05-Friday – #FightNight

Fridays are for fights and encounters that will help enrich the adventure for the party.

Herald of Rats

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Now when you hear a title like herald of rats this is something that no one really wants to deal with. But this so called herald of rats is something more than just a man with a pan flute. No tonight we have something a bit different.

So without wasting any more time let’s grab a coffee, sit down and lets roll into tonight’s encounter.

Herald of Rats

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Giant Rat – created in Tetra-cube.

The man called out a high pitched whistle and suddenly the child sized creatures sped towards the wagons and the guards that defended it. As the fog whirled around the creatures the manic squeaking erupted from them as they pounced at the party and guards.

As the guards fought them back the prisoners in the wagon called out to be freed so they could escape the man. The unrelenting squeaking from the animals and the fog that seemed to swirl around the creatures made the fight more difficult than it needed to be. But as they were distracted with the rats a larger figure slunk around the combatants and headed towards the wagon.

Wererat – created in Tetra-cube.

The prisoners called out in a panicked cry as the party noticed a figure smashing through the locks on their wagons. Rushing forward to confront the man from before he snarled and fled into the foggy forest. The rats continued their attack on the party and guards and when the last of the creatures lay twitching in its death throes they regrouped at the campfire.

No one had suffered any major wounds, a few bites and scratches here and there but the locks on the wagons were broken beyond repair. The prisoners huddled together in a hybrid-animal form but their appearance was anything but hostile. Thanking the party for scaring off the man they stayed away from the busted door and watched the guards and the party nervously.

“Well what now?” Em called out as her and another guard, Kat, stood watching the prisoners.

“I don’t think we have seen the last of that man or his rats.” Boris said as he nursed a vicious looking bite on his forearm. “We are maybe a day’s travel from where we need to take them. Can we tie the cage shut or will we have to ensure they don’t leave?”

“We won’t leave, we don’t want to leave the cage.” one of the prisoners said. “We are seeking Pensevtil’s aid in healing us. But we are prisoners until we are cured, that is the law.” the woman said – her face resembling a hybrid of human and rabbit.

“Well… We have a long way to go. Can you walk?” Boris asked, noticing the damage to one of the wagon’s wheels.

“We can try,” the prisoners replied.

A wererat and his pets lies in wait for us this week as we continue the adventure onwards. Cowardly but cunning the man in the coat will continue as an adversary for this adventure as he seeks the docile prisoners. But more on that this weekend. So don’t forget to come back this weekend for more tabletop content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Of Cats and Children

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Now almost any parent can testify that kids love cats; there is just something about them and so this Friday fight-night is of cats and children. But there are some children that prefer canids and this adventure could work with either, well mostly. But for the sake of the first encounter, one that we saw yesterday, tonight we continue that line of adventure to the next stage.

So the adventure of cats and children starts off with the party being stalked by large cats, then we add some children to the mix, afterwards we move into something… bit more brothers Grimm. So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s encounter!

Of Cats and Children

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Crag Cat – created in Tetra-cube.

As the final stout crag cat lay breathing its last breaths on the ground before them the party could not help but wonder what had driven these creatures to madness. They looked over the creatures for any sign of infection or disease but there was no sign of them. No bite marks, no bruising, no sign of worms or parasites and nothing that would indicate what drove them to attack beyond the point of reason.

These creatures were normally smart enough to know when to retreat to lick one’s wounds to survive another day, but these few did not. Despite their mortal wound they attacked relentlessly and without regard for their own safety or that of their pack. As they finished searching and inspecting the bodies the party stood and turned their attention to something else – the cave.

They weren’t but a few feet from the cave entrance when something small moved, whimpered and pushed further into the darkness beyond. Curious, the party approached cautiously and the sound of whimpering turned to audible panic and crying.

“Please, please no. Please don’t hurt me…” a voice said from the darkness behind a rocky protrusion from the wall. It took only a few moments for the owner of the voice, a young child, to rush outwards and embrace the closest party member, sobbing.

“I was so scared. She took me. My parents fell asleep at the table and when I tried to wake them this lady grabbed me. All I remember was this smell of fish and sour milk before I woke up here, in the darkness. There was a creature that would walk around the cave and it would come and feed me from its pot. But I didn’t want to eat at first but I was so hungry. It’s gone for now but I’m scared. What if it comes back. It carried a Morrowstone with it on a large walking stick wherever it went, that’s the only time I could see. The last time it left I pretended I was asleep and then followed it to the edge of the cave and then those animals were there. They stalked the outside of the cave but never came in. But I was too afraid to leave. Then you showed up.” the child babbled.

“Please help me, I just want to go home.”

And that’s it tonight. A shorter one but a hint at what’s to come. There isn’t a huge amount of a write up this week as the other tier adventures take place elsewhere and with other things – so you’ll just have to come back to find out. So on that note, don’t forget to come back this weekend for more tabletop content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Risen, Remorseful and Repugnant

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This week finds the party encountering The Risen, Remorseful and Repugnant, or a few of them depending on which way the adventure goes. This week finds the party coming onboard to help Brother Tobias who is not convinced that the death of the high priest, Richard Spiritbane, was the true will of Kelemvor.

Depending on the level of the party it changes how the adventure goes, or so I hope to achieve this effect for the Zine. Skeletons and another visitor with the reskinned mage, the Necromancer, complete some of the adventure and depending on the level of the party and the challenge that you want there will be others too.

But tonight is a glimpse at what will be as there is not enough time in the week to get everything into these updates so these few creatures are staples for many encounters, and as such are for this one too.

The Risen, Remorseful and Repugnant

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Skeleton – Created in tetra-cube.
Zombie – Created in tetra-cube.

Through the darkness and chill a creaking noise could be heard from the alcove around the corner. As the party drew near and the hung magical lanterns flickered in their attempt to banish the dark, the shadows played tricks on the row of burial tombs. As the party turned the corner and looked deeper into the darkness, the large statue in front of them stood imposing yet still, its stone eyes staring down at them as if judging and welcoming in the same glance.

The first sounds of feet on stone other than theirs came with the thud of something heavy in the chamber behind them. Then it echoed in the chamber guarded by the statue of Kelemvor and the sound of scratching on feet and creaking could be heard coming from both rooms, and getting closer. Backing out of the doorway the flickering lantern light revealed two skeletons as they ambled out of the rooms. A shriek of pain echoed down the stairs and into the chamber causing the skeletons to look up before charging at the party.

A few minutes later on the descent up the stairs the tangy smell of blood wafted down and guards stood at the entrance of the stairs, vigilant for intruders coming into the crypts. But as the party approached they realised too late that the guards shields hung loosely at the wrist and that the spears rested against the walls or stairs and were not held firmly by the guards. Turning around great tears in their armour, tunics and flesh revealed oozing intestines and the lightless eyes of the undead.

Priest – Created in Tetra-cube.
Mage (Necromancer) – Created in tetra-cube.

The priests of Kelemvor rallied and charged upon the interlopers. Slinging spells, prayers and swinging maces they crashed upon those the church had deemed enemies. The hum of magic bristled through the air as the battle raged on, blow for blow, spell for spell and blood for more blood. Soon the priests fervour dwindled as they looked upon their enemy, their prayers no longer being answered by their god and a fouler feeling wafted into the hall.

A dark and powerful force like the smell of baking rotten flesh washed over the combatants and at once they turned towards the hulking form of a brutish creature leading the way for a pack of newly made undead. Somewhere in the room a voice laughed, calling out and mocking the priests for their betrayal, the head of one of their own was thrown at their feet, recognition registering on their face as slowly the warrior priests understood what was happening here.

Calling out for Kelemvor’s blessing they rallied around their wounded brethren and prepared for the battle that they had trained for. The purging of undead, the opposition of corruption and the perseverance of the natural cycle of life.

This week has come and gone too fast and with tonight’s’ update there is not much left to hide, only a bit left to reveal. So don’t forget to come back this weekend as we wrap up this adventure. More Stat blocks, some maps and images will greet those who remember to come back for the zine and spend another evening at the tabletop with me. But also, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Guardian of the Forest

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Last night we looked at Forescythe and the trouble that they had, one of the rumours that was floating around was a large giant in the forest. Well that rumour wasn’t exactly untrue and its something the party, being low level for this adventure, would probably do best to steer clear of.

Guardian of the Forest

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Forest Guardian – Created using Mystic.AI (stable diffusion)

Blake stumbled out of the inn after being told he should stop drinking five drinks ago. As he look to his house on the edge of the clearing he waved back to his drinking buddies, all of who could hold their ale and were returning back to the tables. Walking towards his house he walked to the front door hearing his cat, Jasper, somewhere on the other side of the door.

“Likely getting into the cheese again” he said to himself as he opened the door and walked in. Jasper had other plans and bolted out the door and ran towards the forest. Swearing as he tumbled over he watched the cat stop at the edge of the tree line. Standing up he began to give chase to the feline as it taunted him at the edge of the forest. Walking slowly at first the cat rolled on the ground encouraging Blake to pat it, but as soon as he bent down it scrambled further into the forest. Blake followed uttering more choice words but it repeated time and time again.

The woods weren’t unfamiliar to Blake as he was a hunter for the village of Forescythe and knew the woods well but he found himself stopping next to Jasper who had stopped and stared up into the trees. The hairs on his arms and neck began to rise and Blake started to sober up really quickly as an unfamiliar sensation crept over him. Fear.

The calls of the night animals had stopped and a slow rhythmic thumping could be heard, something that shook the soil beneath the grass and leaves underfoot. As the moon shone down amongst and between the trees a large, dark silhouette moved from behind a tree and it took Blake a moment to notice it. The figure was easily thirty feet tall, tall enough to grab onto tree branches and snap them off as it lumbered past them. Then Jasper meowed and the creature stopped.

A giant head turned towards Blake and it stared at him and the ginger and white cat at his feet. Within seconds Jasper had run back the way he had come, towards home and Blake was scampering behind him, hoping the trees would give him cover and block his retreat from the creature. He didn’t remember making it home and falling through the open door nor climbing into his bed after snuffing the candles. But he does remember hearing a blood chilling roar that came from the forest, one that kept him awake all night.

Thanks for stopping by tonight. A stat block it is not, but not all encounters need one. By describing how the environment reacts around something, or the feelings that wash over the party you sometimes don’t need stat-blocks. Now stay tuned for this weekend as new years eve is just around the corner and it brings with it, the end of the year. A time for reflection and planning and hopefully some tabletop gaming! So don’t forget to stay tuned in and if you don’t – don’t forget that next year is just around the corner with another 52 brand new adventures. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

True Faces of Mischief

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Welcome to the Twenty-second night of Dice-ember where tonight we look at the true faces of mischief. Well, the actions that are taken to lead to that moment will be explored however, no faces will be revealed, tonight at least. But enough about that, let’s not worry about what will be revealed within the next three days.

So sit back, grab a seasonal beverage and let’s roll into the holiday season!

True Faces of Mischief

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This weeks encounter is focused on the social interaction between two ‘children’, a dwarf, a human and the party. While it may come to blows there are a few things at play here that would determine if it leads to that or not.

The Basics

The children have advantage against spells and effects that would charm them. They have a +7 modifier to saving throws against spells (such as zone of truth etc.) and the same modifier applies for Charisma based skill checks (Persuasion, Deception, Performance, Intimidation).

Each one of them will say the same story without difference in what they are saying regardless if they are in the same room or not, but they aren’t infallible. When they speak an arcana or Charisma check (vs deception or performance check) will reveal that there is a charm-like effect being used whenever they speak. Creatures that have advantage against being charmed (or who can’t be charmed) have advantage on this check.

The Checks

So the children are not truthful, secrets out!, so when it’s a new lie then we can allow an insight vs deception/persuasion check. If the two children collaborate on the story then it’s effectively an “help action” and grant +3 to the roll. If the party succeeds on an insight check then the child who was beaten in the contest will become agitated.

The mini-game behind this is to ask a bunch of questions that force a persuasion or deception check. If an ability or spell is used that grants creatures immunity to charm or domination then the children immediately fail all checks.

The Children

Both children are creatures in disguise with a polymorph-like ability. Detecting magic will reveal that they are indeed altered by magic.

Both children have telepathy and can charm any creature of their choice as long as the creature can hear their voice. Both children will take damage like normal and won’t revert to their true selves unless willingly. Instead of dying or falling unconscious at 0 HP they will appear dead (advantage on deception check).

They have a hatred of Gnomes and Dwarves. Both creatures will cause them to have disadvantage on charisma checks when they are interacting with a dwarf or gnome.

Once the children have been found to be lying then they will revert to their true forms and will be able to use misty step at will and mirror image once per day as per the spell without any spell components or spell slots.

Some interactions captured, some more to go. Thanks for dropping by tonight for the twenty second Dice-ember night. Don’t forget to come back this weekend for the last components of this adventure. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Contest of Wills in Rimeglenn

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Welcome to the Fifteenth night of Dice-ember and tonight we are looking at a contest of wills in Rimeglenn. With the sudden show of force from the Bloody Knuckles as they ambush the party for ‘questions’ the Rimeguard are quick to respond. Could this create an opening for the party to escape or will the party think of some other way to get past the sheer volume of Bloody Knuckles men and women out there.

So sit back, grab a seasonal beverage and let’s roll into the holiday season!

Contest of Wills in Rimeglenn

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Bloody Knuckles Member – Created in Tetra-cube.
Rimeguard – Created in Tetra-cube.

The members of the Bloody Knuckles aren’t anything special but there are a lot of them and most of them are working for Wal. This zealot bunch don’t care for kindness or mercy they are here to get paid and have a bit of fun while they do so.

The Rimeguard however protects the city for the good of the people. They are a hardy bunch, well equipped and used to thinking on the fly. These people will defend those in need and have always kept an eye on the bloody knuckles – yet never had anything to pin on them so they could take them down. Perhaps a map showing their plans and a confession from a cowardly member would suffice.

As the party navigates through the encounter they may need to try and reach the guard or avoid them lest they believe they are a member of the knuckles. The knuckles may try to delay the guard by taunting and even attacking them so the party can keep being interrogated by Peter and a select few.

If out on the streets the way may be blocked from fighting or bickering Knuckles and Rimeguard, but that may be the best way out – or the worst way. This gives the party a few options to how they want the encounter to go.

Thanks for stopping by tonight to have a look at these two new statblocks. Next week we will reveal some more, and the final pieces if I can get away with revealing a bit too much… so make sure to keep an eye out for that. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for some more reveals to this weeks component of the adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Bloody Knuckles

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Welcome to the Eight night of Dice-ember and we get to meet the Bloody Knuckles tonight! This gang has set their sights on the treasure trove that is being offered as a reward for any who can capture the mischievous thieves who plague the city yearly. But, something tells me something will go wrong with their plan and they will turn their focus elsewhere.

So sit back, grab a seasonal beverage and let’s roll into the holiday season!

The Bloody Knuckles

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Wal – Created in tetra-cube

Wal is the oldest member, second only to Rick, of the Bloody Knuckles. But he is definitely the biggest coward when his life is on the line. Due to this he surrounds himself with the meanest lunatics from the gang who are willing to throw their life away.

Pete – Created in tetra-cube

The newest leader of the Bloody Knuckles to climb the ranks Peter is something special. The stature of a knight coupled with the strength of one Peter is Ricks body guard and the second in command. People respect Pete as he isn’t outright vicious and has shown some kindness before. But he wont hold back when he or his gang is threatened and fights without remorse and without holding back.

Rick – Created in tetra-cube

The Gentleman known as Fierce knuckles was born as Rick Hardy. Rick was born to a noble family who fell out of favour when one of their endeavours failed. As a youth who had everything taken from him he sought for a way to never experience the poverty that his family went through in those early days.

Now Rick runs the Bloody Knuckles gang and aspires to set himself and his gang to a position equal to nobility, without being under the control and influence of the lord of Rimeglenn.

Thanks for meeting the Bloody Knuckles tonight and for dropping by for the Eighth night of Dice-ember as we continue to expand and grow this adventure. As we look forward to the next few weeks don’t forget to come back each day for more content and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Agents of Mischief

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Welcome to the first night of Dice-ember, the December One-shot that I do here every year, and tonight I wanted to touch on the Agents of Mischief. Next week we will kick off the involvement from the adventurers, our party’s, and how they will be involved but this week I wanted to set the scene a bit.

So sit back, grab a seasonal beverage and let’s roll into the holiday season!

The Agents of Mischief

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Emerali woke up with a start. She wondered if it was her parents that woke her up but her mother snored a few metres away and she could see the shape of her dad outlined in the light that was coming through the window and from the candles that burned slowly nearby. Taking a spare candle she lit it and attached it to the holder that enabled her to walk without getting her hands covered in hot wax.

Her father had spent most of an hour putting their precious things away in a chest that he had the key for since they had been targeted by the thieves this year. When they woke up yesterday morning they had found that each one of them had a single shoe taken and replaced by these little wooden toy people. Her Parents were furious but when they reported it the same thing had happened to the other people at the Rimeguard headquarters.

Walking to the kitchen and living space of the house she looked for the source of the noise. It was probably their cat hunting a mouse or looking for more food. But when she looked around she saw the cat was standing on the table looking intently at the chairs. As she approached she heard the scritch-scratching of something climbing the wooden chairs and so she stopped and waited. If it was a mouse or a rat she would try and keep it as a pet. Her parents never let her keep them but she found their twitchy noses just the best.

But what emerged from the other side of the chair was not a pink twitchy nose. A tiny wooden hand slowly emerged then several more before in a single movement the tiny wooden people pulled themselves up onto the chairs back and stood up balancing perfectly on the back of the chair. Emerali stood for a moment before she screamed. The toys were cursed, she was expecting a cute mouse or rat but instead she was not ready for the creepy toys that she had found this morning instead of her shoe.

As soon as Emerali screamed the toys went stiff as a board and fell back onto the ground. Her parents appeared moments after and found her staring at the toys but no matter how much she pleaded with them they wouldn’t believe her that they were moving and climbing the chair. Emerali was eventually coaxed back into bed and she had a fitful sleep filled with dreams of toys climbing up her legs.

And that’s the lot for tonight. Thanks for dropping by to follow along with this weeks content. Don’t forget that each day for the next few weeks is another day that we expand and grow this one-shot. So don’t forget to come back daily and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Velmore Angelbane

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This week let me introduce you to a special guest. Velmore Angelbane – the forgotten duke of hell. Lost a long time ago to the material plane there are few that remember his name or the the legions he commanded when he declared war with the angel. But let’s not spoil any more. So sit back, read on and let’s investigate what happens!

Velmore Angelbane

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Velmore is a forgotten Duke of hell who dared to confront the material plane to bring his hell to earth. However Andrasa and her band of heroes stopped him and banished him in a place that no one could find. Well nearly no one.

Velmore is kitted out with some strong spells and abilities that should be a challenge for any party. However, let’s address the elephant-shaped dust pile in the room. Disintegrate. Now Velmore isn’t stupid and will likely save this for the perfect situation. Removing a barrier, destroying a magical item/artefact or something that will end him. OR, removing the biggest threat. As such he would be unlikely to use it against a party member immediately but will calculate for a few rounds before revealing this trump card.

Where possible He will start with having used ‘Summon Fiends’ to have bodyguards, the lore that I have produced this week also suggests this as well. He uses these as body doubles (up to twice a round really). I would have the Summon Lemures look like Velmore but static and obviously just hollow shells – nothing but a puppet without the strings attached. That is until he swaps places with them.

Velmore Angelbane – Created in tetra-cube.

The Lemures.

Now these creatures will stand still and look like Velmore – but if the party gets close to them they will attempt to grapple them. That’s it really – they are body doubles for Velmore.

Lemure – Created in tetra-cube.

And that’s it. The last boss and the last minions for this adventure. Thanks for joining me for this wild ride and I appreciate all who have followed along. Don’t forget to come back for the next few days for more content and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Flying True colours

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This week we find out that two of those with the adventurers are finally flying their true colours, and one is merely doing as they are told. Maybe. If the party don’t willingly engage the creature beyond the Deep Dark then we have two methods to bring the story to a conclusion. So sit back, read on and lets investigate what happens!

Flying True colours

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The first “IF” is easy. The party decide to confront the creature beyond the veil and both Viktira and Lucile have theories on how to get beyond the portal, the deep dark. If they do then there is no confrontation but there are some concerns shed by Morali and the Melarn sisters who try and talk them out of it.

The second option(s) are less evident.

The party wake up after a very restful rest feeling revitalised to realise that Alex is sitting there sharpening his short sword and waiting for them to wake up. Viktira, Morali, Qistra and Umnel are bound and gagged nearby but Lucile is nowhere to be seen. Alex explains that this was the only way that Lucile had worked out a way to stop the creature from coming through the portal.

But Viktira protests and either when she is ungagged, or she wriggles free she explains that she had heard a voice guiding her here since the swamp. Telling her to do things that led to the collapse of the well of souls as well as to her capture and ‘safe delivery’ to this place. She had realised too late what it was and through force of will, during the parties battle with the fiend something triggered and she realised what it was. The fiend wanted her to come through the portal, to be a host for the creature and to set it free.

She felt the same presence from Lucile as she bound her and walked towards the deep dark. She believes Lucile is being used by the creature and that she will free it willingly or otherwise.

The alternative is that the party interrupt the above and Lucile is used as a channel for the creature beyond the veil. The deep dark’s seal will break in less than a lunar cycle at which point the creature will be free. The creature is actually bluffing here (a successful insight vs deception contest will reveal this). It is currently weakening the bonds and will be out within a few minutes now that it has a vessel nearby that is under its full influence.

Lucile carries several magical items on her and a few of them are for her protection, spells stored in items that will provide her a sanctuary. If the ruse is seen through the creature will use the items to create a transparent force field and a powerful sanctuary effect. People would need to pass a wisdom saving throw to break the compulsion to not attack the forcefield or Lucile and then they would need to get through it (Leomunds tiny hut).

She will then start channelling a ritual and the creature will start to manifest within the centre of the ritual – but only partially – this is where the party need to defeat a weakened creature as it is split between planes.

Alex Portand – Created in Tetra-cube.

This is where we leave this week – the verge of the finale of this years content (except for the “Dice-ember” Christmas adventure.) Don’t forget to come back this weekend for more content, zine or two caught up on and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe