For use with Arrowflight™

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . .2 PRAYERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

FAMILIARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 FLORA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

PRIMAL THEORY . . . . . . . . . .8 FAUNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

GLAMOURS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 THE BROKEN PACT . . . . . . . .24

Credits © Copyright 2002 Deep7, LLC

Authors All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Gavin Downing, Todd Downing Arrowflight – The Edge of Fantasy is a
trademark of Deep7, LLC
Fiction The world setting of Nia is © Copyright
Allan McComas 1980 Todd Downing

The Broken Pact Permission granted to print (and/or repro-

Colin Fisk duce portions of) this manual for non-
commercial, personal use. Unauthorized
Editor duplication or distribution is strictly pro-
Samantha Downing hibited under international copyright law
and will be prosecuted.
Cover Illustration
JD Green Interior illustrations are © Copyright 2002
by Gettyone. Used under license.
Layout & Proof Reading www.gettyone.com
Mark Bruno

V i s i t D e e p 7 o n t h e w e b a t w w w. d e e p 7 . c o m
 CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Anima: Primal Magicks is the first Arrowflight sourcebook to expand
magic options for players and GMs. Anima focuses on natural magic:
a mage’s familiar, the Primal Theory, and related prayers and
Glamours. A wide range of animals and new carnivorous plants can be
found here, too, useful in any wilderness campaign. Lastly, Anima pro-
vides an adventure to get your creative juices flowing. With this newest
sourcebook, your Arrowflight game can leave the cities and travel deep
into the wilderness, among tribes of mysterious feral elves, crafty earth-
folk, and the wonders of the wood.

A thin line of smoke rose in the distance, reaching the low, soft clouds before disappear-
ing. The serpentine wisp seemed out of place at the far end of the serene valley, lined
on two sides with tall snow-capped mountains whose stoic gray faces perched a
watchful eye over the verdant meadow and sturdy trees.
Ceyrn paused in his long strides that had led him through the cold reaches of this barren mountain
range. His only reward for choosing this route now was the easy, and much more hospitable, trek
down the valley to the kings road, and from there to Blariston. His mind wandered easily as he
recalled the school where he taught, and which he had called home for more than three decades. He
slowly shook his head, removed his leather pack, loosened his gray runed cloak, and leaned against a
large boulder that had the shape of a teardrop, as if fallen from the face of the mountain he had just
passed.
Despite the relief he felt from having completed the difficult icy passage, his eyes kept returning to
the far end of the valley, where smoke continued to rise in a small yet defined manner. His deep stare
was broken only when his hood began to twitch. He first felt a small sharp tongue, and then needle-
like teeth on his ear, not hard enough to break skin, but firm enough to remind him that they were
able to do so at will.
Ceyrn smiled, released his gaze, and reached back into his hood to retrieve a long brown bundle of
fur which, once stretched out, developed the definite bearing of a large weasel. Cradled along his left
arm, his only traveling companion eagerly bobbed her head in excitement. “Amber, I have enough
notches in these old ears without you adding to them,” whispered Ceryn. He smiled faintly, “Though
I suppose some levity might come into play before we reach home.” The creature stopped her eager

2 Chapter One: Introduction

dance only momentarily when she saw the ribbon in the distance, but then quickly resumed her earli-
er glee. Ceyrn stroked her head for a moment longer before setting the short brown legs to meet the
ground. Amber ran in a few quick circles around Ceyrn, then darted behind the boulder. The old elf
removed his cloak completely, laid it on the ground, and sat leaning against the stone while retaining
a watchful eye on the valley. As soon as the mid-morning sun warmed even the deepest cracks in his
age-scarred skin, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to gently drift into a light slumber.
Ceyrn woke an hour later when a slight breeze brought him the scent of blooming alpine flowers.
On his left, Amber had returned to rest, and nearby were the half-eaten remains of a mole. He
ignored the carcass, having expected little else. He rose, brushed off his cloak, and put it on again
under his light pack. He returned his friend to his hood, from which she quickly crawled to balance
herself on Ceyrn’s shoulders. The sun was now in full blaze as he found the beginning of an old trail
and started down the path. He stopped briefly when his familiar made an unusual squeal, and he
replied in even, measured tones, “Aye... There’s only one thing in these parts that I can imagine
would prefer black smoke from dank wood on a warm day.” He paused, and his eyes narrowed to
thin slits. “Ogres.”
His voice seemed to assure the animal somewhat, though she still retained her aggressive vigil on
the distant smoke.

AAA
The sun had begun dropping from its zenith
by the time the two travelers stopped next.
Despite his many years, the old elf kept his
pace firm, and although the trail had been long
and hot, he felt little need for rest. By now
they had dropped below the tree line, and on
two separate occasions they had both picked
up the scent of the fire which had earlier
caused a mere line in the horizon. Ceyrn
stopped when the path neared a field of alders,
and walked to his right into the midst of the
tall pale trees. He knelt in the shallow shrub-
bery, and again cast off his pack and cloak. If
his fears were right, he had no desire to match
his skills against ogres, regardless of how
much time he might have to prepare. The
alternative was another day’s hike through the
western mountain pass, but that was another
long cold walk he had hoped to avoid.
Amber acknowledged her master’s thoughts,
and she nervously darted among the trees,
though she always remained within arms
reach. From the shallow depths, the pack pro-
duced some dried meat and hard bread, which
the mage gnawed absentmindedly while rum-
maging through the remaining few items. He
brought forth four small pouches, a small
knife, and a package carefully wrapped in an
oiled deerskin. Ceyrn untied the leather straps
to reveal a dark bladed dranenmun. He felt
the familiar weight of the blade for a moment,

Chapter One: Introduction 3

 allowing the sunlight to caress its hilt, though for all of the suns brilliance, the blade itself remained
oddly dark. He tied the weapon to a strap on his belt, then picked up the other items, and made his
way deeper amid the tall alders to a small flat clearing, with the weasel bouncing in tow.
Twilight had arrived by the time Ceyrn finished shaving down a piece of green alder with the knife,
and he used that stick to draw several circles into the hard ground. In the shallow grooves, he sprin-
kled some of the powder from three of the pouches, and now looked about his creation, pleased with
the results. Amber had not strayed far all afternoon, and now waited close, as if expecting the events
that were to follow.
Ceyrn sighed, feeling tired for the first time that day, though he knew he had little time for rest. He
called for his companion, who arrived at his summoning. They looked at each other for a brief
moment, then the weasel laid down outside of the largest circle. Ceyrn sat cross-legged in the middle
of the inmost curve, making sure he was completely contained within the perimeter that was scarcely
larger than his seated outline. Softly at first, he began chanting the ancient words that he spoke with
ease, despite their arcane origins. Soon, the circle flashed crimson, then faded to a deep shade of
orange before returning to black. Ceyrn closed his eyes without ceasing the ritual. Amber was now
stretched out and rigid, bearing an appearance to which no natural weasel would form. Ceyrn contin-
ued, and the circle began to glow in a ghostly shade of bluish gray and green, faintly at first, then
gaining intensity until it seemed as if the mage were completely shielded in a glow of light. The
chanting ceased, and Ceyrn’s face assumed a rigid posture, though he was no longer conscious of this
fact. Now the appearance of his entire realm had shifted, and he saw himself, as he did everything

he adrenaline took over and he bounded away as if

T followed by shrieking wraiths.

else present, from the much lower vantage point of his familiar’s eyes.
Replacing the consciousness of his companion with that of his own was always initially disconcert-
ing. The world was now a much larger place, and many more shrubs and branches and rocks towered
over his small form, though his wonder was overshadowed by the knowledge that time was still of
the essence. Already he could see the light that shrouded his elven form begin to dim. He bounced
over a few small mounds, ducked under trees, and ran stealthily toward the direction of the smoke.
He was simultaneously anxious, yet always excited about the youthful, powerful feeling he got when
like this, reveling in the magnificently designed creature in motion as he bounded over, under or
around the many obstacles that presented themselves. He marveled at the sense of smell his friend
possessed when he first caught the scent of the stale fire, but did not slow his hurried race until he
could see the faint glow of red flames and hear the crackling of burning wood.
He slowly advanced on the clearing. He was not too concerned about discovery, for this was not
the first expedition of its kind. He had come to know almost all too well how little attention was paid
in the high forests to tiny rustles in the underbrush, especially if you were a three-hundred-pound
ogre.
He came upon the fire under a nearby fallen log, and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light. By
now the sun had all but disappeared and shadows dominated the hills. At first he could not hear or
see anyone, and played with the idea of this being the camp of some woodsmen or hunters. Then he
saw a large boot. His borrowed eyes continued up to leather pants, a scaly shirt, and at last a yel-
lowed tusk that could only belong to an ogre. He froze for a moment, witnessing again that terrifying
presence, and was forced to look away to calm himself. Yet just one ogre was not an impossible foe,
and though this campsite revealed much gear, only one host was present. The half laying ogre
seemed busy gnawing on a bone she occasionally brought to the fire, and it wasn’t until some
moments had passed that Ceyrn realized she was cleverly using it to hone her tusks.
For a few long moments Ceyrn stood there, dazedly examining the large creature, whose kind had
the reputation of dismantling entire bands of armed guards with terrifying savagery. As time passed
and the beast showed no signs of interest in anything but the bone and her dentistry, Ceyrn, again
well aware of his time restraint, began re-examining the camp site in search for some clue as to the

4 Chapter One: Introduction

true number of occupants, whether present or not. Two large vertical logs obscured his vision to the
left, and as he was about to circle around them, the ogre threw her bone completely into the flames,
and turned to stare in Ceyrn’s direction. The bone struck the flaming log, sending a pillar of crack-
ling embers dancing into the sky, and freckled the side of the ogres face in red.
White molten fear brewed in his abdomen and he froze, eyes meeting the terrifying stare even
years of training could not break. In that instant which lasted an eternity in the soul of the elf, he
believed he was dead. Not the kind of dead that a dog knows when scolded by his master. Not even
the kind of dead a soldier knows when he enters a battlefield for the first time after emptying his gut.
This was the kind of dead that a weasel knows, when it acknowledges that it is about to be torn asun-
der with magnificent ease by hands of immense power and strength.
When Ceyrn decided things could not be worse, the ogre grunted, and as the terrifying maw let out
both sound and steam, the fallen tree under which Ceyrn hid shifted, and the two stumps that had
earlier hid his vision moved. His elven consciousness realized for the first time what his weasel
form had concealed, as the logs continued to move away in a lumbering fashion, transforming into a
pair of feet, then legs, and a form so large it could only belong to another ogre. As the second one
laid more wood to the fire, the first turned her gaze away once more, and Ceyrn could feel the entire
form of his familiar’s small heart pounding a hole to escape his chest. Across the campfire a third
ogre lay sleeping.
Ceyrn could accept no more. The adrenaline took over and he bounded away as if followed by
shrieking wraiths. The black trees seemed to reach down to claw at him, and he could feel dark
holes in the earth opening up to overtake his small form. It seemed like an eternity by the time he
reached the circles again, and he ran about, shaking uncontrollably before acknowledging his
humanoid body, still sitting as he had left it, entrenched in a much dimmer shade of pale blue. He

T
he black trees seemed to reach down to claw at him,
and he could feel dark holes in the earth opening up
to overtake his small form.

leapt into one of the nearby smaller circles, and a second later the dim glow vanished altogether.
Ceyrn leapt up as if out of a deep sleep, brushing the fear from his head, and brandished the dranen-
mun feebly while attempting to adjust to the world that was again out of proportion.
Amber looked at his master with confusion as Ceyrn first wielded his weapon at every direction,
then hurriedly packed up his few belongings and kicked loose dirt about the entire site. Never once
did he let his hand stray from the blade, and he did not realize he was still clutching it until he had
begun taking steps to the west. Amber rode on his shoulders, apparently oblivious and unconcerned
about what had taken place earlier.
An hour passed before Ceyrn tied the blade to his belt and stopped glancing over his shoulders.
He was visibly disappointed in his fearful reaction, and annoyed that he was too frightened to
attempt to even circle around the camped ogres. His face was creased even more by the deep frown
that masked his appearance, until the small weasel stuck her muzzle in his cheek, reminding him of
her presence.
Ceyrn stopped in his tracks, eased his tensed muscles, and scratched behind the tiny ears of his
companion. He let out a small, strained chuckle as she continued to tickle his face before settling
down for the rest of the trip. The night was at once more silent and dark, stirred only by the natural
sounds that calmed the pulse and mind of the lone elf. He knew this detour would add more
unpleasant and cold hours to his journey, but with the small weight resting on his shoulders he knew
that he would not be making this voyage alone.

Chapter One: Introduction 5

 CHAPTER TWO
Familiars
Familiarship is the practice of creating a mystical bond between mage
and animal. A familiar can be any living animal with the Cunning
attribute. Since the animal must be living, undead creatures are exclud-
ed. Through the ritual of bonding with a familiar, the mage exchanges a
portion of his ethereal link to the material plane (specifically, 1 point of
MANA) with the animal in question. Once this has occurred, the mage
and the animal are linked until one of them dies or the caster breaks the
bond.

T
he familiar will view his mage as
a strong equal and a friend, and
be most eager to defend its
“alpha” against harm. The mage will feel like-
wise about the animal and will have difficulty
abandoning a familiar in danger (Resist roll; -2
penalty; variable number of successes needed,
depending on how long the bond has been in
existence – GM should use discretion). The
death of his familiar will affect the mage both
physically and emotionally. If the familiar
should happen to die, the mage will lose 1 point
of MANA, which will be regained at the end of a
week. The reverse is also true if the familiar out-
lives his master.
A mage can only possess one familiar at a
time. He may dissolve the familiar bond by
recasting the Familiar Link spell successfully. If
a mage learns a more powerful version of this
spell, he may cast the new spell on the same ani-
mal, replacing it with the new bond.
All theories of magic have access to the
Familiar Link template. Those with only Folk
Magic and faerie Glamours are excluded, since
those disciplines are not considered magic theo-
ries.
Familiar Link
Base DIFF: 2
Description: Creates a familiar bond between an
animal and the caster. Both the familiar and the
mage will always have a general sense of the
direction and distance (“roughly southeast, about
half a mile or so”) of the other. All Variants have
a maximum range of the mage’s MANA in
miles.
Requirement: 1 hour ritual; two-handed motion;
short incantation
Visual: Any
Audio: Any
Duration: Permanent until the death of either
caster or familiar
Range: Touch
Variants
Size:
Tiny (up to a squirrel or ferret size) (+0)
Small (up to a wildcat size) (+1)
Medium-sized (up to a dog or badger size)
(+2)
Large (up to a wolf or panther size) (+3)
Huge (up to a bear or horse size) (+4)
Massive (up to warhawk, elephant, or
montuhar size) (+5)
Monstrous (up to cavernmouth size) (+6)

6 Chapter Two: Familiars

Abilities: focus). In the case of a ritual (any spell requiring
=The caster can give the familiar simple com- more than one combat round to cast), the familiar
mands. (+1) helps the mage focus power and thus bestows +1
=The caster can understand any of the ani- to the Arcane Theory target number of the spell
mal’s species, and the familiar can understand in question. (+3)
(though not speak) the caster’s native tongue.
(+1) By taking shortcuts in making the bond, the
=The caster can put all his senses into the ani- ritual can be made easier, though there are side
mal. He does not gain any additional level of effects of these shortcuts:
control over the animal; the mage’s conscious- =The death of the familiar will cause the
ness merely rides along with the animal as a pas- mage to go into shock and take 15 points of Stun
senger. During this time, the mage is completely damage. The death of the mage will do the same
oblivious to what is occurring around his own to the familiar. (-1)
body, is physically incapable any movement, and =All damage the familiar takes will also be
for all purposes, is defenseless. The sense-riding taken by the caster, and vice versa. (-2)
may be done at any time, for any duration. (+1) =Per additional hour of ritual. (-1)
=The caster can sense the mental and emotion-
al state of the familiar, and vice versa. (+1) Any other spell requirements may be used to
=The caster will always know the exact loca- buy down the cost of the ritual further.
tion of the familiar (within the range of the
mage’s MANA in miles) and vice versa. (+1)
=Gain a skill of the familiar, up to the famil-
iar’s level, or vice versa. (+3 per pt)
=The familiar gains a rudimentary Intelligence
1 (though it cannot be raised); his Cunning
becomes the Perception attribute. (+2)
=The caster can communicate with the animal
in complex terms. (+2)
=Non-Corporeal (N) spells or prayers that
affect the caster (either positive or negative) will
affect the familiar to the same degree, and vice
versa. Corporeal (C) spells are not affected by
this ability. (+2)
=The mage can put all his senses into the ani-
mal and control it completely. During this time
the mage is completely oblivious to what is
occurring around his own body, is physically
incapable any movement, and for all intents and
purposes, is defenseless. This sense-swap may
be done at any time. (+3)
=The caster may take wounds for the familiar,
or vice versa. Damage must be from a single
source, but may be distributed as the mage
desires. The mage should be aware that if the
familiar dies, the mage will lose 1 MANA for a
week. (+3)

Spell Boost:
When the mage is in physical contact with the
familiar, he may gain a boost to either his
MANA dice or his Arcane Theory skill. In the
case of a simple spell, the bonus is +1 MANA
(the mage gains the extra power, but not the

Chapter Two: Familiars 7

 CHAPTER THREE
Primal Theory
The Primal Theory plays on the most basic foundation of the Web of
Life. Most Academ-Arcanae do not teach much Primal, relegating it to
a side discipline. However, due to its unique approach to the Web of
Life, it is seen as a useful, if somewhat obscure, object lesson.
P
rimal is much more common in
less civilized areas. Many
shamans and mystics practice
Primal, and many mages taught in a less formal
environment possess at least a basic understand-
ing of the theory. Many magic scholars believe
Primal to be one of the oldest arcane theories.
Certainly, the art of the Familiar Bond originated
with this theory.
The asterisks throughout the accompanying
Animal Types
Every animal spell within the Primal theory
must relate to a specific animal type. These
types are:
Birds
Mammals
Reptiles and Amphibians
Invertebrates
Fish
spells, prayers, and glamours indicate the ability
to change the duration of the spell according to
the rules indicated in the Arrowflight manual
under Spell and Prayer Requirements, page 78.
8 Chapter Three: Primal Theory
You may also use those requirements to “buy
down” the cost of spells in Anima.
Many practitioners of Primal claim to be able
to see strands connecting rocks, mountains, and
even dirt. While this might seem to go against
the basic theories of the Web of Life, the adept in
Primal sees the world itself as a living entity.
They see “life” within streams, rocks, and lakes,
as well as within plants and animals. This differ-
ent view of the Web allows them to speak to the
“spirit” of stones and rivers, though certainly
many of these “spirits” do not have much to say.
Control Animal (N)
Base DIFF: 1
Description: The character can control any one
animal of a certain type (type must be chosen at
spell creation). If the animal is given a suicidal
command, it gains +2 to its Resist target.
Visual: Appropriate to scale
Audio: Appropriate to scale
Requirements: Single word
Duration: 1 action
Range: 20 yds.
Variants
+1 per additional 20 yds.
+3 per additional type of animal controlled
+4 per * of duration
+1 per 10 ft. radius
Summon Animal (N)
Base DIFF: 1
Description: The character can summon any
one animal of a certain type (type must be cho-
sen at spell creation) to his side. The animal will
go to the site of the summons as quickly as it is
able, at which point it is released from the con-
trol of the spell and will behave normally.
Visual: Appropriate to scale
Audio: Appropriate to scale
Requirements: Short incantation; hand motion
Duration: Instant (though it will take time for
the animal to travel to the caster’s side)
Range: 60 yds.
Variants
+1 per additional 20 yds.
+2 per additional type of animal controlled
+4 per * of duration
+1 per 10 ft. radius
Basic Shapeshift (N)
Base DIFF: 1
Description: Target alters shape. Attributes will
remain identical; only size and appearance will
change.
Advanced Shapeshift (N)
Base DIFF: 2
Description: The character can transform into a
specific form. His attributes will remain identi-
cal; only his size and appearance will change.
Visual: Appropriate to scale
Audio: Appropriate to scale
Requirements: Short incantation; hand motion;
generic focus (appropriate to form)
Duration: 3 minutes
Range: Touch
Variants
+4 per * of duration
+1 per additional 20 yds.
+4 possessions change with target
+1 the alternate form is vegetable or mineral
(turning animal into vegetable or mineral)
+1 target retains capacity for speech
+1 per target animal’s wound difference from
caster’s (see foot note at end of chapter).
+4 if the target’s physical stats alter to match
the creature (Strength, Agility, Dexterity; as
well as any bonuses to Awareness checks due
to advanced senses).
+4 if the target’s mental stats alter to match

A Note on Tribal Magicks

While civilized mages study in Academ-Arcana, many mages in more
rural areas pass on their knowledge through the tradition of apprentice-
ship. Tribal groups do the same. It should be noted that, among tribal
groups, Shamans are uncommon, as a true Shaman is skilled in both
Magic Theory and Devotion. “Seers” assist Shaman but are skilled only
in Devotion; “Mystics” are those who are skilled only in a magic theory.

Visual: Appropriate to scale the creature (Intelligence, Perception,

Audio: Appropriate to scale
Requirements: Short incantation; hand motion
Duration: 2 actions
Range: Touch
Variants
+4 per * of duration
+1 per additional 20 yds.
+4 possessions change with target
+1 the alternate form is vegetable or mineral
(turning animal into vegetable or mineral)
+1 target retains capacity for speech
Cunning; Willpower, Mana, and Spirit will not
change).
Animate Plant (N)
Base DIFF: 1
Description: The caster can cause a plant to ani-
mate, taking a single action. The plant cannot
uproot itself, but it can lash its branches (or
exposed roots), tangle itself around a target, etc.
Visual: Appropriate to scale
Audio: Appropriate to scale
Requirements: Single hand motion

Chapter Three: Primal Theory 9

 Duration: 1 action may not have much to say, and is nor forced to
Range: 20 yards be truthful or polite; this spell merely allows
Variants conversation.
+4 per * of duration Visual: Appropriate to scale
+1 per additional 20 yards Audio: Appropriate to scale
+1 per 10 ft radius Requirements: Single word
+1 per WR1 stun damage Duration: 1 action
+2 per WR1 wound damage Range: 20 yards
Variants
Animal Possession (N): +4 per * of duration
Base DIFF: 2 +1 per additional 20 yards
Description: The caster can possess an animal, +2 the target must speak truthfully.
taking command of its mind and placing his own
conciousness within the animal. His own body Plant Growth (N):
will be left behind, catatonic for the duration. If Base DIFF: 2
the animal is killed, the caster takes the animal’s Description: The target plant grows, gaining +10
Wounds in damage. DP (up to a maximum of its full adult size).
Requirements: Single hand motion Requirements: Short incantation, two-handed
Duration: 1 minute motion, generic focus item
Range: 20 yards, line of sight Visual: Appropriate to scale
Variants Audio: Appropriate to scale
+4 per * of duration Duration: Instant (though each DP takes 1
+1 per additional 20 yards action to grow)
+4 the caster’s body disappears into the animal Range: 20 yards, line of sight
and is carried with it. Variants
+5 per additional 10 DP not capable of exceed-
Natural Communion (N): ing the maximum size of a full adult of the
Base DIFF: 1 species.
Description: The caster is able to speak with an +5 per additional 5 DP capable of exceeding
animal, plant, or natural formation. The target the maximum size of a full adult of the species.

10 Chapter Three: Primal Theory

 Visual: Appropriate to scale
Audio: Appropriate to scale
Shape Vegetation (N) Requirements: None
Base DIFF: 1 Duration: 1 action
Description: Reshapes living plant matter into Range: Self only
caster’s desired specifications within a base 10 Variants
ft. radius. +1 per AV
Visual: Appropriate to scale +2 per WR
Audio: Appropriate to scale +4 per * duration
Requirements: Two-handed sculpting motion +2 per stat point raised
(touching the plant); single word. +3 per skill pointed raised (must be a skill
Duration: Instant (the resculpting takes time) based on the stat boosted)
Range: Touch
Footnote: For example, a human caster has 5
Variants
wounds. If the animal in question possesses 3
+1 per 20 yds. range wounds, consider the animal’s wound difference
+1 per 10 ft. radius to be 2 (5-3=2). If the animal has 7, it will also
have a wound difference of 2. In the case of
Plant Wall (C): plants or minerals, divide the form’s DP by 5 to
Base DIFF: 1 determine its wounds.
Description: creates a 10-by-10 wall of vegeta-
tion that obscures line of sight.
Visual: Appropriate to scale
Audio: Appropriate to scale
Requirements: Single word; single hand motion
Duration: 1 action
Range: 20 yds.
AV: 1
Variants
+1 per 20 yds. range
+1 per 10 ft. radius
+1 per AV
+2 per WR
+4 per * duration

Enhancement (N)
Base DIFF: 2
Description: Increases a target stat by 1 point.

Chapter Three: Primal Theory 11

 CHAPTER FOUR
Glamours &
Prayers
NEW GLAMOURS

Animal Control (N) Audio: Appropriate to scale

Base DIFF: 2 Requirements: Single word and hand motion
Description: The faerie can control an animal, Duration: 1 minute
though forcing it to undertake a suicidal action Range: 20 yds.
will grant the animal an extra Resist roll. Variants
Visual: Appropriate to scale +1 per additional 20 yards
Audio: Appropriate to scale +1 per 10 ft. radius
Requirements: None +4 per * of duration
Duration: 1 action
Range: 20 yds. NEW PRAYERS
Variants
+1 per additional 20 yds. Communion: Command Animal (N)
+1 per 10 ft. radius Base DIFF: 2
+4 per * of duration Description: The priest can control an animal,
though the priest cannot force the animal to take
Animal Speak (N) a suicidal action.
Base DIFF: 1 Visual: Appropriate to scale
Description: The faerie can speak to an animal Audio: Appropriate to scale
for the duration Requirements: Holy symbol; short supplication
Visual: Appropriate to scale Duration: 1 action

12 Chapter Four: Glamours & Prayers

Range: 20 yds.
Variants
+1 per additional 20 yds.
+1 per 10 ft. radius
+4 per * duration

Communion: Animal Guide (N)

Base DIFF: 2
Description: The priest gains an animal compan-
ion as a gift from his deity. Unlike a familiar, it
is not a partner, but more of a guide sent from the
deity. This is very rare among Rellianites. A
character cannot have both a familiar and an ani-
mal guide. The animal acts as a rare focus item
for the purposes of prayers; it also acts as a fol-
lower of the faith. The animal guide will follow
and obey the priest, but should it be killed, the
priest will suffer a +2 difficulty to Devotion rolls
for a week due to his deity’s anger.
Requirement: 1 hour ritual
Visual: Any
Audio: Any
Duration: Instant/Permanent
Range: Self (the animal comes to the priest’s
side during the ritual)
Variants
Tiny (up to a squirrel or ferret size) (+0)
Small (up to a wildcat size) (+1)
Medium-sized (up to a dog or badger size)
(+2)
Large (up to a wolf or panther size) (+3)
Huge (up to a bear or horse size) (+4)
Massive (up to warhawk, elephant, or mon-
tuhar size) (+5)
Monstrous (up to cavernmouth size) (+6)

Wrath: Blight (C)

Base DIFF: 2
Description: The priest summons a swarm of
small deity-appropriate vermin (rats, locusts, spi-
ders, bats) to fill an area. After the duration, the
animals remain, though they will behave as nor-
mal animals at that point, and will likely flee the
area.
Visual: Appropriate to scale
Audio: Appropriate to scale
Requirements: Holy symbol
Duration: 1 action
Range: 20 yds.; 10 ft. radius
Variants
+1 per additional 20 yds.
+1 per 10 ft radius
+4 per * duration
+2 per WR wound damage

Chapter Four: Glamours & Prayers 13

 CHAPTER FIVE
Flora &Fauna
Plants possess Damage Points (or DP) instead of health levels. As they
have neither central nervous systems nor centralized organs, vegetable
matter does not decrease in ability through wound levels, and has a set
amount of damage each variety of plant can take before dying. The DP
will vary depending on the species of the plant and its age. The follow-
ing guideline can be used and assume the plant is at full growth. GMs
are encouraged to use their own judgement when applying DP to older,
heavier, or otherwise exceptional flora.

Grasses: (wheat, crabgrass, razorweed) 1-5 DP a strand

Flowering plants: (daffodils, daisies, lavender) 3-10 DP
Tubers: 3-25 DP
Vines: 5-30 DP
Shrubs: 10-50 DP
Trees: 50-500 DP
Cacti will have as many DP as a flowering plant, shrub, or tree of equal size. Thorns can have a
WR from 1-3, depending on the type. Some plants possess toxins, which normally fall within the
range of DR1 or 2 (stun) and are usually accompanied by either a burning rash or a stinging sensation,
though some include disorientation or light headedness. Some plant toxins are more potent, and can
range as high up as DR6 (wound) damage in the right doses, though this is extremely rare.

CARNIVOROUS PLANTS
Drop-Trap Tree
This large tree has several traps camouflaged within its leaves. The roots, branching out across the
ground, have small trigger hairs on them. Directly above these hairs are the traps. When triggered by
the root hairs, the corresponding trap descends, shuts, and draws the victim back up under the leafy
cover with tremendous speed. Once trapped inside, the victim is slowly digested.
Drop-Trap trees can grow fairly large if well fed. Some brigands, brownies, and wood nymphs are
known to use these trees as hideouts or warrens if they know where all the traps are.
Effects: Dodging a falling trap is very difficult; it takes 4 successes on an Athletics roll (if one
knows a trap is coming, it takes only 1 success). Partial success means the victim is caught partway
in and partway out of the trap; the character takes WR2 Crushing damage (Damage Bonus +8) to a
random location (assume 4 successes on this roll, less the character’s dodge roll). It takes less than a
second for the trap to spring. Victims caught inside (or partway in) take 1 point of damage every half-

14 Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna

hour. It has Strength 8 and Feats of Strength 4 for the purposes of staying shut. Each trap has an AV
7 and DP 30. The tree itself can have up to 250 DP, depending on its size.

Puff-Thorn
The Puff-Thorn resembles a spiny mass on a five-foot high stem.At the top of the stalk is a blad-
der-like tuber covered in twelve-inch long,iron-hard spikes.When the Puff-Thorn detects the pres-
ence of prey,the tuber will start to inflate.The fibrous skin expands like an over-filled balloon and
there is an audible intake of air.The inflation takes about 1 round.Then the tuber will explode,send-
ing out a deadly volley of spikes.Anyone foolish enough to remain in a 20 ft.radius risks being
impaled.Any blood that falls to the earth will act as nutrients for the Puff Thorn;as a side effect,it
tears through competing foliage.It will re-grow its thorns within one week.
Typical Puff-Thorn:
AGL 3
Missile Attack:3
STR 2
The plant possesses 5 DP;spikes do WR2 P,area effect of 20 ft.radius.Destroying the plant while
it is inflating will reduce the radius to 10 feet.

Shooter-Plant
This small plant has small bladders all along its vine-like body.
Victims who step on a bladder cause a small dart to shoot up into their
heel. The dart is a potent neurotoxin, causing the victim to fall, as
though dead, on the spot. The victim remains awake and aware, but
cannot move or speak. This drug does not naturally wear off, but there
are herbs that can counter the toxin. While the victim is helpless, the
vines then grow around and root into them, breaking down the body in
a slow and painful process.
Effects: The dart only deals 1 point of damage, but it can cut through
any armor up to a SP4 as though it wasn’t there. Victims must roll
Endurance to resist the toxin; 4 successes are needed. The vines grow
over the victim over the course of 4 hours; from there, the victim will
take 1 point of damage every 10 minutes as they are digested. This
process is VERY painful. A simple Medicine roll with the appropriate
herbs can counter the toxin. Each vine has 15 DP.

Sticky-Leaf
These plants have large tough sticky leaves. Those who brush
against the leaves trigger the trap. These leaves begin to curl over,
sticking to the target again and again. Smaller leaves have been known
to digest a person’s limbs while they struggle; larger ones can even
wrap around a human-sized target and digest it entirely.
The leaves are tough and resist damage. If a person’s arm is trapped
in it, their arm is usually digested to the point where the rest of the person can escape after about 8
hours (typically of excruciating pain). The larger leaves can entirely digest an entire person in about
35 hours. The leaves are not naturally animate; they merely curl when triggered.

Typical Sticky-leaf trap:

STR 7
Strength feat 8
Each leaf typically has 30 DP. The entire plant possesses 100 DP.
Natural AV: 6
Victims take 1 damage every hour; organic armor is digested as a rate of 1 AV point every half-
hour; metal armor will be released after approximately an hour.

Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna 15

 Swamp-Trap
These aquatic plants grow in swampy areas.They are fairly large and grow close to the surface.
When a victim steps on a trigger-hair,a bladder below them opens up and sucks them under water.To
aid in the capture process,there are typically 4 to 8 vines (average length:9 feet)which wrap around
the victim and hold it below the surface.Once the victim stops struggling,the bladder empties of
water and begins to fill with digestive juices.A human-sized victim will be digested in 3 days,and
the trap resets.
Typical Swamp-Trap vine:
AGL 4
Brawling:3
STR 3
Strength feat:2
Each vine typically has 15 DP;the trap portion of the plant typically possesses 40 DP.Since the
plant waits for its victim to drown before eating it,the damage rate of the digestive juices is academic.

Trap-Root
These subtle plants have a deep-growing root, and only a small shrub on the surface. Noticing the
leafy portion of the plant is difficult, but doing so can save one’s life. Their deep roots are bladders
filled with digestive juices; the sides are slippery and very difficult to climb up. There is a trap door,
usually right next to the shrub-portion, that remains covered until weight is placed upon it. Then the
door opens, and the victim falls into the bladder, where he is digested over the course of two days;
victim’s usually drown in the juices before they are digested. These plants often grow around trees
and shrubs with berries or fruit; it will swallow those who come to eat the other plant’s fruit. The trap
resets itself immediately, so victims inside calling for help may have a tough time being heard.
Effects: Takes a successful Awareness check to notice the small shrub, and a successful Wilderness
Skills or Natural Sciences check to recognize the plant for what it is. If a victim falls in, he takes 1
damage every 2 hours; this does not deal a significant amount of damage, but it does sting (and it’s
fairly disgusting, as often the other half-digested victims of the plant are still floating in the goo).
Climbing out without some aid from above (a rope, etc.) requires three successful Climbing checks,
with a –2 penalty on each roll. Failure means the victim falls back in. The “shrub” portion of the trap
has only 5 DP, while the trap portion has 35 DP.

ANIMALS
Some animals in Arrowflight™, especially predators that must compete for resources, are of a
greater size than their real-life counterparts. Wolves, for example, grow to four feet tall at the shoul-
der. Wild rats regularly get up to three-and-a-half feet long, not including the tail. Arctic bears can
grow up to fifteen feet long. Most other animals are of a more commonly recognized size.
Animals are not sentient beings, and do not have the same sort of intelligence as a human, orc, elf,
or faerie. As such, their Intelligence and Perception attributes have been replaced with Cunning.
Cunning shows the animal’s level of abstract reasoning and problem-solving abilities. Cunning skills
include those applicable Perception skills, as well as any “tricks” the animal is taught (a dog might
have the Cunning skill of “Play Dead,” for example). Some highly intelligent animals, such as parrots
and crows, may even develop the ability to understand true language, though they will never be fluent
in any tongue (save their own species-speak). These animals are marked as having the Language skill
at 1, for their mimicry abilities.
Any creature that has an Intelligence and Perception rating instead of a Cunning rating is consid-
ered sentient (though the creature may possess a very low intelligence). Any creature with sentience
is not affected by a spell that affects only animals.

16 Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna

Badger Bat
Bad tempered and territorial beasts, These skittish creatures are popular as
some earthfolk are known to ride them pets and familiars among mages.
into battle. AGL 6 flying (1 on the ground)
AGL 4 Athletics: 4
Athletics: 4 Animal Combat: 2
Animal Combat: 5 Stealth: 6
Stealth: 2 DEX 1
DEX 1 CUN 5
CUN 5 Awareness: 5
Awareness: 6 Wilderness Skills: 4
Wilderness Skills: 5 STR 1
STR 5 Climb: 3
Endurance: 5 Endurance: 3
WIL 5 WIL 3
Resist: 1 Resist: 2
MANA 2 MANA 4
SPIRIT 2 SPIRIT 3
Bite and claws do WR2 Bite does WR1
WOUNDS 4 WOUNDS 2

Crab/Lobster
Crabs and lobsters are often hunted for
their meat along the southern shores of
Corvel.
AGL 2
Animal Combat: 4
DEX 1
CUN 2
Awareness: 1
Wilderness Skills: 2
STR 1 Dragonfly
Endurance: 3 These large insects, often a foot or more
WIL 2 in length, are often used as mounts by
Resist: 1 faerie-kind.
MANA 1 AGL 9
SPIRIT 1 Athletics: 3
Claw does WR2 DEX 1
Natural AV 3 CUN 1
WOUNDS 2 Awareness: 5
Wilderness Skills: 4
STR 1
WIL 1
MANA 1
SPIRIT 1
WOUNDS 1

Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna 17

 Elk Ferret/Weasel
A more uncommon and desired cousin to Weasels can be dangerous pests to small
the deer, elk are considered a delicacy. livestock. Ferrets are occasionally taken
AGL 5 as pets by the wealthy and are favored by
Athletics: 4 mages for their energy and animal inge-
Animal Combat: 5 nuity.
Stealth: 2 AGL 7
DEX 0 Athletics: 3
CUN 5 Animal Combat: 3
Awareness: 7 Stealth: 4
Wilderness Skills: 6 DEX 2
STR 8 CUN 5
Endurance: 6 Awareness: 6
Swimming: 2 Wilderness Skills: 5
WIL 4 STR 1 ferret/2 weasel
Resist: 1 Climb: 6
MANA 4 Endurance: 4
SPIRIT 2 WIL 4
Kick does WR1 Resist: 2
Ram does WR2 stun MANA 3
WOUNDS 6 SPIRIT 2
Bite does WR1
WOUNDS 2

Fish
This covers trout and other fish of simi-
lar size. Larger fish will have a higher Goat (Mountain)
Strength and perhaps additional Wounds. Larger than their domestic cousins,
AGL 5 mountain goats are common game in
Stealth: 3 high mountainous regions.
DEX 0 AGL 5
CUN 2 Animal Combat: 4
Awareness: 4 Stealth: 3
Wilderness Skills: 5 DEX 0
STR 1 CUN 4
Endurance: 5 Awareness: 4
WIL 2 Wilderness Skills: 5
MANA 1 STR 6
SPIRIT 1 Climbing: 5
WOUNDS 2 Endurance: 5
Swimming: 2
WIL 3
MANA 2
SPIRIT 2
Kick does WR1
Ram does WR2 stun
WOUNDS 4

18 Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna

Insects/Arachnids Jellyfish
Most insects and arachnids will have These small creatures are passive
similar attributes. Poisonous spiders or hunters. A single individual is not a
centipedes are not uncommon in Corvel, threat to a humanoid, but jellyfish tend to
and many possess a nasty bite or sting. drift in large schools.
AGL 5 AGL 1
Athletics: 2 DEX 0
Animal Combat: 2 CUN 0
Stealth: 5 STR 0
DEX 1 WIL 0
CUN 1 MANA 1
Awareness: 2 SPIRIT 1
Wilderness Skills: 5 Touching the jellyfish does WR1 poison
STR 0 damage
WIL 1 WOUNDS 1
MANA 1
SPIRIT 1
Bite/sting does DR0 to 6 (poison dam-
age). Most poisonous vermin will have
no higher than DR4.
WOUNDS 1; small vermin may only
have 1 wound level; a single point of
damage will destroy it.

Mouse/Squirrel
Mice and squirrels are often hunted as
small game. Other small rodents will Octopus
have similar attributes. These shy creatures are often hunted for
AGL 5 meat and/or ink.
Stealth: 4 AGL 5 in the water; 3 on land
DEX 0 Animal Combat: 4
CUN 3 DEX 4
Awareness: 7 CUN 4
Wilderness skills: 4 Awareness: 4
STR 1 Stealth: 5
Endurance: 1 Wilderness Skills: 5
Swim: 3 STR 4
WIL 2 Endurance: 3
Resist: 2 WIL 4
MANA 2 Resist: 2
SPIRIT 2 MANA 3
Claws and bite do WR1 SPIRIT 2
WOUNDS 2 Crushing with tentacles will do WR2
stun damage
Beak does WR1
Ink will cloud the water; those caught
will suffer a –2 penalty to their
Awareness skill
WOUNDS 3

Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna 19

 Otter Owl
These playful river dwellers are occa- These animals are especially sacred to
sionally trapped for their fur. Mun and her followers.
AGL 7 in the water; 2 on land AGL 6 in the air (1 on the ground)
Athletics: 5 Athletics: 3
Animal Combat: 3 Animal Combat: 4
Stealth: 1 Stealth: 5
DEX 3 DEX 1
CUN 5 CUN 5
Awareness: 5 Awareness: 4
Wilderness Skills: 5 Wilderness Skills: 4
STR 2 STR 4
Endurance: 3 Endurance: 3
Swimming: 6 WIL 3
WIL 4 Resist: 3
Resist: 2 MANA 2
MANA 2 SPIRIT 3
SPIRIT 3 Claws and beak do WR2
Claws do WR1 WOUNDS 2
WOUNDS 2

Panther (Mountain) Panther (Desert)

Related to the common panther (or forest These panthers are found in desert and
panther), the mountain panther is found savanna regions.
in mountainous regions throughout AGL 7
Corvel. Athletics: 5
AGL 7 Animal Combat: 5
Athletics: 4 Stealth: 7
Animal Combat: 5 DEX 0
Stealth: 5 CUN 6
DEX 0 Awareness: 5
CUN 6 Wilderness Skills: 5
Awareness: 5 STR 8
Wilderness Skills: 4 Climbing: 4
STR 7 Endurance: 8
Climbing: 4 WIL 5
Endurance: 4 Resist: 3
Swimming: 2 MANA 3
WIL 3 SPIRIT 2
Resist: 2 Bite and claws do WR3
MANA 3 WOUNDS 5
SPIRIT 2
Bite and claws do WR3
WOUNDS 5

20 Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna

Panther (Arctic) Quail/Flightless Foul
These panthers are found in the northern Quail are commonly hunted for meat
tundra regions. throughout Corvel.
AGL 6 AGL 5
Athletics: 4 Athletics: 5
Animal Combat: 6 Stealth: 5
Stealth: 7 DEX 0
DEX 0 CUN 3
CUN 6 Awareness: 6
Awareness: 5 Wilderness Skills: 5
Wilderness Skills: 5 STR 1
STR 8 Endurance: 2
Climbing: 3 WIL 2
Endurance: 4 Resist: 1
Swimming: 4 MANA 1
WIL 4 SPIRIT 2
Resist: 3 WOUNDS 2
MANA 3
SPIRIT 3
Bite and claws do WR3
WOUNDS 5 Shark (White Death)
White Death sharks are large, aggressive
and dangerous, often reaching lengths of
20 feet or more.
Raven/Crow AGL 4
Very intelligent birds; some are kept as Animal Combat: 5
pets and are trained to speak simple Stealth: 4
words and phrases. DEX 0
AGL 5 in the air (1 on the ground) CUN 3
Athletics: 3 Awareness: 5
Animal Combat: 3 Wilderness Skills: 5
Stealth: 2 STR 9
DEX 3 Endurance: 7
CUN 7 WIL 3
Awareness: 4 MANA 2
Wilderness Skills: 5 SPIRIT 2
Language 1 Bite does WR4
STR 3 WOUNDS 7
Climb: 2
Endurance: 2
WIL 3
Resist: 1
MANA 2
SPIRIT 2
Claws do WR1
Bite does WR2
WOUNDS 2

Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna 21

 Snake Songbird
Corvel has numerous snake species, Small birds are occasionally hunted for
many of which possess a deadly toxin. their meat or their eggs.
Smaller, nonpoisonous snakes also exist AGL 5 in the air (3 on the ground)
(no bite attack; Strength 2) Athletics: 3
AGL 4 Stealth: 2
Animal Combat: 4 DEX 1
DEX 0 CUN 3
CUN 4 Awareness: 8
Awareness: 3 Wilderness Skills: 5
Wilderness Skills: 5 STR 1
STR 4 Endurance: 5
Endurance: 2 WIL 2
Swimming: 4 (only some species) Resist: 1
WIL 3 MANA 2
Resist: 2 SPIRIT 2
MANA 3 Peck does WR1
SPIRIT 3 WOUNDS 2
Bite does WR1, plus WR4 poison.
WOUNDS 2

Squid Tiger
These aggressive sea creatures are often These jungle cats are not often found in
hunted for meat or ink. Corvel; they are far more common in
AGL 7 Akrindor.
Animal Combat: 4 AGL 6
DEX 2 Athletics: 3
CUN 3 Animal Combat: 5
Awareness: 2 Stealth: 5
Stealth: 4 DEX 0
Wilderness Skills: 4 CUN 6
STR 2 Awareness: 5
Endurance: 2 Wilderness Skills: 4
WIL 2 STR 9
Resist: 1 Climbing: 5
MANA 2 Endurance: 4
SPIRIT 2 Swimming: 5
Beak does WR1 WIL 3
Ink will cloud the water; those caught Resist: 3
will suffer a –2 penalty to their MANA 3
Awareness skill. SPIRIT 2
WOUNDS 2 Bite and claws do WR3
WOUNDS 6

22 Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna

Turkey (Wild) Turtle
Smarter than their domestic brethren, River-dwelling reptiles, turtles are occa-
wild turkeys are occasionally hunted for sionally hunted for small game.
meat. Pheasants will have similar stats. AGL 1
AGL 3 DEX 0
Animal Combat: 1 CUN 3
Stealth: 2 Awareness: 2
DEX 0 Wilderness Skills: 3
CUN 3 STR 2
Awareness: 4 Endurance: 8
Wilderness skills: 3 Swimming: 3
STR 3 WIL 3
Endurance: 2 Resist: 1
WIL 3 MANA 2
MANA 2 SPIRIT 2
SPIRIT 2 Natural AV of 4
Peck or claws do WR1 WOUNDS 2
WOUNDS 3

Vulture
Large carrion-eaters; they are sacred to
followers of Tothas, Azoth, and Torahn.
AGL 5 in the air (1 on the ground)
Athletics: 2
Animal Combat: 2
Stealth: 3
DEX 1
CUN 5
Awareness: 6
Wilderness Skills: 5
STR 5
Endurance: 3
WIL 4
Resist: 3
MANA 3
SPIRIT 3
Claws do WR1
Bite does WR2
WOUNDS 3

Chapter Five: Flora & Fauna 23

 CHAPTER SIX
The Broken Pact
By Colin Fisk

The formal engagement announcement of Duchess Elsbeth Grey and

Phillip of Lasefelt has been disrupted by an attack by a warhawk. It
quickly comes to light that the attack was coordinated by an evil mage
who has set up a false barony within Greyhelm. Though the populace is
pushing for an outright assault, a council of mages has asked to deal
with him by invoking an ancient curse. The tone of this adventure is one
of mysticism, political intrigue and adventure, so the GM should strive to
create a tense but cautiously optimistic atmosphere.

Suggested Characters
Though the underlying premise of this adventure is about an ancient magical curse, none of the
characters will be playing the priests directly involved. They can be a mix of novice monks, acolytes,
political representatives, militia, and trackers who come from the lands east of the capitol.

Background
Though the wedding is still almost two years away, it was decided to make a formal announcement
of engagement during Dalah Dance to give the Grey populace something to celebrate and to take their
minds off the recent assassination. In the spirit of unity, representatives of Green, Brudic, Aerondel,
Tseraq and, surprisingly, Garkan were given places of honor during the ceremony. During the cere-
mony, a powerful warhawk attacked the proceedings. Though the betrothed were unhurt during the
attack, the nephew of Phillip Wolf Garkan, Edward Wolf Terris, was killed and several of the other
representatives were injured, one so seriously that they are still unsure if she will survive.
The popular myth among the common folk of Greyhelm is that Kilmoorian agents had managed to
acquire and train a large flock of warhawks to disrupt public ceremonies by attacking the participants.
The truth behind the attack was first suggested by a member of the Aerondel delegation, a Dalahist
priest named Padraig Almante, who was injured during the attack. He suggested that a mage had
charmed the Warhawk as his familiar and was actually the one responsible. Though not formally
trained as a witchsmeller, Almante was able to discern that the natural aura of the warhawk had been
disrupted.
Confirmation of the warhawk familiar is made several days later when the Aerondel delegation
returns to Greyhelm with tales of an attack by the mage and his beast. Of larger concern, the attack
took place on the Kings Road before they could reach the port city of Misthorn. The incident – if it
were to recur – could disrupt trade between Greyhelm, Green, Aerondel, and Tseraq; moreover, it
would also interfere with the ferry service from Aerondel to Greyhelm.

24 Chapter Six: The Broken Pact

 Though the majority of the Aerondel representatives chose to continue their journey by land
through the province of Tseraq, several people, including a militia captain, High Priest Almante, and
one of his acolytes, chose to remain at Greyhelm to serve as envoys and await instructions from Lady
Alicia Aerondel d’Barlotia, the Aerondel leader. While waiting for news and further commands,
Almante reported his findings to the Church of Rellian. The local High
Priest sent two witchsmellers to find and deal with the renegade mage.
According to sources, the mage had killed the witchsmellers and fed
them to the warhawk in font of some merchant caravans in order to
exact tribute from them.
Soon, more assaults on merchant convoys headed to and from
Misthorn began to filter back to the capitol in Greyhelm. Even
more disturbing were the rumors that the mage had now
declared his own barony and was controlling the Kings Road
through the area, taxing anyone who would pay, killing those
who would not.
Before Greyhelm could mount a military response, Duchess
Grey received an unusual request from a witchsmeller named
Aradon Arnellian to let the church deal with the mage by way of
an ancient curse discovered during the examination of recently
discovered texts. The curse, when enacted, would turn every nat-
ural and magical creature against the mage, no matter where he
travels. As the curse involves no less than eight different highly
skilled priests, Arnellian has suggested that Lady Grey invite
representatives from other provinces to protect the priests from
their lands in a joint expedition to defeat a mutual enemy.

Beginning Play
After much discussion, it has been decided that, in addi-
tion to a priest and an acolyte, each nation will provide one
party guard and one specialist. There will also be two
trackers, two archers, one mage, a native of Greyhelm who
knows the territory where the mage has set up his false
barony, and at least one hunter to provide food for the party.
Players may fit into any of these categories.
It has been agreed that the parties will meet in the city of Greyhelm and set off for the confrontation
in two waves. The first will gather supplies for the curse, as well as perform reconnaissance through
the false barony disguised as a merchant caravan to better understand how the mage is operating and
how best to trap and kill the warhawk, if necessary. However, it is the council’s intention to let the
curse break the mage’s hold over the warhawk and have it exact vengeance on behalf of the wronged
nations and the church. The second group, which contains the priests and their guards, will meet up
with the first at a predetermined area some 10 miles south of the false barony. The curse must be
enacted on the night of the new moon.

Gathering Intelligence
Approximately 200 miles northwest of Greyhelm is a major crossroads on the Kings Road. Twenty
miles to the north is the start of the false barony. On the road to Misthorn, there will be many fearful
tales of the false baron and his warhawk. Several merchant caravans will show visible signs of being
physically attacked by something large and feral. There will also be rumors that the evil mage has
started advertising for mercenaries to help define and defend the borders of his new “kingdom”. If the
players ask, they will hear tell that the mage uses magic and his warhawk to keep uprisings at bay by
taking hostages and killing innocent bystanders. There will also be more fantastic tales; that the
warhawk has had its feathers magically enchanted to repel any pointed or sharp objects, or that the
warhawk has magical abilities and can cast spells.

Chapter Six: The Broken Pact 25

 …And Herbs
The local guide, with instructions written by the priests, will lead people some eight miles west of the
crossroads where the mushrooms necessary to enact the curse only grow by the light of the full moon. This
old brownie habitat is full of edible plants, roots, and other goodies preferred by animals, and is a veritable
warren of passageways created by beasts of varying sizes. Though the actual harvesting will be relatively
easy, there are a lot of misleading trails, some of which end in steep drops or ancient elaborate traps, left
behind by the tribe. Though the mushrooms are used in some religious ceremonies, the acolytes and track-
ers will only have vague instructions on which direction to go and which traps are where. It will take suc-
cessful Wilderness Skills rolls at –1 to the Target Number to spot the traps, as they are nature based (rock
falls, pits, spiked branches, poison bushes), or Awareness rolls to get out of the mazes. Not only that, this
area is home for many different animals, some of which are very territorial. The GM may feel free to
come up with any number of animal encounters throughout the players’ trek.
If a party member triggers any trap, the GM rolls 6 dice with a target of 3, and targets may Dodge the
incoming attack. The falling rock trap does WR4 Crushing damage. Spiked branches will be WR2 (with a
DB of +1) Piercing damage, with spikes on a stake that may fling from any direction parallel or perpendi-
cular to the ground at any height up to 8’. In the case of poisonous bushes, they are DR1 and will be (on a
d6) 1-2 Sleep (24 hours until the toxins leave the body) 3-4 Disorientation (i.e. Ergot) and 4-6 Death (addi-
tional DR of 4).
The nighttime atmosphere the GM creates should be one of eerie fog, lots of rustling branches, and the
occasional flapping of wings (not the warhawk, but feel free to let them jump to that conclusion).
lo
ar
B
of
a
Se

Gulf of Tseraq

26 Chapter Six: The Broken Pact

Continuing Onward
Once the mushrooms are gathered, the caravan will continue on to Misthorn. There will be no sign
of the warhawk or the mage, save for some wrecked wagons, until they get to the other side of the
false barony. There will be a line of caravans waiting some 15 miles into the area. While the group is
watching, a wagon will try to drive on the side of the road and bypass the mage who is searching
through each wagon, taking what he pleases. Faster than it would seem possible, the warhawk will
appear and grab the wagon driver. His tattered and partially eaten body will be dropped in front of
the line of waiting merchants. At this point, several caravan guards will try to threaten the mage. He
will discourage such action by casting the Wave of Death (an Energy Wave spell) which will disable
any wagons within 10 feet of him and injure several of the merchants and their guards; one of which
will die within a few minutes. If any attack continues, including any from the players, the warhawk
will pick out a merchant’s wife or child and fly off with it clutched in its talons. If this does not dis-
courage the attack, the mage himself will begin target-
ing such people with his Energy Projection spell, as
well as let loose with a few more volleys of the
Energy Wave.
The reconnaissance group, disguised as food
and wood merchants for the Misthorn-
Barlotia-St. Jocelyna Ferry Company, will be
carrying the rare substances needed to com-
plete the curse, including sea moss and a
specific type of mushroom. Since it is not
uncommon for seaside buildings and vessels
to be reconditioned periodically, with older
wood being brought back to the mills to be
examined for structural integrity, their cover
should allow for explanations, if questioned,
as to why the group will be transporting these
substances.
When it is finally the party’s turn to pay “tribute,”
the mage will be courteous and polite. He will intro-
duce himself as Lord August DeQuincy, the new ruler of
the area, inquire about the caravan’s business, and ask that the
toll be rendered in either goods or crowns. As the party is
probably not carrying a lot of currency, he will demand, ever
so politely, several loaves of bread, some mead, about one-
third of the party’s dried meat supply and the promise of the choice of
four large pieces of wood when they make their return voyage. This will ensure their safety to and
from their destination. After the tribute is “paid,” which the mage deposits on a wagon some 100
yards from his inspection point, he will suddenly turn suspicious and break open several of the loaves
of bread, then demand that various party members consume his randomly selected portions of the
meat bread and mead. Once the food is consumed and no one shows any signs of illness or weakness,
he will revert back to his “charming” self and write down a “contract” of what the party is to provide
on their return trip, then bid them a safe journey.
The remainder of the journey to Misthorn will be relatively uneventful. Once in Misthorn, the com-
pany will complete the run to the Ferry Company and load up the wood before bedding down for the
night. While most of the group is resting, it will be up to one of the acolytes to recover enough moss
to use for the curse. He will then need to bless it by way of a Devotion roll. If the acolyte is an NPC,
assume he is successful; if the acolyte is a player character, make him roll. If the player misses the
roll, the moss will immediately turn brown and crumble to dust and they will have to spend several
more hours harvesting more moss and blessing it properly. The blessing is necessary to both keep the

Chapter Six: The Broken Pact 27

 moss alive and purify it for the curse.
The return trip will be filled with more tales of caravans attacked by the warhawk and, in one case,
of the warhawk attacking and killing a group of thieves that had ambushed a merchant and his daugh-
ter within DeQuincy’s territory. Once again, the tales will be embellished with stories of arrows
bouncing off the warhawk and swords that break when struck against it.
As the party approaches the toll area that DeQuincy has set up, they will notice some changes over
the previous week. There are now several mercenaries in a makeshift guard tower on the road where
the spoils of his taxation are loaded. There are now several wagons, one of which is fully loaded and
has a team of horses hitched to it; this wagon is being led in a northeasterly direction. The mage is
still at his “station,” but the warhawk is nowhere to be seen.
Until he is presented with the document he signed, DeQuincy will refute any claims that a deal had
been struck between himself and the caravan. Upon receipt of the letter, he will act as if it’s a forgery,
even going so far as to summon the mercenaries from their post. Finally, after much convincing, he
will believe the party, especially if they offer to let him personally choose which pieces of wood will
fulfill the contract.
If the adventurers choose to, they can start a fight with DeQuincy over the validity of the letter.
There is no guarantee about the outcome of the fight, especially given that the warhawk will show up
as soon as an aggressive move is made, and DeQuincy has a fair number of mercenaries. Though this
is a possible “solution” to the problem, it’s not one that favors them, nor will it be appreciated by the
priests, who are anxious to try out the curse in the name of “research,” and, depending on the results,
excommunication could be a result of such a rash action.

Under Darkness of the New Moon

By the time the caravan meets with up with the priests, it will still be the waning quarter moon.
After a lot of discussion (if the player characters don’t bring it up first), a scouting party of the PCs
will be sent at night to explore where the mage is keeping the items he collects at his toll station, as
well as to determine if some type of distraction that can safely be executed while the priests are per-
forming the curse.
When the players reach the road leading northeast from the toll station, they will discover the mer-
cenaries are camped at the guard tower. They are not actively patrolling the area and there is some
sparse tree cover on the southern side of the path, so sneaking by them should not be much trouble.
After an hour’s journey along the path, they will come to a small, dilapidated castle whose front
gates have been hastily repaired. Several walls are in such need of repair that someone could easily
get into the courtyard without much difficulty. The castle itself is in a small clearing, almost entirely
surrounded by a thick groves of trees and abutted by a sheer rock face that towers over 500 feet in the
air.

28 Chapter Six: The Broken Pact

 If someone enters the courtyard through the wall, they will find a small, well-made wooden house,
a hastily constructed storehouse with a thin covering on top (and filled with various goods which have
obviously been collected as part of DeQuincy’s toll station) and no solid walls. There is also a large
aerie with the remains of several farm animals and a sleeping warhawk. At this point, someone will
have to make a Stealth roll. If they fail, the warhawk will make an Awareness roll at –4 to wake up.
Hopefully, the characters can think quickly to avoid further conflict here.
Once the party has competed their reconnaissance, they will return to the gathering area, where the
curse is to be performed two days after their arrival. Given that it takes the average party a day to
walk the distance to and from DeQuincy’s, this should give the party time to coordinate a distraction
with the priests and get back in time to do so.

Well Met by Moonlight

Though the players will not be privy to the actual ceremony, they do know enough about the curse
to know that they would probably rather face the warhawk rather than deal with the consequences
should the curse fail. They do know that the curse attempt will commence at half-Midmoon (11 p.m )
and should be in full effect by midnight. No matter what type of distraction they have prepared, the
warhawk should become involved with the party of player characters sometime between the time the
curse ceremony has started and before it has concluded. For dramatic effect, at least one player char-
acter should come into physical confrontation with the warhawk (and at least 2 NPC’s killed in a very
gory fashion).
As the time of the curse arrives, DeQuincy should have been awakened and joined in the combat.
No matter what happens to the characters, they should not kill the warhawk or DeQuincy.
As the curse is enacted, there should be a dramatic shift in the battle. An orange glow will envelop
DeQuincy and, abruptly, whomever the warhawk had been charging will be swept aside as it heads for
DeQuincy, shrieking with rage. Within less than a minute there will also be two wolves, a forest pan-
ther, and an elk which join the warhawk in a frenzied attack against the mage. When the proverbial
dust clears, both DeQuincy and the warhawk should be dead, along with a wolf and the elk. The
remaining wolf and panther will continue to attack the long dead body of DeQuincy unless the charac-
ters put a stop to it.

Epilogue
Upon searching the house in the castle, the players will find many interesting things, the most
important item being the Journal of August DeQuincy. In it they will find evidence of a long deterio-
ration of his mental state.
Apparently, several years before, DeQuincy had encountered Lady Elsbeth Grey and fallen instantly
in love with her, even though she was still only eleven years old. He had then dedicated himself to
becoming a powerful mage so that he could establish a barony. He believed that by doing so, he
would have enough of a title for her to seriously consider his suit. In order to help with his cause, he
had traveled to Sigel with the intention of gaining a warhawk as a familiar.
During the course of his travels, he developed the habit of using the Familiar Link spell on anything
that would help him at the moment. Through some tragic circumstances, his first two familiars, a fer-
ret and a raven, were killed. This drove him further into madness and, from there on out, when he
found a “better” familiar, he developed the habit of killing his old one rather than dismissing it.
Eventually the accumulated drain in his psyche caused him to lose what little humanity he had left.
By the time he encountered the warhawk, he felt no compulsion against killing the elf that had raised
it from a hatchling. In its state of shock, the warhawk was easily controlled by DeQuincy.
Upon his return to Greyhelm, DeQuincy spent several months searching for the place where he
could best set up his barony. When he found the abandoned castle, in conjunction with the proximity
to the king’s road on a major trade route, he began to renovate the house to accommodate himself and
his bride to be.
When her father, the Duke, was killed his writings indicated he had immediately gone to Greyhelm,

Chapter Six: The Broken Pact 29

 only to find his “love” promised to another. Before he could try and find a way to contact
her and announce his own intentions, the king was killed and the Dalah Dance celebration
and upcoming formal engagement was announced. In his rage, he decided to disrupt the
engagement ceremony through his familiar with the intent of killing Phillip of Lasefelt.
When the warhawk missed its intended target, he then decided to go forward with his
planned barony.
Upon the characters’ return to Greyhelm, they will be honored by the house of Grey and
given personal thanks from Elsbeth of Grey and Phillip of Lasefelt. There will be monetary
rewards given (500 gold) as well as seats of honor offered at their wedding two years hence.
When they get back to their respective provinces, there will be additional recognition from
their own governments.

AUGUST DeQUINCY Arrowflight rulebook for DeQuincy’s famil-

AGL 3 iar, though its Strength should be 8 (it is a
Combat Skill: Soldier 4 particularly powerful example of his
Athletics 1 species).
Stealth 2
Ride 3
DEX 4 MERCENARIES
INT 5 These stats can be used for either guards
Education 4 assigned to the character’s party, or for
Language: Ancient 4 DeQuincy’s mercenaries.
Lore 5 AGL 4
Natural Sciences 5 Combat Skill: Soldier 2
PER 3 Athletics 2
Awareness 3 (1 when in psychotic delusion) Melee Weapon 3
Wilderness 2 Brawling 1
Stealth 1 Missile Weapon 3
Animal Husbandry 2 Stealth 2
STR 3 DEX 3
Endurance 2 Repair 2
WIL 2 STR 4
Resist 1 Climb 1
MANA 6 Endurance 3
Arcane Theory: Combat 9 WIL 3
SPIRIT 4 Resist 2
WOUNDS 4 PER 4
Awareness 3
Spells: Wilderness Skill 4
Wave of Death (Energy Wave spell) Diff 6, INT 3
WR 5 MANA 2
Sphere of Protection (Shield spell) Diff 4, SPIRIT 3
AV 8
WOUNDS 5
Cyrak’s Energy Bolt (Energy Projection
spell)
Each will be equipped with a short bow
Diff 4, WR 4 (WR 3 P) and 20 arrows, short swords
Several variations on the Familiar Link spell (WR 2 S), and studded leather armor
Use stats for a warhark on page 134 of the (AV3).

30 Chapter Six: The Broken Pact