Spinebloom Farms, a riverside desert

Not all desert communities are near an oasis. Long ago the Spineblooms settled in a desert area where the West Thundermoon River took a slow bend. Along that bend in the shallow salty marsh they do their best to raise some rice, as well as some fruited cacti, peppers, vines and largeflower onions in pods.

Originally the Spineblooms were a group of goliath druids, frequently connected to storms and fire. For many generations they’ve lived on The Bend in earthen huts only partially protruding from the ground.

Now, most are not magical. Instead they raise birds — herons (to fish), mynahs (pest control), bulbuls (warnings), waders (fishers) — in an aviary. They frequently trade their rice and catch upriver at the Multunyn Trading Post.

The Location

• Based on a sketch by the player that included domed buildings mostly underground
• Using zone-based combat by Sly Flourish and enabling active locations similar to location moves.
• Ensuring environmental oddities of The Ferments are included.

Thundermoon River

Slow, wide and muddy at The Bend, the Thundermoon River floods every early spring and during storms. It is the source of water which has to be filtered prior to use.

Auntie Dauthia Spinebloom kée Dustcaller is here during the daytime, fishing.

• Elemental affinity: Water
• Hazards: People frequently get stuck in the sands, animals do not. Every second round in the river a person must make a DC: 12 Strength check or be restrained.
• Allies: Birds from the aviary are common here.
• Max occupancy: 10 medium creatures.

The River connects to Spinebloom Commons (the main home) and lower river marsh.

Lower rice marsh

Less productive than upper marsh, the lower marsh is an edge of wild marsh plants and some rice that isn’t farmed. Within the plants one may find a mud mephit rehydrating, or the chwinga family that settled in the Farm.

• Elemental affinity: Mud, water, salt
• Hazards: Some chwingas settled here after the mephit flood.
• Allies: The chwingas may insist they are allies while acting like foes, or they are foes acting like allies.
• Occupancy: 5 medium creatures.

Lower rice marsh connects to the Upper Marsh, Spinebloom Commons and to Thundermoon River.

Spinebloom commons

The main home is inside the Commons. It has a large kitchen and a conversation pit with several small beds cut into the earth at the edges. These ‘rooms’ are frequently sectioned off with blankets or robes, with only a tiny shelf for personal goods. At the entry to the hut is a placement for staves, cudgels and gardening equipment.

Every member of the Spineblooms spends significant portions of their days in the Commons. They will clean items, repair them, play, and gather. All property is communal and the next person will want to use it shortly — it gets left there.

• Elemental affinity: Hearth, dust, earth
• Hazards: Interior has several changes in elevation. The kitchen has many flare ups that could occur. During certain lunar conditions the conversation pit has a dust devil in the center.
  Exterior is cluttered with loose tools, toys, cleaning pans and other small chore sites. It is difficult terrain and an improvised weapon is always at hand. Creatures knocked prone may take damage from the clutter.
• Allies: There are always Spinebloom children present. Roll 2d4 to see how many. Half will be small. 1d4-1 adults are also present.
• Occupancy: 8 medium creatures outside and 8 medium creatures inside.

Spinebloom Commons is centrally located and connects to every other zone, except the Path of Dragons.

Upper rice marsh — also known as Marsh Chwinga

Once upon a time the upper marsh was highly productive for rice, eels and herbs. Now it has long furrows of damage from two dragon/ken invasions and the curse of the chwingas make it flourish for foods while everyone dreads entering the space.

• Elemental affinity: Water, mud, plants
• Hazards: Chwingas may take a soul. When a creature drops to zero HP and fails two or more death saves the chwingas can choose to stabilize it, mud wrap the body and have it kept until the mud breaks.
  There is currently an elven mage encased. The Spineblooms have not attempted to free the elf as its group tried to damage their home.
• Allies: In this space the Chwingas act through their blue thoughts, sideways from morality of people.
• Occupancy: 7 medium creatures.

Chwinga marsh connects to the lower marsh, the Commons and the aviary.

Unkie homes

Adult and middle aged men are the Unkies. They are kept aside from the Commons and the Aunties. They maintain the extremely competitive nature of goliaths, using their abilities and size to show off during the days.

Most of the Spinebloom Unkies came of age during The Awakening. The elements rage within them, frequently out of control. Lalok is peaceful. Others have wandered away with the few that stay not quite fitting in with the farm’s demeanor weaving with nature and kin to grow and thrive as one.

• Elemental affinity: Hearth, fire, air, water
• Hazards: These homes have doors with locks and they can be barred from the outside. Random spouts of elemental anger pop up regularly.
• Allies: Unkies are usually around, but disorganized and will wrestle solo.
• Occupancy: 5 medium creatures outside. Each hut fits 1.

Unkie homes connect to the Aunties, to the Commons, to the River and to the path.

Auntie homes

Most of the women of the family live in smaller huts here by ones and twos. These small dugouts are protection from the elements, but few have cooking hearths.

Two took significant damage during a dragon attack, one of which collapsed and is now a pit.

• Elemental affinity: Hearth, dust
• Hazards: The pit-home is a ten-foot fall.
• Allies: Aunties are frequently in the area able to help with militia actions.
• Occupancy: This is a larger space able to hold 12 medium creatures outside.

Auntie homes connect to the Unkie homes, the path, the aviary and the Commons.

Fruitful Aviary

A mix of cacti and spined bushes the aviary is the home of the non-waterfowl that companion with the Spineblooms. Some of the cacti have fruits that the family eat, turn into jam, and use for meads.

Unkie Lalok Goateye Spinebloom is found at the aviary most times of the day, sometimes sleeping near the spiney bushes. He can create a small pool of water for the bird bath if need be.

• Elemental affinity: Plants, water
• Hazards: The maze of briars and cacti are spiny everywhere. Those knocked prone will take damage.
• Allies: Many birds and Unkie Lalok are present
• Occupancy: 4 medium creatures usually separated by the plants.

The fruited aviary connects to the Commons, the Path of Dragons, the auntie homes and the upper marsh

Path of dragons

A few months ago this path was simply “the path.” It is bare trail with scratched ruts in hard dirt that heads towards the West Thundermoon Mountains.

Then dragons and their ken attacked. They attacked again. Since the river is where the Maltunyans visit, the path is now the Path of Dragons. Everyone assumes more dragons are coming soon. They left one of their own behind.

• Elemental affinity: Dust, sand
• Hazards: Drakes, dragons and their Ken may come at any time.
• Allies: None
• Occupancy: There is no limit.

The Path connects to the Auntie and Unkie homes.

Allies

Auntie Dauthia Dustcaller

Ask a Spinebloom and Auntie Dauthia is a Spinebloom. If you can convince Duathia to talk she may, eventually tell you she’s a Dustcaller, a separate desert goliath collective that lives even more remotely. She’s mastered the ability to use small dust devils to carry fishing lures and nets around the river, until she catches something.

Every member of the family has a different tale about what Auntie Dauthia did before they found her injured along the path. She was a thief, a sorcerer, clergy with the Reformed Church of Quar, a warrior of the wilds or some other mystical thing. They all agree that there is no better fisher in all the land and likely the world.

Unkie Lalok Goateye Spinebloom

Lalok once left the home to work in a caravan. He’s wandered the Ferments and Western Wildes, seen Telse and the Evereflow, visited the Cliffs of Galinor, and Fort Ooshar. He’s seen everything.

He’ll never tell you about his encounters protecting the caravan. It”s the cities and his friends he tells tales of while sipping on cacti mead and with a flutter of sandpipers around him. He still has a massive pike, a shield the size of a table and a helm missing a third of an eye ridge where is slightly bulging ‘goateye’ is.

Adversaries

Chwingas

These elemental sprites act on their own will, with purposes that center the elements, not people. Though intelligent, it is impossible for normal kin to understand what the chwingas want. They are extremely active when Unkies or ken are in the area. If someone tries to visit the encased elf the chwingas attempt to block that path through mischief and thievery.

Dragons and their ken

Twice ken and dragons struck at the Farm. They damaged upper marsh while attacking the Auntie homes and the Commons. These powerful magic users are not local to The Ferments and remind most of the myths of a time unification, before companionship.

Downtime and Quests

Guarase is searching for answers as to why the dragons and their ken came to the Spineblooms. The two attacks leave few clues and lots of damage.

There is a body and two members of the family were away during The Awakening when magic came back to The Ferments

#5e #5e2024 #5eEcosystem #Bastions #DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #homebrew #homesteads #PlayingDD #SpinebloomFarms #TheFerments

The D&D Stranger Things boom is bigger than you think

This post will not contain spoilers for Season 5 because I haven’t yet watched Season 5 of Stranger Things, though I do know it features more Dungeons & Dragons than Seaons 2-4 combined.

If you were to go into Target this fall you’d see a massive Stranger Things display somewhere in the store. Part of that display would feature the D&D boxed set Welcome to the Hellfire Club, which is a continuation of Eddie’s D&D campaign. It felt late, because Eddie isn’t part of season 5.

It was not late.

Welcome to the Hellfire Club sold out at Target. It sold out on Amazon. A light informal survey of local-to-me stores have it as sold out. The physical boxed set can still be ordered on DnDBeyond.

Sure, that could be a lack of ambition from Wizards of the Coast by not manufacturing enough of the sets.

It’s much more likely that the heavy lean back into D&D by Stranger Things Season 5 drove more desire for D&D the game than previous seasons, Critical Role and Baldur’s Gate 3. BG3’s drive of interest into D&D is hard to quantify, but has an extended window over several years.

Google Trends can show you.

Search trends for Stranger Things

Here are the four adjacent media and D&D

D&D, the game, had its biggest boom from the movie, but…

There’s one major difference — lack of tie-in gaming products.

Rime of the Frostmaiden contained a single adventure related to the movie. There was a boutique NPC download related to the movie, but nothing like the amazing boxed set Stranger Things got. Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus was barely related to the video game and its release timing was horrible.

Nothing sold out because of Honor Among Thieves, the best D&D marketing in the history of the game, because D&D wasn’t run as a franchise system with business units failing to talk to each other.

Both the current starter set and Welcome to the Hellfire Club are selling out.

What’s that mean for us Dungeon Masters?

We are responsible for growing this glorious hobby. Thanks to the Creative Commons, various SRDs, the eternal nature of homebrewing and the thousands of other roleplaying games there is always something that’s right for someone.

Find what’s right for your family, your friends and your community.

People are interested. It’s up to you to be the reason they stay interested.

#DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #HonorAmongThieves #PlayingDD #RPG #StrangerThings #TTRPG #WelcomeToTheHellfireClub

Post-Awakening Spellcasting in Kin

In the lands of the Everflow there was no magic, only legend. Those legends were of immense powers, wizards and priests, dragons and gods. They are a fiction. All magic was a fiction, until just a generation ago. When the Two Day Moon came things changed. Power flowed through people in ways that they don’t yet understand. Every single intelligent peoples of Kin have a cantrip, but they are still learning how to activate these tiny spells.

A few release themselves to the powers that flow through the land. These Wild Sorcerers barely control the magical powers that surge in their system. Others have discovered that the through careful practice and faith in the gods, or the lands, they can accomplish little moments of divine influence.

The newly magical lands and people mean that there are some changes to the baseline magic system in 5th edition.

Cantrips

Everyone can learn a single cantrip at the age of maturity. They often manifest during any bonding ceremony. When a player builds their character they pick from the appropriate list (Halfling-Bard, Goliath-Druid, Human-any except warlock; lists from PHB 207-210). An NPC could role randomly, or the DM would select what is best for the story. A character that takes the Magic Initiate Feat (PHB, 168) gains the two cantrips per the following modified rules. They also get the single 1st level spell once per short rest.

Cantrips in the Land of the Everflow are not at-will spells. The peoples have not yet gained the education to channel magic in such a way. Instead any Kin can cast any cantrip they know once per short or long rest, plus their character level, plus the controlling attribute bonus of the cantrip (determined by the class list from which they learned the cantrip). The controlling attribute also grants a damage bonus based on that controlling attribute’s bonus.

Example: Gregr is a 3rd level Goliath Ranger who knows Poison Spray. His is a wise Goliath with a 16 Wisdom. That +3 modifier means he can cast Poison Spray 7 times per rest. When cast it produces a cloud that does 1d12+3 poison damage.

There is also one new cantrip available to any character. First Aid replaces Spare the Dying.

First Aid
Evocation cantrip.
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Component: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
A creature with zero hit points that you touch regains 1 hp and gains 1d4+casting modifier temporary hit points for the next minute or until they take damage that removes temporary HP. It is most often used so an injured companion can retreat from battle. This spell does not work on undead or constructs. At 5th, 11th and 17th level another d4 is added to this effect.

Divine Casters

Through the communities of priesthood or the druidic circles clerics and druids have learned more about how to channel their faith and call on the influence of their gods. Both clerics and druids prepare spells per the PHB, but they cast all non-cantrips as rituals. The only exception are the spells that they gain through their domain or circle and their cantrips. All cantrips are cast per the Kin modified rules.

Paladins and Rangers are mundane in Kin.

Arcane Casters

Warlocks and Wizards are not present in Kin. This is also true of Eldritch Knights and Arcane Tricksters.

Bards are mundane and only learn the College of Lore.

Wild Magic Sorcerers are those people of Kin that opened themselves to the weave of magic and barely control what occurs. Their spells are not rituals. The primary change is that their Wild Magic Surge (PHB 103-4) chance increases by 1 every time they cast a non-cantrip. This surge meter resets on a long rest. At 2nd level these Sorcerers can also choose to spend sorcery points to remove two steps from their surge meter. A Wild Magic can also choose to risk a surge by taking four steps towards surging and gain a sorcery point.

Players or DMs can use a d20 to track their surge chance.

Magic Items

Magic in the Lands of the Everflow is common at its lowest levels, but extraordinarily rare beyond that. This is also true for magic items. Beyond bottled Waters of the Everflow (acts as healing potion) and other blessed locations magic items are under the purview of ruling families, guilds, and faith groups. There is/are the Lorebook(s). Every Kingdom has a Sending Stone. Their partner stones may or may not be on Kin. The fallen Kingdoms Stones were collected by the conquering peoples. Each faith has a Blessed Robe that is passed from leader to leader. Characters know of these by making an INT (Arcana) DC 25 check or a INT (History) DC 30.

Other magic items do exist. Their value is nearly immeasurable. Each has a story. Even a simple +1 longsword is named. Its owner can talk about how she earned it, and how that person earned it or how they died.

#DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #PlayingDD #RolePlaying #RPG

World of the Everflow One-Sheet

A crush of warhounds rage forward, backed by mastiffs with halfling riders. One flank is guarded towering Goliaths. That northern front is circled by eagles, hawks, ravens with a lower mega flock of smaller birds. The south is already falling back. There a tribe riding bison and elk is crushing the Kingdom of Azsel, but other tribes with their horse and sheep are fleeing. The Confederation of Crinth will lose more land and another tribe to the slavers, unless something changes.

One of the largest Goliaths ever known wades through the mess of bodies of both beast and man. He is Jerald. It is not his tribe that will fall today, but the tribe of his wife. Normally peaceful, he is enraged. His flightless axebeak is surrounded by pestering terriers. He cries out to Belsem as Tellanor falls. A greenish cloud of rot breaks forth from his hands and the little dogs perish. Several of the Halflings are in agony. Another cry and another cloud, more Azselites fall. Those not nearby see this cloud of poison spray and back away. Both sides retreat stunned, for this is new. A legend is born that day. The myths of magic awakened.

Campaign Premise

The World of the Everflow is an episodic campaign designed for drop-in play that will most often join a regular group, but that can also play independent sessions, while exploring a world where every thinking person has an animal companion that is both tool and beloved.

Background

Twenty-one years ago the land of Kin (the people of love) had no magic.  Then the Awakening happened. Borders changed as Kingdoms applied these new powers. Quests to discover how it happened, why it happened and what could be done to stop it or further it started. Adventurers young and old left their homes hopeful that they could apply these new, small spells and make names for themselves.

Kin is different now. Still bonded with beasts the people meet strangers with suspicion of odd powers. No one knows what else to expect. What more will happen to the world? Are more legends real?

Grand Conflicts

The Scholars are a secret society of empowered spell-casters who seem to have kept Kin from reaching its full potential. Who are they? Should they have this level of control?

Azsel continues on its expansionistic policy. They are fighting with the Crinth Confederation and threatened Kirtin enough that the century-long conflict with Daoud is put aside.

Two legendary peoples are invading the Western Wildes. The Kon are entering Sheljar in large numbers, leaving some behind. Over at the Cliffs of Galinor and at the Glass Tower the Ken are doing something. Why are the Ken and Kon returning to Kin?

Can you keep the Lorebook(s?) from getting into the wrong hands?

Facets

• All thinking peoples have an animal companion
• Low magic (Divine casters and arcane casters limited in different ways)
• Sand Box play
• Player agency helps create the world’s history.

Variant Rules

• Mundane versions of partial casters. No Wizards or Warlocks. Cantrip for all.
• Gritty realism – long rests require a place of sanctuary and 24 hours of light activity. A short rest is a typical night’s sleep.
• Feats, many able to be taken twice
• Death happens

#DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #PlayingDD #RolePlaying

Lorebooks

Lorebooks, and the search for them, are a large portion of the questing nature of early adventures in the Land of the Everflow. Rumors abound that there is a person, or persons, that have the Book and they know why the Awakening happened. Before the Awakening these were merely thought to be great tomes of knowledge, describing history that goes back thousands of years and even to a time before companionship. After the Awakening some sought them only for knowledge, others soon learned that they are also repositories of power.

The Five have learned that there are more than just the Lorebook they hold. They also learned that Cortez refers to other scholars around Kin that communicate and hide these books from those attempting to use them.

They do not know how these Scholars are using the books. Chorl was once a student under Cortez and clearly sought to use the book to advance the cause of Nak. Trapped between this contest for control of the Lorebook they witnessed Cortez cause a volcanic eruption and probably destroy Chorl and his cultists. As Cortez laughed at his power The Five fled the area with the tome.

Now they head towards Telse with the Book in hand and somewhat aware of the powers contained within it.

The Lorebook
wondrous item, legendary

Half of each Lorebook contains a history of Kin that starts at an event called The Uncoupling. The event itself is not described. The book that the Five hold talks about the Western Wildes and various empires that rose and fell throughout history – Qin, Mira, Bell’an, Telse and Sheljar. That history ends about 10 years prior to the Awakening with Sheljar ruling the West. The introduction includes a summation of the People of the Land, the Land of Az and Sel, Ahid’s Home, the Green Isle, Gallinor and Lake Country.

Any intelligent peoples within 90 feet of the Lorebook are able to cast divine spells at standard casting times. Arcane spells do not climb the wild magic spectrum as is standard in Kin. If a Lorebook is attuned to a thinking person that person gains +1 INT while in control of the book. When attuned the Lorebook’s range becomes 100 feet times the attuned user’s Intelligence modifier. The attunee can also, as a bonus action, choose to limit the effects of the book to only their allies, limited to a number of intelligent peoples by their intelligence modifier. These effects do not override cantrip casting, only leveled spells.

Finally the Lorebook can also act as a spellbook as the final half of the book contains hundreds of spells.

#DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #loreBook #PlayingDD #RolePlaying #RPG

A letter to the workshop

TO: Flasfur Wreltor with Blackbirds and the gobkons Chofs Chupmolea badged al-Chems and Bolnis Abica nox Qawaha via Artok at the Keep

Aboard the ship you’ll find a vial of the corruption I discovered. Additionally this letter’s addendum includes a report of testing as well as a sketch-print of a mechanical hand discovered on this long journey. When I return is unknown. This journey shall be long and ideally fruitful. It is also violent and absurd. Tsavancoast is a land of extreme wealth and extreme poverty, with many artificers, tinkers and crafters mostly gobkon with a few goliaths, plus you wouldn’t believe if but I think there’s a human using cattle to turn wheels like we might a mill. I saw a monkey pushing bellows.

It’s a large city. Where Sheljar is one with the land and full of righteousness Tsavancoast is bright even at night, garish. There’s gambling where we stay. I win regularly.

Sorry. Too long. I get distracted.

You are probably wondering what’s happened with the corruption. It’s a much bigger problem than we or Le Remoden Eisha or the Dragon Council thought. There’s also a local leader in Tsavancoast who is working to spread the corruption while supposedly being in Le Remoden Eisha.

I found that out after repelling an army of walking trees and this weird elf-insect hybrid creatures. Yes, others helped, including some great dwarven sappers who brought down a bridge, scouts that helped save outlying communities, a lot of wizards. It was a staged battle. Midqh helped quite a bit. I learned how to make even bigger fire and booms through its apparatuses.

Anyway, after that massive series of battles — yes, we won, that’s how you’re getting this letter — we chatted with the leaders of the wizard and dragon groups, plus a gent named Ryghast. Don’t ask me the order of who talked to who and when it happened. We were in a casino! I won a few games, many games.

Eventually we chatted. But chatting with Ryghast was difficult. He took me into a magical silence to spill secrets. I tried and tried and tried to break his spells with my own systems. A wizard of his power is well beyond my teknical abilities.

BUT, in his confidence he told me of his double-crossing ways. I immediately told Amos, Rolf, Crag and Nandi, who passed the information around.

Probably created a big enemy. Hopefully he didn’t follow the Sadijh back to the keep. If he did please flee. Artok cannot defend you on his own.

Anyhow, we’re back off to the wilds. The source of the corruption that created that army of trees is our goal. I don’t know when I’ll see you again. I have ideas about what we can do with this hand and I’ve started to work on armored carts with Rolf. There’s also a clockwork amulet that can give one a second chance. My latest invention is to burn a bit of corruption to power our items.

See you again under the Dragon Moon.

Xabal Gaitee Quarter-Flagged Optigraph Balaneer nox Free Tink and non-Commissioned Officer of the Sadijh (on leave in absence)

This recap of the Defense of Tsavancoast is written in first person by Xabal, a gnome artificer, to their hirelings at Xabal’s Workshop set in the Age of Myths campaign.

#AgeOfMyths #DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #NilborgSCrossing #PlayingDD #Tsavancoast #Xabal

West Thundermoon Trading Post, home the Maltunyns

Traveling the harsh lands of the Ferments? Find everything you need at WEST THUNDERMOON TRADING POST!!! Settled in the foothills of the Thundermoon Mountains a half a day’s ride west of Ourten, WEST THUNDERMOON TRADING POST is the go to location to find all of your hunting and travelling needs.

Run by the Maltunyn family for generations, they’re knowledge of the local terrain, as well as their selection of only the finest gear will ensure your travels will be safe and comfortable. Or you could pick up some of the finest furs and rations provided by master hunter Velthuria Maltunyn, and her daughter Keesrah. If you need a quick repair, or even an herbal remedy or two, Cay Maltunyn has you covered.

With the experience of generations, and a deep love of the land and air, the WEST THUNDERMOON TRADING POST is a must for any serious travelers of the Thundermoon Mountains. Visit the WEST THUNDERMOON TRADING POST today!!!

You can find that brochure throughout the villages and homesteads of the Thundermoon Mountains in The Ferments.

Keesrah Maltunyn, a human guide and drakewarden ranger with a raven named Crow, is the player character who calls the trading post home.

The West Thundermoon Trading Post is about two days south by southeast from Orten. The post is on the southerly road towards a desert region. That road runs roughly parallel to the Thundermoon River. In the hills and mountains are a few fishing and hunting families.

The Location

• Based on The Caravanserai by Dyson Logos
• Using zone-based combat by Sly Flourish
• Ensuring environmental oddities of The Ferments are included.

Guarded entry

A wooden wall surrounds the Trading Post. The entry is where all merchants and visitors arrive. There are two large doors, which are barred at night. A guard stand rises to the left of the doors, as one exits. It can hold one medium creature and grants them half cover. A ladder provides access.

• Elemental affinity: None.
• Hazards: Breaking down the closed door requires a DC: 15 Strength check.
• Allies: The goblins and family can provide ranged or melee Militia Actions.
• Max occupancy: Five medium creatures.

The guarded entry connects to the lava forge, the merchant stalls and the loafing sheds.

Lava Forge

A small semi-open air forge where Cay works as a sometime smith. The heat and bellows are from an active fissure where magma surges underneath the trading post. Malk, the goblin captain, now helps out. Malk and Borkin also store their own clutter there, including the smog-buggy.

• Elemental affinity: Earth, fire, lava
• Hazards: Those knocked prone who fail their DC by five or more take 1d8 fire damage from the forge. Forced movement can result in the tools of the trade being knocked all over, turning the Lava Forge into difficult terrain. Oh, and beware of a lava flare — who knows when that will happen.
• Allies: Cay, Malk and Borkin may be present
• Occupancy: Four medium creatures.

The lava forge connects to the guarded entry, to the trading stalls and the hunting gate.

Trading stalls

One large and two smaller open stalls sit in the large enclosed central space of the post. Various homesteads and outsiders come through with their wares on a seasonal basis. There’s a central fire pit with some large stones and simple benches frequently with a stew pot and hot beverages available.

• Elemental affinity: Fire, air
• Hazards: The cook pit can become a fire hazard, doing 1d8 damage to those who fall into it and setting their flammable gear on fire. It provides 10′ of bright light and 10′ of dim light at night.
• Allies: Neighbors may be present depending on the season. They will almost always limit their help to rallying the Maltunyns.
• Occupancy: 3 in the large stall, 2 in each small stall and room for 12 more medium creatures.

The trading stalls connect to every other zone except the hunting gate.

Loafing sheds

Like everyone in the Six Kingdoms the Maltunyns have space for beloved animals. These sheds are designed for equines, canines as well as the rare bovine or more exotic companions. There are small cabinets for feed and tack.

• Elemental affinity: Cold, air
• Hazards: When occupied the animals could be feisty.
• Allies: None typically
• Occupancy: 7 medium creatures.

The loafing shed connects to the guarded entry, the trading stalls and the Maltunyn home.

Hunting gate

Known for the gate that Caile leaves open it’s actually the place where Cay raises herbs. There’s also the gate to the hills where Keesrah and Velthuria hunt. It’s also a lower land, near the river.

• Elemental affinity: Water, plants
• Hazards: During heavy rains the mud creates difficult terrain. A rapid freeze after rains can lead to icy conditions.
• Allies:
• Occupancy:

Thundermoon River bridge

A few weeks ago there was a small wooden bridge over the river. Then the mephit mudslide took it out. Now a ford those that cross must be wary of mud mephits who settled in the area after the slide. Heavy rains may bring them back and upriver there is a threat that the open lava could change the river’s path.

• Elemental affinity: Mud, water, maybe lava
• Hazards: During floods the ford is impassable terrain without aids — ropes, other people or animal companions. Mud mephits may strike at random, the little chaos beasties they are.
• Allies: One of the Maltunyn animal companions are frequently in the area.
• Occupancy: This is a large space without a limit as it connects to the hills and mountains.

Thundermoon River bridge connects to the hunting gate.

Maltunyn home

A two-story wooden building, the ground floor of the home is mostly accessible to the general public. The main room is a mix of general store with goods on consignment, smithed tools, dried or smoked meats and a few tables with chairs for visitors. This room can be entered from either the hunting gate through a small side door or the main entry connecting to the trading stalls. An outer stair to the second floor reaches the roof of the loafing sheds and a narrow platform along the wall running to the guard stand. There’s a small open kitchen/stove with a root cellar stretching under the homestead wall near the river.

The second floor is two bedrooms and a small aviary.

• Elemental affinity: Smoke
• Hazards: Bar fights are rare, mostly because Cay is a smith and Velthuria is a scout.
• Allies: If the trading post has visitors one of the family or goblins is always present.
• Occupancy: 10 medium creatures

Allies

Velthuria is Keesrah’s mother. A human scout with a small dog, she is the primary hunter and runs the operations such as rentals of the three stalls for merchants.

Cay is Keesrah’s father. A human smith with a miniature pony, he uses a magma powered forge, Cay can craft anything with metals. He also grows herbs.

Caile is Keesrah’s brother, a human with a small dog. Smitten with one of the Drudzhar Caile sometimes wanders off on his own. Ally, but adversary sometimes.

Malk is a goblin captain and was saved in session one. A colonialist they are searching for resources for the Queen. They may become an adversary.

Borkin is a goblin cart driver. They are less colonial and more willing to help the Maltunyns, especially in defense and general labor. Malk is still their boss.

Henkel family

River fishers in the ponds and streams of the low Thundermoons the Henkel family are halflings with river dogs. They are indebted to Keesrah after she rescued Taier one of their younger teens.

Adversaries

Clan Drudzhar

A group of goliaths who live higher in the Thundermoon Mountains. Clan Drudzhar and the Maltunyn’s have been arguing, and sometimes openly fighting, over hunting territory in the mountains for years. One of their children is in love with Caile.

Their home is high in the scrub mountains and was recently near the mud mephit floods. They and the Maltunyns use different styles of traps and will frequently destroy each other’s snares. Birds of prey are their most common companions.

Elements of mud and lava

Mud mephits, magmin and lava elementals roam the Thundermoons. These adversaries are manifestations of The Ferments, a land that refuses to be tamed.

Children of Chorl

Punch chickens raided a market stall, but quick action by Keesrah and her acquaintance Ellis ended the theft and the punch chickens. The two later learned that the Children of Chorl raided Ourten too. These human-animal hybrids seem to be hiding in the hills or plateau near Pirna Farms, now Ellis Mill.

Kon colonialists

While saving the lives of Malk and Borkin pushed off the investigation by the Queen’s goblins into how the resources of The Ferments could replace the tar trees of their homeland. That colonial raid and investigation may expand.

Downtime and Quests

Keesrah is researching how to create Serpent Scale Mail armor. She’s learned that the elemental drakes do not leave behind enough resources. The dragonkin raiding Spinebloom Farms do.

Previously some work was done to reinforce the guarded entry which connects to the road Outsiders arrive along.

#5e #5e2024 #5eEcosystem #bastions #dnd #dungeonsAndDragons #homebrew #homesteads #playingDd #theFerments

Ferments, Sessions three & four: Mud mephit slide, wake, fey chwinga

In session three the focus was on Keesrah. A duet session handled on Discord due to let turnout, session three was a fine example of the intent behind The Ferments campaign — always find a way to play D&D.

Session four was held at Logan Brewing in Burien, as is typical. Keesrah and Guarese attended.

What did the other characters do? We’ll use downtime to talk about the use of their homesteads as bastions, Xanathar’s downtime actions and/or improving their defenses for Militia Actions. And, due to player feedback we’re including traps in Militia Actions to embrace the case where a homestead may be solo or light on membership.

The Ferments reading;

• One sheet
• Common knowledge
• Sesion one
• Session two

Session three

Keesrah heads into the scrub mountains for food to celebrate the visit of the liquor-creating family of halflings from downway. Her mom is on the trip.

During this trip in horrific weather a mudslide forces a change in path, and eventually she is attacked by mud mephits. It’s a fierce encounter on the edge of failure. But together the two managed to hold off the mephits.

Later in the trip home they notice a fox, Rennard. Using spellcraft, Keesrah learns that fox is the companion to Taier Henkel. Tier is missing, and presumed dead.

Keesrah and her mother, Velthuria, need to cross the mudflow to return home. Using some craft, luck and Crow the Raven the two managed to safely cross the mud mephit slide. Keesrah is punched by a mud mephit swimming through the flow.

After the flow and storm subsides Keesrah and Caile (the brother) head into the hills to talk to the Henkels and then the Drudzhars. One of these conversations goes much better than the other.

As a sign of fellowship, and because of Caile, Taier’s memorial is to be held at the Trading Post — there’s also easy access to the liquors from the visiting family.

The celebration goes well, except for the fight between Caile and Keesrah.

Learned clues

• Keesrah Maltunyn learned that the Henkel halflings get along with Clan Drudzhar.
• Caile is friendly with both the Henkel halflings and Drudzhar.
• Taier Henkel washed away in the mephit mudslide.
• Keesrah rescued Taier’s fox Rennard.
• Taier’s body was encased in mud by chwingas claiming he gave them a piece of his soul.
• Chwingas released Taier when Guarase Spinebloom said he’d find them another bit of soul — maybe his.
• Ken raiders with an ambush drake made their presence known. One donated its soul.
• Guarase earned a Charm of Heroism granted by the semi–domesticated fey chwinga that now live in the Spinebloom’s rice marsh.

Session four

This was the first session featuring the Spinebloom homestead. It is a series of mostly underground dome structures in a desert environment. Many Spineblooms have some druidic magic and they use this and their traditional growing methods to have the least influence on the environment as possible.

The same river that goes past the Maltunyn’s flows to the Spineblooms. Since The Ferments are infested with extreme elemental influences the desert and scrub mountains are close than is practical in a typical world.

Keesrah and Caile travel along that river to try to find Taier’s remains. That journey includes meeting Guarase who helps them search. There is a mud casing hidden in the rice marsh the Spineblooms farm.

Unfortunately there are also chwingas, little elemental sprites whose morality is not the same as humanity. These chwingas rescued Taier, but kept him cased as a way to protect him during the mephit mudslide.

In order to get Taier free the chwingas demand another soul. Somewhat confused, Guarase agrees. Then the goliath figures out that they mean his soul.

During this exchange the non-chwingas notice two advancing elves and an ambush drake. Keesrah sends Caile and Taier home.

Guarase and Keesrah fend off the elves, while the drake and those elves destroy a third of the rice marsh including many chwingas. When one of the elves is dropped unconscious in the marsh a chwinga captures its soul.

The elves also damage a Spinebloom home.

Keesrah and Guarase learn of more threats to The Ferments, more friends that could be made and the challenges to come in a land that threatens their livelihood.

#ambushDrake #chwinga #DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #Ferments #homebrew #mephit #PlayingDD #recap

Ferments, Session two: Punch chickens, Malk the taker, Lenny the lynx

The second session of The Ferments campaign, an East March style took place again at West Thundermoon Trading Post.

Again, the session started with rolling on the random encounter chart. Only one of the encounters happened, as there was a lot of great roleplay between the characters.

That encounter was with “Chickens with arms and fists” also referred to as “punch chickens.” These larger-than-a-turkey chickens have humanoid arms coming out of their wing joints and are semi intelligent.

The Ferments reading;

• One sheet
• Common knowledge
• Sesion one

Session two started with a brief recap of the last session and a reminder of the nature of the East March campaign — problems come to you.

Then Keesrah spoke to her brother, Caile, about the situation with the open door up to the game trails. That conversation leads to the discovery that the brother is dating one of the goliaths in the rival clan up in the hills. Keesrah leans on the young love bird to keep the doors and gates closed as the brother mocks Keesrah for the fight with the fire snakes.

Ellis, a guest (another PC) enters the compound seeking materials for their homestead. He’s taken over an abandoned plateau homestead nearby. Those religious zealots left the region nearly 30 years ago during the time of the born generation. With decades of wear on the home, mill and other equipment Ellis will have to work hard to reopen the spring-fed mill and granary.

Needing smithed goods, Ellis chats with Keesrah’s father, Cay, and the goblin Malk. During those conversations Keesarh and Ellis learn that Malk is not merely a refugee, but has strong goals to learn how to take the magma and steam power from The Ferments to the Queen.

Learned clues

• Malk (goblin leader) is a taker. They want to take whatever they can from The Ferments that helps the Queen.
• Keesrah’s brother has a lover up with the Goliath Clan Drudzhar.
• Ellis homestead was previously abandoned by religious zealots during the Born Generation when magic returned.
• Someone is creating animal hybrids.

Those first three clues are from the conversations between the characters and the named NPCs.

The fourth clue was an interjection because I could tell the table needed some action, plus there were two random encounters rolled and we hadn’t gotten to either.

Using the open door to the game trail from session one, and the obvious wealth of the trading post as inspiration the punch chickens were the easier of the two random rolls to integrate.

Punch chickens

Three punch chickens are discovered by Ellis’ lynx, Lenny. The lynx flushes them out of one of the merchant booths. Those armed chickens are carrying some goods away, sprinting towards the open door.

What are punch chickens?

Statistically they are axe beaks (Black Flag page 371) that punch rather than poke. Their special ability of Evasion turns out to be too significant for 2.5 combatants.

Deadly encounter

This is a deadly encounter with two characters and one combatant animal companion. The action economy combined with consistent dodging means both characters are dropped unconscious. The final roll comes down to Ellis’ lynx versus a wounded punch chicken. The lynx lands the fatal blow.

Keesrah did bar the door preventing a simple escape, so even if they had completely failed there was a narrative success available via the peasants and non-heroic NPCs.

Keesrah’s mother, Velthuria, helps the group heal.

During the recovery the group used some social checks to learn that the punch chickens likely originate from a group that myths call the Children of Chorl (an evil transmuter who tried to create various hybrid creatures).

#DnD #DungeonsAndDragons #EastMarches #Ferments #PlayingDD #recap

Inkling Dragon

Inkling Dragons are thought to be related to pseudodragons, but where the pseudodragon is a wilderness lover the inkling dragon is generally an urban drake that enjoys being surrounded by books, scrolls and pamphlets.

Generally the size of a large rat or small cat inkling dragons can be mistaken for an immature jaculus drake. As all dragonkin hoard something, an inkling dragon is consumed with the pursuit of knowledge and writing, similar to paper drakes.

An inkling dragon without a companion can be found in libraries, universities, bardic colleges and wherever records are kept. Some are creatives writing fiction and song. Others are historians, tracking the world through the written word. At least one inkling dragon is known to only write in mathematics. This inkling dragon, Aymon, is a friend of transmuters, tax collectors and merchants often working as a clerk or calculator.

The Inkling Dragon was created as part of a limited commission in the upcoming book Dragons of the Dwindling by Dragons of Wales (Andy Frazer).
Follow Dragons of Wales on Instagram, Threads and Mastodon. Support Dragons of Wales on Patreon.

Inkling Dragon companions

Frequently inkling dragons and writers bond over their love of the written word. Sought after by many wizards and writers, an inkling dragon chooses their companion as much as their companion chooses them — the tiny dragon has to find the work engaging and relevant to their own writing.

This work includes material taken from the Black Flag Reference Document 1.0 (“BFRD 1.0”) by Kobold Press and available at Black Flag Roleplaying

Inkling Dragon stat block

Inkling Dragon (CR 1/4)
Tiny Dragon

Armor Class 14 (natural armor, small size)
Hit Points 8
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft.
Perception 11 Stealth 12
Resistant none | charmed
Senses darkvision 30 ft., keensense 10 ft.
Languages Common and four other languages (or cultures)

Heightened Senses. The inkling dragon’s Perception is 20 when perceiving by sight. Ability checks for Perception using sight use Intelligence.

Magic Resistance. The inkling dragon has advantage on saves against spells and other magical effects.

Limited Telepathy. The inkling dragon can magically communicate simple ideas, emotions, and images telepathically with any creature within 30 feet of it that can understand a language it knows.

Copying a Spell into the Book. When an inkling dragon or its companion finds an Arcane spell of 1st circle* or higher, the inkling dragon can add it to a spellbook if it is of a spell circle the companion can prepare and if they can make time to decipher and copy it. For each circle of the spell, the process takes 1 hour with no gp costs. Once the inkling dragon spends this time, the companions can prepare the spell just like their other Arcane spells. Copying a spell from a scroll into a spellbook doesn’t consume or destroy the scroll. Non-magical writing is written four times as fast when compared to humans. The inkling dragon produces ink from its tail as long as it isn’t at level two exhaustion or higher.
* Black Flag uses circle as D&D uses spell level.

Ritualist. An inkling dragon with its own book can be a Ritualist, per the Black Flag Talent. The spell source is Arcane. Intelligence is their spellcasting ability. The inkling dragon knows one 1st circle ritual (typically Identify). If the inkling dragon is a companion to a spellcaster it can learn rituals at the same circle and source as their spellcasting companion.

1st circle Arcane rituals

• Alarm
• Create Familiar (these can only be common beasts)
• Identify
• Illusory Script
• Unseen Servant

ACTIONS

Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 11 DEX save or be poisoned for 10 minutes. If the creature fails the save by 5 or more, it is stained by ink per Ink Stain below. This staining does not count against the number of uses per day.

Ink Stain (1/short rest). On a successful sting the inkling dragon can mystic mark (Ranger) one creature. While a creature is marked (including for the attack that triggered the mark), the inkling dragon and allies deal an extra 1d4 damage to it (of the same damage type as the weapon) each time you successfully hit it with a weapon attack. A marked creature can use an Action to remove the Ink Stain. An inkling dragon that is a familiar or companion to a character may use this ability proficiency bonus (of that character) times per day rather than once per short rest.

#BlackFlag #DnD #dragons #DragonsOfWales #DungeonsAndDragons #homebrew #inklingDragon #monster #PlayingDD #TalesOfTheValiant