Reasons You’re Gonna’ Want The Northlands Saga Complete
The Northlands Saga Complete is the new campaign guide and adventure path being released by Frog God Games through Kickstarter (
here). It’s being releases in versions for both Pathfinder Roleplaying Game (with the adventure path for levels 1-20) and Swords & Wizardry Complete (with the adventure path for levels 1-13), with the possibility, depending on the Kickstarter’s success and fan demand for a future version in 5e. (Frog God has already released six 5e books,
here,
here,
here,
here,
here, and
here, so we’re definitely leaning in that direction). However, to make all this happen, first we’ve got to make the goal on this first Kickstarter to fund production of the initial versions.
With guys like Ed Greenwood involved in this project and over 800 pages of pure game content (layout is still underway, so we don’t have the final page count yet), there’s no reason not to want it (well, yeah, it’s expensive, but see the above 800+ pages, campaign guide and complete adventure path, Ed Greenwood, stitch-bound by a printer of college textbooks for extreme durability and shelf-life, potential for use as an improvised bludgeoning weapon, etc., etc.). But we still thought maybe we could give you a few more reasons to punish your wallet and abuse your game bookshelf for ~10 lb. of pure viking gaming awesome.
So here goes….
Reason #1. The Hall of the Hearth Stone
The Hall of the Hearth Stone
View attachment 70433
(concept art)
Where the Storm River splits into two branches stands a great stone of pitted black rock that is as hard as iron yet seems to float and bob upon the waters like a giant cork. This rock is known as the Hearth Stone, for legend holds that it was the home of the first Northlanders following Swein Sigurdson, the mold and forge from which the gods made them, and the center of the Northlands. If this is true, it happened so far back in the distant past that none can truly call it naught but legend, save those who come there to call upon the gods, and the godi who have built a mighty godshouse that spans the river.
From one side of the mighty Storm River to another, a massive construction of wood, the only bridge that crosses that great river, straddles both forks of the waterway and brings pilgrims to stand directly above the Hearth Stone. A clan of godi whose ancestors spent 40 years constructing it manages this godshouse/bridge. Pilgrims are allowed entrance, provided they give an acceptable donation. Once inside, they see one of the wonders of the Northlands, for every inch of the structure is carved with depictions of the gods, as well as monsters, villains, and heroes. The entire history of the Northlands can be seen here, and as new events of import occur, they are added, even if a new room needs to be constructed. Young members of the Hearthsons clan spend the early years of their adulthood traveling the Northlands to learn of — and often participate in — important events.
The Hall of the Hearth Stone is a magnificent structure and one of the true wonders of the Northlands. It is a massive wooden bridge that rises high above and spans the waters of the Storm River where they split into two runs at the Hearth Stone itself. The huge construction allows pilgrims from either side of the river to walk across and stand directly above the sacred Hearth Stone below. Over time, additional spans have been added until the whole actually consists of four bridges that meet over the river: one from the north bank, two from the south bank, and one from the central island. The base of each bridge rises from large halls appropriately named the North Hall, the Central Hall, the South Hall, and the Auxiliary Hall. The bridge climbs steeply from the halls to a peak height of 120 feet over the center of the river. In addition to these large structures, the massive frame of the bridge itself supports eight additional halls. These are the central Hall of the Æsir directly above the Hearth Stone, the largest Hall of Memory with its radiating wings, the next-largest Hall of War, and then the smaller Hall of the Vanir, Hall of Tears, Hall of Glory, Hall of Shades, and the largely shunned Hall of the Ginnvættir.
It wouldn’t be a proper adventure path without at least part of it taking place at this sort of location…so, of course, it does. Look for your PCs to become very familiar with the ins and outs of the Hall of the Hearth Stone and the Hearth Stone itself in
NS9: Daughter of Thunder and Storm, which is included in
The Northlands Saga Complete.
