Welcome to the Raging Swan Press blog. Herein you’ll find resource and advice articles to make your game better. From time to time, we’ll also post exciting Raging Swan Press news!
Check out our recent posts, many of which include free downloads, or visit the Archive to browse all our blog posts.
Normally places for the poor or the penny-wise, boarding houses offer lodgings and food; most such places offer only the barest of essentials to their guests.
A free GM’s Resource for any fantasy roleplaying game.
Far below the sunlit surface lie places and things undreamt of by decent commonfolk. Some such things have never seen the light of day, while others have escaped into the Underlands to escape the hated sun.
A free GM’s Resource for any fantasy roleplaying game.
It’s no secret that at Raging Swan Press, we are big fans of dressed dungeons. A dressed dungeon feels more real than an undressed dungeon. A dressed dungeon engages your players’ imaginations, promotes creative play and helps them immerse themselves in the adventure.
It’s always the perfect time to game, and we hope you can find something below that will help you have more fun with your friends!
Small roadside shrines appear in many towns and cities. They venerate important saints, local deities, or gods without a formal church in the area and are often tended by a small group of dedicated lay worshippers.
A free GM’s Resource for any fantasy roleplaying game.
One or more stables can be found in any settlement of note—and many of those without note.
A free GM’s Resource for any fantasy roleplaying game.
At Raging Swan Press, we believe that games set in a richly detailed, immersive world are better than games that are not. It should come as no surprise that we are huge fans of dungeon dressing, but what exactly is dungeon dressing, and why do we keep going on about it?
With Citadel on the Wilderlands now out in the world, our attention turns to the Late 2024 edition of Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands and the Player's Guide to Citadel on the Wilderlands!
Vonya Urzak (NG female dwarf) suffers from crushing headaches. Often seen clutching her head, she hates light and loud noise. Some children think she is a vampire and call her the “Whispering Lady”. Vonya dresses well, has pale skin and a short, straggly beard.
Read MoreVilppu Tulo (LN male human) trembles at the thought of his fate. A reluctant guard, he knows things he should not know. His enemies will do anything to silence him, and he is on borrowed time. Tall, gangly and red-haired Vilppu is conspicuous in the extreme.
Read MoreRideth Aldarrae (N half-elf female) searches for her confused and erratic human mother. Some folk believe an evil sea spirit possesses her elderly mother. Soon a mob will form. Rideth is frantic with worry, and begs for help.
Read MoreLydia Miela (CG female human) carouses with breathtaking enthusiasm. Few have her stamina for dancing or capacity for drink. Lydia knows every barkeep and serving wench in the vicinity, and could be a useful friend. She wears the latest fashions and always needs money.
Read MoreKauko Ilma (CN old male human) staggers about haranguing seagulls, stray cats and annoying children. Mad, and crippled in a boating accident, Kauko leans on an ornate carven walking stick. He thinks, the seagulls and the cats are out to get him. He's right.
Read MoreAlbin Tovia (N male human) composes frightening poems hinting at unseen dimensions beyond the material. With wild, unkempt hair, and a scratching, haunting voice, Albin clings to the very edge of sanity. He has no friends.
Read MoreSihvo Kaipia (N male human) revels in the over-confidence of youth. He believes he is best—at everything. Annoyingly, for those he meets, he’s rarely wrong. Strong, charismatic and clever Sihvo lusts for adventure. The party would be lucky to have him.
Read MoreTeemu Viti (LN male human) dislikes any idea not his own. He is ferociously intelligent, and believes he is better than others. He shares this truth with acidic words. Teemu sports a balding pate and a paunch. He travels with his miserable wife, Martta.
Read MoreSimuna Kaivas (NG male human) clutches his painful belly. This rotund man suffers from food poisoning, which he got at a nearby inn. He needs help, but can offer only thanks in return. Well-connected locally he spreads word of the characters’ actions.
Read MorePekka Ihamuoto (N male human) wanders from place to place looking for work. Pekka is a skilled mason, and highly educated. He travels with his son, Reko, and wife, Esteri. A laden cart pulled by two horses carries the family’s possessions.
Read MoreAili Kekko (CN female half-elf bard) terrorises fellow travellers with wildly off-key singing, terrible lute playing and inappropriate songs. The goddess of music cursed Aili for lampooning her consort, the legendary bard Vilimzair Aralivar.
Read MoreAamu Kare (LN female human) perpetually searches for work. This gloomy, withdrawn warrior has exceptional luck; she has been the sole survivor of several groups. Some call her lucky, others say she is a harbinger of doom. She struggles to make friends.
Read MoreSerafia Miela (LG female human) stalks the road looking for the brigands who robbed and killed her man. She wears battered leathers and carries a spear. Vengeance burns bright in her breast; how she deals with it will make or break her. Darkness approaches.
Read MorePieti Tuuli (NE male human) fears the characters are after him, and is skittish and guarded. Sweat soaks Pieti's tunic, as he hugs his bulging, damp pack close. He runs screaming from the group for the slightest reason. Pieti is a coward…and a murderer.
Read MorePerttu Kainu (N middle-aged male human) wonders about so many things. Many aspects of life baffle the inquisitive Perttu. Balding, with a bad squint and a “colourful” dress sense he stands out from the crowd. For all that, Perttu is a kind, patient man.
Read MoreKnut Auvo (CE male human) staggers along, under the weight of a bulging pack. Knut wears peasant garb, but carries an inordinate (perhaps suspicious) amount of adventuring gear. This blackhearted swine has looted a nearby abandoned campsite.
Read MoreBrute (N male dog) bleeds from several deep slashes on his flank. This tall and lanky downcast mongrel lopes toward the party. Brute is skittish, and must be calmed. He bears a leather collar with his name, and the name of his owner: Eeva Kari.
Read MoreAuni Kallas (N female half-elf) worships Behron, god of travel. She’s just starting out, but wants to visit every nearby village and town. She’s friendly and happy to travel with like-minded groups. Auni's also a survival expert.
Read MoreVappu Aikio (CN female human) paints strange, otherworldly vistas of disconcerting aspect. Dwelling in a cramped, rundown garret Vappu is always short of money. Consumed by her art she cares little for her appearance or health. She seeks a patron.
Read MoreTuure Raita (NE old male human) sculpts lifelike waxen figures which he paints, dresses and displays in a back room museum of his chandlery. Some figures depict normal folk. Others take more blasphemous, disturbing forms. Tuure emits a faint miasmic scent.
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Houses of worship and quiet contemplation stand in or near many settlements. Within, the occupants seek spiritual enlightenment in the service of their patron.
A free GM’s Resource for any fantasy roleplaying game.