Homebrew

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

The Season of Mischief

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Welcome welcome to the end of year sessional one-shot that I have coined, Dice-ember with this years adventure focusing around the season of Mischief. If you can recall last year we had trouble in snow-town, the year before we had an adventure that was akin to heisting Santa’s sleigh and this year – we have something different once again. This adventure will be 25 days of content with, hopefully, my holiday gift to you being a complete Zine that is Christmas Themed. But before I get too ahead of my self tonight is the night before dice-ember and so, a prelude if you will.

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

The Season of Mischief

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Dyson had just finished nailing the last of the notices on the notice boards at the Rusty Duck inn when the first of the cold winds blew down from the mountains. Dyson placed the hammer and nails back into the satchel he had slung around his shoulder and looked at the message he had just hammered to the wood.

Attention:

Several reports have come to the Rimeguard of late reporting the theft of items from citizens of Rimeglenn. All reports have indicated that in the same place the item was stolen from was left another item. Some have been handed into the Rimeguard already and we ask that if you are missing an item to come and see the guards.

Unfortunately this indicates that the season of mischief has begun. On the Authority of Lord Samite of Rimeglenn and Lady Penelope, the Rimeguard captain we are declaring this season active.

There is a large bounty to capture the offending parties as they commit these large amounts of theft but urge people to safeguard their own valuables. Lock away your items in a safe or hide them somewhere secure if possible. There is no guarantee that this will protect your items and the Rimeguard are unable to look into all of these incidents. As such we are calling for aid for all able bodies adventurers to help investigate the cases of mass theft during the season of Mischief.

– Sergeant Fiona Doleston of the Rimeguard.

Dyson had just finished nailing the last of the notices on the notice boards at the Rusty Duck inn when the first of the cold winds blew down from the mountains. Dyson placed the hammer and nails back into the satchel he had slung around his shoulder and looked at the message he had just hammered to the wood.

Dyson had himself already woken up with his bowls and plates missing and in their place small wooden figurines were left. He had reported it to the Rimeguard but his bowls and plates had not been turned in yet. So he left the figurines in with the guard so that if someone came looking for them that they may find them. However, this wasn’t the first year that this had happened. Every year for the last half-decade as soon as the weather got cold people would report that their belongings were being taken and exchanged with other residents of Rimeglenn.

At first people believed that it was a band of thieves stealing everything and when the guards started to investigate they arrested many people only to find that they had no idea how the stolen items ended up in their house or possession and that they too had their items stolen. The following years they attempted to catch the thieves but it was as if they didn’t exist.

And so the lord of the city, Lord Samite, declared a large bounty to anyone who could capture these thieves and put an end to the season of mischief. But so far the bounty had increased but no luck in successfully capturing the culprits.

Dyson sighed, it looked like he would have to find another way to eat his food without his bowls and plates until he either brought more or they were turned in.

Thanks for joining me for the prelude of this years Dice-ember adventure, the Annual December One-shot that I do for Brazen Wolfe Tabletop. Don’t forget that for the next 25 days I will be producing more updates and content that build up the full story for this one shot. So don’t forget to come back daily and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Dawn of a new Adventure

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Welcome to the second last post of the campaign year and the dawn of a new adventure. Tonight we investigate what the next part of the adventure would be if we were to continue. But we will still have to see if I continue the adventure on past level 16 and beyond. So let’s get into tonight’s adventure, sit back, grab a coffee and roll into tonight’s adventure!

The Dawn of a new Adventure

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After the party came through the portal and back to the material plane were a blur. The people of both Kalehgrul and Duraegis needed a lot of help securing the defences of the cities and repelling attacks from rival cities. But soon the rumours of what the party members had accomplished the cities stopped being targeted by the attacks.

Lucile stayed with the drow in Kalehgrul after negotiating a business deal with Qistra Melarn for her family’s silk and with Morali O’lorun to assist with transportation of other underdark goods. The merchants discussed trade and agreements for weeks but the surrounding lands were still not safe enough to transport the goods. A steadfast guard would be needed to pass through safely.

But, with the defeat of the fiend, Larituron, nothing was preying on the creatures of the underdark. Mercenaries and travellers started to report stronger creatures that were prowling the roads and caverns. Some of the creatures were showing a level of distress that was not normal for their species and some were very rarely seen at the best of times. Many rumours started to circulate around what could be causing these incidents and many of them fell on a rival city forcing them out of their normal habitats and towards Kalehgrul and Duraegis. The other theory was more terrifying. Something was invading the lairs of these creatures and forcing them out.

The party rested where they could but it was evident that they would not be in want for work as long as they stuck around in the underdark.

Another step closer to my December adventure and another night done. Thanks for dropping by and for following along with the possible next steps for the party. Tomorrow we start Dice-ember and pause our normal format to these adventures, but don’t worry as they will be coming back soon. So don’t forget to come back daily for the december adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Final Conjunction

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Following from the final battle and the contingency that Andrasa built into her spell the party now have to deal with the final conjunction. The collapse of the dimension is imminent – but its not so much a race against time but an opportunity to see it through to the climatic end. As this is the last, few nights really, before my December adventure, Dice-ember kicks off I wanted to still expand upon the closure of the last adventure before we close the final page. So let’s sit back grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!

The Final Conjunction

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Dimension Collapse – Created in Nightcafe.

As Velmore collapsed a pulse of energy erupted from where his body hit the ground. The remaining fiendish forms at the edge of the battlefield disintegrated into dust and were quickly blown away by a gust of wind that came from behind them. A voice carried across the wind “the ritual is commencing, now that his physical form is dead I can seal away his immortal form. But you don’t have long, the dimension is collapsing.” Andrasa’s voice was broken and disjointed but audible enough.

Hurrying past the shrine, as fast as their wounds would allow them to, they head back in the direction they believe they came through. But even as they searched for the next familiar landmark a splitting sound could be heard as a towering rocky mountain split into several shards which began to rupture into the sky away from where they were. All around them signs of the dimension collapsing could be seen as the land itself began to tear itself apart and great rifts in the sky could be seen.

Gone was the purple hued sky replaced by large black tears in the sky where the grey clouds were slowly being drawn into the void beyond. Chunks of rock and earth that were dislodged were slowly floating towards the rifts as well and occasionally a moment of anti-gravity would see the party losing their footing and floating through the air for a moment before being pushed back into the ground. Racing across the shattered landscape they hurried in a direction they thought was correct but doubt started to eat at their confidence.

But, in the distance a blue ring of darkness hung above the ground like a suspended mirror. The twisted cavern of the underdark could be seen on the other side and they knew they were on the home stretch now. Urging their tired bodies onwards they rushed towards the portal out of this dimension even as the ground around them started to shift and dislodge around them.

As they neared the portal the ground collapsed entirely which saw them pushing off loose floating earth. Jumping they lunged towards the portal home as the final conjunction of ritual and the collapse of the dimension collided. A forceful gust of wind collided with their backs as they started to float into the sky mere feet from the portal, a voice carried on the wind.

“Live well. We need heroes in the material plane to be ready for when the hells breach the surface again. Be well my friends” and with Andrasa’s last words they were flung through the portal, collapsing onto the rough calcified webs of the great cavern.

That’s it. Thank you for joining me on this journey as we wrap up the final parts of this adventure. Don’t forget we have Dice-ember starting this week so do make sure to come back for that as we explore what Christmas brings this year. I foresee a time of great celebration and mischief so don’t miss out on that. And finally, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Arrival at Kalehgrul

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Tonight and I have created a zine that is a few weeks overdue – but I am catching up, Arrival at Kalehgrul. This adventure can be used system agnostic but focuses on D&D so please feel free to adjust to what ever system and the creatures you are using in your adventure! However 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 the creatures found in this adventure.

So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, Arrival at Kalehgrul. There week is different where all the content is within the Zine and nearly none of it was revealed in the prior week! So if you want to run this adventure you will need to download the pdf!

Arrival at Kalehgrul

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After surviving the attack on the Melarn family the party agree to travel with the family to Kalehgrul, a city where they may be able to find out what is happening and a way back to the surface. But they also have some cargo to escort, one of the attackers from the raid was the daughter of a O’lorun family – a rival drow house. 

But the city itself is a neighbour of Duraegis and it’s apparent that there is danger coming their way as the refugees start pouring into the city.

PDF adventure – Arrival at Kalehgrul

arrival-at-kalehgrulDownload

Thanks for joining me tonight for another Zine. This one had more content added to the Zine but like a few of my other ones I kept that in the Zine, not the blog. So you will just have to trust me on that and grab a copy of the Zine to check it out.

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. 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

Blightshard

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After a big weekend and a few plans in the real world tonight I wanted to slow it down to a different pace and talk about Blightshard. This weeks encounter had Velmore using a longsword called Blightshard, Whisperer of Suffering and I wanted to explore that a bit tonight. The smith maketh the blade, but the name can do soo much more for it. Being in the hands of a duke of hell (forgotten or otherwise) the sword needed to be imposing. So Blightshard was its name – but we’ll touch on that in the update below!

Blightshard

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A few weeks ago I mentioned the concept of parasitic and symbiotic weapons that enable the weapon (or item) to grow with the party and adventurer. This is one such item that will look at testing out this concept with something that is relatively controlled.

Adding 1d6 poison damage isn’t a huge deal, nor is the DC 13 con save to ignore the effects. However if you can make that 5d6 poison damage and DC17 con save. Now that’s more of a deal. It also make sense for a blade that a devil, a fiendish angel hunter would wield to grant him the advantage against his greatest foes. And now hte blade is turned towards the party.

Blightshard – created in DnD Beyond.

That’s it for me tonight, a bit of a short one but its good to enjoy a small break sometimes. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more D&D content 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

The Final Showdown

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Welcome to the last full Thursday of this yearly content as next week we catch up, reset and prepare for Dice-Ember. But first, the final showdown awaits us. A battlefield, a large ritualistic circle, some pillars of rock but a lot of open space to move, manoeuvre and do battle. So let’s sit down with a coffee and explore tonight’s battle map!

The Final Showdown

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And here it is. Settling with a layered adjusted ritual circle to give it a blurry, highlighted visual effect I moved quickly to the rocky platforms and pillars that litter this dimension. Some provide an elevated platform to do battle from others, not so much as the risk may not be worth the reward.

Impact craters littler the area around the ritual circle like pox marks – a remnant of when the previous heroes battled the fiend once upon a time. But elements of the purple hue, dirty ground and rocky terrain are evident everywhere.

Battlefield – Created in Inkarnate

Despite what everyone says the size of the description isn’t what is important for a battlemap – its what you do with the map that counts. As with all my maps I provide the link to it in inkarnate where you can download, tweak and adjust to your own needs. But if you are following along this several-month adventure then feel free to use it it as intended in your own games. 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

The end of Andrasa’s Spell

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With the end of Andrasa’s spell coming into effect the final moments of the unholy ritual to extract the fiend from its prison is racing against the plans of the party. Centuries of planning coming up against what seems to be mere luck and happenchance and he does not want to risk it. As he prepares to be free he also prepares to fight for his freedom and his very existence. But, we can touch more on that another night. So let’s sit back, grab a coffee and roll into tonight’s adventure!

The end of Andrasa’s Spell

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Lucile could feel her consciousness waning once more. She was not sure if she was dreaming or if this was her reality. Some moments she collapsed on the cavern floor within an opaque dome and others she was watching the adventurers moving across a strange land. Her vision and what she experienced changes depending on where she was looking but something was not right.

She had memories of a voice that had called to her beyond the deep dark which she had struggled to resist. She remembers approaching the portal before realising what it really was but that is where her memories had stopped. She could still feel the presence compelling her to complete a spell; a ritual that she did not realise she had read in Andrasa’s notes, one that weakened the seals to release a creature that was stored within.

The fiend watched the adventurers within the sanctified shrine and waited patiently. It would not be long before they realised it was too late to stop him from completing the ritual through the human – a mere puppet now. Despite the seal still being active he could feel its bonds waning and the strength of the spells failing, but there was also something that was concerning. 

A buildup of magic that seemed to come from the shrine. The adventurers had seemed to trigger something and this could only be a bad sign for him. Soon his form in this area would be significantly weakened but in order to shift out of this prison he needed to stay in the zone that had been prepared. His centuries of planning and scheming now down to the next few hours and he was not about to let some mortals stop him from seizing his freedom.

No he will not let these mortals stop him. Calling the shades, mere shadows of his legion to his side he started forcing energy into them to give them a physical form. If he can hold them off long enough he may be able to escape and then nothing or no one will be able to stop him.

Thanks for dropping by tonight as I look at what the next few days bring. Don’t forget to come back over the next few days as we continue this adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Andrasa’s Dimension

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Following from last weeks adventure that started with the party at a crossroads this week we look at the outcome of what the mid-week reveal brings us with Andrasa’s Dimension. So to get on with it and still have time in the evening let’s sit back grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!

Andrasa’s Dimension

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The Binding Plains – Created in Nightcafe.

The moments following the party waking up were a hazy blur. An ethereal figure began to form as wisps of energy coalesced to form the shape of a tall humanoid, yet devoid of humanity in its piercing eyes. The room itself seemed to shift as the creature started to gather energy to pull itself from its place of holding, a dimension that Andrasa had created to contain the creature. As the figure formed attacks, magical or otherwise passed through it and caused the creature to grin.

“Finally the time has come. Soon my energy and being will be freed from this prison the witch Andrasa has sealed me within and I will be free once more. Grovel and cower now for when I am whole again you will be chaff in the wind. Gone in a flash like a candle in a storm.” the creature called during bouts of laughter as its strength and power was slowly trickling from the deep dark, a portal to the sealed dimension into a physical form on the material plane.

The next few moments were spent quickly coming up with a plan and coming to the conclusion that once the creature was at full strength it would be too late. If the creature was physically bound in the other dimension and was slowly transferring its power and essence to this one through the weakening of the seals and the ritual its servant had performed. Then perhaps there was a moment where the creature was weak physically in the other dimension as its power and strength were in this one.

Viktira, Qistra and Morali had somehow stabilised the portal that the deep dark sealed enough for a glimpse of the dimension on the other side. Dark fog filled the air with light shed from the silvery moon that hung on the horizon. Tall barren cliffs and rock outcrops lined the surface of this dimension which provided no shelter nor places to set your bearings.

Looking back at where they had fought their last momentous battle and where they were heading too now they were a long way from being finished of this last task from Andrasa, but perhaps they were the heroes the world needed now in order to prevent the re-emergence of a dark power which once took the greatest wizard the old world had known to seal.

Finally, the last push for the final adventure of the year, well the final normal zine of the year. Don’t forget to come back each day to follow on in expanding this adventure as we build upon it daily. This weekend will be a big one so I can’t wait publish what I have in store for you all. And finally, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe