In Norse lore, saying something out loud was to give it form, meaning, and power. That's why fate was often called a "wyrd". The Wyrd of Stromgard is just that- the power to shape heroic tales amidst chaos, violence, and magic.
Built on the Dungeon World ruleset and made from equal parts literature, lore, and legend, Stromgard is a broad world of magic and titanic threats, gods, monsters, and oracles. Above all, it is a rich expansion setting that includes everything you need to run epic Norse campaigns
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In dire times, a special sacrifice was performed to appease angry gods, spirits, or other forces. Called the Blot, this ritual involved building a dais, appointing an overseer, and making an appropriate sacrifice. Most of the time, this was livestock but in desperation, sometimes men, women, or children were used. Monsters and beasts of particular strength were also occasionally used, depending on the force needing to be appeased. The sacrifices were cleaned, annointed with oil or a balm of herbs, before ceremonial blood was drawn with a nonfatal wound. Once this was all completed, the sacrifice would be committed to pyre.
Context
While much of Norse lore has been lost, historical context adds framework to make Stromgard feel real and believable.
Setting
A huge setting of mythical races, worlds, and societies- detailed and intricate but fully customizeable to any game group or playstyle.
Playbooks
10 unique playbooks based on epic figures and archetypes from Norse legend + 7 specialized compendium classes.
Monsters
Illustrated Monster Manual with stats, narrative examples, and in-depth behavioral background
GM Toolbox
An in-depth look at GM 'best practices', strategies, and content tables to make your life easier.
Campaign
Also included is a HUGE 4 part Adventure that pits your part against the forces of Ragnarok itself!
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The Wyrd of Stromgard is available through both DriveThruRPG.com. In addition to the book, you'll be able to find a number of titles to expand your Stromgard campaigns. Many of the products we offered as Kickstarter backer rewards are available- like the community-selected Adventure Fronts and ready-to-print files to make your own GM screen with Camille Kuo's artwork and our handy Dungeon World quick references. Come visit us and check out:
Softcover 6x9" books
PDFs + Easy Print Playbooks
Adventure supplements
Print-your-own GM screen artwork
Miss out on some of our mailing list emails? You can read old emails at the Lost Dutchman email archive!
Go the distance in this exploration and survival themed Adventure Front. Face the dangers of the sea and the and maddening isolation of the unknown or perish in obscurity.
Influencing powerful allies may be your only chance when you're caught between the two most dangerous enemies possible: the Ice Giants and the high gods of Asgard.
A cult stirs deep in the Vidrmaark and warriors from across the realm are vanishing in these haunted woods while a mysterious hunting party stalks the lowlands by night.
If you missed the GM screens and map during the Kickstarter, we've made the files available for you to print your own!
Historical Context
While the lore and ways of pre-Christian Scandanavia may have been obfuscated by the passage of time, the myths and legends that remain still captivate and inspire our fantasy realms. While it isn't possible to achieve "historical accuracy" in most Viking themed games, Stromgard takes an approach that's more focused on the "feeling" of believability. Stromgard's monsters, gods, and people were all inspired by real surviving documents- mostly the Poetic and Prose Eddas (arguably the most well-known collections of Norse myth) but also Beowulf, the Icelandic Sagas, and a few more modern Northern European and Celtic tales.
The Wyrd of Stromgard includes a chapter on historical sources and addresses some of the more prevalant facts and myths about Vikings and pagan Norse peoples. This adds robust framework that GMs and players can utilize in creating characters, pulling from period-typical epic narrative, or simply roleplaying in a believable society regardless of what fantastic elements are also present.
Even if true historical accuracy is impossible, Stromgard seeks to present as believable of a setting as possible- having the academic context and research already prepared helps inform in-game decisions for both PCs and GMs and supports a deeply intricate, dynamic setting.
Setting
The realm of Stromgard is huge and contains a great amount of detail that GMs and players can alter, customize, or influence on the fly. One of Dungeon World's guiding principles is draw maps, but leave blanks and Stromgard was designed to do exactly that- provide players with guidance and structure to support a sprawling, interconnected world and an epic narrative but there is always room for players to add or remove anything they wish without having to wrangle suddenly-nonfunctioning narrative threads. Here's the kind of information the book provides:
Society
The Wyrd of Stromgard paints a detailed picture of what society is like as a backdrop for your adventures- heaviliy inspired by historic accounts, Stromgard lays out world that is multifaceted and engaging, at once rustic and mundane but also fantastic and otherworldly. With plenty of information on economy, power structures, culture, and language players will have plenty of narrative hooks and intriguing details to work with right out of the gate.
Races
Stromgard is also home to several prominent races and a chapter has been dedicated to each of the most populous peoples in the realm- mortal and immortal elves, dvergar and mortal dwarves, gnomes, halflings, humans, and Jötnar (or Ice Giants, as they are sometimes referred to). Each chapter explores their unique histories and creation myths, sub-populations, political relationships, physcial appearances, and cultures.
Warfare
Vikings were most famous for their conquest through Europe and and The Wyrd of Stromgard provides plenty of background to help GMs recreate this turbulent and dangerous period with minimal effort. A chapter on warfare covers common tactics, motiviations, naval capabilities, and cultural influences that take from the tales of historic Viking raids all over the known world.
Mythos
The world tree and it's nine realms are possibly the most iconic features of Norse myth and it has been incorporated into Stromgard in an easy-to-digest fashion without expecting players or GMs to study tons of old manuscripts. Each of Yggdrasil's nine realms is explored succinctly but in detail, along with the gods that preside over them, their rank in the divine hierarchy, and their sphere of influence.
Places
A map and list of premade steadings is ready for GMs to utilize whenever they need and includes tags, detailed descriptions, and locations.
The Arcane
Magic's sway over Stromgard is discussed in a chapter of its own, including entries on Seeing and Wyrd-magic- perhaps not unique to Norse lore but certainly one of the most aesthetically typical facets of it.
Playbooks
The heart of The Wyrd of Stromgard is its unique and detailed playbooks- there are 10 character class playbooks to choose from plus 7 compendium classes for longer campaigns. The playbooks are based on mythological archetypes and take their moves directly from the legendary exploits of their Edda counterparts. You'll find artwork and background information for each, plus everything included on standard Dungeon World playbooks like Bonds, Appearance, Moves, Equipment, and more. Also included is a PDF of printable playbooks so you can easily access and print them out neatly for your table whenever you need.
Class Playbooks
The Bearskin
Channel a ferocious lust for battle and chaos into pure destruction. Terrify your enemies, clear a bloody path to Valhalla, but beware your vulnerability once exhaustion rears its head and your fire burns dim.
The Skald
Learned and respected, you calling is to record the lineage of noble warriors and chieftains, settle matters of law, and sway the people's hearts. It can be hard to tell which is sharper: your intellect or your bladepoint.
The Hunter
Unrestrained and brutal is your devotion to the Wild Hunt and the honor of bringing down worthy kills- you are the judge, jury, and executioner of your personal creed. You repay violence with violence and add interest, striking fear into the hearts of those who earn your attention.
The Stormcaller
A powerful vessel for the essence of nature itself and a conduit for the strength and destruction ice and snow, wind and rain may bring. You are a tempest in humanoid trappings, an avatar of the earth itself.
The Crone
Secret-Keeper, they call you... purify and blight, harm and heal, divine and obscure as you see fit. After all, how can they defend against the shadows and sickness and nightmares you command?
The Fae
Flighty and unpredictable, you live as it pleases you- however that may be- and your deep connection to the forces that govern the worlds makes your powers limited only by your resourcefulness and wit.
The Alfir
A beacon of justice and order in a chaotic world, you are the hand of divine will, an enactor of the gods' justice. The wilds are meant to be tamed and if you're met with primitive hostility, the point of your arrow serves almost as keenly as your sharp tongue.
The Troll
An unfortunate whim of nature leaves you weak to sunlight and victim to the mobs that call you a monster. You are a steward of your ancestral lands and slowly losing even that right as humans populate unchecked. But you could take it back, if you wanted. Your strength is unmatched, the your form inspires terror, and your appetite for flesh play to the mortals' deepest fears.
The Dvergr
Paragon of the dwarves and master craftspeople of all nine realms, you are famed for pragmatism and forging- the skillful way art, science, and magic are woven together to create objects powerful enough for even Odin himself. While your kind is insular and mysterious, the wide worlds offer resources and inspiration, two commodities invaluable to any master artist.
The Jotunnborn
A product of many worlds, you'll find that some are more readily accepting of outsiders and misfits than others. You carry the ancient wisdom of the Jötnar, the first and most ancient people, in your veins and their strength is hard coded into your very flesh.
Compendium Classes
The Seidr
Read the wyrd of any person or object and proclaim the will of fate. Your abilities came with a heavy price but the truth they deliver may be the biggest burden of all.
The Runecaster
Words have always been a source of power in Stromgard, whether they are spoken by a seer or written by the skillful hand of the runecaster.
The Voyager
You took the title of Viking and sailed south to find your fortune, braving the cold expanse of hell that is open ocean.
The Fae-Touched
Lord, what fools these mortals be to take loaded bargains from Faefolk. Not only does it bind them to such capricious creatures but it changes them forever in other ways- the mark of a Fae is everlasting, after all.
The Ulfhednar
When a Bearskin makes a solemn vow to use their wild rage-strength to protect a defenseless charge, they take on this sacred wolf-hood. Pity then that their own fury and power can sometimes be the most dangerous thing on a battlefield.
The Unsavage
Social structure and norms can be quite a tool to leverage, if one were pragmatic and clever enough to utilize them to their own advantage.
The Ghost Rider
Drag the unpunished sinners of the world kicking and screaming to the ghostly calvalcade that is the Wild Hunt. The only thing more satisfying than seeing justice served is presenting these guilty miscreants to the lady of Helheim herself
Monsters
Stromgard is home to a wide variety of monsters and other potential threats and to assist you in roleplaying this dynamic setting, the book includes a detailed monster manual with illustrated entries plus additional monsters as part of the included campaign for a total almost 30 unique monsters to offer your party challenges in any form. Additionally, monsters range in personality from benevolent and skittish (like the Bicorn) to hellbent on spreading pain and suffering (like the Fjöld), to statless, divine beings of pure primordial hate (like Surt). The Wyrd of Stromgard makes it easy to find the right encounter for any situation, environment, and narrative.
GM's Toolbox
The Wyrd of Stromgard also provides tools for GMs managing their parties in a way that offers some support and structure without requiring them to give up creative control. In addition to impactful tables of items specially created with easy narrative extrapolation in mind, you'll also find aides like a name pool, NPC generator, plus an in-depth look at Dungeon World's GM Principles and general best-practice advice that's both practical and effective.
Dungeon World has been widely and deservedly recognized for the way it mechanizes and incentivises fast-thinking, narrative-focused roleplaying with its GM Principles. It reduces a lot of the bulk of overly complex rulesets and focuses instead on common-sense answers while setting the pace to a more collaborative back-and-forth between the world and the characters within it. In The Wyrd of Stromgard, we revisted each ofthe GM's guiding principles, elaborated on their importance, and gave some insight as to how to apply them within the extended Stromgard setting.
Campgain
The Wyrd of Stromgard comes with a huge campgain that consists of four individual dangers. PCs will face the emerging omens of Ragnarok in Danger One and then work through an extraplanar conspiracy, blood feuds, and furious titans before squaring up against the heralds of apocalypse themselves- Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Surt. The adventure front has tons of information to set the stage and get you started, plus every danger has narrative hooks, impulses, major forces/cast, starting points to ask your players, and more. Beyond even this, each danger has unique monsters, equipment, and moves to facilitate epic-level storytelling and roleplaying while keeping the whole endeavor easy to run, highly detailed, and flexible. You can run the campaign exactly how it's written, pick and choose the elements you like best, or simply use it as a springboard for your own tale of cataclysmic danger.
Against Expanses:
Adventure Front
This adventure front has everything you need to run a multi-part campaign: 3 seperate story acts, monsters, items, plus all the moving parts that make Dungeon World's Front system a great organizational tool that really makes your world come to life. Against Expanses is available at DriveThruRPG!
In the Shadows of Giants
Adventure Front
This adventure front has everything you need to run a multi-part campaign: 3 seperate story acts, monsters, items, plus all the moving parts that make Dungeon World's Front system a great organizational tool that really makes your world come to life. In the Shadows of Giants is available at DriveThruRPG!
Blood Eagle's Burden:
Adventure Front
This Adventure Front will pit you against an ancient and mysterious ritual kept by the bloody and feral cult that calls the Vidrmaark- Stromgard's largest and oldest forest- their home. Come face to face with legendary figures like the Horned King and the hunting party of Wodan, plus learn more about the secret society the Hunter class originates from. Available now at DriveThruRPG!
Play Aides
Just because the official distribution has ended for Stromgard's GM screen and map doesn't mean you've missed your chance to get your hands on them. Print-ready files have been uploaded for each of these, meaning that you can DIY your own screen or map at your convenience or have your local printer create one for you. Playbook and Compendium class PDFs come included with purchase of either the digital or print version of Stromgard. Ready-to-print files for the Map and GM screen are available at both DriveThruRPG!
