The Rioting Familiars

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The courtyard hung in uneasy silence, the weight of the moment pressing down as the adventurers stood before the assembled familiars. It was no accident, no trick of chance, the Charm of Concord glimmered faintly in the monkey’s grasp, its fractured bonds pulling beast and master alike into disarray. Yet here the familiars were, not fractured but united, eyes bright with a cunning far beyond mere obedience. The raven Sable croaked from a nearby wall, feathers slick with shadow, and in his call the others shifted as one, as though some silent command tied them together.

A choice now faced the party. They could draw steel and spells, prising the amulet back by force, but the united familiars moved with the certainty of those defending a cause rather than hoarding a prize. Or they could test a different path. Perhaps seeking to parley, to understand why creatures bound by magic had broken free and chosen to act in defiance of their masters. The air shimmered faintly, as though the Charm of Concord itself pulsed with anticipation. Every step, every word, would decide whether this forgotten courtyard became a battlefield or the birthplace of an unlikely accord with the rioting familiars.

For D&D Systems

D&D Statblock for Tailed Fox, Swarm of Ravens and Two headed Monkey – created in Tetra-cube.

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The River Spirit

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As Amal stood by the river and stared at the raging surface he turned to look at the party and his sister, Jessa, before uttering a single sentence. ‘The river awakes.’ and with that the river went still.

Moonlight rippled across the surface like silver thread across a mirror, and without warning the water bulged outward as if something vast stirred beneath. A low hum vibrated through the stones underfoot, resonating in the bones of every onlooker like a primordial call to nature itself. A warning of something to come, a herald of doom.

Then it rose.

A serpentine mass breached the surface, easily ten feet at its snout, its body undulating like a living current. Scales shimmered with iridescent blues and silvers, each one catching the moonlight and refracting it in shifting patterns across the riverbank. Its head, elongated and eel-like, bore no eyes only a smooth, glistening surface where reflections danced like eddies and whirlpools that caught the light like the scales of a fish under the waves. Faint runes pulsed along its spine and side, glowing in rhythm with the moon overhead.

Water cascaded from its form as it coiled upward, towering above the party as a deep sheen of water covered its body like a sacred vestment. Its breath , if it needed to breathe, sent mist curling through the air, thick with the scent of wet stone and ancient offerings. Where it moved, the river followed, drawn to it like a tide to the moon. And in its presence, the world felt quieter, smaller, like nothing before it mattered under its gaze and within its coils.

Then it spoke, not in words, but in layered echoes an rumblings that filled the minds of several villagers who began to repeat the same incoherent phrases repeatedly. A voice like rushing water and cracking rocks that spoke of the forces of nature, the life force of the spirit itself. It was then that Amal began to recite what he had first said to the party, but as he continued it changed, now something darker and more foreboding.

‘It rises with the moon. It will claim its tribute and the debt be settled. A tithe to be paid to the river itself, one of flesh and spirit and the river will be free once again to carve through this land.’ It was not a threat but a promise. It did not plead but it was simply a force of nature, bound by ritual, awakened by broken tradition and hungry like the flood consuming land and souls before it.

And it was waiting as it gazed at the party from just behind Amal.

For D&D Systems

D&D Statblock for River Sprit – created in Tetra-cube.

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Imiriel’s Fallen

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The highpriests of Imiriel are mid-tier encounters for an adventuring party considering that there is two of them. Being able to hit a few opponents at once and to also, controversial, raise their fallen allies and call down flames from the sky, these enemies will make for a challenging encounter.

For D&D Systems

D&D Statblock for Highpriest of Imiriel – created in Tetra-cube.

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For Daggerheart Systems

The above Adversary Stat blocks were sourced from the Daggerheart System Reference Document 1.0 and are the copyright of DRP, Darrington Press, who are the creators of the material (Adversary Stat Blocks). This content was not modified is licensed under the DRP Community Gaming License which can be found here: Darrington Press CGL.

The Secret-keeper is what would represent the creature for tonight. They are strong leader adversaries that can summon a hound pack to keep their enemies at bay. I believe they would start with a few shadowy-demon hounds at the edge of the room to act as watch dogs before the party truly engage them. The Secret-keeper continuing to spotlight the demonic hound pack where possible to generate fear a could be a very strong opponent.

The challenge here is not having two minor demons show up if you have more than one secret-keeper. I’d thematically have it that they both just fall and summon a single demon and give it some slight buffs to make it Tier 2 – or keep it as it is. The hounds and the demon will be enough for most.

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Temple of Ooze

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For D&D Systems

D&D Statblocks for Black Pudding, Gelatinous cube, Gray Ooze – created in Tetra-cube.

The Gelatinous cube appears in the rooms that have been cleaned from yesterdays map night. After dispatching the large cube the other oozes will come out of the water when the party enter the larger chamber. The Black pudding has feasted on the large statue but caused it to become fully corroded with large holes appearing periodically throughout it.

The oozes are all blind within 60ft so they are ambush predators that don’t move until food is near by. This means there will be more of them the further the party stray from the path so balancing the encounter could be difficult if realism is desired.

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For Daggerheart Systems

The above Adversary Stat blocks were sourced from the Daggerheart System Reference Document 1.0 and are the copyright of DRP, Darrington Press, who are the creators of the material (Adversary Stat Blocks). This content was not modified is licensed under the DRP Community Gaming License which can be found here: Darrington Press CGL.

The green oozes would live in the buildings and the water but I would have the Red oozes live in the statue and come out when the party is close. Starting combat hidden before they attack from hiding after activating slowly. They are slow creatures so having more of them prepared and enter the battlefield through an environmental action is a good way to spend fear to keep up the pressure and pace of the encounter, within reason of course.

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Shadows and Magic Eaters

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For D&D Systems

D&D Statblocks for Shadow Swarm and Shadow Beast – created in Tetra-cube.

The shadows that come out of the book cases to swarm towards the sources of magic. They would focus on those that can cast magic or have magical items over those who have mundane weapons. When in doubt they would try and hide in the shadow to attack from a different direction.

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For Daggerheart Systems

The above Adversary Stat block was created by me. Rules were adapted and inspired by adversaries and environments from the Daggerheart System Reference Document 1.0 and any likeness is the copyright of DRP, Darrington Press, who are the creators of the material (Adversary Stat Blocks). This content was modified/created is licensed under the DRP Community Gaming License which can be found here: Darrington Press CGL.

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Griffin Trading Company

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For D&D Systems

D&D Statblocks for Noble, Thug, Gladiator, Mage and Mercenary Mage – created in Tetra-cube.

The secret to having a good warehouse clash is having the right balance of enemies to fight. Some lower level thugs guarding our nobles, the merchants, make up the bulk of the fodder here coming in waves until the party can either escape with proof or the nobles alive.

The Gladiator, Mage and Mercenary Mage fill out the other roles which is the shock troops, the hired mercenaries that were paid in good coin to protect the warehouse, its good and their employers and that’s what they will do.

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For Daggerheart Systems

The above Adversary Stat blocks were sourced from the Daggerheart System Reference Document 1.0 and are the copyright of DRP, Darrington Press, who are the creators of the material (Adversary Stat Blocks). This content was not modified is licensed under the DRP Community Gaming License which can be found here: Darrington Press CGL.

Based on the balancing section of the Daggerheart books we can have twelve sellsword’s as they have the minion tag and will die very easily, a single spell blade will command the lower level troops to cause distractions while the two merchants and two petty nobles, the target of this encounter, will try to remain protected as possible by getting their guards where they are. For the sake of this encounter I would change ‘Guards, seize them!’ to summon sellsword’s rather than bladed guards.

The Master Assassin will look to cut off the party and get in as a last resort while eight apprentice assassins follow the lead and jump out to stop vital information from being found, or, from their employers from being taken. This scene has two leaders, a few social adversary who may try to bribe or plead their way out (or stop the party from doing so) and quite a few minions to give a feeling of power and accomplishment to the party as they are able to dispatch many minions at once.

Layer	Role	Purpose
Minion Frontline	Sellswords	Crowd control and visual momentum
Tactical Controller	Spellblade	Battlefield Manipulation
Assassination Elite	Master Assassin	Climatic Threat
Target NPCs	Nobles/Merchants	Social intrigue and leverage
Infiltration	Apprentice Assassins	Disruption, sabotage, targeting key players

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Battle for Merchants Way

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For D&D Systems

D&D Statblocks for Swarm of lesser zombies, swarm of zombies and Arch Necromancer – created in Tetra-cube.

The undead swarms can be joined with regular zombies to flesh out the battlefield but I think the swarms do a really good job at highlighting just how many zombies there really is on the battlefield. The Arch Necromancer can bring back a few zombies at at time or a swarm to really highlight the power that these dark mages bring to the battlefield.

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For Daggerheart Systems

The above Adversary Stat blocks were sourced from the Daggerheart System Reference Document 1.0 and are the copyright of DRP, Darrington Press, who are the creators of the material (Adversary Stat Blocks). This content was not modified is licensed under the DRP Community Gaming License which can be found here: Darrington Press CGL.

Based on the balancing section of the Daggerheart books we can have four of the Zombie Packs, three Zombie Legions and one Arch-Necromancer calling the shots and really driving the combat forward. This is set up for a series of T4 party members but if its lower tiers then it can be adjusted to make it work by reducing the thresholds and difficulty on the zombie legion and arch-necromancer as well as adjusting the damage and attack bonuses to lower levels.

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Ballistae, Warriors and Bullies

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For D&D Systems

D&D Statblocks for Red Oni Mercenary, Blue Oni Mercenary and Ballista Operator – created in Tetra-cube.

The soldiers that dressed heavily in red were swift and aggressive as they threw themselves at the party with hungry eyes. Their blades were quick and left the party reeling easily as their blades hammered hard against armour and flesh alike. But the noise that brought the greatest amounts of fear was the creaking and the sudden twang that resonated across the turbulent air.

Several large ballistae were mounted on the ship and as they turned their massive arms towards the party it was only a matter of time until they loosed their deadly cargo. But the warrior dressed in blue commanded the troops, sending them rushing in, commanding the ballista to swivel and pivot and with a well trained eye even helped pick out the perfect time for a volley to be let loose at the party. However there were several soldiers dressed in red between the party and the warrior in blue.

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For Daggerheart Systems

The above Adversary Stat blocks were created by me in Canva. Rules were adapted and inspired by adversaries from the Daggerheart System Reference Document 1.0 and are the copyright of DRP, Darrington Press, who are the creators of the material (Adversary Stat Blocks). This content was modified/created is licensed under the DRP Community Gaming License which can be found here: Darrington Press CGL.

Trying something new tonight as I have spent a fair bit of time the last few days watching and reading up on the Daggerheart system. The horned soldiers fill out a bit of the roster tonight and learning how to balance a daggerheart encounter isn’t as had as I thought it would be. Several Red horned soldiers, a single blue one and at least four ballistae operators makes for a challenging but rewarding encounter.

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Footpads, Runners and Shadows

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For D&D Systems

D&D Statblocks for Infiltrator Footpad, Infiltrator Runner and Infiltrator Shadow – created in Tetra-cube.

The Footpads are the grunts for tonight’s encounter providing many easy targets that will cause more of a minion feel for the party. As this adventure is targeted for lower level parties they would be led by either a Runner or a Shadow, or perhaps both, as the shadow will appear on a roof nearby or in an alleyway and take pot-shots at the party while the runner will try to make the most of their underlings.

Where possible multiple Footpads will try and work together to restrain a party member by grappling and tying them up so that the Runner will gain advantage and finish them off. Otherwise its a pretty straight forward adventure with a single Runner or Shadow and a few Footpads to distract the party (scale with level of party)

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For Daggerheart Systems

The above Adversary Stat blocks were sourced from the Daggerheart System Reference Document 1.0 and are the copyright of DRP, Darrington Press, who are the creators of the material (Adversary Stat Blocks). This content was not modified is licensed under the DRP Community Gaming License which can be found here: Darrington Press CGL.

Trying something new tonight as I have spent a fair bit of time the last few days watching and reading up on the Daggerheart system. The Jagged knife Lieutenant will have a few Lacky’s with him in the warehouse where he uses them as cheap bodies to go and do what needs to be done. When the Lacky’s fall he will get more reinforcements that are returning back to the warehouse until out of resources, or, the Lieutenant fall. The Shadow and be positioned on a roof, in an alley or somewhere they can sneak up to ambush a party member before attempting to slip away to get the drop on their targets once again.

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