This week we have horrible rat-like brain creatures that are related to the intellect devourer – the skittering brain. These creatures are not as powerful as the intellect devourer but they are still something to be fearful of as with enough time entire communities can fall under their spell.
So grab your foil hats as we have a battle of the wits in tonight’s encounter!
The Skittering Brain
514FrSkBr
The creatures attacked with psychic thought and claws as they tried to dominate the entire party to turn them into willing slaves. While not being able to take over the mind of creatures like intellect devourers they will dominate, twist and warp through pain as they change the memories and thoughts of their victims.
What frightens people the most is the ability for these creatures to be able to convince you through pain that they are the your very best friends, closest companions or more. While you’re under their charm they feed of your latent thoughts, fears and worries – normally creating sources of fear so that they can feed on it.
This not only sustains the horrible creatures but also removes the sense of fear from the victims which creates a sense of safety with the phantom that the creatures impose into their victims psyche.
Thanks for stopping in tonight to get to know the critter in the pantry this week. Don’t forget to come back over the weekend for more tabletop content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight we have the Hooting Owl Tavern being the battleground for this weeks encounter map. A worn out and tired kitchen and joined dining area make up most of the map with some eluded prospect for combat to spill into the levels above and below.
So sit back and enjoy the Hooting Owl Tavern in tonight’s map!
The creatures scuttled across the ground with surprising speed as each one of them looked for an opportunity to feed. As they moved about the table legs the ruckus caused one of the tavern patrons to come to investigate ‘Glenda, we heard some noise…’ was all he got out before he was best upon by the creature, falling down to twitch in the hallway. Now that the door was open the other creatures rushed out to prey upon others in their feeding frenzy.
A more detailed one this week with three levels to potentially play with. A mapped middle layer but room for the second top and pantry (Basement) to be explored.
Only three texture packs were used this week for a simple look to the flooring. On top though a wide range of various art assets were used to create the kitchen, bar and the surrounding area to give it depth and a field of combat instead of something static and boxed in.
Thanks for joining tonight for the second last week of planned content for this adventure. Don’t forget we still have more nights to come so make sure you come back daily to stay up to date with what’s happening at my tabletop. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
A change of pace brings us with something a bit more nightmarish this week with tonight’s adventure update being no food for thought. As the party investigate the pantry they find something not what they were bargaining for…
So grab some pots, pans and a ladle or two as we cool up a storm in tonight’s adventure!
No Food for Thought
514WeFoTh
Rueben and the intellect devourers – Created in WordPress!?
As the door swung open a sigh of relief came from Glenda. ‘Oh its just Rueb. Rueben is my assistant who has been good enough to go into the pantry down stairs to get ingredients and try and find those rats.’ Glenda smiled but the party could tell something was wrong. The man was decomposing and despite the man moving around normally there was a stiffness in how they walked.
‘Sorry Glenda. I have not caught those rats.’ the man said as he glanced lightly over at Talley. ‘I am very close, though to catching a big one.’ he spoke in a soft voice. As he finished speaking a clump of hair fell from his head to the floor, drifting slowly until it landed at his feet.
‘The poor lad isn’t well and can’t stay on his feet for too long. But he’s getting there. I let him stay here where its warm and safe and he works hard.’ she added. Behind him in the pantry something moved, a thud on the stairs and the sound of something skittering in the dark beyond.
‘These folks are just helping me with young Talley here then they will be down there to get rid of the rats for us…’ Glenda began.
‘No, I’ve got this. You don’t need them. Let me handle this.’ he snapped at the dwarf. A pressure emanated from the man before Glenda’s face relaxed.
‘You’re right Rueb. You’ve got this. I don’t need them.’ she said with her eyes unfocused.
‘Miss Glenda. My friends are in there. I’ve heard them. The man is keeping them down there!’ Talley erupted. The sudden burst of noise caused Glenda to stumble before looking between the girl and the man. ‘Is this true. Are those poor children down there Rueben?’
As if on silent command the skittering erupted from down below as the stairs shook as several grutesque legged brains scuttled up the stairs. ‘The others grow tired of hiding. There is no escaping now fools.’
Thanks for coming back for another night. Don’t forget that the next few nights I will expand this adventure to add more content to this adventure. So don’t forget to come back to my tabletop for the rest of the week to stay up to date on what’s happening. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight we uncover the mystery of what really is going on in Rimoi with Talley Rinden being at the right place at the wrong time when they party go to investigate the pantry. Will the appearance of a little girl searching for her lost friends spur the party to uncover the darkness that is happening beneath the village.
So get those running boots on as we give chase in tonight’s adventure!
Talley Rinden
514TuTaRi
Talley Rinden – Created in WordPress!?
The party had just finished their meals when they were shown into the pantry. The homely space was warm with several meals being cooked at once. The soft cool breeze that came through the open door caught their attention first moments before a short girl darted through it and into the street beyond. ‘That’s her. The girl that I leave food out for. Somethings wrong, she would never be here during the day.’ Glenda called out for the girl to stop but she had already gone.
The party were close on her heels as they raced to catch up with her. Many people simply stopped and pointed in a direction when they saw the party chasing after her. The look of disgust was plain to see on their faces as they gave up the location of the young girl that fled form the tavern. ‘The little rat when that way!’ one of them called out as they passed a woman that pointed towards an alley.
They soon caught up to her as she tries to push into a door that was locked. ‘Please don’t. I am just trying to find my friends.’ she sobbed at them. The girls name was Talley Rinden and she was young, too young to be on the streets. The party learnt that she had been forced to scrounge on the streets, and in the Hooting Owl Tavern, for food since her grandparents passed away from the plague the year before. She and a few other urchins had formed rallied together to survive but never taking more than what they needed to survive.
As they led her back to the tavern she explained how they had snuck in a few nights ago and had left the door opened when they had heard noises in the pantry. They had taken turns to sneak back to try and find their missing friend but one by one they all disappeared. The guards would have put them in the stocks for breaking in so they couldn’t ask them nor could they ask Glenda as the scary dwarf lady would not take kindly to them stealing from her.
But as they arrived back at the tavern Glenda placed a plate filled with hot food and let her eat. ‘Now where’s your friends lass?’ she asked. But Talley simply sobbed. ‘Lost’ was the only thing that came from her lips.
That’s when the party heard noises from the pantry – something much larger than a rat despite Glenda climbing onto the table and brandishing a cleaver.
Thanks for visiting as we get closer to what’s causing the strange noises, and disappearances in this weeks adventure. Don’t forget that the rest of the week I will continue to expand this adventure further. So don’t forget to come back each night to stay up to date with the adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
This week has kinda already kicked off with some of the foreshadowing of this simple request done on Saturday with Rats in the Pantry. Tonight we continue this on with a difference view, the parties, as they enter the tome of Rimoi and begin to uncover what’s happening here.
So grab a torch, or lantern, as we descend into dark pantries in tonight’s adventure!
The village of Rimoi is unremarkable in every way. It has the average amount of houses, the average population and the normal establishments a village within the capitals protected highways would have. Rimoi also has the normal problems that any village has. Frequent food shortages, frequent theft and the occasional missing person.
But the party investigating a small request to find the thieves, likely rats, from a prominent taverns pantry leads to a disturbing history of the village. Will the party recover the missing children and stop the thefts that are happening six feet under the floorboards?
A Simple Request
514MoSiRe
A Simple Request – Created in WordPress!?
The party entered Rimoi as many other adventurers did, as a halfway stop before heading towards larger cities. As they walked down the street urchins asked for coin, trading advice and their service as a guide to take them around the village. But there was not much of a village to be taken around with.
A few general good stores and smiths operated within the village and two taverns sat across from each other in the main street. The rest of the village was a nest of houses, barns and stables that supported travellers and the farmers that made a living in this village in the middle of nowhere. As they moved through the village they were drawn to the Hooting Owl tavern with the rich smells coming from within.
Approaching the door two sour faced guards pushed past them and onto the street. ‘Well the Hoot’s just lost two customers. We’ll take our business across to the Trotters.’ they yelled as they stormed off. Within a sturdy looking dwarven woman stood fuming at the bar glaring knives at the guards who had left. As she looked towards the party her demeanour softened as she greeted them.
‘Welcome to the Hooting Owl Tavern, also known as Hoot’s to its Loyal patrons.’ she added with a venomous look towards the guards. ‘What can I help you with? I have a fresh roast boar on the spit out back and a new barrel of dwarven ale if that’s to your fancy?’. The party were delighted with the food and arrangement of drink when it came out to them. The woman, Glenda, was warm and welcoming and after a few moments of talking to her the strangeness of the guards leaving in such a state eventually came out.
‘I knew you’d seen that but was hoping you hadn’t. The local guard is meant to look into keeping the village and shops safe. A few days ago I woke to find the door to the kitchen open and some food had been taken. Now I knew that there were a few kids that used to come in and help themselves and they never really took that much. But,’ she paused for a moment. ‘They let rats in. Oh I hate rats. They are in the pantry below but I can’t do anything about them. Every time I see one of the furry devils I faint from fright. Give me a goblin or orc any day but something about the beady little eyes…’ she shook herself to try and rid the look of disgust from her face.
‘I asked the guards to just pop down and get rid of them for me, if there was any. Being it their job to look after the village I thought it was part of their job. But instead they demanded free grog and coin. I wouldn’t of minded paying them if they hadn’t been so rude about it. Instead they stormed off and I won’t be able to get into the pantry for days. What’s worse is the little kids that come and take some of the extra food I leave out… well I haven’t seen them yet. I worry they got a fright or hurt. I have some food for them, being all alone as they are. But I have no way to find them as they scamper when they see me.’ she sighed. ‘Something else the guard refused to do.’
Thanks for dropping in to see a bit more of this weeks adventure. I don’t normally expand from my adventure ponderings but being able to take a simple quest hook, like Rats in the pantry, and evolving it into something more is something fundamental for all dungeon masters. So for new or old DMs alike make sure you come back each day this week to follow along on this adventure. And as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight we have a very simple adventure hook, a side quest really where we have the over-done rats in the pantry mission. However, maybe its not rats…
So grab the rolling pin and the carving fork as we bring the wrath of the kitchen in tonight’s adventure!
Rats in the Pantry
513SaRaPa
Rats in the Pantry – Created in WordPress!?
The kitchen was silent this time of the night after the chaos of dinner service and the clean up had finished. The staff had gone to bed after preparing some of the food they would need for breakfast in the morning. It was the perfect time to be rats in the pantry.
As they lifted up the latch for the door, which was never locked, they quietly lowered it again before pushing it slowly inwards. They knew just where to stop the door before it would let out a screech from the ungreased hinges – this wasn’t the first time they were stealing from The Hooting Owl tavern.
As slunk through the half-open door they looked at the fruits, the bread and the cheese that was resting on the large counter in the middle of the room, a wide selection for them to choose what they wanted to eat that night. As the smallest one moved forward towards the bread and cheese she reached out and grabbed a small roll. The hard part wasn’t getting to the foot it was taking just enough that there wouldn’t be guards searching for them in the morning.
A small roll, a hunk of cheese and an apple to share will get them through the day. As they compared their choice bits and discussed if they would have to worry about the guards tomorrow they heard a noise, a small dragging sound from the pantry. Thinking it was a trap laid by the cook they quickly rushed towards the door and hastily out into the streets. It wasn’t until they had stopped their flight that they realised that they had lost one of their own, the smallest and youngest of the children.
The next morning The cook came in to find the door to the streets open and evidence that a something had taken food from the preparation table. Looking for evidence, a trail of crumbs led her to the stairs. ‘Rats. Again… Best get a quest posted.’
But as she closed the door and moved away from the stairs malevolent eyes stared at her from the darkness beyond. The child it had caught was asleep nearby, its dreams and fears sustaining the creature much more than the foodstuffs that it had been carrying. Soon there would be more coming into the storage room under the tavern. More food for it and for its brothers and sisters who slumbered still until there was enough food to sustain them.
Thanks for visiting tonight. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow night for the end of week zine and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Now while not quite like ants the formica are very similar and share some characteristics. Instead of all of them stinging that is reserved for the queen and her elite guard alone where as the typical red formica rely on developed claws for grasping and carrying prey or items and their bites for subduing unruly ‘guests’.
So look for a can of bug spray, or something more useful, as we encounter some monstrous bugs in tonight’s encounter!
The Formica
513FrThFo
The red formica is the worker and foot soldier of their species. With powerful jaws and overdeveloped claws for grasping and crushing they do the queens bidding using a mixture of pheromones and high pitch sounds.
When the formica queen is around her workers they will do what ever they can to protect her and follow unheard and unseen commands that she issues with special scents and noises. However she is not weak and frail and is in fact the strongest of her kind. Able to sting and bite the creatures her claws grasp onto she quickly despatches with those who dare to confront her.
Where that doesn’t work her workers will quickly put their bodies in front of the queen as a shield to protect her from those who dare attack her. When she takes damage though her blood and from a special gland near her she can spray a pheromone that drives the formica around her wild with a blood frenzy. Those that are dosed with the pungent ichor are quickly dispatched.
Thanks for stopping by tonight to meet the queen and her followers. Don’t forget to come back over the weekend for more tabletop content and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Tonight we have the party tracking the creatures from the fields towards the edge of the forest – but they should have known that it wouldn’t be that easy. A fierce fight with vicious adversaries that fight not only for their life, but the life of their sisters, brother and queen.
So join me as we lay down the foundations for this weeks climatic battle in tonight’s map!
The raindrops from above felt heavier as they crossed under more trees that had evidence of the invaders scratching around the cocoon mounds. Some were too late with evidence of the villagers sawing out the precious cargo. However some were definitely successful and as they stood at the upper levels of the tiered trees around the village a dash of colour caught their eye.
Red silk flittered in the breeze as the grass clung to to the last bits of sticky fibre. This cocoon was huge and it appeared as though several sets of sheers or blades had cut it open. ‘Ah they found a red one.’ Naya said from nearby. ‘They are rare, very rare in fact with only one appearing every few harvests. The wine and nectar harvested from them is particularly strong and potent so the farmer that finds one ends up well paid and rich.’ she added as she scanned the woods ahead.
Her hand touching the handle of her axe was the first sign of danger, the second was a chittering and thrumming sound that waved towards them from the trees ahead of them. Several red creatures waited and watched them their mandibles and antennae moving menacingly as they watched the party near the undisturbed cocoons.
A simple map tonight with my favourite stamp being overly used – the rocky hills. The cherry on top was placing a cobblestone texture I the rocky crevasse that gave it a true stone wall look – which I will definitely do again. Several trees make up the rest of the assets while three or four grass textures make up the backdrop. A stone like texture darkens some of the area around the hills and blends it with the grass otherwise a fun, quick simple map that will get the job done.
Thanks for joining tonight for another update for this weeks adventure. Don’t forget that we still have a few more nights this week worth of content so don’t forget to come back each night to stay up to date. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
From silken threads to tracks across the farmlands and into a deserted home this weeks adventure leads to an unnerving revelation.
So grab some bug spray, a large shoe or newspaper as we go bug hunting in tonight’s adventure!
Silken Threads
513WeSiTh
Silken Threads – Created in WordPress!?
The party followed Naya who walked through the village confidently and with her eyes scanning the trees constantly. Starting with the trees that were attacked she checked for the tracks of the creature, creatures based on how many sets of erratic prints she could see heading towards the tree. Following the prints was the difficult part but locating where the creatures originated from came a lot easier.
The tracks led them to across the farm, sticking to the walls where the ledge met the stepped form of the farmland. At points they disappeared from the soil, grass and leaf litter but only for the tracks to be picked up again next to the wall as if something was digging at the wall for something. Eventually the tracks stopped, at the base of a tree that had black strips of cloth hanging from the vines.
A large mixture of bark, hardened sap and splintered wood revealed an empty silken cocoon. Cut through with sharp blades or claws with evidence that something had dug its way in, or out. There was evidence that there once was other cocoons in this tree however a hollow in the tree was all that remained. Looking around for the source the party with Naya and her fellow scouts looked for the creature that had reportedly snatched at the cocoons.
Towards the villages centre a large hole had been burrowed into the side of a house. Checking within with hatchets and blades drawn Naya crept forward. ‘I think we have a problem…’ she called out. Following her the party found the torn up interior of what would have been a cosy home. Three large silken cocoons lay cut open in the room with each of them having the same familiar cut out section. Something had either cut into them or cut their way out of the cocoons.
‘I think the grubs within the cocoons finished their changes. This is Tamaya’s house and has been vacant for a few months now and it looks like it was the perfect nest of the creatures that cut themselves free.’ she examined the silken cocoons that were as big as a humans torso – if not bigger. ‘They must have grown further once they emerged from these. Come, we have to confirm this so it wont be too late for the village.’
Thanks for joining in tonight for the investigation of of silken threads tonight. Don’t forget that I will continue to expand this adventure each day this week. So make sure you don’t forget to come back daily to stay up to date with this adventure and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Naya Fieldmoss was the first of the villagers to greet the party when they were approaching Ponkae and she is also the one that the party runs into when the first sign of trouble happens.
So grab your coats, boots and a hot coffee as we go into the rainforest in tonight’s adventure!
Naya Fieldmoss
513TuNaFi
Naya Fieldmoss and scouts – Created in WordPress!?
The party had a knack for finding problems and the sound of raised voices and cries of alarm brought them towards a large round amphitheatre where people were talking quickly. ‘Its been over a month now and we still haven’t found the successor to his farm. If we don’t act immediately it will be too late to harvest the cocoons.’ one man was saying passionately. ‘All those trees, all that silk and all that moon broth gone to waste.’
‘The wishes of Tamaya was that only his descendants would inherit the farm and its harvest. He had issued a letter to be delivered to his next of kin but,’ the elder paused for a moment, ‘it’s harder than expected. It seems many of them left the village quite some time ago and the historian is looking for the next in line.’
As the debate continued Naya came storming forward, briefly catching the eye of the party, before kneeling before those arguing. ‘Elders.’ she began and waited to be addressed. With a not the oldest of them asked her to make her report.
‘A creature has been spotted in the village. It has a shell as red as blood and it stormed towards the trees on the second level and snatched several cocoons in its claws before darting into the forest to the east. But none of my scouts reported seeing it enter the village only as it left.’ she said as another similarly dressed man knelt beside her.
‘Elders.’ he added before they asked him to report in turn. ‘A creature with many legs has attacked some of our farmers to the north on the lowest farm before stealing their cocoons from their baskets and fleeing into the forest to the north. The weird thing…’ he began
‘None of the scouts reported seeing the creature enter?’ the elder finished for him. The man nodded looking over at Naya. A moment later a third scout knelt before them, ‘Elder.’ he addressed the group. ‘Let me guess. A creature with several legs and blood red skin stole cocoons and fled into the village with none seeing the creature enter?’ the man looked bewildered but nodded.
‘There is a legend.’ the elder continued as he sat in front of the scouts, the party noticed Naya roll her eyes. ‘That the red harvesters will appear as intervention of the gods when the village becomes to greedy. When we seek to take more than we give to the forest. They appear out of the forest air itself, take what they want and leave a trail of destruction in their wake.’ he finished looking towards the forest.
‘Naya, you and the other scouts are to track them down, study them but to not attack them as they are the will of the gods.’ the elder ordered. Naya nodded and turned to leave before looking back to the elder.
‘Elder. These travellers have come from far away to see this village. I request that they be allowed to join as they may have encountered these creatures before and may be able to save lives with their knowledge, that is if they are also willing.’ she looked towards the party.
The elder nodded. ‘You have my approval. Protect lives and find where they went.’
Thanks for visiting tonight to get a glimpse of what’s happening in this weeks adventure. As with tonight the next few days will expand the adventure further to add in additional layers onto this adventure. So don’t forget to come back daily to make sure you stay up to date and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage, The Brazen Wolfe
Brazen Wolfe Tabletop 