Eaters of the Dead

[JohnPaulB]

In the archives of Kingdom of Elyntia’s Embasy, a journal was unearthed. It caused great excitement as it was from a nation that Elyntia has had no ambassador for and only known about in myths and legends.

It is the chronicle of Ahmad ibn Fadlan, Bagdad’s ambassador to the Volga Bulgars. However, apparently he never made it there as, he became embroiled in a diplomatic emergency. Seems he met Northmen while escaping Tarters. They inducted him as thirteenth member to rid a northern kingdom of its monsters. This intellectual had to become a warrior.

The manuscript goes on to tell of that campaign by these heroes against their fearsome foes, the Wendol.

[from the movie The 13th Warrior https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120657...?ref_=nv_sr_1]

The 13 Heroes:

Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: }36 Attribute
ST = 12
DX = 13 (10) (9*)
IQ = 12
MA = 10 (6)
Chainmail (3)
Scimitar* 2d *badly balanced by poor craftsmanship
Language: Arabic (his own language)
Language: Old Norse
Talents Weapons: Sword
Literacy - Arabic
Courtly Graces, Sex Appeal, Writing, Mundane Talent - Administrator, Horsemanship
New Talent – Fast Learner IQ 9 (1) **can learn Talent at twice normal speed.
additional Talents (TBD)

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Buliwyf: Commander }42 Attribute
ST = 14
DX = 15 (10) (11*) (9**)
IQ = 13
MA = 10 (6) (5**)
Tough (2)
Plate mail (5)
**Lg Round Shield (2)
*Bastard Sw 2d+1; Two hand 2d+2 Fine Weapon Named Runding = +1DX
War Axe 2d
Language: Old Norse (his own language)
Talent Weapons: Sword, Axe, Bow, Shield
Toughness, Tactics, Strategy, Weapons Expertise-Sword,Horsemanship

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Edgtho the Silent: 2nd in Command & Scout }42 Attribute
ST = 13
DX = 14 (11) (10*)
IQ = 15
MA = 10 (6) (5*)
Chain (3)
*Lg Round Shield (2)
Bastard Sword 2d+1; twohand 2d+2
War Axe 2d
Language: Old Norse (his own language)
Talents Weapons: Sword, Bow, Shield,
Alertness, Expert Naturalist, Woodsman, Tracking, Stealth, Tactics, Horsemanship

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Herger the Joyous: Translator }42 Attribute
ST = 14
DX = 14 (11)
IQ = 13
MA = 10 (6)
Scale (3)
Bastard Sword 2d+1; twohand 2d+2
Halberd 2d
Horse Bow 1d
Language: Old Norse (0 his own language)
Talents Weapon: Sword, Axe, Pole, Bow, Shield
Missile Weapons, Shield Expertise, Sex Appeal, Charisma, Horsemanship
Languages: Latin, Tarter, German

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Skeld the Superstitious }39 Attributes
ST = 14
DX = 14 (10)
IQ =11
MA = 10 (6)
Half-plate (4)
Bastard Sword 2d+1; twohand 2d+2
Horse Bow 1d
Language: Old Norse (0 his own language)
Talents Weapons: Sword, Axe, Bow, Shield, Horsemanship

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Weath the Musician }37 Attribute
ST = 13
DX = 14 (12)
IQ = 10
MA = 10 (8)
Leather (2)
Bastard Sw 2d+1; Twohand 2d+2
Horsebow 1d+1
Language: Old Norse (0 his own language)
Talents Weapons: Sword, Axe, Bow, Shield
Mundane Talent - Mandolin, Horsemanship

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Rethel the Archer }38 Attribute
ST = 12
DX = 14 (12)
IQ = 12
MA = 10 (8)
Leather (2)
Broadsword 2d
Long Bow 1d+2
Language: Old Norse (his own language)
Talents Weapons: Sword, Axe, Bow, Shield
Missile Weapon, Horsemanship
Comments: The boy is Rethel’s Nephew

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Roneth the Rider }36 Attribute
ST = 12
DX = 13 (10)
IQ = 11
MA = 10 (6)
Chain (3)
War Axe 2d
Language: Old Norse (his own language)
Talent Weapons: Sword, Axe, Pole, Bow, Shield
Horsemanship, Expert Horsemanship

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Halga the Wise }38 Attribute
ST = 13
DX = 13 (9)
IQ = 12
MA = 10 (6)
Halfplate (4)
Tough (2)
Bastard Sw 2d+1; twohand 2d+2
Small Axe 1d+2
Language: Old Norse (his own language)
Talent Weapons: Sword, Axe, Bow, Shield
Toughness, Architect/Builder, Horsemanship, Seamanship, Naturalist, Mundane Talents (various)

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Helfdane the Fat }37 Attribute
ST = 13
DX = 14 (10)
IQ = 10
MA = 10 (6)
Halfplate (4)
Broadsword 2d
Small Ax 1d+2
Spear 1d; twohand 1d+1
Halberd 2d
Language: Old Norse (his own language)
Talents Weapons: Sword, Axe, Pole, Bow, Shield
Horsemanship

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Hyglack the Quarrelsome “Olaf” }37 attribute
ST = 13
DX = 14 (10)
IQ = 10
MA = 12 (10)
Halfplate (4)
Tough (2)
Fur Cape (1)
Broadsw 2d
War Axe 2d
Language: Old Norse (his own language)
Talents Weapons: Sword, Axe, Bow, Shield
Running, Toughness, Seamanship, Horsemanship

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Ragnar the Dour }35 Attribute
ST = 12
DX = 13 (11)
IQ = 10
MA = 10 (8)
Leather (2)
Broadsword 2d
Small Ax 1d+2
Language: Old Norse (0 his own language)
Weapon Talent: Sword, Axe, Bow, Shield
Horsemanship

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Haltaf the Boy (Rethel is his uncle) }34 Attribute
ST = 10
DX = 15
IQ = 9
MA = 10
Horsebow 1
Dagger 1d-1
Hammer 1d+1
Language: Old Norse (his own language)
Talent Weapon: Sword, Axe, Bow
Missile Weapon, Horsemanship


===================

Wendol (Generic) }31 Attribute
ST 13
DX 10 (9)
IQ 8
MA = 10 (9)
BearSkin (1) Covering back, sides and head
BearClaw Mace 2d-1
Spear* 1d *thrown
Feathered Pilum* 1d-1
Spear Thrower +2 damage & Missile Weapon
Torches 1d-1 as club; 1d-2 as fire;
Language: Wendol (his own language)
Talents Weapons: Axe/mace; Pole-Weapon; Spear Thrower
Area Knowledge or Running, Horsemanship

Some of the smarter Wendols have Accute Hearing, Alertness, Silent Movement, Toughness, Tracking, Naturalist, Mundane Cook.

The brightest might have Architect/Builder and build bridges; Physicker

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Wendol Leader }41 Attribute
ST = 14
DX = 14 (13)
IQ = 13
MA = 10
BearSkin (1) Covering back, sides and head
Tough (1)
BearClaw Mace 2d-1
Language: Wendol (his own language)
Talents Weapons: Axe/mace; Pole-Weapon; Spear Thrower
Tactics, Strategy, Weapon Expertise - Mace, Stealth, Silent Movement, Naturalist, Tracking, Running, Alertness, Acute Hearing, Charisma, Horsemanship

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Wendol Mother }35 Attribute
ST = 10
DX = 12
IQ = 13
MA = 10
Poison Claw* 1d-2
*Weapon Poison = 3 dice extra first; 2 dice next time, 1 die third time.
*Wendol Poison = as above, but for every 2 hour untreated, a limb goes numb (can’t be used, GM selects which one), then torso. After 12 hours the heart stops.
Language: Wendol (her own language)
Talents Weapon: Knife
Charisma, Priest, Acute Hearing, Healer (Physicker), Detect Lies, How to make poison

__________________________________

Wendol are an ancient mixed breed of prehistoric Neanderthal (Primitive Men) and Orcanthropus (Primitive Orcs). They are strong, surly and not very bright like the Neanderthal, but stronger and dumber than Orcs. Unlike Orcs and most Neanderthal, Wendol are hunter-gatherer tribes, though a few have created fixed villages. At least one of these villages, at a waterfall, has built wooden bridges across chasms. They have domesticated horses which they let roam on ranges.

Wendol are very similar to Orcs – just more primitive and with a tendency towards cannibalism and eating other sapient species. They tend to have more and coarser hair, sharp teeth (or actual fangs) and claws instead of fingernails. They are also tough, greedy, and quarrelsome. Each Wendol domain (covering some dozen or so tribes) has an Earth Mother priestess that guides their spiritual center via a totem. The Bear totem is common. The Domain also has a Warleader which is the supreme leader for war and hunting raid.
When raiding, the raiding party attacks silently only during a night of misty fog. About a dozen will attack a house or hall.

One Tribal Domain is the Bear Totem. It’s tribes wear bearskins (with the head as the hat part of a full cloak) and claws still on (acts as Leather armor for back and sides at -1 Dx). Their favored weapon is a Claw Mace (a fixed ball club with sharpened claws). They also use pilums and spears with a spear chucker. They go raiding for head trophies or food (eating their victims) or to push back interlopers. They take the heads of their victims. They do not leave any of their own Wendol behind, dead or alive.

They occasionally unite their tribes for a special purpose, like a war party to clear a domain of enemy.
The war party likes to attack at night, in the misty fog (just like a raid). The war leader will lead several hundred torch carrying warriors on horseback that are side-by-side. When seen at night in the fog from a distance, this line looks like a Fire Worm coming down from the hills. Attacks like this cause survivors to report scary tales of monsters.

__________________________________

Buliwyf: Lo, there do I see my father. 'Lo, there do I see...
Herger the Joyous: My mother, and my sisters, and my brothers.
Buliwyf: Lo, there do I see...
Herger the Joyous: The line of my people...
Edgtho the Silent: Back to the beginning.
Weath the Musician: Lo, they do call to me.
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: They bid me take my place among them.
Buliwyf: In the halls of Valhalla...
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: Where the brave...
Herger the Joyous: May live...
Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: ...Forever.

[TippetsTX]

This is very cool. Love the adaptations... especially love the fact that most of the characters fit perfectly into they 'veteran' range for heroes in my own game (37-42 points).

Only one suggestion... I think the default Wendol should be a bit more formidable.

Awesome work!

[JohnPaulB]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

This is very cool. Love the adaptations... especially love the fact that most of the characters fit perfectly into they 'veteran' range for heroes in my own game (37-42 points).

Only one suggestion... I think the default Wendol should be a bit more formidable.

Awesome work!

The generic Wendol are the run-of-the-mill blokes. All I did was average the Listed Orcs and Neanderthals. Wendell are Tech Level 0/1; Stone Age.

Those Wendol that are hunters or warriors would be their hero versions, which would work their way up the experience point ladder. So I might expand it to:

Wendell (Generic Warriors) }34 Attribute
ST 14
DX 12 (11)
IQ 8
MA = 10 (9)

This is keeping in mind that, for a war party that has perhaps a hundred or more, having higher Attributes would overwhelm our heroes by their sheer quantities. Again, the above is generic warriors. Beef up those who have gained experience points.

[JLV]

Very well done!