Snæland Sagas #06: The Mystery of Raider Monks

Much like the Miskatonic Repository for Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition, the Jonstown Compendium for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, and The Companions of Arthur for Pendragon, Sagas of the North is a curated platform for user-made content, but for material set in Iceland the other lands that the Vikings travelled to. It enables creators to sell their own original content for use with Age of Vikings. This can be original scenarios, background material, alternate Icelandic settings, and more, but none of this content should be considered to be ‘canon’, but rather fall under ‘Your Vikings Will Vary’. This means that there is still scope for the authors to create interesting and useful content that others can bring to their Age of Vikings campaigns.

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What is the Nature of the Saga?

The Mystery of Raider Monks is a supplement for use with Age of Vikings.

It is a full colour, seventeen page, 14.13 MB PDF.

It contains a secret message the author’s cat.

The layout is tidy, but it does need an edit in places.

Where is the Saga set?

The Mystery of Raider Monks begins near the home of the Player Characters or that of their goði, but will take them far away and back again!

Who should be the subject of this Saga?

Any type of Player Character can take part in this saga. A Player Character able to sail a ship will be useful.

What does the Saga require?

The Mystery of Raider Monks only requires the Age of Vikings core rulebook.

Where will the Vikings go in this Saga?

The Mystery of the Raider Monks starts with a bang—or rather, with the clash of steel—and a mystery. As the title suggests, why are monks landing on the Icelandic coast and attacking any farmstead they find? It sounds as they are going ‘Vikinging’ or raiding, but they seem hellbent on beating to death anyone they find with their clubs and maces and do so in the name of Christ. The influx of Christianity and its increased adoption by many Icelanders is seen as a threat by many, but is this taking things too far? The scenario opens with such a raid and the Player Characters close by to intervene and hopefully drive the monks back to their ship. The staging advice for the battle is solid and the opening scenes provide some decent opportunities for the Player Characters to shine.

Even though the behaviour of the monks seems very strange, everyone after the battle will be calling for revenge and likely for the blood debt now owed by the monks to be paid. This will take the form of a raid on the monastery in Ireland where the monks who attacked the farmsteads came from. Securing the necessary boats can be run in as much detailed required, but could present some opportunities for roleplaying if the players want their characters to negotiate and bargain for supplies and boats. Or it could be run somewhere between the two, but either way it should make use of the Preparation rules in Age of Vikings. A second round of preparation should follow once the Player Characters and their ships reach the Irish coast as they scout the area, land in a favourable position, and so on. The sea journey is glossed over in the scenario, but an encounter roll or two would not go amiss if the Game Master and her players have more time.

The raid itself uses the rules from Age of Vikings for handling the process, and again, can be as abstract or detailed as is necessary. Again, the Player Characters will be facing yet more surprisingly fanatical Christian monks, but also, potentially, the true villain behind the raids. Although the scenario can be played as a one-shot, it works best as an addition to campaign as there are ramifications and consequences of the events of the raid on Ireland.

What will the Skalds sing of this Saga?

The Mystery of the Raider Monks is a short scenario that will probably take a session or two at most to complete. It not only presents an intriguing mystery—though quickly resolved—it also makes good use of the Preparation and Raiding rules. Although the Game Master may want to flesh it out a little, primarily in the scenes in which the raid on the monastery is being prepared, The Mystery of the Raider Monks is solid addition to any Age of Vikings campaign.

Snæland Sagas #05: Family Sagas

Much like the Miskatonic Repository for Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition, the Jonstown Compendium for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, and The Companions of Arthur for Pendragon, Sagas of the North is a curated platform for user-made content, but for material set in Iceland the other lands that the Vikings travelled to. It enables creators to sell their own original content for use with Age of Vikings. This can be original scenarios, background material, alternate Icelandic settings, and more, but none of this content should be considered to be ‘canon’, but rather fall under ‘Your Vikings Will Vary’. This means that there is still scope for the authors to create interesting and useful content that others can bring to their Age of Vikings campaigns.

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What is the Nature of the Saga?

Family Sagas is a supplement for use with Age of Vikings.

It is a full colour, twelve page, 14.42 MB PDF.

The layout is tidy, but it does need an edit in places.

Where is the Saga set?

Family Sagas really begins at home, but ultimately it will take the Player Characters anywhere as they travel and undertake quests together.

Who should be the subject of this Saga?

Any type of Player Character can take part in this saga. It is intended for use with all types of Player Character because it is designed to bring them together and designed to be used with Player Characters.

What does the Saga require?

Family Sagas only requires the Age of Vikings core rulebook.

Where will the Vikings go in this Saga?

Part of the creation process in Age of Vikings is to create a family and family history for the character, and in the process, set up relations and relationships, tensions, and potential story and roleplaying possibilities. What though if the ties are not between each Player Character and a group of NPCs, but between the Player Characters? In other words, what if the Player Characters are all directly related and from the same family? This is the idea behind Family Sagas, a supplement for Age of Vikings which expands the character creation process for the roleplaying, but more tightly focuses its subject matter.  It does this by adding several new steps in the character creation process.

Unlike the standard process, Family Sagas begins with ‘Step 0: Talk About Your Family’ in which the Game Master and her players discuss who and what they want to play, how they want their Player Characters to be related, and also what family-related scenes, stories, and reactions do they want to see in the saga? Of course, this is going to be challenging, since family relationships can be difficult, there are going to be tensions, and what Family Sagas does is bring those tensions closer and make them more intimate than found in a standard Player Character and family set-up in Age of Vikings. Essentially, it is introducing a definite ‘Session Zero’ for Age of Vikings as part of the preparation and the supplement suggests several themes and topics that the players might want to explore (or avoid).

As part of the set-up it also suggests possible configurations based on the number of family members and cleverly, it allows players to still create separate family histories for their characters. This is because each player can still choose his character’s favourite grandparent and parent and these can be different or same, depending upon if they are related by blood or by marriage. Either way, it means that whilst family histories are rolled for separately, ideally, they should be created together to make connections and interactions, and ultimately what the process is does is, collectively, add depth and detail to the Player Characters’ shared family, even if—and especially when—it clashes.

Alternatively, Family Sagas suggests a simpler set-up if a Player Character is the child of another. Here the player of the parents suggests three Passions to represent things he wants to teach the child. The player of the child is free to accept these or not, but if not, that sets up tensions between their characters. The supplement also addresses the issue of age with regard to playing parents, suggests possible commonalities between family members—such as similar characteristic values and skills in common, similar spirit animals, and even distinctive features. 

What will the Skalds sing of this Saga?

Family Sagas explores an alternative campaign set-up which will make the players think more about the relationships and potential interactions between their characters ahead of play. The resulting suggestions are obvious when you think about it, but they are here in one place and the result has roleplaying potential aplenty. 

Friday Fantasy: The Cursed Farm

It is midsummer, and Hrafn Reginsson, the local goði, asks the Player Characters for help. He asks them to visit the farm of a distant neighbour, Björg Finnsdóttir, who unexpectedly and uncharacteristically, has requested his help. He fears that the situation must be fraught if she is asking for his help. When the Player Characters arrive, it appears that the goði’s fears are well placed. Björg Finnsdóttir’s farm has clearly fallen into a state of disrepair and disarray. The kale patch has overgrown and seems to rustle strangely; the barley field has been trampled and its soil churned up by several cows that aggressively rove its extent; and then there is Björg Finnsdóttir’s pride and joy, a grove of red currant berry shrubs that made the farm famous for miles around, now reduced to burned and shattered stumps. Björg Finnsdóttir herself—and her family, which includes two farmhands, are tired and drawn, clearly deeply concerned at their plight and that of the farm. This is the situation that the Player Characters find in The Cursed Farm.

The Cursed Farm is a scenario for Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game, the low fantasy, deeply historical game published by Chaosium, Inc. and designed to help tell stories of home, hearth, and honour, myth and magic, and bring new sagas to life. Subtitled ‘An Introductory Scenario for the Age of Vikings Roleplaying Game’, it is designed as a first scenario be played for the roleplaying game and in many cases it has been. That said, it is not designed as a quick-start. In other words, it does not come with the rules necessary to play it, although links are provided so that the Game Master has a set of ready-to-play Player Characters. Instead, The Cursed Farm works as a demonstration scenario. It not only tells a tale of how dark Viking magic can come to affect the innocent, of past lives, and misplaced ambitions, but involves a classic Norse monster too! Further, it can be run in a single session. This means that is very easy add to a campaign, to be run as a showcase for the Game Master’s own group, or run as a demonstration scenario at a convention. In the case of the latter two options, this includes teaching the rules to the players. The rules themselves are not difficult to learn and anyone with experience of Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine will pick them up with ease.

The family will quickly reveal what they know and the Player Characters are free to examine the farm and its current state, and will very likely discover that as the title of the scenario states, that it is cursed. The Second Sight skill is important here and a mixture of interaction and perception skills will play a major part in determining what is happening at the farm. The likelihood is that the Player Characters will quickly track down the source of the curse and deal directly with it. This can result in combat, and in particular, there is a chance for a warrior and his honour to shine, and even ultimately benefit. Combat is not the only solution though, and the source is willing to communicate and wait. That said, the Game Master is given an optional combat encounter if the Player Characters have avoided combat so far or if she wants to add another combat encounter. Ultimately, resolving the situation in The Cursed Farm relies upon interaction and perception. To that end though, the NPCs are simply drawn and the Game Master will need to strengthen their individual characters in her portrayal of them. This is due more to the limited page rather than any other reason.

Physically, The Cursed Farm is solidly presented. It is well written, easy to understand, and quick to prepare, and the artwork is good. The cartography, done in colour and black and white, with versions for both the players and the Game Masters, is clear and easy to read.

The Cursed Farm is good little scenario for Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game. It is straightforward and easy to prepare, whether to add to a campaign or run as a demonstration, and gives a good flavour of Icelandic horror and mystery.

[Free RPG Day 2026] Age of Vikings Quickstart

Now in its nineteenth year, Free RPG Day for 2026 took place on Saturday, June 27th. As per usual, Free RPG Day consisted of an array of new and interesting little releases, which are traditionally tasters for forthcoming games to be released at GenCon the following August, but others are support for existing RPGs or pieces of gaming ephemera or a quick-start. This included dice, miniatures, vouchers, and more. Unfortunately, due to vagaries of International Customs, Free RPG Day in the UK did not take place until Saturday, 22nd August.

This review is possible due to the generosity of Waylands Forge in Birmingham.

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Quick-starts are a means of trying out a roleplaying game before you buy. Each should provide a Game Master with sufficient background to introduce and explain the setting to her players, the rules to run the scenario included, and a set of ready-to-play, pre-generated characters that the players can pick up and understand almost as soon as they have sat down to play. The scenario itself should provide an introduction to the setting for the players as well as to the type of adventures that their characters will have and just an idea of some of the things their characters will be doing on said adventures. All of which should be packaged up in an easy-to-understand booklet whose contents, with a minimum of preparation upon the part of the Game Master, can be brought to the table and run for her gaming group in a single evening’s session—or perhaps two. And at the end of it, Game Master and players alike should ideally know whether they want to play the game again, perhaps purchasing another adventure or even the full rules for the roleplaying game.

Alternatively, if the Game Master already has the full rules for the roleplaying game the quick-start is for, then what it provides is a sample scenario that she still run as an introduction or even as part of her campaign for the roleplaying game. The ideal quick-start should entice and intrigue a playing group, but above all effectively introduce and teach the roleplaying game, as well as showcase both rules and setting.

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What is it?
Age of Vikings Quickstart: Further Adventures in a Land of Sagas and Mystery is the quick-start for Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game, the low fantasy, deeply historical game published by Chaosium, Inc. and designed to help tell stories of home, hearth, and honour, myth and magic, and bring new sagas to life.

The Age of Vikings Quickstart is a thirty-nine page, 8.38 MB full colour PDF.

How long will it take to play?
The Age of Vikings Quickstart includes the scenario ‘Belly of the Beast’. It can be played in roughly two hours.

What else do you need to play?
The Age of Vikings Quickstart needs a standard set of polyhedral dice.

Who do you play?
The Age of Vikings Quickstart includes four pre-generated Player Characters. They include two warriors, an archer, and a skaldic poet.

How is a Player Character defined?

A Player Character in the Age of Vikings Quickstart is defined by his name, his Passions and Devotion to a single god, characteristics and skills, and personality. A Player Character’s Passions represent his values and emotional desires, and in play, they can drive him to act (and mechanically grant a bonus) and bring him into conflict with others. He starts with three: Honour, Loyalty (goði), and Love (Family). The seven characteristics are Strength, Constitution, Size, Dexterity, Intelligence, Power, and Charisma. These are rated between three and eighteen, although the minimum value for Size and Intelligence is eight. Skills include combat skills and standard skills. A Player Character’s Devotion is made to the gods that he most values and can draw upon for inspiration, represented by points of Dedication that grant him a bonus when acting according to their ideals and then spent. For example, the ideals for Baldur are light, happiness, and peace, whilst those for Óðinn are magic, war, and wisdom.

The Player Characters in the Age of Vikings Quickstart are stripped down versions in comparison to those that can be created using the full rules in Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game. What is not included are the Spirit Animal, Family details, and extra Devotions that such Player Characters will have. Full versions of the demonstration Player Characters are available, but not all of the rules in Age of Vikings are used in the Age of Vikings Quickstart. An experienced Game Master for Age of Vikings could easily run the scenario in the Age of Vikings Quickstart using standard Player Characters, whether the demonstration versions or ones created by the players.

How do the mechanics work?

The Age of Vikings Quickstart uses the Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine as its mechanics and is thus a percentile system. Rolls equal to, or lower than the value of the characteristic roll or the skill, and a character succeeds. A characteristic roll is typically a characteristic multiplied by three, but can be higher or lower depending on difficulty. Any result of ninety-six and above is always a failure and can be a fumble, whilst a roll of one twentieth a Critical success (the full rules also also for a Special success).

Rolls can be augmented with another skill or Passion. A successful augmentation roll will apply a bonus, which will be better with a Critical success. A failed augmentation levies a penalty whilst a Critical failure results in the temporary despair of the Player Character. Devotion points can be spent to gain a bonus and Player Character can also call upon his Wyrd to change his fate. This turns a failed roll into a successful roll, but at the permanent cost of a point of Power. Do this too often and a Player Character’s Wyrd or fate has played out.

How does combat work?
The combat rules in the Age of Vikings Quickstart and Age of Vikings are skill-based. Order of action is based on Dexterity, and during a round, a combatant can move, act or attack, and defend. Attacks can be dodged or parried and armour deducts damage, as does a shield, but only a few points in each location. Damage is done by location, but if the Hit Points in a particular location are reduced to zero, a limb becomes useless, the combatant is left bleeding to death, or knocked unconscious and dying. Damage done to locations is also applied to general Hit Points and reducing those will knock a combatant unconscious. First aid is available, but natural healing takes weeks. (Age of Vikings includes rules for healing magic.)

How does magic work?

The Age of Vikings Quickstart does not include rules for magic. Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game details two types of magic. These are Rune magic, which uses the Elder Fúþark and can be cast relatively quickly, and Seiður magic, which requires ritual casting and takes much longer to cast.

What do you play?

The Age of Vikings Quickstart includes the scenario ‘Belly of the Beast’. It beings in media res with the Player Characters waking up to find themselves in a strange tunnel after their boat encountered the kraken! They must extract their boat before it gets crushed and attempt to climb up out of the temple. Fortunately, the Player Characters are not alone in the tunnels and can find allies who will help them as they try and find their way out. They will also encounter monsters. The fight is clearly staged with advice and instructions for the Game Master on when the Player Characters act, what they might do, and how the monsters work. The final scene is treated in the same way.

‘Belly of the Beast’ is short and linear, but it clearly teaches the rules and advises the Game Master on how to handle and stage its encounters. There is some limited opportunity for roleplaying, but the main focus of the scenario is on action and combat. As its title suggests, the action of the scenario takes place within the belly of the Kraken from which the Player Characters must escape. It is a great set-up and the tale of escaping from it is worthy of a saga.

Is there anything missing?
No. The Age of Vikings Quickstart has everything that a Game Master needs to run the included scenario.

Is it easy to prepare?
Yes. The Age of Vikings Quickstart is direct and to the point and the advice makes the rules easy to understand and the various scenes easy to run.

Is it worth it?
Yes. The Age of Vikings Quickstart is a well done, solid introduction to the basics of Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game. It clearly explains both rules and the action of the scenario.

The Age of Vikings Quickstart is published by Chaosium, Inc., and is available to download here.

Snæland Sagas #04: The Runestone of Laugardalur Valley

Much like the Miskatonic Repository for Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition, the Jonstown Compendium for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, and The Companions of Arthur for Pendragon, Sagas of the North is a curated platform for user-made content, but for material set in Iceland the other lands that the Vikings travelled to. It enables creators to sell their own original content for use with Age of Vikings. This can be original scenarios, background material, alternate Icelandic settings, and more, but none of this content should be considered to be ‘canon’, but rather fall under ‘Your Vikings Will Vary’. This means that there is still scope for the authors to create interesting and useful content that others can bring to their Age of Vikings campaigns.

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What is the Nature of the Saga?

The Runestone of Laugardalur Valley is a scenario for use with Age of Vikings.

It is a full colour, ten page, 1.06 MB PDF.

The layout is tidy, but it does need an edit in places.

It is part of the ‘West Fjords Tales’ series.

Where is the Saga set?

The Runestone of Laugardalur Valley takes place in the Ice Fjord Deep area in the West Fjords region. It takes place during midsummer.

Who should be the subject of this Saga?

Any type of Player Character can take part in this saga. The skills Spot Hidden, Read/Write (Runes), and Craft (Masonry) will be useful, and at least one Player Character with good Mythic skills, such as Second Sight and being able to read and cast the Runes, is recommended, but a diverse range of skills is better than focused ones.

It is written to be played by beginning Player Characters.

What does the Saga require?

The Runestone of Laugardalur Valley only requires the Age of Vikings core rulebook.

Where will the Vikings go in this Saga?

The Runestone of Laugardalur Valley is a story of betrayal and revenge from the grave, a classic subject for a Viking saga. The Player Characters are visiting the local leader, a farmer named Hallsteinn the old Hafsteinsson, at his home of Laugaból farm. As his guests, Hallsteinn relates to the Player Characters how a runestone was recently discovered erect above the valley near the barrow of Halldór, a hero who was killed by the outlaw he was tracking down to kill in revenge for killing his brother. The runestone had originally been placed there and later fell over, but no-one returned to repair it. Now Hallsteinn believes it is tainting the area, for his sheep will not graze on the side of the valley and his thralls will not walk there. Backed by a vision from his wife, Hallsteinn asks the Player Characters to accompany him to the runestone to investigate further.

The skills Spot Hidden and Read/Write (Runes) are key to revealing the dark secrets behind the situation, but other skills can help. The skill Craft (Masonry) is vital and if used early on, can resolve the situation quite quickly. If not, the consequences are likely to be deadly and more combat capable Player Characters ill be needed. If the Player Characters lack the skill, one option might be to create a fellow sailor who has the skill, if they arrived by boat. Otherwise, the Player Characters may need to flee the farm, along with the NPCs, and return with an NPC who has the skill.

What will the Skalds sing of this Saga?

Playable in a single session, The Runestone of Laugardalur Valley is a short simple encounter that is readily added to an ongoing campaign. Depending upon the skills possessed and the rolls made by the Player Characters, the events of the scenario can play out quickly or the Game Master may need to improvise a little.

Snæland Sagas #03: The Fróðá Wonders

Much like the Miskatonic Repository for Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition, the Jonstown Compendium for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, and The Companions of Arthur for Pendragon, Sagas of the North is a curated platform for user-made content, but for material set in Iceland the other lands that the Vikings travelled to. It enables creators to sell their own original content for use with Age of Vikings. This can be original scenarios, background material, alternate Icelandic settings, and more, but none of this content should be considered to be ‘canon’, but rather fall under ‘Your Vikings Will Vary’. This means that there is still scope for the authors to create interesting and useful content that others can bring to their Age of Vikings campaigns.

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What is the Nature of the Saga?

The Fróðá Wonders is a scenario for use with Age of Vikings.

It is a full colour, twenty-six page, 15.37 MB PDF.

The layout is tidy, but it does need an edit in places.

Where is the Saga set?

The Fróðá Wonders takes place in and around the Vatnsendi farm owned by Ásmundur, near Lake Vesturhóp in northern Iceland. It takes place over the Yule period.

Who should be the subject of this Saga?

Any type of Player Character can take part in this sage. At least one Player Character with good Mythic skills, such as Second Sight and being able to cast the Runes, is recommended, but a diverse range of skills is better than focused ones.

It is written to be played by beginning Player Characters. The only limit on the scenario is the time of year at which it is set, but that can easily be changed.

What does the Saga require?

The Fróðá Wonders only requires the Age of Vikings core rulebook.

Where will the Vikings go in this Saga?

The Fróðá Wonders is a story of broken social obligations and their consequences. The goði, Snorri Þorgrímsson, has received a message from his sister asking for his help. She lives in the isolated valley of Fróðá, known for its storms and as a place where the spirits are said to walk. Her message tells him that the omens of late have not been good. There has been blood on the hay, her farmhands are ill or walk strangely, the sheep do not bleat. She believes that her pride has got the better of her. Snorri Þorgrímsson asks the Player Characters to travel to Fróðá to help his sister, and to investigate and resolve the situation.

What is interesting about The Fróðá Wonders is that the Player Characters start the adventure more or less knowing what has happened. Their investigation and around the farmstead is more a matter of confirming, whether by looking around or talking to the NPCs, that Snorri Þorgrímsson’s sister’s assessment is correct. In effect, there is no actual mystery here, though some of the NPCs still have their secrets that they will be reluctant to reveal. Careful questioning or surveillance will be the best means of revealing them. The lack of a mystery might be disconcerting for some players, the confirmation process will enable their characters to move onto resolving the situation. This requires the Player Characters to apply the laws of the mortal world to the supernatural world and ideally, this should culminate in a ritual in which the draugar, the walking dead, are named and banished whilst at the same time identifying the crimes committed by the men and women of the farmstead.

A handy set of appendices in turn list all of the clues, their origins and connections, detail the ritual that the Player Characters must perform at the climax of the scenario, and give a useful pronunciation guide. In general, The Fróðá Wonders is a decent little scenario, but its information is not so much poorly presented as overly presented. The nature of the crimes and their timeline is presented more than once and this gets in the way, making it just that bit harder for the Game Master to really grasp the information and move on to the next section she needs. 

What will the Skalds sing of this Saga?

Playable in a single session, The Fróðá Wonders is a good scenario and achieves what it sets out to do, which is to explore the consequences of violating spiritual and social obligations, on both the living and the dead. As such it has some unsettling moments and some great scenes at the end with the situation is resolved, again for both the living and the dead. However, The Fróðá Wonders is overwritten and repetitive and this hampers what should have been relatively simple and straightforward scenario that emphasises social obligation and the horror that results in not fulfilling that obligation.

Snæland Sagas #02: The Darkest Day

Much like the Miskatonic Repository for Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition, the Jonstown Compendium for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, and The Companions of Arthur for Pendragon, Sagas of the North is a curated platform for user-made content, but for material set in Iceland the other lands that the Vikings travelled to. It enables creators to sell their own original content for use with Age of Vikings. This can be original scenarios, background material, alternate Icelandic settings, and more, but none of this content should be considered to be ‘canon’, but rather fall under ‘Your Vikings Will Vary’. This means that there is still scope for the authors to create interesting and useful content that others can bring to their Age of Vikings campaigns.

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What is the Nature of the Saga?

The Darkest Day is a scenario for use with Age of Vikings.

It is a full colour, seventeen page, 858.72 KB PDF.

The layout is tidy, but it does need an edit in places.

Where is the Saga set?

The Darkest Day takes place in and around the Vatnsendi farm owned by Ásmundur, near Lake Vesturhóp in northern Iceland. It takes place over the Yule period.

Who should be the subject of this Saga?

Any type of Player Character can take part in this sage. At least one Player Character with good Mythic skills, such as Second Sight and being able to cast the Runes, is recommended, but a diverse range of skills is better than focused ones.

It is written to be played by beginning Player Characters. The only limit on the scenario is the time of year at which it is set, but that can easily be changed.

What does the Saga require?

The Darkest Day only requires the Age of Vikings core rulebook.

Where will the Vikings go in this Saga?

The Darkest Day is a story of grief, greed, and revenge which takes place over Yule at the end of Ýlir. The Player Characters are invited to spend the festivities with their friend, the farmer Ásmundur Ívarsson. As they journey there through the harsh winter, they make a terrible discovery. Someone has placed a local family under a curse! The person responsible is nearby and easily found, one of the Hidden People, hiding in a cave with her children. She not only confirms that she laid the curse and did so because a local farmer killed her husband, but promises to lift the curse if the murderer is brought to justice. If not, she promises that worse is come…

The scenario hinges on identifying the murderer and whether the Player Characters will pursue the course of justice or protect the accused farmer, who of course, is the one they are due to stay with. Ásmundur is rigid in his pride, whilst his wife, Ragna, who is the local midwife, is stricken by grief, for her touch strikes blind any newborn she delivers. Caught between the customs of hospitality and the nature of the curse, the Player Characters can conduct a little investigation before ultimately confronting Ásmundur over his actions.

How the situation is resolved is entirely down to the Player Characters. The presents and explores several options, including persuasion, confrontation, and revenge. Of course, there is one true path that will lead to justice, but if the Player Characters follow it, they will be suitably rewarded.

What will the Skalds sing of this Saga?

The Darkest Day is a short, one session scenario that can easily be run as a demonstration or convention scenario, just as it can be used as part of a campaign. Its length and its directness—the fact that the players and their Vikings know who the villain is from the start—make it is easy to prepare and add to a campaign. The Darkest Day is a solid, serviceable scenario strong on justice, roleplaying, and magic, with a little (or great depending on the choices that the Player Characters make) opportunity for combat.

Snæland Sagas #01: Hulda’s Last Song

Much like the Miskatonic Repository for Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition, the Jonstown Compendium for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, and The Companions of Arthur for Pendragon, Sagas of the North is a curated platform for user-made content, but for material set in Iceland the other lands that the Vikings travelled to. It enables creators to sell their own original content for use with Age of Vikings. This can be original scenarios, background material, alternate Icelandic settings, and more, but none of this content should be considered to be ‘canon’, but rather fall under ‘Your Vikings Will Vary’. This means that there is still scope for the authors to create interesting and useful content that others can bring to their Age of Vikings campaigns.

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What is the Nature of the Saga?

Hulda’s Last Song is a scenario for use with Age of Vikings.

It is a full colour, eighteen page, 1.50 MB PDF.

The layout is tidy, but it does need an edit in places.

Where is the Saga set?

Hulda’s Last Song takes place in the hreppur, or settlement, of Raufarhöfn, in the very far north and remote Norðurþing region of Iceland.

Who should be the subject of this Saga?

Any type of Player Character take part in this sage. A seiðkona may be useful or alternatively a Player Character with the Skaldic Poetry skill.

What does the Saga require?

Hulda’s Last Song only requires the Age of Vikings core rulebook.

Where will the Vikings go in this Saga?

Hulda’s Last Song opens with the funeral for Hulda, the respected seiðkona of the village of Raufarhöfn. Unfortunately, it is disrupted by the unexpected appearance of a frenzied polar bear that attacks Vigdís, another visiting seiðkona. Once the Player Characters have dealt with the polar bear and helped protect the mourners attacking the funeral, Vigdís will reveal that the future survival of Raufarhöfn is threatened because Hulda died before she could pass on the details of a ritual obligation that kept the hreppur protected. The Player Characters are asked to investigate and find out what the ritual was, what it requires, and if can be performed again, with or without the help of Vigdís.

In this way, the scenario is quite straightforward. The Player Characters will visit Hulda’s hut to learn more information and go on to perform the ritual. Of course, it is not quite as simple as that and there are some engaging ornithologically mystical encounters along the way and the Player Characters will need to answer some riddles to get all of the answers they need. These can be answered with the players’ own knowledge or guesswork or simply rely upon Skaldic Poetry skill checks. (If the players rely on the former rather than the latter, then they should receive a chance to improve their characters’ Skaldic Poetry skills.) Once armed with the necessary knowledge, the Player Characters can attempt the ritual, which is nicely detailed and includes options for every Player Character to participate, not just a Player Character seiðkona. If successful, any Player Character seiðkona will be tied to the hreppur, although another option is suggested if Raufarhöfn is not the Player Characters’ home.

Hulda’s Last Song is more of a convention scenario than not. Its set-up and more so, given that its remote location makes it more challenging to add to a campaign. Even a one-shot or convention scenario, the Game Master may want to flesh out the scenario little by detailing some NPCs and their personalities in Raufarhöfn and perhaps add a combat encounter along the way if there is time. The scenario already includes optional encounters for travel to the ritual site. If run as part of a campaign, the Game Master could use Raufarhöfn as the starting point for her campaign or move it elsewhere. Again, she may also want to flesh out the NPCs and add further encounters. If the Player Characters are not native to Raufarhöfn, the likelihood is that they have been sent as representatives from their hreppur and/or their hreppur’s seiðkona to pay respects to Hulda.

What will the Skalds sing of this Saga?

Hulda’s Last Song is a good convention or one-shot scenario for Age of Vikings, that with some adjustment can be used as part of a campaign. Its mystical focus makes it a challenging scenario for a seiðkona, but if successful, all the Player Characters will be nicely rewarded, not just the seiðkona.

Miskatonic Monday #421: Nothing but the Wind

Much like the Jonstown Compendium for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha and The Companions of Arthur for material set in Greg Stafford’s masterpiece of Arthurian legend and romance, Pendragon, the Miskatonic Repository for Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition is a curated platform for user-made content. It is thus, “...a new way for creators to publish and distribute their own original Call of Cthulhu content including scenarios, settings, spells and more…” To support the endeavours of their creators, Chaosium has provided templates and art packs, both free to use, so that the resulting releases can look and feel as professional as possible. To support the efforts of these contributors, Miskatonic Monday is an occasional series of reviews which will in turn examine an item drawn from the depths of the Miskatonic Repository.

—oOo—

Name: Nothing but the Wind

Publisher: Chaosium, Inc.
Author: JP Stephens

Setting: New World in the Dark Ages

Product: Scenario
What You Get: Seventeen page, 2.15 MB Full Colour PDF
Elevator Pitch: Vikings versus Wendigo

Plot Hook: Vikings versus Wendigo

Plot Support: Staging advice, four pre-generated Vikings, one map, and several Mythos monsters.

Production Values: Plain

Pros

# Technically a scenario for Call of Cthulhu and Mythic Iceland

# Could be run using either Cthulhu Dark Ages (or even Age of Vikings)

# Low preparation, easy set up and run

# Ososphobia

# Ancraophobia

# Frigophobia

Cons

# Straightforward and fairly obvious

# It is going to end in a fight (and it does)

Conclusion

# Easy to set up, low preparation scenario

# Vikings versus Wendigo, claws versus sword action

Icelandic Stories

It is the Age of Vikings. From their homes in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, the Norsemen have spread throughout Europe—and further beyond. They have conquered and settled in the British Isles, Ireland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and Normandy, as well as following the trade routes deep into Eastern Europe. They have not always been welcomed and they have often been feared. They have a reputation as raiders and pillagers, plundering towns and monasteries wherever their boats can take them, even sailing up the Seine to besiege Paris! These are the infamous Vikingar—or Vikings—who banded together to honourably raid other lands, and less honourably to raid the lands of other Norsemen. Yet such Vikings are not the only perils that Norsemen face. Some from within, some from without. On the harsh island of Iceland, far to the west, they are independent and free of kings and queens and nobility. Instead, they answer to the law courts of the assemblies where disputes are settled by the chieftain-priests known as goðar, to their families, and to their honour. Yet this would lead to revenge killings and blood feuds that passed down generations and violence perpetrated to restore slights and injuries to honour—perceived and otherwise. The Norsemen of Iceland are not the only inhabitants of this land. It is home to spirits of nature and mythical creatures. The Hidden Folk watch mortal men and sometimes meddle, their motives unknown. Travellers abroad on the wind and ice swept island can be attacked by Trolls. Curses and spells can be laid upon family and friends as well as neighbours and enemies, for magic is real, whether in the form of Rune Magic drawn from the Well of Fate beneath Yggdrasil or the ritualistic Seiður magic that comes from communing with the spirits, the powers of the land, and the gods.

This is the set-up for Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game in which the Player Characters are farmers and adventurers in medieval Iceland. They seek fame and fortune through adventure and also raiding during the season, but to protect their honour and their family too. It is published by Chaosium, Inc. and it is not the publisher’s first foray into the Viking Age and medieval Iceland, having previously published Mythic Iceland and been associated with Avalon Hill’s Vikings: Nordic Roleplaying for RuneQuest, published in 1985. Like those roleplaying games, it uses the mechanics of the Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine, but mechanically, it bears some similarity to RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha. Such that if you have played RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, then mechanically, adjusting to Age of Vikings will not be an issue. That said, any experience with Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine will work too. Lastly, it should be pointed out that Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game straddles the line between the historical and the mythical. It draws heavily upon both the history of the period and on the Icelandic Sagas, but allows the Game Master and her players to decide to focus on the historical elements of the setting or the mythic elements of the setting or both. The default is the latter as it reflects the outlook of the Icelanders upon the world and the land around them.

A Player Character in Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game is defined by his name and nickname, his Passions and devotions, family history, characteristics and skills, plus Spirit Animal, Devotions, Family, and distinctive features. A Player Character’s Passions represent his values and emotional desires, and in play, they can drive him to act (and mechanically grant a bonus) and bring him into conflict with others. He starts with three: Honour, Loyalty (goði), and Love (Family), and he will have more, typically created during the process of roll for his Family History. The latter gives the Player Character his backstory from the time of his grandfather in 900 CE all the way up through his parents’ history to his own 977 CE. The characteristics are Strength, Constitution, Size, Dexterity, Intelligence, Power, and Charisma. These are rated between three and eighteen, although the minimum value for Size and Intelligence is eight. Skills are divided in seven categories—Agility, Communication, Knowledge, Manipulation, Mythic, Perception, and Stealth, plus Weapons. His Spirit Animal reflects a Player Character’s soul and will grant a bonus for certain categories, such as the Owl, Snow Fox, or Weasel, which means that the Player Character is cunning and gains a bonus to Perception and Stealth skills. A Player Character’s Devotions are made to the gods that he most values and can draw upon for inspiration, represented by points of Dedication that grant him a bonus when acting according to their ideals. For example, the ideals for Baldur are light, happiness, and peace, whilst those for Óðinn are magic, war, and wisdom. The worship of Loki and Hel is rare and frowned upon.

Creating a Player Character in Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game is a mixture of random rolls and making choices. Options are given to simplify the process, but the default does take time. The player chooses or rolls for his character’s name and nickname, his family background, and then selects his Homeland skill bonuses. If the character is to be a Runemaster or a Seiðkona, his player selects from the skills for those options. He selects the three gods for his Devotions and assigns the Dedication points to them. Lastly, he rolls for his family details, its wealth, and its farm, and thus the equipment he has access to, as well as the distinctive feature.

Name: Álfdís Hallisdóttir
Nickname: Coal-brow
Passions: Honour 90%, Loyalty (Goði) 60%, Love (Family) 60%, Loyalty (Sweden) 60%, Hate (English) 70%, Loyalty (Norway) 60%
Devotions: Óðinn (1), Freyr (1) Forseti (1)
Animal Spirit: Cat (Spiritual)
Distinctive Features: Alluring expression, Eyebrows grown together, Red hair

CHARACTERISTICS
Strength 09 Constitution 13 Size 11 Dexterity 15 Intelligence 16 Power 18 Charisma 14

ATTRIBUTES
Move 10 Magic Points 18
Hit Points 14
Head 5 Left/Right Arm 5/5 Chest 6 Abdomen 5 Left/Right leg 5/5
Healing Rate 3
Maximum Encumbrance 10
Reputation 13
Status 25%

SKILLS
Agility (+10%): Ride 30%
Communication (+10%): Sing 45%, Skaldic Poetry 30%
Knowledge (+10%): Area Lore (Iceland) 40%, Customs (Norse) 35%, Farm 50%, First Aid 45%, Law 30%, Myth Lore 45%, Survival 35%, Treat Poison 25%, Treat disease 25%
Manipulation (+15%):
Mythic (+10%): Go Under the Cloak 45% Prophecy 40% Second Sight 40% Seiður Magic 60% (Weave), Worship (Forseti) 30%, Worship (Freyr) 10%, Worship (Óðinn) 30%
Perception (+10%): Insight 55%, Spot Hidden 45%
Stealth (+15%):
Weapon Skills (+15%): Knife 55%

Her grandmother, Bergdís, journeyed to Iceland from Sweden where she travelled, but did not settle. She was at the Alþing as one of the thirty-six first Goðar to preside over the law courts. The following year she was aboard Gunnbjörn Ulfsson’s ship when it sailed to the west, but what she saw there, she swore never to reveal. When she returned, she dreamed of the Fire Canyon breathing once again and her warnings persuaded her family to leave their farm in time. She dreamed again of the invasion of kings and fought at the Battle of Wineheath as part of the Norse army and fled when they were defeated. She hated the English ever after. Late in life she travelled far, dying with glory in the Battle of Constantinople. Her son, Halli, did not agree with his mother’s dislike of the English at first, but when in England fought alongside Eiríkur Bloodaxe at the Battle of Stainmore in England and saw him betrayed by the English, barely escaping with his life, he found himself in the wrong. Fleeing England, he found favour at the Norwegian royal court, but left for Iceland to avoid converting to Christianity. Sadly, King Haakon the Good followed him and began converting the Icelanders, but Halli resisted this and helped throw up a temple to Óðinn. When the prophet Þórdís visited the farm in honour of Bergdís, she prophesied that love would take someone away. Halli’s oldest son, Gaukar, disappeared a year later, only being seen with someone who was suspected of being one of the Hidden Folk. Halli fought honourably at the Battle of Assembly Bay, but his wound did not keep him from being at the assembly later that year where he spoke in favour of dividing Iceland and his words were greatly received.

In the Great Winter of Famine, the family survived by foraging and hunting and when the seas settled and the priests of Christ came to Iceland once again, Bergis mocked them in song to the pleasure of many. When the Goði’s hall was set alight, she rode a horse dedicated to Freyr and was rightly scolded even though she caught the culprit. More recently, she has been involved in the feud between the family of the renowned warrior poet Egill Skallagrímsson and Önundur Ánason over cattle grazing rights. She helped protect Egill Skallagrímsson against those who would kill him. Last year, she came across a spooked and bloodstained horse. In its saddle bag was a healing stone.

Mechanically, as a Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine roleplaying game, Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game is a percentile system. All a player has to do is roll percentile dice and get a result equal to, or lower than the value of the characteristic roll or the skill, and his character succeeds. A characteristic roll is typically a characteristic multiplied by three, but can be higher or lower depending on difficulty. Any result of ninety-six and above is always a failure and can be a fumble, whilst a roll of one fifth of the success or less is a Special success and one twentieth a Critical success. These will give enhanced outcomes, such as increased damage. Rerolls may be possible, but impose a penalty each time. Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game does make use of the Resistance Table to make determining the outcome of opposed rolls, such as withstanding the effects of poison or overcoming the mind of another, easier and faster. It is possible to have skills above 100%, but not at the start of play. If a roll is failed and the situation is absolutely dire, a player can choose to spend his character’s Wyrd. This turns a failed roll into a successful roll, but at the permanent cost of a point of Power. Do this too often and a Player Character’s Wyrd or fate has played out.

Rolls can also be augmented prior to a characteristic or skill roll. This can be done with another skill as well as a Passion. A failed augmentation roll will actually levy a penalty on the roll being augmented, whilst a successful augmentation roll will apply a bonus, which will be better with a Special or Critical success. Passions lie at the heart of a Player Character for they reflect his emotions and values, but they are more than a means to augment a skill or characteristic roll, to explain why he is acting the way he is. They can also be used to compel a Player Character to act according to them. This can be with a roll or if high enough he can be forced to.

Combat uses the same core mechanic. Initiative is determined according to Dexterity values, and once in physical combat, each combatant can either make a physical attack and defend or make a magical attack and defend. Defending is either dodging or parrying, and the outcome of both is determined by comparing the quality of the success for both the attack roll and either the parry or dodge rolls. This requires reference to their own tables often from blow to blow and the need to consult both tables does slow the flow of combat, if only slightly. (It is where the Age of Vikings: Gamemaster Screen Pack will undoubtedly prove to be useful.) If an attack is a Special success, it will do roughly double damage, whilst a Critical success indicates that any protection or armour has been bypassed and maximum damage inflicted. Of course, it is possible to roll a Fumble for an attack or parry, and there is a table of results for that. Rune magic can be used in combat, but Seiður magic cannot as it takes too long.

Armour protects, but not all locations and the best armour—either helmets, chain, or scale—is expensive. Shields will also stop damage, but can be damaged too. Damage is done by location, but if the Hit Points in a particular location are reduced to zero, a limb becomes useless, the combatant is left bleeding to death, or knocked unconscious and dying. Damage done to locations is also applied to general Hit Points and reducing those will knock a combatant unconscious. First aid and healing magic are available, but natural healing takes weeks.

What Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game makes clear is that combat is deadly and should be avoided if possible. If it cannot, it suggests that the Player Characters should prepare beforehand, casting weapon-enhancing magic and defensive spells, if possible, ambush and attack first, use missile weapons, and wear even minimum armour. And lastly, be prepared to flee if necessary.

In keeping with the setting, the rules for Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game cover alcohol and drinking contests, ships and seafaring, the latter giving stats for the classic longship, as well as cogs, biremes, and triremes, plus combat and other dangers. Alongside the guide to Viking life, including the gods (and that does include a section on Christianity in the Iceland of the period), and there are rules too for running a raid, on anywhere from an isolated farm or monastery all the way up to a metropolis with their associated Risk and Reward Ratings. Once any immediate opposition has been dealt with, the Player Characters can search the location, what they find being primarily determined by the Loot Table. Depending upon the nature of the campaign, both the seafaring and raid rules will be consulted again and again when the Player Characters decide each year that it is the time to be ‘going Viking’. Similarly, the rules for Icelandic legal system will probably be consulted again and again as a means to resolve conflicts without resorting to combat—though it is likely too as going before the courts is a measure of last resort when everything has failed. The process takes the participants through the legal battle in four phases consisting of travel to the court, presentation of cases, giving testimony, and final arguments, in between which both sides—but primarily the Player Characters—can conduct manoeuvres, such as intimidating a witness, researching the law, and even offering a favourable marriage to a judge to persuade him to one side or another, in order to gain Legal Advantage Points. Acquire seven Legal Advantage Points and the case is won, but then the winning side has to enforce it. Depending on how underhanded the Player Characters want to be, there is plenty of scope for roleplaying a Viking legal drama.

Magic in Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game takes two forms. Rune magic has specific rules, but essentially involves him choosing and carving three Runes or more closely associated with the desired effect and dying them with the caster’s blood. He also needs to create a Galdur, a script that he intones upon casting them. The more runes carved, the greater the number of effects and the greater the number of Magic Points that need to be expended. In the form of the twenty-four Elder Fúþark, the Runes offer incredible flexibility. For example, Vend means bliss and has the purview of happiness, relationship, hope, and kinship, and it can be used to give a bonus to the Charm and Insight skills as well as increase Charisma. Vikings: The Roleplaying Game does not just detail the twenty-four Elder Fúþark, but gives multiple combinations, their effects, and Galdur in each case. As with any magic system in any roleplaying game, there is a lot to learn, but player and Game Master alike are encouraged to create and prepare scripts, lest play get bogged down as they try to put a script together.

Where Rune magic can be cast all but immediately and only has a short effect, Seiður magic requires a long ritual and once completed, has a much longer-lasting effect. The Seiður practitioner, or Seiðmaður, is only really limited by the number of Magic Points that his player wants to expend in determining the duration, distance, and dimension of the spell, and whether or not the effect falls within the preferred Realm. There are four of these—Mind, Body, Spirit, and Weave (fate)—and the Seiðmaður favours one over the other three. This means that he is at a penalty when working within the realm of the others. In this way, Seiður magic is even more freeform than Rune magic, only limited by the player’s imagination. There are no formulaic spells for Seiður magic, but there are examples given drawn from the sagas for each of the four realms.

Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game gives a history of Iceland, from the Mythic times all the way up to the start of the game, as well as a Traveller’s Guide to the land itself. The guide is threaded with numerous adventure seeds. There are details too, on the lands beyond Iceland, but they are very much not the focus of the roleplaying game. It also reveals the secrets of the Hidden People and gives a detailed bestiary, which lists a variety of mortals, from berserkers, foreign raiders, and goði to thralls, traders, and warriors. The Mythic Folk include the Hidden People, Jötunn, Merfolk, and Trolls. There are descriptions of beasts too, but also Draugur, Fallen Ravens, and Seal Mothers, plus horrors like Wicked Whales and Kraken.

Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game supports the long term with rules for experience and downtime activities, such as worshipping, the progress of the farm and family, which again though mechanical, can spur opportunities for roleplay and stories. In the short term, it provides a single scenario, ‘The Alþing’. This is the annual meeting of the community, at which there are opportunities to arrange for the collection of goods, conduct courtships, settle disputes, recruit for raids in the coming season, and so on. ‘The Alþing’ gives plenty of opportunity for the players to roleplay and learn more about the community and the scenario itself sets up a potential dispute between the Player Characters and some NPCs as well as having both players and their characters participate in the rules for the court. Certainly, its general set-up really does show off the social aspect of the setting and its mundane rather than mythical nature means that it is suitable for historical as well as mythical play. However, it is not necessarily the best adventure for the group that wants more of a directed adventure or one that deals with more of the mythical elements. The Game Master may want to work with her players to develop some motivations as what their characters want from attending and build those into the scenario. Yet is still a good adventure, its format being one that the Player Characters can return to again and again, with unused elements being saved for the next one and the Game Master adding new ones, perhaps more tightly tailored around the drives and activities of the Player Characters.

Physically, Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game is very presented. The book is well written, the artwork is excellent, and there are plenty of examples of play throughout, as well as a set of six ready-to-play pre-generated Player Characters. It needs a slight edit in places.

Given that Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game employs the Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine, there is a complexity to the core rules, especially in combat, and whilst it can be argued that Rune magic and Seiður magic are both complex, that is more conceptual than mechanical. In comparison, the rules for Viking legal battles and for raiding do not add complexity, but rather add depth to the setting and help develop situations and opportunities for roleplaying. This is balanced by the richness of the medieval Icelandic setting and its historicity versus fantasy, leaning towards the former than the latter in portraying a people (and thus Player Characters) and their outlook rather than the clichés of Viking raiders. It places the Player Characters as farmers first, part of a wider community whose disputes and stories that they can become a part of as well as creating their own. Age of Vikings: The Roleplaying Game is a low fantasy, deeply historical  game that is designed to help tell stories of home, hearth, and honour, myth and magic, and bring new sagas to life, and in that it succeeds admirably.