Nov 2024 – Brazen Wolfe Tabletop

Valley of Fire

30/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

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 it’s still working well so without any further waiting I present Valley of Fire, 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 Legend 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, Valley of Fire, and that your rolls are made with advantage.

Valley of Fire

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The party had received word of a job that was the highest priority and seeking only the best. Of course that meant that it was exceedingly well paid and that they were the right people for the job. The guild leader in Musca acted as the middleman between them and their client but the royal seal on the letter indicated that their client was the royal family of Musca.
‘I need a group of adventurers to come and secure the Rekuldor and ensure their safety. My most trusted men will assist you and one of them, Rovi, will meet you and escort you to where we need your help.’

True to the king’s word Rovi arrived the next morning at the guild hall with the horses that they would be taking into the valley. ‘It is good to meet you. The Guild has spoken highly of you and I am glad that you will join me into the Mascalar valley. Once we reach the ridge we will leave the horses and continue on foot into the valley itself.’

The next day of travel was easy going with many soldiers on the roads patrolling and ensuring the public’s safety. However the business quickly evaporated when they reached the edge of the valley where they began to travel on foot over the ridge and deeper into the valley beyond. There were plumes of smoke here and the smell of burning soil and wood. Rovi showed his true prowess here pointing to tracks, stopping and redirecting the party to avoid a particular unfriendly denizen of the valley and even finding them fresh food.

As the party moved deeper, the signs of human presence and the smell of burning grew stronger. They reached a concealed camp, where Jovi was welcomed back by scouts who reported seeing the first Rekuldor and signs of other intruders. It did not take long for them to reach the camp that they had been travelling to where Jovi introduced the adventurers as crucial support, highlighting the need to identify and mitigate any variables that could disrupt the migration. His pointed look at the party signalled that he expected their input and readiness to help.

As the white robed man bearing a flaming sword fell, the scout they came with called out ‘I’ve got it’ as the barrels stopped smoking and the drip fed vial of flaming chemicals was disposed of. An hour passed as they cleaned up the barrels and the bodies and slowly the first of the Rekuldors appeared. Their long necks were covered in wrinkles of armoured skin and they plodded along on large sloth-like arms and claws. As they passed by irate shouting could be heard coming closer.

The Rekuldors paused before moving back towards the party and away from the barrels which had stopped smoking now.

‘Those idiots probably forgot to use the flame charges!’ a woman shouted as several more guards surrounded a black robed figure. ‘Oh. That explains why there was no explosion. But now I can deal with the pesky Musca warriors who have been interfering with our orders. Kill them, leave one alive for questioning.’ she ordered.

PDF adventure – Valley of Fire

Valley of Fire Download

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

Enigmatic Reptile

29/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

The enigmatic reptile that leads the reptilian regeneration this week isn’t alone and they are definitely not defenceless. The lizardfolk are a durable and hardy race and the general lizardfolk rabble are joined by the hardened warriors emboldened by the Reptilian Regeneration and the Eye of the Serpent. However there is none as powerful as the enigmatic reptile, the lizardfolk high priest.

So let’s sit down, grab a coffee as we roll into tonight’s encounter!

Enigmatic Reptile

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The party faced the darkness before them as dozens of lizardfolk rushed at them with javelins and clubs held ready to clash with their front lines. Even as arrows and spells cut them down they rushed forward in front of the hulking brutes behind them.

However muscular and powerful the lizardfolk were the brutes towered above them. The size of an ogre these reptilian marvels raised their massive stone headed clubs high and brought them down, narrowly missing their targets. As spells, arrows and blades were turned from their thickened hides they slowly fell to the assault from the adventurers but not before a swarming mass of tangled snakes and lizards crawled over their form even as it fell to the ground to not rise again.

The lizardolk figure at the base of the central raised dais chanted louder as more creatures swarmed to defend the ritual. As the thrumming magic resonated across the cavernous space the lizardfolk and their brutish kin roared in anticipation, the magic renewing their battle lust as they rushed the party only to be hacked down once again.

Lizardfolk Brute – Created in Tetra-cube.

The high priest, the enigmatic reptile herself chanted a screeching plea to their primal god and bolts of lightning lanced down towards the targets of nature. Balls of flame and gouts of poisonous fumes lashed out at those fooling enough to get close but the warriors that defended her were waning. Even as her skin became that of bark and the reptilian guardians that raced forth from the crevices of the temple the adventurers drew to close. Too late were the reinforcements of nature as the blades, spells and projectiles lanced her hardened flesh and brought her magic crashing down.

Lizardfolk high priest – created in tetra-cube

Thanks for joining me tonight for some common, some old and some brand new stat blocks as we wrap up this weeks adventure! Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Gremire Temple

28/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Now the Gremire temple started its days as a ritualistic place for those who worshipped nature and the primal gods. However, as time went on and the worship of gods moved from primal to the ones we seem ore frequently now the temple fell into ruin, mostly. A new force started to live within its depths and still worshiped the older gods, the forgotten ones.

So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s explore tonight’s map!

Gremire Temple

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As the party enters the centre of the ziggurat after a series of heated encounters with the lizardmen guards and their pets. As they push past the last few feet of the descending steps, their torches flicker with the air that they have been feeling for some time now. As their torches battle the wind eerie shadows appear on the landing ahead of them and the jagged, uneven and crumbling edges of a massive central platform.

The air is thick with a greenish glow that is emanating from an ornate, central structure in the cavernous space beneath the ziggurat. This structure is a large, square platform with intricate designs, radiating an otherworldly thrumming light from a ornate jewel light object that is centralised on the platform. Around them, the floor is marked with the grid-like tiles that they have seen in other parts of the temple that reflect the ancient craftsmanship that created this temple to the gods an eon ago.

However cracks and broken sections indicate past damage and large cracks in the floor suggest instability, making every step potentially dangerous with the consuming shadows within not initially showing how deep the fall would be. The greenish light pulses as a screeching lizardfolk voice can be heard urging the energies to pulse in a steady flow. The light creates deep shadows amongst some scattered rubble which makes it difficult to see hidden threats or traps aside from the hulking form of the largest lizardfolk they have seen who keep a watchful gaze over the source of the screeching voice.

The atmosphere is tense and foreboding with the sound of chanting and the thrum of arcane energy. The central structure draws their attention, as the gem-like structure pulsates with energy and as even as they watch it pulse their feet are covered as snakes and lizards come down the passage and across their feet, called to the central structure and the call of the Reptilian Regeneration.

A ‘simpler’ map tonight with most of the objects being the cliffs asset that creates the cracks and crumbling edge of the platform. a few other pieces rotated and duplicated for the central plaza with a bit removed with some careful carving with an over-paint of the shadow texture over the top. My favourite light-asset creates a glow at points in the cavern and there is a very simple texture painted for the template sections (a temple-tile and a stone overlay) and the dark beyond being a simple shadow.

A simple but rewarding map for tonight that was fun to create.

Thanks for visiting tonight for another map night! Don’t forget that tomorrow I will create the encounter for this weeks bigger-than-normal writeups. So don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the last piece of the puzzle, and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Regeneration of the Jungle

27/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

This week the adventure takes the party deep into the Gremire jungle where a lizardfolk leader has created a cult around a an artefact in the name of regeneration of the jungle and their tribe. The regeneration of the jungle becomes more prominent tonight as we look at what it truly means and the impacts for the party.

So let’s grab a coffee, grab some mosquito repellent and let’s get ready to dive in deeper past the swamps, trees and vines!

Regeneration of the Jungle

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The party had run into some of the local denizens of the jungle earlier that morning. It had been just over a day of travel on their journey into the heart of the jungle and their guide was getting more skittish as they went deeper. C’tik was a renegade lizardfolk and had steered them clear of dangers plenty enough times but as they waited for him to come back from a brief scout ahead they were attacked by several large snakes. They dispatched the creatures quickly after suffering only a few wounds however C’tik changed after that encounter.

He didn’t let the party out of his reptilian eyes as they moves deeper into the jungle and was more alert and skittish. He brushed off his nerves when questioned by the party as not wanting to disappoint and fail his orders but there was an inflection in his voice as he spoke, fear. But as the party rested for the second time that day to empty their shoes of water and leaches he appeared more relaxed and even jovial.

‘Not long now, no not long.’ he had repeated when they had asked the reason for his change in mood. The jungle also seemed to reflect his mood as the ground, grasses and ferns sprung back nearly instantly as they passed. Creatures of all kinds were abundant here and it wasn’t long until they had caught enough of them that so they could have a meal later that night if needed. But even as they pulled the arrows from the creatures the creatures refused to die and their would would start to heal quickly.

‘It’s the influence of the temple. It is near but we are in no hurry.’ C’tik repeated as he looked almost happily around. There was a river that cut through the trees nearby and dozens of frogs could be heard singing happily from its banks. The trees here were dense and tall with a net of vines and leaves hanging from the branches making it difficult to find where the branches actually were beyond them. A thick canopy wove overhead where birds and other tree life moved about caring not for the adventurers below or the small smokeless fire that they had started below.

Slowly the creatures stopped making noise, the birds songs stopped, the frogs stopped croaking and only the nonstop hum of insects could be heard. It droned on and caused those present at the small camp to begin to get heady and unsteady as they looked around. Something was obviously not right and only the happy lizardfolk remained normal and a constant. Large reptilian shapes emerged from the water with colourful frills from the back of their heads going behind their shoulders which bore crude armour. Lizardfolk emerged and stalked towards the party as the insects droned on and despite the obvious danger the party struggled to prepare themselves for the encounter.

‘Now the order is complete. C’tik is free and the Regeneration can commence!’ the little lizard folk cackled moments before an arrow pierced his chest and caused him to roll backwards. Even as he fell he joyously laughed as dozens of lizardfolk warriors rushed towards the party and their unseen ally loosed another series of arrows from their concealed position.

Thanks for joining me for a mid-point for this adventure. I feel like this will be a big week as there is still a lot to go and cover before we can wrap this one up. So don’t forget to come back the next few days to cover what we have in store and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Prince Tarley of Karne

26/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Tonight we meet Prince Tarley of Karne in a better circumstance than the meeting hall where he spoke against the quarrelling nobles. However, despite his confidence in the party from who he trusts completely he can’t help but doubt that they may not be able to achieve what he, and the kingdom, need them to.

So let’s sit back, grab a coffee and let’s go for a ride.

Prince Tarley of Karne

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The road away from the Village of Chupak where he left some of his forces to help with the defence of the city while one of his spies, C’tik, led the adventurers deeper into the jungle. It wasn’t that he doubted his men’s re solve at defending the farming village or in the parties ability to keep their word. No the reports that he had heard had indicated that the force that was approaching Chupak were much smaller than what was initially reported.

He pondered while Steve, his faithful riding horse kept pace with his guard as they head back to the capital. He didn’t like brooding, he hated that archetype of being a broody prince and would fight against it if he could but he found himself dwelling on the situation in silence.

‘Sire,’ a tentative voice from Pious, one of the spies that attended his escort as a guard. ‘You’re brooding…’ the man teased with a knowing smirk.

‘Something doesn’t add up. C’tik has never been wrong before and yet the other reports of the force marching on Chupak indicate that he was. I don’t doubt our men, or my men that I sent into the heart of the jungle but something feels off.’ he said as he looked behind him at the wall of green indicating the edge of the jungle and beyond.

‘We can send in Toby if you’d like. To trail those adventurers to make sure that they keep up their end of the bargain. He is likely the only one who can remain concealed from C’tik.’ Pious offered.

Nodding in agreement he gave the order to send in Toby, one of his most skilled spies and scouts. ‘It’s not them I am doubtful about.’ the prince mused as he turned back to the road and continued on the road back home.

C’tik moved nimbly over the logs as he led the adventurers deeper into the woods stopping only to ensure that their passage was not discovered by the denizens of the swamp, yet. As he waited for the too noisy, too clumsy and too slow people the prince had trusted he waited and watched. He could see the signs of life all around them, drag marks from a crocodile taking something into the pond, tracks of monkeys and deer, birds and poisonous plants that littered the area.

This was his home, his place which he had been exiled from a very long time ago when he was deemed not strong enough to be with the other lizardfolk. He had tried to prove his worth by attacking a heavily guarded caravan with his other clutch-mates but he ended up captured and they, dead. He still remembers the ultimatum that he had been offered, be bound to the man they referred to as “Sire” or die after they had gotten the information out of him.

He still felt shame from how easily the location, numbers and methods of his tribe fell from his lips, clumsily, as the sorcerer that travelled with this “Sire” had understood what he had said, to some degree at least. But with execution and feeding the other warriors with his flesh being the alternative he chose life and bonded with the man called “Sire”.

He had lived a good life working for the man, using his skills and knowledge of the jungle to find bandits, armies, places or things for the man and it wasn’t until he met Her that things changed. Now he had a chance to get back what he had, a second chance at redemption, a regeneration of his reptilian nature that he could not pass up.

Crouching he felt the presence of the people behind him and he held back from lashing out with his tainted blades. Soon, he told himself as he looked back at them with his practiced human expression of a smile. ‘We will be there soon and then orders are over.’ he said as he pointed deeper into the jungle towards the great ziggurat where she waited. One so powerful as to remove the compulsion of blind loyalty to “Sire” and to fill it with hope and a sense of home instead.

Soon his orders would be over.

A big one is coming about this week with his adventure as we bring in another layer of complexity, betrayal and an overwhelming sense of hope from the most unlikely of places. However, it’s not the end to this weeks adventure and we have several more nights left to expand and shape the adventure. So don’t forget to come back each night this week as we expand the adventure, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Reptilian Regeneration

25/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

This weeks adventure takes us into the heart of the Gremire Jungle where trouble is brewing and a group called the Reptilian Regeneration is surging to power. As local lands fall will the party be able to put an end to the dark rituals that are making the jungle more feral with primal energy.

So sit down, take a load off while the coffee brews and let’s kick into tonight’s adventure!

The party has heard rumours of a sudden and alarming rise in the power and influence of a previously unremarkable tribe of lizardfolk. Whispers of dark rituals, ancient magic, and the appearance of an enigmatic leader have spread across the land. The lizardfolk, now calling themselves the Reptilian Regeneration, have begun to conquer nearby territories, and their ambitions seem limitless.

The party is contacted by a desperate coalition of local leaders who seek their help in stopping the Lizardfolk and this Reptilian Regeneration. The coalition provides the party with intelligence about a sacred artefact called the Heart of the Serpent, believed to be the source of the lizardfolk’s newfound power. The artefact is said to be housed in the depths of the lizardfolk’s ancient temple, located in the heart of the swamp.

Will the party manage to thwart the Lizardfolk’s Dominion over the jungle and restore peace to the land, or will they fall to the might and cunning of the lizardfolk warriors and their ancient, mystical powers?

The Reptilian Regeneration

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The voices raised louder in the hall as another mayor from a local village stood to argue with the current speaker. The party had been invited here, practically begged by a previous client who had hired them to save his kingdom. The prince sat cloaked and in riding leathers instead of his normal attire. It was an exceedingly poor disguise if the party were asked for their feedback on it earlier. But instead the prince sat and shook with anger as the men in the room blamed one another, screaming and frothing at their mouths as if they were infected with the primal rage instead of those attacking their villages.

‘What idiocy led to this? You ordered your villagers to cut into the Gremire jungle to make way for your crops and to sell the wood to fuel your greed!’ one of the mayors spat. He had lost half is village when the attacks happened and he had every right to be angry about it.

‘Me? What brought about this accusations? As I said we need to mount a defence and I am simply stating that Chupak falls then this,’ he paused to emphasise the name with air quotations, ‘Reptilian Regeneration cultists will have free reign over the all the villages to the west.’ this drew the concerned utterance of agreement from several of such village mayors who were present.

As the opponents face darkened to a near unholy shade of red the prince had enough. ‘Are you quite done squabbling like children?’ he snapped, the room went quiet as the men’s rage both turned to him in an instant.

‘How dare you, a visitor to this gathering question this assembly of distinguished mayors.’ the red faced man spat back. The prince took this moment to throw back his hood and to stand from his seat. The room went quiet and the recognition of shock was evident in a moment.

‘These are my families lands and by right of my title I do dare.’ he politely and calmly said as he watched the colour and heat drain from the faces of those gathered. ‘The lizardfolk, this Reptilian Regeneration has to be stopped. It’s already taken too much of our peoples livelihoods and lives and we can’t sit by and watch. Now I have had my personal spies go into the heart of their territory and we have some intel.’ he paused to look at the party.

‘They are led by a shaman of unknown power who is harnessing the power of the Heart of the Serpent.’ he paused with the expected blank faces from all those present. ‘This artefact has the power to destroy us all as it attempts to summon the deities, the gods that these lizardfolk’s worship. They must be stopped.’

‘We’re saved! The prince has brought the royal army with him!’ a man at the back of the room exclaimed as he jumped up causing a chorus of cheers.

‘I have not brought the army. Instead I have brought a party of adventurers who have proven themselves to me and the crown in the past as exemplary warriors, sages and scouts. But they can’t do it alone. I have a request of each of you. Support Chupak and wage an offensive, cut and burn the jungle down immediately near it. My scouts also reported that there is a sizeable enemy force moving in that direction as we speak and if we can distract them long enough my men,’ he gestured to the party, ‘are to sneak in and relieve the Heart of the Serpents from this cult.’

‘I will have some of the army meet us at the village and to sure up the defences but our first and only priority should be their jungle fortress.’ he paused as he watched fear, uncertainty and once again anger appear in the faces of the mayors.

Now I think that’s a pretty big adventure for this weeks one shot, and for the last weekly oneshot for the year. The next few weeks marks the descent to December and Christmas where I have another (hopefully!) Fantastic Holiday oneshot planned. But before we get to that let’s not forget about this weeks adventure as we expand it daily from here on out. So don’t forget to come back each day to stay up to date with this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Magnifico’s Cursed Vault

24/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

I think it’s still working well so without any further waiting I present Magnifico’s Cursed Vault, 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 Legend RPG, D&D or any other RPG System.

So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, Magnifico’s Cursed Vault, and that your rolls are made with advantage.

Magnifico’s Cursed Vault

443SuMaCuVa

The party had recently explored a series of ruins that led them to a cave where two pristine silver statues had been located. Despite their best attempts they could not work out the purpose of the three foot tall statues only that they were masterworks, made of silver and extremely valuable. Not wanting to leave empty handed they took them to the nearby City of Dalken where the attempted sale of the statues created a bidding war which saw the party leave with a great deal of money. They managed to catch the name “Magnifico” mentioned more than once as people enquired about where the statue was. It wasn’t long until the city guard appeared. ‘Sorry about that, word on the street is that the statue you found was an original Magnifico.’ the guard said with a smile that he knew more than he was letting on. ‘To verify these reports, you’ll have to come with us and for your safety of course as people go crazy for anything from Magnifico.’

The party travels back the way they came from Dalken with a few guards and Captain Claud Flay, a two day journey in total but in relatively good company. The captain seems sensitive and anxious and after a few hours on the path they can’t blame the captain. Frequently as they retrace their journey from the cave to the city they notice a set of hoof prints and the occasional single boot print. An occasional extinguished camp fire, a bit of red fabric caught on a bush or branch all of which the Captain claims must be the cult they were warned about.

The party managed to push their way through the golems as they were crushed and knocked over by the falling rubble from the cave in. Scrambling over the rocks and debris they ran for the lifeline, a rope swinging from the ceiling. The owner of the shadow they had seen earlier turned out to be a woman. She introduced herself as Jessica and that she worked with Harper to ensure that weapons, like Magnifico’s golems, would never be found or used. So when the party had happened upon the vaults entrance the harpers had entered the Vault and taken the amulet that controls the golems so that they would not be used.

As she led them off the side of the mountain she mentioned that captain Claud Flay had been trying to get the golems for the king for years now, a sure way to get appointed a noble.

It was at this point that the sounds of distress and pain could be heard. Racing down the mountain they found Claud half-crushed in the rocks of the cave-in he had created to bury the party. He promised the party riches if they could help him be free, once he was a noble he would see to it that they be treated as equals by the king.

PDF adventure – Magnifico’s Cursed Vault

Magnifico’s Cursed Vault Download

Bleak Levels of Supplies

23/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

I think it’s still working well so without any further waiting I present Bleak Levels of Supplies, 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 Legend RPG, D&D or any other RPG System.

So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, Bleak Levels of Supplies, and that your rolls are made with advantage.

Bleak Levels of Supplies

442SuBlLeSu

Supplies are running low at the party’s home base of operations, a bastion of sorts, and the closest and established route to purchase supplies is in the Orchreweld, a sprawling desert city of traders. The staff at The Bleak, their keep, have established trade connections in the city and have organised the desert trader Var’Snikk to provide the party goods. However complications have arisen as there are rumours of a great beast, a wyvern, that has begun to prey on the travellers through Fester Chasm, a large scar on the earth where great spires of stone rose out of the ground forming a twisting chasm-like valley where traders could get respite from the sun and dust storms for at least some of the day.

The Jade Scorpion was quiet yet comfortable and as they settled down for a meal the Innkeeper, Barthos, offered them tankards of refreshing ale as he kept an eye on a group of mercenaries in the corner. Two of the three women were Orcs who evidently spent a lot of time in the sun with how their skin had fared and the other was a solid looking human that was decked in a lot of steel. As they chorused for more ale they discussed how their latest job appeared to be little more than a ruse to ambush them.

After the party had shopped for their own personal supplies, rested and prepared for the journey back. Var’Snikk was talking to Pralu, Zaroh and Yazmin as if they were old friends, companions in fact. As they saddled up with their new escort, and Var’Snikk who insisted on seeing his wares get through the Fester safely they were warned about bandits from the Ochre city guard. It wasn’t long until they noticed signs of their presence.

As the convoy formed a defensive wall from the bandits who obviously bluffed by threatening to summon a tamed wyvern a real roar echoed through the chasm, calling out a challenge to any and all to flee. Moment by moment the beating of wings heralded the arrival of the ruler of these sands, an adult blue dragon. The moment the creature’s glittering blue scales could be seen in the sky the bandits fled and the convoy quickly raced to get to a more favourable position. The party managed to board the wagons as they raced past the panicked would-be slavers now attempting to escape something far more dangerous.

PDF adventure – Bleak Levels of Supplies

Bleak Levels of Supplies Download

Unbreakable Fervour

22/11/202422/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

This week we don’t really have anything new as such, but just a lot more of it and when their unbreakable fervour is matched with more efficient use of their spells it’s a deadly combination. But, that may be me over doing it a bit. This encounter is wildly adjustable and can be swung the other way with words. However, only time and the players will tell.

So let’s sit down, grab a coffee as we roll into tonight’s encounter!

Unbreakable Fervour

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The priests that surround the room, and party, all cast spiritual weapon to act like an extension of themselves. If there are a lot of priests then every second one will cast a different spell like spirit guardians to try and create as much of a deterrent for people to engage them in melee range.

Underbleak Crawler – created in Tetra-cube

However frightening the priest is the leader, Laurence, should be in a different league. A bit more durable than his brothers and sisters in faith Laurence (using the dark priest stat block) would cast guardian of Faith to open combat before following it up with spirit guardians. This makes it really hard for people to come into contact with him, or simply near by without taking a beating.

This isn’t to make him impossible to beat but to simply encourage other options to be investigated otherwise it could be a very straight forward battle.

Thanks for joining me tonight for some old stat blocks used in, a bit of a new way at least. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Forsaken Church

21/11/2024thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Now it’s been a while since I have done a theatre of the mind encounter for the week and tonight we have the Forsaken Church as our battle ground. Confined, with several ground obstacles that can help or hinder the party and an adversary that has had a very long time to prepare for an encounter here. Although they were not expecting for the party to appear.

So sit back, grab a coffee, close your eyes and let’s explore tonight’s mind map!

Forsaken Church

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The run down church had lost all iconology that had pointed towards which deity of the forgotten realms it was built for. The pews and benches were broken and splintered across the floor but someone had taken the effort to push them into small groups like obstacles either side of the main walkway towards the alter. The rafters in the high ceilings had spider webs hanging down like curtains covered in dust which drifted lightly in the breeze that came from some gaps in the walls.

A gloomy light pierced through the broken window behind the alter at the other end of the room and at several other points through holes in the roof or walls which created faint beams of light that revealed how much dust drifted through the air.

The ground that would have been smooth stone steps was now littered with plant life trying to retake their land. The stones themselves were not uneven, some wobbly and some missing all together which made for hazardous environment to be walking around if you didn’t know that the hole, raised stone or wobbly step was there.

Potential Church obstacles for consideration

While this weeks encounter is already prescribed there are other considerations to look at when heading into a place like this church.

Uneven Ground: The floor is littered with broken pews and splintered wood, creating difficult terrain. Characters may need to make Dexterity checks to avoid tripping or getting injured by sharp debris.
Cover and Obstacles: The rearranged pews serve as cover for both the party and enemies. Navigating through these obstacles may require Athletics or Acrobatics checks to move efficiently and avoid attacks.
Spider Webs: The rafters are draped with thick, dusty cobwebs that can obscure vision and hinder movement. Characters caught in the webs may need to make Strength checks to break free depending on the size of the spiders…
Spider Infestation: The presence of large spider webs suggests that giant spiders or other creatures might be lurking in the rafters, ready to drop down on unsuspecting adventurers.
Gloomy Light: The faint beams of light may create illusions or cast deceptive shadows, potentially leading characters into traps or ambushes.
Limited Visibility: The dim light filtering through broken windows and gaps in the walls creates areas of shadow and concealment. Characters may need Perception checks to spot hidden enemies or traps.
Weak Structure: The church’s decaying walls and roof pose a risk of collapse. Heavy impacts or explosive spells could cause sections to fall, dealing bludgeoning damage to anyone underneath.
Dust, Debris and Allergens: The air is thick with dust, which can cause coughing fits and reduce concentration. Characters casting spells may need to make Constitution checks to maintain their focus.

Thanks for visiting me tonight to look at a encounter in the theatre of the mind. Don’t forget that this week isn’t quite over so don’t forget to come back tomorrow and the weekend for more content, and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Brazen Wolfe Tabletop

A place for sharing my ideas on tabletop, game design and dungeon mastery

Month: Nov 2024

Valley of Fire