Month: Apr 2022

Jade Point

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Hi all and welcome to Thursday where today I spent a bit of time looking over Inkarnate again to have a look at what is available in their town maps. After some tinkering and not being quite sold on what there is to offer we have a map that will do for now.

Jade Point

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The once lightly fortified port town of Jade Point features a large ship yard, without any boats within; the existing ones have been burned and sunk of disappeared during the night, a multi-roomed inn in the centre of the low walled town, several guard towers positioned on the walls – many damaged beyond repair and vacated as well as a still functioning Mill that currently holds many of the soldiers that defend the city.

Outside the walls and rough barricade of tall cut down jungle trees stacked into a rough palisade there are a few farmers houses that have been burnt, raided and are left hauntingly deserted before the hill several hundred feet to the West. The hill is constantly covered under a cloud and shrouded in a dark mist but there can be seen a rough rampart being built seemingly over night with local materials scavenged from the destroyed farms, fences and walls as well as more foreign materials.

Oni stalk the mists and launch raids upon the denizens of Jade Point and until recently there was a sizeable force there to defend the people from the attackers.

Made with Inkarnate.com and able to be found here

Thanks for joining me tonight and looking at the map I created for this weeks part of the adventure, for a raw copy which you can modify feel free to check out the link above where you can modify and download your own copy of the map to modify as you see fit.

Don’t forget to come back for the last days of this week for the last pieces of this adventure, where we meet the mysterious Oni as well as see how the full adventure plays out. Don’t forget to check out this blog on Saturday for a random update, perhaps more Soulbound or a hobby update and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

A Short soulbound adventure

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Hi all, I wanted to put up a quick post to touch base on Soulbound! Yup, the TTRPG created by Cubicle 7 as I finally had a, admittedly quick, chance to have a few players run through the system with me today.

So below you will find copies of the characters I am using for the test playthrough I am running so I can get my head around the DM aspects of this RPG as, unlike D&D and other systems, the encounter balancing is an art, not a defined science.

So in order for me to try and balance encounters I came up with three characters of my own (as one of the players I had working with me today brought their own character based off Irondrakes/Thunderers from Age of Sigmar) each with a specific role in mind. Ranged, Melee, Hybrid and spell casting support.

The early verdict is that spell casting feels strong, especially the supporting magic (Shield of Thorns is very strong) and that in order to balance out encounters you need to really understand your parties output potential as I had each character utterly destroy what ever they fought against.

The melee Kharadron, Teegahn was exceptional in melee, perhaps too much so, and as a converted Endrin rigger (lost their endrin and replaced it with a Endrin-harness) they were a one person demolition crew when it comes to melee combat. The custom character modelled after a Thunderer or Irondrake, Drek, managed to kill seven Squigs in one shot, which was all the squigs in that swarm.

Both the Black Ark Corsair, Krylla, and Branchwych, Kalera, held their own, suffered some wounds but with the healing magic as well as supporting magic they were in no real danger even when a 10-man squig herd, 4 Squig Hoppers, 10 Grots (with bows) and a fungoid cave shaman attacked them they suffered maybe 17 damage in total whilst they dished out around 85 in the same amount of time.

Further playtesting should see how the same characters fair with stronger enemies, not just grots (goblins) and their pets, but more warriors and tougher foes to fight and potentially even something that I am sure they wont be able to best easily.

krylla-drakestalke corsair r-black-ark-corsairDownload
Kalera-branchwychDownload
Teegahn-kharadron-prospectorDownload

Thanks, that’s all I have for now! Hopefully I can convince the others to come and join me for the second half of the adventure where they may find that they are not the gods amongst mortals that they feel like they are now.

The Brazen Wolfe

Uncertain Prophecy

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Hi all and welcome to Wednesday here where today I’ll be looking at the twists and turns that we have planned for the week.

Last night we saw captain Jake Hart get captured by a betrayer, or was it Oni in disguise, who knows – it could have been Kiri in the end. Regardless let’s look at tonight’s twists and turns and see what comes to the surface.

Broken Omen

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Click, Click, Click. Flint and Steel clicked as momentary bursts of light burst forth in the dark room. Jake stirred slowly, his head throbbing as he became increasingly aware of the gooey warm mess of matted hair and drying blood forming on the back of his skull.

“Ah, so he is finally awake” a voice, definitely Oni, said from behind the flash of sparks and smell of burning tinder. “We didn’t think we would come up with a way to get you, but our pawn made good on his bargain.” The Tinder took and a fire started to spread just in time for Jake to gaze upon the broken and beaten body of Yu, the man who had struck him and who had single handed led to his capture.

Jake went to talk but his face hurt and a groan came out. “Tsk tsk, don’t push yourself Captain.” the Oni said as he stepped into the light, her short sharp tusks, pointed ears and red skin only seemed to highlight the broad flat but sharp nose that was the defining feature on her face. “Yu pushed himself too much and disappointed us. We have a long night ahead captain and I hope that you can last longer than the body you are replacing”

Jake watched with horror and mild panic as Yu opened one eye slightly, the other swollen shut, and looked at him, a single tear swelled and trickled down his face as two burly looking Oni; or half Oni – it was hard to tell in the dim light from the one fire, cut Yu down and carried him out of the area he was kept in.

“Now, let’s start with the easy stuff. Why do you defend the port, what are you expecting?”

The party watched a dark mist flooded the lower recesses around the gap between the rampart and the dock town with morbid interest – memories of the mist and the creatures it bore from Daye still fresh in their minds. As they looked towards the town they noticed two people stride from the town, from this distance they were just two small figures like ants but it was very evident that something that wrong when the one in the back moved suddenly and the front figure collapsed onto the ground. The mist approached the two hungrily and soon it engulfed them, the vapour collapsing around the wall before alarm bells tolled and figures buzzed around the towns crudely constructed barricade like ants defending their nest.

The mist retreated and bodies clad in a grey clothing – or armour, the distance was really doing a disservice to those watching this unfold, were left in its wake – but the two figures that left the safety of the walls were gone.

Taking that as a sign the party made haste down the slight hill from where the jungle grew and head towards the town but they were stopped by the clack of crossbows and the whistling of bolts as projectiles rained down upon them. Tall, vicious grey armour clad humanoids rushed at them as another volley of bolts whizzed around them and landed at their feet. The humanoids had red skin, pointed ears and large flat features that reminded them of goblins and some orcs from their home continent and as the warriors got closer they snarled, revealing their sharpened short tusks and murderous intent in their eyes.

Well that was a rather lengthy and long winded write-up but I am glad I finally get to introduce the Oni to you all. I will describe them in more detail and reveal which Faerun creature they take similarities from in the coming days as it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch.

Don’t forget to come back the next few days for more content here at Brazen Wolfe Tabletop and, as always don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Darkness Encroaching

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Hi all and welcome to an Tuesday for what feels like a very short April. This week, the last week of the content for this month (has it really been that many weeks already?) we are covering two things in one, the arrival at Jade Point – the now named Port Town where the Dancing Drake was on its way to – and the.. well, you’ll see.

So without getting all mysterious and broody let’s kick off with the content!.

Foreign Blessing

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Jake Hart stood on top of the obscured lookout that had once been landing platform for ships coming into the docks and stared out towards the ramshackle ramparts that the Oni had constructed on top of a hill to the west.

Four days ago the first attack came under the cover of a storm and the darkness that the thick clouds had provided the marauders attacked the outskirts of the town, burning pillaging and capturing people of Jade Point. Jack, Captain Hart to most, had heard the screams and seen the fire and with forty of his men had come to the towns defence.

Now after four nights and the dawning of the fifth day Jake’s men, all soldiers for the Harimasu family, had suffered casualties and were now numbering in the twenties, twenty three according to the last count. “Captain Hart!” A voice bellow from below him, turning he looked down the ladder at the private who stood there, shielding his eyes from the light that beamed from the open hatch to the lookout. Jake noticed the urgency in the eyes of the young man but couldn’t place a name to his face which caused him to frown as he made an effort to remember the names of all the men he served with and those who served under him especially – you never knew when you would have to talk to a soon-to-be grieving family.

One last glance across the no-mans land between the town of Jade Point and the ramparts confirmed that there was no attacks at this moment and with a sigh, and a crack of his back from a potentially over-zealous stretch he turned to go down the ladder to greet the private – who had since climbed the ladder and was slowly standing up in front of him. Something wasn’t right, he could feel it but as he noticed the regalia, family crest and the manner in which he held himself Jake couldn’t be sure what he was uncertain about.

“Sir,” the private began as he waited for Jake to acknowledge him.

“Go on Private, what news do you bring?” Jake said, clasping his hands behind his back, where they were close to the hilts of his daggers just in case his feeling proved to be correct.

“Sir, we have spotted movement at the jungle to the South.” the man said, he gestured towards the trees that had formed a barrier of sorts for the town. Jake slowly turned towards the trees and turned his spyglass from the Ramparts to the jungle. After a moment and some directions from the man standing a respectful few feet away from him he noticed a group of 4 or so people resting and eating at the base of a few of the jungle trees. From the looks of it they were foreigners, perhaps from across the great sea – perhaps Lady Kyoko had brought back more than just knowledge and wealth to assist their war he thought to himself.

“Sir there is something else you should see. The Ramparts are stirring, it looks like we aren’t the only ones to notice these visitors.” he said and as Jake whirled around to look at the ramparts a chill crept down his spine, causing him to shudder even before his spyglass could look across the ramshackle wooden palisade and walls. Indeed, the walls were abuzz with movement, Oni spears visible behind the walls moving backwards and forwards.

“How did you notice this, forgive me private I am having a momentarily lapse in your name?” Jake said as he looked back towards the man in front of him.

“Yu, I go by Yu.” the man responded as he saluted Jake – a strange non-regulation club swinging from his hips back and forwards from the gesture of the salute. When Yu noticed Jakes Gaze he responded with a grin “Took it from an Oni that I defeated and cost me my blade. It’s a bit hefty to swing with our normal elegance but it packs a punch” he said looking at his feet.

Nodding Jake looked back through the spyglass and noticed a shadow creeping across the open fields and ruined buildings heading to the foreigners. Jumping to action he whirled around and grabbed private Yu. “We can not let the Oni get to those foreigners, they may have news of Lady Kyoko or bring news that would win us the war” he said as he jumped onto the ladder and slid to the ground, his thick boots causing a plume of dust to rise up which was joined by a second plume a moment later with Yu running on his heels.

“What makes you say that Sir?” Yu asked, sticking close to the captains flank as he ran towards the barricades they had put up to slow the tide of Oni into the city.

“Why else would foreigners come here? They are clearing experienced, they are dressed as adventurers, warriors and such and we were expecting Kyoko and her crew to pass through here yesterday. Their appearance can mean two things. One, they need help or two, they are the help.” he said as he pushed through the choke point, the lack of sentinels or guards around for some reason didn’t disturb him as much as the though of the Oni getting their hands on the new comers.

“So they are the key to us winning Sir?” Yu asked from just behind him.

“If I was a betting man I would go all in” Captain Hart responded just before the a sharp pain in the back of his head burst forth with a Crack – the sound of a Oni club smacking into his head.

“That will do nicely Captain Hart.” He man said, Yu, as he grinned and knelt next to the captain has his vision blurred and everything faded to black.

Well I hope that helps paint a picture for what I have planned for this week, for now. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for a double-whammy – Two twists in one so I can keep on track with my planned schedule for this months adventure. It was good to use artbreeder again, after failing to find portraits or images, created, self drawn (not my strong suit at all!) or otherwise sourced for the Toad-kin (I picture them as short, robust ugly creatures who look upon the world as I would expect most druids would) it was good to have a quick rummage through the site and create something that is similar to the vision I had for the NPC.

I would expect that this isn’t the last we see of Captain Jake Hart so don’t forget to come back to check what we post here and, as I have made a habit of saying it here, as always don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Across the Marsh, through the Jungle.

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Hi all and welcome to a new week and a new weekly session where we just saw our party seek the aid of an ancient Toad-kin shaman who calls the marsh home, and during the endeavour they had to go and complete the Shaman, Varda’s, shopping list.

This week we will be looking towards the journey to the Docks and what lies past the Marsh. Now this month as come and gone very quickly and next week is the last week of the month which means I have to accelerate my plans for this months adventure – which means more content for you all!

Port Side

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True to her word Varda’s two charms, the Longsnout talisman that enabled the Toad-kin know as Kiri to speak not just understand Common as well as the Kookastem fetish that allowed the party to scout the dangers of the marsh from a birds eye view and through navigating the marsh, the mud banks and deep patches of water (and avoiding the dangers they now knew lurked in the murky water) it saw them standing on solid ground soon at the base of tangled grove of trees.

The Jungle, which is the only thing that could describe the hot, dense mass of trees and plants was hard to traverse and the fetish as of little use due to the heavy canopy above them. The creatures in the jungle were smaller than the marsh, skittish even and there was always a noise, a growl, a call or a shadow near by watching the party as they moved through the dense vegetation. As night fell and the party set up camp Kiri warned them of the many dangers, a list that went on for quite some time, and as the noises increased the party began to believe some of the stories the toad-kin told over the flickering embers of the fire.

After a day walking after one of the worst nights sleep that anyone could remember for some time they stumbled through the edge of the forest and looked down upon the port town which sat at a large cove in the river about a mile away. Thick black smoke billowed forth from buildings on the outskirts of the town and evidence of battle could be seen from this distance, fallen bodies and a small camp settled in from the North West, to the north of where the party had come from the jungle, could be seen cloaked by an cloud that defied the wind and cast a massive shadow over the ram shackle camp.
The Toad-kin seemed spooked, jittery even, and when the party finally spoke they jumped in fear.

“That’s no brigand or ramshackle force there, that’s an Oni camp – blessed by the shadow. It seems they, the shadow, had a backup plan in case my people could not stop you in the marsh.” he began, fear causing his voice to tremble. “I will go and warn my people, and the ship, there must be another way to where you need to go. To face the Oni is death.”

Looking forward at the town and the ramparts the party discussed on their course of action, tired and low on reserves after the marsh and the jungle they were unsure of what their next move was but knew that they could not stay at the edge of a jungle and that the port was their next stop and best hope at returning back to the ship to re-unit with Kyoko, Siu and Lizbet to complete their quest.

This month has gone very fast and after a day hobby-ing (painting a doom wheel and taking to the field with my Skaven against Orruk warclans) I am very quickly running out of time to paint as much of my Skaven army as possible and line up this weeks adventure.

So don’t forget to come back each day this coming week so that we can continue on this adventure and see where it takes us. Don’t forget to ask about my hobby table too – without being reminded I may be prone to forgetting about the challenge I set myself and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Varda’s Request

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Welcome to another writeup that looks at the past week where this time our party found their ship, the Dancing Drake, in need for repairs after being attacked by toad-kin at the control of their Chieftains and war chief. They set off across the marsh to find help but run into some problem’s.

So instead of re-writing the past week let’s jump into the end of week write-up and the adventure..  

Shaman’s request

The Dancing Drake having suffered a wound to its hull and becoming stuck between marsh banks looked to be in some difficulties. While wondering how to fix it  two unarmed and unarmoured toad-kin approached the crew and were eventually lead to Lizbet and the party. Whilst able to understand common communication seemed hard, body language and communication with hand gestures revealed that these two toad-kin (Kiri and Trip) wished to help those who walked amongst the walking star and could show them the way through the marsh, they think.

The crew and Kyoko both agreed that travelling the marsh would cut days off their travel, considering their ship was grounded until repairs could be made, and it would take a savvy survivalist to lead them through unscathed, particularly the darker deeper parts of the marsh and jungle that lay between them and the port they were travelling to.

The issue is that the Toad-kin could not communicate traditionally but they wanted to take them to someone who commanded the spirits and magic of the swamp to create a charm that would lead them through the worst of the marsh and perhaps find a way to enable the two Toad-kin to communicate with those they wished to serve and assist.

Reluctant to agree they considered their other options, sure that they could find a spell or charm to speak and communicate with the diminutive humanoids they set off on their own, heading in the direction with a compass borrowed from Choi to seek help at the port to retrieve supplies and a crew to repair the dancing drake and get it sailing again.

Kiri and Trip not wanting them to fail followed them but not being able to communicate effectively started to wear down the party and their guides nerves as the marsh got thicker and the sun got lower as the day went on..

Area of note

The boat – The Red Fleets Dancing Drake is where the party find themselves calling the ship home, for the time being at least. But having suffered damage to the hull they are need of repair and its currently stuck between two mud banks and taken on water.

The Marsh – The marsh is small islands of mud and root systems of the bushes and reeds that grow in this otherwise deep waterway. Those who fall overboard are treated with deep water, slippery mud banks and thick four feet tall reeds that make traversing these waterways dangerous during the day and lethal at night.

The Marsh hut – A small hut in the marsh which is home to Varda, the toad-kin who needs some reagents for a charm to assist the party.

NPCs

Kiri – a small toad-kin of young years who believes in the old ways. Spirited and savvy he volunteered to help guide the adventures through the swamp despite thinking their plan foolish.

Trip – a larger toad-kin of more advanced years. He is good with his spear and quite experienced at moving about the marsh safely. It’s a rare occurrence that he is taken by surprise.

Varda – a old one footed toad-kin shaman who is fond of cooking and who is rumoured to be so old that she walked amongst the fallen stars. Her name is also rumoured to be a gift from those people who taught her how to speak (elves and draconic).

Environment and running the adventure

The Marsh banks – If someone was to fall overboard a DC10 Dexterity check would be required to stand up safely on the river bank (or they fall prone), made with disadvantage if the person on the bank is wearing heavy armour. The islands are 5ft by 10ft on average with some longer but skinnier, and some 10ft by 10ft banks of mid and reeds sporadically spread out either side of the deep river.                                       

The marsh – See Map

Made with Inkarnate.com

Encounter

In this encounters let’s assume that our party of 4 have all reached level 5, I think that would be fitting for being this far in the adventure-year. (disclaimer – forgotten from Fridays writeup – the Goblin and whale are placeholders for the CR..)

The first encounter is more to shock the party into action and drive them to seek aid in crossing the marsh. One, or two (dealers choice) giant marsh newts ambush the toad-kin once they have revealed that they are mostly harmless to anything they they cant fit in their mouth. The newts should swallow one toad-kin and lumber off with the aim being the party to fight it and kill it near the waters edge.

Once it’s (they) are dead a Longsnout Sharptooth will lunge out of the water, not revealing its fleshy flower looking appendages at all, and attack the corpse. Anyone who fails a perception check (vs its stealth) will get hit by the creatures tail as it dives up onto the bank with a successful str saving throw preventing them from being knocked down as it then drags the newt into the water, only once the toad-kin escapes.

Second half.

The walk to Varda’s hut is easy, the toads know the way. She then requests the petals of the Longsnout Sharptooth and feathers of a Mirestrider Kookastem (a four legged fast bird).

The encounter for this can be straight forward where the party hunt the birds and the Longsnout sharptooth or have the Longsnout attack the party during fighting/hunting the Mirestrider as an ambush for the party.

I would picture it as the mire strider fleeing from the party, they almost going to capture it and the Longsnout lunging at the party, first one to come into Range. Jaws closing on both Mirestrider, killing it in a plume of feathers.

The alternative is spotting two bright flowers unlike the others in the marsh growing from a log thats floating in the marsh near the shore. This of course isn’t a log but the Longsnout. There are a lot of ways to run the encounter and the most thematic and challenging for the party would be my preference.

Aftermath

Once the ingredients are given to Varda she produces a talisman for the Toad-kin Kiri which gifts him the ability to speak common and the party a fetish which is a stuffed bird that enables them to see through its eyes gor a hour as it flies above the party at around 100ft off the ground. After its done so it falls to the ground and lays inert until the following dawn.

Well that’s it for tonight, thanks for joining me as we wrapped up this weeks adventure.

Don’t forget to come back next week as we look to continue with this months adventure and don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Easter eggs

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Hi all and welcome to a Saturday write-up where tonight I wanted to explore the concept of easter eggs. What I mean by this isnt the delectables that are left around the house, found, gorged upon then forgotten on a top shelf for 11 months I am referring to the little bits of something that pop up in an adventure only for the party to realise later their significance.

Now, the term easter egg may not be quite correct for this but tis the season so I had to give it a shot…

Now the trouble with these is they need to be significant enough that they are recognisable but not so much that they are at the forefront of the players minds.

I have historically bad attempts at trying to bring this into play and normaly the attempts that come close are where the party uncover a book, a scroll or an item with a symbol that is super relevant to the story line but ambiguous enough that when describing it to the party they dont instantly pick up on it.

For me they need a few common traits (and this is just my personal opinion and not something quoted from the internet so let’s have an open discussion in the comments if you have a different view)

I’ll use a symbol in a book that belongs to a cult that worships undead dragons as an example. Perhaps the book is explaining the finer points of gem cutting, written by a pseudo famous dwarven gem cutter to make sure that they are finely crafted and pure, even the slightest imperfection or blemish may cause them to lose value. Next to the lengthy paragraph about this gem cutting is a shorter paragraph scrawled out with a specific symbol sketched, perhaps doodled, next to it explaining the vital importance of making sure there is no flaw in the crystal lest it too frail and weak for their biggest customers.

1. Relevant. As I mentioned before it the symbol, words, phrase or what ever Macguffin is used needs to be relevant to some point of the story.

2. Vague. The above appears to be vague, the book itself may be the work of any dwarven Gem cutter but the scrawl could be a note from the previous owner to clarify the importance of the passage regarding gem cutting for larger clients.

3. Detailed. Now not to confuse with vague but it needs to be specifically worded and detailed enough that its memorable, this part is both the hardest and easiest part. Easy in the way that if you describe something detailed enough with specific components and it should be memorable. For most of us being able to write something down that flows in with the rest of the plot is easy but it gets difficult in creating the right time difference between the easter egg and the discovery of importance.

This is what I find to be the hardest in the way that you need to write something that is detailed enough, specific enough (yet vague) that it enables that Eureka moment at a point of choosing. Let’s be honest it’s unlikely that we will have the luxury of dictating the exact real world time difference between that initial discovery and when we put though the next trigger point.

In our example above the trigger point could be at the middle crest of the adventure, I believe I’ve mentioned it before that having a specific spike (twist or secondary hook) about mid way through the adventure is key to renewing vigor and hooking players further into the campaign by reserving, in this case, a journal which has engraved/embossed the symbol that accompanied the hand written paragraph explains the details around creating a lich using a focus point, the more pure the foci the stronger the connection to the body.

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the end of week write-up where we check how our party is braving the marsh in search for reagents. Also I hope to put out some more hobby progress something tomorrow so whilst enjoying easter sunday feel free to check in on my amateur painting skill!

And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Ambush!

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Hi all and welcome to a Fightnight where this week we are finally looking at the creatures for this weeks encounter, and a bonus writeup.

So I’ve got a bit of work to do including borrowing some stat blocks and modifying them to suit as well as making stat blocks from scratch!

Predators and Prey

215FrPrPr

The Longsnout

The Longsnout Sharptooth is a huge six legged reptile that resembled crocodiles and alligators with have two large fleshy appendages that are capped with fleshy flower petal like sensory glands. These creatures lie in wait in the water amongst the reeds and use their antennae like appendages to locate prey and lure them in before lunging at them and dragging them into the murky deep waters of the marsh.

Strategy

These creatures despite not being outright smart have ambushed the unwary in the marshes for as long as they have been around.

While not afraid to fight with large creatures they prefer to fight anything that can fit in their mouth – such as medium and small creatures.

The Mirestrider Kookastem

This curios four legged, mostly flightless bird is beautiful yet stupid and easily spooked. Males have brighter plumage whilst females are adorned with large flowing features that quickly muddy (which causes these creatures to go into cleaning frenzies to keep their feathers immaculate).

Faster than most creatures and hyper aware that its the bottom of the food chain, delicious and weak this creature will run as fast as possible the moment its spooked, normally running directly into the mouth of another creature that’s waiting for it to do just so.

Strategy

Now there isn’t much strategy to these creatures, the moment it detects something (passive perception) it will spook, run and jump (gliding with its stunted wings instead of a traditional jump)

Trapping, ambushing or shooting these creatures from a distance is the best bet to capture a tasty meal with bright plumage.

Giant Marsh Newt

The Giant Marsh newt is slow but opportunistic.

Strategy

It will try and eat anything that is smaller than it by 2 sizes, but can swallow and attempt to eat something that is one size smaller. If the party has a small creature (such as a Toad-kin)

Whilst generally peaceful when driven to hunger it will greedily attack anything it deems an easy meal, trying to swallow it before disappearing into the mud.

A few hours before the party met Varda…

The first hour has been a nightmare, sticky mud that stuck to ankles and boots as they head further into the marsh, their guides, the two toad-kin, jumped and walked nimbly across the mud banks but were obviously slowed down due to the adventures behind them.

Several moments of croaking and crouching over some disturbed mud revealed a set of dragging footprints. The two diminutive humanoids were obviously trying to explain what it meant to the party that followed them when a large lingering shape walked between two bushes. A large slimy lizard appeared, well on closer look it was an amphibian.. the more experienced survivalists would call it a newt yet the size was immense compared to thr tiny creature’s that they may have read about or encountered before.

The two toad-kin looked looked nervous but unafraid as the creature stood still and looked at the party before walking backwards into the grasses.

As the party continued on one of the Toad-kin, the older looking one, went back and picked up a small carved talisman that one of them had dropped. The rustle of grass the only warning before large jaws lined with needle sharp teeth appeared and grabbed him between its jaws. The Newt then backed away as thr party as stood in awe for a moment before it turned and began to lumber away. The party have chase, several large flightless birds spooked and flew over the marsh flats quite some distance from the commotion of the party following a giant newt.

Add the party shot arrows, spells and swing swords at it the creature, covered in a slippery slime, moved ever forward towards the water edge before whirling around to perhaps face its attackers it finally succumbed to its wounds.

Slowly something moved from within the mouth of the newt and a toad-kin slowly pulled itself out. Do entranced by the near escape of one of their guides that they failed to notice several birds flying away with haste from nearby or the large figure splitting the waters surface as it approached the bank where the party were.

In a heart beat a huge shadow appeared from the water, jaws clamping shut down on the newt, breaking bones, splitting flesh and the wheezing of the last air being forced from its body as a 15ft monster crashed onto and around the party, its jaws grabbed the corpse and a massive tail beat down and knocked the party away as the beast dragged the bleeding body into the water. Six massive, powerful scaled legs making short work of dragging the creature into the murky depths.

Bruised, broken and battered the adventurers and two toad-kin edged away from the waters edge, the toad-kin sporting more serious wounds as they lead the party in a different direction, heading away from the creature in the water and towards somewhere a lot safer, they think.

Now with the missing puzzle piece revealed and this weeks story fully revealed I hope that it was worth the wait.

Don’t forget to come back this weekend for hopefully another hobby update as I prepare my Skaven for another skirmish on Monday as well as the end of week write-up on Sunday. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Lair of the beast

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Hi all and welcome to a Thought Thursday. Yeah I am still trying to work out a catchy name for Thursdays, but today I have produced a battle map for the party to experience during this weeks encounter situated in the near inhabitable marshlands.

This can be used as a way to find Varda’s hut, or, perhaps hunt some wild critters to try and find where they are to return ingredients back to the toad-kin shaman so that she can produce the required charm/talisman/fetish/thing to help the party through the marshlands. 

Hunting Grounds

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The thick slimy muck that coated nearly every square foot of this marsh made walking a horrid endeavour, let alone hunting a four legged bird and the creature that ambushed them the day before. The large coarse bushes of reeds formed chest height walls that muffled noise, blocked sight and made it extremely difficult to track game. The water between the mud banks were was deeper than most men were talk but you only realised this once stepping into it.

The near endless bank and cluster of reeds was occasionally broken up by trees fighting to survive, dying or dead. The schlop of boots through mud joined the cacophony of creature sounds until a boot stepped on thr skeleton of something not fortunate enough to be lead by two experienced toad-kin.

Kiri and Trip led the party through the mudbank and be showed them where to cross and where to avoid as the searched for clawed footprints amongst the endless bog. The day drew long and everyone agreed that staying out in the flats overnight was a bad idea.

Made with Inkarnate.com – find here https://inkarnate.com/m/W2AMdr–toad-kin-swamp/

Now tomorrow, no doubt you may have guessed we will look at the Longsnout Sharptooth and the Mirestrider Kookastem as our creature stat-blocks for fight night.

Created in Inkarnate I wanted the soil to look wet, damp and gross so the dark soil with bushes to highlight I think brought a bit of vibrancy.

Thanks for dropping in and continuing on on the adventure across the sea in Ryokughan. Don’t forget to come back over the Easter weekend for more days in the swamp; sadly no Easter one shot planned this time around, but if more random one shots is something you’d like to see let me know! Before I take this time to sign off I’d like to wish everyone a safe break and that you can get a game or two in. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Hunted turned hunters

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Hi all and welcome to a whacky Wednesday where we welcome wonderful whimsical wrenches which wreak wonderment within written words.

Ok maybe a bit too much alliteration.. but tonight we will look at twists and turns and throw wrenches at the current plan to expand and enrich it for our players.

Now the war-chief and chiefs of the toad-kin are gone the peaceful tribes are celebrating hard and long, well most of them. Varda, the outcast shaman has other plans and unexpected visitors that have arrived on her porch asking for aid and she, like all toad-kin who aren’t corrupted by the shadow, can see that they have been blessed by the stars. So let’s not keep an old toad waiting.

Shamans Request

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Varda, the name given to her by the last of the elves, looked upon the four adventures in front of them, each of them showing some form of distress and injury. “Well don’t just stand there, come in” she said in near perfect Elven. She then croaked a few deep and rising notes to the toad-kin boys near the humans. “Where did you find them? They have the look of the star-blessed” she nodded and ushered the party, who bad to crawl inside the hut under the roots, barely big enough for them all to sit together side by side.

After shuffling around; an amazing feat considering there was barely any room to stand let alone walk around with one foot, Varda handed a small bowl of the goop she was cooking from her pot.

“So you are looking for a way for you to travel through the marsh safely? Hmm.” She pondered as she sat down and stared at the party as they moved the slop around the tiny bowl. “I can produce a charm that will assist but I will need some components” she began glancing around the party.

“I need the petals of a Longsnout Sharptooth, the feathers of a Mirestrider Kookastem and a drop of star light. The two toads with you, Kiri and Trip” she gestured to the two toad-kin who croaked in response to indicate who was who, “can show you to the two creatures but the drop of starlight I believe you already have the answer to that.” When the party looked confused she nodded and spoke to Kiri and Trip.

“I believe you already met the longsnout and the Mirestrider is easy enough to find if you know the marsh” she said “as for the drop, if you don’t know I may have a solution.”

As she moved around the small hut she eventually found two small vials before giving them the the most trust worthy looking of the party. “Use these for the drops after you have the petal and the feathers, but before you leave I have a question.” She paused as she blinked and gazed upon the humans before her. “Where is the fallen star and can you take me to them?”

Thanks, as with every night, for dropping by and following along with the current updates we have with this adventure, and year long campaign. Don’t forget that we have a few more days of this week in which I will produce more content so do come back daily to stay up to date. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe