Fantasy

Oskarg & Platara

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This weeks adventure finds the party coming face to face with Oskarg & Platara, the two demi-gods of Platara, or so the people of the ice plains call them. These two figureheads rule over the frozen lands like king and queen, but they hide a dark secret. But before I reveal their back story this weekend let’s sit back and meet the numbers behind the names.

Oskarg & Platara

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The giant known as Oskarg is a deity to the people who live on the ice fields of Platara. Some think him immortal, a demi-god but only he and one other knows the truth. Oskarg sided with an ancient evil in a battle with heroes from a lost age, and he was defeated. In his rage and his refusal to accept defeat the great mage Andrasa cursed him to reside within the frozen lands and to guard an unholy site until he was relieved of his duty, or until he defeated the evil master that he once served. This time is still yet to come.

Oskarg – Created in tetra-cube.

Platara

The Winter wolf known as Platara is a marvel of the ice fields. There is always one Platara, no more and no less. Those who have claimed to have slain the wolf are visited by the creature on the next morning and walk away from the encounter changed.

Thought to be blessed by the land itself Platara guards the people from evil and from danger in exchange for the winter wolves of the ice plains being considered sacred animals. If even as little as one winter wolf is slain Platara will hunt down and challenge the murders to prove their worth in battle.

Platara – created in tetra-cube.

Thanks for dropping by tonight and getting a glimpse at Oskarg and Platara, this weeks combatants. However as I have mentioned a few times this week there is a choice to be made by the players. Confront the giant and wolf or not. I do have something up my sleeve for the alternative to fighting this formidable duo so you better come back again this weekend for more Tabletop Content. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage
The Brazen Wolfe

Inside the Ice Spire

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Tonight’s we get a look Inside the Ice Spire where we have a statue, a giant and a wolf. This week looks a bit cold and menacing but as I mentioned in yesterdays post; Secrets of the Spire, how this plays out is up to the party. So before we reveal anything more let’s sit down, grab a coffee and look at tonight’s map!

Inside the Ice Spire

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The walls of the room are sharp and harsh by they look like they are chipped back at jagged angles. A raised platform of ice, maybe 10 feet above the flat floor holds a statue that is in the stages of cracking and healing from a small trickle of water that drops from the roof above.

A smoother section of the wall lays behind the statue which looks like its purposefully been kept smooth and flat. Two large braziers shed flickering blue light around the room from either side of the statues platform from magical flames. Despite the room itself being well looked after and worn in places the hallway in has several different bones thrown against the wall and partially buried from snow that made its way down the hall.

Inside the Ice Spire – Created in Inkarnate.

The final map for the Platara Ice shelf, ice plains and ridge journey that the party has gone through. This week caps off the journey with a decision from the players on how this adventure goes. Will they confront the giant, the demi-deity of the glacier or will they head its threats and leave this place. Don’t forget to come back the next few days to see the outcome of this and the encounter that we crave. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Secrets Of The Spire

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This week the inside of the Ice spire reveals more than what was expected and the actual secrets of the Spire. However it’s been a hard road here and potentially the toughest fight is yet to come. So without any more time wasted let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!

Secrets Of The Spire

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Inside the Ice Spire – Created in Nightcafe.

The blood of the Winter Wolves still cooling on the ice outside the party moved towards the spire. An archway that nearly glowed with a blue light was carved into the side of the ice and the party wasn’t quite ready to wait around to see if there were more members to the pack. Despite being tired and cold, the party were pleased to find that inside the spire there was no wind and it even felt a bit warmer than outside.

After a hundred feet or so the hallway they were moving down opened up into a large dome with jagged ice walls. In the centre of the otherwise smooth flat room was a platform made from ice and a statue rose from the middle. The statue looked like it had parts broken from it as cracks in the ice had worn away at the appendages of what it used to be.

But the bulk of the statue appeared to be male, some would consider him attractive. With the damage around his arms, torso and hairline it was impossible to see what he would have looked like and as they drew closer to the statue it looked like a few drops of water would occasionally drip from the ceiling and freeze into the cracks forming on its torso, acting like glue to hold it all together.

“I will have to ask you to stop there and turn away. The power of this tower is not for little folk like you.” a loud masculine voice rolled over them like thunder. “So turn around and flee like the vermin that are drawn to power like you are.” The owner of the voice revealed himself, a large frost giant that had an uncanny resemblance to the statue that Jardi had made offerings to at the top of the Platara Ridge. A giant great axe that thrummed with power rested on the ground in front of him as he sat against the wall, a giant winter wolf lay at his feet and licked his jaws at the party.

“Like I told that bitch Andrasa, I don’t bow to no man or woman. I will continue my sacred duty and watch over this cursed place. So you run along now lest I cut you apart with Fjedrisil and feed you to Platara.” he said calmly as he scratched behind the wolf’s ears.

Thoughts

So this adventures conclusion is the encounter with demi-gods of the Platara ranges. The Party will ultimately decide the outcome whether its a fight or not, but there will be some more important dialogue to come as we perhaps understand a bit more bout the spires purpose, or maybe not. This part of the adventure is not guaranteed to give information out to the party. They have to role play to get what they seek and I am ready for it.

Thanks for visiting tonight as we glimpse the final stage of the Platara ice fields. Don’t forget that we have a few more nights of content this week and this weekend we are looking forward to wrapping up another few Zines. Also as the end of the week is approaching don’t forget to set aside some time for your own tabletop and lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Eyes in the ice

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The party approach the Ice Spire unaware of eyes in the ice. As they march forwards the spire a group of eyes spy an easy meal and something ancient watches the humanoids wander towards the spire of ice. So to uncover a bit more about the lurkers let’s grab a coffee and roll into tonights update!

Eyes in the Ice

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Dozens of eyes watched from the frozen cliff above the glacier eager and sparkling with hunger. Saliva dripped from white lips and froze mid air to form jagged sharp pillars that mirrored the spire before them. As the people walked towards the frozen spike the other members of the pack moved forward and began to climb down. The hungry creatures are drawn to hunt around the spire of ice as they had for many generations. But this hunt was different to the others.

Normally they hunt the corrupted and the tainted that were drawn to the shard of ice that rose from the ground. This time they were hunting something different, something warm who’s flavours danced upon their tongue from the air that they inhaled. The leader looked across the pack of winter wolves and it was filled with a sense of duty and belonging. But they weren’t quite winter wolves; they too, like the spire were something more than what they seemed.

The winter wolves found purchase in the steep ice cliff, using their sharp durable claws to carve paw-holds into the ice, rock and snow. As they began to close in on the people they let out their mournful hunting howls. Their prey heard the calls to the hunt too late.

But a darker, more sinister presence began to creep forward on ethereal winds towards the same humanoids. The people were only just now realising they were the prey and were forming battle-ready lines. But despite the adrenaline they felt they also felt something cast its eye upon them, something deeper. From beyond the veil an ancient evil stirred and watched eagerly as the guardians faced off against would be aggressors to their cause. The other guardians in the spire awoke and began to prepare for their sacred duty. The evil had long awaited this moment when the naïve tribes people were not around or had forgotten their ancient oaths.

That mage, Andrasa had discovered the truth of the spire and had attempted to seal the secrets of the spire away so none would be tempted for its power or wealth. But her wisdom was long forgotten and those that had fought with the mage in the battle so long ago were no longer around. Soon the wait would be over but only if the puppets played their part.

Thanks for joining me for a change in pace for the NPCs night. Don’t forget to come back each day this week to follow along and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Ice Spire

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Towering above the The Platara ice fields lies the Ice Spire. This monolith pierces the sky and is considered both sacred and forbidden by the tribespeople that call the glacier and fields of ice home. Not much is known about the Ice Spire only that it holds great significance and great danger. In order to find out about the Ice Spire we best sit back grab a coffee and roll into this weeks adventure!

The Ice Spire

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The Ice Spire – Created in Nightcafe

Leaving the glacier was a relief and the snow storm had died down after leaving the cave but what greeted them chilled them more than the winds could. A monolith of ice rose high above them nearly piercing the sky like a frozen spear. The Ice spire was both terrible and beautiful and as they stared more into its frozen form a pulse like energy could be felt.

The source of curiosity from Andrasa’s map held untold promise of what could lie within its chilled walls. The script on the map around the spire itself didn’t reveal anything about its construction, purpose or history but suggested it held great power and importance. Andrasa had studied it, this was clear and from the information that Lucile had given them on not only this place but the well of souls and deep dark also held such power.

Each place was obviously significant and in the shadow of the Ice Spire the party could not but wonder what lay within its frozen walls. With the howls of winter wolves nearby driving home the point that they were far from both civilisation and safety they began to trudge through the glacial walls and passages towards the Ice spire. However, as they progressed forwards something ancient and predatorial watched them eagerly as they moved across the ice sheets. After so long the promise of warmth was close yet not close enough as the sun rose across the glacier causing the light to refract from the spire of ice.

Thanks for joining me tonight for the last week of the adventure centred in Platara. Need I say that you shouldn’t forget to come back each day as we move forward with this adventure. Tomorrow we may have a visitor drop by and introduce themselves to the Party and after that, well you’ll have to find out. Don’t forget to look for the little adventures in every day life and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Tower of Andrasa

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Tonight and I have created a zine for this weeks adventure. The Tower of Andrasa. 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 Tower of Andrasa. If you like this format please let me know and I hope you enjoy.

The Tower of Andrasa

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Continuing on from the party finding the lost lore of Rastabar they eagerly return to Lucile Bendercliff. But while they think that the loose strings from their encounter on the streets outside of Rastabars Library, a separate interested party was close behind them.

While the airship was readied, the captain readied it for anything he had encountered before. With their trusted navigator already mapping the chart and consulting the map that Lucile was hastily sketching out, the party was nearly ready to go.

But would they get there too late?

The Tower of Andrasa – Created in Nightcafe

PDF adventure – The Tower of Andrasa

the-tower-of-andrasaDownload

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

Glacial Hazards

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After a relaxing but cold day with the family its safe to say not much was done on creating some overdue Zines. But the weather did inspire some Glacial hazards that may be encountered this week or even the next as the party delve through the glacier and onto the next part of the adventure. So while we warm up with a hot drink, coffee preferably, let’s sit down and roll into tonight’s adventure.

Glacial Hazards

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You may remember back to last year where I had a series of adventures that took place out in the cold snow. This look at expanding some of the concepts from that adventure from over a year ago which goes to show that the reusability of D&D material is near limitless.

The first few things I want to explore are around the weather. Limited and reduced visibility; partial cover to all creatures and disadvantage on perception checks, Increased exhaustion rate and reduced speed; as exposure to the elements set in, and finally something more prevalent in a maze of walls of ice (such as a glacier), getting lost.

If you want to really spice up this adventure for the party I would consider implementing a snow storm as they go through the glacier, reducing visibility (cant see past 30 feet) and granting disadvantage on perception checks due to the sound and volume of snow. The ground becomes harder to walk on due to the wind tunnels the walls glacial walls produce as well as maybe the roughest one. Every few, maybe 3, roll a constitution saving throw vs 10+Hours exposed to the elements. If they fail they get a level of exhaustion. If they pass then they are fine until the next check. If they take shelter and can stay warm and dry then this will offset the DC increase and perhaps even extend the time between the checks. But once exhausted its hard thing to shake off over night.

The next few things are other ideas that can spice up the adventure.

Breaking Ice

A sudden twang as a crack in the ice forms. The sound of the breaking ice is the only warning before the creature falls into an expanding hole under the ice they were walking on.

DC14 Dexterity saving throw or they fall through the ice. A successful saving throw has them fall prone next to the hole. How deep the hole goes is really up to you. It could be a fall of five or ten feet or it could go indefinitely. How this takes you and the party is up to you and it can be versatile and exciting how it can be used.

Slip Risk

Walking let alone moving at speed on slick, smooth ice is never easy. But when fighting nightmarish cannibal undead it becomes a battle on its own.

The area around this slick part of ice is considered difficult terrain. But it doesn’t hamper the ability to traverse it but merely any creature moving at a normal pace must make a DC12 dexterity saving throw or fall prone. Once prone it takes a creature’s full movement to get back up safely, or if they roll a successful DC14 dexterity saving throw they can get up expending only half their movement.

Extreme Cold

More than just exhausted, the exposure to the elements was chilling to the bone and the party members’ fingers began to go numb and darken as the flesh froze.

Unless the creature is immune or resistant to cold damage, roll a DC12 Con save every time they take a rest or move through weather for more than two hours. If they fail they take 1d6 cold damage and their hit point maximum is reduced by that much. A long rest away from the cold will restore 1d6 hp to their maximum total which can’t exceed their normal total.

Thanks for exploring a frozen layout for this weeks Saturday musings. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for some more D&D content and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage.
The Brazen Wolfe

Frozen Predators

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The Platara Glacier is home to some hardy fauna, and flora for that matter but a recent incursion of creatures, the Frost Walker, poses a new threat. This week the Party meet the Frost Walker as it prepares to feast on the stolen tribespeople. So let’s sit back and meet this undead menace!

Frozen Predators

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The Frost walker is a new to the list of frozen predators that stalk the Platara Plains and glacier. These undead resemble gaunt undead with descending jaws. Much like Ghouls and ghasts but these creatures seem to permeate a frost that seeps through armour. Many of their kind have two long arms that end in vicious hooked claws and a secondary set of arms that are for gripping prey as they climb the icy cliffs.

Strong, fast and durable these creatures are excellent stalkers and silent. They grab prey and will drag them to their dens where they can let terror ‘soften the meat’.

Frost Walker – Created in tetra-cube.

Thanks for visiting tonight and sticking with the adventure this week. This weekend will finally be a quiet one at home so let’s see if I can push through a few Zines this weekend. So don’t forget to come back this weekend for more Tabletop Content and lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage
The Brazen Wolfe

Platara Glacier

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Tonight’s we get a look at the Platara glacier as well as the encounter for this week. While not as terrifying as a Remorhaz this weeks encounter is still not pleasant and the mood should reflect that. So without talking it up too much let’s sit down, grab a coffee and look at tonight’s map!

Platara Glacier

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Platara Glacier – created in Nightcafe.

The footprints lead into the glacier itself, in the distance the wind howling through the steep cliffs made from carved ice mixed with distant screams. Or was it the wind that was making it sound like someone in pain or scared?

Following the tracks deeper into the frozen hell scape the party came across a cave, nearly hidden in the endless walls of ice and sediment. The muffled sounds of activity could be heard from within but otherwise it was cold and quiet. That was until the sound of claws on ice from within the dark cave could be heard.

Platara Glacier Wanderer Cave – created in Inkarnate.

Thanks for joining me tonight for this weeks encounter map! Another cave, I know twice in a row, sort of, but this week is a bit different. We have a deeper ice cave, some new creatures and missing villagers to find. All in a days work for a DM! But don’t forget to still come back daily to continue this adventure with me as we explore the Platara plains, the glacier and eventually the spire together. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Echoes From The Glacier

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As the party rest and feast after what feels like days of hard travel through ice they are interrupted by echoes from the glacier. Before they can react though the tribe leader has an announcement. So without any more reveals let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!

Echoes From The Glacier

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The food that was piled upon the table consisted of meat from animals that lived in the frozen plains. However there were the occasional tough and fibrous vegetable that the tribe informed them grew near the mountain peaks. Goats, snow leopards and even seals were on the menu and everything was heavily salted.

According to the tribe the further north they travelled the land descended towards the sea where food was much more plentiful. However tribal law prevented them from staying there too long lest they consume all the food source. As the party were regaled with tales of a giant sea beast that the tribe had attempted to hunt once the tribal leader, Fenwick, stood suddenly.

The tent fell silent as all faces turned to him and he slowly turned to the east. “I fear,” he began as he closed his eyes and focused more, “I fear that the feast is now over. Something approaches across the ice towards us that threatens the safety of this tribe. Please ensure your belongings are packed and ready to move at a moment’s notice. We leave at dawn unless sooner for none shall rest tonight.” he spoke as he refocused his eyes towards his tribe’s people.

A shrill shriek resounded from outside and several warriors from the tribe rushed out. Following them the Party was greeted by the sight of the warriors searching around a watch tower where a series of foot prints and drag marks lead into the distance. It wasn’t long until the calls for lost loved ones echoed around the camp and as the first flecks of snow started to descend upon the plains the decision had to be made.

Abandon the lost tribesmen or follow the footprints before they were lost to the snow.

Thoughts

So this week is about the journey to the next step of the adventure. That is how do we get to the spire. I believe sometime the first place to start is to have a meaningful hook to propel them forward and the prospect of missing children or family members of a befriended people is a reliable way to get the party motivated.

Thanks for visiting tonight to get another glimpse at where this adventure is going this week. Don’t forget that I have more in store for you this week so make sure you come back daily. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe