Beyond The Borderlands - ISSUE I - Final Version [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

EDITORIAL Hello, dear reader! Welcome to Beyond the Borderlands. This zine was born from my desire to run the classic B2 module "The Keep on The Borderlands" for my close friends after hearing about it everywhere. I started by making some dungeon maps as a little exercise to develop my skills with digital illustration. I posted some of them on Twitter and many great people encouraged me to make this little project happen. The initial idea was to make a single zine with everything needed to run a full campaign but, after realising how long it would take me to create it as I wanted, I decided to release the planned content in three issues. This first one covers the keep and the wilderness regions around it. You will also find a bunch of simple rules to run a hexcrawl but they are entirely optional; In fact, everything is optional. Feel free to use this material as you see fit. Your table, your rules!

The following pages contain maps for every region along with a short description of each hex, a D6 table of rumours about that region and a 2D6 table of random encounters. They are all written to provide ideas for gameplay, but they do not define everything that can happen at the table. Each hex starts with a description in italics; this is meant to give you some idea of how to describe the place to your players. The remaining text covers hidden aspects or procedures to run the hex. For a good improviser, the material is more than enough to put things in motion; but if you like to prepare some things ahead, I suggest you look over everything before and fill in some gaps for your session. The monsters have no stats, the NPCs are barely there and some hexes contain dungeon entrances which are not presented in this issue. These will be further developed in future issues, but I won't ask you to wait for them; please, go ahead and create your own stuff! So, that's it. I hope you find this material useful for your table. Feel free to ask me anything on twitter (@gnarledmonster). Have a nice time with your friends and thank you for supporting my work! Alex Damaceno 27/10/2020 1

Located at the mouth of the Wicked Palovalley protecting the entrance to the Western Kingdoms, this place has a self-organized military force and belongs to no particular lord, but it's economically dependent of the bored nobility looking for adventures in the wild. The garrison is comprised of 36 highly capable men-at-arms equiped with decent gear. All are sworn to the "Church of the Holy Sun" and receive it's sacred blessings every morning for their duties. The law is very rigid and tolerates no transgressions, which are readily punished with banishment or death!

"What is thy business here, foreigner? The borderlands are no place for a holiday!" - Gate Keeper 2

1) Gatehouse Two halberdier guard the entrance at all times during the day. They inquire about peoples business in the keep and won't let

7) Blacksmith Fixes and crafts martial equipment for the watchers. Only sells weapons and armor to those with the Bailiff's written permission.

any armed people in aside from those who work there. The gate is closed from sunset to sunrise, unless you are nobility.

Accepts requests to craft strange and inovative things as long as it doesn't require arcane knowledge.

2) Common Stables Every visitor is required to stable their mounts here and record their entry with the horse keeper. Cost: 2 CP per day.

8) Merchants Guild This place is for members of the guild only. They often leave job offers on the billboard. May store or loan gold for affiliates.

3) Bluewine Tavern This place is the core of the keep. Everyone that lives in the outer bailey comes here to have their meals and drinks. The barkeeper is the Bailiff's older brother.

9) Common Warehouse Visitors are required to store heavy loads of goods here with the inventory clerk.

4) Bailiff's Tower Home of the outer bailey superintendent. The notice board outside is used for job offers and important announcements.

10) Holy Sun Chapel A highpriest and two acolytes perform the holy communion rite every day at sunrise to bless the watchers. May perform blessing rituals to foreigners for gold.

5) Wornboots Inn Run by a grumpy old lady called Karen. Common room: 1 copper. (6) Private Room: 1 silver (10 copper).

11) Inner Bailey The Bailiff's written permission is required to enter this area. Recruits and veterans use the training ground every morning. The castle houses the Castellan and his familly, the guard and visiting nobility.

6) Twin's Pawn Shop Sells adventuring gear and buys it for half of the price list. Collects magical artifacts and pays a good amount of gold for them but doesn't display or sell them. They perform illegal surgical procedures in an improvised infirmary in the basement.

12) Mysterious Cave When you enter this place it looks like a common cave. If you follow the tunnel, you come back right where you started. Described in future BTB issues. 3

LOOT AND STUFF Thievery always has repercussions inside the keep. People become increasingly suspicious after each theft and is very easy to discover who did it. Check a box after each robbery, then roll a D6. If you roll equal or under the box, the guard starts a full search: 1/6 [ ] 2/6 [ ] 3/6 [ ] 4/6 [ ] 5/6 [ ] 1) Towers and Walls Buckets filled with bolts and arrows; Barrels of spears, rocks and flamable oils; Pallets, small tables, stools, benches: places where the watchers usually hide some coins. D6: (1, 2, 3) Copper - (4, 5) Silver - (6) Gold. Another D6: the amount of coins found. 2) Common Stables Mules & light horses - 1 GP / 1 SP rent Piles of forage and sacks of grain - 2 CP A couple of water troughs A human skeleton hidden deep in the hay 3) Bluewine Tavern Apples, Grape, Oranges - 1 Copper Applejack, Wine, Ale - 10 Coppers /1 Silver Bread, Cheese, Dried Meat - 5 Coppers 4) Bailiff's Tower Full Plate Set on display Large Shield with cross engraved Jewelled Inkpot on table - 10 Gold Elven Ring with Bailiff Treasure Chest: 20 Elven Arrows +1 to hit (auto-hit arrows if wearing the Elven Ring) 4

I5) Wornboots Inn Common Lodge: 1 CP / night Private Lodge: 1 SP / night Decent Meal: +1 CP Baths: 1 CP (Cold); 2 CP (Hot) * There are always D4 adventurers housed here, roll a D6 to know who: 1 - Chaos Priest; 2 - Arcanist Scholar; 3 - Hedge Knight; 4 - Foreign Barbarian; 5 - Tough Dwarf; 6 - Disguised Princess; 6) Twin's Pawn Shop The list price for adventuring gear is created as your players ask for them. Determine availability, then roll for the price: Mundane - 2d6 CP; - Uncommon - 2d6 CP; Scarce: 2d6 GP; - Unique - 2d6 x10 GP; 7) Blacksmith Grindstone, Workbench, Iron Anvil; Weapon racks filled with unfinished or unsharpened swords, axes and halberds. A barrel filled with poles and a wooden bin full of spear and arrow heads. Displays with chainmail for repairing. 8) Merchant's Guild The place looks confortable, but austere. The Guild Master stores goods for his affiliates in a big vault underground. The guild receives one or two new merchants every week (D6): 1 - Jeweller; 2 - Tanner; 3 - Vintner; 4 - Peddler; 5 - Alchemist; 6 - Poacher; Business: they make offers in CP to sell in SP or buy in SP to sell in GP.

9) Common Warehouse Lots of wooden boxes, sacks and pottery. Nothing of much value, unless you could steal everything. The warehouse has enough stock to resist a siege for 2 years. 10) Holy Sun Chapel People drop donations in a wooden cup near the entrance; at the end of the day it usually holds 6D6 (21) copper coins. Behind the stone altar, you see six gold ornamental saint figures (20 gold each). There's also a golden cross (15 gold each) on each wall of the chapel, and a big golden cup (50 gold) kept under the altar with a few jars of sacred wine (10 gold). A hidden trapdoor leads to a secret underground dungeon... This dungeon will be featured in future BTB issues. 11) Inner Bailey Here you can find a stable with 20 trained war horses, D6 of them with armor ready. The inner building is equiped with barracks, a big armory and a banquet hall. The upper tower acomodates the Castellan and all the visiting nobles, while the lower tower leads to the dungeon under the keep, where you can find prison cells with D6 important prisoners and a big stone vault full of riches. Described in future BTB issues. 12) Mysterious Cave Nothing but a high pitched silence and a freezing wind coming from nowhere. Described in future BTB issues.

$ NOTICE BOARD $ 1 - Merchants hiring bodyguards to cross perilous lands. Half payment in advance. 2 - The Duke is hiring arrow retrievers for the hunting games. Talk to the Bailiff. 3 - The Church of the Holy Sun is giving a blessed reward for stolen relic. 4 - Looking for fresh blue mushrooms. Bring them to the tavern! 5 - The Keep is hiring new recruits to watch the hunting groves outpost (4,4). 6 - Hiring cartographer to map the Wicked Palovalley. Talk to the Bailiff. 7 - The Castellan is paying a generous bonus for the lost cargo in the sludgy bog. 8 - Merchant kidnapped by ravine monsters. Reward if returned alive. 9 - Looking for legendary magical plant. Meet me it the ruins near the dusky woods. 10 - Have you seen a fairy somewhere? Catch it and bring to the pawn shop! 11 - The Holy Sun festival will be held at the fountain square. Bring your offerings! 12 - Tavern Boardgame Night! Small participation fee; winner takes everything! 13 - Looking for brave warriors to aid me against forces of Chaos. Wornboots Inn. 14 - I wrote this and ran away, now your treasure is far away. - Robin Woods 15 - Don't talk to me or my son ever again! 16 - You are a disgrace to the Holy Sun! 17 - Please, return it to me. I beg you. 18 - What are you looking at? Be gone! 19 - The scarlet night is coming. Be ready. 20 - HELP! (written with crimson ink) 5

STARTING THE GAME The party starts at the Stronglaw Keep (1,3) the only known entrance to the Wicked Palovalley. This is a good time to have players introduce their characters. There's a Notice Board (p.6) on the Bailiff's tower where they can look for work. Have each player roll once or twice on the table to see what they find. Notices will be available for 2D6 days or until they are delt with by the group or NPCs. If a player tries to gather information from a NPC about a particular region, roll a random rumour on the respective region table. TRAVELLING & TIME The group starts with a blank piece of paper for a map. They know where the keep is located and maybe a few points of interest given by NPCs. They can rely on cardinal directions when the sun is in sight and they can have a distant preview of the contents in nearby hexes which the path is not blocked by trees on the map. It takes 1 hour to walk from one hex to another or 2 hours if the path is blocked by trees. If you use a teleportation scroll, roll 2D6 for your new coordinates. Characters start to get tired after 4 hours of travelling and they lose 1 HP for each new hex they enter, making all rolls with disadvantage until they take a 1 hour rest or consume a ration to recover their lost HP.

GETTING LOST When the group travels at night or decides to go throught dense forestation they have a chance to go in the wrong direction; make a DEVIATION ROLL to see where they go. Do not tell them they deviated off course! WEATHER (2D6) 2, 12 - Thunderstorm - save vs. lightning 3, 11 - Heavy Rain - very cold, ruins gear 4, 10 - Dense Fog - make a deviation roll 5, 9 - Cloudy Sky - can't rely on directions 6, 7, 8 - Sunny Day or Starry Night RANDOM ENCOUNTERS There's a cumulative 1-in-6 chance of triggering a random encounter for each hex the group visits; the chance resets to 1 after triggering another encounter. REACTION ROLL (2D6) When the group encounters a person or creature whose reaction is uncertain, roll on the table bellow: 2, 3 - Angry / Hostile 4, 5 - Scared / Unfriendly 6, 7, 8 - Curious / Cautious 9, 10 - Confident / Friendly 11, 12 - Pleasant / Helpful You can use both results in line or roll twice to combine different attitudes, so you could find someone who is ANGRY but acts FRIENDLY towards you. 7

2D6 Region Encounters 2 - A Young Basilisk 3 3 -A watcher turned into stone (still alive) 4 - Wraiths searching for watchers (anyone in chain armor) 5 - Distant shadowy figures (wraiths) 6 - Flock of crows stalking the PCs 7 - D6 watchers patrolling the area 8 - Adventurers camping/resting 9 - D6 Merchants selling stuff 10 - Watchers fighting wraiths 11 - Noble looking for directions 12 - A Mysterious hooded figure D6 Rumours 1 - Watchers believe the windmill is haunted and never go there (T) 2 - Dark secrets lurk underground below the Stronglaw Keep (T) 3 - The ruins have buried treasure (F) 4 - A devil lives at the crossroads (F) 5 - There's a magical sword in the woods near the ruins (PF) 6 - The hunting camp is hiring (PF)

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1, 2 - Small Village From a distance, you can see the windmill blades slowly spining above the trees. You can't see a single soul in any direction, just peasant huts and crop fields completely overgrown with weeds. * The huts have nothing valuable, just rotten food and a few agrarian tools. If players stay in this place for too long they start to hear husky voices muttering about killing everyone in the keep. * There are 12 peasant bodies scatered across the fields and they are found 1D6 at a time. If players manage to give a proper burial to everyone, the wraiths go away and the fields can be cultivated again. 1,3 - Stronglaw Keep Following the river you can see a great fortification crowning the upland. An old paved road leads to the gatehouse where you see two halberdiers guarding the entrance. They ask you to disarm before enter. * This hex is officially the only passage to the Wicked Palovalley. Carriages bring nobles to the keep every week, making it on ideal place to set ambushes. 1,4 - Ancient Ruins On the other side of the river, you can see the remnants of a collapsed structure. The atmosphere gets cooler and heavier as you get closer, your breath becoming dense mist. Inside the structure there is a stone firepit that looks recently used. Who is taking shelter on this place? (D6) 1) Western bandits; 2) Rival party; 3) Peasant orphan; 4) A fugitive; 5) Couple of Watchers; 6) A merchant;

2,3 - Crossroad A watcher is kneeling on the ground hammering something. He is fixing the direction signs and seems very upset. "Every fucking day." he says. "Can't wait to figure out what jerk keeps doing this". *After the first encounter, theres a 50% chance the signs will be broken or getting fixed by the same guy. When it's broken, players have to make a succesful check to go in the right direction. 2,4 - Lost Grove This place is heavily forested and you can't see much farther than a few steps. You can only see trees and tiny rays of diffused sunshine here and there. * An old spell of confusion affects this place. Make a deviation roll every time someone enters this hex. * If players rest here, they will hear a ghostly voice calling for their aid. They won't be able to locate the source of the voice unless they come from the hex (2,5), a direction where the confusion spell doesn't work. * The voice comes from the sword. It tries to convince people to pull it from the rock. Doing so will free a chaos spirit. 3,3 - Hunting Camp You see tents everywhere. They are all occupied by nobles or their servants. The whole place seems heavily guarded by watchers. * Merchants and travelers are not allowed here unless they are hired as staff. There are 6 noble tents in total, each one has a chest where the nobles keeps their $tuff; Make this a high risk/reward situation. 9

D6 Rumours 1 - The big old tree is possessed by an powerful demon (F) 2 - The mushrooms in this forest are living inteligent creatures (T) 3 - Jackalopes hate berries (F) 4 - A divine creature protects the groves from hunters (T) 5 - Legends speak of a plant that can grant magical powers (PF) 6 - The watchers have trouble protecting the groves (PF)

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2D6 Region Encounters 2 - The FIRE BOAR 3 - A sad wingless griffin 4 - A herd of animals grazing 5 - A couple of animals mating 6 - A distracted wild animal 7 - Servants following orders 8 - A bored noble shooting anything 9 - A noble following animal tracks 10 - Watchers patrolling the area 11 - Watchers fighting invaders from the Scarlet Forest 12 - Nobles and watchers fighting the FIRE BOAR (losing)

1,1 - Whispering Tree You see a giant old tree. The entire place is covered in dead leaves and a bittersweet smell fills the air. As you approach the tree, you hear a slow and incomprehensible humming, and then it stops. * The Mad Hermit lives here. He has a wingless griffon as a pet, which sleeps above the tree and guards the area. 2-in-6 chance the griffon will emerge on approach. * The Hermit only ever leaves this tree to gather mushrooms from the grove nearby, which he cooks into soups, teas and pipe materials. All recover D6 HP but get you dizzy (disadvantage). 2,1 - Mushroom Grove A sweet smell intensifies and then you see a grove entirely covered with blue mushrooms. This place looks very quiet. From here you can see the giant tree to the southwest and a cave to the northeast. * When someone tries to gather mushrooms here, there's a 3-in-6 chance they become frightened and run away to hide. * D6 effects of consuming raw mushroom: 1 - Turns into mushroom; 2 - Gets tiny; 3 - Knockout; 4, 5 - Recover D6 HP but become dizzy; 6 - Full HP and +1 next roll; 2,2 - Jackalope Burrows This place is full of berry bushes. You also see tiny holes spread all around. As you get closer, you get the feeling of being watched by a thousand eyes. * If someone tries to gather berries, 3d6 jackalopes jump from their burrows. This can be either a deadly trap encounter or just a cute false alarm, it's your call.

3,2 - Hunting Spot You see arrows and blood stains all over the place. * This is the noble's prefered place to hunt. Easy to navigate and full of wild animals. If you look for prey, roll a D6: 1,2 - Jackalope; 3,4 - Boar; 5,6 - Deer; 4,3 - Glowing Glade You see a chromatic glowing in the distance. As you get closer, you see an exotic white flower in blue flames on top of a bunch of sticks, and then it vanishes, like it never really existed. * This plant is known to the Mad Hermit as a firemother; It grows staves infused with magic fire that doesn't burn wood. * Use this encounter as a diegetic puzzle: How can someone get closer to a target that disappears when fully seen? The best solution gets to steal a fire staff. * To make it harder, you can make the plant self-defend using fireballs. 4,4 - Watchers Outpost You see a bunch of Watchers patrolling a wooden barricade. There are two iron cage wagons here and one of them looks occupied. * The Keep sends watchers everyday to secure this spot from the Scarlet Forest. They take 12 hour shifts that are normally uneventful. * The cage may be occupied by some creature from the Bloody Ravine (5,2) who can be used to gain trust with their faction. Choose or roll a D6: 1 - Kobold; 2 - Goblin; 3 - Mork; 4 - Bugboar; 5 - Hynoll; 6 - Unfae; 11

D6 Rumours 1 - This wood has a deadly fog capable of killing any air-breathing creatures. (F) 2 - The old demon gods live in these woods waiting for their time to return. (T) 3 - Those who die in this place becomes it's eternal servants. (PF) 4 - Every plant in this place wants to either eat you or poison you! (F) 5 - Noble courts are willing to pay a small fortune for the mandrakes who live in the woods. (T) 6 - There are giant spiders crawling all over the place! (PF) 2D6 Region Encounters 2 - SPIDER QUEEN 3 - Giant Spider (spawn) 4 - Mosquito Swarm 5 - Wandering Mandrakes 6 - Captured Mosquitos 7 - Squeezing Vines (from 2,6) 8 - Skeleton (inanimate) 9 - Skeleton (animate) 10 - Walking Tree 11 - Mysterious Cultist Ceremony 12 - SLEEPING DEMON/GOD

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1,5 - Trap Yard The whole place is covered in dense blue fog that smells like death. You can't see much farther than a few feet and the only sounds you hear are rustling branches and your own steps. Suddenly, you see an odd shape. As you get closer, you see a big spiked log on top of a crushed skeleton! * All traps are deadly and poorly hidden, but the fog makes it difficult to avoid requiring a save mechanic to dodge or die. If players come up with a solution to the fog they will be able to see the triggers; describe it and ask them what they do to avoid it. * You can ignore the fog if you find it unfair or boring and go past to trigger descriptions. * After activating the first trap, there's 1-in-6 chance of finding a skelly reloading them. 1,6 - Old Cromlech You see a collection of carved pillars around a big square rock, bones and ashes scatered everywhere. The moon looks way bigger than normal here. * Just a cool spot to perform occult rituals, recharge magical artifacts or take a nice rest. 2,5 - Undead Camp The fog (1,5) seems to come from this spot. As you follow the mist, you find an empty black cauldron alone in the deep dark woods. * When the group first enters this hex, there's a 2-in-6 chance of being ambushed by skeletons. This chance raises by 2 if the group decides to rest here. * The skeletons first ask intruders to leave; If not, they charge without mercy and only stop after being crushed or burned to ashes.

2,6 - Devourer As you go deeper into the woods, the plants start to seem bigger and bigger. Then you spot a giant flower, so majestic that you don't even notice the vines coming to hold your feet. * This is a deadly combat encounter and also a secret entrance to the Caves of Unknown. The entrance is discovered by either killing the flower or being devoured by it. 3,6 - Mandrakes When you enter this place, the deep silence becomes incresingly disturbed by distant weeping noises. As the sound becomes clearer, you see chubby humanoid figures wandering around aimlessly. * These creatures are not hostile by default, but they will follow anyone that crosses their line of sight. Their crying becomes louder and louder, making it impossible to rest. If they become hostile their screaming is capable of exploding eardrums and knocking people unconscious. 4,6 - Spider Lair You see cobwebs everywhere. The ground is sticky and it takes a considerable effort to not lose your boots. As you walk in, you hear the sound of many tiny steps coming from everywhere. * This place is a maze. It's very difficult to recognize paths and one can be easily ambushed by giant spiders. They like to eat small animals and are terrified of fire. * If the characters get caught, they can have a final encounter with the spider queen. She will let prisoners go if they know where her sister is imprisoned (Kobold Lair). 13

D6 Rumours 1 - A carriage full of supplies never arrived at the hunting camp. (T) 2 - There's a witch in the bog, she kills everyone that goes there. (F) 3 - That place is full of demonic fish with legs. (PF) 4 - The bog is inhabited by all sorts of monstruous people (F) 5 - A Dragon lives in the bog! (PF) 6 - There are remains of ancient people from before the bog (T)

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2D6 Region Encounters 2 - The DRAGONFLY 3 - Frogmen running away from the nasty DRAGONFLY 4 - Tough Crab Warrior 5 - D6 Slug-Leeches 6 - D6 stupid baby DRAGONFLY 7 - D6 Angry Tetrapod Fishes 8 - D6 Frogmen chasing Tetrapods 9 - D6 Frogmen gathering riverbed plants to make soup 10 - Frog children fooling around 11 - Sea Witch gathering plants 12 - Watcher's skeleton (loot)

3,4 - Muddy Path Between one body of water and another, you can see a treacherous muddy path. Your feet sink deeper and deeper with each step, and at some point you can't even take your legs out of the mud. * This path is a natural barrier between the bog and the world of men. The Watchers never brave this region, thinking the reward would not be worth the risk. * If your players come up with a solution to walk the path, they will be able to find a lost carriage, full of loot, that never made it to the keep. 3,5 - Shell Deposit You see a trail of shells and hear the distant sound of waves from the sea. The sound becomes clearer as you follow the trail, and eventully you see a huge house-sized shell smelling rotten fish. * The Sea Witch lives here. She is friendly at first, but doesn't like frequent visits. Make a reaction roll next time you see her. * She has a shelf full of disgusting-looking potions, which she may trade for rare potion materials, particularly blue mushrooms. 4,5 - Fishing Spot You see a bunch of little green men from a distance. They are almost motionless, holding spears in the air and staring at the water in deep concentration. Then THUCK! The spear hits the water very quickly and they catch a fish as big as they are. * Most frogman have never seen any humans. Making a reaction roll is a good choice, but I particularly like to see them as ANGRY but FRIENDLY little creatures.

5,5 - Frog Village You see lots of weeping willows atop little burrows. Frog children are jumping around while grown-ups perform daily duties like peeling fish, making soup, and crafting wooden spears. * If the group befriends the frogmen at the Fishing Spot (4,5) they may be brought here to fraternize and share food. * Otherwise, everyone will grab spears and assume defensive positions until someone makes a sudden movement. An elder will come to talk to the strangers, which is difficult as he doesn't know any other language than his own. 5,6 - The DRAGONFLY This place smells like shit. You hear a loud buzzing sound coming from above. The hum gets louder and louder; suddenly a big shadow covers the land, and the ground trembles. A nasty, cyclopean insect has just landed in front of you. * Make a surprise roll. If the creature has not seen the party, it goes straight to drink the murky waters. * If it sees the party, it will fly away and return very quickly to run over everyone. * Spills acid blood when injured. 6,6 - Flooded Shrine You see a vast ancient ruin underwater. The entrance is the only thing that remains above water. A stone staircase leads you downwards. * One easy solution to exploring the shrine is asking the Sea Witch (3,5) for a potion to breath underwater, which she may trade for a couple of blue mushrooms. 15

D6 Rumours 1 - A cave at the bottom of the range can take you directly t to the mountain peak. (T) 2 - Ancient evils sealed in the cave are waiting to be released. (T) 3 - An ancient dragon lives around the hills. (PF) 4 - There are demons flying over the peak. (PF) 5 - Legend says that if you follow the river you will find a magic fountain. (F) 6 - The water from the waterfall is poisonous. (F) 2D6 Region Encounters 2 - Earth Elemental 3,4 - Basilisk hunting big geckos 5 - Starving giant geckos 6 - Giant Bats (caves), Birds of Prey (outside) 7 - Mushroom kids running around 8 - Demongoats flying over 9 - Demongoats playing rockball fall 10,11 - Demongoats grazing 12 - Fire Elemental

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3,1 - Abandoned Mines You see blue mushrooms spread everywhere, in many different shapes and sizes, some grow as high as a watchtower. A bitter-sweet smell fills the air around you and you start to feel a little dizzy. * This is a nice spot to put a mushroom dungeon, but you can use it like a hazardous barrier to the rest of the region. If characters do not cross it quick enough, they will fall asleep and wake in the Goblin Caves (there's a connection between this hex and the Goblin's Caves mushroom farm). 4,1 - Mysterious Portal You hear a bland noise reverberating on the walls. As you follow the noise you see a branching path, one leading to light, the other to a trail of bat shit. * The trail of bat shit leads to the stone portal, which is guarded by a swarm of bats. It's one of the entrances to the Caves of the Unknown, a mythic underworld dungeon that will be published in the next issue. Meanwhile you can use your own version of it or simply have it deactivated until you have mine in hand. 4,2 - Basilisk Lair Behind the Grove Trees (3,2) you see a narrow and bumpy walkway going up the hill. The place seems quiet and you can see the whole grove up here. * It's a false resting spot. Looks quiet, but if players decide to rest here, they will be surprised by a couple of basilisks who live in a cave nearby. If the group decides to search the area first, they can find the cave and even surprise the monsters.

5,1 - Demongoat Hills From here you can see the mountain peak and waterfall. A narrow path goes upwards to a relatively flat grass plain where mountain goats are grazing. As you get closer, however, you see they are not ordinary goats; they have wings and some of them are actually flying. * These creatures are confident/unfriendly. They only attack if someone gets too close or provokes at range. They are proud and ruthless. Cannot be turned into subservient pets, but temporary allyship is on the table. 6,1 - River Source A narrow path goes upwards to the mountain's peak. Atop the mountain is a small cavern that births the rockfall river. Inside you see a weird goat-sized pyramid with glowing carvings. * I just wanted to put an "alien" artifact somewhere. Let your players conjecture the purpose of this object and create conspiracy theories around it. Choose their best idea, give it a few tweaks and hand it back as if it was planned all along. 6,2 - Waterfall Plains You hear the constant roar of falling water. The vegatation is bountiful in this place and the air feels fresh and invigorating. * A nice place to rest. Tend your wounds, take a nice bath, cook and gather food for the journey. Do not roll any encounters unless your players are wandering for too long without any trouble. *Maybe put a cool secret behind the waterfall, like a magic treasure or fairy pond. 17

D6 Rumours 1 - On the bottom of the rockfall range, there's a ravine where man-eating monsters live. (T) 2 - The monsters in the scarlet forest are very dumb and incapable of intricate treacheries like traps & ambushes (F) 3 - The forest entrance is guarded by an old dragon (F) 4 - Theres a secret cave behind the waterfall that leads to the kobold lair (T) 5 - The collapsed bridge leads to a cursed land (PT) 6 - Cursed fairies live in this forest. Nobles consider them very valuable. (PT) 2D6 Region Encounters 2 - Ancient Guardian 3, 4 - Orcs patrolling the area 5 - Kobolds reloading traps 6 - Goblins gathering vegetables 7 - A small herd of deer 8 - Adventurers camping 9 - Adventurers fighting goblins 10, 11 - Faerie melancholic choir 12 - Mysterious Hooded Figure

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5,2 - Bloody Ravine (Caves of Chaos) You see a bunch of humanoid skulls stuck onto stakes. You spot the infamous ravine and it's many cave entrances. The place looks quiet from the outside but smells like hell. * The humanoid monsters are coming from this place. The encounter rate here is 3-in-6, creatures might be patrolling or answering the call of mother nature. 5,3 - Treacherous Grove The ground is entirely covered in dead leaves. Looking carefully, you notice a big pit where something recently fell in. * Roll a random encounter for the pit and determine if the creature is still alive. * The area is full of hidden pitfalls; the group must make three successful tests in a row to uncover the safe path. Failure means the group falls in a pit and must start over. 5,4 - Scarlet Path As you walk into this forest, the trees gradually become vibrant red. The air feels heavy in your lungs and suddenly you start to hear a melancholic humming. You can see a giant skull looking at you from a distance. * A good ear will notice that the melancholic humming comes from the fairy hideout (6,5). If they go there through the trees, they might spot the fairies before they vanish. * If the group spends some time searching the area, they find a skeleton holding a bone flute. (Secret: It controls giant rats and can control any other creatures if soaked in their blood, D6 uses per creature.)

6,3 - Waterfall Basin You see a bunch of goblins carrying buckets of water from one side to the other. After finishing their task, the place becomes completely quiet. * Behind the waterfall is a passage that leads directly to the cave pond room (8) in the Kobold Lair. It's also a relatively good place to hide as the kobold never use this passage. 6,4 - Dragon Skull The giant horned skull is covered in climbing plants surrounded by wild flowers and mushrooms. There's also a collapsed bridge nearby where you can see a distant land over the horizon.... * The purpose of the bridge will be explored in the next issues. The only thing you need to know for now is that the Bloody Ravine is trying to rebuild it. * The skull may serve as a resting place. Monster patrols will only look inside if they see someone getting in. * If the group ignores this place, have another group of adventurers take a rest here whenever they return: The skull's eyes now emit an intense glow.... 6,5 - Fairy Hideout Melancholic humming gets louder and louder until it stops, and the silence becomes so intense that you can't even hear your own toughts. From distance, you see an old ruin surrounded by water. * This description supposes the group comes from inside the region. If they come from the Slugdy Bog, instead describe the Dragon Skull (6,4). 19

WHAT COMES NEXT?

#3 issue is a BESTIARY containing all the monsters and NPC's made for this zine. I'll illustrate every single creature and put together a nice pack of paper miniatures to print and assemble.

As I said, two more zines are in the works.

UPDATE! I'm now in partnership with Jacob Hurst of Swordfish Islands (@vyderac) and we are

The next one focuses on DUNGEONS and contains all the enviroments mentioned in this issue: - The Bloody Ravine (5,2) containing all six dungeons from the Caves of Chaos; - The Flooded Shrine (6,6); - The Caves of the Unknown, a mythic underworld generated randomly; - And last but not least:

The *secret* below the Keep!

planning a future hardcover once the three issues are done. I'm considering including a little set of the house-rules I use to play and maybe some extra content. Once this project is complete, you will have everything you need at your table for a very long sandbox campaign! Thank you everyone who encouraged me to make this project happen. YOU ROCK!

See you later, maze cowboy! 20

WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY ALEX DAMACENO EDITING BY JACOB HURST COPYRIGHT 2020 ALEX DAMACENO PRINTED IN USA PUBLISHED BY JACOB HURST & SWORDFISH ISLANDS LLC SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS