Encounter Map

The Queens Tomb

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Tonight and I have created a zine, the eighth of the new year. As I still continue to play catch-up on these zines you may find one or two of them pumped out in a weekend. But regardless of that I hope you are finding the current format of this Zine useful. So without any further waiting I present, The Queens Tomb, in the same format, as a fun one-shot to assist GMs.

As always 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, The Queens Tomb, and that your rolls are made with advantage.

The Queens Tomb

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The Den of Thieves – Created in nightcafe.

The party had travelled as part of a caravan heading to the desert town of Thone as part of an easy job, escorting the merchant Kollen to the town so he could sell his wares and travel deeper through the trade route. But once arriving there the party were left in the dust as Kollen departed with another group of mercenaries who offered something that they didn’t. Knowledge of the sands and a lower price.

Talking to the merchants in the town, and the residence they found the best place to get work in Thone was the Den of Thieves. Anyone who is looking for mercenaries goes there first and it was the easiest way that they would get paid to leave this town. 

The Den of Thieves was at the edge of town and guarded quite well. The Denizens of the dunes stayed away from the town due to the other fortifications and the ruthless efficiency at which the Den of Thieves dispatched those looking to make trouble.

Norturi of the Dead Sands – in Den of thieves – Created in Nightcafe.

The Party had sat down and enjoyed the remarkable iced beer that the establishment had to offer – something that a gnomish smith had created that produced a beer that was nearly as cold as ice. Sitting amongst the other occupants of the building the vast majority of them were quickly identified as being in here for their own gain. Several gangs called this place home and several nearby were boasting about their poor previous employer who they left in the sands poorer than what they found him. 

The door swung open revealing the darkening of the sky outside, the party had been in here for hours waiting for the chance of a job. The shadow at the door slunk in on nimble and experienced feet. A Tabaxi, one that had seen quite a number of things by the looks of it, stood at the door and watched the room – looking for a mark. Smiling, she slunk forward and turned just before reaching the party sitting next to the rougher group. 

After a few moments of low murmurs the woman stood and walked to the bar, grabbing a drink before turning and, for whatever reason she stalked past the group with a simple “I’ve changed my mind boys, sorry for my interruption” before standing in front of the party.

The rough mercenaries looked disappointed before smiling “Ah Lady luck will see us meet again in the future then Norturi – hopefully next time then.” before leaving with a few coppers on the table as a barmen came and cleaned up the empty tankards. 

“Hi, I’m Norturi – a studier of ancient lore and I find myself in need of an escort to where I think a lost treasure is. What say you? Are you looking for some quick and maybe easy work?”

The Dead sands at night – Created in Nightcafe.

Moving ahead at night with the bright moon illuminating the dunes wasn’t an issue. The party left through one of the many, many side exits of the Den of Thieves as Norturi didn’t want to risk being seen as they left.

The Sand at night was cool and the party found themselves surprisingly cold – the layers of cloth that Norturi wore finally made sense to the party as they shivered in the desert cold. 

However they weren’t the only ones that were walking amongst the dunes in the moonlight.

PDF adventure – The Queens Tomb

the-queens-tombDownload

Thanks for joining me today for another Zine this year. As usual there is a lot more in the Zine than there was in the daily updates on this blog – 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

A Basement in Yole

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Not really a catchy-snappy name but a basement in Yole is just what it is, a basement in Yole. This hideout is a staging ground for some of the attacks from the Cult of the Dragonslayer and as such – the party will get to see it this week.

So instead of me giving you a walkthrough of the establishment as if I was a realtor let’s grab a coffee, sit back and roll into tonight’s adventure.

A Basement in Yole

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Yole Basement: Hidden – created in Inkarnate

Dirty wooden flooring, poor lighting and much more are the hallmarks of most lairs for cults and this week is no exception. With the main room having limited to no lighting and a secret false-wall behind a shelf there is a bit to discover here. Crates and boxes fill one half of the room which are filled with various tools and instruments that are crucial to the plans of the Cult of the Dragonslayer but the small ones are the dangerous ones. Each small box is filled with vials of alchemist fire which, as a volatile liquid goes, will mean that the tinder in this half of the room could be lethal.

Yole Basement: Base – Created in Inkarnate.

The secret door being revealed will show a few chests which are filled with support from members. The cult uses these supplies to fuel their campaign of fear and so they keep them hidden – mostly. The old rugs could hide traps under near – trip wires or bear-like traps would work well in this room however it could just be that they like a bit of luxury near their chests of coin and other wealth.

Not too many overlapping textures this week, about three, but the use of light, shadow and also tints gives the map the desired effect. Having a quick ‘make a clone’ of the map to reveal the secret room is a nice touch something quick and easy that can help describe the scene or show it for the party.

Thanks for joining me tonight for another map night. Nothing too complicated tonight for a nice small map with a bit of complexity. Don’t forget that the remaining nights this week we are expanding this adventure further so make sure to come back for that and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

To hunt the Grag’s game

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Tonight and I have created a zine, the seventh of the new year. As I still continue to play catch-up on these zines you may find one or two of them pumped out in a weekend. But regardless of that I hope you are finding the current format of this Zine useful. So without any further waiting I present, To hunt the Grag’s game, in the same format, as a fun one-shot to assist GMs.

As always 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, To hunt the Grag’s game, and that your rolls are made with advantage.

To hunt the Grag’s game

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Grag Town – Created in nightcafe.

The Town of Grag, not a very imaginative name as it was named after the series of stony mountains and pillars that it was built near. History would say that the mountains and jagged stony peaks were created from the ribs and shattered bones of a great and colossal creature or a god that fell in the land but none can be sure. 

The land itself is harsh, untamed and flooded with dangerous beasts and monsters – hence the township sprung up. Attracting the most foolhardy and brave of the lands hunters, the hunting lodge is the main, and only, attraction of the town. Acting as a central hub for all hunting that occurs within the Grag – the mountains and stones beyond.

Drawn here to the hunting competitions the party find themselves at the lodge, a kind of inn-come-guild hall.

The Dusty Grag Hunting Lodge – Created in Nightcafe.

El’thirnol approached the party once the rest of the hunters had left in a hurry, pulling up a chair he sat down and signalled a barmaid to bring over. “I will cut to the point. Callum is a liar and risks giving the hunters of Grag Town a bad name. There are many adventurers, hunters and would-be glory seekers that are present here who could never return if and when Callums lies catch up to him. I want to pay you, in advance of course, the prize money if I can provide  guidance to you as to where the eggs would be and if you can beat that man to this prize, I will pay you again in full.” the elf stated before the flask of wine was set in front of him and several other drinks that the party would enjoy. 

“But I wish to test if my instincts are correct. If you can bring me back a single beast from the Grag I will take that as proof of your worth. But time is short, if we have an accord we shall depart shortly. I have a quarry and a wager I do not wish to lose.”

PDF adventure – To hunt the Grag’s game

to-hunt-the-grags-gameDownload

Thanks for joining me today for another Zine this year. As usual there is a lot more in the Zine than there was in the daily updates on this blog – 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

Ironwood Forest Path

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A nice easy map tonight with the Ironwood Forest Path which is where the main, potentially, encounter will be for this week. Not wanting to spend hours on a map I decided that a simple, small encounter map would be good enough for tonight. And, also good enough to suit the purposes of meeting Kevin Bruce this week.

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

Ironwood Forest Path

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Ironwood Forest Path – Created in Inkarnate.

The canopy and clouds above gave the ground a patchy and mottled appearance. The dense bushes were smattered with flowering plants, occasional berries but also a richer, deeper and greener grass. It was evident that there were a few paths that moved through the forest in different directions. However, there was a heavy oppressive feeling in the air which made travelling through the Ironwood forest tense to say the least.

About five overlapping painted textures form the basis of tonight’s map with layered plants overhead. This gives the forest a busy vibe while still having space for the clearing in the middle of the map. the other thing with this map is its scaled for 8″ by 11″ which is, the size of an A4 sheet of paper. This will enable me to print this off and have it, and other such maps, on the tabletop if printed with a decent printer. This is a cheap and effective way to get a battle map on the table for your gaming group.

Thanks for joining me tonight for another map night. A simple one that will have many re-uses over the next few years. But this isn’t the final piece of the puzzle and there is still another night, or two, to come so don’t forget to come back and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Hunger at Hawkcreek

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Tonight and I have created a zine, the sixth of the new year. As I still continue to play catch-up on these zines you may find one or two of them pumped out in a weekend. But regardless of that I hope you are finding the current format of this Zine useful. So without any further waiting I present, Hunger at Hawkcreek, in the same format, as a fun one-shot to assist GMs.

As always 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, Hunger at Hawkcreek, and that your rolls are made with advantage.

Hunger at Hawkcreek

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Hawkcreek Main Road – Created in Nightcafe.

The Famished are a blight upon the existence of the living. Drawn to energies of excess and creatures fulfilling their needs and desires these creatures feed off the residual energy as a way of fuelling the fire that is their life force. Drawn to places of mirth and debauchery alike it is no wonder that inns, taverns and less reputable establishments can attract these creatures in the dozens. 

However such creatures can not exist without torment and so the taint of fear, misery and loss needs to be great to summon them from the planes. A cursed existence is what it means to be one of The Famished as they will nearly never become sated and will always want for more. 

Those Famished ones that do achieve a mote of contentment will become Sated, bloated and a new swollen form will appear. By consuming enough residual energy they can create a new form and in doing so a new being is created. However being a cursed creature it means that wherever they go the famished are drawn to them. As being sated means being filled with mirth, contentment and not being hungry for any more. So the Sated seeks out places to create the perfect situation to create a new stated one in the attempts that the famished that follow them like hungry gulls do not tear down the new form they have managed to create. 

This is the endless cycle of the Sated and the Famished ones as they seek, devour and destroy themselves for eternity.

This is the endless cycle of the Sated and the Famished ones as they seek, devour and destroy themselves for eternity. 

PDF adventure – Hunger at Hawkcreek

hunger-at-hawkcreekDownload

Thanks for joining me today for another Zine this year. As usual there is a lot more in the Zine than there was in the daily updates on this blog – 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

Mellandra’s Keep

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Tonight we have a special map where I had a fair bit of fun playing with overlapping textures while creating Mellandra’s Keep. Now not so much a keep as a tower… the rest of the keep lies off the focal point of the adventure this week. While it can be explored the main interest comes when they investigate the tower itself and what lies within and below the waves.

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

Mellandra’s Keep

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Mellandra’s Keep: Low Tide – Created in Inkarnate.

The cooling winds push back the heat from the tropical sun as the spray from the ocean cools the faces of those who approach the tower. The waves lap at their feet as they hop, step and jump over the chunks of debris lay about the sand as they approach where the keep lies.

The large hole in the wall, a testament to an attack from a foe or the waves long ago. The pit that was carved into the rock beneath the waves contains a lot of moving, cool water which appears to be unnaturally dark. However, upon inspection the sand beneath can be seen occasionally from above indicating its not that deep.

Stone walls, ruins, rocky hills and debris make up the focal point of this weeks map. Overlapping paint sets to create the sand, the well of water and pools on top of the rocky perch. The waves and multiple layers within; transparent sand, stone, wavy-sea and deep water, gives a depth to the ocean that I think brings out a chaotic vibe that I appreciate.

Thanks for joining me for another night at my tabletop. Don’t forget that we will expand this adventure, and perhaps some more maps in the Zine. So don’t forget to come back and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Avermeet Agitators

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Tonight and I have created a zine, the fifth of the new year. It’s a little late as I continue to play catch-up but I hope that you are finding the now normal format of this Zine useful. So without any further waiting I present, The Avermeet Agitators, in the same format, as a fun one-shot to assist GMs.

As always 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, The Avermeet Agitators, and that your rolls are made with advantage.

The Avermeet Agitators

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Avermeet Caves – Created in Nightcafe.

The party huddled around the job board at the Fogmourne Tavern and wondered what they were doing here, not for the first time this week. A few odd jobs had held them here for the week but the work was getting thin or repetitive.  

“Forgive me for asking,” a voice began from behind them which belonged to Rufos, the innkeeper for where they had been staying. “I have a job that’s just come through and instead of tacking it to the board I’d wondered if you’d be interested. The Lord of the Avermeet has an issue that he needs sorting. The messenger produced seals to allow safe passage to those who wanted to help him. You just have to travel to Calewan which is on the other side of the Avermeet Forest from here.” he paused for a moment. “If you do decide to help, the messenger said it was urgent. So you’d best decide fast”

Fogmourne Tavern – Created in Nightcafe.

The party made their way to Calewan after little to no delays or issues on the road. The escort with several Avermeet Guard and the dwindling population of the wildlife in the forest made it somewhat safe to travel through. 

Entering the small city they were escorted to the keep first instead of any of the other buildings. Not surprising given that they were currently considered suspects of the poaching. As they moved through the hallways of the keep several people looked at them including a well dressed man, probably a noble. The man quickly greeted Bareth in a friendly manner and watched the party from the corner of his eyes.. 

“Lord Stoneleaf, Bareths Uncle.” Kirili offered as they watched the exchange and they were shown to a room, rather than cells. However, the door did lock from the outside which sealed them in with no ways out of the room as the windows were closed and barred. They were given food, not the best but definitely a few rungs higher than trail rations as they waited for an audience with the lord of the city.

The following morning they were brought to the Lord who looked at them with embarrassment. 

“It seems we may have made a hasty mistake in assuming your guilt in poaching from the Avermeet. However my advisor, Lord Stoneleaf, has made a convincing point that you were found in the act of actively poaching in the forest. However, this has since been cleared up as a misunderstanding as Kirili has vouched for your innocence. If you are indeed the ones who we sent out for you must have evidence of such.” the Lord said. Sitting at the large table that was in the small meeting room.

PDF adventure – The Avermeet Agitators

the-avermeet-agitatorDownload

Thanks for joining me today for another Zine this year. As usual there is a lot more in the Zine than there was in the daily updates on this blog – 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

Sand Queens Lair

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Tonight we wrap up one of the several encounter maps I have planned for this Zine with the Sand Queens Lair. Tonight is the, well, “last map” of the adventure this week. This gives us quite a few maps for a one-shot but that’s for a very good reason, we will see this in the Zine for this adventure.

So without any further waiting, let’s sit back, grab a hot coffee and roll into tonight’s content.

Sand Queens Lair

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The sand underfoot shifted as they walked through a mixture of tunnels dug through sandstone walls and ancient carved hallways. The latter is what they had just been exploring before they entered what could only be described as a cavern. The light flittered through holes in the roof that shifted as the sand above them gradually fell through these holes.

This created pockets of darkness and steep walls of sand against the rocky walls that reached dozens of feet to the cavern roof. The sand had been pushed against the wall, or flattened to the wall with a rough solid path in the middle of a few halls. The signs of the Ant-like humanoids were everywhere and as they moved deeper into the cavern it was revealed why.

In a pillar of light sat a huge monstrosity that watched them with eagre eyes. A giant antoid with a swollen egg sack that took up most of the back of this cavern. The queen regarded them with almost a regal presence, watching them with an intelligence that was not yet seen amongst all of the antoids that they had seen thus far.

Sand Queens Lair – Created in Inkarnate

That’s it for tonight. I hope you enjoyed the secondary map tonight. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Dead Sands Tomb

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As we face a scorcher here in my home town today what could be more suitable than the blistering desert and the entrance to the Dead Sands Tomb. But this isn’t all for this weeks adventure as we line up for a bi of a bigger one again.

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

Dead Sands Tomb

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Entrance to the Dead Sands Tomb – Created in Inkarnate.

The shifting sands twist across the desert without much hope for shade of comfort. The moderate dunes are quick to shift and change as they are chaotic as the ancient magic that birthed the desert itself. This means that maps that rely on the topography of the land, or land marks are nearly useless as you need to navigate by the stars and distance rather than locations.

These sands however are host to a great variety of hardy wildlife. Beetles, snakes, some mammals and birds as well as snakes and other insects call this place home. Some of them are even large enough to regard the party as prey rather than fellow survivors of the sands.

As normal a few overlapping widgets with some light blending of different paint textures. Not as much blending today as I wanted to give the desert and ‘endless parch’ feel and the images within are rather simple. But I do have something else planned so watch this space for that part.

Thanks for joining me the map making night. A quick and easy one without many complications which shouldn’t distract from the party or the goal of this week. But we’re not done yet so don’t forget tomorrow we reveal some critters, some thieves and maybe more in which we are encountering this week. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Hunting for the Nest

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The party is once again schlepping through a forest but this time they are hunting for the nest that will grant them moderate riches. Or, it will grant them an early retirement through death. Not known for their welcoming nature the inhabitants of this forest, griffons, wyverns, “tritnols” and more, are vicious and unrelenting when defending their nests. But that’s the price of hunting for the nest at the centre of this adventure.

So as with other nights, let’s grab a coffee, sit back and roll into tonight’s adventure.

Hunting for the Nest

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The Hunting Grounds – Created in Inkarnate.

The thick vegetation, large collapsed trees and rocky outcrops making it difficult to navigate in a straight line the party, and other nest seekers, have to brave the climb up the hills or the steep ascent where there is little cover from the predators in these hills.

With some trees providing a perch or a useful way up to a higher ledge this climb isn’t without its shortcuts but even these can have their perils. Rocky, craggy hills are prone to hiding reptiles, insects or arachnids that call these holes and crevices home. One wrong foot, or hand placed in the wrong hole and you may get more than you bargained for.

With each ledge being 20 feet into the air and the nest itself sitting 80 feet up only a fool would climb that without a ledge to rest on. A fool or those trained in mountaineering that is.

Mixing craggy hills and cliffs to give it an uneven jutting appearance at certain steps hopefully gives more depth of height for the hills. The trees add in cover, ways to climb and boost as well as places to jump to if required. There are several things you can do with a tree. The fallen trees provide cover, could be shelter or a place to hide and the one between the cliffy-craggy hills could be used to walk or climb across. As always multiple layers with varying transparency make up tonight’s map as blending the transparent backgrounds produces the nicer looking maps.

Thanks for joining me the map making night this week. A forest one again – nice and easy with few challenges this one was a nice and relaxing map make. Don’t forget tomorrow we reveal some beasties to encounter this week and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe