An eddy ripples upon a mountain lake.

Crows caw in
the distance. Something moves in the twilight wood-
land, close and unseen. Are you ready to embark on a
new journey in a realm unknown?

the tinderbox demo

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

THE TINDERBOX DEMO

back this kickstarter

1
 deceivers that prowl the wild regions of the world, preying
WHAT is THIS GAME on the lost. Things that have not been seen in the Dales for
ABOUT? centuries, and that most Dalespeople ascribe to folk tales.
Legend In The Mist is a rustic fantasy roleplaying Something is watching over your shoulder, in the darkness
game in which you play a companion in a band of of every hollow log. Observing. Expecting. Something is
travelers who set out on a journey to unravel the se- wrong outside of the Dales. It seeps into the creeks, flick-
crets of the lands beyond their home. For this demo, we
ering in the starry sky. You feel it in your bones. An ancient
calling, and with it – an imminent doom that will be the
will use the companion setting of Hearts of Ravens-
beginning of a long journey...
dale, but you can use this game to play in any setting.

While you may play as one of the strange beings that in- WHAT do YOU DO in THIS
habit the Wanderlands or even as a powerful and mysteri-
ous thaumaturge, it is more likely that you begin the game GAME?
as a denizen of the Dales, a remote mountain community You and your companions go on a journey: either you
that has lain undisturbed by the outside world for centu- are curious about the world beyond the Dales, or a ter-
ries. rible revelation propels you on a quest to save your
A farmer, a cook, or a member of the local guard, your home. On your path, you traverse the countryside and
entire life has been lived in the Dales, perhaps even in one wilderness, scale natural obstacles, befriend and trade
village. All you know is the till of the land, the mirth of with locals and wanderers, and explore the ruins of
summer festivals, and glorified stories of a minor skirmish the past. You face off with wild beasts and sometimes
that happened long ago. And the wind, you know the wind: much worse, encounter eerie and cryptic beings that
in your hair, in the barley, in the rustle of the leaves. Some- nevertheless teach you valuable lessons, and every now
times it blows in unexpectedly, bringing dreams of faraway and then make a discovery that changes your world.
lands that drift away just as quickly. You know the glimmer
of sunlight on the gushing brook – and that will matter,
where you’re going. That’s the crux of it: you change, you grow, and the bonds
between you deepen. With every challenge you endure
Lately, however, the wind has changed. It wail as it blows and every world-rattling truth revealed, something in your
through the ruins of an ancient tower. Shadows move deep heart deepens. With every difficult choice that you make,
in the forest. A crow calls at dusk. A mysterious chill still you learn, little by little, who you are. And this self-know-
grips the nights. There is a sense that what has slept so far, ing will be put to the test, during your journey and at the
is now awakening. end, when it matters most.
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

This brings back memories of old tales, of a kingdom

fallen, and of the Creatures of Twilight, monsters and
LEGEND IN THE MIST

2
WHAT ACTIONS CAN my HOW do YOU PLAY?
CHARACTER TAKE? You and your group sit around the table and play
out this rustic fantasy story scene by scene, like a fire-
Depending on their abilities and background, your side tale, but you don’t know in advance how each
character could influence others, fight, sneak, climb, scene will end. Each session could have a handful of
explore, tinker with equipment, and so on. In time, scenes. You could play a one-shot session or a series.
unique items, acquired traits, or true hard-earned
power can give them uncanny abilities akin to those
of the Thaumaturges or the Creatures of Twilight.
Most of you will be players, each portraying one of the
protagonists, a player character (PCs).
One of you will be the Narrator, setting the scenes and
Your character’s abilities, qualities, and assets are defined
portraying non-player characters (NPCs) as well as all
by four sets of short descriptions, or tags. Each of the four
the Challenges your characters face: adversaries, hazards,
sets focuses on a single theme, a core aspect of your char-
mysteries, and dangerous situations.
acter, and each tag describes something that your character
is, has, or can do, such as strong, a worn backpack, or cook Your conversation will be guided by some rules. The
incredible meals. outcome of your characters’ actions will be determined by
your tags and by rolling dice, as well as the choices of the
When the time comes to take action, you count up your
Narrator.
tags that directly help you take that action; the more
directly relevant tags you have, the better the outcome.
Taking actions is explained further below.
. ESTABLISH > ACTION > CONSEQUENCES
Special tags called statuses mark transient conditions, When playing a scene, your conversation follows a set
such as wounded, mesmerized, or blessed, describing your rhythm:
character’s situation and at the same increasing or decreas- The MC establishes (or reestablishes) the scene, presenting
ing your ability to take actions related to this description. new Challenges and/or making Threats with them, and
Statuses have a tier that determines their intensity, ranging then gives one of the players the spotlight.
between 1 (mild) to 6 (deadly or permanently transforma-
tive). The player in the spotlight describes the action their
character takes and often rolls the dice to determine the
outcome.
Depending on the outcome, or if Threats were ignored,

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

the MC then delivers Consequences. Sometimes the MC
allows the player’s character to react in order to mitigate
those Consequences.
This turn sequence repeats itself, passing from one play-
er character to the next like a suspenseful tale switching
between protagonists, until the scene ends and a new scene
begins.

THE TINDERBOX DEMO

3
 TAKING ACTION HOW do I OVERCOME
Determining the outcome of an action can have three parts
or layers – narration, roll, Effects – and the MC chooses CHALLENGES?
whether to use one, two, or all three. Like a good storyteller, In many cases, overcoming an obstacle or a Challenge,
they choose whether they want the action to be resolved such as sneaking past a guard, only requires succeeding
quickly or to track it in detail, like in a blow-by-blow fight, with your roll. You don’t need to get into the nitty-grit-
a word-by-word argument, or a step-by-step exploration ty with every action. This is called a Quick Outcome.
of a ruin. Your game easily switches between the narra-
tive and the tactical, whatever works best for the scene. Whenever the MC decides to track a Challenge, your
approach to overcoming that Challenge is represented by a
Limit, which is the maximum tier of a status this Challenge
. DESCRIPTION: All actions begin with the player de- can take before being overcome. For example, the Limit to
scribing their action. convince a bandit leader to stand down is convince:4 while
the Limit to defeat them in battle is wounded:3.
For casual or risk-free actions, that’s all that is needed. The
Narrator confirms, and the scene continues. This is often Limits can also track any process: the progress of a ritual to
used for actions to perceive the scene, move around, or con- awaken a malevolent stone circle (complete:3), traversing
verse in a low-stakes environment. a swamp (traverse:5), or training an animal companion
(train:2). When the Limit is met or exceeded, the process is
. ROLL: If the action you narrate is dangerous or dramatic, completed, and something important or dramatic happens.
the Narrator will ask you to roll for it. You first determine To overcome the Challenge in each of these ways, you give
your action’s Power by counting up the tags that help you it a status with a tier that hits or exceeds that desired Limit.
do the thing: You get +1 Power for every helpful tag and -1 Use Effects like Attack, Influence, or Progress to give the
Power for every impeding tag. You also add the tier of the Challenge the right kind of status. In the above example,
best relevant status and subtract the tier of the worst relevant that would be convinced-4 or higher, or wounded-3 or high-
status. er, traverse-5 or higher, and so on.
You don’t have to hit the desired Limit with a single status,
You then roll two six-sided dice (or any two Legend In The
because statuses stack. When you give a status for the first
Mist dice) and add the result to your Power. If it’s 10 or more,
time, mark its tier on a Fallen Leaf Tracking Card and
you succeed without Consequences; 7-9, succeed but suffer
attach it to the target. When the same target takes the same
Consequences; 6 or less, you suffer Consequences without
type of status again, mark its tier on the same card. If the
any benefits.
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

tier is already marked, mark the tier on the right. The tier
. EFFECTS: If the degree of success is important, such as of the status is the highest tier marked on the card. For
example, giving a Challenge banished-2 and banished-2
when tracking a Challenge, the MC will ask you to spend results in banished-3; the next time you give them ban-
your Power on Effects. You then get to buy specific Effects ished-2, it will push the status to banished-4.
for your action, adding or removing tags and statuses from
yourself, your opponent, or your allies. You can Attack to
give your opponent wounded or subdued; Influence them to
give them convinced or threatened; Boost yourself with an
emboldened status; Create a healing salve; Restore a hexed
ally by removing cursed; and more. See the full list of Effects
below.
Each status tier costs 1 Power to add or to remove, and
every tag costs 2 Power to add or to remove.
LEGEND IN THE MIST

You can also spend 1 Power to Discover a valuable detail

in the scene or to perform Extra Feats that enhance or
flourish your described action.
That’s it - there is only one kind of roll in this game, and
yet every roll is different because different tags come into
play, based on the action, your abilities, and the situation.

4
the CONSEQUENCES
After each action, if it had Consequences or if your
crew ignored incoming Threats, the MC will strike
back with negative developments that complicate your
character’s life. The most common Consequence is ma-
terializing a Threat that was established, like an at-
tack landing or a trap springing. Other Consequences
include narrative complications (“You’re spotted!”),
side effects, exhaustion, harm to allies, and so on.

Optionally, the MC can add negative Effects to the Conse-

quences, giving you statuses that make things harder for
you, such as injured-4 or scared-2 or burning your tags
temporarily. The MC doesn’t have to spend Power – they
can dish out any Effect, depending on the Challenge you’re
facing and the circumstances.
You too have Limits: if you take a tier 5 status, you’re out
and can’t take actions affected by that status. If you take a
tier 6 status, you’re either killed or forever transformed by
it.
If your character has some capability to avoid or withstand
the Effects of Consequences, the MC may allow you to try
and mitigate them by taking a reaction in the same way
you take an action: describe how you react, count up the
Power of your reaction, roll the dice, and, if you roll 7 or
more, spend your Power to buy the negative Effects down.
If you roll 10 or more, you gain 1 more Power to spend.
This defensive reaction roll only happens when you take
Consequences and only when the MC deems it possible.

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

the CHALLENGES
Challenges – adversaries, hazards, and dangerous situa-
tions – act in the scene using Threats and Consequences,
instead of having their own turns. In scenes where the
player characters are facing risks or attacks, the MC makes
Threats with the Challenge(s) in the Establish phase and
then makes good on them in the Consequence phase, if
those Threats were not addressed by the player’s action.

Each Challenge has a profile that lists their Limits as well

as typical pairs of Threats and Consequences that rep-
THE TINDERBOX DEMO

resent their abilities and common interactions with the

player characters.
Challenges can also have their own tags and statuses that
affect player actions against them or affect player charac-
ters ability to mitigate their Consequences. A giant spider
Challenge can have the status evasive-2 that reduces the
Power of actions to attack them, and a mysterious archer
with witched arrows reduces the Power of player characters
to mitigate their arrow-shooting Consequences.
5
 CHARACTER GROWTH MAKING SACRIFICES
As your journey goes on, your charcter grows in two sepa- In Legend In The Mist, you’re only limited by what
rate ways. you’re willing to sacrifice – power options let you
control the narrative in critical moments, at a cost.

. EXPERIENCE: Whenever you or the MC invoke one Before you roll, you can voluntarily burn one of your own
of your weakness tags, you lose 1 Power on that roll but tags to get 3 Power instead of 1 Power for that tag. Mark
mark a circle on that theme’s Experience track. When it’s the flame icon right of that tag until you take action to
full, you reset it and gain a new tag or a new Improve- recover it.
ment, a rule unique to you. You can also push a 10+ outcome on your roll by accept-
ing Consequences to get 1 more Power to spend on Effects.
. PERSONAL STORY ARC: Your character has a
motivation for each theme, some of which are conflict-
ing in a way that can drive them to make difficult choices. BACKPACK
Choosing to sacrifice something important to uphold your You don’t track the number of coins or arrows you have,
motivation leads you to mark Experience. Choosing to act or write down every piece of gear you carry. Like in a
against that motivation can lead you to mark a box on that story, your tags only show important gear or major assets
theme’s Decay track. When it’s full, you replace that theme your character owns, things that could change the story.
with a new theme: one aspect of your character is lost
while another emerges, dramatically changing the tags and
actions available to you and how your character is played. Whenever you camp, before setting out on the road again,
This is how your character grows and evolves together with you take a Packing moment to choose three tags from your
the story. Backpack Theme that describe specific highlighted items
that you decided to pack. This doesn’t mean it’s all you car-
Themes are divided into Origin, Adventure, and Great- ry, only that these highlighted tags represent gear that you
ness, or respectively: themes that define who you are in as a player want to focus on during your journey.
your roots; themes that define your growing ability to
shape the world; and themes that describe your mastery While on the road, you can use your chosen tags in a
over some aspect of the world. This demo includes only roll like all other tags. When you camp again, you “un-
characters with four Origin themes, but the Legend In The pack”, losing these highlighted tags – unless you decide
Mist Core Book will include rules about creating starting to pack them again when you set out.
characters with Adventure and Greatness themes, who are
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

more experienced or powerful than your typical Dalesper-

son.
As you replace themes, your character can grow and gain
Adventure and Greatness themes, or go back to their
roots, replacing mightier themes with Origin themes. This
doesn’t make your characters weaker or stronger – they still
have the same number of tags – but it shifts the focus of
what actions they take are more likely to have more Power
and therefore a greater impact on your journey.
LEGEND IN THE MIST

6
 EFFECTS
Against an Opponent or a Target

attack disrupt influence weaken

Slash, punch, Blind, confuse, shock, trip, Convince, threaten, Break, sunder,
lay a curse, shoot interrupt provoke, mind control neutralize, silence

Give your target a harmful Give your target a Give your target a Remove a target’s useful
status hindering tag or status compelling status tag or status

1 Power per tier 1 Power per tier 1 Power per tier 1 Power per tier
2 Power per tag 2 Power per tag
For Yourself or for an Ally

bestow create enhance restore

Teach, empower, Craft, find, purchase, Assist, aim, boost, Heal, repair,
enchant, equip summon, rally take cover rejuvenate, undo

Give yourself or an ally new Create a new object or being Give yourself or an ally a Reduce a harmful status or
abilities using tags using tags helpful status recover a burnt power tag

2 Power per tag 2 Power per tag 1 Power per tier 1 Power per tier
2 Power per tag
On a Process Other Effects

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

advance set back discover extra feat
Make progress, get closer, push Delay, ruin, sabotage, Sense, recall, research, con-
forward reverse verse

Decrease a progress status Discover a valuable detail 1 Power per additional feature
Increase a progress status
or minor achievement includ-
1 Power per detail ed in the action
1 Power per tier 1 Power per tier

Against a Consequence
THE TINDERBOX DEMO

Block, dodge, shield, absorb 1 Power per tier

mitgate
Reduce or cancel incoming Effects 2 Power per tag

7
 FOR the MASTER of CEREMONIES:
CHALLENGES , THREATS, CONSEQUENCES
Anything that gets in the way of the PCs could be a Challenge. Pre-written Challenges have a Pro-
file that lists some Threats that they can pose and the Consequences they deliver, but the MC can also im-
provise based on what’s happening in the fiction. Here are a few examples of common Challenge behaviors:

. ATTACKER: Someone who wants to hurt the PCs physically, mentally, socially, etc.
threats: Drawing a weapon, aiming a weapon, preparing to make a statement or revelation, speaking an incantation
consequences: Landing an attack, giving the target a harmful status

. A BARRIER OR HAZARD: An obstacle that is in the path of the PCs.

threats: Barriers or Hazards are often passive and do not pose Threats.
consequences: The Barrier or Hazard harms those interacting with it (give a status), becomes harder to pass (give itself a
tag or status), or alerts new Challenges.

. A CHARGE: Someone or something that the PCs must defend from other forces.
threats: Being under attack, being at risk of harm such as tipping on the edge of a chasm, being restrained
consequences: The Charge is harmed (give a harmful status); the Charge is killed, destroyed, or taken

. A COUNTDOWN: Something that will happen in a few moments or that advances towards a crescendo, like a person
hanging off a ripping bridge or a ritual.
threats: Preliminary events, time passing, a clear indication of how another increment is about to happen
consequences: The countdown advances (give a progress status), the countdown ends and something happens

. A MYSTERY: Something the PCs want to find out but is not evident and may even be hidden from them.
threats: Mysteries are often passive and do not pose Threats.
consequences: The mystery becomes harder to solve (give a status such as PC becomes confused-2 or a witness becomes
tight-lipped-3)
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

. A PURSUER: Someone who is chasing the PCs down.

threats: Indication of accelerating, moving into hiding, ready to pounce
consequences: The Pursuer reaches the PCs (ready to pose a worse Threat), or, if tracked, reduces the tier of the distance
status between them.

. A QUARRY: Someone or something that the PCs need but is getting away.
threats: Searching for an escape route, marked/coveted by a third party, disappearing in the underbrush
consequences: The Quarry flees the PCs, or, if tracked, increases the tier of the distance status between them.

. A TEMPTATION: Someone or something that tries to get the PCs to act in a certain way.
threats: Beckon the PCs, begin to converse or communicate with the PCs
consequences: Give the PC a social or influence status. If they act against it, it reduces their Power for that action.
LEGEND IN THE MIST

. A WATCHER: Someone or something that is patrolling, looking for the PCs, watching the PCs, or trying to assess
their true intentions.
threats: Walking closer, looking your way, catching a scent, becoming suspicious
consequences: The Watcher find the PCs, discovers something about them (intentions, equipment, plan), or gains the
alert status

8
other CONSEQUENCES
If you didn’t make a Threat, or if you think it’s not the right time for a Threat to materialize, you can deliver these
Consequences based on the player’s action, rather than the Challenges in the scene. Each Consequence below has a sug-
gested Effects, but many times the story complication is trouble enough for the PCs and you don’t need to add any Effects.

. COLLATERAL DAMAGE: The action of the PC unintentionally affects something or someone that the PC did not
want to affect.
effects: Give an ally a negative status or burn its tags.

. DIVULGING INFORMATION: While taking the action, the PC betrays vital information to their adversaries
(their location, their identity, their intentions, their plan of action, etc.)
effects: Give the Challenge an advantageous tag or status.

. EXPENDITURE: The PC expends resources (stamina, arrows, ingredients, etc.) in the process of taking the action.
effects: Give the PC a negative status or burn their tags.

. EXPOSURE TO A NEW THREAT: In the process of taking the action, the PC came under Threat from another
Challenge or a new Threat from an existing Challenge.
effects: Give the PCs a negative surprised status.

. HARM: The PC was harmed during the course of their action.

effects: Give the PC a harmful status.

. IMPERFECT EXECUTION: The PC didn’t get everything they wanted out of the action, e.g., information is in-
complete, a concoction has only some of the intended effects, etc.
effects: None.

. LOSS OF ADVANTAGE: The PC lost an advantage they previously had or worked to achieve.
effects: Remove the PC’s beneficial status or burn the PC’s beneficial tag.

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

. SIDE-EFFECTS: The PC’s action had unexpected or unwanted results.
effects: Create an impeding tag in the scene or give the PC a negative status.

. WASTED TIME: The PC spent too much time on this action, missing other opportunities or opening themselves to
nearby danger.
effects: Give a progress status to a Countdown in the scene.

THE TINDERBOX DEMO

9
 THEMEBOOKS in THE ADVENTURE
CORE BOOK How experience has changed you, or how you’re inherently
a part of a greater world.
This is a current draft list of the themebooks planned for
Legend In The Mist Core Book; the final list may vary.
• PRODIGIOUS SKILL: An expertise that sets you
apart from others.
• DUTY: A grand quest, allegiance, or obligation you
have undertaken.
ORIGIN • RELIC: A magical item that has changed your path in
The things close to your roots, that make you you.
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

life.
• CIRCUMSTANCE: Your background, standing, or • UNCANNY BEING: Being a supernatural creature
way of life. or entity.
• PAST: Something important that happened to you. • THAUMATURGY: Use Prodigious Skill, Relic, or
• DEVOTION: A person, group, or ideal to whom you Uncanny Being.
are loyal.
• MYSTERY: A secret about you. GREATNESS
• PEOPLE: Your heritage, tribe, culture, or nation. The things that make your actions far-reaching and im-
• POSSESSIONS: Item(s) in your possession. portant to the fate of the world.

• PERSONALITY: Your temperament, behavior, or • RULERSHIP: Your authority over a land or people.
style. • DESTINY: Something you are fated to do or achieve.
LEGEND IN THE MIST

• TRADE & SKILL: Something you do well. • MASTERY: An art you have become the greatest
• TRAIT: An inherent quality unique to you. exemplar of.

• HEDGE MAGIC: Use Mystery, Possessions, Trade • MONSTROCITY: Sheer size or power of your trans-
or Skill, or Trait. formed body (e.g., a giant, a dragon).
• GRAND THAUMATURGY: Use Mastery.

10
 a SHADOW in
THE BARLEY

PLAYERS, TURN BACK.

This section is for the Master of Ceremonies
and contains major spoilers for the Hearts of
the BACKGROUND
Ravensdale setting and campaign. For centuries, the remote villages in the Dales, and the
village of Ravenhome in particular, have been isolated
from the world at large. Life went on without much per-
il, except for the everyday dangers of work in the fields
and village affairs. To the Dalespeople, it seems this quiet
life has always been this way. Perhaps somewhere out
in the world, beyond the Wanderlands, there are great
and miraculous things happening; here in the Dales,

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

miracles and adversity are small and mundane. Every
few years, a traveler from outside the Dales might pass
WELCOME MASTER through and bring strange tales with them, but they leave
of CEREMONIES! quickly and their fanciful stories are promptly forgotten.

Legends of the treacherous Creatures of Twilight and

the Great Thaumaturges of old are nothing more than
This is a short adventure with three scenes that you could a fireside tale for most Dalespeople. The vast majority of
run for your group in one or two sessions to get a taste of them spend their entire life without ever thinking of such
the Legend In The Mist roleplaying game. Before you read things, let alone encountering them. However, there are a
this, read the Tinderbox Demo rules given above. This few remaining practitioners of the Oldways who still retain
adventure is designed to be used with the three Tinderbox fragments of knowledge from those bygone days, when
Demo characters – the Red Marshal, the Wise One, and the Dales were more involved with the outside world. The
THE TINDERBOX DEMO

the Apple Picker – or any other player characters who are followers of this passed on tradition were charged with
villagers from the village of Ravenhome, in the southwest keeping the dangers spoken of in the old tales from seep-
of the Dales. ing back into the Dales. But as the centuries passed their
numbers dwindled, their faith faltered, and their memory
faded. Today, they are too few and know too little to up-
hold their ancient duty.
This is no coincidence; the world is changing, and far out-
side the Dales the old powers are once more awakening,

11
 after an age-long slumber. It can be felt in the air, by those This adventure revolves around the moment when three
who listen and sense: a storm is coming. unassuming Dalespeople become embroiled in the first en-
counter in centuries with foul forces from outside the Dale,
Specifically relevant to this adventure, an ancient, fester-
and are called to set out on a journey to reveal the source
ing miasma from the marshes to the southwest has seeped
of these malign influences in order to protect their home.
into the water under the Dales. Taking root in the sunken
It is a moment of awakening, of stirring, a kindling of the
ruin of a watchtower from the days of an ancient kingdom,
soul; and at the same time a moment of grave danger, the
it awakened the bog corpse of a guard (or guards) who had
rise of a great threat to all life in the Dales.
lain at the bottom of the waterlogged structure, spurring
them to emerge from the ruin, seek out human life – and
snuff it. This dead Waken Sentry has made its way to the
nearby bucolic village of Ravenhome, where it is about to OPENING SCENE:
turn the small world of our heroes on its head.
the FIELDS
The story begins in the fields outside of the village of
Ravenhome, in the dale known as the Ravensdale. On what
seems to be an unexciting, overcast autumn morning, our
companions all happen to meet on the road by the fields.
LEAVE IT UNNAMED But this innocuous roadside meeting takes a horrifying
turn as the long-dead guard of the old kingdom staggers
When you as the MC describe an unfamiliar
onto the field.
phenomenon to the players, it’s easy to revert
to tropes that everyone knows. For example,
you can describe the Waken Sentry to your
players by saying “it’s basically a zombie with 2
ROADSIDE MEETING
hit points.”. While this sort of familiar language Start by Establishing the scene. Present at the
could be great for a purely tactical game, it scene are the three heroes to be. You can read these
really does little to create the atmosphere of a descriptions to the players now and have them
fantasy story. pick out a character if they haven’t done so yet.

In Legend In The Mist, the sense of wonder and

mystery can be enhanced by never naming • THE RED MARSHAL a member of the scouts
strange phenomena. The companions don’t order of the Dales, was assigned to guard Ravenhome.
know what they are facing and so, to increase While trained as guards, most Red Marshals, includ-
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

the immersion of the players, you consciously ing this one, only ever face a house fire, a wild animal
avoid calling it by a specific name. You can de- run amok, or a robber once every few years. This
scribe the Waken Sentry as “this dead, ancient Marshal is bored, and eager to prove their worth.
sentry” or “a dripping, groaning bog corpse” • THE WISE ONE, a reclusive apothecary living over
or describe Sorrowbalm as “this outlander”. the hills to the south, coming into the village every
Don’t be tempted to use worn out definitions; now and then to sell their wares and treat the sick.
even when the players take action and reveal They know much more than the others about the un-
what something really is, continue to describe seen world, and have been sensing a change in the air,
it with detail and flavor while always circling even if they can’t put a name to it. But their tradition
around an actual name: “It’s a remarkably of the Oldways has been much diluted as it was passed
preserved body, which seems to have been in down over the centuries, and their brothers and sisters
water for a very long time. What gives it the have been neglecting their duties of late.
power to move, you do not know; but surely
it is something foul and powerful, more than • THE APPLE PICKER, a rascally young orphan
LEGEND IN THE MIST

you’ve ever seen before – and you’ve seen a adopted by the people of Ravenhome, who is always
looking for an opportunity to pull a prank. More
focused on the here and now, this resourceful and deft
youth nonetheless holds great potential, especially
when it comes to creatively using the apples they seem
to always carry with them everywhere.
Also present at the scene is a Non-Player Character (NPC),

12
Willow, a child from the village (known to all three
companions). She is playing in the barley fields that have
WHAT AWAKENED THE
recently been partially harvested, close to the edge of the DEAD SENTRY?
tall, unharvested barley.
There is not a lot in the collective knowledge of
Give the spotlight to the players and have them present the Dalespeople that can explain what exactly
their characters, greet each other on the road as their is the dark ooze that infected the body of the
characters, and have some small talk. Most of these actions Waken Sentry. Only the Wise One, with their
should only require Narrating, as nothing dramatic is hap- Oldways tradition, can discern that it is a liquid
pening yet. Perhaps one of them already wants to take an carrying some kind of malignancy, some spirit
action worth Rolling for, such as the Apple Picker pulling a or influence of rot and decay, which at its core
prank on the Red Marshal. seems to be hungry to devour.
Continue Establishing, Taking Action, and, if needed, Only an exceptional recollection (perhaps
delivering Consequences until you feel it’s time to esca- represented by a great roll) would conjure back
late the situation by presenting new Challenges. to their mind the notion that such evil was the
fallout of an ancient war, fought among the
Great Thaumaturges.
the CHALLENGES
There are three Challenges in this scene:
• THE MYSTERY of what is moving in the barley (the
Waken Sentry)
• AN ATTACKER, the Waken Sentry, a rotting bog the WAKEN SENTRY
corpse, brought to life by dark, unseen forces, and
Eventually, reveal the Waken Sentry Challenge, whether as
who will soon emerge from the barley
part of Establishing the scene, as a reward for a successful
• A CHARGE, Willow, who is in danger of being at- player action to identify the danger, or as Consequences.
tacked by the Sentry
As the Waken Sentry emerges from among the tall blades,
DANGER in the BARLEY the companions see a shambling, water-drenched human
carcass stagger toward them. Its face is mummified and
When you next Establish the scene, at the most opportune
blackened by rot, and it dons the rusty remains of some
time, describe Willow letting out a blood-curdling scream.
resplendent armor from a bygone age. It is armed with a

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

She is speechless, shuddering, and can only point at the tall similarly corroded sword, which it angles at its victim as it
barley with paralyzed, quivering lips. If coaxed, she will lugs forward, squelching putrid water with every step.
say she saw something moving in there, wailing the words.
Once revealed, the Waken Sentry will attempt to cut down
any living soul in its path, a wicked synergy of its old duties
Use Willow’s scream and the strange feeling in the air as and the life-devouring miasma festering in its dead body.
intentionally vague Threats, letting the players know some- It does not feed on flesh, however; it is driven by a strange
thing is coming. call to consume and bring ruin to all that is good. When-
The PCs may take action to calm Willow down or to find ever you Establish, pose Threats with the Waken Sentry to
out if anything is hiding or moving deeper in the field. keep the players on their toes.
These actions can be resolved as Quick Outcomes (Nar- The common ways to overcome the sentry are described
ration + Roll), or, if you wish, add Effects to quantify by its Limits, but you can come up with new Limits on the
the result. For example, you could ask a player to use the fly if your players find creative ways to do so, for example if
THE TINDERBOX DEMO

Discover Effect to quantify just how well they can perceive they attempt to cleanse it from the miasma or restrain it. If
what’s in the barley. one Waken Sentry isn’t challenging enough for the com-
panions, you can reveal another one when you Establish
again.

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 LEGEND IN THE MIST

14
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio
 and tell the Ravenhome people about the Waken Sentry,
the FIELD THAT HAS the entire village is soon assembled at the tavern and a
CHANGED FOREVER panicked discussion begins about what to do about this
reviled and dangerous “Creature of Twilight” (that is how
Once the Waken Sentry has been overcome, ask the people of the Dales refer to all strange beings).
the players how their characters feel about what
just happened, and what their thoughts are.
WHAT MUST be DONE?
The companions may have questions, to each other and There are three distinct voic-
about what is going on. They may take some actions to es among the cackle of concerned villagers:
investigate the Waken Sentry, where it came from, or what
animated it.
The Red Marshal might attempt to track the Waken Sentry ALDERMAN BEAKS, the offi-
back to its point of origin at the Sunken Watchtower. cial head of the village, is a glib-
• THE WISE ONE could use her Oldways wisdom to tongued man with an affinity for
assess the nature of this thing, and perhaps discover peace and quiet. He would like to
the oozing pitchy substance it has been submerged in. reassure the people of Ravenhome
that there is no danger whatsoever
• THE APPLE PICKER knows the area well and can and deal with the matter privately.
recall that the closest body of water is the pond in the If the companions have no proof,
ruins of the Sunken Watchtower. and especially since the prankster
• NOW THAT THE IMMINENT DANGER IS Apple Picker is involved, Alderman Beaks would be the
OVER, you don’t need to make any Threats, but such first to question whether the Waken Sentry is real.
investigative actions can still yield Consequences (see
Other Consequences, above). ALEONORA, the retired Red
Marshal who used to guard Raven-
There are two natural conclusions to this scene: the com- home before the Player Character
panions may go to Ravenhome, perhaps escorting little Red Marshal arrived to replace her,
Willow safely to her family and warning the villagers, or is excited by the prospect of seeing
they may try to seek out where this Waken Sentry came and facing a Creature of Twilight
from and why. This could lead them to the Sunken Watch- in battle, even if her glory days
tower, whether they surmise directly where to go, or they have passed. She would like to rally

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

go to the Wise One’s abode and pass by the Watchtower on a band of Ravenhome villagers, arm
the way. Choose the next scene based on their choice. them with pitchforks, and head out to search for other
Waken Sentries. Her mind wanders not so much towards
BACK at glory, but towards the danger and exhilaration of battle,
and perhaps even a swifter and bright ending to her life.
RAVENHOME MACKROSS, a frightful Raven-
The village of Ravenhome is set in the heart of the home local, is an alarmist who has
breadbasket dale of Ravensdale, a small but fer- always been fearing all manner of
tile valley where barley fields stretch to the feet calamities, almost obsessively, and
of the hills and apple orchards dot the landscape. has been mocked by his peers for
that. Now that such a “calamity”
is at hand, he is convinced that he
THE TINDERBOX DEMO

Walking back on the familiar path into the village and wel- has always been right and push-
comed by its shingle-roofed houses and the scent of wood es to flee the village before it is
fires, some of the companions are perhaps considering overrun by these “vile monsters”, offering the large town of
what is to be the fate of this place, now that such horrors Barleytown as a refuge.
walk the Ravensdale. Ask the players what their characters
are thinking about, as they are engulfed by the sounds of
afternoon activities in the village.
If the companions arrive at the village and share the news
about what they have seen or if they allow Willow to return
15
 the CHALLENGE
There is a single Challenge in this scene which re-
flects the Concerned Villagers (Countdown) as
well as the three prominent voices among them.

If the companions try to avoid the discussion or sneak out

and fail, they might be forced into participating by the vil-
lagers, who want to learn all they can about the incident at
the fields. If they are interested in influencing the outcome
of the discussion, the Challenge becomes the focus of the
scene.
• ESTABLISH the scene, and make Threats with one
of the three community leaders.
• GIVE THE SPOTLIGHT and have the players take
actions to push the popular opinion here or there
(create a new Limit if the PC’s approach isn’t covered
by the existing Limits). Whenever the companions
make a statement that is opposed by either of the three
prominent Ravenhomers, use their tags (see under
Tags in the Concerned Villagers Challenge Profile)
as negative tags to reduce the Power of the players’
actions.
• USE CONSEQUENCES to advance the Limits that
are opposed to the approach the players are advocat-
ing for. The first Limit that is reached determines the
course of action chosen by the assembly.
The first Limit that is maxed out determines the course of
action the villagers will adopt. Note that the Concerned
Villagers start with panicked-1, giving Mackross a leg up.
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

a SAD DEPARTURE
The choices that the companions make and their success
or failure in steering the village of Ravenhome dictat-
ed how this scene ends. Describe the repercussions of
the assembly to the players. That evening, the com-
panions may see the people of Ravenhome depart in a
lantern-lit caravan of carts, fleeing north for the fear
of the Waken Sentry. Or, a band of villagers led by Ale-
onora carrying torches and pitchforks go fervently into
the night seeking trouble they do not fully comprehend,
as a heavy sense of impending tragedy fills the crisp
night air. Or perhaps everyone is at their homes, behind
LEGEND IN THE MIST

barricaded doors, fearing whatever prowls the fields.

Whatever the outcome is, Ravenhome is forever changed.

Use this moment to spur the companions into action: can
they find out where the Waken Sentry came from, and
why? Or, if possible, do they join the villagers?
The next morning, before the companions depart again, al-
16 low them to take a moment of Packing, and pick three tags
from their Backpack theme to activate. These tags could The part of the building which is now above ground was
prove useful against the dangers that are to come. originally its third story; over the years, the ground level
of the tower has sunk deep into the muddy earth. A murky
pond, presumably several stories deep, now fills the base
the SUNKEN of the tower. The tower belonged to a kingdom of old that
existed many centuries ago in the days of the Great Thau-
WATCHTOWER maturges. That is all folks know about it, and even that has
been forgotten by most.Footprints and tree limbs chopped
As the companions make their way to the Sunken Tow- with a sword betray that this is the place from which the
er (whether by following the tracks of the Waken Sen- Waken Sentry emerged and the foul smell of the pond
try, by surmising it came from there, or any other way), confirms it. The companions peer into the impenetrable
they begin to ascend the chain of hills that encloses the cloudy water – knowing answers are at the bottom.
valley of Ravensdale. As they make their way on the But someone else is nearby. Surprising the companions, a
forested mountain trail, they leave behind the gold- slender and wide-eyed woman wearing outlandish clothes
en barley fields and chartreuse orchards that stretch approaches them with an offer: she needs help to retrieve
far into the distance under ominous, gathering clouds. a family heirloom from the bottom of the pond, and she is
willing to trade what she knows, or anything in her posses-
The trek takes a few hours, not quite enough to be consid- sion, if the companions are willing to help.
ered a journey. After a while, the curve of the hills softens,
and the trees tighten their ranks. Even for an old recluse
like the Wise One, there is always a strange presence in
these woods; something unseen, whispering. And it is
whispering louder than ever now.
At last they arrive. There in the dense woods stands jutting
out of the earth the decrepit stone walls of a circular build-
ing, now a ruin. There are no doors, only a window or two.

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

THE TINDERBOX DEMO

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 Once at the bottom of the pond, a diving PC could take an-
the CHALLENGES other action to find the source of the poison that infected
There are three Challenges in this scene: the Waken Sentry: a crack in the ground, through which a
dark, oily liquid is seeping up from the ground. If bottled,
• THE BARRIER of the Pond in the Tower, a pool it can later be found to be the poison that saturated the
tainted by a foul miasma, which holds the answers the body of the Waken Sentry. Also at the bottom is a rotted
companions are seeking wooden chest, decorated with the same carvings and met-
allurgy that adorned the Waken Sentry’s armor.
• AN ATTACKER, the Poisoned Wurm, a snake
twisted and made monstrous by the miasma in the While exploring the bottom, a companion is exposed to
pond danger. First, they have a limited supply of air and risk
drowning. Second, they must spend another action to
• A TEMPTATION, a strange outlander called Sor- ascend, which is hindered by the entangling plants in the
rowbalm, who wants the companions help with re- pond and the weight of the heavy chest, if the companion is
trieving a chest from the bottom of the pond in return carrying it out. Third, the Poisoned Wurm will assail them,
for goods or information craving to devour or at least poison a human life.

DIVING IN the OUTLANDER’S WISH

The answers about the Waken Sentry that the com- As the companions prepare to dive in, they
panions seek – where it came from, why it stirred to are approached by a stranger (Sorrowbalm).
life – are at the bottom of the pond. To get there, a
PC must take an action to dive to the muddy bottom.
Without introducing herself and with an almost mischie-
vous tone, she will offer to pay the companions with coin
or knowledge if they retrieve the chest at the bottom of the
pond. She claims it contains a family heirloom and that
WHO, OR WHAT, IS SORROW- she is but a simple pilgrim traveling the Wanderlands, not
BALM? made for such a dangerous pursuit.
In truth, Sorrowbalm seeks a bewitched opal that is in the
Sorrowbalm is a member – or more accurately, an chest, an marvelous object that holds many secrets and
emissary – of the Children of Twilight, a kind of which she was sent by her kind to retrieve. Sorrowbalm
spirits, kami, or angels that pervade the world of
knows about the miasma that polluted the pond, and she
Hearts of Ravensdale. The Children have a long and
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

complicated history with mankind, most of which

knows what it is, but her kind are not eager to share such
was forgotten and confused. Today, their name is profound truths with thick-headed Dalespeople (they’ve
only preserved in the distorted phrase “Creatures of been burnt before doing that). She would try to assess what
Twilight”, a generalized name that Dalespeople give the companions want most and offer it to them, and will
any being they don’t understand. divulge secret knowledge about the foul liquid – but only
There is much to be told about the Children, but when she has the bewitched opal in her hand.
unlike people, they do not seem to possess or un- While she can be duped, Sorrowbalm cannot be harmed.
derstand free will. They are all made for a specific Before a sword can touch her skin, she would vanish into
purpose, and pass their time on earth fulfilling thin air, like morning dew in sunlight. Later, she could re-
that purpose. When Sorrowbalm tells the compan-
turn, to coax the opal out of the hands of the companions,
ions she was not made for dangerous pursuits, she
means exactly that, although she is well-aware most
or to condemn them to be hunted by her kin. She is not
humans would not understand the deeper meaning made to fight, and therefore, she won’t harm a soul, but if
behind this. the companions are harmed by their own actions – well,
that is of no concern to her.
LEGEND IN THE MIST

Twilight Emissaries are powerful beings and can

pose grave dangers to the companions, but luckily
Sorrowbalm is one of the lesser among them, sent
from the Aldenwood only to collect the ancient
stones that her kind once gifted humanity, and
return them to their rightful place.

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the ROTTED CHEST
If the rotted chest is carried up from the bottom of
the pond, it is easy to break up the soggy wood and
uncover its contents. Inside, everything has rotted
away with the years, except for three objects, each
can be gifted as a new tag to a PC who carries it.

• An untarnished sword, untouched by rust or decay.  

• A strange vial, holding a swirling bluish liquid.
• A bewitched opal, as big as your palm. Staring into it
evokes strange thoughts, feelings, and sensations.

WHAT WAS THIS TOWER BE-

FORE IT SANK?
No Dalesperson lives now who remembers the
purpose of this old ruin – barely anyone even
remembers it’s there. While the Wise One can
perhaps cobble together a vague clue, only Sor-
rowbalm can reveal the following information,
and she will only do so in return to the opal
and if bound by an agreement.
In days of old, this was a watchtower of a
kingdom led by a Great Thaumaturge. The
watchmen, or at least the higher-ranking offi-
cers, were practitioners of Thaumaturgy. They
learned this mysterious art from sacred stones

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

given to them by the Children of Twilight, Sor-
rowbalm’s kin – and the bewitched opal is one
of those stones. The sword in the chest was one
of their best weapons, made to withstand cor-
ruption and sorcery. Finally, they knew how to
refine certain essences that would deepen their
awareness and could be consumed in a time
of need for a stronger momentary connection
between a Thaumaturge and their source of
power. The liquid in the vial is such a substance
– an entheogen.
It would appear then that the Waken Sentry
was an officer of the olden days who practiced
THE TINDERBOX DEMO

Thaumaturgy; these were their most cherished

belongings.

19
 LEGEND IN THE MIST

20
© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio
the AFTERMATH TO be CONTINUED...
The truth at the bottom of the pond is simple: a foul mias- We hope that you enjoyed the Legend In The Mist Tinder-
ma is seeping into the Dales through the deep waters that box Demo.
flow under the ground. Once this is known and perhaps If so consider backing the Legends In The Mist RPG Kick-
taking a glance at the map, the companions can surmise it starter:
is most likely coming from the marshes to the south east: a
forsaken part of the Wanderlands, where few ever ven-
ture, even among the outlanders that frequent the Dales.

As they find a nearby clearing that overlooks the edge of

the Dales and the marshes, many questions echo in their
minds. Where is this evil coming from? Why has it shown
itself now, of all times, and here, in the Ravensdale, of all
places? Who is Sorrowbalm, and who are her people? Why
is the bewitched opal so important to them? What will they
find if they brave the Wanderlands and venture into the
BACK THIS KICKSTARTER
marshes?
And suddenly, they hear an inner call: it is up to them to
set out on this perilous journey and find a way to save the
Dales.

© 2024 Son of Oak Game Studio

THE TINDERBOX DEMO

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