NIGHTWICK ABBEY: The Purple Eater of People Session 96

 

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Previously in Nightwick...

This week's adventurers:

Liminal Space (Changeling 4)
Krupe (Cleric 3)
Lump (Frogling 1)
Blossom (Rogue 6)
Mayfly (Magician 5)
Thekla (Magician 3)
Mectilde (Fighter 5)
Poppy (Fighter 2)

AT THE MEDUSA'S HEAD...

The party assembled once again at the best bar in Nightwick Village after a month-long rest & reprieve. The party decides to rove out down the long road south to see what is going on in the Dark Country and make a mental note of allies and enemies and find some adventure! Two rumors reach the ears of the party:

1. The jousting tourney being held by Ann of Blackleg has reached a bizarre conclusion

2. Gaunta Fat-Staff has been killed in the tourney (this piques Mayfly's interest because Fat-Staff was in possession of a wand at the end of the battle of Vollage)

But departure is delayed as many party members negotiate for a mount as horses are non-existent in Nightwick village and mules are in short supply. Which means you're payin' more for that ass! 21gp per ass in fact. The party heads south toward the ruined manor that once was inhabited by the Corbis

...THEN ALONG THE ROAD...

FROGGER: After a few hours of travel, the party arrives at a troubling sight, before them is a wrecked caravan that contains a well-perforated collection of 20 men-at-arms and 5 froglings. The party takes the frogling badges to return to the VanToad family and then decides to give all a proper burial.

But there was only one broken shovel so...um...yeah...tough on those folks. The bodies The party mounts up and decides to continue to the ruined manor to see if there are some clues to what happened here.

OUR OLD FRIEND, ELGAST: Pushing toward the manor, the party begins following a trail of several hoof and footprints. The party slips to the tree line and Blossom scouts ahead. Returning a while later, our sharper returns reported that a large camp of soldiers had taken up in the manor.

Soon the party is confronted by 11 horsemen, wearing the Bishop's livery, who question what the party is doing. When Mechtilde steps forward to inform them of the tragic fate of the froggling caravan, they seem suspiciously unmoved. Discussion seeming stall with the lead soldier which causes Mayfly to ride up and cast charm person-- "Hey friend!" After learning that the soldier's name was Elgast, the party asks for an escort to the manner. And is a little dismayed that, yes, in fact, there is a large camp of soldiers there to the tune of about one hundred plus led by Lord Dippelt.

As night takes center stage in the sky and the party prepares to dine with the Lord, Mayfly creeps off to find a dark corner to speak with The-Thing-In-His-Pocket and releases it to find out some secrets of this Lord and see if there is anything useful to piler. At dinner, Liminal and Mechtilde learn that the remaining Corbis were run off by this group and that they were responsible for the frogling caravan destruction (PC NOTE: We as a party reacted pretty poorly to that). Why did they kill the caravan? Because the Bishop of Lychgate has deemed no frogling should perform trade anywhere south of Lychgate. The party sets off in the morning.

BLACK DRAGON, FEAR OF A: The party decides to swing through the swamp a little ways before heading into Knightspath. As they are picking their way through the area, a large black shadow flies over them. Looking up the party spots a green-eyed dragon of envy just as it wheels to give them a closer look! 

Understandably panic sets in until Thekla pipes up that in their possession is a potion of Dragon Control. Now instead of hiding the party does their best to attract the dragon's attention. As it lands, Thekla downs the potion ("tastes like chicken") and latches onto the dragon's mind. New goal: destroy everyone in the courtyard back at the ruined manor.

Mayfly becomes visibly upset and tries to talk the party out of this course of action. Mayfly offers instead that we have the dragon reveal is hoard! Great idea thinks the party and so they ask it that information and still tell it to destroy Dippelt's encampment. Mayfly grows more distressed.

With that done, the party turns towards the town of Knightspath.

NIGHTWICK ABBEY: The Purple Eater of People Session 73 WAR!

Previously...Level 4!

Blossom (Rogue 5)
Mayfly (Magician 4)
Mechtilde (Fighter 4)
Yevegniy the Coward (Cleric 4)
Verinka (Changeling 3)
Cherwe (Cleric 3)
Liminal Space (Changeling 3)
Krupe (Cleric 1)
Bluegum Lemony Spice (Changeling 1)

AT THE MEDUSA'S HEAD...

Despite last week's discovery of yet another level of the dread Abbey's gullet, the party turns its attention to more earthly matters. South of Nightwick, bandits and pagan forces have combined to harry and pillage the towns along the southern road to Blackleg. Lord Ekard recently suffered defeat there and is licking his wounds. Additionally, the forces of Castle Blackleg emerged to hold the line and throw out Lord Ekard's weak ally.

Hearing about all this, the party previously traveled north back to Lychgate to secure mercenary forces in order to ride south and once again save the Dark Country from lawlessness... or at least lawlessness not originating from the party's own actions. Lawlessness such as opening and reading a lord's sealed letter outlining said bandit problem.

...CRAWL ACROSS THE DARK COUNTRY...

DAY ONE: The party embeds with the Corby Calvary (Black Sheild) in Nightwick Village (1507; the titular Nightwick Abbey is 1607) and ride south to meet with the forces of Netta of Blackleg in 1113 lead by her sister Nethe

Mayfly is almost thrown from his horse, Crow. An ill-omen.

DAY TWO: The party continues to make good time traveling south.

At midday the sortie comes across a strange sight on the road: a Bogdani man is being surrounded and violently questioned by a group of elves (PC NOTE: Think as in North Pole not Tolkien). Liminal steps forward to interpret as neither group understands the other.

Elves: "He is a man in violation of our home! He deserves to be flogged!!"

Bogdani: "I don't understand what they want?!"

Liminal to the man: "Don't worry, you'll be safe as long as you cough up a lot of money"

Bogdani: "I...I don't have any money, but I do know about the trap being laid for Blackleg!"

Liminal to the elves: "Oh we can take it from here. This man will be flogged. Repeatedly."

The party learns that the forces of the bandit Yim Yimsely have laid a trap for Nethe of Blackleg in the Fog-Bound Forest in the form of a false camp. It is decided to dispatch our thief and changelings to recon the supposed bandit camp in 1409 and send Mectild and Cherwe on a forced ride south to warn Nethe's forces. Mayfly is left with the Corbies.

As the sun dips low, Mectilde and Cherwe ride into the Blackleg camp and warn them of the trap. Blackleg agrees to hold until the Corbies arrive. Nethe, out of frustration, proceeds to wail on a tree with her two-handed sword.

Nethe of Blackleg
(who will be fixed by Mechtilde)

Meanwhile, the changeling sortie arrives to find at least one of the bandit camp is only lightly guarded. They quickly sleep the guards and ransack the place recovering 200GP, 800SP, a silver rod, a crown, and 3 amaythest gems. And then slit the guards' throats in their spell-induced sleep as non-evil people do and make off into the night to meet up further south.

A night envelopes the land, Mayfly makes walks the parameter of the Corbie. He comes upon shoe prints forming on the frosted ground. Invisible intruders! Mayfly quietly follows the foot prints (DEX 16) and when they stop- he immediately casts web snaring the would-be saboteur. Mayfly raises the alarm and the camp only loses a few tents to fire. Unfortunately due to some miss handling by the guards the invisible intruder slips away.

DAY THREE- A PLAN: All allied forces gather together and form a war council. As it currently stands, the Corbies Calvary, the Blackleg Calvary, and the PCs form "the good guys", while Yim's Company, Yimsely's Company, The Pagan Liberation Front and a Bogdani Band form "the bad guys". Not exciting odds.

However, scouts return word that a Bogdani Band has been spotted moving south from Frogguts. Given that the party did clear the tomb of Father Winter and we might be able to fork over the crown of Bogdani make-- maybe these forces will flip? 

Liminal rides forth to meet the Bogdani Band and the minute the crown is offered up a deal is struck. 

[PC NOTE: Wait...too easy. Maybe we should have investigated that crown a little more. But that is a problem for future us. ]

Apparently, the "Black" Bogdani are those who resisted the rule of the Relmish Kings (aka Lychgate). The "Red" Bogdani are those who have more integrated in Relmish society in the Dark Country.

So basically the party has just handed over a uniting symbol for the "Black" Bogdani potentially against Lychgate who the party fight's for so they will flip sides and fight with us against Yim Yimsley's Company who are against Lychgate.

[PC NOTE: YOLOjimbo]

The plan is revised. The party will hide itself in the Black Bogdani Company (star on black field) which take a right flank position as normal in Yim's (green man) trap. Corbies (solid black field) will take the left flank and Nethe (yellow diamond, triskelion) will "fall" into the trap. However, as the battle commences, the Black Bogdani will attack Yimsley's Company (red snake) and press into the Liberation Front's Flank (red deer) where all "good guy" forces will converge.

DAY FOUR- BATTLE!: Nethe of Blackleg is more than willing to walk into the heart of battle and wet her sword on the sap of humans, pagans, and whatever else can "bleeds" or at least be cloven in two. 

[PC NOTE: Alright, as noted, this time Miranda decided to try out The War Machine which is a set of rules I think found in later additions of BECMI, but you, dear reader, might most easily find on pages of the Rules Cyclopedia pg 117. 

Basically, each force shown above has a rating from 00-126 based on troop class, which is modified by its composition in terms of missiles, magic items/weapons, spells, and speed. There can also be modifications based on the leader's WIS, INT, CHA or morale, tactics and/or even PC actions before battle. 

Once those scores are determined, each side rolls a d100 and adds it to their base score for a final combat result. The difference between that score determines the scale of casualties, fatigue, and location for the winners and losers

From the above picture, there were three battles that were fought so three rolls of a d100-- and that was it!]

With the Black Bogdani converted and the bolstering from the party, Yimsley's Company (red snake) was met with 2:1 odds, and despite some trouble (Rolled a 32 on the d100) the right flank collapsed allowing us to push in on the Pagan Liberation Front (red deer).

The Corbies easily defeated the far less battle-hardened Yim's Company. And Nethe, full of bloodlust, routed the Pagan Liberation Front, gave chase across the river, and smashed them on the other side. What became of the "witch" who was leading this rebellion?

Yes that is the Abbey north in 1607

...AGAIN THE PARTY IS A POLITICALLY STABILIZING FORCE IN THE REGION-MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

THE WAR MACHINE (tWM) IMPRESSIONS

I like it. I think for the scale of what our group wants to do and the level at which there is interest in large battles it is a good middle ground. tWM basically has you calculate a combat check. And while the math is a little extensive it's nothing that also could not be rolled into an Excel sheet for quicker automation. But even without that, a little back-and-forth in a Discord chat will establish the biggest parameters for a DM to have all the math ready.

But maybe most importantly, it was easy to allow the party to perform some hijinks or make some critical decisions that factored into the battle. Which is most likely how a majority of players would prefer it. We were still able to use the resources of our ~3-5th level characters while not having to drop down into Chainmail scale.

Does this mean that tWM is better than Chainmail? No. It is just a different tool. If our group consisted of more war game nerds then I would have no problem maybe doing an off-cycle Chainmail battle to determine outcomes. But that is not the case and instead, we have a system that allows the resolution of regional-level battles in an evening. And allows the players to see the effects of their choices on the world.

That last bit is key to most RPGs: player actions result in (majority) observable change. This is what keeps players coming back.

NIGHTWICK ABBEY: The Purple Eater of People, Session 19

 

Country Roads...corrected

Previously in Nightwick...

Corfu (Dwarf 1)

Mayfly (Magic-user 3)
Ianthi (Changling 1)
Grant (Fighter 1)
Sotar (Cleric 2)

At the Medusa's Head...

A bounty has gone out:

A daring frogling who calls himself Hoppin in the Hood has attacked several caravans with his band of happy frogs. The van Toad trading house has offered 150 knots (1500 SP) for his capture or proof of slaying.

The party is interested in this coin because being rich is second only to being alive as a preferred state in the Dark Country. Or maybe that is just Mayfly's feelings about the matter. Actually, Mayfly would prefer "power" over "riches".

Silver is tossed about by Ianthi and Sotar to gather information pertaining to this bachtrachian brigand. And they uncover the following rumors and tales:

"He's got a band of 30 happy frogs, but don't be fooled, he's a sadist and look my ear clean off!"

 "Given the where the attacks happen, I am sure he is based 'round the hamlett of Vollage"

And what does the party know about the hamlet of Vollage? Corfu knows a bit about the world and remembered that not long ago (by dwarf standards) a tower was being constructed by a knight of Lychgate but The White Lady, a powerful witch, attacked and burned it to the ground. Those who died inside became ghosts that haunt the ruins.  

(PC NOTE: Dwarves in Nightwick have a unique ability called There When the World Was Made which is a 2-in-6 chance to know lore about a place or events. Nice way to provide lore without a dump.)

HEXCRAWL TIME!

THE DECISION- FIGHT AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF IMMORTALS or A KNOWN 30 MORTALS? The party figures that there is no way they are going to be able to take on 30 "happy frogs" with a penchant for ear removal. So, they decide to travel to the hamlet of Vollage to check out the ruins. Why not go "up" in a cursed tower instead of "down" in a cursed abbey for a change. So they hit the road.

THE SWINE HERDER...or SOMETHING ELSE?: About midday on the road, they run across a swine herder who offers up that rain is due soon and there will be no doubt strange things that await the party. That earned some side-eye, but Mayfly flips the herder a silver, just in case he was something in disguise.

THREE DISCARDED...SKINS?: The drizzle turns to rain as the party come upon three sets of clothing in the road. Grant makes a closer inspection and confirms they are in fact human skins, but removed as if clothing, and with such a deft execution the whole piece seems to be uncut or unruined by removal. Although a clear congealed mass and black hairs around the mouth confirm one thing...werewolves. 

Mayfly wanted to take the skins as leverage to use them again the frog bandit. Sotar commented that to apply that leverage, the party would have to come up with a way to make getting the skins more difficult f to get rather than straight-up murdering us. Point Sotar.

A ROADSIDE SHRINE with... SPRITE CRUCIFIXION? With the rain now a downpour and visibility nil, Mayfly casts ESP given the prior two ominous encounters. A 60' range, but better than being set upon by werewolves at 0' feet. Soon the party sees a small light bobbing up and down at an unknown distance. Drawing within the range of the spell, Mayfly is overcome with a strong sense of sadness. Will-o'-Wisp?

Imploring the party to stop, the group sees the light is in fact a sobbing sprite. The spite is floating in front of an obvious shrine to The Lady but adorned with two small sprite skeletons with tiny wooden halos (Sotar the cleric: That is f------d).

Mayfly asks what can be done to help. Bleed from the ESP maybe? The sprite perks up.

"Oh yes! You can eat them! I'll help you take the halos off!!"

Corfu speaks up, "I'll eat one"

"No! Not you" the sprite shouts, "nor you either" pointing at Ianthi. Clearly only those not of farie blood can consume the skeletons.

"Well first what is your name?", asks Mayfly

Amused the sprite replies: "I can't tell you that silly"

"Okay well, how about 'Raindrop'?"

The sprite repeats this over and over, until turning back to the questions of skeleton eating.

Hard "no" comes from Sotar and Grant, but Mayfly has heard stories about men gaining power through the consumption of magical beings and/or their organs. Any studying has been painfully slow. 

(PC NOTE: Also, Mayfly's WIS is 07 (-1) so impulsiveness and lack of patience is a trait)

"Sure, I'll do it." and Mayfly swallows the first skeleton goes down with surprising and disturbing ease.

(PC NOTE: Along with a failed save throw)

THE FIRST BARGAIN: Mayfly remembered tails of faerie bargains. Maybe not as powerful as those made with the infernal creatures of The Pit, but less likely to completely lose your soul.

"Now, since I did you a favor, I should get a favor in return. It is only fair," states Mayfly

"Ugh. Fine." Raindrop says with an eye-roll

A discussion follows that establishes (in the pouring rain) Raindrop knows who "Hoppin' Hood" is and where he lives. So Mayfly states the following: 

"Bring me the smallest thing he values the most."

"Done!" And Raindrop flies off.

(PC NOTE: Any people think old-school D&D is just grey corridors and hack & slash. Here we have a prime example of diplomacy and necrophagy. What's not to love! This was a great situation as a player. A creepy ask by an NPC combined with a drop of in-world knowledge about what could be an outcome: power. Already Mayfly has used soul-coins to gain a tutor, so why not eat a sprite skeleton? But this situation is another nice example of using IRL myths and stories about creatures to govern their in-game behavior. So, I chose to try and deal with this creature as a thing of myth not a "D&D monster on pg XX". Finally, the bargain we were able to make was also to help us with another problem- the frog bandits. So PCs, factions, verbal deals, and the mixing of IRL myth and in-game lore all smashes together. Perfect D&D cocktail.)

THE SECOND BARGAIN: The party makes it to the hamlet of Vollage, soaked through, but with dry silver. The local inn provides the party with plates of cooked cabbage and cooked eel- the majority go with the cooked eel. Not much is learned from the locals and the party decides to bunk down in the common room for the night along with to men-at-arms of the bishop (PC NOTE- sus).

One of these men-at-arms wakes the party up screaming... at Mayfly's glowing chest. Mayfly feels the glow moving up into his throat like an overactive glob of cabbage. Mayfly begins scrambling for wine, water, or anything to swallow this thing.

Adding to the panic and confusion, a small glow starts loudly rapping at the window so the party and a gagging Mayfly scramble out of the common room and into the storm. Two almost simultaneous things happen:

Mayfly hits the ground and coughs up... another faerie while feeling all the new magic he's learned recently drain from him!

Raindrop then informs the party of what "smallest and most valuable thing" has been taken... Hoppin Hood's remaining eye!

"You owe me!" Mayfly horsely barks at the new faerie. "I gave you life by my own essence and you owe me an equal favor in return! The eye was *just* for eating the skeleton."

"Ugh" the new sprite said with a stamp of a tiny foot.

It was discussed that the favor was to be determined later. The new sprite, named by Mayfly for the spell now lost to him- Espy, handed over a small flute made from her own rib. Then Raindrop tries once more.

"Okay who wants to eat the other skeleton?!"

...End Scene

(PC NOTE: What happened when the faerie was coughed up? Level drain. 
Yes, that feared and hated, in equal amounts, old school mechanic of the undead. Did I feel "cheated", naw. I could have chosen Mayfly to not have eaten the skeleton in the first place. Then, I could have said my character was gonna do everything to keep this high-in-calcium snack down. Instead, I chose to have Mayfly cough it up like a hairball because he was in the presence of the faerie who held its end of the bargain. Might be bad to double-cross a being who could be useful. Also, I thought level drain was really well employed in the moment by a creature not normally known for that sorta thing. It was a very interesting, entertaining session and what drove that-- educated risk-taking and "endangering" the PC. And despite being level-drained, I feel like my character still has gained a lot through this set of actions-- the character is building strong in-game history through action.)

CRAWL OF THE WILD II: Super Cleric Bros. Session 8

 

We return to the cleric campaign! Previously the PCs had negotiated some blue mushrooms for the return of an obedientary's soul.

THE CALL OF THE WILD

The map outlines their travel in the very nice Beyond the Borderlands 'zine. It took them two game days to go from the Sea Witch's shell (hex 3,5) to a hex with blue mushrooms (hex 3,1) and back again.

DM Note: This session was interesting for me because there was not really anything that stood out in terms of big moments, but more small little bits each hex. I do think I need to work on refining the procedures that I want for these hexes. The nice thing is that Beyond the Borderlands provides aspects from weather to hunting. But still I need better refine how I present choices to the players.

PCs set off under sunny skies to pick some wild blue mushrooms.

* 3,5: Back through the raided merchant's caravan where they had a prior run-in with a slaad

* 2,3: The PCs meet Herbert the watcher from Stronglaw Keep who they met previously. They got some information about the noble hunting camp. And further strengthened their relationship and support if they go to Stronglaw Keep.

* 2,2: The PCs encounter fields and fields of berry bushes and strange holes. Wary, they decide to move quickly through and consume rations later.

* 3,2: The PCs make it to the hunting grounds of the nobility. No encounters here save for the baying of hounds and the blowing of horns. Again, they decide to keep moving

* 3,1: The clerics find a cave open where they can see the blue mushrooms in the fading light of the afternoon sun. 

THE CAVE OF THE BLUE MUSHROOM

The clerics can detect a nauseatingly sweet odor coming from the cave and while they can see them, they will have to at least walk 40-50ft into the interior of the cave.

DM NOTE: So I wasn't just going to let them saunter in, grab the 'shrooms, and leave. So I set the mushrooms back in the cave and made sure they needed to make CON checks to maintain consciousness in the cave. Also rolled for encounters.

The cleric's first plan was to send in their two followers, Dorn or Varoris, to collect the mushrooms. But the followers weren't convinced it was their place to complete this task [DM NOTE: Both failed their morale check; both clerics also have a -1 on that due to CHA scores].

The cleric's second plan is to get Dorn (sailor background) to tie a rope around Brother Cadfael and send him into the cave to fetch mushrooms. The first attempt is somewhat successful, 3/4 of the mushrooms recovered. So, once more into the breach. 

In the second attempt, Brother Cadfael is surprised by a giant wolf-bat who flattens him to the ground and lays on a vicious bite (dmg 6). Screaming out, Brother Phellius and Dorn pull him out of the cave entrance [DM Note: PC HD roll vs. Giant Wolf Bat HD roll].

The giant wolf bat keeps to the cave, afraid of the light. This gives Brother Phellius an idea to light a torch and grab a bottle of lamp oil. A strong initiative roll later, Phellius has driven back the wolf-bat and not completely ruined all the remaining mushrooms.

BACK TO WHERE THEY STARTED

The return trip to the Sea Witch is less eventful owning to good encounter rolls. The hand over the basket and the witch hands them one infernal iron coin with which 1/6th the man's soul is encased. 

"Wait, why do we only have 1/6th his soul instead of the full third?" asked Brother Cadfael

"Oh, well I used it to make a compass that would point to the owner's true desire, and its powered by a bit of soul to give it reach into the ethereal and astral. A noble from the hunting camp wanted it." Answered the Sea Witch

"And is that noble a narcissist so it only points to himself?" grumped Cadfael.

"Ha! That would be good dear, but poor business." chuckled the Sea Witch

The night closed with Brother Cadfael *promising* to speak well of the Witch and that elicited a "deal" from her lips. She let them once again sleep in her domain.

DM Note: This was a good move by the player because that is what the witch wants, but it will draw mild rebuke from their god.

And that is where I ended the session.

CRAWL OF THE WILD: Super Cleric Bros. Session 7

 

Previously...

A IS FOR ABBEY AND WE BEGIN THERE

Back in the confines of the Abbey, Brother Cadfael and Phelius have enjoyed their minor celebrity. The abbey has continued to prosper with the completion of the Ossuary and even the Obedientary have taken note that the two might be able to help them with problems of a more personal nature.

But first, some procedure:

Both previous follower's Lunell and Gersia have decided to stick around [DM Notes: I did not roll a "1" for either indicating they are leaving the abby]. And are joined by two additional followers, Follower Dorn of St. Ulther and Follower Varoris, elf, of St. Nemo [DM Note: I rolled a "1" and "6" on the Ossuary Table].

Obedient Radclyf is the first to implore the aid to the clerics given the loss of his soul ("Tricked!") to a sea witch. The reason wanting the love of a woman in Miller's Village. 

DM Note: I think it would be easy to make all the problems associated with some grand thing-- "sold my soul to save another"-- but that is not how humans work. Humans do really stupid things. Humans, I think, would do further stupid things if interacting with beings who can give power/manifest wants and have a longer life view.

So the clerics are off on a hexcrawl to visit the Sea Witch in the Slugy Bog using Alex Damaceno's Beyond the Borderlands. So the clerics prayed at the Reliquary to gain some small boons on top of their daily spell selections: +1 to the 2d6 turn undead roll and re-roll first save-throw.

ON THE ROAD

The distance is fairly condensed, so 1 hour any direction to the next hex or 2 hours if they cut through a hex with forest. Alex has set up Beyond very nicely because we have different regions with unique encounter tables, a system for weather and each hex has something going on. Here is what the clerics encountered on the way to the Sea Witch:

• Start off following the river NE to hopefully reach the bog
• Become lost in some woods, and exit into an open field with a large ostentatious sign pointing towards (1) Miller's Village and (2) the Hunting Camp. Also meet Herbet, a devote of the Lion of Light, who offers to help them out next time they visit the gatehouse at Stronglaw Keep.
• Back into the woods, they try to seek out the cries for help that echo through the forest only to come upon a gleaming sword stuck into a rock. Suspicious, Brother Cadfael casts Detect Evil and learns the sword does have an aura not wholly good [DM Note: The sword is chaotic]. Follow Dorn on the other hand is very interested in that sword.
• Find their way back to the bog and the lost merchant train. Forced to stay the night due to a storm. But no rest was had as a slaad barged into their camp hunting a walking fish. Surprising both sides and forcing a terse stand-off that ended in no bloodshed.
• Finally, the next day, after skirting an abnormally large group of baby dragonflies, the cleric arrives at a large 3-story house made from a single giant shell-- the Sea Witch!

The results of the above. 

AT THE SEA WITCHE'S SHELL

Grandmother is of course delighted to have two strapping Lions of Light come and visit! What could such devout indviduals with a simple broker of broken souls and information need?

The clerics arrive and announce themselves in proper manner. They ask that their two followers stay in the periphery and ensure they are not murdered. Follower Dorn, devotee of St. Uthler who tried to control the sea, finds this whole business silly and they should slay with witch. Follower Varoris feels the witch is a meer broker in the old legalities and its not surprising humans, with their short lives, are hasty with the specifics of such deals.

Tea is served. Brother Cadfael having prepared Purify Food & Drink immediately employs this spell on the tea. Grandmother is agast and forces the cleric to drink least they further insult her: "Well?...Not poisoned eh? You just took all the beautiful flavor out of it!"

Brother Cadfael attempt to beg parden based on a weak stomach and unsophistocated tongue. The Sea Witch comments that perhaps he'd like to bargain with both as payment since he is clearly in no need for either given their weak state.

Negotiations begin in earnest over Radclyf's soul. With a lot of back and forth and attempts a securing the exact terms of the deal, the clerics agree to collect some blue mushrooms the Sea Witch so desires. And in return, they will get back the amount of Radclyf's soul that the Sea Witch possesses.

DM Note: This was actually difficult to role-play as one of the players is IRL professionally trained in contracts. I tried to handle this by letting the player provide some fiction for how supernatural contracts are done, but then answer with a slight variation. As a way to imulate that a Sea Witch knows a bit more than a cleric in these matters.

The clerics make camp near the Sea Witch who agrees they will be safe that night.

BUT WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO FOR US?!: Generating actionable NPCs to get players out in the world

 

Michah Ulrich

In my current home campaign, each cleric according to the 90 + 10 Edict must have a sponsor in the Abbey in order to reside there and maintain good standing. Those sponsors are drawn from the Obedientray- senior monks who have additional duties and skills within the Abbey. In-game, this is a way for the Church to maintain further control on its martial component. Out-of-game, it was a way for me to create NPCs the players could go to for help.

But as the campaign as taken root, I've have a couple of problem flower in my head as well.

PROBLEM 1: Since the campaign will be starting its 5th session this week (yeah!), I wanted to make sure that it is not so cleric-centered that other classes could not easily fit in if one cleric is killed.

SOLUTION 1: Open up the world to be more than just Dyson's Delve. This would allow me to throw out other interesting things which could catch the players' attention and provide fuel for other classes.

PROBLEM 2: A. So how do I naturally get them out into the world? "Natural" here means as a result of player choices, not the DM just dropping another plot point in. 

SOLUTION 2: Because the clerics are resupplying through reaction rolls with their obedientaries, maybe I'll just have these NPCs have other wants, needs, and desires out in the world. They can't get to them due to obligations at the Abbey, so they send the PCs.

And because I need a bunch of unique NPCs, I can use Evlyn Moreau's Fabulous Pocket Guild which I've been meaning to use more. So I just draw 10 cards for each obedientary. Then look up some names for them. And I just need to give them a want.

PROBLEM 3: Also, what is this "world"-- is it homebrew or some repurposed campaign?

SOLUTION 3: Lets use Beyond the Borderlands as a setting for this campaign. Its something I already own like the the Fabulous Pocket Guild. Alex Damaceno did a great job expanding upon a will worn classic module. Converting it into six section, 36 hex, hexcrawl. And since the theme of this campagin is linking me, my newphew, and older brother together-- its a perfect fit-- new spin on the old.

RESULTS

Each obediantary is represented by two rows of the NPC cards (top: 1-5; bottom: 6-10). The cards themselves give me basic looks, equipment, and they ooze with personality. People even have pets: sheep, a donkey, floating skulls...

The black hexs represent where their "want" is located in Beyond the Borderlands. And the red text is my attempt at quickly sketching out something interesting between the NPC and a hex feature. Don't want to spend a lot of time because it might not come up. Its just a seed to get me going incase the players say, "Alright will you give us X if we help you with your problem Y?"

I tried to create a range of problems from the seemingly mundane (setting the accounts), to finding special items (a flute that controls animals), to the very personal (lost a piece of their soul).

Beyond the Borderlands- the world
I put Dyson's Delve in hex 4,1 where there are already ruins