Hugo Barbosa (Order #41667440)

The Beast of Lim fjord

Contents
The Lands of the North p.3
Preparing for Play p.4
Owning Characters p.4
Starting Play p.5
Hrothgar Whitbeard p.6
Brother Aldfrid p.7
Signy the Fierce p.8
Erlend the Younger p.9
Yngvild the Alfar p.10
Playing the Game p.11
Acts, Scenes & Turns p.11
Taking Action p.12
Difficulty p.12
Risky Actions p.13
Resilient Challenges p.13
Escalation p.13
Twists p.13
Hero Vs Hero p.14
Strain & Conditions p.14
Recovery p.14
Tracking & Defeating Challenges p.15
Ignored Challenges p.15
Running the Game p.16
Making Challenges Challenging p.16
Rewards & Advancement p.17
How Much, How Often? p.17
Using Spirit Points p.17
Improving Heroes p.17
The Three Acts p.18
Example Beasts p.21
Creating Your Own Heroes p.23
Blank Character Sheet p.24

The Beast of Limfjord Inspirations: Beowulf, The 13th Warrior, King Arthur
A game by Nathan Russell
Copyright: This product is copyright Nathan Russell 2011.
Writing and Layout: Nathan Russell
Playtesters: Brad Hockey, Martin Sullivan, Jason Drane,
Editing: Scott Vandervalk Robert Lamborne, Andrew Smith, Peter Blake, Timothy
Ferguson, Fridrik Bjarnason, John Reid and his crew of
Art: Cover Design - Nathan Russell bold warriors, Ryan Shelton and his band of beserkers,
Interior illustrations - public domain images Fabrice & Raul

Influences: John Harper, Rob Lang, Robin Laws’ Rune, This game was created as part of the mad, mad Stockade
Clinton R. Nixon’s Shadow of Yesterday, Matt Timm, John project. I insist you investigate further at
Wick, Savage Worlds http://www.stockade.wordpress.com. www.PerilPlanet.com

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 The Beast of Lim fjord

The Beast of Lim fjord

A Viking Saga

G
ather close and hear the saga of the great warrior,
Hrothgar, and his journey home. Many were his
triumphs in the years that he explored the north,
west and east. Stories of his battle with the Serpent of
Iceland, the defeat of the Tyrant of Wales and his tangle
with the Witches of Rus were spread from fireside to
fireside, wherever men shared tales. But as the weariness
of ages grew upon Hrothgar he (as all men do) longed to
return home and claim the prizes of old age - a welcoming
hearth and a warm woman. So it was that Hrothgar and
his crew of bondsmen set out for home. But the Gods
often have plans for the bold of heart and able of body,
and the north winds were unleashed upon Hrothgar and
his crew, smashing their longship upon the shores of far
northern Jutland, a desolate place of rugged men and
great peril. It was here that the villagers of Lim fjord,
recognizing the warrior in their midst, petitioned
Hrothgar to save them from the Beast that had descended
upon them.
This is the tale of Hrothgar and the Beast of Lim fjord...

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 The Beast of Lim fjord

The Lands of the North

T
he Beast of Limfjord is set in a place much like Dark Age
Scandinavia, a place where the Norse Gods truly meddle in
human affairs, giants stomp across the land, dwarves toil beneath
the world, Valkyrie honor the bold and Christian priests can channel the
power of their God.
This story takes place in the far north of Jutland - modern day
Denmark. Villages and towns are far apart and travel overland can be
difficult. Most trade is conducted by sea-going merchants traveling in
longships. The buildings here are constructed of vertical wooden poles
with shingle roofs and are typically a single living space with a central
fire pit. Villagers farm, raise livestock and fish to support the community.
Most people worship the Norse Gods, though a few Chieftains and their
villages have converted to Christianity.
Limfjord is a small, isolated village of two dozen families. Their
livelihood comes from the sea and the arrival of the Beast has
threatened their future. The villagers have so far been unable to rid
themselves of the creature.
The Limfjord, from which the village takes its name, is a sea inlet with
many large expanses of water and numerous islands. The waters are
calm, though the winds are always fierce. Raiders, traders and travelers
take refuge in the fjord’s natural harbors on their way to Alborg.
Giant Kin long ago made a truce with the men of Jutland, claiming
a great valley in the north as their own. Rumors have begun to filter
south of the death of the Giant King and the rise of the Usurper.
What this change will mean for the men of Jutland is unknown.
The long winter - the approach of Ragnarok - has begun, or so the
Skalds have begun to sing. The world grows colder and the sun is
slower to rise every day. Some say it is the doing of the Gods, others
claim Ragnarok has begun.

Historic Fantasy
This is a game of historic fantasy - a tale of legend inspired by the Sagas. I admit that my expertise lies far more in the realm of fantasy than his-
tory and I therefore give my sincerest apologies for any offence caused by liberties I have taken or mistakes I have made. Feel free to let me know of
any glaring inaccuracies that you feel must be righted!

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 The Beast of Lim fjord

Preparing for Play Owning the Character

With characters chosen each player gets to make a few choices about
The Beast of Limfjord is a complete roleplaying game, containing all
them, making the character “their own”. This also means you can play
the rules, characters and information you need to play. All you need to
The Beast of Limfjord multiple times, making different choices for the
supply are some friends, pencils and a bunch of polyhedral dice (you
characters for a different experience. The GM might give the players
know, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 and d20). You will probably need a few sets
a quick overview of the rules, before everyone reads over the rules at
of dice. The game assumes that at least one player has roleplayed before
the bottom of the character sheets. Now each player can adjust their
and you know the common terms, conventions etc. The following text is
character;
directed to the GM.
Edges: each character has four listed Edges and two “free slots”.
Begin by reading the introductory text on page 2 and give each player a
Players must choose two additional Edges to fill the free slots. There
character sheet (they can choose, or you can, or whatever works for your
is a short list of suggested Edges at the bottom of this section of the
group). If you have less than five players, I recommend the following
character sheet. Encourage players to pick something that highlights
combinations of characters;
who or what the character is.
2 players: Hrothgar Whitebeard and Signy the Fierce, OR
Drives: each character has three Drives that give a good guide to
Signy the Fierce and Erlend the Younger, OR Brother Aldfrid and
their motivations, background and personality. Players will use the
Yngvild the Half-Troll
Drives to roleplay their character and earn Spirit points. Each player
3 players: Hrothgar Whitebeard, Signy the Fierce and Erlend the picks two Drives for their character, putting a check in the boxes next
Younger, OR Brother Aldfrid, Yngvild the Half-Troll and Signy the to them. Everyone should talk about the Drives they have chosen at
Fierce this stage and “compare notes” to see how they fit with one another.
Some of the characters have Drives that connect to or link in with
4 players: leave out either Brother Aldfrid OR Yngvild the Half-Troll
other characters. Some of these Drives are directly opposed to one
-> If no player has Hrothgar Whitebeard you will need to change the introduction. another, which can make for both entertaining and frustrating games,
In one playtest game only Brother Aldfrid and Yngvild the Half-Troll depending upon the style of play your group enjoys.
participated, so the tale told was of Brother Aldfrid bringing the word of the
Legend: every character has an amazing ability that he or she is
Lord to the pagan village of Limfjord, intent to show that with Faith in his God
renowned for, represented by their Legend. Players choose one Legend
any evil could be overcome.
for their character, putting a check in the box next to its name.
Spirit: all characters begin the game with one Spirit point. They will
Tone: The Beast of Limfjord is inspired by Norse sagas and the earn more during the game by roleplaying their Drives.
epic tales of the dark ages, in particular Beowulf. Action should be
Conditions: characters start the game healthy and stress free. No
larger than life, challenges heroic in scale. Action is gritty, combat
condition boxes are marked off at the beginning of the story.
is visceral and relationships are fiery, passionate and do not always
end well. In this game character relationships should be important, Finally, each player should briefly introduce their character and everyone
but not overshadow the grand action and epic deeds. When it all should take a few moments to discuss the relationships that exist between
comes down to it, this game is about the hunting and killing of a them.
foul beast that threatens an isolated village.

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 The Beast of Lim fjord

Starting Play
When the rumors have been stated, begin the adventure proper by having
the characters enter the village for the first time. Will they go to see
the Chieftain, visit the tavern, or immediately strike out in search of the
You will now seed the story with details about the Beast and the village beast? Here are a few “scenes” you might paraphrase to start play:
of Lim fjord. Go around the table and ask each player to give one rumor
they have heard about the people, village or beast of Lim fjord. You get to -> It is late and you are tired and weary when you arrive at the village of
add a rumor too. If you want, go around a second time. Tell the players Limfjord. Two warriors, both obviously old and both obviously nervous, stand
that the rumors they share here may affect the story that is about to by the trail into town. They ready their spears as you approach.
unfold. These rumors may or may not be true but you should use them as -> You have made good time and arrive at Limfjord mid-morning. As you
indicators of what the players want to experience in the adventure. Here crest a low rise you see the village spread out before you, a cluster of long
are some examples, if players get stuck: wooden buildings and a dirt track leading to a small frozen bay. Smoke lazily
-> Fire and smoke always accompany the beast drifts from a few houses, but you see no sign of man or beast.
-> The village Chieftain’s daughter has been taken -> Cold and wet and angered by the destruction of the longship, you have
strug gled overland with your handful of possessions, to a small fishing
-> The ethereal singing of a woman always precedes the attacks village. It is late afternoon, but instead of the opportunity to warm yourself by
-> Many villagers have been driven mad with terror a hearth you are stopped by a group of villagers armed with simple weapons
who demand to know your identity and business.
-> Victims have been found drained of blood
-> The village crops have failed and the people are starving

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Hrothgar Whitebeard Drives Legend

Aging warrior and Chief without a clan Choose two: Choose one:

[ \ Glorious Death [ \ Pathfinder

Strength Hrothgar’s winter approaches and he seeks Hrothgar has grown familiar with the way
Prowess Edges his place in the halls of Valhalla. Earn a the wilderness works. Roll an extra d6
d fh k l t Spirit point when you suffer a Dazed,
Injured or Dying condition.
for any Wits check about travel and
Strain
k[\ Henchmen surviving in the wilderness.

Agility h [ \ Keen steel sword [ \ Father [ \ Iron Hard

Agilty f [ \ Known across the land Hrothgar fiercely protects his daughter Hrothgar is strong-willed and able to
d fh k l t f[\ Signy from harm. Earn a Spirit point
when you make a decision influenced
press on when others would give up.
Strain
d[\ Wealth by Signy’s actions, or protect her from
Hrothgar’s Conditions recover at the
end of a scene.
Wits d[\ harm.
Wits Chainmail, wooden shield, fearless, [ \ Legendary Warrior
d fh k l t Strain
wolf pelt cloak, wrecked longship [ \ Curmudgeon
Hrothgar is convinced that the young don’t
Hrothgar is a mighty warrior who has
bested countless foes in combat. Spend a
know how to do anything properly. Earn
Bearing Conditions a Spirit point when you criticise others
Spirit point to re-roll a Prowess die.

Bearing about how they do things.

d fh k l t Strain

Prowess Spirit
Prowess [ \ Angry [ \ Trapped [ \ Dazed
d fh k l t Strain
[ \ Scared [ \ Blinded [ \ Injured
[ \ Tired [ \ Hungry [ \ Dying

Risks and Rewards Conditions: When a roll is Failed, or when the situation Drives: these are character motivations and goals. When
When attempting dramatic actions or trying to overcome warrants it, the Attribute is Strained. A strained Attribute you act in accordance with one of your Drives you gain
obstacles, determine which Attribute you are using and roll counts as one die lower (a strained d4 means you don’t a Spirit point. If you put yourself into a particularly
that die. If you have an Edge that might be useful you can roll a die). Sometimes a character will suffer a Condition dangerous situation because of a Drive, you earn two Spirit
roll that die too. Each result of 4 or higher is a Hit. You instead, in which case you mark off the relevent box. points.
need Hits equal to the Difficulty to succeed.
Recovery: Each Attribute recovers one step of Strain at Advances: spend Spirit at anytime to improve your char-
Difficulty: Easy = 1 Tricky = 2 Tough = 3 Daunting = 4 the end of an act (or at the GM’s discretion). Conditions acter. To raise an Attribute or Edge to the next die type it
recover at the GM’s discretion, usually after significant costs a number of Spirit points equal to the current die (so,
No Hits - Failure. Situation escalates. roleplaying. to raise an Attribute from d6 to d8 it
Not enough Hits - Twist. Partial success. would cost 6 points). It costs 5 Spirit
Enough Hits - Success. Player gets what they want. Spirit points: spend Spirit to (a) recover a Condition; (b) to add a new Drive or Legend.
Each additional Hit - make a declaration. recover all Strain from one Attribute; (c) refresh a used
Edge; or (d) add a detail to a scene.

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Brother Aldfrid Drives Legend

Wandering monk with a secret Choose two: Choose one:

[ \ Clergyman [ \ Divine Insight

Strength
Aldfrid is a devout Christian and seeks to Aldfrid has visions that allow him to see

Prowess Edges
spread his faith to the unenlightened that the “true” path. Spend a Spirit point to

d fh k l t he meets. Earn a Spirit point when you

defend your faith.
ask the GM a “yes” or “no” question
that they will answer honestly.
Strain
k[\ I am a Priest
h [ \ Greedy [ \ Languages
Agility [ \ Well traveled
Agilty f [ \ A hidden dagger
Though he knows it is a Sin, Aldfrid Aldfrid can speak many foreign and

d fh k l t f [ \
secretly covets wealth. Earn a Spirit point
whenever you do something to im-
ancient languages. Roll an additional d6
when speaking foreign languages and
Strain
d [ \ Monk’s robes prove your own personal wealth. when reading anything.

Wits d [ \
Wits Crucifix, holy water, bible,
[ \ Healer [ \ Blessing
d fh k l t Strain
donkey, seeds, healer
Aldfrid is skilled in the healing arts and
the use of herbal remedies. Earn a Spirit
Aldfrid can bless the actions of those
around him. Spend a Spirit point to
point when you tend to the sick and raise the Attribute die of a single target
Bearing Conditions
injured. by one step, for one scene.
Bearing
d fh k l t Strain

Prowess [ \ Angry [ \ Trapped [ \ Dazed Spirit

Prowess
d fh k l t Strain
[ \ Scared [ \ Blinded [ \ Injured
[ \ Tired [ \ Hungry [ \ Dying

Risks and Rewards Conditions: When a roll is Failed, or when the situation Drives: these are character motivations and goals. When
When attempting dramatic actions or trying to overcome warrants it, the Attribute is Strained. A strained Attribute you act in accordance with one of your Drives you gain
obstacles, determine which Attribute you are using and roll counts as one die lower (a strained d4 means you don’t a Spirit point. If you put yourself into a particularly
that die. If you have an Edge that might be useful you can roll a die). Sometimes a character will suffer a Condition dangerous situation because of a Drive, you earn two Spirit
roll that die too. Each result of 4 or higher is a Hit. You instead, in which case you mark off the relevent box. points.
need Hits equal to the Difficulty to succeed.
Recovery: Each Attribute recovers one step of Strain at Advances: spend Spirit at anytime to improve your char-
Difficulty: Easy = 1 Tricky = 2 Tough = 3 Daunting = 4 the end of an act (or at the GM’s discretion). Conditions acter. To raise an Attribute or Edge to the next die type it
recover at the GM’s discretion, usually after significant costs a number of Spirit points equal to the current die (so,
No Hits - Failure. Situation escalates. roleplaying. to raise an Attribute from d6 to d8 it
Not enough Hits - Twist. Partial success. would cost 6 points). It costs 5 Spirit
Enough Hits - Success. Player gets what they want. Spirit points: spend Spirit to (a) recover a Condition; (b) to add a new Drive or Legend.
Each additional Hit - make a declaration. recover all Strain from one Attribute; (c) refresh a used
Edge; or (d) add a detail to a scene.

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Signy the Fierce Drives Legend

Warrior woman, shield-maiden, daughter of Hrothgar Choose two: Choose one:

[ \ Something to Prove [ \ Animal Ken

Strength
Signy feels she is always in the shadow of Signy has the ancient ability to speak with

Prowess Edges
the men around her. Earn a Spirit point animals. You can use Bearing to com-

d fh k l t when you go head-to-head with a

man in a traditionally male endeavour
municate in simple ways with animals,
as if she could speak with them.
Strain
k [\ Beautiful (combat, drinking, love making, etc).
h [ \ Intuition
Agility f
[
[
\
\
Bow and quiver
Always underestimated
[ \ Kind-hearted Signy is said to have an uncanny ability to

d fh k l t f [ \
Signy has a soft spot for those in need.
Earn a Spirit point when you help
avoid danger. You roll an addiitonal d6
when avoiding traps and ambushes.
Strain
d [ \ Battlecry someone who is in danger, or change

Wits d [ \ their life for the better. [ \ Accurate Attack

Wits Chainmail, wooden shield, fine gown,
Signy attacks with astounding accuracy
d fh k l t Strain
sword, stealthy, healer
[ \ Cunning
Signy is a clever hunter and cunning
and precision. Spend a Sprit point to
add a d10 (Signy’s Agility) to any kind
warrior. Earn a Spirit point when you of ranged attack.
Bearing Conditions
devise a plan that others follow.
Bearing
d fh k l t Strain

Prowess [ \ Angry [ \ Trapped [ \ Dazed Spirit

Prowess
d fh k l t Strain
[ \ Scared [ \ Blinded [ \ Injured
[ \ Tired [ \ Hungry [ \ Dying

Risks and Rewards Conditions: When a roll is Failed, or when the situation Drives: these are character motivations and goals. When
When attempting dramatic actions or trying to overcome warrants it, the Attribute is Strained. A strained Attribute you act in accordance with one of your Drives you gain
obstacles, determine which Attribute you are using and roll counts as one die lower (a strained d4 means you don’t a Spirit point. If you put yourself into a particularly
that die. If you have an Edge that might be useful you can roll a die). Sometimes a character will suffer a Condition dangerous situation because of a Drive, you earn two Spirit
roll that die too. Each result of 4 or higher is a Hit. You instead, in which case you mark off the relevent box. points.
need Hits equal to the Difficulty to succeed.
Recovery: Each Attribute recovers one step of Strain at Advances: spend Spirit at anytime to improve your char-
Difficulty: Easy = 1 Tricky = 2 Tough = 3 Daunting = 4 the end of an act (or at the GM’s discretion). Conditions acter. To raise an Attribute or Edge to the next die type it
recover at the GM’s discretion, usually after significant costs a number of Spirit points equal to the current die (so,
No Hits - Failure. Situation escalates. roleplaying. to raise an Attribute from d6 to d8 it
Not enough Hits - Twist. Partial success. would cost 6 points). It costs 5 Spirit
Enough Hits - Success. Player gets what they want. Spirit points: spend Spirit to (a) recover a Condition; (b) to add a new Drive or Legend.
Each additional Hit - make a declaration. recover all Strain from one Attribute; (c) refresh a used
Edge; or (d) add a detail to a scene.

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Erlend the Younger Drives Legend

Young warrior out to prove himself Choose two: Choose one:

[ \ Hidden Love [ \ Mighty Blow

Strength
Erlend is madly in love with Signy, but Erlend can cleave enemies with a single

Edges
does not want her or her father to know. swing of his axe. Spend a Spirit point to

d fh k l t Earn a Spirit point when you make a

decision based on this hidden long-
add a d12 (Erlend’s Strength) to close
combat attacks.
Strain
k [ \ Brave ing, or somehow show this affection
indirectly.
h [ \ Signature Weapon
Agility [ \ My father’s axe
Agilty f [ \ Hunting hounds [ \ Reckless
Erlend’s axe is an ancestral heirloom,

d fh k l t f [ \ Erlend is young and reckless. Earn a

passed from father to son. Change
Erlend’s “My father’s axe” to a d10
Strain
d [ \ Honest face Spirit point when you do something Edge.

Wits d [ \ cool that is risky or dangerous.

Wits Chainmail, wooden shield, running,

[ \ Sailor
d fh k l t Strain
carousing, handsome, sailor
[ \ Show-Off
Erlend has a habit of talking himself up,
Erlend and his family live and breathe the
sea. Roll an additional d6 on any task
hoping to impress Signy and her father. related to sailing, boats or the sea.
Bearing Conditions
Earn a Spirit point when you talk
Bearing yourself up, brag or try to impress

d fh k l t Strain
others with your deeds.

Prowess Spirit
Prowess [ \ Angry [ \ Trapped [ \ Dazed
d fh k l t Strain
[ \ Scared [ \ Blinded [ \ Injured
[ \ Tired [ \ Hungry [ \ Dying

Risks and Rewards Conditions: When a roll is Failed, or when the situation Drives: these are character motivations and goals. When
When attempting dramatic actions or trying to overcome warrants it, the Attribute is Strained. A strained Attribute you act in accordance with one of your Drives you gain
obstacles, determine which Attribute you are using and roll counts as one die lower (a strained d4 means you don’t a Spirit point. If you put yourself into a particularly
that die. If you have an Edge that might be useful you can roll a die). Sometimes a character will suffer a Condition dangerous situation because of a Drive, you earn two Spirit
roll that die too. Each result of 4 or higher is a Hit. You instead, in which case you mark off the relevent box. points.
need Hits equal to the Difficulty to succeed.
Recovery: Each Attribute recovers one step of Strain at Advances: spend Spirit at anytime to improve your char-
Difficulty: Easy = 1 Tricky = 2 Tough = 3 Daunting = 4 the end of an act (or at the GM’s discretion). Conditions acter. To raise an Attribute or Edge to the next die type it
recover at the GM’s discretion, usually after significant costs a number of Spirit points equal to the current die (so,
No Hits - Failure. Situation escalates. roleplaying. to raise an Attribute from d6 to d8 it
Not enough Hits - Twist. Partial success. would cost 6 points). It costs 5 Spirit
Enough Hits - Success. Player gets what they want. Spirit points: spend Spirit to (a) recover a Condition; (b) to add a new Drive or Legend.
Each additional Hit - make a declaration. recover all Strain from one Attribute; (c) refresh a used
Edge; or (d) add a detail to a scene.

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Yngvild the Half-Troll Drives Legend

Skald, traveler and outcast Choose two: Choose one:

[ \ Outsider [ \ Wind Walker

Strength
Yngvild is a stranger to the realms of man Yngvild can walk on the wind itself.

Prowess Edges
and often makes mistakes that others find Spend a Spirit point to levitate, hover

d fh k l t charming or funny. Earn a Spirit point

when your confusion about human
and fly through the air for the dura-
tion of the scene. Move at a running
Strain
k [ \ Faery creature customs gets a laugh out of other play-
ers or characters.
pace. You can perform no other action
while flying.
Agility h [ \ Swift
Agilty f [ \ Frost blade [ \ Unusual Appearance [ \ Shatter
d fh k l t f [ \ Half-trolls are strange looking faerie Yngvild’s sinews have untold strength.
Strain
d [ \ Darkvision with ice blue skin, making them obviously You can shatter objects with your bare

Wits d [ \ different. Earn a Spirit point when your hands, as if swinging a hammer at

Wits Bow and quiver, quiet, sharp teeth,

appearance and nature causes you glass.

d fh k l t Strain
faery glow, endure elements
trouble or is important in a scene.
[ \ Fey Lore
[ \ Sun Fearer Yngvild is a creature that lives apart from
Bearing Conditions
Yngvild has an irrational fear of sunlight the realms of men.. Roll an extra d6 for
Bearing and takes effort to avoid open daylight for any Wits check about fey creatures.

d fh k l t Strain
long periods. Earn a Spirit point when
you make a decision driven by your
fear.

Prowess [ \ Angry [ \ Trapped [ \ Dazed Spirit

Prowess
d fh k l t Strain
[ \ Scared [ \ Blinded [ \ Injured
[ \ Tired [ \ Hungry [ \ Dying

Risks and Rewards Conditions: When a roll is Failed, or when the situation Drives: these are character motivations and goals. When
When attempting dramatic actions or trying to overcome warrants it, the Attribute is Strained. A strained Attribute you act in accordance with one of your Drives you gain
obstacles, determine which Attribute you are using and roll counts as one die lower (a strained d4 means you don’t a Spirit point. If you put yourself into a particularly
that die. If you have an Edge that might be useful you can roll a die). Sometimes a character will suffer a Condition dangerous situation because of a Drive, you earn two Spirit
roll that die too. Each result of 4 or higher is a Hit. You instead, in which case you mark off the relevent box. points.
need Hits equal to the Difficulty to succeed.
Recovery: Each Attribute recovers one step of Strain at Advances: spend Spirit at anytime to improve your char-
Difficulty: Easy = 1 Tricky = 2 Tough = 3 Daunting = 4 the end of an act (or at the GM’s discretion). Conditions acter. To raise an Attribute or Edge to the next die type it
recover at the GM’s discretion, usually after significant costs a number of Spirit points equal to the current die (so,
No Hits - Failure. Situation escalates. roleplaying. to raise an Attribute from d6 to d8 it
Not enough Hits - Twist. Partial success. would cost 6 points). It costs 5 Spirit
Enough Hits - Success. Player gets what they want. Spirit points: spend Spirit to (a) recover a Condition; (b) to add a new Drive or Legend.
Each additional Hit - make a declaration. recover all Strain from one Attribute; (c) refresh a used
Edge; or (d) add a detail to a scene.

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Playing the Game

a scene the players and game master describe what the heroes and other
characters are doing. Players “act out” their characters, speaking for them
and declaring what actions they take, while the GM does the same for all
In The Beast of Limfjord players and game master work together to the other characters, creatures and monsters in the scene. Scenes might be
tell exciting stories about the bold deeds and legendary adventures of resolved through Challenges and dice rolls, but they do not have to be. It
Hrothgar and his companions. It is not about winning or even competing is entirely possible that a scene’s objective is met through roleplaying and
with anyone, but instead it is about creating a tale that you might recount character interaction.
to your friends or each other, just as the great sagas were passed down
through the ages. The rules help to formalize the manner in which When it is important to know the specific actions of each hero and
the story is told, and direct play to exciting points and entertaining character and the order in which they occur, a scene is broken into turns.
encounters. A turn is a period long enough for each hero to take a single action,
whether that be to make an attack, deliver a rousing speech, throw an
Acts, Scenes & Turns object to a companion, or perform some other relevant task.

Play is broken into acts, scenes and turns. The saga of Beast of Lim fjord Players declare what actions their heroes are going to take. The GM
is broken into three acts, or three broad parts. In the first part the then decides what the other characters and creatures are going to do and
heroes arrive in the village of Lim fjord and learn of the terrible beast everyone decides what the most logical order for things to occur will be.
that threatens them. In the second part of the tale the heroes search for Players then act in the order decided. When everyone has had a chance
information about the beast and seek its lair. In the third and final part to act or respond to the actions, the turn ends. A new turn will begin, if
the heroes confront the beast in a dramatic battle. Acts are important as necessary.
they define when a hero refreshes the Edges they have used and some of It is worth pointing out at this point that only players roll dice in The
the Strain they have suffered. Beast of Limfjord. This leaves the GM’s hands and mind free to scheme
Each act consists of one or more scenes. A scene is a period of story and plot and prepare for the next exciting encounter. This means that
involving a specific situation, location or group of characters. Scenes are monsters and other adversaries don’t act against players, so much as
the primary building blocks of the story and can represent anything from respond to the opportunities provided by the actions the heroes take. All
a few seconds to many hours of time. Each scene should have a specific of this is dictated by the roll of the player’s dice!
objective and the scene ends when that objective has been addressed. An
objective can be anything and might include things like finding a piece
of information, defeating an enemy, talking to a village chief, traveling a
small or great distance, preparing for battle, seducing a bold warrior, or
stealing a precious artefact. A scene should advance the plot of the story,
reveal information about a hero, or add background color to the events
being told. Often a scene will do all of these things at the same time.
Players might suggest scenes they would like to see or be involved in, but
most of the time the game master decides what scenes occur and in what
order they happen. Discussion might occur about the order in which
events happen - what is happening, where it is happening and who is
involved before the GM makes a final call on all these matters. During

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Taking Action
Helping: players can help each other in tasks. One character is designated
the “leader” and contributes all their relevant dice to the pool. Any
helping character adds their relevant Attribute die or Edge die (player’s
When a character attempts a dramatic action or tries to overcome an choice). A single roll is made by the player controlling the leading
obstacle, it is time to roll dice. Players will get to roll one of their character, using all dice offered.
Attribute dice and might also be able to roll an Edge die and even a
couple of others. There is no maximum number of dice that a player can
roll. Each Attribute is useful for different things.
Difficulty
A player rolls all the dice they can muster and each result of 4 or higher
Strength: lifting, carrying, pushing, jumping, climbing and other
(called “4+”) is a Hit. A player must achieve a number of Hits equal to
feats of athleticism, endurance and power.
the action’s Difficulty in order to succeed at the action.
Agility: dodging, swinging, picking pockets, throwing and catching
objects, balancing and actions that require speed, dexterity or reflexes.
Easy actions 1 Hit Daunting actions 4 Hits
Wits: recalling information, connecting ideas, reading and writing,
Tricky actions 2 Hits Terrifying actions 5 Hits
noticing things, tracking, hunting and generally using one’s brains.
Tough actions 3 Hits Impossible actions 6 Hits
Bearing: seducing, bluffing, intimidating, commanding and charming
people, as well any activity that requires willpower.
An action can fail outright, partially succeed (a “Twist”) or completely
Prowess: swinging swords, shooting bows, wrestling and fighting of
succeed, depending upon the number of Hits the player rolls.
all kinds.
No Hits = Failure. None of the dice rolled come up 4+. This is a
Edges: if a character has a useful Edge they can roll that die along with
total failure and things are about to get worse for the heroes. The
their Attribute die. You can roll any number of Edge dice for an action.
acting hero Strains the attribute used and the scene escalates.
Each Edge can be used once each act “for free”. Check the box next to
the Edge when you have used it. You can use the Edge as many times as Not enough Hits = Twist. Some of the dice rolled come up 4+,
you like during an act, but each use after the first costs one Spirit point. but the total Hits do not equal or exceed the current Difficulty. The
Edges are “refreshed” and ready to use again at the start of each act. hero gets a little closer to success and the Difficulty of the action is
reduced by one. Something happens, though, to twist the situation.
Bonus Die: sometimes a player will attempt an action where there is
some beneficial environmental factor, ally or circumstance. In these Enough Hits = Success. The total number of 4+’s rolled equal or
instances you might lower the Difficulty, or give the player a bonus die. exceed the Difficulty. The action succeeds and the challenge or
This is a single d6 that they get to add to their pool of dice. If there are obstacle is overcome.
multiple beneficial circumstances, increase the size of the die by a step for Extra Hits = Declaration. If an action succeeds, each 4+ beyond
each additional bonus. those needed lets the player make a declaration. This is an additional
Erlend is fighting a pack of wolves (Difficulty 2) but points out that he piece of description or detail that the player can add to the scene.
is standing on a large rock giving him higher ground. The other players Hrothgar attacks an insane berserker - a Prowess action with a Difficulty
agree that the local warrior that was guiding them also helps Erlend. The 2. The player rolls his dice and gets 3 Hits. Two were required to defeat the
GM gives Erlend’s player a bonus d6 for the higher ground and raises it berserker, giving Hrothgar’s player 1 declaration. He decides the blow is so
one step to a d8, because of the help the warrior is providing. mighty that it makes the beserker’s companions pause their attack.

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When setting difficulties, take into account how many heroes are
acting, and whether you want this to be a minor obstacle or a major Escalation
challenge. Any challenge with a Difficulty greater than 3 is unlikely to When a player completely fails a roll, things get very bad. They
be dealt with in a single roll, which means the scene will become further automatically Strain an Attribute and the situation gets much worse.
complicated with Twists or Escalations. The giant they were fighting splits in two; their allies turn on them;
the building catches on fire; they knock the chieftain unconscious - or
Risky Actions anything else your devious mind can think up!
Some actions are inherently more dangerous than others and can An Escalation should introduce an additional challenge, threat or problem
potentially leave you physically or emotionally scarred. Leaping over that characters must overcome in order to succeed.
spike-filled pits fighting terrible monsters; and arguing with your loved
ones are all examples of risky actions. The GM can declare any action as Twists
risky before dice are rolled.
When a character succeeds with a Twist, anything can happen. GM’s
A risky action is attempted like any other. If, however, the acting might let players suggest how things get worse because they are often far
character does not get enough hits (that is, they completely Fail or nastier! Here are some suggestions for what you might do when a player
achieve a Twist) they automatically Strain the attribute used, in addition does not roll enough Hits:
to any Escalation or Twist that is applied.
Strain: whether due to stress or physical injury, the character reduces
Any character helping with a risky action also Strains a related attribute. a relevant Attribute by one step.

Resilient Challenges Conditions: the character sheet lists nine Conditions that you might
apply to a character. There is also a space for you to fill in your own.
Some challenges are just tougher than they look. It might be an evil If a Condition would affect a character’s ability to succeed at an
sorcerer that has a magic ward, an enemy fort that is particularly well action, you need to roll a 5 or higher to score a Hit.
defended, or a mountain that seemed much smaller when the heroes first
Edge threatened: the action somehow imperils one of a character’s
started to climb it.
Edges. This might be an item of equipment that is lost, a special
A resilient challenge discards the first Hit made against it each time dice skill impaired, or an ally injured. The Edge might be temporarily
are rolled. It is as if the die was never rolled. If a hero rolled three Hits unavailable, or reduced by a die step. This should last for at least the
against a resilient Difficulty 3 challenge, they would only achieve a Twist. scene or until an action is taken to restore the Edge.
If the same hero only rolled one Hit, then their result would be a Failure!
Allies threatened: friends, family or bystanders are put into danger,
Resilient challenges are very dangerous! Failure results are far more captured or even killed.
common when heroes face resilient adversaries or obstacles. It can work
New threat: a new enemy or threat turns up, or the characters are
well when combined with a low Difficulty (Tricky or Tough). A Game
made aware of its imminent arrival.
Master should only use a resilient challenge on high Difficulty obstacles
if they want a truly epic experience for the heroes. More difficult: the situation changes and the Difficulty
of a challenge increases by one.
Never use more than one Resilient challenge in a scene.

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Hero Vs Hero Strain and Conditions

Sometimes the heroes of the sagas found themselves in conflict with As heroes face challenges they will be battered, bruised and stressed by
their allies, and it is entirely possible that your heroes will too. In fact, what they encounter. This is taken into account by Strain and Conditions.
some of the Drives are set up to push characters into conflict with
Strain represents physical and mental stress. When a hero fails a roll the
one another. When heroes are taking action against one another all the
Attribute they used suffers Strain. A strained Attribute is reduced by one
normal rules for facing challenges apply.
die step. It can be strained multiple times.
Identify which hero is acting. This will be the one trying to convince
<- Hrothgar’s Bearing begins at d10, but
the other hero of something, or making the attack, or actively doing
something. This is the attacker - the hero the player will roll dice for. Bearing he has strained it twice. The dots below the
The hero they are acting against is the defender. Bearing d10 and d8 have been filled in, showing

Both attacker and defender work out how many dice they could roll in
d fh k l t Strain
they have been strained and cannot be used.
Hrothgar’s Bearing is now d6.
the situation, as if they were acting against a normal challenge. This
An Attribute with the d4 strained cannot be used. Actions requiring that
means they count up their Attribute, and Edge, and any dice for any
Attribute will automatically fail, causing the situation to Escalate.
characters helping. The GM can also grant bonus dice to either (or both!)
sides. The attacker will roll these dice, looking for Hits as normal. The Conditions are specific injuries, emotional states or circumstances that
Difficulty of the action is equal to the number of dice the defender has. affect a hero. Nine common Conditions are listed on the character sheet,
but players and GM are free to make up others. Conditions are first and
Play out the scene and roll dice as you would for other challenges. If
foremost cues for roleplaying. If Erlend has Angry marked off, then
the attacker achieves Twists then the defender can work with the GM to
roleplay his furious rage or his quiet fuming.
decide what happens. Hero-versus-hero actions are always Risky, so if
the attacker fails a roll they will Strain their Attribute. Continue until When a Condition might adversely affect a task being attempted, only
one side backs down, or one side wins (the attacker finds their Attribute rolls of 5 or 6 (5+) count as Hits. Erlend’s anger would hinder him being
strained below d4, or the defender’s Difficulty is reduced to zero). diplomatic, so the penalty would stand. If a Condition would prove to be
an advantage, then the GM may grant a bonus die to the task. If Erlend
attempted to intimidate or threaten the subject of his anger, the GM
Alternatives: the above system lets both sides describe the un- might grant the bonus die.
folding action. However, it is not the only way to deal with Hero Vs
Hero conflicts.You might like to try; Recovery
The speed at which Strain and Conditions are recovered is up to the GM
Compare to win: the attacker and defender compare relevent Attri- and what they feel is dramatically appropriate. In general, each Attribute
bute dice or Edge dice (their choice). Highest die step wins. This is should recover one step of Strain at the end of an act (so Hrothgar’s
quick, and stops people getting involved in fights they cannot win. Bearing would move from d6 to d8).

Roll-off: gather dice for attacker and defender as above, but both Conditions should only recover after significant and relevant roleplaying
players roll. Whoever scores the most Hits wins the conflict. If has occurred, or when an appropriate period of time has elapsed. It
neither side scores a 4+ make something horrible happen! will usually be obvious when a character has calmed down from being
angered, or rested enough to no longer be tired.

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Tracking & Defeating Challenges Record all relevant details on the sticky-notes, including whether a
challenge is Risky or Resilient. Players appreciate the openness of the
When a new challenge, opponent or threat is introduced, put a sticky- system, being able to see how tough an adversary or obstacle is, as well as
note note (or card, or piece of paper) in the middle of the table with the the effect they have when they achieve Twists and Successes.
challenge’s name and a number of boxes equal to the Difficulty required Use the sticky-notes to help remind players of what is going on, and
to overcome it. When an action is taken and enough Hits are achieved, the where (in relative terms) the action is taking place. Use chits, tokens
challenge is overcome and the sticky-note is removed. If not enough Hits or miniature figures to represent the characters and place them on the
are achieved and the action succeeds with a Twist, mark off one box and sticky-note that each is dealing with. If there are important terrain
introduce the Twist. If no Hits are achieved and the action Fails you will features in the scene, write those on a sticky-note too - it might inspire
probably be adding another sticky-note to the table! players to include these in their actions. Move the sticky-notes around
When a box is marked off, it indicates the characters are on their way to when appropriate, to show how the scene is changing and evolving, and
overcoming the challenge. The new Difficulty to defeat the challenge is to give a sense of dynamism and action.
equal to the unmarked boxes that remain on the sticky-note.
Ignored Challenges
A challenge that is not directly dealt with by one or more heroes does
<- Here we have two challenges, a
not sit still in time, waiting for its moment in the spotlight. If the heroes
pack of wolves that are Difficulty 2
choose to ignore henchmen in order to gang-up on the warlord, then
to overcome, and the Beast itself. The
more fool them because the henchmen are still going to help their master.
beast originally had a Difficulty of 4,
but a character has already taken action An ignored challenge that can take action will take action. Warriors,
against it, achieving a Twist. The Beast creatures and monsters will attack the heroes, bystanders or anything
now has 3 boxes left, so is down to else that has their attention; the rising tide will wash away the half-
Difficulty 3. built levy; lost children will get themselves into even deeper trouble; the
dwarven thieves will carry away the village’s gold; and anything else that
might go wrong will go wrong!
Ignored challenges get a free Twist that may be applied in whatever way
you feel is most appropriate to the scene, situation and story. Challenges
-> Later in the combat the pack likely to cause injury will either Strain an Attribute of a hero or threaten
of wolves have been defeated (all allies. Situations that will get worse will increase in Difficulty or
the boxes are marked off) and the introduce new threats.
beast has been reduced to Difficulty 2.
Something has gone wrong though, and
a new challenge has been introduced
in the form of the dying Chieftain. The
3 in brackets is warning the players
they only have three turns to save the
Chieftain.

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Running the Game Making Challenges Challenging

Running exciting, entertaining and interesting challenges isn’t hard and
When running The Beast of Limfjord, keep things fast and loose and
you will soon get the hang of it. Here is some advice for getting the most
listen to your players. The Legends they picked for their heroes will
out of your challenges:
give you some hints about what they are hoping or expecting to happen.
For example, if Signy’s player picked Animal Ken they will want to Split the Challenge: break the challenge into two or more smaller
encounter some animals to speak with, while if the chose Accurate obstacles. You might have a horde of horsemen, for instance,
Attack they want to cut things down! The rumors shared at the start represented by two Difficulty 4 challenges, or four Difficulty 2
of the adventure will also be really big hints on what to throw at the challenges. This means the heroes can’t all gang-up on a single target
players, so make sure you write them down and refer back to them. and must divide their resources. This also means that the challenge
cannot be overcome with a single lucky roll. It is highly recommended
When running games don’t plan too much ahead of time. Players have a
you do this to represent the Beast, dividing it up into things like
lot of control over the people, places and events of the story. This is a
claws/mouth/body, multiple tentacles or heads, or whatever else is
good thing and should be encouraged! Here are some tips to keep things
appropriate.
moving and help you enjoy the game as much as the players do:
Over-the-Top Challenges: if you want something truly frightening
Keep things simple: do not complicate your job by introducing lots
that is going to generate a lot of Twists, you might set Difficulty
of sub-plots or convoluted plot twists, or by creating piles of notes.
6, 7 or 8. This will be a tough encounter for heroes and it is not
Players do a magnificent job of complicating things themselves and
recommended you do this very often. The drawback to this approach
will run off on tangents that you never dreamed of. They will
is that the challenge will be overcome relatively quickly, as heroes will
certainly add details and facts to the story that contradict any notes
be able to combine actions (see Helping) and generate a lot of Hits.
that you have not established as fact through the course of play.
Combine high difficulties with Risky or Resilient challenges for a truly
You are not the enemy: this may seem obvious, but is worth stating. horrifying experience!
Your role is to help guide the story in interesting directions, to help all
Countdown to Doom: put a number next to a challenge and tell the
the players tell an entertaining story. Sometimes you will portray the
players they have that many turns to overcome it or another Twist or
adversaries, but you are not restricted to this role. You can give players
challenge will occur. This works particularly well if you have several
hints and ideas if you think this will lead to a better story.
challenges already out and you want to draw one or more heroes off.
Say “Yes”: if players make suggestions or ask questions it is probably This can be used in a variety of situations. Heal the sick shaman before
because they are interested in what is going on. They probably have he is too ill to reveal the last clue; kill the troll before it regenerates;
a cool idea to introduce to the story. Encourage this and confidently build the barricade before the sun sets.
say “yes” to requests. This doesn’t mean you should let players get
Threaten Heroes: nothing gets players involved quicker than a threat
anything they want – but you should let players introduce elements
to their hero. In particular, don’t forget to use the Risky action rule.
into the story when the time is appropriate.
The last thing any player wants is to have their hero’s Attributes
Make rolls meaningful: Every time you call for a die roll it should Strained beyond usefulness.
mean something interesting is going to happen, NO MATTER THE
The Number of Challenges: keep track of the number of sticky-
RESULT. Don’t have players make rolls if the result is not important
notes on the table. Any that are not dealt with by heroes get a “free”
to the story, or if failure will stop the momentum of the story.
Twist. Add extra challenges and watch the heroes squirm!

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Rewards & Advancement Using Spirit Points

You can spend Spirit points at any time. They can be used for any one of
Heroes can improve during the course of an adventure. As players
the following:
roleplay the Drives they accumulate Spirit points. These can be used
for immediate benefits, or saved and “spent” in order to improve a hero. Recover a Condition: a Spirit point will remove a single Condition.
As Game Master it is part of your role to reward good roleplaying and Recover a Strain: a Spirit point will recover all Strain from a single
entertaining storytelling by giving Spirit points to players. When a Attribute.
player acts in accordance with one or more of their Drives, give them a
Spirit point. If you wish, you can also grant bonus Spirit point rewards Refresh an Edge: an Edge can be used once each act for free.
for cool moves and entertaining action, but be careful not to give players Spending a Spirit point allows you to use the Edge again.
rewards for things covered by another hero’s Drives - you want to keep Make a Declaration: you can spend a Spirit point to add an
some things within the “niche” of each bold warrior. additional detail to a scene, just like when you roll extra Hits.
One technique that has worked well for some groups is to place a bowl A player can spend any number of Spirit points at any time, as long as
of beads, chits or tokens in the center of the table. Each bead is a Spirit they have the points to spend.
point and players are welcome to take one whenever they feel they have
roleplayed or acted in accordance with one of their Drives. The GM can
also tell players to “take one from the bowl”, and other players might
Improving Heroes
even suggest when it is appropriate to reward a player, by passing a bead A player can also spend Spirit points at any time to improve their hero.
from the bowl. This does require trust amongst players and GM, but They can be used to improve an Attribute or Edge or to gain a new
makes the running of the game very smooth as no-one has to stop and Drive or Legend.
ask, “Do I get a Spirit point for that?” Attributes & Edges: to raise an Attribute or Edge to the next die
type it costs a number of Spirit points equal to the current die type.
How Much, How Often? Therefore, to improve Erlend’s Wits from d4 to d6 would cost 4
Be generous with your rewards, as the heroes will soon find they need Spirit points. An Attribute or Edge can never be advanced above d20.
the bonuses that Spirit points can grant them. Also, take into account Heroes can never have more than six Edges. A player can discard an
whether this will be a “one-off” game, or a part of an ongoing story or Edge at anytime to free up a “slot”. The Edge and any Spirit spent on
campaign - players are likely to burn through Spirit points faster in a it is forfeited. A new Edge, starting at d4, costs 1 Spirit point.
singe session game and will need their resources replenished faster. Here
are some guidelines on rewarding Spirit points: Drives & Legends: it costs 5 Spirit points to add a new Drive or
Legend. It is recommended you begin by adding the Drive or Legends
One action, one Drive: no matter how many Drives a hero might you have not already chosen for your hero, though players and GM’s
fulfill with a clever action or entertaining moment of roleplay, they are welcome to create new ones. A hero can never have more than three
cannot earn Spirit from more than one Drive for any single action. Drives and three Legends. Drives and Legends may be abandoned and
Once each scene: heroes should only be rewarded for each Drive removed from the character sheet when it is dramatically appropriate,
once in any scene, unless their roleplaying is spectacular - it becomes and logical in terms of the story you are telling.
too easy for a player to keep doing the same thing over and over in a
scene.

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The Three Acts

Hungry Wolves: either on their way to the village, or some time later,
the characters find themselves in the wilderness, hunted by desperate,
hungry wolves. The heroes might fight the pack (Prowess 2), which
The story you and your players are telling should be divided into three is a fairly easy fight for the entire group of heroes. Alternatively, the
distinct acts. heroes could attempt to hide from the wolves (Agility 3). This would
Act 1: this act is about building relationships - between the heroes, require each hero to roll. Success in this challenge lets the hero watch
villagers and Beast. The act might begin with the villagers excited the ragged pack skulk past their hiding position. Failure means the
by or suspicious of Hrothgar and his crew. Over the course of this act wolves discover their hiding spot and attack, becoming a Prowess 3
the heroes will discover the horrors that have been visited upon the challenge thanks to their advantage of surprise. A Twist might see the
village. The heroes might come to feel outraged by what the villagers wolves find the hero but not be able to get to them, necessitating the
have endured, or they might pity them. The heroes might be present hero coming up with some escape plan.
during an attack and be driven to act out of self defence, a sense of A third option for this encounter exists if Signy has the Animal Ken
duty or a desire for revenge. Tales of treasure might motivate them. By legend. In this case Signy might try to calm the wolves (Bearing 2).
the close of Act 1 the heroes should be ready to seek out the Beast.
Milking Time: add a bit of humor before the horror. The morning
Act 2: this act is about exploration and research. The heroes must after a great feast, or in order to gain information from a local wise
discover the Beast’s lair and/or a way to defeat the creature. The woman, the characters must help with milking the cows, catching
villagers might know where the creature rests, or know of someone (or chickens and other domestic duties. Catching chickens is an Agility 1
thing) with more information. The villagers will offer a little support challenge; milking the cow is a Bearing 1 challenge; chopping firewood
in the form of knowledge or a guide, but the heroes must overcome the is a Strength 1 challenge; and cooking breakfast is a Wits 1 challenge.
challenges of this act. The heroes will travel through the wilderness,
face environmental challenges and attacks from wild creatures. Act Success on any of these actions should garner favor with the village,
2 will end when the heroes have gathered the information and/or increasing the character’s fame and perhaps granting them additional
resources needed to confront the Beast. aid, information or prizes (should they successfully defeat the Beast).
Failure will do exactly the opposite and the heroes will have to work
Act 3: this act is about confronting the Beast. The heroes might harder to gain the trust or wealth of the village. It might even result
prepare a trap, lure their enemy out of its lair, or sharpen their axes, in the death of livestock or poisoning one or more villagers (if the
but beyond that there is nothing left to do but battle the Beast. The cooking is truly terrible!). Twists will likely create additional work for
heroes might return home with gruesome trophies and a hoard of the heroes, chasing stray cows from buildings, cleaning up chicken
treasure, or meet their end between the jaws of a hungry Beast, and feathers and dropped eggs or going without breakfast.
leave the people of Lim fjord at the mercy of the enemy. Whatever
happens, it is going to be epic. Act 3 and the story should be wrapped Little Adisa: a girl from the village has gone missing and before the
up quickly after the battle ends. heroes can set out on their quest to vanquish the Beast they must assist
in the search for Little Adisa. This challenge will work particularly
well if the characters have previously encountered the charming
Example Scenes little girl. The challenge might be attempted by the character best-
Here are some scenes that you might like to include in your story or use skilled (Brother Aldfrid or Signy the Fierce), or by all the characters
as inspiration. Challenges are listed with the Attribute used to overcome separately, depending on how much time the GM wishes to spend on
them and the Difficulty required to succeed. the encounter.

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Searching the village is a Wits 2 challenge. Success will find the girl
hiding under a building or amongst the livestock. Failure will see
the heroes and villagers led on a wild goose chase that could end
tragically, depending upon how grim you wish to make the tale.
Twists might include the application of Tired, Scared or Angry
Conditions, the loss of Fate or an Edge due to some misfortune during,
or a surprise attack by raiders or the Beast.
Aald the Drunkard: the local drunkard is unimpressed with the
heroes, unless they can prove their mettle in a drinking contest. While
this is an easy challenge for Erlend, it would be a very appropriate
one for Signy (Strength 2 challenge). This is a Risky action as the
challenging character might end up unconscious! Success will see Aald
the Drunkard proclaiming the characters “all right” before collapsing
unconscious. A Twist will result in the challenging character suffering
the Dazed condition and further Twists could apply the Angry or
Tired conditions. A Failure could mean Aald becomes angry at the
challenger’s poor fortitude and the situation escalates to a bar brawl.
Diplomacy: in order to find out more about the Beast the heroes
must seek the aid of a wise woman, fey creature (an alfar or dwarf,
perhaps), a giant or bear-man. This usually hostile person or creature
must be appeased and then convinced to help. This challenge should
be met by a single character (probably Hrothgar or Yngvild).
Convincing the character to help is a Bearing 3 challenge. Success
will see the wise woman / fey creature / giant / bear-man provide
information or objects to aid in the coming battle with the Beast.
Failure will cause the character to become angered and take retribution
on the negotiator. This might be the Injured Condition, if the
character is likely to get violent (like a giant or bear-man), or the loss
of an Edge or the application of another Condition if the character is
inclined to trickery or magic (such as the wise woman or fey creatures).
A Twist might result in the loss of an Edge, performing some task for
the character, or a change in the negotiating conditions - a giant might
demand a contest of strength (Strength challenge), a bear-man might
wish to battle (Prowess challenge), the wise woman might ask for an
object to be retrieved quickly (Agility challenge) and a fey creature
might try to use riddles or tricks (Wits challenge). It is up to the GM
whether the same hero must complete this new challenge.

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More Challenges Wilderness

Here are more challenges and threats that characters might encounter • Forage enough food for a single meal (Wits 1)
in the far north of Jutland, or on their continuing expeditions and • Identify poisonous berries (Wits 1, but Risky)
adventures. Challenges are listed with the Attribute used to overcome • Tell difference between bear-man dung and plain bear dung (Wits 2)
them and the difficulty required to succeed. • Endure a night in the wilderness (Strength 2)
Wolves:
• Fight a single large, vicious wolf (Prowess 1) Sailing
• Scare away a pack of wolves (Bearing 2) • Navigating familiar waters (automatic)
• Scare away a pack of hungry wolves (Bearing 4) • Navigate unfamiliar waters (Wits 1)
• Fight a pack of hungry wolves (Prowess 2) • Repair a longship (Wits 2)
• Steer a ship in a whirlpool (Strength 3)
Frozen river
• Cross without falling over (Agility 1) Giants
• Smash the ice (Strength 1) • Fighting a giant (Prowess 3)
• Swim (Strength 1) • Bluffing a giant (Bearing 1)
• Not freeze while swimming (Strength 3) • Tripping a giant (Strength 2)
• Climbing an angry giant (Agility 2)
Warriors
• Fight a single warrior (Prowess 1) Faith
• Outdrink a boasting warrior (Strength 2) • Deliver a rousing sermon (Bearing 1)
• Fight a band of warriors (Prowess 3) • Delivering a rousing sermon to non-Believers (Bearing 3)
• Charm a warrior into bed (auto if right gender, otherwise Bearing 3) • Reciting the entire Bible (Wits 2)

Hunting Alfar & Dwarves

• Sneak up on wild animals (Agility 3) • Beating an Alfar in a feat of acrobatics or speed (Agility 3)
• Follow a prey’s fresh tracks (Wits 1) • Beating a Dwarf in a drinking competition (Strength 4)
• Set a snare for a small animal (Wits 1) • See through an Alfar’s illusions (Wits 2)
• Set a trap for a bear (Wits 2) • Trick an Alfar into leading you to the fey kingdoms (Bearing 4)
• Approach wild animal without it running away (Bearing 2)
Remember that you can adjust how tough each of these challenges are by
Carousing making them Risky and/or Resilient.
• Sing a stirring ballad (Bearing 2)
• Dance a lively folk dance (Agility 1)

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Example Beasts The Smoke Dragon

The Beast of fire and smoke lives in a foreboding cave. It rends its prey
Use these example Beasts as inspiration for your own monstrosities.
with tooth and claw, and engulfs all in flame.
Each entry lists the individual challenges that could make up the initial
encounter with the monster. • Flaming Maw (Difficulty 3) Resilient - Failure and Twists can
destroy Edges with fire.
While each Challenge has a Difficulty, they don’t usually dictate what • Raking Claws (Difficulty 2) x2
Attribute should be used, as players are a resourceful bunch and will • Massive Body (Difficulty 4)
likely find all manner of ways to overcome each one.
If the heroes defeat one of the Challenges associated with the Beast, use
this to inform and describe the action. If they defeat one of the Smoke The Tentacled Menace
Dragon’s Raking Claws, then describe how the limb has been hacked off,
A creature of unspeakable horror, possessed of multiple sucking tentacles
spraying blood over all the combatants! Overcoming a Challenge such as
and a great eye that bores into your very soul!
the Fjord Wyrm’s Scaly Head will not automatically kill the beast - this is
a monstrous creature that belches vile phlegm at the laws of nature! Such • Great Eye (Difficulty 2) Resilient - Failures and Twists cause the
a grievous wound might cause the creature to shy away, perhaps blinded Scared condition on targets that are not already Scared - future
by the gushing injuries it has suffered, and definitely unable to use its attempts to attack the Tentacled Menace are more difficult while
sharp teeth or jagged horns to attack the heroes. suffering this condition
• Tentacles (Difficulty 2) x 4 (yes, four of them!) - Twists might see
heroes Trapped by the tentacles (Strength 1 to escape)
Note: All Beast challenges are Risky. • Writhing Body (Difficulty 3)

The Wolf Mother

The great winter wolf sweeps across the land, her chill breath freezing
crops and men alike. A legion of dire wolves howl her return and the
very earth freezes at her approach.
• Wolf Spirit (Difficulty 4) Resilient
• Wolf Pack (Difficulty 3) x2
• North Winds (Difficulty 1) - all heroes must resist the freezing
winds each round until the Wolf Spirit is vanquished (This
challenge cannot be defeated, just endured). Failure causes the loss of
a Condition, Strain or Twist, at the narrator’s discretion.

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The Dread Sorcerer

The dark Sorcerer rides at the head of a legion of black-clad horsemen,
destroying all that is before them and leaving nothing but death and
sorrow in their wake.
• Dread Sorcerer (Difficulty 4) Resilient - Failures and Twists might
cause the destruction of nearby property or structures
• Dark Spirits (Difficulty 3) - Must be battled with Wits or Bearing
• Black Riders (Difficulty 1) x number of Heroes

The Fjord Wyrm Creating your own Beast

The scaled Beast lives in the icy waters of the fjord, preying on When devising your own Beast, keep the following in mind:
fishermen and travelers. It attacks with the element of surprise and drags Use the runors: have at least one challenging that relates to the
its victims to a watery grave. rumours the players created at the start of the story. If they mentioned
• Scaly Head (Difficulty 3) smoke or fire, then perhaps your beast will have fiery breath, or a body
• Submerged Body (Difficulty 4) Resilient that is scolding hot to the touch.
• Razor-sharp Spines (Difficulty 2) Multiple Challenges: aim to have between 4 and 6 Challenges
• Slashing Tail (Difficulty 3) - a Failure or Twist might knock a victim when the Beast is first encountered. I would suggest not having more
and cause them to become Dazed. Challenges than there are Heroes +1 (so if there are only three Heroes,
don’t have the Beast consist of more than 4 Challenges). Remember,
every Challenge that the heroes do not engage with gets a free
The Bear Cult “action”.
The Bear Men have awakened something terrible from its slumber and Multiple Difficulties: have a range of Difficulties - 2, 3 and 4.
now seek to slake its thirst. They drive it before them, for the safety of There might be multiple low difficulties (like the Smoke Dragon’s two
their own tribes. Raking Claws). Don’t have more than one Difficulty 4 Challenge.
• The Waking Bear (Difficulty 4) Resilient - the Beast increases Make one Challenge Resilient. It doesn’t have to be the most difficult
in Difficulty by 1 everytime it eats a group of Bear Men (this can one either.
increase its starting Difficulty or “regenerate” lost Difficulty).
• Wary Bear Men (Difficulty 2) x4 - each time a Twist occurs a group Be unique: dare to be different! Introduce special rules that make the
of Bear Men is devoured by the Waking Bear Heroes think about how they will deal with the beast. The Bear Cult’s
Waking Bear is a good example of an odd-ball rule.
Most importantly, have fun when creating your Beast and make it
memorable. The battle with the Beast is going to be the climax of your
story, so pull out all the stops and give the Heroes the ride of their life!

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Creating Your Own Heroes

The following Drives and Legends can be used as-is, or for inspiration
when creating your own.
The following guidelines help you create your own legendary heroes with
which to confront the menaces of the dark ages.
Drives
Concept: begin by thinking about who or what the hero is - a bold Hatred: pick a social class, nation or organisation that you hate. Earn a
warrior, cunning skald, impoverished noble or whatever else you Spirit point when you take direct action against this group, or their
desire. Sum up this idea with a single sentence or phrase. agents.

Attributes: each hero will be very good at something and very poor at Loyal: pick another hero to have this bond with. Earn a Spirit point when
something. Allocate a d4, d6, d8, d10 and d12 to the five attributes. you take action influenced by this hero, or when you demonstrate your
loyalty.
Edges: particular talents, notable skills, life experience, equipment and
allies are all encompassed by Edges. Choose six edges for the hero, Selfish: earn a Spirit point when you take an action that advantages
one rated at d10, one d8, two d6 and two d4. Each Edge should be a you but disadvantages your allies.
specific “thing”, skill or advantage. “Sword” is better than “Weapon”, Trophy Taker: earn a Spirit point whenever you defeat an adversary
but “A sword I stole from a dead warrior” is even better! Each Edge and take a trophy from them.
should be specific enough to be useful in a particular type of situation
(combat, talking, hunting) and not so broad that many ways to use it Woman: only appropriate for female characters! Earn a Spirit point when
in a range of situations immediately spring to mind. your gender causes a problem or is important in the scene.
Drives: choose two Drives for your hero. They should hint at the
kinds of things you want to do with your character - taking trophies
Legends
from defeated foes would be good if you want to get into combat and Artefact: you possess a valuable heirloom or object of power. Choose
show off your prowess, but not so good if you want to be more of a one edge that is a thing and increase its die step by one.
thinker. There are 15 Drives on the characters already provided, and
some more below. Picking one Drive that is connected with another Berserker: you can become a wild, frenzied whirlwind of death. Spend a
hero is often a good idea. Spirit point to increase your Prowess by 1 step for the rest of the scene.
You also gain the Angry Condition.
Legend: heroes have amazing abilities and incredible talents. Choose
a Legend for your character, either from the 15 described on the Command: you are a great leader, adept at directing your allies. Spend a
characters, or from those below. You can even try your hand at creating Spirit point to allow another hero to re-roll an Attribute die.
your own Legend if you wish. A good Legend will provide a bonus d6 Skald: you are a lore gatherer and tale teller. You may roll an additional
in specific circumstances, or grant a specific advantage at the cost of a d6 when making any check related to legends, history or rumors.
Spirit point, or allow the rules of the game or “reality” to be broken in
a single specific situation. Wolf Kindred: you shape shift into the form of a wolf. Spend a Spirit
point to change forms. You are for all intents and purposes a wolf until
With this done all you need to do is give the hero a name and introduce the end of the scene.
him or her!

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Name: Drives Legend

Description: Choose two; Choose one;

[\ [\
Strength
Prowess Edges
d fh k l t Strain
k[\
[\
Agility h [\
Agilty f [\
d fh k l t f [\ [\
Strain
d[\
Wits d[\
Wits [\
d fh k l t Strain

Bearing Conditions [\
Bearing
d fh k l t Strain

Prowess Spirit
Prowess [ \ Angry [ \ Trapped [ \ Dazed
d fh k l t Strain
[ \ Scared [ \ Blinded [ \ Injured
[ \ Tired [ \ Hungry [ \ Dying

Risks and Rewards Conditions: When a roll is Failed, or when the situation Drives: these are character motivations and goals. When
When attempting dramatic actions or trying to overcome warrants it, the Attribute is Strained. A strained Attribute you act in accordance with one of your Drives you gain
obstacles, determine which Attribute you are using and roll counts as one die lower (a strained d4 means you don’t a Spirit point. If you put yourself into a particularly
that die. If you have an Edge that might be useful you can roll a die). Sometimes a character will suffer a Condition dangerous situation because of a Drive, you earn two Spirit
roll that die too. Each result of 4 or higher is a Hit. You instead, in which case you mark off the relevent box. points.
need Hits equal to the Difficulty to succeed.
Recovery: Each Attribute recovers one step of Strain at Advances: spend Spirit at anytime to improve your char-
Difficulty: Easy = 1 Tricky = 2 Tough = 3 Daunting = 4 the end of an act (or at the GM’s discretion). Conditions acter. To raise an Attribute or Edge to the next die type it
recover at the GM’s discretion, usually after significant costs a number of Spirit points equal to the current die (so,
No Hits - Failure. Situation escalates. roleplaying. to raise an Attribute from d6 to d8 it
Not enough Hits - Twist. Partial success. would cost 6 points). It costs 5 Spirit
Enough Hits - Success. Player gets what they want. Spirit points: spend Spirit to (a) recover a Condition; (b) to add a new Drive or Legend.
Each additional Hit - make a declaration. recover all Strain from one Attribute; (c) refresh a used
Edge; or (d) add a detail to a scene.

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