Dark Thrall Keep

As this week’s Monday welcomes the twentieth week of the year it also seeks dark omens appear over Dark Thrall Keep. Now the history of a place with such a name would be enough to chill even the most veteran of parties. However what lies within its hallowed halls and in the secret walls is even more chilling. But, enough of me taking about things that may or may not happen. Let’s grab a coffee, sit down and roll on with the adventure.


Dark Thrall Keep

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Dark Thrall Keep – Created in Nightcafe.

Carrying out the large pot, nearly a cauldron she thought to herself with a laugh as she upended the dirty water into the back alley. The Pot had contained a stew that contained mostly Lamb, well lamb-like meat, and fed the Five Fat Ravens tavern patrons. As she scrubbed out the last stubborn burnt-on morsels of food she glanced up towards the old ruins that lay on the cliffs above the City of Finchford.

โ€œThe Dark Thrall ruinsโ€ฆโ€ She muttered to herself. The old keep was rumoured to have held the most holy of warriors during the age of King Parn the just. Marie had wanted to explore those ruins when she was a little girl manyย  years ago. She got close before her parents had found her and her childhood friend Rhyan. She still remembers how mad they were, but also the fear in her parents eyes. That was the day she learnt the other half of the tales of the keep.

After King Parn was murdered his knights pursued the killers and encountered a fearsome enemy, a dragon. They retreated to the keep to hope its walls, towers and weapons would save them but they were wrong. The Dragon managed to kill all the knights and destroy much of the keep but it also disappeared. As the Knights never finished their vengeance it’s rumoured that their ghostly figures haunt the ruins. But the other rumour is that the dragon sleeps below the rubble, waiting for hundreds of years as it heals.

The Keep

As she remembered the old stories, a moment of movement, a flicker of light from the keep brought her to focus. The distant rhythmic low rumbling sound seemed to flow down from the keep across the valley below. There, against the moon-lit clouds there was a shadow, a shape. Something dropped in her stomach as she watched a massive figure land against the keep, wrapping its large wings around the towering spire of stone as a growth resonated through the town like thunder. The remaining patrons inside the Five Fat Ravens Tavern went dead silent as they slowly wandered out of the tavern.

As the last patron walked into the back of another that had stopped just outside the building they all watched in amazement and terror. A dragon, as large as the keep crawled down the keep, another reverberating growl hit them like a shock wave as they watched the incarnate of death disappear into the ruins.

Only then did the panic hit the patrons of the Five Ravens Tavern and soon the surrounding buildings were awake and alarmed. But by the morning only the patrons of the Tavern had seen the Dragon. The City officials had ruled it too a night too full of grog and the patrons had all accepted it. For many more nights the dragon hadn’t appeared again, but Marie had seen it. She doesn’t drink or eat anything from the Tavern so those excuses didn’t work on her.

She had seen the Dragon and no one would believe her.

Thoughts

A great week inspired by another on-the-spot adventure prompt from my daughter. This weekend is about the once thought long-dead Dragon in the keep that rises at night to ‘eat people in the towns’. She is a bit of fascinated by zombies and large lizards considering the last prompt she gave me was the Cult of the Forgotten. But I will try to do this one justice, but there is a twist this time.


Thanks for coming to the start of another week of adventure here. Don’t forget that this week we will expand this adventure further. So make sure to come back nightly so you don’t miss out on a thing. As I continue to slog through painting dozens of Archers and daemons I will try and balance D&D and Warhammer at my tabletop and want to take it as a time to remind everyone to seek balance. Take time for all aspects of your hobby, but don’t forget or neglect the adventure that goes on in your own life. So don’t forget to look for the adventure at home and don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Bloodhunt

Tonight and I have created another zine for this weeks adventure, The Bloodhunt. This adventure can be used system agnostic as we explore other RPGs out there other than D&D. So please adjust to what ever 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 currently provides the stat-blocks for creatures in this adventure.

So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, The Bloodhunt. If you like this format please let me know and I hope you enjoy.


The Bloodhunt

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“The first gift is hunger.
It is His blessing.
It is our call to bring death.
The second gift is death.
Death proves our strength.
Death purges our fear.
The third gift is fear.
We fear that we will fail him.
We fear the onset of hunger.”

The creatures that serve the dark lords of this existence are foul and atrocious creatures. Giving up their souls for the sake of power, passion or belief. But those creatures created by such beings – oh they are far worse.

Farlock

Farlock – Created in nightcafe.

As the party pass through the large walls that indicate the start of Farlock they gaze around the small walled village. The people here go about their lives seemingly content to live in the sun and amongst the pails suited to livestock and crop growth. The village had a bit of everything that people could expect a village of its size could. A small Inn, a few stores selling general supplies, a blacksmith that primarily deals with equipment and materials for the farmers and a houses.

However what they didn’t expect was a large gathering in the middle of the village as serval coffins were being wheeled out of town. Approaching the gathering the party could hear that they deceased, all young men of the village, were brutally slaughtered just outside the gate only the night before. Apparently the bodies were soo mangled and torn up that they had sealed the coffins to not upset the relatives or the villagers.

When the party asked what happened here everyone shrugged and claimed a wild animal attack, but those who spoke were hastily shushed by another in the crowd.

“They won’t speak about it to outsiders,” a voice said from behind, quietly as the party stood perplexed about the encounter. “They either don’t know or don’t believe what happened. But I can help. If you can help my brother he can tell you exactly what happened to those boys. He knows, he was there. The only survivor of the beast. My name is Salis, my family is village nobility, well we are nobles living in this village. We can pay for your time if you can help?”


PDF adventure – The Bloodhunt



Thanks for joining me tonight for another Zine. 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

The Gnolls of Yeenoghu

Another night of fighting has come and this Friday the weekend brings with us the Gnolls of Yeenoghu. Now the way that gnolls are created, if you want to look it up, is a bit gruesome but fascinating. This week is all about gnolls and the demon lord Yeenoghu’s hatred of civilisation. In his unchecked destruction the foes that remained gave birth to the first gnolls where hyenas feasted on the slain. From there the gnolls were born from hyena’s as they were transformed from the demons corruption. So before I get way to deep in my adoration for the lore on gnolls let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!


The Gnolls of Yeenoghu

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The Gnolls of Yeenoghu

The Bloodhunt pack is normally gnolls and hyenas. But where the hyenas sup from tainted flesh and the corrupting energies aren’t quite right enough then other variations emerge. The energy being too strong then Witherings and Pack lords are born. Even Chosen of Yeenoghu can be created – however it is not always the case.

The scholars have recorded different variants of gnolls where under the right conditions, and given the right prey, gnolls fit for a purpose can be created.

Gnoll Stalkers

This sees the Gnoll stalker born. Small, about the size of a goblin or halfling but quiet and lethal these hunters and scouts of the bloodhunt are lethal. They ambush their prey with a volley of arrows before closing in to feast on their flesh.

Due to their size and being seen as lesser beings of Yeenoghu only Hyena’s tolerate being around them. The larger gnolls and even giant Hyena’s treat them as prey and fodder when no civilised race is within sight to bully or slaughter.

Gnoll Called to Yeenoghu

When a particularly favoured Giant Hyena feasts on a particularly tainted meal they have the chance to be called into Yeenoghu’s service. Whilst different to a gnoll, fang of Yeenoghu who can create gnolls much in the same way that their demon spawn-father created the first gnolls these gnolls are heralds to the demon in another way. The uncontrolled bloodlust and hunger for destruction reigns true for these creatures. However strong, powerful and desiring destruction they lack the cunning of other leaders of the bloodhunt and are seen as more shocktroops.

Closer in size to bugbears and ogres these creatures wade into battle and use their strength to bully and controll the smaller races.



Thanks for dropping by tonight. As always don’t forget to come back this weekend as we explore more of this glorious hobby and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Flight from the Bloodhunt

Thursday night brings with it is here and its brought with it a encounter map and a regional map featuring Farlock as the party attempt to take flight from the bloodhunt! A nice simple one this week with versatility being the name of the first map this week. So sit back, grab a coffee and enjoy the maps below!


Flight from the Bloodhunt

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Encounter on the Road

Either set up as an ambush for the encroaching enemies or if the party doesn’t escape quickly enough attacks on a guaranteed occurrence. This hilly ambush site next to some trees and bushes for cover makes quick work for the attackers in an early advantage. Remnants of a camp from the fleeing villagers of Farlock can be seen but it’s really the simplistic nature of the map that is its strength.

Road out of Farlock – created in Inkarnate

Players Map of the Rift Villages

Now the map the party gets shows a few towns nearby. Yarnwerth on the way out of the area, Mulbek and Filtburra being nearby. Trees line the roads and they are well worn from years of travel, but beware of what lies in the forest and in the grass next to the road as there are a few beasties to this week’s encounter.

This map is to be provided to the players, but the DM can ‘upgrade it’ with a simple overlay of the in-game effects of the raiding parties that are launching their attack on the area.

Villages around the Rift – Created in Inkarnate

DMs Copy

This shows the buildings being ripped apart and burnt. Walls crumbled and all the towns butchered. However the keep, the destination that the party should travel to (we hope) remains strong. A final bastion of civilization while the bloodhunt is on.

The attacks come from the right and top of the map. Farlock and Mulbek being first. If the party head towards Mulbek after a day they are attacked by the raiders coming from Mulbek down. But a party with keen eyes would see the smoke and should be able to escape.

Villages around the Rift – DM copy – created in Inkarnate

Thanks for joining me tonight. As highlighted and hinted at the start of the week we have both a chase and a few combat scenes in this weeks adventure. So come back tomorrow night to find out more! And as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Hunters of the Blood pack

Wednesday has come and as promised in yesterdays update tonight we will investigate the Hunters of the Blood pack and who this is. So its a bit of a weird title tonight but hear me out, it will make sense! So in order to see if I am proven right or wrong let’s sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!


Hunters of the Blood pack

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Carline Loreain – created in Artbreeder

As the head of the house Loreain, after her husband disappeared, Carline was the last of a noble line that lived in Farlock, a village at the edge of the Rift. The Rift was a large series of canyons and ravines that separated the plains from the more civilised lands. As the only noble family left in this village she used her reputation to get the best for her children. However, this ostracised them which caused issues for her son and daughter.

Rumours swelled around what happened with her husband. They ranged from affairs or leaving Carline due to her abrasive personality. Some say that she covered up his death or even was the cause of it. Nothing was even proven and when she was asked or questioned she would get visibly upset.

The Call

As Toby walked through the streets of Farlock he listened to the noises and chatter of those in the village. How he hated the noises of the village at night. A tug at his consciousness drew him to the gate heading out of town. A gathering of boys, young men from the village stood there kicking a small bundled figure on the ground. The sounds of yelping could be heard and instantly Toby felt sick.

Rushing forward he tried to push past the young men, getting a glimpse at the hyena cub who was being set upon by the young men.

“What do you want?!” one of them shouted as he turned to face Toby who was trying to stop them. “Oh, it’s the weird young lord. Here to save another freak!” the young man yelled as he turned and shoved Toby. “What are you doing so far away from your mother? Don’t you know it’s dangerous out?” another asked as he kicked the cub again.

“Leave it alone.” Toby mumbled as he felt a sharp pain cut through his mind. “The other one, it doesn’t like it when you do that.”

The boys roared with laughter “The other one? There is just us little lord. We can do what we like. Say, if you care about this freak so much why don’t try and save it?” The first of the punches came fast and hard. Toby fell to the ground as the kicks rained down upon him as the boys above him laughed like manic Hyenas. A broiling rage and anger brewed from within. Bubbling over his fear of pain and his desire to escape what was happening he went to stand at the same moment a yip of laughter rang from behind the group.

Herald

A giant hyena lunged forward and dragged one of the boys to the ground. The screaming that rang out snapped something in Toby and he rose to his feet, drawing a dagger from the belt of one of the boys and he stabbed. After a few moments he realised that his throat was the one that was raw from screaming. The boys lay silent on the ground and the giant hyena hovered near the corpses he left at his feet.

Shaking, he looked at the faces of the families in the village. The destruction he had wrought, the chaos it would cause the village and he smiled. Their perfect little world. The pressure in his head eased and he felt calm. He looked at the Hyena and felt kinship, like he had become one of the hunters of the blood pack. Yes this rang true, the blood pack removing a stubborn stain of these civilised murderers.

The Hyena picked up the cub, dead – killed by the boys and ate it. Moving closer to Toby its voice spoke in his head.

“The first gift is hunger.
It is His blessing.
It is our call to bring death.
The second gift is death.
Death proves our strength.
Death purges our fear.
The third gift is fear.
We fear that we will fail him.
We fear the onset of hunger.”

Clarity

Like a cascade of cold calming water his mind reeled from the shock of the words. This was a gift, the hunger for the death of these boys. It pleased the pressure in his head and the voice that tugged at the corner of his mind.

“The first gift is hunger…” he began reciting as he walked back towards the village, the first torch lights of concerned villagers rushing towards him.

“What happened boy? Toby. What happened?” one man asked as he gripped his arm.

“A monster killed them… Mad, ferocious and intent on their death… ” he said, his voice shaking with lust-masked as sorrow.ย 


Thanks for visiting tonight. I think this one is a bit of a darker one this week but having a herald of Yeenoghu was never going to be a light adventure. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Those who whisper to the dark

Tuesday is here and although its a late one tonight we look at those who whisper to the dark. In particular the one who calls upon the great blood hunt. So without any more delays let’s settle in, grab a coffee roll into the adventure!


Those who whisper to the dark

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Toby Loreain

Toby Loreain – Created in Artbreeder

Toby has always been a bit different. Instead of helping in the shop, or with dinner or cleaning he would be outside cutting open rats and birds. Blood and visceral gore always intrigued Toby and eventually one day he was attacked by other kids in the village. He wasnโ€™t the same after when the village elders protected the bullies. He shrunk into himself and started to grow more and more distant. Having nightmares of uncontained violence that eventually he used to seek out instead of dread.

Now he mutters to things that no one else can see in the dark. Communicating with the shadows and the things no one else can see.

Salis Loreain

Salis Loreain- Created in Artbreeder

Now Salis is the older sister to Toby and has always looked out for her little brother. However she has grown increasingly worried about her brother as his dreams and nature becomes darker. She sought out the adventurers who ventured into her village to help her brother, convinced that some dark power had corrupted him. Little did she know how close she was to the truth.

She studies to be a priestess of Selune and has sworn to protect the innocent who dwell under the Moonmaiden’s light. But her studies were cut short when her mother asked her to come back to tend to her brother. However, she has a fellow priestess in a village a few days’ ride away and there she hopes to seek answers.

Thoughts

Now we don’t have the mother visible tonight, the viewpoint from yesterdays blog. That’s for tomorrow where we investigate what happened and what will happen. This week is a bit of a different format as we have a long lasting chase scene with a lot of flexibility on the party. This may be a bit different and challenging but I hope it will be rewarding.


Thanks for joining and looking at the brother and sister at the centre of this weeks adventure. Join me tomorrow to meet the mother some more and also learn about the sickness of Toby. Also don’t forget to come back each day this week a we expand the adventure. And as we pass into the midway point of the week a reminder to not forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

In service to Yeenoghu

This week’s Monday see’s the scene of one of my favourite books come to life as we witness those in service to Yeenoghu. Now the demon lord known as Yeenoghu isn’t exactly pleasant. A father to beasts, a bringer of pure destruction Yeenoghu only wants destruction and the fall of civilisation. That and a nice hot blood-red tea… Those that follow him are granted power beyond their dreams as long as they too bring destruction to the civilised world. So to understand what’s at stake this week let’s roll on with the adventure.


In service to Yeenoghu

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In pursuit – Created in Nightcafe.

โ€œI never imagined such rage, such unbridled bloodshed. We were lucky to escape when we didโ€ the old woman said as she looked backwards at the fires. Clutching at the bundles of belongings she managed to rescue from the village before fleeing she felt a pang of guilt. It was the right decision to leave those outsiders without a wagon, they would slow down the raiders, the beasts from the forest. When they were done with those adventurers they wouldnโ€™t be able to catch up with them.

โ€œI am sure they are fine.โ€ she smiled, lying, as she patted her daughter’s hand who sat next to her. โ€œThey were strong. The beast-men would not be able to kill them. I told them we would meet them at the next village.โ€ she reassured. She had no qualms about lying to those around her, it had become a talent over the years.

โ€œThe first gift is hungerโ€ฆ It is His blessing.โ€ her son muttered next to her. A dim boy who had never really accomplished much.

โ€œWhat was that dear?โ€ she asked, wrapping a blanket around him.

โ€œIt is our call to bring deathโ€ฆโ€ he muttered as he stared at the fires in fascination. โ€œThe second gift is death. Death proves our strength. Death purges our fear.โ€ he muttered as he began to rock.

โ€œMother, Tobyโ€™s not well is heโ€ฆโ€ Salis asked, her worry for her brother mingled with fear and disgust. Nothing infuriated her more.

โ€œHave some compassion, Salis. Your brother watched his friends be slaughtered at the gate. Itโ€™s a miracle that he survived and thought to warn us.โ€ she snarled, clutching her son tightly.

โ€œThe third gift is fearโ€ฆ We fear that we will fail him. We fear the onset of hunger.โ€ Toby continued, staring into the fires unable to look away as the towering beast-men pillaged, killed and destroyed the village he had grown up in.

Thoughts

A bit of a darker one this week but I promise it will be fun. Abandoned by the people they sought to help the party must fight their way out, grab the first transport out of the village and escape the ravaging hordes that worship and are in service to Yeenoghu. Now the lord of gnolls himself may not be present this adventure but his servants are varied and those who worship destruction and the uncontained blood lust are aplenty.


Thanks for coming to visit for another weeks adventure. As I gear up for the first tournament of the year for me I also have a committed fortnightly D&D adventure now. Hopefully the normal pace at Brazen Wolfe Tabletop doesn’t slow down as I still have plenty more adventures in me for the year. So don’t forget to keep coming back each day and don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Dreamless

Tonight and I have created another zine for this weeks adventure, The Dreamless. Can the party solve who is behind this and burn the disease of impurity from a once devout city or will they let chaos and corruption reign on the streets. This adventure can be used system agnostic as we explore other RPGs out there other than D&D. So please adjust to what ever 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 currently provides the stat-blocks for creatures in this adventure.

So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, The Dreamless. If you like this format please let me know and I hope you enjoy.


The Dreamless

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Hildebek

Hildebek Town – Created in nightcafe.

The town of Hildebek is a quaint and small town, built upon ancient ruins with the only stone buildings being remade from the remnants of the ancient battlements. The people are peaceful folk who look to make a living from the land as farmers and carers of animals. Despite the town’s current peaceful settlement the previous buildings that resided within this walled land were not so. Lore speaks of a time where the fort that used to reside in Hildebek fell to corruption as the lord was driven mad.

Some say that his madness attracted a fiend, some say that he summoned it himself, both could be true, or untrue. However, whatever the rumours of what summoned the creature from the hells to this fort, its rage and the battle to contain it destroyed the fort. Only a single tower and the walls remained amongst the once imposing compound, the rest was levelled.

Centuries later the town of Hildebek was built upon its ruins. The chunks of stone are the only indicator that there was something more once here. In an effort to protect themselves and maintain history they repaired the walls and tower and the rest was cleared. However, evil never truly sleeps when it is born from such darkness.


Entering Hildebek

Hildebek South Entrance – Created in nightcafe.

As the party enters the city they are greeted by nearly clear streets. The vast quietness and lack of people made it appear like something was wrong – and the moment they approached someone it was evident that something was.ย 

The residents of this town were a bunch of half asleep, exhausted people. Several people dozed off mid sentence only to wake up looking terrified. Finally one of the guards, an elf, pointed them towards the Lonely Buck Inn if they wanted to stay the night and noted a few key places in the town if they needed something. The elven man appeared to be fine, although his face was lined with worry instead of exhaustion.


PDF adventure – The Dreamless



Thanks for joining me tonight for another Zine. 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

The City of Temptation

Tonight and I have created another zine for… an adventure that was written a few weeks ago. The City of Temptation, Brightkeep, was once a devout city to Helm, now it has fallen into depravity. Can the party solve who is behind this and burn the disease of impurity from a once devout city or will they let chaos and corruption reign on the streets. This adventure can be used system agnostic as we explore other RPGs out there other than D&D. So please adjust to what ever 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 currently provides the stat-blocks for creatures in this adventure.

So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, The City of Temptation. If you like this format please let me know and I hope you enjoy.


The City of Temptation

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Brightkeep was once the toast of cities for its order, the way its nobility acted in a chivalrous manner as well as its knights. Over the years the knights, the Helms Watchers of Brightkeep have been instrumental in resolving all major conflicts in the region and even, with the aid of their secret order of warrior-spies the Shadows, some conflicts in more distant lands. However there has been a growing rot in the city that once was known for its pious and pristine reputation. Gone are the knights of shining order and justice and the nobles have fallen into a sickening depravity. In fact the city is known now to be a place where people can go to get whatever their dark desires are. 

The days in Brightkeep arenโ€™t bright anymore, and the nights are even darker.

Brightkeep

Brightkeep City – Created in nightcafe.

PDF adventure – The City of Temptation



Thanks for joining me tonight for another Zine. 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

The Devil in your dreams

Friday has come and with it brings another weekend where we can indulge in some tabletop time. Tonight we investigate The Devil in your dreams and what it looks like when it brings the fight to us. This is a bit of a stronger encounter but the creature itself isn’t overly powerful if engaged in an outright fight. So before I give away all the details let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!


The Devil in your dreams

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The Devil in your dreams

The Dream Devil is a simple creature. Not as powerful in magic or combat as some of its larger more imposing brethren it seeks to wear out its prey over days and weeks instead of moments of intense combat. Using its abilities to get its opponents to sleep it then targets them with more lethal attacks, believing that its able to win through its cunning rather than power.

It will try and disguise itself and have the party confused as to what they are dealing with. Utilising both its illusion magic and legendary actions it will begin to look like its opponents, or innocent creatures, before changing something subtle about the environment. If it can’t create an opening with illusion it will blanket the area in darkness, calm emotions or simply put many creatures to sleep in order to make its escape, set up its next attack or go in for the kill.

The Dream devil is a lethal combatant and even its touch has a potent magic on it. The most stalwart of warriors having to fight against the magical compulsion else they fall asleep.

Dream Devil – Created in Tetra-cube.


Another weekend has arrived and this week I don’t have anything planned for my tabletop, yet. I plan to make some more progress in the painting of my slaanesh army and hopefully finally catching up on some of the adventures I need to complete. But, don’t let this discourage you from your own weekend tabletop as you rally forth to adventure and beyond!

Don’t forget to come back this weekend as we explore more of this glorious hobby and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe