Bridge Nine™

Adventure
 The Cosmere® RPG was created by Brotherwise Games and Dragonsteel Entertainment

Executive Producer: Brandon Sanderson Art Director: Katie Payne

Producers: Isaac Stewart and Dan Wells Graphic Designer: Gordon McAlpin
Creative Director: Johnny O’Neal Concept Artist: Marie Seeberger
Lead Designer: Andrew Fischer Interior Illustrators: Dallin Bifano, Amirul Hhf, Vladimir
Adventure Writer: Johnny O’Neal Ishelin, Adam J Marin, Eduardo Nonato, Kevin O’Neill,
Lead Editor: Sebastian Yūe Katie Payne, Steve Prescott, Sami Rytkönen, Florian Stitz,
Project Lead: Lyla Fujiwara and Svetlin Velinov

Additional Contributors: Max Brooke, Laura Hirsbrunner, Worldsingers: David Behrens, Joshua Harkey, Eric Lake,
Ross Leiser, and Lydia Suen Ben Marrow, Ian McNatt, and Evgeni Kirilov
Sensitivity Consultant: Basil Wright
Accessibility Consultant: Chris Hopper
Brand and Marketing: Adam Horne and Jillian Ross

This preview adventure requires the Cosmere RPG Beta Rules Preview to play.

© 2024 by Brotherwise Games, LLC. Based on The Stormlight Archive®

novels by Brandon Sanderson, copyright © 2010, 2014, 2017, 2020,
2024 by Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC, and used with the express
permission of Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC.
Not for resale. Permission to e-mail, print, and photocopy is granted
for personal use only. To submit playtesting feedback, please visit
brotherwisegames.com/stormlight-beta
VENTURE VERSION NOISREV ERUTNE
CONTENTS
BRIDGE NINE 4
Preparing for the Adventure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The Core Mechanic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Prepare Your Dice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Running This Adventure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Attracting a Spren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Gather Your Party. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Set Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Prologue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Expedition Roles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Survivors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
First Impressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Picking up the Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
On Your Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Fight! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Aftermath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Chasmfiend Pursuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Taking Flight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Safe for Now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
A Night’s Rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
To the Ruins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Lost Shrine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Ground Floor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Stairway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Top Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Talking to the Listeners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
The Way Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

APPENDIX: SPREN NPCS 27

Tone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Zephrus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Other Spren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Contents
 3
ENTURE VERSION NOISREV ERUTN
Bridge Nine

T his playtest adventure introduces players

to the Cosmere RPG and its setting, Brandon
Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive novels. While
it is helpful for the GM to be familiar with the setting,
Prepare Your Dice
To play, you’ll need at least one set of standard RPG dice
(a d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, and d4). You’ll also need an
additional d6 to roll as the plot die.
players only need to know that it is a unique fantasy world The plot die is a special mechanic unique to the
where characters’ oaths and actions determine the powers Stormlight RPG. Whenever players make particularly
they can gain. risky, dramatic, or plot-relevant skill tests, they “raise the
Players in this adventure begin as individuals with stakes” by adding the plot die to their d20 roll. (For more
untapped potential. They may be seen as ordinary, details, see “Part 1: Overview” in the Beta Rules Preview.)
but they possess unique talents and uncommon While custom plot dice will be available in the future,
determination that make them all potential heroes. players can simply roll a standard six-sided die, mapping
The goal of this adventure is to provide the Game the results as follows:
Master (GM) with tools to jump straight into the
Stormlight RPG. It goes into more detail and includes
more “read-aloud” text boxes than a typical adventure.
Our hope is that after playing this adventure, you’ll
feel ready to develop your own original adventures, or
adapt one of the shorter sample scenarios included in
the playtest packet.

Preparing for The adventure will prompt you to raise the stakes for
the Adventure specific tests, but don’t hesitate to incorporate the plot die
Before you play, make sure you have the Cosmere RPG into any scene where it would add excitement and drama!
Beta Rules Preview on hand. Consider printing out
key sections that you’ll refer to frequently, such as the
Running This Adventure
“Actions in Combat” section. The adventure begins with the characters traveling as
You’ll also need a set of polyhedral dice and a method part of an expedition to some recently uncovered ruins.
for rolling the plot die (see below). Their journey is interrupted by a chasmfiend, which
plunges the party into a chasm. At the bottom of the
The Core Mechanic chasm, the party has the chance to scrounge up supplies
Ahead of the session, familiarize yourself with the rules and help survivors. When the chasmfiend consumes
in the Beta Rules Preview. The core mechanic of the the expedition’s chull, the party must flee the danger
Cosmere RPG is the skill test, in which the player rolls a once more.
twenty-sided die and adds relevant modifiers: After a night’s rest, the characters continue to their
destination. They explore the ruins, a shrine connected
d20 + attribute + skill ranks
to the Lost Radiants, and potentially find a valuable
This adventure specifies the difficulty class (DC) artifact. The characters then head to the surface and
that each skill test needs to meet or exceed, but you may meet a group of Listeners on their way out. They can
also need to improvise the DC for situations that develop fight their way past or resolve the scene peacefully. After
during play. An average test during this adventure should they reach the surface, they arrive at the warcamps of
be DC 10, with more challenging tests set at DC 15. the Alethi highprinces.

Bridge Nine 4
Attracting a Spren Always look for opportunities to weave characters’
goals into the narrative. Finally, be ready to take notes
Throughout this adventure, there is the chance for
when characters demonstrate Ideals such as protection or
Radiant spren to be drawn to a character. To determine
freedom, potentially drawing the attention of a spren (see
which character is the closest to attracting a spren, you’ll
appendix: Spren NPCs).
be instructed to mark a character for “protection” or
“freedom” at various points during the adventure. Keep Set Expectations
a private tally of how many times a character is marked
Be sure players understand that this is a demo adventure.
for either. At the end of the story, determine the character
If this is everyone’s first Cosmere RPG experience, let
who has the most marks for each category. Each should
them know it might take extra time as everyone becomes
record that spren in the “Connections” portion of their
acquainted with the rules.
character sheet (see appendix: Spren NPCs).
If you are a GM running this game at Gen Con, set
Gather Your Party the expectation that characters are unlikely to reach the
very end of the scenario, but let your players know they
This adventure accommodates any group of three to six
can continue the adventure as part of the public Beta test
1st-level player characters. Players have several options
going live next week!
for choosing or building their characters.
Before the adventure, it’s also helpful to make sure
Pre-generated Characters. The playtest packet everyone understands how players want to handle
includes a set of six character sheets. These characters sensitive content and the overall tone of the adventure.
are ready to play, so players just need to specify their See the “Safety Tools” section in Part 6 of the Beta Rules
character’s name and physical description. Preview. Once everyone is ready to play, it’s time to begin!
Original Characters. Alternately, players can create
1st-level characters using the Demiplane online Prologue
character builder (demiplane.com/stormlight). The only Once you’ve gathered the players and all required
options the GM should restrict are those that would materials, begin by reading the following:
entirely bypass the chasm as a hazard: specialized
climbing gear or fabrials that confer the Surges of The Stormlight Archive is the story of Roshar, a world
Adhesion or Progression. of storms and war. It is a story of growth, of passion, of
Singer Characters. This adventure is written with honor. And today, it is a story that you will tell.
human characters in mind. An experienced GM could You are not yet heroes. You currently live in a warcamp
introduce a singer player character (belonging to the at the edge of the Shattered Plains, a vast expanse
Listener culture) before or during the adventure: of chasms and plateaus. Today, you’re traveling with
◆ They might have been captured earlier in the soldiers and scholars loyal to an Alethi noble named
expedition, or pressed into service as a bridge highprince Sadeas.
crew member. That is where our story begins. A few days ago, a
◆ Once the other characters enter the chasm, a singer highstorm uncovered ruins dating back to the Silver
scout could come across the group and end up Kingdoms. Now, you’re part of an expedition sent across
working with them. the barren stone to investigate what’s left of those ruins.

Players are encouraged to set their narrative goals, Ask each player to share the role their character is playing
obstacles, and purpose ahead of your session. However, on this expedition (see the “Expedition Roles” section).
they’ll also have the opportunity to do so at the midpoint
of the adventure.

Bridge Nine 5
Expedition Roles Bridge Crew. You’re here because you were imprisoned,
enslaved, or pressed into service. You might be from
The expedition consists of a twenty-person bridge crew
any nation in Roshar, from any background, but now
and six soldiers to protect a handful of scholars and
you have the deadliest job in the highprince’s army:
scouts. Two chulls—slow, ox-sized crustaceans with a
carrying heavy bridges to move personnel during
stone shells—acts as beasts of burden, carrying wagons
battles and expeditions.
for the expedition’s scholars. The wagons contain enough
Guard. You’re here to defend the expedition from
food and water for a four-day journey.
Parshendi warriors or human bandits. You might be
Whether players are using pre-generated or original
an enlisted soldier in the army of Highprince Sadeas,
characters, give them a chance to establish their role
an independent mercenary, or a young noble trying to
in the expedition. Players can choose from one of the
prove yourself.
following options, or (with GM approval) come up with
Scholar. You’ve traveled to the warcamps as the ward
their own role.
or assistant to a prominent scholar. In Alethkar, only
Ardent. You’re a servant-priest of the Vorin church, women traditionally learn to read and write, but
a religion that reveres “the Almighty” and his Ten you might have traveled from a nation like Azir or
Heralds. Ardents typically shave their heads and do Iri where people of all genders are trained in history
not adhere to Alethi society’s gender roles. You may and science.
be on this expedition to provide spiritual guidance or Scout. You’re a scout who works for Highprince Sadeas.
training in a particular skill you have mastered. You’ve been trained as a messenger and outrider for
the army, and it’s your job to help this expedition find
the ruins.

Amirul Hhf
Bridge Nine 6
The Journey
As the adventure begins, the expedition is already
underway. Read the following:

It’s midday when you reach the final plateau crossing.

The expedition’s scholars ride in wagons pulled by chulls,
their carapace-covered legs clicking with every slow but
steady step. The expedition’s bridge crew carries an
even heavier burden. Every time you reach the edge of a
plateau, the crew heaves the bridge forward and pushes
it across the chasm.
As the bridgemen struggle with the heavy wooden
bridge, a scout announces, “We’re nearly to the ruins!”
It’s time to cross one more chasm, one that plunges into
darkness far below you.

This is a chance to introduce new players to the unique

fauna of Roshar. Chull are the most common beasts
of burden in this world and any character would
recognize them.
The bridge is 30 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 80 feet
above the chasm. A creature that falls directly into the
chasm takes 8d6 impact damage.

The Attack
The adventure escalates quickly in this skill-based
scene. This scene drives toward a specific outcome—
the characters lost in the depths of a chasm—but the
characters’ actions determine how they weather that fall.
This scene unfolds in brief moments, rather than The scraping sounds grow louder and the chull retreats
proceeding in standard rounds. Characters only have into its shell. Then, with a shriek of claws on stone, a
time to make a handful of tests to determine their fate. massive creature charges up the side of the chasm!
Bridgemen and soldiers scream as a chasmfiend
Once the bridge is in place, the caravan starts making its
explodes into view. With one of its massive claws,
way across: soldiers, bridge staff, and wagon. But as the
it begins hauling itself onto the bridge, scraping and
chull reaches the midpoint of the bridge, it scuttles to
splintering the wooden planks. Violet-black carapace
the side and snaps its claws. The beast is clearly agitated,
casts a shadow over the chaotic scene, and the
refusing to move even as soldiers bring out ropes to haul
chasmfiend’s mandibles close around a fleeing scout.
it forward.
The chasmfiend is a fully grown adult: 36 feet tall, 20 feet
Any character who shows interest in the chull must make
wide, and 72 feet long. With its thick carapace and lethal
a DC 10 Deduction or Survival test. On a success, a
claws, it is impervious to any attack from a soldier. A few
character learns that the presence of an apex predator
try to fight back, but the chasmfiend easily bats them
called a chasmfiend has spooked the chull, and they gain
aside, sending them flying down into the chasm below.
an advantage on the next Agility or Athletics test they
If any characters try to save others from the
make. A character who thinks to warn others can make
chasmfiend, mark them for protection but make it clear
a DC 10 Leadership test to grant one other character an
that there’s too much chaos for them to reach the beast.
advantage on their next Agility or Athletics test.
Other members of the expedition are pushing past one

Kevin O’Neill
Bridge Nine 7
another to flee. Before any of the player characters have The bridge lands with a deafening crash on the
time to escape the bridge, read the following: chasmfiend itself, breaking a few of the beast’s smaller
legs. The chasmfiend roars in pain and recoils from the
As the chasmfiend pulls its upper half onto the bridge,
collapsed bridge, pulling itself free and retreating to
four smaller legs skittering onto the planks, you hear a
the west.
resounding crack! Its weight is too much. The bridge
is falling! If any character rolls an Opportunity on their d20 (a
“natural 20”), they briefly glimpse a white-blue light
Any character on the bridge must make their choice of an
zipping past them as they fall. They land clear of the
Agility or Athletics test to survive the collapsing bridge.
fallen bridge, completely unscathed.
There is no DC for this test; see the Agility or Athletics
Test Result table to adjudicate the outcome. Raise the
Foolhardy Heroes
stakes, adding a plot die to each roll.
Look for ways to reward players for bold behavior. If they
The bridge is broken in the center, but its ends grind try a solution that might work in an over-the-top action
against the chasm’s uneven walls, slowing its fall. People movie, give them ways to succeed. If they try something
on the edges of the bridge tumble over the side as it leans truly foolish, like jumping into the 80-foot-deep chasm to
in the direction of the chasmfiend, but some people cling escape the chasmfiend, warn them that this action is likely
to the bridge. to be deadly because their character will take 8d6 impact
damage. But ultimately, it’s up to the player to decide. If a
Agility or Athletics Test Result character dies for any reason, that player can use one of
Test Result Outcome the pre-generated character sheets to keep the adventure
5 or less Take 1d6 impact damage and suffer an injury. moving. It could be dramatic to establish the life-or-
6–14 Take 1d6 impact damage. death nature of life in Roshar, during a low-stakes early
15 or higher Take no damage. adventure where a player can always step into the shoes
of another expedition survivor.
o Another character takes half damage or
ignores an injury.
c A weapon or piece of gear is broken. Survivors
The chasmfiend is not seriously injured, but is surprised
If a character is injured, they must make an injury roll
and rattled, like any animal confronting unexpected
using a d20 (see the “Damage, Injury, and Death”
pain. It retreats into the shadows, leaving the expedition
section of the Beta Rules Preview).
members in the dimly lit chasm.
If a player rolls an Opportunity (o) on the plot die,
they can help slow the fall of another player character. Down in the chasm, it’s almost like you’ve fallen into
They can cause that character to take half damage another world. The canyon walls are smooth, worn down
(rounded down) from their fall or ignore an injury. by millennia of flash floods. Vines and frillblooms grow
If a player rolls a Complication (c), the character’s here, attended by the glowing green motes of lifespren.
primary weapon or a key piece of their gear is badly The bridge is crushed beyond repair, and the bodies of
damaged. Repairing a broken item requires materials your companions lie beside it. You hear faint groans from
(which would take time to salvage from the crash site) underneath the broken planks.
and a successful DC 15 Crafting test.

Bridge Nine 8
The player characters are not the only members of the ◆ Particularly old or new clothing
expedition to survive the fall: two soldiers and one scholar ◆ Younger (under 20) or older (over 50) than most other
stand up, and two bridgemen lie buried under some members of the expedition
rubble. The Other Survivors table notes each survivor’s Each player only needs to share one feature. If it is not
current and maximum health after the fall. already marked on their character sheet, they should
make a note of it.
Other Survivors
Name Health Description The oldest bridgeman on the crew, Doral, is still alive. He
Captain Selinar 20 / 22 The expedition’s ranking officer pulls himself into a sitting position. He winces in pain,
(he/him) (age 42), a cruel Alethi man with and lays his hand gently over his broken left leg. Forcing
light green eyes. a smile, he speaks in a quiet voice. “Bridge Nine. We’ve
Spearman Varda 8 / 14 A soldier (age 26) with close always been survivors. By the Almighty, we’ll survive this.”
(he/him) cropped hair and dark green eyes;
muscular but cowardly. If anyone talks to Doral (he/him, commoner), the
Eliah Matal 10 / 15 A sheltered but earnest historian old man explains that he’s been a bridgeman almost
(she/her) (age 32) with bright violet eyes since the War of Reckoning started five years ago. Even
and braided black hair. if his health is restored, his broken leg means he’ll be
Doral (he/him) 4 / 10 A bald Alethi man (age 56) and Slowed. He moves at half speed, unless another character
longtime bridgeman, suffering provides support.
from a broken leg.
Aran* (he/him) 6 / 12 An earnest-looking young bridge- Picking up the Pieces
man (age 17); brands mark him
The characters still need to determine a way forward
as a thief.
toward the ruins. Encourage the players to make their
Khesh* (he/him) 8 / 17 A physically imposing but slow-
own choices and narrate logical results, using this
witted bridgeman (age 24) with
no brands.
situation as another opportunity to demonstrate skill
tests. If the players want the characters to leave right
*Buried in the rubble of the collapsed bridge away, portray the NPCs engaging in tasks and have them
ask the characters for help. (But if the characters insist on
First Impressions leaving, simply move on to the next section.)
After the tightly paced action of the first two scenes, this Characters who stay near the fallen bridge can
is the first chance for the characters to take a breath and choose a course of action that could make the rest of
regard one another. the journey easier:

Two soldiers made it through the disaster, and at least Search for Survivors. Two survivors remain trapped
one bridgeman. As you help each other out of the rubble, under the bridge. A character wishing to locate
you survey the surviving members of the expedition. them must succeed on two Perception tests to do so.
What do others notice about you? The character must first make a DC 10 Perception
test, finding the young bridgeman Aran (he/him,
Invite the players to share one distinctive physical feature commoner) on a success. A successful second DC 15
about each of their characters. Most people who live in Perception test locates the sturdy bridgeman Khesh
the war camps are Alethi, who generally have tan skin (he/him, spear infantry). Both have taken 6 damage
and black hair. Possible distinctive features include: and are covered in crawling orange painspren.
◆ Light eyes (light blue, light green, light brown/gold, Neither carries any weapons or armor. Any characters
light grey, or bright violet) particularly intent on searching for survivors should be
◆ Dark eyes (brown, black, or dark shades of any of the marked for protection.
above colors) Find Food. The wagon was almost completely
◆ Pale or dark skin demolished, but a character can make a DC 10
◆ A tattoo or scar Deduction test to determine where supplies would
◆ An usual hair color have been stored. On a success, they find enough food
◆ A unique hairstyle for six simple meals. If they succeed on the test by 5 or
◆ A glyphward tied around one arm more, the character finds twelve simple meals instead

Bridge Nine 9
 Map 1: Survivors

Dallin Bifano
Bridge Nine 10
 of six. The meals are leaf-wrapped balls of steamed or a heavy piece of wreckage to use as an improvised
lapis grain and pork. hammer (1d10 impact damage).
Recover Water. A heavy section of the bridge collapsed During combat, the GM can spend a Complication
on the expedition’s water supply, breaking three to break an improvised weapon.
barrels. Two other barrels are clearly visible but As characters search the rubble and make skill tests,
trapped under weighty timbers. A character can make they notice that Captain Selinar and Spearman Varda
a DC 10 Athletics test, gaining an advantage if aided look increasingly agitated. They have patience for each
by another. On a success, the character pulls out one character to make two skill tests, but that number is
barrel of water. If they succeed on the test by 5 or reduced by one for each Complication rolled on the plot
more, the character recovers both barrels. Each barrel die. When the limit is reached, or the characters seem to
weighs 45 pounds. be losing their sense of urgency, move to the next scene.
Create Tools. A character can make a DC 10 Crafting
test to scrounge together some equipment. On a Finite Choices, Infinite Possibilities
success, the character can quickly fashion a simple
Characters can attempt almost anything in a tabletop
litter or wheelbarrow from the shattered wagon. Such
RPG, and sometimes their options can be overwhelming.
a device requires two free hands but can more easily
If players ever seem at a loss, a great trick is to give them
carry heavy supplies. Alternately, a character can make
two or three choices: “Do you want to look for survivors
a DC 15 Crafting test to use salvaged materials to
or supplies?” If players seem uncertain about how to
repair a broken weapon, fixing it on a success.
narratively describe their actions, you can prompt specific
Heal the Wounded. A character can roll their recovery
skill checks: “Do you want to try a Deduction or Perception
die (see the Willpower attribute description in Part 2
test to assess the situation?” Games are all about
of the Beta Rules Preview). A character who doesn’t
meaningful choices, and even a couple of options can help
make a recovery test can help one other character,
characters feel empowered. Just be sure every scene has
making a DC 15 Medicine test. On a success, the
more than one way to succeed. You never want players to
target recovers health equal to the healer’s ranks in
feel like they’re playing a game of “Guess what the GM
Medicine.
wants us to do.”
Salvage Valuables. An unscrupulous character can
rifle through fallen soldiers’ belongings in search of
currency. A successful DC 10 Thievery test turns up On Your Own
a pouch containing 5 diamond marks, softly glowing As the characters are picking through the rubble, they
with Stormlight. A total of 15 or higher conceals this notice that Selinar and Varda have lost their nerve.
theft from the other characters.
Climb to Safety. The chasm walls are too sheer to The two surviving soldiers are the first to give up
climb. A successful DC 20 Athletics test allows a searching for supplies or survivors. Captain Selinar
character to make it to a ledge 30 feet off the ground. mutters, “We need to get moving before that
Mark that character for freedom, but past that point chasmfiend returns.”
the wall is impassible. The heavyset spearman beside him nods, then shouts
up to the chasm: “Help! Help us!”
A character who searches for supplies or helps another
Selinar slaps him. “Varda, you crem-sucking idiot!
survivor should raise the stakes, adding the plot die to
You’ll bring the beast down on us!” Even so, both men look
their role. If they roll an Opportunity, they also find one
up to the edge of the chasm.
of the following:
There’s no response.
◆ An unbroken longspear (1d8 keen damage)
◆ An unbroken shortspear (1d8 keen damage) If a character shouts for help during the previous scene,
◆ A battered but usable shield a similar scene transpires: Selinar slaps that character
◆ A bottle of cooking oil (causing them to lose 1 focus) and there’s no answer from
above. The topside expedition members have already fled
Without making any skill tests, any character can pick up
back toward the warcamps.
a broken spear to use as an improvised staff (1d6 damage)

Bridge Nine 11
 At this point, Captain Selinar is simmering with barely 2. NPCs who choose to take “fast” turns (2)
contained rage. He shoves Varda away. 3. Player characters who choose to take “slow” turns,
gaining three actions (3)
The scholar, Eliah Matal, starts to speak. “Perhaps 4. NPCs who choose to take “slow” turns (3)
we should—”
The NPCs' combat stats are in the “Soldier” section of
But Selinar interrupts her. “Brightness, this entire
part 7: Adversaries in the Beta Rules Preview. Selinar is a
storming suicide mission is your fault. Just do what I say.”
Thrill berserker, and Varda is spear infantry. Selinar
Angerspren pool like blood at the captain’s feet. He
takes fast turns and Varda takes slow turns.
shouts at Varda to get moving, then stalks toward the
As combat begins, choose two characters to make
old bridgeman, Doral. “We’ll leave this one as bait for the
DC 5 Lore tests as a free action. On success, a character
chasmfiend.”
recognizes that the soldiers have succumbed to the
Selinar unsheathes his sword and holds it above the
Thrill, a berserker rage that consumes Alethi soldiers in
older man. For a moment, the captain’s green eyes seem
the heat of battle. A character who succeeds on the Lore
to flash red.
test by 10 or more also gains an advantage on their next
Choose two characters who are standing nearby and test against the soldiers.
tell them they have a moment to react. If they seem Some characters might try to avoid violence.
uncertain, call for a DC 10 Insight test to confirm Characters can take an action to reason with the soldiers.
Selinar’s murderous intent, and raise the stakes. Rolling The DC to convince each soldier is different: Selinar
an Opportunity grants an advantage on a subsequent requires a successful DC 20 test, while Varda requires a
attempt to stop him. successful DC 13 test. A character can make a Persuasion
If a character tries to persuade Selinar not to kill the test to argue with reason, threaten them with an
old bridgeman with words, first allow the next nearest Intimidation test, or appeal to their sense of duty with a
character a chance for a physical response. Mark them for Leadership test.
protection and raise the stakes on their test. A character If Captain Selinar is unconvinced, he fights to the
might attempt one of the following: death. In addition to fighting back against the characters,
◆ A character can leap into the sword’s path with a he tries to satisfy his bloodlust by attacking unarmed
successful DC 10 Agility test to take the hit instead, NPCs. If Selinar is killed, Varda surrenders.
taking 8 (1d8 + 4) keen damage from Selinar’s sword. During combat, remind players that they can spend
◆ A successful Athletics test versus Selinar’s Physical focus to graze and dodge. Remember to raise the stakes
defense of 14, allows a character to knock him prone. when characters use creative tactics, following the
◆ A character can make an attack with a light or heavy Opportunity and Complication guidelines in the Beta
weapon versus Selinar’s Physical defense of 14. A Rules Preview. Make note of any character who is
success saves Doral, but the attacking character is also particularly focused on defending others (protection)
hit by Selinar’s longsword on a Complication. or helping the bridgemen (freedom).

If no player character reacts, Selinar stabs Doral in

Supporting Cast
the stomach, dealing 8 (1d8 + 4) keen damage to him.
If any other bridgemen are alive, one cries out and Several NPCs travel with the characters during this
tackles Selinar. Furious, Selinar and Varda fight back adventure. To keep things manageable, don’t try to run
with deadly force, regarding any bridgemen as enemy each NPC with their own stat block in combat. During
combatants. combat, the NPCs mostly try to survive as the player
characters take center stage. However, you can bring them
Fight! into the action through flavorful use of the plot dice. An
This begins the combat scene, and the players’ first Opportunity can be spent to have an NPC contribute in
chance to experience initiative. In the Stormlight RPG, some way (such as knocking an enemy prone or dealing
initiative order has four steps: 5 damage to them). A Complication can be spent to harm
an NPC, causing them to lose half their starting health.
1. Player characters who choose to take “fast” turns,
gaining two actions (2)

Svetlin Velinov (page 13)

Bridge Nine 12
Aftermath Raise the stakes on any skill tests that could delay the
characters, making it clear that a Complication can bring
After the fight, give the players only a few moments to
the chasmfiend closer. After the first Complication,
regroup. If any player character is reduced to 0 health
or when the group chooses to get moving, read the
during the battle, they must make an injury roll. If
following:
Doral was fatally stabbed during the previous scene, this
is a chance to roleplay his death. If he dies (now or in a To the west, clicking and scraping sounds echo through
future scene), his last words are “Bridge Nine.” the chasm. They stop for a moment, then grow louder.
Other NPCs are shocked by the violence, but they The chasmfiend is on the move again.
don’t blame the characters if Selinar was killed. It’s
a desperate situation, and even Eliah Matal is more If any NPCs are still alive, one of them looks back in
concerned with survival than propriety at this point. terror and starts running. Other NPCs join, and before
Unfortunately, there’s little time to mourn the dead. long it’s time for the characters to flee.
To escape the chasmfiend, there’s only one obvious
Eliah Matal, the scholar who organized this expedition, path for the characters to take: heading east. There’s a
finally speaks up. The violet-eyed noblewoman addresses bend in the chasm nearby, so they’ll need to begin
all of the survivors. “I’m sorry for all of this. If you can moving to see past it.
see me safely home, I’ll see that you’re rewarded by the
Highprince. But please, we need to get away from that Running Toward Danger
greatshell.”
Players may decide to run toward the chasmfiend
Eliah holds up a scroll and explains that it contains a map rather than away from it. If they express an intention
of the area near the ruins. She believes she can help the to fight it, Eliah or another NPC warns them, “Facing
group find their way out of the chasm and back to the war a greatshell without a Shardblade is choosing certain
camps, but first they need to get moving. death.” Speaking as the GM, you can reinforce that the
character understands this to be true. If they still choose
Chasmfiend Pursuit to fight, look to the guidelines for “Foolhardy Heroes”
In the time the characters have taken to pick themselves on page 8.
out of the wreckage, the chasmfiend has consumed the If the characters attempt to maneuver past the
expedition’s chull. The survivors have been lucky so far, chasmfiend, and all players are engaged with this solution,
but if they don’t get moving, they’ll be easy prey for the allow the characters to make Agility and Stealth tests to
chasmfiend. survive. Some NPCs should flee or be killed in the process,
The players may simply choose to flee, but there are a but give the heroes a chance to survive. This prevents the
few considerations. group from reaching the ruins, but they can still make their
◆ A character who has lost health can roll a recovery die. way westward and find a way out of the chasms. Adapt the
◆ A character who doesn’t need to recover can add their Take Shelter scene and Parshendi Hunting Party scene as
Medicine modifier to another character’s recovery the party moves back toward the war camps.
die roll.
◆ An NPC of your choice is in shock, too traumatized to Taking Flight
move on. A character wishing to comfort them must As soon as a character moves away from the crash site,
succeed on a DC 10 Leadership or Persuasion test to read the following:
encourage the NPC to get moving again.
◆ Characters may want to gather additional supplies As you round the bend, the chasm turns northeast.
(using one of the tests from “Picking up the Pieces”). The canyon floor here is strewn with rocks and boulders.
◆ Most supplies can be carried without slowing the About 90 feet ahead, the chasm narrows. At its base,
characters, but a character carrying a barrel of water it forms a crack just wide enough for a person to
or another character has a disadvantage on all Agility pass through.
and Athletics tests they make while carrying it.
This narrow crevice is a chance for safety from the
chasmfiend.

Bridge Nine 14
 The next scene is an endeavor, a type of scene in
Running the Endeavor
which characters attempt to succeed at multiple skill tests.
Each character makes tests while fleeing the chasmfiend. An endeavor is at its best when you narrate the results of
The characters must achieve 6 successes before 4 each roll, keeping a cinematic feel rather than treating it as
failures. Approaches include the following: a mechanical exercise. Each character makes one skill test
Flee Flat-out. A character can try to flee at top speed each round. There’s no set initiative order in an endeavor,
down the center of the chasm (DC 10 Agility). but make sure each character has the chance to make a
Assist an Injured Character. A character can try to test before beginning a new round.
carry or assist an injured character (DC 15 Athletics).
Hide. A character who moves along the side of the chasm Resolving the Endeavor
can try to hide under an overhang (DC 10 Stealth) as The characters can succeed on this endeavor by
they flee. This is a good place to raise the stakes. achieving 6 successes before 4 failures.
Find a Shortcut. A character can look for a safe path Success. The characters and their group reach the
that others missed (DC 15 Deduction or Perception). crevice without any fatalities. Proceed to “Safe for Now.”
Distract the Chasmfiend. A character can attempt to Failure. The chasmfiend reaches the group, attacking
draw the beast’s attention away from the characters one of the NPCs who fell behind during the chase. The
(DC 15 Deception or Survival). This is a good place attack automatically kills that NPC. In the unlikely event
to raise the stakes. that there are no NPCs left, choose a victim from among
Bring up the Rear. A character who lets the others go
ahead can inspire the others with their bravery (DC 10
Discipline or Leadership).
Each success helps the party move closer to safety, but
the chasmfiend draws nearer with every failure. The first
time a character fails a test, read the following:

The chasmfiend lunges forward, slamming its claws into

the stone behind you. You hear another roar, like four
trumpets blasting at once, and the sound shakes pebbles
loose from the chasm walls. The beast is nearly upon you.

For Opportunity and Complication results, assign an

appropriate outcome or choose one from the Escape
Endeavor table:

Escape Endeavor
Test Result Outcome
Success A character gets closer to safety.
Failure A character or NPC starts to lag behind.
O Give the next player’s test an advantage.
C An NPC stops fleeing, too terrified to move.

If an NPC stops fleeing, add another possible test to the

endeavor:
Encourage an NPC. A character can shout orders
or encouragement at the demoralized NPC (DC 10
Leadership or Persuasion).
Once each character has made a test, begin a new round
of the endeavor.

Adam J Marin
Bridge Nine 15
the characters: whoever was at the back of the group or Past the narrow crevice, the chasm opens up to
who most recently failed a test. apparent safety. If Eliah Matal is still alive, she urges the
If the victim is a player character, they have one last team onward. Checking her map, she determines that
chance to survive: the chasmfiend must succeed on an it’s an hour’s hike until another branch in the chasm. (If
attack roll: +8 versus the character’s Physical defense, Eliah and her map are lost, the characters can determine
dealing 13 (1d10 + 8) keen damage on a hit. If the attack this by simply heading onward.) By the end of that hike,
misses or the character survives, they can immediately the sun sets.
scramble to the crevice. Make a note of their narrow
escape from death, which could indicate that a spren The chasm continues to the northeast. The surface is
is aiding them. If the attack reduces them to 0 health, still 80 feet above you, with little in the way of handholds
the chasmfiend carries away their body, satisfied between you and the evening sky. On the east side of the
with its meal. canyon, about 10 feet up the wall, there’s a small cave.

Safe for Now A Night’s Rest

Once all surviving characters have made it through the
At this point, inform the players that night is falling
crevice, they are safe. If the chasmfiend failed to kill any
and it’s time to assess the party’s ability to survive with
of the player characters, read the following:
limited supplies. Review any supplies that characters
Here at the narrowest point of the chasm, the sheer cliff gathered from the collapsed bridge, especially food and
walls are about 5 feet apart. The chasmfiend pushes its water. While food is not an immediate concern, it has
head into the gap, but withdraws a few tense moments been a long day and thirst is more of an issue.
later, unable to squeeze through. Ahead, the chasm The character’s comfort during the coming night
widens again. depends on what they’ve gathered, and which tests they
succeed on.
The chasmfiend tries to claw at any character that lingers
Barrels of Water. Each barrel of water retrieved from
in the gap, but does not push through. About halfway up
the crash site contains 5 gallons. Four characters can
the chasm, the gap widens to 10 feet, but the chasmfiend
survive one day on 1 gallon of water.
is too injured to climb.
Pools of Water. Puddles of stagnant stormwater can
be found all along the base of the canyon. Unless
the water is boiled, it causes a sickness that gives a
character the Exhausted (−1) condition.
Succulent Plants. Certain plant species are a safer
source of clean water. Identifying them requires a
successful DC 10 Survival test, a successful DC 15
Lore test, or a relevant expertise such as Biology
or Botany.
Building a Fire. The characters might have wood from
the bridge, or could collect dead vines from the chasm.
Under these conditions, a successful DC 10 Crafting or
Survival test is required to make a fire. Each character
can make one attempt. A Herdazian character gains an
advantage, thanks to their flint-like fingernails.
Boiling Water. Even with access to a fire, the characters
are unlikely to have a pot for boiling water. Eliah Matal
or a clever character might think to use a soldier’s
helmet or breastplate.
Foraging for Food. Unless characters found food in the
wagon, they’ll need to forage. With a successful DC 10
Lore or Survival test, they can find edible plants or
cremlings.

Vladimir Ishelin
Bridge Nine 16
Give each character the chance to make one test to Players have the option to speak in character and reveal a
find food or water in the darkening chasm. If the secret to the other expedition members, or they can keep
characters have a light source (such as infused spheres this discussion at the “meta” level (so it’s understood by
or a makeshift torch), they can make a second test. If the players but not characters).
Doral was rescued and survived the chasmfiend chase, Eventually, the characters get to sleep. Whether or not
his advice adds an advantage to all Lore and Survival they post a rotating watch, and regardless of where in the
tests. See the Making it Through the Night table to chasm they’ve chosen to camp, the night passes without
determine the outcome of the characters’ rest. further incident.

Making it Through the Night A New Character

If the PCs have… They wake with…
Clean water No exhaustion; benefits of a long rest
If a character died in the previous scene, this scene could
& food (all health and focus restored) be a chance to introduce their replacement. You can treat
Dirty water Exhausted (−1) them as another survivor who escaped alongside the
group, or you could use this chance to introduce a Listener
No water Exhausted (−2)
character.
No food Character gains the benefits of a short rest
(one recovery test), but not a long rest

The characters can choose anywhere in the chasm to To the Ruins

sleep. Eliah expresses interest in the cave nearby, which In the morning, the characters set out. If Eliah Matal is
is a natural alcove large enough to hold ten people. It still alive, read the following:
contains no hidden dangers and is a bit more comfortable
Eliah, the scholar, opens her map. It is hand drawn, and
than the chasm floor.
focuses on the plateaus closest to the expedition’s
Before the characters go to sleep for the night, they
original destination. “From our current position, the
have another chance to reveal something about their
war camps are due west, but we have to assume the
characters.
chasmfiend is still blocking that path,” she says.
Darkness surrounds your makeshift campsite, with only She indicates a point in the chasms. “If we circle to
the faintest starlight visible far above. By the time the the northeast we can reach our dig site. It should be close
first moon rises, no dangers have emerged from the by, perhaps an hour away, but going there would do more
shadows. It’s eerily quiet, and your fellow survivors are than satisfy my curiosity. The scouts who found the ruins
lost in their own thoughts. said that they extended into the chasm. So, if there’s a
way in, there might be a way up.”
Invite the players to share one backstory detail. This
could be prompted by one of the NPCs speaking up, If Eliah didn’t survive but her map is in the characters’
or you could address the players directly. If the players hands, a successful DC 10 Deduction test can glean
aren’t sure where to begin, ask players the following these details from notes on the map. (A scribe or other
questions and allow them to elaborate: literate character can read the notes without making a
◆ Which of you has committed a crime? What was test.) As the characters approach the ruins, they reach
the crime? a shadowed area.
◆ Who betrayed or failed a loved one? What hap- The chasm walls seem to close in, and the smell of death
pened to them? hangs in the damp air. All around, creeping vines reach
◆ Who here has been wrongly condemned? Why were into the ankle-deep stormwater. Lifespren—motes of
you falsely accused? green light—hover above the plants. But tiny red rotspren
◆ Which of you has survived another tragedy like this? also gather here, crawling over three bodies lying in
What were the circumstances? the water.
◆ Who here is in love? Who is your loved one, and are
the feelings mutual?
◆ Which of you has an enemy? Why have they sworn to
kill you?

Bridge Nine 17
Vines retreat back into cracks in the stone as the This brief scene is a chance to establish the existence
characters approach. Three decomposing bodies can of the Listeners. Known to the humans as “Parshendi,”
be found here: the Listeners are a culture within the singers, the sentient
◆ A soldier in a rotting blue uniform and rusted humanoid species native to Roshar. Any member of the
breastplate. The belt pouch contains 20 diamond expedition would know of the frequent clashes between
marks and a sapphire broam (worth 100 marks), Parshendi with Alethi armies on the Shattered Plains.
all infused with Stormlight. The corpse’s only other These bodies fell into the chasm during a battle, and
intact item is a carved wooden axehound. were washed here by the recent highstorm.
◆ A bridgeman, face-down in the water with a ruined As the group leaves this area, if there are any surviving
leather vest. A successful DC 15 Perception test bridgemen, one of them privately approaches a character.
reveals a fine knife worth 20 marks hidden inside the (If possible, choose someone who has been marked for
bridgeman’s vest. freedom.)
◆ The red bones of a long-dead Parshendi warrior.
The bridgeman takes you aside at a moment when
The warrior’s carapace plates are still strong, and
everyone else is out of earshot. “Everyone at the
could be used to fashion a shield with a successful
warcamps thinks we’re dead. It means… we have a
DC 10 Crafting test, or an improvised breastplate with
chance. If we get out of this, can you help us escape?”
the Fragile trait with a successful DC 15 Crafting test.
The soldier and bridgeman’s possessions are distinctive The bridgeman implores the character to “look the other
enough that they could be used to identify the deceased. way” at the right moment, so he can escape his servitude
A character who follows up on this in the future could be as part of Bridge Nine. A character who promises to help
rewarded with progress toward narrative goals. should be marked for freedom.

The Lost Shrine

Around another bend, not far from the decaying bodies,
the chasm opens back up into a wider canyon. Here, the
characters reach the expedition’s intended destination.

The chasm is wide here, and the walls don’t seem quite
as high. The floor of the canyon is dry, with fewer plants,
and broken stone litters the ground. The stone was
broken recently, and is not worn smooth like the rest of
the chasm.

The shrine is not at the characters’ eye level, but it can be

seen with a look upward (no Perception test required).

Embedded in the canyon wall, once hidden behind a

layer of stone and crem, a forgotten structure is now
half-revealed. Its lower level begins about 30 feet
above the chasm floor, where columns flank an open
doorway. Another 20 feet above that is an upper level,
but strangely, that portion of the structure appears to be
completely on its side. It’s as if a building tumbled into
the chasm and was frozen in stone.
This structure, an ancient shrine, has been hidden for
thousands of years. During the cataclysmic event that
created the Shattered Plains, this structure collapsed.
Over the millennia, it was sealed by layers of crem.

Florian Stitz
Bridge Nine 18
Recently, a chasmfiend chrysalis was discovered on the
plateau above the shrine, resulting in a battle between
humans and Listeners. Between thousands of marching
soldiers and natural erosion over time, the crem covering
the shrine started to crumble. The last highstorm resulted
in a more dramatic collapse.
Luckily for the characters, the broken stone now
gathered at the base of the shrine makes it an easy surface
to climb. Each character must make an Athletics test,
but only rolling a natural 1 (resulting in a Complication)
causes a character to take falling damage (1d6 impact).
Rolling a natural 20 (resulting in an Opportunity) allows
a character to find a safe path that prevents any further
need for skill tests.

The structure is carved in an unfamiliar style, but it is

clearly ancient. The columns that once supported the
structure are still intact, though they all lean to one side.
Ahead, an open doorway leads into darkness.

The tall doorway is leads inside the shrine.

Ground Floor
The interior of the building is dark. Without a light
source, characters who rely on sight as their primary
sense will be Disoriented inside the shrine.
Characters seeking a light source will know that they
can use any infused spheres they might be carrying. A
single mark or broam provides bright light in a 5-foot
are decorated with elegant carvings. Brightly colored
radius, while a handful of spheres can provide 10 feet of
cremlings crawl out of the cracks in the walls, then skitter
light. A character can fashion a torch with a successful
away. The only path out of the room is a stone stairway,
DC 10 Crafting or Survival test (gaining an advantage
leading up.
if they use cloth soaked in oil or alcohol). A torch lasts
one hour, shedding bright light in a 20-foot radius. The entire first level leans toward the west; if a player
For a character who uses sight as their primary sense, were to drop a sphere in this room, it would roll downhill
their ability to see beyond a radius of bright light depends until it hit the west wall. The room is totally stable, but
on their senses range: the uneven terrain makes a characters more likely to trip
Awareness Senses Range and fall prone if they roll a Complication.
0 5 ft. The purpose of the room is mysterious to most
1–2 10 ft. members of the expedition, but a character who examines
3–4 20 ft. the mosaics and succeeds on a DC 5 Lore test recognizes
it as some type of shrine. If the character succeeds on the
For more on obscured senses, see the “Senses” section in
test by 10 or more, they also know that it dates back to a
Part 2 of the Beta Rules Preview.
cataclysmic era known as the Desolations. A character
Once the characters have found a way to perceive the
with the Archaeology or Religion also realizes the shrine
inside of the ruins, read the following:
has some connection to a legendary order of warriors now
Rubble litters the this room, and dust covers every called “the Lost Radiants.”
surface. The floor is uneven, listing to one side. The walls In particular, one symbol inlaid on the floor is
recognizable to anyone familiar with the Vorin church

Logan Feliciano
Bridge Nine 19
Map 2: Shrine (Ground Floor) Map 3: Shrine (Top Floor)

Eduardo nonato
Bridge Nine 20
(the dominant religion in eastern Roshar): the double
eye of the Almighty. A character with rhe History or
Religion expertise has the realizes that this symbol was
connected to legends of heroic knights called “the Lost
Radiants.”
As the characters spend time in this room, the
cremlings become visibly agitated. A successful DC 10
Lore or Survival test reveals that this crimson-and-yellow
species has a venomous bite, harmless in small doses but
dangerous if a victim is overwhelmed.

Stairway
Barnacle-like shapes cling to a number of surfaces in the
shrine, especially the stairs. To identify them, a character
must make a DC 10 Deduction test, or have the Biology
expertise. On a success, the character knows that these
are entrances to the cremlings’ nest.
The stairs appear stable, but uneven: they’re covered
in melon-sized domes of crem-like material, which cluster
like rockbuds on each of the steps.
Characters can make their way up the stairs, but
they’ll have to move carefully to do so without stepping
on one of the nests. Each character must succeed on a
DC 15 Agility test to proceed unless they can devise
some other way to assist one another up the stairs. On
a failed test, a character accidentally crushes a nest and
brightly colored cremlings pour out of the stone. Once

A swarm
a total of three nests have been crushed, a swarm of
cremlings forms and attacks the character that crushed
the last nest. On a Complication, the character also
falls prone. of cremlings
The swarm fights for three rounds before it disperses
(or until it is killed), and the entire stairway counts as
difficult terrain. Once each character has succeeded
or failed one test to ascend, the group finds a path
to proceed.

The higher you move up the stairs, the rubble fills the
stairway. After climbing for about thirty feet, the stairs
abruptly end. Where a landing should lead to the next
level, broken stones cover the floor. They form an uneven
ramp to the level above.

The characters have reached the point where a portion

of the shrine collapsed on one side during its fall into the
chasm. The stones are stable enough for the characters
to make their way to the top floor (no Athletics check
required).

Kevin O’neill (top); Florian Stitz (bottom)

Bridge Nine 21
Top Floor
The fifth floor of the shrine, located close to the surface,
is the only other accessible level. If the characters have
light when they reach this level, they are greeted with an
unexpected scene:

The upper level of the shrine lays completely on its side.

What was once the floor is now the western wall, with the
former ceiling to the east. Columns, broken from their
pedestals, have collapsed onto the floor.
The room’s most striking feature is a statue of a
Shardbearer. Once it would have stood 15 feet tall, but
now it lays against the floor like a fallen warrior. Seven
glyphs are carved into the pedestal at its feet.

This portion of the shrine was once a meditation

chamber for the Knights Radiant, and the statue honors
a now-forgotten Willshaper. Inspection of the statue
reveals that the figure in Shardplate appears to be
a woman, and she carries a Shardblade. (Depending on
whether your group has chosen to make the strict gender
roles of Alethi society a part of your game, this may
surprise some of the characters.)
The glyphs below the statue, carved in an archaic
style, are arrayed in a pattern. This carving once deciphering the glyphs
functioned as a way for Radiants to contemplate and
affirm their Ideals, but now its presence could lead to Dividing Lines. The lines between the glyphs are
a valuable reward for curious characters. stylized numerals 1 through 7 (DC 10 Deduction).
Hidden Compartments. Inspecting the sides of the
Deciphering the Glyphs pedestal (DC 10 Thievery) can reveal that rectangular
If the characters decide to investigate the statue, run an patterns there are actually some kind of sealed
endeavor. The characters must achieve 3 successes before compartments.
3 failures, and at least one of the characters contributing A character with the Religion expertise recognizes that
must have drawn the attention of the lightspren Tone these carvings are a type of meditation aid, traced with
(see appendix A: Spren NPCs). one’s fingers while reciting a mantra. The two spren
If a character is using the light of an infused sphere following the characters react to successful tests, briefly
to investigate the glyphs, Stormlight streams from manifesting as trails of light.
the sphere, causing the glyphs to glow. The sphere
becomes dun, but all tests to decipher the puzzle gain Resolving the Endeavor
an advantage. The characters can succeed on this endeavor by
Approaches include the following: achieving 3 successes before 3 failures.
Wear and Tear. A character can notice that the stone Success. The characters are able to determine
of each glyph is weathered, as if it has been touched the correct order of glyphs, forming the phrase “Life
many times. The central glyph shows more wear than before death, strength before weakness, journey before
the others (DC 10 Perception). destination.” If a character speaks these words, or
Reading the Glyphs. Each glyph represents a single touches the glyphs in this order, the lightspren Tone
word in an archaic style: life, strength, journey, before, reacts by flying into the pedestal. If it had been glowing
death, weakness, and destination (DC 10 Lore). with Stormlight, that light fades as Tone draws upon
her innate Surgebinding powers.

Sami Rytkönen
Bridge Nine 22
 The golden light of the strange spren seems to infuse the The design of the armor in this last image seems to match
pedestal. On one side of the pedestal, a compartment the statue in this room. It shows an ancient Willshaper
slides out of the stone. Inside the drawer is a bracelet and speaking with a warform singer. It’s unclear whether their
two rings, linked by metallic chains. postures are threatening or welcoming.
Though its gemstones are cracked, the metal is Any characters not examining the walls might notice
untarnished. This is no mere jewelry. It is a priceless that they are not the first people to explore these ruins.
artifact of the Vorin church: a Soulcaster, capable of Make a Perception test (DC 15) for characters in the
transforming any substance to another with a touch. tunnel on the northeast side of the room. If a character
is actively searching that area, they can make a DC 10
Any character recognizes the significance and value Survival test instead. On a success, they notice the dust
of this item. If it has not been damaged beyond repair, on the floor and walls is scuffed near the exit to the north.
it is an incredible treasure. There are two exits from this room, and both lead
Failure. If the spren had begun to manifest, they to the surface. If any character has impressed Zephrus
disappear from view. The compartment containing during this adventure (by receiving multiple marks for
the Soulcaster does not open. A character notices the protection), the honorspren’s glowing light beckons them
compartments on the south side of the drawer, and the toward the south exit.
next character who attempts to for ce it open gains an
advantage. The Surface
Secrets of the Past The path that the characters take determines how likely
Whether or not the characters find the Soulcaster, they they are to be surprised during the next scene.
may attempt to open similar compartments in the pillar Northern Exit. A natural tunnel leads to a crack
near the statue. A successful DC 15 Athletics or Thievery in the plateau above. The rough stone provides easy
test can open one additional compartment on the south handholds and footholds, but leads characters directly
side of the pedestal. Roll on the Hidden Compartments toward the waiting singers.
table to determine its contents. Southern Exit. This path leads through a narrower,
rubble-choked tunnel. It leads outside, terminating in
Hidden Compartments a sunny ledge. From there, it’s an easy climb up to the
d4 Contents plateau. Characters who take this route are not Surprised
by the singers.
1 A blue silk ribbon embroidered with the glyph for “zephyr,”
which crumbles into dust as soon as it’s touched
2 An amethyst cut in a strange twisted pattern
Encountering the Singers
A group of Listener scouts recently discovered the shrine,
3 A sapphire and a ruby, each worth 40 marks
and sent a group of warriors to defend the site while a
4 An arrowtip made of remarkably light, silvery metal
runner fetches their scholars. Depending on the number
A character with the Fabrial Crafting or Metallurgy of player characters, they face a number of warform
expertise recognizes the arrowtip as made of singers and nimbleform singers:
aluminum, and worth 300 marks. Number Warform Nimbleform
Any other remaining compartments are empty or of PCs Singers Scouts
permanently sealed shut. The mosaics on the wall depict 3–4 2 1
other scenes of the Knights Radiant. 5 2 2
6 2 3
Some of the mosaics are impossible to make out,
their colors lost to time. Others are brighter and The Listeners are immediately hostile toward humans.
depict Shardbearers in fanciful scenes: a figure in blue For generations, Listeners have found weapons and
surrounded by stylized clouds, another in red, wreathed artifacts in ruins like this. The Shattered Plains are
in flames. The clearest image depicts a woman in violet their land, and they’re prepared to defend the site.
Shardplate, her hand extended toward a figure with ivory
skin and red carapace.

Bridge Nine 23
 Map 4: The Surface

Dallin Bifano
Bridge Nine 24
 If any character took the northern exit, the
Listeners see them right away. A scout calls out:

“Stop!” A voice calls out as you step into the light. “Give up
anything you have taken!” Warform
The voice speaks with an intense, rhythmic cadence.
singer
It is joined by the humming of other voices: Parshendi.
The armored warriors of the Shattered Plains, known to
kill humans on sight.

There are two warform singers with red carapace and

red-marbled skin: one bearded malen and one femalen.
Any scouts present are in nimbleform, with more
delicate carapace and marbled red and white skin.
Any sign of aggression from the characters causes
the Listeners to attack. But it is also possible for this
scene to become a conversation. Successfully navigating
the discussion allows the scene to end without violence.
A character who sought a peace with the Listeners should
be marked for freedom. To run the conversation, see
“Talking to the Listeners.”

Talking to the Listeners

The characters can talk to the Parshendi scout Vexla
(she/her, nimbleform singer) and try to de-escalate the
situation such that both sides leave unharmed. To run a
conversation, give each character the chance to make a
contribution. Usually, one character takes the lead but all If any player character becomes unfocused during the
characters should have opportunities to participate. conversation, the warriors lose patience and attack.

Roleplaying Vexla Convincing Vexla to

Vexla expects the party to be plunderers—intruders with Let the Party Leave
no respect for the shrine. Vexla is wary of the characters Characters who wish to convince Vexla to allow them
but would prefer to avoid violence. She is curious about to leave can attempt to do so with a conversation.
human culture and speaks Alethi. A character with the Listener expertise who speaks to
Resisting Influence. The scout has a Cognitive Vexla in her own language gains an advantage on any
defense of 15, a Spiritual defense of 15, and 4 focus. She tests. The following are examples of arguments or lines
is receptive to characters who say they mean no harm, of discussion that the characters could use:
but will spend 2 focus to resist threats of violence and
We’re No Threat. Characters can argue that they are
intimidation. If at any point the Soulcaster is revealed, or
desperate to survive, or ask for mercy as they are just
if a character is seen carrying any remains of the Listener
trying to escape the chasm (Persuasion). They can
corpse from the chasm, the conversation fails and the
appeal to the ideal of peace between humans and
Listeners attack.
Listeners (Leadership). Characters can also note that
Losing Focus. The tense situation also has an
the warriors are obviously eager for a fight, and say
effect on the characters. Choose the character who is
that they understand the hostility, given the history
doing most of the talking for the group. Every time they
between their two groups (Persuasion).
fail a test to sway Vexla, that character loses 1 focus.

Steve Prescott
Bridge Nine 25
Not Worth Fighting. Characters notice that Vexla’s
hands are shaking (Insight). They can imply or
outright state that they could beat the Listeners in a
fight (Intimidation). They can deny that they found Vexla
anything of value in the ruins (Deception). Any of
these tests should raise the stakes. On a Complication,
an NPC takes an action that provokes Vexla, allowing
her to regain 1 focus. A character can spend an
Opportunity to make Vexla nervous and uncertain,
removing her Deadly Speed ability for the remainder
of this scene.

Resolving the Conversation

The characters succeed if they make especially compel-
ling arguments or if Vexla no longer has enough focus
to resist influence.
Success. The Listeners allow the party to go on their
way peacefully, and encourage them to leave quickly.
Failure. If the characters sought a peaceful resolution
but ultimately failed, the Listeners fight until at least
two of them are reduced to 5 health. At that point,
the entire group flees. If the characters were more
aggressive or revealed the Soulcaster, the Listeners
fight to the death.

The Way Home

After encountering the Listeners, the characters face
a long journey home. Without a portable bridge, the Final Encounter
group can’t use the direct route they took to the dig
site. Relying on permanent bridges, the journey takes This is meant to be a challenging final scene for the
12 hours. Fortunately, no dangers stalk the characters adventure, but its difficulty depends on how easily the
across the plateaus. characters weathered the cremling swarm in the shrine
If the party travels through the night, they reach the ruins. If the party is relatively unharmed, you may wish to
warcamps just before sunrise. add an extra enemy to make the scene more challenging.
If the characters are already struggling, you might
You finally approach your destination: the warcamps. allow the enemies to be less tenacious and more likely
Built into a series of ten craters at the edge of the to retreat.
Shattered Plains, each warcamp houses the armies of an The area of this scene is a plateau, but that doesn’t
Alethi Highprince. The warcamp for Highprince Sadeas mean it’s flat stone. Describe the warriors leaping from
sits between the camps for Roion and Aladar, at the rocks to attack the characters, and encourage similar
southwestern end of the Alethi settlement. stunts by the characters. Reward bold play by raising
Guards stand at the gates to each warcamp, scouts the stakes, and consider how any surviving NPCs might
patrol on horseback, and chull-drawn wagons move contribute to the scene.
between the craters and the Outer Market to the west. If the characters resolve the scene without combat,
it can still be climactic! Make it clear that they’ve just
avoided a battle that could have been deadly, and consider
having Tone (see appendix: Spren NPCs) visibly manifest
in a pulsing ring of light that indicates her approval.
Achieving victory without violence is very in keeping
with the Ideals of the Knights Radiant.

Katie Payne
Bridge Nine 26
This first adventure is complete, and the characters ◆ Alternately, if the characters negotiate effectively
advance to 2nd level. You can use the outcomes from this with Highprince Sadeas, or offer the Soulcaster to
adventure to build a campaign for your playtesting group! another prominent NPC, they could gain a powerful
If the characters discovered the Soulcaster (an artifact connection.
capable of transforming any substance into stone), If any NPCs survived the chasms, they can become
it could prove to be more of a curse than a boon: ongoing characters in your campaign. Eliah Matal is a
◆ If the characters openly attempt to sell the Soulcaster, stern but fair-minded noble who can serve as a potential
they gain the attention of Highprince Sadeas, who ally or patron.
offers no reward for it. He claims that it is the rightful Any surviving bridgemen are grateful to the player
property of the church and crown, a position that characters, especially if they buy out their debts or help
Alethi nobles will support. them escape. Keep in mind that if the characters use
◆ An attempt to sell the Soulcaster on the black illegal means to help the NPCs, they may run afoul of the
market yields a fraction of its value, no more than warcamp guards.
1,000 marks. Finally, any Radiant spren drawn to the characters
◆ The characters can choose to keep and use the during this adventure will continue to watch them closely.
Soulcaster, but they must repair it with new gemstones Choose the characters who have been marked the most
(which could be costly) and teach themselves how to for protection or freedom and let them known they have
use it (obtaining GM permission to take a skill rank in impressed a spren (see appendix: Spren NPCs). Those
Transformation after practicing its use in downtime characters may take the First Ideal (Windrunner) or First
for at least one full level). Ideal (Willshaper) talent as they advance to 2nd level.

Bridge Nine 27
DVENTURE VERSION NOISREV ERUTNEV
Appendix

Spren NPCs

T he spirit-like entities known as spren are

ubiquitous across Roshar, drawn to strong
emotions and natural phenomena. Common
spren can make your descriptions more memorable while
While Tone won’t actively speak with a character
during this adventure, she may convey emotions through
rhythms (such as the sound of a swiftly beating heart
or a calming wave). At any given time, Tone favors the
conveying what’s unique about the world. character who has been marked for freedom most often,
Radiant spren are an even greater storytelling and will lead her favored character to safety, or toward
opportunity. Each “true spren” is an NPC in its own people in need of help. Her personality is plucky and
right, with a distinct appearance and personality. Living optimistic, but she is a fierce opponent of oppression.
up to certain Ideals and forming a bond with a spren
NPC is how characters unlock Radiant paths. Zephrus
Two spren are active in the vicinity of this adventure, An intense honorspren with an especially strong sense
perhaps drawn to the characters or other members of of right and wrong, Zephrus (he/him) is eager to bond
the expedition. Their impact on the adventure should be a Radiant. He appears most often like a windspren—a
subtle, mostly taking the form of hints, but you should ribbon of blue light—and will briefly appear during
privately note their reactions to the characters’ choices by dramatic and heroic attacks. He can also appear as a
marking characters for protection or freedom. young man with an ardent’s square beard, but would
During a particularly dramatic dice roll or a well- only show that form to a character ready to swear the
timed Opportunity, look for ways to hint at the presence First Ideal.
of the two spren Tone and Zephrus: light might manifest A character who embodies protection will gain
around a character, or they might feel a brief burst of Zephrus’s approval. That includes defending the weak
superhuman strength and speed. and risking serious harm to protect someone vulnerable.
While each spren emphasizes a particular Ideal, both Zephrus can be overzealous in his interpretation of
are looking for those who will honor “Life Before Death,” honorable behavior, and holds any potential Radiant to
and they disdain characters who choose violence when it high standards of dignity.
is not absolutely necessary. Zephrus sees himself a seasoned veteran, and is intent
on finding a worthy student. He will not engage any
Tone character in conversation, but may choose one to follow.
Tone (she/her) is a lightspren, who appears in the During a particularly crucial moment, that hero might
Physical realm as a little pulsing comet of golden-white hear a terse “No,” or “That’s it!” from a voice like wind
light. Millennia ago, she bonded a human Radiant, and whispering in their ear.
now she tentatively seeks another person who could
possibly become a Willshaper.
A character who seeks freedom may attract Tone’s
notice. That includes fighting unjust laws, seeking liberty,
and freeing others from bondage. Lightspren have a
strong affinity for singers, so aggressive behavior toward
Parshendi NPCs in this adventure will deeply distress
Tone. She will refuse to bond any character who supports
any type of slavery, or a character who makes frequent
use of fabrials that utilize captured spren.

Artist Credit TK
Appendix: Spren NPCs 28
Other Spren Remembrance. Tending to the forgotten, listening to
people that others have ignored. (Cultivationspren)
If this is your first Cosmere RPG adventure, you’ll have
Secrecy. Alluding to a dark secret or confessing a
your hands full without tracking a large cast of spren
painful truth. (Cryptic)
NPCs. However, you may still wish to make note of
Self-Mastery. Showing restraint, confronting fears, and
characters who demonstrate Radiant ideals (and the spren
maintaining emotional discipline. (Ashspren)
they can attract):
Tenacity. Demonstrating reliability, being there when
Justice. Upholding just laws, keeping a difficult vow, needed most, standing when others fall. (Peakspren)
and adhering to rules. (Highspren) Truth. Seeking knowledge and absolute truth when
Potential. Showing a relentless drive for self- others turn to easier answers. (Mistspren)
improvement, living up to one’s own potential.
Characters who live by the Ideals may draw other
(Inkspren)
Radiant spren in future sessions, which could ultimately
lead them to Radiant paths.

Appendix: Spren NPCs 29