TTRPG

Beaten to the punchline

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Tonight I wanted to follow on with the theme from last night where I had a random set of folk heroes that could work in any adventure. Tonight I want to throw out there a random twist that can work in nearly any adventure – the party is beaten to the punchline. Now the inspiration for this twist came about from me exploring what my first Soulbound adventure would be for the new year. But it definitely isn’t anything new or anything super special its just something that could be useful to drive a sudden change in the plot.

Beaten to the punchline

252WeBeTTPu

The Basics

To implement this twist is very simple. You have something bad which the party oppose and before they can stop it, it is stopped by someone or something else. This works for any of the four basic adventure types that I explored over a year ago; Learn, Stop, Escort or Fetch.

Let’s explore that a bit.

D&D 5e – Fetch

“Are you sure this is the place?” Arien asked the halfling not for the first time.

“Yes yes, it’s the right place alright. Just hurry up and keep watch. The Wand of McGuffin is not to be guarded lightly…” Darrel responded as he went to pick the lock in the shadow of his ranger companion. “oh that’s odd.” he mumbled as the door swung inwards with the lightest of pressure on the door. The scratch marks and strange powder on the doorframe told the halfling master rogue all that he needed to know. “Quickly. Walk away. We were not the first people to search for the wand and its gone.” Darrel was already blending into a nearby troop of performers by time he finished his command.

“what do you…” Arien began before she managed to peer through the opened door… “good gods.” she managed to squeak as the frozen form of a dozen guards stood around a magical device that thrummed with power in the centre of the room. A large chest that would have been hidden under floorboards lay opened and empty near the guards. “D. What do we do now?” she asked as her long strides make short work to catch her companion.

“That’s easy Ari. We have to out burgle another master burglar” Darrel replied with a grin as his cloak, moustache and pants shimmered as a powerful illusion changed his appearance.

Soulbound – Stop

The rivet gun’s clattered echoed off the stonework of the tower as the magazine was emptied into the locking mechanism. “Primitive locks are nothing against Kharadron ingenuity” Hank Geldenhammer said through his aether helmet.

“Well if these mages didn’t foresee our arrival and prepare for combat they are well aware now. Good job duardin.” Eros Witchblade sighed as she took her hand of her hips and strode forward unsheathing a pair of wicked looking blades.

“Now Eros, there may be no need for that. These are men of learning. Surely we can reason with them. The Realm stone of Chaos is cursed and evil. These wise men and women would surely know this and will see that their attempts to harness this stone to retake Barak Zundabarg is folly and dangerous” Tinxao the Lumineth Scinari Cathallar said as she walked calmly through the doors to the hall beyond. The tower itself was made of dark stone that seemed to absorb all light from around it, all light except for the glow from the Warpriests warhammer.

“This place is cursed. I can see the tolling of a great bell. Lord Sigmar’s light does not pierce this blackened stone. We should be all aware of ratmen.” Torval Brighthammer said as he gripped his warhammer tighter and strode in behind the Cathallar.

“Ratmen!? Do you even hear yourself talk Torval? I thought you too old and wise to believe in the tales that are made up to scare children” Eros laughed at the expense of the warpriest. Torval just gritted his teeth and began the trek up stairs.

“Remember we are here to relieve these mages of the realm stones of chaos so they can be destroyed. Hank I know you have a fondness for powerful stones and metals but this is…” Tinxao began looking distrustfully towards the Duardin who she was soulbound to. Hank turned abruptly, the lenses flashing.

“Shh!. I have detected something. Now is not the time for your nonsense Aelf.” Tinxao remained as devoid from emotion as ever. The clatter of steel on stone quickly broke the party into a rush for the last few stairs. Bursting through a door they arrived at the main deck of the observatory where a gruesome sight greeted them. The mages lay dying or dead. Wicked looking throwing stars and knives riddled their bodies and large glass canisters lay smashed on the stones beneath them. Evidence of magic being flung around the room was everywhere. Scotch marks from lightning and fire lay across the meagre furniture and as they looked around the room a flash of lightning from outside drew their gaze to the open window. A large man-sized rat bundled in dark scraps of fabric squatted on the window sill. The lightning illuminated its silhouette but the candles and lanterns from the room where the party stood highlighted the sharp chiselled teeth and bandoleer of throwing blades. After a heartbeat it flung itself over the side of the window and into the darkness beyond.

“Still don’t believe in Ratmen Eros?” Torval asked as he ran towards the window summoning a beam of light to blast out the window. A second later a screech followed as conjured bolt of lightning struck a creature outside who fell from its perch. “They have the stones” Torval roared before he hurled himself towards the door to give chase down the stairs. But as he looked down the winding staircase he was greeted by dozens of pairs of glinting eyes, chittering teeth and rusted blades.

Tonight we had a look at an easy and fun twist to any adventure. The key with this one is to make it so that hope is not lost – to give a hint (blatant or obscure) to the party so they have a way forward. Once they have this then there its full steam ahead to either uncover or confront the rival group. Are they on the same side or something worse than what they were trying to stop or take? Don’t forget to come back the rest of the week where I have more content in store and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Folk Heroes

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Tonight I wanted to look at two folk heroes that we can use in any game. Both were fundamentally just artwork I created* and their story, objectives and potential were inspired by the art. Both heroes are well known by their peers and enemies alike but chose to live a simply life instead of ruling or conquering – despite having the potential to do so. I think there is something truly noble in that and wanted the inspiration for today to really send a message that heroes are also born from nothing and don’t have to aspire to be the loudest or brightest in the room.

Folk Heroes

252TuFoHe

Folk Heroes – Randall Hensley

Folk Hero – Randall Hensley Created in nightcafe.studio

Randall was recruited into a mercenary company from a very young age. He learnt that to fight for his life and his meals whilst serving with his brothers when in the service to a king, a madman but powerful. As the renown of the company grew to greater heights so did his passion to improve his skill sets and so he searched for forgotten blades of Ikshar. These blades were forged by master smiths of their time and then blessed by the priests of a falling deity.

As such no ordinary warrior could wield them but Randall trained harder so that one day when he found them he would be worthy. When his boss, the company leader, brought him into the tent and provided him a map to the powerful blades Randall rushed off to find that they were guarded by a feeble old man. Seeing the pain and suffering that he was enduring Randall came to understand that the blades carried a curse. You would be unbeatable, unable to be bested by the blades of mortal men but… you would watch everyone and everything you lived or cared for die and wither away to nothing.

He swore and oath to ensure that no one would take these blades for greed or power. And the priest so convinced by his change of heart gave them to him. Over the next decade he did not grow old but he watched his family, the mercenary company slowly die one by one. He began to seek out death and eventually, he got his wish. He faked his own death and fled for a distant land to find peace where no one seeking the blades power could find them.

Randall now resides as a merchant selling bags, rope and other general goods to adventurers and who ever is in need. Content to live his life and to not take anything for granted. The blades curse still holds him tightly but he has only had to draw them once. To protect the village from an Orc slavers raid.

Folk Heroes – Anne Rivers

Anne Rivers: created in artbreeder

Not blessed by magical blades, a deity, spirit or Fae, Anne has spent her life sticking up for the small people. An orphan by any other name is still an orphan, however Anne rose above her sad start to become a guardian for all. Abandoned as her parents had no need for a seventh daughter she grew up with a woman who was just kind enough to feed and clothe her but not kind enough to love her. She learnt that a family isn’t just who you were born to, who you were raised by but who you chose to keep close and value above all else.

She started to look out for the other orphans and street urchins when she was little. In fact this trend continued well past her teens where she became more of a mother and leader figure to a rather well known street gang. This gang however didn’t rob, hustle or attack others but they carried messages and did odd jobs for the community. Something that Anne enforced with an iron fist. Soon Anne became well respected by the merchants and city folk in her district but others began to take note.

Now in each story there has to be some villain somewhere and ours lies with the city guard. Corrupt as they were numerous it was hard to sneeze in the city without the guard trying to extort money out of you. In fact the city guard tried that numerous times with Anne and her gang but she resisted heavily. When the Guard started to move in and try the same tricks with the people in her district they quickly found out why she rules the streets.

Several skirmishes and small fights later and the guard tried to take her out by force. The battle was bloody and the casualties many but Anne invoked the right of single combat with the captain of the guard. The stakes were high but Anne watched as the guard began to beat and riot through the shops even as she had invoked the right and her desire for justice was unquenchable. In a clutch moment, using the uneven terrain of the streets she lunged on the far better equipped captain and slew him. Her first kill.

The towns folk rallied to her and pushed back the guard. In fact that day the guard came to know that her little family of street gang members were not just urchins and messengers but they could in fact hold their own in a street fight. Their streets their rules.

The guard did not return to the district again and with Anne at the lead the other district soon stood up against the corruption. Anne’s name is still whispered when ever there is any unrest, the city folk believing that she will rally and rise up against any injustice and tyranny that threaten her extended family.

Thanks for dropping by tonight and reading about the ideas on these two folk heroes. Not all heroes wear capes, as the saying goes, and in this instance they also dont call themselves heroes. But they serve the people and fight for what’s right when they need to. So don’t forget this when you look to your next adventure and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Hellbent on Soulbound

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Tonight I want to touch on something I want to explore more this coming year which is part of the driver for moving back to a series of oneshots rather than a yearly adventure format. I am hellbent on Soulbound getting more love. Not only does it bring two of my passions together but it feels nice to run as well. In fact there are no super complex rules to unpack middle of the game. Most of the maths and complexity is done at creation and periodically.

There is also, wait for it, an in game currency that forces cooperation towards a goal. Yup. Hate it or love it you’re stuck with these other characters of various races so you got to find a way around it. No more “its what my character would do” or “I hate that character” as it actually punishes you. Forced cooperation when done in a nice way is just refreshing to see.

So this year I want to create a single long adventure with a few mini adventures stretched out over the months. So I am excited to see how we go with more soulbound content and hopefully I can convince my local gaming group to give it a shot.

So stay tuned this week as I hope to have a teaser for it this week. I will also aim to have the final product of the Dice-ember adventure wrapped up and ready to go as well. If I can find a format I am happy with I will see how far my time and motivation goes to see what else I can do. Other than being hellbent on soulbound getting more love I also want to get more painting done. I have another two armies with of models either sitting in boxes or as grey plastic and its going to start driving me insane. So hopefully I can make it a reality.

Don’t forget to relax and be good to yourself and don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Snowman of Snowtown

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Welcome to the twenty fourth night of Dice-ember where tonight we look at the final plug for our adventure, The Snowman of Snowtown. As tomorrow is Christmas and next week I’ll look to wrap up the final product tonight will, more or less, be the final post for Dice-ember 2022. So sit back, enjoy a coffee and read on.

The Snowman of Snowtown

251SaDiEm24

A frigid breeze blasts down from the Gritch mountains and brings with it the deep rhythmic singing of the goliaths that call the mountains home. The town of Snowman sits amongst these large mountains, surrounded by wooded forest and it once was a bustling agricultural town that supplied stone and food to cities further south. That was before the accident that caused the quarry to close and now the town is on the brink of collapse with only the shipments of food and livestock keeping the town going.

But the shipments from Snowtown have stopped and rumours of the forests nearby being haunted by malevolent spirits have come instead. The one city that is unwavering in their support of Snowtown (and the animals and goods that the town supplies) has requested aid from local adventurers to go and check on Snowtown and see if they require assistance.

Meanwhile a young enchantress deals with the loss of her girlhood crush, the rejection and persecution by a narrowminded community and the offer to work for a madman. It must be the crazy season.

Thanks for joining me tonight. With the final parts of the Snowtown adventure coming together I want to thank those who have visited and who have supported this little endeavour of mine for this past year and a bit. Next year I will change things up again to bring more one-shot content and go back to what the true intention of this blog is. But before we get to that I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and holiday season. I hope you all get to spend some time relaxing and celebrating with those near and dear. And lastly don’t forget to roll with advantage, we never know when we may need it,
The Brazen Wolfe

Battle down the steps

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

The twenty third day of dice-ember brings the creature which give meaning to the battle down the steps. These two creatures could not be further apart. One forged by magic, the other an ambush predator found in caves. Both of them enriching to our encounter and the story overall. So sit back, grab a coffee and enjoy the creatures.

Battle down the steps

251FrDiEm23

Snow Piercer

A relatively unknown yet horrifying fact about creatures in this world is that they adjust to their environments. Perhaps one of the best examples of this is the piercer.

An ambush predator by trade it hangs onto cave roofs amongst stalactites and waits for creatures to walk underneath. Once the prey is there it releases its grip on the roof and plummets down to the prey. Its weaponry is tailored for such a fight, a large, thick hard tail that looks like a rock that it uses to impale its surprised prey before turning around to munch on it with its mandibles.

Now these creatures would not be very good in areas where there isn’t standard stalactites so these creatures have been found to adapt. The case in point is the snow or ice piercer. These creatures look like a frozen icicle, opaque yet still deadly. Other than their white-blue skin and wet appearance they act identically to other piercers found out in the wild.

Created in tetra-cube

Encounter

I would imagine between two and three per two party members will be plenty. These aren’t meant to kill or significantly delay the party but to throw in some tension on their way down the stairs. It also goes with the theme of Dice-ember. “False Appearance” which can create both apprehension and excitement for our parties.

Frostkeeper Construct

The Frostkeeper construct is a shell, a suite of magical amour that protects the broken form beneath. That’s what it was originally intended to be anyway. The Frostkeeper construct created by Aster Sepharin was to preserve what remained of Mark Kenderson’s body after her construct injured him. The idea behind the construct is to form an icy armour around the soft damaged human parts but what Aster got was much more.

This construct is tough, resilient and brutal. Able to rein significant punches and kicks with its enhanced strength as well as immune to many things that mages take for granted. However it is still weak to fire do to its tendency to defrost.

Created in tetra-cube

Encounter

In combat this thing will stalk its prey. Its not smart or cunning but it has its set of orders, “protect yourself until the human form can be restored”. Due to this if it senses any hostility towards itself it will attack – Aster found this out when she turned against her creation.

The creature will attack from the darkness and relentlessly lay into anything with exposed fire, knowing its weakness. If there is a mage that uses fire it will seek them out first and relentlessly beat them to a pulp.

Thanks for coming tonight to stop by and look at the creations for this weeks adventure. Don’t forget to come back this weekend for the end of it all, and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Descent under the Ice fields

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

The twenty second day of Dice-ember we look at the maps that track our Descent under the Ice fields. These were once again created in Inkarnate!

Descent under the Ice fields

251ThDiEm22

The slippery steps and deep fall into the cave below lead for a harrowing adventure down. The Stalactites on the roof (and hidden creatures amongst them) also pose more threats that the party will have to face as they descend further down. This weeks adventure map(s) start with the stairs down where movement is considered difficult terrain so speed is halved. Over the rocky un-hewn icy-stone there lays the area for our party to rest or be ambushed. That parts up to us.

Frozen Quarry Steps – Created in Inkarnate

Workshop

Dark and gloomy with small motes of light that are left over from the enchantresses ritual the Ice cave where she conducts her rituals is far from welcoming. At the edges of the cavern is steep rocky walls that with small ledges that the athletic may be able to reach for a vantage point. Large slabs of ice-crystal litter the room and some of which glow with a light of their own. A large chair stands towards the back of the area whilst a small, flat slab of ice acts like a table near by.

In the centre of the room is a large alter table, old blood mottles the engravings that have been chiselled into the surface. The creation that could have been created here long gone, or perhaps just hiding.

Enchantress Ice Cave – made in Inkarnate

Thanks for joining me tonight for another night filled with maps as we track the descent under the Ice fields. These maps would suit many frozen caves (not just this adventure) and can be quite versatile. The stairs was definitely the hardest but its difficult to stress the steep drop either side of a narrow walkway. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the creature reveals and this weekend for the final adventure. So if you’ve joined me tonight, or have been reading along with me for some time now. I want to thank you for joining me for another year of Brazen Wolfe Tabletop. Don’t forget to rest up and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Frostkeeper Construct

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

The twenty first day of Dice-ember see’s our party entering deeper into the quarry. Having fought off cavern dwelling creatures they turn the corner just in time to witness the enchantress finish her ritual to create a Frostkeeper Construct.

Frostkeeper Construct

250WeDiEm21

The thrum of magic began to get more palpable as the party got closer to the pulsating light source. The sound of combat from the icicle like creatures and the party didn’t cause any disturbances from the lower levels of the cavern. However this also meant that the ritual had not stopped and that what ever was in the next room was likely aware of their presence.

As the flickering light from the room head touched their shoes the thrum and rhythmic chanting ceased. Panting could be heard from the chamber but the flickering light was the only sound that could be heard.

Turning the corner the party spied a young woman collapsed on a chair made from a solid block of ice. A table in front of her lay empty except for a puddle of water and some ruined rope and belts. After a moment the girl looked up, clutching a broken arm to her chest as she looked, dazed, about the room. A trickle of blood came down her head as she gazed hazily at the party. “You… You’re not meant to be here. Go. Now. The ritual was a failure. He is.. the frostkeeper construct is not right. Oh gods something went wrong.” Aster said as she began to shake. “The commands I placed on him are not enough. I thought I could save him but no. I have tortured him. Be careful. He is coming.”

A pattering of feet on the cold stone floor could be heard in the darkness beyond the flickering light from several braziers. The light so harsh in the darkness that even those with darkvision struggled to see into the murk beyond. A howl or rage, both human and monster bellowed forth and a large, man shaped creature rushed forward.

First contact – Frostkeeper Construct

It’s shoulders were broad, its torso bare with a dark ice creating its muscular form. Large powerful legs with sharp blades of ice that jutted out from its knees into the ground below enabled it to move quickly and stably. However the party wasn’t ready for the human arm encased in sections of dark ice. Nor the very human eyes that looked outwards from the head of the creation. The moment the party realised that his construct was created on top of, well what remained of a humans body the full horror of the creation came into perspective.

Rushing forward the frostkeeper construct smashed through the ice formed table and rushed towards the party. Rage, pain and confusion glowed from its foggy eyes as it did what it knew best, prepare for a fight.

Tonight the full extent of the enchantresses constructs comes to be known. The Frostkeeper Construct is a shell that protects the young man the Enchantress was pursuing, yet something went horribly wrong. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to find out more about the layout of the areas and what our party will be fighting. Also don’t forget to come back this weekend as we bring Dice-ember to a conclusion for this year. And lastly, as we come to the end of the year don’t forget to spend some time with those that matter the most to you. It’s the time we take to reflect and celebrate what means the most to us. So don’t forget to relax and start the new year refreshed and, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Aster Sepharin

thebrazenwolfe1 Comment

The twentieth day of Dice-ember finally brings Aster Sepharin to us. So let’s look at our antagonist for this years Dice-ember and the imagery that inspires her. She is a young yet powerful mage who is driven to master her art not just for herself, but for a village that would rather she didn’t. But people do crazy things for the things and people that they believe they love.

Aster Sepharin

251TuDiEm20

Aster Sepharin: Created in nightcafe.studio

Aster is young by magic user standards but she is dedicated and driven to her craft. Not necessarily evil or bad but her creations or, to be more exact, her inexperience with them leads to disaster. She is after all a passionate yet frustrated young lady that others don’t share her vision or drive. Yet despite her drive, talent and passion she still has room left in her life for generosity and despite the means to getting there her creation of constructs was meant to be the way forward into the new era for the townsfolk of Snowtown.

Aster Sepharin: created in artbreeder

And that’s it for tonight. As we inch closer to the end of the year I wanted to say thanks for those who have joined me for this journey. Don’t forget to keep the spark of creativity alive this festive season and don’t forget to come back for the last few days of Dice-ember as we wrap up this adventure. And, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

The Quarry’s frozen Caverns

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

The nineteenth day of Dice-ember brings us to the heart of the adventure, the Quarry’s frozen caverns which houses the lair of the enchantress. As the party descend the frozen steps deeper into the stone quarry the what will the darkness below reveal.

The Quarry’s frozen Caverns

251MoDiEm19

As the Guardians finally fell, their coal cores ceasing to burn with unnatural light the quarry fell silent except for the constant flow of frozen water into the lower levels. The path ahead through the quarry under the waterfall curtain appeared to be well worn despite being recently constructed. As they approached the stairs downwards the cacophony of the frigid water was enough to dim the keenest of senses. The sound of water hitting the pool from worn out stone and ice drowned out all other noise and sent sprays of cold water across the visitors.

Frozen blocks of ice led down in a large arcing staircase that doubled back on the cave entrance and lead under the waterfall. Frozen stalactites framed the ceiling like hundreds of razor sharp teeth from some giant beast. The feeling of dread and cold grew with every step down into the darkened depths. However as they stepped officially under the waterfall far below them was a flickering bright light that promised warmth and a reprieve of the darkness.

Somewhere deep below the arcane thrum was felt by those attuned to the mystical arts. A ritual was being undertaken down below. For this level of power to be felt at this distance it would be a strong one and it drew the party deeper into the quarry’s depths.

Watchers in the dark

As the party crossed under the stalactites the occasional drip of water or tap of a pebble or bit of ice falling from above interrupted their thoughts and conversation. But as they descended the wide stairs something watched them from above. Moving on tiny claws to adjust its position it lay in wait above the humans as they walked towards its hiding place.

As the party move towards the final stretch of this adventure its time to throw in the customary ambush encounter. Icicle looking creatures that drop from the roof to impale the party. But that’s not all this week brings as our young antagonist finishes up her ritual and the party are left to deal with the consequences. With a big week ahead you can’t forget to come back each day this week to see whats next instore for our party. Oh and as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe

Preparation for greatness

thebrazenwolfeLeave a comment

Tonight as we continue on this adventure I find myself at a crossroads. Wanting to explore more of the mad-mage Albazhar as well as looking into the enchantress who is in preparation for greatness. What I want to follow up with tonight is the trigger point of what takes the enchantress from helping the village to enslaving it. So sit back, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!

Preparation for greatness

250SuDiEm18

Mark Kenderson had approached me today to apologise for how he had treated me the other week. He was Charming and polite and everything that drew me to him in the first place. After buying me a few pints and a meal he asked if he could come visit me tonight. I am so excited. He is the son of the leader of the town and if I can convince him that my creations are a boon for the village then the village will follow suit.

It’s only a few hours until dark, when he agreed he would come, so I better perfect my snowman and have it ready to be presentable. Today is the turning point, mark my words Snowtown will be on the map and we wont have to worry about unreliable mercenaries or labourers ever again!

Later

I was so foolish… Mark did show up but so did his buddies. They had no interest in my creations but had came with violence in their eyes. Mark tried to stop them from kicking in my door and for the first time in my life I regretted the distance my house was from the rest of the town. As the door crashed down the thugs pushed Mark down and stormed through. He pleaded for them to stop. He said he only wanted the creations smashed but didn’t want any harm to come to me. His companions thought otherwise.

The Snowman was so fast. It must have realised that they had ill content and the orders to protect the village took over. It was horrific. It was terrible. It was a work of perfection. The Snowman rolled over them, impaling them with its hardened wooden talons and ripped them apart. After the violence was over there was only three corpses on the ground. Mark was horrified and went to attack the Snowman. I tried to stop the snowman but it happened so fast and I was so slow.

Mark was killed. But I think I can save him. This book talks of more advanced rituals to bind flesh to constructs. I think I can use what the book teaches on flesh golems to save Mark. But I will need space and time. I think the Snowman and the others of its kind can help. I just hope that I am not too late as I move the rest of my worktable to the quarry where I have some guardians waiting on their cores.

Thanks for joining me tonight as we look at the trigger point for Aster, our young enchantress, moving out of the village in the days leading up to the party’s arrival. This sets the scene for the time to come and gives a bit of an insight into the final encounter with the enchantress and her frosty constructs in Snowtown. Don’t forget to come back next week and, as always don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe