Family matters

Welcome to another Tuesday night at Brazen Wolfe Tabletop. Tonight we investigate NPCs and how they shape the adventure ahead.

Tonight we cast our minds back to a time before waking nightmares and wolves.


Family planning

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Hunter stared at the bodies as the lid to the sarcophogus was closed on the two people he had admired most in life. A pity it had come to this in order to hide the secret their daughter carried.

Katya was just fifteen but had already displayed acts of great magic so much so that her parents were considering sending her off yo become a priestess. Ridiculous her powers should be used by the family to make them stronger, better off and to make the town better. Just as the blessed one had prophesied. Thats when he knew he has to act and knowing that the masters trusted him fully it was easy to play the concerned cook and speed their affliction upon.

Now that Katya was orphaned he reached out with a few like minded worshippers of the blessed one and tried to help the girl. It was slow going at first but with reinforcement from the blessed one she slowly stopped fighting their help, care and love.

Using their combined faith they began to sooth her anguish and repair the unfortunate side affect of the blessed ones touch upon her mind. Soon she was smiling and happy again, content to spend time with them even going as far to call him father! What a relief it was to finally have her at peace, but it was not only Katya but the whole village were at peace, forgetting about the the folly of the two previous owners of the manor on the hill.

Soon everyone was calling him father, it was easier to help alleviate their pain this way he thought. Dolly was now mother and their helpers were uncle and aunt. All would be well and time would heal all wounds like the blessed one had told them

Some of the villagers started to become more, distrusting of them. They were slow and stubborn and resisted the blessed ones influence on their mind. Surely they could see that he only meant to sooth their worries and concerns. He himself had once been afflicted with hunger and pain. Eating his way through entire households larder before the blessed one had spoken to him. Yes the pain and fear was intense and what, well who, the blessed one had made him eat terrified him at first but it sated bis hunger and cured him of his sicknesses.

It was now outsiders that posed the most threat. The blessed one held power to alleviate the stress and burden that true sight would give them but more frequently people would approach the house asking after Katya. It pained him to do it but these people couldn’t leave, and he was growing hungry again.


Thanks for joining me tonight for a glimpse into who or what Father may be, or was. If you like the content feel free to let me know as we are on the home stretch for this months adventure.

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,

The Brazen Wolfe

Inheritance

Welcome to Monday where we look at the main plot, story hook or adventure theme of the week and this week we have the final confrontation between Katya and her family.

If this is the first Monday you are reading of my content in February then I would recommend going back to look at the first Monday of the month to get an idea of how we came to this part of the adventure. Now that that is our of the way let’s kick off with tonights content!


Family ties

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Katya was scared, confused and more than anything else she was angry. As she looked at the portrait hanging above the three sarcophagi there was o doubt that she was in the the young woman in the painting and there was an undeniable resemblance between her and the other two in the portrait.

She looked back towards the wolves at the door to the room, she had remembered them talking to her, her uncle and aunts voice coming from the outside the door and when she opened to usher them in the wolves had jumped in the door. Being startled she fell backwards and flung her hands up in defence only to feel this wave of energy wash out from within her as plants crawled up between the stones and wrapped around the wolves tightly, one had escaped breaking free from the vine around its ankle but she regretted not granting it a quick death.

She had felt that familiar pull again, that feeling of a heavy hand pointing her in a direction and something pulling on her conscious to come to it. This time there was no horrible faces or decay just power and the understanding how to control it. As the new people and Paul, yes she could remember his name being such from a faint dream like memory, tried to calm her down and understand what was going on understanding sank in to her core like a kick from a horse to her gut.

Those faces, those people in her house were not her family. The more she thought on it and the strangers explained what they had experienced or believed the more it made sense. Looking up at the group of people she asked them a favour. To come to her house for tea and help her confront her family.


Now to really cement it in things like a book, or scroll or magical wards around the mausoleum could be incorporated. The book and scrolls could be family history and heritage in with mini portraits painted within the pages. It should include the reasons they died too and their will for their daughter, Katya.

The wards would be to keep those who have ill will to the family or the contents of the mausoleum out whilst preserving the pristine memory of the family within so that they could be remembered.

The Poleski family was one or the founding families of Bracken Ridge, what the town used to be called and bridged the barriers between its human and mundane folk and they protective fey of the wilds. They brokered a peace between people and fey and even to this day, not knowing or remembering the real reason why the people honour the bargain between fey and people of Bracken Ridge.

If questioned, in the unlikely case, both Katya and Paul would state that “Father” had been seen disappearing to the woods to hunt game recently and would come back with food for the table. Not saying what it was just that it was the sweetest of meats.

(He had been hunting Fey).


Thanks for dropping in tonight for this brief glimpse at both the closure from last week and the beginning of this one. The extra notes are there to help run the session, give a glimpse or hint into what we can expect from this week.

If you like the content don’t forget to come back tomorrow and feel free to reply and let me know if you like it. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,

The Brazen Wolfe

Through the storm

Hi all and welcome to the end of week writeup!

This past week we were sent to find the missing brother of Colin Turp, Paul. Paul had taken a job from “Father” and with the promise of enough gold to feed them for months he darted off without a second thought for the volatile weather in the region.

I will follow the same format as last weeks writeup as my mind on the weekend needs structure. Soo let me know if you look like the format, or hate it and let’s roll on with the nights write-up.


Bracken Hollow part 2

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Upon reaching the town after investigating the woods for the cause in the bad weather, and encountering a half-ogre and his pet bear amongst other beasties, the party are greeted by a worried Carline.

She explains that she had just come from the Broken Tankard, Colin had come back from the north after a failed attempt to find his brother who became lost in the storm. Carline explains that he had been attacked by some wild animal, silent in the storm as it had hit him from behind.by luck it had latched onto his fur cloak and taken off with it instead of him. If the party notice that Colin in the tankard and see the wound it looks remarkably similar to the giant owl talons that they had encountered to the east.

Colin goes to get out of bed and almost passes out. He mumbles that he must find his brother, that he cant be trusted alone with the family on the hill, no one can. He begs the party to find his brother and bring him back. If they are too late and he is indeed dead he asks them a grisly favour, to bring back his body so it’s not left near the house.

The storm appears to be quieting down again but it’s still looks like it will begin to build once more. The snow and winds are extreme but manageable. On the way they may get lost (see below table) but regardless if they do as they pass the first check they run into troubles on their way to find Paul.

Paul was working on the fence between the McFasters and the family on-top of the hills property, the promise of more gold than he could make in a few seasons of farming outshining the risk of working alone in bad weather near the manor. Exhaustion and fatigue causes him to miss with hid hammer, shattering his left hand. As the weather worsened he blacked out from blood loss and the cold awakening to find himself miraculously healed but sealed in a crypt somewhere. As he tried to escape large powerful wolves attacked driving him back to the safety of the cold stone.


Areas and places of note

The Broken Tavern – The three dwarven owners, Milly, Billy and Ned offer hot food and drink before they leave for free as a favour for helping Colin, they also offer warm cloaks and supplies just in case.

The Road – A long thin road that snakes its way up north towards the manor on the hill. It passes along a fence line that separates the McFasters from the manors land. Scattered tools, blood and a tangled mess of footprints and drag marks litter the snow where the party find the site where the accident happened

The Graveyard – following the drag marks and many sets footprints the party find the graveyard to the east of the manor. A stream cuts the road in half and the trail seems to cut through the frozen stream instead of the bridge. Several tombstones can be seen when it’s not snowing with two buildings that look to be in decent repair.

People of Bracken Hollow (in this adventure)

Carline Winters

Despite her quick to flair dislike and crash tongue when around Father she genuinely appears to want to help Paul. Once the party have spoken to Colin she will approach the party to also ask them to help find Paul. She will offer them a tidy (50gp and a bag of gems worth 300gp) sum of coins and gems if they agree to help.

Colin Turp

Colin’s wounds are not life threatening but they do prevent him from searching for his brother.

Paul Turp

Because of how much Paul wants to impress and be like his big brother he drives himself too hard and doesn’t always think straight. In this case it cost him a broken hand. Or did it.

Environment and running the adventure

As the party leave colin, the dwarves offer them assistance. Warm food and drink with thick fur coats. If they take up this offer they will be protected from the extreme cold until the following morning, as long as they don’t get lost in the blizzard.

The weather will be lightly snowing but not a full blown blizzard until they find the site where Paul injured himself. Once there and the wind picks up roll on the random “lost” table and resolve effects.

Keep rolling decreasing the lower end of the success variable by 1 each time they fail until they succeed. Success wil trigger a wild wolf encounter (encounter 1) and the party will see a trail or blood amongst the drag marks towards a shadowy set of buildings on top of a short hill, the graveyard.

The party will notice a old wooden bridge over a frozen river, the drag marks (DC14 survival check or DC16 perception) will go over the river, not the bridge. If the party go over the bridge the first person will have a DC 12 dex saving throw or the wood will break and the character will suffer 2d6 damage from falling through the bridge, no damage on a success.

If they cross the frozen river its 10ft wide and is a thin ice and frigid water hazard. Play it as such.

Once the party are at the grave yard the drag marks are harder to see as the snow is thicker and there is a bunch of wolf paw prints around (DC12 survival to notice wolf paw prints, DC14 to follow drag marks). The drag marks go to a smaller building to the south west of the graveyard while a more frantic set of human footprints run towards the larger building to the north. The door is wedged closed, if they call out then Paul will open promptly and let them in before a grave wolf and three wolves appear suddenly as of waiting for the party to open the door. If they dont call out and try to break down the door its DC14 strength check however as they attempt or once the Wolves will rush to engage.

On the way out of the woods they are ambushed by giant snow owls (see stat blocks below) as the wind begins to pickup (blizzard begins). After the fight they travel for a few hours – the blizzard making it rough to move through and as the wind dies down (still extremely cold but no snow) they see a half-ogre and brown bear (If they didn’t encounter them in the cave that is) has followed them and then they are in combat.

Once the Wolves are dealt with the party will head towards the larger building finding it closed but not barred or locked. Upon entering two dead wolves are on the ground, vines having strangled them and bound them to the floor. Inside a large portrait of three raven haired people, two are standing proudly behind a young woman. A moment later a voice speaks from the corner of the room “I don’t know what this is…who are those people and why do I look like her”. Katya appears and she is the splitting image of the young woman in the portrait. There are three caskets in the room, two with lid on, one empty. The words underneath say “Kristoff Poleski” ,”Jessica Poleski”, and (you guessed it) “Katya Poleski”.


Encounter map

Encounter Balancing

Encounter stat-blocks



Random table

Lost in the blizzard.

Resulteffect
1Party end up going in a loop for half an hour – roll for an exposure check (as per extreme cold) and roll for random encounter.
2Party go a little off track, roll for an random encounter (d20)
3-4The party find tracks which leads them further north (+1 to next roll, roll on random encounter table)
5+Party follow the trail of bloodspots and through the snow and wind they can see a few buildings on top of the hill. As they take a few more steps forward so do the beasts that have find their prey amongst the storm (Wolf encounter)

Random Encounter table

Result (d20)Encounter
1-9Nothing of significance is encountered – to build tension perhaps a deer or the like stumbles onto the track at the same time the party does
10-14One Giant snowy owl appears just as it swoops down to attack the smallest party member in the group – attempting to fly off with them.
15-17A giant lynx (Crag Cat) appears, it is currently feasting on a stag but looks up at the party daring them to approach it and its meal.
18-19Two wolves appear, one is nursing a hurt leg that upon closer inspection has thorny vines wrapped around it, the wound looks recent and painful.
20Three wolves appear

Well that’s it for the week. If you want to look into the sections in a bit deeper depth then I would suggest looking through the Monday-Friday content for last week where the topics above were explored in a bit more depth.

Don’t forget to come back next week for the continuation of the story and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Taking time away from the table.

Hello all and welcome to a weekend post where I wanted to talk briefly around my thoughts on that I, and maybe we, spend just that little bit too much time focusing on the tabletop.

Now, coming from someone who writes content for a TTRPG daily, pending when I fail to publish it correctly, who is surrounded by four Warhammer armies worth of models and has too many dice all together this may not be a surprise that I spend a lot of time on table top. I have friends who stay up until the early hours of the night, every night, painting miniatures that are beautiful, simply beautiful. I also have players (old and new) who have requested to have weekly TTRPG sessions instead of the normal fortnightly because they can’t quite get enough of the sweet table top, but I generally try and have a hour or two, outside of work and father & husband roles, that I set aside where I do not think about table top.

The reason is quite simple, I love this hobby and I don’t want to get burnt out on it. Now not every night is a dream when I am typing up content for that evening and sometimes what normally flows out of me like fire from a red dragon is more of a dribble, like a mage learning how to shape water for the first time. These nights probably show with content that is, perhaps not as thorough as what I may be used to but for me this project, the adventure a week (well every day there is parts of an adventure), is something that I put to myself to really hone these dungeon master skills that I have been building for many years and to test myself to see if I could write about my DMing approach.

Now, I don’t think saying to yourself ‘I don’t feel like it tonight’ or ‘I’ve got a block, I can’t think of anything’ is a bad thing, not in the tiniest bit but I want to stress that you should be able to say this to your players and peers too. Going to your party “I just need a break for this week/fortnight/month” isn’t a bad thing and your players will understand, like mine have in the past. They know its a lot of effort and a big commitment to play a TTRPG game and even more so if you are the Game Master as you have to prepare the adventure, create the NPCs, the encounters, the puzzles, traps, maps, twists, turns and what ever else goes into your adventure – they understand if you need time.

For some you may feel like you don’t need to pause, no breaks, no half time, nothing. And this is fine too but I would caution to look for the signs that you need to step away from your fantasy or Sci-fi world for a bit and just take a night off. Watch a movie, read a book, go out to dinner or drinks. Play a game tabletop or electronic (a different tabletop game still counts as time off!).

Lately I have been playing online with an old friend of mine, having a few beers and playing or a few hours to just reset the clock, or, exploring a game that my new PC can actually run (unlike my old PC that couldn’t run it…) and strangely enough, some elements of my table top are being influenced by these games, movies and TV shows that I use as my downtime from table top. For me, its just becoming part of the process.

So, after all that’s said and done – I am off to find some legendary Storm drake and build a castle or sit down with my wife and watch a movie we have been putting off for a few weeks now and who knows, if a future adventure involves the harvesting of raw materials to build a fort then you know what inspired that adventure.

So, don’t forget to look after yourself, watch for the signs of hobby fatigue and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Silent as the grave

Welcome to Friday (also known as fight night) what we look the encounter for the week whether it is combat, puzzle or a social encounter.

This week we fins ourselves in a snow covered graveyard, or on the road to such a place, where the party are ambushed by a group of creatures led by something hopefully the players will remember, perhaps not fondly though.


Howls amongst the gravestones

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Walking towards where Paul was thought to be working the party could find signs that he was there and in the fresh snow they may also find footprints indicating that he was dragged from where he fell.

There would also be paw prints following from where he was injured and dragged. A total of 6 sets of smaller prints and then a larger set of prints. A dc13 survival check would identify the smaller prints as wolves and a dc15 check (same check different info based on what the character rolled) would identify the prints as a dire wolf, but something was wrong with it as if it wasn’t well.

The dire wolf is actually a Grave Wolf, a creature that spent too long feasting on creatures and bodies imbued with necrotic energy that it warped its physiology and started to affect its body.

For this encounter I would assume a Party of 4 level 2 or higher players and we are looking for that tipping point of “hard but not deadly” for this kobold fight club was used, I can’t not use this tool, and we have the below result.

The stat blocks are as follows. On the way there the party would encounter three wolves that try and ambush the party on the road.

Then at the graveyard we would have three more wolves and a grave wolf, if the grave wolf doesn’t feel right kr natch your theme a dire wold would be a fine replacement.

The wolves would wait until the party reach Paul before springing their attack, waiting amongst the graves and tombstones (stealth check) before dashing out to ambush when they are distracted by Paul.


Thats what we have for tonight to wrap up this weeks content. Come back this weekend to see the finishing touches on the adventure and how it ties in with what we know already.

Don’t forget to let me know what you think about the creatures and if you use the grave wolf in your own adventure. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,

The Brazen Wolfe

Cold as death

Hello all and welcome to Thursdays Brazen Wolfe Tabletop post. Tonight I wanted to find something to include that I haven’t done for a little bit mainly due to personal preferences but also due the the amount of time it takes to locate and modify or produce them – A battle map.

With out adventure this week set in the village of Bracken Hollow and the recent tundra like weather system they are experiencing I wanted to find something that would fit in with what we have planned this week so let’s have a look at what was found.


Snowy graveyard

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All credit goes to Matteo at https://tehoxmaps.com/index.html – this map in particular was located here.

Whilst not being exactly snowy it has the rough features we are after this week , a few buildings, a few old and decrepit walls and gravestones as well as one or two paths in, depending how flexible you define a path.

This will be ideal for what we have planned this week, a place for Paul to be holed up in, walls for players to scout around, areas to hide and sneak through for both the player and what is on the hunt. The idea behind this is that the players can gain a bit of understanding and knowledge about the family that resides in the hilltop manor whilst finding and rescuing Paul Turp who is relatively uninjured and in good health. The encounter, well we will cover that tomorrow, is designed to drive the players perhaps into the large of the two buildings after finding and rescuing Paul from the smaller of the two crypts. Once inside they can seek shelter form the storm and from the beasts that have taken to stalking the snow covered ground.

Once again this week exhaustion will be in effect, the extreme cold, wind and snow makes movement around the area difficult but that wont be the only thing. Perception checks that rely on sight and sound may also be hindered as with heavy snow and wind perception checks that rely on those senses are made at a disadvantage. This should give the players a sense of unknown, danger and suspense as they will be randomly walking into gravestones, perhaps exposed graves as well as fences, trees, bushes and maybe the odd skeleton.

A small river running through the road also gives us a chance to work in the “Frigid water’ and ‘Thin ice’ hazards for the players that don’t walk across the old bridge, something that I would wager would give them cause to seek shelter if they were to fall into the frigid waters below.


Thanks for stopping by and looking over something that will be inspiring the encounter this week, a family graveyard with a small crypt and a larger building amongst the heavy snow. If you like the concepts put in place here I would recommend having a look at Tehoxmaps.com as Matteo has some truly amazing maps for free use and even better ones available to patreons.

Don’t forget to set aside some time this week to enjoy your favourite TTRPG and also, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Unfamiliar places

Welcome back to a Wednesday where in this post where we look at the twists, turns and changes to the known plot that we have for this week. So far we have young Paul Turp fumbling as he went to hammer in a plank of wood into a post which broke bones in his hand. We also saw that Katya was experiencing a twilight between her her day-terrors and the reality she has known for the longest time.

Tonight we are looking at it from a different point of view to get a better understanding of what the party may be up against this week.


Dizzy spells

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Paul’s eyes fluttered open to the sight of a dim room and the sound of howling wind outside the small stone room he was lying in. Sitting upright was a mistake and he barely had enough time to catch himself before he fell to the hard stone slab. Looking around the room he squinted trying to force his eyes to focus on the dim stone walls as his vision begins to focus in on the cracked stone, worn wood and small flurries of snow that come through a few gaps in the roof. Pushing himself up he winces as he leans on his left hand, looking down he notices a slightly grubby bandage had been woven around his hand. Slowly unravelling the bandage from around his hand he studied the bruised, blood covered skin beneath unable to see the broken bones and torn flesh where his hammer had shattered his hand yesterday.

“I must be dreaming” he muttered to himself as he stood up, now aware of the heavy coat that was wrapped around his shoulders. The coat was thick, a bit old and felt well worn as he began to move around the small room he found himself in what could only be described as crypt. moving towards the door he tried to open it but found it barred from the outside. Cursing he rattled the door further trying to push through or dislodge what was keeping the door closed before looking around the room for a way to pry open the door. Looking around the room he finds a torch bracket that hung limp from the wall where it would have been attached and after a few rough tugs on the torch it came loose. Jamming the torch bracket between the door and the wall he began to pry, hearing a snap from outside on the third heave which resulted on the door shifting inwards a bit. Sighing with relieve Paul only now realised that there are now that the howling wind had dissipated.

Reaching through the door to try and shift the shattered plank of wood that had held it closed he heard the crunching of snow moments before he withdrew his arm back inside the door as a wolf jumped at the door where his arm was there a moment ago. Slamming the door shut he pushed against the door as the wolf, joined by another or more by the sound of it, scrambling to get the door closed he managed to wedge the torch bracket into a crack in the floor and into the door, leaning against the door with the torch in place he sighed and felt through the pockets in his slightly damp cloak. Feeling the dry hard scrap of jerky he had left over from his lunch, stuffing it inside his mouth he chewed as the claws from the wolves scratched against the door causing it to shudder as he lay against the door and ate the jerky trying to calm his nerves.


Thanks for joining me tonight for another brief writeup for what we are looking to expand this weeks adventure with. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow night and if you like what you read then feel free to follow for future updates.

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

A glimmer of white

Welcome to Tuesday where we look at what NPC or character we can bring to the tabletop this week. This week we have seen that young Paul Turp is in dire straits having his hand badly injured and he just passed on out from bloodloss and exhaustion as someone walked towards him.

Tonight I want to take a break there for a moment and look at what else is going on in the area to really paint a full picture. So let’s get on with it!


A time of action

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Katya paced through the halls the chilled wind coming through the window in short bursts where the glass had fallen through some panes of glass. The wind carried a sense of further unease for Katya given that her day terrors had re-visited with a vengeance.

Her aunt crossed the hallway at the other end of the hall and paused for a moment as she looked towards Katya and smiled Katya smiled back at her aunt repressing a touch of nausea that came to her mouth. As her aunt walked out of the hallway Katya leant against the wall and clenched her eyes tightly trying to remove the vision of her aunts face being a nightmarish mix of sagging pale rotting flesh and her aunts normally smooth, if not a sickly pale, colour. Taking a few deep breaths she turned to looking out of the window, the bricks of their manor flickering between their normal worn but sturdy appearance and a crumbled dilapidated state. Looking up from the small courtyard at the front of the house she felt more than saw a presence, something calling to her, drawing her towards the fields beyond her house.

Squinting through the snow she could not see what was calling to her but the pull as nearly tangible. “What is it my dear” her father said to her, standing just behind her as she looked out towards the fields beyond.
“Oh, father”, she said startled by his sudden and silent appearance. Not wanting to turn around to see what she knew would be the horrible vision of her fathers twisted features she merely leant against the window and continued to look out the window. “The weather has gone quite cold father, what’s he village like? Are they also experiencing the same abnormal weather?’ she asked.

She could almost hear her father squint, despite his smile always being present his eyes always revealed his true feelings. “We have been over this before daughter, the village is not safe for people like you, like us. They are doing fine much like us. Do not worry they have made it clear that they do not need us like we do not need them” he said placing his hand on her shoulder, long slender fingers that were taught thin skin stretched over bones squeezed her shoulder gentle in an affectionate manner.

She nods “I know father, I will stay away from the village” she said gingerly nodding to emphasise her point. Her father squeezed her shoulder again before walking off, the click-clack of talons on the wooden floors growing fainter until her father disappeared down the hall. Turning her head slightly she looked around to make sure her family were not around before she darted down the hall and down the stairs. Slinking between the doors and halls Katya walked towards the kitchen pausing at the door to check if her mother was there, she could not be seen or heard. Dashing through the kitchen towards the side door she paused with her hand above a large fur cloak – her fathers, and as the pull got more urgent she shook her head and grabbed the cloak pushing through the door and into the white world beyond.


That’s where we are at today, Katya’s visions are getting worse and sensing something pull on her conscience towards the fields beyond the walls that she hadn’t left in years at the behest of her family – we will have to see where this goes during the week.

Don’t forget that if you do like this content to come back tomorrow, and each day this week for that matter. I am interested to hear about people using this to inspire their own campaigns or creative endeavours so let us know!

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

Can’t deny ones nature.

Welcome back to a new week with Brazen Wolfe Tabletop and this week we are looking at picking up what we left up from the last week where the party may have gotten lost in the woods and encountered a half-ogre and his pet as well as a, err, parliament of owls (apparently flock isn’t sufficient here..)

So lets kick off and see where out players are at after the discovery that young Paul Turp had gone missing whilst heading towards the manor at the hill to do some work for “Father”.


Frostbite

206MoFb

As the final post drove deep into the rapidly cooling soil Paul dove his hands back under his coat trying to encourage them to get warm. Despite his brothers warnings and protest he had come out to mend the fence between the McFasters and “Fathers” properties a week early as “Father” had promised him a bag of gold to do it earlier.

‘A bag of gold will keep the farm going for another few seasons. Just got to finish this and Colin won’t have to work so hard.’ he thought as he stumbled nailing a plank back in place. The cold wind carried flakes of snow as a particularly foul wind blew in from the north and they chilled Pauls exposed skin and caused him to fumble. The old heavy hammer smashes into it hand with the sound of crunching bone as his grip waned from the cold.

Shrieking in pain he dropped his tools, the shards of bone poking through his skin causing blood to trickle down his forearm as he cradled his broken hand.

Paul stumbled through the snow having tumbled through the fence, if he could just make it to the village the dwarves at the broken tankard would be able to patch him up and fix his hand, mostly. As he trudged on, now having to push through snow as he walked such was the ferocity of in the elements, his vision began to blur as his body began to shake violently from blood loss and exhaustion.

Stumbling to the frozen ground he tried to stand again but his limbs wouldn’t respond. His eyes closing slowly he caught sight of a figure running through the snow towards him

“Colin…” He mumbled as his world faded to black.


Thats it for tonight, a bit of a taste of what this week will bring with Paul going missing in the fields. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more content, perhaps a new NPC, and don’t forget to let me know your thoughts on where the adventure is going this week, or month!

And as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,

The Brazen Wolfe

The town amongst the snow

Hi all and welcome to the end of week writeup!

This past week we investigated the request of the priestess from Daye and the party was requested to go seek out a powerful priestess in a small village about two days north called Bracken Hollow. This is the end of week summary and writeup of what

I will also try to group the content like many other simple d&d adventures out there – so if you like how its formatted let me know!


Bracken Hollow part 1

205BrHo1

The high priestess of Chauntea in Daye, Sister Lizbet, impressed with the party and what they had accomplished, rumoured to or not, requested that they go to Bracken Hollow, a town a few days travel to the north east of Daye in Amn and to search for another priestess of Chauntea who was rumoured to be more powerful than she and to bring her to Daye. During the travels into Bracken Hollow the party met with a few travellers who warned them of Bracken Hollow and its general dislike to strangers – particularly from the family who lived in an old manor atop a hill towards the north of the village, and warned the party to not outstay their welcome how ever long it is.

Walking upwards into the sleepy village of Daye the party are greeted by farmsteads overlooking paddocks filled with crops or beasts, two the north east as dense forest could be seen in the distance as the road crept steadily upwards.

Entering the town there was very little. A small stable with may hitching posts lay at the centre of the village, a large water trough and nearby well the only visible water source for horses and people alike. To the left (west of the stable) lay a tavern, The Broken Tankard, which in the dwindling light provided by the setting sun looked like the only place of warmth and hospitality. To the north, about mile away on a hill was a pinpoint of light and smoke amongst a sea of tall, slender pines who had shed their needles already – unusual for the season.


Areas and places of note

The Stables – A small set of covered areas in the centre of the town. Big enough to house about eight horses if some are hitched just outside of the small roof that provides cover from the elements. There is no stable boy but there is clean fresh water at least if sans-food for the beasts that would be spending the night there.

The Broken Tavern – A brightly lit two room, double storied building that boasts three rooms for rent, two singles and a double room. The meals are hearty and of the land but cost a bit more than what the party is used to ranging from 1 silver for basics to 10 silver for something that is likely to fill you up for half a day or more. Despite the price the quality cant be doubted and the three dwarven owners, Milly, Billy and Ned are ferociously proud of the food and drink they serve in their tavern.

People of the Broken Tankard

Carline Winters

A bard for the Broken Tankard she takes her artform very seriously and is well liked in the village. Despite her generally pleasant nature and mood she has a special kind of dislike for the man who calls himself “Father” who lives in the manor upon the hill. Carline boasts not three or even four but half a dozen songs and ballads that make fun of the man and even call him a monster that preys on the villagers. She is the only person to have reportedly seen “Father” angry after a particularly vulgar sonnet she sang about him and his wife. She wasn’t seen for a few weeks after that incident but returned to sing for the Tavern but that sonnet was never heard of again.

Colin Turp

Colin is well liked in the village and is the only full time farmer who spends more time on other peoples farms and property than his own. He is friendly, welcoming and knows how to calm a situation down without it getting out of hand. The biggest concern for Colin is his younger brother, Paul, who gets himself into trouble more times than not and is much to trusting of people.

Paul Turp

Paul idolises his older brother Colin and when he isnt looking after the family farm, which his now deceased parents gave to him and his big brother, he is chasing after his brother Colin trying to help with what ever job his brother has agreed to do. Paul tries to help his brother out by looking for work and taking almost any job offered, which has landed them both in hot water before when they accepted a job near the manor on top of the hill, mending a fence that the man who goes by “Father” believed was encroaching upon his property. Only by Colin’s quick wits and diplomacy were they able to avoid something that the villagers had only whispered about behind closed doors.

“Father”

Father’s actual name is, apparently, Greg but he insists everyone calls him father. Always present with an intense smile on his face that would make a Devil shy away he is almost too friendly to everyone he meets as he pries about their reasons for being in ‘his village’. He lives with his Wife, “Mother”, and daughter, Katya, in the mansion at the top of the hill to the north of Bracken Hollow.

The Bracken Hollow woods – rumoured to be the gathering place for fey and other creatures from the fey wild the Bracken Hollow woods are relatively small in size but deep with a few cave systems within its twisted roots and sudden drops. Those who adventure within will need to be on their toes as its not just the environment within that could kill a man.

Environment and running the adventure

As the party enter the village an unusual cold change in weather has swept through the village, many blame the fey that reportedly live in the forest to the East but there is growing whispers, hushed or otherwise, that the family who live on top of the hill are responsible.

This cold snap brings about changes in the weather conditions. When the party arrive it is cold, but not extremely so and they are offered a change of clothes (for 5 gold pieces each) if they are wearing clothes not suited to the cold climates. The following morning you should determine the weather affect in place (d6 roll on the below random table) and for each 1d4+3 hours after that roll the dice again. On a 3-6 the weather gets worse and on a 1 or 2 the weather lessens.

The party should attend the Tavern, the only place to stay for the night. Upon entering the tavern they are treated poorly by the villagers within, looked upon as if they were bandits until Milly, the Matron of the tavern comes and pretends to rough them up a bit. Afterwards the villagers get back to their jovial nature. The party find themselves at a large table with Colin and Paul when the doors open again and this time a crazed man walks in. The music from Carline changes from a merry jig to something that is brash, abrasive and seems to openly mock the newcomer who asks Milly for a bottle of wine to go. The man then seems very interested in the party and tries to pry all information from them about their reasons for visiting Bracken Hollow. Paul steps in and fumbles, revealing what the party has told them that they are here for but Colin tries to cover for his brother and the party explaining that they are heading through the town and staying for a night or two. After the man leaves with his wine the party hear about the strange weather patterns that are happening and the two reason that they believe its occurring. The strange man called “Father” and his family or the fey in the woods are upset about something and have turned spiteful.

If the party go into the woods then the weather should be snowing (stage 5). They find a cave after some while which looks like it was lived in recently, there are some dead strange looking deer within that have a fey-like quality. The weather begins to get worse. If the party stay in the cave they find themselves unwelcome visitors to an half-ogre and his pet brown bear (stats below).

On the way out of the woods they are ambushed by giant snow owls (see stat blocks below) as the wind begins to pickup (blizzard begins). After the fight they travel for a few hours – the blizzard making it rough to move through and as the wind dies down (still extremely cold but no snow) they see a half-ogre and brown bear (If they didn’t encounter them in the cave that is) has followed them and then they are in combat.

After getting back to the village they find that Paul has gone missing when going to help “Father” with a problem with his fences.

Encounter stat-blocks


Random table

Weather table.

ResultWeather affect
1Cold but not extremely so
1-2It’s begun to rain hard and its still cold, but nothing an additional coat can’t fix.
3-4It’s now dropped in temperature dangerously, its extremely cold and still raining.
5It’s now snowing and extremely cold.
6Blizzard (Extreme wind, snow and cold)

Well that’s it for the week. If you want to look into the sections in a bit deeper depth then I would suggest looking through the Monday-Friday content for last week where the topics above were explored in a bit more depth.

Don’t forget if you like this format let me know, I am still trying to work out what works best being both functional and aesthetically pleasing and if you like the content and use it I would love to hear how it goes!

Don’t forget to come back next week for the continuation of the story and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe