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The Trial of the Winter Walkers is similar to a vision quest. The animist spirit-deities of the Wyld Faith, once powerful in the north when the kingdom of Dundaria thrived, still watch over the children of the north. The Ilbarsi and Pine Tribes people still highly venerate them, and draw upon their powers of life and nature to become expert hunters of the Winter Host. Characters may petition for a ‘Warriors Spirit Quest’ at the time of character creation.
The petitioning of a Druid or the tribal shaman or chief is the first step. The character must be personal enough to even gain the opportunity.
DC 10 Charisma check. Those that fail suffer no shame.
If they pass, they are prepared for three years by the holy men and best warriors of the north. They focus upon a single totem animal to draw their singular purpose and strength from. That animal is tattooed, branded, or scarred onto their chest as a full size representation. They are taken from their family and travel the wilds in search of medicines and learning to survive in the harshest of winters which permeate the north all year round. They detail their tattoo over this time, adding features that reflect their experiences. At the end, they are sent on their quest. Many end up dying or return in failure, forever scarred. All end up adding a tableau on their tattoo which shows their totem in victory over a skull-symbol of the Winter Host. This identifying mark makes them targets of all sentient undead if they discover it.
The character is tasked with trekking deep into the heart of the fallen kingdom of Dundaria and returning with some personal artifact from a city or town (verified by shamans later). Additionally, they must shadow but never be found by the armies of the Lich Lords on the march. They must bring forth a skull from a slain skeleton or zombie of their armies. They must avoid detection and being hunted down by the Prowl Packs. Sometimes, they can work with locals to lead the packs into an ambush. The spirits of the Wyld are with the character, and if the character tests through the deep pain and ache of the frozen north they are rewarded.
Any critical failure on any check indicates a Injury/Wound.
Constitution DC 5, 10 and 15 (3 checks); If at least 2 succeed they gain a bonus of 4 HP permanently. If all three are successful, they gain +2 to Constitution checks to resist Life Drain effects from undead; If any of the 3 were a critical success, they also gain Resistance to the Life Drain as well. Failure indicates that they suffer a -1 HP loss permanently from frost bite and suffer a -1 Sanity permanently. The punishing cold of the north can take its toll.
Survival DC 5, 10, and 15 (3 checks); If at least 2 succeed they gain a bonus of +1 Survival checks in the north. If all three are successful, they gain a +1 to all Survival checks in general. Failure indicates that they have let the environment get the worst of them – they suffer -1 HP permanent loss from exposure and poor health.
Nature DC 15; If successful, all Nature checks to identify plants and animals in the north gain +1. Failure indicates all such checks suffer a -1.
Avoidance is the key: Dexterity DC 5, 10, and 15 (3 checks); If at least 2 succeed they impose a -2 on any udead tracking them specifically (not applicable if traveling in a group); If all three are successful, undead tracking them suffer the penalty and are Disadvantaged (not applicable if traveling in a group).
Ambush is the key: Using their primary weapon, 3 Attacks against AC 15; If all three are successful, they grant 1 additional +1 on all attacks against undead that they perform a Help action on; If any of the 3 were a critical success, the Help action on undead allows they to still take a single normal attack as a reaction after the character they have helped. Failure indicates they have taken a Injury/Wound and if they fail a Wisdom DC 10 check, and additional one as well in escaping.
Automatics success: Roll on the trinket list twice, take the most interesting one.
Active Seeking: Perception DC 10 check; A weapon selected randomly. Failure indicates the character finds a trinket (Roll on the trinket list twice – take the least interesting one) to return with.
If every primary test was successful, the character gains Tactical Insight against undead; +1 on all Attacks against undead, and Advantage on all checks to track them.
Additional Benefits
Ilbarsi and Pine Tribes replace their normal Barbarian class with the Variant here:
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