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!
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
This week we encounter something a bit different, a group of renegades who believe they have the upper hand with the blessed rain that rains down upon their rundown church. However they aren’t aware of what waits for them in the wings, what has been sent their way and the vengeance that patiently waits for the trap to be sprung.
So let’s grab a coffee, grab our coats and let’s dive head first into this weeks adventure!
Blessed Rain
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It took the party a few days to locate the place where they suspect that Lillia was being kept and it was only by chance that someone had seen a blue dress flapping from a broken window in the old church. But even as they approached the old church they could sense that they were being watched and the unseasonably gloomy weather hadn’t helped with the sense of unease.
Yet despite their unease they could not see anything out of the ordinary except the fresh boot prints leading to the front door of the church. They had scouted out the building earlier and had discovered that the other entry points had collapsed some time ago burying the door way in rubble that would take a while to excavate. However the idea of going through a single visible way in or out to confront kidnappers still didn’t sit well for the party.
But as they silently pushed through the doorway and entered the church itself only the whistling of wind coming across the rafters above could be heard. There was a high amount of disturbed dust in the room and as they looked around for a cause a scrap of blue fabric could be seen off to the side next to one of the overturned pews. Approaching it cautiously there was no way that they could see the men silently waiting for the right moment until they reached the fabric.
The sound of dozens of projectiles connecting with glass sounded from above and liquid rained down upon them. A booming voice called out from the other side of the room as a man in brown robes called out. ‘Burn agent of darkness, servant of the vile ones, burn and be consecrated Rhiktor as…’ the voice stopped as he looked to see the party drenched. ‘You’re not the vampire. Why are you not writing and burning from the twice blessed holy water servants of the rot that has plagued this land?’ he called out while his lips frothed with rage as he realised he had been tricked.
‘Right here,’ a voice came from the door as Rhiktor materialised and laughed before vanishing in a flash.
‘Stop them! They are servants of the Vampire consecrate them all!’ called the priest as he called a bright beam of sunlight into existence to surround himself. Soon several similar dressed men and women appeared and as spiritual weapons appeared into existence they joined the maces, swords and axes that were in the hands of those who looked at the party as if they were evil incarnate.
Thanks for joining me for another night of expanding this adventure a bit more. Don’t forget that we still have a few more days to come where we expand it further. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
This week the party have the unfortunate privilege at being called to dinner with, a most unfortunately noble who has an unholy displeasure that he wants sorted. It turns out that Rhiktor Shroud’s daughter has gone missing and he has requested adventurers to come and help him find her. But Rhiktor isn’t a normal noble…
So sit down, take a load off while the coffee brews and let’s kick into tonight’s adventure!
As the parties entered the nobles mansion the furniture, tapestries other decorations stuck out to the party as something that only the very rich could afford. Excited for the prospect of a probably easy pay ticket they followed the dapper young man who was a house-servant to the noble.
“My Lord has been locked away in the feast hall for days as he is anxious on his daughters return. I do hope that you can finally help return his treasure” the man, Donevan, said as he walked towards a large set of double doors. “You see his daughter has a bit of a temper and when she heard what the locals were saying about the family she did not take it well. The next time she heard the rocks hitting the windows of the estate she flew out in a fury and we suspect she was taken by the assailants.” he paused as his hands rested on the door handles.
“I don’t believe that it was the villagers, but Lord Shroud has his beliefs set firmly on the matter. He has lived for many years under the prejudice of those around him and his daughters disappearance has finally worn him down. He is a just can kind master but be warned, his daughter doesn’t get her temper from her mother.”
The party were then let into the feasting hall which could easily fit fifty people around the massive table in the middle of the room. As they walked through into the room a large dark chair could be seen at the end of the table where candles were the only source of light, the curtains were closed against the doors and except for a faint breeze from where they suspected some windows lay the room was silent.
The door closed behind them which caused them to startle before a voice, cold and intelligent came from the other side of the room. “I am ashamed that you would get to meet me in such a state. I am normally a much more lively host but I can not find the warmth since my daughter went missing.” the owner of the voice moved towards the chair. “Please come and sit with me, I do not wish to raise my voice for it to cover this cold hall and would much prefer your company closer.” the man, Rhiktor, sat down in the dark chair as he beaconed them to come closer, pouring some wine into glass goblets.
His complexion was pale, very pale and his features were tired as he looked towards the party. “My name is Rhiktor Shroud but please call me Rhiktor my new friends. You may have heard rumours about me from the village and I can confirm that, most of them are untrue. However,” he paused as the party drew closer, the candles flickering across his face made him look much older, much colder than his voice and his words portrayed. “the rumours of my condition are true.”
He was a vampire. They had heard it from the villagers as they had arrived and many had spoken, well of him to some degree but there was a strong sense of fear from most and seething hatred from some. But the rumours had him as some sick depraved creature not the gentleman before them. “Despite my condition I do love my child dearly, I have not been afflicted for long and she and my wife are the all I have of my humanity. My wife now has not let my daughters room as she is grieving.” he paused to sip from the wine. “I do hope you can help find my daughter. The villagers, the ones who have attacked my staff and damaged my house. I believe they have taken her but I am yet to receive a ransom notice. So I assume the worst. Please, find her and bring her back”
Thanks for joining me tonight for a bit of a different one. Toward the start of the year we had a missing princess so the format isn’t too unfamiliar but this one is a different once again. Something where the consequence of disappointing a king could pale in comparison of disappointing this noble. As always I will continue to expand the adventure each day this week, so make sure to come back for the second last weekly adventure of the year! Don’t forget to come back again tomorrow to explore Rkiktor and Zaahra and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Good evening all and welcome to the sixteenth (and 17th) day of adventuring for my party. While I will endeavour to not give away the campaign, adventure or plot moving forward (in case my party read these updates!) I will attempt to write up each adventure this year continuing with my 2024 Campaign Adventure 17 and adventure #18 – continuing on from the 2023 adventure.
This is a continuation from Campaign adventure 16 as the party continues on their first mission as members of the investigation of the strange creatures in these lands.
2024 Campaign Adventure 17 & 18
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Plot:
Evil Unmasked
Leaving Fustmach with supplies they followed the path down the mountains. The travel down was easier than up the mountain and with the snow disappearing and the mud hardening they made good time. Following the tracks of the Orc family that left the day before they discovered that the gnoll’s had separated from the others earlier in the path. The party found traces of the goblin, Gorbo, that the freed travelling with or near the orcs but the tracks were different.
As they continued they found a camping site where it appears the family of Orcs they had rescued had rested, but there were other tracks as well. Larger tracks mingled with goblin tracks were found around the outskirts of the camp site. The reason for these tracks was later discovered.
As they continued on they came to a familiar spot near where they rested on the way up the mountain. However instead of a, wolf ridden place to reside they found the Orc family killed, butchered and eaten with the main evidence being deep knife-like cuts and large bestial footprints. Deciding to avenge the slain orcs they set up a trap to see who would bite by, to no ones surprise, Kai pretending to be injured.
However, despite the obvious portrayal to the trap it worked. A goblin appeared, the same one they rescued from the cages beneath Fustmach. After a brief discussion and concern for Kai’s wellbeing because “the civilised people are not to be trusted” they offered the goblin paladin a choice, join their movement to free the goblinoids and other monstrous races by overthrowing the civilised world. Agreeing as he believes in freedom of his people and wants to see their persecution end he followed the goblin to meet with his other associates. Another mistake to the growing list.
Monstrous Intervention
His associates? Hulking bugbears. The initiation ceremony? Murdering his travelling companions. Tater had seen him leave suddenly and had summoned Armaeth and Groku to follow urgently in case his friend was in danger. Gorbo revealed that they had agents within many major cities and that the enslaved goblins, including those in Warrensdeep were to be freed and an uprising would occur. However despite the freedom of the perceived tyranny that his people were under Kai had made up his mind.
When Kai refused to murder his friends the bugbears revealed their mutated nature claiming they had been blessed by a pact with the gods. Maglubiyet, Malar, Yeenaghu and Gruumsh had supposedly blessed their kind with power. As Kai fended off the attacks from clubs, axes and blades the Goblin attacked him with a dagger held in a now-revealed third hand.
After calling for his companions to flee from the Goblin and hobgoblins, who pursued Kai, the party did what they thought was best… they engaged the goblinoids in combat and it was a bloody affair. Groku took a few massive hits from the brutish goblinoids while Kai was poisoned by Gorbo’s dagger attacks. After a few horrifying rounds of combat the goblin lay dying, cut in half and the bugbears were not moving in various stages of death.
Discussing the battle and the disagreement in the approach they made two revelations. Half the goblin was missing, he had crawled off and the second discovery? The wounds of the bugbears had twisting, purple worms attempting to re-knit the surface of the wounds again. Following Gorbo Kai found he trying to escape. Again Gorbo mocked Kai for betraying his people and forsaking true power, the power of the gods and even as he was being dragged back to where they were disposing of the bugbear corpses he tried to escape even as the corruption tried to knit together his wounds.
Fork in the Road
None of the party slept particularly well that night and as they rose the next day, fed their adopted giant albino bat and prepared to finish the travel to Warrensdeep their minds and hearts were heavy. Leaving at dawn they made great time. The roads were all downhill from here and with no snow or slush they were able to reach the crossroads at Suncrest.
Taking the more direct path it wasn’t until mid afternoon that they came across anything that gave them pause. A large tree had been ripped from the ground, splintered from an impact about mid way and large claw marks were seen in the surface of the bark. Marking in the ground indicated that there had been some form of confrontation here. Claw marks, large indentations and shifting of dirt from something heavy, or strong, dragging across the roads surface and then, the loser of the confrontation fleeing and heading north west towards the mountains.
The party deduced that they had been made by something possible reptilian or dragon-like but, there were conflicting information and evidence. The number of sword-length claws didn’t align to dragon or reptile, the blunt markings were too unfamiliar and unusual with no evidence of scale or chitin which would be expected from a wyrm, dragon or other beast. As they moved on they exchanged theories including the possibility of A turtle-bear, a creature that Tater swore existed but the others had not heard of such before.
Upon dusk due to the incline towards the city, the mule and draft horses progress on the good roads they were able to see Warrensdeep. Entering the town they were advised to find a good place for the caravan, which reeked due to the giant bat living within it, and they eventually settled with stashing the caravan nearby with the horses and mule residing at the Five Fat Ravens tavern while they waited for the morning.
New Orders
The morning brought good warm food, no pork knuckle to Kai’s dismay, and a resolution. A warehouse was to be sought so that Batrick could stay within the city while they prepared for their next job, or longer. And, of course, the reason they were here was to report to Steffani and Gwen. A tip-off from Marie the tavern owner saw them heading towards the guards barracks where they heard some unsettling news.
A cult had rumoured to have started within Warrensdeep. The nature of the cult, its people or purpose were strangely unknown but the citizens were rallying around the barracks and even the mayors residence to bring an end to it. According to Steffani and Gwen, who got her information from Sebastian; the Aasimar descended captain of the guard, the cult had strong ties with the guard, the mayor and the city itself which put everyone on edge. However, this was all they knew and that Sebastian was looking into it.
The other news that Gwen provided them was a new job, the Township of Faerstead (Fae-RR-Stead) had hired them to come and investigate the strange happenings in their town. Strange creatures, bestial forms and shadows had been seen around the village at night. The town itself had been built upon the ruins of a long-destroyed city so there was a relatively extensive tunnel system under Faerstead which they believe the creatures dwelt within. However due to not having a military presence of themselves they had not confirmed or investigated their suspicions.
The party had a tough decision to make. Investigate the rumours of a cult in Warrensdeep, something they would do on their own time and accord without being paid for it by Gwen or the order. Or, take the paid mission and go help the village of Faerstead.
Main NPCs:
Sidekicks
Armaeth
Steffani
Groku
Gwen
Thanks for joining me tonight for the continuation of my campaign for my group. Don’t forget to come back again tomorrow for more content. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
For this weeks adventure there is a separate area to the first encounter with the Underbleak crawlers, a second layer to the cave systems beneath the Bleak. A place where the Crawlers live and, potentially, tunnels deeper into the world below for future exploration.
So let’s grab a coffee, get some waterproof shoes and roll into tonight’s adventure.
The party had followed the Underbleak Crawler deeper and after its earlier attack on them had failed and it had fled deeper into the cavern system. They had not seen the owner of the voice that had fought the monstrous centipede creature and had saved them earlier that day. The tracks took them along the watered path that led deeper into the mountain itself.
Soon the adventurers stepped into a open space where the water came to their waists and it opened up into a larger cavern. The sound of trickling water came from further into the cavern and the water-worn rock that edges parts of the pools forming a platform where they could step out of the water. The passageways is what drew their attention as they resembled the thin, winding spaces where they fought the creature earlier. A place where they would need to be careful of venturing too deeply into.
their torches flickered causing the light on the walls to waver, casting eerie shadows of each other that moved with the ripples in the water. The darkness beyond the torchlight was absolute and only occasional chirps of bats or of a stone clacking across the ground deeper into the passageways. Whatever sound was being made deeper into this cavern was echoing back through the rest of the cavern, distorting and warping the sound so it was impossible to pinpoint it.
As they moved deeper into the cavern the torches revealed a spring cascading down from a wall and washing across polished stones underneath. There were more ledges here and the sound of the water disturbing the pool they waded through was all they could hear. However the water here was harder to see through, murkier and more disturbed on the surface. Easy for a predator to lurk under.
With each step forward the feeling of treading into the unknown grey and the more uneasy they became. They were sure that the creature they perused was somewhere here, but finding it before it found them was going to be the real test.
Thanks for dropping by tonight for the final part of this adventure. There is only two more adventures before we get into the larger December adventure series and I have something cooking already. So don’t forget to come back this weekend for the adventure zine as well as coming back this weekend. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Caves! I love caves and creating a natural environment for the party to explore and creating the Underbleak Cavern was no exception. It should have enough space to keep the party guessing with some incredibly tight passages that make fighting within them nearly impossible. But enough about that, I am getting ahead of myself.
So sit back, grab a coffee, and let’s explore tonight’s Map!
The waist deep, for humans, water leads into a cavernous space where several tunnels can be seen leading into different directions. A trickling of water leads to the source of fresh water in this space, a small cascade of water bubbling up from the wall where rubbles has fallen down against and created a bit of a natural waterfall. There is signs of life down here with some half-consumed bodies of some large creature as well as webbing that lines some of the passageways.
Large rocks are scattered within the space and on the floor which becomes quite treacherous when not paying attention and a mistake while under ground and fighting for your life could be lethal.
Many wall segments is the star of the show this week with a scattering of rocks and rubble, some hills and webs. Three different shades of water, two shades of rock and a further two shades of dirt provide the contrasting background of the map which gives it a visual appeal that draws me in more.
Normally I would have light sources in my caves, something that I adore to have is the contrast between dark and light within an underground space but this week I decided against it. Let me know what you think!
Thanks for joining me for another map making night. Confined spaces are a great way to add challenge without tinkering with the monster statblock, which I am doing heavily this week any way, but it can add variety and excitement (or dread) to the encounter. But tomorrow we take it up a notch with a, in my view, truly terrifying creature that I would hate to see regardless of the size its encountered at.
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
Now this week we have the adventure of finding hidden tunnels and passages under the keep that the party owns, and something more… a crawling terror that hunts and stalks the party as they explore the confusing web of tunnels that knit under The Bleak. These creatures aren’t exactly smart but they are voracious predators and their time isolated within the Underbleak has warped them from what they used to be.
So let’s grab a coffee, get out of the tight passages of the Underbleak and find place to prepare for an attack!
Crawling Terror
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The party wasn’t aware that they were being followed until the first tendrils of saliva dropped down upon them. A large multi segmented creature slunk, silently, down the wall towards them with tentacles extending down towards them. This part of the passage was barely big enough to move as the shoulders of the largest of the party touched both walls of the passageway.
As the party reacted to the creature being close enough to pole with a pole the dark coloured skin expanded and became thick and chitinous. As the plates of armour filled out across the multiple segments of the creature it dashed forward at the already moving party, its tentacles lashing out trying to slather its prey with its paralytic venom.
The creature had the advantage of its size and the thin passages, made to hunt in these thin passages. The adventurers bulk and their weapons made it nearly impossible to swing accurately within the confines of the tunnels. As they ran the creature lashed out with its tentacles repeatedly until one of its prey succumbed to its poison. Slowing down and becoming weakened the creature shrieked in anticipation of its meal, its mouth opening revealing lines of saw like teeth.
But before it could lunge at its meal something dropped on it like a boulder, crushing it to the ground. Clawed hands lashed out and grabbed onto the creatures tentacles, ripping one off but pulling the wet death pit of a mouth away from the now paralysed adventurer. The party took this moment to pull their companion away from the armoured, tentacled worm like creature and to move to a wider place while the sound of fighting, the shrieks of pain and victory echoed down the hall.
As they waited for the enemy to appear they heard the clack of claws on stone as something moved nearer to where they were. ‘It will be back’ a gravely voice came forth. ‘It has retreated to lick its wounds but it will heal quickly, they all do.’ the voice said before tree tentacles were thrown around the corner by a heavily callused mottled hand. They twitched and writhed like worms on the ground before the party. But the owner of the voice and their saviour had disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared.
Thanks for joining me for another night were we got a bit more of a glimpse of what’s happening under the keep. Don’t forget that tomorrow we will produce a map, or few, that hopefully will do the maze of the Underbleak justice. So don’t forget to come back for that tomorrow and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Following on from the weekends content where we expand the The Bleak and created Behind the Walls I wanted to expand that by exploring the Path under the Bleak. This week we find a deeper system with twisted crawl spaces, signs of life and something that will make their existence easier from here on out. If they can find the cause of the unease in the walls.
So grab a torch, a coffee to go and let’s crawl into tonight’s adventure!
Once the party had gathered with provisions the first rays of dawn were peaking over the walls and into the courtyard. Taking a steadying breath they pushed the secret door opened and started the descent in the narrow crawlspace that carved a passage between the walls of the Bleak itself.
As the path wove further downwards the evidence of claws on stone could be seen along the walls. Crude thin post had been driven into the stone and between the two walls which acted like scaffolding if one were to attempt to scale the wall. However it appeared by the claw marks that what ever they had discovered did not use these wooden supports and managed just fine.
As the path widened it began to flatten as well without a steep winding stair that send them deeper under the Bleak. As they stepped onto a flat landing they bumped into a suspended lantern on the wall. Once lit the Lantern revealed a moderately sized room that had several narrow crawl-spaces that appeared to send the traveller up into different parts of the Bleak. Here there was evidence that something resided here and, to their surprise, a bubbling spring of water sat in the bottom parts of the pool.
Lichen and some other dark-dwelling plants clung to the shaped stone and surrounding the water, and a deeper tunnel that led further into the mountain itself they could see scratches in the stone that was evidence of the path that the creature took.
Despite the horror that they were being watched by some unknown sentient creature at night the discovery of a source of water this close to the keep itself was welcome relief as they relied on the sporadic and heavy dumping’s that came with rainstorms across the mountains away from the deserts to the north.
But as they marvelled at their luck the sound of claws on stone drew their attention. As soon as they moved the sounds stopped, they were being watched once more by something that knew these passage ways much better than they did. With how narrow the passage that led them here was it would be nearly impossible to fight effectively once ascending the stairs. No they would have to uncover the truth while down here and deal with it.
The start of another week always gives a burst of creativity as I explore what I will be writing about this week. As the process I follow, and documented very early on in the blog, is around giving structure and what I believe the needed elements of a great adventure this makes for the next few days as expansions to the story not just creating what I thought up at the start of the week. So don’t forget to come back each day this week as I shift, create and adjust the adventure to flow better and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
This week I continued with the creating a shortened Zine, something that fits on a single A4 sheet of paper with just enough information to set the scene, plot and hook with some NPCs sprinkled through that it could be used in any system.
I think its still working well so without any further waiting I present Silence Over Sunleaf, 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, Silence Over Sunleaf, and that your rolls are made with advantage.
The party approached Sunleaf village, passing tidy farm houses and a prominent church steeple. They stabled their horses at the Silver Bucket inn and were welcomed by Harry, a cheerful halfling innkeeper. He informed them about the mysterious happenings in the village and cautioned them to take care as there was a shortage of healers within Sunleaf as the clerics were unable to receive blessings from their goddess. Harry advised caution and mentioned the songstress at the church as, nearly, the only source of magical protection within the village due to the unnatural silence that had fallen upon the worshipers of the deities of Sunleaf Village. As another visitor arrived Harry excused himself, leaving the party to settle in for the night.
A few hours after nightfell the party was about to wrap up for the night when the door started pounding. Harry had barred the door as he prepared to lock up for the night as he began preparation for the next day. However as the door pounded loudly Harry dashed across the room to let in a frantic man, Adam, who claimed a spirit had chased him. While Harry calmed him with food and drink, Adam shared his harrowing tale of encountering a faceless entity near the Church of Chauntea. Harry had warned the party of the unsettling events in the village over the past few weeks and days upon arrival however despite suggesting they leave it looked like danger had come before they could make good on his advice. Just as Adam was talking, he froze, and we saw the faceless figure drift towards those gathered around him. The room fell silent with fear as the reality of the ghostly presence set in. Harry, ever brave, grabbed a skillet, ready to defend his inn.
As the creature drifted in space, its faceless vision scanned the party. Wearing tattered purple robes that drifted as if caught in a breeze it watched them with its eyeless face. The only thing that stood out was a thin, twisted silver circlet. Suddenly it rushed forward towards them with its bony claws and slashed at them with surprising speed. The world fell silent as it drifted into their midst and the party’s connection to their deities severed as they fought with the creature. Suddenly a dark presence invaded their minds like a flame lit arrow launched into a darkness. A vision of a figure dressed in purple, rotting robes and a twisted silver crown sat on a throne of bones. The fight raged on and eventually, after the creature fell, the silence lifted.
A peal of thunder heralded something more as a thunderstorm formed outside. Rushing outwards revealed more spectres descending from the clouds themselves. The party realised they were amidst a divine battleground, with god’s warring above them as a bolt of lightning lit the figure of a large broad shouldered man as the lightning clashed with the belltower of Chauntea, a flash of golden energy flashing into existence to protect the tower just in time.
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
Following on from a few weeks again where I introduced the concept of The Bleak I wanted to provide a bit of an expansion to that with Behind the Walls. As there are many adventures that can come from owning a keep of your own, let alone one that you didn’t intend on owning in the first place, this adventure concept is a bit of a discovery of what could happen to the unlucky or unaware.
But enough of that, the title speaks enough and were wont get further that that if we don’t get a roll on into tonight’s adventure.
It had been a few weeks since the new owners of The Bleak had taken over the keep and they had come into a steady rhythm of what owning the keep meant. That would be true if it wasn’t for the noises along and inside the walls of the keep. For several nights the adventurers-come-custodians had woken with the sensation of being watched and they had caught the sound of scratching on stone from within the walls.
However they had not seen any sign of anything but mice and rats moving along the, mostly, stone walls. That was until they found a scrap of cloth caught in a rack between two slabs of stone, a whistle of wind through the crack and the discovery of a narrow passage beyond the hidden door. What other secrets did the Bleak have and who, or what else knew about them?
Waking up in the middle of the night was never a good sign for anyone let alone seasoned adventurers who were used to being on alert while travelling in the wilds. Looking around the room there was nothing to be alarmed about. The windows and their shutters were secure, the door was closed and despite a small sway from the lantern that was burning low on a suspended rope from the ceiling all was quiet.
The scamper of claws on stone was the only sound other than a soft howl of wind from outside the window. They had seen a few mice and rats since their stay at the keep, their keep The Bleak, but the cats that called the fortified building home kept them under control and hunted them without mercy or hesitation.
The others in the keep had reported it as well. Being woken in the middle of the night with a feeling of being watched, the feeling of movement in the room with nothing being present or the sound of mice and rats claws on stope would interrupt their sleep. The keepers of the building had brushed it off stating that “you’ll get used to it” and reporting that they hadn’t found anything nor had anything bad happened in the years that they had been here
Claws on Stone
The first sign that it was something to be concerned about came in the form of a shifting stone. Woken from the noise again the adventurer followed the sound of scampering feet and claws. They hadn’t seen rats or mice for weeks and the fattened cats had indicated that they were doing a good job of keeping the rodents population down.
However with no mice or rats to be seen the muffled sound of claws scampering on stone concerned them. Following the noise it suddenly disappeared near one of the outer walls in the courtyard. That’s when a splash of colour drew their attention. A strip of blue fabric was caught in the crack of two slabs of aged yet sturdy stone. Examining the fabric the crack emitted a faint whistling sound as air rushed from the other side of the stone wall.
Their heart sunk as they examined the crack further, a passageway lay beyond the crack and after a few moments of searching their suspicions were confirmed. A secret door lay within the courtyard leading into the keep itself and the strip of blue, dirty fabric had been caught within the seam of where the door had closed. Someone or something had been using this tunnel to get further into The Bleak and judging by the gloom and darkness beyond the the tunnel wove under the main building.
What ever was behind the walls needed to be found out and it was a job for the whole party, no lone adventurer should venture into the secret passage that was a secret to not just the new custodians of the keep but the existing ones as well.
Thanks for dropping by tonight for an expansion to The Bleak adventure campaign. With the concept of having a Bastion rooted in the new Dungeon Masters Guide the premise of a owned building providing an avenue of adventure is a bit more than homebrew now, something that generates adventure and not just a place to hold the dozen +1 longswords that a party would collect over a series of adventures. Don’t forget that tomorrow is ZINE night so make sure you come back for that and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Brazen Wolfe Tabletop 