Woodland Creatures

OODLAND
W
CREATURES
A COMPENDIUM OF CREATURES FOR THE CHRONICLE SYSTEM
Bryce Hubbard (order #5277131)
OODLAND
W
CREATURES
A COMPENDIUM OF CREATURES FOR THE CHRONICLE SYSTEM
Authors: Lee Hammock, John C. Hay, Jeb Boyt

Editor: Tom Cadorette Developer: Joseph Carriker
Graphic Design & Art Direction: Hal Mangold
Interior Art: Britt Martin, Stephanie Pui-Min Law,
Toren Macbin Atkinson, Eliza Gauger, Jonathan Kirtz,
Woodland Creatures 2013 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All
rights reserved. Reference to other copyrighted material in no way
constitutes a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that
material.
Chronicle System, Green Ronin, and their respective logos

are Trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the first of our Chronicle System releases,
Woodland Creatures.
The Chronicle System is the name weve given to the mechanics engine that runs A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying.
While the rules of this system were designed specifically
for George R.R. Martins Westeros, they will work just as
well for any other setting.
In order to facilitate such game play, we are developing a series of modules under the Chronicle System name,
providing new elements and ideas for use with the system
that might not always fit into the established world of A
Song of Ice and Fire. We feel this will give Narrators more
choices and plenty of flexibility to make their games truly
their own, whether they are adapting the system to a setting of their own, or simply providing their players with
a Westeros that diverges in some way from the accepted
canon. Please keep an eye out for new Chronicle System
products!
Woodland Creatures
Woodland
Creatures
This product is a bestiary for the Chronicle System, divided
into four sections, focusing on some of the creatures one
might find living in and around woodland areas.
The Animals section expands the game stats for normal
animals, with an emphasis on forest-dwelling creatures.
These animals are perfectly suited for the Animal Cohort
Benefit, as well as those instances where they might be
encountered, such as on hunting trips. This section also expands on the rules for training animals.
The Beasts section focuses on creatures of roughly animal
intelligence and capability, although they are not found in
our modern real world. Creatures of dire size, strange (but
plausible) physiology, and weird niches in their environment all fall into this category.
Introduction
Attacking Small Targets

As a reminder, any target in combat that is significantly smaller than its attacker gains a +2 to Combat Defense
due to the discrepancy in size. A solid majority of the creatures in the Animals section qualify for this bonus if they
are attacked by an opponent of adult human size.
Likewise, any target that is significantly greater in size than its attacker receives a -2 penalty to Combat Defense
due to its great size. This generally includes creatures of horse-size or larger against an opponent of adult human
size.
Throughout this work, we have included the modified Combat Defense for creatures fighting adult humansized opponents in parentheses. Thus, an eagle has a Combat Defense of 10 (12), reflecting the +2 Combat Defense bonus it gains against larger opponents.
The Horrors, on the other hand, are explicitly fantastic
and quite monstrous. Many of these things have the faintest touch of magic to them, or are otherwise far more intelligent that one might expect such creatures to be. Horrors
are usually quite rare in low-magic, gritty fantasy settings,
but more common in high-magic tales.
Finally, the Legends. These creatures are overtly magical or otherwise fantastic. In low-magic, gritty fantasy settings, they are the subjects of legends and stories, often
fearful ones. Whole bodies of superstition and myth may
crop up around them, and they may have been more common at some point in the past.
Beast-Haunted
Domains
Because of the scale the Chronicle System operates on,
the terrors in this book might not just threaten individual
characters that encounter them, but also entire domains
unfortunate enough to be near or even within the woodlands that the creatures call home.
With the Narrators permission, players may purchase
the following Domain Drawbacks.
Woodland Domain
Drawbacks
Purchasing a Domain Drawback grants a small pool of
points that may be directly added as bonus points to other
Resources at domain generation. These points may not be
added to any Resources that are penalized by the Drawbacks, however.
Beast-Infested
2 points
The woodland domain of choice is infested with a beast

of some kind, chosen from the Beasts chapter of this or
other Chronicle System Bestiary works. Attacks against
individuals traveling through the forest are common, and
even travel in groups is no guarantee of safety.
Gain a -1 to House Fortune rolls. Population Resource
decreases due to a House Fortunes roll are increased by 1.
Horror-Prowled
4 points
Something unwholesome and hungry haunts your woods,

chosen from the Horrors chapter of this or other Chronicle System Bestiary works. You lose smallfolk to it all the
time, and occasionally patrolling soldiers run afoul of the
horror as well.
Gain a -1 to House Fortune rolls. Population and Power
Resource decreases due to a House Fortunes roll are increased by 1.
Legend-Haunted
6 points
Tales are told of your woodlands, and the mystical, accursed thing therein, chosen from the Legends chapter
of this or other Chronicle System Bestiary works. Your
smallfolk have generations of tales about it, and probably
a handful of superstitious protections supposed to protect
against it. So fearful are those tales, and widely spoken of,
that many merchants refuse to enter your domain.
Gain a -2 to House Fortunes rolls. Population, Power
and Wealth Resources decreases due to a House Fortunes
roll are increased by 1.
Woodland Creatures
ANIMALS of the WOODLANDS

Even in a setting that might be called high magic, the
woodlands are usually populated mostly by normal animals. Though they are usually quite shy of the people who
tromp through their forest home, it is not uncommon to
encounter these creatures, whether as chance encounters,
as the prey of a nobles (or poachers) hunt, or even serving
at the side of those with the skill to train them.
This chapter presents a set of expanded training rules for
domesticating and teaching animals of a variety of tricks
and roles, including a set of Benefits for those characters
who specialize in that task. It also includes a set of stats for
normal animals that might be found in a woodland setting,
adding to the animals found in Chapter 11 of the A Song
of Ice and Fire Roleplaying (SIFRP) core book.
Expanded
Training Rules
Some animals may find themselves in situations where

they may try and throw off the training in order to react according to their instincts, e.g., a dog wanting to bark
at something when hes been ordered to be silent, a horse
wishing to flee from fire when it has been ordered to stay
and the like. When the master is present, it is a simple
Animal Handling test against the animals passive Will; if
the master is not present, it is the animals Will test against
the masters passive Animal Handling.
Agility Tests
Dogs, Horses
The animal is trained to perform a variety of leaping and

agility tricks. For dogs this is usually leaping through
hoops, and for lighter animals, tumbling and flipping. For
horses this is often course navigation, leaping fences and
the like.
Attack
Dogs, Horses, Ravens
Training an animal to perform a single task or role requires

an Animal Handling (Train) Extended test, requiring a
number of successful tests equal to the animals Will minus Cunning (minimum 1). Each test assumes a week of
regular training, working with the animal for several hours
every day. The Difficulty of this roll is based on the animals
Will rating:
With this command, the animal will attack any individual

that is currently menacing its master. Horses trained to
this will lash out with hooves, which is rarely a natural
inclination. A rider giving this command from horseback
may use the Ride Specialty.
Animal Training Difficulties
The animal is trained to bear a rider, with or without saddle. The rider must be of a size and weight that the animal
could reasonably bear. No roll is necessary to have the animal perform this function, although all commands given
while in the saddle use the Ride Specialty.
Will 1
Will 2
Routine (6)
Challenging (9)
Will 3
Formidable (12)
Will 5
Very Hard (18)
Will 4
Hard (15)
An animal may learn a number of tricks equal to its

Cunning. After that, training each additional trick increases the Difficulty of the task by +3, cumulative.
Tricks
These individual Tricks can often be learned by a variety of
animals, each performing them somewhat differently from
one another. Commanding an animal to use one of these
Tricks is an Animal Handling test, with the Charm Specialty, unless otherwise noted in the Trick.
Woodland Creatures
Bear a Rider
Bear a Burden
Dogs, Horses
Dogs, Horses, Ravens
The animal is trained to bear burdens on their backs or

pull wayns and sleighs as appropriate for their size. Ravens
trained to this will carry messages tied to their legs without
trying to rid themselves of it. All commands given with
this skill use the Drive Specialty.
Charm
Dogs, Horses
The animal will perform any number of trained actions that

most people find entertaining or endearing: bows, counting
tricks, eliciting sympathy by drooping ears and sighing and
the like. The animal can also perform basic dance steps to
music, and animals with both this trick and the Agility Tests
Trick can perform quite advanced dances.
Come
Dogs, Horses, Raptors, Ravens
The animal is trained to come when called. Dogs, horses,

and ravens will answer to their names or a whistle; raptors
usually are trained to a bell or whistle.
Fetch
Dogs, Ravens
The animal is trained to fetch either something that is

thrown by the master, or retrieve a specific kind of item,
such as food, shiny things, pieces of paper and the like. An
animal may be trained to this Trick multiple times, each
time adding another kind of item it will fetch.
Guard
Dogs, Horses
This command causes the animal to either remain in one

spot and guard it against everyone it is not familiar with,
or to remain with and protect an individual, designated
by the master placing that persons hand on the animals

flank while giving the command. An animal with this
training issues a vocal warning to those getting too near
to it.
Harry
Dogs, Raptors
Some animals can be trained to harry an opponent, distracting them from their tasks. Hounds will bark and snap,
sometimes even grabbing onto limbs and pulling, while
raptors flap in a targets face with wings and talons. An opponent who is harried is -1D on all tests until the animal
is recalled or stopped.
Heel & Stay
Dogs, Horses, Raptors, Ravens
With this command, the animal remains calmly beside the

master, remaining with him when either walking or standing still. The animal can also be commanded to remain in
one place. Raptors and ravens will follow a master from the
air, but cannot be commanded to stay in one place.
Woodland Creatures
Silence
Dogs, Horses, Raptors
With this command, the animal refrains from making its

normal vocalizations. Dogs and horses with this command
also actively employ their Stealth to keep from making undue noise by their passage.
Speak Ravens
Though all ravens pick up the occasional word here and

there, this training teaches a raven a small vocabulary of
words that it can use to communicate certain concepts
such as hunger, a warning and the like.
Terrain Traveling
Horses
With this training, a horse is trained to navigate through

terrain that it would normally find difficult, such as wetlands or mountains. When in that terrain, the horses
movement is calculated as though it were in one category
of terrain better (Deserts, Hills and Light Woods become
as Plains, and Mountains, Wetlands and Dense Woods
are treated as though they were Deserts, Hills, and Light
Woods). There are no rolls involved in the use of this kind
of training, which becomes second nature to the mount.
Track Dogs
When given a strong scent to follow, the dog can follow

the trail left by that scent with a Survival test. Each mile
of trail requires an additional test. Situations that might
throw off or confuse the scent, such as moving into a heavily populated area, a body of water or stronger scents like
fire or blood can all force re-tests as well, often at higher
Difficulties.
Wear Barding
Dogs, Horses
The animal is trained to bear armor that is sized and fitted for its shape. There are no rolls involved in the use of
this kind of training, which becomes second nature to the
animal.
Roles
Unlike other Tricks, these are a specific function for the
animal, rather than an individual limited command. These
are jobs, as it were, training the animal to the numerous
Woodland Creatures
Training NonStandard Animals

Fantasy is rich with animal companions, often
trained to a degree that is actually impossible with
such animals in the real world. The Tricks and Roles
described in this section include mention of the
kinds of animals most often trained to such tasks.
The Narrator, of course, has the option of adding
animals to the lists for any of these tasks to reflect
the realities of her setting. Additionally, if a character wishes to train an animal in a task not normally
available to an animal of that type, the Narrator who
wishes to allow it (but not make it standard) might
increase the animals effective Will by +1 or +2 for
the purpose of that training.
Generally speaking, insects and reptiles (with
some exceptions) cannot be trained.
commands and situations necessary to function in this capacity. Each role is considered a single Trick, and each roll
to teach a Role counts as two weeks. No animal may be
trained to more than one Role.
Entertainer (+3 Difficulty) Dogs, Horses
The animal is trained to perform in one of many ways: as

a show animal of some kind, or performing alongside an
entertainer. The animal is assumed to know the Agility Tests
and Charm Tricks, and either the Fetch or Speak Trick.
Falconry-Trained (+3 Difficulty) Raptors, Ravens
Birds trained thusly can be used for hunting. Hawks and

ravens are launched from the fist to fly out and attack
game birds flushed from the surrounding wilds, while
falcons and eagles are launched from an aerie and follow
the master, watching carefully for any game birds or small
game like rabbits that they can strike. These animals are
assumed to know the Attack, Fetch, and Heel & Stay
Tricks.
Farmer (+0 Difficulty)
Horses.
The animal is trained as a farm animal, for the myriad purposes to which horses are put on the farm. The animal is assumed to know the Bear a Rider and Bear a Burden Tricks.
Guard (+6 Difficulty)
Dogs
Master Trainer (Ability)
Your welath of experience means animals trained by

you learn their tasks quickly and efficiently.
Trained as guardians, these dogs are often used as household defense, and are ssumed to have the Attack, Come,
Guard, and Heel & Stay Tricks.
Herder (+3 Difficulty)
Dogs
The animal is trained to assist with corralling a herd animal

of some kind, patrolling their edges to keep them together
and defend against predators. The animal is assumed to
know the Come, Guard, and Heel & Stay Tricks.
House (+0 Difficulty)
Dogs
Dogs with this training are taught to be hunting companions, remaining near the master until they are given word
to flush out the prey. They range outward, barking to drive
larger prey back towards the hunting party. The animal is
assumed to have the Attack, Fetch, Heel & Stay, and Track
Tricks.
Warrior (+6 Difficulty)
Animal
Trainer Benefits
The following Benefits are for characters with a notable
talent for training animals. Such individuals may find a
place in any lords retinue as a Master of Horse or Master of Kennels, or may undertake their skills for their own
benefit and profit.
Way with Beasts (Ability)
Whether because of natural empathy, or supernatural

connection, animals seem to trust and favor you.
Requirements: Beastfriend
Your affinity with animals is almost legendary. Reroll all

1s on all Animal Handling tests. Additionally, animals you
train are considered to have one additional point of Cunning for the purposes of determining how many Tricks
they can learn.
Animal Traits
The following creatures are considered normal animals,
and adhere to the rules for such creatures from Chapter
11: The Narrator, in the SIFRP core book.
BB
Creatures have rank 0 in the following Abilities:

Animal Handling, Deception, Healing, Language,
Knowledge, Marksmanship, Persuasion, Status, Thievery, and Warfare. They can never take tests related to
these abilities and automatically fail when called to do
so. Certain uses of other abilities may be impossible.
Creatures can make Fighting tests with their natural
weapons only.
BB
Some animals may have access to a Fly specialty in

Athletics, the equivalent of the Run specialty for animals capable of flight.
BB
Abilities not listed for an animal, but not forbidden,

are assumed to be at a rating of 2.
Dogs, Horses
The animal with this training has been accustomed to the

chaos, blood, and pain of battle, and will not spook in such
situations. Such animals are considered to have the Attack,
Guard, Heel & Stay, and Wear Barding Tricks for dogs, or
the Attack, Bear Rider, Guard, and Wear Barding Tricks for
horses. These animals qualify as war-trained for the purpose of those rules that require it in the SIFRP core system.
The time to train an animal is halved when you do the

training. You gain either two rolls per week to teach Tricks,
or one roll every week to teach a Role.
Dogs
The animal is trained to live indoors, well-socialized, quiet

and tending to its wastes outdoors rather than inside. The
animal is assumed to know the Heel & Stay and Silence
Tricks.
Hunter (+6 Difficulty)
Requirements: Animal Handling 3 (Training 2B)
Badger
Badgers can be aggressively territorial, and are equal adept
at scavenging and killing their own prey.
Woodland Creatures
Badger
Catamount/Puma
Agility 3 (Contortions 1B, Dodge 1B), Athletics 2

(Climb 1B, Swim 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 2 (Resilience 1B),
Fighting 3, Survival 3 (Forage 1B, Hunt 1B), Will 3
Agility 4 (Balance 2B, Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Athletics 4

(Climb 2B, Jump 2B, Run 2B, Strength 2B), Awareness 5
(Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3 (Stamina 1B), Fighting 4,
Stealth 5 (Sneak 1B), Survival 4 (Hunt 2B)
Combat Defense: 7 (9) Health 6
Natural Armor: AR 0 Movement: 4 yards

Bite
3D
2 Damage
Tremendous Digger: Badgers primarily hunt burrowing animals

and can dig with great speed. A badger can dig through normal
soil at a rate of 3 yards a minute.
Bobcat/Lynx
(Climb 2B, Jump 2B, Run 2B, Swim 1B), Awareness 4
(Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3, Fighting 3,
Combat Defense: 13
Natural Armor: AR 0
Bite
3D
2 Damage
Vicious
Claws
3D
3 Damage
Fast
Attack from above: Bobcats use height to give them an advantage

that their small size might other prohibit. A bobcat attacking from
surprise will leap out of a tree to attack larger prey, allowing it to use
both its claws and bite on the first round of combat.
Bobcat, Lynx
A mid-sized hunting cat, bobcats are short-tailed with
pointed and tufted ears. They are between 2-4 feet in
length but will attack a human in self-defense.
Catamount, Puma
Health 9
Movement: 8 yards
Bite
4D
4 Damage
Vicious
Claws
4D
6 Damage
Powerful
Leaping Charge: When it charges, the catamount can make two

attacks: once with its bite, and once with its claws.
Deer
Agility 4 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Athletics 4 ( Jump 2B,
Run 3B), Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Will 3
Combat Defense: 11 Health 6

Antlers
2D
2 Damage
Elk
Agility 3 (Dodge 2B), Athletics 4 ( Jump 2B, Run 2B,
Strength 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1,
Endurance 3, Fighting 3, Will 3

Antlers
3D
4 Damage
Stomp
3D
6 Damage
Knockdown: Whenever an elk gets at least 2 degrees of success on a

Fighting test with its antlers, it can forgo the extra damage to knock its
opponent to the ground. It may immediately make a follow-up Stomp
attack on a felled enemy.
The largest of the great cats, the catamount can weigh in

excess of 200 pounds and grow longer than 9 feet. They
are stealthy predators, and more than a match for a human
opponent.
Stomp: Against prone opponents and animals significantly smaller

than it (like hunting dogs), an elk may use its weight to stomp rather
than gore with its antlers. An elk must knock an opponent of adult
human size or larger down first with its antlers.
Deer
Agility 5 (Quickness 3B), Athletics 1, Awareness 4 (Notice

3B), Cunning 1, Endurance 1, Fighting 1, Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)
The stag (or hart) is a common target in noble hunts, and

a popular meat on the feasting table.
Elk
Falcon
Natural Armor: AR 0 Movement: 1 yard (or Fly 10 yards)

Talons
1D
1 Damage
Larger and more likely to fight back than deer, elk antlers
have been known to gore a hunter.
exceptional speed and ability to take down larger birds while

on the wing. Males may also be known as tercels.
Falcon
Fox
Extremely smart and easy to train, falcons are one of the preferred hunting birds for nobility. They are known for their
One of the smallest wild canines, foxes are popular for

hunting because of their exceptional cunning and stealth.
Woodland Creatures
Fox
Moose/Red Elk
Agility 3 (Contortions 1B, Dodge 1B, Quickness 1B),

Athletics 2 ( Jump 1B, Run 1B, Swim 1B), Awareness 3
(Notice 1B), Cunning 2 (Memory 1B), Stealth 4
(Blend-in 1B, Sneak 2B), Survival 4 (Forage 1B, Hunt 1B)
Agility 2 (Dodge 1B), Athletics 5 ( Jump 1B, Run 1B,

Endurance 4 (Stamina 2B), Fighting 4, Will 3

Bite
2D
2 Damage
Escape Artist: If a fox breaks out of combat, it does not trigger a free
action attack.
Hawk
Agility 3 (Quickness 2B), Athletics 2 (Strength 1B),
Awareness 4 ( (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)

Beak
2D
2 Damage
Talons
2D
2 Damage
Retrieve: Because of their size and hunting style, hawks can be easily
trained to retrieve certain objects, whether its prey or a key ring.
Hawks can carry an item of up to 5 pounds without difficulty. Larger
prey and items (up to 10 pounds) can be borne for a round, but not
longer.
Agility 3 (Quickness 1B), Athletics 2 (Climb 1B),

Awareness 3 (Notice 1B), Cunning 1

2D
2 Damage
Tenacious Bite: Monitors do not like to let go of prey once

they have seized it. If a monitor scores 2 degrees of success on
a Fighting role, it counts as having Grabbed its opponent. The
monitor is considered to have a Fighting 4 for the purpose of
breaking its Grab.
Hawk
Hawks, are easy to train and favored by nobility for hunting
small ground animals. While not as smart as a falcon, they
are still possessed of a high intellect and keen eyesight.
Monitor Lizard, Arboreal

Averaging 3 feet in length, there are several species of tree
monitor and all are common in warm woodlands. Unlike
most reptiles, monitors have high metabolisms and excel at
catching and eating live prey. They are also very intelligent
and can be trained by a patient handler.
Antlers
4D
5 Damage
Stomp
4D
8 Damage
Knockdown: Whenever a moose or red elk gets at least 2 degrees

of success on a Fighting test with its antlers, it can forgo the extra
damage to knock its opponent to the ground. It may immediately
make a follow-up Stomp attack on a felled enemy.
Stomp: Against prone opponents and animals significantly smaller
than it (like hunting dogs), a moose or red elk may use its weight to
stomp rather than gore with its antlers. The moose or red elk must
knock an opponent of adult human size or larger down first with
its antlers.
Persistent: Moose and Red Elk can take Injures to reduce damage
to their Health.
Owl
Agility 3, Awareness 5 (Notice 3B), Cunning 1,
Stealth (4 (Sneak 2B), Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)
Combat Defense: 10 (12) Health: 6
Monitor Lizard
Bite
Combat Defense: 10 Health: 12
Beak
2D
2 Damage
Talons
2D
3 Damage
Moose, Red Elk

The largest of the cervines, moose and red elk are formidable opponents, and can be aggressive when wounded or
defending their herds.
Owl
Seldom trained, owls are easy to identify by their barrel shapes and wide eyes. Adaptations to their wing and
feather structure allow them to fly silently and sneak up
on their prey.
Snake, Venomous
Venomous snakes are common in the woodlands, but
seldom attack humans unless threatened. These statistics
can be applied to a wide variety of poisonous serpants.
Vulture
The largest of the birds of prey, vultures are primarily scavengers with a sense of smell as keen as their eyesight. They
Woodland Creatures
Snake
Vulture
Agility 2 (Quickness 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 1B),

Cunning 1, Stealth 2 (Blend-in 1B)
Awareness 4 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3,

Fighting 1, Survival 3 (Forage 2B)

Bite
2D
2 Damage
Venomous
Natural Armor: AR 0 Movement: 1 yd (or Fly 5 yds)

Beak
Venomous: Snake venoms act in a variety of fashions, but can be

represented generically with the following toxin:
Snake Venom
Toxicity: 2 (small snake)

3 (large snake)
Diagnosis: Routine (6)
Frequency: 1/hour
Snake venoms affect the blood and central nervous system of the
victim, causing bleeding and in the most deadly cases, respiratory
paralysis. On a successful attack, the victim takes 1 Wound as the
toxin spreads and cripples the victim.
Recovery: Wounds can be recovered normally, once the toxin has
run its course.
have tremendous endurance, gliding and flying long distances to find fresh carrion to consume.
Weasel
Weasels are small, clever predators that can be trained to
perform simple tricks. These statistics can also represent
stoats and ferrets.
Wildcat
The smallest of the hunting cats, this can also be used to
represent a domestic cat.
Wolverine
The largest natural member of the weasel family, wolverines are aggressive, foul-tempered and nearly fearless. They
regularly drive wolves and even bears off of kills to claim
the meat for themselves.
Woodland Creatures
2 Damage
Weasel
Agility 2 (Contortions 2B), Cunning 1,
Endurance 2 (Resilience 1B), Fighting 2,
Survival 2 (Forage 1B, Hunt 1B)
Injected
Virulence: 3 (normal)
4 (deadly)
1D

Bite
2D
2 Damage
Trainable: Weasels are very clever and take training easily. Treat
them as Will 1 for the purpose of Animal Handling (Training)
tests.
Wildcat
Agility 3 (Balance 2B, Dodge 1B, Athletics 2
(Climb 1B, Jump 1B, Run 1B), Awareness 4 (Notice 2B),
Cunning 1, Stealth 5 (Sneak 3B), Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)

Claws
2D
1 Damage
Wolverine
Agility 3 (Contortions 1B, Dodge 1B, Quickness 1B),
Athletics 3 (Climb 1B, Run 1B, Strength 1B), Awareness 3
(Notice 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3 (Resilience 2B,
Stamina 1B), Fighting 4, Survival 3 (Forage 1B, Hunt 1B),
Will 3 (Courage 2B)

Bite
4D
3 Damage
Claws
4D
4 Damage
Powerful
Implacable: Wolverines can take Injuries to reduce damage to their

Health.
BEASTS of the WOODLANDS

In the context of the Chronicle System, beasts are creatures that do not actually exist in our modern real world,
but are close enough to reality that they either could exist
or may have even once existed. These creatures are all of
animal intelligence, generally occupying niches similar to
real-world animals in their environments.
Training Beasts
Because they are so similar to animals, beasts may be
trained using the Expanded Training Rules (see the Animals of the Woodlands chapter). They are considered to
have a Will of one rank higher than their actual statistics
for the purpose of such training.
Ant, Giant
The size of large cats, giant ants roam widely through the
forest from great burrows foraging for food. Wise hunters
know to stay away from the game trails that grow wider as
they near an ant burrow. Farmers see giant ants as a bane
because they can clear a field of crops and carry away small
animals and children.
Ant, Rounder
Also called cutter ants or scoop swarms, there is no universally agreed upon name for these large, vicious insects.
Individually, they do not seem to present much of a menace: large for an insect, rounders average between 3 and 4
inches in length, with a third of their size being a set of
enormous, lopsided, and razor-sharp mandibles. It is these
mandibles that earn the creature its variety of nicknames:
when employed against larger creatures, the result is a
hemispherical divot roughly an inch across. The removed
gobbet of meat is taken back to the rounder nest, where
the colony can feed on the mold and bacteria that grow on
the slowly putrefying flesh.
Despite their savage mandibles and noisome feeding habits, rounders only present a real threat in the wake of spring
rains that flood their burrows, driving the entire colony into
the open. It is under these circumstances that the insects have
been known to swarm, creating dense clouds composed of
hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of rounders. These
rounder swarms ravage vast swaths of land as they search for
a new place to house the colony, and have been known to
bring down dogs, horses and even humans beneath the tide
of hopping, flying chitinous horrors.
Rounder fighting, where a single rounder is placed in a
box to try and kill another large insect (or in some instances a small mammal) constitutes a common pastime for
peasants. Exceedingly rural taverns, as well as seedy dives
sometimes encourage wagering on these fights and may
have a small fighting area purpose built for such matches.
When the swarm swells to a significant size, it acts as a
single entity, rather than thousands of individuals. They are
so densely packed that hitting any one insect is a simple
task, but they are so numerous that it is difficult to make a
dent in the swarms capabilities. It is impossible to kill them
all, but a spirited defense will cause the swarm to disperse.
Battlehorn
The battlehorn is a creature of much debate. These massive
creatures are often found among caribou and reindeer herds
but never seem to form herds of their own. Instead they apportion themselves to one per herd of their lesser kin, coming together only during the spring mating season. Calves
tend to remain by the sides of their mothers until they reach
maturity, at which point the herd splits off into two smaller
herds, each with its own battlehorn.
10
Woodland Creatures
Beasts of the Woodlands
Giant Ant
Battlehorn
Agility 2 (Balance 2B), Athletics 2 (Climb 1B, Strength 3B),

Awareness 1, Cunning 1, Endurance 4, Survival 3,
Will 2 (Coordinate 1B)
Athletics 5 ( Jump 2B, Run 3B, Strength 2B), Awareness 3,

Cunning 1, Endurance 6 (Stamina 2B), Fighting 4,
Survival 4 (Foraging 2B), Will 4

Bite
2D
2 damage
Grab
Rounder Ant
Athletics 1 (Climb 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 1,
Survival 2 (Forage 1B)
Natural Armor: AR 0 Movement: 2 yards or Fly 1 yard

Bite
2D
1 damage
Piercing 2
Rounder Swarm
Athletics 4 (Climb 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 6
(Resilience 3B), Fighting 4, Survival 3 (Forage 2B)
Natural Armor: AR 1 Movement: 2 yards or Fly 1 yard

Swarming Bite
4D
4 Damage
Piercing 3
Swarm Body: The body of the swarm is easy to hit but difficult
to injure. Piercing and slashing weapons lose three degrees of
success for the purpose of inflicting damage. Bludgeoning weapons
lose two degrees of success for the purpose of inflicting damage.
Additionally, the swarm can take both Injuries and Wounds as part
of normal combat, representing the loss in effectiveness that comes
of individual rounders dying.
Vulnerable to Fire: Like all swarms, the tightly packed rounders in a
swarm are exceedingly vulnerable to fire. Flaming oil and other firebased attacks score an automatic additional degree of success.
Disfiguring Marks: The victim of a rounder swarm is lucky to survive
the experience, and those who do are often left permanently scarred
by the encounter. A character that takes 2 or more Wounds from a
Rounder swarm also receives the drawback Marked to represent the
myriad circular divots that scar his or her face and arms.
According to legend this is because the battlehorns are

sent from the gods or the spirits of the forest to prevent the
herds they guard from being overhunted. Considering the
unbridled violence that battlehorns show when reacting to
an attack on their pack, this does not seem implausible.
Battlehorns look much like very large moose, standing
twelve to fifteen feet tall at the shoulder. Their antlers are
especially large and sharp, a result of the battlehorns sharpening them on rocks, a grating sound that canny hunters
learn to listen for. As a battlehorn ages it develops growths
similar to its antlers on its shoulders, spine, and other vital
areas, growing a form of organic armor over many years.
Arrows bounce off the hide of a mature battlehorn, mak-
Woodland Creatures

Gore
4D
7 damage
Powerful
Charge: Given at least a 6-yard distance to their target, battlehorns

can charge their target as a greater action. This grants them +1D
Fighting, +2 damage, and the attack gains the Staggering and
Vicious qualities.
Defending the Herd: When defending other moose, caribou,
reindeer, or similar creatures, the battlehorn gains +1B on Fighting,
Awareness, and Athletics checks.
Ferocious: A battlehorn can take Injuries to reduce damage to its
Health.
Stubborn: Battlehorns reduce all penalties due to Injuries by 1.
Bone Ape
Agility 4 (Acrobatics 2B, Dodge 1B, Quickness 1B),
Athletics 5 (Climb 4B, Jump 2B, Strength 2B), Awareness 3
(Notice 1B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4 (Stamina 1B), Fighting 5,
Stealth 3 (Sneak 1B), Survival 4 (Hunt 2B, Track 1B), Will 3

Strike
5D
5 damage
Powerful, Grab
Bite
5D
4 damage
Vicious
Attack From Above: If a bone ape is at least 3 yards higher than its
target, it may leap down and make a strike attack, gaining a +2B to
its attack roll and +2 damage. Regardless of whether the attack hits,
the bone ape takes regular falling damage but can reduce it with an
Agility (Acrobatics) test as normal.
Camouflage: A bone ape gains +2D on Stealth tests made in snowy
terrain.
ing it very difficult for them to be eliminated in order to

make hunting the herd easier.
Bone Ape
Bone apes are massive creatures, standing nearly nine feet
tall when upright. Their appearance is much like that of a
silverback gorilla, only larger and covered in white or gray
fur. Bone apes can stand on their legs, but when running
tend to use their arms for support. They are far more at
home in the trees than on the ground, and can brachiate
easily among the branches of large, old-growth trees. They
are also quite skilled at navigating the straight lengths of
coniferous tree trunks.
11

These rare primates are found in more northern climes
where snow is present for much of the year. Largely solitary, these omnivores spend most of their time hunting for
the food necessary to sustain their massive bodies. To that
end they eat a wide variety of berries and tubers, but prefer
meat when it is available. According to folklore, they show
a special fondness for human flesh and will often seek it out
in preference to other options. Bone apes are widely said to
be terrible, cruel beings that brutally murder lone hunters
or those who get lost in the woods. In the regions they are
known to haunt, few dare to venture into the woods alone
and many a missing hunter is ascribed to them.
Bone apes are excellent at concealing themselves in the
snowy trees of the forest, leaping down to ambush victims,
striking with the force of their entire body. They prefer
attacking solitary targets, but will attack larger groups of
humans if hungry or they feel their territory is threatened.
Bone apes are very intelligent, ambushing individuals who
leave their group, even creating diversions and traps to encourage such behavior. While bone apes consume most of
their kills, they often return bones and other unconsumed
parts to the vicinity of the victims fellows out of some kind

of territory-marking behavior.
Butcher Bird
A grisly display of severed limbs and bloody meat is often
the first and last indicator that another victim has walked
into a region of woods claimed by a butcher bird. Standing
over nine feet tall, these flightless birds boast a heavy, curved
beak that is ideally suited for slicing through meat and bone.
This lends itself well to the creatures primary method of
food storage. Rather than risk that food might not be available for its mate or chicks, the butcher bird will aggressively
attack anything it considers prey. What it cannot eat immediately is cut into pieces and carried back to the nesting area,
where it hangs the remains in tree forks and on sharp limbs
as a kind of larder to which it can return when prey is scarce.
The beak is only one part of this birds arsenal. Its strong,
hardened legs can deliver a powerful defensive kick to anyone foolish enough to get too close. Butcher birds primarily hunt in the daytime, relying on their keen eyesight to
locate targets. Despite their size and (in the spring at least)
flamboyant color patterns, these giant birds can remain
hidden by standing extremely still. In the dappled leaves
of the forest, the patterns of black, green, and yellow blend
into their surroundings, allowing the bird to ambush prey
when they find it.
Butcher birds do not rely solely on stealth when hunting, however. Rather it allows them to get close to a target,
after which they burst out of the growth in a tremendous
display of speed. Butcher birds have been recorded chasing
down horses and deer over short distances, and have no
difficulty running down human prey.
Butcher Bird
Agility 3 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Athletics 5
(Run 2B, Strength 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 2B),
Cunning 1, Endurance 3, Fighting 5, Stealth 3
(Blend-In 2B), Survival 4 (Hunt 3B)

Beak
5D
7 Damage
Powerful, Vicious
Kick
5D
5 Damage
Staggering
Sever Limb: The butcher birds beak is a brutal weapon, designed

to hack off limbs and break down bodies. If a butcher bird scores
four degrees of success in a beak attack against a character, the
character also receives the drawback Maimed as it rips off an arm
or part of a leg.
12
Woodland Creatures

Butcher birds are extremely territorial and are known
to kill rivals that invade their area. At the same time, they
are monogamous and protective, if gruesome, parents.
Both the male and the female share the task of raising
chicks, and take turns stocking the larder while the other
protects the nest. If the nest is attacked, the alarm call of
the parent will bring the other running, and the unfortunate transgressor will soon be facing two angry parents
instead of one. For some, however, the risk is worth it, as
the chicks are intelligent and easy to train, making them
highly sought after as guard animals and in some regions
as exotic mounts.
Claw-Wing Lizard
Found primarily in more southern climes, claw-wing lizards are hound-sized reptillian carnivores that roam in
flocks that number up to dozens. These cold-blooded creatures are eating machines, constantly on the hunt to keep
their hunger satiated. Claw-wing lizards will attack any
prey, but fear fire and avoid large groups of humans. They
Claw Wing Lizard
Agility 5 (Acrobatics 1B, Balance 1B, Dodge 1B,
Quickness 1B), Athletics 3 (Climb 2B, Jump 1B),
Awareness 4 (Notice 1B), Cunning 1 , Fighting 3,
Natural Armor: AR 0 Movement: 3 yards or Glide 6 yards

Claw
3D
3 damage
Vicious
Flocks: Claw-wing lizards attack in flocks, usually numbering 8

to 10 members. They are very adept at targeting a single victim,
repeatedly attacking it until it can no longer fight back. When a
claw-wing lizard gains two degrees of success on an attack any other
claw-wing lizards attacking that same target before the victims turn
comes again, they gain +1B to their attack rolls. This is cumulative
across multiple attacks.
Glide: Claw-wing lizards cannot fly, but can glide when leaping
from a height. For each yard of height they leap from, they can
glide 2 yards. They can try to extend this range each round with a
lesser action, making an Routine (6) Agility (Acrobatics). Success
decreases the height lost that round by 1 yard, with each degree
decreasing it another yard, e.g., a claw-wing that leaps from a tree,
spends a lesser action to stay aloft farther, and rolls a 12 on its
Agility (Acrobatics) test will reduce any height lost by two yards
for that round.
are perfectly capable of killing small groups of humans

though, and will do so given the chance.
A single flock of claw-wing lizards can devastate an area
if it grows large enough, killing every animal it can find
to feed the flocks rabid hunger. Luckily claw-wings hibernate through the winter, hiding in logs, in mud, and in
hollow trees to survive the cold. They also exhibit this hibernation behavior when fully sated after gorging on food.
This gives other creatures time to recover from the predations of the claw-wing flock and to kill the claw-wings in
a more vulnerable state.
In the regions where claw-wing lizards are common, local farmers and hunters often spend much of their winter
months hunting down the hibernating lizards and killing
them in order to spare their herds and game for the coming year. They are universally seen as a blight to be wiped
out to the extent that a small number of claw-wing hunters have appeared in recent years, offering their services to
smoke out and kill claw-wings, using a variety of special
tools and tactics.
Corpse Owl
Corpse owls are most commonly found in northern forested areas, but they can also be found in low-lying forests near water where heavy fog is a common condition.
Corpse owls are large, reaching a wingspan of up to 10
feet, with a white, gray, and black coloration scheme. This
coloration allows them to easily blend in during snowy or
foggy conditions, but also gives them the appearance of
a skeletal face and limbs. Often in particularly dense fog
or snow corpse owls look to be flying skeletons, hunting
Corpse Owl
Agility 4 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Athletics 3,
Awareness 4 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3, Fighting
3, Stealth 4 (Sneak 1B), Survival 4 (Hunt 2B, Track 2B)
Natural Armor: AR 0 Movement: 1 yard or Fly 8 yards

Talons
3D
3 damage
Vicious
Corpse Cry: The cry of a corpse owl sounds much like that of a
wounded person. It requires a Challenging (9) Survival (Hunt) test
to tell a corpse owl cry from that of a wounded person.
Dive Attack: As a greater action the claw-wing lizard may make

move up to half its Glide movement, attack a target, and move at least
half its Glide movement again.
Hidden Attack: As a greater action, the corpse owl may make move
up to half its Fly movement, attack a target, and move at least half its
Fly movement again before making a Stealth check. This can only be
performed when visibility is at least Shadowy and in forested terrain.
Camouflage: A claw-wing lizard gains +2D on Stealth test made in

forested terrain.
Creature of the Night: Corpse owls suffer no penalties due to

darkness. They gain +1D to Stealth tests in darkness.
Woodland Creatures
13
Devourer
Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4
(Resilience 2B, Stamina 2B), Fighting 4, Stealth 4,
Survival 5 (Forage 3B, Hunt 2B)

Bite
4D
5 damage
Powerful
Claws
4D
4 damage
Piercing 1
Panic-Inducing Musk: Normal animals that smell the devourer

will attempt to flee. A trained animal may be calmed by making a
Challenging (9) Animal Handling (Charm) test. This increases to
a Formidable (12) test if the animal is attacked by the devourer, or
someone the animal is carrying is attacked. For the purposes of this
effect, an Animal Cohort is not considered a normal animal.
Dire Wolverine (Glutton)
through the boughs of the forest for fresh souls.

Indeed many locals believes this to be their task, collecting the souls of the dead, particularly those who have escaped death one time too many. They are avoided and killing them is often considered bad luck, even though corpse
owls will readily attack humans if hungry or threatened.
Furthering its unsettling nature, the cry of the corpse
owl sounds much like that of a wounded person crying out
in pain. They have been known in times of slim hunting
to use this cry to lure people into the woods and then kill
them. A skilled woodsman can tell the difference between
the cry of a corpse owl and a man, but it is not easy.
Devourer
A large, short-tailed weasel than can grow to be as big
as an ox. Devourers hunt anything and everything that
cross their path, even clawing their way into stone barns
in search of prey. Devourers have brown hair with darker
hair around their faces and paws. Often they have pale
markings in white or tan around their faces and along
their sides. They have a strong scent that can cause panic
in other animals.
14
Regional names vary for these insatiable eating machines,

but the most common nickname invokes their ravenous appetites. Gluttons are broad and muscular, standing well in
excess of five feet at the shoulder. Superficially, they resemble large wolverines, with a broad head and powerful jaws.
They also exhibit great strength in their shoulders and forelegs, and are perfectly capable of ripping open hiding places
to get at prey within. Like their smaller cousins, dire wolverines are extremely flexible, capable of winding through
or around surprisingly small areasan area big enough to
allow its head is wide enough to admit the entire animal.
The dire wolverines speed and power gives the creature
its incredible appetite. While they prefer meat, gluttons
have been observed eating berries, fruit, and insects, as well
as traditionally inedible objects like bone or leather (including, in one instance, a saddle). Because of the constant
need to supply itself with food, they are habitual wanderers
with a territory often in excess of a league.
Within that territory, the glutton will provide for itself primarily by stealing the kills of other predators. They
have no particular fear of other animals, and will kill if
the predator refuses to step down. Gluttons regularly drive
off wolves and large bears, and on several occasions have
been seen driving off direwolves and other larger predators. They also have no problem ripping open fresh graves
to feast on the corpse buried within.
Because of their size and ferocity, the glutton is sometimes
seen in family heraldic crests. Such families tend to overlook
the gluttons less social aspects in favor of its tenacious attitude, though some are merely indifferent to the comparison.
Woodland Creatures
Dire Wolverine
Agility 4 (Balance 1B, Contortions 2B, Dodge 1B, Quickness
1B), Athletics 4 (Climb 2B, Run 2B, Strength 2B, Swim 1B),
Awareness 4 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4 (Resilience
3B, Stamina 1B), Fighting 5, Survival 4 (Forage 2B, Hunt 2B,
Track 1B), Will 4 (Courage 2B)

Bite
5D
6 damage
Powerful
Claws
5D
4 damage
Fast
Vicious Wound: Dire wolverines are skilled at crippling their targets,

and then allowing the creature to bleed to death rather than expend
the energy needed to kill their prey outright. If a glutton scores 3 or
more degrees of success on a fighting test, it delivers a vicious wound
that will continue to bleed at a rate of 1 health per round unless the
character (or a healer) succeeds at a Challenging (9) Healing (Treat
Injury) test.
Scent Marker: Gluttons are notorious for their pungent aroma, and
the first sign that one has visited the area is the thick musky order that
surrounds them and lingers after theyve gone. For characters with a
working sense of smell, it is a Routine (6) Awareness (Notice) test to
notice that a dire wolverine has been in the area in the last 4 hours.
Emperor Stag
Agility 4 (Balance 2B, Dodge 1B, Quickness 2B), Athletics
4 ( Jump 2B, Run 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Endurance 4,
Fighting 4, Stealth 3 (Sneak 1B), Survival 3
Large Spider
Agility 2 (Dodge 1B), Athletics 3 (Run 1B),

Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Stealth 3
(Sneak 2B), Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)

Antlers
3D
4 Damage
Hooves
2D
4 Damage
Piercing 1
Emperor Stag
Also known as the lord of the forest, the emperor stag is a
majestic white hart that stands taller than a palfrey. It is said
that there can be only one emperor stag in a forest at a time
and that it is crowned by magnificent antlers that are as hard
as iron and as sharp as swords. When born, an emperor stag
resembles other fawns. As it grows, though, instead of losing
its spots, its spots grow until its coat is almost completely
white. The hide of an emperor stag is highly prized.
Large Spider
The smallest of the great spiders are still quite large,
with an average size of 2-3 feet across. They prey primarily on small vertebrates, but are not above attacking
larger prey if they have the advantage, or are defending
their territory.
Woodland Creatures

Bite
2D
3 damage
Spider Venom (see sidebar)
Poison: The venom injected by a spiders bite is actually the animals

digestive enzymes, designed to liquefy their preys innards before eating.
Spider Venom
Injected
Virulence:
(Spiders Athletics)+1

or Challenging (9) if
delivered on a weapon.
Toxicity: 2
Frequency: 1/round
Failure to resist the toxins effects cause the victim to suffer -1D
on Athletics and Endurance for each failure. If either attribute is
reduced to 0, the victim dies.
The toxin breaks down quickly in air, but can be stored in glass
jars for up to a week. In this case, the typical method of delivery
is coating the point of a weapon, as the toxin must reach the
bloodstream to be effective.
Recovery: The victim recovers 1 point of Endurance per day after
the toxin has run its course.
15
Spiders
In the deep woodlands, things can sometimes grow beyond all expectation. The diminutive spider is a common example of this, and tales are often spread to warn children that if they go too deep into the forest, then the
spiders will get them. While they never approach the monstrous size reported in some fables, these arachnids
can still grow to be much larger than most people prefer.
The default spider presented hunts through prowling its territory for prey. These are far from the only types
of spiders, however. The next most common type of spider in the woodlands is the weaver, which stretches its
web between two trees and waits patiently for prey to come to it. To create a weaver from the example, replace
the Sneak Specialty of Stealth with an equal amount of Blend-in. These spiders use their webs first, to trap their
prey, then attack once it is entangled.
Ambush spiders create a burrow for themselves, capped with a piece of webbing coated with dirt and sticks.
Extremely sensitive to vibration, this predator charges out of its burrow and drags its prey back down with it.
As a result, it preys on smaller animals than its more ambitious cousins. To create an ambush spider from the
base example, replace the Sneak specialty of Stealth with an equal amount of Blend-in, and increase Awareness
by 1. Remove Dodge, as these spiders tend to be tightly packed in their burrow and dont move well.
The final spider type, and perhaps the most fearless, are the jumping spiders. These aggressive predators will
attack nearly anything, and have the ability to take down most prey they encounter. Their standard hunting
tactic is to sneak within pouncing distance of their prey, then leap and drag the target to the ground while injecting it with venom. To create a jumping spider from the template, add the Athletics specialty of Jump equal
to half the spiders Agility (round up); to represent their tenacity, jumping spiders can take injuries to reduce
damage to Health.
16
Woodland Creatures
Harvesting Poisons
Many of the creatures that inhabit this book wield poisons as part of their deadly prowess. A character looking to take advantage of that in a defeated creature might look to harvest poison from the creature itself. This is a
three-step process: Understanding the Creature, Harvesting the Remains, Preserving the Venom.
BB
BB
BB
Understanding the Creature: To understand what must be done in order to harvest the venom, a character
must succeed at a Knowledge test. This is a Routine (6) test for Animals, Challenging (9) test for Beasts,
Formidable (12) test for Horrors and Hard (15) for Legends. A character may use the Research Specialty if
she manages to find a good library or other written works that could help reveal such lore.
Harvesting the Remains: Cutting into the creature and retrieving the poison sacs, venom glands or whatever
else it is that generates the toxin in question requires either a Healing or Survival test. This is a Formidable
(12) test, but the Difficulty is reduced by one step for each degree of success past the first on the Understanding the Creature test.
Preserving the Venom: With a Challenging (9) Knowledge or Healing test, and ingredients costing 20 silver, a
character can preserve the venom for use on weapons and the like later. Alternately, a character may bring the harvested material back to an apothecary or other similarly learned individual, and have them preserve it for 50 silver.
Enormous Spider
Giant Spider
Agility 3 (Dodge 2B), Athletics 4 (Run 1B),

Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3,
Fighting 3, Stealth 3 (Sneak 2B), Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)
Agility 4 (Dodge 2B), Athletics 5 (Run 2B), Awareness 4

(Notice 3B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4, Fighting 5, Stealth 3
(Sneak 2B), Survival 4 (Hunt 2B)

Bite
3D
4 Damage
Bite
5D
5 Damage
Web
3D
0 Damage
Entangling
Web
5D
0 Damage
Entangling
Poison: See the Large Spider for details.
Enormous Spider
Enormous spiders can reach 5 feet across, though most
are in the 3-4 foot range. Easily capable of bringing down
foxes and other medium to small vertebrates, they have
little fear of man. They are also the first with webs strong
enough to hold up a person.
Giant Spider
Masters of the forest, giant spiders can reach 7 or 8 feet
across, and view anything they can catch as prey.
Wasp, Giant
Large pests that can have a wingspan of a foot or more.
They dwell in towers of mud built against cliffs and large
trees. Giant wasps dislike direct sunlight and are more often found in the dark of the woods.
Woodland Creatures
Poison: See the Large Spider for details.

Giant Wasp
Agility 4 (Acrobatics 1B, Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B),
Athletics 3, Cunning 1, Fighting 3

Sting
3B
1 Damage
Poison
Poison: The venom injected by a giant wasp is paralytic and necrotizing,

causing muscles to seize and tissue to quickly blacken and fester. :
Giant Wasp Venom
Injected
Virulence: 4
Toxicity: 2

or Challenging (9) if
delivered on a weapon.
Frequency: 1/round
Failure to resist the toxins effects cause the victim to suffer -1D on
Agility and Athletics for each failure. If either attribute is reduced
to 0, the victim falls down paralyzed.
Recovery: The victim recovers 1 point of Agility and Athletics per
day after the toxin has run its course.
17
HORRORS of the WOODLANDS

In the context of the Chronicle System, horrors are creatures of strange supernatural provenance, or simply creatures that do not and could not exist in our world for some
reason. Most such creatures are roughly of animal intelligence, though many show a low, fearful cunning to their
actions; some others are more intelligent still.
Training Horrors
Though many horrors are of animal intelligence, their instincts and reactions are not like normal creatures. They tend
to be driven by urges that men cannot anticipate or curb,
making them impossible to train.
Barghest
These large black dogs are the subject of much legend
and gossip, lurking on the edges of the territory man has
claimed for himself. Barghests are reported mostly near
roads through dark forests or bogs, menacing travelers
on particularly foggy or dark nights. They usually stalk
lone travelers or small groups, avoiding large, well-armed
groups but showing no fear of fire. Barghests seem to have

an uncanny knack for recognizing truly vulnerable prey:
traps laid for them in the form of deceptively weak-looking travelers have not worked. Victims of the barghest who
survive report being stalked by a massive black dog with
glowing eyes that seems to bring the fog with its howl.
Those who do not survive are found ripped to shreds, their
remains left in a prominent place along the road, a warning
to other travelers.
According to legend, barghests cannot cross running
water and cannot enter holy ground. They are also known
to be highly resistant to most weapons. Killing one is a
major feat and most regions tormented by a barghest have
hefty outstanding bounties for its death.
Black Web
The black web is a fungus that lives in the earth, sending dark strands up through nearby plants, slowly corrupting them and taking them over. An area infested by black
web is covered by dark strands of fungus, absorbing the
light and stilling the life of all within the area. A beast
Barghest
Agility 4 (Dodge 1B, Quickness 1B), Athletics 3
Stamina 2B), Fighting 4, Persuasion 2 (Intimidate 2B),
Stealth 3 (Blend In 1B, Sneak 2B), Survival 3, Will 4

Claw
4D
3 damage
Vicious
Bite
4D
4 damage
Vicious, Slow
Howl: The howl of a barghest can summon fog in a 1-mile radius.

This takes several minutes, and there must be conditions conducive
to the formation of fog. The fog reduces Lit conditions to Shadowy
conditions in the affected region. This is not something barghests
use in combat, but should instead be used to foreshadow the
appearance of a barghest.
Born to Darkness: Barghests are completely at home in darkness
and suffer no penalties due to it. They do suffer a -1D penalty to all
tests in Lit conditions. Barghests gain a +2D bonus to Stealth tests
made in shadowy or darkness conditions.
Unholy Hide: When attacked by weapons that are not holy, have
not been blessed, or are not made of silver, barghests gain 6 points
of armor.
Wards: Wards cannot cross running water or enter holy ground.
If forced to do so they suffer one injury each round they are in the
proscribed area.
18
Woodland Creatures
Horrors of the Woodlands

or man that blunders into a patch of black web breathes
in its spores and become stupefied, standing still as the
black web moves through their body until they collapse
and are drawn down into the ground. The black web can
grow quickly, clutching at a characters feet.
Cocoon Tree
Cocoon trees, sometimes called hangmans tree or
snakevine (incorrectly) is a large, deciduous tree, with
thick, ropy aerial roots that hang down from the canopy,
and five-lobed leaves that vary from soft yellow-green to a
brilliant orange. They represent the opposite strategy from
plants like Skullwort (page 23)rather than wait for prey
to succumb nearby, cocoon trees actively prey on creatures
that come too close.
The trees various names arise from how it kills its
victims. Creatures who come within reach of, or worse,
brush up against one of the trees aerial roots prompt a
rapid, surprising response from the plant. The roots will
twist about rapidly in an attempt to wind around the
target. If the victim is grabbed in these early stages, the
tree will retract its roots into the canopy, pulling the victim off the ground, reducing the victims ability to fight
back. Other, nearby roots will also loop about the helpless
target, and reflexively, the tree will begin to constrict its
victim. Each time its prey exhales, the roots get tighter,
until the victim can no longer inhale and the pressure on
the heart and organs becomes fatal. A typical cocoon tree
can hold and consume 3 victims at a time. A cocooned
victim can be freed from outside by attacking the roots
that hold them, which is often easier than attempting to
kill the whole tree.
Once it has subdued its target, the root-encased victim hangs within the canopy, while feeder systems from
the aerial roots penetrate the flesh and extract the nutrients. When nearly all usable material has been absorbed, the roots relax and the desiccated remains drop
to the base of the tree, where they finish decaying, and
nourish the broader ecosystem at the trees base. This
habit makes the trees a tempting target for overconfident cutpurses, as coins and other metals often end
up around the base of the tree. Most are not prepared
for how quickly the tree can move when it attacks, and
quickly meet the same fate as those whose possessions
they came to collect.
Woodland Creatures
Black Web
The black web does not have Abilities, per se.
Instead it reacts to those who blunder into areas it
infests. As such, it does possess derived Combat statistics.

Spores: Creatures moving through the black web stir up its poisonous
spores. See the sidebar Black Web Spores for its poison statistics.
Those covering their mouths and noses with cloths or similar
precautions gain a +1B to the resistance tests. Black web spores
stupefy any who inhale them, slowing the function of the mind.
Those who fall under its influence simply stop moving and stand
still, enabling the spores to grow on and inside the stupefied victim,
drawing nutrients from the body of the victim itself.
Black Web Spores
Inhaled
Virulence: 5
Toxicity: 3
Diagnosis:
Routine (6)
Frequency:
1/round and 1/day
The first effect is on the victims mind, taking place immediately

upon inhaling the spores. On a successful attack, the victim
receives a -1D penalty to Will and Cunning, plus another -1D
per degree. If this reduces the victims Will to 0, he stops moving
and simply stands still. These attacks continue each round until
the victim resists damage completely and is no longer in an area
of spore infestation.
Once the spores begin to grow, the spores kill by growing rapidly
in the victims body and consuming him for nutrients. Each day,
the spores make an attack. This inflicts 1 Wound on a successful
attack, plus another for each degree. When the victim takes a
Wound, he must also immediately resolve an attack on his Will
and Cunning, as above.
Recovery: Will and Cunning return at a rate of one of each per
day of bed rest. Only once all Will and Cunning damage has been
healed can Wounds sustained from spore consumption be healed,
as normal.
Hard to Kill: The black web is deeply rooted in the earth and the
wood of trees. It may be subdued, but to truly kill it, the ground must
be turned over and sterilized so that it does not return.
Vulnerable to Fire: Only fire attacks cause any damage to black web.
All other attacks simply result in clouds of spores, subjecting those
making the attacks to inhalation.
Cocoon Tree
Athletics 3 (Strength 2B), Awareness 4 (Notice 2B),
Cunning 1, Endurance 6, Fighting 4
Combat Defense: 9
Health: 18 (Whole tree) or 6 (Root tendril)

Root
4D
3 Damage
Grab
Constrict: 4D, 3 Damage, only used against grabbed opponents

(remember that grabbed opponents are -5 to Combat Defense,
minimum 1)
19
Corpsecaller
Corpsecaller is the generic name for a broad variety of
carnivorous animals that thrive in the dark, marshy undergrowth and deep woodlands. Other names include
ghostlamps, falsefire, and Child-in-the-Dark, all of
which describe the different methods by which the creatures lure victims within range of their more lethal attacks.
Ghostlamps are the most common, and are recognizable
by the bright glowing ball of tissue that is suspended near
the creatures mouth. This lamp appears to be hovering
without support in the dark of night, and the creature will
bob and move the extended lure in such a way that mimics
a lantern or other distant source of light. Falsefires have a
similar strategy, though they forgo the suspended lure in
favor of a small set of glowing organs that flicker and dim
in a passing impersonation of firelight. In both cases, the
light is used to draw prey closer, so that it can attack from
surprise with its vicious jaws.
Corpsecaller
Athletics 2 (Strength 1B), Awareness 3
(Notice 1B), Cunning 1, Fighting 3, Stealth 4
(Blend-In 2B), Survival 2 (Hunt 1B)

Bite
3D
3 Damage
Gifted Mimic: It is a Formidable (12) Awareness (Notice) test to

recognize that the light or sound is a corpsecaller, rather than a more
obvious source. This is reduced to Routine (6) once the character is
within 4 yards of the corpsecaller, but by then it is often too late.
Forest Lantern
Agility 3 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Cunning 1,
Deception 4, Endurance 3, Stealth 3
Natural Armor: AR 0 Movement: Fly 6 yards

Spark
3D
4 Damage
Piercing 5
Flash: With this attack, all creatures within 2 yards of the forest
lantern must succeed on a Challenging (9) Agility test or be blinded
for 1d3+1 rounds. Characters that succeed on the test are blinded
for only one round. After flashing, a forest lantern must succeed on a
Challenging (9) Endurance test before it may flash again. For each
minute that passes, the difficulty of this Endurance test is reduced
by one rank.
Shine Forth: While they are known for blinking on and off, it is
difficult for a forest lantern to remain unlit for long. To go dark,
a forest lantern must succeed on an Easy (3) Will test. However,
the difficulty increases by 1 for each additional round the lantern
remains dark.
20
The Child-in-the-Dark uses no lights at all, preferring to

remain completely hidden from view. Instead, it relies upon
sound to attract its prey, pushing air through a thin bladder
to produce a sound very similar to a human child in distress
(it has also been compared to a peacocks call). Once the
sound has lured a victim into range, however, the outcome is
the same. The jaws snap shut, and the unsuspecting victim is
forced to fight for its life against a hungry predator.
Because of the nature of their hunting style, corpsecallers tend to be highly territorial and will force out other
corpsecallers within their area. The exceptions to this are
ghostlamps, which can sometimes group together in the
low dozens, creating the appearance of an entire army
marching in the distant woods. This gregarious nature
is abandoned as soon as prey arrives, however, and the
ghostlamps will often fight amongst themselves for the
right to consume the prey that one has caught.
Forest Lanterns
These creatures appear as lantern-like lights seen in the
forest at night. Travelers tempted into following them
Ghost Taker
Stamina 2B), Fighting 4, Stealth 4 (Sneak 1B), Survival 5
(Hunt 3B, Track 2B), Will 4 (Dedication 2B)

Claws
4D
4 damage
Vicious
Bite
4D
5 damage
Vicious
Ghost Sight: Ghost takers can see spirits, ghosts, and other
insubstantial beings that may be concealed from the mortal eye. Their
claws can damage such creatures as if they were flesh and blood.
Pounce: If attacking from surprise, such as from hiding, the ghost
taker gains +1D to its Fighting and can make two claw and one bite
attacks as a greater action.
Spectral Form: When out of sight from mortal eyes, such as when
hidden on a successful Stealth check, the ghost taker shifts to a
partially spectral form. It gains +2D to Stealth checks and can pass
through sold objects no more than a yard thick, but cannot pass
through living things or iron. If seen, the ghost taker immediately
shifts back to normal; if in the middle of a physical object while doing
so the ghost taker takes a wound, and is immediately moved out of the
object in the direction it was traveling when spotted, leaving a splash
of blood on the surface of the object.
Spirit Collector: Any being killed by a ghost taker cannot be turned
into any manner of ghost or undead.
Woodland Creatures

can be led astray far from familiar paths and into thickets
and bogs. When not lit, forest lanterns are difficult to see.
They resemble a hollow ball or pine cone. During the
day, forest lanterns rest in trees. A person that ventures
too close to a forest lantern may be blinded by a flash or
receive a shock.
Ghost Taker
A rare breed of forest cat, ghost takers look much like
gray-furred pumas. These creatures are seen by many primitive tribes as holy creatures that are to be honoredand
avoided. According to these tribes, the ghost takers are the
guardians against the spirit world, working to keep it from
intruding in the world of mortals. In the legends of these
tribes, ghost takers are gifts from the gods or agents of the
forest, able to track and slay those spirits of the dead who
somehow return to the land of the living. Unfortunately
for the living, this does not make the ghost takers any more
well inclined towards them.
Ghost takers are hunters and are more than happy to
hunt humans when the opportunity presents itself, though
they do not seek humans out and will avoid large groups
or fire. Among the tribes that honor them, those killed
by ghost takers are seen as being possessed and rightfully
killed by the ghost taker, but more civilized folk rarely accept such explanations. Ghost takers have shown a particular hatred for magicians, especially those who traffic in or
with the dead. To slay such individuals, ghost takers have
been known to risk entering villages and camps, braving

fire and crowds to get their prey.
Gryphon
Majestic beasts with the head and forelimbs of a bird and
the torso and hindquarters of a lion. They are relentless
hunters. The smallest and only nocturnal gryphon is the
forest gryphon, which has the head of an owl and the body
of lynx. Slightly larger is the brown gryphon, which has the
head of a hawk and the body of a panther. Brown gryphons
are found in a variety of areas including plains, hills, and
mountains.
Gryphon, Greater
Larger even than the brown gryphons are the two greater
gryphons. The sea gryphons have the head and forelimbs
of an osprey and the torso and hindquarters of a lion. Sea
gryphons are found along coasts and tidal rivers. Largest
of all are the mountain gryphons, which have the head and
forelimbs of an eagle and the torso and hindquarters of a
lion. The greater gryphons can range far from their nests
while hunting for food. Mountain gryphons are known for
being partial to horseflesh.
Scavengers Rot
Scavengers rot is a disease that breaks out among the
wildlife in deeper parts of the forest, sometimes surviving
Gryphon
Greater Gryphon
Agility 3 (Quickness 2B), Athletics 4 (Fly 1B, Jump 2B),

Awareness 4 (Notice 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 3, Fighting 4,

Beak
4D
2 Damage
Fore Talons
4D
4 Damage
Rear Claws
4D
4 Damage
Agility 3 (Quickness 1B), Athletics 4 (Fly 2B, Jump 2B,

Endurance 4, Fighting 4, Stealth 3,
Survival 4 (Hunt 2B, Orientation 1B)

Grab
Rake: If a gryphon succeeds in grabbing its opponent in its fore

talons, it may make an additional attack with its rear claws.
Swoop: A gryphon can swoop down upon its target, moving up to
twice its flight Movement in combination with an attack. The attack
is at -1D and at +2 damage for the round.
Beak
4D
3 Damage
Piercing 1
Fore Talons
4D
5 Damage
Grab
Rear Claws
4D
5 Damage
Rake: If a gryphon succeeds in grabbing its opponent in its fore talons,

it may make an additional attack with its rear claws.
Sneaky: A forest gryphon gains +1D on Stealth tests at night.
Swoop: A gryphon can swoop down upon its target, moving up to

twice its flight Movement in combination with an attack. The attack
is at -1D and at +2 damage for the round.
Trainable: Gryphons are considered beasts for the purposes of

training them, but their fiercely wild nature is harder to tame, their
Will considered one rank higher for training rolls.
Trainable: Gryphons are considered beasts for the purposes of

training them, but their fiercely wild nature is harder to tame, their
Will considered one rank higher for training rolls.
Woodland Creatures
21
long enough to be transmitted to human hosts. While superstitious folk blame the rot on a legendarily capricious
forest spirit, some more forward-thinking alchemists and
sages believe it is instead the result of the consumption of
certain mushroom and fungi found only in certain portions of the forest. Whatever the cause, scavengers rot is
a terrible, deadly disease that incites fear any time it appears. Luckily it can only be transmitted by bodily fluids,
but not everyone is cognizant of that. Any time a creature
infected with scavengers rot is discovered, panic is likely
to follow, possibly including a witch hunt to find who has
offended the forest spirit.
The early stages of scavengers rot is little more than a
fever, confusion, and blood blisters forming on the victims skin after a few days. The later stages are horrific
though, as the victim does not die quickly but instead
slowly suffers through their body being shut down over
several weeks. During this time the victim loses their
mind, becoming focused only on finding sustenance to
try and shore up their crumbling organs. Such poor souls
prefer meat of any variety, with a wide outbreak of scavengers rot leading to shambling, mindless people willing
to do anything to fill their continually empty stomachs.
22
This image is what drives people to fear it so much. Such

individuals are commonly called rotters, and are usually
killed on sight, although from a distance. Luckily for the
uninfected, victims of scavengers rot usually die within a
few weeks due to malnutrition and organ shutdown, so
if those infected can be kept isolated the infection will
die out.
Scavengers rot uses the rules for Plague (see Chapter
11: The Narrator of A Song of Ice & Fire Roleplaying core
rules), except the Difficulty for all Endurance and Healing tests are Formidable (12). As soon as the victim is
infected with scavengers rot, by consuming fungi in the
deep forest or suffering an injury or wound from the natural weapon of an infected creature, they become a carrier,
passing the infection along via any bodily fluid. Once a
victim has suffered a number of wounds equal to their Endurance, they have progressed to the final stage of scavengers rot, becoming a nearly mindless plague carrier. Such
individuals no longer suffer a penalty from their wounds
but can think only of eating in an effort to feed the illness
within them; they do not care much as to what they consume. Such individuals usually die within a few weeks, but
if they are kept well-fed, consuming at least ten pounds
of meat each day, they can be sustained indefinitely. There
is no known cure for the unfortunate who reach the final
stage of scavengers rot.
If a character suffers any injuries or wounds from a
creature infected with scavengers rot using natural weapons or unarmed attacks, at the end of the combat they
must make tests as if they had been exposed to Plague. If
they have suffered a wound, they suffer -1D penalty on
these tests.
When a human or animal reaches the final stage of scavengers rot apply the following changes:
BB
Lose all specialties except Dodge, Quickness, Strength,

Run, Resilience, and Stamina.
BB
Lose all Destiny Points.

Human Rotter
Agility 1, Animal Handling 1, Athletics 2,
Awareness 1, Cunning 1, Deception 1, Endurance 3,
Fighting 2, Healing 1, Knowledge 1, Marksmanship 1,
Persuasion 1,Stealth 2, Survival 1, Thievery 1,
Warfare 1, Will 1
Combat Defense: 4
Health: 9

Claw
2D
2 damage
Grab
Woodland Creatures
BB
Lose all benefits except Massive and Tough, though

retain physical flaws, if any.
BB
Modify the creatures abilities as follows:

Reduce Agility, Awareness, Cunning, Deception,
Knowledge, Persuasion, Marksmanship, Survival,
Thievery, Warfare, and Will by 2 ranks (minimum 1).
Reduce Language and Status to 0 rank.
BB
Claws and Teeth: Rotters use their hands and teeth

to attack. Unless otherwise noted with the creatures
abilities, these attacks deal Athletics -1 damage and
have a chance to infect the target with scavengers rot.
For human rotters, these attacks also have the Grab
quality.
BB
Creatures gain the Horde ability. When multiple rotters attack the same target, for each additional rotter
they all gain +1 to their attack rolls.
BB
Lethargic: Rotters may only take a single action each

round.
BB
Swarmer: Rotters tend to cluster around singular foes,

excitedly grasping and biting. Rotters unconsciously
use the Assistance rules (see Chapter 2: Game Rules
in A Song of Ice & Fire Roleplaying) in normal combat.
In such situations, the rotters who are assisting lend
their full Fighting rating (instead of half their rating)
as a bonus to the attack roll of the main attacker, as
well as to the opposed Fighting test to escape from
the Grab.
Use the following statistics for typical human rotters.
Rotter Swarms
Rotters congregate into large groups of shambling horrors.
They can be reflected best using the presented statistics.
Rotter Horde
Power: 2 Discipline: Easy (3)
Armor Rating: 0 Armor Penalty: 0
Defense: 4 Health: 9 Fighting Damage: 2
Endurance 3, Athletics 2, Fighting 2
Mindless Horde: Rotter hordes only carry out a single order each
round, which must be selected from Attack, Charge, and Move. The
unit must attack or move towards the closest non-rotter unit. Rotters
will never move away from their attacker when routed. Any unit
damaged by a Rotter horde suffers a -1 penalty to the Casualty roll
after the battle.
Woodland Creatures
Skullwort
Plants evolve numerous ways to survive, especially in the
often nutrient-challenged soil of marshy woodlands. The
skullwort, sometimes called sleepwort, is one extreme to
which some plants will go to enrich their soil, while the
cocoon tree (page 19) represents the opposite extreme.
Skullwort is a low plant, with broad, slightly swollen leaves that surround several cup-shaped flowers. The
flowers bloom from spring through first frost, when
the plant goes dormant for the winter, and produce a
delicate smell that has been compared to freshly baked
bread or various other appealing scents. While the flowers contain the pollen that earns the plant its name, it
is the leaves that seal its deadly reputation. If any significant weight is placed on one of the leaves, the plant
will reflexively release a cloud of pollen from one of the
flowers, affecting everyone within 1 yard. As the victim
stumbles and falls, however, they are likely to hit more
leaves, increasing the dosage of the pollen and quickly
overwhelming even large prey. (See the statistics for
more information.)
Once the prey has succumbed to the toxin, the leaves
slowly cover the body. The underside of each leaf releases
a cocktail of digestive enzymes that accelerate the breakdown of the body and allowing the waiting roots to gather
up the nutrients as they are released.
Skullwort
All Abilities at 1 (or 0 where sentience is required)

Skullwort pollen is an inhaled poison that affects the targets
coordination and mental faculties, causing clumsiness, drowsiness,
and in cases of extensive exposure, death. Each flower is able to release
a single dose of the pollen, affecting any target within 1 yard.
Skullwort Pollen
Inhaled
Virulence: 4
Toxicity: 1
Diagnosis: Easy (3) or

Formidable (12) if the
plant is not apparent.
Frequency: 1/round (but

multiple flowers can
attack, and stack results)
Should the poison overwhelm the target, the victim suffers -1D to
Agility and -1D to Cunning. If Cunning is reduced to 0, the target
falls unconscious, where it may yet be exposed to the poison. If the
targets Cunning falls below 0, he or she dies.
Recovery: The victim recovers 1 point of Cunning and 1 point of

Agility per day after the toxin has run its course.
23
The skullwort is a mostly immobile plant, and it attacks

all the animals around it by reflex, rather than through
planned action. As a result it has no notable attributes
it can be destroyed as any plant can, especially if its only
weapon, its pollen, has already been exhausted. For this
reason, they often grow in broad patches, so that they
both protect each other and reap the benefits of each
plants success. After a skullwort has released all of its
pollen, the plant requires 48 hours to produce another
round of doses.
The ease of delivery make this poison a favorite for assassins, who carefully seal the pollen up in empty eggshells
with wax, then throw the resulting poison bomb at their
quarry.
Weirdlings
Deep in the heart of the forest are primal places where
man was not meant to tread nor disturb. These are places where civilization means nothing and the untouched
power of the wilds reigns supreme. Most mortals know
instinctively to avoid such places, feeling them holy or
terrifying, but not everyone is so alert. If by accident or
conscious effort mortals spend too long in such places,
24
they become infected with the power of the forestor

at least thats what the legends say. But no one knows for
sure where exactly the weirdlings come from, or even how
they came to be, when they burst forth from the depths
of the forest, dressed in tattered skins and carrying only
the crudest weapons, screaming their wild, blood-chilling
battle cries.
Something happens to a weirdling when it is affected by the power of the forest; it forgets the things of
civilization. Language, tools, and similar knowledge are
just lost. Instead they become animalistic and primitive,
concerned with little more than food, water, and reproduction. They become fiercely territorial, attacking anyone who ventures near to their territory, and often raid
settlements on the edges of the forest. Why they do so
is unknown as they seem to place no value on the trappings of civilization.
Beings become weirdlings by spending too long in the
primal heart of the forest, forgetting civilization and the
world outside in favor of the ancient trees and ways of
beasts. For animals this change makes them larger, healthier, and more feral. For men it makes them as beasts, wearing skins (if they wear anything at all), forgetting all concept of hygiene, order, society, or craft aside from the most
basic tools. For each day a being spends in one of these
primal locations they must make a Will (Dedication) test.
This begins at Easy, but each day the difficulty increases
by one. Each failed test inflicts one point of Composure
damage on the victim. Though a victim may take Frustration to mitigate this damage, if the victim runs out of
Composure he becomes a weirdling. Composure damage
and Frustration accrued in this manner cannot be restored
until they leave the heart of the primal forest. Most creatures do not notice this process until they are out of Composure, though humans and sentient beings are likely to
notice earlier as they grow short of temper, less focused,
and more bestial while the forest wears down their sense
of humanity and civilization.
A being can conceivably be cured of the weirdling
taint, but doing so requires forcibly removing them from
the forest, taking them to a settlement of some sort, and
restraining them from escapinggetting back to the forest will be all that consumes them. For each day away
from the forest, the weirdling suffers one point of Composure damage; when out of Composure the weirdling
suffers one Frustration per day. If the weirdling suffers
more Frustration than it has Will, it dies, losing its connection to the forest. Each day the weirdling may make
Woodland Creatures

a Formidable (12) Will test; if successful it suffers no
Composure damage or Frustration that day. After three
such successful tests the weirdling has fought itself free
of the call of the forest and returns to normal, but these
Will tests can only be made if the weirdling is presented
with encouragement to resist the forest, such as family
members begging it to return, enjoying the fruits of civilization, and the like.
Whenever a human or animal is transformed into a
weirdling, apply the following changes:
BB
Lose all specialties in except those in Agility, Athletics,

Awareness, Endurance, Stealth, Survival, and Will.
BB
Lose all benefits save the following: Animal Cohort,

Beastfriend, Berserker, Bludgeon Master, Brawler, Danger Sense, Dexterous, Fast, Fury, Gifted Athlete, Great
Hunter, Hardy, all Heritage qualities, Keen Senses, Lucky,
Night Eyes, Sinister, Terrain Specialist, and Tough.
BB
Lose all Fighting specialties except Bludgeons, Brawling, and Spears.
BB
Increase Agility, Animal Handling, Athletics, Endurance, Stealth, and Survival by 1 rank.
BB
Reduce Cunning, Deception, Healing, Knowledge,

Language, Marksmanship, Persuasion, Thievery, and
Warfare by 1 rank (minimum 1).
BB
Reduce Status to 0.
BB
Weapons and Armor: Weirdlings use simple clubs,

quarterstaves, thrown rocks, and spears. These weapons
function as normal but have the Fragile quality due
Woodland Creatures
Human Weirdling
Agility 3 (Dodge 1B, Quickness 1B), Animal Handling 3
(Charm 2B), Athletics 4 (Climb 1B, Jump 1B, Run 2B,
Strength 1B, Swim 1B), Awareness 3 (Notice 1B),
Cunning 1, Deception 1, Endurance 4 (Stamina 1B),
Fighting 3 (Bludgeons 2B, Brawling 1B, Spears 1B),
Healing 1, Language 1, Knowledge 1, Marksmanship 1,
Persuasion 1, Status 0, Stealth 3 (Sneak 1B),
Survival 3 (Hunt 2B, Track 1B), Thievery 1, Warfare 1
Armor: Soft Leather (AR 2, AP -1) Movement: 5 yards

Quartertaff
3D+2B
4 damage
Fast, Two-Handed
Club
3D+2B
3 damage
Off-Hand +1
Thrown Rock
4D
3 damage
Close Range
Spear
3D+1B
4 damage
Fast, Fragile
Weirdling Mob
Power: 6 Discipline: Routine (6) Armor Rating: 2
Defense: 9 Health: 9 Armor Penalty: -1
Fighting Damage: 3 Marksmanship Damage: 3 (Close)
Endurance 3, Athletics 3, Fighting 3
to poor workmanship. If they wear armor at all, it is

leather, hide, bone, or wood.
Use the statistics presented for typical human weirdlings.
Weirdling Mobs
Long-standing places of power in the forests can sometimes have dozens of weirdlings who will die to defend the
place. The statistics presented can be used to simulate that
using the Warfare rules.
25
LEGENDS of the WOODLANDS

In the context of the Chronicle System, legends are
strange creatures almost too terrible to be real. They defy
what men understand about the world, suggesting the
existence of terrible things beyond what mortal creatures
can know. These creatures may not even actually exist in
the world, and may indeed just be legends, stories told to
frighten or teach lessons.
the corpse, pulling it into the empty space so it can digest

its prize.
While their mimicry is excellent, natural horses can
sense the inherent otherness of a corpsehorse, and will not
allow it into a herd. In some cases it can still stand on the
edge, making it more likely to be singled out, but more
often the natural horses will avoid it altogether.
Corpsehorse
Crossroads Guardian
Common folk know to be wary of a lone horse in a pasture,

or one happened upon in a woodland clearing. The wise
know better than to try to ride a new horse until theyve
seen it sleep, and horse-thieves may find more than they
bargained for when their mark seems too good to be true.
While disguised, a corpsehorse looks like a horse of
excellent quality, even to the trained eye. When mounted,
however, a terrible transformation takes place. Fleshy
pseudopods erupt from the beasts sides, gripping the
victim by the legs, preventing him or her from jumping
clear of the beast. The head, in actuality another pseudopod, swings back in unnatural arcs like a club to bludgeon
the rider. The otherwise useless teeth gnash and snap, biting and rending as the head beats at its hapless rider.
Not content to stop there, the corpsehorse charges into
water, deep mud, or even quicksand, and rolls onto its back
to pin the victim beneath the surface. Once the victim is
drowned and dead, the corpsehorse releases the body. Only
then does the corpsehorse reveal its vulnerable mouth, as
the monsters barrel chest opens like a flower to wrap about
The crossroads guardian appears to travelers at crossroads

or river crossings. He appears as either a wizened old man,
or a rakish young fellow in clothes worn from travel. In
either guise, he has a penchant for riddles and questions,
and hidden beneath his hat he has the horns of a goat.
The crossroads guardian will ask travelers for directions,
and then engage them in an intrigue that may leave them
confused as to where theyre going or even where theyve
come from (Objective: Deceit; Technique: Charm, Convince, or Seduce). The crossroads guardian may also offer a
character a boon as thanks for stopping to offer aid. However, the boon comes with a price:
BB
A Stroke of Luck: The chaacter receives 2 bonus dice

in one specialty of their choice. If the character succeeds in a bargain with the crossroads guardian, the
character will receive 3 bonus dice in a specialty of
their choice.
BB
Crossroads Compulsion: In exchange for the boon,

the crossroads guardian will compel the character to
serve him by engaging in intrigues to cheat, incite, or
seduce others. At first, the character will be able to satisfy the compulsion by doing this once a month. If the
character fails to do so, he will suffer 1 penalty die on
all actions until the compulsion is satisfied. If the character fails to fulfill the compulsion more than once, it
will increase so that it must be fulfilled once a week.
Truly unfortunate are those who must satisfy it daily
and nearly all who deal with the crossroads guardian
reach that stage eventually.
BB
Crossroads Thrall: The character is susceptible to the

crossroads guardians words. All future successful intrigue tests by the crossroads guardian will gain one
additional degree of success.
Corpsehorse
Agility 3 (Quickness 2B), Athletics 5 (Run 2B, Strength 2B,
Swim 2B), Cunning 1, Endurance 4 (Resilience 2B,
Stamina 2B), Fighting 4, Stealth 4 (Blend-In 3B), Will 3

Head-club
4D
6 Damage
Enveloping Attack: The corpsehorse attacks by surprise, its

pseudopods erupting around the hapless victim who mounts it. If the
corpsehorse wins initiative against its rider, it will envelop the victims
legs, pinning them to the creatures back. It is a Formidable (12)
Athletics (Strength) test to break free of this fleshy prison.
Expert Mimic: The corpsehorse excels at looking like a paragon of its
chosen breed. Before it has revealed itself, a corpsehorse can only be
noticed if the observer succeeds at a Hard (15) Awareness (Notice)
test. If discovered, the corpsehorse will flee rather than attack without
the benefit of surprise.
26
If defeated in an intrigue, the crossroads guardian will

grant the boon of a prophecy. The prophecy will be in
Woodland Creatures
Legends of the Woodlands
Crossroads Guardian
Agility 4 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Awareness 4
(Empathy 2B), Cunning 6 (Logic 2B), Deception 6 (Bluff 2B,
Cheat 1B), Endurance 4, Fighting 4, Knowledge 4,
Persuasion 5 (Bargain 2B, Charm 1B, Convince 1B,
Seduce 1B), Status 6, Stealth 4, Thievery 4
(Sleight of Hand 2B), Will 4
Combat Defense: 9 Intrigue Defense: 16
Health: 12 Composure: 12 Movement: 4 yards

Quarterstaff
4D
2 Damage
Fast, Two-handed
Guardian Might: Blows from a crossroads guardian can be

surprisingly powerful. All attacks have the Staggering quality.
the form a general answer to a question from the character, providing the character with information that was
not otherwise readily available or easily obtainable. The
prophecy can describe where something or someone may
be found or it may describe the motivations and alliances
of those working against the character. A prophecy will
always be open to interpretation, such as what you seek
lies a week to the north in a tower of fish among the reeds.
The character will also receive 2 bonus dice that may be
applied to one or more specialties relevant to the subject of
the prophecy. The character will enjoy the benefit of those
bonus dice until she fulfills the prophecy by obtaining the
sought after person or object.
Cult of the Hunt

There are many powerful entities in the depths of the forest, and while most have little concern in the world outside, some have demonstrated a keen interest in the affairs
of mankind. One of these was a forest spirit known as the
Lord of the Hunt, the primal master of the art of hunting
that once called the forests his own. The Lord of the Hunt
disappeared long ago but his influence remains in the Cult
of the Hunt, an organization of hunters, woodsmen, and
others who live beneath the trees, all seeking to grasp some
small aspect of his ancient puissance through ritual hunts.
The Cult of the Hunt is found in more remote settlements found on the frontier of the unexplored wilderness.
They are rarely found in civilized areas, and those that are
often concealed among the upper classes as sporting clubs.
The leader of the cult, known as the Huntmaster, is chosen by ritual challenge and dons a mask during ceremonies
that mimics the antlered visage of the Lord of the Hunt.
Such individuals are master hunters and manipulators,
able to keep their followers in thrall.
Woodland Creatures
27

Cult followers live and work day-to-day, just like everyone else in their communities. On important dates, like
solstices and harvest festivals, the Cult throws off their disHuntsman
Agility 2 (Quickness 1B) Animal Handling 3
(Charm 1B, Ride 1B), Athletics 3 (Climb 1B, Run 2B, Swim
1B), Awareness 2 (Notice 1B), Endurance 3 (Stamina 1B),
Fighting 3 (Spear 1B), Marksmanship 3 (Bow 1B),
Status 1, Stealth 3, Survival 3 (Hunt 2B)
Armor: Hard Leather (AR 3, Armor Penalty -2)

Movement: 4 yards
Spear
3D+1B, 3 damage
Hunting Bow
3D+1B, 3 damage
Fast, Two-Handed
Long Range, TwoHanded
Call of the Hunt: When ritually prepared for the hunt, a process that
takes an hour of chanting, eating strange herbs, and painting oneself
with blood, the Huntsman gains +1D to Agility, Athletics, Awareness,
Endurance, and Survival. This also increases the Huntsmans damage,
defenses, and Health appropriately. These bonuses last until the next
sunrise, at which point the Huntsman suffers a -1D penalty to the
same abilities until he has a good nights rest. This weakness is often
a giveaway to others on the morning after a hunt that the exhausted
person is a cult follower.
Huntmaster
(Charm 2B, Ride 1B, Train 1B), Athletics 4 (Climb 1B,
Run 2B, Strength 1B, Swim 1B), Awareness 4 (Notice
2B), Endurance 3 (Stamina 2B), Fighting 4 (Spear 2B),
Marksmanship 4 (Bow 3B), Stealth 4 (Sneak 1B),
Survival 5 (Hunt 3B), Will 3 (Dedication 2B)
Armor: Hide (AR 5, Armor Penalty -2) Movement: 4 yds

Boar Spear
4D+2B
6 damage
Impale, Powerful,
Slow, Two-Handed
Longbow
4D+3B
6 damage
Long Range, Piercing 1,

Two-HandeD, Unwieldy
Call of the Hunt: When ritually prepared for the hunt, a process
that takes an hour of chanting, eating strange herbs, and painting
oneself with blood, the Huntmaster gains +1D to Agility, Athletics,
Awareness, Endurance, and Survival. This does increase the
Huntsmasters damage, defenses, and Health appropriately. These
bonuses last until the next sunrise, at his point the Huntsmaster
suffers a -1D penalty to the same abilities until he has a good nights
rest. This weakness is often a giveaway to others on the morning after
a hunt that the exhausted person is a cult follower.
Master of the Pack: The Huntmaster gains +1B when engaged in
intrigues against followers of the cult he leads, and to Willpower
(Coordination) checks made in support of the cults activities.
When ritually prepared and hunting with cult followers, both the
Huntmaster and the Huntsmen gain +1B to Survival, Fighting,
Stealth, and Marksmanship checks.
28
guises, donning the skins and blood-markings of their lord,

and take to the forests to worship his power through the
hunt. On such occasions the Cult often pursues particularly
dangerous beasts and horrors, such as ghost takers or bone
apessometimes even going so far as to import such creatures that have been caught elsewhere. Many cults, however,
soon grow tired of such mundane fare and instead turn to
hunting their fellow man. They will kidnap victims from the
surrounding region, release them into the forests, and hunt
them down in cruel and sadistic fashion. Cults like these are
the scourge of the region where they are found, reviled by
honest men. Nonetheless, they do run rampant because no
one can know who its members are with surety.
Drowning Lady
Stray too close to the watery blue,
And the drowning lady will come for you.
-Traditional Rhyme
A subject of countless warnings given to children across
the land, the things known as drowning ladies have preyed
upon the unwary since time for mankind began. These
aquatic spirits live beneath the surface of still ponds and
lakes across the countryside. While called by different
names throughout the world, descriptions of them are the
same: their hair entangled with duckweed and algae, their
blank white eyes covered with a cloudy film, with impossibly long, bony arms that end in terrible claws, and a wide,
gaping mouth filled with needle-sharp teeth. Their rubbery
skin turns away even the surest of blows, and the grasp of
their skeletal arms is inhumanly strong.
In their most traditional role, a drowning lady lurks beneath the surface close to shore, waiting for those to come
near, whether to fill a waterskin or, especially, gaze upon
their reflection in the still waterindeed, many of the oldest poems caution against indulging ones vanity at the waters edge. Some children tell of talking with the woman
beneath the water, though the words of children are usually not trusted. Regardless of the prelude, once she has
chosen a victim, her arms lash out to ensnare them, dragging them beneath the waves, where the lack of air and the
ladys vicious teeth make short work of the unfortunate.
These malevolent spirits engage in other sinister traps to
lure their prey. One might masquerade as a washer-woman, kneeling in the water near the shore, whiling away at
her chores. When approached by any looking to ask her
a question or even offering to help, her disguise drops as
Woodland Creatures
Drowning Lady
Hag of the Dark Woods

Cunning 2, Deception 4, Disguise 2B), Endurance 3,
Fighting 4, Stealth 4, Will 3

(Charm 2B), Awareness 5 (Notice 2B), Cunning 4, Endurance 2
(Resilience 3B, Stamina 2B), Fighting 3, Healing 5, Language
4, Knowledge 5, Marksmanship 3, Persuasion 4, Stealth 3,
Survival 3, Thievery 4, Will 5

Claws
Bite
4D
4D
3 Damage
Grab
5 Damage
Can only be used against

a grabbed victim
Horrific Visage: The appearance of a drowning lady can chill the

most hardened of souls. Seeing one in her natural state (rather than
in disguise) is cause for a Challenging (9) Will (Courage) test. Those
who fail are -1D on all tests, and must test again the next round.
Critical failure causes the victim to scream and attempt to flee, both
of which can be dangerous if already underwater.
Grisly Puppet: A drowning lady can hold the legs of a victim to
operate the corpse like a puppet, mimicking the actions of life. It
is a Challenging (9) Awareness (Notice) test to recognize that the
puppet is not alive.
Waterbound: While long of arm, a drowning lady cannot leave the
body of water she inhabits. If not in contact with her watery home,
a drowning lady suffers -1D to all tests. If dragged more than 100
yards from the water, she suffers -2D and take 1 damage to Health
every round.
she reaches out to drag the hapless victim into the water
to their doom. Most insidious and gruesome of all, instead of eating their catch, some ladies rest in the middle
of the waters, manipulating their most recent victim like
an grisly puppet, flailing them about as someone in the
throes of drowning. Whoever jumps in to save them usually find themselves in the ladys underwater larder as her
next meal, once she devours her original catch.
Drowning ladies have been known to grant boons to
those who aid them, and in some rural communities, the
spirit is the subject of worship rather than fear. Strangers,
or a child determined by the drawing of lots, are taken to
the lakeside and drowned, and left for the spirit to find.
In return, the drowning lady agrees to not prey on the
villages children, and/or villagers to take water for their
needs. These degenerate villages invariably frame this unholy bargain in terms of the greater good, rather than see
it as the evil deal it truly is.
Hag of the Dark Woods

In one of the less-traveled portions of the forest stands a
dark and twisted oak tree, its leaves eternally red and its
bark as black as pitch. Legends say this massive old tree
was once home to a dryad, stricken by grief when her lover
Woodland Creatures
Combat Defense: 10/11 w/dagger Health: 6
Armor: Soft Leathers (AR 2, Armor Penalty -1)

Movement: 3 yards
Dagger
3D
1 damage
Quarterstaff
3D
2 damage
Defensive +1, Off-hand

+1
Fast, Two-Handed
Goodly Neighbor: While the Hag of the Dark Woods has been
twisted by the blood power she has absorbed, she still retains
many of the powers of her otherworldly kin. The Hag does not
age and gains +2B to resist all mortal forms of disease or poison.
All attacks made with iron weapons that hit the Hag gain one
additional degree of success, or she takes one point of Health
damage if she comes into contact with any iron object. If the Hag
takes damage in excess of her Health from an iron weapon she is
immediately slain.
Hags Curse: The Hag can lay a terrible curse on others, but only
in certain circumstances. She must either have been insulted or
injured by the target of the curse, or a supplicant must have
offered a sacrifice of blood or other object of symbolic power
in exchange for the curse. Placing the curse requires the Hag
to either put a physical item on the target, or gets the target
to eat some sort of offered food, such as an apple or a loaf of
bread. Assuming the curse is delivered, the target suffers either
a specific penalty, such as all the targets cows giving nothing
but spoiled milk, or a general -1D penalty to all skill checks.
The curse can only be removed by the will of the Hag or upon
her death.
Forest Home: The Hag can move in forested treacherous terrain,
or from branch to branch, as if it were normal terrain. The Hag
gains +2D to Stealth in forested terrain.
Blood-Tree Bond: The Hag is a forest spirit, bound to a massive
tree at the heart of the forest, twisted by centuries of blood
sacrifice. If the Hag is slain, she grows a new body at her tree over
the course of the next month. She can only be permanently slain
by cutting down and burning the tree to which she is bound.
Blood Oath: The Hag can empower oaths sworn in her presence
if made with an offering of blood, inflicting one point of Health
damage on all involved. If any party breaks the word of the oath,
they immediately suffer one wound. Alternatively, breaking the
oath may activate the Hags Curse (see above).
Poisons: The Hag has ready access to a wide array of poisons,
herbal remedies, and other alchemical products.
Shapechanging: The Hag can change her form into any mundane
animal commonly found in a forest. Changing form takes one
round, during which she is considered a helpless target. She does
take any clothes or equipment with her when changing form.
29

was killed by the local nobility for poaching as he climbed
the branches of the tree. The tale holds that on that day,
the once-mirthful forest spirit became something dark and
twisted, her tree-home transforming to match her pain and
hatred. The nobles responsible for the death of her lover all
died in mysterious circumstances over the coming season,
followed by all the men-at-arms and retainers who were
present. By the time the slaughter was over the name of
the Hag was on the lips of the peasants as something not
to be trifled with, and given wide berth.
In the years since, the Hag has become both a revered and
feared figure. If one is brave enough to find her in the Dark
Woods, she will offer her assistance for a price, usually collected later. Her favors run from love potions and curses to
outright murders, but are never truly beneficial to any regardless. Her prices range from blood and memories all the
way up to first-borns and the even bargainers life. She always
follows through on her promises in one way or another, but
those supplicants who pay her price are never happy with the
results. Her deals are the very definition of be careful what
you wish for, because it just might come true.
Head-Hunter
Head-hunter
Agility 3 ( Dodge 1B), Athletics 4, Awareness 3
(Empathy 1B, Notice 2B), Cunning 3, Endurance 3,
Fighting 4, (Axes 2B, Bludgeons 2B), Stealth 4 (Blend-In 2B)
Combat Defense: 10 (9) Health: 9 (3)
Armor: varies, depending on armor worn (0)

Movement: 3 yards (2 yards)
Axe
4D+2B
5 damage
Two-handed
Club
4D+2B
3 damage
Off-Hand +1
Bite
2D
1 damage
Nightmare Creature: Seeing a head-hunter pull itself free from its

host body is an event that can damage even the toughest psyche.
Such an unfortunate must immediately succeed at a Hard (15)
Will (Courage) test. If failed, the victim is -2D to all tests, and flees
screaming.
Horrific Vanity: Head-hunters can be distracted by mirrors,
fascinated by their own appearance within them, and the look of their
host body. Showing a head-hunter a mirror will cause the creature to
go into a fugue state for several minutes, or until attacked.
Dreadful Host: Head-hunters operate their host bodies as though
the were their own, inserting their spindly legs into the spinal column
to take control of all its functions. As a result, unless the neck injury
is visible, it is a Challenging (9) Awareness (Notice) test to detect a
head-hunter is more than the addled peasant it appears to be.
30
A hideous undead monstrosity, head-hunters are not creatures that hunt for heads, but rather unnatural horrors that
are heads, hunting for bodies in which to dwell, moving
from one to another in much the same way as a hermit
crab changes its shell.
When attached onto a body, the head-hunter looks like a
normal person, though the attentive observer might notice
an unusual stiffness in the neck or a difference in skin color
between hands and face. Because of this, head-hunters prefer
to stay in remote or out-of-the-way places, replacing woodsmen and crofters, those with whom others have little contact.
Upon finding a prospective new host, the head-hunter
will attempt to smother or poison the victim. If driven to
violence, it will strike for the head, rather than risk harming a body that it desires. After overcoming its victim, the
head-hunter removes the head and neck, then reaches into
the opening and removes any viscera. Once the new host
is prepared, the head-hunter detaches from its old host, its
natural form simply that of a head, on four spindly legs,
trailing a gore-soaked mass of its own viscera. It carefully
inserts itself into the new host body through the opening,
settling itself on the stump of the neck at last. After the
exhausting effort, it replenishes its strength by consuming
the brain and organs of its new host.
Woodland Creatures

Head-hunters are capable of interacting with humans,
speaking, and even eating and drinking, though they gain
nourishment only from human flesh. Most hide the grisly
wound in their necks beneath a scarf or a high collar, appearing mostly normal as they visit with their prey. Headhunters often keep barrels of salt in their houses, a desiccant they use to shrink their organs down enough to fit
into a smaller host body.
Attributes in parentheses represent the creatures abilities when not in a host body.
Headless Knight
There are tales of a knight found riding along lonely forest
paths or guarding a bridge. The knight wears dark armor,
rides a dark horse, and carries a black shield with a skull in
red as his coat-of-arms. Some say that the knight himself
has no head. Others say that his helmet appears empty or
tell of knocking off his helmet only to find nothing beneath.
There are even tales of how he frightens travelers by removing his head and hurling it at them. Bards sing of how the
knight travels the roads seeking his betrothed, who left him
at the altar to run away with another knight. The loss of
his head has not impaired the headless knights ability to
sense and strike at his foes. The legends never agree why the
knight is missing his head. The exact story changes from
place to place, depending on that places own history.
Jumping Jack
The tall, gangly creature known as Jumping Jack is a mischievous fellow. Standing taller than a mounted knight, he
bounds through the forest on long legs with great springing steps, covering several leagues a day. It is said that he
can jump over cottages and small trees with ease. He is
fond of stealing things from farmers: pumpkins, pigs, pies,
and kisses (or more) from their daughters.
Exactly what the arrival of the Jumping Jack portends for
a settlement is largely unknown, although any with a history
of having seen them each have their legends. The Jumping
Jack almost never appears alone, thoughhis appearance is
always a bad portent: whether disastrous weather, great tragedy, or a warning of something truly terrible to come.
River Warden
A giant turtle with a back as large as a lords dining table,
the river warden spends much of its time sunning along
Woodland Creatures
Headless Knight
Agility 3 (Quickness 1B), Animal Handling 3
(Ride 2B), Athletics 3, Awareness 3 (Notice 1B), Endurance
4, Fighting 5 (Long Blades 2B, Shields 1B), Stealth 3 (Sneak
1B), Survival 2 (Track 2B)
Combat Defense: 9 (5 in Armor, +2 w/ shield) Health: 12
Armor: Brigandine (AR 8, AP -4, Bulk 3) Movement: 2 yds

Longsword
5D+2B
4 Damage
Piercing 3
Aura of Fear: The sight of the knight without his head can strike fear
in even the bravest. All living creatures that start their turn within
10 yards of the headless knight must succeed on a Challenging (9)
Will test or take -1D on all tests. Those who fail must flee each round
until they succeed on another Will save. Animals that fail their tests
become panicked and flee.
Courser: The headless knight usually appears mounted on a black
courser. If the headless knight is defeated, the courser will run away
into the forest or otherwise disappear.
Jumping Jack
Agility 4 (Acrobatics 1B, Balance 2B, Dodge 1B,
Quickness 1B), Athletics 4 ( Jump 3B, Run 1B),
Awareness 3 (Notice 1B), Cunning 3, Deception 3
(Bluff 1B), Endurance 4 (Stamina 1B), Fighting 3,
Persuasion 3 (Charm 2B, Convince 1B, Seduce 2B,
Taunt 1B), Stealth 4 (Sneak 2B), Thievery 3 (Steal 1B)
Combat Defense: 11 (10 w/armor) Intrigue Defense: 8
Health: 12 Composure: 6
Armor: Soft Leather (AR 2, AP -1) Movement: 7 yards

Quarterstaff
3D
4 Damage
Fast, Two-handed
Great Leap: Jumping Jacks leaps are reduced in difficulty by two

degrees (what would be Formidable for someone else is Routine
for him).
River Warden
Athletics 8 (Strength 8B, Swim 5B), Awareness 3
(Notice 1B), Cunning 4, Endurance 8, Fighting 6,
Knowledge 4, Stealth 3 (Sneak 1B)
Combat Defense: 13 Intrigue Defense: 10
Health: 24 Composure: 6 Natural Armor: AR 5

Movement: 1 yard or Swim 8 yards
Bite
6D
18 damage
Powerful, Vicious
Long Neck: A river warden has a long neck it uses to rapidly lunge
out at its prey, extending to the surface of the water while it rests on
the bottom. Its neck can extend out almost as far as its shell is long,
about 3-5 yards, but with AR 0.
the bank, floating in calm water, or resting just below the

surface of the water. Travelers sometimes tell of sitting
along a river bank only to find the bank sliding out into
the middle of the river. Plants, shrubs, and even small
trees grow on the back of a river warden, furthering the
31

illusion that their shells are part of the bank or an island. Truly old river wardenscalled river lords in the
storiescan be told by the size of the trees growing on
its back. Some who live near rivers are said to sacrifice
small children so that the warden will let them live in
peace. River wardens prey on anything venturing close
to the water and particularly delight in capsizing boats.
Their jaws are sharp, strong enough to take off a mans
arm or leg, or even snap his torso in twain, in one bite.
Because they live such long lives, some a century or even
more, river wardens are said to know histories and legends forgotten by the people along the river, though it
takes ancient magics to speak with them.
Rock Giant
Creatures of a time before man walked the earth, rock giants are from an age where magic was a major force in the
world. At some point, the rock giants who survived the ancient conflicts and cataclysms found they tended to sleep
longer and more, as the magic in the world faded. Soon
they found a suitable place and laid down their huge bodies to sleep for countless millenia. In time, their sleeping
forms became rocky outcroppings and hills, holy places,
and some were even mined for their high quality stone,
slowly killing the rock giant without men ever knowing what they did. The rock giants slept through all this
nonetheless, nothing able to stir them from the deepest of
slumbers.
Occasionally some unusual magical event, such as a solstice, planetary alignment, or a ley line convergence will
focus enough magical power around or at a rock giant to
awaken it. This happens only once every few centuries
but the destruction that follows is enough to ensure the
tale is remembered from one waking to the next. Rock giants that awake are confused by all these tiny, fast-moving
beings around their feet who cannot speak intelligibly , reacting with shouting and fear.
Rock giants tend to react violently to this, striking
out at anything below their feet or in their path. Due to
their strength and size, they are capable of leveling entire villages. It often takes siege engines or a small army
to stop a rock giant, though if someone could somehow
drain the magic that woke it might also prove a feasible
means to return it to slumber. These wakeful periods usually only last a few days before the rock giant returns to
sleep, wherever it originally awoke or wherever it might
be taken down.
32
Woodland Creatures
Rock Giant
Tall Man
Agility 1, Athletics 5 (Strength 5B, Thrown 2B),

Endurance 8 (Resilience 2B, Stamina 2B), Fighting 6
(Bludgeon 2B, Brawling 3B), Survival 3 (Orientation 2B),
Thievery 1, Will 3 (Courage 1B, Dedication 1B)
Agility 4 (Dodge 2B, Quickness 1B),

Animal Handling 1, Athletics 4 (Climb 2B,
Strength 3B, Thrown 2B), Awareness 3 (Notice 2B), Cunning
4, Endurance 6 (Resilience 2B, Stamina 4B), Fighting 5,
Healing 1, Stealth 5 (Sneak 1B),
Thievery 3, Will 4 (Dedication 2B)
Combat Defense: 8
Armor Rating: 10
Slam
4D
Health: 24
Movement: 6 yards
5 damage
Grab
Staggering,
Powerful, Slow
Club
4D+2B
10 damage
Thrown Rock
5D+2B
4 damage
Trample
5D
5 damage
Grab: A human-sized target hit by the giants slam attack and grabbed
is picked up. The target cannot move at all without succeeding in a
Very Hard (18) Athletics (Strength) or Agility (Contortionist) test.
While the victim is grabbed, the giants grab damage against that
charavter increases to 20. A giant may have up to two victims grabbed
at the same time, but doing so means it can make no attacks other
than trample attacks, unless it releases one of the grabbed victims.
Heavy: Due to their immense weight, rock giants cannot cross
bridges, stand on buildings without crushing them, and so on. Mud
or swampy environments are considered treacherous terrain for them.
Huge: Stone giants are at least 10 yards tall. Any attacks against
them gain +1D. They treat most treacherous terrain as normal,
passing over any obstruction less than 5 yards tall without difficulty.
Stone Heart: Rock giants are immune to all mortal forms of disease
and poison.
Trample: Any creature less than 3 yards tall in the path of the giant
is automatically targeted by a trample attack as a free action, if the
giant wishes.
Valuable Minerals: The body of a rock giant has numerous valuable
minerals inside it. If a house were to claim these it would boost the
houses Wealth rating by 5.
Warfare: Rock giants stats are the same for warfare-level conflict.
Tall Man
The Tall Man is a rare form of restless spirit, spoken of in
whispers and bedside tales passed on to warn the young of
the folly of rushing to judgment. The legends say only one
Tall Man walks the mortal world at a time, but that may just
be wishful thinking given the judgmental nature of man.
A Tall Man is created when an man or woman is executed, by hanging from a tree, for a crime they did not
commit. The angry spirit of such individual often cannot
pass on due to such injustice, and it is these spirits that
form a Tall Man: from the wood of the tree that ended
their life, these spirits stride the earth, seeking vengeance
for their undeserved death.
Woodland Creatures
Combat Defense: 11
Armor Rating: 6
Health: 18
Movement: 6 yards
Claws
4D
5 damage
Vicious, Grab
Noose
4D+2B
2 damage
Reach, Entangling,
Strangling (see below)
As to a Tree: The long, branch like body of the Tall Man looks much
like that of a spindly tree. It gains +2D Stealth when in forested
terrain.
Creature of the Night: Tall Men suffer -1D to all actions in Lit
conditions, but suffer no penalties in Shadowy or Darkness conditions.
Scent of the Guilty: The Tall Man gains +2D to any Awareness
checks made to detect those guilty souls it hunts.
Strangling: Any target hit by the Tall Mans noose with two
degrees of success is grabbed and slowly strangled. Until the target
escapes from being entangled by the noose, the nooses damage
increases to 10.
Unstoppable: If destroyed, the Tall Man will regrow each sunset
at the tree where its former human self was was hung, as long as
any of those guilty still live. The only ways to permanently destroy
the Tall Man are to punish all the guilty parties, or to destroy the
tree that spawns the tall man. Attempts to destroy the tree will
cause it to immediately spawn a Tall Man to defend itself, if the
attempt is made at night. Destroying the tree will not destroy any
Tall Man already spawned, but punishing all the guilty parties will
immediately dispel any active Tall Man.
Vulnerable to Fire: All fire attacks that hit a Tall Man gain one
additional degree of success. A Tall Man that takes damage in excess
of its Health from fire is immediately slain.
A Tall Man resmebles a gaunt version of the spirit motivating it, only taller, thinner, and made of twisted, gnarled
wood. A Tall Man usually stands 10 to 12 feet high, with
eerily thin arms that can reach up to 8 feet. The Tall Mans
appearance is horrific, all the more so for the ease with
which it can conceal itself among trees, easily blending in
with other gnarled silhouettes shaking in the breeze. The
only sure way to find it is to look for the noose that remains
toed around it, the same noose that ended its human life.
A Tall Man is intelligent, cunning, devious, cruel, and
unrelenting. It cares nothing for collateral damage, or for
any who may suffer as it seeks its vengeance. Even if destroyed, it will regrow and stride again unless the guilty are
finally punished, or the tree that birthed the Tall Man is
destroyed.
33

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OODLAND

A COMPENDIUM OF CREATURES FOR THE CHRONICLE SYSTEM

Bryce Hubbard (order #5277131)

A COMPENDIUM OF CREATURES FOR THE CHRONICLE SYSTEM

Authors: Lee Hammock, John C. Hay, Jeb Boyt

Chronicle System, Green Ronin, and their respective logos

Bryce Hubbard (order #5277131)

Attacking Small Targets

Bryce Hubbard (order #5277131)

The woodland domain of choice is infested with a beast

Something unwholesome and hungry haunts your woods,

ANIMALS of the WOODLANDS

Some animals may find themselves in situations where

The animal is trained to perform a variety of leaping and

Dogs, Horses, Ravens

Training an animal to perform a single task or role requires

With this command, the animal will attack any individual

Animal Training Difficulties

Very Hard (18)

An animal may learn a number of tricks equal to its

Bryce Hubbard (order #5277131)

Dogs, Horses, Ravens

The animal is trained to bear burdens on their backs or

The animal will perform any number of trained actions that

ANIMALS of the WOODLANDS

Dogs, Horses, Raptors, Ravens

The animal is trained to come when called. Dogs, horses,

The animal is trained to fetch either something that is

This command causes the animal to either remain in one

Bryce Hubbard (order #5277131)

by the master placing that persons hand on the animals

Dogs, Horses, Raptors, Ravens

With this command, the animal remains calmly beside the

ANIMALS of the WOODLANDS

Dogs, Horses, Raptors

With this command, the animal refrains from making its

Though all ravens pick up the occasional word here and

With this training, a horse is trained to navigate through

When given a strong scent to follow, the dog can follow

Bryce Hubbard (order #5277131)

Training NonStandard Animals

The animal is trained to perform in one of many ways: as

Birds trained thusly can be used for hunting. Hawks and

ANIMALS of the WOODLANDS

Guard (+6 Difficulty)

Master Trainer (Ability)

Your welath of experience means animals trained by

The animal is trained to assist with corralling a herd animal

Way with Beasts (Ability)

Whether because of natural empathy, or supernatural

Your affinity with animals is almost legendary. Reroll all

Creatures have rank 0 in the following Abilities:

Some animals may have access to a Fly specialty in

Abilities not listed for an animal, but not forbidden,

The animal with this training has been accustomed to the

Bryce Hubbard (order #5277131)

The time to train an animal is halved when you do the

The animal is trained to live indoors, well-socialized, quiet

Requirements: Animal Handling 3 (Training 2B)

ANIMALS of the WOODLANDS

Agility 3 (Contortions 1B, Dodge 1B), Athletics 2

Agility 4 (Balance 2B, Dodge 2B, Quickness 2B), Athletics 4

Combat Defense: 7 (9) Health 6

Natural Armor: AR 0 Movement: 4 yards