Meet the Castellan: Morcant Dupoisson

The Council in the Keep is made up off the Castellan, his Scribe and his Advisor. They are working together to halt and defeat the forces of chaos trying to invade the lands through this little  fiefdom. The actual Count of the keep (Count Leopold de Chouxchaude) has gone missing, and the Castellan, his uncle on his mother’s side, has taken his place.

This is kind of what the Castellan looks like.
"The Prefect Raffaele Raggi", Van Dyck, c. 1625

The Castellan: Morcant Dupoisson

HP: 14 // ARMOR: 10 // ATT: +3 // WIL+2 // DEX+1 // STR: +2

Morcant Dupoisson is known to:


• Have gone on many an adventure in his youth, all over Europe.


• Be older than the count, but not by much, being one of the last children born in a long line, while the count is a first child of a first child

• Possess strange and magical items.

Morcant Dupoisson is said to have:


• Traveled to the underworld and back, to make a deal with death so he could save the life of his betrothed.

• Plans to take over the region for himself. He is amassing an army of capable warriors in the Keep.

• A strict but benevolent ruler, trying to make calls that are just and fair.

Morcant Dupoisson will ask you:


• Why you did not spare someone.

• Why you did not kill someone.

• What you think your next step will be.

Gear

Enchanted orichalcum plate mail:

 
• +2 Armor


• It is enchanted for ease of movement, negating the normal penalties of wearing heavy armor.

Round, Hellenistic, bronze shield depicting Caerus mid-run:


• +1 Armor (1 hand). 


• Time Stop: When an action is taken to ring the shield by banging something against it like a sword, all who hear it of the shield bearer’s choice, must make a WIL Danger Roll or be unable to move for an entire turn. 


• After doing this the shield remains humming for 1d6 turns. As long as it’s humming the ability cannot be used again.

Ring of protection bearing the image of a shield: 


• +1 Armor

Enchanted orichalcum sword inscribed with the command to be as sharp as it can be: 

• Exploding dice, unlimited! (when a six is rolled, roll an extra die, if that is a six, roll an extra die, etc.)

Dagger made from orichalcum, bearing the picture of a cloud with a face, blowing: 


• Gust of Wind: Can be pointed at an enemy. 

• They then have to make a Danger Roll with STR to resist being blown away by the sudden gust of wind. 

• Will hit everything in its path.

Unassuming Cloak & Boots: 

• Give advantage on hiding and moving silently in normal situations. 


• Makes hiding and moving silently possible in situations where it normally wouldn’t. (In plain sight, over a floor of silver bells, etc.) GM fiat.

Oil of Levitation: 


• Makes anything or anyone anointed with it float. It/they cannot control its flight through the oil’s magic. That will take mundane wit to solve.

Potion of Healing: 


• Better than bottle of medicine. Heals 1 die worth of HP. Takes an entire turn to drink.

Chain of Office: 


• Very valuable and symbol of office.

On Killer Bees

On killer bees

HP: 1 // ARMOR: 7 // Special: Dies after stinging // Fast fliers.

 “Jupiter, king of the Roman gods, is said to have given the honeybee his stinger, to protect his honey. His wife, Juno, however, insisted there must be payment for this gift of a weapon, so Jupiter gave the stinger with the condition that the bee dies should she use it.”

Image by rawpixel.com

Bees the size of loaves of bread are sometimes spotted around the borderlands. But where do they come from? Where do they find the nectar for their honey?

Where do they come from?

1. Deep underground, where there are giant caves full of giant animals and plants.


They are lost and confused. This upsets them greatly. A system of caves must be close by that leads to these strange lands. Their honey has natural healing properties. It is prized by their countrymen.

2. The realm of fairies, where they feed off of giant flowers.


They are silken white with golden haired stripes and their buzzing sounds somewhat like the tinkling of bells. A passage to the realm of fairy must be close by. Their honey has magical healing properties. It is prized by alchemists, witches and other magical people.

3. A magical experiment gone wrong. 

There’s an alchemist somewhere close by, crushed under the weight of a fallen and enlarged hive. The bees are quite upset at this. Their honey is infused with chaotic, badly controlled magic. Roll on the mutations table (Maze Rats, p.3) for effect on consumption.

4. They are messengers between our world and the spirit realm. 


They have a message for you, for good or for ill. What did you do to be noticed by the spirits and the gods?

5. They are the servants of a local, hidden nature spirit.

They live deep in the forest, in a hollowed out ancient oak surrounded by flowers that are big enough for the bees to gather nectar from. They try to keep the surrounding lands to the wishes of this spirit. Local Gaul have little shrines around, giving tribute to the bees and their mistress. It would be unwise to take these tributes for yourselves. But they look so good (tasty, valuable, ...).

6. Escapees from the hidden magical gardens of a great wizard-hermit. 

Somewhere in their flight radius there must be a wizards tower. It is very likely hidden from view through magical illusions. The wizard has dressed these bees up with silk shawls and golden chains bearing the wizard's mark.

So you took to the road in the Borderlands (Encounter Table)

So you took to the road in the Borderlands...

This is a dangerous thing to do, and we're playing Maze Rats, so make a Danger Roll! 
If there's any reason for you gaining advantage or adding a stat bonus, argue for it now.
Whether or not you succeed, an encounter will be had. The result of your danger roll just decides how well your encounter will go. 

Pilgrims arriving in Rome for the first Jubilee in 1300, from Giovanni Sercambi’s “Chronicles,” around 1400.
Credit...Archivio di Stato, Lucca

After the Danger Roll has been rolled, the GM also rolls 2d6, basing the encounter table on this blogpost by Papers and Pencils, adding, consequently a dragon and a wizard (or in this case, witch) to the module. Also, not wanting to throw away a roll if the danger roll was successful, I have two entries on each encounter. One if you are in danger and one if you are not in danger.

On the Road

2. Dragon: Baby Chaos Dragon, will grow as chaos grows in the region. Hungry, new and curious/inquisitive. Will ask for a name, since nobody has given it one yet. 


In danger: It is hungry. You look tasty.


Not in danger: It’s curious about this world and will ask you many questions until it is satisfied. (make a procedure?)


3. Weird Stuff: 8 Skeletons in dirt covered monks robes carrying a closed litter/palanquin containing recently found and excavated bones of the ancient dragon. If they get away with their quarry, increase the influence of chaos in the region. 


In danger: They will defend their treasure with violence, seeing you as a threat. 


Not in danger: They ignore you.


4. Weird Stuff: 3 Bees, the size of a loaf of bread each are buzzing around.


In danger: They are aggressive and assume bad intent on any that approach.


Not in danger: They are playing, roughhousing like little puppies.

5. Weird Sense of Place: 3 Acolytes of Saint Christopher’s Road Guardians come by and check up on you.


In danger: They suspect you of being in league with the forces of Chaos and will find reasons to support their claim. They try to take you captive for interrogation. One of their number has recently been lost to a wicked witch who was disguised just like a normal old lady. In wanting to help, they had been duped and he had been lost.


Not in danger: They ask about your travels and any supernatural things you have seen. If nothing untoward has happened in this conversation they will bless you before they part ways with you.
 (gaining advantage on travel checks for the rest of the day)

6. Sense of Place: 6 Bandits on the road, looking for easy money.


In danger: They try to ambush you and take your valuables. They are not out to kill, but will if threatened.


Not in danger: They are ambushing a trader, promising to do nothing to you if you just look the other way and let them be.


7. Recurring Characters: Gros Jean has a manacled prisoner on a chain and is sitting down with a pensive smile brainstorming on an apt punishment for the oath the prisoner broke.


In danger: He comes up with an idea, but to do that he will need some human skulls. Yours will do.


Not in danger: He asks for advice, saying that this farmer had promised his first born child to the Witch Magobia in exchange for the elixir that saved her life during pregnancy. But now the child has ‘miraculously disappeared’ and the witch's benevolence has been taken advantage of.


8. Sense of Place: 2 traders and a pushcart. They are armed up and will defend their wares (all different kinds of tools and implements: see Tool Items in Maze Rats, p.7) with lethal force. At least, that’s their intention.


In danger: They will assume you are robbers and they aim crossbows at you, asking your stuff as reparations for the stuff they have already lost ‘to you guys’ today.


Not in danger: Will ask where you are going and suggest you join them on the road if you are going the same way (50% chance).


9. Weird Sense of Place: 12 Gaul at the edge of the woods. 4 are armed with short spears and mounted on boars, four are not, holding sickles and knives, four are children holding baskets filled with whatever they are gathering.


In danger: They will yell in their own language “we are seen!” and charge, fearful of their hidden life becoming known.


Not in danger: They look at you pensively, hold their fingers to their lips (shht!) and retreat into the forest’s shadow.


10. Weird Stuff: A broken cart with strange little men clambering and hopping about it. There is the sound of construction.


In danger: It are 7 kobolds, having some fun destroying the cart after they have already destroyed all its contents. If they notice you they will find it more fun to mess with you!


Not in danger: It are 5 gnomes, having fun repairing a broken thing. If you protect them while they are doing it, you may even have it afterwards. The cart is way too big for them anyway. (if the danger roll was a critical success it’s now a magical cart!)


11. Weird Stuff: 3 creatures of the fairy realm stand on the road, awaiting you. It’s a princess and two body guards. The are all of an unnatural, awe-inspiring beauty.


In danger: The princess is looking for a mate but could not find any to her liking in the entire realm of fairy. (or so she claims) You must now all have tea with her so she can decide if you are worthy or not. (write procedure: Tea-time with an elven princess)


After this encounter, replace this encounter with a follow up, where the results of their actions will have born fruit, one way or another. (for example, after some time, say, a honeymoon period, the spouse returns, with added elfin gear, to aid their erstwhile companions.

Not in danger: The stars have foretold of your coming. This land faces a great danger. Take this gift. It will aid you, if you are worthy. It’s a Ring of the Woodpecker. If you hit it against a wooden surface, it will cause it to make a really loud pecking noise, paralyzing all those who did not expect to hear it for a turn. (can be used once a scene). 


After this encounter, replace this encounter with a follow up, judging wether or not you have used it correctly, and either increasing its powers/abilities or taking them away.


12. Magic User: The Witch Magobia is carrying a baby, feeding it a bottle of something that does not look like milk. It looks gray, like milk mixed with ash. She has her cat with her.


In danger: She urges you to go away and leave her be. If you do not her cat will grow the size of a donkey and hiss at you, trying to intimidate you. If you do not heed that and defeat the cat, she will attempt to curse you all and flee. She has the words CURSED/CURSING, EMBER and PULSE. Roll a DANGER ROLL+WIL to see if you are affected. 

Not in danger: She will invite you to join her and offer a job. She needs to go to a dangerous place and needs you to protect this child until she returns. Evil knights want to come and take it away from her, her own baby! (this is, of course, a lie. It is not her baby, and the knights are not evil per se.) She will lead them to her cottage in the woods and tell them where the food for the baby is held. If the job is rejected, she will attempt to curse them. She has the words CURSED/CURSING, EMBER and PULSE. Roll a DANGER ROLL+WIL to see if you are affected.

On Wolves

On Wolves

HP: 3, ARMOR 6, ATT+1

Wolves in the Borderlands are common. They roam the forests in packs. While the North American wolves might be known to be afraid of humans in general, the European wolves are bigger and meaner than that and have been known to attack humans when hungry. 

In the Borderlands, the strange and chaotic forces that permeate this area sometimes changes things about the wolves and make them strange.

The chance of this alteration occurring will depend on how much of a foothold chaos has on the lands. I suggest starting with a 1/6 chance, triggering on a 6, adding +1 to each time ‘regular’ wolves are rolled. And add a +1 for each rank of a foothold Chaos has on the lands.

The Eurasian Grey Wolf, found free to use on Wikipedia

The Wolves of the Borderland might…

1. Talk and understand humans. They know to use this to attract prey.

2. Leave ashen paw prints that remain warm to the touch for a night and a day.

3. Have a howl that makes you think your feet suddenly sink into the ground and are stuck. 


Roll DANGER +WIL or be paralyzed with fear for a round.

4. Have the ability to grow to the size of cows.

Double HP, +1 to ATTACK

5. Be ridden by kobolds wanting to cause mischief of the deadly kind. 

They will use their own devious skills to make fighting harder, like riding with a line of rope between them to try and trip up people, shooting arrows that might paralyze or put you to sleep, etc.

6. Have the ability to breathe a cloud of mist, making ranged attacks on them harder, forcing people to have to go hand to hand, or to make it easier for them to flee.

 

Meet Magobia the Witch

Meet the Witch Magobia:

Mother to goblins and hobgoblins

Trying to find a source for this picture led me to a deactivated Tumblr for Cultur Tava.

HP:4 // ARMOR 6* (impervious to physical harm until a certain protection is dealt with)

SPELL SLOTS: 5 // Special Item: Cursing Charm

It is said that the witch Magobia cannot have children of her own and that because of that she resolved to steal babies for her own.


• Some say that it’s because she’s barren, some say that it’s because she’s too mean for anyone to want a relationship with her. 


• Rumor goes that her desire for children has led her to kidnapping them and feeding them her special witch-food, turning them into goblins and hobgoblins in the process. 


• She is followed around by what looks like a black cat that has the power, according to some to grow to the size of a donkey. Some say it’s the devil himself, and that she is married to him. People say a lot of things.

It is true that the witch Magobia cannot be hurt by regular weapons, but has a secret weakness that can hurt her. Nobody seems to know what, but some rumor that it is…

1. Some say that if she is soaked through and through with holy water from a church’s baptismal font, that the deviltry protecting her from harm will have to flee from God’s holiness and that she will become vulnerable to regular attack.

2. Some say that it’s her cold heart that hardens her body and soul and keeps it from death’s grip. If through acts of love and compassion, one could thaw out her heart, she would become vulnerable again. But if that happens, would she not deserve a second chance?

3. Some say that she is married with Death himself, and kept alive by his protection. Making her vulnerable to harm might mean treading into the domain of death himself to seek for answers!

4. Some say that through a deal with the devil himself, she has removed her heart and keeps it somewhere hidden and safe. As such she cannot be harmed.

5. Some say that she needs to drink her daily special wine to be safe from harm. When she has no access to it for more than a week she becomes as vulnerable as any mortal.

6. Some say that her dark power can only be overcome on the high holy days of Christmas and Easter and that only on these days one can overpower and kill her.

Special Item: Cursing Charm


Magobia has a cursing charm around her neck that gives her daily access to the magic word “CURSE/CURSING” even when “the winds of magic”/“the alignment of the stars” would not allow for it otherwise. For every spell slot she can choose to substitute one of the words with the word CURSE.

When encountered in the wild, Magobia the Witch…

1. Is collecting ingredients for her potions and rituals, or just for her soup and special food. She is helped by 1d6 of her goblin children.


2. Is carrying a baby. She is accompanied by her cat.


3. Is casually talking to a cloaked figure seemingly made out of pure darkness. They seem to be sharing a drink. She talks the regular speech, the figure speaks in whispers and moans that chill to the bone and makes the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up.


4. Is enchanting a toadstool circle. If allowed to continue, a toad will jump into it, grow the size of a dog and start a conversation with her, where she asks it about things that it has no business knowing. Like what night would be a good night for stealing babies, where a certain person or item is, …


5. Is flying overhead on her broom. She may or may not be cackling.


6. Is making something in a giant cauldron. Her cat is with her. She will offer food to weary travelers. It’s her enchanted food, binding them to her, not allowing sustenance from any other source of food.

 

Meet Gros Jean: Ogre of the Woods

Google tells me this image is from Game of Thrones

Gros Jean: Ogre of the woods

HP:12, ARMOR:8, +2AB, STR+2, Ogre Great-Club (2-handed, Ogre Sized, +1DMG), Wearing treated bearskin as armour (+1ARM, already calculated)

Gros Jean is the ogre that roams these parts of the country. He mainly works as a mercenary for the forces of Chaos. He recently has come in possession of an unholy symbol of the dark forces, that will slowly corrupt his mind, offering him dark powers. Gros Jean has an agreement with the Witch Magobia that if the goblins pay him, he will protect them, as he can have some of the babies she brings in as food.

When Gros Jean is met in the wild he…


1. Is eating and will tolerate weary travelers to join.


2. Is admiring his ruby necklace of the Snake.


3. Has a manacled prisoner on a chain and is sitting down with a pensive smile brainstorming on an apt punishment for the oath the prisoner broke.


4. Is very hungry and looking for food. You look tasty. Or do you perhaps have a baby?


5. Is grumpy and angry because his prisoner escaped.


6. Is hanging chains with stone skulls on them on a prisoner. One for each of the men he promised to bring back safely, but failed to do so. He has to cary these around wherever they go.

Ogres are descendants of the old Roman deity called Orcus. They roam the world, eating babies (preferably) and enjoying in punishing oath-breakers. 

There are more ogres in the land, but not a lot. They do not get along very much and as such remain a good distance away from each other. If they get too close to each other, the land cannot sustain their appetite all that much and they will fight over food. Sometimes an ogre will find a mate though, and somehow they manage to tolerate each other. Woe betide the lands where this is the case.

 

On Hobgoblins

Some more goblins from Jim Henson's 'Labyrinth'.

Hobgoblins: 

HP: 4 // ARMOR 6

Hobgoblins were once children who showed a definite mean streak in their nature. The Witch Magobia lured them away from home with many promises, and fed them her special food, disguised as gingerbread cakes. Eventually her corruption deformed them as well. 

The following are all true:


• Once the gingerbread is eaten, they can no longer get sustenance from any other food. They need her food to survive. This is how she controls them.


• These children grow up looking like very wrinkly teenagers in much the same way as the babies turn into goblins. Their skin-tone remains closer to their original one, if not a bit less vibrant.

• The hobgoblins are cruel and have less of a need to be fearful, compared to the goblins. Instead they just take joy in causing pain and strife.

When encountered ‘in the wild’ they are:


1. Preparing a trap, and hiding. The trap is possibly lethal, which they would find very funny.


2. Torturing a small animal. 

(check with table for lines and veils/X-card, safety rules. This is a common hard no.) 

Depending on how the encounter goes you might end up with an animal companion of the small and cute kind. Unless they leave the hobgoblins to it, the creature should survive. It might need to be nursed back to health or not, depending on your group.


3. Waiting in ambush, with a set trap, intent on capturing the PC’s alive to strip them of arms, armor and valuables and to bully them. The longer the bullying goes on, the less careful they become and they might slip up and make mistakes the PC’s can take advantage of.


4. Playing an insult game. They each insult each other in turn, trying to one-up each other with creative insults. Ends when inevitably a fight breaks out, or if the PC’s interrupt.


5. Breaking/destroying something valuable. They have a pile of stuff they stole from somewhere next to them and are taking turns breaking and destroying the items. It is hilarious to them. Some items are valuable, others aren’t.


6. Drinking stolen alcohol. The longer they are allowed to do this, the more drunk they become until they fall asleep, pick a fight or start sobbing, depending on what type of drunks they are.