The Ties That Bind

The Ties That Bind

The Ties That Bind

An Adventure Front adapted from the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying 2e Adventure “Ties That Bind” by Bryan Kropp, adapted for Mark Diaz Truman’s Chaos World setting “The Last Days of Anglekite”.

Adventure Front: The Ties That Bind

After arriving in a small village called Cathich, down in the mutated farmlands fed by the River Wound, a restful night’s stay at the Inn of the Falconer’s Regret is interrupted when the innkeeper calls out in the night. His son has been taken by a horrible Thingtroll, and his daughter is hastily gathering a party to save her from the wretched monster. However, the creature’s lair contains far more than simply a hungry Thingtroll, and there may be more to this Barrow than there initially appears to be…

THREAT: THE THINGTROLL

Starving Monstrosity (Impulse: To feast on the flesh of weaker things.)

This Thingtroll was born out of the Woundwaters alone, and has spent its time very hungry. Only the flesh of those foolhardy enough to pass by its barrow will satisfy, but people have ceased approaching its hill ever since word got out. Its hunger for flesh has led it to a small village not far South from its dwelling.

Impending Doom: Destruction (The Thingtroll’s taste for pampered villager blood grows and it begins massacring the helpless denizens.)

THREAT: THE NOT-QUITE-FERAL VAMPIRES

Subterranean Survivalists (Impulse: To keep their home safe; giants can’t get underground.)

This community of Feral Vampires has kept a very uneasy peace with the Thingtroll for quite some time. Ever since it started hiding near their barrow and devouring the living, it’s become stressful for them beneath the earth. They found shelter here underground after an ill-fated encounter with the Scourge Karkis some time ago, and had lived in relative peace, regaining their sanity and feeding mostly on animal blood, and the rare bandit or hunter that might threaten the peace nearby. Now with the Thingtroll having invaded a nearby settlement and brought humans back with it, their very livelihood is threatened, and they’ll do anything to keep themselves secure…

Impending Doom: Madness (Driven from their home, the Non-Feral Vampires go mad again and continue on the fleeing path of slaughter.)

THREAT: OSORKON

Ancient Vampire Prince (Impulse: To slumber more in peace.)

Osorkon was buried together centuries ago in a tremendous temple (buried under the earth after the first use of the Angelbone Blade), in the hopes that he would remain asleep forever. Thus far he has been content in resting, but some bumbling fools have opened his tomb, and someone has taken his precious circlet, a memento of Osorkon’s wife who has departed from this world permanently. The love and warmth it radiates keeps him asleep, and he’ll do anything to bring it back – even take the vampires living in his home to war.

Impending Doom: Tyranny (Osorkon personally slays those who took the circlet then the rest of Cathich, resurrecting them as thralls and swearing a path of war on the greedy human world.)

GRIM PORTENTS

The Thingtroll makes off with the Innkeeper’s son.

The Thingtroll reaches the Underground Barrow.

Goblins open the Tomb of Osorkon.

Osorkon and Leechu awaken from the dead.

A greedy villager makes off with Osorkon’s circlet.

Osorkon and his vampire faithful arrive at Cathich.

Osorkon, Leechu, and their army of the dead raze Cathich to the ground and vow revenge on the world of the living for becoming so greedy and disdainful of love.

STAKES

Will the heroes rescue the innkeeper’s son?

Will it be possible to maintain peace with a secret colony of Vampires living to the north?

Will Osorkon annihilate Cathich and declare war on the living?

.

CAST:

Hans Plotreiber, the innkeeper’s son, potential Thingtroll snack

Dieter Plotreiber, keeper of the Inn of the Falconer’s Regret, wracked with anxiety.

Emma Plotreiber, proactive daughter of the innkeeper, will rescue her dumb brother no matter what it takes.

Leechu, Orsokon’s vampiric priest and translator, will do as the master says.

When you hold Orsokon’s Circlet, roll+WIS. On a 10+, you feel the love of his departed wife. Take +1 forward on any roll+CHA. On a 7-9, nothing happens. On a failure, the love is too pure. Take -1 forward on any rolls to oppose Orsokon or his forces.

Happy April Fools!

Happy April Fools!

Happy April Fools!

Shadow of the Chefcromancer

Mar-Tha, the Stew Artist (Arcane Enemy)

Impulse: Create a recipe….for disaster!

Grim Portents

-The Secret Recipe is stolen!

-The race for the 7 herbs and spices begins!

-Like yeast, the Chefcromancer Rises!

-The Gingerbread Golems attack!

Impending Doom:

Mar-Tha gathers the forbidden ingredients and makes the secret recipe!

Cast:

Mar-Tha

Magical, Solitary, Devious, Intellegent

Special Qualities: power over foodstuffs

12 HP

Ladle of Scalding  b2d10, Near, Far

Instinct: Learn all the secret recipes of Chefcromancy

A simple cook, Mar-Tha was attacked by a Mind Filleter and driven insane. Now she seeks to expand her power beyond the kitchen. Using secret recipes and forbidden herbs and spices she cooks up trouble for our heroes!

– Control/animate food

– Speak a groan inducing pun

– Lure with a delicious aroma

Ginger Bread Golems

Group, Organized, Small

Special Qualities: Baked Construct, vulnerable to dunking

6hp

Instinct: Obey the chefcromancer that created them

Armor 1, Bite/pommel 1d8, close

These flaky, golden delicious abominations are usually made in groups of 13, a deadly dozen as they are called. They “rise” to the size of halflings, hopping about with a suprising agility that their crusty forms belie.

– Coordinate an attack

– Leave a trail of crumbs

– Run too fast to be caught

Oven of the Toe-Star

This strange metal box seems to radiate heat as it’s metal filaments glow. Any edible substance that is put in the Oven is transformed after 60 seconds into a small pastry with frosting and delicious fruit filling, essentially making it a source of unlimited rations. A skilled Chefcromancer can also use this device to create more powerful creations, boosting their already formidable powers.

It shouldn’t have happened.  It did, but it shouldn’t have.

It shouldn’t have happened.  It did, but it shouldn’t have.

It shouldn’t have happened.  It did, but it shouldn’t have.

Was it dark magic?  A mutation?

Barkblight (Various sizes, Undead, Mindless, Animated) [inspired by The Sharing Knife book series and the Michael Holmes engineered soil bacteria study]

It’s strangely enchanting to watch the grass spread the disease.  When vines unravel and slither like snakes until they find a new bark covered victim it’s repulsive.  When the converted bark falls from a diseased tree like shingles in a hurricane, writhing and shredding themselves and spreading the horror, it’s like peering into the eye of a storm.  But the grass… it bends and sways, seeking neighboring grass to infect.  Untended fields of overgrowth ripple, blades desiccating to a wheat-like palor in a slow wave, like watching seasons pass in moments.  Crabgrass awkwardly shivers, like a series of ever smaller hands resting palm-within-palm, boney fingers waving frantically.  Ferns curl and uncurl impotently, gradually gaining a crackling sound as they dry, eventually shredding themselves and drifting with the winds.  A billion tiny edged blades of grass of every variety, serrating desperately into their unconverted neighbors to spread the necrotic disease.

Rivers stop it.  Roads slow it down.  Hallowed ground somehow survives.  It’s strange to see a country graveyard in lands destroyed by Barkblight – rectangular patches of calm, green grass commemorated by headstones amidst a nightmare of crisp, tan, dry, aggressive flora.

Fire.  It’s impossible to keep it in control, but it’s the only thing that has proven effective so far.  The cure may be worse than the disease, as fire will often crown, leaping over obstacles that will stop the blight.  Hopefully someone will discover a better way.

Each individual plant with Barkblight acts of it’s own undead accord.  They target uninfected flora.  Desperate Barkblighted plants may begin attempting to kill animals (and people) to get at the micro ecology within them.

Impulse :

* To spread the Blight

Moves :

Rot : It only takes a single acorn, skyborn piece of grass, or shard of bark to land within one’s pack before Adventurers learn not to bring plant-based food into the Blight.  The dawning awareness that a major portion of one’s pack has come to life, seeking to spread corruption, tends to leave a mark on the memory.

Desperate Dining : When you eat ‘food’ touched by the corruption of the Blight, roll + CON.

On a 10+ choose one.  On a 7-9, choose two.

* Take the SICK, WEAK, or SHAKY debility. (You may choose this option more than once as long as you do not already have all three debilities)

* Fall into a deep, unwaking, restless sleep for several hours.

* Your gut flora takes a hit – gain a permanent allergy of the GM’s choosing.

On a miss the ‘food’ destroys your gut flora entirely.  Food of any kind no longer holds any nutritional value for you.

Fronts :

-> Dark Wizard Galadus puts out a huge bounty for the capture of a live ent.  He’s certainly up to no good.  The guy’s a moustachioed monologue machine of malevolent machinations.

-> Ent captured, research begins.

-> Blight is born, quickly gets out of hand.

-> County decimated.  Then fiefdom.  Then kingdom.  Then continent.

-> Survivors eventually drive Blight back, using fire and trenches.  Starvation for the vast, vast majority of surface dwellers is a certainty.  Flora variation takes a huge hit too, with only those plants represented on holy grounds or re-imported from overseas represented.

This weekend my group is starting a new campaign.

This weekend my group is starting a new campaign.

This weekend my group is starting a new campaign. It’ my turn to DM and I’ve convinced the players to jump into #DungeonWorld .

I’m going to start in media res and have a few ideas of where the next few adventures could go… but I still want to give the players the option to choose what the game will be like.

My plan is to show them these three images I got from googling concept art. Each one represents a different front. I’m adding some notes to each image.

Thought Experiment:

Thought Experiment:

Thought Experiment:

How would you go about using fronts for other games than DW? (or Grim Portents?)

I like the way every front has dangers associated and as a GM you have a way to tick off things that will happen (or not).

If it’s fantasy you might be able to port it to another game without much work, isn’t it?

But what if you use another genre?

Hello all!

Hello all!

Hello all!

I’ve run DW a couple of times with a pre-made starter but now I’m getting ready to run it for my usual group this Friday. I’m trying to set up a one-shot set in the familiar campaign setting to see if they like DW and want to switch to it. This seemed like a good time to try out the Fronts, so I’ve created an adventure front for the session. I’d really appreciate any input you can give me on it.

Thank you!

I ran my first session of DW last monday. This is the campaign front I assembled. I welcome any thoughts on this.

I ran my first session of DW last monday. This is the campaign front I assembled. I welcome any thoughts on this.

I ran my first session of DW last monday. This is the campaign front I assembled. I welcome any thoughts on this.

Campaign Front

Danger: Ambitious Organization (Cult of Law Geburah) / Horde (Armies of Order)

Moves:

Claim Territory (Gore End)

Eradicate or Enslave the Lawless

Declare War on Khrodha and wipe Goblinoids from this world

Show Dominance to bring the rest under the heel of Law

Grim Portents:

Geburites Marshall at Gore End

Orcish Emissaries Killed

Goblin Spies report to their King

The first fire is awakened on mount Volkun

The second fire is awakened on mount Hirfrost

Goblinoids Rally 

Champions are Summoned

Doom:

War and the Tyranny of Law