Now you wouldn’t be called a warlord if you didn’t have troops to direct across the battlefield and for Korvack he has the Red Guard. These troops have trained to work around Wyverns and to be aware of the pointy end of business when it comes to these massive beasts. However that doesn’t make them super soldiers, just slightly more educated than the regular rabble.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee and roll into tonight’s encounter!
The encounter this week is rather simple. The Red Guard form up the base of most of the forces rushing at the party to engage them, once they have passed the tents and keeping there while they try to kill Cassana. That’s right as Cassana and Keldard are the true focal point this week the party are just an obstacle in the way – or are they.
The Red Guard have advantage on saving throws against poison due to being exposed to wyvern venom as part of their training and they are dressed in the scales of a red dragon which grants them some resistance to fire damage. This makes them a hassle to deal with on the battlefield but also quite intimidating.
The Guards watch all entrances into the camp and try to focus on catching the princess and her accomplices as they sneak into the camp it wont be easy to avoid the fight to come – spot it, sure but avoiding it will be a lot harder.
Another small one tonight but, as always, there is always a lot more planned for the Zine. So keep an eye out for that over the next few weeks. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight we take a look at Korvak’s camp both in the daytime and at night time. This isn’t the most defensive structure (or series of structures) but I’d imagine having a wyvern in the camp adds to its defensive capabilities. But more on that tomorrow night.
So for now let’s sit back, grab a coffee and roll into map!
Both the night and the day time versions of Korvak’s camp feature unstable walls, trees (perhaps with traps in them) as well as tents and a barricade wall. The ground raises relatively steeply upwards and only by carefully approaching can you avoid the gaze of those on watch. However that’s not the biggest worry as a trained Wyvern watches from the trees as well, the colour of its scales blending in with the stones, bark and plants to hide it effectively.
A large tent houses Korvak, or so it would appear to, while a cage in the middle of the compound houses Prince Keldard. During the night several braziers are places near potential walkways with some, for some reason or another, left open without light. A paranoid person would be suspicious of this.
A simple one tonight with overlapping assets to create the craggy-rocky formations around the camp. Tree’s produced wood for the barricade which is evident from the stumps around the encampment. Not too many layers for texture apart from the rocks as I wanted it to be a simple one tonight – but overlapping light sources from braziers and the camp fire give it a bit more of an impact.
Thanks for tonight to stay up to date with this weeks adventure. If you find yourself using any of these maps in your own game (downloadable via the link) let me know! Don’t forget to come back tomorrow and this weekend as we continue on this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
This week we have an encounter with a Fortuitous Scout, however the scout seems to know too much and know things that the party are suspicious about. However as they travel with the knowledgeable scout they reveal their true nature and why they volunteered to save the kings son.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee and roll into tonight’s adventure!
Fortuitous Scout
422WeFoSc
As the party were called before the aged king and queen they looked about as distraught as one could imagine. As the party approached many of the guards that they saw on the streets were present and they nodded with respect at the adventures.
“Friends, guests to this kingdom. I wish I could just welcome you and thank you for your service in defending my people but unfortunately instead of being able to thank you I stand here asking to be in your debt again.” he paused looking anxiously towards one of the doors out of the hall. “I was hoping Cassana would be here but unfortunately she has been stricken with grief and does not want to see anyone at the moment.”
“What my husband was saying was that we have heard how you bested the wyvern in the streets. No easy doing. We hope that you are willing to bet your steel against the same beasts again and try and return out son. We hope and pray to Tyr that he is safe and will be returned in one peace. But…” she paused to catch a sob. “I realise that this may be an impossible request. Our scouts have found where the warlord Korvak and his men are camped, a day or two ride away. We have organised them to be ready to go and infiltrate the camp and return my son, or his body so we can grieve.”
Cassana disguised as a scout – Created in nightcafe.
“Just over this next ridge is where the scouts said the camp was.” Sana said as she crept up a hilly outcropping. It had been a few hours since the scouts had left her in charge to escort the party to the warlords camp while they scouted ahead to make sure that they were unable to leave, yet. During these hours Sana had acted and spoken differently with the party than when she was around the scouts.
Dressed in thick but light mail she moved nimbly across the rocks but she didn’t show any prowess in scouting. She missed obvious signs, notes and messages left by the scouts and was marvelled by everything that the party would have expected the scouting force to be aware of. Yet despite this she kept up pace and moved at a nearly fervent pace.
As they reached the top of the hill and hunkered down next to the rocky outcroppings she looked into the camp. A large Wyvern wore chains the held him to the ground, but otherwise he looked obedient and well trained. Men walked around the camp, some of them familiar from the scouting party – who had pulled a miracle and infiltrated the camp. Then in the middle of the camp a cage was there and Keldard sat there, beaten but alive.
“He is alive,” Sana pointed at where he was kept. “It looks like they have some kind of shackles on him. I wonder why he hasn’t used his magic though.” she pondered. “Well, we need a plan if we are to rescue my brother from all of that.” she said before looking worried back at the party. “Well the cats out of the bag then…” she smiled before sliding her hand over her face where it distorted and shifted to reveal the face of Cassana, the crowned heir of the kingdom except her hair had been cut short compared to when they saw her in the streets.
“I could not let my brother suffer and I was the one that recommended that you be put forth as the rescue team. I saw how you fought and knew I needed that strength to help me. It’s strange though, the scouts didn’t mention that they would infiltrate the camp – just that they would stop them from leaving. And Kel has similar magical abilities – he should be be able to break out. Unless he was betrayed and they have used Obsidian to bind his magic.” she murmured. “Something doesn’t feel right – the scouts wouldn’t go against the orders of their king like this.”
Thanks for visiting tonight to look at the next steps of this adventure. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow where we expand the adventure further and, as always , don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Last week we explored the urchin and the innkeeper and this week we are focusing on two people who are not the at all similar, Cassana and Keldard. Born into royalty, the king and queen in fact, Keldard and Cassana have had a life of luxury and preparation. But could the celebration of their birthday be what brings that training to use?
So let’s grab a coffee, sit back and roll into tonight’s adventure!
The crowds waved to Cassana and Keldard and as she waved back and passed out gold pieces to the guardsmen around her she watched as the guard dispensed a gold piece to each and every citizen who came to celebrate. As the crowd thanked the royal siblings and accepted the gold pieces both Cassana and Keldard smiled and thanked their people for coming out.
“And to think you insisted on wearing our mail.” Keldard murmured towards his sister as he smiled and personally handed a gold coin to a young boy. “Do you ever think that we are over cautious? Its been sixteen years and we have never never been attacked by our people.” he continued
“I don’t worry about our people, I worry about those who are not ours” Cassana replied and she continued to hand out gold pieces. It was a small gesture but for some of these people this gold went straight back into the city and its businesses. For others it meant much more.. “I know I should feel safe with the blessings you have been bestowed but there…” Cassana was interrupted as Keldard raised his hand and a glimmering wall of magic intercepted a large chunk of stone. The shield grasped the stone before placing it down on the ground away from any of the citizens, guards or themselves.
A heartbeat later and panic set upon the crowd as they fled for cover. A wyvern beat its massive wings as the effort of suspending it was enormous. The creature had dove into the city and launched the boulder hoping to surprise the siblings. But Keldard had been blessed to be not just safe but to be a bastion for the people.
“You were saying Cass?” Kel said as the effort of stopping the boulder hit him causing him to breath heavily. “It looks as though you are right once again.” he smiled at his big sister as he drew a long sword from his hip, the blade tingling in the air. But before him, or his sister could rush to intercept the Wyvern a group of adventurers, foreigners to the city rushed forward.
“Well this day got heaps more interesting!” Kel laughed as he gave chase to the adventurers, his magically enhanced reflexes and senses meant he overtook them in moments before he joined the fray.
“Kel wait!” Cassana called as she tried to catch up, but the guards rushed between her and the fight as they went to protect the heir to the throne. However as she was pulled back into the relative safety of an alleyway she watched with horror as a second wyvern swooped down, grabbed her brother and took flight with him. The first Wyvern lay in a bloodied patch of gore as the adventurers and her brother had dealt with it quickly but as she watched her brother be taken away she noticed that the second Wyvern had a rider and the colours of Korvak, a vicious warlord who had claimed a neighbouring territory to Thelmor.
She needed to save her brother and as she watched hope fly out of her city she noticed the adventurers were trying to save the prince even now. Perhaps there was a chance if she could enlist their help.
Now we have an exciting one this week. A kidnapping, magically empowered dam… err prince in distress and the party at the centre of the rescue plan. Don’t forget to come back daily as we expand this adventure and lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
The celebration of Birthdays is a common occurrence in many cultures so its no surprise that this is extended to the celebration of Royalty and the coming of age for princes and princesses. The City of Thelmor was gifted with a prince and a princess born a few years apart on the same day. Each year the people of the city come together in a celebration of Royalty, however not all are happy with the coming of age of the eldest, the princess.
So grab a coffee, hit the streets and let’s stroll through tonight’s adventure!
Thelmor is a city without equal in a world where cities are plenty and royalty even more so. The Royals of this city come together to celebrate what makes them unique, powerful and fair to all peoples in the land. However the birthday celebration of both their eldest, Princess Cassana, and their youngest, Prince Keldard, has drawn a different kind of attention. Will the party be able to resist getting involved in the issues of royalty or will they throw their lives down for people that they have never met.
Yet machinations stir and those once wronged seek retribution still, this is perhaps the time where the party needs to own up for their previous mistakes, look inwards and understand that not everything you do has a price that is paid in gold.
Princess Cassana checked herself once more in the mirror as maids flustered behind her getting a dress ready. However Cassana was admiring the thin mithril shirt that she wore over her undergarments. “M’lady are you sure you want to wear that? Your people love you and I am sure they wish you no harm” her head maid, Mildred, asked. She was a kind lady but she had spent too long thinking the best of people instead of being prepared.
“You know Mildred that I never go anywhere without my mail and blade. Regardless if my people love me there may be others that do not. I need to be prepared for if and when that day comes.” Cassana replied. “Just as father always said. Trust is earnt, not given.” she replied trailing off.
The door knocked and Mildred and the other hand-maiden scurried off to answer the door. “Oh Prince Keldard, what are you doing here? Princess Cassana is not dressed yet!”
“Let him through you two. Kel has seen me in my shirt before I assure you.” Cassana called out as she pulled her dress over her shoulders.
“Cass, happy birthday sister.” Keldard said after smiling and nodding politely at the hand maids.
“As to you little brother. Say Kel, don’t you tire of these celebrations?” Cassana asked as she turned to smile at her brother.
“A little, I think the people get something out of it but I don’t see the big fuss in it.” Kel replied.
“Your highnesses. You think to little of yourself. Your people adore you and come to celebrate your day. They don’t take it as any old day of celebration they think of it as a way to celebrate the miracle of you two. Now that your parents are planning your ascension to the throne you need to plan for these things to.” Mildred fussed as she checked to see none of the other servants overheard.
“Don’t fuss so much Mildred. We will do our part but we tire of the fuss made over our birthday that is all.” Cass replied with Kel nodding in support.
A start to a busy week, personally and on the tabletop. Don’t forget that each day we will expand this adventure and by the end of it there will be a truly high-fantasy rescue mission. Well I hope it turns out that way. Don’t forget to come back daily to stay in the know and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight and I have created a new zine for the year. I hope you are finding the current format of this Zine useful as I am continue to investigate what I can create weekly. I do this while aiming to give the DM freedom and flexibility without railroading them and the Party. So without any further waiting I present, The Sound of Giants, in the same format, as a fun one-shot to assist GMs when they need a night out of the books.
As always this adventure can be used system agnostic but focuses on D&D so please feel free to adjust to what ever system and the creatures you are using in your adventure! However as always Kobold fight club can be used to quickly balance an encounter for Dungeons and Dragons and Tetra-cube provides the stat-blocks for the creatures found in this adventure.
So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, The Sound of Giants, and that your rolls are made with advantage.
As the party climbed the steep cliff the expertise of Jayke and Daruden became evident. Climbing rapidly and jumping to ledges that would require either great athleticism or training they fastened the pitons to ensure that they had a waypoint in case they fell, but more importantly the party could ascend with them.
Despite some of the earlier doubts in the duo the pitons held securely and none of them failed on the ascent. Jayke and Daruden even assisted the party several times to ensure that they ascended safely to the top.
However as they neared the ledge a sound reaches them that caused each of them to hug the stoney face.
The guttural voices of ogres could be heard from the ledge above them and the snapping of bones could be heard from the crackle and pop from a fire that cast a red glow upon the edge where they needed to reach in order to head towards the castle, or where Jayke and Daruden were taking them to at least.
Thanks for joining me today for another Zine this year. As usual there is a lot more in the Zine than there was in the daily updates on this blog – so make sure to grab a copy of the PDF.
Next time you get a party together consider running this adventure and I hope that you enjoy it. I hope you don’t miss a thing so come back daily in the coming week and year. This is so you can experience the creation of the next adventure as it evolves and shapes out. And as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
It’s been a while since I have done something like imagine an organisation such as the Red Crescent. Having diverse, rich organisations within the world can make it feel that much more real and immersive. Tonight I briefly touch on the Red Crescent which is inspired by an organisation I have in my home-brew world.
So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s check it out!
The Red Crescent is a relatively secret organisation who seeks out aberrations and evil within the land. These elite warriors are among the most well equipped and trained of the free companies within the land and can, to some degree, can work around the law.
This organisation was created by a survivor of the Red Day – a catastrophic event where a solar eclipse was manipulated by a powerful wizard to bath the continent in mutating energies. Aberrations ran rampart and destroyed many villagers and due to the magic involved the eclipse lasted not just moments but for hours. The battle that followed the event, and the hunt for the mage, cost many lives and it proved one thing. That there was a need for warriors who were above the law and outside of the sway of royalty so they could act independently to save lives.
The organisation grew as people were hand selected to become a Red Crescent warrior and soon their ranks swelled. Now the organisation is the second largest in the continent and they devote their days to sending warriors on peace keeping quests to protect the world, and its people from aberrations who would see civilisation fall.
These warriors are born not just from necessity but from the anticipation of calamities to come ahead. Diverging from the original directive to protect from aberrations these warriors are trained to fight and win against just about any hostile or threat to civilisation that comes their way. However, as their directive is to protect and serve the good people of this world they don’t seek out evil or threats. They however get around this by employing adventurers or heroes to seek out the threats and in doing so safeguard the future of the realms in which they are sworn to protect.
Thanks for visiting tonight. I hope tonight’s order inspires you to expand your characters back story, or, expand your world to flesh it out to create a rich tapestry of people and places to seek out. Don’t forget tomorrow wraps up this week so make sure to not forget to come back for that. And as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
This week the party rush to the defence of Wellford as the best shot they have of curing the affliction in the village rides towards them. But they are not the only thing rushing towards the prospect of a feast as raiders hide in ambush and rush towards the salvation of the village.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee and roll into tonight’s encounter!
This week we have some of my favourite creatures, well the option of using them. Gnolls are savage, the way that they come into this world is even more so and when they mix with the civilised world then conflict is nearly guaranteed. This week we have a VIP, a merchant rushing to get through the gates of the Wellford whilst being harangued by an adversary.
Now this doesn’t have to be gnolls – it could be orcs, ogres, or any more aggressive race. For us the world is open to possibilities as we explore what we can do and what is available to us.
A small one tonight but, as always, there is always a lot more planned for the Zine. So keep an eye out for that over the next few weeks. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
The entrance to Wellford has evolved with time and the knowledge of how the wilds around the village are changing. Once peaceful lands have turned to ones seething with opportunity for those who wish harm upon civilised races and so the town created a wall to protect its people. But that wont be enough if they are all afflicted with this strange blight.
So let’s sit back, grab a coffee and roll into map!
A simple one this week with 100 feet either direction of the map. The crude wall (and a moveable tower) is there to safeguard and to provide a place where archers can mount a defence of the wall. However these are pretty crude and its evident that they were not made by master craftsmen – so discretion whether they are safe to stand upon is advised.
Now no town is complete without something in the plain beyond. A smattering of trees on the field as well as two small hills gives depth and elevation to the land which can provide a place for an ambush or, perhaps, a way of impeding attackers if used correctly.
Not overly complex this week with the use of maybe seven assets types to create the buildings, hills and trees as well as the overlapping of, albeit different shades, two different texture brushes to create the grassy plains, road and indents that carts have previously made.
Thanks for visiting my tabletop tonight and for continuing on with this adventure with me. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow and this weekend as we continue on this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight we uncover the cause of Wellfords affliction, well we hint at it very, very strongly at least. While this adventure is more aligned to a investigation there is some combat coming as well with the close of tonight’s update.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee and roll into tonight’s adventure!
Wellfords Affliction
421WeApMaSt
Wellford Wine – Created in Nightcafe.Wellford Stew – Created in Nightcafe.
The party watched as Taniya moved about the kitchen and worked the knives on her belt with such dextrous movements that it was easy to see that she was not always the owner of the Muckberry Inn. As she chopped up the vegetables, mushrooms and expertly diced up what appeared to be rabbit she hummed a tune as the food cooked.
“So where do you start?” Tyren asked as he shamelessly strolled nearby looking around the inn for something to eat or drink that was left behind. Smiling in triumph he grabbed a small bottle that had been corked and left on the windowsill.
“Ah, you’re in luck today Tyren.” Taniya called out as her keen elvish ears picked up what he was up to. “It was already paid for so I am not going to take it from you but its probably the last of the Wellford Wine that we sold out of. Savour it as I don’t know if the next delivery will make it here, or if there will be anyone left to drink it.” she sighed as she put a large pot in front of the adventurers with the stacked stew filled with fresh greens, tender meat and mushrooms.
As she watched the party eat she smiled. “I wasn’t always the keeper of the inn. I was a ranger for his lords army and before that I tended the great forest as one of its shepherds. I learnt a great deal about nature, people and beasts.” she said as she pointed a slender finger at one of the darker mushrooms. “This is witches wort. Poisonous if you don’t respect it and treat it just rightly. But if prepared in just the right way it cures many illnesses that you could find.” She smiled as she watched the party. “I don’t intend to poison you, the green leaf here, elves ears, neutralises the poison and together they will provide some protection from dark magic and illness. Or so it is said.” she smiled.
“Bunch of myths if you ask me” Tyren replied as he sat down and uncorked the small bottle. As he drank a mouthful he sat back and savoured the wine. “I can see why the village went nuts for this. It really is marvellous.” He said as he admired the bottle. Hesitating before he drank the last drop he handed it to Taniya “Here, you must want to have the last of it if it is to be the last drop in the village?” he asked.
“No, thank you but I don’t drink. Never have, something like a preserving action really.”
“Well, the next few days may give you the reason.” Tyren replied placing the bottle before the elf before she took it and placed it behind the bar.
“We’ll see.” Taniya replied before busying herself around the Inn.
The day was spent investigating around the town and its people but apart from the way they moved there was no sign of magics or disease on any of the people of the village. They could tell that the villagers understood them but they couldn’t respond to the adventurers in the normal ways.
As they began to retire for the day they became aware of a light battering on the door to the Inn before it was opened by Taniya. “Uh, we have a bit of situation!” called Taniya. The party head downstairs and were greeted with Taniya staring at Tyren who with eyes watching them intently moved with the same excruciatingly slow pace as the rest of the villagers – his eyes fixated on the kitchen to a corked bottle that stood on the shelf.
Thanks for joining me another night at my tabletop. Tomorrow we will expand upon the encounter map for this week, something I am looking forward to getting back to. Friday we will have the encounter of the week and the final hook for the week. So don’t forget to come back each remaining day this week and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Brazen Wolfe Tabletop 