The Sleepless Path

LOCATION AND ENCOUNTERS

DAVOKAR BROODS LIKE A RESTLESS GIANT. For the people

of the northern colonies, regardless of whether the grand
city of Thistlehold or a ramshackle outpost, the threat of the
dark forest looms ever present. For them, the guardians of
the Sleepless Path are an uneasy necessity; a line in the dirt.

BY PAUL BALDOWSKI

This product was created under license. Symbaroum and its logo, are trademarks of Fria Ligan AB. This work contains material that is copyright Fria
Ligan AB and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Free League Workshop.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2019 by Paul Baldowski and published under the Community Content Agreement for Free League
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Matthew Keadle (Order #23156084)

 THE SLEEPLESS PATH

A LINE RUNS FROM THE RIVER EBLIS, ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF

NARUGOR, through Thistle Hold, then onward west to River Kastor (which
flows into the River Eanor in the bristling edge of Bright Davokar, between
Thistle Hold and Melima). Along this line, every 3000 paces (or roughly 5
kilometers), a rough tower of dark wood timbers rising high above the ground,
on a level with the treeline to the north. In total sixty towers, in various states
of construction and repair, stand along the line, each manned by a constant
guard and commanded by a tornföra, a temporary assignment of guard duty
rarely seen as anything more than punishment. Captain Dekamedo, at Thistle
Hold, takes particular relish assigning soldiers with temperament issues to a
three month station at a post, sending them further out if he takes a dislike to
them personally.

The Construction of a Post

Not dissimilar to the form of the windmill on page Ladders or stairs serve to allow access to the highest
249 of the Core Rulebook, with a considerable level, with the observation platform just short of the top
increase in height. Across the array of towers, the above which nestles a beacon. The beacon only burns in case
construction varies considerably, with similarities of emergency. To light a beacon at any other time would be
only in the most basic skeleton of construction. to invite unwelcome visitors from Davokar or the ire of the
witches – who seem to tolerate the Posts much of the rest
As many of the trees on the outskirts of Davokar
of the time.
rise to 50 meters in height, each Post must also rise
to the same and higher. A wide flat base of packed dirt The most basic towers use wood throughout aside from
and stone serves as a solid foundation for the tower. the stone foundation. Some will reinforce the lower levels of
The corner posts of each tower consist of whole tree the tower with rough or worked stone, creating something
trunks sunk into the base. closer to a fortification.
Most commonly, the core material for the Posts Further development often involves digging a trench or
comes from the wood of the towering Tetch or dark ditch around the base and constructing a low wall, either of
timbered Ironbone trees, transported from the wood or stone, to hinder would-be attackers. In such cases,
lumberyards on the edge of the Volgoma and carried, the furnishings will include a plank or board to assist with
by sail, up the Eblis. Most trees on the southern entry that the guard can withdraw.
bounds of Bright Davokar run too green for In truth, such effort to construct walls and ditches
construction purposes, though they’re fine for provides work suited to distracting and occupying the
weatherproofing and furnishing the interior. attention of the guard. Captain Dekamedo could care less
The majority of towers have an ‘office’ for the about the tornföra’s efforts, though the guard themselves
tornföra in the lower section and an observation may take some pride from a wall or ornamentation that sets
platform at the top. The office at the base of the Post their Post apart from the more basic examples.
provides basic accommodation and storage for the
stationed guard, with bunks or simple pallets for BUILDING TOUGHNESS BREAKPT FORTIF. V.
sleeping, a fireplace for warmth and cooking, and
basic furniture. Post 10 10 15
All guards will have a small strongbox for holding
personal possessions, but most would be best advised Fortified Post 20 15 20
to bring nothing of value with them.
Each section of the tower consists of reinforcing
cross-beams and/or platforms at roughly 3-meter
intervals.

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 THE SLEEPLESS PATH

The Sleepless
The death magic that aided the Dark Lords in the sunder necessitates a baseline level of equipment. They wear
of Alberetor did more than just render the soil infertile light and sturdy all-weather clothing with leather jerkin
and raze whole cities to dust. and half-helm. They carry bows, with which they display
dependable expertise. Literally sleepless, the dead have
Most soldiers will have thei own spin on the stories.
time to improve their skills, though they lack the
They will tell of battles won where the Queen’s forces
flexibility in their muscles to achieve masterly control.
rested in the aftermath, mending armor and licking their
wounds. As the soldiers settled about the fires, an As well as access to the beacon – which the team at
ambush would come from all sides as the enemy the Post keep clean, cleared from bird waste and topped
returned, risen from defeat. up with oil – the observation platform has a rope
connected to a muffled bell below. In the event of a
The forces of the Dark Lords would serve until
situation or attack, the bell brings warning to the
reduced to little more than shredded flesh and shattered
tornföra without drawing attention upon the Post.
bone. Indeed, some were little more than roiling clouds
of blood and viscera, no less effective on the battlefield The Sleepless serve until deterioration renders them
than in life. incapable of serving further. Those who reach the end of
their usefulness may take a final role as scouts with
The influence of the dark magic spread, like a
Ranger units or hunters roaming the bright edge of
contagion, to the people – and as they traveled north to
Davokar. Better to go out fighting than decay away into
escape, they carried the infection. The sickness, borne on
a state of dysfunction.
the wave of refugees, became apparent later. Whether
from falls in the passes or when starvation meant
travelers did not wake from their cots, come the dawn NEW BURDEN - SICKLY SCENT
the dead stood up. The character carries a posy of scented flowers or herbs
intended to cover the aroma of decay or some other
THE SOLUTION disagreeable affliction. The character gets a -1 penalty
on all Discreet tests when sneaking or hiding, and on
When the Queen tasked Duke Junio Berakka with
Persuasive in close social encounters, due to the negative
mounting a northern defences against the horrors of
association.
Davokar, he saw potential in the death sickness. The dead
could watch without rest, without reward. They were the
Sleepless. The Sleepless
They are not abominations. The Sleepless continue Manner Quiet, focussed, sullen
to seek some measure of purpose and free will. Yet they
are cold, without breath or flowing blood. They do not Race Human (Undead)
tire; despite unsettled public sentiment, they serve a
Boon/Burden Night Perception, Sickly Scent
valuable purpose.
Accurate11(-1), Cunning 10(0), Discreet 13(-3),Persuasive 5(+5),
The resources simply do not exist to man a defence
Quick 10(0), Resolute 9(+1), Strong 7(+3), Vigilant 15(-5)
of this scale across the southern expanse of Davokar. The
Sleepless serve, by sun and moon, to ward the boundaries
Appropriate Backstab, Beast Lore, Hunter’s
of the great forest and warn of impending threat.
Abilities Instinct, Marksman, Rapid Fire,

IN SERVICE TO THE QUEEN Recovery, Sixth Sense, Tactician

Two Sleepless serve as lookouts at every Post. Eight Weapon Composite Bow 5 (deep impact)
tornföra serve their time, each responsible for oversight
Armor 2
of three towers, judging each for its need of repair,
refreshing the beacon oil or replacing the Sleepless who Defense 8
decay beyond use.
Toughness 10 Pain Threshold 4
Each man owes his allegiance to both the Duke and
Equipment Weatherproof cloak, Whistler arrow
Mayor Nightpitch, though they swear their oath to the
former and receive coin from the latter. Shadow Thoroughly corrupt
Those with good sense serve their term in the hope Tactics Use Advantage of height to strike
they might return to duties in Thistle Hold or one of the hard, pinpointing problem targets
other settlements dotting the length of the east-west
assisting the guards on the ground.
road. If not that, aspiration to a term in the more
comfortable surrounds of Otra Senja or Dorno serves to
help a bone-chilled tornföra through the dark nights.
While most civilians would not consider the dead
warrant special attention, keeping them from decay

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 THE SLEEPLESS PATH

Encounters in the Eaves

1. A well-dressed woman on horseback, with the livery Investigation finds the body of a traveler with a knife
of a south Narugorian baronry, stops at the Post and embedded firmly in their back. Cold to the touch and
hammers up a wanted poster. The poster offers a stripped, they lie at the foot of a tree into which have
reward of 100 Thalers for the delivery, dead or alive, been cut symbols that look like writing (they're 1d4:
of someone that the members of the Post know well 1 Elf, 2 Troll, 3 Beggars' Cant, 4 Symbarian). Tracks
enough from a previous interaction, to whom they (1d4: 1 Booted, 2 Clawed, 3 Barefoot, 4 Blooded) lead
owe a favor, money or at least respect. to and from the body, heading off deeper into
Davokar.
2. Venturing out to one of the Posts within the trio
managed by the group, the player characters find 9. The Sleepless report that mid-way along the road
that the forest has belched forth new growth and toward the next tower, a cart has stopped on the
surrounded both tower and the road. The trees look road. Though difficult to make out with a spyglass,
decades old, the undergrowth thick and thorny. it looks like the cart has suffered damage and spilt
Several of the towers minor supports appear to have its load. Investigation finds, 1d4: 1 A lone trader
sprouted new growth and the ground around the pinned beneath the cart, 2 The cart deserted and a
Post feels sticky with sap. couple of spilled and broken boxes of earth lying on
the road, both with footprints leading toward the
3. A juvenile beamon (The Witch Hammer, p66)
Post the characters just left, 3 A mock-injured decoy
wanders along the road toward the Post, crying for
feigning distress, with a half-dozen Robbers and
attention. The young beamon appears to be, 1d4: 1
their Chief (Core, p211) lying in wait to rob anyone
Undernourished and ill-kept, as if lost for some
approaching, 4 A cart with a wheel missing and a
time, 2 Wounded by exposure to a poorly conceived
twisted cage, the owner frantic for the welfare of the
trap, part of which remains embedded in the flesh
large animal escaped from it.
of its hind quarters, 3 Brash and arrogant, as if
seeking to define this road and area as part of its 10. The player characters wake to find the Post
territory, likely seeing the members of the guard at surrounded by a dozen brightly painted caravans
the Post as potential competition, 4 Oddly coloured, and tents belonging to traveling goblins. Their
with strange painted swirls and patterns in the thick number includes both young children and what
fur on its back, as if it might be an escaped pet or a goblins would consider their elderly. The goblins do
witch's familiar. not speak Ambrian and seem to feel they have a
right, by tradition, to use their site as their own; at
4. To the north of the Post, the Sleepless report pale
least for the next couple of weeks before they plan
lights in the distance gathered around in a rough
to move on into the eaves of Light Davokar.
circle, like a meeting by torchlight. The lights
number at least a dozen and meet at the same hour 11. Half-a-dozen guards escort a dozen men and
each evening. women, all manacled to one another. They all pass
by without a word. Twenty minutes later the bell
5. The Sleepless spot a spire north-east of the Post,
rings and the Sleepless report seeing a gout of oddly
visible above the treeline, a mile from the road. The
coloured fire. If investigated, the player characters
spire was not there the previous day or any time
will find half of the guards burned to death, their
before that - and it tomorrow it seems taller!
flesh charcoal black and still hot. Everyone else,
6. A mating pair of Wraith Owl (The Witch Hammer, guards and prisoners alike, have vanished, with
p67) make their nest in the eaves of the lookout of tracks leading into the forest to the north; close to
the central Post of the trio. They intend to lay eggs the eaves, scattered and broken manacles lie
if left undisturbed, of which they will become discarded on the ground.
agressively protective. During the first four weeks,
12. By day, Vigilant player characters spot that a small
they function as if possessing Berserker (novice).
group of travelers return along the road more than
During the second four weeks (after the eggs hatch),
once. If challenged, they explain that they have lost
they function as if possessing Berserker (adept).
one of their number and seek only to track them
7. A traveler approaching the Post, heading in the down, describing them if offered help. In the
direction of Thistle Hold, reports that the road back evening, Vigilant (-3) player characters hear the
half-a-mile had a queer and pungent smell about it sound of someone mounting the tower and will find
and signs of a scuffle with blood smeared grass. They the same group with nooses - or, if too slow or
made all haste on making the find. They did not inattentive the Sleepless dangling by their necks
experience an attack, but they admit to feeling a from the beams of the lookout, arms bound, legs
sense of being watched. Perhaps the next traveler jerking. The travelers claim the dead have taken
coming through this way will not be so lucky, as their livelihood and must be sent to their final rest.
something seeks to mark its territory. They resist, if attacked, as Fortune-Hunters
(Corebook, p215).
8. The Sleepless spot a glint in the forest, several
hundred paces to the north-west of the Post.

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13. A woman hammers on the door of the Post, yelling the eaves of Davokar to get here - and even then
for help. She claims that bandits robbed her and the ground seemed soft and unstable. Inspecting
her husband, leaving them for dead. She has the sink hole finds a deep crater, the ground
serious defensive wounds to her forearms and beneath riddled with collapsed passages like some
heavy bruising. She leads the player characters to monstrous termite mound. 1d4: 1 The burrowing
her husband who does indeed appear close to death has been caused by Black Plague Termites (The
and requires medical attention. If he dies, then the Witch Hammer, p67) and their presence has caused
woman will need an escort to the nearest the surroundings to fester with the encrouching
settlement. If he doesn't die, the player characters corruption, 2 The passages have been created by a
will need to find a way to transport them both. nest of Dragoul who have been attracted by what
appears to be a death pit containing hundreds of
14. A thin, dirty and wretched man, dressed in tattered
corpses, left by Ambrian troops years back who
clothes with a wild mess of grey hair, hammers on
slaughtered Jezite escapees, 3 The passages seem
the door of the Post demanding food, water and a
to be part of a roughly constructed bandit lair, only
place to sleep for the night. He clearly hasn’t
recently abandoned after they dug too far and too
washed for days, by the smell of it, and will take
deep for the structure to support itself, 4 The
provisions offered without word of thanks or
tunnels appear to be ancient and partially flooded,
gesture of goodwill. How the player characters
the water undermining the supports and causing
treat him might have a notable impact on the
the collapse. The flooding appears to have been
length of their service, as this man is a member of
caused by damming of a stream within Davokar.
the Duke’s personal guard (stats as melee fighter
of Challenging expertise - or identical to 18. A well-dressed woman on horseback with livery
Wrathguard Karohar, The Witch Hammer p51) out from Mayor Nightpitch’s own personal retinue
to assess the loyalty and goodwill of the Posts. rides up to the Post and the she delivers a hand-
written message. The letter, from Captain
15. A riderless horse wanders into range of the Post,
Dekamedo himself and stamped with the Mayor’s
spotted by the Sleepless. The mount feeds a
own seal, announces that the Post has been
distance from the Post, but player characters can
selected for a special drill. The player characters
approach if careful, skilled or with a Hard Discreet
have three days to prepare before the wargames
test. The horse has full tack, with saddle bags
begin, after which they will be attacked by the
containing the gear of a treasure-seeker, including
(non-player character) teams from the Posts on
a valid Explorer’s License covering five (5) people
either side of their own.
exploring for a month. In addition, the player
characters find half-a-dozen gold coins, clearly 19. Late in the evening, any player characters outside
not Ambrian in origin, a pale blue gemstone, and will witness a few small critters darting out of the
a map with a trail that leads into the depths of forest, across the distance to the road, and then
Davokar. 1d4: 1 The map is genuine and leads to an bounding on, heedless, to the south. As time
almost untouched ruin, 2 The whole thing is a passes, they witness more of the same, but as the
setup designed to allow bandits to ransack a Post evening progresses the number of beasts
with minimal attendants, 3 The map is a fake increases, as does their size. Within an hour, they
intended to lure unwary treasure-seekers into the witness the first large animals, including an Aboar,
forest to become the next target of bandits, 4 The several large wild dogs, and then what looks like a
map is genuine, but has been planted by members small dragon - actually a Kanaran. It seems clear,
of the local barbarian tribe to trigger a dispute with even to someone without any special skills (like
Thistle Hold over local boundaries. Beast Lore), that the creatures are fleeing the
forest, escaping something far bigger or a great
16. Come the next meal time, the player characters
deal more frightening than some common
find their prepared food rancid and their
predator.
provisions spoiled. They find all their stores
inedible and, if they try to forage, they find the 20. A Hunger Wolf and a pack of Jakaar (Core Book, pg
same true of local game, berries, roots and other 251-252), numbering twice the size of the player
items. Prepared food smells bad and even character group, emerge from the forest and the
preserved edibles have gone off. Live game appears Sleepless sound the bell. The Wolf, a Shapeshifted
fine, but on closer inspection (a Hard Cunning test Autumn Elf, tells the player characters they must
or someone with Beast Lore or Bushcraft) seems abandon the Post immediately or forfeit their lives.
sick. Given the range and extent of the rot, it must If questioned, the Elf assures the player character
be something unnatural. this is no threat but he will not tolerate
disobedience on their part. They have until the sun
17. Travelers following the road toward Thistle Hold
sets to get out. A Persuasive test notes a hint of fear
report that thirty minutes back along the road a
in the lead Elf’s words and expression.
sink hole has opened up. The collapse forced the
travelers to come off the road the travel through

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Matthew Keadle (Order #23156084)