short-story

The Path of Lies

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Tonight we walk the path of Lies, what do I mean by this? Well I guess you’ll have to find out by joining us on this adventure!

Tonight’s a mixture of action and intrigue so sit down, grab a coffee and let’s roll into tonight’s adventure!

The Path of Lies

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Feli – Created in WordPress!?

As the sun sets after the next day of travel the shadows lengthen and stretch from the several patches of trees that grow on the side of the road. The attempted forest causes the wind to dissipate and after the fire is extinguished down to a few fundamental coals an uneasy silence falls over the camp. The party remains vigilant with their watch after being followed the night before and aware that there is the risk of the other pursuers from Kestel. Suddenly, the silence is shattered by savage growls and yipping calls as the sound of heavy paws thudding against the ground as the owner of the footprints charges into the camp with crude weapons. Gnolls, grotesque humanoid hyena creatures, accompanied by their ferocious hyenas, burst into the clearing and rush towards the party and their horses.

The party quickly springs into action weapons drawn as the gnolls close in. The fiendish eyes of the gnolls gleam with bloodlust and madness as their wicked laughter echoes through the forest. The hyenas, driven by primal hunger, leap at the party’s horses, bringing them down with brutal efficiency despite the parties best attempt to save the creatures. Chaos ensues as the party fights valiantly against the onslaught, but they are initially outnumbered and overwhelmed.

In the midst of the fray, Feli vanishes into the darkness, her absence going unnoticed amidst the chaos. The battle rages on, with the party desperately trying to fend off their attackers. Eventually, the gnolls, bloodied and broken, collapse into twitching masses near the lifeless bodies of the horses and the wounded party members.

As the dust settles and the adrenaline fades, the party realizes that Feli is missing. Just as panic sets in, she reappears from the shadows, unharmed and seemingly unperturbed. Her sudden disappearance and reappearance is odd but she explains she ran away and watched by a nearby tree until she knew it was safe. However, something doesn’t add up and the party’s suspicion grows around their ward.

The following morning, the party encounters a group of guards patrolling the road. Before the guards can spot her, Feli slips away once again without anyone noticing, leaving the party to face the guards’ scrutiny alone. The guards, wary and suspicious, demand to know the party’s intentions. Without Feli to vouch for them, the party’s explanation seems feeble and unconvincing.

The guards, not satisfied with the party’s answers, insist on escorting them to Mouler’s Peak. As they make their way to the keep, the party is left to wonder about Feli’s true nature and the secrets she harbors and where she went.

They get the sense more than once as they travel towards the keep that they are being followed and watched but no one is able to catch their follower, but the party assume its Feli keeping pace with the guarded escort of the party.

Thanks for visiting tonight to get a deeper view of Feli and the path of lies that she walks. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more content and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Mouler’s Peak

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This week we capture the party as they are moving swiftly, quietly and securely to Mouler’s Peak. This weeks quest is a standard escort mission where they have to ensure that their new companion makes it to the mountain fortress safely. But Mouler’s Peak is more than meets the eye and the party are in for more than their fair share of trouble.

So sit down, keep your eyes peeled as we hit the quite roads into tonight’s adventure!

The roads to Mouler’s Peak was never the problem, nor was it the animals or the other inhabitants of the woods. It was always those who travelled the roads towards the peak that were the most dangerous. A prison for the most dangerous criminals disguised and hidden from all as a fortified keep for keeping order in the lands.

The only people who go there are criminals or, those who seek information from those who are locked behind the walls and steel gates. But will the party find this revelation before they arrive at Mouler’s Peak or will they unwillingly allow evil in, or out of the hidden prison.

Mouler’s Peak

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Mouler’s Peak – Created in WordPress!?

The party left the main road from Kestel and head east into the setting sun towards the mysterious fort known as Mouler’s Peak. Their employer only wanted their daughter, Feli, to go see her uncle at Mouler’s Peak but the father feared that she was going to be stopped as he was trying to get her out of a bad marriage.

Feli had proven to be a quiet yet intelligent travelling companion while they went through the city, left the gates and hit the road. A few times the party caught sight of men following them but they decided to lose them and soon they had come to a cross roads, where they needed to decide to stay on the main road where more people may come looking for Feli and them or, should they head through a backroad that only the city guard use due to the fear of the creatures that lived in the woods.

Not fearing beasts, as the party had dealt with many of them before, they had left the main road where Feli had managed to hunt some small game birds and a rabbit. As they sat down and ate their meal over a half concealed fire Feli explained that the many she had been betrothed to by her mother was an aspiring gang leader in Kestel and her mother had used her marriage to pay off debts she had accrued while gambling. While she spoke she had cold tone to her voice and she shivered as she spoke. ‘That man only needs one more thing to rule the city, even be more powerful than the guard and he will use anything, anyone as pawn pieces to get what he needs.’

Apologising for her revealing too much she thanked the party for their assistance in taking her to see her uncle and she retired for the night. Another three days of travel lay before them and there was still the issue that they couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t be followed. As they sat on watch a few times times that night they felt like they were being watched, like a predators gaze was watching over them but it quickly disappeared when the party was roused.

In the morning the party found deep tracks that resembled a canine or large cat some distance from where they had camped. Something had visited the camp last night, likely lured by the smell of the horses and the cooking meat. They would need to be more vigilant over the coming nights.


Thanks for visiting tonight where we kicked off this weeks adventure. We have a week full of twists, turns and surprises so don’t forget to come back each night this week to keep up to date. And as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Undead Farm Hands

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Tonight to no surprise we have undead farm hands for our encounter. But we have two different additionsto the standard zombies that we could be expecting.

So let’s kit up, stretch and get ready for a big fight with tonight’s adventure!

Undead Farm Hands

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Undead Farm Hands – created in WordPress!?

A normal Zombie stat-block will do nicely for our Farm-hands while Simon wasn’t opposed to also trying to hide dead farm animals in his fields too.

Undead Farm Hands -Created in Tetra-cube.
Draft Horse Zombie – Created in Tetra-cube.

Farm hands will form the bulk of the attacks in this weeks primary encounter. Where as the Draft horse zombie will be a singular figure. It moves a bit faster, is a bit (not much though) more durable than the normal zombie but its animalistic strength will make it hit harder.

But the antagonist I hear you asking? Well young Sara Tode, Simon Tode’s daughter who grew tired of her fathers meddling in her life and resented him from his abuse of her budding magical talent. Used for years to rot the crops of her neighbours while bolstering her father she grew tired of the evil he made her do. So using the farm hands he disposed of against him and his crops was easy.

Sara Tode – Created in tetra-cube.

The encounter depends on the parties level. If they are strong enough to face Sara and five zombies then have that go. Sara can summon a strong undead ally using Summon Undead. She will select Putrid due to her affinity with zombies but if the party aren’t ready to face her then have the undead turn against her and they now need to decide if they save her from her creations or let fate decide.

Thanks for coming back tonight for another quick adventure. Tomorrow we will delve back to Wilderfeast as I’ve got a hankering that needs to be sated for that TTRPG. So don’t forget to come back tomorrow and on Sunday for the end of week zine. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Temal’s Fields

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Temal’s fields, well more accurately Simon’s fields, is this weeks scene for the encounter. An ominous fog has settled in and as the zombies walk through the mist towards the villagers and the party.

So grab your scythe and pitchfork and let’s rally in tonight’s adventure!

Temal’s Fields

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Temal’s Fields Created in Inkarnate.

The fog rolling in from the hills nearly hides the thick stalked Mallow plants. Slightly raised mounds are hidden beneath the grass and fog but can be a recipe for disaster if someone stepped in a hole. The field is fenced off, albeit not completely, as a way of defining the border to their land. The barn is a prominent part of the area not because it’s anything flashy or particularly well made but because of the smell.

Rich pig manure reeks from the barn and has for many years, to hid the smell from the decomposing bodies that have been buried in the fields over the years.

A relative easy map for tonight with five different terrain paints to get the effect right. Plant stamps, two different types of hay roof, fences and a cart make up the bottom part of the map with some barrels and boxes. Fog and the holes to get rest of the atmosphere created the last few parts to get the atmosphere sorted.

Thanks for visiting tonight to get a look at the map we have planned for this weeks gloomy adventure. Don’t forget to come back for, well, the zombies tomorrow night but there is one more factor to consider as well. And lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Root Rot

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Tonight we reveal the final twist and set up for the encounter of this weeks adventure as we find a case of root rot. Well, mostly root rot but more accurately tonight focuses on the rot that is around the roots.

So grab your gloves, a shovel and lets dig into tonight’s adventure!

Root Rot

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Root Rot – created in WordPress!?

As the village gathered out the front of the tavern the party stood near Mayor Tibs and Captain Garet. Around midday the sun had retreated behind clouds and a thick fog had rolled in from the hills. As the Mayor stood nearby he fidgeted anxiously as Garet addressed those that had gathered. ‘Thank you fall for gathering here on such short notice. As you know these adventurers made a discovery earlier and it appears as though there’s something foul going on. They found body parts and evidence of dark magic, we fear that one of the village was murdered.’

A distant rumble of thunder punctuated the revelation as the townsfolk started to murmur amongst themselves. ‘But we’re all here.’ one of the farmers said, many of them agreed. After a few moments of looking around everyone was confused as the first specks of drizzle descended upon the gathering.

‘Well were not all here. Simon and his daughter are currently in their warehouse as it was one of his farmhands outfits that was linked to the suspected death.’ One of the others spoke up. As they looked around again several people called out that they had witnessed Simon acting suspicious. As it threatened to turn into a lynch mob Garet tried to calm everyone down.

A cry of pain and rage echoes from the Warehouse suddenly which plunged the gathered villagers into silence. As they party and Garet rushed forward with weapons drawn they opened the large doors slowly revealing a hunched body over the twitching body of Simon. A Zombie slowly stood up and looked at the interlopers as visceral matter fell from its rotting mouth.

The door that backed onto the crops swung in the breeze that had picked up. Cries of alarm and panic set in from the villagers as more figures walked through the mist. As they watched the shambling figures, including the one that was shuffling towards them from Simons corpse they saw what had been causing the damaged crops. The bodies, now zombies, had been buried in the field. Several people all wearing the same uniform marking them as farmhands of Simon.

As a zombie clawed its way free from its earthen prison it ripped and tore at the plant which had wrapped its roots around its decomposing form. Soon they would all be upon the party and the villagers. The party had found the cause of the destroyed crops but not the source but they suspected that the fog was not natural and who ever was controlling the animated corpses was out in the field amongst the thick swirling fog.

Thanks for visiting tonight to continue on with this weeks adventure with the revelation of what’s going on. Don’t forget that tomorrow we will have the map for this adventure and I am looking forward to the farm setting. So don’t forget to come back for the remaining days this week and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Farmers Coalition

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The farmers coalition has taken off and are threatening to take matters into their own hands. Mayor Tibs and Captain Garet urge the party to find out what’s going on with the crops. Meanwhile Simon stirs up trouble with Roy Jameson’s mother who has a shocking revelation.

Tonight’s shaping up to have a cast of quite a few NPCs. So make sure you grab a seat, and a coffee, and let’s kick off introductions!

Farmers Coalition

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Captain Garet was the primary guard for Temal and he ran a small group of villagers to defend the houses. However, as he sat down opposite the party in the Tavern his stress was evident on his face. The Tipsy daisy was neither the worst nor the best place the party had been in. However, the beds were comfortable and the food was good. As a tankard of ale came around to the party and Garet the man held his tankard in both hands.

‘Temal’s always had blood feuds ever since it the Mallow was first harvested. The only place they have found the plants actually grow is here so its rare you see. This means that the old farmers are mighty particular about who inherits their crops and all that nonsense.’ he paused to look out the window.. ‘Young Roy has had his eyes only for Sara for a great number of years now. It was only a matter of time that those two became inseparable. When it came to light and he did the right thing Simon lost the plot. Ever since then no one’s seen Sara out and about without her father or one of his men.’

The party continued to ask questions of Garet and learned about the families of the village. There weren’t a great number of suspicious folk but starting with Roy and Simon is the best first steps. The rest of the evening meal goes down well and they retire for the night. The next morning there is cries of alarm from outside. They rush out the door after getting their gear together without stopping for breakfast.

As they get to the source of the commotion a woman is shouting at Simon who stands near a large plant, a Mallow, that has been destroyed. Ripped from the ground and shredded so the plant or its root covered bulb would not survive. ‘I caught you Simon. Your boys destroyed my Mallow. I saw them stumbling off towards your house and by time I got there I only found their uniforms that you make them wear!’

Simon gritted his teeth. ‘My boys would not do such a thing. It must have been your son, Roy, stealing the clothes and vandalizing more Mallow.’ he snarled

‘Roy is in Kestel with his father right now. There is no way he would be here to do that!’ The woman yelled back. Captain Garet was here now and broke up the fight but it was a heated debate. Approaching the woman she confirmed with the party that she had seen someone at dawn tearing into her plant. By time she had come out with her pitch fork she saw them ducking behind Simon’s warehouse. When she ran to confront them there was no one there, just the uniform that Simon makes his farm hands wear. She showed the party where she found the clothes and Captain Garet kept Simon away.

The clothes were dirty, filthy even and there was a stench that the party couldn’t immediately put their fingers on. Something was wrong to the core about these clothes. There was a large amount of a fine dust like ash that surrounded the clothes. An evil feeling, a presence washed over them as they examined the area and it wasn’t long until they found the source. A single finger that disintegrated into dust when they went to move it. Something had happened to the man, or there was no man in the first place.

Thanks for visiting another night to look at the Farmers Coalition. Tonight’s adventure saw the next progression to the story where something foul was revealed, and more Mallow was destroyed. But tomorrow we will fully reveal the evil that has taken root in this village so make sure to come back for that. Don’t forget that tomorrow is still not the end of the week so make sure to come back daily, and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Here’s to 1111 days

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Tonight’s bonus post is a different one as I say, Here’s to 1111 days. Now I like numbers, always have and probably always will. I have planned and managed D&D campaigns in excels before. I even used to optimise my characters in a spreadsheet before even rolling any dice. But as I grew older other numbers started to matter more and one of them has simply been the number of nights I have jumped onto WordPress and continued this process.

For those who remember my first year, of you I don’t believe there are many, and who remember my first few weeks of adventure it was very different. I considered anywhere up to seven different adventure plot lines a week with dozens of NPCs at some point and several encounters. All of which was designed to be modular with one another.

Now the format is an easier for me to manage on my own. A single adventure hook, twist, map, encounter and with a sprinkling of NPCs rather than dozens of options. This means I can get out a PDF at the end of every week. That is enough to give DMs something to go on if they get stuck, or a safe way for new DMs to get their bearings.

But tonight instead of counting permutations on adventures I am counting the One THOUSANDTH, ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH night in a row of blogging.

Some other numbers at a glance.

  • 1,261 Posts in total (1262 including this post)
  • 986,081 words, not including this post (986,450 including this post!)
  • 107 DIFFERENT Adventures as PDF Zines… (and quite a few more as blog posts!)
  • 5,399 views, so far from,
  • 2,486 visitors
  • Most of you have come here for the Battle tactics for Warhammer Age of Sigmar.

So here’s to 1111 days, or nights that has been posted in a row. I hope that many of you come back over the next year and who knows maybe next time I celebrate a number the stats will be much different.

Here’s to 1111 days – created in Nightcafe.

So as always, don’t forget to come back over the next few days and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Pulling up Flowers

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The village of Temal has come into a pickle where someone has been pulling up their flowers, their crops. The plant known as Mallow’s secretes a delicious liquid when pulverized and squeezed. This plant has been the life blood for village for generations but someone has been destroying the crops. I guess this calls for the parties skills to swoop in and save the day.

So sit down, get your investigation kits and let’s get stuck into tonight’s adventure!

The Village of Temal has a problem, their crops keep getting destroyed. When someone is pulling up flowers in their fields the mayor asks for help from the party. They now have to investigate what is happening to the crops at night, uncover who and why.

But, what they find is rotten to the core. Now that the party know the truth they have to act fast. There is an evil here in the Village of Temal and the party is their last hope.

Pulling up Flowers

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Pulling up Flowers – Created in WordPress!?

The party travelled along the road to Kestel, a city known for its abundance in jobs. As they moved alongside the fields with grain, hay or fruit they knew they were getting closer to Temal, their next stop on their journey. Temal was a small farming village that was relatively left alone due to its produce, Temal Mallow water.

The party walked into the streets where a gathering was forming, a heated discussion from the looks of it by how vigorously the men and women gestured to one another. ‘Now I hear you Simon but we don’t have any proof.’ a man with a feathered cap said as he calmed a red faced farmer.

‘You’re a coward Tibs. I’ll see to it that you’re not elected Mayor again. That Jameson’s boy is behind it I tells you!’ Simon viciously spat, punctuating his words with a poke to Tibs, the Mayor supposedly.’

‘We can’t punish the lad if we don’t have proof. The Captain can’t be seen to be arresting someone without proof. Get me proof Simon and We’ll take your accusations seriously’ Tibs said as a man in chain and thick leather armour stepped forward.

A few choice curse words were thrown at the two men before the farmer and his small band stormed off. The Guard noticed the party and leaned over to whisper to the Mayor who nodded. A moment later and the man walked over before greeting the party.

‘Good day to you all, am I right to presume that you are adventurers for hire?’ he asked with the guard coming to stand near by with a friendly smile and gesture. ‘We have a pickle that will need discretion of people of your calibre. You see it approaching the harvest moon when we harvest the Mallow crop. But we’ve had a few cases where the plants are being ripped out. Simon, is just the most recent and we fear he won’t be the last. There was a issue where a locale boy, Roy Jameson, was denied his daughters hand. He didn’t take it well.’

The mayor sighed. ‘We need someone to find out who is behind the vandalism and let us know. We don’t want any undue harm to come to anyone unnecessarily. But we also need to know before it gets out of hand and those affected dish out their unwarranted justice.’


Another week beginning and another adventure ready to kick off. Don’t forget to come back each day this coming week to stay up to date on the adventure. Tomorrow we will meet more of the residents in more depth so make sure to come back. Don’t forget that this is just the start so I hope to see you each day this week, and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Pasu Mountain Cat

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The Pasu Mountains are home to the Pasu Mountain Cat, a fearsome hunter who prowls the mountains and forests for prey. It’s only fitting that the first creature stat block for the year be so shamelessly modified from an existing block to make these lower level encounters as easy as possible to play with.

Sturdy and muscular, this cat is a fusion of puma and lynx, with thick tufts of hair resembling a beard. It stands three feet tall at the shoulders, ready to traverse the rugged mountain terrain and take down its prey with swift, powerful pounces. Beware of traveling alone in the mountains, adventurer, for the Pasu Mountain cat hunts in packs and can strike when you least expect it.

So grab your coffee to go, consider hiding your supplies for in tonight’s adventure the hunters become the hunted!

The Pasu Mountain Cat

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The Pasu Mountain Cat – Created in WordPress?!

A stout cat with large shoulder muscles and thick tufts of hair that look like a beard it has no real strong features. A cross between a large puma and a lynx the Pasu Mountain cat stands three feet tall at the shoulders and is large enough to take down a grown man.

The Pasu mountain cat moves swiftly up and down the mountains using its sure footed feet to traverse across the worst of terrain. It hunts as a family unit so wherever there is one there is likely others and it is frequently heart not seen with its tell-tale call that sounds strangely canine.

It prefers to attack prey that is isolated by rushing and pouncing on them before they can react, knocking them to the ground with the force of its pounce before bitting for the face. Swift predators who can climb nearly as well as they can move across land they are a problem for many underprepared adventuring parties.

Mountain Cat – Created in Tetra-cube.

Thanks for visiting tonight to get a look at the creature that I had planned for this weeks adventure. More tabletop content will come during the week as we conclude this adventure and look at other things for the tabletop. So don’t forget to come back over the weekend and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Pasu Mountains

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The Pasu Mountains are the home this week of our little adventure this week. The steep rocky climb up the mountain is only broken up by a thin path that is seldom travelled. This week the mountains aren’t necessarily the place of our adventure but very nearby would be.

So grab your coffee to go, strap on your hiking boots as we climb into tonight’s adventure!

Pasu Mountains

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Pasu Mountains – Created in Inkarnate.

The Pasu mountains backs onto the Wildmist forest which is dense with trees and bushes that make travelling through this are difficult. Apart from the beasts of the forest, bears, wolves and big cats there is also a large population of forest dwelling goblins that pose a threat.

The trees give way rocky soil as people push towards the mountain where rocky hills and protrusions take over the mountain side. Trees litter the side of the mountain providing cover and food for some of the creatures that live on the mountainside. The paths along the mountain travelling upwards are formed by the people, a hardy folk, that live on the mountain.

Been a while since I’ve done a map. About seven layers for the ground texture were done to give the effect. Overlapping cliff and craggy hill art textures give the mountain some elevation along with four types of trees. A nice easy one for the start of the year.

Thanks for visiting tonight to get a look at the map we have planned. Don’t forget to come back for some stat blocks for fight night and also, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe