Crypt Hill

Crypt Hill was originally created for Mythoard, that fantastic subscription RPG box of goodies.  I've been wanting to re-purpose it for my current Sandbox project.  When I created Gene (from ML#14 Buried) he was in the back of my mind.  He'd been here before.  Didn't go so well.  He doesn't like to talk about it. 

While similar to the original I made a few significant changes.  I redid the map in the style I am doing these days.  Changed the setting to fit into the Sandbox project.  And finally added some nasty guardians that make Crypt Hill a very, very bad place to visit.  Oh, and I added a  cool cover art by Gary Dupuis.

One of the new feature I am going to add with each release is a short paragraph on how I plan on using the adventure.  Some tips, suggestions.  Take them or leave them for your own game.

Crypt Hill is a particularly nasty place.  I might have a couple of people mention it in passing when the party is low level.  I want to start building its reputation as a bad place.  When the party finally arrives at Crypt Hill for whatever reason, and for some reason I see myself tying in something about Makidi, allow them to 'feel' the surroundings.  As they place a foot on the plateau the ground trembled slightly.  And the first time they are attacked by the guardians to have them target a henchmen or other red shirt that's with the party so they can watch what happens to those who dare to violate the crypts.  

Crypt Hill is available to everyone in PDF format and for all my generous patrons at the $5 level will receive a print copy.  So this month there were three releases total and I plan on creating an NPC card for Serek Thannek to add to this month's bundle.  

Band of Bandits

This adventure was inspired by one of my patrons, Christopher Monkus.  Back in May I asked for some villainous names, Christopher gave me Serek Thennek.  My brain works slow and chews on ideas for a while, but I knew that name was going to create an adventure for me and so it has, Band of Bandits.

Band of Bandits is set in a crumbling temple of a forgotten god of the dead.  The entire temple is collapsing in on itself.  Serek and his band are hiding out here. Why, there could be many reasons, but I've tied it into my Sandbox project, so Serek is hiding out from Keegan and his men.

Serek isn't stupid.  He likes to live.  He'll join if he feels that is his best choice.  He is alliances are fluid.  Situation dictates who is allied with.  While I don't really expect Serek to survive many of the encounters at gaming tables, but if he doesn't, Serek becomes an interesting NPC.  Someone the players could use.

Another feature I'm adding to the notes on my Patreon is 'GM Suggestions".  For each adventure or location I'll add a few suggestions on how I'd run the adventure, what elements I might add or how I would tie it into other micro-adventures.  I hope people will find them useful.

Band of Bandits is a free PDF download.  It includes the adventure, a GM map and a players map.  A black map of the area is useful for on-line play.  My patrons will receive a physical copy next month.  Cause they rock.  If you'd like a copy join my patreon or email me that you would like a sample of my weird laminated adventures.

The Sandbox

I'm working on a larger project over at my Patreon page where I am using the map above as a hex crawl or in this case it is simply titled The Sandbox.  Each time I write an adventure or location this map will be updated.

Why do this?
I'm developing a sandbox campaign where a GM could easily pick it up with about as minimal prep possible and run a series of adventures and the players to explore a world with layers of history and challenging adventures.  These will be build using my Micro-Adventures Patreon campaign.

What else will be included?
As the world grows I will create NPCs and flesh out groups.  There will also be adventure hooks added that connect with the adventures and locations.

Who will this be available to?
The adventure and locations will continue to be available to anyone who stops on by to grab the PDF.  Those patrons at the appropriate pledge levels will receive physical copies of them.  The extras, the additional groups and NPCs created to flesh out The Sandbox will be available only to patrons.  Once this project is completed I will combine all the information into a single PDF available to my patrons.

If you have any questions about the project let me know.

Double Creature Feature: Buried and Cards of Yith

They do sound like a fun Saturday night double feature.  Throw in a large pizza and some ice tea and I am set.  While not as good as two great b-movies and a pizza on a Saturday night, I bring you my offerings for my June, Patreon.

Buried is a micro-location where a halfling has a bad habit of collecting things.  Evil things.  Evil things he can't handle much of the time.  This is a location with several adventure hooks attached to the things he has buried in his yard. 

Cards of Yith is an adventure that takes the party into the Ruin of Wend, a city destroyed by a Night Plague.  No light penetrates the black veil that covers the ruin.  The evil powers that have invaded Wend use powerful magic.  The magic they use mixed with raw emotions creates a secondary thing, cards that capture the essence of the moment.

These go out to my great patrons.  If you want a free PDF copy please click on the link and download them. But if you want one of these laminated beauties you are going to have to join my Patreon.  At the right pledge level you'll get these each month delivered to your door. 

Do You Have Any Questions?

I'm planning a video about my lamination process.  I have a stack of tips and costs of things, but I was wondering if anyone has any specific questions they'd like answered or would some specific information. 

Please let me know.  I'm starting the video in a few hours. 

Thanks.

Norker Land, an Idyllic Place Where Norkers Frolic

I love norkers.  In a platonic way.  One of those well remembered and used creatures from the Fiend Folio from years ago.  There isn't much information on these hunched, big fanged creatures.  Distant relatives of hobgoblins, lazy, thugish...a description that could describe most humanoids and gamers for that matter. 

Norker Land is a simple underground cavern where that norkers live.  They live off the fungi that grows there.  There is plenty of it and because none of them are getting any more or different than the others it has remain peaceful.  Until...

Until part of the cavern roof gave in and introduced two dead cows to the mix.  All hell broke loose after that.  In norker history will go down as a day of infamy as the War of the Cow.  The players happen upon the final days of the war.

I'm working on printing June's offerings today.  I am thinking of doing a more complete video on my laminating process. 

Enjoy Norker Land and to my patrons, thanks for the support.  It is very much appreciated. 

Black Hack Mystery Solved

Last night was the finale for +Chris C.'s adventure using Black Hack.  First off, I really enjoyed how smooth Black Hack worked.  Simple and to the point.  And it did what I think any good system should do, blend into the background.  I could see myself using the system in future.

Chris ran a series of four sessions.  +Ken H and played our characters and each of us had a sidekick to start out with.  I chose to be a cleric because of the array of scores I rolled.  And Ken was a fighter.  We explored a bit of Ravensburg and the countryside around it.  The main thrust of our adventure was from a fellow adventurer who had slain a dragon, but two of her henchmen had run off with dragon eggs. This is a bad thing.  We found out why last night.

We get information that One-Eyed Jimmy probably went back to Muckton, his home.  We traveled there and found a caravan gutted by fire and a guard burnt to death.  Muckton was a smouldering ruin except for two cabins.  One contained the dragon and one contained a sick woman.  We decided to attempt to relieve the dragon's burden of breathing. 

A series of very lucky rolls and a pair of Sleep spells and we were able to take it out.  We took the head as proof that we dispatched the dragon and found One-Eyed Jimmy dead in the corner.  We didn't take his head, only his charred eye-patch. 

We then helped the woman.  She was stricken with Black Fever.  We discovered One-Eyed Jimmy

and another man we fought in a earlier session, Finnius, were this woman's sons.  There was a parchment ripped from a book on the table.  We had looked for this particular parchment last session.  The author Drae Burnheart, a very unpopular scholar at the university, had written about finding a cure for Black Fever by using a dragon's egg. 

On our return to Ravensburg and after fighting and killing a boar, we gave the information to the university to attempt.  We had brought an unhatched dragon's egg last session that they smashed due to the danger it presented.  The lead professor, Wind I believe was her name, created the concoction even though she thought it was a complete waste of time.  It worked.  And the old lady was cured and Professor Wind had to eat a bit of crow.  Both were very satisfying.

So the adventure ended there.  Chris runs a good game.  He keeps it simple, the adventure arcs are easy to pick up on and explore.  And there are several options we could always chose.  Including from the last session when we solved a murder mystery that started out as a random encounter.

Good game.

And next week we delve back into Monteport!