The Order of the Hammer

The Levic Marches are often held as the last bulwark of true civilization between the lands of the Northmen and the more settled lands beyond. But with such close proximity - not to mention the great wealth of the League cities, which naturally draws unscrupulous eyes - the Northmen are as much a threat to the people of the Marches as they are trading partners. Raids on coastal villages are practically a yearly inevitability, and even sieges of the great harbors are not uncommon. Such threats call for study defenses - and that is how the Order of the Hammer came to carve out its presence in the Levic lands.

The Order is a Vardessian monastic tradition devoted to Torvald, the god of protection, walls, and boundaries. Its members are almost all of Vardessian origin, and its headquarters are in the Vardessian city of Eulen. However, it is most prominent and powerful in the Levic marches, for the knights of the Order have carved out an empire of their own there.

The Order of the Hammer is a martial order - that is, its membership is composed largely of paladins who train in combat as much as they devote their lives to prayer and meditation, though some of its members are half-brothers; non-combatant monks who assist their brethren with day-to-day chores and other support positions. Secluded in their cloisters, the members of the Order live an ascetic existence. Their conditions are austere, for they do not believe in honoring the gods with grand icons or ceremonies, deeming such frivolities to be distractions from the pursuit of a life in keeping with Torvald's will. They do not even celebrate feast days or fraternize with one another at meals, living a simple life of prayer and training.

It goes without saying that when their whole lives are sworn to defense, the knights of the Order are fierce fighters. They traditionally don great helms and surcoats bearing their arms; often, these helmets are adorned with great horns or wings to intimidate their foes on the battlefield. They have a reputation as stoic, silent, and fearless killing machines, showing no quarter, no mercy, and an almost inhuman courage that defies reason. Some say that it is Torvald himself who guides their blows, and that the knights do not consciously make any decisions in battle - though they are reluctant to speak on the matter (or on most things).

Generations ago, the Order of the Hammer was hired to support the League of Three Crowns against Northmen incursions, with the League paying them handsomely to move to the Levic Marches and establish castles there. Seeking to advance their standing after failed attempts to entrench themselves elsewhere, the knights agreed. Even after the threats were dealt with, though, the knights chose to stay, in a decision that was controversial at the time and has indeed led to the Order establishing a foothold so firm as to rival the authority of the League.

Not only does the Order still send a delegation to the League Council in Hynden, they govern a number of strongholds, at once fortresses and monasteries, throughout the Marches, exerting authority as feudal lords to support their upkeep from the tithes of their vassals. As such, there are swathes of the Levic Marches where neither the League nor the crown of Kvesland can overturn the rulings of the knights - but then, the knights are keen to remind them of why their presence is a desirable one when the next Northman raid comes. And many League merchants have relied on the knights to provide protection for their ships and caravans against bandits and worse things.

In turn, the knights of the Order have helped to shape Vardessian settlement of the Levic Marches. When hired by the League, they brought with them mercenaries and other disenfranchised knights to support their ranks, and many of their officers were rewarded for their service with land conquered in their wars. Some of their monasteries have even developed into towns and cities of their own. These settlements show the stoic and unflinching character of the Order - they are meticulously planned according to organized grids, surrounded by sturdy walls, and often found where forests were cleared and swamps drained, their very presence standing as an assertation of the Order's refusal to budge.

As an organization, the Order of the Hammer is formally led by Hendrik von Eulen, the Grandmaster, who resides in Vardessy. However, the knights active in the Levic Marches have by necessity formed their own hierarchy thanks to their distance from their homeland. The position of Landmaster designates the official in charge of all Order operations in the Levic Marches. This position is currently held by Sigismund von Kohlstein, who rules from Castle Mitgenburg. The Landmaster is a cold and merciless man devoted to asserting the Order's presence in the Levic Marches by whatever means are necessary. Firmly devoted to his goals, he sees nothing as unacceptable or excessive in the pursuit of protecting trade routes and settlements, and he is rightfully feared both in battle and in personal dealings.

Friday Encounter: How the Korred Stole Midwinter

Art by Boudicca

This encounter is best suited for when the PCs are on the road, though it could be used if they happen to be in a small town close to a mountainous area for an extended period of time. If you are keeping track of in-game time, it should be used in the winter, preferrably in the days leading up to an important winter holiday (especially one that celebrates values of giving and generosity). In the Lunar Lands, this would be Midwinter, which takes place on the winter solstice, but feel free to adjust the details to fit your setting.

The encounter is, of course, a homage to How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Keep in mind that familiarity with the story may make the optimal solution to the scenario too obvious - if you think this will be a problem, you may want to play down the Seuss references at your discretion.

Background

Midwinter is an important holiday across the land, with almost every community having their own traditions. During the harsh winter months, and the longest night of the year, such celebrations bolster morale and keep families together when everyone is holed up inside and the snow blankets the fields. But sometimes, these traditions hold more practical purposes. As one of the days where the boundaries between this world and realms beyond is weakened, Midwinter provides opportunities for magic to creep into everyday life - and not always for the better. To that end, some holiday rituals are practiced to repel otherworldly influence and protect people against its threats.

For the village of Werdorf, this is especially important. The village sits at the foot of the imposing Mount Fladenbrot, at the top of which dwells Geisel, a korred. This fey spirit would like nothing better than to terrorize the town and work mischief, but every Midwinter, the townspeople hold a great ceremony to keep him at bay for the next year. This has only come to harden Geisel's heart and make him desire revenge on the town below, but thanks to the spell, he is unable to enter the village, save for a short window of time toward the year's end before the next ceremony can be completed.

That is, until he got a terrible idea. If he was to disrupt the ceremony, he would be able to wreak havoc all he pleased. And when strangers come to town, he sees just the opportunity he needs...

The Encounter

Ideally, the party should arrive in Werdorf about two or three days prior to Midwinter. There, they will discover the townspeople hard at work decorating for the occasion, hanging greens and baubles from the doorways and rooftops and erecting a towering fir in the town square. Notably, the fence that surrounds the village is covered in iron horseshoes. If they ask around, they will be directed to Boris, the town headman, who can explain the story:

As long as everyone has known, Geisel the korred has dwelled in the caverns of Mount Fladenbrot, and his power waxes as the nights grow longer and the year grows to a close. Long ago, the greedy creature entered the town one Midwinter, where he stole all of its food and wealth, set the animals loose, and caused the crops to fail. Ever since, the townspeople hold a great feast on Midwinter, sacrificing a wether to the god Torvald to ensure the village stays warded against him for another year. The horseshoes on the fences are to turn away the fair folk so that Geisel doesn't interfere as the people prepare for the celebrations. No one knows why Geisel has such spite for the townspeople; perhaps his heart is simply too full of malice.

Boris will happily invite the PCs to participate in the ceremony, and directs them to the inn if they need a place to stay until the time comes. In the inn, they will run into Thurl, a deep-voiced local minstrel who can be found entertaining a crowd of children by performing a song cursing Geisel with many colorful insults. If the PCs are in need of healing, Boris can also point them toward Theo Zoice, the town doctor, who can mend their wounds.

If the PCs stay in Werdorf - ideally over the next day - they will hear the grinding of wheels against the road. Investigating the noise, they will find an old man in a shabby, patched cloak, hobbling along at the side of a donkey pulling a cart just outside the fence. The man claims to be an itinerant tinker, but one who has fallen upon hard times, and he barely has enough ore to sustain his craft. He points to one of the horseshoes along the fence and asks if he can have it to melt down (he will not touch it himself, insisting it be placed in his cart).

The "tinker" is, of course, Geisel in disguise, and the "donkey" is really his pet blink dog. The two are out looking to compromise the ward on the village so that he can slip in on the night of Midwinter's Eve and steal the food and decorations needed for the feast. If the PCs show suspicion, Geisel will firmly deny any knowledge of the story and implore them to have mercy on a poor man. He will thank them greatly for any aid they provide and continue down the road.

If Boris learns of the missing horseshoe, he will be aghast, fearing for the safety of his people (it has been generations since their traditions began, and he has never seen Geisel attack anyone, but he doesn't want to take his chances). If he sees that the PCs look armed or capable, he will implore they storm Mount Fladenbrot and deal with the korred before anyone comes to harm!

Further Developments

If the horseshoe was removed from the fence, Geisel and his blink dog will descend on the village at midnight on Midwinter's Eve, stealing the food for the feast and any garlands and ornaments from the town, even carrying away the tree in the town square. When the townspeople discover the theft the next day, Boris will demand the PCs take up arms against Geisel in retaliation - if the rituals won't work, the korred must be expelled by force!

Should the party attack Geisel's home with open hostility, he will harry them from the top of the mountain, throwing rocks at them and sending his blink dog to attack them as they ascend the slopes. If the PCs make it to the top of the mountain, he has two ropes woven from his hair that are placed by the entrance to his cave, and a third inside, and will command them to ensnare any intruders while he attacks them. If he is dispatched, the party can find a hoard of 3d10x10 GP's worth of gold and jewels, plus a hat of disguise, within his lair.

If, on the other hand, the party comes without weapons drawn, or if they showed him an act of generosity (for instance, offering money or resources of their own, rather than the horseshoe, when he met them in disguise), the korred will be more friendly. He will relate that he always felt left out of the town's Midwinter celebrations and just wanted to be a part of them - but, of course, the fair folk have very different ideas of celebration than humans, and the devastation he wreaked on the town was merely his way of getting in the holiday spirit. Ever since then, however, he grew bitter from how he was spurned by the townspeople and sought revenge.

If the PCs can convince Geisel to leave the village in peace and for Boris to let him in on Midwinter to share in the celebration, peace will be made between the korred and the people of Werdorf. He will join in the feast and even perform the sacrifice of the wether. At the end of the night, due to the spell, he will be forced to return to his mountain for the next year, but he wouldn't want to deny the people of their merriment, and looks forward to joining in again next year. Before he leaves, however, he will give out gifts for everyone in the town, including the PCs.

Each PC should receive a magic item suited to their character and class (use your judgment; you know your players better than I do). Furthermore, the party will have made an ally of Geisel, and he will be willing to lend his aid if called upon in the future.

Gods of the Lunar Lands

We've talked enough about theory in the last few posts. It's time for another setting post - and today, I'm going to be talking about the pantheon of my setting. Before we begin, a few notes about how I handle religion in my games.

• The way religion works is generally in the Roman model. There are innumerable gods out there, representing just about every concept imaginable, but the popular cults tend to revolve around a select few with commonly applicable or useful domains. The gods are in effect personifications of the driving forces behind reality, embodying all aspects of creation.
• Beyond the popular cults, however, there are many examples of petty gods dedicated to trivial things, local deities, deified ancestor figures taken from Old Faith traditions, saints venerated within the cults of the gods, and the like. These things are not mutually exclusive.
• I try to portray a religion that is truly polytheistic, rather than henotheistic. There are temples and cults that are dedicated to a singular patron god, but the majority of people will venerate all of them. Even a cleric of Kerne will understand that an offering to Olmo is a good idea when preparing for a sea voyage.
• The way religion is practiced takes influence from Roman and Germanic paganism. Sacrifices of crops and livestock are common, and most people have a small household shrine to offer to the gods watching over their families. The most common sacrifices for each god are listed below.
• Aesthetically, I like to imagine clerics and temples taking inspiration from the Eastern Orthodox Church, if for no reason other than that it's so much lesser-used compared to Catholicism (and I say this as a Catholic). Besides, onion domes are cool.

You also can't convince me these monks don't look like fucking wizards.

• There aren't such things as racial deities in my setting, nor are there pantheons unique to certain regions. While traditions will obviously differ from place to place, and while certain gods may be more popular in different areas than others, the prayers of the faithful are all generally going to the same beings regardless of what or where they are. Dwarves, for instance, largely worship Weyland, and orcs worship Kerne and Morthanos, but they do so with their own rituals and their own names. This is more akin to how ancient polytheists viewed religion - there are records of correspondence between two Roman theologicians arguing other whether or not the God of the Jews was Jupiter or Saturn. I feel like this is a fun concept that makes pantheons seem more cohesive, like they belong in the world, rather than being made up for a game. That's something that's important to me.

Now, keep in mind, Pantheonism is only one religion in the Lunar Lands. Other traditions exist too, most notably Elementalism (the faith of Quel'Ahma that reveres the four elements as cosmic forces), the Old Faith (a mix of animism, ancestor worship, and a few cults of ancient gods mostly practiced by elves, druids, and hillfolk), and the mystic traditions of the Covered Path and its dervishes. I will discuss those at a later date, but the subject of this post will be on some of the most widespread cults to the Divine Forces.

Game stats here are given for 5e, but the lore should be system-neutral. Note that these are simply guidelines on how to represent members of each cult in games. It is not impossible, for instance, to play as a Voltanite paladin with the Oath of Conquest, but this may be rarer than paladins of other oaths.

Voltan is the God of Kings and King of Gods - the chief deity of the pantheon, and also the god of law, honor, and governance. He is invoked in trials and ordeals, with courts often held at his temples, and it is believed that he should guide each king and noble to act in accordance with his code of just rulership, giving back to those who honor their leader in return.

• Voltan's symbol is a crown, sometimes crossed by a sword with the balance of a scale as its crossguard. His associated color, used on the vestments of his priests and the domes of his temples, is gold.
• The center of Voltan's cult is the Holy City of Lescatie, and it is for this reason it is considered the most important cult center of all. It is led by Matriarch Wilmarina I, whose political clout rivals that of the Emperor.
• Alignment: Lawful Good
• Domains: Order, Unity
• Oaths: Crown, Heroism, Vengeance
• Sacrifices: Gold, incense, cattle, wine

Marseah is the Goddess of Mercy, Healing, and Hospitality. The teachings of her cult stress kindness and generosity to others, and her faithful train in the arts of healing both mundane and magical. One of the most popular deities, she is the wife of Voltan.

• Marseah's symbol is a pair of hands clasped in a gesture of prayer. Her associated color is white.
• The center of Marseah's cult is the city of Heidenheim in Vardessy. It is led by Matriarch Hildegarde III.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Domains: Life, Peace
• Oaths: Devotion, Redemption
• Sacrifices: Incense, candles

Torvald is the God of Protection and Boundaries. A liminal deity, he stands in defense of the borders between this world and those beyond, and is thus associated with the banishment of evil and lifting curses, though he also is the patron of those who build walls and guard castles and cities.

• Torvald's symbol is a key fashioned of silver, as it is believed that he blessed silver as his holy metal and imparted it with the ability to repel the unnatural. His associated color is also silver.
• The center of Torvald's cult is the city of Torvaldshaupt in Vardessy. It is led by Patriarch Ulrich II.
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Domains: Protection
• Oaths: Watchers, Devotion
• Sacrifices: Silver, sheep

Solenna is the Goddess of the Sun, worshipped for blessing the fields with life and lifting the darkness of night. She is also venerated as a goddess of hope and happiness, and her clerics joyfully honor her by facing the path of the sun with their arms spread and raised above their heads. Her husband, Mondi, is the God of the Moons, though they are doomed to always be apart, except on the rare occasion of an eclipse.

• Solenna's symbol is that of a sun disk. Her associated colors are yellow and red.
• The center of Solenna's cult is the capital city of Venec in Togarmah. It is led by Patriarch Otho VI.
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Domains: Light
• Oaths: Devotion, Redemption, Heroism
• Sacrifices: Wheat, chickens, candles, cattle

Morthanos is the God of Death and the Dead. Unlike the other gods, who dwell in the Heavens, he reigns from a palace in the Land of the Dead, where he rules over the shades of the deceased. However, he rarely returns to his throne, for he is busy collecting the souls of the fallen. Though many fear him (and usually refer to him simply as Death, lest he take the invocation of his name as an invitation), he tries to comfort the dead and dying, as his role is only a natural part in the cycle of being.

• Morthanos's symbol is a scythe crossed by a lantern, representing the two items he carries as he walks the roads of the mortal realm. His associated color is black.
• The center of Morthanos's cult is the city of Olarra in Taldameer. It is led by Matriarch Marisela III.
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Domains: Death, Grave
• Oaths: Watchers, Redemption
• Sacrifices: Incense, coins, candles, libations

Kerne is the God of War and the Hunt, governing both the pursuit of beasts and those of man. He traditionally takes the form of a musclebound man with the head of a stag (sometimes, particularly in southern lands, a bull), clutching a weapon in both hands, and he prizes valor and courage in battle. His priests often train in the fighting arts as much as they do in prayer, and his cult produces many paladins.

• Kerne's symbol is four weapons (swords, maces, spears, axes, etc.) placed on one another to form an eight-pointed star. His associated color is red, and he is also associated with bronze and iron.
• The center of Kerne's cult is the town of Keldrholt in the North. It is led by Patriarch Vidar I.
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Domains: War, Zeal, Blood
• Oaths: Conquest, Glory, Ancients
• Sacrifices: Iron, weapons, the first kill of a hunt, ale, mead

This is but a few of the major gods of the Lunar Lands. More to follow in a later post!

Hexennacht and Saint Kriemhild's Day

 Or: what happens when you learn about German holidays from anime

In the 1e Oriental Adventures sourcebook, the author recommends keeping a calendar for in-game time in your campaign and having special events take place as time passes in-universe. I do this for my campaigns, as I find that this helps add a sense of versamilitude and dynamism to the game world, and the advice they give is relevant even outside of "Oriental" settings. Even when the PCs aren't doing things, the world still goes on, and things can happen that shake up the world.

In the Lunar Lands, the passage of time is governed by the Wheel of the Year, with certain events in the year having significance both cultural, spiritual, and supernatural. Holidays have power, and this can translate into game terms through the application of some special rules. In what's going to be the first of a series of posts, I'd like to discuss one such holiday that has come up in my campaigns.

The holiday of Beltane is one of the Cross-Quarter Days of the Wheel of the Year, happening at the midpoint between the Spring Solstice of Eostrefest and the Equinox of Midsummer. As one of the key events in the calendar, it is celebrated in some way in just about every culture. In western Vardessy, the celebration coincides with Saint Kriemhild's Day.

What is also notable is that the night before Saint Kriemhild's Day is Hexennacht - Witches' Night - one of the two nights in which the boundaries between the Mortal Realm and the Realms Beyond is weakest (the other being Samhain). As such, it is a favorite occasion for witches and warlocks to practice their rituals and summonings, while those faithful to the Pantheon of Divines choose the night to shelter in their homes making protective charms against black magic. One can often tell if one is a Pantheonist or a follower of the Old Faith based on if they choose to wish travelers good fortune on Saint Kriemhild's Day or Hexennacht.

Centuries ago, Kriemhild of Klareswassen was a young maiden from Vardessy who was stricken with divine visions that prophesized her victory over a coven of witches that made council on the mountain outside her hometown. Taking up the bow and gathering the aid of four peers (together, they formed a party known as the Five Companions, consisting of Kriemhild along with the Saints Liliana, Oktavia, Ophelia, and Candelaria), she drove the witches from Klareswassen in a battle one Hexennacht that was commemorated by the foundation of a great temple in the town, one that would eventually hold her tomb as she was canonized as an important saint of the Cult of Torvald, God of Boundaries and Repelling Evil Forces.

Today, pilgrims from across Vardessy celebrate Saint Kriemhild's Day by visiting the paladin's burial place in Klareswassen for good fortune and the graces of the gods, as well as for the blessed oil that is said to emanate from Kriemhild's body. There are many inns on the road that cater to pilgrims, who typically identify themselves by wearing a red ribbon - either worn in their hair or pinned to their hat, cloak, or tunic. However, pilgrims should hope their faith protects them, for witches still celebrate Hexennacht with chants and hilltop bonfires when the moons rise over the mountains before the sound of bells fills the streets of Klareswassen...

(Also notable is the nearby village of Tollunstadt, which suffers from an inexplicable plague of ankhegs every autumn, but that is another story.)

Special Rules

Hexennacht takes place at sundown on the night before the First of Flowermoon (analogous to April 30th, or the night before the fifth new moon in the world's lunar calendar). On this occasion:

• All saving throws against necromancy spells are made with disadvantage until the next sunrise.
• All necromancy and conjuration spells are made as though they were cast with a spell slot one level higher than what was actually used until the next sunrise (for example, a spell cast using a second-level spell slot behaves instead as if it was cast using a third-level spell slot)
• All Warlocks gain a free extra Eldritch Invocation until the next sunrise, as their Patrons can reach especially close to them. This applies even to first-level Warlocks who do not have the Eldritch Invocation feature.

 

Magic Items

The Blessed Bow of Saint Kriemhild

Artifact

Among the Cult of Torvald's most favored artifacts is the Blessed Bow of Saint Kriemhild, the yew bow that was used by the saint to fire the arrow that pierced the heart of the leader of the Klareswassen Coven. Although the Bow is one of the many relics now held in the Holy Archives of Lescatie, it has been known to disappear from time to time and appear across the land to find its way into the hands of a worthy champion.

The Blessed Bow has the stats of a Shortbow. Any arrows fired from the Blessed Bow are as +1 Arrows (+1 to attack and damage rolls) regardless of make or origin. Additionally, these arrows have advantage to any attack rolls aimed against a witch, hag, or warlock. On Hexennacht and Saint Kriemhild's Day, the arrows behave as +2 Arrows instead.

Oil of Saint Kriemhild

Potion, Uncommon

On her feast day, the relics of Saint Kriemhild held in her temple in Klareswassen secrete a holy oil bottled by the nuns of the temple and sold to pilgrims for a price of a gold coin (though they are reluctant to sell more than one bottle per visitor per year). The Oil carries the properties of a Bless spell - when applied to a weapon, it grants +1d4 to that weapon's damage roll until the next successful attack, and when applied to a creature, that creature has +1d4 on their saving throws until a successful save is made. If the damage roll is made against a witch, hag, or warlock, or if the saving throw is against a necromancy spell, the bonus is +1d8 instead. Alternatively, the Oil can be used to remove curses (as the Remove Curse spell).