian church or a place protected by defensive magic. They cannot be harmed in this form, though they could be dispelled by banishing magic. Mokosznica: a highly popular pagan goddess. She is considered to be the wife of Veles. Her name means “the wet one” and is thus connected to the power of chaos. She is a goddess of the home, the hearth, family, and marriage; a patroness of weaving and also protects women during childbirth. She is also the goddess of herbalism. During harvest time (some two weeks after midsummer) throughout pagan Poland, there is a great ceremony where the women of a village will make offerings and weave intricate patterns of stalks of wheat and herbal shrubs (followed by bonfires and dancing). There are statues erected in pagan sites in her honor, but common people also worship her by making shrines out of stones shaped like breasts. 309

Nyja: Nyja is a deity of the undead and the underworld. Nyja is not depicted as male or female but as a dark shadow. Its name means “deceased” or “faded”. Nyja is said to be evoked by evil magicians to cause plagues, or the loss of pregnancy, or to create or dismiss storms. During the first week of June, a time when the veil between worlds is especially thin, pagans will not clap or sing because it is said to attract Nyja. Before the Christianization of Poland, there was a temple in Nyja’s honor in Gniezno, on Lech Hill, where the priests would sacrifice animals to Nyja during the funerary rites of a deceased person to prevent that person from rising as an undead. Placzebog: Another Pomeranian god. He is the god of punishment, of criminals and prisoners, and of slaves. He is prayed to for fair treatment and also to enforce justice. He has no temples but is venerated in high places (usually hills) and sometimes in caves or woodland groves (places where escaped prisoners or slaves might hide). His name means “the Crying God”. His holy day is shortly before the Spring Equinox when the tradition is that Pomeranian pagans get bundles of twigs and playfully swat at their family members with them to punish them for any wrongdoings in the past year and supposedly to assure them good health in the next year. Rodzanice: the Rodzanice (singular “Rodzanica”) are a group of nine female demigoddesses who govern over pregnancy, childbirth, and infancy. When pregnant, women make offerings of food to the Rodzanice, and after the child comes of age, they are given offerings of locks of the child’s first haircut. The Rodzanice govern the bathhouse, which is where pagan women will typically give birth. The goddesses are also associated with the stars and astrology, as it is believed that they have knowledge of the fate of every child born. Rugiaevit: The patron god of the island of Rugen, where the Veleti holy city of Arkona is located; a temple is dedicated to his honor there. He is a god with seven heads and eight swords. He governs the sphere of war. His priests are forbidden to engage in sexual activity. 310

Stribog: the god of the wind, Stribog, is worshiped mainly in Eastern Poland. He is said to be able to grant or take away riches and wealth. In some places, his cult is performed with the offering and then imbibing of great amounts of drink from sacred horns; however, in certain places, this is also combined with the ritual sacrifice of children. Svarog: the high god of the Polish pagans. He is the god of the sky and also of fire, the symbol of order. His worship is performed by the veneration of a sacred fire, and no one is permitted to shout or say any profanities in front of this fire. He is also known to be the father of dragons. Svarog’s priests are skilled smiths and create high-quality weapons for their tribe; some of them know how to make magical swords that can harm the undead (and creatures vulnerable to fire and sunlight) Svetovid: the chief god of the Veleti, his holiest place of worship is in Arkona (on the island of Rugen). The temple in Arkona is managed by priests, and in the holy of holies of the temple, no human breath is allowed; priests who enter the sanctum must hold their breath while inside. All the Veleti must give offerings each year; those who are wealthy give coins, and one-third of the spoils of war must also be donated, so the temple is full of riches. The priests are said to be gifted with powers of divination, specifically allowing them to predict success or failure in battle. They are also said to be gifted with the power to bless crops for abundant harvests. He is depicted as a four-headed god holding a hunting horn and a sword. White horses and eagles are holy to him. He is a harvest god and also a god of warriors. Swarozyn: the god of fire. He is another son of Svarog. His cult is popular among Polish pagans, and among the Veleti he is highly venerated with the name Svarozhits. In some places, he is also known as Radegast. Triglav: A major god of Polish and Pomeranian pagans, Triglav is a three-headed deity whose heads represent the heavens, the world, and the underworld. In some places, Triglav is represented as having three goat heads rather than human heads, and in some, he is depicted with golden blindfolds over his eyes because his gaze would have the power to destroy sinners. He is the highest god among the Pomeranian pagans in Szczecin, and at his temple, the priests give oracular predictions based on the actions of a black horse that they claim is guided by that god during the divination. 311

Veles: The dark god of death and the underworld. Veles is also the god of water (which in Slavic magic is associated with chaos), livestock, and also with magic. Thus, he is worshiped by pagan sorcerers, but he is also venerated by farmers. He has a monstrous form as a great dragon but also a humanoid form as a hairy bearded man. Veles rules the underworld, called “Nawia” (the place of spirits), which is found deep underground and surrounded by an immense river. He rules in the center of that realm, which looks like a great plain of verdant pastures, but Veles’ lair is in a swampy area. He sits on a gold chair at the base of the world tree, wielding a sword to guard it (or he is curled at the base of the tree in his form as a dragon). Priests of Veles are usually called “wolchw” and are trained in Spirit Magic. Ziewanna: The goddess of the wild, the hunt, and the moon. She is clearly equivalent to the ancient Greek goddess Artemis (or the Roman Diana). She is venerated in any of the forested regions of Poland; her main center of worship was on a temple on the mountain of Lysa Gora, in the Vistula region (between Sandomierz and the Masovian border). It was said that her temple was built by giants, and it stood until very recently, up until the baptism of Mieszko; on the very day of his baptism, it is said the temple was destroyed by lightning sent down by god himself. In 1006, Boleslaw the Brave had a Benedictine monastery built on the location of the former temple. Ziewanna is the goddess of spring and life and is the sister of Marzanna, who is a goddess of death. As almost every pagan village had some kind of idol of Ziewanna and Marzanna, Mieszko ordered that in any village that was converted, these idols must be taken out and “drowned” in water. It has since become the custom each year that Christian villagers recreate that event at the start of spring, making up a mock idol of the goddesses and drowning it in water. The priestesses of Ziewanna are witches, and all of them know a variety of forms of magic. One of their particular secrets is the creation of “thunder candles” (see “pagan magical objects” above). The Zoryas: three sister goddesses, associated with three stars (the morning star, the evening star, and the midnight star). In the heavens, they surround the dog, which, if released, would devour the universe. The morning Zorya is a maiden goddess in armor, and she rules over horses and warriors. In the evening, Zorya is a motherly matron who governs over healing and exorcisms. The midnight Zorya is an aged crone who governs over death and wisdom. All three are highly venerated by pagans with small prayers during their time of the day. 312

Appendix I: Road, Trail & Wilderland Encounters Most of Poland has an extremely small population density. There forts (grods), sometimes with towns or even what could be called cities (though none surpass even a few thousand in population), with smaller villages and hamlets (often with more population in total than in the urban center itself) all within a day’s journey of the town or grod. Beyond that, there are huge swaths of wilderness (plains, forests, hills, swamplands, badlands, and mountains) where nearly no civilization is to be found. At this point in time, there are no sufficiently strong centralized authorities that can maintain peace or law in those wilderlands. In some places, local strongmen of tiny communities keep order. Tribes may claim territory. But mostly, there’s no regulation and none of the comforts of civilization. There aren’t even what could truly be called roads in most of Poland, unlike in more western parts of Europe where the Roman roads are still in use. There are only three true roadways in the entire country. The first is the southern road known as the “Via Regia,” which starts in Italy from Venice, goes up through Bavaria to Vienna, and crosses the Tatra mountains into Silesia. It goes through Opole, Kozle, Raciborz, and Krakow, then on to Kiev and from there toward Byzantium. The second major road is in the far north of Pomerania, the Baltic coastal road. It starts in Szczecin and goes east toward Kamien, to Kolobrzeg, and Gdansk, and from there, it goes into the lands of the Prussians and the town of Twangste, inland through the lands of the Latvians to Riga, and then onward to Novgorod. The last major road cuts through the middle of Poland and is known as the Amber Road (because it is the road of the amber trade). It also begins in Venice and then proceeds north through the land of the Slovenians (and the city of Ljubljana), to Bratislava in the lands of the Slovaks, through Bohemia, and across the Tatra Mountains into Klodzko. From there, it goes across Poland from Klodzko through Niemcza, Wrocislaw, Milicz, Konin, Trzemenszno, Znin, Wyszogrod, and Gdansk. From Gdansk, it moves along the Baltic coastal road to Novgorod. Aside from these major roads, a great deal of trade and transit in Poland takes place on rivers or on roads adjacent to rivers. These are not as well traveled or maintained as the major trade routes mentioned above but some sections of them have significant traffic nevertheless. Finally, there are overland trails. These are always very small, some only meant to be 313

walked, others large enough to go on horseback, and only some of the most traveled might be transited by small wagons. When traveling along roads, trails, or in the open wilderland, the GM may choose to roll for encounters for each day of travel on the following tables. Alternatively, he may just select one or more encounters from the table or decide that in some areas, there may not be any encounter. Road Encounters 1-18 No Encounter 19-23 Bandits 24-25 Battle 26-27 Beaver Master 28-37 Creature Encounter* 38-40 Fugitive 41-43 Holy Man 44-46 Holy Warrior 47-49 Lepers 50-52 Madman 53-56 Mercenary 57-66 Merchants 67-75 Merchant Caravan 76-77 Messenger 78-79 Noble 80-81 Rebels 82-83 Skomroszny 84-88 Soldiers 89-98 Weather 99-00 Witch Hunters *use “inhabited” encounter table if 1 day from town/city, or else by terrain Trail Encounters 1-18 No Encounter 19-25 Bandits 26-27 Battle 28-30 Beaver Master 31-42 Creature Encounter 43-46 Fugitive 47-49 Hermit 50 Holy Man 51-53 Holy Warrior 54-55 Leper 56-58 Madman 59-61 Mercenary 62-68 Merchant 69-70 Messenger 71-72 Mysterious Stranger 73-74 Noble 75-77 Pagan Witch/Wizard 78-82 Rebels 83-84 Skomroszny 85-88 Soldiers (patrol) 89-98 Weather 99-00 Witch Hunter Wilderland Encounters 1-18 No encounter 19-26 Bandits 27-45 Creature Encounter 46-50 Hermit 51-60 Hunters/Woodsmen 61-63 Random Object 64-68 Random Pagan Community 69-71 Random Warriors 72-74 Random Person 75-79 Random Settlement 80-82 Random Weird Site 83-85 Rebels 86-95 Weather 96-00 Wild Men 314

Encounter Descriptions Bandits: Bandit encounters are with 2d10 in Road encounters, 1d10 in trails or wilderland. They will be 1st level fighters or thieves, and if 5 or more are encountered, they will also have one additional leader who is a thief or warrior of level 1d3+1. Bandits will usually be concealed, and there’s a 30% chance they will have set up some kind of obstacle (a fallen tree, rock fall, or seemingly broken wagon) to force travelers to stop or slow down. They will only attack if the number of people they encounter is less than their own group. Battle: a fight going on between two or more groups. Theoretically, this could be a large battle in times and areas of war; otherwise, it would be a skirmish between two groups of 2d10 participants. Depending on the location, it could be a fight between Christians and Pagans, two groups of Pagans, or two rival Christian groups (typically from villages in conflict or two different noble clans in a feud). There’s a chance that they will ignore the PCs if the PCs do not interfere unless one group has reason to believe that the PCs are likely to take the opposing side. Beaver Master: The Beaver Masters are the officers of the Piast court in charge of maintaining the King’s laws. The encounter will be with an officer of the Beaver Master who will be level 1d6 (often a warrior, but he could theoretically be of any class) accompanied by 1d6+1 guards (level 1 warriors). If the PCs are clearly not pagans, poachers, or brigands, it is likely that the Beaver Master will not have any quarrel with them. However, there’s a 5% chance he might mistake them for some kind of outlaws he’s looking for. If the PCs happen to also be Beaver Master agents, he might recruit them for assistance in his current mission. Creature Encounter: This is an encounter with an animal or supernatural creature. Roll on the appropriate table of the “Creatures List By Terrain and Region” below, or select one appropriate to the region. If the encounter happens within one day’s travel from a town, use the “Inhabited Areas/Towns” list. Otherwise, use the table for the terrain type of the location. Fugitive: this is an encounter with an individual who is fleeing the region; he is either accused of a crime and on the run or found guilty and sentenced to exile for some kind of crime. This may be a crime/exile mandated by a local noble, or it might be for a crime against the King. If the individual is fleeing, then his capture could be beneficial in terms of winning the approval of the Crown or the local noble. On the other hand, if he has been exiled, showing him any assistance could be seen as an offense against the one who ordered his exile. 315

Hermit: someone living in isolation in the wilderness for some reason. Roll on the sub-table if desired: Hermit Table (1d8): 1. A Holy Person: 60% chance that it’s a Holy Man, living in poverty and penance for the sins of the world. Otherwise, an aged Holy Warrior, dedicating their final years to prayer. They will be level 1d6, and if the PCs are in some righteous Christian cause, they may provide aid. 2. Cultists: 1d6 cultists (level 0) of some sinister pagan deity or spirit led by a fighter, thief, or witch of level 1d6. They may attempt to attack the PCs or else flee if they think that would be too difficult. 3. Lepers: 1d4 Lepers. Each leper has a 50% chance of being very near death and a 20% chance of being dangerously insane. 4. Madman: An individual (80% chance of being level 0, otherwise any class level 1d4) who has gone insane and is living like an animal. There’s a 50% chance the madman is dangerously violent. Otherwise, they’re just a rambling lunatic. The latter may try to follow the PCs. 5. Pagan magician: He is set up in the wilderness to engage in his practices without disturbance. If he thinks the PCs will be hostile to him he may just feign being an ordinary hermit. There’s a 20% chance he has a demon servant, a 20% chance of a demon familiar (an animal possessed by a demon), and a 30% chance he has undead in his service. He’s a magician of level 1d6+1. 6. Magister, recluse: an eccentric Christian magician, probably a former monk, who wants to be left alone to his experiments. He lives in a hut or cave where he has his ritual space and a 20% chance of an alchemical laboratory. There’s a 30% chance he has either a golem or a homunculus in his service. He will not attack the PCs unless he feels he has no other choice. He is of level 1d6+1. For details, use either the pagan magician NPC class or the Magister class from Lion & Dragon. 7. Religious: A religious recluse with no special magical powers. He could be either Christian or Pagan (50/50 chance). He is dedicated to piety and prayer and mostly wants to be left alone, but if the PCs are of his religion, he may provide some aid if they prove they are devout. 8. Witch: A Pagan Witch of a sinister bent, both feared and respected by local pagans. There is a 30% chance she has a demon servant, a 30% chance of an animal familiar, and a 30% chance of having undead guardians (if she does not have the latter, there’s a 20% chance she has 1d4 human acolytes). She might try to trick the PCs or attack them, depending on what she thinks her chances are. She is a level 1d4 pagan witch. 316

Holy Man: An encounter with 1d4 Holy Men. There’s a 30% chance that they are leading a group of pilgrims (1d100 if on a road, 2d10 on a trail) who are all relatively recent converts, to the nearest Bishopric (Gniezno, Krakow, Wrocislaw or Kolobrzeg if it still exists). Otherwise, they are traveling looking to convert pagans. If the PCs are devout, there’s a chance they might aid them or ask them for some religious assistance. Holy Warrior: An encounter with 1d6 Holy Warriors. There is a 40% chance they are escorting either a Priest, Abbot, Church dignitary or a Holy Man to some city or abbey. If not, there’s a 50% chance they’re hunting a witch, monster, or band of pagans. In that case, if the PCs are devout, they will likely request the PCs’ help (this help will not have any expectation of pay). Hunters/Woodsmen: 1 or 2 Woodsmen who are hunting or trapping in the wild. There’s a 50% chance they come from some community within a day’s journey (if there is none on the map within that distance, they come from a Random Settlement in the wilderlands). Otherwise, they will come from a community not more than 3 days distance. The reaction of the Woodsmen to the PCs will depend on his personality and his impression of the PCs. Lepers: Generally shunned from communities, lepers are reduced to begging for food on roads or trails while they wait for death. A Leper encounter has a 50% chance of being with a dead corpse; otherwise, it is with 1d6 lepers who will be begging for food or alms. Any devout Christian who doesn’t give some alms will suffer from guilt for the rest of the day, with a -1 penalty to all D20 rolls. Some lepers may have become deranged. If alms were given, there’s a 20% chance that a leper will be angered and will lunge onto a PC, causing the risk of leprosy. If no alms were given, the threat expands to 40%. Most Lepers encountered will be otherwise harmless, as they will be too ill to fight, many would no longer even be able to hold a weapon due to lost digits. Madman: an encounter with a single individual who has been driven mad, either by tragedy, ailment, or magic. There’s a 75% chance that he is violently mad and may attack the PCs. The madman likely comes from a nearby community. There is a 35% chance his madness is magical in nature, likely a curse. Regardless, in most cases, only magic or miracles could potentially restore the madman’s sanity. Roll on the following table to determine the lunatic: Random Lunatic Table (1d100) 01-15 0-level peasant 16-25 Very elderly person, probably senile. 26-40 A warrior with basic equipment, level 1 41-55 A mercenary with good equipment level 1d4 56-65 A city official or a Szlachta noble. 60% chance that he knows some terrible secret that caused his madness. 66-71 A priest or monk. 80% chance that he knows some horrendous secret that caused his madness. 72-75 A Holy Man or Holy Warrior. 80% chance that he became mad due to witchcraft. 317

75-85 A magician (pagan Shaman or Christian ex-monk) of 1d4 levels. He cannot use magic effectively because of his insanity. His madness is likely due to his experimentation. 86-90 Someone who believes himself to be a werewolf. 50% chance that he is, in fact, cursed with lycanthropy against his will; otherwise, he’s just delusional. 91-00 A person who has been possessed by a ghost, animal or nature spirit. Mercenary: an encounter with either a single mercenary warrior of level 1d6 or with a band of 1d100 mercenaries (most of level 1, with one in every ten being level 1d4, and a commander of level 2d4 if there are more than 30). The Mercenaries could be Christian or Pagan Poles, or they could be foreigners from Bohemia, Germans, Kievan Rus, Vikings or even from other more distant lands. There is a 40% chance the Mercenaries are currently employed. If they are pagans or foreigners, there is a 20% chance that if they are not already employed, they will resort to attempting to demand a bribe to be allowed to move on or even just try to rob the PCs outright. Merchant: a small-time merchant, probably doing a route between the two nearest towns on the road or trail. The merchant himself will be accompanied by 1d4+1 porters (who are also armed and expected to act as guards; they are level 0 or 1). His goods are likely fairly mundane. The merchant will know about important events going on in the area (a few grods in either direction on the road), and there’s a 20% chance he might have some specific sort of knowledge. Merchant Caravan: a large caravan, either belonging to a single very successful merchant or a confraternity of merchants working together, consisting of 4d6 carts or wagons, each with two men (a driver and porter) who are level 0 characters, but armed and capable of fighting. In addition, there are 2d6 guards of level 1d4. The goods might be ordinary or luxury items. The Merchants will be able to detail news or rumors of nearby towns, but potentially also of grods a far way down the road. They may have some complications of their own, which, theoretically, they might hire or request the PCs to help with. See the “Random Merchant Problem” table below. Random Merchant Problem (1d8) 1. Someone is trying to murder one of the Merchants. He needs to know who is behind the attempts on his life. 2. One of the merchants has been magically cursed and is facing ruin if he cannot be cured. 3. One of the merchants is dying of natural causes, and his son is incompetent. 4. A merchant’s son has run off with a band of Skomroszny, he wants him brought back. 5. One of the merchants was robbed by his previous porters; he wants the culprits dead and, if possible, his valuables returned. 6. One of the merchants is in a feud against a rival, which is likely to turn violent, and he wants men to fight for him. 7. One of the merchants wants to make trade with a community of pagans, and is looking for facilitators or guards. 8. One of the merchants has been banned from trading in the lands of a noble, and wants to find a way to get back in his good graces. 318

Messenger: A single rider (typically a fighter level 1) on a fast horse, moving as quickly as possible. He is carrying a message from one location to the other and has no desire to slow down or stop. Mysterious Stranger: An encounter with a single individual who is traveling alone (a dangerous practice that only the desperate or the dangerous engage in). He might be a magician or a pagan shaman, a powerful warrior, an agent of the King, a noble in disguise, a monk or priest on some urgent journey for the Church, a supernatural being in disguise as a human, etc. He may want something from the PCs or may try to minimize interaction with them. They might meet him again at a later time. Noble: One or more members of a powerful Szlachta family traveling to some destination or event. They could be on a diplomatic mission, touring their estates, heading to the capital or another large city, or on some other kind of expedition for their own agenda. There will be 1d3 nobles and 3d20 guards (mostly level 1, but at least one level 2-8 Rycerz (knight) for each noble present and for every 10 guards). The nobles might attempt to hire the PCs or (especially if this area is their own lands) make some kind of demand of them. Pagan Witch/Wizard: a pagan magician, Shaman, or witch of level 1d6+1, accompanied by 1d6 followers or assistants who will all be level 0 or level 1. If they near an area where pagan sorcery is outlawed, they might be in disguise. Their intentions could be something harmless (potentially even good), self-serving, or sinister. If you wish, roll on the following table: Pagan Wizard/Witch Motive (1d10): 1. Serves a demon. 2. Looks only to their own enrichment and pleasure. 3. Is actually a thief of the same level, using cheap tricks and acting to fake being a magician. 4. Is looking to grow their power among local pagans. 5. Is searching for magical secrets or objects. 6. Is fleeing to some new location, probably to a region further away from Christians. 7. Is the keeper of some sacred (and possibly magical) object. 8. Wants to make war on Christians. 9. Is a healer and sympathetic to Christians who do not wish them harm. 10. Has the power of prophetic visions. Random Object: A random object left abandoned in the wilderness. There’s a 30% chance this will be a random trivial item, normal weapon, utensil, or a single coin. Otherwise, roll on the following table: Object (1d100) 1-15 Waterskin (30% chance it contains water or wine) 16-30 Cart (50% chance it’s broken) 31-45 Corpse (30% chance it has equipment and money appropriate to its social class) 46-60 Hut or Shelter (probably in a bad state, may have some common goods inside) 61-75 An ancient stone obelisk or waymarker 76-85 Religious Object (of a local or ancient religion) 319

86-87 Random Trifle (see treasure tables, above) 88-89 Random Valuable (see treasure tables, above) 90 Random Special Object (see treasure tables above) 91-95 Text (1-30% it’s a local map, 31-90% it’s a letter, 91-00% it is a book, likely religious but maybe not) 96-00 Weapon Stash (2d10 of a type of weapon, most often spears or arrows, but it could be something else) Random Pagan Community: a small community of Pagans living in relative isolation in the wilderland. The following tables can add details to the encounter: Business (1d6): 1. Bandits: survive by theft. 2. Religious: control a sacred pagan site venerated by other pagans. 3. Mercenaries: a tribe of warriors who sell their services. 4. Resource: the tribe lives from production and trade; possibilities include honey and wax, tin, salt, amber, timber, or coal. 5. Hunters: They live off the land, mainly by hunting and foraging. 6. Herders: they tend animals, typically goats, sheep, or pigs, or they live from fishing. Complication (1d8): 1. Celebration: encountered in the middle of a pagan religious or secular (wedding, coming of age, etc) feast. Pagans are less likely to be hostile during this time. 2. Criminal: One of their community has committed some horrible crime or broken a religious taboo. There’s an 80% chance he has fled, and the tribe is dedicated to bringing them to justice. It is possible that the “crime” in question could be the promotion of Christianity. 3. Monster: a terrain/location appropriate monster is terrorizing the community. 4. Raid: another local group (probably pagan, but maybe Christian) has recently attacked the community. 5. Succession: the community’s leader has died, and a new chief must be chosen. The method could be straightforward, like primogeniture, or it might involve some complex tradition. 6. Gathering: many local pagan groups have come to the community for a meeting for trade, marriage, or an alliance (possibly against Christians). Outsiders will not be very welcome, particularly Christians. 7. War: this community is in a serious conflict with another community, either pagan or Christian. 8. Witchcraft: some evil pagan witch or magician (possibly with followers) is causing harm in the area: poisonings, stealing children, raising the dead, causing plagues, or other things. This may be an opportunity to convert the community if the PCs aid them against the witchcraft. 320

Random Warriors: this is an encounter with a group (usually of 2d6 or 3d20) of skilled warriors. Most of these will be level 1 warriors, but one in five will have 1d4 levels, and if there are more than 10 of them present, they will have a leader of level 2d4. There is a 75% chance they are a pagan warband, most likely local pagans, but it is possible they could be a group of foreign pagans in border regions (either Prussians, Lithuanians, or Vikings). Otherwise, they are Christian warriors. They are most likely mercenaries or sell-swords, but they could be soldiers on a mission for their chief or lord. They may or may not be hostile. If you wish to add further details, use the following table. Warrior Events (1d8) 1. Bandits: the warriors are in desperate times and are engaged in banditry. 2. Supernatural: the warriors have recently confronted a supernatural opponent that reduced their number, either through witchcraft or a powerful monster. They might seek assistance. 3. Hunted: the warriors are being pursued by another force. If the warriors are pagan, it could be the forces of a local Christian lord; if they are Christians, it could be a pagan warband. 4. Holy Man: if the warriors are pagan, they have captured a Holy Man; if they are Christian, they are being led on a mission by a Holy Man. 5. Magician: the warriors have a magician (either a pagan wizard or a Christian Witch Hunter) in their group (or as a prisoner). 6. Rescue Mission: the warriors are heading to free some of their companions who have been captured by enemy forces. 7. To battle: the warriors are headed to fight in a local battle. 8. Treasure: the warriors are returning from some job laden with treasure. There’s a 1/6 chance that this includes a magical item, weapon, or relic that their leader now possesses. Random person: an encounter with a solitary individual in the wilderness. There’s a 50% chance that this person is a lost or injured bandit, peasant, merchant, or some other traveler who needs help. Otherwise, the person in question is of a more unusual nature. The GM can come up with something or roll on the following table. Person (1d6) 1. Maiden: a young woman, ranging from a local peasant to a noble. She may have run away from home, fled from an unwanted marriage or some sinister evil, or might have escaped from kidnappers. 2. Lone Warrior: a warrior of level 2d6. He may be on some quest or be fleeing from justice, or he may be seeking solitude after having seen too much bloodshed. 3. Child: a child ranging from a baby to a preteen, who may be lost or a runaway, or have escaped from slavery, or may be the only survivor of some massacre. 4. Outcast: likely a cripple or a simpleton who has been abandoned by his community. 5. Wildling: someone who has been living alone in the wilderness for so long that he acts like an animal. 6. Traveler: Someone from a very distant land, possibly here on some quest, or who is lost through misadventure. 321

Random Settlement: There are many very small communities in the Wilderlands. These usually have a population of about 2d100 people, where half of those may live in a small village and the other half in surrounding areas. They are more likely to be pagans than Christians, but the percentage likelihood of their religion will depend on how predominant Christianity is in the local area. A settlement will have some form of rule, roll to determine who is in charge: Settlement Ruler (1d20): 1-5 Brigands or other outlaws 6-7 A hermit, who might be a pagan shaman or a Christian Holy Man 8-13 A warrior; there’s a 70% chance that they are of the Rycerz class 14 A witch; there’s a 50% chance that she serves a demon. 15-16 A minor noble of a Szlachta family. 17-18 A Christian missionary; the community being of pagan converts 19-20 The community is run by village elders. Rycerz or Szlachta rulers will govern from a small grod. A hermit will run the village from a humble cottage. A missionary or Holy Man might have built a small church. A shaman or witch will likely rule from a hovel or from an old tower or ruin. Bandits or outlaws will likely be hostile to any interlopers, particularly if they may be a threat to their power. If they fear that the PCs are too powerful to just kill, they might try to cut a deal with them (most likely to bribe them to move out). For any rulers other than bandits, roll on the following table to determine their disposition: Ruler Disposition (2d6): 2 Hostile: the ruler is up to something nefarious, or is paranoid or tyrannical. They will want to destroy the PCs. 3 Highly Distrustful: They will see the PCs as a danger to their control. 4-5 Distrustful: They will be cold to outsiders and try to get them to leave as soon as possible. 6 Bad Intentions: the ruler needs something. Either resources (possibly including the PCs’ wealth), help in a conflict with another community, a monster, or dealing with rebels in the community. They may try to act friendly to the PCs but because they want to use them. They will likely not keep any promises they make. 7 Neutral: the ruler will not have a predisposition and will only react to the PCs’ actions. 8-9 Good Intentions: the ruler will be friendly but may also need help with something. If they make promises to the PCs, they’ll try to keep them. 10-11 Friendly: If the PCs seem respectable, they will be hospitable, and may help them if it isn’t too inconvenient. 12 Too Friendly: The ruler will be very happy at the PCs’ presence and may try to convince them to stay. He may try to recruit the PCs to his service and offer them marriage alliances or partnerships in managing the territory. He may even resort to coercion to try to force the PCs to stay. 322

The community will also have some kind of subsistence. Roll on the following table: Local Economy (1d12): 1 Crafts (cloth, metalwork, leather, carpentry, bow/arrow-making, pottery, etc.) 2 Farming, prosperous 3-6 Farming, marginal 7 Hunting and furs, or fishing 8 Herding (sheep, pigs, or goats, most likely) 9 Mining, amber (30% chance their mine is running dry) 10 Coal 11 Stone quarry (10% chance the quarry is running dry) 12 A local way-point, sacred space, or gathering spot for local communities A settlement may also have some unusual features: Settlement Features (1d30): 1 An ancient stone bridge of excellent construction is the only point to cross a rushing river. 2 A group of Skomroszny are currently visiting the settlement. 3 Local animals have been disappearing at night; it could be thieves or a monster. 4 There’s a legend of a ghost or monster in a nearby site, said to be guarding buried treasures. 5 An abandoned ancient tower, which may have an underground construction. 6 Nearby caverns said to be the lair of a monster 7 Nearby remnants of some ancient battle; undead are found there, and there may be treasures 8 The town ruler has a large cache of ancient weapons. 9 A giant is said to live nearby. 10 An ancient stone circle, said to have strange magic. 11 A holy spring, said to have magic water. 12 The villagers produce very fine short bows, reducing medium range penalty by 1. 13 Villagers speak a very local dialect that’s hard to understand. 14 The village was recently attacked by Gnomy. 15 The village wise woman is highly skilled in herbalism. 16 The villagers claim to be descendants of ancient Romans. 17 The village produces a very highquality cheese. 18 The village executes criminals by beheading, and then play a grizzly game of football with the head, forming two teams to see which can get the head to the opposite side of the town. There are almost no rules to the game. 19 Strange weather conditions cause the village to be shrouded in fog from nightfall until nearly noon each day. Alternately, it rains every day at noon all spring and summer, for several hours. 20 The village houses are all painted colorfully in ancient patterns, with human faces, or are of an unusual shape. 21 The village has a library of 2d12 books owned by a magister (who may or may not be deceased). The books are kept chained, and most of them are of an occult nature. 22 The village has a small inn frequented by local hunters, bandits, or other travelers. The Inn features a large bathhouse. 23 The village has a pet bear. 323

24 The village either has hardly any old people in it or a large number of them. 25 The village has a large tree with a hole in its trunk. It is said passing a sick child through the hole can often heal them. 26 The village has a large number of cats (or crows, or some other animal), which are said to have the favor of faeries; they believe the animals have protected them from plagues. 27 The village people leave out food for faerie children that they believe live in the surrounding wilderness. These faerie children are usually invisible but can make themselves seen to people they particularly trust; they are sometimes mischievous but also can be helpful. There are stories that sometimes they take the village children (especially orphans) to live with them, and sometimes they have come to live with a village family where the family’s only child died. 28 The village is next to a hill with what appears like enormous stone steps carved into it. The villagers believe the steps were carved by giants. 29 The village has a feast day where the young men dress up in leaves and chase young maidens through the town; any maiden who is caught will marry the man who caught her. 30 The village has a tribe of Wisunds that they have domesticated. Random Weird Site: Roll on the following table for the type of weird site. Weird table (1d20): 1. A well that grants those who gaze into it visions of events taking place in distant locales. 2. A field of strange faerie-fruits. Anyone who eats one will have to make a saving throw vs. magic or lose 1d4 from one random ability score and gain 1d4 in another random score. 3. A standing stone from ancient times. Whoever touches it cannot tell a lie while in contact with it. Some ancient visitor left a note to that effect carved in Latin. 4. A field of blue faerie-flowers. If anyone eats a petal of the flower, they will need to make a saving throw vs. magic or will die; if they survive, they will have a percentage chance equal to their wisdom + level of being able to receive a true and useful vision of the future. Anyone who has such a vision will have their eyes permanently turn deep blue. 5. A faerie-bush with 1d100 purple-colored berries. Any berry that is eaten will heal 1d4hp, but there’s a 10% chance that a berry will have gone bad, requiring a saving throw vs. poison to avoid death. 6. An area in the wilderland where all the trees, plants, and ground appear to have been crushed, as if by some giant foot stepping with great force on them. 7. A flaming quarterstaff in the middle of the wild. Its tip burns constantly and will burn anything else flammable that it touches, but the rest of the staff is never consumed. The staff is magical and does 1d4 extra fire damage on a hit. 324

8. A floating rock, about 2 feet cubed, hovering about 5 feet in the air. It can not be moved by any amount of force, nor can it be harmed. 9. A shimmering mist that leads to the otherworldly realm of the White Stone (see “magical places” above). 10. A small cave entrance; any who pass through it will be transported to the place where they most need to be at this time. 11. Four short copper pillars, clearly very old. Any magician who is inside the square the pillars demarcate will be able to cast spells as if they were 3 levels higher than they are. However, any magic intended to harm will instead affect the person who cast the spell. 12. Inside a cave blocked by a large boulder, there is a small chamber. In a small sealed box in the chamber, there is a scroll written in Greek. The scroll contains a word, which the scroll explains is the Killing Word. If anyone speaks that word out loud, all who are within range to hear the word will instantly die, including the one who spoke it. No saving throw is permitted. Only someone who is deaf or otherwise protected from hearing sound would survive, except for one who speaks it, who will die regardless. 13. A meadow of strange, tall, pale faeriegrass. The grass can be made into a tea; whoever drinks it must make a saving throw modified by CON. If they fail the save, the awful taste forces them to vomit. If they make the save, they can stomach the grass and heal 1d4hp if they are injured. 14. A small, hermetically sealed bottle that seems to have blinking lights inside it. If anyone opens the bottle, 2d4 blasts of lighting will come flying out in every direction, each striking a random living creature within 240ft (a person can be hit by more than one bolt). Each bolt does 2d6 points of damage. After being opened, the bottle has no further use. 15. A meadow that is always green and warm, no matter what time of year it is. 16. An area of large gray stones curved and smoothed with twists and bowls that look too perfect to have been caused by nature, as if giants had made works of abstract art. 17. A cave entrance; whoever steps inside the cave past the first 20’ will vanish and will reappear after a random period of time (roll 1d6: 1. five rounds, 2. five minutes, 3. thirty minutes, 4. three hours, 5.three days, 6. three months), with no recollection of any time having passed. 18. An isolated area which has the lair of a mad Golem, driven to chaos. 19. A glade filled with strange faerie butterflies, each about two feet tall. There’s a 66% chance they are harmless (AC:10, 1d4hp), but otherwise, they are poisonous to the touch (save vs poison to avoid instant death). 20. A clearing of about 1d6 x 100ft that seems barren and empty during the day, but around midnight each night and until dawn, a fog rolls in that does 1d6 points of damage per round to any living thing in the area. 325

Rebels: A band of rebels, most likely pagans, who are in revolt against local rulers. There’s 1d100 of them unless they are in the wilderland, where there will only be 2d20. They are mostly level-0 soldiers, but for every 10 men present, there is one sergeant of level 1d3, and any troop of 25 or more will have a leader of level 1d4+2. If the PCs outnumber the rebels, they will probably try to flee or avoid them (unless they have a good reason not to); otherwise, there’s a chance they will attack them to rob them, kill them, or hold them hostage. Skomroszny: a group of 2d6 Skomroszny traveling to some nearby community. They are most likely harmless, though there’s a chance that they might try to rob the PCs (either openly or by stealing their goods at night). Soldiers: An encounter with local soldiers. They are either a small patrol of 2d6 or a larger force of 4d20. A patrol will be on the lookout for bandits or poachers, while a larger force is likely marching to or from some battle. They are unlikely to harass the PCs unless they have a reason to believe the PCs are criminals or think that they are allied to enemy forces. Weather: A “weather” encounter is typically a rainstorm or a snowstorm, depending on location and time of year. Characters with Wilderness Lore should have some amount of advance warning of the storm’s approach (how much will vary). Travelers will either have to try to push forward or hunker down in place. The weather event will usually last for several hours, but in some cases, it could last for days. In all cases, travel will be severely limited. Witch Hunters: An encounter with 1d4 Witch Hunters, each of level 1d6, who are either currently on a mission to confront a witch or supernatural monster or they are simply journeying in search of some evil to defeat. There is a 30% chance that they have 1d6 retainers who will either be apprentices (level 0 Witch Hunters) or level 1 fighters. There’s also a 20% chance that they are accompanying/ protecting some group of Christians who were rescued from danger. Wild men: These are a group of 1d10 men who have taken to living in the wilderlands; almost certainly pagans, who have rejected the civilized life in favor of a hard life of freedom. They will typically be woodsmen of level 1d4. They mostly wish to be left alone; the GM should determine their reactions to the PCs’ presence, much of which will depend on whether they see the party as a threat. 326

Appendix II: Creature Lists by Terrain and Region Creatures by Terrain Type Plains 1-20 Badger 21-24 Basilisk 25-44 Horse (wild) 45-53 Licho 54-56 Phantom Warrior 57-58 Rarog 59-60 Strzyga 61-65 Tur (Auroch) 66-75 Walking Dead 76-80 Wisund 81-98 Wolf 99-00 Wolf, Dire Forest 1-3 Badger 4-5 Basilisk 6-10 Bear 11 Biesy 12-13 Black Dog 14-18 Boar 19-20 Boar, great 21 Borowc (Pomerania only) 22-23 Giant, Forest 24-28 Gnomy 29 Jedza (Baba Jaga) 30-32 Leszy 33-36 Licho 37-39 Lindworm 40-42 Lion 43-45 Lynx 46-47 Phantom Warrior 48-49 Rarog 50-51 Satyr 52-55 Spider, giant 56-59 Stag 60-62 Stag, giant 63-66 Strix 67-68 Strzyga 69-73 Tur (auroch) 74-79 Wisund 80-82 Vila 83-88 Walking Dead 89-90 Werewolf 91-96 Wolf 97-98 Wolf, dire 99-00 Zar-Ptak 327

Hills 1-4 Badger, giant 5-13 Bear 14-17 Boar, great 18-19 Dwarfs 20-22 Giant, Forest 23-25 Giant, Mountain 26-29 Griffin 30-33 Hippogriff 34-41 Lynx 42-45 Planetnik 46-48 Rarog 49-52 Skrzak 53-58 Stag 59-65 Strix 66-69 Strzyga 70-71 Unicorn 72-75 Upierz 76-80 Vila 81-86 Walking Dead 87-89 Werewolf 90-00 Wolf Mountain 1-7 Bear 8-12 Bear, Great 13-14 Dragon (small or large) 15-20 Dwarfs 21-23 Dziwozona (Carpathians) 24-31 Lynx 32-36 Giant, Mountain 37-40 Hawk, Giant 41-44 Griffin 45-49 Hippogriff 50-53 Planetnik 54-55 Rarog 56-59 Skrzak 60-66 Strix 67-69 Strzyga 70-73 Troll 74-76 Unicorn 77-80 Upierz 81-87 Walking Dead 88-95 Wolf 96-00 Wolf, dire Swamp 1-14 Boar 15-19 Biesy 20-25 Blotnik 26-31 Chaos Slime 32-37 Gadzin 38-57 Rat, giant 58-65 Strix 66-81 Toad, giant 82-90 Utopiec 91-00 Walking Dead 328

River/Lake/Coastal 1-9 Alkonost 10-18 Brzeginia 19-30 Fish men 31-50 Normal Animal* 51-61 Phantom Warrior 62-72 Rusalka 73-84 Utopiec 85-00 Walking Dead *: select any normal animal(s) that has come to the water to drink or bathe. Inhabited Areas/Towns 1-3 Basilisk 4-9 Bieda 10-12 Black Dog 13-18 Dogs (wild) 19-21 Gadzin 22-24 Ghost 25-29 Gnomy 30 Gwiazdor (winter only) 31-34 Latawce 35-40 Licho 41-42 Nocnica 43-45 Phantom Warrior 46-49 Poludnica 50-55 Purtok 56-63 Rat, giant 64-67 Shade 68-73 Skeleton 74-77 Skrzak 78-80 Strzyga 81-86 Walking Dead 87-90 Werewolf 91-93 Wight 94-96 Wraith 97-00 Zmora Monsters Specific to Regions Greater Poland Giant Mice (especially in Kruszwica or Lake Goplo) Masovia The Demon Boruta (especially around Lowicz) Vistula Mermaid (most often near Brodno) Vistula Region Dragons (Southern mountains) Dziwozona (Southern mountains) Giant Badger (City of Stones, Thorn Lands) Giant Boars (Sandomierz Forest) Giant Spiders (Sandomierz Forest) Lions (Sandomierz Forest) Upiersz (Southern mountains) Vila (Southwestern Vistulan region) 329

Silesia Dragons (southern mountains) Dziwozona (southern mountains) Mountain Giant (western Silesia between Klodzko and Krosno) Upiersz (southern mountains) Vila (southern Silesia) Wologor (Ox Mountain, SW of Legnica) Pomerania Giant Toad (Kamien) Borowc (forests) Fish Men (coastal area) Appendix III: Random Events in Towns and Cities When traveling to a new city, town, or village, or returning to any of these after time has passed, you may want to roll to determine some random event that has taken place in the life of the city. For the purpose of rolling, a “city” is a settlement with at least 1000 people. A “town” is a settlement smaller than that but with a grod. A “village” is a smaller settlement without a grod. Events In Cities, Towns, and Villages (1d100) Situation City Town Village Bandit Activity 1-8 1-7 1-8 Fire 9-19 8-14 9-13 Evil Ruler 20-25 15-21 14-23 Execution * 22-25 24-27 Fair/Market * 26-32 28-32 Famine 26-33 33-39 33-42 Fear/ Suspicion 34-35 40-44 43-52 Flood/ Drought 36-40 45-49 53-57 Harsh Winter/ Heatwave 41-50 50-59 58-67 Important Building * 60-62 * Religious Conflict 51-53 63-66 68-72 Important Delegation 54-61 67-68 * Marriage * 69-70 73-74 Mourning * 71-72 75-76 Notable Visitor 62-65 73 77 Plague 66-74 74-79 78-82 Religious Celebration 75-86 80-84 83-87 Raid/Siege 87-90 85-89 88-90 War 91-98 90-97 91-95 Disaster 99-00 98-00 96-00 Situation City Town Village *: these entries are events that would be too common or too rare to show up in this type of settlement. 330

Bandit Activity: Bandits have been harassing the area around the settlement, causing havoc. If the settlement has a grod, people are afraid to be outside it; if the event is in a village, the village itself might be in danger of raid or occupation. When entering the region, the GM should make an extra check for the possibility of the party encountering a raid from 4d10 bandits. If the settlement is a city, there’s a chance they may encounter a patrol. If they do, and the PCs do not have nobles or Holy Men/Warriors in their numbers, they might be suspected of being criminals. Inside the community, the PCs also have double the chance of attracting attention from the authorities. Fire: Fire is a constant danger in medieval settlements. Fire can cause devastating harm, and this event means that a significant percentage of the settlement would be damaged or destroyed. If the PCs own property in the settlement, there’s a 10% chance that it was destroyed in the fire. Evil Ruler: The person or people in charge of the settlement are corrupt and/or tyrannical. They could demand special tribute from locals or visitors, have a gang of toughs enforcing their power, or the local ruler might have delusions of grandeur with ambitions of conquest. Opposition could be met with violence. If the PCs have some special kind of authority, the ruler(s) may try to ingratiate themselves to the PCs, cover up their misdeeds, or even offer them a bribe to avoid their opposition. Execution: A local criminal, pagan, witch, or other person of note is about to be put to death. The locals will either be exuberant and festive (if they despise the condemned), or they will be angry and resentful (if they think it is an injustice). Fair/Market: While cities always have a market, towns and villages will have certain days of the year when the local inhabitants will gather to sell their goods and crops. These will sometimes be specialist markets (for cloth, horses, or special goods like amber) that will attract merchants or general markets often held to coincide with important festivals. In addition to business opportunities, there might be religious events, public adjudication of legal cases, Skomroszny performers, magicians or soothsayers (in pagan locales), sports or games, and potentially pickpockets or thieves. Due to the influx of people, the risk of unwanted attention is halved. Famine: Due to bad harvests/weather, banditry, war, economic woes, corruption, or witchcraft, food has become scarce. In cities, food costs will double or triple (sometimes worse). The rich will still eat, but the poor will go hungry, and crime (as well as the risk of rebellion) 331

will increase. In towns and villages, hunger will be endemic, and food will be very hard to purchase (as much as ten times the usual price). What food there is will likely be of inferior condition. If famine has been going on for a while, the risk of disease will increase. If the PCs are transporting food, they could sell it at a premium but might also become targets for theft. Fear/Suspicion: The area is rife with rumors of murder, attacks, pagan revolt (or Christian aggression), or witchcraft. These may or may not be real. The authorities might be trying to deny the claims, or they may be paranoid as well, increasing the level of mistrust and possibly leading to acts of violence or repression/persecution. Outsiders might be viewed with mistrust, especially if they fit the bill of whatever the rumors attest to. Chances of unwanted attention are doubled. On the other hand, if the PCs are of high reputation and do not match with the targets of these rumors, they may be recruited to deal with this perceived menace. Flood/Drought: In summer months, heavy rains can cause rivers to flood; alternately, insufficient rains can cause droughts that threaten crops. Floods could ruin fields or destroy buildings, as well as block roads, and drought causes food insecurity. In both cases, for the next 2d4 weeks the costs of food and possibly other basic necessities will double in the area, and availability may drop considerably. If the PCs are traveling in wintertime, this event should be replaced with prolonged snowstorms, which also may make some trails and roads impassable and reduce food supply. Harsh Winter/Heatwave: Prolonged periods of extreme heat or cold can cause serious problems. People will die of cold in severe winters, particularly the poor. People will also be more vulnerable to the flu and other diseases. In a heatwave, people might die of heatstroke, and food rots more quickly, potentially leading to the spread of disease. Important Building: While something is very often being built in any large city, in smaller towns and villages, it is an event when some significant construction takes place. This could be fortification of the grod, a new manor/keep of the local lord, a church, a moat or canal, a new bath-house, or other important buildings. Workmen and merchants will have come to town to participate in the infrastructure project. Because of the number of newcomers in town, the chance of unwanted attention is halved. 332

Religious Conflict: Most often, this will indicate that the locality is experiencing conflict between Christians and Pagans. In Christian areas, this will take the form of local pagans resisting conversion and possibly engaging in violence against local Christian secular and religious authorities, possibly in response to Christian authorities persecuting local pagan practices. In Pagan areas, this could be violence against missionaries trying to peaceably convert the population or Christian authorities trying to take over and forcibly Christianize the leadership of the community. If PCs have prominently religious figures among their number (especially Holy Men or Holy Warriors), the local Christians might recruit them, or the pagans target them. In some rare cases, the conflict might be an intra-religious conflict between two sects of pagans or possibly of Christians (most likely between the more typical Catholic Poles and schismatics who follow the Byzantine rule). Important Delegation: The locality is being visited by the local Szlachta, by an important noble of a nearby region, by an important dignitary of the Piast Crown, or perhaps even by a passing Ambassador of some foreign state. The locality will be doing its best effort to show great opulence to its visitors, and there will be heightened security in the location, including the guards who no doubt escorted the visitors. If the visit is diplomatic and friendly, the chance of unwanted attention is halved. However, if the visit involves some harsh situation (communications regarding potential conflict, imposition of taxes, some kind of threat, etc), the chance of unwanted attention is doubled. Marriage: Someone from an important family in the locality is getting married. The wedding will be a lavish affair; how lavish depends on the relative wealth and status of the people involved. There will be decorations, music and dancing, and a great feast. It is not uncommon for strangers to be welcome to such feasts as guests because this is thought to be lucky. In larger communities where the important people being married will have greater wealth and respect, there will likely be food distributed to the poor and a great religious ceremony, with important guests coming from nearby localities. Mourning: Some notable member of the community (a noble, elder, merchant, or venerated religious figure) has died, and the community is mourning his death. In Christian communities, a funeral will be taking place, and the deceased will be entombed. In Pagan communities, the deceased will (in most cases) be cremated, and in some communities, the remains are buried in a kurgan mound. In both pagan and Christian communities, the 333

family of the deceased will keep their doors and windows open, the doorway covered with a cloth (black if the deceased was an adult, green if it was an unmarried man or boy, white if it was an unmarried maiden or child). Pregnant women are kept away from the corpse; water used to clean the body is not disposed of in fertile soil. The body is dressed in a white linen gown used only for that occasion. The funerary period typically lasts three days, culminating in the burial day and then a funerary feast at night. If the deceased was a notable person, it is unlikely that any business will be transacted for those three days. Notable Visitor: Some famous individual happens to be visiting the locality. It could be a famous warrior, a Holy Man, a magician, a doctor or healer, a highly skilled Skomroszny, a Witch Hunter, some high-ranking noble (but not as part of a delegation), or any other person of importance. Plague: A disease is rampant in the area. Flu and Cholera would be the most likely, but it could be something more serious, like the plague itself. People of wealth or opportunity will most likely have fled the locality for somewhere safer, and much of the commerce will be shut down. Prices on any products will be tripled, and many items might not be available at all. If the PCs seem disreputable, are not of the local religion, or could be mistaken for servants of evil witches, they may draw unwanted attention as the authorities seek someone to blame for the disease. Religious Celebration: the locality is celebrating a religious feast. It could be a local pagan feast or the feast of a locallyvenerated saint (the one a local church is named after, for example). The locality is likely to be in a reverent mood, and some services might be disrupted. If there are local religious conflicts (between Christians and pagans, most likely), there’s a chance of the feast being disrupted and violence taking place. Raid/Siege: The locality is under attack. In the case of a village or smaller town without a grod, it has been raided by bandits or marauders, and may at the moment be under occupation by the same. In the event of a town or city with a grod, it is most likely under siege, though a large or lucky enough army may have breached the walls of the grod and plundered it. If the siege/raid is over, services may still be disrupted, and citizens might be highly distrustful or vengeful. If the siege, raid, or occupation is ongoing, the reaction to the visitors will depend on who the raiders are and whether they think the PCs could be enemies as well. 334

War: The locality is caught up in war; this might be a local conflict between nobles, a larger-scale pagan revolt, or a foreign invasion. There might be an armed force preparing in the locality to march to a battle or to hold out against a siege. PCs might be called on (or conscripted) to join the fight. Disaster: the city was recently caught up in some kind of natural or man-made disaster. It could be an earthquake (particularly in the mountainous region), which would be relatively small in scale but could damage houses. Or a swarm of insects destroying crops, the collapse of a major structure, a mine collapse, or the town water supply running dry or becoming tainted. People will be fearful and looking to blame the event, either on divine judgment or witchcraft. Services may be disrupted, and PCs may be viewed with suspicion. Unwanted Attention In any locality, there is a chance strangers could be looked on with suspicion by the local authorities. And the stranger said strangers are, the more likely it will be. Usually, a stranger passing through will not be harassed (except if some of the events detailed above would cause them to be more notable than usual), but if someone lingers for more than a few days in a foreign place, there’s a chance that local authorities will think the PCs could be up to trouble. They might then be asked to leave the town, or be imprisoned, or just attacked. The chance of gathering unwanted attention begins if the PCs have remained in the same location for a certain period of time. This varies by the type of locality: ² Village/Rural: 1d4+1 days ² Town: 1d6+1 days ² City: 2d6+1 days The chance of unwanted attention also varies: ² Village/Rural: 20% ² Town: 10% ² City: 5% The base chance is doubled (40%/20%/10%) if the characters are clearly foreign to the region and do not look/act like typical peasants or merchants. The following factors also modify the base chance of attracting unwanted attention: Character Actions Modifier PCs look or act like magic-users but are not Holy Men +20% PCs engage in a fight or otherwise cause trouble +20% PCs are clearly not of the dominant religion +10% PCs include people who look very unusual or deformed +10% PCs have a wild animal or monster with them +10% PCs have a Holy Man/Warrior with them in a Pagan locality +10% PCs have a Holy Man/Warrior with them in Christian-dominant locality -20% PCs have someone who looks to be a Noble -10% 335

Note: if the PCs act in a way that clearly calls attention and causes trouble, the GM can judge that immediate unwanted attention is generated. Note that if the PCs have some kind of provable authority from a local magnate, the Crown, or the Church in Christian localities, they may draw the attention of authorities if they fail to provide their proof on arrival, but that proof will prevent their punishment or expulsion, as long as it is believed. Encounters In Cities In larger localities, there is a chance of having significant encounters. A GM can roll at random to determine if any given day or night on the streets leads to an encounter of importance. Villages and smaller towns are too small to cause random encounters. In larger towns, there’s a 1 in 6 chance of an encounter any day or night, 2 in 6 in most cities, and 3 in 6 in the largest cities. To determine the encounter roll on the following table: City Encounters (1d100) Day Night Basic Encounter 1 1-3 Thieves, assassins 1d3 (level 1-3) 2-13 4-8 Beggars, 1d3 (may have useful information) 14-20 9-19 Guards 2d8 (level 0 + 1 level 1d4 fighter) 21-23 20 Public officer (accompanied by 2d8 guards) 24-25 21-22 Warriors 1d6 (levels 0 or 1) – 23-24 Thieves, muggers 1d10 (level 0 + 1 level 1d4 thief) 26-27 25-28 Drunken ruffians 1d4+1 (level 0) 28-30 29-30 Messenger or Diplomat (the latter with 1d12 bodyguards) 31-34 31-33 Szlachta noble, male (with 1d4 servants) 35-38 34-37 Szlachta noble, female (with 1d4 guards and 1d3 servants) 39-42 38-42 Mercenary sell-swords 3d4 (level 1 fighters) 43-44 43-44 Mercenary warrior (level 1d4+1 fighter) 336

45-54 45-47 Merchant, rich (with 1d8 guards) 55-59 48 Merchant’s Wife (possibly in distress) 60 49 Holy Man or Holy Warrior 61-63 50-52 Skomroszny 1d6 64-65 53-54 Witch Hunter 66-72 55-57 Priest or Monk (1 or 1d4) 73-74 58-62 Prostitute 75-77 63 Religious Pilgrims 3d4 78-79 64-65 Magician or sage (level 1d4, possibly 1d4 students) 80 66 Spy 81-84 67-70 Thief, pickpockets 1d3 (level 1d3) 85 71-74 Town drunks 1d3 86 75 Town Champion or Guard Commander (level 2d4) 87-93 76 Impoverished Waifs 2d6 (begging, pickpocketing, or just being annoying) 94 77-82 Night Watchmen 1d6 (level 0) – 83 Witch or cultists (1 or 2d6) 95-00 84-00 Random Monster (roll on “Inhabited Areas” monster table) Random Jobs While in a locality, the PCs are likely to find opportunities to be sent out on missions or gain offers of employment. Roll on the following table for guidance: Mission (1d100) 1-3 Assassinate a Szlachta, Headman, or Merchant grodnik 4-9 Bodyguard a Szlachta, Headman, or Merchant grodnik 10-19 Fight a duel for a wealthy patron 20-22 Fight in a wrestling match at a fair 23-28 Join a hunting party, either for big game or a monster 29-34 Join an army in a local conflict/war 35-45 Join a raiding party against pagans or patron’s enemy’s territory 46-56 Spying or theft in this same locality 57-67 Spying or theft in another locality 68-78 Join a merchant caravan 79-89 Deliver a message to a distant locality 90-97 Search for a lost/missing artifact or person 98-00 Travel to the wilderness in search of a treasure City Encounters continued Day Night Basic Encounter 337

Urban Rumors It is likely that while in a locality, the PCs could learn details of things that have been going on in the surrounding countryside. Using the Court or Urban Lore skill, the PCs would be likely to hear some rumors. Any of the following rumors could be true or false, as the GM prefers. Rumors (1d100) 1-2 A local noble would pay a great deal for the intact skins/pelts of monsters; the rarer, the better. 3-4 A local merchant would pay good money for rare birds brought to him alive. 5-6 A large group of brigands, more than 100, have taken over a river-crossing, charging exorbitant tolls. 7-8 There’s a cave somewhere in the nearby wilderness populated by dwarfs and filled with ores. 9-10 On one of the roads/trails from town, a small merchant caravan was found torn to pieces; a dragon is suspected. 11-12 Some sort of demon is haunting the forest or hills nearby at night. Animals have vanished. 13-14 A monolith deep in the wilderness is said to be a sinister place, guarded by a demon, but said to contain some great magic treasure buried below it. 15-16 A very ancient partly-collapsed mine is said to have a lower shaft that was rich in gems, but all who have tried to enter never returned (the mine may be filled with undead creatures). 17-18 Peasants claim that there is a Blotnik in an area of wilderness nearby, leading people to their doom. 19-20 A great sage/magician from Byzantium has traveled through the locality a short time ago, looking for secrets of ancient magic. 21-22 The daughter of a local noble has run off with a servant, and there’s a handsome reward for her capture and return. 23-24 Rumor has it that a Zar-Ptak has been spotted in the deep forest nearby. 25-26 A Giant Hawk is said to have been attacking local farmsteads, coming most likely from the nearest hills or mountains. It is so large it can take a horse away in its claws. 27-28 A great Holy Man just recently passed through here, traveling alone. He is apparently capable of all miracles and was planning to go preach to the pagans, possibly to suffer martyrdom. 29-30 There’s a stone circle in the nearby wilderness. According to some accounts, no magic works inside the circle, and any magical effect is dispelled by anyone stepping inside. It may also attract magical creatures. 31-32 There are rumors that the local pagans in the surrounding region are on the verge of revolt. 33-34 There’s a sinister witch cult operating in the area; they have stolen babies and small children for sacrifice. 35-36 Some kind of giant has been spotted moving through the wilderness, not far from the road or trail. 37-38 The local pagans talk of a nearby glade that, on the night of the full moon, appears to manifest a gateway to some faerie realm. 39-40 One or more Licho have been spotted in the nearby countryside. 41-42 A great dragon was said to be seen flying somewhere around the nearest hills or mountains. 338

43-44 It’s said that in a pagan village in the nearby wilderland, the local shamans have some kind of drug that when the fumes are inhaled, grants visions of the future. 45-46 A local nobleman is said to be involved in degenerate activities. Some say he has left the faith and become a cultist. 47-48 A marriage alliance is being made between two Szlachta families, but enemies of both families may be planning to intervene. Extra security may be of interest to the families. 49-50 Jedza (baba yaga) has been spotted in the nearby wilderness. 51-52 A group of bandits have occupied an old abandoned tribal grod in the wilderness. 53-54 A pagan magician had set up a hovel for himself in the wilderness a couple of days travel from here. However, nothing has been heard of his activities for about a year, and some think he may be dead. Even so, there may be treasures in his hut. 55-56 A city of elves is said to be found somewhere deep in the wilderland in this region. 57-58 In the nearest hills, a small dragon has been seen attacking local wildlife. 59-60 A nearby forest grove is said to be haunted by a flock of latawce 61-62 Some ways off the road, there is a strange rock with ancient carvings on it. Pagans claim that if blood is let onto the rock on a full moon, the person who does so will receive a vision in answer to a question they ask. 63-64 A famous Skomroszny was recently murdered in the locality. No one knows who was responsible for the act. 65-66 A Holy Man has recently predicted a terrible flood is going to take place soon. 67-68 A pagan shaman lives by a lake in the wilderland not far from here. She is said to know how to make potions of healing, but she always demands a price (sometimes material, sometimes in the form of some task) in exchange. 69-70 There’s said to be a flower in the wilderland nearby that blooms only after a thunderstorm. This flower is very valuable to some unscrupulous people because it can be used to make a very potent and undetectable poison. 71-72 A local Szlachta is raising up an army of mercenaries. No one is quite sure why or where his loyalties lie. 73-74 It is rumored that there are spies in the city, either spying for the Crown or the church, for a noble or a foreign power, or pagans or cultists. 75-76 A local noble has stated that his daughter will only be married to a great hero who can prove he has slain a great monster. 77-78 Some local merchants are in conflict with each other; they’ve both got gangs of thugs at their service and have been causing great concern with their fighting. 79-80 A local noble is rumored to be looking for magicians, offering a reward to anyone who could summon a demon; of course, there’s no proof of this being true. 81-82 The son of a merchant was captured by bandits on the road, who are demanding a ransom. The merchant would rather pay to have his son rescued. Urban Rumors 339

83-84 In a nearby city or town, there have been several fires in succession. The authorities are desperate to find the culprit. It could be sabotage, witches, a monster, or just some lunatic. 85-86 Scandalous rumors abound of the local priest engaging in either deviancy or heresy/blasphemy. These rumors are thus far unproven. 87-88 Someone powerful is looking for a person who somewhat matches the description of one of the PCs. It might be an enemy or rival of the PC, or it may be a case of mistaken identity. 89-90 A strange yellow mist has been seen in some nearby areas; many of those who are found in the area of the mist have become sick with an unknown plague. 91-92 A tax collector of the local noble has gone missing while on the road. The noble wants him found or to find out what happened to him. 93-94 A pagan shaman has roused up local pagans to aggression against the Christians of the region. They have attacked farmsteads and traveling merchants. 95-96 The walking dead, or perhaps an Upior, have been spotted in a nearby locality. 97-98 Someone has located a nearby cave that may be a very ancient mine, or a burial complex from prehistoric times. 99-00 There are rumors of a coven of witches meeting somewhere in the nearby wilderness; it is said they are consorting with demons. Urban Rumors 340

Appendix IV: Pagan Magician/ Shaman/Witch Class This is a class, ostensibly for NPCs but optionally for PCs, to generate pagan magicusers. ² Requirement: INT 9+ ² Initial Bonuses: ² Hit Points: +1d4 hit points, modified by CON, at level 1. +1 hit point per level thereafter ² Combat Bonus: +0 ² Saving Throw: +1 vs Magic ² ² Special: Anyone of this class begins with a +1 in Theology (pagan). Zyrka (pagan priests) begin with a +2 in theology (pagan). ² Wolchw, Guslarz, Kresniks, and Witches all begin with Occultism +1. ² Kresniks and Witches begin with Demon Lore +1. ² Kurpie Shamans begin with Wilderness Lore +1. Anyone of this class can perform Summoning, and add their level to summoning checks (as with all magic checks). 341

Pagan Magician Benefits Table (1d10) 1-2 +1d4 hit points, modified by CON 3 Reduce Saving Throw DC by 1 4-5 1 new magical skill 6 +1 combat bonus with one type of weapon 7 +2 bonus to a current skill OR +1 to a new skill from the list below OR +1 language 8 +1 bonus to two current skills OR 1 new magical skill 9 +1 to spellcasting check with one favored magical skill 10 Special Ability OR +1 to a skill from the list below OR +2 to a current skill Pagan Shaman Skill List: Apothecary, Astronomy, Demon Lore, Faerie Lore, History, Medicine, Occultism, Perception, Wilderness Lore Special Ability When a pagan caster gets this result, they can choose a special ability based on their background. Spell checks for that ability can get spellcasting bonuses in the future from the benefits table. ² Zyrka of Svarog can craft Svarog Swords. ² Zyrka of Ziewanna can create a Thunder Candle. ² Zyrka of Marzanna (“mora”) can separate from their bodies. (see entry on Marzanna) ² Wolchw can take Spirit Magic (and can choose to gain a new Spirit Magic level every time they roll a 10 on the benefits table). ² Guslarz can contact the dead. ² Kresniks can transfer their consciousness to animals (see entry on Chors). ² Witches can gain control over a familiar, typically a bear, lynx, or wolf. ² Kurpie shamans can make magic bread. Magical Skills (1d8) 1 Banishing 2 Battle Magic 3 Cures 4 Enchantment 5 Folk Magic 6 Glamour 7 Runes 8 Magic Charms Pagan Charms Each time the magician receives this magical skill, they can roll for two secret charm recipes they now know. Descriptions of these are found in the “Pagan Magical Objects” section. Charm (1d12): 1. Adder’s Tongue Love Bath 2. Belladonna Ointment of Flying 3. Birch Ward 4. Garland of Protection from Faeries 5. Kwiat Paproci 6. Lady’s Mantle 7. Linden Potion for Madness 8. Shaman’s Rattle 9. Sweet Clover Wine 10. Warrior’s Belt 11. Willow Knot Love Charm 12. Wormwood Potion 342

Appendix V: Social Encounters Animal Handling In most situations, checking the state of animals (wild or domesticated) can be handled by simple reaction checks. However, if the PC in question has training in handling an animal (either by the Farming skill for domesticated animals or by Wilderness Lore for wild animals of a region/terrain that the PC has experience with), the PC may be able to attempt a more complex skill check to manipulate the animal in question. In the case of domesticated animals, this check could be used to calm a nervous beast, herd them in some kind of difficult situation, or command them to obey (in the case of those smarter animals who can follow orders). For wild animals, this might allow a PC to calm down a wild beast or scare it away. In no case can this type of check do something that is beyond the normal limits of the animal’s intelligence or instincts. It won’t make a wild creature domesticated or obedient to commands, nor will it let domesticated animals perform feats against their nature or beyond their ability. In addition to the basic CHA modifier, this check should also be modified by the PC’s Farming skill or Wilderness Lore skill. 343