Dolmenwood: The Tumulheights - (Hex 1609)

One-page settings seem to be making the rounds as a concept, and while I'm totally in favor of that sort of framework I'm also really big on the three-hex starter situations as well. So I figured to combine a sense of those both, thwap together a map in a hex, and then place it in a setting near and dear to my heart. This is a hex-as-setting, meant to provide just enough to get the ball rolling. So these are the Tumulheights, a series of hilly barrow mounds located in Hex 1609; which on the Dolmenwood regional map is a few south of Castle Brackenwold and can be located beneath the map key. It is a thematically low level area, a place to learn a little bit about the setting, defeat some lesser villains, and to get away from the woods for a little bit. '

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Hex 1609: The Tumulheights

A patch of rough hills, scrubland and sparse woods to the south of Castle Brackenwold, the Tumulheights are a sacred burial ground or the ancient Emeraude warriors who beat back the Gomans. Man, Goat, and more than a few other stranger things lay buried beneath the mounds. 

From Culderhill, the Lichwards see that the anointed dead stay buried and at peace. But villains out of Pook’s Way know all too well that the Watchers and fouler sorts in High Hankle and Havenland would pay well for the blessed bones. 

Throughout the mounds swine gather in large numbers, trudging through the forest in troupes, snuffling the pungent hilly air for the seductive scent of truffles and other pungent fungal spores. On nights of the full moon, the Black Pig is said to be seen in the woods, and those who gaze upon his baleful magnificence will find themselves forever cursed. The Lichwards, as well as academics of folklore out of Castle Brackenwold, have their own theories as to the origin myth of the Black Pig; but the locals out of Pook's Way claim it to be a wicked fey prince.

All manner of bogun and goblin from the Dolmenwood make their occasional appearance upon the mounds, often as spectators watching the spirits of ancient Emeraude warriors butchering the damned shades of Goman legionnaires upon the blessed earth. When the bones of the fallen are removed from their mounds, these displays change. The Goman begin to win. The spirits, be they man or goat, fall into despair and in time become tortured and wretched wraiths who devoid of their stories, cast forth oblivion.

Mortal man does not tarry upon the mounds at night, lest the pucklemotes swarm them and steal them away to the Dredgemoot; where the Black Pig is said to slumber all other nights of the year in corpulent hateful bliss.

Key Features:

• Hilly - The grounds of the Tumulheights ebb and flow like waves upon the sea, and under each hill lie countless dead heroes from ancient days.
• Haunted - If not for the Lichwards out of Culderhill, the actions of the dead would be far more vicious to outsiders. They only appear deep underground, in the Dredgenmoot, or on starry nights.
• Windswept - Between the hills, the air blows quick and fierce. Smells carry for miles, as does laughter and whispers upon the wind.
• Wooded - The woods, while sparse, are primarily old pines that have long succumb to the rot and weight of bracket fungus which clings to their trunks.
• Temperate - It is as temperate here as in the rest of the Dolmenwood, though being just south of the wood proper, winter can be found here in its season--albeit reduced by proximity.
• Colors - The flora here is like smoke-stained juniper leaves, the browns are of deep earthy slate. The pigs are all black, but not as black as the Black Pig or the Pucklemotes.

Points of Interest:

Culderhill Abbey: A small, fortified tower of rustic stones hewn in elder days. Two stories, with a large stables which due to a lacking of many horses has been turned into a make-shift training grounds for those who make use of scourges and maces. A large stained glass window depicts St. Signis upon a hill, tending to flowers which grow from the skeleton of a woman whose spirit looks upon the incident fondly. Matron Superior Muccshab is almost always present here, alongside 1d8 acolytes (usually nuns), and 1d4 warriors, generally seeking blessings or knowledge of the undead.

Pook's Way Taphouse: A rickety wattle and daub building built like the long halls of old, with ramshackle gutters and the occasional chicken running wild outside its coop. A burnt wooden sign nailed above the door depicts a large orb-headed fairy of black, pointing a finger towards the door while a lantern sits on its lap. The interior is decrepit and the floor is uneven, with many loose boards and whole sections of dirt floor. The kitchen is well-stocked with sausages and rotgut beverages, and the goatman Tarridan Gresh is often singing a jaunty tune when not being berated by moss dwarf or more thuggish customers.

The Dredgenmoot: A section of the Otherwold, an underground maze where the mycellum of fungal deities once lived. They were consumed by the Black Pig and its predecessors. There are many ways out of the Dredgenmoot, but they require crawling through loose soil, eating hallucinogenic fractal molds, and being subsumed by slime molds that reflect forbidden suns on their shimmering masses. Moss Dwarfs can easily find there way out of here, often leading back to the real world by coming up under a garden of mushrooms. 

Cast of Characters:

Matron Superior Muccshab of St. Signis:
A grizzled woman in her late 60s, allegedly older if the hateful gossip of novice lichwards are to be believed. She bares an unearthly pallor and the chiseled face more befitting a mountain than a mortal; her habit is reinforced with leather tassets and she never leaves her chamber without her blessed jack-of-plates hauberk. A lover of poetry but a long sufferer of the ravages of the undead, she maintains many spells and trains others in the profession of a lichward cleric. She has long enjoyed her time in the Tumulheights, but recent bone thievery has forced her to take a hardline approach to any strangers she or her lackeys come across. She works from Culderhill Abbey.

[AC 9, HD 3 (12hp), Att 1 x scourge (1d6), THAC0 19, MV 90' (30'), SV D11 W12 P14 B16 S15 (CL3), ML 9, AL Lawful, XP 45]

• Spells: Matron Superior Muccshab can cast three spells from the Cleric list as a Level 3 Cleric, and she can Turn Undead as though she were a Level 5 Cleric.

Tarridan Gresh:
A freshly twenty-year old goatman, child of deserters who fled Lord Malbleat's wrath, and apprentice-turned-propreitor of the Pook's Way taphouse. Easily mislead and with a voice like an angel, Tarridan has fallen under the coercion of Bashwick and his goons, and has long suffered the abuses of moss dwarf truffle hunters even before his former master was devoured by a "fog of shadows." Is overworked but likes the challenge. Has never consumed human flesh and will become an insatiable man-eater should he develop the taste.

[AC 5, HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × Frying Pan (1d4-1), THAC0 19, MV 120’ (40’), SV D8 W9 P10 B13 S12 (D1), ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 10]

Bashwick of Great Lunden:
A bastard of a Havenlander, he shows signs of ensorcellement to those with the gift to see it. He drinks with hooded men and talks of expeditions into the mounds and the profits he's made selling pagan bones and old Goman scrap to high society folk in Lunden. He knows the Watchers and speaks kindly of their patronage. They plan to kill him once he's unable to fund further mercenary endeavors which might steal the bones and disrupt the joyful entertainment of faerie-folk.

[AC 5, HD 2+1 (14hp), Att 1 x Goman Sword (1d8+1, Masterwork), THAC0 19, MV 120' (40'), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F2), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 35]

• Bashwick is supported by a network of goons, lowlifes, and general thugs from Bellthorp and the Midderlands, all functionally equivalent as low morale henchmen. He has at least 1d4 with him at any time, and 1d12 when out in the field personally appraising or stealing bones.

The Black Pig:
A powerful fey spirit in the form of a repugnant and gargantuan swine the size of a cottage. It belches forth spoors, and breathes deep the sorrows of the damned. While it has a rapacious love of honey wines and stump dryads, it is a known enemy to moss dwarfs. Their scent is often too much for the Black Pig to readily tolerate.

[AC 4, HD 7 (32hp), Att 1 x Gore (2d4), 1 x Trample (1d8+1), or 1 x Spore Belch (3d4, Save vs Breath to halve), THAC0 13, MV 180' (60'), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (F6), ML 11, AL Chaotic, XP 450] 

• Spore Belch targets all within a 90' cone in front of the Black Pig's mouth, those struck by it can be tracked with supernatural ease by pigs, pucklemotes, and moss dwarfs until the half-moon. Moss Dwarfs struck by this spore belch are instead healed an equal amount of damage, with any bonus HP over their maximum threshold blossoming into an equal number of random edible mushrooms.
• The Black Pig becomes enraged in the presence of less than it's HD in Moss Dwarfs, and dazed for 1d6 turns in the presence of more Moss Dwarfs than its HD.

The Pucklemotes: 

Lesser fey spores, sentient bits of black puffballs that chase and harass mortals who walk the mounds at night. They are attracted by candlelight and campfire, but oil lanterns perplex and disturb them. They serve the Black Pig and other faeries who watch the spiritual melee, acting as house servants and bootlicks. If they engulf a mortal, they will transport them into the Dredgenmoot. 

[AC 7, HD 2 (9hp), Att 1 x Swarm (d4) or Engulf, THACO 18, MV 90' (30') flying, SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 9, AL Chaotic, XP 35, NA 1d3]

• Engulf: Engulfing an enemy requires the swarm to collapse into the area directly around a single enemy and succeed at dealing maximum damage on a Swarm attack. If successful the victim must make a Save vs Spells or find themselves taken to the Dredgenmoot.
• Size: 20' x 20' area, typically, acting like hooligans and shuffling about as though gravity didn't matter.
• Swarm Attack: Unlike normal swarms, Pucklemotes will be half biting and nipping and half attempting to cast a spell to pull the victim into the Dredgenmoot. Roll 1d4 to determine damage, and halve any HP loss on those wearing armor (to a minimum of 1).
• Warding Off: Characters wearing cold iron force a morale check to be attacked by the Pucklemotes.
• Escaping: Fleeing the Pucklemotes is hard, as they are quick and vicious when finding someone scared of their violence. Characters who serpentine in their movements or throw distracting mushrooms or shiny objects can flee from the inside of the swarm by doing so for 3 rounds.
• Pursuit: A damaged swarm of Pucklemotes will chase characters until they enter a religious establishment or an area where they must otherwise ask for permission to enter. If a character enters the "home" of another creature like a wolf's den, a bear's cave, or an owl's tree, there is a 50% chance the Pucklemotes will not pursue.

Randomizers for the Tumulheights:

Some specific and specialized randomizers for use in this Hex, or anywhere really. 

What is Tarradin singing? [d6]

1. O Darling Fangbone - And what a sight was she, with a bone so biting brutal, it stretched from mouth to knee. 
   A jaunty and comedic love song about a man who fell in love with an ogress and sang her a tune while she slowly cooked him, eventually he sings from inside her gullet.
   
   
2. Malbleat's Many Follies - "As boundless as the skies, as foolish as a goblin rump, as pointless as his spies!"
   An insulting tune about the idiocy and wretchedness of Lord Malbleat, mocking his abuses and his foolishness. Popular in Lord Ramius's army.
   
   
3. To Dine Again in Bellthorp - "Crying, Cockerels and taters, and turnips, my boy! Oh bloat me, oh save me, my sweet Bellthorp girl."
   A drunkard's tune about better times and family, sung in Bellthorp and by those who wish to mock the Emeraudish over in the Midderlands.
   
   
4. Blind Eyes Me God - "So I'm sure as a Wolder, with Drunegelt I came, and in my wyrm's greed, I feel now His shame..."
   A lament for shameful actions in the eyes of the One True God, generally based around pride and greed. Can be sung as a comedic tune, as if God is not judging but rather it is all in one's head.
   
   
5. Waulking the Elf-Maid's Tartan - "We washed her great gown, with starlights and lamb's silk; we wash-ed her veil, festooned with pearls..."
   A washing song, generally getting more and more embellished with each verse until someone sings a line of how the elf-maiden is crushed under the weight of her luxury and goblins pick her corpse clean. Gallow's humor tune. 
   
   
6. Lament of the Deorlings - "The Wood King bred me, for nine months and better, he stole me fair heart, and my soul to fetters..."
   A song about the King of the Woods, the deorling, and the loss of station and sense of self; a ballad of ego death. 

Concerning Truffles [d6]

Type...

1. Robust Black Truffle
   The robust black truffles of the Tumulheights grow only near the mounds, and to the common eye they look like either the spoors or eggs of some terrible basilisk. The taste is too rich to be consumed raw, leading to a drunken state if not properly prepared. When cooked it fills the belly as full as any steak or hauk of ham. If prepared into an oil, it is a bit greasy but greatly contributes to the speed of the cooking process and if left to ferment with garlic in it, can create a robust cordial. 
   
   
2. Ivory White Truffle
   A robust truffle that tastes like the richest and most earthy of breads, commonly found by both dogs and swine. When shredded or cut, it compliments most meals and greatly adds to their qualities. The most common sort of truffle to find itself exported both raw, and as an oil. Worth silver in either case.
   
   
3. Grue-apple Truffle
   Cluster truffles that sprout like red fungal caps deep underground, often consumed by woodgrue and lesser fey as they enjoy the taste---something akin to blue berries over a stinky cheese and onion skins. Grue-apple can be used to make exceptional cooking oil which allows flavors to fully reveal themselves; and if coated to flesh this same oil can make poisons all the more powerful. Worth silver raw, worth gold in high amounts or in oils.
   
   
4. Broom Truffle
   A truffle that grows like a bracket fungus underneath the bark of ancient trees, popping through the trunk of a tree like bristles on a broom. Bark must be carefully peeled back to allow for harvesting, which requires the use of specialized awls to fully dig out the fungus. Salty but sweet, like a baked apple left to ferment. Used to make fine cooking oils that peasants can afford. Worth silver.
   
   
5. Scag's Tuber
   A false truffle, but still a favorite of pigs and moss dwarfs alike. Scag's tuber is a fungus that grows in wild onions, tasting much like fermented garlic and robust earth. Worth copper pennies in an open market, silver to someone buying in bulk. Can be used to ferment semi-spoiled food back to satiability. 
   
   
6. Swinefavor Truffle
   A common truffle, most often consumed by boars, devil swine, pig seers, and common farm pigs. Seldom seen in kitchens for this reason. Cheap, worth copper pennies. Tastes salty but savory, almost like caramel. 

Quality...

1. Dreadful quality, barely ripe, molded over and maggoty. Worth 1d4 its coinage.
2. Poor, broken, and poorly harvested. Possibly half-bitten by swine. Worth 1d4x2 its coinage.
3. Harvested too early, not robust with spoors, or insufficient size and vintage. Worth 1d4x3 its coinage.
4. Adequate form, good shape, little damage. Worth 1d6x3 its coinage.
5. Perfect size, good shape, no damage, robust texture, and fine scent. 2d8x3 its coinage.
6. Huge, powerful, bountiful, possibly sentient. Almost a burden to carry, but too perfect and astounding not to. Worth 3d10*5 its coinage.

Random Encounters (Day)

1. Huntsmen with Truffle Hogs and Hounds, (1d3+1d8)
   1. Open to conversation. 2. Polite but cagey. 3. Professional and willing to barter. 4. Caustic.
2. Havenlander and South Emeraude Thugs and Lackeys (2d6)1. Casing a mound. 2. Hunting deer. 3. Arguing with leader (Bashwick, if present), 4. Drinking.
3. Lichward Friar and Exorcist Disciples (1+2d4)1. Ritual prayers for protection. 2. Contemplating signs of a struggle. 3. Reciting scripture in the field. 4. Contemplating signs of recent excavation.
4. Deer (2d12)
   1. Bounding over hills. 2. Grazing on grasses. 3. Fleeing wolves. 4. Fleeing hunters.
5. Swine (2d12)
   1. Consuming truffles. 2. Horrifying noisy sex. 3. Consuming a dead body. 4. Sleeping.
6. Pilgrims (2d6)
   1. Singing songs as they march. 2. Discussing philosophy. 3. Praying. 4. Foraging foods.

Random Encounters (Night)

1. Swine (2d12)
   1. Consuming truffles. 2. Horrifying noisy sex. 3. Consuming a dead body. 4. Sleeping.
2. Havenlander and South Emeraude Thugs and Lackeys (2d6)1. Excavating a mound. 2. Camping. 3. Fleeing from undead, 4. Drinking.
3. Deer (2d12)
   1. Bounding over hills. 2. Grazing on grasses. 3. Fleeing wolves. 4. Fleeing hunters.
4. Pilgrims (2d6)1. Camping around a fire. 2. Warding away Pucklemotes to little effect. 3. Praying. 4. Sleeping.
5. Moss Dwarfs (2d6)
   1. Hunting for truffles. 2. Hunting swine. 3. Tracking the Black Pig. 4. Making truffle oil.
6. Undead (Ghosts, 1d8 or Ghouls, 1d4)
   1. Fighting Goman Ghosts. 2. Making merry upon the mound. 3. Cavorting with faeries. 4. Seeking justice for bones stolen.
7. The Black Pig (if Full Moon), Elf Hunters (2d6, if not Full Moon)
   1. Reflecting upon nature's majesty. 2. Gazing upon the moon in strange sadness. 3. Rubbing bone weapons against fungus-infested trees. 4. Digging in the dirt, as if looking for something.
8. Pook Morels (Wormskin 8, p.35, 2d10)
   1. Speaking ghost stories upon the wind. 2. Mocking the party for their terrible fate. 3. Turning acorns into beetles. 4. Throwing centipedes and roaches at one another.
9. Pucklemotes (1d3)
   1. Laughing and giggling. 2. Engulfing a pig. 3. Bursting from the ground. 4. Eating truffles.
10. Lichward Nun (Unique)
    1. Seeking to prove her bravery. 2. Romantically embracing a spirit. 3. Praying above a corpse. 4. Eating bread upon a corpse. 5. Meditating as a ghoul sucks upon her breast, burning. 6. Cavorting with additional Random Encounter.

Wanderlust: Scout Travel Events [3 Samplings]

Events for the Scout

What follows is a sampling of a d30 list of events for the Scout to encounter upon a failed Scout skill roll. Events are not necessarily hazardous or wicked, but they represent a chance for further attrition of resources and potential loss of life. A success on a Scout skill means you’ve successfully avoided encountering anything off the beaten path. A success on a Scout skill means you’ve prevented the party from stumbling into something that’ll make the trip take even more time. It is assumed the events of Scouting take place roughly a half to a full mile ahead of the party proper. Such that the party can arrive at the Scout’s current location if the Scout were to wait within 15-30 minutes, depending on how fast or burdened the rest of the party is.

---

1. The Scout has found a well-hidden cache of weapons and a crude map of the nearest of settlement with circles and triangles drawn on certain buildings. There are no tracks easily visible and the weapons have a few days dew and lack of care upon them. If the Scout opts to take the weapons, there will be 1d8 weapons overall (axes, swords, and spears mostly), and there will be a 3-in-6 chance that the original owners of the weapons will come looking for them in the direction the Scout is travelling within 1d4 days.

Roll a d6 to determine the purpose of the weapons being hidden. On a 1, they are weapons being stockpiled by a group of bandits hoping to rob a nearby town and take it over. They will attack the party if the party took the weapons. On a 2, the weapons belong to a wandering weapon master (level 3 fighter) who was marking down the location of students who have paid their tuition. He will not attack the party outright but he will demand them back and call them dishonorable thieves. On a 3, the weapons belong to a group of would-be heroes who were plotting to take down a monster in their own town but could not risk discovery. They will try to get the party on their side to help, but their friends they wanted to save will be dead due to this delay. On a 4, the weapons belonged to a tomb robber and the map was found in the same crypt as the blades; she has no idea what the map is about but she will demand payment for the goods that she re-appropriated if the party takes them. On a roll of 5, the weapons are haunted by a ghost whose descendant was tracking down the children of a kinslayer who destroyed the ghost’s battalion. These weapons demand blood so the ghost may rest. On a roll of 6, the weapons belong to a group of assassins who were trying to run a frame-up operation. They will try to trick the party into completing it for them by planting false evidence and making them murder their targets, then taking out or getting the party arrested.

If this event is rolled a second time re-roll the d6 to determine the purpose. If the purpose is the same, then run this instead. The weapons were left behind when another party of adventurers had to abandon camp after being attacked in the night by a monster. Their bodies are located 1d8 miles away, outside a monster’s lair, and there is an obvious trail of dried blood and monster tracks. There will be 1d4 survivors of the encounter in the nearby settlement, down on their luck and traumatized. Providing them with these weapons or the head of the monster will make them loyal hirelings for the party’s next adventure.

If this event is rolled a third time, and the same weapon purpose was rolled, run this instead. The cache of weapons are clearly belonging to the local government, baring their mark, and have been freshly coated in blood. Vials of poison are located nearby as well, and the map instead gives the layout and patrol schedule of a nearby government building. By the time the party catches up with the Scout, 1d4 cultists dressed as local guards or soldiers will arrive and accuse the party of plotting an assassination. The party will need to fight their way out or be arrested. If they choose to go willingly, they will be used as the fall guys when the cultists end up killing their target and taking a precious item from a religious building. In 1d6 days, should the cultists kill their target, a malign event of religious significance and horror will happen in the settlement. Choose what fits your cult, or roll a d6.

On a 1, a child is born with horns, it cackles and devours its mother before turning into smoke and vanishing in the night. On a 2, the moon is blood red and the recently dead rise (including anyone the cult killed) as zombies. On a 3, it rains blood and any who are hit by the blood must make a WIS save or go violently insane until the rain stops. On a 4, all domesticated animals start loudly revealing horrible secrets and infernal truths in a creepy voice that carries on the wind. On a 5, a bolt of lightning will strike the center of worship of that settlement and set it ablaze, demons of torment will rip the flesh off the chief preacher. On a 6, a devil of great power will steal the skin of an important local figure and begin undermining the community with brutal laws and vicious murders.

---

2. The Scout has stumbled across the lean-to of a hermit who has moved far away from the rest of civilization for one reason or another. The Scout must make a DEX save or have been spotted by the hermit, though if the Scout makes the save they instead spots the hermit. The hermit will be knowledgeable in regional lore, though unlikely to share it. He wishes to be left alone and there's a 1-in-6 chance he is convinced that the party will make others aware of his location which will drive the hermit to violence. The hermit will only become sociable in the event that the Scout or the Party wish to barter with him, in which case he desires sharp knives, hatchets, flatware and cookery equipment. He will not trade outside his own favor, and much of what he has to trade will be tubers, mushrooms, and other foraged goods.

There is a 1-in-20 chance that any food or tea the party consumes from the hermit will make them mildly ill in 1d6 hours. If the hermit is antagonistic it is a 1-in-3 chance. The hermit may have a companion, roll a d6. On a 1, it is a mutt dog who loves the hermit beyond compare. On a 2, it is an old wolf who was cast out by her pack and has accepted the hermit as a companion. On a 3, it is a boar with a lame leg which will someday be dinner but is now a whiny scrap-beggar at any meal. On a 4-to-6 the hermit is alone.  

If the Scout rolls this event again in a different hex the hermit will be a blind trapper whose mind, sight, and voice have been stripped of him by too much moonshine. He will act much the same as the original hermit, though he will be entirely unintelligible and far more homicidal.  Any additional re-rolls of this event in other hexes see the Scout finding an abandoned shed in disrepair. There is a 4-in-6 chance of finding foraged foodstuffs growing wild in what would've been storage containers and rotten cabinets. There will be enough to feed 3 people, though it will be woody and rough eating.

---

3. The Scout has stepped into a nest of ground hornets, though they’ve yet to sting. The Scout must make a DEX save to remove their foot from the nest, a failure causes 1d4 damage in painful blistering stinger welts the marks of which will not fade for a week. On a success the Scout is able to pull their foot out successfully and should they have a container available they will be able to extricate some bitter honey from their foot and leg to save for later. Honey, even from foul ground hornets, can help preserve the health of a wound and prevent infection.

If this event is rolled again by a different Scout, repeat it as before. If the event is rolled again by the same Scout, the Scout has learned to watch their footing. By following the sound of buzzing this time, the Scout has stumbled upon a large alcove of hives and honeycombs. There is a 1-in-6 chance that a wild beast (a bear, or a regional equivalent) is currently carving up a hive to feast upon the sweet golden honey. The Scout may make a DEX save to sneak and harvest honey in a container, though they will need to make a DEX save for every hive they tap. Each hive will contain enough honey to fill two gallons worth of containers, and there will be 1d8+2 hives. A failure on this DEX save alerts the bees who will begin stinging the Scout with reckless abandon for 1d4 damage a round until the Scout has fainted or fled from the area. If the Scout takes all of the honey, there is a 1-in-6 chance they will be trailed by a wild beast (a bear, or regional equivalent) who is very curious as to where its favorite snacking substance has gone off to.

If this event is rolled a third time, the Scout has stumbled instead upon a beautiful cerulean tulip within which sits a Honeysuckle Faerie. She appears to be made of golden liquid honey in a dress of flower petals and a crown of pollen. Those who can speak the language of the fey will be able to parlay her for information on the area, and perhaps learn of the treasures of her hated enemies (likely goblins or bears). She commands swarms of bees which she will be very protective over, but who are loyal to her enough to sacrifice their lives in an attempt to kill her enemies.

--

Design notes: So essentially, it is a d30 list that has to allow for a minimum of three permutations per item; so that way the list can be interesting even on rolling doubles. It takes a lot to get these working, and I mostly jot ideas for them down in a notebook while on the subway. A lot needs to be brought up/fixed when I transfer them to proper typing. All the same, I'm unsure about the system but I like the results. Working on it all the same. I'll be the first to admit this is long neglected but has potential. d30 with 3 permutations for five different roles is an undertaking, but it has potential.

Hex-Kit Map: The White Marsh (From Blood & Bronze)

All moved in down in Brooklyn for the moment, will be moving to a different area within it shortly enough. Ordered the Blood & Bronze RPG, which is pretty stellar. Roomie and I are already hacking it apart to make a mythic seafaring Greecian game.

All that being what it is, I enjoy the setting a lot and did my best at hacking the hex-kit and photoshop together to make a copy of the free White Marsh supplement's map.

Click for Full Size, it is Quite Big.

The supplement itself can be found here:
https://bloodandbronze.com/2016/07/13/across-the-white-marsh/

I like the swingy combat feel of the game, it'll do well for my purposes. I'd use it for Greek action, maybe a Dark Sun hack. LotFP is still much better for Dolmenwood, then again...it is elegantly rules light and OSR in some fashion.

We'll see how it goes under some stress tests.

Wanderlust: Hexploration on a d6 (Part 1 of 6)

How to Explore the Wilderness

What follows is a d6 skill-based way to further divide up responsibilities for adventurers while they are wandering the wild world, moving from hex to hex, and enduring the elements. They need to roll equal to or under a number on a d6 to avert an event from cropping up, and the number they need to roll is determined by Modifiers to two of their statistics. I find this to be appropriate as in most cases it will see a character with at max a 4-out-6 to succeed, as reaching the vaunted +3 modifier bonus is something far beyond the means of most adventurers in their early days.

Adventurers need to take up one of four roles to successfully manage most issues while travelling, these roles are: scout, guide, look-out, and quartermaster.

• Scouts blaze the trail, go out in front of the group, and raise the call if something needs to be noticed. Scouts are successful on a roll of their DEX+CON modifier out of 6.

• Guides follow the stars, notice the weather, and keep the party from getting lost. Guides are successful on a roll of their WIS+CON modifier out of 6.

• Look-outs take the role of night watch, keep an eye out for traps and ambushes, and acknowledge the spoors and signs of future problems to come. Look-outs avert a mishap on a roll of their DEX+WIS modifier or lower out of 6.

• Quartermasters are in charge of the supplies and making sure everything is properly rationed, nothing spoils, and accounting for items they have gone missing. Quartermasters avert a mishap on a roll of their INT+WIS modifier or lower out of 6.

If your system does not make use of Attribute Modifiers, consider using the following table to determine a character’s skills for wilderness exploration.

Attribute	Attribute Modifier
3	-3
4-to-5	-2
6-to-8	-1
9-to-12	+0
13-to-15	+1
16-to-17	+2
18+	+3

So let us take an example character:
Moximillian is a Level 1 Thief. His stats are as follows:
STR - 9 (0)
DEX - 13 (+1)
CON - 8 (-1)
INT - 11 (0)
WIS - 13 (+1)
CHA - 12 (+1)

Moximillian would have Adventuring Skills as follows:

Scout: 0-in-6
Guide: 0-in-6
Look-Out: 2-in-6

Quartermaster: 1-in-6

For a fresh off the streets berk, Moximillian makes a decent look-out (he’s gonna notice something 33% of the time) and he can keep track of the supplies (but he’s a thief, so bare that in mind). But he is not a man made for scouting or guiding people through the wilderness.

Now that seems like a pretty rate, all things considered. But that is before we factor in supplies and the environment. If Moximillian is the look-out and he’s say, found spoors of a beast they might encounter down the line, he can enjoy a +1 to that roll of look-out because he’s already enjoyed some success and knows to be on the look-out for something. If he sets up bell traps (some string, empty cans, et cetera) give another +1 to that roll of look-out.

So Mox, as look-out, knowing there’s something out in the woods at night because he found signs of it earlier opts to set up some alarms to make sure he knows if it gets too close to camp. He has a 4-in-6 chance to avoid an event, which is not to say that this will scare away the beast but rather it will prevent the beast from getting the drop on him and the party. There is still a 2-in-6 chance that the beast will sneak into camp and wreck havoc.

Plotting Adventure
A Scout who has gathered rumors gains a +1 to get where he needs to, but a Scout who has consulted with rangers, wilderness guides, local cartographers or someone important who truly knows the area will roll with a 4-in-6 (instead of their Skill, unless that is higher). They operate this way until they suffer their first event or go somewhere they’ve been warned not to go and realize this.

If you have a set destination and the means to get there without getting lost in the wilderness (following a road, even an old one, is better for you than wandering through the woods, because a road is meant to lead somewhere civilized), a Guide rolls at a 4-in-6 (instead of their Skill, unless that is higher) until they operate away from the plan by going off the beaten path.

If the Look-Out has traps, alarms, coffee, knows the wilderness, or consults with the same individuals the Scout has, they may operate under the same 4-in-6 roll (instead of their Skill, unless that is higher) until the end of their first night.

Before you leave town, if you properly requisition enough equipment (a number of days/weeks of rations per person, sleeping gear, camping equipment, et cetera) a Quartermaster rolls at a 4-in-6 (instead of their Skill, unless that is higher) until they suffer an event on the adventure. Things always tend to run smoothly until they begin to fall apart.

If the entire party or at least those in these four roles, have done their above mentioned due diligence, the party gains Advantage (roll a d6 twice, take the better result) until there is a failed roll. At that point, these bonuses are lost and the party is left to their own skills to make their way through the wilderness and to their destination.

I would consider putting a hard cap on event avoidance of 5-in-6, unless there is some conceivable reason that nothing could possibly go wrong. Things should always be able to go wrong. Adversity is the mother of innovation. And these static bonuses from having properly prepared for adventure do not account for the penalties of bad weather, visibility or other environmental concerns.

When do I roll?

Scouts roll once a day, they're going ahead and blazing the trail after all. A Scout may choose to roll with advantage (roll a d6 twice, take the better result) but they will suffer a Constitution disadvantage for the rest of the day due to them meticulously trying to find the  best route.

Guides roll once at the start of a journey, enter a new biome/region, or when they get lost. Guides are more of a supervisory position and provided they can keep the party on the right path, they won't encounter many things they couldn't plan for.

Look-outs roll once a day or night, they’re the ones taking the first watch. A Look-out may choose to roll with advantage or to also serve as look-out during the day, but they will suffer a Constitution disadvantage due to their long hours spent in cautious perception. It is often wise to have an additional look-out.

Quartermasters roll anytime the party gains new resources or treasure, because with such items comes the threat of rot, theft, and strange circumstance. A Quartermaster automatically passes any Skill test if they are given a full day to go over their supplies and make sure everything is up to par.

Travel Modifiers

The following three tables show typical modifiers to Skills for travel purposes. A storm itself is an event, and should be treated as its own event within the adventure. It is listed here, alongside things such as war and visibility to give penalties that will help trigger these things being the present and dangerous issue they ought to be--and of course, there must be room for the players to succeed in marching through a storm without getting lost or waylaid by opportunists.

Penalties stack with one another. If ever there is a 0-in-6 on a check, there is a triggered event that cannot be avoided.

Weather Effects, Normal Intensity.

Weather	Effect
Rain	-1 to all checks. Morale Check saves.
Hail	-1 to all checks, 1d4 damage if you do not make camp or find shelter.
Snow	-1 to Scout & Guide checks. -2 to Quartermaster checks.
Storm	-2 to Scout & Guide. -3 to Look-Out & Quartermaster checks.

Visibility Issues

Visibility	Effect
Low Issue (Mist, Wind + Weather, Low-Light)	-1 to all checks.
Moderate Issue (Fog, Rainstorm, Snowstorm)	-2 to all checks.
Heavy Issues (Hurricane, Blizzard, Monsoon)	-3 to all checks.
Darkness of Night	-2 to all checks.

Special Circumstance

Special Penalties	Effect
War	-2 to Scout, Guide, and Look-Out checks.
Drought	-2 to Quartermaster checks.
Famine	-2 to Quartermaster checks.
Plagues	Disadvantage for Quartermaster checks.
Civilized or Peaceful Region	+1 to all checks.

This system should incentivize various materials for exploration and proper map-keeping. Below are some example items and what sort of bonuses they should provide.

Regional Map - Gives a +1 to Scouts or Guides, to prevent them from getting lost by way of wandering into a new region. It can provide insight on the region one is already in, as well as information on notable landmarks, but it grants no bonus for finding your way around the region unless you are within 6 miles of the nearest notable landmark or a road or town which you can use to re-orient yourself.

Astrolabe - Allows you a +1 to Guide rolls made at night, for the purpose of following the next day. You do not suffer penalties usually associated with rolling an exploration roll at night when you use an Astrolabe.

Compass - Gives a +1 to Guide or Scout rolls made to reorient the party or recover from being lost. A magnetic compass is reliable and circumvents the issue of needing to rely on the north star and the sunrise, which can be an issue in certain latitudes or times of the year.

Chests, Barrels, and Crates - Keeping your supplies and rations in securable containers rather than in backpacks or sacks. This gives a Advantage to Quartermaster rolls made to prevent theft, rot, or damage to one’s equipment. This also grants Advantage to Look-Outs by providing an extra barrier for things to be stolen away by predators or opportunists. Advantage is lost as soon as one of these rolls fails, but can be regained after spending time in town or thoroughly cleaning out the containers or buying new locks.

Dogs - All guard dogs or familiars who have better hearing than the adventurers have a 4-in-6 chance to hear anything as a Look-Out. Dogs cannot provide greater information, but should they suspect something they grant Advantage to Look-outs trying to find the object of their attention.

Final Notes This should ensure that there are plenty of potential little events going on the journey from Point A to Point B, and events are not necessarily bad but rather they prevent you from getting to Point B on time and they all have a risk to them for a potential reward.

Next time: Some lists of events for each role, both on the road, off the road, and at camp. Just for sake of variety.

After Note: As with 5th Edition D&D, you either have Disadvantage, Advantage or Neither. Disadvantage cancels out Advantage, Advantage cancels out Disadvantage. It doesn’t matter how many are stacked against you or stacked in your favor.