Homebrew

Some paths are best left forgotten

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Any sensible person would turn back once they realised that the pools under Sylphare Quarry connected to a deeper river system when they realised that some paths are best left forgotten. Others are more foolhardy and mistake the glint of something in the darkness as evidence of treasure. That’s when the first of the thousands of teeth bite into them.

So let’s sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!

Some paths are best left forgotten

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Ancient Piranha – Created in Nightcafe.

The quipper, or Piranha by our standards, is a voracious eater and in a swarm they are known to be deadly. But when you are deep under ground in a pool with only the faint corrupted light from above to lead the way these fish become even more deadly.

Swarm of Quippers – Created in Tetra-cube.

They don’t have to explore the underwater passageways to encounter these little fish this week as they are attracted to the frantic thrashing that one could expect if you fall into deep water. While the stat block tonight doesn’t reveal these creatures to be undead it would make sense that they would be considering the other entity in the room.

Not needing to breathe makes these swarming fish even more dangerous as they could, feasibly, have a decent threat range near the edge of the pool by jumping out and flapping about. I would imagine they would have a hard time biting any creature while doing so but a momentary distraction is sometimes all you need in order to take a standard fight up to the next level.

Thanks for visiting tonight. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow night for more content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Sylphare Quarry Cavern

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Tonight’s map is of the Sylphare Quarry Cavern – the potential source of issues under the quarry that was unearthed. Not quite as pretty as a few of my other cavern maps but this ne has a few interesting things including where I have sunken in the little bonds of ice-cold water.

So let’s sit back, grab a coffee and roll into map!

Sylphare Quarry Cavern

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Sylphare Quarry Cavern – Created in Inkarnate

Several deep ponds are within this cavern which only adds to the chill factor. At points they get very deep and a tunnel, big enough for a medium or smaller sized creature to swim and squeeze through can be found underneath. However this is not for the faint hearted.

A pile of ancient bones can be seen near a throne that radiates cold and power towards the centre of the cavern. The walls are rough and rocky with no visible way out of the cavern and beyond from here. However the under-water passages do lead deeper into the cavern system for those who can really, really hold their breath.

Multiple layered textures and the dig tool used this week to great a visible depth for the ponds. Using the craggy-rock asset method created a smoother transition to the water which worked mostly well. Otherwise the stone-skulls in the wall leading to this cavern had some over-texture brushed onto them to remove some of the asset that I wanted to hide – but it wasn’t the cleanest work but it gets the effect across.

Thanks for joining me tonight with another map created. Don’t forget that as I continue this week I gear up for another Zine at the end of the week. So don’t forget to come back daily to stay on top of what’s happening here and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Beneath the Cut Stone

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This week we progress into the party exploring into the caverns below Sylphare quarry and uncovering something beneath the cut stone. But this isn’t something naturally occurring, someone or something created this place and not it appears to be causing quarrymen to disappear.

So let’s grab a coffee, prepare ourselves and stroll into tonight’s adventure!

Beneath the Cut Stone

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As the party followed the worn trail deeper into the caverns below the quarry they followed the path of disturbed dust. Eventually the passage began to get colder and the walls of the passage began to look as if a thin layer of disturbed rime had set in.

However the cavern wall gave way to the first of dozens of hunched shapes. Coming out of the wall was the humanoid sized statue of a skeletal man. hunched over he was shorter and the facial structure was more pronounced in stone than it would have been in life. An expression of pain mixed with joy gripped its face as it looked further into the cavern.

Beneath the Cut Stone – Created in Nightcafe

Dozens more quickly followed with their expressions changing as quickly as the layer of frost and cold under the parties feet. The skeletal-like appearance blended in with the stone to make these statues look closer to life like than one would dare think. Each of them stared outwardly down the hallway as a light, a cold glow radiated down the passage and tinged the sides of the figures in a blue hue.

Each figure looked expertly carved and the disturbed rime and dust led the a party past each of the faces as they moved deeper into what appeared to be a more worn and methodically chiselled part of the cavern.

Thanks for joining me tonight to get a glimpse of the future. Tomorrow we will reveal what is beyond the stone-like stare of the potentially-not-statues and Friday will complete the picture. But don’t forget to come back for the remaining days this week and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Quarrymen of Sylphare

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The quarrymen of Sylphare are a proud and determined group who pride themselves on their craftmanship and determination. However once they started disappearing the call went out for able bodied people to help guard the entrance to the caverns. Thomas is such a person who was brave enough to stand before the yawning portal to the unknown below.

So let’s grab our torches, head to the quarry and stroll into tonight’s adventure!

Quarrymen of Sylphare

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Thomas Ruggery – Created in Nightcafe.

Tom had never been one to shy away from duty, nor shirk his sense of loyalty to those who stood side by side with him at the quarry. But, as he stood here guarding the entrance to the cavern he tried to avoid the feeling of being watched and the sense of unease that seemed to radiate from the opening.

“It’s a cold night so far ay Tom?” Reggie, the other ‘volunteer’ said as he tried to pass time.

“Aye. We’d best get another log or two for the brazier” Tom relied as he looked at what remained of the logs that had been eaten way by the fire near by.

“I ain’t going over there.” Reggie replied looking towards the edge of the quarry where there was a small store of wood. “I’ll guard the entrance if you get the wood” Reggie insisted. Tom knew that Reggie wasn’t a lazy man, but he definitely wasn’t brave enough to brave the edges of the quarry at night.

Nodding Tom picked up his pickaxe and strode towards the wood store. As he carefully picked his path across the quarry he noted that the plot of stone that they had hoped to have finished by the end of the month had stalled. He sighed as he wished that they hadn’t uncovered the cavern under the quarry – the source of the excitement and now fear as they waited for mercenaries to come and brave the darkness. Reaching the wood store he picked up a few logs and began to pick his way back to his post.

He, unlike Reggie and the others, had truly volunteered to watch the cavern entrance. It wasn’t a bravery thing it was a sense of duty to his comrades. He had elected to stay behind to ensure the ropes had remained secure so that they could get out when the time came when the others had delved into the cavern to explore. He also knew the men and women who had disappeared since the cavern had opened; having worked with them for years he felt their loss keenly. But not all shared his sentiment and others wanted to explore the cavern for its riches.

He assumed that what’s the Slyphare family truly wanted the merc’s to do. Come and secure the cavern so they could send more quarrymen and miners into the dark depths below. It didn’t sit right with Tom but he couldn’t do anything about it, except preventing his mates from going missing. When he returned he was relieved to see Reggie standing at his post. It took him a moment to get his attention as Reggie was staring off into the depths of the cavern.

“Hey, Reggie. Give us a hand will ya?” he said as he finally got his fellow watchmen’s attention. Reggie shook his head and walked over to grab some of the logs to throw into the Brazier.

“Sorry Tom, got lost in thought.” he murmured as he looked back to the cavern. “Say Tom. What do you think is down there?”

“Just bones and a few lost quarrymen,” he replied not wanting to entertain the thought for long.

“Yeah. Me too.” Reggie replied but his eyes were looking into the cavern and darkness beyond.

That’s all for tonight! Thanks for joining me as we begin to dive deeper into the adventure this week. Don’t forget to come back each night as we continue to grow this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Sylphare Quarry

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There are few people that would walk past someone calling out, a plea for help, let alone a mother who has lost her two daughters. This week we have Jaeden’s request seeing the party responding to a plea for help to find the lost daughters who are believed to have been taken by wicked men. The requestor, a young mother who is just trying to find her family.

So grab a coffee and let’s dive into tonight’s adventure!

When the quarrymen at Sylphare stone quarry unearth a cavern the excitement of adventure quickly disappears as each day another one of their brethren vanishes into thin air. But the owners of the Quarry, the Sylphare family, need to keep the quarry open so they have sent for mercenaries to come and defend their assets.

But, those who have answered the call will find that they have bitten off more than they can chew as some the picks and shovels have awoken a hunger in the dark that feeds with a vengeful hunger.

Sylphare Quarry

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Sylphare Quarry – created in Nightcafe.

As the last strikes from the picks punched through the stone a cascade of stones tumbled inwards revealing a large cavern. The call to stop work echoed out across the quarry as people huddled around what was revealed. A shard of light pierced darkness below revealing a large cavern that seemed to go on for ages in series of sunken steps below. Several runners ran to go get the overseers of the quarry and even the owners son, Harry Sylphare to come and see the hole that was revealed.

It did not take long for the first torches to be fetched and the first ropes to be cast into the darkness below. After half a day the first of the miners returned to the camp and reported that the cavern system went on for miles. It wasn’t until later in the day when a role call was done that people realised that not all quarrymen that went into the cavern had returned.

In the morning another member of the crew was missing. This repeated for a few days with a quarryman going missing in the evening or not returning from the caverns until it became evident that there was something going on. Building a makeshift checkpoint at the entrance the the cavern slowed the decline but those who were put on watch of the barricade rarely lasted more than shifts before another disappeared.

A rumour began to spread that they had awakened a curse that took good men and women from the earth as a tithe for the stone that they had taken from the quarry. Others thought that a poison hung in the air around the exposed cavern that caused the afflicted to wander off never to be seen again. And others believed that something from the cavern was preying upon them one by one.

The owner of the mine, Harry Sylphare, sent for a band of adventurers, mercenaries for hire, to come and find out the truth so that they could resume making a profit from the mine as, at least in this business, death was not profitable.

Thank for joining me for the start of a new week! Each day this week, like every week, I will update the blog to cover the people, things and places that this week hold in store for our adventurers. But don’t forget each day and at the end of the week you can see how it can be used in your own RPG game. So don’t forget to come back each day and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

To Wellford’s Defence

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This week I continued with the creating a shortened Zine, something that fits on a single A4 sheet of paper with just enough information to set the scene, plot and hook with some NPCs sprinkled through that it could be used in any system.

I think it worked out well so without any further waiting I present, To Wellford’s Defence, 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 Legends 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, To Wellford’s Defence, and that your rolls are made with advantage.

To Wellford’s Defence

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To Wellfords Defence- Created in Nightcafe.

The city has been unknowingly poisoned by an expensive imported wine. The wine’s fruit when interacting with the wood in the barrels causes a near-permanent zombie-like stupor which can be cured with the right herbs. The wine is too expensive for many to afford so many(most) children and the poor can not afford the wine – so they are not affected!

PDF adventure – To Wellfords Defence

To Wellford’s DefenceDownload

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

Daughters of the Kilderken

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After what would seem to be obvious this week has finished with the true nature of the daughters of the Kilderken. They are, in fact, all hags as part of a coven led by Jaeden who is a particularly strong leader of the coven of the Kilderken forest. These are likely the reason the knights are in this part of the forest in the first place.

So let’s sit back, grab a coffee and let’s check it out!

Daughters of the Kilderken

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Green Hag – Created in Tetra-cube.

The two ‘daughters’ that Jaeden spoke of are likely Green hags, perhaps something slightly different but I envision that they would be lower level hags in a near-permanent humanoid appearance. They would act friendly to the party and try and persuade them to free them from the wicked humans but if the party can detect fey or their true form or intent they would appear to be what they are.

However the hags, “Cassandra” and “Taylor”, wont attack the party as they seem to be able to tell that Jaeden sent them.

Night Hag – Created in Tetra-cube.

I picture Jaeden as being a very powerful and ancient hag however maybe not the night hag. The abilities, however, make sense for how I see her and suite the level-power that we are going with if the party wish to fight her and the coven.

Thanks for visiting tonight. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow night for more content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Kilderken Clearing Camp

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Tonight we look at the Kilderken Clearing Camp and I have to admit… I do really love making forest and natural looking encounter maps. Tonight is no exception!

So let’s sit back, grab a coffee and roll into map!

Kilderken Clearing Camp

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Kilderken Clearing Camp – Created in Inkarnate

Forest clearings Trees house little green lights – fey, bug or magic is up to the host of it but it created a nice visual appeal. Several trees around the camp provide cover as well as depth to the map while the river doesn’t do much other than provide something to jump over if the party is feeling brave. Lastly using a hill texture asset to create the depression into the water adds another layer of depth. If I would change something I would add a half-transparent layer of water texture on the creek banks to make it look like the water was deeper. A simple map with two tents but it will get the job done.

Multiple layers of ground, grass and water layers created tonight’s visual. Some lower layers for logs and rocks in the water created depth without having to add too much effort. I am finding that many of the camp fire assets are too bright when I add my normal lighting effects over the tops however I reduced it a bit this week to still try and have the glow around the fire but not making it too bright to look at. A rather simple composition tonight but I think it worked nicely.

Thanks for joining me tonight with another map created. Don’t forget that as I continue this week I gear up for another Zine at the end of the week. So don’t forget to come back daily to stay on top of what’s happening here and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Kilderken Hunters Camp

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This week the twist isn’t so much about the Kilderken Hunters camp but what is in it. It’s not a large force and by the looks of it from the outside the people that move about the clearing aren’t what they first thought they would be. But looks are deceiving and that is the theme of this weeks adventure.

So let’s grab a coffee, prepare ourselves and stroll into tonight’s adventure!

Kilderken Hunters Camp

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As the party moved through the woods the sun began to dwindle and the tracks that they had been following for the better half of the day were showing signs of tiring. Earlier in the forest there were signs of something dark. Runes, fetishes and parts of dead animals were impaled upon trees and there was a feeling of desecration where ever the party stepped. That had finished when they had found the tracks of their quarry.

Several booted feet lead bare feet deeper into the woods, further east and where they walked the runes, fetishes and even gruesome displays of dark magic had been removed or cleansed. For some time now as they followed the footsteps the forest started to feel cleaner with more promise and the abundance of life was becoming clearer. But as dusk descended upon them the signs of their targets slowing also encroached.

Kilderken Hunters Camp – Created in Nightcafe

As night fell a camp fire could be seen between the trees. A small creek ran through some trees and into a clearing where two small tents had been erected in a hurry. One was more worn and appeared larger as if meant for more than just providing shelter for the night where as the other looked more typical, more military. Despite this the several men and women they could see around the camp gave them pause as none of them appeared cruel or malicious.

Several were knelt in prayer whilst the others burnt incense and sprinkled something around the camp as if warding from spirits. The party crept closer and began to overhear parts of conversation. “Be careful young Jarred. Don’t listen nor look at those witches as they will charm your senses and enslave you. I don’t want to have to do to you what we did to Armen.” one of the more armoured people called out, an older man.

“Yes Carn, I will ensure that they are fed and leave them be.” the younger boy, Jarred, responded as he entered the larger camp. The sounds of whimpering and softer voices came from the tent before Jarred returned. “I have re-placed the sacred wards as well. No evil shall become of this camp tonight.” he announced to the approval of the camps inhabitants.

A bit of a twist this week with the quarry and target being seemingly different to what one would normally assume. But don’t be fooled as with any adventure change is just around the corner. Don’t forget to come back for the remaining days this week and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Jaeden of Kilderken

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Jaeden of Kilderken has lived near the woods since she was young, or so she says, and with her daughters she harvests the plants and mushrooms of the woods to make a living. But there is something different about Jaeden as she looks upon the world with a darker, more critical light.

In order to get a glimpse into the foragers life we need to dig a bit deeper. So let’s grab a coffee, sit back and roll into tonight’s adventure!

Jaeden of Kilderken 

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Jaeden of Kilderken- Created in Nightcafe.

Watching the party step into the woods Jaeden, as she had called herself, watched with a mixture of apprehension and glee. It was not often that she sought out the assistance of adventurers, more often she spent her time trying to hide and cover her tracks when they entered the woods of stalked nearby. But today she was desperate and the thought of her kin being in danger overrode her normal caution.

They looked capable enough. Swords, axes, arrows and magic would be enough to protect them from the beasts of the woods but those men, those vile men that had captured her family may be more of a challenge. Especially if the adventurers let them talk. Stepping upon the grass she tried to quell the raging emotions she hid beneath the thin veil she had put up. As her feet sank into the damp vegetation Jaeden continued to watch the adventurers as they journeyed deeper into the forest.

She knew the woods better than all and if it wasn’t for those malicious men who had captured her kin she would’ve continued as she had for the last decade. But they had become more vigilant and ruthless and she knew that they were waiting for her to try and rescue the two women. She despised them, all of them. All these humans who came with thin veils of righteousness, these people who pretended to know what was best for the world.

She had heard the worlds song, she had seen the beauty in the wilds and these men knew nothing of it. Hopefully they would be dead soon, she reunited with her family and the deal she brokered honoured. However there was a sinking feeling in her bones as she watched the people, unlikely allies, as they trudged into the woods and out of sight. squatting down she drew out a small pouch.

A few small skulls of animals, feathers, bones with runes carved and stained into them and different stones and gems. She cast them upon the earth at the base of a tree where the grass was thinnest. As they landed she read the portents, flicking her eyes from bone to stone to feather to skull until she had the answers she sought. Her family were safe for now but a predator was stalking them, their cage of wood and rope and bands of iron held them fast but they waited and practiced what she had taught them years ago.

Don’t trust men, feed upon their conviction to save and to come to the rescue of others and finally, never, ever make a bargain that you can’t uphold.

That’s all for tonight! Thanks for joining me as we begin to dive deeper into the adventure this week. Don’t forget to come back each night as we continue to grow this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe