QuicKstart

a fantasy horror setting under the influence of the moon

 tHE WOrLD THE SEMPITERNAL (SIDÌR)
Also known as Outer World or Sidereal Plane, this is a dwell-
ing for supernal beings. A boundless space, filled with stars

OF iÙrMEN and celestial bodies, jagged with lights and nothingness. In

this infinite layer of reality, every entity pays close attention to
the vicissitudes of life created on the Material Plane.
“Of all the wrongs done in the world,
that of Men was the most serious.”
– Lorarco, Master of Tradition, from Ervenrun. THE EARTHLY WORLD (IÙRMEN)
Mortals also call it Iùrmenvi (“of the living”), or Material
Plane. This is the known world, where all living beings and
THREE SOURCES mortal species dwell. The energy that rules over this world, as
OF ARCANE POWER it rules over life, comes from the Primes: ancient and omni-
present beings of sidereal origin.
Whether the characters are aware of it, much of their arcane
power draws from the power sources. Some learn its secrets
through accurate research, while others just lose themselves to THE DARK MIRROR (ÈNFERUN)
magic and ask no further questions. This spectral reality harbours nothing but darkness and death
and its existence is intertwined in a dualism with the Material
The world of Nightfell is influenced by three sources of ar- Plane. Its name - Ènferun - means underworld, or abyss, in
cane power, studied by philosophers and scholars since the the Prime Tongue. Anything considered negative, disruptive,
dawn of time. obscure, or concealed from light belongs in this dimension.

NIGHTFELL
6
 Eternal winter laid on the world and many areas are harsh, wind-
WHAT REMAINS swept, and covered in snow. The fauna is also affected by the
sudden climate change and beasts are ravenous and distrustful.
A day came to be engraved in the memory of all peoples, and
that day was thereafter known as the “Last Sun”, the first day
of the Lunar Age. The Earthly World fell into darkness and
the evil that rose in Xivanis reached every corner of Iùrmen.
Over the decades, the world drastically changed, as did
its inhabitants: many races died out under the weight of
shadow, many cities collapsed, and the underground world is
uninhabited and haunted by abominations. Few strongholds
endure as last safe havens in a ghastly world.

NIGHT WORLD
AND MAGIC
The use of magic has radically shifted: during Lunar Age, ar-
cane power sources are hopelessly led astray by darkness, and
the employment of spells is a dangerous practice.
Arcane balance has nearly vanished, and supernatural
powers and sorcery can easily consume the soul of the practi-
tioner. As of today, few have mastery over enchantments, and
most come out of it corrupted.

IÙRMEN THROUGHOUT
THE LUNAR AGE

LUNAR DAYS
Days in Iùrmen are swallowed in an unending night. Dawn
and dusk pass unseen. Nights are moonlit, yet frigid and som-
ber. Scholars debate whether the moon mirrors the light of
other celestial bodies or shines of its own.
Days are much gloomier than nights, since there is no
light in the sky, apart from the faint one coming from cold
and aloof stars.

NEVER-ENDING WINTER
Decades of darkness and death drew the Material Plane clos-
er to the Dark Mirror from a morphological and a climatic
perspective. The sun no longer warms beaches, mountains and
valleys and green plains are infrequent. Most woods died or be-
came spectral, cloaked by mist and silence. The presence of the
last Primes still grants some life, the cultivation of the most re-
sistant plants and the persistence of some woods and meadows.

tHE WOrLD OF iÙrMEN

7
 Many cultists wander Iùrmen looking for new adepts and
MAJOR CULTS spreading the word, believing it is the only path towards the
salvation of mortals in the face of a dying world.
Albeit having no connections to any ancient creed, the
OLD TRADITION Lunar Cult bears similarities to some old rituals and beliefs
Based on the Four Truths transcribed by Lagoran in the First hinged on the moon, specifically from the Second Age.
Age, this religion, together with the Lunar Cult, is widespread
amongst the population and has very ancient roots.
RAHIDRA APOSTATES
Those who follow it deeply respect the Masters of Traditions, Anyone who still believes in the existence of Primes and in
posing as mentors, healers, and philosophers. the safeguard of their essence adheres to this religion, becom-
This cult gathered most of the ancient knowledge of Men ing a soldier of Rahidra. This long-lived lady still preserves
and Satyrs, adding it to fruitful expertise on the Lunar Age her semi-immortality, due to her bond with the entities who
and its creatures. orchestrated creation, whose protection she made her mission
of, to prevent the ultimate dissolution of life in Iùrmen.

LUNAR CULT Apostates abandoned the Old Tradition to consecrate

Followers of Mirithlen, the moon goddess, once the daugh- themselves to paganism and preservation of nature, perceiv-
ter of the Archmaester of Thurinthian. ing the Ènferun becoming more and more oppressive in the
This religion is led by Anvernia, the high priestess, and Earthly World.
was founded by the Rizadrin when they fled the horrors of
the underground to face a moonlit, wrecked new world.

NIGHTFELL
8
 eyes of these occultists who longed for the knowledge of spir-
OTHER RELIGIONS its and of creatures unknown to the masses.
Some of these covens were the first to deify the moon,
Other than main faiths and paganism, both old and contem- distinctly sensing the radiant energy Mirithlen bestowed to
porary, there are minor cults, hidden to the many or wor- the satellite, becoming one with it and ascending to godhood.
shipped in forgotten areas. They called her the Trifold Goddess, as her threefold vis-
age symbolized her as keeper of the past, the present and the
future, and distinguished her way of living and her ascension
CULT OF THE SERPENT to the Sempiternal.
In other times, when the world was younger and densely pop-
ulated, some cults came into the world quietly. They addressed
Dragons, last sons of an ancient might, tapping into their fe-
OLD PAGAN CULTS
rocity to find renewed strength. Men and Satyrs often had different views on the Old
These savage creatures evolved from prehistoric animals Tradition, to the point of enhancing it with their interpreta-
who were accidentally imbibed in sources of primordial pow- tion of divine creatures.
er and stood thereafter as a symbol of evil in Iùrmen. The Cult Throughout history, some peoples favoured worshipping
of the Serpent idolized chaos and the primeval rage of these beings within their grasp, who blessed their actions more
creatures and, for a relatively brief period in the history of palpably.
Iùrmen became a plague for ancient peoples. Many pagan traditions are declinations of faiths hinged on
The Cult disappeared throughout the First Age, when the Primes and are often developing from the Old Tradition.
the Dragons’ numbers decreased, and the First Men estab-
lished their empire. A small number of barrows lies hidden,
scattered through all known lands both over and under the
SHEWOLF MANIACS
ground, and keeps the remains of the Priest of the Serpent, The worshipers of Lycanthropy. They are predominantly evil,
ruthless Hierophants of the Cult. brutal, and sometimes even irrational Werebeasts, who follow
the strongest Lycanthropes.
It is not uncommon to find even mortals fascinated by
NECROMANTIC HERETICS the dark gifts of the Moon, who perform ritual sacrifices to
Heliodorus was a mighty sorcerer of the Second Age, feared convince Lupecernos to make them his cursed children.
and revered by the citizenship of Katàn. As far as the legend
goes, he harnessed the necrotic energies of Ènferun, manu-
facturing a grimoire powerful enough to command death and
to summon undead and other hideous creatures.
He disappeared in the year 500 a.L., channeling his soul
into the book, thus making it his phylactery. Necromancers
from everywhere began to invoke him during their seances,
holding him to be the forefather of a heretic doctrine drawing
power from undeath. The Five Hundred Tome, thus the book
was named, became untraceable and some say it has a will
of its own, revealing itself only to the most devout cultists
of Heliodorus and granting great necromantic powers to its
owner, in exchange for souls to sacrifice to the grimoire.

THE OLD COVENS

Since ancient times, witches, wizards, and scholars of the ar-
cane used to gather in secret covens. Now and then, leading
religions and canonic doctrines appeared constraining in the

tHE WOrLD OF iÙrMEN

9
 cHaPtEr 1 to for a hefty sum is now obstructed. Cattle Pass is blocked.
The Inner Chain, then, is inaccessible, preventing the group
from reaching the Crystal Mounts.
FROSTDREAM OUTPOST
AND THE SACK This story begins in front of a pale fire, among maps and curs-
OF MAIRAN es, drenched clothes and soggy boots, the weather outside of
the wooden framed windows extreme. The snowstorm does
not seem to be abating any time soon and timber is dwin-
1.1 dling. Soon, however, the day will end and the moon will rise
Arriving from Innkelch Valley, the gorge of the Holy Spirit in the sky. The seer from Mairan said it would have stopped
suddenly opens, a narrow wound in the rock surrounded on snowing. The walls stained by humidity bear stories of adven-
all sides by snowy peaks. Frostdream Outpost seems a forti- tures all seeming to have ended in tragedy, many featuring a
fied shelter, more akin to a den than a spiritual retreat, and bald man as the recurrent hero. One of the adventurers breaks
its rundown rooms dug into the stone seem to have been the silence by asking.
abandoned for a long time. The group of adventurers has been
forced by the storm to stop there, its howls echoing through “Anybody knows the story of this place?”
the caves in the side of the mountain. Unfortunately, the path
cleared to the highest peaks the monks have cleared is cov- • The group must deal with a mission failed before it
ered in ice and rubble, so the group cannot proceed further. even started. What sort of adventure awaited them at
The secret access the hunter from Mairan pointed the group the Crystal Mounts? Are the rumors about enchanted

Our LaDY OF tHE BEasts

37
 creatures hiding under the mountain true? Is it really • The mountain devils are krampus indeed. Humanoid
possible to use magic to conjure spheres of flame on bestial beings dressed in tattered leathers, crude furs,
the ceiling of caves to tend to subterranean orchards bearing chains and other trinkets made of wood and bone.
and live for centuries isolated from the surface? The Their body is thick with corded muscle and has animal
group will never have those answers. Now they must elements; many feature digitigrade legs and almost all have
return to Mairan, the closest citadel; as the moon ram’s, mouflon’s or ibex’s horns. Some swear they have have
rises, snow stops falling for a while, a temporary hooves instead of feet, others that they leave lupine-like
reprieve, as weather changes constantly within those tracks, only much bigger. All bear large baskets on their
peaks and usually for the worse. Is anybody even backs, called Kraxn, and wield birch twigs as weapons.
planning for the return? When “the Hunt” is awakened, they trample anything in
• It is advised to tell one character some information their way to cattle, wine and children. The screams of the
about local history, telling them to share it with the men and women of Mairan rise in the valley.
rest of the group in due time. As somebody asks The krampus charge reaches the village too quickly to be
about it, it is the perfect occasion to introduce the stopped. The group, then, is faced with a choice.
story of the Saint to immediately set the stage for a
tale of folklore, superstition and mountain saints. A CHOICE:
winter tale. • If the group chooses to carelessly rush to help Mairan
head to paragraph 1.3.
As the moon rises in the sky, the snow storm dies down and a • If the group chooses a cautious approach to the gates of
silvery glow filters through the windows. It is time to go. the Citadel, head to paragraph 1.4 .

1.2 1.3
The way back to Mairan is long and arduous. If climbing up Running in a snowy forest is dangerous. Time and time again
frozen paths was not hard enough, going the opposite way the characters must dodge sharp branches, vault over pits or
is even harder, as the pale light of the moon comes faint and slide over mounds of snow. However, the sounds of the raid
distant, as a song intended for somebody else. down below grant them the strength to get back on track.
The devils fill the streets, bashing the doors of homes and
• The mountain is a dangerous place. The cliff is steep stables. The screams of children mingle with those of their
and partially frozen, the wind howling in the ears of mothers, together joining the dying choir of the beasts as they
the characters, forcing them to hold fast. But a wrong are brutally butchered. Faint and distant come the sounds of
footing, an unstable rock or an old root are enough for a battle to the south, beyond the lake, most likely a last stand.
somebody to fall into the abyss. It is considered difficult The group reaches the village from the west as the majority
terrain, requiring a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check of the krampus is leaving. They have beaten with their birch
not to lose balance or footing and fall for tens of feet twigs the last of the begging peasants and are falling back,
into mounds of fresh snow. The snow softens the fall cackling with bloodthirsty and maniacal glee. The baskets on
somewhat, but standing up again imposes a level of their back hold one or two screaming children and many are
Exhaustion on the character. If the characters help each dragging goats, calves and lambs, holding them by their legs
other with ropes and other tools, they roll with advantage. or horns, streaking the snow with crimson. Thatch and musk
roofs are now beginning to catch on fire.
After a few initial difficulties, the lights of Mairan dot the scarce
fields of the Innkelch Valley. Now everything rests under a coat • The krampus are gathering tribute for the bonfire of the
of snow, but something quick darts around well lit by the moon. Old Perchta (mostly cattle), kidnapping children for the
At first, it is but a dozen figures running in silence. When as New one to feed upon and have taken all they need to
many come out of the black woods behind them, it comes the celebrate the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.
screaming and the hellish clash of bells and drums. Until but a It is a rite that only belongs to them, but it requires blood
moment before, the figures were silent shadows, night predators sacrifices, which is why they will avoid at all cost to kill the
stalking their prey, now they are charging the village headlong. children. As the group reaches the citadel, the last krampus

NIGHTFELL
38
 swarm around them; if the group attempts to stop them or in the dirty rags is a skeletal hand; although with no
advances with weapons drawn, some attack and 5 krampus soft tissues, it seems to be anatomically perfect, as if
join the fight as the others flee in the woods. treated with alchemy or even magic itself. For those
who notice it, see chapter 2 Vorvuk Bonegnawer and
As the fight ends, the character least involved with the skir- the Stolen Relic.
mish notices a figure cloaked in grey leaving the temple of
the Town Protector. It looks like a small humanoid being,
walking hunched in the alleys, its deformed body clutching
1.4
something wrapped in a dirty rag under the cloak. Taking their time to descend from the mountains, the group
When it realizes it has been spotted, it hisses and flees safely finds one of the few trails to the town that can be taken
into a scarcely lit alley, as its hood lifts showing a miniature on horseback, almost entirely covered in snow during the day.
krampus. Its fur is pale gray and adorned with all sorts of From there, one can reach the Caldera Lake on which rises
small bones and it seems to feature small horns. However, this the southern neighborhood of Mairan, the wealthier one, the
one does not seem to carry any bells or baskets on its back. houses of the rich facing a perfectly circular pond. On the
western side, below the mansion of the town Lord, opens
• If the group follows it, they find it trapped in a dead an underground cave complex from which lazily rise faint
end. The creature begs them to be spared, speaking in vapors, evidence of the presence of a hot spring that warms
a broken and primitive language made all the harder water. Nothing lives in the lake, but it is the only defence the
by its prominent fangs. It claims it has nothing to locals have against the northern cold.
do with the other krampus and that it has profited The group of adventurers does not meet any krampus but
of the confusion to claim something that belongs now the lake is ruby red.
to it. It wants to leave in peace, but if pressured it The corpses of the improvised militia of the town Lord are
loses its precious treasure in a nervous fit. Wrapped scattered on the shore, drenched in their own blood, as they

Our LaDY OF tHE BEasts

39
attempted to defend the mansion from the assault of the • Closing in, the group hears the creature speaking in a
mountain devils. Fire is spreading among the nearby hous- somewhat comprehensible language. It is not armed,
es and it seems a large group of people has gathered in the but is wounded and seems to only defend from those
square where the massacre has taken place. blows that land too close. The krampus is weak, but
As the group draws near, they hear the furious cries of an it takes only a show of benevolence or tolerance for
angry mob first and then the clang of improvised weapons it to jump down from the statue, throwing itself to
against stone. A few steps later and the scene becomes clear. the feet of its benefactor and begging to be spared.
A figure in a grey cloak is perched on the top of a statue in the Vorvuk Bonegnawer, this is its name, speaks the
middle of a snow-covered fountain. common tongue, but in a broken fashion, with simple
words and sentences. It claims it has nothing to do
with the other krampus, cursing them, and tells that
It is small, hunched and yet springy… bestial, even, if the everything it wants is to be left alone and never come
shapes under its cloak are true. It clutches to its chest some- back. However, the continued threats from the crowd
thing wrapped in a dirty rag, shouting and whining at every make it shiver so bad that it drops its precious treasure.
club or pitchfork waved at it, though few manage to actual- Wrapped in the dirty rags is a skeletal hand; although
ly hit it. In the commotion, its hood falls behind, showing a with no soft tissues, it seems to be anatomically
miniature krampus with gray fur decorated with small bones perfect, as if treated with alchemy or even magic
and horns hugging its skull. It does not wear bells or a basket itself. For those who notice it, see chapter 2 Vorvuk
on its back, although the mob wants its head nonetheless, in Bonegnawer and the Stolen Relic.
spite of its non threatening appearance.

NIGHTFELL
40
 cHaPtEr 2 Almost beaten unconscious, the creature lets out a wail, al-
most a chant, that turns into a song. In spite of its condi-
tions, its language becomes unusually rich as its devil eyes
VORVUK BONEGNAWER slowly shut.
AND THE STOLEN RELIC
“The hunched man climbs the mountain.
He is as tall as one of her teeth.”
2.1
Whoever sees the relic of the Saint is granted a brief vision. Another stick strikes it square in the face, breaking its lip. The
A handful of sensations, a sequence of images and the over- crowd, seeing the creature does not react, grows bolder and
whelming emotion that felt who was living that memory, more violent.
making it clear it was a moment that belonged to the live of
the Saint himself. “The hunched man dares the mountain.
From the high peak, howling he hears her.”
• The character closest to the relic must roll 1D6 and
receive their vision from the following lists. The other Large stones are thrown on the scene. The mob must be
visions are assigned clockwise. calmed down, before they injure anybody.

1 Your tired steps crunch in the snow of a mountain pass. All “The hunched man silences the mountain.
of a sudden, the rock beneath you trembles. Dread, followed All are saved from quakes and storms.”
by a rising sense of guilt.
2 You see the gorge of the Holy Spirit below you. In the void, A large man grabs a torch from the hands of another villager
something enormous and pale stirs. Alienation, followed by
the feeling of never being alone. and shouts words of hatred, as everybody closes in to kill the
krampus. The words of the monsters, spat alongside blood, now
3 Three opaque eyes, carved stones, crying. The enormous tears
crash on jagged rocks right beside you. Anguish, followed by return to the stuttering, desperate plea of a dying creature.
the fear of no return.
4 Drums, fire, bells echo along the vale. Children scream “I beg. No kill. I b-beg.
and cry in the woods. Anger, followed by a sensation of Bonegnawer tells where children cry.
impending, inescapable doom.
Bonegnawer wish no harm...”
5 You rise a knotted staff in the snow storm. A star-like light
shines bright.
A last hope, followed by divine recognition, falls onto you And yet harm is wrought upon it.
along a sense of belonging.
6 An enormous female mouth opens in front of you. It is the end. Here, the group are faced with a choice. The krampus looks
Victory, followed by a bitter sense of emptiness, as if weak and defenseless, but can it, really? Who will ever bear
plunging into the void depths. the responsibility of sparing it, aware it could be like every
other krampus? Above all else, does it really know where the
children of the village have been brought?
2.2
Shaking their heads, the group returns to reality, to the beg- What does the group do?
ging, frail krampus and the furious crowd. They want the
monster’s head. A few of the town’s notable folk, emissaries CHOICE:
of the local Lord, intervene to calm the mob and capture the • If the group does not act immediately, move on to the
creature; however, there are not enough living guards to do so. paragraph 2.2.
As everybody attempts to strike it down with sticks, torches • If the group protects the krampus, they will have to
or stones, the krampus seeks shelter among the group, clutch- engage in a fight to calm the fury of the crowd. Then
ing its relic as if it was the most important thing of its life. It move on to the paragraph 2.3.
is clear it stole it from somewhere, but the people of Mairan
seems too focused on hitting the krampus to have noticed.

Our LaDY OF tHE BEasts

41
2.2
If the group does not intervene immediately, the small
Krampus is stoned, stabbed and eventually burnt to the stake,
cHaPtEr 3
the mob so angered there is almost nothing left of its corpse.
Many have taken bones or tufts of fur to use as a charm THE SAINT’S SLUMBER
against the mountain devils. It is only afterwards, one of the
characters realizes they have instinctively taken and guarded
the relic the krampus had most likely stolen, almost as if the 3.1
hand “wanted” to be saved. Drifting into sleep as the moon The adventurers are granted a deep slumber, descending upon
sets down tastes like blood and burned flesh. What has hap- them like a frozen blanket, as cold as the swirling snow in the
pened to the krampus was barbarous, not too different from mountain passes up high, cutting one’s breath. There is no de-
what its kind does to humans during their raid and sleeping fense against such pall, something that crawls under clothes
on it is difficult, but eventually slumber claims the group. and armor, biting the skin. There are neither trees nor shelter
Head to chapter 3 The Saint’s Slumber. in their troubled dreams, only rocks, slides and crags. Sleeping
becomes as tiring as climbing uphill towards unknown peaks,
so much so everybody suddenly wakes up in the dark of a
2.3 forest, their eyes caked in frost.
If the group decides to stop the crowd, they must face 9 vil- As the initial confusion wears off, they realize they have
lagers, swayed by neither words nor oratory. It is not an easy been sleep walking and could be hours away from the set-
deed, they could be wounded, accused of being accomplices tlement. Luckily, somehow the adventurers have taken their
of the mountain devils or they could compromise their rep- equipment alongside, preparing them for the frigid walk. The
utation. If even one of the villagers is wounded or killed, the situation, however, is dire; they cannot find their bearing. The
group is no longer welcome in the town, that now actively sky is covered, snow is fresh and the forest seems to swal-
attempts to chase them off. To placate the mob, the group low what little starlight shines through the clouds. It must
must pass a Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check, use be night, but nobody remembers where they were walking
magic or something else. If the group manages to stop the during their sleep.
crowd, the creature is spared and can be brought to safety. The
adventurers are denied access to the local inn, so must sleep • This section is key. The dreams of the characters are
in some covered stables if they could find hay that has not influenced by the presence of the Saint, as if he had
been drenched in blood by the krampus. Sleeping on what sent instructions for them to retrace his steps in the
has happened that night is difficult, but eventually slumber mountains to the Perchta. His body, inside the belly of
claims the group. Head to chapter 3 The Saint’s Slumber. the giantess, calls for them by resonating with his relic,
but he can do so only when they are sleeping. The goal
of the Saint is to see his remains rescued and his tale
told, so the protagonists of this adventure must reach
the place where the krampus have gathered to mourn
their dead Lady of Beasts.

CHOICE:
• If the group did not save Bonegnawer, head to
paragraph 3.2.
• If the groups has saved Bonegnawer from the mob, head
to paragraph 3.3.

NIGHTFELL
42
3.2 visited by a figure encouraging them to keep going.
Looking for a path or stream of water around them, the group In the specific case of the adventure, they could meet
realizes they are on a trail used by the krampus, as if they were a voiceless traveler who points at the peaks, trying to
following the tracks the devils left after the raid. Every now tell them something. They could see far away ghosts
and then they spot footprints, broken twigs, blood stains and of children staring angrily at them from the bushes
small, gnawed upon human bones. Did any of the kidnapped or, in alternative, the very relic could be needed for
children survive? something. The character who claimed it might have
lost it, secretly stolen by another member of the
Everything seems to be hinting at the snow-capped group. These events of which the characters have no
mountains. memory should be enough to prove the players the
relic is not to be trusted.
• Where to go? Here the characters are faced with • If they did not save Vorvuk Bonegnawer the group
a dead end. Should they attempt to return to the takes the easiest way to the body of the Perchta, the
village, going against the sense of this epic adventure, one with footprints. If the group takes the narrow
they are taken again by sleep. The Saint exerts his rocky pass with their guard down, they are ambushed
influence with more vigor, bringing them back on by a small krampus group waiting for prey in a cave
track. For all intents and purpose, it is as if they were in the side of the mountain. Fight.
cursed and haunted by this incorporeal entity about
whom nobody knows anything yet. This forest seg- The path, after the battle, leads the group to chapter 4
ment can present numerous archetypes from movies Perchta’s Den.
like A Nightmare on Elm Street, where the protag-
onists fight against slumber and in their dreams are

Our LaDY OF tHE BEasts

43
3.3
Vorvuk Bonegnawer is alive and seems to be walking quietly
aside the group. It witnessed their awakening and was ordered
cHaPtEr 4
to lead them beyond the mountains, where its kin are headed. OUR LADY
If asked, one of the characters gave such order, but nobody OF THE BEASTS
has any memory of it happening. They must have spoken in
their sleep, although it appears their voice was different, al-
most as if it had a local accent. Why are they heading there?
4.1
What is this force that is slowly drawing them to the peaks? The group is faced with the harshest part of its journey. The
Talking to Vorvuk Bonegnawer the group could learn some- hallucinations sent by the Saint show them bleeding animals
thing about this creature or the situation. Vorvuk is an albino jumping into the crags, children hiding among the stones
krampus, weak and ill, forced by its diminutive size to make deals and hermits preceding the characters in the least accessible
for its life, rather than fighting, and in its own way is grateful to reaches of the mountains in slow processionals. The curse of
the group for being alive. The body of the creature seems to be the relic hangs on the group, filling them with the desire to
unfit for life with its kin and perhaps because of this Vorvuk has complete their quest and be finally free of it. One last effort
learned the human tongue spying mortals for years. However, brings the group along a stone staircase spared by the snow,
it was only after it met the “Hag of the Path” that its life took from which they now see a deep, long glacial valley.
a different bend. “She is not human”, keeps saying Vorvuk, and The body of the Perchta is there, so vast it cannot be taken
yet she does not belong to any of the families of dark creatures in in its entirety. It is as large as a mountain, its flesh almost
it knows. She helped taught it the basics of the human tongue entirely exposed, as murders of enormous crows gather on the
and the thoughts of the mortals, appearing in the most varied of titanic corpse to feast. Of its head, only the skull is left, fea-
places to teach the small krampus after it had left small sacrifices turing a third eye socket and prominent horns.
and preys to an abandoned crossroads. Vorvuk, then, has learned From the waist down, the corpse has barely any skin on
the skeletal hand belonged to the famous Saint. its bones, but the tops half still seems relatively untouched
by time. A gash that could fit a village opens in its chest, blue
• Vorvuk has no qualm in sharing anything it knows, starlight shining within.
wanting to earn the trust of the humans and have the The trail leads to the colossal corpse as everything is about
hand back, stolen by the monks who found its cave to be covered again in snow.
close to the Frostdream Outpost. The krampus will Krampus activity is more and more visible the further the
say anything to have it back, including that it knows group goes. In the numerous caves the character cross, they
how to stop the dreams of the group and their nightly find improvised bedding, though the mountain devils seem to
wandering. It can lead them to the place the hand wants be elsewhere. Something summoned them to perform a ritual
them to see, somewhere Vorvuk got close to multiple not far away, bells and screams easy to discern in the distance.
times but teems with krampus. The characters also notice bone stacks, often belonging to
• Saving Vorvuk allows the group to skip numerous small human beings.
threats and fights, although the narrator could have In a clearing surrounded by what looks like an ancient
the ambush in paragraph 3.2 happen anyway for added megalithic circle shines a cerulean light; at its center, one of
difficulty. The steep paths the small creature leads the these piles of small bones, covered in fir branches. It seems
group through, more suitable to quadrupeds than to be burning in blue fire, untouched by the falling snow and
humans, expose the characters to incredible landscapes almost cold.
such as natural towers made of stone or monumental,
ice covered slides over tens of feet of fall. • If the group is accompanied by Vorvuk, it calls this
• The Hag of the Path is Ordeile, the Strix, who wishes strange phenomenon “Winter Fire”, the krampus
to make amends for her crime after she realized she was explaining it consumes everything and can be put down
deceived by Ablapia. She should be mentioned, as the with water only by who turned it on.
group will meet her before the last stop of their journey.

The path leads the group to chapter 4 Perchta’s Den.

NIGHTFELL
44
“If they set winter fire on, be his salvation and only the power contained within
they want to burn whole mountain. those bones can defeat the new Perchta. This shall be
Old mother will burn, Ordeile’s vengeance.
we quick or dead.”
The Hag of the Path, if treated with kindness, leads the group
Proceeding along the path, the group meets a figure standing at a brisk pace to the entrance of a cave surrounded by bones
on a rock, an old woman with ashen skin and dressed in badly and fir twigs. The body of the giantess, the beacon of light in
kept furs. She does not look hostile, but it does not take a her chest and the crows larger than eagles are much closer, now.
mystic to realize her appearance is probably a ruse as no hu- It is with surprise that she old woman shows the group a gash
man being would last long in those temperatures. in the side of the mountain, a breach in the skin of the Perchta,
the point where Ordeile’s owl form claws have torn the giant-
• Whether the group has saved Vorvuk or not, this is the ess’ flesh to shreds. Same must the adventurers do; enter the
moment of truth. The old traveler introduces herself corpse and recover the body of the Saint. However, the Strix
using her own name, believing nobody could ever gives them a final warning.
recognize her. She is Ordeile, there to stop Ablapia
the Younger, the new Lady of Beasts. Ordeile warns “Be careful, but swift.
the adventurers, telling them of the plot they have Only the chosen of the relic can complete this deed.
been dragged into and revealing anything that Vorvuk Do you not hear, too, the chants and hymns of the devils
has not revealed yet. She tells the character the tale of of the mountain?
the Saint and the old Perchta, Ablapia’s and the other They are marching here, with their new Lady.
Truden’s betrayal. She tells them how the krampus The newly crowned Perchta, Lady of Beasts, she who bears
have been manipulated and why she chose to help the Winter Fire.
Vorvuk. Recovering the Saint’s mortal remains would She shall burn the body of her predecessor.

Our LaDY OF tHE BEasts

45
A pyre as large as the very valley, with you at its center. one after the other and hunger is making them
Time is against you. aggressive, after all, and the body of the giantess seems
Be careful, but swift.” not to be enough to feed them.

Once they have made it past the tunnel network, the group
4.2 enters larger halls, almost completely hollowed out by the
Entering the fleshy folds of the body is not yet as unnerving maggots. Once, there were internal organs, now reduced to
as one would imagine, the giantess being so large it is hard to detritus. The cold, bluish starlight emanated by the body
tell whether she is made of flesh or snow-covered rock. The of the Saint is strong enough to filter through any wall
entrance is partially frozen and for a few hundred feet the and guide the characters, who would otherwise wander
tunnel is but a dark cave filled with snow and detritus. There aimlessly in the dark. Such power must be located in the
are tracks left by paws, hooves and feet, the group not the first center of the giantess’ chest, where once was the stomach
to explore the innards of the mountain. and now is the epicenter of a luminous storm. As they fol-
However, as minutes pass and light fades away, every- low the light, the characters feel as if there was always a
thing becomes sticky and humid. The walls, lit by torches and cloaked hermit a few steps ahead of them, a silent guide
lanterns, are black with slimy blood and the stench grows and mentor to lead them in the right direction, sometimes
stronger the further inside the group proceeds, forcing the even almost seeing him lean on his staff as he advances
use handkerchiefs in an attempt to fend it off. The wound toward the blue light.
left by Ordeile has turned into a maze of flesh dotted with Those with magical talent could even discern his fea-
fluid-leaking tunnels large enough to fit a crouching man… tures, a young man, his head shaved clean and a blue sym-
if there ever was one brave enough to attempt. In time, those bol painted on his forehead. He seems to be hunched, like
drains have caused large, knee-high puddles in the tunnel, an old man.
forcing the group to wade them.

• The task to make a short dungeon unnerving enough 4.3

to keep the players on edge but not to the point of Now the group receives the first warning their time is about
making them uncomfortable is left to the narrator. The to run out. They hear booms, chants in the distance and then
tunnels still viable have been dug by Devourer Maggots nothing, the path apparently leading in a deep vertical chasm
that are currently wandering the corpse of the giantess, crossed by a slow stream of black fluids. The stench is acrid and
the ducts and shafts of her circulatory system slowly almost unbearable, as the blue light shines through every nook
leaking every drop of the blood of the Perchta, now only and cranny and the hand of the Saint, the relic, seems to vibrate
a horrid mix of corrupt and tainted fluids. Delivering and hover, shrouded in spectral energy.
the feeling of a once mighty place, now turning softer
and rotten, here, is key. Sudden movements can provoke • It is necessary to establish whether the characters perceive
slides of fat and putrid tissue or open gaping chasms to the lighting of the funeral pyre when the first krampus
pools of primordial, organic fluids. Worms live there, songs are heard. This information can reach them without
but they should be kept at a distance; the dungeon particular difficulty, the smoke being very aromatic due
should be scary, not its dwellers. Being buried within to the fir branches. Yet the difficulty can be raised given
a giant corpse or falling in a pit full of parasites is a the effluvia that the group has been inhaling since the
nightmare, an experience the narrator should tailor to beginning of the dungeon. The sooner the players discover
the sensibilities of their players. and react to this information, the more lenient the narrator
• However, the narrator should ask their players to roll can be in the final escape.
Constitution or Dexterity saving throws to challenge
every member of the group and include at least one Entering the last cave should be horrifying. The worms have
fight. The Devourer Maggots feed on carcasses killed burrowed through the stomach membrane, now covered in
by other creatures and are normally not aggressive. acid substances probably caused by the contact with the light of
However, should they sense weakened characters in the Saint. Moving through requires a Dexterity saving throw to
their vicinity they would attack. Winters are following avoid collateral damage. Once through, the group is in a wide

NIGHTFELL
46
chamber. Amidst a sea of digestive fluids, blood and other liq- The skeletal remains tremble, the booming voice addressing
uids rises a small isle of blackened bones, the last meals of the who talked.
Perchta condensed together. Right above it, the pristine bones
of the Saint hover in the air. His remains are engulfed in a “Is this what is sung of me?
blinding whirl of spiritual energy, so bright it hurts the eyes of Have I really saved the vale from quake and storm?”
those staring into it for too long, and form into the form of the
hermit as soon as the group enters the room. His lost hand, the • Now is time to remind the group the funeral pyre
missing piece, floats to take its place in its former body, causing is still burning. The body of the Perchta is too large
the light to become a warm, radiant splendor that for a mo- to be burned all at the same time, so the whole vale
ment seems to erase the pain, the stench of the carcass and the has been set ablaze with Winter Fire. Ignoring this
horror of that unholy place. In the following scene, the Saint warning to speak to the ghost of the Saint is therefore
looks like as if he was in the cave of legends, just awakened quite dangerous, as the narrator should gradually let
from his slumber. the smoke in. Vorvuk itself, if present, could feel the
incoming threat in the decisive moments of the ending.
The Saint feels the urge to tell the group of his sacrifice, the

cHaPtEr 5 fundamental condition for his release that a character with

magical capacities can learn. He must tell the true tale of the
fall of the Perchta, his remains must be brought back to the
THE LEGACY OF THE SAINT village for the ritual to be successful and so the giantess.
AND THE WAKE
OF THE KRAMPUS “I wish to become the patron of Mairan, warden of Innkelch
against the mountain devil. This I claim for defeating the ancient
Perchta, the Bright Mother, Lady of Beasts.
5.1 In exchange, I shall gift whoever aids me with the only thing I
A voice comes from nowhere and anywhere. It was not the have left. The secret gift that shall be revealed in the end.”
skeleton to speak, but this voice seems to vibrate in the body
that belonged to the Perchta, as if haunted by a ghost the size And it is with this sentence that the pristine bones land on
of the mountain. the small isle of blackened remains. Right before the ground
starts quaking.
“I feel whole, at last.
You found me, Pilgrims.”
5.2
This sentence, although simple and perhaps obvious, sounds The final escape begins.
like an achievement worthy of song.
• Winter Fire is filling every cavity in the body of the old
• Vorvuk can say with emphasis the following sentence or, Perchta with black smoke; the group must find a new
if not possible, one of the characters under the influence way out of the corpse. However, someone must enter
of the Saint. However, Vorvuk does not worship the the pool of brackish fluids to recover the bones of the
Saint because it believes in him, but for his light. Much Saint. Vorvuk, if present, volunteers to do so, but returns
like the old Perchta, hungry for light, Vorvuk is a moth covered in burns caused by the shining power of the
incapable of resisting the lure of the flame. Saint; however, it does not look concerned by them, as
it caresses the remains as if those of a long lost relative,
“The hunched man climbs the mountain. uncaring of its flesh being burned off of its body.
He is as tall as one of her teeth.” • The difficulty of the escape is proportionate to the time
“The hunched man dares the mountain. the group spent exploring the dungeon, talking to the
From the high peak, howling he hears her.” Saint or to Vorvuk, if present. It should be a fast paced
“The hunched man silences the mountain. scene, with the escape route coming crashing down
All are saved from quakes and storms.” multiple times, forcing the characters to find another

Our LaDY OF tHE BEasts

47
 one. The closer the group gets to the exit, the stronger
the smoke and the krampus chanting become. EPiLOGuE
Open air cleanses the lungs of the group from the rancid The group has achieved its goal.
smell of death they had grown accustomed to during their Their return to Mairan with the bones of the Saint and the
exploration, the black smoke from the pyres making them surviving children, long left for dead, earns them numerous
profusely cough. Wherever they manage to find their exit, blessings and endless gratitude as everybody in the village
they are surrounded by blue fires, each surrounded by a dozen does whatever they can to reward them.
or more krampus, kneeling as they chant and howl at their
new Lady. Too many for the group to fight. But it is only when one of the characters around the campfire
tells the true Story of the Saint that a strange miracle happens
in front of everybody. Within the flames blooms a firn tree,
5.3 that sparks ablaze as it reaches five feet of height, burning into
The group passes close to a circle of standing stones sur- a smoking hermit staff.
rounded by flames; larger krampus are dancing swirling
torches lit with Winter Flame and at the center of the circle
is a palanquin made of numerous enormous interwoven ant-
lers. There, sat as if on a throne, is an apparently human girl,
her naked body twice as tall as a normal maiden. Her hair so
long it snakes among the antlers her throne is made of, her
visage the work of an artist who never saw a human face.
Her eyes, mouth and forehead are out place, lend-
ing a bestial air to elven features, her lashes and
eyebrows much thicker and longer than usu-
al. On her head rests a crown of woven elder
branches, drenched in blood. She was Ablapia,
the Younger, once but now she is the Perchta,
Bright Mother, Lady of Beast. The beginning of
a new cycle.

• The group can move under the cover of smoke

and fire and, if they do not attack the krampus,
nobody will notice their passage. However, for the
sake of drama the narrator should always tempt the
characters with potential violence, before the end.
• Sooner or later, in fact, the group stumbles into a cage
of wood and rope that contains the children the Perchta
has not yet eaten, guarded by the largest krampus the
protagonists have ever seen. If the group decides to stop
and free them, they must fight their jailer. Otherwise,
if the characters wish to avoid confrontation but have
Vorvuk with them, the small krampus lends a hand. Have
the bones of the Saint cured the heart of such abject and
cruel creature, making it capable of feeling mercy? Thanks
to the diversion, the group can escape with the last
children and descend the vale, away from this madness.

NIGHTFELL
48
 aPPENDiX CURSED SITE
The characters can sense the presence of the Abhorrent
Entities that inhabit this place, corroding it with their wick-
STAFF OF THE HERMIT edness. Exposure to these impure auras can wear down the
Quarterstaff +1, rare (requires attunement) spirits of those present. Make a successful DC 13 Charisma
As long as the character holds the quarterstaff, he can use a saving throw or lose 5 (2d4) Soul Points and be frightened.
bonus action to awaken the aura of the Saint, the previous
owner. If he does so, the stick inflicts 1d4 extra radiant dam-
age until the end of the turn.
GRAVEYARDS/MOUNDS
The environment seems to exude the horror of death, and
chilling images of spirits torn apart by torment upset the
ENCOUNTERS minds of the characters. Make a successful DC 13 Wisdom
AFTER THE ADVENTURE saving throw or lose 5 (2d4) Soul Points.

Announcements are posted on Mairan’s hunting board for

troubles raging in the valley. CREATURES
You have reached level 2 and can continue your journey
by facing (or creating) sessions dedicated to these encounters. BLOODTHIRSTY KR AMPUS
Large fiend, lawful evil
THE FROZEN CRYPT STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Location: location between Mairan and Northern lookout. Armor Class 14 (studded leather armor)
This is a cursed tomb. Hit Points 68 (8d10+24
Group of Enemies: 1 Munaciello, 2 Skeletons Speed 30ft.
Skills Deception +2, Intimidation +2, Perception +2
Senses darkvision 60 feet, passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Whisper of the Echoes
THE FORGOTTEN GRAVEYARD Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Location: Holy Spirit Gorge, near Asvizert’s World borders. Bless of the Mask. When it wears its mask, the Bloodthirsty Krampus
This is an graveyard location. has advantage on its attack rolls and on saving throws against being
charmed and frightened.
Group of Enemies: 2 Encaged One Bloodmark. When it hits with a weapon attack, the Bloodthirsty Krampus
deals 9 (2d8) additional damage (already included in the attack)
Favored Terrain. The Krampus’ favored terrain is arctic/snowy.
Perchta’s Gift. The Bloodthirsty Krampus’ darkvision operates both in
TERRAINS magical and non-magical darkness.
Poisonous Whispers. As a bonus action, the Bloodthirsty Krampus can
mutter some foul words that corrupt body and soul. Each creature
In this setting, the terrain you stand on while facing a creature that can hear the Bloodthirsty Krampus within 30 feet of it must
make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, that creature is
must always be taken into account. poisoned until the start of the Bloodthirsty Krampus’ next turn.
Shame of the Mask. A creature within 5 feet of the Bloodthirsty
Common monsters’ sheets show the terrains where they are Krampus can remove the mask if it uses its action to succeed on a
DC 11 Dexterity (Sleight) Check. When the mask is removed, the
more commonly found . These terrains have special effects Bloodthirsty Krampus only uses its Attack action to attack who
that are activated each round of combat on initiative count holds the mask, but the Krampus has disadvantage on attack rolls
while attack rolls against it gain advantage.
20, and that last until initiative count 20 of the next round. Vile Foe. When a living creature that isn’t blinded is in front of the
Bloodthirsty Krampus within 60 feet, that creature must make a DC
12 Wisdom saving throw, losing 3 Soul Points on a failed save. If
that creature sees again the same or other krampus’, it’s immune to
ARCTIC/SNOWY the Vile Foe effect for the next 24 hours.
The burning frost of the place penetrates the numb limbs of ACTIONS
the characters. Make a successful DC 13 Constitution Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 feet, 1 target. Hit: 17
saving throw or take 5 (2d4) cold damage. (3d8+4) bludgeoning damage.
Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: + 6 to hit, Range 20/60. Hit: 17 (3d8+4)
bludgeoning damage.

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 ENCAGED ONE KR AMPUS
Medium undead, chaotic evil Medium fiend, lawful evil
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1 (-5) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 9 (-1)
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Armor Class 12 (leather armor)
Hit Points 36 (8d8) Hit Points 22 (3d8+9)
Speed 0 feet, fly 50 feet (hover) Speed 30 feet
Saving Throws Wis +3, Cha +3 Skills Deception +1, Perception +2
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, Senses darkvision 60 feet, passive perception 12
piercing, and slashing from weapons that aren’t magical Languages Common, Whisper of the Echoes
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhausted, grappled, paralyzed, Bless of the Mask. When they wear their mask, the Krampus has
petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained advantage on their attack rolls and on saving throws against being
Senses darkvision 60 feet, passive Perception 11 charmed and frightened.
Languages understands all languages it knew in life, but can’t speak Favored Terrain. The Krampus’s favored terrain is snowy.
Perchta’s Gift. The Krampus’s darkvision operates both in magical
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
and non-magical darkness.
Favored Terrain. The Encaged One’s favored terrain is graveyards/ Poisonous Whispers. As a bonus action, the Krampus can mutter foul
mounds. words that corrupt body and soul.
Incorporeal Movement. The Encaged One can move through other Each creature that can hear the Krampus within 30 feet must make
creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, that creature is
force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. poisoned until the start of the Krampus’s next turn.
Vile Foe. When a living creature that isn’t blinded is in front of the Shame of the Mask. A creature within 5 feet of the Krampus
Encaged One within 60 feet, that creature must make a DC 11 can remove the mask if it uses its action to succeed on a DC 11
Wisdom saving throw, losing 1 Soul Points on a failed save. If that Dexterity (Sleight) Check. When the mask is removed, the Krampus
creature sees again the same or other Encaged Ones, it’s immune to only uses their Attack action to attack who holds the mask, but the
the Vile Foe effect for the next 24 hours. Krampus has disadvantage on attack rolls while attack rolls against
them have advantage.
ACTIONS Vile Foe. When a living creature that isn’t blinded is in front of the
Krampus within 60 feet, that creature must make a DC 10 Wisdom
Favored Terrain. The Encaged One’s favored terrain is graveyards/ saving throw, losing 1 Soul Points on a failed save. If that creature
mounds. sees again the same or other Krampus, it’s immune to the Vile Foe
Incorporeal Movement. The Encaged One can move through other effect for the next 24 hours.
creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10)
ACTIONS
force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 7
(1d8+3) bludgeoning damage.
Branch. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: + 5 to hit, reach 5 feet or
Range 20/60. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage.

Encaged One Krampus

LEVEL uP
51
 MUNACIELLO
Small fey, neutral evil
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (-1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 27 (8d6)
Speed 0 feet, fly 20 feet (hover)
Saving Throws Des +4
Skills Deception +5, Perception +4
Damage Resistances necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing and
slashing from weapons that aren’t magical
Senses darkvision 60 feet, passive perception 14
Languages Common, Whisper of the Echoes
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Favored Terrain. The Munaciello’s favored terrain is unholy site.
Innate Spellcasting. The Munaciello's spellcasting ability is Charisma
(spell save DC 13, +5 to spell attacks). The Munaciello can innately
cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components:
At will: chill touch, fire bolt
2/day each: bane, inflict wounds
1/day each: hold person, spiritual weapon
Magic Resistance. The Munaciello’s has advantage on saving throws
against magic or magical effects.
Mimicry. The Munaciello can mimic the voice of a little sound.
A creature that hears the voice can tell they are imitations with a
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check.
ACTIONS
Necrotic Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 feet, one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) necrotic damage.

Munaciello

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