A Palmful of Luck

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To Roll with Fate

The concept of this week really was the question. What if the act of rolling dice is more than just how the players explore this game but also the centre point of the mission. The dice we use can be simply magic in our hands, but what if they were actually magic. The concept of a magical dice that randomly does this can’t be a new one. But I wanted to add a twist that its cursed to be skewed towards the opposite luck of what its bearer has. So the outcome of the dice roll is better if someone is Inheritantly unlucky.

However this can cause trouble for people who are trying to utilise the dice to better themselves and this is where the Who comes into it.

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The Gullible and the Gambler

The NPCs that take the stage is someone who believes that they are being swindled by someone with a magical item, a gambler of their own fortune. The other protagonist is someone who believes that they are safe, gullible due to innocence. However, this does not last long and their one lucky break in a long line of misfortune starts to swing to unlucky.

Both Simon and Raff could easily be the ones who approach the party. Raff’s greed and belief that he was swindled due to a lucky, magical trinket could push him to do the unthinkable. However Simons need for acceptance and desire for, what we all want – safety, could push him to reach out to stranger to help. This week we went with Raff’s greed as it opens up more possibilities. This leads us to the Why.

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A Business Proposal

Why is normally the key component of bringing the party into the problem of others is our gig as a DM. I believe that by having Raff being our proposer of employment it means that we can have the party understand something for themselves. That is to not believe or trust everyone they encounter.

I believe that all parties will need to learn this at one point. In fact by having the bad guys of the adventures convince the party to do the wrong-doing it should develop not only the characters but also the players. However, it could go wrong if they do bring Simon back to Raff at which point we have a very different adventure on our hands. But in order to come to that conclusion we need to go to Where it all happens.

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Though the Streets and the planes

Where, this is what we encounter next.

Another street chase, or simply back-tracking to where Simon was last found. We have a few ways to get the party to the astral plane. Firstly if they find Simon, if we want them to, then they could chase after him and through an active roll of the dice it gets interesting. However, they could simply find the magic dice by the barrels, hidden somewhere (but not for them).

By finding the dice the inherent bad luck causes them to drop it and open a portal to the astral plane. Once there they wake up on a floating island and can explore from there. Finding Simon being chased by a Githyanki Stalker, or, being the next mean for the gibbering mouther. But that’s in our Why the party have to care.

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Ambush in the Astral Plane

Why the Githyanki or the Gibbering mouther encounter Simon or the party is the next question to answer. We have a bit of fun with these two stat blocks as they aren’t anything special. In fact I just wanted to have the Githyanki make an appearance. In fact the idea of a gibbering mouther being thrown in there as a plausible cause to why the Githyanki are there.

Thoughts

I want to thank you all for showing up this week to explore the concept of quick adventures in your palm. In fact this isn’t too far from the format that makes me come up with new adventures weekly. I have been DMing for a while, on and off, and by looking and refining my own process I believe it makes me improve my skills. Short, sharp and sweet concepts without lengthy setups or adventure hooks. This is the concept I have every week and despite it taking me about twelve hours to produce the weekly Zines. They are worth it. I think.

The Mad King’s Queen

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The people of Rueven were ruled by a vicious tyrant and his elven queen for decades. When a young ambitious knight and his men assaulted the castle and finished this reign of terror the kingdom rejoiced. Within a week the knight was declared the new king of the city and he promised to always do the right thing by the people of the kingdom. 

However not all were pleased. After the last and most brutal attempt on his life his demeanour changed and the stoic knight began to claim that he had a queen, one that had never been seen and one where there was no ceremony.  The people thought his moment of madness would pass as he recovered from the assassination attempt but as the years passed it did not. Yet despite his madness he held true his oath and was still a just and gracious king who put the needs of his people first. 

Every year he celebrates Celestes, his Queen’s, birthday with a feast that the kingdom is invited to partake in, funded by the king’s treasury. But There is a rumour that the king’s madness has grown and that the assassination attempt years ago has left him unfit to rule. A growing discontent has formed in pockets of the kingdom and there has been a more vicious rumour. That the king isn’t mad and that there is a hidden power behind the throne, a darkness that not even the once just knight can wrestle from.

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PDF adventure – The Mad King’s Queen

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Cult of the Forgotten

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The warm sun and coastal breezes from the bay refreshed the party as they gazed at the city. The city of Shirkwall was a conundrum. Known as a city of progress and for its great universities and colleges it was contrasted by the ties to the old. Ancient ruins decorated the edges of the city and people of many religions swarmed around the multiple temples. While amongst the religious crowd and the peddlers that celebrated the city’s rich history lay people preaching discovery of truth and facts.

Science and the study of the world was cementing its influence in the city of progress. However while these studious folks preached their ideals another power was growing. New religious groups had begun to pop up and none more prolific than the Cult of the Lizard. Although peaceful they were seen as a fanatical religion that proclaimed the end of days was fast approaching.

The city of Shirkwall is a mystery that awaits the discovery of an age.

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Shirkwall Market

The city of Shirkwall has just about everything that one could imagine. Colleges of lore and study, markets filled with exotic and common wares and items. Many temples dedicated to deities and gods to not discriminate against those with faith as well as many houses for both commoners and upper class families.

However as the city expanded more of its history, the ruins of a lost civilization got gobbled up and more of the relics, statues and items found amongst the ruins ended up on market street. With the city expanding from a compact core, centralised by an immense obelisk, the different parts and cultures of the city mesh and mix amongst themselves to create a sort of organised chaos. Overwhelming to those not used to civilization or even the city itself. 

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Taverns of Shirkwall

A collection of tavern images…

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The Risen Behemoth

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PDF adventure – Cult of the Forgotten

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In Defence of Heartsfern

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The party has heard of disturbing tales where a parade of the damned, a macabre march of performers travel the land to perform their gruesome play. The few people that report such tales report butchering of those who still live at the behest of someone who calls themselves, Arbiter Zed. 

The party has also heard word that the town of Heartsfern may be at risk. As the murderous troop of performers left in that direction the party now must race against time to reach them before it’s too late.

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Welcome to Heartsfern

The road to heartsfern was easy, calm even as they managed to find a wagon heading that way to a neighbouring village. 

Dropped off an hour down the road from Heartsfern they proceeded on foot, crossing passed fenced off pastures they eventually saw the village in full. 

A few dozen buildings, the largest being the mill or what looked to be an inn, it was rather quaint. However as they started to get closer several men from the village approached them with pitchforks, maddocks and other farming instruments. 

“Who are you?” barked a man at the front, “Did Arbiter Zed send you?” he asked as the growing tenseness in the villagers could be felt.

After a few minutes of talking it was clear that the party were both not working for the man proclaimed to be Arbiter Zed or, not undead. 

As they moved into town they could see many people looking at them from windows fearfully or busy hurrying around like it was the end of time itself. 

“Forgive us” a warm female voice rang out, “Buck had to make sure you weren’t here to torment us. My name is Shelly and this is Heartsfern. Unfortunately we would normally welcome you a bit more warmly but we had one of the undead walk into the middle of our street and foretell the end of this village.” she continued. “It’s probably a story best told over a hot meal and some ale. I run the inn and general store if you want to follow me.” She said as she gave Buck a quick peck on the cheek.

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PDF adventure – In Defence of Heartsfern

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The Cat, the Dog and the Serpent

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The party has travelled to the city of Drileah, a place rumoured to be the place if you want something or anything. The tall fortified walls protect the city that appears to have been built on the top of a giant hilly rise that means the buildings and fort at the centre of the town look above the wall and beyond.

The volume of travellers leaving Drileah is staggering, all of them escorted by guards or mercenaries. But all look to have found what they wanted whether it was goods, services or just a good time. The party reaches the end of a queue to get into the city where guards question those who enter. “A common precaution” they hear some visitors muttering nearby as they wait for their turn. However, as the party finally make their way to the front of the queue a signal goes out from the guard and they are surrounded. 

“You’ll forgive me for doing this but we need to bring you, and your party in for questioning” they advise the person who was at the front. “Just come along quietly and I can assure you that everything will be fine, but we have orders.” 

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Unruly Streets

As the party travels the streets taking in the sights of the stalls, people and wares, the  guard captains, Cerberus Cole’s, warning echoes in their mind. The shop owners don’t pay them any mind and treat them like old friends but after some time they notice they are being followed by a few rough looking, but experienced mercenaries with no sign of them giving up pursuit. 

A moment later another few men step in front of them and detain them.

“Hold!” called a woman as she steps cautiously around the men behind the party. “You lot. You are free to go if you tell me where the Emerald broach you stole is. I saw you leaving the guards office and I dare say that you bewitched that idiot with some sorcery. Hand it over and it doesn’t have to get messy here.”

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Word has spread of the latest theft as well as the unruly mercenaries that were locked up after assaulting innocents. However this doesn’t make the looks, utterances and glances towards the party any easier. 

There are also rumours of some city gang members causing issues at night away from the watchful eyes of the guard. 

The party needs to come up with a plan and fast.

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PDF adventure – The Cat, the Dog and the Serpent

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