Ptolus: Midwood - "The Dark Waters of Moss Pond"

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

So, bad news and good news.

The bad news first: This is the end of "The Abbey in the Woods." Why Hazel (and Flower and Bufer) are going to see the constable won't be explained for two stories. (The next chapter, "Beneath Blackberry Ridge," shows us where the fugitives have been all this time, and what they're up to. Hint: They're beneath a place called Blackberry Ridge.) But we will get there.

The good news is for the players: That mysterious figure that has been shadowing Hazel since the very first adventure will be revealed in our current campaign in our very next adventure, Night's Dark Terrors. Of course, that means for Story Hour readers, it's probably nine or ten months off. Still, it should be a good read in the interim, with all sorts of good stuff heading your way.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Beneath Blackberry Ridge is an adaptation of Goodman Games Dungeon Crawl Classics #11, The Dragonfiend Pact.

The adaptation went reasonably well, with all of the Known World fluff being easily swapped out in favor of Praemal fluff. I gave everyone more Germanic names, to represent the NPCs being from the Prustan Peninsula. The big secret of the plot, relating to religious faith, is one that works especially well with the Prustan Peninsula, which has the tension between the Old Gods of pre-Imperial Prust and Lothianism, itself a newer Prustan religion.

Unfortunately, there's also a problem: This is a party without a healer and with two wizards. As you'll see, they run into repeated difficulties because of it.

After this adventure -- which takes place at the same time as the Maidensbridge Abbey adventure -- we'll jump back to Maidensbridge to discover what's going on with Constable Ward Bridger and an unexpected visitor.

 

[Tock Chandler]

Ah, Bailiff Schulteiss. Good times.

 

[Trench]

Whiz said we had difficulties, which is true I suppose (I think I know which difficulty Whiz is referring to). But honestly, the difficulties are mitigated with some brutally clever ideas on every player's part.

I really rather enjoyed this adventure. Clever plot, creative setting, and since our party consists of two wizards (mine being even more fragile than normal with a piss poor CON), a fighter, and a bard... we still rocked this adventure.

Brains, not brawn fellas.

I also think that perhaps since this was a set dungeon... there was no way for Renraw or Tock to make things worse by interacting with many NPC's...

 

[Renraw Kem]

I LURVED this adventure despite that. Maybe my favorite one.

Heheheh...I love the bit with the...

...and that time we...

...oh! and when we...

...don't want to forget the...

ARGH, POST ALREADY, GEEWHIZ.

 

[Renraw Kem]

And I love this Story Hour transition...stark horror to (what will be) slapstick comedy...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If the heroes of Midwood adventures feature a lot of Bufer making ironic remarks shortly before everyone attempts to heroically sacrifice themselves for the good of everyone else, the fugitives of Midwood adventures feature an awful lot of muttering under their breath and attempts to hoodwink any available NPCs and each other.

It's a very different tone.

 

[Renraw Kem]

Just skimmed back in this thread and saw a couple of things to reply to...

The main reason why Emmerson went along with the kobolds was because he thought a battalion of them was approaching (with the Queen in tow) and those six were the forerunners.

I don't know why I thought that. If I had known they were it, Emmerson would have refused the whole hostage exchange thing.

I think you thought that because of another lie Renraw told...when we first encountered the kobolds, Renraw repeatedly made reference to "more coming."

Ah, it was fun having me and Kat be the only ones to speak Draconic in that bit...

And, incidentally, Renraw's not wrong: Something was stalking them in the woods that night. Who or what he was won't be seen for a long while. (It hasn't even been revealed in the ongoing campaign yet, although it will be soon.)

I never put two and two together...this must be the same thing that's been following Hazel.

Weird.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I never put two and two together...this must be the same thing that's been following Hazel.

Weird.

Yes. By this time next week, I suspect you'll know what it was.

 

[bissichan]

Just skimmed back in this thread and saw a couple of things to reply to...

I think you thought that because of another lie Renraw told...when we first encountered the kobolds, Renraw repeatedly made reference to "more coming."

Oh, sure, make Renraw more likeable to Emmerson.