Chapter 2: The Wall & The GiftUnknown FactsThe direwolves had made their den near the Wall in a cave that actuallyled to an old tunnel. A mudslide covered the entrance so that they couldnot escape. They’ve been traveling underground for days, looking forthe surface, which led them to this side of the Wall. If the rangers try totrack it back, they can find a tunnel that leads through to the Far North,partly natural and partly manmade.OppositionThe direwolves are hungry, disoriented, and anxious. If they are not capturedor killed, there is a breeding pair still alive that could re-establishthe presence of direwolves in the Gift. There is no human opposition tothis ranging. Every other day, a new death of an animal or human willbe reported until the animals are stopped.Possible ResolutionsWhile it is most likely that the direwolves will be killed, it is possiblesomeone may wish to capture one or more of the animals, whether forbreeding or training purposes. Attempts to use Animal Handling onthem are at a –1 given their situation. The most likely scenario for successfullycapturing a direwolf will involve getting ahead of it and layinga trap—drugged meat, a pit trap, etc. Whatever method is used, though,the direwolves must be eradicated from the Gift before they can do anymore damage or establish a foothold.Early FrostThe wildlings wander from place to place, keeping ever on the move tokeep from stripping the land bare by staying too long in one place innumbers. Some clans are more settled than others, having major campsthey move between throughout the year. Others move constantly, stayingno more than a fortnight as they roam the Far North. There areexceptions, though: hermits or families (or both) who chose to keepsmall farms or holdings, staying in one place despite the free folk’s wayof life. Some of these are Westerosi who wish to escape the obligationsof having a lord and master; some are just free folk who choose a differentpath. Regardless, there’s something a little off about all of them,living outside the rules of even free folk society. The rangers trade withthese where they can: food, goods, but mostly information.SetupOne of the more Ranger-friendly people north of the Wall is a mannamed Faldyr. Adopted as a child and raised within the Black, he ranaway the week before he would have taken his oath. He vanished fortwo years and was presumed dead, then was met by a patrol on a Ranging,loaded down with furs. He still refused the oath, but offered totrade furs and information for trade goods for as long as the rangerswere willing. Never one to turn down a reasonable resource, the LordCommander approved of the arrangement. Once every quarter, a patrolstops by to see Faldyr in his small but snug abode and make their regularexchange.On this trip, however, something seems wrong. Faldyr normallymeets the patrol a half-mile from his place, bringing them back if it’ssafe. There was no Faldyr at the meeting point, however, and his housestands empty. There’s food on the table, though, and the ashes are stillwarm on the hearth. Whatever happened to him, it happened recentlyand he’s probably not too far away.ObjectiveFind out what happened to Faldyr and see to his safety, if needful.Known FactsFaldyr’s only known family is Thom, a brother who serves on the wall.He and Faldyr were found together, sick and suffering. A patrol broughtthem both back and nursed them to health. Thom took the oath even afterFaldyr ran. The brothers remain on good terms, though, and Thom makessure he’s one of the party to trade with Faldyr whenever he can. Faldyrtrades not just with the rangers but also with some of the nearby free folkclans. They might suspect that he also trades with the rangers, but thus farhe’s stayed a step ahead of any suspicions. Neither culture trusts him fully,regardless. He’s a skilled trapper and ranger and spends weeks at a timeaway from his home, gathering pelts and greeting his free folk “neighbors.”He has been living like this for five years, seven total since he left the Wall.During the last five he’s never missed a meeting, not even in the worstweather. For him to do so now is worrying, to say the least, with the latestKing-beyond-the-Wall and the gathering of the clans.Faldyr’s home is scarcely big enough for three people to sit in and notfeel crowded. His furniture consists of a bench, a stool, and a pile of furson the floor for a bed. There’s a tanning shed out behind the rough cabinfull of skins in various stages of preparation. Examination of the roomcan find half-dried bloodstains amid the furs. A successful Survival testcan find blood spoor leading out into the woods. It’s snowing, so thecharacters will have to move quickly not to lose the trail.TerrainOnce the rangers are within two hundred feet, they’ll hear grunting andyelling as though someone is in pain. Faldyr is up ahead at a small, temporaryfree folk campsite, tied between two trees and being tortured bythree men of the free folk. The group has set up a campsite in the midstof light woods. Faldyr is shirtless and has burn marks across his torso.There’s a wound across his shoulder blade and dried blood in streaksdown his back. They are pressing hot blades to his flesh and asking himquestions in their language. He shakes his head, says something shortthrough chattering teeth, and then they burn him again.BBTracking: Tracking the blood trail operates as per the descriptionof the Track Specialty, in Chapter 4: Abilities & Specialtiesof the SIFRP core book. There has been a light snow recently, andthe terrain is considered firm earth. It is currently snowing, as well.Unknown FactsThe leader of the Nightrunners, Quel, suspects that Faldyr is a spy ofthe <strong>Watch</strong>, planted among the free folk. He’s been watching Faldyr for67
Chapter 2: The Wall & the Giftsome time. His metal weapons, his goods, his ways of speaking: all ofthese have made Quel suspicious of the young man. He sent a group ofthree bandits to capture Faldyr and find out whether he was selling outthe free folk or not. Quel’s hesitant to kill the young man outright—hisfurs and hides are valuable and no one knows the woods better than hedoes—but he wants to make sure that Faldyr learns a lesson about whatit can mean to cross him.OppositionThere are three free folk scouts (page 96). Use the scout template forFaldyr as well. They will leave Faldyr tied up during the fight—therangers can cut him down, but that will be considered proof of his collusion.Quel’s men will use Faldyr as a hostage if the fight turns againstthem and they have the opportunity. Killing him wasn’t the plan, butneither was a patrol of rangers showing up.Possible ResolutionsThe appearance of the rangers is exactly the evidence Quel and hismen need to prove Faldyr a traitor. The rangers will need to kill theNightrunners and dispose of the bodies or somehow mislead the freefolk in order to keep them from reporting back. If word of the rescuegets back to Quel, Faldyr will continue to be a target. Alternatively,Faldyr could join in fighting against the rangers, if only for appearance’ssake.Should the free folk win, they’ll force Faldyr and a surviving rangerto fight in order to prove himself. If Faldyr won’t kill the character,they’ll kill him. Either way, Faldyr’s time as a local resource for the rangersis likely at an end, at least for now.Stocking the LarderThe <strong>Watch</strong> does a brisk business in importing foodstuffs—anythingthat can be preserved or salted or smoked or packed is purchased inthe South or sent as provender by the Houses that still remember theirobligations to those that man the Wall. That said, meat is one of thoseitems that is always better the closer you get it to home. The <strong>Watch</strong>has its own facilities for slaughtering, smoking, or otherwise preservingmeat. They buy animals from the farms in the Gift, especially for specialoccasions when the treat of fresh meat will be a welcome morale boosterfor the men.That said, even with the declining numbers of men on the Wall, thedemand for fresh meat on the part of the men outstrips the ability ofthe Gift to supply it on a regular basis. To supplement, the Lord Commanderarranges hunting parties once a month. In addition to theirregular rangings, the patrol carries horses and packs to bring back peltsand meat. Elk, bear, and boar are favorite prey, but anything is welcome,even hares or squirrels in sufficient quantity.SetupA patrol returns after two weeks away with one of the Brothers badlywounded and lame—he took a tusk through the thigh after stumblingacross—and subsequently being attacked by—a huge boar in the woods.A fresh patrol of stewards and rangers is being sent to kill the boar andbring back what they can for the larder.ObjectiveThe objective is to track and kill the boar, taking as little damage aspossible in the process.Known FactsThe boar caught the last patrol by surprise; the brother who was goredwill probably walk again, but nothing but the blessings of the Sevenmade it so. It must be old to have tusks so large. It was last seen about aday’s ride out from the Wall to the north-northeast.TerrainThe terrain is wooded, with no clear lines of sight among the trees. Thewoods are light with clumps of bracken and blackberry thickets.Unknown FactsThe boar is not merely an old boar but a direboar. Larger, smarter, stronger,and faster than regular boars, direboars are rare even north of theWall. They cover a huge amount of territory in their travels and aresolitary creatures, particularly the males. The females will live with theiroffspring for up to two years, or until they reach maturity, at whichpoint they will drive off the young. They are surprisingly agile for theirsize and their tusks are legendarily prized—the last pair held by the<strong>Watch</strong> were presented to Queen Alysanne.OppositionThe direboar has not been through this part of its territory in some time,but it is here now and has no particular intention of leaving. It will,naturally, defend itself if it fears it’s being attacked. Direboars are notgreat communicators, and rarely withdraw once engaged in battle. Firewill force a retreat, but very little else will.Unknown FactsThere are really only two possible resolutions here: the patrol eitherkills the boar and the Brothers eat boar sausage on and off for amonth, or the patrol gets gored and trampled into the forest floor,hopefully managing to crawl back to their horses and make it safelyto the Wall.StatisticsDireboarAdult direboar males such as this one easily weigh five hundred pounds,with the females being slightly smaller. Direboars are aggressive andshort-tempered. They typically avoid human contact, but will attack ifthreatened or agitated. They are unknown south of the Wall and regardedas merely a legend.68
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