New Blog Location

Our Blog can now be found at www.illfrost.com. Please check it out!

We have Maps!

More exciting news from HQ...

Illusionary Press is pleased to announce the signing of Jonathan Roberts to provide cartography for our first adventure and campaign guide. Jonathan is the artist of the Fantastic Maps series and can be found all over the RPG community. His work consistently grabs 5 star ratings from RPGNow.

And with reviews like this...

"Jonathan Roberts is one of those artists that should get billing above the publishers name."

Nathan Collins, RPGNow staff

...I don't think we'd have any problem putting his name up there if his finished work looks as good as the first drafts we've seen.

You're gonna love these too.

Series Five: History

The Crossing of the Stone

Upon the fall of The West, King Conn of Tuanna sent his queen and three sons by ship to the new colonies of Lannithir. With them went the remnant of his people, while he remained behind to fight, and die, as Last King of The West. Consequent to landing in this new world, Conn's eldest son, Ennis, was crowned First King of The East and the Kingdom of Tuanna was reestablished. Three other kingdoms survived the destruction of The West and managed to flee to Lannithir as well. Two of these nations were precious allies of Tuanna. The third of these kingdoms, however, was distrusted at best by Tuanna and her allies.

In the century that has passed since the expansion in the new lands of Lannithir, the four kingdoms of men have seen their share of conflict with the many native inhabitants of these expanses. They have even warred amongst each other. Yet through the continued exploration of this unknown world, men have uncovered and released an unspeakable horror. A dread so unimaginable, that the ancients themselves defeated and imprisoned it over a thousand years ago.

In the two decades that have passed since this wicked scourge has been loosed upon the land, strange and dark events have taken place. Sinister books and scrolls of vile evil and black magic have been discovered, and have twisted the minds of those foolish enough to read them. Raiding parties of wittershin have set out from the mountains to wreak havoc and destruction upon men. These assaults were followed by a full scale war led by the mighty race of rephaim, from whom the conflict was so named, The War of the Giants.
For two blood shedding years this campaign raged on as the alliance of men fought together, but continued to yield ground to their aggressors. Then, just when all hope was thought to be lost, a strange and foreign army appeared on the battle field to turn the tide of war, allowing the alliance to regroup and drive the enemy back into the mountains. As quickly as they appeared, these savior warriors returned to whence they came, thus creating great mystery and legend.

It has been seven years since the ending of The War of the Giants, and the nations of men have slowly been recovering from their losses. A keep has been constructed to maintain vigil over the mountain pass, should the enemy ever decide to rear its ugly head again. All would appear to be calm, for now. But appearances are deceiving, for deep within the mountains that same evil so recently released, is stirring yet again.

Series Four: Weapons & Armor

Superior One-Handed Weapons

Take a look at four new superior one-handed weapons (as well as one revisited) you will find in the Illfrost Campaign Setting. Each has it's own unique properties and is listed with the nation in which it was developed.

TUANNA - The Spatha
Slightly longer that the short sword and having a significantly wider blade, the spatha can be used as a thrusting weapon with devastating effect.

Weapon	Prof.	Damage	Range	Price	Weight	Group	Properties
Spatha	+3	1d8	-	100 gp	3 lb.	Light blade	Off-hand

DRAIGTIR - The Bastard Sword
Also commonly known as the hand-and-a-half sword, this sword has no legitimate claim to either a single-handed weapon or two-handed weapon, hence its name.

Weapon	Prof.	Damage	Range	Price	Weight	Group	Properties
Bastard sword	+3	1d10	-	120 gp	6 lb.	Heavy blade	Versatile

POHJA - The Northman
This axe is heavily weighted for greater cleaving power, thus requiring considerable training to wield.

Weapon	Prof.	Damage	Range	Price	Weight	Group	Properties
Northman	+2	1d10	-	90 gp	8 lb.	Axe	Brutal 1, high crit

KAZDIM - The Jambia
The jambia's hilt and scabbard are typically decorated with precious metals and stones. However, one would be making a fatal mistake in assuming this lethal curved dagger is only ceremonial. A rogue proficient with the jambia can treat it as a dagger for the purpose of the Rogue Weapon Talent class feature.

Weapon	Prof.	Damage	Range	Price	Weight	Group	Properties
Jambia	+2	1d4	-	40 gp	2 lb.	Light blade	Brutal 1, high crit, off-hand

KREY - The Cutlass
This short, broad slashing sword has a slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and often features a hilt with a solid cupped guard.

Weapon	Prof.	Damage	Range	Price	Weight	Group	Properties
Cutlass	+2	1d8	-	80 gp	3lb.	Light blade	Brutal 1, off-hand

Please let us know what you think!

Series Four: Weapons & Armor

Craftmanship

The world of Illfrost is a low magic campaign setting, where the superior craftsmanship of weapons and armor replace those you would normally find enchanted in most standard settings. This is not to say that there are no such items enchanted in Illfrost, just that they will be rare finds.

Steel Arms & Armor – As iron is a rare and precious commodity in Lannithir, steel weapons and protection are a luxury not afforded by most. In Tuanna and Draigtir, chain shirts are reserved for officers and commanders, while the common soldier wears hide armor at best. Only the upper echelons of nobility can afford to wear and maintain any armor of quality higher than chain, and plate mail will only be found on a king.

Type and Cost
Steel Armor……………………………………………….................Quintuple the listed price.
Steel Melee Weapons, One Handed……………………….... Double the listed price.
Steel Melee Weapons, Two Handed……………………….....Triple the listed price.
Steel Melee Weapons, Superior....………………………….....Quadruple the listed price.

Fur Lined Armor – For an additional 10% of the cost of the armor, a character can have his armor lined with fur. This will give the character a +2 to Endurance checks vs. cold; however it will add a -1 to the wearer's armor check penalty.


Masterwork Weapons – There is only one nation of men whose smiths are so skilled as to create masterwork weapons. That nation is Draigtir, and the weapons are forged from Draigensteel. Add 300gp to the base price.

• Draigensteel, +1 enhancement to attack rolls and damage rolls. Critical: +1 [W].

The Master Smiths of the Erdaim - There are no finer blades found on Olam than those crafted by the First Born. The guarded secrets of heat treatment, quenching, and tempering a sword have been passed down by the erdaim for three millennium. However, there are only a select few masters remaining who can still produce a weapon of quality as their ancestors did before them. The erdaim smith's regard swordcraft very highly, and it is said that they intertwine their blades with oaths of honor.

• Seysheth, +2 enhancement to attack rolls and damage rolls. Critical: +2 [W].

Maltoth – The greatest of all the erdaim smiths are the Malerdaim, and there is no better smith then their king, Maltoth. It was Maltoth who created the dark metal known as malsheth, which is remains hard even when crafted very thin.

• Malsheth, +3 enhancement to attack rolls and damage rolls. Critical +3 [W].

Artist under contract

Exciting news from HQ...

I am pleased to announce that we have an outstanding artist under contract for our first set of products. Chris Quilliams will be working with Illusionary Press to provide at least six pieces for our first adventure and campaign guide. Chris' credits include multiple covers for Mongoose Publishing and several interiors for the GURPs series from Steve Jackson Games.

His first round of pencils look great. You're gonna love 'em!

Series Three: Religion

Creation

Er – The First. The One. The Father of All. He created Olam and commanded the eromerim to shape it for his pleasure. He then spoke his children into existence to inhabit the world, and gave them dominion over it. Er was worshipped in ancient times until the alomerim walked upon Olam against his will, and meddled in the affairs of men. The erdaim have always recognized their creator.
Ruach, The Unquenchable Fire – The spirit and breath of Er. It is a consuming fire that is cleansing, comforting, and exacts the truth.
Shamah – The expanse, or realm, of Er. It is where his great white throne of judgment sits.

Eromerim – Archangels. The offspring of Er's thought. They were four in number, and were composed by the Father to shape Olam with fire, air, water and earth.

• Aunoch – Might. Firebringer. He was given great knowledge and power, and was charged with bringing fire to Olam. Aunoch fell to jealousy and pride, and took his gift away from Er's children, thus perpetuating winter. He became Malvorn, the dark enemy, and used his wickedness to sow envy among the alomerim. He was successful in seducing Lamech, Kemuel, and Tebah, who became fallen-angels. Malvorn then fled to the bowels of the Olam and established the Iron Crown, where he governs all corruption, confusion, and hate. Whatsoever is cruel, violent and deadly is in his charge. He is more commonly known as the adversary, and any false worship empowers him.
• Anir – The noblest of the eromerim. He understands the will of Er best, and concerns himself with matters of the air. He is symbolized by a scepter of sapphire, and his avatar is normally that of a giant snowy owl.
• Onin – It is he who governs the movement of water. His symbol is an emerald trident, and his avatar is a kraken.
• Enik – The most humble of the eromerim, Enik's domain is earth, and he is master of crafts and lore. His symbol is a hammer of iron, and he favors taking on the form of a human warrior or smithy.
  

Alomerim – Angels. Created by Er, with the assistance of the eromerim, these servants and messengers are capable of assuming flesh bodies. Tempted by their power and ability, and stirred by the accusations of Malvorn, the alomerim interfered in the matterss of mortal men, and thus have been falsely worshipped as gods. It was Miachah himself who lusted after the daughters of the Ru'elim, and sired the mighty race of the Aghrim.
Neomerim – Fallen Angels. The neomerim were seduced and corrupted into following Malvorn after he fell away from the Father. The Dark Enemy has nurtured these dukes with his malice and hate towards Er, and the remaining eromerim and alomerim. While they are clever and mighty, they have weaknesses which can be exploited.

• Nedred – (Formerly Lamech) Dark Lord of the West. The Destroyer. Nedred rose from the nation of Ruskolyn and built an army that swept across and annihilated the West. His success in breeding the thallin from the dark arts was the killing stroke in conquering western civilization. His standard is the red hand.
• Necrom – (Formerly Kemuel) Dark Lord of the East. The Ice Duke. Before his imprisonment by the erdaim, Necrom seduced mortal women of the Ru'elim and sired the giant kin of rephaim. After his defeat to Abimelek, Necrom was imprisoned in Icekeep by Mattasheba, the Staff of Oath. One thousand years later Necrom was released by an expedition of foolish explorers from the Empire of Kazdim. It is from this release that the dark art was born unto men, and it is through Necrom's will that this art will spread like a plague. Necrom is a tall figure of great majesty and terror, having pale white hair and skin. His eyes are solid orbs of blackness, and his standard is a white skeletal hand.
• Nevillian – (Formerly Tebah) Duchess of Vermin. The Spider Queen. Any twisted manifestation of natural vermin, or beast, is in her charge. Her appearance is that of a giant, bulbous arachnid.