This week we have an interesting one where a deity of necromancy created a spectre in their image, the Velsharoon Spectre. As the clash of deities, gods, is the focus of this week it shouldn’t come to anyone surprise that this creature is target built to be as much as a problem to everyone involved – especially those that can cast spells or commune with a deity.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee as we roll into tonight’s encounter!
Velsharoon Spectre
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The Velsharoon Spectre is commonly seen dressed in mottled purple robes, is faceless but sees without eyes and has a single, thin silver circlet around its head. However when this undead creature is gathered in large numbers they has the ability to sever the connection between deities and their worshippers.
Individually however these creatures train the sound around them, dampening before completely deafening anyone who dares to remain to close to them. That is if they can avoid it. Fast, vicious and drawn to creatures with the ability to invoke magic these creatures are a force to be reckoned with as they are more deadly to spell casters – taking their second most precious resource, their spell slots. The only thing more precious to casters, and well, generally all adventurers is their hit points.
Thanks for joining me tonight as we look at an empowered but ultimately reskinned creature, the Velsharoon Spectre. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the Zine when it comes out this weekend and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight’s a fun one where I got back to experimenting with the watercolour maps when I created the Silver bucket Inn maps. A complete night time and day time one to reflect the light sources on the streets and interior as, well you know me, I love night time encounters.
So sit back, grab a coffee, and let’s explore tonight’s Maps!
Tables litter the room making some parts feel really cramped. A large bar bench and stools provides the ample room for people to just sit and drink while having a casual meal. Chauntea’s favour can see with the amount of grass and trees present in the village and things being more natural feel to it. A quaint kitchen with a more-modern gnomish invented stove for a halflings passion to cook delicious meals.
Shelving for plenty of vegetable access as well as stairs under ground for a larder that is a bit more protected from the heat – where dairy and meats can keep a bit longer. Before you reach the kitchen and behind the bar is the stairs up to the second story where the bedrooms would be located – one having a balcony to the outside world.
Night time shows where the light would be concentrated – lanterns hung from the posts and some key spaces provide limited light as well as the soft glow from the stove itself.
Four terrain paints for tonight to create the scene with blending of stone, dirt, grass and even wood to make sure that it looks as natural as possible. Many stamps were used (especially the walls of the Inn as well as the kitchen where each vegetable, plate and utensil is a unique item). The roofs look more natural than the non-water colour ones which I appreciate, a small win for this art style which I am liking.
Thanks for joining me for a quick-ish map making night. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to finish off the week strong with the encounter stat-blocks and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
The hand is revealed as the party begin in silencing spooks, specifically the spectral creature that has appeared in front of them. But there is more to what meets the eye here as the creatures are not just mindless undead creatures – they are messengers to a war that is ongoing and yet to begin.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee and try to avoid the tavern brawl!
Silencing Spooks
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The party watched as the creature drifted in space, casting its faceless vision across the party they could feel it coiling like a snake. The purple moth eaten robes it wore was only broken by the thinnest circlet of silver that wrapped around the brow of the faceless head.
As it rushed forward the movement causing the robes to whip about in the air as it darted above the ground. Its speed and aggression surprising the party as all they could do was avoid being torn to shreds in its opening enraged attack. But the creatures presence and its touch had a different effect, silence.
The noises of the world drifted away from them the crash of furniture, the scrape of weapons on scabbards and even the cries of battle became muffled as if the battle was under water. A second effect crept over them and as their blades and spells tore shreds from the creature a numbness swept over those with connections external to the material plane. A severed connection to their deities and their patrons.
As their weapons and spells connected to the creature another voice, another presence entered their mind. One that was darker and hungrier. “Strip down their walls, pull down their offerings of false worship, bring destruction and undeath across the lands”. The voice, the call to fight for a higher power was withered yet commanding and it came with the vision, a momentary flicker, of a sunken face sitting in a throne of bones dressed in a purple robe.
The creature fell after a few dozen heartbeats and as the form disappeared the clink of the silver circlet hitting the wooden floor of the tavern was the first indication that the oppressive silence was lifting. A moment passed where the party spoke amongst themselves of what they believed had happened but their moment was interrupted with the crack of thunder.
Outside a large thunderhead had formed. As lightning arced amongst the clouds the party could see a dark silhouette of a towering, broad shouldered man at the heart of the cloud and if not all for the same image being seen from all present it may have been mistaken as just a shape in the cloud. When a bolt of lightning lashed out and struck the bell tower of Chauntea; a small slither of golden light thrumming into existence as the bolt hit, the party knew that they were in the middle of something much greater.
The next flash of lightning revealed more of the purple-robed spectres as they descended towards the village. A battleground of the gods, nothing more than a gesture in their divine minds but a fight for life and death for those caught between the deities throwing fists.
Thanks for joining me for a rather big one tonight. Not really inspired by any one thing or another tonight but rather the complex relations between a few different deities in a greater contest of might at a divine level. Don’t forget that the adventure still continues here for the next few days and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight we look at the age old trope of Inn Keepers being the master of rumours, the holders of half-truths and the foreman of furphy’s. Harry Hastebee is just a regular inn keeper but he brings with him the knowledge, rumours and stories that many travellers, patrons and even some competitors have ownership of.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee (or something stronger) and let’s listen to a tall yarn from the inn keeper!
Quick on his feet Harry bounced towards the door to open it up ceasing two annoyances of the party’s at once. The stifling heat from the kitchen roasting non-stop and the persistent banging from someone wanting to come in. “Hold up hold up, what do ye want?” Harry asked as he ushered the person inside.
“Thank the gods that you let me in. I’ve been chased by a spirit down the streets who was after my very soul!” cried the man before he broke down into tears in front of Harry.
“Come now friend. A hot meal and a strong drink will calm your nerves. Tell me what happened” Harry said as he led the man to a table. “Tell me your name while I fetch you a plate. We don’t have much prepared but what we do have is cheap and good. Two silver pieces and I’ll fetch ye what you need.” he said as he bounced off. The man, in a state of shock fished out the coins as he sucked on the tankard of ale.
“The names Adam, Adam tanner.” he said as he paused to drink from the tankard more deeply. “I was coming back from the market with a cart laden with cloths and leathers, you see I work at the tannery and we didn’t sell through everything, as usual. But I was passing by one of the streets near the Church to Chauntea and I saw someone standing over a pile of clothes. So I called out to see if I could help them and then I realised they had no face. They then floated up off the ground and chased me. I swear the pile of clothes was a body!” he shrieked before drinking again.
Harry looked over at the party and walked closer leaving Adam to his drink. “You best be leaving soon if you don’t want to be caught up in this friends. It’s the third story I’ve heard of this spook on the streets. I pick pocket playing tricks I bet. But its not a good sign with the clerics having no connection to Chauntea. It’s right odd really. Normally lady luck, Tymora, looked after this place and I have a way with luck – like most halflings I guess. But lately, I don’t know. It feels like there’s something dampening that connection.” he shrugged.
“Probably just superstition to be honest but I don’t like it, and you lot don’t have to stay put…” he stopped as his face when pale. As the party turned around to see what had made the cheerful man freeze they saw a faceless figure drifting through the chairs and tables in the dining space as it moved towards them, steadily and with purpose. A shriek brought them back to reality as Adam had looked up and seen the spectre.
“Well, I guess its not a pickpocket after all.” Harry said as he grabbed a skillet from the bench top. “This place is for paying guests only!”
Thanks for visiting tonight as we explore a bit more of the people involved in this story as well as piece together the rest of the adventure. Don’t forget that each day this week we will continue to expand and build this adventure, so don’t forget to come back daily and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
When your significant other, or just anyone in your life for that matter, gives you the silent treatment you know something has really gone wrong for you. But what happens when its your deity and where that treatment has spread across the whole village you live in and for everyone within its boundaries.
So let’s slow down, grab a coffee maybe some flowers and try to make amends with higher powers!
Quiet is a word that none would have expected to describe Chauntea let alone the devout followers within Sunleaf Village. However, a silence has washed over the village and the clerics have had to save their remaining blessings, healings and divine spells as they are unable to replenish them each night as their pleas to their goddess have fallen on deaf ears.
Although that’s what they think. Darker powers are at play and a spectral figure has been seen amongst the thatched and tiled roofs of Sunleaf village. What they need is not just help, nor the divine intervention that they are hoping for but the kind of miracles that come with strangers looking to stay the night in the village on their way through.
As the party encouraged their horses to plod along the last few minutes to the inn they gazed at the village at night. Neat and tidy houses of farmers greeted them amongst the dark silhouette of the village in its entirety. A large steeple, likely a church to a deity that looked over the village could be seen towering above the houses and in the distance warehouses for storing farm produce.
Sunleaf village was, as the houses and buildings indicated, a farming village that provided a significant amount of produce for the capital. Its beasts were regarded as being some of the best in the land when it came to its draft horses, oxen and sheep.
As the party saw their destination, the Silver bucket, they led their horses to the adjoined stables and ensured that their horses were secured with feed and water. As they entered the cosy inn they were greeted by a smiling halfling with halfmoon glasses. “Good evening travellers. I’m sorry we’ve just finished with much of the hot meals but we still have food available. Rooms are 1 gold piece a head but it includes meals and we’ve got a stable hand that can see to any beasts needs if you’ve got them in the stable.” the man said as he leaned across the desk at them.
“The names Harry, Harry Hastebee. What brings you to Sunleaf viallge?” Harry asked as he placed a plate of warm roast vegetables and some mutton in gravy in front of them. “I best warn ye though. Try not to get hurt unless you’ve got your own healer. The clerics of Chauntea’s church have run dry.” he said as he poured the party a drink of wine of ale, all locally made.
“They say the goddess has gone mute, or gone deaf to our pleas. One of them, I can’t keep up with what they are saying. Any way, look after yourself and try not to go outdoors too late – rumour is that there’s something spooking the village folk in the city at the moment.” Harry continued as he moved about the room. “Lucky we have a songstress in the church, some of her magic isn’t given by the gods so we aren’t defenceless, but its not looking good. The parent church in the capital said they would send some clerics to come and help but they are yet to arrive. Strange and scary times I tell ya.”
Harry excused himself as another visitor walked in, a young man who was carrying a box of vegetables with him. “If you lot need anything I’ll be in the larder. Give a holler and I’ll be with you in a moment. Young Jason just brought some fresh vegetables for tomorrow and I best look after him first.” Harry called out as he led the way for the man, Jason, into the kitchens.
Thanks for visiting tonight for another quiet week of adventure. Don’t forget that each day this week we will expand this adventure further with tomorrow exploring what’s going on a bit more and meeting some notable NPCs. So don’t forget to come back each day this week until its conclusion on the weekend and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
This week I continued with the creating a shortened Zine, something that fits on a single A4 sheet of paper with just enough information to set the scene, plot and hook with some NPCs sprinkled through that it could be used in any system.
I think its still working well so without any further waiting I present A Guild Masters Guilt, in the short format, as a fun one-shot to assist GMs when they need a night out of the books whether you run Pathfinder, Open Legends RPG, D&D or any other RPG System.
There is references to the blog nights which are D&D centric (regarding Friday night’s Stat-blocks) but this adventure can be used system agnostic more so than my regular Zines. 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 many of my D&D creatures.
So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, A Guild Masters Guilt, and that your rolls are made with advantage.
A Guild Masters Guilt
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Silver Sparrows Messenger Guild – Created in Nightcafe.
As well known adventurers the party had been given rooms at guilds whenever they asked and it happened that the Silver Sparrows had organised for them to rest. The Guild master, Bastion Sparrow had a reputation for clean, organised business endeavours that had benefited many up and coming adventurers with work. The adventurers sat amongst the employees of the messenger guild as they sat and feasted in the large hall that was made available to the message runners, their guards and distinguished guests, like the party. A bell rang which caused the room to look up at the ledge where the guild master normally addressed his people and this time they were not disappointed. Bastion stood, smiled faintly before clearing his voice that caused the last chatters to die out.
With the change in guild masters from Bastion to Kilt the offer that was extended to the party was quickly removed. Advised that they were unable to stay in the Silver Sparrows guild hall for the night they were advised that a comfortable room had been organised for them at The Crispy Basilisk, an Inn thats reputation for strong drink was almost as well known as its reputation for pickpockets, thugs and thieves. As they sat down and considered their options a disturbance near the door interrupted them.
“Bastion, well well fancy that. We’re just on the way to the Sparrows Hall to be welcomed back by Kilt. So much for you kicking us out you stupid bastard. Looks like the new guild leader recognises the need for muscle and not just manners.” a large bald man sneered as he pushed past the old guildmaster. Bastion caught himself on a bench and after apologising to the patrons sitting there he walked to the bar spotting the party on the way. After retrieving a tankard of strong ale he sat next to the party and apologised.
“I would’ve hoped that the new guild master would continue with common sense but it seems that they do not want to keep adventurers on friendly terms. I am terribly sorry that you were kicked out of the room you had occupied. I am not sure if Kilt was the right decision here, perhaps I should have fought harder…” he began.
Thanks for joining me today for another Zine this year. This is a condensed version of the Zine, but I hope the format works and is good to look at! Please feel free to leave comments if this format is appealing – 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
Good evening all and welcome to the fifteenth day of adventuring for my party. While I will endeavour to not give away the campaign, adventure or plot moving forward (in case my party read these updates!) I will attempt to write up each adventure this year continuing with my 2024 Campaign Adventure 16 – continuing on from the 2023 adventure.
This is a continuation from Campaign adventure 15 as the party continues on their first mission as members of the investigation of the strange creatures in these lands.
2024 Campaign Adventure 16
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Plot:
Suspicions
The party regrouped to watch the entrance to Toms manor with the suspicion that any accomplish of Tom would try and break into the manor at night. However with the only visible way in, the front door, the party then tried some trickery with Kai sending messages (via the spell) to one of the guards to try and sew confusion. However a lucky streak of unnatural savvy for Kurt and his fellow guard Dave saw them unperturbed by the voice in his head.
Meanwhile John, the newly elected new mayor of Fustmach watched as they hauled Tom’s body out of the manor and took it out of town to be burned, along with any other bodies or meat they found in the manor. The party managed to get some information out of Kurt, that he lived next to the blacksmith which was their first stop on the way back to the Fat Sow where Kai used divine sense to check for any more fiendish presence in the building – but alas, there was none and his excuse to burgle the mans house evaporated with it.
However as they entered the Fat Sow, were offered food and a place to rest (which Armaeth and Groku were already deeply keen for) they ascended the stairs. That’s when Kais divine sense picked up on something small. A fiend at the edge skirts of town. Calling for Tater the goblin rushed out of the Fat sow and gave chase of the divine sense, not able to see what it was but knowing where it is due to his divine connection.
Eventually he found his way to the wagon where to was resting and to his and taters surprise, and one of the villager’s horror, the tentacle of Mayor Tom was still moving. With a deft chop with Taters new axe he severed the limb but, more importantly, revealed that there was an invisible fiend that scurried off from the large corpse of the mayor.
Fiendish Foray
In hot pursuit of the creature Kai cast Entangle, which to his credit bound the creature. This enabled Tater to get a hit in with the crossbow bolt which broke the imp out of its invisibility. Kai, a bit rattled from the adventures of the last few days, strode forward with the intention of capturing and interrogating the imp, however the creature screeched forward and large winged shapes descended from the mountains nearby.
As the creatures descended Tater called out and got one of the villagers to run off and get Groku and Armaeth from the Fat Sow while a final crossbow bolt put an end to the Imp. As the Imp died Kai released his concentration on the entanglement spell, cast Shillelagh and hold person on one of the large-winged small spiny creatures. The spell failed to hold.
The first creature flew buy and stabbed Tater with a trident-like fork while barely missing with its razor sharp teeth as it continued to fly past the stout dwarf. Kai dodged the stabbing fork but was bitten instead, his armour meaning nothing without his arm to hold his shield.
Tater lashed out at the creatures with this halberd – the extra reach coming in handy while Kai tried to pepper them with spells where his melee weapons could not hit. Seeing Taters success in reaching the creatures Kai imbued him with divine favour which made his strikes hit particularly hard. After seeing tater’s reach and lethal accuracy the creatures, spined devils, split up. The uninjured one swooped Kai hitting with his fork while the injured one flung spikes from its tail at Tater, which the psionic energy from his fathers forge protected Tater from some of the blow.
Tater then cut one of the creatures in half with two powerful strikes while Kai managed to paralyze the other, making it fall 30ft from the sky and crash into the earth. Tater then followed up with a large slash from the pole-arm before Kai tried to tie up the creature to question. Breaking the spells hold on it the spined devil was too feeble and confused to break free from the ropes that Kai tried to tie, one handed, around the creature. However Tater came and made short work of the knots.
Both Kai and Tater questioned the devil and at the end of it learnt little apart from the devils were here to check on the statue, the one that the party had destroyed just yesterday. However, as the party both tried to free and murder the spined devil it attempted to flee – Kai dragging it backwards with a risky use of the Iron Thorn bracers before a psionically empowered bolt from Tater shot it down. More bodies to be burnt with Mayor Tom.
Farewell to new friends, and old foes
The party stumbled back into the village and returned back to The Fat Sow to rest. In the morning they ate breakfast while Kai learnt more about the origins of the creatures, they were from Malbolge – the prison layer of hell for the most disobedient of devils. Tater however received a raven from Gwen, the leader of their order.
Good work over there. Come back for full report. New mission ready when you are – Gwen
After this, some farewells and checking on Batrick, the albino bloodhunter pup, the party left the village and began the trek back to Warrensdeep.
Main NPCs:
Sidekicks
Armaeth
Groku
Thanks for joining me tonight for a hybrid of the continuation of my campaign as well as the seasonal adventure for my group, the final part of last-last years Dice-ember one-shot!. Don’t forget to come back again tomorrow for more content. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
The enthralled menace this week is the enthralled berbalang, a horrid creature that creeps across the astral plane looking for secrets for its masters. Its masters find themselves having a useful tool in their arsenal as the berbalang is highly intelligent, malicious and a cunning fighter.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee as we roll into tonight’s encounter!
The Enthralled Menace
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The enthralled berbalang will hide amongst what ever it can and will use its spectral duplicate form to watch and gather information before making attacks. However there is always a master that waits and controls these creatures to their fullest so they will fight in more intelligent ways using their cunning and knowledge to their fullest.
Thanks for joining me tonight as we meet the berbalang. Although not a new creature having them in service to something more powerful bodes poorly for our adventurers. So don’t forget to keep an eye out for the Zine when it comes out and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight’s a pretty easy one but there is nothing easy about exploring the clouded astral plane. Whole not all astral planes will be clouded and fraught with danger this one just so happens to be!
So sit back, grab a coffee, and let’s explore tonight’s Map!
The large chunks of debris from what appears to be an imploded mountain scatter the skies in this area that is blanketed by thick clouds. This is the perfect place for predators to be lurking amongst the clouds or the rocks themselves. While movement is always tricky in the astral plane fighting is even worse as the mental fatigue of righting yourself and moving a physical form in a place that defies physics proves challenging.
Only two layers for the background today with a mixture of texture, brightness and opacity for the clouds gives it a bit more depth. Rocks give us something more than just clouds to interact with an can add to a layer of depth and complexity when it comes to a battle – but they look good and that’s why they are there.
A filter over the top to bring in some more depth and change the tone a little bit in the warmer direction brings the rest of it home.
Thanks for joining me for a really short map making night. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to finish off the week strong and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
While the queen and her guard give in to their, astral acquiescence, the people that were hired to protect them must sally forth quickly to ensure that they are not too late. There are many ways to cross into another plane of existence but to get to a specific place required a bit more knack.
So let’s sit down, grab a coffee and drift into the Astral plane!
Astral Acquiescence
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The party watched the witch, Freja, as she cast her divination ritual in an attempt to locate where the queen had go. Luckily they had found a means to getting to the astral plane amongst the belongings of Roderick including scrolls, rings and even, reluctantly, the bags of holding her used while adventuring in his youth.
“Now when you’re in there to return back to this plane you need to find a puddle, it may take some time to locate one at all but a puddle that matches the same colour of the one you enter in. Something that’s a different colour, even slightly so may take you to somewhere you don’t want to be. Remember that limbo, the nine hells and even the demi-planes between all have links to the astral plane. Don’t just jump into the first puddle you see.” Roderick recited it like he had said it many times before. In fact he had recited the same information, to them, many times since Freja had arrived and had began the several rituals to locate the queen.
“There are many creatures that are in those plans. Plane-walkers, the creatures that drift between planes for o one but the astral plane houses warring creatures that don’t look kindly upon those who enter into their territory .” he said as he walked off to check on Freja.
The moment had come for the party to cross over via their chosen method. Freja stood before them and commenced a rhythmic chanting as she manipulated the weave around them. Small fetishes, statues made from bone and semi-precious stones glowed as she channelled the magic she harnessed into them to stabilise a point.
She gave the signal for the party to create the portal and Roderick stepped forward. “Freja said that she can get you to close enough to the queen but not her exact location. You’ll have to locate her but be aware, she has been in there for a while now and there may be predators coming to investigate what’s lingered so far from the material plane. Once you have her get moving – after a few hours you should find something like a puddle, a portal back to this plane. If you find the wrong one then keep searching. You’ll get there.” he added as he handed them a bag. “Supplies in case it takes a while. For yourself and the queen.”
And with that the party stepped away from the knight and his witch and prepared to enter the astral plane.
Thanks for joining me for another night of adventure. I find adventures like this where its not, super heavily scripted or controlled hard to write for as any DM can tell you a Party of adventurers will do what they please, when they please and they rarely allow you to stick to your planned adventure. Regardless don’t forget that the adventure still continues here for the next few days and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Brazen Wolfe Tabletop 