Tethered

A game of exploration, boss fights and death

♥ ♦ ♠ ♣
Lore

Before the Baronies

In the beginning, the first gods, Oberon and Arcantha, emerged. Each deity was
composed of multiple "souls" serving as their avatars, centred around an arch-
soul that represented their truest essence. A rebellion led by Oberon's souls
against their host trapped the god within his own body, giving birth to the world
of Oberon. The deaths of some of these souls during the revolt created the first
natural elements, establishing that each Oberon soul held the potential to
become a natural element.

Arcantha, grieving yet resolute, collaborated with Oberon's surviving souls to

populate this new world, giving rise to the various races, such as humans and
elves. The seven remaining souls of Oberon, now known as the "Divine
Monarchs," ruled the world collectively, while Arcantha, the only living god,
received faith and worship.

Through deceit and betrayal, the Monarchs merged with seven of Arcantha's
souls, creating new "souls" of their own and becoming seven Demigods, each
possessing five "sub-souls." This treachery enraged the goddess, who, though
weakened and betrayed, chose to withhold her wrath to protect the world that
was her consort. The Demigods, seizing this opportunity, launched an assault
on Arcantha's remaining souls, introducing magic elements into the world with
their demise. In a climactic battle against Arcantha herself, the goddess, in a fit
of wrath, tore herself apart, breaking the mystical bounds of the world and
cursing her progeny.

Now, Oberon is shrouded in cursed darkness. The goddess's final curse touched
every piece of land, manifesting the sins of all individuals. The most malevolent
beings, now known as Barons, gained dark powers and control over the broken
world, spreading corruption. Above them are the 35 Dukes, the corrupted souls
of the Demigods, transformed into hideous entities. At the pinnacle of this
cursed hierarchy are the original seven Monarchs, now fully embracing their
demigod status and bearing the full brunt of the curse, ruling as dark and
twisted deities over a world plunged into darkness and chaos.

The Tethered
The PCs are what’s known on Oberon as “Tethered”. They are bound to the
living-corpse of Oberon, and cannot permanently die. There are a number of
ways one becomes Tethered:

- The Bargained: The character gave up their mortality to the memory of

Oberon through one of his hidden priests, in order to save someone they
care about, or for another worthy wish. In return, they must destroy the
taint of the Demigods until their tether rots.
- The Unclean: Unknown to the commoners, Barons always get a choice -
the power, or the tether. Nearly all of them choose the power, but a few
recognize the error of their ways, choosing to attempt to repent.
- The Heir: The mortal progeny of Dukes lack their divine parent’s powers
and their mortal parent’s mortality. They are feared and hated, and they
know that to succumb to their sires’ vices will tarnish even the little
identity they have left.
- The Undying: A person is kidnapped in the night to a coven of priests of a
dead goddess. They perform dark rites of necromancy together with a
secret holy ritual, known only to the heads of Arcantha’s fallen church.
They were given a choice: become an undying soldier of vengeance, or
become a monster.

All Tethered share a few common traits: first, they cannot die. They can be
killed, sure, but they always return. Every Tethered is always reborn at the least
cursed place they last visited when they are slain (also known as Places of
Respite). Second, every time they are reborn, the curse in their current barony
grows a bit stronger. The cursed monsters, the Baron and its Serfs all become
slightly more horrifying. They are aware of this, and will plan accordingly
should they find themselves suddenly more powerful. Third, every time a
Tethered is reborn, their own tether grows slightly more cursed. You will never
die as long as the tether exists, no matter how rotten, but when it fully rots, it
transforms - into a new Barony, where you are its Baron.
Mechanics
Mechanics in Tethered are split between Combat Mode, Exploration Mode, and
Regrouping Phase. If the characters are currently visiting their Haven (see page
xx), use the Regrouping Mode. If the characters are not fighting a Serf, a Baron, a
Duke or a Monarch - use the Exploration Mode. Otherwise, use the Combat
Mode.

Throughout both the Combat and Exploration Modes, the Monarchy’s Curse
value might affect the various creatures and phenomena the PCs encounter.
While it naturally fluctuates with time, for the purpose of the game, each
Monarchy has a Base Curse value, which may only increase because of Player
Character actions. Every time the PCs slay or absolve a Baron or higher, the
Monarchy’s Curse Value resets to base value. Note that there are about a dozen
Barons per Duchy, and about four times that serve directly under the Monarch.
Combat Mode

The Grid
Combat in Tethered happens on a simplified grid:

Far Away

Away - Rear

Close - Rear

Away - Flank
Away - Flank

Close - Flank
Close - Flank

The Lord

Close - Front

Away - Front

The Lord is the Serf / Baron / Duke / Monarch the characters are actively
fighting. When it moves, the characters are moved relative to it (see Lord Moves,
below).

Multiple characters may be in a specific location on the grid, unless a specific

Location Trait prohibits it.
Every Lord’s Grid is different. The difference is the number and kind of Terrain
Features available, and also the number and kind of Minions available.

When an effect says a character may target a creature “1 range away”, it means
any location that is adjacent and not diagonal to the character’s location.
Additionally, “Far Away” is always too far for targets not explicitly stating “Far
Away” as an option.

Initiative
The moment a combat begins, and until either all PCs are reborn or the Lord is
slain, no one may leave or enter the battlefield, as barbed shadows of death and
loss bar all doors and windows.

In combat mode, initiative is drawn every round, and goes like this:

- Each player draws a number of cards equal to their Stamina.

- The characters heal all damage to their Stamina.
- The Lord draws a number of cards equal to (their Stamina + number of
unused Minions).
- The Lord heals all damage to its Stamina.
- Characters go from the highest card to the lowest (Ace can be highest or
lowest, player’s choice. Jokers can be any number, even fractions). In
case of ties: ♦ trump a ♥, which trumps a ♠, which trumps a ♣

Characters may not delay an action beyond its card’s value unless an ability
allows them to.

Taking Actions
Every card may only be used to take a single action. Only speech is free. “But
what about…?” if you chose not to take an action on your card’s turn, burn
(burning a card means putting it back into the deck) it.

Some actions may be taken as a reaction to another action. Normal reactions

require you to burn a card. If you don’t have cards left, you may take 1 Stamina
damage in order to still take the reaction, as long as it’s not a limited type action
(e.g. a red action). Reactions are marked with an asterisk in their name.

Some actions may only be taken during a red or a black card action. These will
have their names coloured like so: Red Only Action or Black Only Action. In
addition, some unique actions might require a specific suit of cards to use, and
will be marked like so: ♦ Diamonds Only Action.

To conclude, a reaction that requires burning a Clubs card will look like so:

♣ Clubs Only Reaction*

If there’s any other requirement, it should list it in parentheses (such as “royalty

only” for face cards).

Jokers may be used as any card, including of different colours. Aces may be
used as any other card of their suit.

Player Character Actions

These are the most basic actions every PC has access to in Combat Mode.

Though some actions are explicit about this, any action that damages or
obviously targets the Lord increases its instigator’s Attention score by 1. If the
action Bloodied the Lord, increase it by 3, instead.

Unless otherwise noted, if an effect specifies that your character may attack
multiple enemies (such as the Lord and its minions), you still make 1 roll, and
simply compare it against all relevant difficulties.

Attack the Lord: use your weapon to attack the Lord. Roll against its Physical
Defence. Success deals the weapon damage, while every 5 points above deals an
extra point of damage. Failing to beat the Lord’s Defence by 3 or less deals half
the weapon damage, instead. Increase your character’s Attention score by 1.

When 2 or more characters are flanking the Lord, they all attack with a +2
bonus.
Move: move 1 range away from your current position. Lose any Terrain Feature
you have. This may bring a character to or from Far Away.

♦ Sneak: roll Stealth against the Lord’s Competence. On success, halve your
Attention Score. On failure, increase it by 1.

Raise Shield*: gain the Guard of your Shield until your next action.

Claim Terrain Feature: choose one of the unused Terrain Feature of the grid,
and claim it for yourself. A specific location on the grid may not have more than
one of the same Terrain Feature. A character may not enjoy more than 1
Terrain Feature.

Attack a Minion: roll an attack against the Lord’s Competence. Success means
the minion is removed from the grid (and is still considered used). Failure costs
1 Health as the minions strike back.

♦ Roll Away*: use this against an upcoming attack, before it’s rolled. Roll your
Agility and add any Guard from armour (and any other non-shield source) -
that’s your Physical Defence against this attack.

Draw and Prepare: move 1 item in one or two of your hand slots (only one item,
not one item in each) into your prepared slots, and move one item from your
prepared slots into your hand slots.

Lord Actions
When a creature is shifted by the actions of the Lord, they keep their Terrain
Features. The Lord doesn’t have an “attack” action. Instead, they have multiple
unique attack actions, which must be used to target the character with the
highest Attention score. In case of ties, the GM may choose.

At the end of each round, the GM may move any placed minion 1 range.

Attack: perform an attack against a Close-Front target

Advance: advance towards the character with the highest Attention score. Shift
them 1 range towards the Lord.
Shift Attention: shift every character and minion clockwise or counter-
clockwise.

Charge: every character and minion in “Away - Front” is shifted into one of the
Close - Flanks (their choice). Every character in “Far Away” is shifted into “Away
- Front”. Characters with an Attention score >3 in “Far Away” are instead
shifted into “Close - Front”.

Position a Minion: the GM may place an unused Minion anywhere on the Grid
except Far Away. At the start of each round, every Minion may deal 1 Stamina
damage to a character sharing its location, as they have to fight them off.

Shrug Off: discard all conditions affecting the Lord.

Conditions
Some attacks or effects may impose certain conditions on their targets - PCs or
Lords. Conditions automatically affect Lords, but they’re much easier for them
to ignore (see “Shrug Off”, above).

Poison: when the target renews their Stamina, they suffer 1 Corrosive damage.

Blight: whenever the target is dealt non-physical damage, double it.

Bleed: whenever the target is dealt physical damage, double it.

Frost: at the end of each round, the target suffers 1 Stamina damage.

Insanity: reduce maximum Mana to 0.

Damage & Healing

When a character reaches below half of their max Health, they are Bloody (not
to be confused with the Bleed condition). Some effects are only unlocked when
this happens.

When a character (not a Lord) reaches 0 Health, they are Fading. Fading
characters have their max Stamina set to 1.
Characters with 0 Stamina may not voluntarily take Stamina damage.
Characters with 0 Stamina may draw a single card at the beginning of the
round, at a cost of 1 Health.

Characters with (-Vigor, max -1) Health are Reborn at their last Place of Respite.
This enhances the Curse of the Monarchy by 3.

Unlike other games, Health can’t be regained by sleeping or loitering around.

Only specific actions that make note of it may restore Health or Mana.

Conditions are cleared at the end of Combat.

Losing
When all characters fall to a Lord, nothing extra happens aside from the usual
consequences of Rebirth. However, should the characters challenge the Lord
again, they will find it completely healthy.

Winning
When the party clears a Lord, one of two things happens:

If the Lord was a Serf, the GM rolls for Drops. A Serf might have more than one
Drop, but also might not Drop anything. Serfs also provide a single Cursed
Shard to each character alive at the end of combat.

If the Lord was a Baron or mightier, first reset the Curse value of the Monarchy
to its base value. Then, each character alive at the end of combat receives a
number of Cursed Shards as dictated on the Lord’s stats. In addition, each
Baron, Duke and Monarch provide the party with an Unholy Rune unique to that
Lord. Unholy Runes may be transformed into Relics during the Regrouping
Phase. A single character may, should they choose to, consume the Unholy Rune
and increase their Rot by 1 (without triggering a Corruption roll), gaining
another number of Cursed Shards equal to the one originally given by the Lord
to each character.

Once all that is settled, it’s time to Regroup.

Exploration Mode
During exploration mode, the party may traverse potentially great lengths. This
game handles this part of the game as a Pointcrawl - that is, multiple unique
locations are interconnected on a map, which the players must traverse in order
to get to “the final boss”.

Some paths between points might be hidden or otherwise initially inaccessible

to the players.

These are the possible traits of points the characters might find themselves
exploring:

Dangerous Places
A rickety bridge over a river of lava. A trapped room full of magical flying
knives. A trapped door magically wired to alert every enemy to your passing.

There might be endless causes of problems on your quests, and many of them
won’t result from creatures.

Each Dangerous Place is linked to a skill, and has a set difficulty. At least one of
the players must roll to defeat this difficulty in order to pass.

Failure by 3 or less: suffer the Minor Consequences and do not pass. It’s likely
you may be able to try again.

Failure by more than 3: suffer the Major Consequences and do not pass. It’s
likely you may not be able to try again.

Success by 3 or less: suffer the Minor Consequences and pass.

Success by more than 3: pass without suffering any consequences. It is

possible you find a hidden object.
Hordes of Minions
You enter a room full of minions without a leader. Each horde has set Health /
Physical Defence / Mystical Defence / Damage.

Every character is assumed to have a single Joker card to act on. Every
successful attack lowers the horde’s health, and every missed attack inflicts the
Horde’s damage on the character. Once the horde is reduced to 0 health, the
point is cleared.

Stranded Merchants
The world of Oberon doesn’t really have what we might call “towns” anymore.
These are now Baronies, and good luck finding a proper shop instead of a
murderous butcher that looks like a crossbreed of a demon and hyena.

However, some roaming merchants remain. These might sell you consumable
items or Smithing / Alchemical manuals, or sometimes even spells. The
currency they all use is powerful emotions, which they know how to extract
from Tethered (mechanically, the cost is a number of unassigned Cursed
Shards).

Interesting Characters
Rarer even than the merchants, some uncorrupted people still walk the lands of
Oberon. These might be other Tethered, or relatives of Lords. Some may be
sources of lore, and others might join you at your Haven.

Serf Lairs
Getting into one of these points moves the game into Combat Mode against one
of the Serfs and their minions.
The Throne Room
The “room of the final boss”, which might be a cave. Or a mountainside. Or an
endless pit. This is where the characters meet the Baron, Duke or Monarch
they’ve been hunting.

Places of Respite
The fault lines of the Curse, these places are anathema to the corrupted. You are
safe. Merely visiting a Place of Respite anchors your Tether to it, so that should
you be Reborn, that’s where you’ll show up. If this causes your Rot to Corrupt
you, this Place of Respite will grow to become your Barony (all other Tethered
anchored to this Place of Respite will be Reborn at their Haven instead).

There are multiple activities the party can do here:

Rest

Every character’s Health and Mana go back to their maximum. Increase Curse
by 1. Restore all Doses of your Veins Runes to their maximum. You may switch
spells within your spell slots as you rest.

Regroup

Leave the Monarchy through your Tethers and go back into Haven for a
Regrouping Phase. Increase Curse by 2 (this includes the Rest activity’s cost).

Smithing & Alchemy

Attempt to create any object you have the recipe for by spending the materials
and rolling Smithing or Alchemy, respectively.

Smithing
Using materials known as Forge Essence (x), characters are able to improve their
weapons. It requires a roll of (Focus + Smithing) vs DC (10+Bonus). A single
Essence (x) may provide up to (x) points of bonus, which must be added in order (so
a Forge Essence (3) may improve a +2 weapon to a +3 with a DC 13, or a plain
weapon to +1, DC 11, and then to a +2, DC 12). Weapons may be improved up to
+15.

Unique weapons require a different material, known as Divine Forge Essence (x),
which works in a similar manner. Unique weapons may only be improved up to +10.

A weapon’s bonus is only applied to its attack roll.

Using Cursed Shards

Cursed Shards gained through combat may be assigned to an attribute or a skill

at a Place of Respite to increase their level. The number below specifies the total
number of assigned Cursed Shards required to reach a certain level.

New Rank Shards required for attribute Shards required for skill

0 1 -

1 2 1

2 4 3

3 8 6

4 16 10

5 32 15

6 64 -

7 96 -

8 128 -

9 160 -

10 192 -

n 192 + ([n - 10] * 32) -

Regrouping Phase
During a Regrouping Phase, the characters leave the face of Oberon and travel
through their Tethers to an extradimensional space named Haven. Every
Tethered’s personal Haven is different, but multiple Tethereds may join their
Havens together.

Haven
Immediately upon entering Haven, all characters heal and restore all Health
and Mana. Each Tethered composing the Haven has a single large room, and the
party as a whole gets another room in the Haven, which is called Oberon’s Eye.
From Oberon’s Eye, the characters may travel immediately to any visited Place
of Respite, or to the Gate Barony of any Monarchy (that’s the first Barony beyond
the walls of a Monarchy).

Forging a Relic
Inside Haven, the characters may sacrifice a unique Unholy Rune to Oberon in
order to release its malevolent potential. Each Unholy Rune is unique, but all
have at least two material forms: either a new item, a Relic, or a new spell, which
can be learned only once.

Visitors
As mentioned above, the characters might meet people who they’d like to enlist
to their cause. A willing person (i.e., one that is not a Lord or a minion) may be
transported into Haven, which can host a number of visitors up to the number
of characters in the party.

Losing your Tether

Whenever your character gains Rot (such as by being Reborn), roll for
Corruption. It’s a straight D20 roll, no bonuses, no penalties. If you roll equal to
or above your Rot, all is well.

However, should you roll under your Rot, your Tether finally fails. Every dark
memory and act you’ve accumulated on your travels finally manages to catch
up to you. The moment this happens, a new Barony sprouts from the ashes of
your Tether - it consumes the land around it, creating more space than existed
before around you (this means that you don’t actually take any land from a
different Barony, you just create a new one inside it). Then, you become the
Baron of this Barony, drawing in people from your past life as Serfs and
minions. The GM handles this, your character is out of your hand.

If this happens inside Haven, the entire place becomes corrupted by the Curse
and part of your new Barony. This also automatically corrupts all Tethered and
Visitors inside. This means everyone needs to hand in their character sheets to
the GM, sigh, and start from the top.
Character Creation

Step 1: Choose Tethered Origin

Why and how did you end up as one of the Tethered?

The Bargained
The character gave up their mortality to the memory of Oberon through one of
his hidden priests, in order to save someone they care about, or for another
worthy wish. In return, they must destroy the taint of the Demigods until their
tether rots.

Boon of The Bargained: Gain an additional Elementalist spell at character

creation, and treat its Lore requirement as being 1 lower than it is for the
purpose of using it.

Bane of The Bargained: As long as you know at least one Magic spell, treat your
Arcane as 1 lower than it is for the purpose of meeting the requirements of
Magic spells. Otherwise, reduce your Mystical Defence by 1.

The Unclean
Unknown to the commoners, Barons always get a choice - the power, or the
tether. Nearly all of them choose the power, but a few recognize the error of
their ways, choosing to attempt to repent.

Boon of The Unclean: Choose another Memento to start the game with.

Bane of The Unclean: Start the game with a Rot value of 1. Rolling equal to your
Rot level on Corruption rolls is equivalent to rolling under it.
The Heir
The mortal progeny of Dukes lack their divine parent’s powers and their mortal
parent’s mortality. They are feared and hated, and they know that to succumb to
their sires’ vices will tarnish even the little identity they have left.

Boon of The Heir: Increase either your Lore or Arcane by 1. Any Divine Arm
you wield is considered 1 level higher than it is, up to its cap.

Bane of The Heir: You are seen as a vile half-breed attempting a usurpation.
When you begin combat against a Baron or above, you start with an Attention
score of 3.

The Undying
A person is kidnapped in the night by a coven of priests of a dead goddess. They
perform dark rites of necromancy together with a secret holy ritual, known only
to the heads of Arcantha’s fallen church. They were given a choice: become an
undying soldier of vengeance, or become a monster.

Boon of The Undying: Gain an additional Magic spell at character creation, and
treat its Arcane requirement as being 1 lower than it is for the purpose of using
it.

Bane of The Undying: As long as you know at least one Elementalist spell, treat
your Lore as 1 lower than it is for the purpose of meeting the requirements of
Elementalist spells. Otherwise, reduce your Mystical Defence by 1.

Step 2: Choose Background

Your mortal ancestry or upbringing don’t really make you unique. They do,
however, cover some of the things your character might know about. Answer
the following questions, and use the answer to guide you to one of your
character skills. Increase a skill each time it’s chosen by 1. You can’t choose a
skill more than twice.
 - Which race were you born to? The races of Oberon are many, and each
might present an opportunity to excel at the most bizarre of things.
- Examples: human (Talk), elf (Track), dwarf (Smith), gnome
(Stories), goblin (Stealth), demonkin (Acrobatics), giantkin (Force)
- Where did you grow up? Already Tethered or not, each childhood might
bring different opportunities.
- Examples: dirt poor on the streets (Stealth), in the halls of an
academy (Stories), in a Knight’s camp (Force)
- What were you becoming before leaving? Were you studying or already
practising a trade?
- Examples: scholar, squire, blacksmith, minstrel, criminal
- What do you have a knack for? Sometimes, even though nothing comes
of it, someone just knows how to do something they have no business
knowing.
- Examples: picking locks, cooking, playing cards

Step 3: Choose Attributes

Players spend the following score across the 7 attributes: 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, -1, -1.
Then, they may spend 3 points to increase their attributes up to a cap of 3
(including any increases from their Origin).

Example: Mannelia, Heiress of Duchess Arjen-Kali, is a would-be sorceress. She decides

her Arcane, Focus and Smarts are the most important to her, but she wants her Arcane
to shine (for those mighty magics). She puts 1 and 1 into Arcane and Focus, and one of
her 0s into Smarts. She decides not breaking immediately might also be beneficial, using
her other 0 for Vigor and Agility, leaving the two -1’s for Might and Lore. She then spends
her 3 points on Arcane, Focus and Smarts, and adds her Heiress Boon to her Arcane,
netting her the scores: -1 Might, 0 Agility, 0 Vigor, 2 Focus, 1 Smarts, -1 Lore, and 3
Arcane.

Example 2: Verxim aims to become a flame-wielding knight. He is one of the Bargained,

so he gets a discount on Lore requirements for his first Elementalist spell, but he knows
he’ll still need at least 0, so that’s where he puts his first 0. Might and Vigor are easily the
most important for a front-liner, getting both ones. He knows he probably won’t be able
to use many Elementalist spells until he gets his Lore up, so he puts a -1 into Smarts, and
the other into Agility, leaving the last 0 for Focus (which means he’ll get to use that spell a
few times). Then, he increases his Might to a 3 and his Vigor to a 2 .Netting him the
scores: 3 Might, -1 Agility, 2 Vigor, 0 Focus, -1 Smarts, 0 Lore, -1 Arcane.

Mark down the number of required Cursed Shards for your attribute levels on
your character sheet.

Might
Represents your character’s physical might, their ability to kick down doors or
to pummel someone into submission. Heavy melee weapons use this attribute
to attack.

Agility
Represents your nimbleness and coordination. Light melee weapons and
ranged weapons use this attribute to attack.

Vigor
Represents how much punishment your body can take before falling apart and
reincarnating. Your Health is derived from this attribute.

Focus
Represents how easy it is for you to perform focus-intensive tasks. Your Mana is
derived from this attribute.

Smarts
Represents how smart you are naturally, both in terms of wits and the ability to
remember. Your spell slots are derived from this attribute.
Lore
Represents your affinity to the world of Oberon and its natural miracles. Your
Elementalist spells and Mystical Defence make use of this attribute.

Arcane
Represents your affinity to the unnatural and the relatively new magics brought
on by the demise of Arcantha. Your Magic spells and Mystical Defence make use
of this attribute.

Step 4: Choose Skills

The skill list in Tethered is quite small, and as such, expect to have to bend your
perception of them a bit. Your character should already have a few of these
skills with a score from step 2, so now you get to spend 4 more points across the
skills. No single skill may start over 3.

- Talk: converse with NPCs, haggle, intimidate and attempt to charm.

- Track: find your way around a swamp or a broken labyrinth.
- Smithing: use materials to enhance your equipment.
- Stealth: move around without attracting attention, or otherwise act
covertly.
- Force: do things hard without hurting yourself.
- Alchemy: use materials to create potions, poisons and other elixirs.
- Acrobatics: jump, run, fling from roofs.
- Stories: how well you know the stuff of stories, the knowledge of the old
world.
- Notice: notice a secret others might miss.

Mark down the number of required Cursed Shards for your skill levels on your
character sheet.
Step 5: Choose Assets
Every starting character gets 4 Asset Points to spend on either starting
equipment, or starting spells. Note that a character doesn’t “magically” happen
to find the gear they need or just learn new spells by butchering monsters, so
this is somewhat crucial.

Note that nearly every asset in this game has an attribute requirement. Using a
piece of equipment you are ill-suited for has different drawbacks according to
the type of the item (weapon, shield, armour). A character cannot use a spell
they do not fit the requirements for.

Equipment
Tethered isn’t a game where you manage loot and mundane items. Stuff like
ropes, clothes, food and lanterns are always in great supply for the Tethered
immortals. Instead, equipment in this game is nearly always meant for combat
purposes (though creative problem solving is encouraged - a Tethered capable
of sustained flight might be able to bypass much of a vertical dungeon).

Each character has the following item slots:

- Two hands
- One head
- One torso
- One pair of arms
- One pair of legs
- One pair of feet
- Three amulets

Every item has its slot clearly listed.

In addition, you may have up to 3 additional “prepared hand slots”. You can use
the Draw and Prepare action to switch between an item in one or two of your
hand slots and one item in your prepared slots.
Load Capacity

A character has (Might * 2, min 1) Load Capacity. Some heavier items burden
this capacity if you have them in any of your slots. Exceeding your Load
Capacity by up to half means you are Encumbered, and every Agility based
action (including movement) requires you to burn a card. A character may not
exceed her Load Capacity by more than that.

Starting Equipment Options

Weapons

If you fail to meet the requirements of your weapon, roll all attacks with it
with disadvantage. Additionally, the effects of the Light, Channel, Balanced and
Agile tags are ignored.

Agile: Ranged weapons with this tag may attack from Close range without
penalty.

Axe: This weapon is an axe for the purpose of Runes and other abilities.

Balanced: As long as the wielder’s Might and Agility are within 1 point of each
other, roll attacks with +1.

Bow: This weapon is a bow for the purpose of Runes and other abilities.

Channel: Wielding this weapon allows you to cast Magic spells.

Club: This weapon is a club for the purpose of Runes and other abilities.

Dagger: This weapon is a dagger for the purpose of Runes and other abilities.

Light: This weapon may use Agility for attack rolls instead of Might.

Ranged: This weapon may attack from Away and uses Agility for attacks.
Attacks from Close range are made with disadvantage. Attacks against minions
don’t suffer from this penalty.
Reach: When attacking with this weapon, you may burn a card to attack from
Away.

Spear: This weapon is a spear for the purpose of Runes and other abilities.

Staff: This weapon is a staff for the purpose of Runes and other abilities.

Sword: This weapon is a sword for the purpose of Runes and other abilities.

Twinned: Wielding this weapon in each hand grants you the following action:

♠ Burn a card, attack twice

Versatile: While wielding this weapon in two hands, increase its damage by 1.

Name Hand Slot/s Asset Cost Damage Requirements Tags

Novice Staff 1 1 1 Impact Ar 1, Sm 1 Staff, Channel

Long Knife 1 1 2 Slash Ag 1 Dagger, Light

Shortbow 2 1 1 Stab Ag 2 Bow, Ranged, Agile

Broadsword 1 1 2 Slash Ag 1, Mi 1 Sword, Balanced

Battle Axe 1 1 2 Slash Mi 1 Axe

Short Spear 1 1 2 Stab Mi 1 Spear

Katana 1/2 2 2 Slash Mi 1, Ag 1 Sword, Versatile,

Balanced

Longbow 2 1 2 Stab Ag 2, Mi 1 Bow, Ranged

Longsword 1 1 2 Slash Mi 1 Sword

Halberd 2 1 2 Slash Mi 1 Axe, Reach

Scimitar 1 1 1 Slash Mi 1, Ag 1 Sword, Twinned

Club 1/2 1 1 Impact Mi 1 Club, Versatile

Shields

Shields may benefit a character taking the Raise Shield action. Characters who
don’t meet the requirements of the shield must burn a card in order to use the
Raise Shield action (or use any other effect that emulates it).
Adorned: adorned shields don’t take up an item slot, but you may only wield
one per hand slot.

Mystical: this shield also applies to your Mystical Defence when used.

Name Hand Asset Guard Load Requirements Tags

Slot/s Cost Capacity

Runecarved 1 1 1 0 Lr 1, Mi 0 Mystical
Wooden Shield

Buckler 0 1 1 0 Ag 1, Mi 0 Adorned

Steel Shield 1 2 3 1 Mi 2

Wooden Shield 1 1 2 1 Mi 1

Small Steel 1 2 2 0 Mi 1
Shield

Runecarved 1 2 2 1 Mi 1, Lr 1 Mystical
Shield

Small Wooden 1 0 1 0 Mi 0, Ag 0
Shield

Armour

During play, the party might come across distinct pieces of armour (e.g. Horned
Helmet) which occupy a specific item slot. When starting out, though, you must
choose between sets of armour. Each set costs 1 asset point, but you can’t own
more than one set at character creation.

Wearing armour you don’t meet the requirements for doesn’t grant you its set
bonus, and it counts twice against your Load Capacity.

Set Bonus: Some armour sets provide an extra effect when all pieces are worn
at the same time.

Blessed: This armour provides Guard against Holy attacks.

Name Slot Guard Load Capacity Requirements Tags

Assassin’s Set: Gain +1 Stealth while not above your Load Capacity

Assassin’s Hood Head 0 0

Assassin’s Gloves Arms 1 0 Ag 1

Assassin’s Greaves Legs 1 0 Ag 1

Assassin’s Boots Feet 0 0

Assassin’s Armour Torso 1 1 Ag 1

Inquisitor’s Set: ♥ Cast an Elementalist Spell, gain +1 Mystic Defence until next action

Inquisitor’s Hood Head 0 0

Inquisitor’s Gloves Arms 1 0 Lr 1

Inquisitor’s Boots Feet 0 0

Inquisitor’s Robes Torso 2 2 Lr 2 Blessed

& Legs

Berserker’s Set: Gain +1 Tracking while not above your Load Capacity

Berserker’s Helm Head 1 0 Mi 1

Berserker’s Gloves Arms 1 0 Mi 1

Berserker’s Greaves Legs 1 1 Mi 1

Berserker’s Boots Feet 0 0

Berserker’s Armour Torso 2 2 Mi 2

Hermit’s Set: Gain +2 Mystic Defence

Hermit’s Hood Head 0 0

Hermit’s Gloves Arms 0 0

Hermit’s Boots Feet 0 0

Hermit’s Robes Torso 1 1 Lr 2 Blessed

& Legs

Ronin’s Set

Ronin’s Helm Head 1 1 Mi 1

 Ronin’s Gloves Arms 1 0 Ag 1

Ronin’s Greaves Legs 2 2 Mi 2

Ronin’s Boots Feet 1 0 Ag 1

Ronin’s Armour Torso 2 2 Mi 2

Warrior’s Set

Warrior’s Helm Head 1 1 Mi 1

Warrior’s Gloves Arms 1 0 Mi 1

Warrior’s Greaves Legs 2 2 Mi 2

Warrior’s Boots Feet 1 0 Mi 1

Warrior’s Armour Torso 3 3 Mi 3

Spells
Spells in Tethered are divided into two broad categories: Elementalist spells,
which draw from the natural elements of Oberon’s dead souls, and Magic spells,
which do the same for Arcantha’s. While Elementalist spells have been around
since forever, Magic has only been around since just before the breaking of the
world, and as such is still new (and is still viewed by the masses with extreme
distrust, being not unjustly blamed for benefitting from the death of the
goddess). Unless mentioned otherwise, each spell costs 1 Asset Point.

While using spells takes immense focus in itself, the very act of memorising one
is a terrible burden on one’s mind, while even learning a spell scars the soul.

Characters have a number of spell slots equal to (Smarts + 2). Spell slots
represent how many spells (of any type) your character can have memorised.
Unlike possible other games, spells you memorise don’t go “poof” once you use
them. You may switch memorised spells in Places of Respite.
Each spell has a Mana cost. Your maximum Mana is equal to (Focus * 4, min 1).
There is no “Cast a Spell” action. Instead, spells are presented in the action
notation.

Spellbound

Some spells create or enforce a Spellbound condition on their target. If such a

spell does not require a roll, only willing targets are Spellbound.

When your character targets a target Spellbound to her, she may target them
regardless of range, and gains advantage when using spells targeting them from
the original spell range.

A character may only have one Spellbound creature.

Magic Spells

Sorcerous Bolt

Arcane 1

Cost: 1 Mana

Range: Away

Roll: Arcane vs. Mystical Defence

Damage: 2 Sorcery Damage

Cast a bright silver bolt of magic.

Sorcerous Wave

Arcane 1

Cost: 1 Mana

Range: Away (all minions on a path from your location are affected)

Roll: Arcane vs. Mystical Defence

Damage: 1 Sorcery Damage

Cast a bright silver wave of magic across the battlefield.

Minor Sorcerous Blade

Arcane 2

Cost: 2 Mana

Range: Self

Duration: End of next round

Conjure a giant blade made of bright silver motes of light. Gain the following
action: ♠ Attack every enemy up to 1 range away from you (Arcane vs. MD, 2
Sorcery Damage)

Elementalist Spells

Thoughts Into Blood

Lore 1

Cost: up to (Lore) Mana

Range: Self

Heal Health equal to the Mana you’ve expended.

♥ Thoughts Into Life

Lore 2

Cost: up to (Lore * 2) Mana

Range: Self

You and every ally within one range from you heal Health equal to half of the
Mana you’ve expended.

Silent Wind
Lore 1

Cost: 1 Mana

Range: Close

You may gain Spellbound with the target. Target is hidden and is not a valid
target for attacks until their next action ends.

Flame Arc

Lore 1

Cost: 1 Mana

Range: Away (all minions on a path from your location are affected)

Roll: Lore vs. Mystical Defence

Damage: 1 Fire Damage

Cast an arc of fire across the battlefield.

Mementos
Each character may choose a memento at character creation that is a relic from
their past. The rules for Runes and Veins can be found later.

Amulet of Ruby Haze

Takes up an amulet item slot. Increase your max Health by 1.

Amulet of Sapphire Haze

Takes up an amulet item slot. Increase your max Mana by 1.

Amulet of Hindsight

Takes up an amulet item slot. When drawing cards for the round, draw 1 extra
card, and immediately burn 1 card.

Rune of the Enraged

Applicable to: All weapons

Requirements: +1 Might

Gain ♣ Attack, and burn any number of cards to perform an equal number of
attacks.

Azure Bloodpill

Increase your Azure Veins Rune’s potency (see below) by 1.

Scarlet Bloodpill

Increase your Scarlet Veins Rune’s potency (see below) by 1.

Idol of the Broken Goddess

Use this at Forsaken Altars to gain entry (consumable).

Step 6: Finishing Touches

Record Derived Values

Your character’s Health is equal to ([Vigor + 2] * 3).

Your character’s Mana is equal to (Focus * 4, min. 1).

Your character’s Spell slots are equal to (Smarts + 2).

Your character’s Physical Defence is equal to (8 + Agility + Guard).

Your character’s Mystical Defence is equal to (8 + Lore + Arcane).

Your character’s Stamina is equal to 4.

Record Runes
Each Tethered always has access to two personal Runes:
 Scarlet Veins

This Rune starts at (Potency 1 / Doses 1).

Spend 1 Scarlet Veins Dose, heal up to Scarlet Veins Potency Health.

Azure Veins

This Rune starts at (Potency 1 / Doses 1).

Spend 1 Azure Veins Dose, restore up to Azure Veins Potency Mana.

Choose one of the runes, and increase its Doses by 1.

Every time you rest at a Place of Respite, restore both Doses to their maximum.
You may also then choose to differently distribute the Doses between the two
runes.

Unique Runes

Additionally, some Mementos might be other Runes. Normally encountered

later in the game, Runes may be applied to non-Unique equipment. Any piece of
equipment may only hold up to 1 Rune, and Runes may only be applied to
applicable equipment. Most Runes also make the item more difficult to wield,
increasing its base requirements.

If you start the game with a Rune, you may start with it applied automatically to
an applicable item. During the game, this requires a Smithing roll in a Place of
Respite. Removing a Rune doesn’t require a roll, but cannot be done while in
Combat Mode.

Runes are not consumable items, and do not perish when you imbue an item
with them. Once you know a Rune, you know it for good.

Choose a Name
Choose your current name, and set off to butcher atrocities in the eyes of Gods
and men!
Castle Kalteria, Barony of
Kohlroth
Beware, player! This is GM territory, where the land is rife with the blight of
spoilers!

Size: Large

Architecture Type: Human

Aesthetic: Demonic, walls are covered with red glowing glyphs, cries of pain can
be heard and chained prisoners can be found.

Lore
Before the curse, Kohlroth was a minor noble with a major position: through a
combination of guile, manipulation and sheer dumb luck, he landed the
position of Knight Watcher for the Duke - in charge of inspecting every would-
be knight in the Duchy.

With time, it became apparent that the best way to ascend to knighthood under
the watchful eye of Lord Kohlroth was through strength of coin, rather than
strength of arms. The realm was robbed of many great knights as they were
forcibly held as squires until someone could random their future from the hand
of the greedy lord.

Eventually, enough people were too angry for the lord to keep this up. Then his
Captain of the guard, Caothgan, suggested a new route into knighthood:
abandon your previous oaths of service and swear fealty to Kohlroth, and your
petition for knighthood was miraculously expedited.

The Curse of Arcantha caught the lord amidst amassing both enemies and
power, drunk on his own power and guarded by the most ambitious young
knights in the land.
Room 1: Entry Hall
Place of Respite

The entry hall of Castle Kalteria looms before you, a cavernous space that seems to
swallow sound and light alike. Towering walls stretch upward, their surfaces marred by
pulsating crimson glyphs that cast an eerie, blood-red glow across the chamber. The air is
thick with an oppressive silence, broken only by the occasional distant echo of a
tormented scream that sends chills down your spine.
At the far end, a massive iron-bound door stands as a foreboding sentinel, its surface
etched with intricate demonic symbols. To one side, a smaller yet equally imposing door
remains resolutely shut, its lock a clear warning against unauthorised entry.

The emptiness of the hall is unsettling, as if the very absence of furnishings or decorations
is a deliberate statement. Your footsteps, no matter how carefully placed, seem to
resound with unnatural volume, making stealth a near impossibility. The stone floor,
once polished to a mirror sheen, now bears scorch marks and strange, viscous stains that
your mind shies away from identifying.

As you stand in this forsaken entryway, you can't shake the feeling of being watched by
unseen eyes, the curse of the castle seeming to seep into your very being with each passing
moment.

Path to The Merchant (Locked, DC 12, Minor: An eye opens in the door, noticing
you. Major: +1 Curse)

Path to the Lava Pool

Room 2: The Trap Door

Dangerous Place

As you ascend the winding staircase, you emerge into a compact, dimly lit hall. The air
here is stagnant, carrying the faint scent of decay and old leather. At the far end, a sturdy
oak door looms, its iron fittings corroded but still formidable.

The space, while unoccupied, bears signs of recent habitation. A threadbare rug covers
much of the floor, its once-vibrant pattern now faded and stained. To one side, a heavy
wooden chest rests against the wall, its lid slightly ajar. Opposite it, a tall bookcase
stands, its shelves lined with dusty tomes and peculiar artefacts.

In the centre of the room, a large, ornate table dominates the space. Its surface is
cluttered with maps, scrolls, and what appears to be a half-finished meal, now
mouldering and forgotten. Carved wooden chairs are arranged haphazardly around it,
as if their occupants left in a hurry.
Mounted on the walls, tarnished sconces hold guttering candles that cast flickering
shadows, making the demonic glyphs etched into the stone seem to writhe and dance. A
musty tapestry hangs askew, partially concealing a section of the wall.

The silence here is oppressive, broken only by the occasional creak of settling wood or the
distant, muffled cries that echo throughout the castle. Despite the room's lived-in
appearance, an aura of abandonment and wrongness permeates the air, leaving you
with an inexplicable urge to watch your step.

There is a trap door at the centre of the room. The trap has multiple triggers, so
whenever a PC attempts to investigate anything in the room for the first time,
prompt them for a (Smarts + Notice, DC 14) roll. Failing it by 3 or less shouldn’t
trigger anything, unless the character keeps investigating. Failing by more than
3 opens the trap door, and everyone takes 1d4 Health as they fall into the Dining
Hall. Players may roll for (Agility + Acrobatics, DC 14) to halve the damage.

Success allows the characters to navigate the room. Inside the chest or on the
table gets them the following item:

Writ of Authority
Consumable
Use in a fight against a Serf of Kohlroth. Set your Attention to 0. Your Attention score will not
increase until the Serf is slain, or one of your fellow allies is Reborn.

Path to the Antehall

Stairs down to the Lava Pool

Stairs down to the Dining Hall

Room 3: Hall of Squires

Horde of Minions

Health: 5 Physical Defence: 14 Mystical Defence: 5 Damage: 3

The Hall of Squires stretches before you, a chamber of shattered dreams and twisted
ambition. Once a place of hopeful vigil, it now stands as a grotesque monument to
unfulfilled desires.
Rows of tarnished armour stands line the walls, each bearing the weight of rusted
chainmail and pitted plate. Banners, once proudly displaying the heraldry of aspiring
knights, now hang in tatters, their colours muted by the castle's sickly crimson glow.

The air is thick with the acrid smell of desperation and decay. Shuffling through this
forsaken hall are the remnants of the squires, their forms hunched and distorted by the
curse. These hollow shells of men and women stumble aimlessly, their eyes vacant yet
somehow burning with an insatiable hunger for recognition.

In their gnarled hands, they clutch brittle blades - once-proud weapons now as fragile as
their wielders' sanity. The constant, unsettling chorus of their moans fills the air: "My
turn... my turn for knighthood..." The words are slurred, barely intelligible, a mantra of
madness repeated ad infinitum.

At the far end of the hall, a grand tapestry depicts a knighting ceremony, its imagery a
cruel mockery of the fate that forever eludes these damned souls. The thread seems to
writhe and shift when observed too closely, as if the curse itself is weaving its malevolence
into the very fabric of reality.

The squires immediately turn to attack the party, trying to prove their worth.

Path to the Antehall (the door is stuck, DC 15 Force to open)

Path to the Captain’s Quarters (secret, DC 15 Notice)

Stairs down to the Merchant (secret DC 20 Notice)

Room 4: The Antehall

Place of Respite

The Antehall unfolds before you, a haunting echo of its former grandeur. This vast
chamber, once the jewel of Castle Kalteria, now stands as a monument to abandoned
opulence.

Massive crystal chandeliers hang from the vaulted ceiling, their facets dulled and
cracked, no longer catching and scattering light but instead seeming to absorb what little
illumination reaches them. The floor, a masterwork of intricate marble inlays depicting
heroic scenes, is now marred by long cracks that spider across its surface like veins of
corruption.

Ornate tapestries line the walls, their rich colours faded to ghostly echoes of their former
vibrancy. Gold-leafed mirrors, tarnished and clouded, reflect distorted images that seem
to shift when viewed from the corner of your eye.

The air here is unnaturally still, devoid even of the usual castle mustiness. No cobwebs
adorn the corners or drape the long-unused furniture, as if even the spiders have
forsaken this place. The silence is absolute and oppressive, swallowing every sound you
make.

Plush divans and elegantly carved chairs are arranged in conversational groupings, a
cruel invitation to rest in this forsaken space. Each step you take echoes with unnatural
volume, despite the luxurious carpets that should muffle your footfalls.

At the far end of the hall, a once-majestic marble staircase ascends towards the throne
room. Now, it stands partially collapsed, its balustrades shattered and steps cracked. The
remaining portion seems to twist impossibly, defying perspective as it climbs upward. An
invisible force seems to draw your gaze towards the summit, where shadows writhe and
dance at the threshold of the unseen throne room.

The Antehall, in its eerie silence and decaying splendour, serves as a chilling reminder of
the castle's fall from grace. It offers a moment of respite, yet every luxurious detail seems
to whisper a warning: do not linger here, for greater horrors await above.

Path to the Hall of Squires (obstacle)

Path to the Trap Door

Stairs up to the Throne Room

Room 5: The Gaol

Horde of Minions

Health: 12 Physical Defence: 12 Mystical Defence: 10 Damage: 1

The gaol of Castle Kalteria is a nightmarish realm of perpetual torment. As you descend
into its depths, the air grows thick with the stench of decay and the lingering echoes of
countless screams.

Darkness reigns here, broken only by the eerie, pulsating glow of luminescent fungi that
have overtaken the walls. These pallid growths cling to the remains of torch sconces, their
sickly light casting writhing shadows that seem to reach out with grasping tendrils.

The narrow corridor is lined with iron-barred cells, their doors hanging askew on rusted
hinges. The locks, once impenetrable, have long since succumbed to corrosion, rendered
useless by time and the pervasive damp.

From within these open tombs, unspeakable horrors begin to stir. The prisoners - once
ordinary folk whose only crime was to question their corrupt lord - have been
transformed by the castle's curse into monstrous abominations. Misshapen lumps of flesh
pulse and quiver, their forms barely recognizable as human. Fungal growths burst from
decaying skin, while maggots and other unspeakable parasites writhe within exposed
cavities.

As your presence registers in whatever remains of their awareness, a collective groan

rises from the cells. The sound is not one of pain or despair, but of hunger - a primal, all-
consuming need. Slowly, with agonising deliberation, these once-human creatures begin
to lumber from their cells.

They emerge in terrifying numbers, a tide of corrupted flesh that fills the narrow confines
of the gaol. Arms reach out, fingers elongated into claws, grasping blindly. Mouths,
distended and filled with blackened teeth, gape wide in anticipation.

Defeating the horde reveals an item:

Warden’s Whip (Weapon, Agility 3, 1 Hand, 2 Damage [Whip, Reach, Light])

Bleeding Torment (Rune): ♥ Spend 2 Mana, attack all minions in your location and the Lord, if
possible. If the Lord is hit, inflict Bleed on it.

Path to the Lava Pool

Path to the Nursery (a narrow maze, requiring DC 20 Track to traverse)

Room 6: The Master Bedroom
Serf Lair

The Master Bedroom of Castle Kalteria is a grotesque parody of luxury, sprawling out
before you in decadent decay. The chamber's focal point is an enormous bed, tattered
canopies of dark purple silk hang limply around it, their edges frayed and disintegrating.

Rotting tapestries and moth-eaten curtains of the same royal hue adorn the walls, their
intricate patterns now barely discernible beneath a layer of mould and decay. The air is
thick with the cloying scent of perfume gone rancid, mingling with the unmistakable
odour of putrefaction.
Massive stained-glass windows dominate one wall, their once-vibrant panes now clouded
and cracked. Through them, an impossible vista unfolds - skies of sickly green stretch to
the horizon, populated by wheeling flocks of carrion birds whose cries occasionally pierce
the room's oppressive silence.

On top of the foul bed sits a figure both alluring and repulsive. Methagra, the Concubine,
or what remains of her, towers over you. Her form is draped in layers of shimmering
purple silk that whisper across the floor with her slightest movement. Heavy jewels adorn
her neck, wrists, and fingers, their gleam a stark contrast to the decay surrounding them.

Methagra's skin, pulled taut over her gaunt frame, has taken on a greenish hue
reminiscent of algae-covered bone. Her face, once the epitome of beauty, is now a mask of
eternal hunger. Where eyes should be, cracked crystal orbs gleam with an inner light,
tracking your every move with predatory intensity.

In one skeletal hand, she wields a fan - a macabre creation of polished bone and cured
skin, adorned with intricate carvings that seem to shift and change when viewed directly.
With languid grace, she waves this gruesome accessory, stirring the stagnant air and
releasing clouds of sparkling spores that dance in the dim light.

Methagra seems to stand up, but to your horror it seems like she and the bed are one.
The bed, connected by strands of flesh and silk to the concubine, begins to tread heavily
towards you.

As you take in the horrific splendour of the Master Bedroom and its sole occupant,
Methagra's lipless mouth curves into a rictus grin. Her voice, when she speaks, is a
discordant melody of seduction and decay:

"Welcome, my dears. I've been so terribly lonely. Won't you stay awhile?"
Methagra, Concubine of Bastards
Health: 28 Physical Defence: 15 Mystical Defence: 13 Competence: 13
Stamina: 8 Attack: +2+Curse Damage: 2 Slash (inflicts Blight)
Terrain Features: 2 Cover of Furniture (-1 Damage taken)
♠ Swipe at everyone in Close except in Rear
♥ Royalty: cast Barbs of Desire on a target (see below)
Drops: 1-8 Nothing, 9-17 Bone Fan (Weapon, Agility 2, 1 Hand, 2 Damage Slash [Light]), 18-20 Barbs
of Desire (Magic Spell, Arcane 2, 2 Mana: Target takes 4 Sorcery Damage when it moves, and the spell
ends. You may gain Spellbound with the target)

Path to the Lava Pool

Room 7: The Lava Pool
Dangerous Place

As you step through the doorway from the entry hall, you're immediately confronted with
a scene of utter devastation. What was once a grand chamber has been reduced to a
precarious pathway suspended over a chasm of molten fury.

The floor before you has largely collapsed, leaving a gaping wound in the castle's
architecture. From the depths below, an angry red glow emanates, casting flickering
shadows on the remaining walls. The air shimmers with heat, and the acrid smell of
sulphur and melted stone assaults your senses.

What remains of the floor forms a treacherous archipelago of stone tiles, each island
barely clinging to existence. The mortar between them has eroded to little more than
dust, leaving each step a potential plummet into the inferno below. The tiles that do
remain seem to shift and settle ominously under even the slightest pressure.

Across this hellish expanse, tantalisingly out of reach, stand four doors of varying designs
- ornate wooden panels, sturdy iron-bound oak, a shimmering magical barrier, and a
simple arched entrance. Each promises a different path deeper into the castle's corrupted
heart. Besides these, a spiralling staircase of blackened stone winds its way upward, its
destination lost in the smoky haze above.

The walls that still stand are scarred by the castle's corruption, with those crimson glyphs
pulsing more intensely here, as if feeding off the chaotic energy of the chasm. Pieces of
elaborate frescoes cling stubbornly to sections of the wall, their faded imagery hinting at
the room's former grandeur.

Occasionally, a gout of lava surges upward, sending sparks and droplets of molten rock
arcing through the air. These fiery projectiles sizzle and smoke where they land, a
constant reminder of the danger lurking below.

Managing to cross the hall requires (Acrobatics, DC 13, Minor: suffer 1 Health,
Major: fall into the lava).

Path to the Entry Hall

Path to the Master Bedroom

Path to the Gaol

Path to the Quiet Corridor

Path to the Barracks (magical barrier, requires [Arcane + Force, DC 14] to pass)

Stairs up to the Trap Door

Room 8: The Captain’s Quarters

Place of Respite

As you enter the captain's quarters, the overwhelming stench of stale sweat mingled with
rust assaults your senses. The air is thick and oppressive, preserving the last vestiges of its
former occupant's presence.

The chamber is a monument to military pride turned to decay. Shelves sag under
tarnished trophies and corroded weaponry, while faded tactical maps and mouldering
documents litter a massive oak desk. Portraits of stern-faced officers adorn the walls,
their accusatory gazes following your every move.

To one side, a bed lies askew, draped with a bizarre quilt fashioned from military medals
and honorific ribbons. The awards clink softly against each other, creating an eerie,
discordant melody. In the corner, a suit of armour stands at attention, its joints locked by
rust and its breastplate caved in by some tremendous force.

Stairs down to the Training Grounds

Path to the Hall of Squires (secret, DC 15 Notice)

Room 9: The Dining Hall

Serf Lair

The dining hall of Castle Kalteria stretches before you, a grotesque parody of a grand
feast. A long banquet table dominates the centre, its once-polished surface now obscured
by a repulsive spread of putrefying food. Swarms of flies buzz incessantly over the rotting
fare, while maggots writhe in the decaying flesh of unidentifiable meats.

Around the room, emaciated figures in tattered livery shuffle aimlessly. These gaunt
waiters, mere shadows of their former selves, clutch rusted knives in their bony hands as
they perform a macabre pantomime of their duties. Their hollow eyes and slack jaws
betray no hint of awareness as they weave between overturned chairs and piles of
shattered crockery.

At the far end of the hall stands Tassirad, Lord Servant of the Baron, a monstrous figure
that commands immediate attention. His grotesquely obese form strains against a set of
once-fine uniforms, now reduced to tatters that barely contain his bloated flesh. A blood-
stained apron stretches across his enormous girth, spattered with unspeakable stains
both old and fresh.

Tassirad's face is a nightmare made flesh. His skin has taken on a sickly yellow hue,
pulled tight over bulging features. A hideously swollen tongue, black as pitch, lolls from
his mouth. In one meaty fist, he grips a massive iron cleaver, its edge wickedly sharp and
gleaming with malevolent purpose. As his jaundiced eyes fix upon you, a terrible hunger
awakens in their depths, promising a feast where you are the main course.

Tassirad, Lord Servant of the Baron

Health: 35+Curse Physical Defence: 16 Mystical Defence: 10 Competence: 15
Stamina: 7 Attack: +3 Damage: 3 Slash
Terrain Features: 3 Cover of Furniture (-1 Damage taken)
Minions: 3
♠ Lick the iron cleaver, it now inflicts Poison
♣ Burn a card - move once and attack twice
Drops: 1-13 Nothing, 14-20 Iron Cleaver (Weapon, Might 3/Agility 1, 1 Hand, 3 Slash Damage [Axe] -
♣ Burn a card - move once and attack twice)

Path to the Kitchen

Stairs up to the Trap Door

Room 10: A Quiet Corridor

Place of Respite
The corridor stretches before you, a seemingly endless expanse of oppressive silence. The
air here is stagnant, heavy with the musty scent of aged canvas and decaying wood
frames.

Lining both walls are towering oil paintings, their ornate frames tarnished and chipped.
Each depicts the Baron and his family in various poses of regal splendour, a stark
contrast to the castle's current state of decay. The paintings loom over you, their eyes
seeming to follow your every move as you progress down the hallway.

A disturbing pattern becomes apparent as you examine the artwork. In every portrait,
the Baron's wife has been violently defaced, her visage obliterated by savage claw marks
that have torn through the canvas. The damage is so thorough that not a trace of her
features remains, leaving gaping wounds in the fabric of each painting.

Equally unsettling is the fate of the Baron's daughter in these family portraits. Her face
has been meticulously painted over with a thick, tar-like substance that glistens wetly in
the dim light, as if freshly applied. The black void where her face should be creates a
chilling effect, transforming what should be loving family scenes into nightmarish
tableaux that hint at dark secrets and unnatural obsessions lurking within the castle's
history.

Path to the Lava Pool

Path to the Training Grounds

Path to the Nursery (secret, DC 18 Notice)

Room 11: The Kitchen

Horde of Minions

Health: 8 Physical Defence: 10 Mystical Defence: 12 Damage: 3

The kitchen of Castle Kalteria is a hellish parody of its former purpose. Massive stone
ovens line one wall, their maws aglow with an unnatural, smouldering light. Thick,
greasy smoke hangs in the air, carrying the sickening scent of charred meat and decay.
Rusted utensils and cracked dishes litter every surface. Once-gleaming copper pots now
hang tarnished and dented from iron racks, occasionally dripping an unidentifiable
black ichor. In the centre of the room, a huge butcher's block stands, its surface deeply
scarred and stained a permanent crimson.

More than a dozen emaciated cooks shuffle about the space, their once-white uniforms
now tattered and filthy. Their sunken eyes gleam with an unsettling hunger as they
mechanically go through the motions of food preparation. Bony fingers clutch wickedly
sharp knives and cleavers, while their jaws work constantly, gnashing and grinding in
anticipation of flesh.

The air is thick with tension and barely contained frenzy. As you enter, the cooks'
movements become more agitated, their hollow faces turning towards you with a
desperate, ravenous intent. The kitchen, once a place of nourishment and comfort, has
become a den of cannibalistic horrors, where the line between chef and meal has blurred
beyond recognition.

Path to the Dining Hall

Path to the Nursery (locked door, DC 18)

Room 12: The Training Grounds

Serf Lair

The training grounds of Castle Kalteria stretch out before you, a grim testament to the
Baron's cruelty. The once-orderly field is now a chaotic graveyard, littered with the
broken bodies and bleached bones of unfortunate prisoners used for "practice."

Scattered across the grounds are tattered banners, their once-vibrant colours now faded
and stained. These forlorn standards flutter weakly in the stagnant air, a mockery of the
pride they once represented.

Around the perimeter, the Baron's guards hone their weapons with fervent intensity. The
rhythmic sound of steel on whetstone fills the air, punctuated by the occasional wet
squelch as a soldier tests their blade on a nearby corpse. As they notice your approach,
their heads snap up in unison, eyes burning with zealous malice.
At the heart of this macabre arena stands Caothgan, Captain of the Guard. His imposing
figure is clad in rusty half plate armour, the metal pitted and scarred from countless
battles. In his hands, he wields a mighty spear, its tip gleaming with fresh blood.
Caothgan's gaze fixes upon you, a predatory grin spreading across his face as he raises
his weapon in challenge, ready to add another victim to the grisly collection that
surrounds him.

Caothgan, Captain of the Guard

Health: 30 Physical Defence: 15 Mystical Defence: 11 Competence: 14
Stamina: 5 + Curse Attack: +4 Damage: 3 Stab
Terrain Features: Claim a Banner (Immunity from Minions)
Minions: 6
♥ Destroy all Banners in Close
♠ Attack a Far Away target with the Great Spear (Magic Attack)
♣ Rallying Cry (Rune, Spears & Swords, +1 Lore): Spend 3 Mana, Heal yourself and allies in
your location 2 Health
Drops: 1-5 Nothing, 6-8 Captain’s Half Plate (Armour, Torso, 2 Guard, Load 1, 3 Might), 9-14 Great
Spear (Weapon, Might 3, 2 Hand, 3 Stab Damage [Spear, Reach]), 15-19 Rallying Cry (Rune), 20 - both
weapon and Rune

Path to the Quiet Corridor

Path to the Barracks

Stairs up to the Captain’s Quarters

Room 13: The Wandering Merchant

Merchant - Daestriff

The old storage room of Castle Kalteria is a cluttered maze of forgotten relics and broken
dreams. Piles of splintered furniture and cracked tiles create a chaotic landscape, casting
strange shadows in the dim light filtering through dusty windows.

Amidst this disarray sits Daestriff, the wandering merchant, a figure as peculiar as her
surroundings. Her large straw hat casts a shadow over her face, giving her an air of
mystery. Her fingers dance through the air, plucking at an invisible lute while she hums a
haunting melody that seems oddly out of place in the decrepit castle.
Spread out before her on a patchwork of old rugs is an eclectic array of wares. Curious
trinkets, tarnished jewellery, and mysterious vials catch what little light there is,
creating an almost magical display. The items seem to range from the mundane to the
arcane, each with its own story to tell.

Daestriff's presence brings an unexpected touch of whimsy to the gloomy storage room.
Her carefree demeanour and the soft notes of her imaginary tune create a surreal bubble
of normalcy in the midst of the castle's horrors, making her all the more intriguing and
unsettling.

Daestriff the merchant is humming a folk song about this Barony (Stories DC
16). Recognising the song will give the part 50% one item.

● Chainmail Armour (Armour, Torso, 2 Guard, 2 LP, 2 Mi) - 1 Cursed Shard

● Radiant Bloodpill (increase total Doses of Veins by 1) - 3 Cursed Shards
● Alchemist Fire (consumable, Use to Attack with Lore vs MD, 4 Fire Damage) - 1
Cursed Shards
● Stormbolt (Elementalist Spell, 3 Mana, 2 Lore, Away, Deal 2 Lightning Damage and
inflict Frost) - 2 Cursed Shards
● Forge Essence 1 – 2 Cursed Shards

Path to the Entry Hall (Locked, DC 12, Minor: An eye opens in the door, noticing
you. Major: +1 Curse)

Stairs up to Hall of Squires (secret DC 20 Notice)

Room 14: The Nursery

NPC - Enkaria, the Heiress

The nursery of Castle Kalteria is a chilling monument to lost innocence. Once a

sanctuary of childhood joy, it now stands as a twisted reflection of its former self. The
walls, painted a garish pink, are marred by deep, violent gashes that expose the rotting
wood beneath.

Scattered across the floor are the remnants of stuffed animals, their plush bodies torn
asunder, leaking stuffing like pale entrails. Broken dolls with vacant eyes stare
accusingly from corners, their porcelain faces cracked and discoloured.
In the centre of this desolate playroom hovers Enkaria, the ghostly form of the Baron's
young daughter. Her translucent figure, no more than eight years old, emanates a soft,
otherworldly glow. Her eyes, once bright with life, now hold an eternity of sorrow and
loneliness.

Clutched tightly in Enkaria's spectral hands is a brilliant sapphire jewel, its facets
catching and refracting the eerie light that surrounds her. The gem seems to pulse with
an inner light, a stark contrast to the decay that envelops the rest of the room. As you
enter, Enkaria's gaze fixes upon you, her ethereal form flickering with a mix of curiosity
and long-forgotten hope.

Enkaria will tell the party that the jewel kept her safe, even though it evidently
didn’t. Persuading her to part of the jewel will make her disappear.

Seal of Necrodark (Amulet) - Undead enemies will not harm the bearer unless the bearer
attacks first.

Path to the Quiet Corridor (secret, DC 18 Notice)

Path to the Barracks (secret, DC 15 Notice)

Path to the Kitchen (locked door, DC 18)

Path to the Gaol (a narrow maze, requiring DC 20 Track to traverse)

Room 15: The Barracks

Horde of Minions

Health: 10 Physical Defence: 15 Mystical Defence: 8 Damage: 2

Special: half damage from Stab / will get up with 1 Health unless finished off with magic (DC 13
Lore)

The barracks of Castle Kalteria are a grim reflection of military discipline warped by
dark magic. Long rows of iron-framed beds line the walls, their once-crisp sheets now
mouldering and torn. Rusted weapons racks stand at attention, holding an array of
corroded blades and splintered bows.
A sickly green glow emanates from enchanted lanterns, casting long, dancing shadows
across the stone floors. The air is thick with the scent of decay and the metallic tang of old
blood.

Throughout the chamber, skeletal guards patrol with an unnatural precision. Their
bones clatter softly as they move, armour hanging loosely on their fleshless frames. Empty
eye sockets glow with an eerie, internal light as they maintain their eternal vigil. Some
stand motionless at their posts, while others go through the motions of everyday tasks -
polishing phantom armour or sharpening spectral blades.

At the far end of the barracks, a large war table dominates the space. Tactical maps,
their edges curling and colours faded, are still pinned in place, detailing long-forgotten
battles and strategies that will never see fruition. The barracks, once a place of
camaraderie and preparation, now serves as a macabre parody of military life, its
inhabitants forever bound to their posts by the castle's relentless curse.

Path to the Lava Pool (magical barrier, requires [Arcane + Force, DC 14] to pass)

Path to the Training Grounds

Path to the Nursery (secret, DC 15 Notice)

Room 16: The Throne Room

The throne room of Baron Kohlroth unfolds before you, a vast chamber that speaks of
opulence and power even in its corrupted state. Towering marble columns line the hall,
their once-pristine surfaces now veined with dark, pulsing tendrils. Gilded furniture,
tarnished and twisted, is scattered throughout the room, a mockery of courtly splendour.

Ethereal forms of advisors and sycophants drift aimlessly through the space, their
insubstantial bodies passing through solid objects as they endlessly reenact their former
roles. Their whispered words and ghostly laughter create an unsettling backdrop of white
noise.

At the far end, atop a dais, stands the golden, bejewelled throne - a gaudy monument to
excess. As you enter, the figure seated upon it rises with unnatural grace. Baron
Kohlroth, once the lord of this cursed domain, now stands as its most terrifying
inhabitant.

His tall frame is draped in golden robes that shimmer with an otherworldly light,
partially covering ornate plate armour underneath. The Baron's face is a study in
contrasts - gaunt and deathly pale, with eyes that are deep pools of absolute darkness.
His greying hair, matted with dried blood, hangs in lank strands around his face. In one
hand, he grips a massive golden round shield that seems to absorb the light around it. In
the other, he wields a long blade that crackles with arcs of blue electricity, filling the air
with the scent of ozone. As the Baron fixes his gaze upon you, the very air seems to grow
heavy with malevolent anticipation.

Baron Kohlroth
Health: 40+Curse Physical Defence: 16 Mystical Defence: 14 Competence: 15
Stamina: 10 Attack: +6 Damage: 4 Lightning
Terrain Features: 3 * Take Cover (-1 Damage), Atop the Throne (Immunity from Minions)
Minions: 4
When Bloodied: gain ♥ Attack everyone in Close
♦ Make an attack against a non-Rear target (Magic Attack)
Raise Shield * increase both Defences by 2
♠ Sacrifice a Minion, attack everyone in its location
♣ Burn a card, attack everyone in Away (Magic Attack)
Cursed Shards: 3
Unholy Rune of Kohlroth:
Gilded Shield: Shield, 1 LC, 1 Might/1 Lore, 2 Guard (Also applied to Mystical Mefence)
[Unique]
Thundering Blade: Weapon, 1 Hand, 2 Mi/1 Lore, 4 Lightning Damage [Sword,
Balanced, Unique]: ♦ Spend 2 Mana, make an attack against any target (Magic Attack)

Stairs down to the Antehall