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The Saxon Wars: Berent's Saga

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The Saxon Wars: Berent's Saga The Saxon Wars: Berent’s Saga Dramatis Personae THE HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS OF HOLLINGSTED AND Dreng - HEDEBY ARE BEING MURDERED. South, across from the Horik - Danevirk, dark things stir. Rumors are whispered of murderous A hersir in the service of Jarl Horik. shadows, game found hacked apart or riddled with arrows. Rolof - The young Jarl (born 789) of Hollingsted. Son of Jarl Trappers lines are sprung. And a few hunters hint at gruesome Gudfred. A devout heathen. murders, merchants impaled to trees and their entrails left for The thegn of Treva. the carrion to eat…. Berent’s Saga is designed for 3 to 6 players new to the Helheim Unbound roleplaying game, although experienced players can certainly undertake it. We have attempted to be as historically accurate as possible, while making some concessions for game play (e.g. terms to standardize currency). As always, the true facts in this era are difficult to come by, but we have done our best. This saga covers approximately one half of the summer campaigning season, from mid-April (Harpa) through History:midsummer (Sumarauki), in 803. The Danevirk, spanning the southern end of the Jutland Peninsula, has long protected the Danes from the Slavic Tribes, Saxons, and Franks, but a new darkness has crept beyond its borders. The region is ruled by Jarl Horik I, son of Jarl Gudfred, and grandson of King Sigfred. Hollingsted is an influential trading town and marks the start of the 10 mile portage to the new town of Hedeby at the eastern end of the Danevirk. The jarls and other nobility have an estate in Sliasthorpe, roughly halfway between Hollingsted and KeyHedeby. Terms Further Reading Blot - Bondi (Norse) / Fyrd (Saxon)– A high festival. http://sciencenordic.com/legendary-viking-town-unearthed Danevirk – A freeman, often a farmer or Goldberg, Eric J. (2006). Struggle for Empire: Kingship and tradesman. Capable fighters if needs be. Conflict Under Louis the German, 817-876. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Dane Wold –A low rampart and defensive network separating University Press. pp. 83-8 JarlDenmark (Norse from or Saxony.Saxon) / Thegn (Saxon) / Kynaz (Slavic) - The forested region southeast from Denmark. Hersir - HollingstedRegional lord, - similar to an earl or duke. A powerful warrior or warlord, similar to a knight. Huscarl (Norse) The /primary Edhilingui southern (Saxon) Danish - trading town, located on the west end of the Danevirk. Nordalbinian Saxony - A professional warrior, in service to a lord or wealthy landholder. Obodrites – A northern Saxon region, roughly equivalent to modern Holstein. Sliasthorpe -A Slavic tribe located southeast of Denmark and east of Saxony.Sample file Treva - A village and noble holding in the middle of the Danevirk. Seat of the southern Jarldom in Denmark. A Saxon village, and later Frankish fortress, located between the Alster and Elbe rivers. 1 Contents Key Terms 1 Dramatis Personae 1 Background – for the GM 3 Jarl Horik I 3 Hollingsted 3 Tracking Time 3 Lead Designer: Nathaniel “Nat” Skinner Text in Boxes 3 Saga Basics 3 Part 1: The Contract 5 Artists: Bartolomeo Argentino, B Simon Smith, Setting the Stage 5 Daniel Comerci, The Body in the Woods 6 Dean Spencer, Talking with the Jarl 7 Toly Kivshar Preparations 7 Layout: B Simon Smith Master Scout (Optional) 7 Departure 7 Logo by: Michael Dashow Part 2: The Dane Wold 8 Investigating the Butchery 8 Mysterious Tracks 9 Some artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. Obodrites Brigands 10 All rights reserved. Part 3: Treva Burning 12 The Lost Son 12 Some artwork © Daniel Comerci, used with permission. All rights reserved. www.danielcomerci.com Helping Treva 12 Calling the Fyrd 13 Traps 13 All Rights Reserved. This book may only be reproduced for Helheim Unbound: Berent’s Saga ©2018 Skylark Studios Defense of Treva 13 personal use and not for commercial purposes or resale. Obodrites 13 Aftermath 14 Victory! 14 Held Out 14 Flee! 14 Part 4: Hollingsted 15 Defense of Treva 15 Armory 15 Hollingsted Assaulted 15 Part 5: Conclusion 16 Appendix 17 Traits 17 Skills 18 Resources 18 BetrayalSample18 file Calendar 19 Player Map 20 2 Background - for the GM Jarl Horik I, in response to findings of his people skinned, The trail is harder to find the longer the champions take to get burned alive, impaled on trees, and mutilated has summoned Textto the bodyin Boxes and then begin looking for tracks. mercenaries to his lands to uncover the source of these vile acts. Jarl Horik typically resides in Sliasthorpe, a noble estate halfway between Hedeby and Hollingsted. Text in boxes with italics is designed to be read to the players The primary point of interaction between Jarl Horik I and the by the GM, starting with this one: Hersir Dreng MacWigheard Hollingsted is located along the Treene River and serves as champions (player characters) participating in this saga is the western end of the portage to Hedeby. Hollingsted and . Dreng is a grizzled fighter who Hedeby connect the North Sea with the Baltic Sea. Around maintains the guard of the Danevirk road, trains the fighters of 1,000 people call the town of Hollingsted home. Hollingsted Hollingsted, and is the master of scouts. He is honorable. has a log palisade on the north, east, and southern sides. The Jarl Horik I western side is bordered by the Treene River. Hollingsted is the most prosperous Danish town in the area, but the new village of Hedeby is growing and vying for dominance. Jarl Horik is one of the two sons of Jarl Gudfred. Horik is 14 years To the east is the portage road, protected by the Danevirk, old and is both ambitious and devout. He opposes the creeping which crosses 9 miles (15 kilometers) until it reaches Hedeby Christian influence supported by his uncles and nephews. He on the Schlei Inlet. The Danevirk is an earth and timber is very concerned about the hunters and merchants who are fortification protecting Danish lands from southern invaders. being murdered, but in private he raves about the influence of The land near Hollingsted is flat and rises slightly the farther foreign powers tainting Denmark. east that is travelled. To the south, the lands are slightly lower, consisting of marshland and plains. To the north is a mix of Despite his young age, it is apparent Horik has grand plans hills, heath, and forests. and ambitions. His goal is to turn these raiders back on the Franks to the south or the Obodrites to the east. If that is not Politically, the south is unsettled. In 798 the Nordalbinian an option, then pinning the blame on his uncles’ Christian Saxons were crushed by Charles the Great, and in 801 their influence will suffice. He prefers champions of the Germanic lands ceded to the Obodrites. This year marks the second year gods, but will hire champions of other religions, although with of Danish incursions into Nordalbia against the Slavic tribes some skepticism. Hollingsted aligned with Frankia. Saga Basics Hollingsted is the last comfortable and sizeable town in the southwestern reaches“Setting of the the Danish Stage” controlled areas of the Jutland Peninsula. There are skilled Herbalists, Blacksmiths The saga starts on the 5th day of Harpa (mid-April), and largely and Tanners (see in Part 1). Hollingsted ends by Sumarauki (late June). This gives a period of nearly 70 is a common starting point for Norse, Danes, and the various days for the saga. Swedish tribes to embark into Saxony and Frisia, or to head north into Denmark or along the coast. It is the companion The champions are being hosted in an empty longhouse in to, Hedeby, a small but growing village at the east end of the Hollingsted as guests of the Jarl. The champions may arrive Danevirk. Hedeby primarily serves groups sailing east into between the middle of the last winter, or within the first few the Baltic, or travelers heading southerly into Saxony and the days of Harpa. A champion may be visiting from another region; Slavic lands to the east. The lands southwest of Hollingsted and or may be a local under service to Jarl Horik, a champion of a southeast of Hedeby are generally marshy lowlands, while the Saxon lord, or serving another noble in Denmark or Norway. land between and southerly slowly rises up into the forested TrackingDane Wold. Time Berent’s Saga is designed as a fairly linear adventure. The champions can follow two different paths that will lead to a successful outcome. The least harm to the region comes if the “Partchampions 3: Treva succeed Burning” in killing off some of the brigands near the TrackingSample the time it takes the group to complete their tasks is Danish Wold and then defeating file the Obodrites“Part 4: Hollingsted”)at Treva (see an important component of this Saga. The calendar is included ). If the Obodrites are not encountered at in the Appendix.. The more quickly the champions complete Treva, they will assault Hollingsted (see , (in game time) and move through the Saga, the more likely where the champions have another opportunity to prove they are to have a successful outcome. their mettle. There are also numerous plot hooks for further adventures on your own. 3 Sample file Part 1: The Contract “The Contract” is when the champions meet Jarl Horik, learn After revealing any appropriate information, Hersir Drend will more about the murders and sprung trapping lines, and pay the champions a visit that morning: A muscular man of middling height (about 5’ 8” and 170 lbs) possibly make their first step towards broader political actions wearing a byrnie (mail coat), enters the longhouse. He wears a in the Jutland Peninsula.
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