The Cursed

“Please.”

“I’m sorry, I cannot help you.”

“I have journeyed two weeks–”

“I cannot help you.”

“I have gold.”

There was silence for a few moments then the light of dawn filled the room as a woman pushed aside the door curtain and left the shop. She paused for a moment just outside. The winter sun is cold comfort but taking time to enjoy its warmth, as little as it is, has become an important ritual.

What number was this? The fourth, no, fifth time she’d been refused? That was the last master healer in the city. Her grimace cut long lines through the scars on her face as she sighed, “No point in staying here any longer.”

Making her way to the city gates, she rounded the corner and was met with smashing pots and shouting. Riding at her, a man on a cart was yelling, “Out of the way!” as two men with a symbol of sun embroidered on their tunics gave chase.

Anna threw herself towards the nearest wall but in doing so her foot slipped on the muddy road and instead of diving from the path, went face down in the wet earth. The wagon narrowly missed her but one of the two men giving chase nearly tripped over her, instead stepping on Anna's leg.

Her yelp of pain was muffled in a spurt of muddy bubbles as the man ran over her and the cart continued plowing through the streets, finally disappearing down an alley. 

Wet earth caked her mouth, Anna slowly picked herself, spitting. Half covered in mud, she sat up gingerly. Not to be defeated she finally picked herself up and again made her way to the city gates, this time limping.

If asked why she did not take a rest or stop to properly to clean herself or why she had a look of complete determination like a trapped wolverine, she would reply, “That old bitch won’t kill me yet.”

It’s become a bit of a personal mantra.

Arthur Rackham

Curses

A true curse is a formidable and enigmatic spell. Few understand the precise workings of a curse or how exactly it interacts with those afflicted, only that is a feared and seldom used avenue of power. Many learned in magic do not accept the existence of curses, believing them to be mere myth. And yet, even doubters are wary of them.

A true curse is different from normal spells in that they can be cast by even the most mundane of Rhen’s inhabitants. True curses are evoked with dread, fury, and pain. One does not premeditate uttering a curse. It cannot be fabricated. It must be cast with genuine and powerful emotions. Curses are screamed or spoken in cold, precise words with eyes like piercing daggers, mouth frothing like a rabid wolf, and fingers clenched so tight that nails draw blood. Spend 1 to 4 Power to speak a curse. You have a 1 in 6 per Power chance of successfully cursing the target (or targets), however, curses are fickle; in attempting a curse there is also a 1 in 6 per Power chance that you become cursed as well, unless you are able to name your target (it must be their true name). If you can name your target there’s only a 1 in 6 chance that you curse yourself. Cursed targets henceforth cannot spend Luck and what’s more, 1 in 6 checks automatically fail.

Unlike a broken oath, a true curse can be removed, but it is dangerous. As a result, wise healers are wary to help. A Remove Curse spell will remove a true curse, but to determine its success or failure, the healer must also make a Will check versus the strength of the curse (1d6 times Power spent on the curse). A successful check removes the curse. However, if the check fails, the curse is not removed and it results in the healer suffering one of the following conditions: 1. blinded, 2. muted, 3. unfeeling (numbed), 4. deafened, 5. exhausted, 6. paralyzed.

This and other additions/changes to the Northern Realm have come with plenty of playtesting. I think I'm getting closer to the mark with it. It's almost ready if you want to give it a try: The Northern Realm Handbook

Chapter 3: Lady of the Stars

This is a continuation of the King Thadar's Catacombs Campaign (Chapter 2: War).

Summary: Our adventurers' travels have taken them from Városa to Kerthaz and then back down that familiar road to the valley of Kékhegi. The party finds its way to the town of Kékhegi, where Lady Ilka is waiting. Ubykh's writ or Berzeg's silver coin will win the Lady's audience. Upon offering the map or information concerning Kerthaz she will be most grateful and offer a room in the castle. The adventurers' arrival, however, will trigger a series of disconcerting events that begins with a dead servant and seven possible suspects. The adventurers must race to discover the culprit or Lady Ilka may die and the region of Vale become entrenched in a prolonged war.

The Setting: Kékhegi is a fully intact dunaelf castle. The castle is built on a high ridge overlooking the town. Its towers reach hundreds of feet into the air. A well-groomed forest girdles the town, which is exceptionally well defended, but small. Trade between coastal towns and Kékhegi is necessary to maintain even a few hundred residents. In the past decade the lady of Kékhegi has built a strong relationship with the coastal villages and the town of Erd in particular. The Countess is named Ilka. She is a Blue noble with strong connection to the Veres family. Her late husband was cousin of Queen Etelka. Ilka relies on a small elite force of hussars and rangers to protect her territory. She has no slave soldiers and  any that come into her domain become free folk by law.

Upon entering the town, two lit torches should catch the adventurers' eyes. Their fires emanate a sapphire blue. If any of the adventurers are hussars or they cast an illusion spell (or an illusion spell is active), the torches suddenly erupt into a violent blaze and do one of two things. If they activate due to an illusion, the illusion is burned away in a blaze of blue embers. If they activate due to a hussar, the fires erupt into a heatless wall of flame. You may cross, but the hussar and his phantom may not. Only when the sergeant of the guard gifts the adventurer a medallion and it is donned, can the hussar pass the fire.

Timeline

Day 1: Servant dies.
Day 2: Ilka falls ill after the first dose of poison.
Day 3: Ilka is dead. The Eloszor army arrives but will not pass into Vale without Ilka.

Clues
 
Clue: A plain nondescript knife is left in the servant's belly and there are bruises on her face where her mouth was held tightly shut. Whoever did it was strong.
Clue: Lady Ilka's wine and food is poisoned by ground sweetwood (three doses within a week's time will cause organ failure in an adult). Sweetwood in small doses will give the appearance of an illness and death by natural causes.
Clue: Lady Ilka has a strong relationship with Queen Etelka Veres. Her brother is Duke Gaspar, lord of Városa. When our adventurers left Városa they may have heard rumors about murders in the city.
Clue: Two tanned men in golden scale armor (Kolos and Vilmos) speak with Lady Ilka in thick strange accents. Apparently, they are also staying at the castle, but they come and go frequently.
Clue: Erik prays each night. While not strange in and of itself, the Veres family is not particularly pious and unlikely to employ or confide in such a person.
Clue: The poison is on Erik's person. He is otherwise very careful. He keeps nothing in writing or objects that would incriminate him. After the unfortunate need to kill the servant girl, Erik will attempt to cast suspicions on other members in the castle. If the fact that Ilka is being poisoned is discovered, he will prepare a much stronger dose of poison. Doing so may be revealing as grinding sweetwood into power requires one be careful not to inhale. It causes sneezing fits and smells like molasses.
Clue: Erik's note to Ilka from the Queen. The first half of the note is in code. It means that the army is marching to Kerthaz. The end is peculiar. The Queen states that Erik has some special talents, including the ability to manipulate shadows. Nothing that you have noticed, however, indicates that he has this power.

The Assassin's Goal: The assassin is tasked with killing Lady Ilka, much the same as he was tasked with killing the Queen's allies in Városa. War has been brewing for some time and Count Filip of Erod is prepared. He has placed assassins in the towns of likely enemies across Vale. His goal is to isolate Városa and prevent it from seizing the entire valley entrance of Vale.

If in 3 consecutive days she dies, the symptoms appear as a disease. If the poison is ever discovered, then the tactic changes, a different poison will kill her with one dose.

Ilka's Goal: The ultimate goal of Ilka and the other Blue nobles is to crush Erod and consolidate power in Városa. There is a sense of urgency for the Blues as the need to counter the rise of Vadas in the north is becoming more apparent. Ilka is very close to the Queen. She is tasked with raising an army in Eloszor and surprising the Green's forces likely to siege Városa, since the bulk of its own forces are camped outside Kerthaz. Caught between hammer and anvil, the city guard in Városa and Ilka's army will crush them and then march north, pinning the Erod forces between two huge armies. Once conquered they will take Kerthaz and turn to Erod where Berzeg is attempting to undermine Lord Filip. If the two places are taken, half of Vale will be Városa's.

If Ilka is killed, the trust built between her and their leaders will be for nothing and Vale will be drawn into a prolonged war.

The front gate and Kékhegi Castle

The town of Kékhegi (with the castle on its north side and the gates on its south side). The town is circled by a dense hedge, a dry moat, and walls.

Characters in the Castle

Lady Ilka: Lady Ilka is a strong middle-aged woman (she is, however, very well kept and fit). She is also secretly a wizard. It is immediately apparent that Ilka is a leader. Widowed only a year into her marriage to Queen Etelka's cousin, Kovacs Kékhegi, Ilka never remarried. The Queen once tried to arrange a strategic marriage between her and her brother, Gaspar but she refused. Despite this, the Queen and Ilka are good friends. Ilka is headstrong and smart. Once she sets her mind to something, nothing can stop her. She is instrumental to the Queen and her brother's plans to unite Vale so to be ready if the Vadas family attempts a power grab, in fact, Ilka planned much of it herself. She has long campaigned against slavery and for that, she has gained a good reputation in the coastal towns of Eloszor, where slavery was once a problem not relegated to just the thrymm and half-blooded. In just a few years she has gained their trust and raised an army unbeknownst to the Green nobles of Vale. If her plan succeeds, eight thousand soldiers will march out of the valley and catch the Greens at complete unawares.

Kirantukh Ilka's faithful thrymm captain: Kirantukh is nearly three times Ilka's age, but answers to her with complete deference. A scar runs from his collar bone to his cheek. He is a huge thrymm, larger even than Berzeg and Ubykh. This is not a person to be crossed. He speaks very little in company, but in private he is much more in open. He fought in the Aelf War and was later taken as a slave soldier. He escaped after decades of service and finally made his way to Kekhegi. He has served as captain of the guard for nearly twenty years and has been Ilka's secret love for most of that time.

Lázár, Ilka's wizened teacher: Lázár is an old man. He spends most his time puttering around the castle library. He is Ilka's old teacher. He is also a wizard. In his heyday he was a talented magician. His particular expertise is in enchantments. He is also well-read. His interests are in the history of Vale and the old dunaelf kingdoms.
 
Kolos and Vilmos, visitors from Eloszor: These visitors are from Erd, a town on the coastal region of Eloszor. They speak Keleti in thick accents and it's extremely difficult to understand them. Their garb is also strange. They are often clad in golden scale mail. The two come and go from the castle often. In one week's time, the Eloszor army will arrive at Kekhegi's gates. There are dozens of Eloszor people within the town. Both men are capable warriors, but if the adventurers are unable to communicate with them they may appear very suspicious.

Anikó, Ilka's cousin: Ilka's cousin has lived with her for a little over a year. He is much younger and plumper than Ilka and prone to bouts of debauchery. He enjoys spending time with Lázár, but his idle chatter and tendency to expound on philosophy (to an annoying degree) makes him easy to overlook. Occasionally, he displays a sharp wit, sarcasm, and a surprising self-awareness. He's not nearly as big a doofus as he appears. If the adventurers don't find the assassin in a day's time, Anikó will likely become a target as he will be quick to investigate.

Erzsi, Ilka's lady in waiting: Erzsi is a composed, pretty woman. Ilka confides in her and she, in turn, feels free to express her thoughts. Erzsi is also a well-trained warrior. She keeps a long knife strapped horizontally across her back. She is very slow to trust anyone and therefore will confide only in Ilka and Kirantukh. Erzsi will also be quick to investigate and she will keep a careful eye on Ilka.

Erik, the Queen's man: Erik was sent by Etelka with a special note, signed and sealed. Erik has special talents that may be of use to her. But Erik is dead, killed by Zander. Zander has been posing as Erik for nearly two weeks now. He is a magpie. He keeps his weapons and poisons in his hidden pockets. He rarely walks around armed. He is quick, intelligent, and very careful. He tries to not stand out but is careful to add a supporting voice when Ilka wants input from the room. He is a native Keleti but was raised in Crocáno. If any of the party members are from Crocáno they may pick up on this. Zander will keep a close eye on any newcomers. He will do everything in his power to push suspicions on others, but will not hesitate to either dispatch anyone who confronts him.

This ends Chapter 3. See what's next for you in Chapter 4: The Marble Throne.

Chapter 1: King Thadar’s Catacombs

Premise: King Thadar’s Catacombs adventure takes our players on a journey from the bustle of Városa to castle Kerthaz, where builders discovered a network of tunnels. The baron of Kerthaz, lord Gabriel, is offering a tenth of what is found in the underground, as a reward to explorers willing to map it. It seems lord Gabriel is unwilling to send anymore of his people down into the tunnels after two groups did not return.

Setting: Vale, the eastern region of Kelet. This colorful region thrives in a hundred dells cut through the Frosthorn Mountains and a wide central valley bisecting the two main Frosthorn ridge-lines. Vale was once the thriving empire of Naerod. The dunaelfen structures built in and around the mountainsides and rivers still survive across Vale. Many Keleti nobles live in usurped Naerodian castles or built on their foundations. Dunaelfen ruins are a prominent feature in the valleys. There are over thirty separate fiefs in Vale. The political climate is volatile, evident by wars and the shifting alliances throughout the region. The king of Kelet has tried everything to pacify Vale short of invasion, but to no avail. The Church of the Three Ladies claims to work against further conflict there, but their strong presence and lack of success suggests otherwise. On the southern edge of Vale, remnants of another sort are present. The remains of thrymm settlements are evident throughout the mountains in that region. It is unclear whether any thrymm tribes remain deep in the mountain gorges, however, thrymm and half-blooded slave soldiers are not uncommon in Vale, especially in the strongholds furthest from Ártér (central Kelet).

Events in the Background: While the adventurers are chatting about travel plans and future wealth, tensions are high in Városa, Kelet’s second largest city. For the first time in centuries there is talk of war. The Veres family does not involve itself directly with the frequent skirmishes in Vale, but times are changing. Members of the Order of the Stars seem everywhere, prominent flags of blue are displayed on every tower, and the only thing anyone seems to talk about other than Kerthaz is which noble is a Green and which is a Blue.

A second background event (perhaps related to the recent ramping of tensions) a visiting noble was murdered in her sleep, the second murder on Alma Hill (an affluent area) in two weeks. Many rumors point to the rebel Berzeg, a thrymm and former slave-soldier.

Resources: I used this map as a stand in for Városa: https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=19378

Starting Point: We begin at the good ol’ Petty Dwarf, a tavern and hostel known for its atmosphere and size. It’s a week’s travel from Városa to Kerthaz and you know of at least two other groups leaving for Kerthaz tomorrow. You may even meet one on the road (possibly triggering a race to get there first).

Kerthaz: Kerthaz is built on the foundations of an old Naerodian settlement. Few visible ruins of the dunaelfen settlement survive, but underground there is an extensive network of tunnels. The lord of Kerthaz, Gabriel, ordered a survey of the tunnels two years ago, but after this recent discovery surveyors estimate only small portion has been mapped. Kerthaz is a vibrant town, built in the shadow of a large mountain dividing Vale from the ocean. The land around Kerthaz is wide and lush. There are a number of farms and meadows for horses. The castle garrison is largely made up of thrymm and half-blooded slave-soldiers. There are also a number of retired thrymm within Kerthaz, as Lord Gabriel sets a reasonable price for freedom as a means of reward and gaining loyalty. Lord Gabriel is a strong Green noble known for his fair-mindedness. Nearly all the captains of the garrison are members of the church. Knights of the Triad and half-blooded hussars are a regular sight in Kerthaz.

Upon Arrival: You are greeted with wet earth and the smell of putrid runoff. The town is alive with men-at-arms and builders. You immediately notice dozens of green banners displayed on the outer walls. As you approach, guards on high alert stop you. Upon explaining your presence, you are taken to the center of the town where a large man named Dominik greets you. It seems he is the captain of the guard. He gestures towards the nearest structure and curtly explains that the cellar of this building leads to the catacomb entrance and that if you wish access you must leave one item of significance with the guard stationed there (Dominik knows a spell that will reveal the emotional significance of an item). Upon your return, in exchange for the mapped tunnels the item will be returned to you and an armed escort will accompany you to your reward: one tenth of whatever is found.

Resources: I used this map as a stand in for Kerthaz:

https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=34381

The Dunaelfen Catacombs: The catacombs were once the stronghold of House Vogt. The ruined castle of this vast underground network stands abandoned one mile south of Kerthaz. Rumors of the haunted place blame it for missing travelers and livestock. The catacombs beneath Kerthaz are an extension of the castle tunnels.

Resources: King Thadar’s Catacombs are based on the Labyrinth of Buda Castle in Budapest and the parchment background is from freetextures.com.

The entrance is lit with many torches, but further down it is dark as pitch. The main foyer is marked with the statue of Rorerl I, the first emperor of Naerod. Beyond it, the tunnels begin in earnest.

Print this map and cut it into at least six pieces or keep it digital and add a solid layer over the map that players can erase as it is revealed, but be sure to make it so the players can draw on the map. As the adventurers explore they are mapping. As they enter each area give them a piece of the map. The blank map is missing corridors, dangers, statues, and hidden rooms that can be added to the map as they discover new areas. Once the catacombs are explored in their entirety the map is complete and it can be delivered to Dominik or Lord Gabriel for their reward.

The areas by number:

12. There is a large stone block, out of place and in the center of the hall. The single hewn block appears to have smashed the ground just behind the statue. This is the beginning of a booby-trapped corridor where the wrong step will bring a block down on top of you. There is at least one pool of blood under another fallen block. On closer inspection the blood can’t be older than two days.

1. Here is a shrine to Kazimir the god of violence, sometimes used to ward away thieves or as a warning. This hall is lined with steel posts topped with candelabras. Under the shrine is a hidden vault. Within is Marevecht, a sentient blacksteel sword.

2. Mounds of silver pieces, candlesticks, utensils, and dishware are covered in thick dust and webbing. Giant spiders protect their treasure trove and block the way. There are noticeable skeletons in the webbing.

3. Zisa’s room is a shrine to the stars. She is the goddess of companionship and beauty. This particular room is very tall. 25 ft. up the ceiling glitters with a little light. Huge diamonds stud the distant ceiling.

4. The walls of this room are covered in carved murals, including special stone screens dividing the center of the room. It depicts the Naerodian creation story and all the Naerodian gods, particularly Bogdan, god of fire and craft. His statue is at the center of the room. For interested explorers (with knowledge of giants), it’s curious that the gods strongly resemble giants and even more curious are the depictions of the four-armed servants accompanying them in the foreground.

5. This next room is similar to Bogdan’s chamber. This is the chamber of Milogost, god of the hunt. The murals in this room depict a war. For explorers with knowledge of dunaelfen history, this is one of the great wars between Maetra and Naerod, the two dunaelfen empires. The sandstone statue of a dunaelfen warrior blocks the hall leading to the next room. There are also two other statues in this room. If you attempt to continue on, the statue will come to life and block your path unless a dunaelf is with you or you clothe yourself in dunaelfin garb. If you the statue recognizes you as a dunaelf it will only step aside if you can answer the question of allegiance, "Who is the father of Naerod?" The answer being the first emporer of Naerod, "Rorerl I." If you draw your weapons before answering, all three statues in the room will attack.

6. This is the chamber of Radomil, god of wine and celebrations. There is a fountain here that still flows. If an adventurer tastes the liquid in the pool they will find it tastes like wine. The wine heals the adventurers of 1d6 Life (per day) and intoxicates its drinker. The adventurers may wish to rest, at least until the effects wear off.

7.  This is the Hall of Heroes. Each statue here is of a famous dunaelfen warrior. There is dried blood in this room. Not pooled, but seemingly dragged across the floor. There is a faux wall in the Hall of Heroes that leads to more catacombs and the old ruined castle one mile south of Kerthaz. The area with the blood has a statue of Anselm, a great hero. If the dagger at his hip is pulled it gives way two inches and the faux wall drops. Behind the faux wall is the escaped slave-soldier and rebel Berzeg and three compatriots. These thrymm warriors despise the Greens and work against them. Berzeg will begin as hostile but depending on your allegiances can be talked out of a confrontation. Beyond this room there is an exit to the outside (it exits just outside of Kerthaz) and also the tunnel leading to the ruined castle. Berzeg and company are unwilling to pass through to the castle. They say something haunts it (a wight). (Berzeg’s story continues in chapter 2)

Down an adjacent hall is a shrine to Vesna the goddess of spring and youth. Resting only an hour in this room will heal the adventurers of fatigue and 1d6 Power (per day).

8. The tunnels then narrow. Curiously you pass over mounds of sand into the bottleneck. If you have already fought the sandstone guard statues this will look familiar. The adventurers can only walk one by one through this area. There is a hidden door here. Putting pressure on this portion of the wall will reveal a passageway but beware there is a mad blind minotaur roaming these halls. If the adventurers are too loud the minotaur may burst through the faux wall and attack. How it got here is anyone’s guess, but the nearest room to the hidden door is filled with manure. Continuing on will surely end with confrontation.

Chamber number 8 is the largest area. It is filled with hay (indicating someone has been putting it there). Two large statues of two famous dunaelfen queens act as pillars to the room.

9. The forbidden shrine is only accessible through a hidden door, if one pushes the right stone brick. Inside is a statue of Toth. Toth is not a part of the Naerodian Pantheon. When the Maetrian and Naerodian dunaelfs fought, Toth was divorced from the Naerodian Pantheon. It is now forbidden to worship him. Conversely, the Maetrians worship only Toth. Praying to Toth or resting at his feet will kindle an inner fire and grant the adventurers 1d6 Temporary Life for the remainder of the day.

10. Exiting this area will reveal the slain corpses of an explorer group. They have been gored and trampled. Continuing on is the chamber of Vitomir, god of wisdom. This room has numerous murals. Depictions of tall lithe four armed beings are most prominent in this room. In Vitomir’s hand is a long crystal, which can be broken off or if the right trigger is found, released. The trigger is a hammer at Vitomir's waist. If pulled, the crystal is released. The adventurers may notice the hammer as a tool of Vitomir's brother, Bogdan the god of craft (hinting that it is out of place). If it is released the crystal is revealed as three times as long as was visible. Its purpose is as yet unknown but it gives off a faint light. If it’s broken it no longer gives off light.

11. The final room is the armory. This room is hidden. The secret door leading to it from room 12 cannot be opened from the outside. The ghost builders passing through the walls indicate the presence of the hidden room and a (second) secret door. On close inspection a small hole can be uncovered. About half a foot in is a mechanism that can be pushed to open the door, but if the tumblers lining the inside are even slightly touched a heavy cylindrical mechanism will break off whatever was put inside.

If the door is opened a room lined with shields, suits of armor, and a variety of arms are revealed inside. These items are all expertly crafted. The suits of armor are intended for dunaelfs and will fit a short human, but the arms and shields are sufficient for anyone.

 

This ends Chapter 1. See what's next for you in Chapter 2: War.

 

It Begins