A Dance with Death

VAE SOM

Content warning — Violence, Death, Mind Control

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This mystery for the roleplaying game Vaesen brings the player characters to the scenic province of Dalarna in springtime, with its green woods, brown cabins, and the blue waters of Lake Siljan. There they will be introduced to the Swedish dance and folk music tradition and see the darkness hiding behind the joy of the music. The mystery will test the player characters’ deductive powers, social skills, and – if they are not careful – their fighting prowess.

Prelude

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This first section describes the background of the mystery and the conflicts on which it is based. There is an invitation to kick off the session, then the text proceeds to describe the journey to Fudal, a summer farm in Mora Parish. The section concludes with a countdown of events which you as the Gamemaster will initiate at some appropriate time during the mystery – and a catastrophe that describes what happens if the player characters do not take action or fail in their efforts. But first we will look back at the events leading up to the mystery.

Background

Fudal is a fäbodvall – a summer farmstead – located in Nusnäs, a village in Mora Parish. It is composed of a scattering of cabins, like a little village of its own near Fudal Cove in Lake Siljan. Through the village runs a stream called Fuån. Here the farm girls are tending If you want to run this mystery in Mythic Britain and Ireland instead of the Mythic North, a good area to choose would be the west coast of Lough Corrib near Oughterard, County Galway. Gavelkind – a system of partible inheritance enforced upon Catholics until 1878 – split farms into smaller and smaller landholdings. If there were no male heirs, the whole farm would be held collectively by the widow and daughters until marriage or death. One such farm might be the location for this mystery. cows and goats that have recently been brought to Fudal for summer grazing.

In Lake Siljan lurks the Neck (page 144 of the core rulebook). With his music he has lured unfortunate individuals to drown in the lake, hoping that they will keep him company in his underwater realm. Listening to the humans singing and dancing in the villages has made him envy their sense of community.

One sleepless night the farm girl Lisbets Boel heard him play his fiddle and was so enchanted by the music that she fell in love with the Neck, and he with her. Instead of drowning like so many before her, she swore to help the Neck, who has promised her a place by his side if she provides him with human sacrifices. Now the two of them are plotting to drown the farm girls of Fudal. Thus, at last, the Neck hopes to have a partner with whom to share his realm. An old tapestry depicting the Neck was later stolen as well.

But the Neck is not the only one who desires Lisbets Boel – so does the fiddler Jons Gustav, who has tried to win her heart. But she has always spoken affectionately of another, unknown musician, who is the man she wants. In a desperate attempt to win her love he contacted the Neck. He stole the farm girl Mattias Freja’s black cat and brought it to a remote part of the shore along Lake Siljan, where he sacrificed it to the Neck, hoping that he would teach him how to play his melodies. Finally, the Neck heard him and promised to teach him, on the condition that Jons Gustav would provide human sacrifices.

Jons Gustav knows how to enchant people with the melancholy tunes he learned from the Neck, having lured Pers Ida – one of the hired farm girls – to the water to be sacrificed, before realizing that THE NECK: The vaesen lurking in the depths of Lake Siljan, luring people to the water with his music. Is in love with Lisbets Boel and has taught Jons Gustav to play his music.

SWÄRDS JENNY: The farm holder who owns the drowned animal, and the farm girls’ employer. It is the drowning of her cows that kicks off the mystery.
LISBETS BOEL: An outgoing and popular farm girl who is in love with the Neck, who later enchants her to help him drown the other farm girls.
MATTIAS FREJA: A farm girl who acts as a leader for the other girls. Lisbets Boel’s closest friend.
PERS IDA: A young farm girl who is quiet and introverted. She recently involved in a strange incident where she woke up by the water without knowing how she got there. Is in love with Jons Gustav.
JONS GUSTAV: A local fiddler who learned to play from the Neck, and who will now provide sacrifices in return. Brought Pers Ida to the water to be sacrificed, but could not go through with it. To buy some time he drowned Swärds Jenny’s cows. he did not have it in him. The next morning, she woke up by the edge of the lake with no memory of what happened. Now Jons Gustav fears the fate he has brought on himself, and to avoid that fate he plans to steal the Neck’s fiddle. With it he intends to enchant Lisbets Boel and escape the Neck and his fate along with her. But now the time has come for him to fulfill his promise, and the Neck is expecting Jons Gustav to bring company to his underwater realm. He desires human sacrifices and wants Jons Gustav to play his fiddle in order to lure the people of Fudal down to the water. To stall for time Jons Gustav led some of farm owner Swärds Jenny’s cattle to the water in an attempt to appease the Neck, if only temporarily. But it was not enough. Now the Neck is expecting a human sacrifice, and his patience is running out. The Neck has told Boel that Gustav has made a bargain with him as well, to become a great musician. Now Boel and the Neck are planning to use Gustav and his love for Boel. Jons Gustav, on the other hand, has no idea that the other fiddler whom Boel claims to be in love with is in fact the Neck.

Conflicts

The primary conflict of this mystery pits the Neck and Lisbets Boel against the farm girls of Fudal. The Neck wants his human sacrifices and Lisbets Boel is determined to grant his wish. Together they are plotting to use Jons Gustav to carry out their plan.

The secondary conflict is between Jons Gustav and the Neck. Jons Gustav has made a Faustian bargain with the Neck in order to learn his tunes, but does not have it in him to lure people to their death. Growing increasingly desperate, especially once the player characters have arrived, he plans to steal the Neck’s fiddle and escape his pact with the Neck. He then hopes to seduce Lisbets Boel with its wondrous music.

Invitation

This mystery takes place in late spring, when the livestock have recently been taken to the fäbodvall for grazing. It begins with the Society receiving a letter at their headquarters in Upsala. The letter, which is also presented as Handout 1A at the end of this book and available for download on Free League’s website, reads as follows: To whom it may concern, My name is Jenny and I turn to your Society, for I know not what else to do. I am but the humble owner of Swärd’s Farm, situated in Nusnäs in Mora Parish.

It all started one morning when Pers Ida, a kulla working at the fäbodvall of Fudal, woke up on the shore of Lake Siljan with no recollection of how she got there. She had gone to bed with the other kullas as usual. The whole thing was very strange and several of the kullas have been worried ever since.

I write to you now in the wake of two of my cows drowning in the lake, despite the fence that was supposed to contain them. Someone, or something, led them there. I’d like to believe that none of the kullas would ever do something so callous, but I worry that someone might be hiding something from me.

The police would not listen, and so I turn to you. I am convinced that something unnatural is at work, and that it is coming for us.

Having no one else to help me, I sincerely hope that this letter reaches you and that you will find it in your hearts to offer your assistance and expertise.

Please reply with haste and I shall meet you in Mora. Yours humbly, Swärds Jenny

Preparations

As usual, the player characters can prepare for the journey at their headquarters and thereby gain an Advantage (see chapter 9 in the core rulebook).

Player characters who go looking for relevant information in Upsala will only find basic information about Nusnäs being a village and Fudan a fäbodvall, both of them part of Mora Parish. However, the characters can learn a thing or two about the traditions and culture of Dalarna, including the naming customs and the importance of music. There is also information about transhumance and how it works. Use the information about the culture of Dalarna presented in the text box to the right.

If the player characters want to look up vaesen linked to water or watercourses, that requires a successful LEARNING test. The vaesen that come up are Brook Horse, Mermaid, the Kraken, Will o’ the Wisp, the Neck, Sea Serpent, and Fairy.

The Culture of Dalarna

At this point in time Dalarna is mostly inhabited by farmers who have been exempted from the land reform. Instead, their farms are divided according to a system where each child receives an equal share of the land and the inheritance, although a mas would often inherit two shares. A man from Dalarna is called mas and an unmarried woman or girl is called kulla, and people from other parts of the country always add the epithet dal-, which makes it dalmas and dalkulla.

The farm is often the most important thing for families in Dalarna, where people’s names normally consist of the farm name (usually the first name of the farm’s owner) followed by the person’s first name; for example, the brothers Tomas and Kosta from Per’s Farm would have been called Pers Tomas and Pers Kosta. Farm names can also be feminine if the owner is a woman or derived from soldier names like Hane (“hammer” as in the firearm component), Blixt (“lightning”), Wärre (“worse”), or Spjut (“spear”).

Agriculture in Dalarna is largely based on transhumance, where livestock is taken to graze in meadows and pastures near forests or mountains during the summer months, while the cultivated soil on the farm is used for growing crops or fodder for the winter. The wooden cabins in the pastures are called fäbodar. A cluster of fäbodar is called a fäbodvall. The people working there are usually young farm girls who spend their days milking cows and goats, making cheese and churning butter, which are then transported to the village.

Music is an essential part of the local culture. Herding music is often heard among the fäbodar, either sung (which is called kulning) or played on cow horns. It is a very beautiful and dreamy sort of music used by the farm girls to gather cows and goats. But the most important musical figures are the fiddlers who play at feasts or other social gatherings like christenings and weddings. Their performances are accompanied by partnered dancing such as the polska or the schottische. The music of the fiddlers is incredible in its ability to make people want to dance, and the best of them are said to have acquired their skills through magic. Folk costumes are often worn during these festivities.

The Journey

The journey to Mora is a three-day carriage ride with overnight stops at inns in Avesta and Leksand, followed by a final leg to Mora. As usual the player characters can gain an Advantage during the journey (page 24 of the core rulebook). Their journey follows the Österdal River deeper into Dalarna, where the scenery starts to change from vast open fields to dense woods of pine and spruce.

On arriving in Leksand the characters reach the Österdal River’s outlet to Lake Siljan and see the clear blue water stretching out before them. On the other side is their final destination in Mora, where they arrive in the late afternoon after an overnight stay in Leksand.

Getting off the carriage after a long journey, the characters’ lungs are filled with air as clear as the water of Lake Siljan. They can see mountains looming on the horizon. Although it is springtime with summer on the way, the wintry cold still lingers in the night. In Mora they are greeted by Swärds Jenny, who is waiting with a simple horse and wagon, ready to take them to Fudal. Here the player characters can take care of any errands they may have.

They can tell that they have traveled north, as the sun rises early in the morning and sets late at night, where the spectacular and colorful sunset is reflected on the water of Lake Siljan. It does not get completely dark until midnight.

Arrival

Fudal is one hour away from Mora, and the journey runs along the shiny water of Lake Siljan. The woods grow denser the closer they get. On the way there Swärds Jenny will talk about what has happened and the player characters are free to ask questions. She has the following to say:

The kulla who mysteriously woke up on the shore of Lake Siljan was Pers Ida. She had no memory of what happened and there were shallow cuts on her body. She is a very well-behaved girl, albeit a bit quiet.
The fence around the cow pasture had not been broken, which means that someone must have let them out. None of the kullas would have done something as cruel as drown the cows, especially as they would be drowning their own livelihood.
It has always been said that Lake Siljan and its waters are to be respected, and people have been known to drown there. After one hour the player characters arrive in Fudal and are met with the sight of the log cabins and the pastures with grazing cows being tended by the kullas. Their ears are filled with the magical sound of Pers Ida’s melodic herding calls. Several of the farm girls gather around the wagon and greet the player characters politely on their arrival. Swärds Jenny says that she has prepared a cabin where the player characters can stay during their investigation. The kullas help carry their luggage to the wooden cabin. It is a simple affair, but it has beds for all of them, a wood stove, and common areas where they can work or socialize. As evening approaches the kullas have prepared some supper and the player characters are served a meal of Falun sausage, crispbread, potatoes, raw milk and freshly made cheese. The girls setting out the food giggle and whisper amongst themselves. They explain that it is Lisbets Boel’s birthday and that they will celebrate with music and dancing in the evening. The party will be held in the meadow after supper.

Countdown and Catastrophe

The player characters’ involvement will elicit reactions from Lisbets Boel and Jons Gustav, who will become increasingly desperate in their actions as the Neck grows more impatient. Unless the player characters steer the story in a different direction, it will eventually end in disaster. Use the following events to increase the pace of the game when necessary, and to push the players toward the final confrontation.

Countdown

1. Lisbets Boel convinces Jons Gustav that the player characters are dangerous and that he should scare them off by trying to kill one of them. On the night of the birthday feast he lures one of them outside using the enchanting music of the Neck. He leads the player character out into the forest to kill her, but cannot bring himself to do it. Instead, he leaves her there and runs. In the morning the player character wakes up confused, with a number of stinging scrapes and scratches on her body from having walked through the woods, but neither she nor the other player characters know what happened. The character who experiences this must make a Fear test against Fear value 1. The enchanted player character does not notice anything but feels as if immersed in a deep sleep. Any other PCs who are awake and happen to see this will find that it is impossible to reach through to the enchanted character, while at the same time hearing sad but beautiful fiddle music being played a bit further away. The enchanted character will do anything to follow the tune and might even resort to violence if that is what it takes. If the player characters make noise, Jons Gustav will stop playing and the enchanted character regains control as if nothing ever happened. Each player character present must make a Fear test against Fear value 1.

2. Pers Ida sees Lisbets Boel meet with a mysterious man by the lake, and then watches as the Neck assumes his true form. Ida tries to escape but is discovered. The Neck plays his music and lures her down into the water, where she drowns. In the morning she is found on the shore by a devastated Mattias Freja or by the player characters.

3. Lisbets Boel asks Jons Gustav to meet her at Fudal Cove, but there the Neck appears and Jons Gustav realizes he has walked into a trap. The Neck enchants Jons Gustav so that he cannot stop playing his fiddle – he is forced to play until his fingers bleed and to obey the Neck’s every command. Then Jons Gustav plays the music of the Neck, and all who hear it are enchanted, brought to the water, and drowned. If something has happened to Jons Gustav, the Neck plays the fiddle himself. You can read more about this under Confrontation.

Catastrophe

If the player characters fail to intervene, Jons Gustav will bring victims to the shore of Lake Siljan and drown them. Jons Gustav is now doomed to play until his knuckles are completely worn down. If something has happened to Jons Gustav, the Neck fetches his victims himself. Lisbets Boel will finally take her place by the Neck’s side, but sadly she drowns as well. It is said that a plaintive melody can be heard from Lake Siljan at night, as from someone looking for company, and anyone who visits Fudal will find only death.

Locations (4)

The following paragraphs summarize the most important locations the player characters may visit in this mystery: the Meadow, the Cabin Village, the Forest, and Fudal Cove. If the player characters want to investigate other locations, you are free to improvise, but it is also perfectly alright to explain that the place in question is not part of the mystery and that there is nothing of interest there.

Maps (2)

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The Meadow

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The meadow surrounding the cabins is where the cows graze during the day, before being taken to the fenced pasture for the night. On the evening of the player characters’ arrival a party is held to celebrate Lisbets Boel’s birthday. Everyone at the fäbodvall joins in and Jons Gustav will be there to provide music.

The girls have dressed up in folk costumes and invited the fiddler Jons Gustav to perform at the feast. As the music begins to play, the party soon livens up and all the girls starts to dance, especially once the aquavit is brought out. It is virtually impossible not get caught up in the music, which is almost magical. The tunes of the fiddle blend with laughter and joyous shouting. For a moment the party makes everyone forget about the strange and mysterious incidents.

At night the animals are kept in pasture surrounded by a roundpole fence, but during the day they are grazing here. There are several cows as well as goats, owned by the farmers of Nusnäs.

Challenges

Below are some suggestions on events and challenges that may arise during the feast in the meadow:

The player characters are free to join in the dancing. Lisbets Boel will then ask one of them to dance. The dancing characters can use AGILITY to follow along. Success means that people are impressed with the player character’s moves, which can be used later on as the equivalent of a successful OBSERVATION or MANIPULATION test in conversation with one of the girls. If they push the roll, a failed test means that they stumble and fall while everyone laughs at them.
Jons Gustav is concerned by the player characters’ presence and worries that they will ruin his plans. After a few drinks he may decide to challenge one of them to an arm-wrestling contest. Defeating him requires a successful FORCE test against his FORCE. If the player character wins, Jons Gustav will leave the meadow in anger and consider them an even greater threat, which means that he will be more careful around them from now on. On failure the player character suffers a physical condition and Jons Gustav will consider himself superior to them.
Pers Ida is there but does not say much and does not want to talk about what happened with all these people around. The player characters can get her to open up with a successful MANIPULATION test, in which case she takes them aside and tells them about it. On failure she asks them to come and see her tomorrow.
Player characters who approach too close or enter the pasture at night risk frightening the animals and may find themselves butted and chased by goats or cows. The player characters must pass a STEALTH test not to startle any of them. If they fail or do not even bother sneaking, they must make an AGILITY test to avoid being butted by an animal. On failure they suffer a physical condition. After the incident one of the girls will show up and sing her herding song to calm the animals down.

Paranoia

Part of the mystery is about creating paranoia and making the player characters unsure whom to trust. The mystery contains clues that someone is consorting with the Neck, and some that point to Lisbets Boel, but below are some suggestions on events that may occur during different parts of the adventure.

Someone spies on the player characters from outside their window. A successful VIGILANCE test allows them to notice this, but the person runs way before they can see who it is.
The player characters find a note on one of their beds, with a message telling them to leave. The note is presented as Handout 1B. It is written by Lisbets Boel.
The player characters are being watched at Fudal Cove, where someone is spying on them from the woods. When they realize this, the person runs away before they can see who it is. Should they catch the spying person, it turns out to be Lisbets Boel.
If the player characters try to ask any of the girls (Pers Ida, Mattias Freja, or an unnamed character) whether there have been any mysterious incidents, they will be reluctant to talk. A successful OBSERVATION test will get them to admit that strange things have occurred, but they will not say anything more for fear that someone is listening.

Clues

Despite the festive atmosphere the player characters can gain a lot of information, much of it gossip, just by asking the girls working here. They can answer as a group, but if you want a specific individual to answer their questions, that person could be Mattias Freja.

Swärds Jenny wants the player characters to feel welcome and will introduce them to various non-player characters. She says that most people will be careful not to trust them, no matter how polite they are.
Lisbets Boel has the Neck put his spell on either Mattias Freja or Swärds Jenny, who comes to the player characters at night to deliver his message. The enchanted person speaks in a monotone voice and says that the player characters must leave, or blood will be spilled – blood that will be on their hands. With a successful OBSERVATION or MEDICINE test the player characters realize that the person has been hypnotized and is speaking for someone else. They must make a Fear test against Fear 1 after experiencing this.
The player characters are followed by enchantments and curses related to water or music. They find tadpoles in their drinking water or water lilies blooming in the beer keg, or choke on a ruby ring that has somehow ended up inside a fish’s belly. The music follows them too – perhaps the creak of a wagon wheel reminds them of the fiddle’s wistful tunes, or maybe people out walking start taking dance steps. This may require a Fear test against Fear value 1.
On the night before step #2 of the countdown, Pers Ida approaches the player characters and asks them to come to her cabin tomorrow. She thinks she has seen something that could help them but does not want to say anything until she knows for sure. She could also deliver this message in the form of a note. THE NOTE ON THE BED Meddlesome people like you would be wise to leave. Let us handle this ourselves.
If the player characters get Pers Ida to open up, she explains that she recently woke up all alone down by the cove, wearing nothing but her nightshirt. She tells them where to find the place. She was not hurt, except that she had light scratches on her feet from walking barefoot. She does not remember anything strange happening on the night she disappeared – she went to bed as usual and is not a drinker, so she could not have been drunk when it happened. She lives alone in one of the cabins, so unfortunately nobody saw or heard anything. She ends by saying that she had a very unpleasant feeling in her body after what happened, as if she had been subjected to something unnatural. She also mentions keeping a diary but has not seen anything else that might be of help to the player characters. If the player characters ask about the drowned cows, all the girls will say that it was very sad. They take good care of the animals and would certainly not let anything like that happen to them. When asked about who saw the cows last, the girls explain that it was Lisbets Boel who closed up that night. But the player characters will probably not get a chance to speak with her during the festivities, as she is too busy being celebrated. If they do get a moment with her, Lisbets Boel says she would be happy to talk tomorrow, but right now she wants to enjoy the feast and suggests that the player characters do the same. Several of the girls are impressed with the fiddler, Jons Gustav. His playing used to be a bit basic and unemotional, but now he seems to have become quite the virtuoso. They wonder if he has been taking lessons, and if so, from whom. They add that he also should have taken a few courtesy lessons while he was at it. When asked about other fiddlers or who might have taught Jons Gustav, the girls mention that they have been hearing music coming from the lake late at night. The melodies are sublime, but no one knows who is playing them. Lisbets Boel is often awake at night and may know more. This evening Jons Gustav will secretly leave Lisbets Boel a love letter describing his plans to her. With a successful VIGILANCE test the player characters can notice him handing over the letter. Lisbets Boel will refuse to show it to them, but the player character can try to steal it with a successful STEALTH test against her OBSERVATION. The letter is presented as Handout 1C. Player characters investigating the pasture will see that its fence has not been damaged and that there is no lock on the gate, which means anyone could have let out Swärds Jenny’s two cows. A successful INVESTIGATION test reveals footprints leading into the forest.

The Neck in Human Guise

The Neck can take human form to move among the people of Fudal. He calls himself Nicklas and looks like a tall man in his late 20s with long black hair and a beard. He wears a hat that conceals a third eye in his forehead and does whatever he can to keep it hidden. He is fairly quiet but has a certain mysterious charm. He introduces himself as a drifter without a family, which is why he lacks a surname.

Jons Gustav’s Love Letter

My darling Boel, Your hair is as beautiful as freshly spun strings, and your voice is like the most exquisite music. You are the fairest woman I know. You make my heart beat like a drum inside my chest. It beats for you, and for you alone.

But I know that your heart beats for another. I know that he, too, is a fiddler.

But I promise, my love, that the time will soon come when I will be the greatest fiddler Fudal has ever seen, and then you will not be able to resist me. Together we shall make very sweet music indeed. Your loving Jons Gustav

The Cabin Village

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Most of Fudal is made up of the cabin village, which consists of several log cabins of different sizes. Some are larger with room for entire families (the player characters are staying in one of them), while many of the farm girls live in smaller and simpler cabins for one to four people. The large cabins have their own kitchens and outhouses, while the small ones share a larger kitchen and outhouse.

Swärds Jenny lives alone in one of the larger cabins as her family is currently at home on the farm, and she is happy to offer the player characters a cup of coffee if they want to talk. Lisbets Boel and Mattias Freja share a smaller cabin. When the player characters visit them, Lisbets Boel is brushing her hair with Mattias Freja crocheting beside her, both of them chatting cheerfully about the recent festivities. Pers Ida lives alone in one of the smaller cabins and is resting when the player characters come to see her.

Challenges

Below are some suggestions on events and challenges the player characters may encounter in the cabin village:

If the player characters have not yet gained the farm girls’ trust, they will have to pass MANIPULATION tests in order to question them, particularly Lisbets Boel and Mattias Freja.
If the player characters view any of the girls as suspects and want to enter their cabins without being seen, that will require successful STEALTH tests.
Once phase 2 of the countdown has occurred, the Neck (in human guise) will visit the fäbodvall and play sad and somber music in honor of the late Pers Ida. If he thinks the player characters suspect him, he will make tables and stools dance mysteriously and escape in the commotion that follows. The furniture stops moving when he has left. Those who witness this must make a Fear test against Fear 1.

Clues

The player characters can gain a lot of information at the cabin village, mainly from the farm girls. If they are stuck and unable to get a hold of any of the non-player characters they want to talk to, Swärds Jenny can offer to help them and come with them to whoever they wish to see, where they can get the information they need. If the player characters failed to speak with any farm girls in the Meadow, they can talk to them in their cabins and uncover the information presented under Clues on page 12. Here are the clues in the cabin village:

If the player characters ask Lisbets Boel about the night when the cows were drowned, she replies that she herded them into the pasture and made sure the gate was closed and locked. She did not see anyone else when she left and went back to the cabin, where she and Mattias Freja slept soundly until morning. None of them would ever harm the animals, as Mattias Freja will also tell them.
Lisbets Boel often has trouble sleeping at night, and everyone in Fudal knows it. If the player characters ask whether she has seen or heard anything strange at night, she only talks about the sounds of the forest and the lake and never mentions the music. However, she was asleep when the cows disappeared, which Mattias Freja can verify. They can try to see through her lie with a successful OBSERVATION test against her MANIPULATION. In that case she admits to having heard music being played by Lake Siljan at night, but does not know who, or what, is responsible for it.
If the player characters ask any farm girl whether other animals have gone missing, she sadly informs them that Mattias Freja’s black cat Nisse disappeared about a month ago.
Mattias Freja can also tell them that she thinks Jons Gustav is in love with Lisbets Boel, but when she asked about it Boel seemed completely uninterested. Perhaps her heart belongs to someone else? She also suspects that Pers Ida in turn is in love with him.
The player characters could look for the love letter Jons Gustav handed to Lisbets Boel. She keeps it hidden under her mattress and they must pass a Challenging INVESTIGATION test to find it. If they have gained her trust, Mattias Freja can help them look for it, which lowers the difficulty to Normal. The letter is presented as Handout 1C. Lisbets Boel may also have hidden the old tapestry here.
If the player characters have read the love letter and ask her who the other man is, Lisbets Boel says that it does not matter since it was only a one-time thing. A successful MANIPULATION test can make her admit that his name is Nicklas – the other fiddler who visits Fudal from time to time. When asked about the footprints, Swärds Jenny says that everybody stays clear of the forest, especially at night, and that no one ventures beneath its shadowy boughs alone. After phase 2 of the countdown, the player characters can find what Pers Ida has written in her diary, which is resting on her bedside table. The entry was written the night before she died and is presented as Handout 1D. The old tapestry might be here as well, where Pers Ida found it before she died. Mattias Freja can reveal that Pers Ida appeared to have seen something on the night of her death, if the player characters need to be nudged toward her cabin. If the player characters ask where Jons Gustav lives, the farm girls tell them that he has a small cottage in the woods where he spends the nights. If the Neck is visiting the cabin village in human guise, the player characters can expose his unholy form by yanking the hat off his head and revealing the third eye in his forehead. The player characters can also attempt a Challenging OBSERVATION test; on success the Neck will try to escape. In the large dining cabin, there used to be an old tapestry of the Neck, which went missing a while back. One of the farm girls can provide a basic description of its motif: a strange figure being banished by a priest. See separate text box on next page.

Excerpt from Pers Ida’s Diary

Since the cow disappeared, I’ve tried to keep a lookout at night. Yesterday I saw something by the cove. I thought I saw someone in the water. But the thing that surprised me most was a woman speaking to the strange figure. I could not see who it was before she ran away. She must have seen me. I have to find out who this was. Perhaps that is the key to what is going on?

The Tapestry

An old tapestry, no more than 40 × 30 cm, earlier hung in the dining cabin. It was made in the late 17th century and its style is simple. It depicts a horrifying humanoid figure fleeing towards a lake, pursued by a priest with a crucifix in hand. The creature has three eyes and a black cat perched on its shoulder. The motif depicts the Neck being banished by a priest.

The tapestry was stolen a while ago, either by Lisbets Boel or by Jons Gustav, depending on where the player characters find it, so that no one will figure out how to banish the Neck. The mystery contains many suggestions on places where it might be hidden, but the thieves may also be carrying it on their persons. If they are caught with the tapestry, they will claim to have found it and that they were just about to return it. Lisbets Boel is an excellent liar, and the characters must pass a Challenging OBSERVATION test to see through her deception.

The tapestry’s motif is not unique – there are plenty of similar tapestries depicting dark forces being banished by Christian symbols or portraying the dangers of succumbing to temptation. Consequently, none of the farm girls can describe the tapestry in detail, but simply as “another devil being banished”. Most of them can even talk about it in a humorous way.

A player character who finds and studies the tapestry can make a LEARNING test to realize that the figure represents the Neck, who is being driven back into the deep by Christian symbols.

The Forest

p.18

The forest surrounding the cabin village mainly consists of tall pine and spruce trees. It is thick and tangled and people ought to be careful walking through it, as there are bears in the area. All the farm girls avoid the forest at night. In late summer and fall, they usually go there to pick berries or mushrooms.

Deep into the thickets of the forest is a small wooden cottage where Jons Gustav spends the nights during his visits. It is a very humble cottage, with a bed and a nightstand, a simple kitchen, and a dinner table.

Challenges

Below are some suggestions on challenges the player characters may face in the forest:

If the player characters follow the footprints they found by the pasture it will take a successful VIGILANCE test to track them through the thickets. If it succeeds the footprints lead them to Jons Gustav’s cottage. But on failure they get lost and risk running into a bear. For the bear’s stats, see page 168 of the core rulebook.
Player characters exploring the forests can see a figure by the lake walking deeper into the woods. This is Jons Gustav. They can follow him undetected with successful STEALTH tests. On failure Jons Gustav starts running and the player characters will need to make a successful AGILITY test to catch up to him. If that fails Jons Gustav gets away; if it succeeds they catch up to him when he reaches his cottage, without him noticing. After a while he will leave the cottage, which allows the characters to enter undetected.
Jons Gustav has placed a steel trap near his cottage to protect it from bears, and the player characters must pass a VIGILANCE test not to step into it. A character who fails (chosen at random) suffers a physical condition as well as physical critical injury Foot injury (the core rulebook, page 65).
Jons Gustav’s cottage is locked. The player characters must pass a STEALTH test to pick the door lock, an INVESTIGATION test to find the key hidden inside a crack in the wall, or a FORCE test to break the door open.
If Jons Gustav feels threatened by the player characters he may decide to attack, especially if he can ambush them. In that case he will warn them and ask them to leave, but claim that he does not wish them any harm. He attacks by playing his fiddle and runs away if the situation turns dire.
The player character who wakes up in the forest after Phase 1 of the countdown may be unlucky enough to encounter a bear. The character can try to hide from the bear with a STEALTH test or escape with AGILITY. On failure the bear may attack.

Clues

The player characters can gain a great deal of information in the forest, mainly from Jons Gustav’s cottage:

The cottage is small and spartan, which makes it easy to search. By looking on the nightstand or passing an INVESTIGATION test the characters can find a letter, unfinished and crumpled, penned by Jons Gustav (see Handout 1E). It tells them that a knife that has cut the strings of a fiddle can stop the Neck from using his magic.
If the player characters did not see Jons Gustav give the letter to Lisbets Boel, the letter can be found here in the cottage, folded on the kitchen table, ready to be handed to her. See Handout 1C for the letter.
Player characters who overpower or make contact with Jons Gustav can try to question him and see where his loyalties lie (for instance if they suspect that it was he who lured the player character into the forest). Initially he will deny it, but if confronted with evidence he will take all the blame, saying that he only did it to prove the power of his music. But a successful OBSERVATION test sees through his lies, in which case he admits that he tried to hurt one of them, but did not have it in him. Jons Gustav does not want to direct suspicion towards Lisbets Boel, and if desperate he might try to convince them that Mattias Freja is responsible, or blame it all on the Neck if the player characters have figured out that he is the vaesen they are dealing with.
If the player characters get into combat with Jons Gustav and manage to overpower him, or if he escapes, he will drop his knife. It has been used to cut fiddle strings and can therefore be useful against the Neck.
If asked about the other fiddler, Jons Gustav says that he does not know his name, but provides a description that matches Nicklas.
The old tapestry can be found here. It might be hidden under a floorboard in Jons Gustav’s cottage or buried in a grove of trees. In both cases it takes a successful INVESTIGATION test to find it. For more information, see the boxed text on the previous page.

Jons Gustav’s Unfinished Letter

My beloved, Run away with me and be mine. With his fiddle I shall be free from the pact that keeps me here, and you will hear the sweetest of music. But if he comes after you, use this knife, for it has cut the strings of fiddles. Stick it in the ground and it will protect you.

I’m sorry about the poor cat and the fate it suffered. I hope you will forg…

Fudal Cove

p.20

Fudal Cove is a cove in Lake Siljan and its beautiful blue water. It is a rocky beach that starts shallow but deepens quickly, as Lake Siljan is 120 meters deep. The Neck has his dwelling a bit further out, deep down on the bottom of the lake, but moves closer to the shore to lure people into the water.

The glassy surface of the lake is strewn with water lilies, and at night the place is swarming with mosquitoes. Although it is springtime the water is still quite cold.

Challenges

Below are some challenges the player characters may face at Fudal Cove:

Player characters who walk in the water at night risk slipping on a slippery rock unless they exercise VIGILANCE. Such an accident results in a physical condition.
The neck could be lying in wait for the player characters. His primary intention is not to drown them, and if he is worried about being discovered or exposed he will have taken human form. But he can use his magic and play music to lead a player character into the water, so that the others must help her. The Neck will soon escape deep into the water where the characters cannot see him.
After Pers Ida is found drowned, Mattias Freja is utterly devastated and sobs uncontrollably. A player character can comfort her with a successful INSPIRATION test. She will then trust the player characters and do everything she can to help them, particularly during the Confrontation.

Clues

The player characters can uncover a great deal of information at Fudal Cove:

A character watching the lake will note that there are lots of water lilies in Fudal Cove.
A successful INVESTIGATION test reveals footprints leading to the water. They were left by a barefoot human who walked here and back more than once. Judging by the size of the feet it must have been a woman, but it is impossible to establish an exact identity. Lisbets Boel left these footprints as she walked back and forth to the lake.
At night the player characters can pass a VIGILANCE test to notice the shape of a fiddler walking along the shoreline a short distance away. This is the Neck in human guise. He will not say much if they try to talk to him. The player characters can reveal his inhuman third eye by snatching the hat that conceals it or by passing an OBSERVATION test.
If the player characters have not yet found Jon Gustav’s love letter, they can find it floating in the water, under a bunch of water lilies, by passing an INVESTIGATION test. Lisbets Boel tried to get rid of it by throwing it into the lake. The letter is presented as Handout 1C.
The old tapestry of the Neck may have been thrown into the water, in which case the player characters can find it with a successful INVESTIGATION test. Pers Ida may also have it on her if phase 2 of the countdown has occurred. For more information, see the separate boxed text on page 18. If phase 2 of the countdown has been triggered, Pers Ida’s lifeless body can be found by Fudal Cove. Player characters who have explicitly stated that they will investigate Fudal Cove early in the morning after Phase 2 has occurred will find her corpse; otherwise Mattias Freja will come and get them. A player character who is awake at night could also hear sounds coming from the lake with a successful VIGILANCE test, but will not get there in time to save Pers Ida from drowning.

Pers Ida’s Body

As they discover Pers Ida’s body, the player characters are met by a tragic sight. Read the following text aloud or paraphrase it to create atmosphere. Floating face down among the water lilies is the body of young woman. Her arms are stretched out and her large white nightshirt and blonde hair almost makes her look like a macabre painting of an angel in the water. Her pale skin has assumed the same color as the nightshirt. Turning the body over you see that it is Pers Ida. Her eyes are closed, and her face would look almost peaceful, had it not been all blue and bloated. She is freezing to the touch. This innocent girl now lies dead before you. Who would do something so cruel as to take her young life?

Cast

Swärds Jenny p.8

“I look after my animals as much as I do my kullas.”

Jenny is a middle-aged woman from a military family. As the only child she inherited the family farm in Nusnäs and runs it with pride. In the summer she spends most of her time at the fäbodvall. She cares deeply about the girls in her employ and treats them with great respect.

One can tell that Swärds Jenny comes from a family of soldiers, as she speaks bluntly and directly and makes demands of others. She is always fair, and despite her somewhat stern appearance she has a heart of gold and is very protective of people close to her. She speaks with authority and commands the respect of the farm girls.

Her appearance reflects her personality. She wears her brown hair up and dresses in practical clothing.

Lisbets Boel p.14

“I listen to the sweet music of life!”

Lisbets Boel is a kind and outgoing girl in her twenties. She has flowing dark-blonde hair that goes well with her tanned skin.

Her extroverted nature has made her one of the most popular farm girls in Fudal. Whenever there is a party or dancing occasion, she is usually at the center of attention. Nobody knows that she is planning to sacrifice them to the Neck.

Her closest friend is Mattias Freja who shares her cabin, and Lisbets Boel knows that she can tell her anything.

All the energy bubbling inside often keeps her awake at night. Then she usually walks down to look out over Lake Siljan. That is how she first met the Neck and was seduced by his tunes. Now she wants to do whatever she can to be at his side, and is prepared to let everyone else die to please him. She does not realize that she is merely a puppet under his spell.

Pers Ida p.14

“Nature should be revered.”

Pers Ida is in her early twenties and one of the youngest girls in Fudal. She is a dreamer with blonde hair that is almost white, milky white skin, and big blue eyes – like something out of a fairy tale.

Pers Ida has a deep love and respect for nature. She takes good care of the animals in Fudal and often sings to them in her silky-smooth voice. Unfortunately, she is not as good at interacting with other people, as she is often quiet and prefers to watch others socialize rather than joining in herself.

She has also heard quite a few stories about various vaesen and is willing to share her knowledge with the player characters.

She desires Jon Gustav, though she would never admit it. But Lisbets Boel has realized this and may use it to her advantage if necessary.

Jons Gustav p.15

“I will be the best fiddler Dalarna has ever seen, no matter the cost!”

Jons Gustav is a short man in his thirties, with curly red hair and a small beard. He has a very cold personality and does not show a lot of emotion.

Coming from a peasant family with lots of children, he only inherited a small piece of land which his siblings then bought from him. In the hope of making a living he started working as a fiddler. Although he is technically gifted, his playing was fairly basic and unemotional.

He has grown obsessed with becoming a masterful fiddler and therefore sought teaching from the Neck. But he is a coward and is facing great difficulties now that the time has come to fulfill his end of the bargain.

He knows the Trollcraft spell DANCE (OBSERVATION) and can use it in combat. See page 120 of the core rulebook.

Mattias Freja p.15

“It’s important that we all work together”

Mattias Freja is in her late twenties. She has dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail, in sharp contrast to her fair skin. She is a highly empathetic and diplomatic person who believes harmony is the key to an efficient work environment. She usually directs several girls in their work when the farmers are not around.

At the same time her strong empathy has made her sensitive and prone to react emotionally, especially to adversity.

She is very close to Lisbets Boel and would die for her if it came to that. The truth of the matter is that Freja is in love with Boel, but knows that she could never admit it. But one can dream…

She used to have a black cat, Nisse, but he disappeared one month ago. She still misses him.

Farm Girls p.16

“Did you taste this cheese? I made it myself!”

The farm girls are relatively young, most of them in their twenties, some in their early thirties. They are paid by farmers to look after their livestock in Fudal. Hired girls are almost exclusively unmarried kullas – the married ones are usually at home taking care of the farm, but will occasionally spend some time tending their animals at the fäbodvall. Most of the farm girls are kind and cheerful, and everyone loves having a good time partying and dancing.

Handouts (12)

Handouts print at the back of VAE SOM covering all of its mysteries — click to reveal one to the players.

Confrontation

p.21

Lisbets Boel worries that the player characters are on to her. It is time for her and the Neck to carry out their plan. After nightfall she meets with Jons Gustav at Fudal Cove, where she hints that she loves him in return. Soon the Neck rises from the water, and Jons Gustav realizes he has walked into a trap. In desperation he tries to steal the Neck’s fiddle, and as punishment the Neck curses him to play enchanting music until he no longer has any fingers left. If something has happened to Jons Gustav, the Neck plays the fiddle himself.

The music reaches Fudal and the first person to hear it is Swärds Jenny, who follows the music along the stream to be drowned in the lake. The player characters can see this if they are present and awake; otherwise, a panicked Mattias Freja will come to the player characters for help. Anyone enchanted by the tune walks the same way as a player character who was enchanted during phase 1 of the countdown.

Time is of the essence if they are to save Swärds Jenny from being drowned. The player characters can hear music coming from Fudal Cove, where the Neck awaits. Mattias Freja is also worried about Lisbets Boel, as she was not in their cabin tonight.

If the player characters harm, capture, or threaten Lisbets Boel, the Neck will summon Jons Gustav and force him to play music in order to lure Swärds Jenny there. Lisbets Boel could try to escape when the showdown begins but may also laugh with joy as her plan is about to succeed. The showdown can unfold largely as written, albeit without her participation. Alternatively, Lisbets Boel can escape and serve as a threat when the player characters return to Fudal, if they try to lead the Neck there, for example by taking Mattias Freja or some other girl prisoner and threatening to slit her throat.

Showdown

When the player characters arrive at Fudal Cove, the Neck in his true form is sitting on a rock out in the water, playing his fiddle to lure his next victim. Swärds Jenny is completely entranced and controlled by the Neck. Jons Gustav takes over the playing and moves according to the Neck’s will. His eyes glitter with tears. Lisbets Boel is standing on the beach screaming for help, but is actually planning to drown whoever comes near, starting with Mattias Freja.

The Neck has deliberately waited for the player characters to arrive so that they will witness his power. If this is the first time they see the Neck in his true form, the player characters must make a Fear test against Fear 1.

The Neck will order Jons Gustav to drown Swärds Jenny within turns. If the Gamemaster wants the Neck to seem particularly cruel, he could also have Jons Gustav drown himself if the situation goes sideways. Meanwhile, Lisbets Boel will do everything in her power for the plan to succeed and will personally bring more people to be drowned and stop anyone who attacks the Neck or Jons Gustav. The Neck will mainly use his spell MAGIC INSTRUMENT on the player characters (works as the Trollcraft spell DANCE, see page 120 in the core rulebook) to stop them from interfering. If a player character becomes Broken, the Neck will lure her into the water as well. Player characters in possession of a knife that has cut the string of a fiddle (for example by cutting those of Jons Gustav’s fiddle) can stick it into the ground and speak with the Neck, which prevents him from using his magic as long as the knife remains in the ground. This information is found in an unfinished letter Jons Gustav was carrying (see Handout 1E). If the player characters have not found the note, Jons Gustav will drop it during the showdown, for instance if he is hit or if someone steals it from him.

Breaking the Spell

Jons Gustav is the person whose music has enchanted Swärds Jenny, and the moment he stops playing she (and everyone else who has been lured there) will be free. The player characters can accomplish this by overpowering him with a successful CLOSE COMBAT test against his AGILITY. On success they manage to hold him while another player character is free to act (or act on the next round, but then Jons Gustav will try to break free). They can either cut the fiddle’s strings (which succeeds automatically) or tear it from his hands by passing a Difficult FORCE test. Player characters who do not have a knife can grab Jons Gustav’s knife with a successful STEALTH test and then cut the strings during the same round.

As soon as Jons Gustav stops playing, the spell is lifted. Those enchanted by his music are no longer at risk of being drowned and rush out of the water. They may also be willing to help the player characters stop the Neck.

Once he is freed from the spell, Jons Gustav will feel tremendous guilt over what happened and may sacrifice himself to distract the Neck if necessary.

They can also try to break the spell that puts Lisbets Boel under the Neck’s control. By passing a Difficult INSPIRATION test they can get through to her and make her see that the Neck enchanted her. The assistance of Mattias Freja adds to their roll. She will then do whatever she can to help the character stop him and call out any information they may need. If they fail to get through to Lisbets Boel, the Neck may try to drown her instead.

Banishing the Neck

In order to banish the Neck, the player characters must break his spell over Jons Gustav and Lisbets Boel, either by passing the skill tests described in the section above or by convincing the Neck to release those under his spell, by sticking a knife that has cut the strings of a fiddle into the ground. To convince the Neck they must make him see that the person he has fallen in love with, Lisbets Boel, will not survive in his realm. The Neck’s loneliness is great, but his love for Lisbets Boel is greater still, and he will lift the enchantment if the player characters can get him to listen.

Once the spell has been broken, either by the Neck himself or by rescuing both Jons Gustav and Lisbets Boel, the Neck dives into Lake Siljan and vanishes into the deep, never to be seen again.

It is possible to attack the Neck, for example by shooting him. If the Neck takes 2 points of damage he will enchant the person who attacked him. He mainly uses Dance (see page 120 of the core rulebook) against all player characters. While the player characters are bewitched, one of the NPCs lured to the lake can be drowned.

The Neck will also be banished if he is surrounded with Christian symbols or steel, for example if the player characters form a circle around him while holding crucifixes. In that case the Neck will turn into a toad, disappear into the water, and leave Lake Siljan forever.

Player characters who go looking for Christian symbols or steel to banish the Neck can find it in the cabin village with a successful INVESTIGATION test, where each success means that they find one Christian symbol (such as a crucifix in a cabin) or piece of steel (for example among the tools).

Aftermath

p.23

If the player characters succeed in banishing the Neck and saving Fudal from drowning, everyone at the fäbodvall will be forever grateful. If Lisbets Boel and Jons Gustav survived they are both free from the Neck’s spell and will show deep remorse over everything that happened, even though they had no control over it. The next day they will all celebrate with a great feast in the player characters’ honor and offer them plenty of food and drink. Dancing ensues and the air is filled with the lovely singing of the farm girls – but no one plays the fiddle that day. The player characters will also leave with gifts from the girls of Fudal: milk and cheese from the cows, as well as a carved cow horn. If the Neck lives but was banished from Lake Siljan, it will be many years before anyone hears his music again, but eventually he will find a new waters somewhere far away, where he plays his melancholy tunes, knowing that he will be alone for the rest of his days.

At this point the player characters can do little but return to their headquarters in Upsala, where they are awarded experience points.