This page is my attempt to offer a peek behind the GM screen of my ongoing Stonetop Campaign; a place for me to drop some insight, share my thoughts, and help process my prep. I have specifically NOT told my players about this, and will encourage them to avoid reading it.

• If you’re looking for a review, there’s already a lot of buzz about Stonetop online; I highly recommend the 90-minute Quinn’s Quest Video Review.
• If you are thinking about running Stonetop, I hope this offers a little glimpse into what it’s like to be a GM.
• If you’re a player, this probably won’t spoil much. Each campaign of Stonetop is WILDLY different (by design).
• If you’re one of MY players, this might ruin some of your fun. You’ve been warned.

Buy a Copy of Stonetop Here!

Reading The Rulebook(s)

My biggest criticism of Stonetop is that it’s hard to recommend, especially to myself. I tend to play shorter, weirder, smaller games. Partially because I get bored easily, partially because as a designer I want to try out as much as I can, but mostly because life is busy! It’s so hard to wrangle players (including myself) into a long-term regular RPG campaign. In over 15 years of tabletop sessions, only 3 games lasted longer than 6 months. And when we can all commit to a game, I’d rather play something simple, novel, and easy to learn in the short time we have together.

Stonetop, however, asks a lot out of the GM and the players. From the GM it asks you to read through 1200+ pages of rules, advice, examples, monsters, locations, lore, magic items, and more. Stonetop also has a very specific way it wants you to run the game: light on rules, but HEAVY on structure. From the players it asks them to be highly engaged, to lean on the fiction, and to resist the urge to abuse the light rules. And it also demands TIME from the whole group. This is a game that wants to be played every week for several months.

I backed the Kickstarter for this years ago, but as time went on I was more and more convinced this just wouldn’t be for me. I’ll let the PDFs simmer in storage and maybe steal some ideas here and there. However, after I saw the Quinn’s Quest Video Review and it re-ignited my imagination and my thirst for a long epic campaign.

If I can find the right group, the right time slot, and the right mindset, I think we can definitely make this work. And if we’re lucky, we’ll have created something beautiful and grand that we can treasure forever. I’m so happy to report that I found that group. I read the rules. I prepped the adventures. And we are almost ready to play!

But first we gotta talk about the 1200+ page elephant in the room. After my deep dive into zines and micro-games I find these big books hard to swallow. If a game can’t be explained in a few pages, then something’s gone amiss. I have no problem with Stonetop Book 2 being 600 pages of adventures, monsters, items, and locations. Bring it on! But 600+ pages of rules? Give me a break.

And the hard thing to explain is that, yes, you really should read the whole thing. I’ll come back to this point later, but it’s worth calling out here: The strength of Stonetop is its little details. If you are looking for something new, or innovative, or flashy, then Stonetop will probably disappoint. It’s fairly traditional fantasy stuff. But if you are willing to work for something of incredible quality, then you’ve come to the right place.

Reading Stonetop is like eating the best grilled cheese sandwhich you’ve ever had. Every element is divine, the ingredients combined and cooked to perfection, the presentation is luxurious, and all future grilled cheeses are ruined forever. But that kind of makes it hard to explain or justify to other people. “$100 for a grilled cheese? Really?” Yes.

You’ll see a chapter titled “Hit Points and Damage” and roll your eyes. Everyone knows how HP works. How is this chapter 15 pages long!? Then you read something like this:

HP are a game element: they don’t represent any one particular thing in the fiction. They’re a combination of fighting spirit, determination, pluck, luck, and skill; the ability to turn what should be a lethal blow into a graze. HP definitely are not a measure of how injured or uninjured a character is. Mechanically, HP serve as plot armor and as a pacing mechanism.

And you begin realize that this isn’t a rulebook. It’s a curriculum designed to teach you how to play Stonetop. Trust me, read the whole thing, ESPECIALLY the examples of play. Invest the time to question your assumptions. And try to learn what Stonetop is teaching you rather than trying to play it like any other RPG.

Prepping For the First Session

Stonetop has a fantastic guide for your first session. It walks you through the entire thing from start to finish. And I’m very grateful for that, because the first session is a bit of a puzzle.

See, Stonetop wants you to emphasize relationships and connections every session. Hilden isn’t just adventuring to get rich, she’s trying to prove to her father that she can lead the militia. And depending on how this goes it will affect her relationship with her father, her friends in the militia, and everyone in Stonetop who looks to her for leadership.

But you can’t emphasize relationships before they exist. So how the heck is your first adventure supposed to work? How can the GM prepare a tense standoff between Hilden and her bandit brother when the players haven’t created Hilden yet?

The answer is to prep everything halfway. Leave lots of blanks and unanswered questions. The book has you create a Threat, something that endangers the town. But the exact details of this threat are unknown, and there are lots of missing pieces. For example:

Wolves are scaring away game and making travel unsafe. A few have even approached the ringwall, their eyes glowing a faint purple. Obviously they were drawn here because–

STOP! don’t go any further. Just leave it there. Maybe give the wolves some details and a cool magic power or something. Write down some possibilities if you like, but leave it open so you can connect with what the players come up with during the first session.

Later, when Rynan admits he dabbled in necromancy before he accepted Danu’s Light, you can tie the wolves into a mistake from his past. These wolves are not only purple-eyed, but skeletal and rotten; obviously some kind of revived dead.

So here’s the initial Threat that I came up with for our first session: The Missing Caravan

The village is expecting the annual merchant caravan to arrive in early spring with supplies. Have a short scene where different members of Stonetop talk about what they want to buy, or what supplies they need. Then reveal that the caravan is a day late. Three days late. A week late. Tensions are rising, people are angry or worried. If those supplies don’t get here soon, it could be bad!

Later that night someone spots a massive bonfire off in the distance from the direction that the carvan was expected. Obviously its because—

NOPE! Stop there. I have a few possibilities of course, but nothing set in stone(top). A few ideas:

• The Hillfolk raided the Caravan for supplies, and use a signal fire to begin negotiations.
• The fire is from a big fight or disaster. The ruined caravan is scattered around with clues.
• The Caravan lit the fire because they need help. Something is preventing them from getting to Stonetop.

We play our first session in a few days. I’ll see what the players come up with, and how I can tie everything together.

Read how Session 1 went in the Campaign Log!

Session Two Prep

The first session was AMAZING! My players immediately picked up on the themes and goals of Stonetop. We built out a bunch of awesome relationships and details of Stonetop that I can’t wait to explore.

I want to call out another example of Stonetop being excellent in the small things. During character creation each player can pick a few questions they want to answer in front of the whole group. And in any other game, this would just be a cute prompt for creativity or to keep the conversation flowing. But these questions act like a hand grenade tossed into a tea party.

To whom do you owe a debt that cannot be repaid?

Which one of you scoffs at mercy and hope?

Who is dead because of your decisions?

Why is the village so happy to see you? And who isn’t?

Whom do you secretly watch over? Why?

These were amazing, and really juiced up the entire session. It would have been so easy to make these questions something generic. “What’s your favorite food? What kind of magic do you prefer? Who is your best friend?” But instead, Stonetop is immediately pushing players to dig deeper, to think about their past and its consquences.

Part of the reason Stonetop is so massive is that it’s showing you the RIGHT way to play, rather than just explaining the rules.

Unfortunately we didn’t really come up with anything that connected to my Threat. We have two PCs who travel a lot (Stridelong and Zavia), so maybe they know something about it. We only had one NPC who could be considered a villain (Betrys), but maybe I want to keep her as a troublemaker rather than a real Threat.

I’m resisting the urge to plan everything else. I want to continue to leave blanks in my prep. So maybe I split this threat into parts:

• Part 1: Caravan missing. Fire on the horizon. Many questions. - DONE
• Part 2: Travel to the fire, overcome some known obstacles (animals, ghosts, etc).
• Part 3: Meet with the Hollfolk, negotiate for supplies. Maybe fight alongside them?
• Part 4: Return to Stonetop with supplies. Triumphant (hopefully).

And maybe drop some hints or clues about the fate of the caravan. What happened? Is it part of something larger? Leave that unanswered for now. Just focus on the supplies.

But the Hillfolk need to have a complete story ready to go. That’s not something I can make up as I go along. I really want the Hillfolk to be a potential ally, so I’ll have them be mysterious and strange, but not hostile. They found the caravan, realized the supplies were for Stonetop, and opened negotiations. They could have just kept the supplies, but instead opt for trade.

And now some kind of hint about what happened to the caravan. I’m leaning towards a “natural” disaster that raises questions. Like the carvan was struck by dozens of lighting bolts or something (burned wagons, charred remains, black scars on the grass, fulgerite everywhere). This could be connected to the Stone, or to Betry’s worship of Tor, or a weathermancer, or something else entirely. But lightning is already a theme of Stonetop, so that feels right.

I should have a few possibilities lined up, just in case I need to drop more hints or if the players try to Know Something. I search for “lightning” in Book 2 just to see what pops up.

• Thunder Drake - A big lizard/dinosaur thing that bursts from the ground and bellows. This is a great option if I want to wrap up the thread and have it be a little more mundane. Maybe they don’t even fight it; it’s just a warning that dangerous creatures are about. The Hillfolk could even say it, ending the quest there. “Definitely a ThunderDrake” they say knowingly.
• The Ruined Tower - Lots of fun stuff to do here and explore. The Caravan was waylaid during a big thunderstorm. Not a bad idea to drive players here. Or at least hint at it.
• Lightning Vortex - A spirit of the Tempest Lords. This could be a great boss-creature or something controlled by a larger threat.

Ooh! Okay, what if we have the best of both worlds: The Hillfolk assume it was a Thunder Drake (since they know of them). But they’ll also share they found the Caravan near the Ruined Tower, hinting at something more. And the Hillfolk gave them an air-burial, so maybe the players could stop by on the way home and get a little more info.

Maybe Betrys is messing around in the Ruined Tower? Maybe it’s an old Tempest Lord awakening? Or a Vortex gone rogue? I’ll continue to leave these as blanks. We have enough for the next session. I’ll take some notes, come up with a few small obstacles and encounters during the journey, and we’ll see how it goes!

I also whipped up a new Arcana for Zavia, who is a fan of shrooms (and it’s another excuse to use Fungi of the Far Realms)

generated with stonetop.price.town

I’ll take any excuse to give my players a copy of Fungi of the Far Realms!

Session 2 Love Letters

Another fun part of Stonetop is the advice about “Love Letters”. The GM is encouraged to write these to players each session. It’s a fun solo mini-game that also gives the GM a chance to direct or provide opportunities to each PC.

Here’s my first attempt at Love Letters:

Dear Stridelong,

You spent much of the journey to Titan Bones scouting alone, away from the group. At one point you saw some ruins. Tell who you almost asked for help, but then decided to go alone. Roll+WIS.

On a 10+ Pick 2; On a 7-9 Pick 1

• You find a piece of Makerglass in an overgrown patch of ruins.
• You avoid getting swiped by a nearby Beznpol for 2d4 damage (Big Badger/Pangolin).
• You are back before anyone notices.

On a 6- Mark XP and someone has to rescue you.

xoxo - Your GM

Dear Taliesyn,

You were up late studying one of your Arcana, trying to unlock its secrets, when someone barged in to tell you about the impending journey to Titan Bones. Who barged in? Roll+CHA.

On a 10+ choose 2; On a 7-9 choose 1

• Make progress on understanding the Arcana (check the box that makes most sense after hours of study)
• Keep your research a secret from the person
• Cause a scene that ensures no one will interrupt you again

On a 6- You reveal a concerning detail about the arcana to the person who interrupted you. Mark XP.

xoxo - Your GM

Dear Little Owl,

Instead of announcing your intention to join the journey to Titan Bones, you decide to follow surreptitiously. Why?

While everyone else is getting ready you notice that youngster Bronwin is also packing a travel bag. Perhaps he means to come with? Decide whether you will help him tag along, or try to dissuade him from coming. Roll+CHA

On a 10+ you succeed in your plan and manage to finish packing your own bags as well.

On a 7-9 You succeed, but only manage to pack a light load (mark 3)

On a 6- You get hung up talking with him and have to borrow equipment from others. Mark XP.

xoxo - Your GM

Dear Madoc,

While getting ready for the trip someone approaches you, excited for your potential. They want to give you some advice that seems…unfounded. When you try to handle them with grace, Roll+WIS

On a 10+ You realize that some part of this is useful. Gain Advantage on the next roll you make during your journey. They leave satisfied.

On a 7-9 You manage to be polite. They walk away seeing themselves as a kind of mentor and will be back to give more advice.

On a 6- They are upset and storm off. Mark XP.

xoxo - Your GM

Dear Zavia,

You spent last night with Sorsha, and had a lovely evening. As you leave you discovered that Sorsha left their forge aglow. Why did she ask you to NEVER touch her forge again?

If you spend a few hours entranced by the glowing embers Roll+WIS to commune with Helior:

On a 10+ Choose 2; On a 7-9 Choose 1; On a 6- Sorsha comes out and is embarassed that they left the forge alight. They accuse you of messing with it. Mark XP, and you left something behind at their place.

• You feel filled with a protective light. Gain +1 Armor during the trip to Titan Bones.
• You douse the forge without alerting Sorsha.
• The receive a vision or portent of a future danger.

xoxo - Your GM

Dear Railan,

As you pack for your trip, one of your crew insists on going with you, despite your orders. They have a good reason, honestly. Who is it, and what is their reason?

If you decide to bring them with you, write down their name and keep them as a follower for the journey to Titan Bones. Someone in town will use this against you as an example of poor/sloppy leadership.

If you insist they follow your orders, roll+CHA:

On a 10+ They are convinced, and hand you their lucky charm. “If I can’t go with you, at least take this, sir. It’s never failed me.” While you wear this charm you have +5 Max HP.

On a 7-9 They follow your orders, but you must choose 1 consequence.

• They cause a big scene (causing worry/fear in the village)
• You have to call in Aaron for backup (eroding his respect for you)
• The disagreement becomes physical (both take d6 damage and a bloody nose). How embarrassing!

On a 6- They leave the Crew temporarily, and must be won back.

xoxo - Your GM

Read how Session 2 went in the Campaign Log!

Session 3 Prep

Time to return to Stonetop! The book recommends you speed through the return to Stonetop and start next session in a new season. But our session had a good conclusion, and I want to give the return a little space to breathe.

We don’t want to linger around Stonetop for too long; we need to keep the adventure pace moving. For Session 3 I’m thinking we try a pace like this:

• Return to Stonetop - 30 mins
• Level up if they can - 20 minutes explanation.
• Timejump to Summertime - 30 mins, play a scene of each PC.
• Drop the next adventure hook - 60 minutes
• Outfit, Pack up, and leave Stonetop - 30 minutes

(Remember to have Talisyn and Zavia play a scene during their time gone)

So by the end of this session we are well on our way to the next adventure.

A few threads I want to pull on this session:

• Betrys has been the only “villain” established so far. I want to create a few more in town. Maybe Emmet is concerned about Arcana use, and Gretchen is upset with Railan (talks to Aaron?).
• Did Madoc fulfill a prophecy? I think we need to start outlining some specifics around her potential.
• What about those boxes for Gordin’s Delve?
• Will they visit the Caravan remains near the Ruined Tower?

Hmmm….I spent some time reviewing the items that they’re bringing back, and the one that stands out is the Bleached Book. I’m going to say it’s the “Vellum Scroll” (Arcana #45) just in a slightly different form. And someone steals it. This will be my first threat writeup. A Threat is something that grows over time and can cause trouble if not dealt with. The book has a lot of good advice about designing and weaving threats into your game.

In particular I want to design threats that engage specific PCs.

Threat: Bleached Book (Taliesyn, Zavia)

Instinct: To experiment dangerously

Type: MacGuffin

Someone has stolen the bleached book (Arcana #45) and has started trying to learn its secrets. How come Taliesyn can’t sense it? Do people suspect someone? What does the person want to acquire?

• Notes in a strange language written in blood are found
• Candles and chanting seen on the edge of town. Snuffed out quickly
• A trip to the Ruined Tower, brings back an “ingredient”
• Lightning stops striking the Stone, and strikes the Old Wall instead
• A big wish is granted; something bad
• 2d4 Surplus is lost

Threat: Tor’s Militia (Railan, Madoc?)

Instinct: To recruit

Type: Institution

Betrys is recruiting her own militia in the service of Tor. What is their larger mission? How will this impact Railan’s militia?

• Betry’s undermines and criticizes Railan
• Gretchen leaves Railan’s crew
• Make promises about expanding the village, growing it. “retrieval missions” that are basically raids.
• Angry Hillfolk want repayment
• Hillfolk want revenge
• Hillfolk attack village! (maybe we need Tor’s Militia help?)

Threat: Daub’s Dogs (Stridelong, Little Owl)

Instinct: To Grow Out of Control

Type: Beast

Daub made a deal with a Fomoraij to make his dogs stronger. The Fomoraij is binding spirits to them, and Daub may lose control. Which Fomoraij? What is the price for this?

• Daub’s dogs find Stridelong, act strange.
• Daub’s dogs won’t stop barking
• Daub brings home a big kill, the town loves it.
• Dogs start to look strange (scales, silver eyes, etc)
• Villager attacked by a wolf (one of Daub’s)
• Daub reluctantly enlists help to put down his worst dog
• The remaining dogs get loose and go on a rampage

I also met with a few of my players to discuss some wishlist items! I’ll keep these in mind as we play.

Taliesyn Wishlist

• Wants Arcana that can help the town. Willing to take risks for it.
• Keep his Arcana a secret; don’t want to spook people
• If someone else is using Arcana, he would be worried
• Loves to decipher languages and runes
• Keep romance with Rachel a slow burn

Madoc Wishlist

• Wants specific prophecies that she can engage with or reject
• More Jeb and Jag development. They’re fun!
• Mother is from Gordin’s Delve. Is this a secret?
• More chances to take charge, accomplish something great

Now to write all this down in my notes, do a little more reading, and see how things go!

Read how Session 3 went in the Campaign Log!

Session 4 Prep

I’m realizing as these sessions go on, the more the game kind of runs itself, and these notes will get shorter and shorter. This is for a few reasons:

• Large Cast. We have built a cast of NPCs for Stonetop that can’t grow too large. Instead of inventing new NPCs every session, instead I get to dig deeper into each one. How will Emmet deal with his suspicions of Taliesyn? Sorsha loves Zavia, but at what cost?
• Threats. I realized last week that the Myths from Mythic Bastionland are just Threats chopped into pieces and mixed around. Anyway, they can be a bit of a drain to create up front, but then they just kind of run themselves? In between sessions you advance you threats, give some clues to the players, and let things accelerate naturally.
• Player Driven. More-so than most of the games I’ve played Stonetop is directed by the players. Sure I could throw stuff at the town and make them go on adventures, but due to the above elements things end up naturally engaging the players. We had a 40 minute stretch that was just my players asking if they could add this wrinkle or that problem to the world. No other game has shared the burden of creativity as much as Stonetop!

With that being said, I have a few things I am excited to brainstorm for this session:

1. Advance my threats: Daub’s dogs, Tor’s Militia, and the Bleached Book
2. Gordin’s Delve. The players want to deliver the boxes back to Gordin’s Delve, and maybe secure some trade opportunities as winter looms. I need to prep some encounters for the trip.
3. Fill in gaps. We had two players miss last session, and will have two different players missing this session. I need to prep some letters and some scenes for them to play out.

First, let’s advance our existing threats:

• Daub’s Dogs. I need to mention them howling and have one of the villagers mention it to the players.
• Tor’s Militia. It needs a few recruits among the named NPCs. Gretchen and Betrys for sure…but one more. Maybe Jag? He’s not happy as a Tanner. Maybe he wants to do something else. Let’s have them all wearing a uniform. And if the players investigate, they just say “It’s for Tor”.
• Bleached Book. The players stumble across evidence of a ritual maybe 45 minutes outside of town. Evidence of a blood ritual and blood candles.

I’ll try to introduce these gradually during the session.

Next, Gordin’s Delve. Coming up with a few encounters along the way is easy, so we’ll do that first. Book II is filled with so many amazing creatures, relics, threats, and ideas that it’s like choosing from a menu. Let’s see…

• A curious rain spirit clings to a PC, and tries to get something wet that shouldn’t get wet.
• A burrow tomb is actually a Shellback Drake. Maybe they’ll plunder it?
• A piece of the ruined tower, smoking from a lightning strike. Atherium ingot?
• The Pale Hunter pursuing a —

Just got a genius idea. What if the Pale Hunter corrupts Daub’s Dogs? Or even makes a bargain with Daub? Or something….yes. This is way cooler than a Fomoraij. I’ll tweak the threat later, but for now let’s introduce the Pale Hunter.

• The Pale Hunter pursuing a terrible ghost. PCs hear the clashing, and see flashes of ghstly light. It manifests as a large snake made of green smoke. The Hunter is everywhere, slashing, attacking, and throwing magic. One of his dogs is crushed.

And maybe I’ll write down a few questions to ask the players about the Flats and weather as they travel.

As for Gordin’s Delve itself…I want things to be focused but not limited. I don’t want my PCs wandering around the markets shopping for 3 hours. I also want to have some kind of twist that gets the PCs wrapped up.

So for pacing:

• 30-45 mins of hinting at threats, prepping to leave
• 60-90 mins of travel and encounters. Pale Hunter especially.
• 30 mins Arrive at Gordin’s Delve. Try to drop the big twist right at the end of the session.

As for the twist itself, here’s what I’m thinking: Odo Thriceborn is trying to make the most of a power vacuum, but he needs more of an edge. He reached out to several Hillfolk bands trying to negotiate for mining rights. Obviously most of the Hillfolk rejected him, but Kiln of the Lower Green Moon might have been curious. So Thriceborn sent the supplies as a gift/bribe/threat. Even if Kiln wanted to accept, she couldn’t without causing a stir. So instead she tries to pass the problem off to Stonetop, and throws the boxes in with the Carvan they found. Meanwhile Thriceborn knows his offer has been rejected, and is pissed. Who are these savages to defy him?

So he’s going to offer the Stonetoppers to deliver a message to the Hillfolk, or maybe offer them a chance to help him. That’s when we end the session. Big reveal, an offer, implied threat, etc.

If they reach Gordin’s Delve with lots of time left, then we can do some shopping and exploring; but I really want to get to the meat of this to end with a cliffhanger. Maybe Madoc’s mother can give some useful information that gets them to Thriceborn quickly.

Let’s see if I can pull it off! Tune in next week to see how things went.

Oh! Letters. Right. Zavia and Taliesyn were working on the secrets of the wooden spiky ring. We can play through that. Maybe they even find evidence of rituals happening, and we can skip that on the journey to Gordin’s Delve. I’ll come up with a move for them both.

Session 4 Letters

Dear Zavia,

When you returned from Titan Bones, Sorsha blames you for leaving the forge lit. “Maybe you shouldn’t spend the night here until the weather cools down…” Later, she wanted to open the Gordin’s Delve crates. Did you agree? Was there a fight about it between you two?

One of the requirements for the Spiky Wooden Ring is to find someone with “Forest Eyes”. Who in the village inherited this from a mysterious parent? What did you offer in exchange for their help?

When you pierce your skin with the Spiky Ring, roll+CON

On a 10+ the spikes slide under your skin as if they were always there. The resulting infection is minimal, letting you have enough energy to help Taliesyn with some of his Arcana research. To cure it will only require a rare mushroom and a forge-hot ember.

On a 7-9 The spike hurts, of course, but the real misery comes from the infection. You’re bedridden, exhausted, and relient on others to find the cure. What do you owe them for bringing you the ingredients you need?

On a 6- As 7-9 above, but Taliesyn is also infected. His own efforts are hindered and he will owe someone for the cure ingredients. He chooses 1 less option from his own letter.

xoxo - Your GM

Dear Taliesyn,

The Bleached Book is missing. Shit. Shit. It’s fine.

Choose 2 from the list below. If you share everything with Zavia, she can choose one more option from the list below.

• Make Progress on one of your Arcana, whichever makes the most sense.
• Find evidence of a strange ritual. Are those….blood candles?
• No one else finds evidence of this strange Aracana ritual.
• Convince several villagers that your Aracana could help the village. They may want more proof…but they’re open to the idea.

xoxo - Your GM

Read how Session 4 went in the Campaign Log!

Session 5 Prep

Well that was unexpected. By this point the players are so invested in their characters and in the setting that they are driving the main action themselves. I think if I let them they could play three more sessions just advancing character arcs and meeting new people.

Not to mention that the Pale Hunter was meant to be a quick side encounter, not something they spend an hour navigating. Not to mention further that Madoc had a massive character arc AND got a new pet!

While this was a great session and a testament to Stonetop’s engaging gameplay, it also means I need to prep for Gordin’s Delve without any idea of how things will go. I imagine the first hour will be dropping that big twist I talked about during my session 4 prep. But then what?

I guess I can prep a few random encounters, just in case I need them. And I can prep for the inevitable shopping trip. But mostly I’ll be winging it depending on how the PCs react to Thriceborn’s “offer”.

oh! And I need to make a new threat for Taliesyn’s failed Invocation of Soil. These zombie things can be a fantastic growing threat.

Threat: Thirsty Redeads

Instinct: To Drink (Blood)

Type: Rabble

• A small group (6) approach from beyond the Old Wall and start tearing it down. They are strong.
• Dead animals found drained of blood.
• Big section of the wall is torn down, stones cracked.
• Small group (12) crawl out of the ground in the fields.
• Large group (30) crawl out of center of town.
• Attack Stonetop en masse.

Slow but strong zombies. They are gross and pop up out of the soil! Something about the Old Wall prevents them. They need to destroy it. Rebuilding the Old Wall will delay them.

Session 6 Prep

I have absolutely NO time this week. I’ll just have to rely on my existing threats and advance them. Then we’ll do a seasonal jump.

I do need to make a NEW threat:

Threat: Thriceborn Mining

Instinct: To Invade Stonetop

Type: Villain

• Make a gift to Stonetop, ask them to deliver a message
• Station one or two agents in Stonetop. (Otho is an agent)
• Another agent comes bearing gifts. Stays in town.
• Station troops at Ruined Tower (things go wrong?)
• Send wounded troops to Stonetop. Troops stay.
• Station more troops.
• Conduct raids from Stonetop
• Turn Stonetop into a battlefront against the Hillfolk

This might turn into a Ruined Tower threat if they awaken something!

Here’s how I want to advance all my threats this session:

• Thirsty Redeads: Attacked the Old Wall, injured some, scared everyone. That already happened.
• Bleached Book: Jag left after the attack, desperate for a weapon to use against them. Found some Aetherium from the Ruined Tower to super-charge the Old Wall. (that’s his wish)
• Daub’s Dogs: Helped with village defense. They are HUGE. Town loves them.
• Tor’s Militia: Gretchen helps with defense. Betrys promises blessings.
• Thriceborn Mining: Otho confesses that he was commanded to write reports back to Thriceborn. He just wants his son to be safe.

So general outline for tomorrow:

• Stonetoppers accept the gifts/threats from Thriceborn.
• Otho goes home with them + his son. He tells some of his past, and warns them about Thriceborn.
• They bump into Jag returning from the Ruined Tower (secretly with the Bleached Book). He is vague about his errand. He excitedly tells them about Tor’s Militia and the redeads. “I think Tor’s militia can really help us. And I want to help them!”

6 redeads were dismantling part of the Old Wall. The resistance was futile. Two watchmen were killed trying to stop them. One militia crew was badly injured (Aaron?), one of Daub’s dogs was killed (they are HUGE now). only 3 redeads were killed. Until Gretchen charged in with lightning punches! She slew the other 3 by herself. Proudly proclaimed that Betrys had given her Tor’s blessing, and anyone who pledged to Tor could have the same. People are afraid, and some are excited.

• They arrive and deal with Betrys and Gretchen shaming them. Tor’s Militia has people riled up. Aaron is hopeless and depressed.
• Excited about the Surplus from Gordin’s Delve.
• Otho confesses his secret purpose. But leave hints, make someone convince him to talk.
• Daub is sleepless. Training his dogs harder than ever; gets Railan and Stridelong to help.
• Betrys tries to recruit Little Owl and Zavia.
• Jag and Jeb talk to Madoc about Militia.
• Jump to next season. Play out some scenes.
• Start the next season with more threats.

Session 7 Prep

I’ve been busy travelling and dealing with work stuff, so the past 2 sessions I haven’t written up my campaign log or had as detailed notes as before. WHOOPS! Hopefully I can catch up this weekend.

This session will be mostly focused on a time jump to next season: FALL! I also want to set up a big threat that Stonetop needs to prepare for. Let’s review our threats and tie them in together:

• Thirsty Redeads: They are going to attack in this session. Lots of em.
• Bleached Book: Jag and Taliesyn agreed to work on the Bleached Book Arcana. Jag’s wish is to grow the Old Wall, which will draw lightning and be dangerous.
• Daub’s Dogs: Stridelong agreed to train them. Have the Pale Hunter show up. Pale Hunter wants the dogs. Has been visiting Daub in his dreams to make the deal.
• Tor’s Militia: Who is the next to get Tor’s Blessing? Maybe 3-4 people all ready to fight. Very useful in the defense.
• Thriceborn Mining: Darya from Gordin’s Delve arrives to “catalogue Resources” and perform a census. Brings 3 heavily armed fighters who want lodging in Stonetop. Help with defense.

What’s interesting is that we actually have a lot of resources for defending the town! But each one brings a steep cost:

• Keep the dogs from the Pale Hunter for a cost.
• Get Tor’s Blessing. Little Owl?
• Bleached Book Wish makes the town border dangerous to everyone
• Soldiers from Gordin’s Delve will mean more favors to Thriceborn
• Normal town defenses cost resources and time

We’re bringing a lot of threats to a head; I think that’s so valid. After the big redead attack I imagine a lot of things will be different, with new threats.

Pacing-wise I think I want to play through Fall, have the PCs make some big decisions about the threats and defenses. Give them a hint that the redeads are coming. But end the game JUST before they attack the town. Fun cliffhanger and time to play through some scenarios. With that being the case, let’s see if we can prep a few scenes in advance and play through them as we go. Some are just story filler, and some are making big decisions for the defense.

• Have a funeral for those lost in the first redead attack. Buried in fields? Stream? Who was lost? Pick one from our list of named NPCs. Roll?
• Betrys approaches Little Owl asking if he wants Tor’s Blessing. (Make this a letter)
• Sorsha begins to use the tools to fashion strong weapons and armor. And more Tor pendents. Has a tough conversation with Zavia about making the forge hotter. (Make this a letter)
• Taliesyn and Jag try the Bleached Book ritual. Secret ingedient is aetherium from Ruined Tower. Someone else finds out when Jag lets it slip.
• Stridelong, Madoc, and Daub train the dogs. Daub shares about his dreams of Pale Hunter. One goes feral, roll to control or subdue it. Pale Hunter shows up in their dreams later.
• Madoc intercepts Darya + soldiers who want to stay and “catalog inventory”; deals with panicked mother (Mady). Father wants them gone, they upset Mady. Betrys also wants them gone.
• Railan and Kiera help Aaron recover. Deals with Betrys question to blend militia.
• Railan’s militia see shapes wandering out in the plains. Redeads? Sorsha offers weapons.
• Stridelong and Taliesyn have to hunt down their mushroom garden. Roll up some cool shrooms. The walking mushrooms are missing…they are found on someone sleeping (trying to clone?)

I think that’s enough seeds to keep us busy for the next session. We’ll see how things lead up to the big assault!

Dear Zavia,

You’ve fully moved into Sorsha’s spare room. What’s something that just wouldn’t fit and you had to get rid of it? In addition to growing closer to Sorsha, you also get to spend more time contemplating the light of the forge. It makes it easier to let go of your fears and embrace this….home.

After a familiar spat between you and Sorsha she sighs and changes the subject. “Thank you for the tools from Gordin’s Delve. But in order to take advantage of these I need a hotter forge. Can you convince Helior to lend us their flames?”

When you convince Helior to lend their flames, roll + WIS:

On a 10+ the forge roars hotter than ever, perfect for smelting a few steel spearheads or a piece of steel armor (who gets it?).

On a 7-9 the forge roars, but choose 1:

• You have to stay up late to tend it. Mark Exhausted until the forge is dismantled.
• The fires crack the forge. It will break at the end of Fall.
• Sorsha suffers a terrible burn.

On a 6- the forge fails, but you must still choose one option from above.

XOXO - Your GM

Session 8 Prep

This is the big one. A ton of redeads are going to assault the village. People will die. Walls will be broken. Shields shall be shattered.

I’m nervous about running such a big event with Stonetop, which is so good at small conversations and focused scenes. A big battle feels out of scope. My fear is that this will feel like a little skirmish, but that’s already happened.

My original plan was to have a bunch of phases of the battle, and during each phase the PCs make a move or play out a scene. Thanks to @thestoryteller and @wishingonawendy on the Stonetop discord for all their helpful suggestions!

They convinced me to simplify things a little and rely more heavily on the existing tools and moves of Stonetop. So instead I’m going to make a list of suggested scenes, and review how the game would handle this.

Also I will have a chat with my players and discuss the pacing with them. Have half of the session be the actual battle, and the rest be dealing with the fallout.

OH! And first I’ll send Stridelong a letter for last week:

Dear Stridelong,

As summer gave way to fall you spent your time in the usual ways: wandering the edge of the woods, scouting for dangers, and tending to your mushroom garden. One person kept seeking you out, who and why?

Whenever you entered the village more people were happy to see you. What’s a false rumor that is spreading around the village thanks to your recent exploits?

Additionally you’ve been training with Daub and his dogs,, and Mistic, preparing for whatever threats may come.

When you try to train the dogs, roll +WIS. On a 10+ choose 3, 7-9 choose 1. If Madoc helps, choose one more option, but Madoc marks a Debility.

• You are not injured
• The dogs learn to follow Daub’s commands
• The dogs learn to follow YOUR commands
• The dogs are capable of fighting among groups rather than simply hunting
• The dogs follow Mistic’s leadership

On a 6- the pack’s training draws unwanted attention…

- X0X0, Your GM

Anyway, back to the moves that Stonetop has already:

BOLSTER - I don’t think this applies. The PCs made several village upgrades during the jump to Fall, so we’re going to have the attack happen quickly. No need to prepare more.

MUSTER - I think we’ll start with this. Describe some rumblings near the Old Wall, maybe a scout gives a report that “They’re back!!”. Then we Muster.

I’ll go around the table and ask everyone what that looks like, along with general questions.

• Stonetop has 10 Militia, 10 Hunters, 75 Farmers, and maybe 100 other untrained adults. The rest of the 300 are too old or too young to make any difference in a fight. Who is determined to fight despite being too young/too old?
• Where do we keep the non-combatants?
• How will Railan and Betrys handle command?
• Daub and his Dogs are doing what? Stridelong there? Madoc?
• Where is everyone? How are they preparing?
• Kiera is organizing medics. Where will the wounded be taken? Zavia/Stridelong/Little Owl, any medicinal shrooms? (roll for the shroom harvest)
• Taliesyn do you want people about the Old Wall? What’s the advice?
• Zavia, do you light the signal for the Hillfolk? You promised to light it when Thriceborn is vulnerable, but you might need their help anyway…

I’ll set the stage with a quick description of how things start. The redeads are emerging from the ground and walking towards the Old Wall. They start smashing it and taking stones apart. Lightning strikes a few times, killing some redeads, but there are at least 40 more. The redeads only attack Stonetoppers if threatened, otherwise they mostly focus on the Old Wall.

Ask Railan if he sounds the attack, or convinces them to wait, or what.

DEPLOY - We’ll roll this next when the battle starts in earnest.

After that, I’ll go around the table and give each PC a hard choice or difficult situation:

• Taliesyn: The Old Wall is crackling with electricity. Lightning strikes it regularly, charring redeads and burning defenders who get too close. A gale starts to whip up and a small fire starts to grow out in the fields. What do you do?
• Zavia: Sorsha is running repairing bits or armor or handing out batches of arrows. 4 redeads break off from the group and charge in that direction. What do you do?
• Stridelong: You see Daub trying to order his dogs to distract a group of redeads from swarming the Ringwall. But he can’t see that there are 3 more coming from the other direction. What do you do?
• Madoc: Mistic has not left your side during the battle. All of a sudden she darts off back towards the village. What do you do? (Mistic sees one redead sneak past)
• Little Owl: A redead pulls a log from the Ringwall and pins two defenders with it. The redead leaves it there and goes back to dismantling the Ringwall. Do you fight it off? Or help the pinned defenders?
• Railan: Aaron limps up to you, his husband helping carry his weapons. Aaron asks you for orders, while his husband just looks afraid. The redeads are grouping together for a final rush.
• Anyone: One of Tor’s Militia has just slain 3 redeads when they clutch their heads as if in terrible pain. They release a terrible scream, like a cyclone. The smell of ozone builds, and your hair stands on end. Something terible is building. What do you do?

And then play out one or two more scenes. Lastly, I’ll describe the aftermath! And maybe use the MEET WITH DISASTER roll.

I’ll be taking close notes of each scene; hopefully I can improvise some engaging aftermath and cleanup. I feel good about this! Next week I’ll have to update a BUNCH of my threats. Some aftermath ideas:

• Pick one person from the NPC list. They died defending the village.
• Some buildings were destroyed by fire. Whose houses?
• How much food was lost?
• Fields were trampled, crops ruined.
• The Old Wall was damaged, piles of charred stone. Lightning continues to strike.

Session 9 Prep

The battle went really well! Glad I didn’t have to make a bunch of new stuff to handle it.

This week’s session is gonna be a little shorter than most, so I’m going to be focused wholly on setup. I polled my players and they are interested in:

• Exploring the forest to find out what happened to the Forest Folk. We also broke the pact, so this could be interesting.
• Learning more about the history of Stonetop. I am thinking we learn about an Underbeast locked away in the Cistern. The Ring Wall and the Stone power the prison that keeps it there.

Let’s do a quick update of threats:

• Thirsty Redeads: Resolved! The hordes were defeated.
• Bleached Book: Resolved! Jag and some friends are actually excited to learn from Taliesyn.
• Daub’s Dogs: Last step is for the Pale Hunter to show up. Maybe they’ll be willing to give up the dogs? This could be resolved quickly unless I tie it into the Forest Folk.
• Tor’s Militia: Kind of resolved. I feel like Tor is running this place now. We’ll ask Railan what he wants to do.
• Thriceborn Mining: Next step is to have a bunch of injured Thriceborn mercenaries show up after a fight with the Hillfolk. Will Stonetop turn them away?

Eventually I’ll want to make two new threats, but I don’t think I have all the info I want. So here are two half-finished threats:

Threat: Cistern Underbeast

Instinct: To escape / To destroy

Type: Magical Entity

The cage housing this thing is starting to break down. Lightning doesn’t strike the stone any more, and the Old Wall is in shambles.

• Earthquakes coming from below
• Visions of something crawling under Stonetop
• Smaller Underbeasts emerge from the Cistern (vulnerable to lightning)
• Earthquakes get worse, topple the Stone
• The Underbeast escapes, Stonetop is destroyed, the world is doomed

Tie it in with the Ruined Tower, maybe they are connected underground?

Threat: Fae Wardens

Instinct: To contain at any cost

Type: Institution

The Fae have felt the rumblings of the earth. They threaten to destroy Stonetop, and need to add Wards and protections to contain The Underbeast.

• Earthquakes alert the Fae
• Pale Hunter arrives, gives warning. Pact is broken.
• A Warden arrives, warns Stonetop to evacuate
• A bunch of Wardens drive everyone out

These two feel connected, but maybe not linked? One could happen without the other, and it should drive some conflict over Stonetop. I’ll flesh it out more after this next session.

General Pacing:

• Funeral for the fallen (Daub, a few others)
• Cleanup in the fields
• How to dispose of bodies?
• Jump to next season, Winter
• Play out some scenes of normalcy returning
• Pale Hunter arrives, has taken control of Daub’s Dogs. Offers a warning in return: The Wardens are awake
• Earthquake, and the Stone falls over. BIG MYSTERY!!

An ongoing writeup of our Stonetop TTRPG Campaign. This page is player-friendly and doesn’t contain and spoilers. It’s a great example of what stories can come from a Stonetop Campaign.

Buy a Copy of Stonetop Here!

If you want a peek behind the GM curtain, you can read my notes here.

Dramatis Personae

Session 1

Although this first session was mostly establishing characters and relationships, we still did explore the first adventure hook.

Today is a big day. Not only have the snows finally melted, but the annual Caravan is coming to town! The wagons are always bursting with treasures from all around the region: masterwork weapons and tools, fine cloth, strange furs, tasty foods, magical artifacts, colorful toys, and most importantly: news. The whole town is abuzz with expectation.

• Taliesyn wants to purchase some rare books or scrolls. Maybe a little arcana if he can afford it.
• Little Owl is hoping to some new seeds to expand his garden.
• Madoc wants a map and some news of the outside world.
• Zavia is almost out of shrooms…and she might travel with the caravan for a while.
• Railan needs a shield for one of his men, and maybe a steel spear.
• Longstride doesn’t really want anything, but maybe he can sell his furs to help the village.

After a day or two, the excitment begins to sour. Bronwin really really wants a sword, and he makes it everyone’s problem. After another a week tensions are high. Kiera was counting on some medicinal herbs for one of her patients. The whole town grumbles. Still no caravan.

When Stridelong can’t sleep he wanders the woods (if he could he’d wander them in his sleep too). Thus he was the first to notice the distant fire on the dark horizon. He ran back to town, shook his head at the sleeping sentries, and went straight to Railan’s house. After sharing the news, Railan grabbed Stridelong and took him to help rally the town. Others were awakened, plans were made, and in the morning a massive town meeting was held.

“The signal fire of the Hillfolk was lit last night.” says Railan to the crown. “You can still see the smoke! I am asking for volunteers to travel with me and meet with them.”

“So you leave the village defenseless!” accuses Betrys. Railan rolls his eyes.

“I’m leaving Aaron and the rest of the militia here to watch the town. I’m hoping for 4-5 other people who will travel with me and Stridelong to represent Stonetop.” Railan looks expectantly out on the crowd. Stridelong slowly registers that what Railan said, and decides he will tag along for now.

“You should go.” whispers Jag as he nudges Madoc in the ribs. “Get out of here and see beyond the Old Wall.” She looks to Jeb who gives a comforting smile and nods. She raises her hand.

Zavia also raises her hand, feeling the itch to wander once again. Better to wander with a group when she can. She’ll have to tell Taliesyn as well, since he’s probably lost in some dusty tome. That boy will never learn anything that isn’t written down (which is most things, honestly). It will do him good to get out.

Little Owl watches, but doesn’t volunteer. Someone will just tell him to stay here, so why announce it? Better to sneak along until it’s too later to turn back. Maybe he’ll tell Stridelong, just to start up a conversation. First time for everything.

The group prepares to embark on short and no doubt uneventful journey to the Titan’s Bones.

Session 2

First each player played through their letters.

• Taliesyn was up late trying to unlock the secrets of a Large Wooden Jar (arcana). His friend, Emmet, came into the room unexpectedly and was deeply concerned by what they saw. Taliesyn left without addressing it; hopefully it just kind of resolves itself?
• After Madoc agreed to go on the journey to Titan Bones, Ethel approached her with excitement. “I just know you will finally fulfill the prophecies and reach your true potential!” she exclaimed, as Madoc smiled politely, not betraying her annoyance. After more polite nods, Ethel finally left, but Madoc knows she’ll be back with more “guidance”.
• Little Owl desperately wants to go to Titan Bones, but knows he’ll be rejected as “too young” or “too inexperienced”. Instead he decides to follow behind secretly and join them when it’s too late to turn back. Unfortunately he stumbles across young Bronwin who has the same plan. Little Owl barely manages to convince Bronwin to stay after a long discussion. So long, in fact, that Little Owl falls behind and has to leave behind his pack and equipment to catch up with the group!
• Zavia spends a lovely evening with Sorsha. As Zavia leaves to pack, she sees that the forge is still lit. Sorsha forbid Zavia from touching the forge, so Zavia just sits and enjoys the warm glow of the embers. Helior grants her a vision: A dark glowing ember beneath the Ruined Tower. Zavia snaps out of the vision and rushes off to pack and leave with the group, the forge still alight.
• Railan is approached by one of his best militia: Gretchen. Gretchen lost her sister to the Hillfolk a few years back, and insists on going with Railan to meet them. Both to protect her friends and to hopefully get more information about her sister’s demise. Railan allows her to come along, but some in the village see this as poor leadership from a man easily swayed.
• Stridelong’s letter will be addressed mid-journey.

The group departs late the next morning. Taliesyn, Madoc, Little Owl, Stridelong, Zavia, Railan, and Gretchen leave amidst a flurry of “goodbye”s and “good luck”s. The town’s two draft horses, Glitter and Hoof, take up the rear, pulling a wagon with a light load. The Maker’s Roads offer some protection, as well as a direct path to Titan Bones.

After a few hours of travel, they approach The Crossroads. A common place to travelers to rest, worship, and trade (and be haunted by the ghosts of the Makers, if you listen to the old folks). There is a dark-cloaked person sitting cross legged on a red mat in front of the shrine to Aratis (The God of Order). A thin curl of smoke drifts up from the shrine, growing thicker as the group approaches.

Zavia hangs back, convinced they are being followed. She quickly spots Little Owl among the Gwead (thick flatland grasses). Little Owl is hardly embarrased, and Zavia can’t help but smile that her young friend has joined this impromptu adventure. She makes a mental note to keep an eye on him.

The rest of the group has been observing the strange worshipper in front of the smoking shrine. The smoke bursts into a small fire, and the shrine begind to char and burn. Zavia counsels that this could be a form of worship, and there’s little danger of the flame spreading among the Gwead. Little Owl adds that none of them worship Aratis, one of the least popular gods in Stonetop. The group moves on, as the flames grow higher and the strange worshipper starts to laugh maniacally. It’s probably fine.

As darkness falls, the group approaches the base of Titan Bones. They camp for the evening. Railan and Gretchen set a watch, since Gretchen hasn’t taken a break all day and Railan is worries about her. Eventually she does relent to sleep, and Railan realizes he hasn’t seen Stridelong in a while.

Railan walks the perimeter, alert for any sound. There’s a rustling noise, a loud grunt, and the sound of flesh hitting stone. He runs to the source, and see Stridelong has fallen into a steep stone crater. Ringed by Gwead, anyone might have fallen in, but Railans suspects the rolling Beznpol is the culprit (a horse-sized Pangolin/Badger creature famous for curling into a highly mobile ball and running down prey).

Stridelong has a pained look on his face, both from embarrassment and from a sprained ankle. Railan jumps down into the crater, and quickly tosses one of his rations on the other side of the crater. The Beznpol rolls after it, and Railan has enough time to help Stridelong out of danger. The two hobble back to camp, and Stridelong says he’ll remain here and keep watch to make sure no one tries to flank them up the hill. He had expected to get more grief about his mistake, but the others just accept the situation and wish him well.

He and Little Owl remind the group of three things to remember when dealing with the Hillfolk:

• Hillfolk consider mining and farming heretical. The ground and stone are sacred.
• Do not walk backwards in front of them. It’s rude.
• They show friendship by pressing foreheads together. They do this with their horses as well.
• They will kill your sister and never admit it.

That last one was from Gretchen, and Railan gently puts a hand on her shoulder. “We will ask about your sister. Politely. Please be patient.” Gretchen nods, unconvincingly.

With Stridelong staying behind to rest, the group heads up the hill to the Titan Bones bonfire. A tall Hillfolk woman awaits them, flanked by a shorter angry-looking man.

“I am Kiln, leader of the Lower Green Moon band. We welcome conversation with Thundertop.” Kiln explains how their band was hunting a thunderdrake when they came across the remains of a Merchant caravan. The traders had been struck by lightning, and much of their good were charred and broken. “We scavanged what we could, gave the bodies a sky burial, and lit the bonfire to negotiate a burial price.”

The Stonetop citizens look at one another for a few moments, and Madoc takes the opportunity to step forward.

“We greet you. This caravan was indeed heading for Stonetop with supplies we desperately needed. What is a a fair burial price?”

Kiln looks confused. “That is for the family to determine. We decided you are the closest thing to family these merchants have around here. The price should reflect the appreciation and generosity of the family.”

The PCs step away to discuss amongst themselves. But Zavia takes a moment to look into Kiln’s eyes, and something passes between them: a strange understanding.

“This is a chance to show our generosity” says Madoc. “We could gain allies if we give them a big payout.”

“But we need those supplies,” argues Little Owl. “It’s all our stuff anyway. And who knows if they kept more than they said?”

“I need to examine the supplies, make an inventory, and see if there are any arcana.” insists Taliesyn.

Railan steps in front of Gretchen’s fierce glare, quietly urging her to breathe. Madoc, Little Owl, and Taliesyn go to investigate the supplies while Zavia walks up to Kiln.

“May we speak privately, Kiln?” Zavia asks, motioning to a clearing. They walk over to talk quietly together while the shorter Hillfolk man stares at them. Little Owl notices them quickly touch their foreheads together, but no one else catches it.

The PCs come back together and share what they learned. Zavia’s revelation is the hardest to believe.

“They want to move into Stonetop?” asks Gretchen incredulously. Zavia shakes her head, explaining that Kiln wants to learn more about what life is like in Stonetop; specifically what it’s like to farm the land and live in one place. “She is sick of seeing her people starve and wander through the winters.” Railan idly says, “See Gretchen? They are no different than–” and starts as he sees Gretchen approach the shorter man.

“Careful”, warns Zavia, “That is Kiln’s second, who does not agree with Kiln. He sees us as enemies, and he is a spirit-talker.” Railan quickly walks up to the start of an argument between Gretchen and Kiln’s Second.

The Second is smugly crossing his arms and says he doesn’t anything about her sister. “Not all Hillfolk are the same, Thundertop”, he sneers.

“Oh, so you are the only ones who DON’T murder innocent people?” Gretchen snarls back. “I wonder if the caravan would agree with you. OH RIGHT, they’re dead!”

“I’ll admit murder looms in my mind right now, Thundertop. Go back to your holes in the ground.” Gretchen takes a step forward, but Railan finally arrives and steps in between them. They shout a few more threats before Railan can force Gretchen back down the path. Negotiations breakdown.

The PCs take what they think is fair:

• Two large boxes marked for Gordin’s Delve
• Herbs and Poultices for Kiera’s patients
• Charred cedar sticks in a small box
• A bleached book (Arcana)
• A wooden spiky ring (Arcana)
• Pouches of seeds, some new and strange
• Gold bracelets and jewelry
• Buttons, needles, and thread
• A finely carved wooden toy sword

They leave the Hillfolk a very generous gift of:

• 2 Supplies
• A large jar of honey
• A steel spearhead
• Salt and spices

Attempts at further conversation die down. Kiln gathers her people. As she walks past Zavia she locks eyes, and nods slowly before turning down the mountain with her band. Railan notes that it isn’t the WORST Hillfolk meeting they’ve had…but it could have been a lot better. Gretchen does not speak for the entire return journey.

Next week we will play through the return to Stonetop, jump into Summer, and see how things have changed since then!

Session 3

The heroes of Stonetop return triumphant! The trip back was uneventful, only slightly haunted by the smoking husk that was once a shrine to Aratis. The supplies were a welcome gift to the people of Stonetop. While most were out planting the spring harvest, there was still a crowd of excited folk to help load the supplies into the barn. Each member of the group picks out some of the special items to deliver personally.

Railan took the herbs out to the fields, looking for Keira. He spotted her carrying a large pot of water and hurried to catch up.

“Kiera!” he called out, and she turned to look his way.

“Oh, so glad you made it back safely, Railan. I assume from your smile that things went well?”

“Yes!” he said triumphantly and held up the bag of herbs. “I know you were waiting on these herbs for–” She shoved the large pot into his hands and snagged the bag, rifling through it with a practiced eye.

She sighed with relief, “Yes, it’s all here. Thank you Railan.” She takes a few step towards the village and turns to look back at him. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for the village. And everything you did. We’re lucky to have you protecting us. Thank you.” And Railan can finally accept a little of the forgiveness in her tone. As she walks away, he feels lighter, despite carrying the heavy water pot.

Madoc made sure to stop by her parents place and reassure them that she made it home safe and sound. Her mother never doubted, but her father is relieved. She endures their familiar chiding and mentions she needs to help unload the rest of the supplies. As she heads to the cart she bumps into Taliesyn looking even more anxious than usual.

“You’re heading to the cart, Madoc? Can you grab that bleached book and drop it off at my house? I have something I need to take care of first.” And runs off without waiting for confirmation. Madoc shrugs and continues to the barn. After some time searching, she can’t find the book at all. Assuming someone else delivered it to Taliesyn, she grabs what she came for: buttons, needles, and thread for Jag.

Madoc fiddles with the buttons as she heads towards Jag’s house. She can hear him cursing and muttering to himself; probably stuck with another piece of leather that he couldn’t quite figure out.

“Delivery!!” Madoc cries as she barges inside. Jag jumps and drops the discolored piece of hide.

“Don’t DO that!” he responds instinctivly. And then runs up to give her a hug, grateful she made it back safely, and just as eager to say, “I told you it would be a good trip!” They chit-chat for a bit, and he starts to put the buttons and needles in a special box.

“Have you seen Jeb yet?” He asks, slyly. She shakes her head, and he says, “Let him stew for a bit. He never let on that he was worried, but I could tell. It’s good for him to worry a little.”

“Oh, but not you?” She teases as she steps back into the main square. She comes to find Jeb napping on a hammock near his still. Keeping quiet, she snuggles up next to him, and they both enjoy each other’s peace.

Little Owl is assaulted by an angry Bronwin. “You big jerk! You left me behind! And now you get first pick of all the good stuff!” He whines. Luckily Little Owl had tucked the wooden sword inside his waistband earlier.

“Oh, you mean first pick of something like this?” He says as he draws the sword and waves it around. Bronwin’s eyes grow large, and his face scrunches up in jealousy. Little Owl flourishes the sword a few more times until Bronwin’s anger turns to tears. He pitches a fit, crying and sputtering. Little Owl is flabbergasted, and quickly offers the sword to difuse the situation.

“I was just holding it for you, Bronwin. I’m sorry! Please, take it!” And shoves the hilt towards the boy. With a final sniffle Bronwin holds the sword, handling it with care and awe. He swallows a lump in his throat and triumphantly holds the little weapon high above his head. Soon Little Owl is backing away from the wild swings of the aspiring soldier.

“STOP!” cries a gruff voice from atop the Ringwall. Aaron climbs down, looking disapprovingly at Little Owl and Bronwin both. “If you’re going to swing that thing, you should at least have the right stance” he commands with a smirk. “Let me show you.” The three spend a few hours “training” until Bronwin is called home for dinner. “If you ever wanted to learn a little swordplay, let me know, Little Owl. One day you’ll be a grown owl who might have need of a sharp beak.” Little Owl walks away, considering.

Stridelong finds a thoughful Little Owl relaxing on the edge of town as the sun sets. “Come, Little Owl, let’s see if we can get these strange seeds to sprout.” Little Owl hardly has time to object before Stridelong starts speed-walking to the edge of town. Little Owl hasn’t seen Stridelong’s cabin before, but it’s surprisingly cozy. Warm animal skins, bits of stone and shell hanging from the ceiling, and a few plants in pots. Through the back, Stridelong begins to clear out space in his garden. “During the day, this corner gets lots of sun.”

“Uhmmm…” Little Owl starts nervously, “Actually these are mushroom spores. They need a dark, damp place to grow.” Stridelong gives him a blank stare, and Little Owl worries he said the wrong thing.

“I know just the place”, says Stridelong, and sets out again as Little Owl struggles to keep up. They arrive at a little cave on the edge of the river, just big enough for a person to crawl into. “Is this sufficient?” ask Stridelong. Soon they’ve built the perfect fungal garden. Over the next few weeks Little Owl will grow more accustomed to Stridelong’s awkwardness, and Stridelong will grow to rely on Little Owl’s intuitive understanding of nature.

Over the next few days the town is abuzz with debate about the two big boxes from (or for) Gordin’s Delve. Sorsha is determined to open the boxes and make use of whatever supplies they contain, and many in the town agree with her. “They don’t even know it’s missing! And we could make use of those tools.” Docer quietly agrees, as does Madoc. Railan is the main objector, insisting that they return the property to Gordin’s Delve unmolested. Even Betrys agrees, insisting that the boxes cannot be good for Stonetop.

There is much debate, but the most surprising voice is Mady’s objections. “Gordin’s Delve is dangerous. It traps you and wraps you. We don’t want to mess with them any more than we already have. Return the boxes and close this chapter.”

Eventually the town agrees to open both boxes and then decide what to do with the contents. The smaller box contains a miscellany of tools, supplies, some maker glass, and bits of ore; all things Sorsha could use to benefit the town. The large box contains several stamped gold bars and some sealed letters. Mady grows pale, and pleads that they close up the boxes and return them. After a few panicked breaths she explains that the letters and bars are stamped with the seal of Odo Thriceborn, one of the most dangerous bosses in Gordin’s Delve. “Ever since Mutra the Teeth was lost, Thriceborn has grown to fill the power vacuum. He killed his 3 oldest children when they didn’t measure up. Cut their throats himself.”

That sobers any excitement that Stonetoppers had about free supplies. Sorsh is over-ridden, and the town agrees to package up the boxes and return them during their summer trade trip.

At this point in the game we jumped ahead a few months to the start of Summer. We played through a montage of scenes:

• Little Owl and Stridelong tending to their fungal garden. The harvest is large, yielding several strange and useful mushrooms!
• Stridelong comes across a strange rivertrader named Carmichael. His boat was overturned and grounded, but Stridelong helped him back into the water. In return he promised to bring Stonetop some of his wares on the return journey. Stridelong is celebrated for representing the village so well and building a new connection. He is slowly accepting Stonetop’s warmth and friendship.
• As the summer trade trip to Gordin’s Delve approaches, Mady forbids Madoc from going. “I know you want to help, and you want to be with Jeb and the others but…Gordin’s Delve is a bad place. You will not fulfill your potential there.” Madoc refuses, insisting that she is ready for the world, and needs to do this for herself and her village. “I just hope you live to regret it as much as I have” retorts Mady. Even Docer’s steady strength cannot calm the tension between his wife and his daughter.
• Railan notices Gretchen missing training sessions and skipping shifts. He approaches her gently, insisting that she is free to do as she wishes. Gretchen is reluctant to explain herself, but eventually spits out, “I worry you value your own honor over the good of the village. Not just with the Gordin’s Delve boxes, but with everything. Especially the murderous Hillfolk. We won’t be safe unless we take action!” Railan lets her go, but keeps an eye on her. Betrys is also keeping an eye on Gretchen.
• Railan is struggling to train a new recruit: Harry. Handsome and strong, Harry is surprisingly uncoordinated and slow-learning. Aaron recommends letting him go, but Railan pairs Harry with Emmet and hopes they can grow together.
• Madoc finishes crafting a new barrel for Jeb’s distillary, much to Jeb (and the entire town’s) delight. He lets slip that they could both stay in Stonetop while the others make the trade trip. “It’s always a massive drain; let’s stay behind and prep the next batch of whiskey together.” Madoc insists she can’t stay, and Jeb swallows his own preferences to show his support. But he still feels let down.
• Stridelong makes a regular game out of hiding from Daub’s prized hunting dogs. But this time their noses are too much for Stridelong. Daub glows with pride, and lets his ego show a little too much. In fact his dogs are up most nights barking and howling, drawing complaints from the older villagers.
• Taliesyn works with Zavia to uncover the secrets of the spiky wooden ring. They also share a growing concern about whoever took the Bleached Book.

Next Session we will set out for Gordin’s Delve to trade and return the two boxes!

Session 4

First Zavia and Talisyn play through their letters:

Sorsha has been rather cold since Zavia left the forge burning overnight. And now Zavia is planning to leave again, this time for an entire week! Despite their tension, both women try to connect and enjoy some quiet moments with one another. It certainly doesn’t help that Taliesyn keeps interrupting with news of some Arcana or another. The two have just finished unlocking the secrets of the Spiky Wooden Ring! It only cost them:

• Two weeks of sickness.
• A favor to Miriam (Gretchen’s younger sister) for gathering the ingredients needed for the cure.
• And wearing an ugly piece of jewelry where everyone can see it and wonder.

In fact there’s one ritual that he’s very eager to try: The Convocation of the Soil. He and Zavia have prepared as best as they can while still keeping it a secret from the rest of the villagers. Taliesyn looks to Zavia, and she nods, fingering her lantern nervously. Taliesyn opens a vein in his arm, spilling his lifeblood all over the fallow fields. A few moments later, he grimaces and breaks into a sweat. Something is wrong. The blood pools as if in an invisible bowl. A rotting hand emerges from the pool of blood, and soon a walking corpse pulls itself from the ground. Zavia is stunned, trying to decide if she should strike down the creature or help Taliesyn. Before anyone can act, the thing shambles quickly away, and Talisyn collapses to the ground.

Zavia bandages his wounds, and they both share a concerned look. “Perhaps…this shouldn’t be kept a secret any longer.” Talisyn mutters. Zavia pats his hand, comfortingly. “We’re Stonetop. We’ll figure it out.”

The next morning Taliesyn calls a group of folks into the granary: the PCs, Militia, and one or two other trustworthy folks. He explains the ritual (which worked, by the way! Gonna be a big harvest this year!) and also explains the “mistake”. He has barely finished his stuttering apology/explanation/justification before Stridelong bursts out the door and tries to track the thing down. If it walks, Stridelong can track it.

He quickly follows the bloody footprints to the edge of the Old Wall. Behond that, the ground is disturbed; he counts at least 4 sets of footprints all leading away from Stonetop. The entire walk back, Stridelong fails to think of an explanation that won’t upset Taliesyn. Oh well…

As the PCs are packing, there is some disagreement between Railan and Aaron.

“You can’t just leave whenever your honor demands it, Railan”, says Aaron. His voice is disapproving, but he looks more bored than anything else.

“This will be the last time for a while”, explains Railan, “once we drop off these boxes, and make sure there’s no trouble, I can come back to Stonetop for good. Besides you have things under control.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t.” Aaron replies. And if Railan didn’t know him better, he’d say Aaron was…whining. “I don’t want to lead, and I refuse to do so. I will help the men carry out your orders while you are away…but this is the last time. When you return we need to start thinking about your replacement. Or you need to promise me you won’t leave.”

That stops Railan in his tracks. Replacement? He’s the Marshall! Right? Full of doubt, Railan nods and gets back to packing.

Sorsha is dictating an exhaustive shopping list to an exhausted Zavia. “I can’t promise we’ll be able to trade for any of this stuff” Zavia interrupts, “but I promise I’ll try, Hearthfire.” Sorsha gives her a quick kiss and a longer look before stepping back. Zavia hopes that her absence will both cool her anger and make it easier for her to focus on training the twins. “Otherwise we’ll never get to leave Stonetop…not together anyway”, she thinks to herself. “At least this time I get to bring Priscilla” She nuzzles the old donkey’s mane and slips her some oats.

“Can I feed her?” asks a young voice. Zavia turns around to find Miriam standing nearby looking excited.

“Of course, Miriam. Priscilla likes it when you give her all the oats at once; she’ll chew them for hours.” Zavia notices the bulging pack on Miriam’s back. “While I’m grateful for the ingredients you brought me when I was sick, I don’t think we need anything else for this trip.”

“Oh, this is all for me. I’m coming with you.” She says with a smile. “After all…you said I could ask a favor any time. And I’m asking to come with you. Now.” Zavia hesitates, but then relents when she sees Little Owl trying to jam his bags into the back of the cart. Actually this might be fun…

“You and Little Owl can ride in the cart. Keep an eye on Priscilla for me.” Zavia says, plans already forming.

Madoc hugs her father goodbye, and helps carry her mother’s things to the cart. It’s already packed tight with Jeb’s whiskey; but there’s still room for some belongings. “Last chance to abandon this fruitless endevour, sweetie” says Mady.

Madoc smirks and says, “It’s okay Mom. I can go without you.” and hops into the wagon to sit next to Jeb. Mady mumbles something and climbs in after her.

Railan organizes Harri and Emmet, making sure they have all their equipment. The rest of the militia will stay behind. Stridelong steps up beside Railan, as if he wants to double check bags as well.

The 11 of them set out to muted cries of encouragement and farewell. Betrys, Gretchen, and Jag watch without a word.

The first day or so is uneventful. Muggy, but for a slight breeze to keep off the insects. When evening falls the wagons group up and everyone begins to unpack for camp. It isn’t until Railan is organizing first watch when he realizes that Stridelong is missing!

Madoc and Taliesyn are unconcerned. “He’s always wandering off. He’ll be back.” Zavia looks pointedly at Taliesyn.

“Considering the recent…shambling development maybe it’s best we find him sooner rather than later.” Taliesyn looks ill, but quickly agrees. When are they going to let that go?

The PCs set out to search for Stridelong, leaving the rest to guard the camp and keep watch. As the search goes on, Madoc drifts away from the group, wandering near a patch of trees. The others gather around Zavia’s lantern, letting her lead the way.

Madoc approaches a copse of trees, thinking Stridelong might have used them to scout the area. Suddenly the ground begins to rumble and shake. She grabs onto a tree and clings to it while the groundquake gets worse. Lying among the Gwead grass nearby she spots a furry…something lying in the dirt. It’s fur is clear white, and it’s large; larger than any wolf she’s ever seen.

She approaches it carefully, looking for any signs of life. When she runs her hands through the thick fur, the thing shudders and exhales. Soon it’s looking right at her; right into her. This creature was an apex: born and bred for the greatest hunt in the spiritual realm. But with this mortal blow it has been cast aside, abandoned. Never to run or track or feast again. Only a long sleep remains.

Madoc feels a burning within her soul. She gathers it up, along with all of her doubts, fears, and shame. This creature fought hard for its purpose with every breath while she lingered far from her destiny. The creature responds, eager for this trade of purpose for peace.

Madoc’s Bond with Mistic

I slowly took a step. The leaves under my feet crunched every so softly, but just enough for the foreign breathing to sound more desperate. Someone is in pain. I have to know who.

I started moving with a pace until and I saw her. I stopped in my tracks, staring up at a beast that was otherworldly.

Deep brown fur with silver blue eyes. Her fur sticking straight up with every heavy breath. Her eyes in pain and so far away. Her body translucent between my blinks. I try to steady myself to understand what I’m witnessing. A wolf? A guardian?

I follow her gaze and only see green leaves all around. I look back to see her more clearly and our eyes lock. I can’t look away, mesmerized by her look, feeling as if we can see each other in a place deeper than our souls.

I reach out toward the side of her face and she lifts her cheek to feel my pulse settle in around her left ear. When we gaze back at each other, our breathing starts to slow and connect as one. In. Out. In. Out.

As if I’m compelled, I lean my forehead towards her forehead, but she jerks back, groaning in pain. I look at her wound and realize she might not make it through the next hour. As our breath starts to sync back up, she lowers her head and lifts her eyes. Almost as if a bow turned into an invitation. I slowly lower my head and connect my left temple to her forehead, slowly rolling until we are nose to nose.

The whole world spins, but unlike the earthquake that left my body shaking, this locks my body down and I am somehow spinning in a stationary position with the trees circling around.

I close my eyes and she closes hers and I’m let in. I see the fight against the ugly beast. I feel the sting of the slaps and bites. My heart races and I feel my chest pulsing. Then we’re swiftly transported to Stonetop where I see myself sulking and roaming needlessly. My heart slows so much I feel like time is slowing…going dark… until we find ourselves in a bright foreign place. A dry land surrounded by blue water. I’m across the land from the wolf and we slowly walk towards one another. We greet each other, forehead to forehead. And immediately we’re back.

My breathing quickens and I hear a voice inside my head, but with the sound muffled far away, “Share your optimism. Give her your healing hope. And take with you the instinct that you need to join in the fight.” I keep listening and knead my head into her fur a little tighter. She noses me forward and wraps me under her paw. I let myself pass to slumber and let my whole body rest.

When awaken, I feel as if I can taste my own blood. My skin feels tighter and my hair feels fuller. To orient myself I try to stand and fall back into her body. She gently lifts me up.

Her eyes are different. Her eyes are warmer and more rounded. She looks smaller, yet her frame is still bigger than any wolf I’ve seen before. She jumps up, runs a circle around me, and plants her two paws at my knees. I growls with annoyance. Whoa! Where is that coming from? She sulks. And then slowly tries again to reconnect with me.

I’m surprise at her healing and her ability to more and run. I follow her, mostly out of pure adoration, but also because she is headed back to our campsite as if she is guiding me.

I run to catch up and she slows to my pace. We pause and she licks up my cheek and I giggle. I reach to touch her ear and we smile at one another. She seemed so familiar and warm. My own body felt new and pained, but determined and defiant. My soul was heavy, but her breathing calmed mine down.

It hit me: her healing was my burden to hold. And to hold I would forever.

“I shall call you Mistic. Will you be my Mistic, girl?” Another lick, and we began our walk forward.

Zavia, Taliesyn, and Railan also feel the earth shaking. But unlike Madoc they can see the source clearly in the moonlight: a terrible battle!

A large horned figure with a glass spear is dancing away from a massive worm-like creature. It’s oily fur leaves a smear of dark liquid along the ground as it thrashes and strikes. Several ghostly wolves surround the creature, striking in coordination with the tall horned hunter.

And caught in the middle is an astonished looking Stridelong. He can’t decide whether to draw closer or escape; so enraptured is he by the sight of a real Underbeast! If only it wasn’t quite so close…or angry.

Railan ushers the group to take cover behind a fallen tree and they try to come up with a plan. He wants to get Stridelong out of there quickly and quietly. He’s trying to strategize, but the others aren’t paying any attention. Taliesyn is furiously taking notes in his notebook (how can he even see in the darkness?) and muttering something about “It’s a Maker, the Pale Hunter. I knew it. I knew there had to be more that–”

Zavia, by contrast, is deeply disturbed. This Underbeast is wrong and dark, in every way that Helior is bright and true. She feels the righteous zeal ignite with her, and her hands are alight before she even realizes what she’s doing.

“Go back to the shadow!” she cries, thrusting her glowing arms towards the Underbeast. There’s a terrible squeal, a shudder in the earth, and the Underbeast has escaped underground. She lets out a glowing sigh of relief, only to gasp when the Pale Hunter is suddenly looking directly at her.

Determined not to show weakness she draws in another breath, turns her back, and begins to stalk away. She feels an icy pressure on her; like she is being stalked. Even during the return back to camp that pressure never lets up.

“You’ve uh…got a new tattoo, Zavia.” Taliesyn whispers, and describes the strange glowing mark on her back shoulder. Just another price of bringing light to darkness. Helior will be there when the Pale Hunter returns.

Stridelong and Taliesyn excitedly talk over one another; legends of the Makers, reports of Underbeasts, unfulfilled prophecies, and ancient travelers’ tales.

In fact the rest of the night is an excited blur of telling and re-telling what everyone experienced that night that no one gets any sleep at camp. Except for Mistic, who snores soundly.

Taliesyn’s Journal

Early Spring

Ever since we’ve come back from our meeting with the Hillfolk and Titan Bones, I’ve been on edge worrying about where that bleached book has gone. Some of the villagers know about arcana, and I want to convince them that they can be good for Stonetop. I especially want to convince Emmett after what happened the day before I left…

Zawyva and I went out into the fields to the northwest of Stonetop. I know Zawvya has capabilities as a healer, so I wanted to bring her along with me in case something bad happened. Unfortunately, something bad did happen. I was able to spill enough blood to invoke the ritual on the fields, but something escaped out of the ground. It was sickeningly decayed and rotting like an animated corpse. Zawya was so focused on healing me that the thing escaped before we could chase after it. Despite how slow it shambled. I had to tell the others: Railan, Stridelong, and Little Owl. But not Madoc. What if she told Rachel?

Mid Spring

Zawvya and I came about a ritual involving some kind of… blood candle? I’m still recovering from that day in the fields, so I haven’t had time to look into it yet. But we did make sure to erase all evidence of it so that no others could find out about it.

Late Spring

Betrys, Jag, and Gretchen are getting along a little too well. I’ve seen them gathering together a lot recently. They wear matching bronze pins on their chests and speak with others about something. We’ll need to keep an eye on them.

Early Summer

Today was the most eventful day and more than I could ask for! Today was the day for Jeb’s regular trip to Gordin’s Delve. Our travelling party currently consists of Jeb, Madoc, Mady, Mirriam, Harri, Railan, Stridelong, Zawya, and myself. After making camp at a rest stop for the night on the Crossroads, we noticed that Stridelong was missing. Railan, Zawya, Madoc, and myself decided to go looking for him especially since he may have run into whatever that animated corpse was…

When we came upon him, he was in the midst of a bout between a fully grown underbeast and the Pale Hunter with its pack of wolves! Madoc had gotten separated from us in the excitement, but there was no time to wait around. Railan led us to attempt at shoving a large tree branch in between the two, but Zawya rushed forward with an enlarged flame blessed by ___. She was able to scare off the underbeast and stop the fight. Stridelong was now safe, but Zawya entered into an intense staredown with the Pale Hunter. She was staring down a Maker!!! She had interrupted his hunt!! I don’t know if she was always this way or if her age has made her more bold, but she turned away from the Pale Hunter. Afterwards, we noticed that she was marked on her back. Most likely from the Pale Hunter before they ran off towards the underbeast again. Everyone safely made it back to camp, and Madoc arrives shortly after.

She was accompanied by one of the Pale Hunter’s ethereal wolves that she lovingly called Mistic. Something seemed different about both of them. In her story, she highlighted parts where she went against the grain of normal thinking; and the beast was not as ferocious as they seemed when accompanied by the hunter. Almost as if her taming the beast awoke something in her and calmed the beast.

Session 5

Madoc awakens in the morning with Mistic curled against her. The large wolf breathes slowly, her huge bulk rising with each breath. Madoc avoids the growing puddle of drool as best she can and rouses herself. She hears Taliesyn and Emmet having a muted discussion in the wagon. She can’t resist padding over to listen in:

“I understand why you feel this way, but I know my Arcana can be of great help to the village!” Taliesyn is saying. “In fact, just last week Zavia and I performed The Convocation of Soil which should improve our yield by–”

“But at what cost?” asks Emmet with a hoarse voice. “You know I love you and I trust you. That’s why I haven’t shared your…research with anyone. But that means I’m the only one who can caution you. And I do strongly ask for caution. The people who made these magicks aren’t around any more. You never wonder why? Don’t you think by drawing on their power we’re making the same mistakes?”

There’s a pause, and the sound of people shifting their weight. Taliesyn sighs, “We have to do something. Every year it gets harder. Stonetop is special; a lot of people are noticing. Even now, we’re going to Gordin’s Delve because our little village is in the middle of something. We can’t just hide and scrape by forever.”

“Now you sound like Betrys.” says Emmet coldly. “At least she is open about her intentions. She has even convinced a few people to join her. While you skulk around in the shadows. I don’t like it.” Another pause.

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I promised myself I wouldn’t do this alone any more; that’s why I included Zavia. And I will continue to follow my promise. I’ll share more with the village. Just let this soil convocation improve the yield, and that will help convince folks that I have a point! Come fall there won’t be any more secrets.”

Madoc pouts a little as she walks away from the wagon. She likes secrets. And breakfast. Where is breakfast?

Soon everyone is awake and enjoying the last cool moments of the morning. The rations are hearty, but Madoc is hoping for something a little more exciting at Gordin’s Delve. When she asks her mother what the food is like there, Mady just replies, “It will always leave you hungry for more.” Madoc rolls her eyes and mutters, “So glad you came along to protect me from any excitement.” Mady doesn’t even look offended. Just worried.

As the group is packing up for the final stretch, Stridelong and Railan take some time to train Emmet and Harri in some travel formations. “Anything could come upon us suddenly. Even on the Maker’s Road we still need to be alert. As soon as you hear or see anything strange, run to your post. Literally.” Railan slaps one of the wagon support beams. “We each take a corner and keep everyone near the wagon. Stash your weapons like this so you can grab them quickly.” Harri is humming along to some tune while Emmet focuses on the training drills with a determined look. Tired, though.

“Everyone looks tired” Jeb thinks to himself as he sits in the wagon watching the militia members. “Maybe we should take another day to rest” he says aloud to Madoc as she crawls into the wagon with him.

“No thank you!” Madoc says in a smiley sing-song voice. “Aren’t you a little excited to see what Gordin’s Delve is like? You once told me it was different each time.”

“It is…but not necessarily in a good way. It’s not really a home like Stonetop. People just passing through forever.” He lets out a sigh as he finishes packing the wagon. “I kind of hope you hate it, too. Then you, me, and your mom can all return to Stonetop happy.”

Madoc just puts her arms around him, tousling his hair. “I’m happy now, Jeb. Let’s just enjoy the trip as best we can.” He huffs, but leans back against her.

Outside Miriam calls over Little Owl. “Do you think we shuld bother them?”

“Why?” Asks Little Owl, puzzled.

“So we can ride in the wagon!” she exclaims, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“I can walk” Little Owl explains, “After all, did you know that on the plains the grasses have a shared root system? That’s why the wind affects them all the same. It’s like an ocean of–” He’s interrupted by Madoc and Jeb tumbling out of the wagon.

“All yours!” Madoc says brightly, as she straightens her shirt and walks off to help pack. Jeb gives Little Owl a wink, confusing him even further. Miriam tugs Little Owl into the wagon as he tries to finish his explanation. “–we call it ‘Gwead’ but really it’s a dozen different varieties of–”

Soon the group is underway. A few hours later Gordin’s delve comes into view. Crumbling walls, pockmarked mountains, a cloud of eternal dust, and vague outlines of people bustling aboud. Conversations slowly trickle off and an awkward silence settles on the road.

“Okay, let’s discuss the plan”, says Jeb. “Usually there are three bribes to enter the city: 1 for the scoudnrels on the road, one for the gate guards, and one for the market leaders.” He taps 3 jugs of whiskey in the wagon. “I’ll sell half of my stock today, pay for an inn, sell the rest tomorrow, and leave by sunset. In and out.” He looks expectantly to Mady who nods.

“Agreed. In and out.” She explains the general politics of Gordin’s Delve (as well as she knows). Gordin’s Delve is ruled by several Bosses:

• Mutra the Teeth. The strongest boss, but has been missing for over a year. Their organization is starting to crumble as their underlings try to keep things together.
• Odin Thriceborn. The up and coming leader. So named because he killed his three oldest sons when they disappointed him. Desperate to expand and take over Mutra’s holdings.
• Honest Draigh. Has an honorable reputation which limits them. Both admired and pitied by folks.

“I say we find an inn or shop run by Draigh, drop off the boxes anonymously, and make it their problem.”

“But if we’re seen we could end up in the middle”, Counters Railan. “Let’s just be direct and honest. Give back the boxes. No need to stories or strategies.” Mady shakes her head, but most folks agree with Railan. Only Jeb and Mady look nervous about this plan.

As promised, there’s a group of scoundrels lounging near the road a mile outside of Gordin’s Delve. Two are standing on an overturned wagon, bows drawn, while 3 others have their hands on their swords. One steps forward, “Welcome to Gordin’s Delve, fair travellers!” She gives a cheeky bow.

“We’re here to see Thriceborn”, Madoc shouts. “Our business is important!”

The scoundrels shift their weight from foot to foot. “Well Mutra the Teeth runs this town” drawls the leader. “And our welcoming comittee needs to eat.” She’s already reaching for the jug of whiskey that Jeb offers. Railan and Madoc look insulted, but everyone remains calm. Soon they’re approaching the front gates, into which a short line of other wagons has formed.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Stonetoppers.” says the dust-covered guard. “The last jar of your famous whiskey was opened for a wedding last night. Since then we’ve worked up a mighty thirst.” He takes the profferred whiskey and asks, “To the market, I assume?”

“Yes” says Jeb.

“But! We also have a delivery for Thriceborn.” says Zavia. “Can you point us to his nearest holding?”

“I’ll do you one better”, says the guard. He waves over a tall woman wearing bright colors and brandishing a clipboard as if it were a weapon. “Darya, these folks have a delivery for Thriceborn.”

“Is that so”, she asks, both stern and bored at once. “Let’s see it” as she walks to the back of the wagon.

Zavia spends a few moments in conversation with the guard, whose name is Otho. He tells her of his debt to Mutra, how his son is held hostage, and how he hopes that they can all accomplish their business with minimal trouble. Zavia feels herself falling into a grandmotherly role…again. “Dammit”, she thinks to herself, knowing she has to find someway to help this kind father.

Darya retuns from her inventory red face and flushed. “I’ll get word to Thriceborn immediately! Guard, please keep watch on this group until I return. Nothing and no one is to leave your sight.” She dashes off in a cloud of dust.

A few hours pass, with the group getting more bored and antsy. “What is taking that woman so long”, wonder Madoc. She gets up from the wagon and goes to ask her mom a question, but Mady is nowhere to be found! Trying to avoid drawing attention, she quietly asks Railan and Stridelong if they know where she went. And how long she’s been missing.

Finally, just as the sun is setting Mady slinks back to the wagon. The guards looks at her questioningly. “Nature calls!” she says with an embarrased smile. Madoc drags her into the wagon and hisses, “Where have you been? I’ve–”

“Quiet dear”, says Mady, putting her arms gently on Madoc’s shoulders. “It’s almost over. I made a deal with Honest Draigh. They’ll buy all of our whiskey and take the boxes off our hands. Their traders are waiting for us just outside the city. We can leave now and be back on the right by nightfall.” Madoc looks more and more surprised, until she finally bursts out.

“What?!” and then much quieter, “Mom, how could you go behind our backs? This isn’t just a family trip there are other people who–” Mady starts to get angry (and scared, Madoc can tell).

“Listen! This is safer, faster, and better. And it’s already been arranged. If you tell the rest of the group they’ll agree, I’m sure.”

“This is not the way Mom. You can’t use fear as an excuse to bully everyone else.”

“I can, and this time I will. You should never have come, and now I’m making sure we get everyone home safe.”

Madoc is fuming, but she and Mady gather everyone together and have a quiet discussion about what to do. While most agree with Mady, there are a few holdouts. Railan, Madoc, and Miriam want to deal with Thriceborn directly. Little Owl and Jeb just looks exhausted and don’t care what happens. Stridelong wishes he’d thought of sneaking off alone. He notices Darya returning and hushes the rest of the group.

“Thriceborn will see you now.” Realizing their delay made the decision for them, they group up and follow after Darya. Sounds of a lively party drift from a crowded tavern. “Thriceborn’s oldest son is getting married.” explains Darya.

“Oldest remaining son”, mutters Mady as they step inside. All the tables have been arranged around a dance floor, but most of the guests can barely stand, much less dance. The tables are covered in dirty plates and empty glasses. A voice cuts above the din:

“Welcome Stonetoppers!” says a large-bearded man sitting at the head of the center table. “Welcome to my son’s wedding…or is this the afterparty? Doesn’t matter. Pull up a chair and tell me of this special gift you’ve brought.”

Madoc is the first to sit and sip and sup. “Oh! This is your special brew, Jeb! I didn’t know you already sold it.”

“It’s from last years batch”, explains Jeb, as Thriceborn looks proudly at the group.

“Only the best for my guests! Anyway, tell me everything.” He demands as he takes another sip of soup and swigs his glass. More of it ends up in his beard than his mouth, and there’s not a clean napkin to be seen.

The group looks at once another awkwardly, unsure who should speak first. Thriceborn waves a chicken leg at Little Owl, who clears his throat, coughs, chokes a bit, and finally starts the tale. Thriceborn nods along, but doesn’t interrupt as Little Owl explains how they met the hillfolk, were given the boxes, and returned them to him directly. “And now…here we are.” Little Owl finishes lamely.

There’s a pause, then Thriceborn throws down his chicken lag and claps his greasy fingers together. Some folks around the table jerk awake and try to clap along. “Well done! A very good story, I think. Even more rare, a true story!” He says, smiling. The rest of the room is either asleep or half-paying attention. “But there are a few parts of the story that you’re missing. Or maybe that you don’t know about.” His smile grows wider as he tells his own story.

“Once upon a time there was an civilized businessman.” he gestures to himself. “Who wanted to bring gifts to his neighbors. He went out to the wildfolk in the hills and offered generous trades of stone and ore for their trinkets. But they were not interested. So he returned with gems and gold. But they were not interested. The man realized that the only thing he had left to offer was the gift of civilization itself. They wouldn’t understand at first, but like children, they would grow to thank him for his generosity.”

Upon seeing the blank stares of the PCs, he puts his drink down and shakes some of the food from his beard. “Perhaps I am too drunk for a good story, so I’ll speak plainly. I want mining rights to those hills, and I made a generous offer to those savages. Far far more generous than they deserve. And yet they not only rejected my offer, but foisted it upon you in an effort to mislead us both! So now I’m sending you back with a message for them: Since I can’t purchase the ore, I must assume it is free for the taking. And I will take it.”

He sits back, finally satisfied. “And to you I offer nothing but thanks. You could have easily kept that gold and no one would have known. But instead you were…civilized. I’m going to offer top price for your whiskey, and provide any materials or supplies you need for your return journey. What else would you ask of me?”

A few small requests are made, but the biggest ones are from Zavia. “Thriceborn, I have a wishlist of smithing materials I would like. But more importantly I want the guardsman, Otho, to be freed alongside his son.” Thriceborn smiles, perhaps the first genuine smile of the evening.

“How can one father deny another? I’ll make sure his debts are paid. And all your other wishes granted. Please enjoy the evening with whatever Gordin’s Delve has to offer.” He sends them out with a voucher to party on his tab, which each decides to enjoy in their own way.

Talisyn’s Journal

Early Summer

Journeying on the Crossroads

Our small caravan travelled for an additional three days before we came remotely close to Gordin’s Delve. When we were about half a day’s travel from our destination, Jeb stopped us to reorganize his cart. He placed all the whiskey bottles at the front of the cart for easier access. He told us that, to pay his way through town and get a chance at selling his wares, he needed to bribe a few people with some bottles on the way. Mady piped up and said we should just announce our alliance with Thriceborn upon arrival to expedite the process. Jeb didn’t want to be beholden to whatever requests or demands Thriceborn would have of him. Railan wanted to personally deliver the crates back to Thriceborn that his name was written on. This whole situation makes me uncomfortable to even think about when we can make an enemy of not one but two or three different mob bosses in the city…

Arrival at Gordin’s Delve

At the edge of the encampment on the outer rim of Gordin’s Delve, we got shaken down by some people. No idea who they were affiliated with, if anyone. A lot of us in the caravan are still new to how things work here, so Jeb just paid them off with a couple bottles. It was easy, but we had a limited supply. How many would we have left to sell? Jeb mentioned on the side that there might be a “tax” on the way out as well. Gordin’s Delve is our nearest neighbor, but is it truly worth it to sell to them every year?

I was so unsettled that I could barely focus on Gordin’s Delve itself. It’s a perfect opportunity to learn more about Makers and their history. It is built in the ruins of a Makers’ city. I only hope there’s time to explore more of this magnificent place.

We eventually reached the front gate, and a few of us in the caravan seemed to finally grasp the situation as we learned that the cart was too big to fit through the streets of Gordin’s Delve. We would need to pay people to let us through and watch the cart, carry the stuff, and then set up shop. If that’s two bottles per transaction, Jeb loses almost half of his inventory to just bribes. Railan and Madoc start the negotiations to go see Thriceborn with no luck. Stridelong gets fed up and snaps at the head guard at the gate, Osho. He apparently works for the mob boss Mutra the Teeth, who could have an interest in these crates, too. But we stand firm and ask to see a representative of Thriceborn. About an hour or so later, an older woman named Darya shows up. Stunning red robes, bangles on her feet, long flowing hair, and a clipboard? Zawya, with her years of experience, showed Darya one of the crates. From her reaction, it was probably the more expensive one… They talked for a moment before Darya had to leave, and then we needed to wait another hour or so.

Well, more than two hours passed. It was getting dark, and Osho had to leave. Shortly after, Mady walked up and told us she struck a deal with another mob boss?! No one had even seen her leave! Railan did not look happy about this new development, and that definitely made me worry, too. Not only did we have to choose between paying bribes or not, we also had to choose between three equally scary mobs that could retaliate against us or worse, Stonetop!

I think we all let out a sigh of relief as Darya came marching around the corner again. She was to bring us directly to Thriceborn. It was his birthday apparently. I guess we couldn’t have picked a better time to come.

Darya briefed us on a few rules. I had to take special note of “don’t walk on the rug” because I knew I would forget that. Thriceborn has a big presence, and it is intimidating. At one point, he wanted to hear how we came to acquire his things, and, being the Chronicler of Stonetop, I obliged to regale the large hall with exactly as I had written it down. It seemed to go well? But apparently Thriceborn is not on good terms with the Hillfolk. He wants mining rights in the Flats. He was going to pay them for the rights, but this has been rejected. He then proceeded to show us a small army of 40 fully armed troops. He then told us to take this knowledge to the Hillfolk. My stomach turned, and I couldn’t eat for the rest of the night before we sleep back at the Lucky Tumble.

Session 6

We begin with each PC using their voucher from Thriceborn

Taliesyn browses the nightmarket, looking for any potential arcana. He finds a massive cylinder of Makerglass that has a familiar vibration. Before reaching for it, he remembers his promise to Emmet, and goes off to find someone else to aid him. He spots Railan wandering the city, taking note of how its defenses are organized. Railan is deep in thought, muttering to himself. “Surely they have a central barracks. Unless…split up aroudn the city. Yes, for quick response–oh, hello Taliesyn.”

“Would you help me with something?”

“Of course.”

“Something…magical?”

Railan pauses. “…maybe. What’s up?”

The two of them return to the merchant who is showing the cylinder to another customer. Taliesyn looks imploringly at Railan, who steps in. “Actually, we just purchased this” he says, putting the voucher in the merchant’s hands and grabbing the cylinder. At the sight of Thriceborn’s voucher, both customer and merchant clam up. As Railan struggles to carry it away, Taliesyn eagerly shares his theory on how Markerglass was actually a byproduct of their energy manifestations, which of course relied upon solar energy to–

They pass by Madoc and Mady who are both stubbornly ignoring the other. More to rile her up than anthing else, Madoc suggests, “Well, shall we get a drink or something?” Mady scoffs. “Mom, how long are you going to be this way?”

Mady stops and turns around, looking hurt. “Once we’re back in Stonetop I promise that–”

“No!” Madoc cries. “This isn’t a one-time thing. This is going to happen again. I will not be locked up in Stonetop for the rest of my life.”

“Of course, dear. I know that. But your destiny is–”

“You don’t know my destiny!” Madoc motions all around her. “It could be anywhere! Even someplace that you don’t like. I know you’re afraid and that you’ve been hurt by the world. But I’m done hiding. That’s not how you raised me.”

Mady’s expression softens. “You can blame your father for that one. He was always brave.” She sighs. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything. I thought I’d feel more relief about returning home. But Thriceborn isn’t done with us. This whole trip changes everything.” She crumples the Thriceborn voucher in her fist.

“You’ll always be my mother. And I’ll always love you.” Madoc says, gently taking the voucher and smoothing it out. “You taught me to never be wasteful. It would be a shame to miss out on a beautiful evening. Isn’t there anything fun to do around here?”

Mady pauses, considering. “Actually, there is a dance hall run by Honest Draigh.” Madoc grabs her hand and pulls her forward, Mistic following behind. “Um…it’s the other direction, dear.”

Back at the wagon, Miriam, Jeb, and Emmet secure some rooms at the Lucky Tumble, Thriceborn’s inn.

Zavia and Little Owl are about to head to their respective rooms when they hear someone whispering about “the good stuff”. Intrigued, they manager to secure some “Delver Dust”. It’s a golden powder that (supposedly) shows the user whatever they most desire.

The two malcontents wander off to find a quiet, natural place to watch the stars. Of course when the find the perfect outcrop, Stridelong is already there! They interrupt his brooding with and offer him some of the dust. He accepts, not fully realizing what it is. Together they partake.

Little Owl sees the foothills covered in horses and Hillfolk. He longs to join them, and is suddenly riding among them; connected to both land and mount in equal measure. These are a people who know what it means to respect nature and to hold things sacred.

Zavia has another vision of Fire on the Water; the same image that drew her to Helior in the first place. As the vision fades, she is shocked to hear that Stridelong had the same vision! Both of them compare stories and have a sense that the vision took place in the Deep Forest.

Everyone manages to stumble back to the inn, and sleepily gathers in the morning to begin the return journey home. The trip is uneventful; as return trips usually are.

The evening before the return to Stonetop, the group sees a lone traveller camping along the roadside. They decide to camp nearby: safety in numbers. In the morning, everyone is surprised to discover that it’s Jag! He joins them for their morning breakfast.

With an excited and nervous cadence he tells them all the things that have happened in Stonetop since they left. A few nights ago there were a few farmers and watchmen finishing up some work in the fields. They heard a grinding sound and came across several redeads slowly dismantling the Old Wall. The watchmen tried to stop them, but each lumbering redead was as strong as an ox and twice as tough. Aaron was severely injured in the defense, and all the militia’s efforts only slew three of the monsters. Even Daub’s dogs were outmatched, as big and fierce as they are.

Then Gretchen was there! Her arms glowed with bright blue veins, and she reeked of sulfur. Each punch was an explosion of lightning, and she singlehandedly dispatched the remaining redeads. Breathing heavily, she threw her fists into the air while loudly proclaiming that Tor had saved them!

Since then, “Tor’s Militia” has had many new recruits, and Betrys is preaching to half the village every evening. The entire group is disturbed by this news, but Taliesyn looks physically ill.

When they arrive in Stonetop, each PC gets a few scenes to play out their arrival:

• The whole village is grateful for the surplus from Jeb, and delighted by the reward from Odin Thriceborn. The PCs are careful not to say how indebted Stonetop may be.
• Zavia takes the forge tools back to Sorsha who is so excited! “Now I can forge some armor and weapons to aid in the defense of the village”. Zavia is approached by Otho, the guard she freed. He explains that while he paid her debts, he now owes favors to Thriceborn. He and his son will never be safe unless they can disappear. In a moment of extreme generosity, Zavia gifts him and his son the wagon and Priscilla. “Go, with Helior’s Blessing.” Otho can hardly express his thanks. Soon Zavia is moved in with Sorsha, grappling with what it means to truly make a home here.
• Stridelong offers to help Daub bury one of his dogs. Daub is distraught, and determined to train even harder. “My dogs could be the key to saving the village. Help me, Stridelong.”
• Little Owl is relaxing near a stream when Betrys approaches him. They make some cutting remarks back and forth when Betrys makes a genuine offer to help him discover the secret of the Stone. “All storms come from Tor, especially the ones that strike the rock. He can reveal many truths.” Little Owl comes away from this conversation tempted, but cautious.
• Railan goes to see Aaron, who was injured in the fight. Aaron admits that he is relieved. “At least with a broken leg I can finally rest and spend time with my husband.” Railan feels like he failed in his role as Marshall. Perhaps he can’t afford any more expeditions away from the town.
• Taliesyn has been keeping a close eye on Jag since they saw him on the road. Finally, he confronts Jag. “I know you have an Arcana, Jag. I can smell it on you. Please let me help. You can trust me.” Jag reluctantly agrees, but only if Taliesyn doesn’t tell anyone else. Once again, Taliesyn is keeping dangerous secrets.
• Madoc is relieved to see her father and mother reunited. The entire trip back her mother seemed so much lighter and happier. Mady and Mistic even started getting along (although the large wolf doesn’t quite fit in Madoc’s room, try as she might). She and Jeb have a difficult conversation about their future, with Madoc admitting that Stonetop may not be her home. Jeb is sad, but accepting.

The final days of Summer wind down, and the cooler winds of Fall begin to blow…

Taliesyn’s Journal

Early Summer

After Thriceborn’s Party

After Thriceborn’s dinner party concluded, our group split up to attend to our individual tasks. I went walking around the market to see what sort of trinkets I could come across, and I did come across a good one! A chime made of makerglass; around 4 feet tall up to my chest and thin as can be 3 inches around. It was priced the same as Jeb’s special brew! At first I thought he could pay for it, but he reminded me that Thriceborn was willing to pay for it. Might as well try! But first, I had to find Railan to bring him along; I trust his judgement after all.

I found him marveling at how the guards in Gordin’s Delve were organized. I brought him back to the merchant to take a look at this marvelous chime. Unfortunately, another person was interested in it. I tried to strike up a conversation about why they were interested in it and how they thought it would be played as an instrument. They promptly left while I was trying to ask them questions. I guess they didn’t want to talk…

But it worked out to our benefit as we brought the chime over to the shopkeeper. They seemed hesitant to hear that Thriceborn would foot the bill, but they were convinced after learning they could talk to Darya with the clipboard. Now we have a chime to help guard Stonetop! Hopefully…

On the journey back to Stonetop, I heard what everyone else was up to as well.

Madoc enjoyed a night out with Mady! They went to a nice place and went line dancing. Little Owl and Zawya went looking for some different kind of fun involving dust? Stridelong went to find a contact of some sort, eventually joining Little Owl and Zawya. Railan and I hung out observing the Gordin’s Delve guards in how they operated.

The Journey Back to Stonetop

Going back to Stonetop was overall uneventful. We were coming back with two more people: Osho and his son Ulliam. The only notable event was that about 1 day’s journey out from Stonetop, there was a person at a rest stop on the Crossroads. We know there’s no risk of getting hurt, but it’s still better to be safe and have the militia and Osho keep watch. One more night and we’ll be in Stonetop.

We all awoke to Osho arguing with Jag, who was the person camped out at the rest stop. We learned from that Betrys has been holding a LOT of sermons and gatherings in the pub recently. She’s been evangelizing… a little. But my worst nightmare came true as those shambling animated corpses came back to attack Stonetop, ripping up the Old Wall. The militia killed 2 of them before Aaron got seriously injured. One of Daub’s dogs took down one of them before it was also killed. Gretchen faced the last three by herself, wielding some sort of energy in her fists as she did so and proclaiming that Tor was the source of her strength.

I’ve watched Zawya for a while now. Her connection to Helior is strong, but not that strong. Betrys has a similar connection to Tor, so why didn’t she receive this miraculous power instead of Gretchen? This has got to be the power of Major Arcana, and I need to get down the bottom of this.

Additionally, Jag is out here by himself. He said he was on his way to us, but the amount of supplies he has does not suggest that. Clutching the Azure Hand, I could feel the energy of something in the tent. I think it was potentially elemental? I’m a lot closer to Jag than I am Gretchen right now, so that’s the first thing I should look into.

Return to Stonetop

The town greeted us with smiling faces and open arms when we got back to the village. It would have been nice to join in the celebrations, but Jag left abruptly. I followed him closely before I finally decided to confront him and ask what he was up to. I could sympathize with wanting to find out more about arcana or strange items. He eventually opened up. He promised to confess to me what he’s been practicing away from Stonetop as long as I don’t tell anyone. I’ll keep it a secret, but could I convince him to share of his own volition?

Events that Taliesyn was not present for:

• Railan had a hard conversation with Aaron about the Marshall’s responsibilities. Aaron resigns from the militia to stay home with his husband.
• Little Owl attempts to enjoy quiet time at the river but is interrupted by Betrys. He learns a little more about her beliefs of Tor: he is the thunder bringer & rain maker. He must raze a forest to let new life grow.
• Stridelong is learning to use his arcana of moving mushrooms. He tried to convince Daub to let him reanimate his dog at the cost of it only following a single command, yet he respected Daub’s wishes to not do so.
• Zawya returns to Sorsha’s house. Sorsha has been getting a lot of orders for the bronze pins of Tor recently. Zawya is happy that she has work but thinks she should decline the commissions. Zawya finishes the conversation claiming that she’s done travelling and wants to settle down.
• Osho and Ulliam tell Zawya they are leaving Stonetop. They were meant to report back to Thriceborn. Zawya, the merciful lightbearer, gives Priscilla and her cart to Osho to help him stay safe on his travels.
• Madoc talks with Jeb about how much he sees her changing. He’s afraid that she’ll leave on an adventure and never come back one day. Not that she’d be hurt but that she’d find purpose outside of Stonetop. He shares this fear with Mady.

Session 7

Zavia finishes her homily to the small crowd. There’s only so much comfort that can be had after a funeral. But hopefully these folks take something from her simple words. Anything is better than Betrys’ rousing screed.

‘Even our deaths fertilize the soil of tomorrow’ – what crock! If the village wasn’t so damn scared, Betrys would have been (rightly) criticized for such a long and callous sermon. As it stands…Zavia fears there will be more “fertilizer” in the future.

“And after we have enjoyed the warmth and community of Helior’s light, sometimes we need to cool off. Little Owl will be hosting several cleansing stream sessions at the riverbank over the next few days. I encourage you to embrace whatever comforts you can, and offer the same to one another.” She steps down from the dias and embraces those who need a hug. Soon the evening grows dark and she heads to Sorsha’s. To home.

Zavia had a much easier time moving in with Sorsha since she gave her wagon, donkey, and most travelling supplies to Osho. As she and Sorsha are sitting in the back watching the coals of the forge burn low, Sorsha asks a halting question:

“Do you…ever feel Helior? You describe her warmth, her light, but does it feel like this?” she gestures towards the forge. “Does Helior feel real? Like me?”

At the mention of Helior, Zavia sits up a little straighter and the forge glows a bit brighter. “I feel it now, actually. It’s like cause and effect; the forge is brighter now BECAUSE of Helior. Just like the bed is warmer because of you. It’s the same.” Zavia puts her hand over Sorsha’s, and looks into Sorsha’s eyes. There’s a question in them. “Ask me” says Zavia.

“…Can we make the forge hotter?”

That’s not the question Zavia was expecting. “What?”

“Some of the materials we got from Gordin’s Delve require more heat to meld. With a larger forge I could build up that temperature myself, but maybe Helior can help us get there anyway?”

At some point Zavia let go of Sorsha’s hand. “Oh. Sure.”

“Zavie? I want to help protect the village.”

“I know. Yes. I know.” Zavia collects herself. “Let’s try it. First thing tomorrow, I’ll commune with Helior.”

The next evening, Zavia delivers 4 spearheads of shining steel to Railan’s militia. “A gift from Sorsha”, as she lays them out on the table. Railan offers a grim smile in thanks. “These will be a great help in defending the village. Tell Sorsha I’ll use whatever she provides; and to maybe slow down her work on the Tor medallions.” He tests the spear edges with his thumb. “But what we really need is a Palisade.”

“I spoke with Madoc. We have the stone and metal we need. But we’re short on wood.” He puts the spears down and crosses his arms. “When I mentioned it to Stridelong, he pointed to the trees like I’m an idiot. But the Pact with the Forest Folk can’t be broken. He’s new to the village, and doesn’t realize how many people still hold to the memory of the Pact.”

Zavia was quiet for a moment. Stonetop is slow to change, but fear and desperation are powerful motivators. “As Betrys has proven” she mutters.

“What? Betrys?” Railan asks, confused.

“Yeah. Actually.” Zavia straightens. “What if we used her fanatacism for our benefit? If she can convince people to join her little army, then I bet she can convince people to abandon The Pact. We just have to make it seem like her idea.”

Insinuations are made. Ideas are planted. Betrys is inspired. A few days later Betrys gives a blazing sermon on the importance of abandoning old ways that hold us back. She even mentioned the Pact and how we can’t let fear give way to weakness. A few days later and most of the village seems onboard with the idea. Construction on a new palisade begins in earnest.

The village is so invested in this new project that they almost don’t notice the new arrivals until they pass through the fields. The wagon reeks of Gordin’s Delve, and a tall woman in flowing colors emerges wielding a clipboard. “It’s even more quaint than I pictured” she says while burly mercenaries unload the wagon. Madoc approaches her, the obvious question unspoken.

“We’re here to take an inventory of our new allies”, explains Darya. “Thriceborn wants to ensure your stability and health before he expands his mining operations.” After an awkward pause she adds, “And don’t mind the boys. They’re just for show.” She gives a forced smile that contrasts with the grim frowns on the mercenaries.

“You are welcome guests” says Madoc, “but we don’t appreciate soldiers in our granaries. You may stay in the common house, talk to folks, and enjoy the beautiful vistas.”

Darya nods. “Of course when our operations begin in earnest, we may need to station a small contingent here. For your protection, of course. The Hillfolk may incorrectly assume you are to blame. Better for your ‘folks’ to get used to seeing Thriceborn colors guarding their paradise.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen”, says Railan. “However I’d hate for your trip to be a waste. You don’t happen to have an engineer among your mining expedition do you?”

Soon Darya’s engineer has gotten work back on schedule, and everyone is glad to see Darya’s wagon lurching away from the village. “We haven’t seen the last of them”, says Betrys. She looks meaningfully at Madoc. “I hope your little deal with Thriceborn doesn’t become an issue.”

“If it does, I know you’ll be there to gloat about it.” Madoc says flippantly, and walks away.

Meanwhile Taliesyn and Jag have been untangling the secrets of the Bleached Book. They have all the materials they need, and have crafted the “blood candle” as Jag calls it. “Candle of Charred Aetherium Flakes” doesn’t have the same ring to it, according to Jag.

“A few more weeks of research and we should be ready for a tentative first test.” says Taliesyn, excitedly.

Jag frowns. “What are you talking about? Let’s use it tonight. We need it now, before anything befalls the town.” He reaches for the candle.

Talisyn resists the urge to slap his hand away. “It’s too dangerous! We must be careful to–”

“It’s too dangerous to wait. I’m doing this with or without you. Tonight.” Jag walks out with the candle, and Taliesyn sighs. As the sun falls, they set up the necessary materials near the Old Wall.

“Are you sure you–”

Jag quickly lights the candle and utters the wish they translated earlier.

Maker’s Wall of Magic and Stone Seek the Sky, Drink the Storm, Emerge Protect us From The Dark, Protect our Home And Let Be Once Again, Earth Surge

The candle quickly melts down to a puddle of wax, which seeps into the soil (reminding Taliesyn of how his Convocation went poorly in Spring). The two men hold their breath for a few moments, and let it out in a huff. “I guess it din’t work?” Asks Jag.

“Oh, it worked.” Says Taliesyn, sensing the deep magic pulsing underground. “We’ll keep an eye on things over the next few days. For now, let’s finish our task.” He takes the Bleached Book and starts piling kindling over it.

“What!” exclaims Jag. “But…What if we need it again?” By now the a small flame flickers on the kindling. Taliesyn holds the book over the fire.

“We’ve probably already paid too high a cost. Imagine if someone else got their hands on this? Trust me, some Arcana are better left as ashes.” Jag watches the book catch fire, any protest lodged in his throat. The two men could swear the book uttered a final scream before blazing bright and falling into ashes. Both Arcanists sleep soundly that night.

Over the next week the Old Wall slowly grows taller, like a shoot growing from the ground. Where previously the Old Wall had been waist height, now only the tallest farmers can see over it. Jag and Talisyn explain (most) of what they did, and that this will help keep the village safe.

For an entire day no lightning strikes the Stone. It’s almost with relief that folks hear the familiar crack-SMASH of lightning on stone. Only now it strikes the new Old Wall, and strikes sporadically along the entire circumference! Poor Keira was out gathering some herbs when the lightning strikes arced and burned her. Farmers give the Old Wall a wide berth, but most agree it’s probably just as dangerous to any attackers as to the locals.

Little Owl, Zavia, and Taliesyn make a quick trip to the Titan Bones. Railan refused to leave, determined not to be absent if the town is threatened.

The travelers light the bonfire and warn the Lower Green Moon tribe of what Thriceborn has in store. Kiln, their leader, nods along while her Second remains stern.

“And now we’re all in this together. He’s coming for your ore, and he’s going to hide behind Stonetop while he does so.” finishes Zavia, and she looks at both of them.

“I doubt anyone could hide behind your little fence” scoffs the Second.

Little Owl’s eyes bug out a little, and he points a finger at the little man. “You lied to US!” he accuses. “And you brought us into into the middle of a turf war! You’re lucky we don’t just tell Thriceborn everything we know about your people and watch him scatter them to the winds!”

The Second unfolds his arms and reaches for his weapon when Kiln smacks him across the face. Hard. He hits the dirt and scrambles back to his feet, eyes blazing. She merely looks down on him.

“You weren’t listening to the Earth.” She shrugs. “So I figured you needed to be a little closer to hear more clearly.” He opens his mouth, and she raises her hand. “These people speak the truth, whatever their blasphemies.” The Second looks around, and finding no support, he stomps off to sulk nearby.

“We have been preparing for Thriceborn as best we can. Many of the bands are not interested in joining together, but we have made pacts with a few. Hopefully we can repel and harrass his men enough that he decides our stone isn’t worth it.”

“I wish you luck”, says Zavia. “But we have to consider our own people as well. We can’t aid you in a fight on the Flats, but we can promise we won’t harbor soldiers.”

Kiln kneels down and presses her palm into the dirt. A moment of quiet lasts longer than is comfortable for the Stonetoppers. “Maybe you should harbor them.” She stands. “And send off a signal when they are vulnerable.”

Little Owl pipes up, “I have a formula for colored smoke. I can throw it into the forge. Hopefully your people will see it, and Thriceborn’s men will just think it’s part of our smelting process.”

Kiln agrees, and the Stonetoppers begin the short journey back to Stonetop.

Session 8

Stridelong knew that the strange mushroom clone would be weird. But he didn’t think it would be so unsettling. After burying the stag in the mushroom bed, he waited patiently for several days while the mount of fungus grew larger and larger, slowly taking shape. Soon a vague stag-shaped skeleton of fungal tendrils emerged and stumbled around his home. Hopefully the “PROTECT” command he imbued will direct the things actions. This is much easier than working with Daub’s dogs.

The dogs are growing feircer and more feral each day. They’re also getting bigger and…whiter? The only strategy he’s been able to rely on it getting the creatures to follow Mistic’s lead. He enjoyed working with Madoc; ever since she “adopted” Mistic she’s been easier to be around. Hopefully if there is a battle, the dogs will just follow Mistic, who will follow Madoc.

A few more days pass quietly in Stonetop. Everyone is dreading the coming Winter, and working hard to get things ready to go. So when the redeads approach in the middle of the night, exhaustion and fatigue slow the alarms.

A member of the Militia comes and wakes Railan. “Something’s out there, near the old wall. It’s Them.” Railan sends them off to wake the other Militia, and forces himself to walk to Betrys’ home. The last thing he wants is her meddling in everything, but if it can prevent even a single death, it’s worth the cost. She absorbs the news with a smile on her face. “I shall ready the might of Tor!”

The evening is a blur of cracking stone, angry shouts, striking lightning, and muffled cries. The non-combatants are quickly ushered to the Public House, and Kiera and Little Owl set up a simple medical area inside. Railan and Taliesyn lead the militia from the front, Stridelong scouts the edges, while Madoc and Zavia hang back waiting to see where they are needed.

This session was a blur of scenes and descriptions. So much fun! But hard to tie into a single narrative. So instead we’ll just jump around between different viewpoints and defining moments of the conflict.

Stridelong runs past a flood of people. Everyone is grabbing necessities and running towards the safety of the public house. He’s running in the same direction, but with a different purpose. As he breaks into the central plaza, he darts for the center of town and leaps up on the massive Stone. A few people stop and stare as he quickly scales the monolith. From it’s zenith he can see the entire town, almost all the way out to the ringwall. He notes that about 40 redeads have congretated along the Old Wall, wholly focused on its destruction.

After a quick descent, he takes his report to Railan. Taliesyn listens along, and jumps in with “I think we should act cautiously. The Old Wall has stood for thousands of years. We don’t need to rush to its defense.”

Railan agrees, and addresses the defenders; a group of hunters, regular militia, Tor’s Militia, and a few martial-minded farmers. “We stand in defense of the people of Stonetop. Not its walls, nor its fields, not even our houses, but the people! Including you all! So we’re going to move with purpose and caution as a group. Spears in front, archers in the back. Gang up on an isolated redeads and stab them until they stop moving. Then retreat, regroup, and repeat.”

For the most part, this slow war of attrition goes well. Most of the redeads are content to merely tear down the wall, enduring or ignoring the lightning that strikes them.

A few bolts of lightning strike the same spot, igniting some grasses and leavings. The wind and the chaos seem to fuel the blaze, and it quickly grows out of control. Taliesyn breaks away from the defenders and holds up a small staff. With a quick motion he gathers up the energy of the fire, and glows with flickering light.

At the same time Zavia noticed a few redeads split from the main group. They are meandering towards where Sorsha has set up a little repair station. Clearing her mind, she calls upon the familiar name of Helior, hoping for guidance and light.

Instead she gets silence.

Her run stumbles to a stop, and she reaches again for Helior’s warmth. Again, nothing.

As the redeads drift towards Sorsha, Zavia is overcome with disappointment and anger. All her life she has served Helior; spreading his mercy and light to any who need it. And yet Helior’s name is not known here. Stonetop instead prizes destruction and rebirth. It responds to obvious displays of power.

And with a start she realizes that her heart is no different. What good is a god who doesn’t show up when called? Perhaps Stonetop has the right idea all along.

She opens her heart to Tor and feels a flood of power channel through her veins. Where Helior was a subtle glow of heat, Tor is a cold rush of adrenaline and strength. Helior was comfort, Tor is power. And power is what she needs right now.

Taliesyn sees Zavia glowing with an icy blue light, and decides to channel the held energy of the fire into her. And she welcomes it! Her light burns an after-image into any onlookers, and she darts towards the redeads fast as blinking. With two strikes they are reduced to smoking husks; a threat to no one.

The other members of Tor’s Militia witness this brilliant display, and eagerly break formation. Soon they too are glowing and striking and burning. Railan presses the advantage as best he can, but the glowing defenders are just as dangers to their fellows as to the redeads.

Railan sees Aaron stumbling towards the front lines, supported by his husband. He’s filled with panic and fear as he sees his fellow townsfolk struggling against a terrible foe, or even accidentally injuring themselves. He tries to give a few strangled commands, but Railan is there, firm hand on shoulders. “Sit down, Aaron. I’m in command here.” A few moments later Railan has yelled, begged, and threatened the defenders back into an orderly group. He even suffered a jolting burn as he grapples with one of Tor’s defenders. “We fight for lives, not stones!” he cries, and shoves the last defender back into line. “Resume the assault! With purpose!” Aaron, for the first time in a long time, trusts Railan to keep everyone safe.

On the other side of town, Mistic growls low in her throat and takes off in another direction. Madoc and Mady follow her to find a group of 3 redeads who are flanking the other wall. Defenders are sparse, and Mistic seems determined to take down the redeads alone. Madoc and Mady try to tie up the redeads with a length of strong rope, but Mistic is still injured. She howls in pain, and several of Daub’s dogs howl in response. There’s a distant shatter, thumping footfalls, and soon the area is covered in massive white dogs darting here and there.

The redeads are quickly run down and disembowled, while some dogs go berserk, running back into the town with wild eyes. Several people scream in fear, and one man lets out a terrible gurgling cry as the dogs bite and slash him in their fury.

Madoc and Mady try to get Mistic to contain the dogs, but they’re too late to save poor Daub. He must have been trying to leash them when they turned on him. They pull his body towards the medical area of the central plaza, unsure of what else to do.

The medical area is a hive of actvity, with people nursing lightning burns, torn ligaments, and some more serious injuries. The strangest is one of Tor’s Militia, who glows with an ill-flickering light. With a jerk they stand up and let out a terrible howl. A galeforce of wind swoops through the plaza, dousing all lights and torches.

A small figure stands, their outline barely visible among the dust and flickering lights. The figure strides towards the glowing defender, and gently places their hand in front of the screaming gale. Like a window being shut, the wind slows and the light cuts out.

Someone gets a torch lit, and everyone sees Little Owl holding the limp defender and muttering a quiet prayer over them. He’ll actually perform this trick a few times, helping to grand and disappate the sometimes overwhelming energy that Tor is pooring into Stonetop. By the end of the battle, he emerges as one of its greatest heroes.

Most of the redeads have been slain, and the remaining ones writhe on the ground with missing legs or heads. While the rest of the town celebrates their victory, Stridelong pursues one retreating redead out beyond the Old Wall. He draws his bow, lines up for his shot, and lets fly the steel arrowhead. It pins the redead’s ribcage to a nearby tree, and the thing can’t wriggle free.

Stridelong cautiously approaches, and carefully severes the neck of the monster. A foul liquid oozes into the ground and the redead stops moving. He takes an hour to examine it more closely, noting the scarred hands, the hunched back, and old pattern of clothing it wears. He even finds some kind of brand or symbol etched into its back.

Later, while the town cleans up and breathes a sigh of relief, Stridelong shares what he found with the group. “Slaves”, Taliesyn confirms. “The Makers built the wall, and they didn’t do anything for themselves. They relied on a massive slave labor force for most of their large construction projects.”

“It makes sense that the angry souls would want to destroy the wall, but why did they have the same blood as the Underbeast we saw?” Stridelong asks.

No one has a good answer, but at least Stonetop has survived what could have been a disastrous night.

Session 9

Session 9

The sun rises on a fractured town. The Old Wall has fallen, nearly 30% of it lies in shattered stones. Several houses were damaged or destroyed. The fields are in ruins; turned over and sullied. The Ringwall stands, thankfully. Lightning still strikes the Old Wall intermittently, as if Tor were knocking on their doors, asking for thanks.

But it’s hard to be thankful when so many are scared, injured, and even dead. 6 people were lost in the fight, Daub among them (taken down by his own vicious dogs). The fallen villagers are packed into coffins and prepared for burial.

The redead corpses are gathered into piles and burned. Little Owl honors their deaths with a simple burial rite. These poor workers bled and died to build the Old Wall for the Makers; it’s a tragedy that they scarred their hands further on the stones.

The rest of the town distracts themselves with work; for there is much to clean up. Zavia is overseeing some stone stacks when Betrys approaches her.

“Welcome to the family”, she says with a sharp grin. “I knew your opposition would crumble, but I never thought Tor would court you directly! Now we can bring the rest of the village in line, together.” Zavia disagrees, and the two exchange biting remarks for a bit. Sensing some insecurity, Zavia asks how Betrys was annointed by Tor.

Betrys pauses, and chooses her words carefully. “I was a servant of Tor down in Marshedge. They were…insufficient. I left and came here to start a proper following. This soil is much more fertile”, she says, gesturing at the hardworking villagers.

“Perhaps Tor chose me to compliment you. While we may disagree on many things, I hope we both hold the safety and success of Stonetop above all else”, says Zavia, as she turns back to her work, leaving Betrys feeling unsettled.

On the other side of the village Little Owl is helping to patch up one of the horses hurt in the blaze (Glitter). He stands and turns to find a half-dozen people waiting for him to finish. He sighs, unacustomed to this kind of attention and following. He tried to help them as best he can, even if it’s just an awkward prayer and a smile.

“It means a lot, you know.” Says Railan after the crowd has dispersed. “These little things can feel like a waste of time and energy, but that’s what wins hearts. A touch on the shoulder, a kind word, or even the power of Danue absorbing the light of Tor in the middle of a battle for everyone’s lives. Nice, small gestures.” The two part with a wry grin, both going about their small tasks to help their community.

The next day is a day of mourning. All work is stopped, and folks gather to remember the fallen.

Betrys gives a long, firey speech about how their sacrifice will fuel tomorrow’s future, and how “we must take courage in this victory, no matter the cost.” Railan gives a simpler speech thanking and honoring all the people who contributed and sacrificed to keep the town safe.

The rest of the day is quiet and reflective. Taliesyn seeks out Zavia and awkwardly broaches a difficult subject.

“So, was is easy? To abandon Helior for Tor?” he asks, somehow less accusing than curious. Zavia explains her frustrations with Helior, and how Tor showed up for her in her desperation. But she can see the disappointment in Taliesyn’s face. By the end, he offers to help try and heal her lightning scars, but she thinks it’s just the cost of power.

“Tor may be cruel, but at least he answers prayer”, she finishes. Taliesyn almost voices his interest in Aratis, but decides to just put a hand on Zavia’s shoulder and help her finish stacking the stones.

Soon the season grows colder, ice begins to gather on the roofs, and every evening the smell of firewood suffuses the air. It’s been a harsh winter, and supplies are starting to run low. The new year is a sober time of reflection on what they’ve survived. Warm cider and fermenting beer helps the townsfolk make merry despite the cold.

Of particular interest is the yearly visit from the mysterious Honeydew. Everyone gathers inside the public house, and the children stay up late to witness her arrival. Someone cries out “She’s here!” and a hush falls on the building. Kids press their noses up against the glass, and nervous parents hope they left enough honey outside.

Soon a tall shape emerges from the mists, moving slowly among the snow-covered roofs. Honeydew stands about 8 feet tall with massive insect wings sprouting from her back. A shimmering flowing gown obscures any other details, but the children decided long ago that she’s the queen of the Fae.

Normally she wanders out into the courtyard, sips the honey that Stonetop left outside, and then walks away. But not this time. She stands over the offering bowls and slowly turns them over, spilling honey onto the ground. The children gasp as she turns to stare at the public house. And she just stands there, staring.

Nervous murmurs spread through the crowd until someone nudges Taliesyn and says, “Someone’s gotta do something!” It’s Jag, of course, and Taliesyn is not happy to be singled out. But he can’t resist the desperation on everyone’s faces, as he grabs his closest arcana and heads outside.

The massive makerglass chime sings a note as Taliesyn nervously taps his fingers on it. By the time he approaches Honeydew, he’s worked up the courage to tap out a simple tune. She bobs her head side to side in time with the music, and peers down. “The Wardens are Coming. The Wall must be rebuilt.”

Honeydew spreads her wings and takes the the skies, leaving Taliesyn to wonder if she sung her warning aloud, or directly into his head.

Back inside, Railan realizes that Keira had grabbed his hand during the commotion. She gives a nervous smile and releases, but he reaches forward and pulls her close. The two hold one another while the entire town assaults Taliesyn with questions and theories about what just happened.

The next morning Railan goes to visit Aaron. Just before he knocks on the door, Braith storms out, almost knocking Railan over.

“Sorry Railan, I didn’t–” Braith visibly gets his anger under control. “Aaron won’t make a damn decision. He doesn’t want to help lead the militia, but he’s too experienced to just act like a recruit.”

“What do you want, Braith? For both of you, I mean” asks Railan.

“I want us to find a quiet place to just enjoy one another, far from responsibility and duty.” He kicks at a pile of slush. “Maybe even somewhere warm”. He throws his hands up and stomps off.

Railan spends a few hours talking to Aaron, trying to figure out his friend’s indecisiveness. Eventually he shares what he heard Braith say, and tentatively suggests that maybe Aaron’s wound is a good reason to retire. Aaron flatly refuses, but can’t some up with a better plan.

The next day Railan sees Braith selling some his things, and stocking up on travel supplies. “Happy retirement, old friend” he says to himself, and mentally begins the quest for a new lietenant.

Zavia and Sorsha are still not used to sleeping in the public house. Both are sick of cold floors, no privacy, and Sorsha in particular misses the warmth of her forge. It doesn’t help that Zavia has had the same recurring nightmare:

The Pale Hunter looms outside her window, peering down like a butcher. Before she can reach for a weapon the door bursts open with a fury of white wolves and fangs. She sees a bone-white spear pierce her chest and—

She wakes up in the middle of night gasping. But this time the howls from her nightmare sound real. Sorsha is also awake, looking around nervously. “Did…did you hear that?”

Zavia grabs her pack and storms outside, already calling on Tor’s power. Railan is already outside, sending sentries to the wall. A large white shape darts into the open, and before Zavia can react Mistic is nuzzling her head against Zavia’s legs.

“I thought she just had to pee real bad” mutters a sleepy Madoc. “Is that howling what I think it is?” Zavia nods, and crackles with subtle power. She reaches out and scratches at the Hunters Mark on the back of her shoulders.

“He’s hunting me” she explains. “But I’m not going to endanger the town. I’m going out there.” Madoc and Railan fall in line behind her, the three of them heading down the slope to the edge of Forest.

Soon they’re standing in a clearing with moonlight filtering in through the trees. One by one a pair of glowing red eyes emerge from the forest. And towering as tall as the trees is the shadowy figure of The Pale Hunter. Mistic growls deep in her throat while Railan and Madoc grip their weapons tighter. Zavia takes a step forward, a flickering glow visible from under her coat sleeves. “What do you want!” She demands from the ominous creature.

With blinding speed The Pale Hunter darts forward, spear swinging in an arc to cut Zavia in half. She remembers the last time she faced this creature, how she refused to back down. Surely that strategy will work again. It takes everything in her to stand still, but she doesn’t flinch as the spear inflicts a small cut along her ear. The Pale Hunter withdraws in respect.

“You have proven yourself to be a fellow hunter, rather than frightened prey. This is good. There is a great hunt coming, one I cannot handle alone. The Wardens are Coming. The Wall will fail.”

I.

Hate.

Preparing.

For.

Games.

I tend to prioritize game books with bullet points, neat layout, quick summaries, and evocative touchstones. I don’t want to read and memorize 50 pages every week. All I need is a few good ideas and I’ll fill in the rest with my classic style of imaginative bullsh*t.

But there have been a few times when I, too, enjoyed that solitary creativity of taking notes, drawing maps, and making plans (that I know will be ruined by my players). It’s time to come clean and share the games I’ve actually, truly, deeply enjoyed prepping for!

Mythic Bastionland

There’s been a lot of buzz about Mythic Bastionland on my social media. I loved Into the Odd because it came with a killer dungeon, but Electric Bastionland disappointed me by being more of a toolbox than a bespoke adventure. So I was fully prepared to skip this newest entry.

And then I played a fantastic campaign of broken knights and ancient evil. And then one of my favorite poets, Malcolm Guite, started teasing his newest book about Aurthurian Legends. And then I found a battered copy of Mary Stewart’s Merlin Trilogy at a local thrift shop. So I guess we’re doing knights now.

Look at this beautiful art of the various knights you can play as!

There’s a simple two-page spread of rules for creating a realm. You grab a blank hex-map, plop down a few myths, place some major holdings, scatter some sanctums, and finally sprinkle some hazards on top. Then you populate them with leaders, knights, mad seers, monsters, and weird folks. Lastly, enscribe a name atop the map and hand it to your players. Voila! The process was really simple, but more surprisingly it was really fun! I spent 4-5 hours building out my realm and enjoyed every second. These generators by loner were a huge help!

Huge credit to Chris McDowell for getting me to enjoy prep for the first time in actual years of running games. If you already like worldbuilding, then this game will consume your brain and output a beautiful, gameable hex-map.

Index Card RPG

As I was telling my friend Jeff about Mythic Bastionland he prompted the idea for this blog post: “What other games are easy to homebrew? I love creating my own worlds and stories.” After some introspection I brought him a pile of books to check out. After looking through them all, he reached for Index Card RPG.

I woke up the next morning to this text from him:

Okay, so I may have woken up at 5am and started looking at ICRPG. I gotta go to the card shop tomorrow and get some sleeves. Im also out of index cards haha! Looks like a target run as well.

Poor guy was HOOKED, and I don’t blame him! ICRPG has this rough, middle-school marker art style that encourages you to draw (even if you don’t think you can). Here’s some of the art from the book:

And here is some of the art that Jeff drew while prepping for his game:

This video explains the Index Card Method better than I could. All the other advice facilitates this index-card based approach to theater of the mind. Abandon minis and terrain and AI-art. Instead just grab a bunch of cards and markers and jump into an adventure!

More importantly than the art is the fantastic advice scattered throughout this MASSIVE book. Advice for creating one-shots, campaigns, monsters, maps, encounters, NPCs, magic items, and more. It all has a lab-tested feel to it; as if the person writing it has been a GM for decades and has mastered the art of prepping…which is true!

Even though it’s been a few years since I played it, I still use a lot of the advice and principles in every game I run. If you want to skip the boring parts of prep and really dig into the fun stuff, then ICRPG will help you focus your energy. And you might just find yourself reaching for those forgotten markers in the junk drawer.

Valley of Flowers

I ran a 6-month campaign of this fantastic setting, so obviously I had a great time! This is an observation that I stole from the wildly entertaining podcast Between Two Cairns (the episode from 04/11/2024).

I want to read this again because I feel like I’ll get more out of it. It does the rare thing of making you want to read it like a novel and then run it like a game.

This one stands out because it was such an engaging reading experience. I remember staying up late to finish certain sections. And ended up taking notes just so I could enjoy tracking connections between all the elements.

This is DENSE! Each NPC is tied to another NPC, or a location, or a scenario, or an important piece of worldbuilding. Even minor elements end up being tied together by the end of the book.My players were effortless guided around the entire region, each random encounter leading to the next. It was beautiful.

In fact I would warn anyone who wants to run this that they should plan to read through it twice. And plan on taking notes for their second read-through. Does taking meticulous notes on something count as prep? Especially considering I improvised and added very little from my own brain? I dunno. But I enjoyed this book before any dice hit the table.

My Hypocritical Conclusion

“Sometimes a hypocrite is nothing more than a man in the process of changing.” - Oathbringer

And sometimes I’m just a big hypocrite. If we take a peek at the DOWNLOADS section of this very website you’ll see a bunch of game prep that I took the time to cleanup and share with the world. I’m always surprised when I look back at this stuff. In my brain I tell myself “I don’t like prep” but here’s evidence to the contrary!

I spent so much time aligning and printing coasters for Barkeep on the Borderlands. Hours meticulously guessing at stats for Hot Springs Island. Days (at least two!) trying to get the Wildsea Map to look how I wanted. And I know I tested a friendship while playtesting some of the UVG pets (they really didn’t want their Flabby Jelly to float away!)

I’ve always known that prep is worth it. That my investment of time and energy will pay off as soon as my friends arrive and the dice start rolling. But only recently have I started to crave that solitary creativity. Maybe it’s just because I haven’t published anything in a year. Or maybe it’s just because my brain is changing (“growing” seems like a stretch).

But one day I hope to convince myself that I actually DO enjoy preparing for games. And I’m so grateful to all the fellow GMs and creators who inspire me. What are some of your favorite games to prep for? Leave it in the comments!

Just kidding, there are no comments. Languish in isolation! Or reach out on social media or whatever. I’m going to try and post here more regularly, and hope to be working on something exciting soon…

The Short Version

1. The book is beautiful and fun to read.
2. The game does not seem fun to play.
3. The book and game are both limited by a fear of Tolkien.

Overall I recommend it for reading and enjoyment, but I do not recommend playing the One Ring TTRPG. Read on if you want to hear these thoughts expanded in far too much detail.

An Unexpected Journey

The past few months have been difficult ones for me. Work is stressful, some personal issues have drained my energy, and the online flood of misery makes me want to disappear to another world…like, say, Middle Earth. And thus began an epic journey of research and immersion I’ve never before experienced.

I grew up loving the movies, like everyone. And I have tried to read the books a few times, but found them slow and dull compared to the modern fantasy I usually read. But a few months back I found “The World of Tolkien” at a steep discount. I picked it up, and was determined to immerse myself into Tolkien’s world. I suspected there was joy and inspiration to be had, if I just dug deep enough.

The Tale of Months

When life is difficult, a massive and complex fictional world becomes much easier to engage with. Here’s a brief timeline of my descent into The Lord of the Rings:

• October 2024: I purchased “The World of Tolkien” collection. I read most of it; enjoying the peek into Tolkien’s inspirations and deeper world building…but I can tell it only scrathes the surface.
• November 2024: I finished reading “Hobbit” and “The Fellowship of the Ring” on kindle. So far so good.
• December 2024: I picked up the audiobooks read by Andy Serkis and quickly finished “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King”.
• February 2025: Some friends of mine decided they also want to read LOTR (some for the first time, some for the 21st time). We formed a little bookclub and I started my second re-read.
• March 2025: I snagged a used copy of the LOTR hardcover books illustrated by Allen Lee. They are a joy to read through, and I ditched the audiobooks and kindle completely.
• April 2025: A used copy of “Unfinished Tales” showed up in the mail, and I got a glimpse of Tolkien’s other stories and poems. They are a great little distraction.
• May 2025: I completed my Tolkien hardcover collection with a few more books. These were not written by Tolkien directly, but were compiled by others and assembled from unfinished bits and pieces:
  • “The Reader’s Companion”, a collection of definitions, trivia, and footnotes. It’s made my second reading so fun and engaging.
  • “The Silmarillion”, the famously complex ancient stories of Middle Earth.
  • “The Children of Hurin”, an expanded version of a story from the Silmarillion.
  • “Unfinished Tales”, a collection of stories set in Middle Earth.
• June 2025: My friend lent me their copy of “The One Ring TTRPG”, and I began compiling this review.

Until this year I thought that The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were the only things of note that Tolkien ever wrote. I was amazed and delighted to discover all of these other books and stories; unfinished though they were. It’s incredible to see how much care and attention people have paid to collecting and completing Tolkien’s work. I even have a book of 500+ letters that he wrote throughout his lifetime!

“Surely for these books to inspire so much effort they must be filled with wonders”, I thought to myself. And for the most part I’ve found that to be true. Right now the greatest value these books bring is escapism. I really feel like an explorer researching some alternate dimension, discovering little treasures and clues on every page. Some parts are boring or cliche, but it’s so dense and detailed that I’m enjoying my delve.

A Warm Welcome

Naturally I was excited to read the One Ring TTRPG. Most role-playing games already feel like doing research on fictional worlds, and Middle Earth is already one of the most detailed stories to ever exist. Seems like a great fit for the numerous bits of lore and information that an RPG requires.

Additionally since basically ALL fantasy stories are inspired by the Lord of the Rings to some degree or another, I was curious how an official LOTR game would make itself stand out amidst a sea of imitators.

Things started off well. The One Ring is a stunningly beautiful book. It’s something that we as TTRPG fans have been spoiled by; beautiful books overflow our shelves. But even among them The One Ring stands out. In particular it feels at home alongside the other deluxe Tolkien hardcover books. In particular I like how the red text matches the red print from the hardcovers.

Very easy to read, well-organized, and absolutely packed with evocative art. Just holding the book was a joy; some books just FEEL good. This is one of them. I enjoyed (almost) every page and even enjoyed re-reading it for this review. But I’ll never play the game itself.

The Review Goes South

I had originally planned to play the game. I found a few people who were interested, and I started making reference sheets and notes for our first session. But after a week or two of prep…I was just dreading playing this thing. It is possible that when the game hits the table all of the rules combine to provide a seamless and engaging experience…but I highly doubt it.

The whole game just feels overly complex and fiddly. A few examples that contributed to my dread:

• The most common roll is 1d12 + a number of d6s (depending on skills and bonuses). The goal is to beat a target number. So if the target is 20, what are the chances that 1d12+3d6 will succeed? Oh, and if the d12 rolls a 12, you succeed automatically and fail on a 1, regardless of other dice. It just feels hard to estimate chances and make informed decisions.
• Each round of combat players choose which stance their character is using: Forward (deal more damage and take more damage), Open, and Defensive (deal less damage and take less damage)…oh and Rearward for ranged weapons. Each stance additionally allows for different combat actions and limitations, and some character skills modify different stances. It just feels like more complexity to an already slow and boring part of the game.
• Some treasure hoards are tainted, and if players loot them they suffer Shadow points from greed. But…why? Is this really a fun decision to make? The rest of the game is about getting stronger and upgrading equipment. And then you punish players for wanting those things?
• Some of the skills seem too niche and lackluster; like they were added just to fill out the character sheet:
• AWARENESS, SCAN, and INSIGHT are very similar skills
• COURTESY and SONG could just be cultural knowledge
• TRAVEL and EXPLORE also seem very similar
• RIDDLE is used for obscuring the truth or figuring out puzzles. I actually love this one, and wish the other skills were as evocative and fun as RIDDLE.

In isolation none of these are a deal-breaker. Every game has weird bits or strange details. But while reading the One Ring I never felt like I grasped the overall gameplay loop. I never understood the purpose of each piece as a part of the whole. I never found the fun.

However all of that might have been worth it if the adventure content of the book wasn’t so dreadfully limited.

Lord of the Tropes

This feels like a tangent, but bear with me.

I avoided reading the LOTR books (in part) because I assumed they would be cliche. Almost every work of fantasy has its roots in Tolkien’s work; so obviously his stories, while groundbreaking at the time, will feel stale and worn out to modern readers. Right?

I was delighted to discover that was not the case. Sure, in broad strokes you can describe the LOTR using cliches and tropes. But it was the little details that I found to be as fresh and exciting. Tolkien seemed to go out of his way to avoid certain tropes and add nuance to familiar themes:

• TROPE: Aragorn is the prophesied hero with the secret blood of royalty who will defeat the dark lord and rule the kingdom (and get the girl).
  DETAILS: Aragorn doesn’t defeat the dark lord and the only prophecy he fulfills is taking the Paths of the Dead.
• TROPE: Gandalf the wise wizard has a plan and guides everyone to victory.
  DETAILS: Gandalf regularly falters, makes mistakes, and nearly dooms the world. He has flaws like anyone.
• TROPE: After the dark lord is defeated, everyone lives happily ever after.
  DETAILS: The heroes return home to a ravaged town that they have to work to save. Frodo never truly recovers from his adventures. Evil still exists and there is a lot of work left to do.

When lesser skilled writers attempted to duplicate Tolkien’s success, they kept the broad strokes but were unable to come up with their own details. It is in these details that Tolkien’s work shines: his poems, clever turns of phrase, small character moments, and subversion of tropes.

My favorite example comes from the Swedish version of LOTR. When the books were translated into Swedish the translator made a bunch of unauthorized “improvements” to fit his idea of what the story should be. In one instance he re-wrote the battle against the Witch King so that Merry was the one who struck the final blow (since the idea that a woman defeated a powerful foe seemed like an error to him). The translator brought back an old trope that Tolkien went out of his way to avoid!

And it feels like the One Ring TTRPG makes this same mistake. Instead of adding unique details that would inspire players, they simply brought back the tropes we’ve all seen a million times before.

Scouring of the Book

My biggest criticism and overall disappointment is that there’s nothing new here. I don’t expect the writers to exceed Tolkien’s skill with worldbuilding or prose, but I do expect them to present something new and exciting for players (who presumably already enjoy Tolkien’s work).

Now the counter-argument is that Middle Earth is so intricate and detailed that there isn’t any space for new content! After all, you can’t invent a new country or culture. But that’s exactly what I was excited about. Despite Tolkien’s attention to detail, it’s a BIG world with a lot of things left unexplained.

Let’s use an example to demonstrate what I mean, something that should be a slam dunk: The Forsaken Inn.

In the Hobbit the dwarves mention camping in a long-abandoned building, but by the Lord of the Rings Aragorn calls it “The Forsaken Inn” (italicized like a location rather than just any old forgotten place). The implication being that at some point the Inn was revived and perhaps even in use. But Tolkien never mentioned it anywhere else, or expanded upon it’s history or function. What a fantastic place to drop some new lore or contribute to the world. The One Ring TTRPG gives us three paragraphs about the inn:

On the eastern edge of Bree-land there is a ramshackle wooden hovel that is easily mistaken by the casual observer for a forgotten and abandoned cabin, rotting by the road. It is only the steady stream of unsavory characters trickling in and out of the crooked front door that reveals it to be an inn – if only in the most broad sense of the word. Aptly called The Forsaken Inn, this establishment attracts patrons fitting its appearance and name. Criminals, desperate wanderers, and those who are best avoided seek refuge here, drinking the worst kind of swill, and sleeping on flea-infested mattresses set out beneath the leaky roof of the common room. Those who complain of a draft in the evening are given a lice-ridden blanket and charged and extra silver penny for the privilege. Even the ill-favored Rangers of the North do not often go here. The proprietor, who refuses to give his name even to paying customers is then called simply ‘Jack the Forsaken’ by most, has no concerns about who enters his establishment, as long as they have silver to spend. Unfortunately those with coins to pay had best sit with their backs to the wall, lest a patron make quick use of a dagger and relieve them of their wealth. (pg. 191/192 of the One Ring TTRPG)

So…why would anyone go here? Why would they pay for “the worst kind of swill” or “lice-ridden blankets”? What criminals are seeking refuge in such a crappy and miserable place? Why would the Rangers not visit a place filled with dangerous people?? That’s their whole thing! They’re the vigilante heroes of the West! This place is devoid of interesting hooks or engaging characters. And it barely makes sense as a location that people in this world would visit.

By contrast, the Lord of the Rings Online video game fleshes this place out considerably:

In this adaptation, the role of the inn is greatly expanded. It is the Lone-lands settlement closest to Bree-land and lies in the shadow of Weathertop. A respite for travelers, the Inn has a milestone, mail service, and many merchants, in addition to a great number of people in need of travellers’ assistance. These include the Inn’s proprietor, Anlaf, and his staff as well as travellers, guests, and some of the Eglain, meaning the Forsaken, that have recently been displaced from Minas Eriol. (Tolkien Gateway Wiki)

What a cool twist on the meaning of “Forsaken”! A place for refugees and travelers. Lots of people who need help from the players, or folks looking for escorts to return to the dangerous wilds near Minas Eriol (which was a new location added to the world of Middle Earth).

Here’s another example: Carn Dûm. It has a rich history as the previous stronghold of the Witch King of Angmar. Tolkien mentions in Appendix B that orcs have begun making a secret stronghold in Carn Dûm, some of whom traveled into the Mines of Moria (eventually chasing the fellowship to the Balrog). But Carn Dûm itself is a blank slate, ripe for ghosts, balrogs, dark wizards, or orc chieftains building power. This is what we get in the One Ring TTRPG:

Once the seat of power of the Witch-king of the North, this icy tower is hidden in the endless labyrinth of passes and tunnels that snake through the Mountains of Angmar. Even though the Witch-king himself has yet to return home, rumors of rekindled forges, gathering armies, and fell sorcery occuring in the dungeons of the broken tower are heard as far as Bree itself. Whether these rumors have any substance to them or not remains to be seen, but the growing threat of the Enemy’s forces and their increased presence in Eriador hints at there being a terrible truth behind these dark whispers.

“remains to be seen”?!? Why did I buy a book of ideas and inspiration when the writers refuse to provide any? This made me so mad. “Ooohooo, who can say if something cool might be here?” YOU! You can say, and help me run an adventure for my friends. Ugh. What a wasted opportunity.

Flotsam and Jetsam

The bestiary is another disappointment. Here’s all the creatures included in the One Ring TTRPG creature chapter:

Evil Men, Orcs, Trolls, Undead, Wolves…and that’s it. Now you might think “maybe there are some cool troll variations: stone trolls, ice trolls, forest trolls, mithril trolls, dragon trolls, etc.” Alas. We have two kinds: Cave-Trolls that hunt deep under the earth. They hunch a little and walk on all fours. “Nobody knows if Cave-Trolls can endure sunlight” OH GOSH I GUESS I DON’T KNOW EITHER! And we have Stone-Trolls who are a bit smarter and turn to stone in sunlight. No other cool details or fun abilities or anything.

Same with Undead: We have Barrow-wights, Fell Wraiths, and Marsh Dwellers. Orcs, Wolves, and “Evil Men” are even more cliche and boring. Heck, they include Werewolves, but this is the bland description:

Chosen for its ferocity and malicious intelligence, a Hound of Sauron is a minion of the Dark Lord, a servant sent on a precise errand, be it the gathering of forces for a coming war, the hunt for a specific individual, or spying on an area. Hidden by the shape of an ordinary Warg, a Hound of Sauron conceals much greater powers.

These greater powers are not mentioned or detailed. We just get a statblock and things like “This creature deals piercing blows to armor.” No shapeshifting, or cool abilities, magic spells, or anything. Just a big wolf.

Of course the argument could be made that these are all the creatures that Tolkien himself detailed. We can’t just be adding new creatures to an existing and cohesive world!

Except Tolkien describes all KINDS of awesome monsters and beings in his stories:

• Massive intelligent spiders that have a web (heh) of informants and influence.
• Twisted creatures like Gollum with strange motivations and uncanny intelligence.
• Oliphaunts and Giant Eagles (and presumably other massive creatures).
• Sentient trees that trap you inside and absorb your nutrients.
• FLYING DINOSAURS.
• Massive tentacled THINGS that live in deep water.*
• And so much more!

• After this review went live someone pointed out the “Nameless Things” section of the appendix. It’s a collection of some random tables to generate strange creatures. You can generate stuff like: “A large pig-fish that is a legend among hobbits. It can only be sated with water from a dewdrop flower.” While these are interesting, I don’t think they’re a real substitute for a robust bestiary. But I wanted to mention it in this note.

The Intro Adventure

Actually this review is long enough already. It’s a bad adventure.

Many Partings

I know I went into this book with high expectations, having just started my deep dive into Middle Earth. Tolkien is a hard act to follow, and I don’t envy the writers in their task. But I feel like it would have been a let-down even if it was my first roleplaying game and the first I’d ever heard of Middle Earth. I can only explain this blandness in one of three ways:

1. They’re saving all the cool stuff for the published adventures. Which could be true and would be very lame.
2. Everything magically works better at the table, but because I never played it I won’t really know.
3. A dedication to the source material that is borderline cowardly. Each page is filled with direct quotes, examples from the books, and lore from Tolkien’s writings. However the game refuses to expand any further. It is determined to help you tell stories just like LOTR, and no other kinds of stories.

The end result is shockingly dull and disappointing. Tolkien found a way to engage with classic tropes, fleshing them out with unexpected and beautifully written details. The book is too afraid to add any more details of its own, and hides behind an already well-crafted world.

• The Crew
• The Beginning
• DAY 1
• DAY 2
• DAY 3
• DAY 4

The Crew

All equal members and owners of the ship “Pilosa”. It features 6 flexible limbs that can crawl along the treetops.

• Alya - She/Her - Itzenko Windward Horizoneer
• Mothball - They/Them - Mothryn Shipborn Augur
• Otzetzuk - They/Them - Tzelicrae Submerged Wordbearer
• Reaper - It/Its - Ironbound Ridgeback Hacker
• Shade - She/Her - Ardent Spitborn Wordbearer
• Sprek - She/Her - Ektus Rootless Horizoneer

The Beginning

• Potential quests or important clues have a “♠” in front of them.
• The player-characters are collectively known as “The Crew”.
• No concern is given for how the player groups shift and change. For all intents and purposes, assume that players pop in and out of existence week to week.

DAY 1

Alya, Mothball, Reaper, Sprek, Shade

MORNING. The Crew is en route to Three Masks, a tiny trading spit. They have a cargo of fantastical (and fictional) maps to deliver. Only a few hours from the safety of the port, The Crew is attacked by 3 pinwolves!

• Mothball jumps into a pilot seat and tries to manuever the ship and lose them in the treetops. But that only inspires the pinwolves to hunt more ferociously.
• Alya uses the Amber Eye of the ship to identify where the pinwolves are, and shares that information with her crewmates.
• Mothball does manage to snag a pinwolf with one of the ships legs, but now the ship (and the pinwolf) are tangled up in some branches; dead in the water.
• Sprek dives off the side, grabbing one of the pinwolves, and tackles it down to a large branch.
• Shade fires a chemical flare and distracts the third pinwolf, preventing it from leaping down to the deck of the ship.
• Alya runs along one of the legs of the ships to cut it (and the pinwolf) loose while Sprek kicks his pinwolf off the branch into the depths below.
• The final pinwolf realizes its friends are defeated, and it slinks away.

Minimal damage sustained, but the tiny holes in the ship are a memento of this battle.

AFTERNOON. The Crew arrives at Three Masks only to be interrogated by the dockmaster, Mahkis. He insists on searching their ship for evidence related to the One-Armed Scissor. The Scissor is a library ship that was supposed to arrive a month ago; and no word has been heard about it.

Of course the search is clean, and Mahkis apologizes with the promise of drinks at Polaski’s bar. The Crew heads to the Overlook House to negotiate the sale of their cargo. Old-Spar Lizbeth agrees to buy it and rewards The Crew with charts and a ship upgrade.

Polaski’s is not only a bar, but also a small local library. The patrons are disappointed that The Crew have no news about the One-Armed Scissor. Mahkis buys everyone a round, and explains the situation a little more. As Mahkis leaves to return to work, a Tzelicrae named Carshaw bursts through the door, eager for any news. The Crew console him, and learn he’s looking for his sister who was serving on the Scissor.

EVENING. The Crew split up to enjoy their evening in the safety of Three Masks.

• Sprek and Shade tour the splineapple farms, and get enough materials to start their own little growing patch on the ship.
• Mothball reads some books in the bar, learning a little about the Scissor and a LOT about how to cook splineapples.
• Reaper works a shift at the docks, helping repair another ship. He earns some scars and supplies for his efforts.
• Alya visits Carshaw and asks more about his sister and the Scissor. She agrees to let Carshaw join them when they leave Three Masks. “Better to be out there searching than sitting here waiting” he says nervously. “I think…”

The Crew return to the Pilosa and bed down for the evening. Tomorrow will certainly bring adventure, risk, and reward in equal measure.

DAY 2

Mothball, Otzetzuk, Sprek

MORNING. Carshaw walks up the docks towards the Pilosa. Otzetzuk is packing boxes to prepare for the journey, and welcomes him aboard. Carshaw is nervous, but determined, and having another Tzelicrae helps him feel better. The crew sets sail to track the last known position of the One-Armed Scissor.

AFTERNOON. As the fog rolls in, Mothball spots something glinting off in the distance. The Pilosa slows to examine it. Someone has strung a bunch of rusty chains across the treetops as a kind of snare for ships. Mothball lowers the ship to hide from any nearby vessels while Otzetzuk and Sprek prepare to wavewalk. The chains are rigged with bells and alarms, but Otzetzuk manages to clear a path to a sleeping watchman so Sprek can put them in a chokehold. A short interrogation later, they learn that the Jackalbone Raiders laid this trap. The raider gives them a map of other traps in the area and a minor lead on the One Armed Scissor. Surprisingly, Otzetzuk gifts the raider with some mail addressed to the Jackalbones. “We have no quarrel with raiders; consider this a fair trade.” Otzetzuk and Sprek return without harming the raider, and Mothball quickly scoops them back onto the ship before any other Jackalbones see them.

EVENING. The setting sun makes a distant fire burn ever more brightly. Sprek sees it, and fearing the worst urges Otzetzuk to pilot at dangerous speeds towards the flame. They arrive to find a small spit of farmland with a brightly burning barn atop it. The Gau family that runs the farm is trying and failing to douse the flames. The Crew takes command, digging a trench to prevent the fire from spreading any further. After rescuing what they can, The Crew and the farmers just sit and watch the rest of it burn. It’s a quiet, haunting moment. The family Matriarch, Reco, thanks the crew and offers them some supplies as well as a trained crow lookout for the ship. The Crew stays docked at the farm, and settles into an exhausted sleep.

DAY 3

Mothball, Otzetzuk, Sprek

MORNING. They awaken and help the Gau family clean up whatever remains of their burnt barn. The family matriarch, Reco, feeds them breakfast and gives them a few pointers about their new crow lookout. One of the Gau children comes running back excitedly talking about a metal stump they found on the edge of the spit. The Crew goes to investigate. After a short walk with the excited Gau-ling they find a large metal canister embedded in the ground; a warhead or a package? Hard to tell. With some caution Mothball opens a sealed compartment filled with medical supplies. They are Ardent focused and strangely sterile. Most medical supplies on the Wildsea are scrapped together; clean but messy: fogged glass poultice jars, oft-repaired bandages, herbal bundles, etc. The medical supplies from this canister are brand new; sealed in plastic and covered in strange writing.

AFTERNOON. The Crew takes the supplies back to Reco. Reco offers takes whatever supplies would be useful for Gau, and gives the rest to The Crew. The Crew also asks for help digging up the “metal stump” (Reaper might be interested in it). The Gau family helps them dig it up and transport it to the Pilosa.

EVENING. The Crew is eager to get underway. They continue searching for the One-Armed Scissor and wave goodbye to the Gau farm. Otzetzuk is on watch, and smells the strong scent of splineapples mixed with something else. Tempted to investigate, they instead decide to continue forward.

DAY 4

Mothball, Otzetzuk, Sprek

MORNING. Another few hours of sailing, and dawn breaks on a disturbing sight. A large ship is listing to the side, half submerged and tangled in the branches of the Wildsea. This is the One-Armed Scissor, bleeding ink and leaking pages. Torn pages hang from the galley walls, the deck is littered with a broken alchemical preservative vats, bent lifting equipment, and a strange black goo puddles in the corners.

• Sprek is the first to touch down; eager for a fight. She heads down to the engine room to see why the ship is disabled.
• Carshaw wants to find their sister, but is nervous to explore the wreck.
• Mothball and Otzetzuk agree to explore the crew quarters first, to find Carshaw’s sister.

Mothball and Otzetzuk carefully navigate the tilted shipwreck. Signs of an unexpected battle are everywhere. Spilled cups, scrapes on the deck, patches of blood, and that strange black goo is everywhere. Soon they reach the crew quarters and find one door closed. Otzetzuk carefully opens the door while Mothball keeps a lookout. Inside is a small Tzelicrae lady; afraid and wide-eyed. “Quiet!” Techevez hisses, “the monster is still here. Still here. Still. Be still.”

At the same time Sprek is exploring the lower decks. The ships galley and engine room are one and the same (nothing like a massive chemical furnace for roasting vegetables). He hears something squelching in the cargo hold, and carefully approaches the noise. Inside is a massive creature chewing on the books. It secretes a gross black ooze that smells of rotten ink. Sprek raises his instrument and prepares to strike.

Soon Mothball and Otzetzuk (and everyone else within a quarter mile) hears the sounds of a fight coming from the belly of the ship. Sprek battles it into the stairwell just in time for Otzetzuk to arrive. They shout their Whisper, “Forgotten Embers”, and ignite the black goo under the creature. The creature knocks Otzetzuk into a closet and slides up the stairs attempting to escape the flames.

Mothball runs to the upper deck and tries to lure the creature near an alchemical vat. It’s a close call, but they jump aside just as the creature lumbers into the vat. With a quick SNAP-HISS the vat slams shut, trapping the creature inside.

Otzetzuk and Sprek douse the flames before they spread too far and Mothball ensures the vat is sealed tight. The creature slithers wildly inside its clear prison. It’s trapped…for now.

Shade, Reaper, Otzetzuk, Sprek

AFTERNOON. While the creature is trapped The Crew works hard to right the One-Armed Scissor. Reaper begins to throw mooring lines over the vat, securing the creature further. Otzetzuk heads to the bridge and takes the controls while Sprek goes down to chop some of the trees trapping the Scissor. Shade uses some of the Pilosa’s arms to assist. Soon the ship is righted, the vat is secure, and the situation has been defused.

GM’s Note: I had originally planned to have the creature break free and lead them back to the library. But they rolled so well and planned for every contigency! So we just decided the creature will stay trapped, perhaps to be recovered or studied later.

Otzetzuk and Carshaw go to retrieve Techevez from the crew quarters while Sprek and Reaper explore the rest of the ship. After some investigating the full story becomes clear:

The One Armed Scissor was sailing along it’s normal trade route when it came upon a trail of scattered pages and books. After following the trail, they discovered a massive hanging library! A few days before there was a rootquake (the term for when a massive tree topples over, creating a huge chasm in the Wildsea). This revealed the previously hidden library tangled up in the branches. The crew of the Scissor immediately began exploring the Library, filled their hold with forgotten texts, and headed for Three Masks…unaware that a horrible creature had hidden inside one of the crates. Along the way the creature broke free, attacked and killed most of the crew, and ended up stranding the scissor well of its normal route.

While Carshaw is desperate to return home to Three Masks, Techevez wants to return to the Library. “We must rescue those books before some maurader or lightning spark destroys it! That knowledge is priceless, and worth any risk. Especially now that the creature is dead.”

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Letter Writing ($50)

• $30 - Lamy Safari
• $7 - Diamine Ink
• $12 - Clairefontaine Pad

Journalling & Drawing ($50)

• $10 - TWO Platinum Preppy
• $14 - TWO Diamine Ink
• $10 - Water Brush Pen
• $15 Midori Dot Grid notebook

• The Players
• Ten Thorn Tavern (Fame: x4)
• The Beginning
• DAY 1
• DAY 2
• DAY 3
• DAY 4
• DAY 5
• DAY 6
• DAY 7
• DAY 14
• DAY 15
• DAY 16
• DAY 17
• DAY 18
• Lyra’s Tomb
• DAY 19
• DAY 20
• DAY 21
• DAY 22
• DAY 23
• DAY 23
• DAY 24
• DAY 25
• DAY 26
• EPILOGUE
  • Eamon
  • Silcy
  • MayFae
  • Reefer
  • Red
  • Madrigal, Gerrick, Theo, and Sandon

The Players

• Eamon - He/Him - Cutpurse
• Gerrick - He/Him - Beast Handler
• Jory - He/Him - Outrider
• Madrigal - He/Him - Fungal Forager
• MayFae - She/Her - Foundling
• Red - He/Him - Greenwise
• Reefer - He/Him - Bone Keeper
• Sandon - He/Him - Scrivener (Status: Captured)
• Silcy - He/Him - Jonglier
• Theo - He/Him - Barber-Surgeon
• Willow - He/Him - Greenwise (Status: KIA)

Ten Thorn Tavern (Fame: x4)

The players own an old tavern together. They’ve invested time and money to upgrade its features, and are growing in fame and fortune (however slowly). It also acts as a secret base for the Riverkeeper League.

The Beginning

• NPCs have their factions and loyalty in bracket. Ex. “Elzia Tevayn {Riverkeepers}”
• Potential quests or important clues have a “♠” in front of them.
• The player-characters are collectively known as “The Players”.
• No concern is given for how the player groups shift and change. For all intents and purposes, assume that players pop in and out of existence week to week.

Eamon, Reefer, Sandon, Jory

The Players arrive at Ten Thorn Tavern in Verinwine Vale. Elzia Tevayn {Riverkeepers} is eager for someone else to take over so she can return to tending the various shrines of the valley. She gives The Players some useful information about the valley (history, factions, etc). Thirsty Benyam {whoever last gave him alcohol} helps clean up and get The Players settled in to their new home. ♠ Benyam mentions that the best wine (Deepshine Umbral) comes from Sunbelow Abbey, but no one has heard from them for weeks.

DAY 1

Eamon, Reefer, Sandon

MORNING. The Players set out for a nearby orchard that might sell them drinks and wine. The hear a loud buzzing in the distance, and encounter large wasps attacking a family of farmers. “NO EATING DURING THE DAY” they say, even as they are defeated. The farmers thank The Players, and promise to spread word of Ten Thorn Tavern (gain x2 Fame).

AFTERNOON. Arrive at Alleheim Orchard. ♠ The workers flee when anyone gets too close. The owner, Velmare {Ignoble Court} is arguing with a woman named Miriam {Ignoble Court Accused}. She is going to be tried by the Ignoble Court, and Velmare will not help her. ♠ The Ignoble Court meets regularly during bright moonlit nights. Velmare asks The Players not get involved, and to also not bother his workers. He agrees to sell drinks and fruit to the Ten Thorn Tavern.

NIGHT. Approach Fort Flumenel. Knights of the Golden Promise are having a big party, most are drunk, some bags of gold lay out on the tables. Marcel {Golden Promise Leader}, demands payment and leads them to the stables to sleep. Eamon tries to sneak out and steal some gold, but is caught by Marcel. Marcel is killed, Sandon is captured, Eamon and Reefer flee on stolen, lesbian horses.

DAY 2

Eamon, Reefer, Gerrick, Red, Madrigal

MORNING. The Players lick their wounds. ♠ Elzia tells them about the Riverkeeper League, a group of rebels who might help assault Fort Flumenel and rescue Sandon. ♠ The Gundlach family are Silver Nobles who secretly fund the Riverkeeper League.

AFTERNOON. On the way to see the Gundlachs, they encounter a merchant caravan being attacked by Verinwine Serpents. The caravan guards struggle, and The Players jump in to help. In exchange for the help, the caravan agrees to trade with Ten Thorn Tavern and give The Players a ride to the Gundlach’s Castle Brobdin.

NIGHT. While riding in the caravan, Gerrick hears someone crying out for help in the woods. Gerrick, Madrigal, and Eamon jump out to help. Unfortunately, it’s a trap, and all three of them are shaken down for gold and equipment.

Reefer and Red continue riding with the Caravan and stop at The Champion and Blackguard Inn. This inn is magically protected by a seal of peace, and no violence can happen within. Alyotta Truttle {Goldthistle Gang Leader} and Knights of the Golden Promise are negotiating a treaty. ♠ The Goldthistle Gang has some influence in Cimbrine City, and is looking for magical artifacts and power.

Gerrick, Madrigal, and Eamon catch up to Reefer and Red at the inn. Together they ally themselves with the Goldthistle gang and come to an agreement with the Knights of the Golden Promise. The Players also make a deal:

In exchange for the release of Sandon, the owners of Ten Thorn Tavern agree to cast out the ghosts that haunt Fort Flumenel. They have until the end of the month (Day 30) to accomplish this, after which Sandon will be executed. ♠ The ghosts that haunt Fort Flumenel are most active on the nights the Ignoble Court is meeting.

The Players secretly decides they may still want to work with the Riverkeepers and assault the Fort. This agreement with the Knights was a handshake, no binding oaths were exchanged.

DAY 3

Eamon, Willow, Gerrick

MORNING. The Players leave the Champion and Blackguard (waiting for the Knights to leave first to avoid an ambush). They come across Willow who is looking for travelling partners. An hour or two later they see Gluster Fumm {Aspiring Hero} asking for help along the roadside. Gluster fires his arrow at something in the sky, and wants their help finding it. But first he plans to tie his heroic ribbon to the Festschrift Tree.

AFTERNOON. The Players arrive at the Festschrift Tree, but the keeper, Alastor {Garden Neutrality} will not let Gluster tie a ribbon until he actually accomplishes something heroic. Willow swears an Oath of Garden Neutrality, and Alastor accepts it. ♠ Alastor gives Willow a letter for Grymothy {Wizard}. The Players nap in the safety of Alastor’s grove.

• ♠ Eamon dreams of a man shackled to a tall tower.
• ♠ Gerrick dreams of a knight crying golden tears.

DAY 4

Eamon, Willow, Gerrick

MORNING & AFTERNOON. The party sets off in search of Gluster’s arrow, and eventually find a large crater that glows. Gluster is afraid to enter, and decides to “keep watch” up top while The Players descend. They explore an upside-down house; everything has reverse gravity except for the party members. Some notable events:

• The Players discovers a cold blue fire that freezes instead of burns.
• They ally themselves with tiny “Glow Dough Soldiers” and help rid the house of Star Spiders.
• Eamon breaks a mirror that showed a silvered noblewoman.
• Gerrick acquires magical gloves, one that is heatproof and one that is coldproof.
• Willow touches a Deathwish, and is forced to attack the party.
• In a room of 4 mirrors, the Wizard Grymothy is trapped (a different part in each mirror).
• Grymothy scolds Gluster, and demands he stand up and take charge.
• A big battle ensues, and only Eamon remains unscathed. The rest are injured, but still succeed in defeating the Star Spiders and closing the portal.
• ♠ Grymothy reveals his plan: He summoned a falling star and planned to use it to grant everyone in a valley a single wish. Only “good” wishes would be granted. The Players did not like this plan, and refused to help Grymothy any further. Grymothy still rewarded them with money and valuables, but was disappointed they wouldn’t help him escape the mirror or experiment on the fallen star.

NIGHT. The party and Gluster return to the Festschrift Tree and all tie on their ribbons.

DAY 5

Willow, Theo, Madrigal

MORNING. Alastor gifts forest leaf cloaks to Willow and Madrigal. Gluster declares himself a Great Hero™ and parts ways. The Players head to Brobdin Castle to meet with the Gundlachs. Along the way they meet Theo tending to Chay Logia {Aethur Knight}. They help Theo, who joins their group. ♠ Chay tells them of Aubin’s Tomb, a storehouse of valuable relics.

AFTERNOON. The Players decide to camp for the night and recover from a very busy few days.

DAY 6

Willow, Theo, Madrigal

MORNING. The Players head to Aubin’s Tomb, and discover it is indeed filled with lots of gold and magical artifacts. They each take from the tomb, leaving a piece of equipment behind in exchange. They are suspicious of such an easy treasure haul.

AFTERNOON. Arrival at Brobdin Castle. It is large and lively: tall walls, 3-4 stories, lots of guards patrolling, lights dance in the windows, etc. A young girl introduces herself as the Gundlach Firetender, and says that the Gundlachs will see them in the morning. ♠ Only family and trusted allies may enter Brobdin Castle.

DAY 7

Willow, Theo, Madrigal

MORNING. The Players awaken to find that all the loot they took from Aubin’s Tomb has disappeared. As promised, two members of the Gundlachs meet the party outside. Effie Gundlach wears many rings and is friendly. Hovrador Gundlach is tall, handsome, and desperate for a fight. ♠ They agree to fund a Riverkeeper assault on Fort Flumenel and offer to sponsor Ten Thorn Tavern as a secret Riverkeeper base (gain x3 Fame). They plan to assult Fort Flumenel at the end of the month (Day 30), and demand that no survivors remain. The Firetender will travel back with The Players to Ten Thorn Tavern to begin setting up the Riverkeeper base.

The Players take a week of rest to heal up and prepare for the upcoming assault. The Tavern is upgraded and the Riverkeeper base is established.

DAY 14

MayFae, Theo, Willow

MORNING. The Players decide to recruit more allies for the assult, and sets out to investigate rumors of a wandering tower filled with powerful soldiers. Something large and tower-like crashed through Alleheim Orchard recently.

AFTERNOON. At the orchard, Velmare is upset about the damage the tower caused. He serves them warm cider (how he likes it) and apologizes for the late shipment of fruit and drinks. ♠ Mayfae notices strange writings along inside of the house; it looks different to each person.

NIGHT. The Players leave the orchard and follow the large tracks of the Wandering Tower. Along the way the encounter a duel between Flower Knights riding bumblesteeds. The knights invite them to join, but The Players stay out of it. Later that night they catch up to the Wandering Tower and meet Agnos {Stone Servant Leader}. ♠ The Tower and its followers wander in search of Saint Selos, who disappeared long ago; their vows of silence help them hear the Tower. Theo uses his regrowth potion to heal one of the tower knights, and is gifted a small black candle that will summon the tower. Eamon wants to see inside the tower, but must take the vow of silence to enter. ♠ Agnos mentions that they are interested in secrets of the Silver Nobles. MayFae convinces the group to sleep outside the tower, and ride it into the night.

DAY 15

MayFae, Madrigal, Willow, Eamon

Sleeping near the tower grants visions and dreams:

• ♠ Eamon again dreams of Saint Selos, trapped in a tower.
• ♠ Madrigal dreams of a large leafy giant crying pink tears.
• ♠ MayFae dreams of a bell being forged near a lake.
• ♠ Willow is visited by Alastor, who reminds him of the Oath he made.

MORNING. The Players leave the Tower, Eamon ignoring Agnos plea to join their ranks. Mayfae keeps hold of a small piece of the tower walls with that strange writing. Together they head up the path towards a crumbling building deeper in the mountains.

AFTERNOON. They approach the front doors of Nevruné Hall, noticing that the entire place is divided down the middle, with the left side covered in dark purple flowers, and the right side blooming bright red roses. Past the doors is a large courtyard where a platoon of Flower Knights are engaging in a formal battle, moving like pieces on a chess board. The two noble sisters watch on, hoping to defeat the other. ♠ Lady Gemna {Bright Red Knights} and Lady Scarlova {Dark Purple Knights} have an ongoing feud that divides their family. Madrigal sits on the purple side, MayFae sits on the red side, while Eamon and Willow watch from a neutral place. After the battle ends, Madrigal spars with the knights, earning their respect. Willow and MayFae talk to some of the spectators: Meldrim {Silver Noble} and Haurice DeBecque {Conclave Priest}. MayFae ingratiates herself with Lady Gemna while Eamon sneaks past some knights into the greenhouse. Eamon steals some soil from the greenhouse; the same soil used to grow new Flower Knights.

NIGHT. Eamon and MayFae enjoy a dress-up montage with Lady Gemna while Willow and Madrigal help setup the dance floor. Eamon sneaks off to join Lady Scarlova. Turns out both ladies have a plan to assassinate the other during the dance tonight, and The Party tries to make BOTH assassinations happen at the same time. They succeed, at the cost of Willow getting beat up and thrown out into the bushes outside. The others attempt to sneak into the greenhouse and steal some Flower Knight bulbs, but are forced to flee. The Players spend the night hiding in the mountains while Nevruné Hall erupts into chaos.

DAY 16

Theo, Madrigal, Eamon

MORNING. The Players awaken in the hills, bruised but safe (mostly). They sneak back and sent Theo to scout the status of Nevrune hall. Theo hears fighting and activity happening within, and The Players decide to leave for now and return in the future. They still want one of those flower knight bulbs and strange bloody dirt. For now they head towards Little Motte to find rest.

AFTERNOON. Along the way they meet Haurice arguing with an eclict mage named Methiew {Aspiring Wizard}. The two are debating the merits of “death magicks” and the players help dissolve the argument. Haurice returns to Salmuri Chapel and Methiew joins The Players on their walk to Little Motte. Methiew proffers a bottle of sweet smelling brandy from Little Motte. Methiew claims that the bottle has a hint of death magic to it, and she’s curious to know more.

NIGHT. The group arrives in the evening and admires the many flower beds and scented pathways of this charming little village. They enter the Stinky Cheese Tavern to rest for the evening. Eamon sneaks around outside and sees that something is wrong with the town; people walk with their heads down and seem subdued. ♠ The bartender, Eldora {Outsider} mentions that her wife (Ambrosia {Local}) is sleeping off a strange sickness upstairs. Over the next few hours townsfolk trickle in, and even the mayor arrives. The Players sneak upstairs to listen in on the town council and learn that the townspeople are panicked, and the mayor has no idea how to help.

DAY 17

Theo, Madrigal, Eamon

MORNING. After breakfast, Theo agrees to examine Ambrosia, but can’t identify the sickness. ♠ Those infected, sleep, drink, laugh, and dance in some kind of drunken haze, almost like a fever. Eamon goes to investigate the mayors house, and uses his magical lockpicks to secure the entrances. Theo and Madrigal have tea time with Lady Freck {Village Grandmother}. Freck tells them of the stories of Lyra, the famous poet, and about how people would dance around her statue in better days. Madrigal also defends himself against Billson {Local Asshole} and learns that the mayor is clueless and afraid. They learn that the Mayor has called another meeting at the statue in the middle of town tonight.

AFTERNOON. To investigate Methiew’s “death-smelling” brandy, they visit the Frothing Headstone, a local distillery. Inside there are a dozen people in the final stages of the illness; they dance drunkenly and drink from the many casks of liquor. The Players don’t learn much else, except that even the dead have risen to join in this diseased dance. Everyone seems to be singing old songs of Lyra. The Players intercept the Mayor and convince him to call another town hall meeting at the Stinky Cheese. It seems The Players have decided to guide the mayor and offer some assistance in this matter.

Theo, Willow, Mayfae, Eamon, Madrigal

NIGHT. While the Mayor calls a town meeting, The Players head to his house, intending to see if the Mayor is hiding something. After feeding the mayor’s cat, Thimblebottom, and subtly re-arranging the furniture, their detailed search has revealed nothing. The Mayor really is just a bumbling goof who doesn’t know how to handle this sickness. They return to the Stinky Cheese tavern just as the Mayor is being booed and yelled out. The Players intervene, proclaiming that they will get to the bottom of this. The townsfolk are dubious, but what harm could these strangers bring? A few questions are answered, Lady Freck tells more stories of Lyra, and the townspeople return to their homes. The Players sleep at the tavern, with Eldora’s blessing.

The Ballad of Lyra

I do not fear the night, So much as the darkness in my heart.

I do not fear the crowds, So much as I fear an empty bed.

I do not fear the silence, So much as a hollow echo.

I do not fear death, So much as an empty life.

Yet she fill my heart. Yet she warms my bed. Yet she returns my cries. Death is my final and greatest lover.

DAY 18

Theo, Willow, Eamon, Madrigal

MORNING. The Players awaken to sounds of a scuffle coming from the first floor of the Tavern. Ambrosia is trying to leave that tavern (having progressed further in her disease), while Eldora prevents her with limited success. Madrigal helps secure Ambrosia, and promises that they will try to get to the bottom of things. The Players head to the statue of Lyra in the center of town.

AFTERNOON. 10-15 infected stumble around the statue, muttering Lyra’s songs and drinking or laughing or crying. Theo, Madrigal, and Eamon run back to the Tavern to get some barrels of alcohol while Willow charges into the fray. He climbs up the statue and surveys the crowd. Theo, Madrigal, and Eamon return with some barrels, and break them open to distract the infected. Only 4 infected remain, and The Players defeat them without killing them. Unfortuntely, Willow is killed in the scuffle. A travelling musician, Silcy, helps clear a path to the statue. The Players find a hidden entrance below the statue and secure themselves inside.

Silcy introduces himself, explaining that he’s been looking for more songs and info about Lyra. Silcy agrees to join the players on their exploration of Lyra’s tomb.

Lyra’s Tomb

A brief summary of things that happened during the exploration of Lyra’s Tomb:

Theo, Silcy, Eamon, Madrigal

• The Players descend an iron staircase. Ghosts from the distant past briefly merge with the Players, granting visions of Lyra performing to a crowd. ♠ A creeping darkness overtakes Lyra, but she seems to embrace it willingly.
• A statue with a music box in its chest lies against a marble door. Madrigal cranks the music box, and the statue moves enough for Eamon to wedge the door open.
• Within a large greenhouse a pink light streams in through the windows(even though they are underground?). Large humanoid plant hedgeforms wander slowly around the flower beds. The leader is playing a black vielle and the rest are crying red sap tears. Silcy engages in a musical duel with the leader, and is gifted the black vielle. ♠ Silcy realizes this was Lyra’s ville, and it was given to her by a lover. Silcy continues to play the sad dirge, and the plant forms follow Silcy around instead.

Theo, Silcy, Eamon, Gerrick, Reefer

• While Silcy keeps the hedgeforms distracted with their playing, Reefer turns to smoke and explores the northeast room. Perfumed dead are digging a new alcove, and other alcoves lie filled with wooden caskets.
• A poetry golem in distress runs into the greenhouse, through the marble door, and steals the paper from the first golem they meet at the foot of the iron staircase. It shoves the paper into it’s own music box, and saunters back the way it came with a much more relaxed air.
• The Players decide to follow the golem through the overgrown archway. When Silcy stops playing, the hedgeforms become aggressive. Two of them destroy one another, while the remaining three charge after The Players. Gerrick dispatches one with his fire knife, the others are cut to ribbons, dousing Silcy and Theo in the strange red tears of the Hedgeforms. ♠ Silcy’s tattoos are dyed red, and pulse slightly, while Theo’s metal leg is undergoing some chemical reation with the red tears.
• In the next room is a large pool surrounded by benches and a walkway. The Players watch as the poetry golem walks right into the pool, submerging beneath the surface as it’s music fades. However another golem is sitting on the bench, playing a sad melody. Several shades and perfumed dead surround it as if listening.
• Gerrick dives into the pool, and sees evidence of dozens or hundreds of broken poetry golems littering the bottom. He remembers a vision of a pale woman crying with red markings like those of Silcy’s pulsing red tears.
• A large marble door to the south is locked, and reads, “Finger to lip, enter her chamber with reverence. However when The Players try to silence the poetry golem, the shades and perfumed dead get violent. The Players douse the perfumed dead with oil, and ignite them. But the shades flow right into Reefer, Gerrick, and Theo. ♠ They feel a strange heaviness, like carrying a great sadness.

Theo, Gerrick, Eamon, Madrigal, Reefer

• They enter the now open marble door to find a large black marble sarcophagus. It has a thin crack running through the top of it, and a subtle vibration hums from within. Gerrick peeks inside, but only sees a dark something lying within.
• The Players work together to open the top, and a well-preserved corpse lies at the bottom. Her eyes snap open and she sits up, reaching for a white vielle. The Players try to offer comfort, but instead she starts playing an angry tune. She cries black tears as shades begin to rise from the floor: violent and angry.
• Madrigal slaps the vielle from her hands. It cracks as it hits the floor. The corpse breaks into tearful sobs, and the shades fade away. ♠ Reefer holds her close, and her tears stain him like tattoos. Eventually she finds her voice and tells her story. This is Lyra, the famous poet from hundreds of years in the past. She was giving a performance in a small town when a dark shadow came over the stage. Everything went black and she woke up here. She knows that some powerful patron gifted her the white vielle, which has “From an admirer” inscribed on the back. She doesn’t recognize the black vielle she was playing before, but it does have “When you are ready, follow me below” inscribed upon it.
• Reefer helps Lyra out of the sarcophagus, and The Players discover a hidden stairway beneath it. The obsidian steps lead down into darkness. “I…I must follow these steps” Lyra says, as if in a dream. The Players join her, going down, down, down into the depths.
• Eventually they come to a massive obsidian bridge that leads off into an unnatural blackness. The cavern is silent, no walls or ceiling can be seen beyond the range of their torches. “My fancy with death was always a romantic fiction; never a true goal or desire…until now. I feel drawn across that bridge; like a bride to her wedding ceremony. Thank you for your help.” ♠ She offers both the white and black vielles to Silcy and with a sardonic smile she walks across the bridge humming her own funeral dirge.
• The entire dungeon goes quiet, and The Players return to the greenhouse to decide their next steps. Reefer finds some black obsidian coins under a now still perfumed dead. ♠ Some believe these coins are a token of thanks from the realm of the dead.

DAY 19

Theo, Gerrick, Eamon, Madrigal, Reefer

MORNING. The Players return up the staircase to the town of Little Motte. A dozen perfumed dead lie around the statue; quiet and still. Several townsfolk also sleep nearby, as if deeply hungover. The Players close the entrance to the dungeon so no one notices. They return to the tavern amidst a tired celebration within. Eldora the bartender greets them with free drinks, “He did it! The sickness is cured. My Ambrosia is back to her terrible puns and beautiful smiles!” The players see the mayor taking full credit for the cure.

The Players convince him to speak with them in private upstairs. He admits that he didn’t know why the sickness was suddenly cured, but was relieved to have the problem solved and wanted the credit. The Players agree to give him the credit if he convinces the town to offer good trade deals to Ten Thorn Tavern (Tavern Features improved, special deals offerd). Methiew is in attendence, and looks suspiciously at The Players as the mayor tells an elaborate lie about how the sickness was cured. She tells The Players to meet her back here later tonight. “I will have questions for you”, she says as she leaves the tavern.

AFTERNOON. Eamon trails Methiew without beind seen. Methiew casts some minor spells, muttering about how they actually did it. Eventually she makes her way to the statue of Lyra, and discovers the secret panel leading to the dungeon below. Eamon reveals himself, and they both descend the staircase. Eamon tries to engage her in conversation, but she insists on silence. “I will figure out how you did it on my own.” She re-traces the steps of the party, taking note of every detail. When she enters the room with the black marble sarcophagus she stops. “There is great power below…a place of death energy like none I’ve ever felt.” She summons a torch of darkness and descends into the depths, barely containing her excitement. Eamon waits in the room, suspicious of any danger that might arise. When an ominous black fog rises from the steps, he is already out the door and running to the surface.

Meanwhile, back at the tavern, Reefer, Gerrick, and Theo are feeling the effects of the shades that have joined them:

• Reefer’s shade demands earthly pleasures (food, drink, sleep)
• Theo’s and Gerrick’s shades want..something. I need to review my notes. Will update later.

NIGHT. Eamon catches up with The Players, and fills them in on the situation. They all return to the sarcophagus to find that black fog has gotten even thicker, and spills out of the obsidian steps like a bubbling cauldron. They attempt to slide the sarcophagus back into place, hopefully blocking the strange fog from flowing any further. They manage to succeed, but both Madrigal and Theo come into direct contact with the fog. ♠ The fog is thick like mud, and turns their skin semi-transparent wherever they touch it. The flow has been halted…for now. But the dungeon is no longer silent, and perhaps there is something terrible stirring across that black bridge.

Silcy, Eamon, Mayfae

As the quiet of the tomb returns, and the threat is halted…Mayfae wonders if there’s more to this situation. She asks Silcy to play the Melody (Lyra’s white vielle), and tries to see how the music interacts with the dark fog. They open the sarcophagus, and notice that the fog stretches in a thin line drifting towards Silcy, as if it is reaching for them. Silcy begins to slowly draw the fog away, revealing a thin, clear path down the stairs for Mayfae and Eamon to follow. They descend.

Mayfae approaches the bridge, drawn towards the quiet and the mystery. Eamon is less enthused, and carefully wraps his wire around Mayfae so she doesn’t go too far. After a few steps, Mayfae sees a dark, hazy figure on the other side of the bridge. She throws her walking stick to the figure, who catches it, and in return rolls a small bottle of dark liquor back across the bride. Mayfae takes the bottle, and looks up to see the figure revealed in her torchlight. It looks like a combination of Methiew and old paintings of King Aethur. The figure asks what Mayfae is seeking, and Mayfae responds that she is looking for her childhood friend, Daisy. “Daisy is here, and you could have her back. But what price will you pay?” the dark figure asks. “My arm. Or half my soul. She was worth that and more to me.” Mayfae responds hopefully. “Silly girl. Death never lets you choose your price.” the figure says with a smile. At this moment Eamon pulls Mayfae back from the brink, and they tumble onto the safe side of the bridge. Mayfae is clutching a small, pale girl in her arms. Daisy is sick, shaking, but alive.

Meanwhile, Silcy has their hands full trying to keep the fog distracted. As they start to run out of room, they briefly consider leading the fog back up to the town of Little Motte, but instead decide to risk climbing through the tunnels. At a dead end Silcy meets a ghost who introduces himself as Harold the Miner. “Probably should stop playing before the fog eats your soul.” Harold says languidly. “I cannot! I must keep it distracted to save my friends. Could you help me distract it?” Silcy says in a rush. “Let’s make a deal. I’m a little too dead to leave this place, and you’re too alive to safely wrangle the fog. Together we could be something in between death and life.” Silcy agrees, and a bargain is struck. Silcy becomes semi-transparent, their breathing stops, and they feel a new, cold power within. Silcy grabs the fog like a snake, and pulls it taught, giving Mayfae and Eamon the time they need to safely ascend.

The Players regroup in the Greenhouse. Eamon notices that Mayfae has different colored eyes, and Silcy’s puppet has a different voice. Oh, and now they have a sick child they pulled from the realm of death. Eamon tries to keep it together a little longer. The Players ascend the tomb and emerge from the hidden plaque under the statue of Lyra. Several townsfolk are shocked that a secret tomb was lying in the middle of their square this whole time. Eamon ignores them, trudging off to steal the mayor’s cat Thimblebottom, while Mayfae and Silcy leave Daisy in the capable hands of the town healer.

The Players all meet up at the Tavern and talk through what just happened. It’s a lot to take in, and it’s been a long night. Just as they are about to turn in for the evening (or morning?) a group of warriors arrive in the town causing a stir. “We ride for the annual tournament joust at Nevrune Hall!” Surely they’ve heard of the death of the two princesses of Nevrune hall…how can there still be a tournament?

DAY 20

Eamon, Mayfae, Boreas

MORNING. The Players go to visit Daisy and arrange some transportation back to Ten Thorn Tavern. Boreas is on the quest for a talking bird, and may also be working for a Silvered Noble; he joins the group to determine their involvement with the Riverkeepers. They discover that Billson {Local Asshole} is driving a wagon into Cimbrine. A complex negotiation follows, and Billson reluctantly agrees to let them ride along (and manages to avoid getting beaten up by anyone). The Players also visit the Frothing Headstone brewery to discuss details about Ten Thorn Tavern carrying their famous cider.

AFTERNOON. Billson loads up the carts. One cart carries 3 vases of Stormbreaker Petunias from a local flower shop owner, and the other cart carries 4 kegs of Headstone cider. The Players and Daisy squeeze in to fill the gaps. They depart from the Town of Little Motte, heading to Ten Thorn Tavern.

EVENING As the sun begins to set, a terrible storm whips up. The Players are delighted to learn that the petunias have a magical quality that create a bubble that protects both carts from the rain. Travelers heading towards The Players also notice the protective bubble, and ask to take refuge until the storm passes. The Travelers are a group of Sunbelow Monks, here to sell the last cask of Umbral Wine. The leader of the monks introduces herself as “The Poet” and seems completely dry despite walking several miles in a rainstorm. The Poet passes the time telling the story of Sunbelow Abbey:

For centuries the monks of Sunbelow Abbey found purpose and peace in the art of winemaking. Their Umbral Wine is famous throughout the land, bringing joy and merriment to all who taste it. However the monks themselves never partook; agreeing that to do so would distract them from the craft itself. “To drink a sip of wine would be to steal joy from a dark and cruel world.” So the monks contented themselves with tending and brewing…never drinking.

Until one day Brother Kresi had a terrible sickness, and the rest agreed he should drink the wine for medicinal purposes only. But in those few glasses Brother Kresi found the joy that lives in every sip of Umbral Wine. He sang and danced and convinced the entire abbey to drink deep of their hard-earned bounty. The monks invite folks to join them in a great celebration; for the joy of drinking Umbral Wine belongs to all, even the monks themselves!

As the storm passes, the Poet and the monks bid farewell, walking on towards Little Motte. The Players continue towards Ten Thorn Tavern.

DAY 21

Eamon, Mayfae, Boreas

MORNING. The Players arrive at Ten Thorn Tavern. They unload one of the vases of Stormbreaker Petunias, and one barrel of Headstone Cider. Billson leaves with a huff, and The Players keep one wagon and its horses in the stables.

Elzia mentions that it’s time for her to leave. She promised to help get the Tavern back to its former glory, but she would prefer to be tending to the shrines instead of tending bar. Mayfae bakes her a farewell breakfast of Bramble Cakes, and takes some up for Daisy as well.

The Players also decide to invest in a piano for some live music. When Eamon and Boreas go to the greenhouse and start planting Stormbreaker Petunias they discover a strange message in the moss.

AETHUR WILL RETURN WHEN THE GODS LIVE AGAIN

Home at last in the safety of their tavern, The Players must decide what they will do next.

• ♠ Investigate rumors of more black fog in Ylgotha (the same as they encountered under Little Motte? Or different?)
• ♠ See if they can convince the monks of Sunbelow Abbey to make more Umbral Wine for their bar
• ♠ Prepare to rescue Sandon from Fort Flumenel before Day 30
• ♠ Join the Riverkeepers in their attempts to bring back the gods
• ♠ Investigate the Knightly Tournament Games happening in Nevruné Hall

DAY 22

Eamon, Mayfae, Silcy

MORNING. The Players awake, check on Daisy, and set out to investigate the blacK fog in Ylgotha. They pack the wagon with a vase of Stormbreaker Petunia, supplies, and hitch the lesbian horses.

AFTERNOON. Along the way, an old monk comes up to the wagon requesting a ride. ♠ “I’m off to join Sunbelow Abbey, and find the peace the lives in every bottle of wine!” He finishes off his own bottle and quickly falls asleep in the back.

EVENING. The Players arrives in Estelat to drop off the monk, rest up, and continue their journey tomorrow. Eamon heads into the tavern to pay for a comfortable bed and meal. Mayfae eats in the tavern, but prefers to sleep under the stars. Silcy tends to the wagon, and in his wanderings bumps into a strange figure. ♠ The figure introduces themselves as “Yltou”, a river god in hiding. “As trade flowed up and down this river, I too wander in search of a good deal.” Silcy agrees to hand over Melody (Lyra’s vielle) in exchange for two things:

• A magical knife flute that can be sheathed in their skin.
• Silcy wants his face to be “fixed” so he doesn’t need the mask. It’s unclear if this is a true healing or if Silcy just needed permission to accept his appearance.
• ♠ Additionally Harold the Puppet also leaves Silcy to join Yltou.

DAY 23

Eamon, Mayfae, Silcy

MORNING. The Players awake, and continue their journey towards Ylgotha. Soon after leaving the town of Estelat they smell the strong scent of blood coming from the forest. Myafae wants to investigate, and the others reluctantly join. After a quick fight with an enraged boar, The Players acquire a Miseriweed Heart (valuable alchemy ingredient).

AFTERNOON. The Players pass by Lake Nyveane and spot two figures desperately trying to paddle a boat through stormy waters. The figures capsize, and crawl to shore. Mayfae wants to help them, Silcy agrees, and Eamon thinks this is a mistake.

A large hooded figure is packing the boat for their next attempt while a young girl introduces them. “I am Lenore, and I’m older than I look. My friend is Sir Tyburn, pledged to protect me. We must reach the island in the center of this stormy lake.” The Players reluctantly agree to help after Lenore promises magical artifacts may be found at their destination. “It’s an old, forgotten city ruin from before the gods; some say.” Lenore explains.

The waters are perilous, but with the Stormbreaker Petunia they all make it safely to the ruin. Lenore and Sir Tyburn approach a large archway standing atop a raised platform. They thank The Players, and disappear through the archway. Mayfae finds some coins among the ruins (♠ made of the same metal that branded Eamon), Silcy finds skeletal remains where Lenore and Sir Tyburn disappeared, while Eamon wants to disable the archway. “It’s obviously magic and obviously dangerous” he claims.

Of course this just makes Mayfae want to investigate. Silcy grabs Tyburn’s sword and moves a safe distance away. Eamon is still climbing the archway when Mayfae walks through it.

She is greeted by a figure from the past, and she offers them her 100 year old bottle of liquor. In exchange, her deathtouch is cured, and she is no longer doomed from her encounter on the bridge. She exits the archway and returns safely to the present day.

♠ Eamon, unfortunately, gets affected by the archway and obtains a massive amount of jumbled memories from before the gods. He is confused, but otherwise unharmed.

♠ Silcy holds the sword of Tyburn and softly whispers his own name to it. The sword seems to thrum with power, as if it got what it wanted.

EVENING. The Players return to the shore and find the Stormbreaker Petunias have their magic depleted; they will die soon if not watered and charged. Hopefully their next destination will have what they need.

DAY 23

Reefer, Madrigal, Silcy, Mayfae, Eamon

The Players camp on the beach and rest after a busy few days. Silcy plays Cacophony (Lyra’s black vielle) to soothe Reefer’s shade. The Shade manifests nearby, and sings old prison songs and soldier marching tunes along with Silcy. Just before they fall asleep, the Shade admits it is a deserter from the war to come.

DAY 24

Reefer, Madrigal, Silcy, Mayfae, Eamon

MORNING. The Players arrive at Nothing Rock, a massive crater with a small chasm in the center. Dark black smoke is oozing from the chasm and forming into shadowy figures (♠ similar to Reefer’s Shade). Hundreds of shadows form two opposing battle lines. Only then do the players notice two more solid-looking figures standing between them and the forming armies: a shorter woman with a pony tail, and a massive bald man, both armed with a huge pair of scissors.

As if hearing a signal, the two figures take off towards the battle lines, scissors held to their sides. Mayfae charges in as well; whether to rescue or to kill she isn’t quite sure. Soon she and the woman with the ponytail are back to back fighting off several shades. The woman drinks from a dark vial, and bends over just long enough to vomit up a shadowy copy of herself that joins the fight. Reefer attempts to do the same with his shade, and surprisingly succeeds. He and his shade also join the fight.

The Players notice that both figures are using their massive scissors to slice off thin lines that connect all the shades; and gather the loose black fog into small vials. Even in deadly combat, the woman takes risks to harvest several bottles of black fog.

Eventually The Players regroup with the two scissor-wielding strangers. “I’m Father Hollis. Thanks for your assistance. Don’t mind Sister Robin; she’s just upset she didn’t harvest as many vials as I did.” Sister Robin sulks while the Father Hollis continues talking. “Our family harvests shades like these, though we are concerned about how large this shadow army is growing. Just last week is was only a couple dozen strong. Now it’s hundreds of shades.” He invites them back to their family farm, especially after seeing Reefer’s shade. “We can help you with that.” Father Hollis claims.

AFTERNOON. The Players, Hollis, and Robin all arrive at The Shadow Farm. An old crumbling fortress now inhabited by the Greyrose family who can harvest the power of shades and black fog. An early dinner with the family offers more insight:

• Eamon sits next to Uncle Filhair, and tries to steal something from the sleeping man. Unfortunately Filhair notices, and gives Eamon a choice: “You either do whatever Grandmother asks of you, or I tell the family about your crime and we suck the soul from your body.” Eamon begrudgingly agrees. He later breaks their bathroom mirror to secure a shard of glass for spotting illusions.
• Madrigal sits next to Sister Robin, listening to her grumbles. Madrigal learns a little more about the shades, harvesting, and the shadow vials the family uses.
• Silcy sits next to Father Hollis to enjoy some bass and learn more about Grandmother (as well as the rest of the family). He then plays a romantic ballad (Grandmother’s favorite).
• Reefer and Mayfae both sit next to Grandmother, eager to learn more about the family and the shades. Grandmother insists they rest, and to “save business talk for later in the evening.”

EVENING. The family leaves the table as shadowy servants clean up the dinner mess. Everyone sits around a warm fire and Grandmother stares right into Mayfae’s eyes. “Before we begin, we need to do something about your eyes, dear.” Grandmother explains that Mayfae’s eyes are not her own; in fact they are the eyes of Methiew herself. ♠ Methiew has been spying on the party ever since the tomb of Lyra; seeing everything that Mayfae sees. Grandmother, Mayfae, and Eamon leave the room to find some replacement eyes while the rest tell the story of their adventures and learn more about the shadowy armies.

It turns out that Methiew used to be an Aunt of their family. But she kept corrupting and twisting the shades for her own purposes, defying Grandmother at every turn. When she was cast out, Methiew swore to find the true powers of shadow and return to prove she was right. Father Hollis is concerned that Methiew’s aspirations have grown far darker since that claim.

Grandmother replaces Mayfae’s purple eyes with eyes of pure shadow fog. This will allow Mayfae to see in the dark, but it looks disturbing to most folks and MayFae will have to return regularly to get her eyes “recharged” with fresh shadow. “You may eventually find yourself part of this family in both title and debt…” Grandmother warns.

The night is still young, and Grandmother has more secrets to reveal to The Players…

DAY 25

Reefer, Mayfae, Eamon

MORNING. During breakfast with the family Grandmother reveals that she was up late doing some shadow magic. Using Mayfae’s purple eyes she gained a glimpse into Methiew’s plans. A great battle is coming: Methiew will use the likeness of Aethur to unite disperate factions and take control of this land. Whatever rebellion remains will be crushed (old gods, Riverkeepers, and any who oppose the church, the knights, or the nobles).

Grandmother has a plan: “Our family shadows shall join the battle, but we cannot win this fight alone. After hearing of your journey I can think of several allies you might convince to join us:

• The ghosts that haunt Fort Flumenel (where Sandon is scheduled to be executed)
• The Riverkeeper League (if they can convince the old gods to fight)
• The Ignoble Court (who will eventually be threatened by Methiew and Aerthur)
• The Wizard Grymothy (who is not a friend but could be an ally)
• Saint Selos (who lies trapped in a nearby black tower, who Eamon has had visions of and Reefer dreamed about)

The Players decide to investigate the Tower first, with The Riverkeepers and Fort Flumenel as backups. Time is running out.

AFTERNOON. On their way to the Tower of First Heresy, they see a runaway wagon being pulled by a panicked donkey. Behind it is some large skeletal bear-creature. The Players decide to pull off to the side of the road, hide, and let it pass by.

EVENING. The Players arrive at the black tower and see a lone warrior standing guard in front of the gates. Sir Morbeck is old and bored. “If you’ve come to dual me, be sure to attack together. It’s too much trouble to fight you one at a time.” He then splits himself into three copies. The Players retreat, not eager to fight Sir Morebeck. Reefer turns to smoke and scouts the tower, noticing a group of thieves sneaking around the back! Reefer alerts Sir Moreback, and chaos ensues.

Some copies of Morebeck try to attack the thieves who are climbing a rope up to the 3rd floor. Some copies try to attack The Players. The hole in the tower opens into a prison cell where an old woman is trapped (in a brief conversation she reveals she is the previous Mother of the Greyrose family). She tries to climb down the rope and escape in the chaos. In the end one of the thieves is killed, the woman prisoner is killed, and all copies of Morebeck are slain. Three thieves survive and enter the tower, sounds of battle coming from deeper inside.

Meanwhile the Players are a bit more cautious: Eamon claims some spellbooks from the fallen thief while Mayfae takes the sword of Morebeck. Reefer was in the cell already, and discovers that he cannot leave! Whoever is the last person to exit the cell is trapped within an invisible enchanted prison. Everyone else is dead, and The Players are a bit confused about how to overcome this obstacle. Will they explore the tower further? Wait for the thieves to return? Or flee to the Greyrose family for help?

DAY 26

Silcy, Mayfae, Eamon

MORNING. The Players rest in the warded cell on the second floor of the tower. Reefer agrees to wait so the rest can venture forth into the tower. There are stairs leading down to the first floor and up to the third floor, as well as a large door on the left wall. Eamon examines the locked door, noticing a finger-sized hole above the handle. He attempts to pick it with his locks, but to no avail. Silcy cuts off a finger from one of the slain prison guards, and puts it through the strange hole. SLICE – CLICK. The door opens to reveal a disorganized storeroom filled with casks, boxes, bookshelves, and bags of stuff. Mayfae wheels a fancy-looking cask of brandy out of the room while Silcy and Eamon search the detritus. Silcy bumps a box of delicate glass bottles, each containing a small glowing ember of light. When one of the bottles begins to glow more brightly, Silcy and Eamon rush for the door, escaping just ahead of a fiery explosion.

Shaking the ashes from their clothes, they prepare to head up to the third floor. Mayfae balances the cask above the downward stairs; a hasty (and expensive) trap for anyone coming up.

The Third floor is filled with dozens of small idols to dead gods. At their center sleeps a large human-ish figure with too many mouths and not a single head. Silcy attempts to clear a path through the idols, but each one he touches floods his mind with a lifetime of memories and nightmares. Coincidentally, one of the idols belongs to Yltou, who makes another bargain with Silcy. “I’ll answer your questions in exchange for a favor to be collected later.” He tells Silcy a few pieces of useful information:

• When Silcy picked up Sir Tyburn’s sword, it asked Silcy for a name. Silcy whispered his own name to the sword. With a wry grin, Yltou explains that the sword is enchanted to slay whatever name it hears. Once that creature is killed, a new name may be whispered. Silcy has a sword that’s only effective against himself!
• Yltou also explains that the horrific creature is a nameless soul who has been warped and twisted by the power of the idols in this room. It is fiercely protective of these idols.

The Players take turns moving idols, enduring painful memories, and trying to carefully cross the room. Eamon is the last to reach the ladder leading to the 4th floor…and trips! The creatures awakens in a rage. With just a few powerful blows Eamon is on the floor, reeling and disoriented.

In a moment of desperation Silcy clutches the idol to Yltou again. “I call upon you to grant me one last favor!” Silcy cries. “I pray that this creature be named ‘Silcy’, and its soul reflect this truth!”

“This is going to cost you.” Yltou warns, but grants Silcy’s request. With a cry Silcy endures a blow from the creature and stabs it with the sword of Sir Tyburn. Slain by a magical blade, it begins to dissolve, along with all of the idols in the room. In a furious sandstorm, the grains flow down the stairs. After the storm calms, Silcy tends to Eamon, and The Players rest for a while.

AFTERNOON. Their strength (somewhat) restored, Yltou reveals the favor he has for Silcy. “You will whisper the name ‘Louis the Liar’ to the blade, find him, and kill him for me. Then your debt shall be paid.” Silcy doesn’t know who that is, how to find him, or why Yltou wants him dead…but he doesn’t have much choice in the matter. The Players climb the ladder to the top floor of the Tower of First Heresy.

A plain room holds an empty bookshelf, a small table, and a bed. An old wizened man lies atop the bed, his ankle secured by glowing silver manacles that are chained to the center of the room. “Come in, come in. Enjoy the stars with me.” As The Players look up they see a clear night sky where the ceiling should be; the stars are unfamiliar but just as beautiful as the ones they know.

Mayfae sits on the bed with the man, and Eamon recognizes the man from his dreams. “You are Saint Selos!” he exclaims, “I’ve been looking for you.” The man smiles, “Yes. Thank you for visiting me. It is time for me to return to the world and spread my truth.”

Saint Selos explains that he was once the king of an ancient people. As time went on he realized that any kind of ruling body infringes on the dignity and freedoms of every individual. He renounced his throne, and began a ministry of independence, preaching of a world where each person is their own king; subservient to no one. The Conclave didn’t much like that message, and built this tower to contain him. As time went on, other forbidden relics and heretical items were stored here, locked away forever.

“Once you take these manacles off, the Wandering Tower will find me and I can continue my mission.” Eamon carefully removes the shackles, and the Players climb back down to the cell on the second floor. The Players and Saint Selos wait until the Wandering Tower arrives.

EVENING. A deep rumble heralds the approach of the Wandering Tower. It comes right up to the hole in the second floor, allowing The Players to jump across. Saint Selos waits behind, obstensibly trapped in the magical cell…until the Tower of First Heresy is smashed to rubble by the Wandering Tower. Saint Selos safely jumps across in time to avoid being crushed. The Stone Servants celebrate the return of their Saint, crying out in joyful song as they fulfill their oaths of silence. The Players rest in the Wandering Tower, perusing the books, listening to Saint Selos, and preparing their hearts for the final war of shadows.

At this point in the game we have several players who have their own goals. Instead of trying to accomplish them all together, we decided to have a kind of epilogue. I met with each player individually and talked through how their stories would conclude, and how the war of shadows would play out.

EPILOGUE

The War of Shadows, like all wars, was too chaotic to be contained within a single story. We can only enjoy brief glimpses. In this case, each glimpse acts as the final chapter for the members of this Cairn campaign.

Eamon

In the search for adventure, riches, and glory, Eamon emerged with mental scars and a damning brand. After the heist, during the Barkeep job, and within the mysterious Valley of Flowers, Eamon finally decided to abandon his pursuits and settle for a life of peace…mostly.

With the money he earned, and with full support from the other players, Eamon assumed ownership of the Ten Thorn Tavern. He slowly learned the ins and outs of running a roadside inn. In fact his particular brand of notoriety proved very profitable indeed. With a dramatic flourish he wielded his scars and his stories as deftly as any set of blades. He became known as a dependable information broker, and offered numerous services that bordered legality.

Even more than Eamon, his cat, Thimblebottom, took well to tavern life. Patrons learned to respect (and fear) the tiny creature; often bringing tiny offerings and snacks to win over his master. Curled up next to Thimblebottom each night, Eamon found himself finally at peace, even as war waged in the valley. Eamon’s role in the War of Shadows was not heavily advertised, but many of Methiew’s plans were foiled with well-placed whisper in the Ten Thorn Tavern.

Silcy

As he approached the dias of the Ignoble Court, he tried to remember what Mayfae had taught him. He tuned out the jeering monsters, the mis-shapen grins, and bloodstained teeth of the court members.

“The court respects power and ruthlessness”, Mayfae said. “All their supposed rules are just a way to make these meetings more tense and bloodthirsty. If you can win over the crowd, you can get away with almost anything. Is that a bird way over there?!”

Louis the Liar was droning on about potential punishments, but Silcy wasn’t really listening. At the crescendo of the charges being read, Silcy called out in a confident voice. “And yet again I am blamed for something that wasn’t my fault, while the true perpetrator roams free!” The crowd gasped, mostly because Silcy hadn’t said a single word until this moment, and they weren’t sure he was capable of it.

“I did not come to hear the same lies repeated. I came to deliver justice on behalf of Yltou the River Trader. Louis the Liar owes a terrible debt, and I challenge him to a duel. Swords, of course, because he has no wits to wield.” As Louis turned to direct a sputtering refusal to the rest of the crowd, Silcy took the opportunity and stabbed him in the back. The Court was divided; they loved the brutality, but couldn’t abide the break of decorum. As Silcy fled, Yltou waltzed up to the dias and used his liquid charms to sway the entire court to his side.

Using Silcy as a scapegoat, Yltou rallied the Court to join the fight against Methiew and the Church. All the Ignoble monsters slew their share of knights and clergy, turning the tide of battle on multiple fronts. Silcy was hunted day and night. Eventually he was driven beyond the Valley, forced to roam godless lands. But he never lost his music, and the sad melodies of Cacophony spread farther than its original owner would have ever imagined.

MayFae

The day that Daisy came home was the biggest party the village had ever had. It was a joyous occasion filled with tears and disbelief. Daisy’s parents kept laying their hand on her, as if to convince themselves she was really home. Hailed as heroes, Reefer, Jory, and Mayfae ate like kings and slept like babes. Reefer and Jory settled back into their lives at home, but Mayfae was unsettled.

She lay awake under the stars every evening, feeling thankful and indebted to…someone. Something. After a few weeks she had a dream of Saint Selos looking up at the same star, and Mayfae realized she had to return.

She joined the Stone Servants of the Wandering Tower, finding purpose within its crumbling walls. Selos mentored her in wisdom and in wandering. One day, she and Selos went swimming in the Verinwine River. The current was strong, and both swimmers quickly tired, allowing themselves to be swept along. They drifted past the remains of a burned village, and Saint Selos wept from the death and destruction. “This place is too violent for a voice of freedom.” he cried. The next day he woke Mayfae and presented her with a packed bundle. “You must leave this Valley. We cannot risk the truth dying with us on some battlefield. Follow the music of your heart, and continue my work of abolishing every kingdom and ruler.”

So it was that Mayfae left the Valley, eventually being drawn towards the sad melodies of Cacophony. Silcy and Mayfae traveled together for a long time; friends in freedom.

Reefer

While Mayfae was called back to the valley by a dream, Reefer was driven back with a nightmare. His shade could not rest while the War of Shadows grew ever fiercer. Eventually Reefer gave in and returned to Ten Thorn Tavern. With some helpful information from Eamon, Reefer and his shade pulled off several key operations foiling the supply lines and leadership structure of Methiew and The Conclave. Turns out the ability to turn to smoke, summon a shade, and dispel hostile spirits was a rare skillset.

He still grew mushrooms and other kinds of herbs in the gardens of Ten Thorn Tavern, careful to offer regular snips of catnip to Thimblebottom. After the War Reefer might have found peace within his garden, or his shade might driven them to more battlefields. Eamon will only give details for a price, and Thimblebottom was bribed to secrecy.

Red

Seeing that the Greenhouse was taken up by Reefer’s mushrooms, Red decided to find better soil for his corpsflower companion. He traveled back to Nevrune hall to discover the secrets of the Flower Knights. Imagine his surprise when he found the two sisters growing from a potted plant with familiar bloody soil. Their fued was even more fierce than before, and with some clever manuevering Red ingratiated himself with both families, switching sides as needed.

He learned how the Flower Knights are grown, how they are tended, and how to improve upon their design. After many long nights tilling soil, experimenting with blood, and arguing with his corpseflower, he finally discovered the secret: The Flower Knights are clones. They are all grown with the same memories, and more importantly, the same loyalties to one of the two sisters.

A few more weeks of experimentation, and Red commanded a detachment of Flower Knights loyal to him (and him alone). These sturdy soldiers were a boon to the war effort, and turned aside many shades in battle. The War of Shadows might have gone very differently if not for Red’s Corpseflower Corps.

Madrigal, Gerrick, Theo, and Sandon

Madrigal, Gerrick, and Theo pursued their original plan from way back in the beginning: Rescue Sandon from Fort Flumenel. With a little helm from Reefer, they managed to contact the ghosts who haunted the Fort.

“If you do not aid us in this battle, then you will surely be forced to fight as mindless spirits under Methiew’s power!” This wasn’t true, of course, but it convinced the ghosts nonetheless. (Methiew’s shades come from a different dimension of the afterlife).

Like that one scene from Return of the King, three mortal men led the charge of an army of ghost soldiers. They quickly drove the knights from the fort, slaying many who might have otherwise fought under Methiew.

As they broke down the door to the prisons, they found Sandon playing cards with a dozen friendly knights. Turns out Sandon the Scrivener had used his charisma and knowledge to win over a few of the knights. They were eager to fight for justice and abandoned their tainted oaths.

• As the War died down, Madrigal returned to Ten Thorn Tavern, tending to the gardens Reefer left behind.
• Theo set up a practice in the bustling metropolis of Cimbrine City. War wounds needed tending, and Theo was glad to return to the satisfying life of a healer.
• Gerrick eventually learned to tame his shade like he would any intelligent beast. Together they hunted many terrible monsters, and retired with more trophies than any hunting lodge could contain.

And as for Sandon, well…someone had to write up all this prose, didn’t they?

— S

In short, I have been delving deeply into the Lord of the Rings, and have 4-5 items I want to recommend to anyone else curious about this obscure little adventure series.

J.R.R. Talkin’

I’m not surprised you’ve never heard of the Lord of the Rings. It had a brief spark of popularity in the U.K. but was a little too weird to gain mainstream appeal. I read the books AFTER seeing the Peter Jackson movies, and they definitely colored my expectations.

I read The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and…that’s it. I’ve made several attempts throughout the years to read through them again and always failed halfway through the Two Towers.

But this year I found myself eagerly awaiting the 5th book in the Stormlight Archive (SOOON!), and I figured I could fill that empty space with Tolkien.

To make this read-through attempt different from previous failures, I found several resources that helped bring the books to life. Maybe you’ll enjoy them as well.

Andy Serkis is a Wizard (and Elf, and Hobbit, and Orc and…)

In 2021, when the world needed him most, Andy Serkis narrated all 4 books of the Lord of the Rings. Although he is most known for doing the voice of Gollum from the movies, Serkis is a talented voice actor for hundreds of characters.

And he brings all that experience to bear in his stunning narration of these books. Gandalf has a rough, weathered voice while Gimli’s speed is deep and clipped short. Frodo has an smooth elf-like quality while Pippin is light and chipper. It sounds like a full cast of narrators! My favorite detail is that whenever a character is being tempted by the ring they start to sound more and more like Gollum! Very cool.

I’ve been primarily consuming the books using these Audio versions, and it’s been a fantastic way to make this reading attempt successful.

Rings of Power Makes the Books Better

Rings of Power is poorly written, awkwardly paced, and looks beautiful.

Watching the show was such a miserable, boring experience that I would return to the books after each episode, desperate for some quality storytelling.

I don’t really recommend it, but it is wild to see such a contrast between the quality of the show and the quality of the source material. Maybe keep the show muted and just let the images play in the background while you read the books.

Malcolm Guite Youtube Readings

Each video is about 15 minutes long. They are rough, unedited, a little awkward, and I love them. Each one opens with Malcolm Guite inviting you into his study to listen to a calm and engaging reading. Malcolm will read passages from The Lord of the Rings, poems, or other bits of literature. He’s the grandfather I never had, and he makes me want to read Lord of the Rings all day long.

I’ll recommend one of my favorite of his videos to start.

The World of Tolkien by David Day

I saw this box set at Costco for $39.99, and I couldn’t resist picking it up. The books have this beautiful engraved cover, and I was hungry for more Tolkien content. I literally (hah) just brought the box set home, took a few pics, and skimmed through the books.

I am entirely satisfied with my purchase and would recommend it as an affordable way to immerse yourself more deeply into Tolkien’s world.

Pros:

• The books are high quality; their softcovers are beautifully engraved and the pages are a nice thick cream material.
• There is SO MUCH ART! It feels like every 5-6 pages I’m presented with a beautiful page of artwork. I really cannot stress enough how gorgeous these pieces of art are.
• The text is large and easy to read. Very much a coffee-table style book, it never felt like a text book or technical manual.

The cons are…a little more complicated.

Upon doing some research I found that the writer of these books, David Day, is not well-regarded among Tolkien scholars.

Apparently he’s notorious for taking liberties with the source material and making implications or guesses that Tolkien probably did not intend. I actually got a first-hand example in the beginning of the book about Hobbits. Here is his opening point, paraphrased by me:

Let us begin by examining the origin of the word “Hobbit”. After all, Tolkien was a master of language, and he built the word “Hobbit” as a linguistic joke. I present as evidence the English Oxford Dictionary (which Tolkien contributed towards). If you look at the 13 words (mirroring the 13 dwarves) listed in the dictionary around “Hobbit”, each word gives us a clue as to their nature. For example, the word “hobo” tells us that the hobbits were once a race of wandering migrants.

This is a little hard to swallow. While I’m sure Tolkien considered various linguistic roots of the word “hobbit”, I don’t think we can make the leap that since “hobo” is similar to “hobbit” then the hobbits must have been wanderers. Feels way more like a fun coincidence. And it’s wild to claim that ALL of this was a very intentional joke that only fellow dictionary readers would ever understand.

If you are interested in more serious Tolkien scholarship, then I wouldn’t recommend these books. However, if you can read these books with a light sense of enjoyment, and focus mostly on the pretty pictures, then I think for $39.99 you’re getting a bargain! Here are a few other examples of the artwork contained within:

I love playing video games and talking about video games and thinking about video games(and even dreaming about video games). But I was sure I didn’t want to actually MAKE one. During the day I’m a mild-mannered software engineer. The last thing I want to do after programming all day is write even MORE code.

And yet, here we are. Let’s talk about the game I made.

The Dream

This is a true story.

Around 1am my dog woke me up by snorting in my face (as she does a few times a week). I emerged from the dream world with a video game FULLY FORMED in my brain. From the mechanics to the visuals to how I would market it…EVERYTHING! It was all there in my brain.

I feverishly grabbed my phone and started writing down notes. They looked a little something like this:

• City builder on your keyboard. No mouse controls.
• Press a key to place a building. Buildings give resources.
• Some buildings require certain resources, others require specific terrain.
• Pretty pixel art, smooth animations.
• It will look like ripping up your actual keyboard and building a small town in its place.
• Inspired by the rebuilding of Laketown in the Hobbit.

I took the dog out and went back to sleep. In the morning I reviewed my notes, and thought “Well…this actually seems doable. Why not?”

Refining the Gameplay

Before I even started programming I wanted to flesh out the game concepts more. I refined the pitch and tried to imagine how I would market this game:

Keyburg Pitch

A simple, cozy, town-building game right on your keyboard. The great beast, Lord Mittens, recently assaulted the town and razed it to the ground. Help the mayor rebuild Keyburg and make it flourish once again!

Goals

Exploration / experimentation is the point (lots of buildings, resources, discovery of the tech tree). Each game is a little different with Plot arrangement. Only the buildings you can currently build are shown when cycling; so there’s a lot of checking on new things and shuffling buildings around to fit right. Hints are shown in the building wiki.

Controls

Press a key to cycle through the buildings you can build on that key. Some buildings can only be built on certain colors, and some buildings require certain resources. For example, a Lumber Mill can only be built on a green (woods) key. And it requires the resource “STONE”. Once built it gives you the “WOOD” resource.

UI

All the resources you currently have are shown up top, and your current buildings are shown laid out like keys on a keyboard. When you press a key you can see which resources the current building is providing. Pressing the key again lets you build a different building.

Sample Buildings

So now that you kind of have a sense of how the game might work, let’s make it happen!

Let’s Freaking Godot!!!

After a few hours of Godot tutorials I felt like I was ready to tackle this thing. I was wrong of course.

Over the course of development the game didn’t change much. Some features were tossed (random events, an in-game building wiki, etc) but for the most part I stuck to my original dream-induced outline.

This consumed me; I was having a ton of fun making the game. I never really iterated on ideas or experimented; it was mostly all about learning Godot and seeing the game slowly come together. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed the process.

I ended up using the GORGEOUS Isle of Lore tile pack. Not only does it include a bunch of useful elements, but it even has a script to customize and re-color each element and tile! Absolutely fantastic resource for anyone looking for nice tiles.

Overall I spent about a month tweaking and fiddling with it before I got something that was actually playable from start to finish. I spent about 3 hours trying to figure out how to export it as a playable demo, and eventually gave up.

So instead, here’s a video of me playing the game directly within Godot:

Meh.

I realize now that I had WAY more fun making it than anyone will ever have playing it. I feel good about how I executed on the idea, and I did enjoy some elements or ideas. But I don’t ever see myself coming back to this or “finishing” Keyburg. Heck, I didn’t even bother to export it for other people to try!

I feel really good about closing the book on this project. I accomplished my goal, and made my dream a reality.

In fact, my FAVORITE thing about the current demo is how the buildings fall from the sky and bounce around the tile. I had a blast making that work, and it’s adorably silly. Just look at how high the fire bounces on the water!

…but if I WAS Going to Finish it

Purely as a design exercise, I think there are a few key takeaways now that the game is semi-complete.

Inform the Decisions

The “fun” needs to be refined. Right now the game feels very random. There’s a little bit of fun in the discovery phase (oh, what else can I build here?). But that quickly turns into “I don’t even know what I need to build, what I am able to build, or what I can safely replace”.

I imagine it might require something like a tech tree that players can fill in as they go. “There are 5 buildings that require WOOD, but I’ve only discovered 3 of them. I need to keep the Lumber Mill around until I find the other two WOOD buildings.”

The player’s lack of knowledge into what is/isn’t possible prevents them from making informed decisions.

Add a Lose Condition

Right now the only goal is to build the Crow. You can “win” the current version of the game by just mashing keys over and over until you finally have all the resources you need. There should be a lose condition of some kind.

Maybe the game takes place over the course of a year, and certain buildings can only be built in certain seasons? So you gotta get the Lumber Mill built before the winter comes.

Another idea is an opposing force. Maybe Lord Mittens returns to smash buildings or munch on resources. You need TWO Lumber Mills since Mittens is eating one of them.

More Complexity

To add more strategy and depth you could increase the requirements and benefits of buildings.

For example, maybe the Quarry MUST be built adjacent to the Lumber Mill, but it can’t be placed near the Tavern. This could be a sudoku-like kind of shuffling game.

Another idea is that buildings have secret benefits. If you build the Nest on the Sea instead of the Forest you get different resources. Or putting a Fishing Hut in the mountains reveals an underground lake of rare fish.

Assuming the game had better information, then simply adding MORE information to explore and gather could improve the experience.

Presentation

Originally I imagined a really high-quality pixel art view of the game; something like Stardew Valley or Children of Morta.

But a friend of mine pitched the idea of a photo-realistic game. I could take actual photos of a real keyboard and make different keycaps represent different buildings. It would feel like you’re actually building a tiny town on your keyboard.

On Second Thought…NAH!

But I meant what I said: I’m happy with this unfinished demo. It was a blast to work on, and kinda felt like checking off a bucket list item. I don’t really have any desire to return to the concept or explore it further.

Thanks for reading about my video game dream and vaguely disappointing reality. Soon I’ll get back to making Overpowered into a full release!

The Review Portion

I ran a game of Barkeep for 4 sessions (and even made some cool coasters to use during play!). We entered less than half of the bars, and only made it to the end of day 2 (of 6). We could have played it for another 4-8 sessions but scheduling got difficult.

• Did we have deep character moments? A few.
• Did we explore strange places and loot awesome items? Yeah, a bit.
• Did we laugh? So hard that I had to take regular breaks.

I can, without a doubt, say is the most I have ever laughed during any RPG campaign. Of course most of the credit goes to my very good friends who wholeheartedly embraced the immaculate vibes and amplified them with their own sensese of humor. But the books provided a very solid foundation of silliness and hilarity that cannot be understated (more on that later).

• A+. A unique concept excecuted beautifully. A breath of fresh air.
• 5 stars. The art and writing are superb.
• 9/10, because I think the drinking mechanics are a tad clunky. Everything else is perfect.

So What is This REALLY About?

In my Cloud Empress Review I said the tone of the game was something that engaged me and my players:

But more than that it was…melancholy. Not in a grimdark or maudlin kind of way. More like an old man refusing to tell a painful story.

And again with Barkeep, that consistent tone helped put our group in the right mindset. It was like having constant stage direction from the authors.

So this article is really about setting a tone in TTRPGs. I’m going to compare Cloud Empress, Barkeep, and a few others to pin down how they accomplish their respective vibes.

A Quick Look at Other Tones

Before we take a look at Barkeep, I want to drop a few quick examples to demonstrate how tone can be affected by writing, mechanics, art, etc. I firmly believe that the tone communicated by an RPG author is inteded to be replicated by the GM. So while you could run Blades in the Dark as a sexy dating game, I don’t think that would properly reflect the game’s tone.

Cloud Empress : grim, meloncholy, and vaguely hopeful

It uses horror game mechanics to drive tension and make the players feel that this world is dangerous. Even the mysterious chalk that powers your magic and gadgets is poisonous. Your character knows the spell “Lightning Blade”? I hope they never have to use it.

In truth, chalk is a pollutant. It sits heavy in the soil, creeping into the grass and the crops, and settling in the bones of deer-dogs and humans alike. Chalk crawls up the food chain, bleaching skeletons and withering bodies, before finding its way to the apex, to the Imago. Magic lives in the teeth. Frightened caregivers pull their children’s wisdom teeth young, cutting off magic at its roots. Each spell has a cost. All things in life have a cost. With every pleasure there is pain. The spell’s price is paid in full as soon as its effect has ended. You might be done with the spell, but the spell isn’t done with you, not by a long shot. – from the free Cloud Empress rulebook

Most locations have a strong tension between the different factions. The only peaceful places are the uninhabited ones.

A single house sits on a sandy hill, a skull painted on the door. An old woman, Worm, welcomes most visitors. Her hands tremble uncontrollably as she attempts to prepare tea. She seems confused, and any frustration quickly turns to violence. Worm feels no pain, her entire body having been taken over by the white fungus. Each digit, joint, and limb functions autonomously and must be destroyed separately to end the fight. Worm’s wounds expel a white dust and any severed fingers try to crawl into mouths and implant the infection. The Hounds’ Incense Burner (pg. 55) sits on a bookshelf near the kitchen. – from the Land of Cicadas

There is hope and beauty, but it has to be carefully extracted from a dangerous place. The mechanics, writing, and setting details all come together to drive home a strong tone. As a GM, this tone was easy to replicate and fall back on. I had little rules in my head:

• There is always a danger, probably unseen.
• Every benefit has a cost.
• People are hurting but hopeful.
• The Imago are unknowable.
• Soldiers are bastards.

The book taught me those lessons, and I carried that forward to the players.

Magical Murder Mansion : a deadly inside-joke

Let’s contrast this with an equally dangerous setting with a drastically different tone: Magical Murder Mansion.

You can read my review here, but I’d argue the primary tone of this adventure is set by the author himself during the introduction:

Some of the traps in classic funhouse dungeons seem like jokes designed for the module’s author and the GM to share, with the poor players left frustrated and baffled. I’ve tried to make Magical Murder Mansion entertaining for everyone; even the deathtraps and surprises should get an joyful “oh no, I can’t believe we walked into that one” from the players. The GM knows it’s a trap. The players know it’s a trap. But someone’s got to open that door. – Skerples introducting the adventure

Without that introduction I think the humor would take a little longer to emerge from the book. “Wait…is he serious?” would get asked a few times before the group finally realizes that this is supposed to be silly.

Some rooms actually are filled with jokes (like a stuffed lion with “not a mimic” scrawled on it), and some rooms are just outrageous death traps. And while the characters are probably suffering horribly, the players are likely chuckling along with each damage roll.

I also think a big part of the humor comes from a familiarity with dungeon crawls. If this was someone’s first dungeon crawl they might not get some of the jokes.

But Magical Murder Mansion successfully uses subtle clues to provide an undercurrent of humor in the middle of a diabolical deathtrap adventure.

Bones Deep : Evey saves the day

Bones Deep has some grim elements that were very strong in the early drafts. We had cursed wizard rivalries, creepy underwater monsters, and skeleton body horror. Even the Crab Cabal used to be more nefarious (with far crueler punishments for going into too much debt).

However we really struggled with the “miens” of each creature. In Troika every creature has 6 potential “miens” or moods or temperments. I couldn’t get them right; either they felt too boring (“angry”, “sad”, “hungry”) or they were too confusing (how can a fish be “filled with revenge”). I ended up reaching out to Evey Lockheart, who is a brilliant Troika wizard.

She took each of our creatures and spiced them up with some of the most engaging, creative, and silly miens I’ve ever seen. While she wrote less than 2% of the book, her contributions brought a massive amount of levity and life to each creature. Each mien impacts the scenarios during play. I credit Evey with a big chunk of what makes Bones Deep such a fun and appealing adventure for people to play.

Sometimes the tone can be affected by the smallest details of an adventure.

What About Barkeep?

So we’ve looked at a book where the tone is repeated by its art, its writing, and its content. We looked at a book where the tone is subtly growing stronger throughout the adventure. And we saw how a small part of a book can drastically impact its final tone.

As we look at Barkeep, keep in mind that this book has 12 writers and 3 editors! It must have been a significant challenge to keep everyone on the same page with the same goals.

Since lists help me organize my thoughts, I’ve come up with three ways that Barkeep maintains a lighthearted and uplifting tone:

1) Cartoonish Drinking

This was a big one, and the detail that prompted me to write this article.

I don’t drink very often, and I hate the feeling of being drunk. I also have a few close friends who have endured a lot of pain related to alcohol addiction. Alcohol is not a silly or light-hearted thing for me, and I was worried that Barkeep would be kind of dark and miserable (since drinking alcohol can sometimes be dark and miserable).

But it’s not! Barkeep has a very cartoonish perspective on alcohol. Less “throwing up in your ex’s bathroom” and more “getting the hiccups and dancing naked in the backyard”, if that makes sense. In fact it goes out of its way to avoid any kind of misery or alcoholic angst. Here are a few drunk examples:

A patron drunkenly mistakes a PC for the owner, thanks them for their hospitality and apologizes for some catastrophe in a bedroom. 1 Turn later, a porter arrives with a barrel of fine ale but needs the owner of the apartment to sign for it to leave it there.

A street preacher of Chaos targets the soberest PC, righteously angry that they are not drunk enough.

Parliament motions to eject the drunkest PC. They are dragged to the lectern to argue against their ejection.

A drunk wizard tried to order a hurricane but errantly summoned an air elemental. It rampages in search of an exit.

All of these scenarios present being drunk like being confused or silly. It side-steps the darker cliches of alcohol and keeps things light. You never see anyone crying into a bottle of wine, or begging for one more drink; instead the scenario is always played for comedy.

Just to be clear, I think this is A Good Thing™. I’m sure there’s a place for criticizing alcohol abuse and portraying the dangers of addiction…but Barkeep is not trying to be that at all. It wants to be a silly adventure for goofing around with your friends, and in that it succeeds by focusing on the fun.

2) Low Stakes

The big hook of the adventure is that the Monarch will die if the players don’t explore the city and find the missing cure. But the adventure points out that the Heir is quite capable, and maybe even a good leader. If the party fails, the world won’t end, it’s unlikely anyone will suffer, and in fact most people won’t even notice or care.

Even the usual adventure lose condition of “horrible death” isn’t very likely. Instead Barkeep relies on a drinking mini-game and a ticking clock to drive tension. If the characters get too drunk, the day ends and they wake up the next morning hungover. They only have six days to find the antidote.

This means that an encounter like “being challenged to a dance-off” is actually a meaningful decision. Is this worth our time? Can we win? It’s a nice breath of fresh air when every other adventure asks “Can you survive?” and Barkeep wonders, “Can you out-drink a lich?” (spoiler: you can’t).

3) Comedy Bits VS Deadly Threats

A lot of comedy games treat you to silly situations and scenarios, hoping the players will find them funny. “Oh look at this outrageous scenario! Isn’t it funny?” By contrast, Barkeep makes you a part of the joke itself. It ‘s like every encounter is the start of an improv comedy bit, begging you to join in.

There are 20 bars in the book, and each bar has over a dozen encounters. Instead of rolling randomly, I usually choose encounters that seem like the most fun. And it was VERY hard to choose! Just look at these:

A friendly stranger offers a PC (roll d6): (1-2) a pouch of pipeweed for just 1d6 gold coins, (3-4) a knife between the ribs, (5-6) a swift kiss amidst the bushes.

Seniors demand all patrons pour their drinks and potions into a cauldron for a hazing ritual. Desperate freshmen beg the PCs to drink it instead of them.

A cowled coven of parliamentarians holds a debauched cult initiation. “One of us!” Their leader, a lizardfolk in disguise, hands a paddle to a PC.

A PC is challenged to a deathmatch by a future version of themselves. If they win, they’ll join the PCs. They have (roll d6): (1-2) a crab claw for a hand, (3-4) a mechanical eye, (5-6) a child.

A reverse thief tries to place 20 gold coins into a jolly crewmate’s pockets. There is a 5-in-6 chance they get caught in the act.

A goblin who believes a long beard is all that’s needed to cast spells. They demand any bearded jolly crewmate teach them how.

Okay, I have to stop. I literally have a dozen more I want to share, but you get the idea. Buy the book for yourself and enjoy them all!

Each one of these is inviting the PCs to engage with it, either to join in the fun or to cause a scene by refusing (or both). Most aren’t traditional threats but instead are awkward or bizarre situations. And thanks to that ticking clock, they can even have stakes and some lighthearted drama.

I dare you to play through Barkeep and maintain a serious tone or attitude amidst these colorful encounters.

Conclusion

Barkeep is damn good. It’s a masterclass of setting a very specific tone and reinforcing it with each random encounter. It side-steps the harsher realities of alcohol, inviting the players to drink deeply of it’s silly vibes.

If you need something a bit lighter for your table, you can’t do any better than Barkeep.

hiccup

One more, please!

A Chaser

I hated the drinking mechanics of Barkeep. Our group still had a blast, but here’s a short rant from someone who thinks too much about RPG mechanics.

The actual drinking rules have more examples and explanations, but here’s my summary:

1. The GM describes the current situation.
2. Each player takes an action, or the group acts together.
3. Each player rolls their Sobriety Die (see image above)
4. The GM describes the outcome of their actions.
5. The GM rolls a d6.
   • 1, 2 - A random encounter
   • 3, 4 - Buy a new drink and roll Sobriety Die again. If drinking water, increase Sobriety Die size by one step.
   • 5, 6 - An hour passes.

I have a few problems with these rules:

Encounters Are Rare, and I relied on them to engage players in the bar or to fill dead time. If I followed these rules then I would only use the written encounters 33% of the time. Blech. It also was weird to roll encounters AFTER players made their choices. I prefer to present the encounter first, and let players react to that.

Hard to Sober Up. Being a little drunk (d6/d4 Sobriety Die) actually has a few benefits, so players want to ride that line between blackout and sober. Which is neat! But it’s very hard to sober up. You have to decide to drink water BEFORE 3, 4 are rolled by the GM, and drinking water makes the bar hostile to you (since you’re taking up a seat that someone could be drinking in). So even if a player chooses to drink water, they will still be getting drunker and it might be a few turns before the GM rolls that option.

Here’s my solution, and what I ended up using for my games:

1. The GM describes the current situation. If things are slow, roll an encounter.
2. Each player can take an action, or the group can act together.
3. Each player rolls their Sobriety Die (see image above).
4. The GM describes the outcome of their actions.
5. The GM flips a coin:
   • Heads - One hour passes.
   • Tails - Players finish their drinks. They either buy another drink (1d6 silver) or they buy food (2d6 silver) and upgrade their Sobriety Die one step.

This gives players a choice to make, and the Sobriety Die is still being rolled each turn. I might even make a big d20 table of random bar food that can be purchased. Also I love flipping coins.

Anyway, that’s a very minor gripe. Your mileage may vary.

Buy a copy of Barkeep here!