An adventure for the new fantasy RPG from MCDM, Draw Steel!
Designed for a group of five 1st-level heroes, this adventure, inspired by Norse myth and folklore, earns the heroes up to 17 victories over the course of 4-6 sessions.
Cattle die, kinsmen die, the self must also die; but glory never dies, for the one who is able to achieve it. — Hávamál
Cover illustration by Justin McElroy
Within the burial mound of a village on the edge of the frigid northern frontier, a decades-long spell of undead transformation reaches its conclusion on the day of Sun Return. Nightmares of the honored dead, risen and bloodthirsty, torment the villagers. Meanwhile, the village chief fitfully recovers from a grievous wound. The heroes, summoned for a feast to commemorate the solar holiday, are secretly tasked with uncovering the source of the nightmares and putting an end to the horrors that stir within the burial mound. But mysteries await the party, as a deeper plot and plan wait to be discovered…
This is theCave of Amber Tears, an adventure inspired by Norse myth and folklore, drawing on elements from the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda.
Layout sample, design not final. Layout by Nicole P.
The Cave of Amber Tears draws on the moods and motifs of Norse myth: fate and doom, honor and memory, guest-right and hospitality, and the cost of numinous knowledge.
You’ll feel it in:
Barrow dread: draugr rising from their interment, tattered honor clinging like frost.
The Festival of Sun Return: a winter feast where joy and fear share the same fire.
Runes and sigils: a valknut etched in stone, wards scored into bark, omens carried on cold air.
At your table the merry festival games will be halted by strict curfew, dream visions will echo into waking life, and a descent into the earth will entwine ritual and ruin.
Runecarver - $12 Get the digital release of the Cave of Amber Tears.
Cast in Amber - $20 Get both the print and digital editions of the Cave of Amber Tears!
Horde Breaker - $40 This pledge level includes the digital and print editions of the Cave of Amber Tears. Plus, you get the entire Heart of Arcana adventure catalog - Mausritter, Draw Steel, and D&D 5e!
Great Skald of the North - $50 In addition to the print and digital editions of The Cave of Amber Tears, Paul will run a virtual one-shot version of the adventure for you and up to three other players (paid separately).
Runekeeper - $80 Get the print and digital editions of the Cave of Amber Tears, plus all the other digital rewards! Additionally, your pledge directly contributes to the funding of custom art in the product.
Writer and Designer Paul Ligorski (he/him) is a ttrpg writer, designer, and community organizer. He grew up in New York but moved to California's Central Coast in his late 20s, where he fell in love with the enchanted Big Sur wilderness. He draws much of his inspiration from myth and Indigenous folklore, and believes that playing TTRPGs together can be a form of modern myth-making. You can see his work at https://www.heartofarcana.com/
Cover and Interior Artist Justin McElroy (he/him) is an illustrator living in Iowa. He uses black ink to create pictures of nightmares. Check him out at https://www.instagram.com/thoughtographic
Layout and Graphic Design Nicole P. (she/her) is a freelance graphic designer who helps businesses and creative teams bring their brands to life with clean, strategic design. When she's not designing, she's usually cooking, planning epic parties for her RPG family, or making art. Check her out at https://nicolepahl.com
Editor Graeme Bloodworth (he/him) is a technical writer turned freelance editor specializing in TTRPG projects and helping writers refine their wonderful ideas. He's always looking to add new game systems to his editing repertoire, so check him out here: https://bsky.app/profile/gbloodworth.bsky.social
