Fantasy

Ambush at dusk

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Tonight we expand our adventure forward by looking at the two trigger points for this weeks Soulbound adventure. This weeks pivot starts with an ambush at dusk and devolves into a frantic race and struggle to survive. Intrigued? Well sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s writeup.

Ambush at dusk

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The party sailed low in the small airship, a modified grundstock gunhauler, as it head towards the edge in the direction Lord Brighthammer had sent them. The light of Hysh was high in the sky when they saw ruined research outpost that they had been flying towards. Setting down near a relatively intact tent, that wasn’t completely riddled with bolt or arrow holes and large gashes they threw a large length of cloth over the kharadron vessel to keep it from being discovered easily, as metal tends to attract the wrong typoe of attention in these lands.

Searching the outpost they didn’t find the remnants of the people posted here, nor the guard that was meant to stand watch but evidence of them being here was everywhere. The binding found a few vials of Aqua Ghyranis which they stockpiled for later and eventually found a barricaded door.

Forcing their way in they found what looked like the remains of the scouting team, cut to ribbons in the cruellest of ways. But what was more shocking was that they had all their belongings and supplies still on them.

Visitation

The beating of large wings drew them to take a defensive position inside the doorway but a familiar, yet surprising and unwelcome, voice called out through the camp. The Dawn Keeper had flown here on his two headed griffon and was looking for the party. When he saw them the amber mage’s face lit up with glee as he raced to greet them.

“Boy am I happy to see you. And I see you have found the scouts. I do apologise but time is short. Lord Brighthammer has sent me here to retrieve the Amberbone as quickly as possible. The Orruks are massing and we have no time to waste. Sigmar is bringing down his stormcast but we fear it may be too little. We need the amberbone to guarantee our success and my griffon is blessed with Ghurian magic. It will get the amberbone quickly.” he said as he looked around for the amberbone.

Not taking no for an answer the ruler of the Dawnbringer crusade grabbed the amberbone and clambered onto his griffon, barking out gutteral words that made the hair on the back of the bindings neck stand on edge. The griffon shrieked with primal energy as it took to the sky and flew off at great speeds towards the centre.

Ambush at dusk

Watching the mage go the glint of steel flashed from a nearby peak and a bolt of metal and wood slammed into the griffons side. A mass of feathers and meat fell to the ground and the Keeper with it. However within a few seconds the form of the falling battlemage shifted as he took on a primal shape as wings sprouted from his back and he darted low and into the setting sun.

I was evident that there was something on a nearby hill that had its great weapons trained on the skies. The binding could risk take off and hope that the setting sun protect them or wait a few hours until the light from Hysh had vanished. But there was no telling what lay in wait in the hills or what had killed the scouts within the outpost. Regardless of the choice the binding was in for a tough decision and potentially many tough days to come ahead.

Thanks

Thank you for joining me tonight as we continue on with our Soulbound adventure. Tonight I wanted to capture the essence of the adventure, discovery, tough decisions and overall danger. I have added elements of risk into each action or outcome this week and I want the players to feel that. The world of warhammer, and by extension soulbound, is a cruel and unforgiving space and there are more sad stories than happy ones. It’s now upto the power of the binding, and their choices, if this ends up being a happer one or a sad one.

So to end the night I wish to say thanks for joining me for another day but there is more to come. Tomorrow night I look at maps and the extra things that make it just so right. Friday and the weekend we have our encounters and, hopefully our writeup for this adventure. So to aid you in this week, I wish to grant you a bonus to all save rolls. Perhaps that extra chance to shrug off something aiming for a weak spot will come in handy for you, perhaps not. But having it is nice regardless,
The Brazen Wolfe

Lord Brodderick Brighthammer

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Tonight we continue the soulbound week by exploring who Brodderick Brighthammer is, Lord Castellant from the Stormcast Eternals. Being part of the dawn bringer crusade, or merely assisting the battlemage who works with him to command the forces of order is a big job. Which is why a Lord Castellant is in charge. So sit back ,sip on some coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s update.

Lord Brodderick Brighthammer

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The binding stood in front of him as he looked over a map before him. The current camp was just a small marker on the large parchment that lay before him and it was surrounded by miles of rolling hills, vast forests and rocky mountains – Ghur. Somewhere out in the hills towards the edge was the last known direction the scouts were heading. It is also the where the last message had come from raven to notify the crusade of a potential threat – a gathering of orruks.

Brodderick rubbed his brow, causing his sigmarite plate to clank as the binding stood silent in front of him. He turned towards them, Gwen, Brung and Kathe who had just joined. Ymran stood at the edge of the doorway and listened but kept a watchful eye outside the tent. “As you would know we have a growing warband of Orruks milling in the hills a few hours towards the edge from here. That is also the last known position of the scouts we sent out.” he paused as Brung cleared his throat as if to talk, the impatient arkanaut admiral was used to getting his way. But before he could get his words out the Dawn Keeper spoke, the battlemage who was charged with the success of the crusade.

The Dawn Keeper…

“Lord Brighthammer. We don’t even know if they survived or not. I wont have you risk more of my men by sending them on this foolish mission” the battlemage practically spat, the influence of Ghur influencing his connection with the amber winds of magic.

“Keeper, I am not asking you to risk your men. I have a mission for the binding who are small enough to slip by without being noticed yet powerful enough to handle just about anything Ghur will throw at them.” he paused as he stared down the mage, the smell of ozone wafting through the air.

“Aye, I thought that would be the case. But as the Keeper said, why risk going after scouts that are likely dead.?” Brung asked, Kathe stared daggers down at her companion.

“Amongst those scouts was one who had a different mission. I received word a few days ago that there had been a research outpost that had gone quiet. I sent the scouts there to find out why and recover what they could.” he paused again and held up a hand to cut off the Dawn Keepers oncoming tirade. “They reported that they had found a cache of amberbone. Enough that if it fell into enemy hands it would spell out demise. I need that amberbone retrieved.” the Lord castellant spoke. The Keepers eyes bulged in his head as the possibilities rushed forth into his mind.

Change of attitude

“Well.. Why didn’t you say so. You can have the gryph knights – they will retrieve these stones for you” the battlemage said as he got ready to summon his retinue.

“No. If the scouts last messages were true then we are in imminent danger. The gryph knights will be needed here. They also draw too much attention. No I think the binding is the best bet.” the castellant said as he looked away from the Dawn Keeper and towards the party. “We really need your strength on this.” he said quietly as the battlemage started rambling to himself whilst flicking through a tome.

Created in night.cafe studio
Created in Artbreeder

Well that sets the scene for our party as we move onwards with soulbound. Tonight we looked at the hook for the party to sally forth out of the safety of the camp, explored some dangers and met both Lord Brighthammer and the Dawn Keeper. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more Soulbound content and I grant you further rerolls to ensure that you don’t miss,
The Brazen Wolfe

Gathering Storm

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Tonight we start the first week where I focus on Soulbound and the Gathering Storm that is occurring in Ghur. With one more character to be introduced from the story (or playthrough Zine) all we have left is the rest of the adventure. Not much right? So sit back, grab a coffee and let’s roll into it.

Gathering Storm

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The Orruks gathered around the hills and rocky formations. Calling out to the Gork and Mork in their frenzied battle cries they feasted on the beasts they had hunted during the day. Despite the festivities and the humans that had camped nearby they held back from a fight as the cunning shamans had a plan, one most cunning.

The humans relied on their scouts to tell them the lay of the land, but the sudden appearance of Kruleboyz and the shamans that they brought with them gave them pause to think. And think they did. As the Kruleboyz pet sloggoths dragged the gargantuan bow to the peak of a hill they waited and continued to rally, gathering in force until their warrgh couldn’t sustain itself. Despite their frenzy they still managed to contain their urge to fight. Soon the trap would be sprung and then the humans would be ripe for the slaughter and the boyz would be ready.

The plan

The sloggoth placed the large crossbow on the hill and the lanky kruleboy orruks strode up to its side. Placing a large cruel hand on its flank the sloggoth moved away to cower elsewhere as the boss looked at the fine machine. Bolts as large as a ships mast were brought up by hobgrots. These bolts were large enough to take down even stardrakes or their lesser kin the draconith, but their target was something else.

Rumours of flying wizards and the cursed soulbound had come to them through a source. This bow would be trained on the skies waiting for the elite warriors and leaders of the forces of order to rally forth, then it would be too late to turn back.

With the party potentially riding out into a trap we find ourselves with a question. What does this weeks adventure hold for our members of the binding. We will continue to unravel this adventure as the week continues so don’t forget to come back and check in. And while we look at a different system I think its a good reminder that there are more than one great TTRPG.

There are many in fact and I hope to gradually explore several of them, and who knows what the future holds. So I will leave you with a thirst to look outwards and explore and finally a blessing or rerolls to ensure that you don’t miscast,
The Brazen Wolfe

Gwen Hart

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Tonight I want to look at another member of the binding, Gwen Hart our battlemage of light. Quick to forgive and think of the best in people her reasons for joining the binding are plain to see. She wants to use her magic to protect and aid the heroes that are guarding the dawn bringer crusade.

Gwen Hart – the Battlemage

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Gwen looked back towards Kate and worried. Despite her training preparing her for tough decisions and situations she was unsure how to help the stoic Stormcast. Brung was easy to read, he missed his ship and would rather be amongst the cloud rather than on the ground. But no matter how much she plied he wouldn’t go into his reasons for joining the binding. Ymran was also difficult to read and, if she was honest with herself the presence of the aelf made her uncomfortable. In reading up on the Idoneth deepkin she know that they were ripped from the Chaos god Slaanesh and no amount of purity or redemption would heal that stain.

Perhaps that’s why Ymran was quiet around her, maybe he senses the light she brought and shied from it. She shrugged outwardly and smiled at the dawners as they moved around camp, packing up tents and moving them to the large armoured wagons as they prepared to move tomorrow for the final stretch. As she walked her staff gave a soft glow of dawn that seemed to lift the spirits of the people in the dawn bringer crusade. It pleased her that her presence, like Kates, was was something that brought people hope.

But the talk of the greenskins had her worried. The early reports had indicated that there were pockets where undead mingled and gathered. But the gryph-knights had dealt with them quickly enough. But now the prospect of a warrgh had her anxiety grow. She just wished that her companions would show a similar emotion as they moved towards the command tent. Beyond this path lay the source of her anxiety.

Lord Brodderick Brighthammer, a Lord Castellant from the Stormcast Eternals Hammers of Sigmar and a battlamage lie within the canvas tent. She had no fear in front of these warriors as they all sought the light that she brought and that guided them onwards. But there was something that unnerved her about the griffon that the battlemage rode on. There was something wild and predatorial in the eyes of that beast that she couldn’t even home to tame.

Searching for the spirit guardian that had followed her since she graduated from the towers of eight winds she spotted the Golden eagle perched on a tent nearby. Flying through the material to land on her staff it cooed down at her as she gave it affection.

What ever was wrong with that griffon she would uncover it and look to cure it.

Character Sheet

Gwen-Hart-Battlemage-LightDownload

Well that’s it for tonight and for Gwen, for now. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the end of week writeup (hopefully another Zine). As we are at the end of the week I hope you had time to spend some time on the tabletop. If not I hope you plan for it soon. Don’t forget next week we have more content so come back for that. And, as always don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Update to Brung Ironsoul

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Just a very small Update to Brung Ironsoul today to announce that Brungs Character sheet has been uploaded now.

Using the free-form character rules and trying to capture the character and personality of him from my head I used a mixture of resources. The Core Soulbound rules, Champions of orders and Steal and Steel books.

This enabled me to customise the character and create the Arkanaut Admiral archetype that is represents what I think the Warhammer Age of Sigmar model would be able to do.

To recreate the Character I think the below steps would be necessary.

To create this though I whipped up a template for the KO archetype. Font for the typed in content (equipment) was Arial size 16, seemed to blend well enough with the template – see below for the template!

Archetype-TemplateDownload

More content to come tonight as it’s a Monday so you can expect more than just the update to Brung Ironsoul.

Don’t forget to check out other TTRPGs out there (such as cubicle 7 – Age of Sigmar Soulbound) and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Curse of the Dark Woods

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Tonight and I have again decided to create a zine out of this weeks adventure, The Curse of the Dark Woods. This week, due to the confusion and ongoing concerns that are shared amongst the content creator community to make this zine, and potentially many future ones, system agnostic and remove any reference to D&D specific material from the content. 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 (but this may change).

So I hope you enjoy this weeks adventure, The Curse of the Dark Woods. If you like this format please let me know and I hope you enjoy.

The Curse of the Dark Woods

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The Dark Woods are no darker than the average woods. They are however a thick patch of forest that has resisted man’s desire to cultivate the land nearby for centuries which has led to the belief that they are guarded by a dark spirit. 

Beyond recent memory it was rumoured that men had once built citadels and temples to gods of progress and agriculture within the forest. But within a few years the population plummeted and these cities were lost to the woods, rumoured to have been destroyed by the forest itself.

The forest is also thought to be more than it seems. Over the course of many men’s lives they have recorded that the forest doesn’t grow. There is no expansion of trees past a point, no new saplings encroaching on the lands of men and the farms, roads and villages that line the edge of the forest are safe from the dark curse of the trees.

But this has lead the the forest being a ideal place for bandits and those with ill intentions to lie in wait for those unsuspecting of anyone ignoring the tales of these woods. Sooner or later the tales will be found out to be true but until then there is always a risk of danger or death when you travel near the dark woods.

PDF adventure – The Curse of the Dark Woods

The-Curse-of-the-Dark-WoodsDownload

That will be it for tonight but I hope that next weekend you can get a party together, or find a DM/GM, to run this adventure. Don’t forget that next week I will be bringing another adventure to the table so don’t miss a thing and come back daily. And as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Brung Ironsoul the Arkanaut Admiral

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Tonight I want to look at Kathes companion, the Soulbound, Brung Ironsoul the Arkanaut Admiral. I was hoping to provide a character sheet for him tonight as well but don’t have access to my normal setup so it will come later.

But tonight I want to give a bir of insight to Brung and his membership with the Soulbound.

Soulbound, Brung Ironsoul the Arkanaut Admiral

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As Brung strode across the battlefield he couldn’t help but agree with his ancestors who held grudges against the stormcast eternals. “Impossible creatures those stormcast. A flawed machine churning out warriors? Pah! You won’t see machines like that in my skyport” he grumbled as the positions on his aether rig kept him moving despite the heavy armour.

In the light of Hysh his bronze, gold and blue armour was a sight to behold. He carried himself like a captain would amongst his ship mates and this caused many to move out of the way of the grumbling duardin and his companions.

“She has been through so much, we must understand and give her space to be who she needs to be” Gwen said as she nearly bounced behind the Kharadon.

“What she needs is to treat us with more respect. We are the binding charged by the warden of Hammerhall themself to guard these dawners.” He said, the urge to voice his thoughts growing. He missed his ship and his Arkanaut company, they knew how to function as a well oiled machine. He looked back at Gwen, and saw the concern in her face. “All I’m saying is she should consider us her team and let us help her more.” He resigned to saying.

The Idonenth behind Gwen spoke deeply, very uncharacteristically which startled both Gwen and Brung. “Perhaps our first point of call would be to investigate the missing scouts. They could be cut off from a route back to camp”.

After thinking for a moment Brung nodded. “A great observation Ymran. We may be able to scout them from the sky. Chuni’s pride could use the test flight.

Both Ymran and Gwen collectively groaned. The little Kharadron ship was far from stable or suitable. But the Kharadon loved it like a child.

“Let’s talk to the Dawn crusade general. Perhaps there is another course of action?” Gwen spoke with a little too much hope. The idoneth nodded on agreement.

Arkanaut-Admiral-Achetype-1Download

Well that’s it for tonight content. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more content and, as always don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Trouble with Birds

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Tonight is the end of week write up for the first week of 2023! to mark this occasion I decided, admittedly too late, to produce a zine, The Trouble with Birds. This aims to be the first of a few adventures this year that I want to get into this condensed booklet format so I do hope you enjoy!

The Trouble with Birds

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As the party arrived into town the colours of the bunting, poles and decorations spoke of the celebrations that were yet to happen. People were rushing to get their work done quickly as the Cherpa Hen festival was only a day away. Looking at the note clutched in their hands the party was meant to look for Gerald, the halfling. 

This was more trouble than it appeared to be originally as the streets were full of halflings. 

A large group started to cause a ruckus near a fenced in pen nearby and the party were drawn to the conflict. 

“You can’t put that there. That’s for the Hens!” a voice called out. 

“Not that we have any bloody hens at the moment. They have all gone up and took off haven’t they?” a second, intoxicated man said from nearby. ‘What are we going to do huh? What is Gerald going to do ‘bout this?’

‘I have sent for aid. The finest adventurers will be arriving any moment now to relieve..’ the short man stopped as he spied the party. ‘Make way! Make way!’ he called as he pushed through the gathering of halflings and a few humans. ‘You got my advert! Here you go, fine people-adventurers in fact!. All is well!’ he called as he shooed the party into a nearby general store. 

‘I do hope that you can help…’ he muttered to himself as he sat on a nearby stool. The noise from outside seemed to have quietened down by now. ‘Our hens have gone missing’. 

Cherpa – sourced in nightcafe.Studio

PDF adventure – The Trouble with Birds

The-trouble-with-birdsDownload

A lot of time goes into making these Zines and I also elected to re-write some content from the week to make it flow a bit better. So if you do like these please give the adventure a go, It’s free and beginner friendly but meant as a guide to the adventure. These aren’t quite there yet as being beginnder DM friendly as many of the rules and interactions are deliberately left out. This is a starting point for the adventure, the rest is up to you!

Next week we move onto another one shot where I am hoping to explore some more and perhaps even fall into a crypt! So don’t forget to come back next week when you set aside some time aside for your own adventures and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Soulbound – Kathe the Knight Azyros

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Tonight being a bit of a free night for content I wanted to look at the RPG I promised would get a bit more attention this year. And tonight we have Soulbound – Kathe the Knight Azyros having flown onto pen and paper and digitally attached for everyone’s perusal. Now I originally looked at Soulbound’s character creation mechanics March last year (Soulbound – Warhammer Age of Sigmar TTRPG) and it was relatively easy to get back into the wing of it. I found myself wanting one or two more XP so I could add another skill and focus for Talent variety but it wouldn’t fit the roleplay I had in mind for Kathe.

So sit back, sip a coffee and let’s roll into some soulbound!

Soulbound – Kathe the Knight Azyros

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Her golden wings armour gleamed in the light brought upon by Hysh as she stared across the plains before her. It felt like it had been an age since she had been deployed and she was glad to be away from Azyr. But, that is the lie she told herself. Truthfully she could not remember when the last time she was deployed or the outcome of her sacred mission from the god-king Sigmar. She believed she had meet it with success but the reoccurring nightmares of hundreds of grabbing hands and terrible teeth couldn’t be stopped.

She unconsciously itched the ten scars that were on the right side of her head, visible through her golden hair. She had been told by other stormcast that they were her tell, the evidence of her being re-forged over and over by Sigmars’ faulty machine. However she believed that it was a test of her faith and devotion to the god-king And this one she would not fail.

As her allies slowly rose from their tents they gazed over the gathered humans, aelves and duardin as they condensed on the plain in front of them. A dawnbringer crusade they called themselves. Kathe just knew them as her ward, one that needed to be shown the beacon of light that Sigmar had entrusted to her and her alone.

The scouts had come back early in the morning announcing that a mass of green skinned orruks and Gits had been seen in the area. She had not woken the party as they had endured a long day the one before and the soulbound would need their strength, and hers, over the course of the next day.

“What’s news our stoic stormcast?” a gruff voice of Brung Ironsoul, a Kharadron Admiral who was too long from his ship spoke from behind her.

“Green skins, orruks and gitz supposedly. They are en masse in the area. I would expect a long day ahead with the promise of combat” she replied. The binding behind her sighed collectively. They could never understand the burden she carried. A vision of a previous battle flashed before her eyes, towering orruks with weapons the size of men were cleaving aelves in two. A bolt of lightning and she descended into the fray, sword and lantern glowing. Her presence bolstered the mortals and they fought harder with her and her fellow stormcast by their side but even the glow from her wings could not shine as the sun was blotted out by the tide of arrows that descended shortly.

Her wings unfurled and the crackle of lightning across them caused the binding to stand backwards. “Are you alright Lady Kate?” the human wizard softly asked, using the short name that many of her kind did for her. She was too kind and caring for this type of work but her voice did bring her out of her trance and silenced the vision of steel blades cutting into her plate.

“I am fine. Thanks Gwen. We best prepare ourselves for battle. I will go speak with the crusade and ensure they are also ready” Kathe said as she moved off, leaving the binding behind her to organise their breakfast.

Character Sheet

Kathe-Stormcast-Knight-AzyrosDownload

Although it’s something different than usual tonight was a lot of fun looking at what is possible in Soulbound. I may make Saturday night Soulbound a thing for a little while so let me know what you think of it. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow when we look at this weeks adventure write-up and, as always don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Hunters in the Mill

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Tonight we look at the Hunters in the Mill with out instalment of Friday fightnight! These creatures are generally not used in many adventures but they would make a great addition to any wilderness or rural encounter. Or urban for that matter, where ever you may have a need for someone to buy exotic pets. But enough of this and let’s roll into tonight’s encounter.

Hunters in the Mill

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As the squeaking intensified so did the unease in the cherpa hens. What ever was hunting them was close, somewhere in the gloom of the mill. A flurry of fur and a long bushy tail gave away the creature as it moved, it was big, the size of an average dog perhaps but it was sleep and slender. Across the other side of the room the same rustle, the same glimpse of a tail and brown fur, then another on the rafters above their head. It was either fast, or with a sickening thought, there were many of them.

Giant weasel – sourced in Tetra-cube!

The leader

No sooner than they had started to let the large birds out of the mill the sounds of scratching could be heard. It was at first faint, then it grew in intensity. Slowly the urgency continued until a frantic pace was achieve then the largest weasel that any one had seen in recent memory burst forth. It tackled the last hen that was leaving the mill and brought dagger like fangs into the neck of the foul. The birds were strong though and it managed to thrash the weasel off its back and fly to the rafters. But that’s also when it noticed the party. It’s slain pack laying at their feat and the smell of their musk and blood drenched into their clothes. With a squeal of rage it launched itself at the party, its sharp claws, sharper teeth and thick hide ready for a fight.

Dire weasel – created in Tetra-cube!

Tonight is a nice easy two part encounter. Creatures with keen senses (hearing) would detect the dire weasel pack alpha before it attacks. But if they don’t then it ambushes them as they are weary after fighting its kin.!

This weekend we will expand a bit more on some of the content I want to include in this weeks adventure without going too in depth. This is meant to be a nice intro into the system and new world that we are spinning up this year and its meant to be simple at first. So don’t forget to come back tomorrow and Sunday as we wrap this week up. Don’t forget to keep some time aside for your own adventures in life and don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe