Green symbols are hexes that have been explored, Star is where the party currently is, Red Temple marks a Dungeon.
1/1: Citadel Town is focused on magic, inhabitants indifferent. Raining.
Met Orblu-gao, a young naive politician seedling with a large hat. They are trying to know about Iya, a boy elf wanderer with small eyes. The boy is a refugee from the SE hills who knows of a dungeon.
Travelled to SE Hills, wilderness except for stubborn young cloaked ranger with muscles grumbling about the rain. Resistant to questions until Alon complained about rain on her feathers, then they revealed they’re looking for an abandoned tower nearby in hills.
1/2: Raining in Hills. Travelled to S Hills, wilderness.
1/3: Rain has calmed down to a mist. Travel to SE Hills, stone monument (abandoned tower) with secret, and Monsters.
4 Slimes attack immediately. Onola attacks with three 4’s, wiping out 3 of the slimes. Alon kills the last with her bow. Drop 4 gems.
Abandoned tower has corpse of another cloaked ranger, with a message to escort the boy Iya to a canyon prison.
1/4: Storm. Travel to SE Hills, looking for canyon before backtracking to retrieve Iya. Ruins of village, broken bridge across canyon to mountains beyond.
Entrance to Time Dungeon, prison for criminals throughout history. Heavily guarded, something caused guards to attack village (corruption of Trinity Fragment).
1/5: Good weather. Return to Citadel City to find Iya, who was ranger in training. Knows secret entrance to Time Dungeon.
City crawling with guards, party is briefly spotted but evades guards as they exit.
Alon talks to cloaked ranger(Brapa) in hills again, they agree to escort party to entrance of Time Dungeon.
Climb down canyon walls (4 group successes) to secret entrance, say goodbye to rangers Brapa and Iya.
1/6: Time Dungeon first room. Trinity shrine, eternal candles melting into large pools. Open passage to North, desperate cries can be heard.
1/7: Time Dungeon, second room. Door to West, Sealed door to North. 7 Prisoners wait in ambush inside pots, making cries of help as bait.
Reglo fails Insight as prisoners break out of pots (1 remaining), taking 1 dmg. All others succeeded, get +1D forward.
Onola hits 1, Jevo uses Cape and moves to safety, Alon defends and flies on top of shelves (+1fwd), Reglo hits 1. Downed prisoners have glowing brand that starts to heal injuries.
Onala hits 1, takes 2dmg (uses stoneskin once), Jevo breaks last pot for 4 gems, Alon hits 1 while prisoners knock down shelves, Reglo stuns 1.
Onala hits 2, Jevo takes 1dmg, Alon hits 1. Downd prisoners all disappear and sealed door opens. Loot–pixie (Onala), Heart (Jevo), Energy (Alon).
1/8: Time Dungeon, 3rd room. North behind sealed door. Boss Door room, locked by puzzle. Doors to East and West.
Archway of the Ages–ages anything to dust. Jevo Insights that a magic cape would bypass, but not sure if whole party could go. Will look for other solutions.
1/9: Time Dungeon, 4th room. West door. Dark room with narrow snaking walkway over a pit. Sound of squeaky metal hinges echoes up and down.
Onala leads with lantern, swinging cell tries to push him off, destroys it with his club (Might to resist). Everyone starts watching for more (group Insight). Wander around, find sealed door to N (3 on Idea roll).
Successful Insight group check (like a Defend roll, 3’s count since there’s no other danger, they can pause to avoid a swing). Get lost, avoid swings again for 2 turns (should have given consecutive bonuses).
Onala and Jevo fail Insight, Alon uses extra success to warn Onala +1D. Onala destroys swing but he and Jevo both fall 1dmg.
Alon flies to scout, finds way to brazier and open passage to S. Onala lights brazier, illuminating empty cells in walls above and below. Remaining swinging cells are easy to avoid.
I learned about Hexplore24 on 12/31, so I had to decide quickly what to do. Dungeon23 was difficult for me to keep up with last year, one part toddler at home and one part overthinking it. I definitely wanted to do something this year!
I briefly considered Black Sword Hack or Mythic Bastionland, but I had just done a lot of work compiling notes on different Legend of Zelda-style rpgs so chose that option. My base is Heroes of Cerulea, a rules lite game by Lucas Falk that uses d4’s for everything (looks like the Tri-force), embraces video game logic, and has rules for solo gaming already! I backed it last year and already have the pdfs, just waiting on a physical book to try it out with friends. I thought this would be a good way to test out the system, and if I complete it (through TPK or finishing all the dungeons), I can start over with Mythic Bastionland if the full version is complete by then.
I also have lots of additional resources if needed for more random tables, guidelines, and inspiration–Forgotten Ballad by Fellipe da Silva, Quest, Octave, Apocalypse World, Ironsworn, d4caltrops, etc.
I’m only doing one hex/encounter/room a day to keep it simple. Also I’m not worrying about the party traveling back to town or even what time of day it is since its pixel video game logic. The party starts in Citadel Town, able to see surrounding hexes. To the North is the Cerulean Citadel, where the Shadow King dwells behind an impenetrable barrier. Only the combined Trinity fragments can overcome the barrier, and each is hidden in a dungeon with a fearsome monster guarding it.
The party are former minions of the Shadow King, stripped of their memories but eager to overthrow him. Each starts with 3 Hearts, 3 Energy, 15 gems, and a small pouch (inventory 4)
Jevo–M Elf (spend 1 Energy: +1D Action), Might 1 Bravery 2 Insight 3, brown hair, orange robes, sword, magic cape; acolyte of Black Ice, controlled Onola
For as long as I’ve been familiar with the word “Fianna” I’ve taken it to mean “Fionn Mac Cumhaill’s band of mercenaries” (it’s pronounced Finn McCool, like the smoothest Irish poet-warrior you’ve ever met).
I’m aware it comes from the Fenian Cycle, a collection of stories about Fionn and his fellow Fianna members, ranging from the seventh to fourteenth centuries. Though I had to google the dates while writing this. I’ve seen the name pop up in role-playing games ranging from the Garou tribe of the same name in Werewolf: the Apocalypse, to prestige classes in Celtic supplements for D&D. Always with the Fianna being either Fionn’s specific group of warriors, or at most an ongoing organization that was founded by him.
Fianna tribe from Werewolf: the Apocalypse
Recently I came across this excerpt [1], which implies that the Fianna was more of an existing tradition. Young warriors, not ready to take responsibility of land or position and liable to cause trouble, went off in roving bands across Ireland. They lived off the land and fought as mercenaries (given the small scale of warfare at the time, I wonder if this was mostly cattle-raiding?) in the summer, and were given food and lodging by local lords in the winter to keep them happy. This tradition possibly only lasted for about a century before the Fianna grew too bold and were destroyed in a great battle with the High King.
Fionn fighting Aillen, illustration by Beatrice Elvery in Violet Russell’s Heroes of the Dawn (1914)
Add in some legendary flourishes (fighting giants, magic powers) and this almost looks like the knights-errant of Arthurian and other chivalric romances. But with some distinctions that feel very Irish and very game-able to me–groups instead of solitary, butting heads with chieftains and kings, and feeling more like outlaws than idealistic nobles.
I’m thinking this would be a good twist on knights for my Celtic Middle Ages setting, but not being an expert with the history and language I fear I might be off-base. Some liberties can be taken with a fantasy setting based off an alternate history, but I want solid foundations. Currently drafting something close to Mythic Bastionland, but referring to knights as fennid and a group as fianna. Probably coming up with a table for special abilities instead of trying to translate every knight over, and referring to vows as geasa.
My big pretentious idea that I’ve been working on is a medieval fantasy setting based on an alternate history where the Celts remained dominant in Europe instead of being slowly assimilated or wiped out by the Romans and Germanic tribes.
I’m saying Celtic, but there are separate cultures–Irish, Welsh, Gallic, etc. Its tempting to focus on the similarities and try to come up with a unified Celtic culture but that’s not accurate or respectful to previous and existing people. Someposts from Irish authors have shaped my thinking on this a lot and made me mindful of my approach.
There’s obviously a lot of speculation in this–Celtic history is incomplete, Roman and Germanic influence is pervasive, and alternate history is largely arbitrary decisions. Ultimately its a fantasy setting, I just want to get the feel right as much as possible.
Vercingetorix (Ferchinged an ri) defeats Caesar in Arverni (part of Gaul, modern France). The various tribes and kingdoms of Gaul grow into a loose alliance called Gallicia (got the name from this alternate history video).
Rome never becomes an Empire, instead becoming a trade center after being Christianized. Some Roman ideas spread through Celtic lands, but to a much smaller degree.
Gallicia remains pagan. Gallicia initially allies with Rome, continuing Caesar’s practice of appointing Gaulish senators. Southern Gaulish kingdoms are heavily mixed in culture.
Albion (Britain) is never invaded by Rome, and its various clans are stronger as a result. Strong enough to repel the Angles, Saxons, etc. The Druidic religion thrives, with Yns Mon (Angelssey) being their seat of power.
Pictland (Scotland) and Eire (Ireland) are the least influenced by other cultures, but still trade heavily and have flourished more than they would have with hostile Roman or Germanic neighbors. The Orkney islands could still have some Norse influence, because I want Trow!
The Germanic tribes (Franks, Saxons, Goths, etc.) don’t migrate as much, but they do become Christianized slowly by missionaries. They are in constant conflict with Gallicia. How do they fare against the Huns and Slavs from the East? I’m not sure yet!
Daggerland (Doggerland), the island lost after the Ice Age, has risen from the depths! Its swampy interior contains Bronze Age ruins and untold secrets. Fantasy elements!
Scandinavia would have viking raiders, but also have encroaching glaciers controlled by the tyrannical Ivar the Boneless. More fantasy!
This detail from Goran’s comment on the original post: “When a knight defeats a foe he takes his masked helmet as a trophy, a ritualistic echo of head hunting.” This gives so much flavor to the setting, and also develops one detail of ancient culture into something new that feels medieval.
There’s still lots of work to do. I don’t even know what system I want to run for this, and that would affect choices. Wolves Upon the Coast is definitely an inspiration, but I’d redo the map a bit and make my own hex key. That would imply a world with sea raiders and small competing kingdoms. I’ve been dying to run Black Sword Hack, it would be a good system for Wolves. There’s Law vs Chaos and backgrounds are divided into barbarian/civilized/decadent–elements which are heavily redefined in this setting. Mythic Bastionland (link to playtest doc) would be fun for Celtic knights (fianna?), its another hexcrawler but the premise seems very different from Wolves.
Other things I haven’t nailed down–how are vikings different? Is there any Arthurian element? Has there been an inciting incident that’s prompting adventure? Are Saxon-Hun raiders on giant wolves too zany?
Write 1 dungeon room a day, get 12 levels and a 365-room megadungeon by the end of 2023. I’m going to give it a shot. It will be a good writing exercise, I can change up the theme every week for regions within a level, and I can flesh out my Hellmouth system and setting.
Thinking out loud about where this all came from and why I’m doing certain things.
Several years ago a local brewery did a special release craft beer called Underdark, and had a big release party. I wanted to go and play some D&D at the event, and I made some character sheets with the goal to “sit down and play”. There’s a lot of choices I made that I’m happy with and wanted to build on.
No scores, just pick one high Attribute (two if you’re human). Most rolls are 4+ on a 1d6 to succeed, except for attacks which still used a d20. I’m also really that, as one friend put it, “I put an entire rpg on a 1-page character sheet”.
Attributes
I got the “pick one high attribute” idea from Dungeon Robber, the dungeon crawling game that Blog of Holding made. Its similar to OD&D where the only bonus you got from a high score was +1 at 15. The order of stats is a throwback to 2e and earlier D&D. I like that it bypasses ability scores but still is recognizable as D&D stats. It keeps characters somewhat balanced because there’s no min/maxing. I had to retool what some of the bonuses did to match my updated design philosophy for this game.
Strength: I’m not using attack rolls, so just cut that but keep the +1 damage to melee. Since attacks always do damage, that is a significant bonus. I’m tentatively adding load (encumbrance), so that should get a bonus too.
Intelligence: This is a tough one. Previously it gave a +1 to Search and Arcane spell checks. I want to move away from mechanic-based exploration in favor of giving ample information when asked and encouraging players to engage with the environment. So no Search checks. I think there could be room for skill, not as in a list of skills to choose from, more like “I trained in this and I’m smart so I’m good at it”.
As for Arcane spells, I want magic to be based on things you have to carry around, like spell books in Knave or Oddities in Electric Bastionland. Some may require checks, probably still working but having negative consequences on a failure. Currently thinking of three types of magic–Arcane (Int based, flashier spells that hurt people or do bad things, infernal in nature), Divine (Wis based, healing, protection, literally divine), and Glamour (Cha based, illusions or fear, infernal or faerie).
Wisdom: I liked the +1 for saving throws because it ties together the Basic D&D bonus to resist spells, and the more modern idea that Wisdom is tied to Perception, so maybe you see the threat and can react faster. But I want some of the other stats to be more important, so I think just using it resist magic works. Plus Wisdom is tied to faith and divine magic, and the only magic you’d have to resist would be infernal or faerie in origin.
Dexterity: I’ve decided to nerf ranged combat and not give a bonus from Dexterity. Without attack rolls they’re already very effective, if anything I’ll be keeping damage on ranged weapons relatively low. But adding +1 Guard make Dex very valuable, since that takes 1 extra damage off any attack. Watching any fight, armed or unarmed, makes it clear how important it is to be fast.
Constitution: I don’t want hit point bloat so I’m tying this to wounds you take when damage takes you below 0 hp. A check to stay up in the fight, and maybe an extra wound (PCs get three before death normally). Also more load for the encumbrance system.
Charisma: I’m avoiding parley checks because I want players to describe what their characters say during social encounters, even if its not word for word roleplay. But a bonus to an initial reaction roll to see how hostile or not someone is works, and morale checks for followers.
I’m often tempted to trim down the number of attributes or go with different ones, but I want something that still says “this is like Dungeons & Dragons.” Especially if I want it to be compatible with OSR adventures. Similarly I thought about keeping only a d6 as the die for everything, but its fun to have different weapon damages and use more dice. I’ll probably even have some tables that require a d20.
Sidenote: I recently read the short story Hellmouth by Giles Kristian. A medieval horror story much in the veign of Between Two Fires and would make excellent adventure inspiration for this game. Probably means I need to get a new name though, ha!
Rough, un-playtested notes for a rules-lite rpg. Even the name is probably a placeholder. Inspired by Electric Bastionland, Traverse Fantasy, Between Two Fires, and building off of my Underdark 1-pg game.
Medieval Horror-fantasy
The Lord of Heaven is sleeping, and the devils of Hell are testing their limits. Plagues and war spread across the land, while the fallen angels and the children of the earth emerge from the shadows.
Luck rolls are the main mechanic. Roll a d6. This can be for a risky action a PC is taking, or to arbitrarily determine how dangerous/advantageous a situation is. The simple rule is 4+ is a success, but 1-3 can mean negative consequences instead of just failure.
1 Immediate danger, deliver on threat
2-3 Possible danger, new threat, escalate threat
4-6 Favorable, advance, lessen threat, resolve
Having a high attribute related to the situation generally gives a +1 bonus on the roll. Depending on the nature of the threat a roll of 1 could still be a worse result, but also a roll of 6 could deliver exceptional results.
Luck rolls can also be used without an associated skill to answer questions about the world that haven’t been established by prep or narrative. Ex. Are the guards paying attention? Is the dragon sleeping?
Pick Two High Attributes
Str +1 melee damage, +3 load
Int +1 skills, arcane magic
Wis +1 resist magic, holy magic
Dex +1 guard, retreat
Con +1 wound checks, +3 load
Cha +1 reaction, morale
Initiative Players all go first in a combat turn unless they are surprised.
Attacks All players announce attacks before resolving. Roll damage dice from your weapon and subtract the damage rolled from the target’s hit points. If there are multiple damage dice, from bonus dice or multiple attackers, roll all and use the single highest roll.
Guard Subtract from damage before applying to hit points. Armor provides 1-3, shield or Dex bonus provides +1.
Hit points 1d8/level. Represent avoiding damage, if you have hit points remaining you have evaded the attack. Regain all hit points with a short rest.
Wounds If damage exceeds hit points you take a Wound. Roll +Con or you’re down and will die if untended. 3 Wounds and you’re dead. Requires rest in a town to heal.
Load Carry 9 items. Bulky items count as 2-3. Str or Con bonuses add 3 each.Exposed If you are attacked while unready or overloaded, damage bypasses your hit points.
Trying to focus more on this blog as a journal for my random rpg ideas, especially since I’m probably abandoning Twitter where I used to post stuff like this.
Exactly like this, actually. This is a thread I did about how to put some Super Mario Brothers elements into a D&D game, originally posted on March 10th:
Super Mario fantasy hacks for #MAR10Day Use wells to simulate pipes. The Mushroom Kingdom is an underground/fairy tale realm with its own smiling sun. All mushroom people are the same organism, they can’t die in a way that matters. Goombas are corrupted mushroom people.
Koopas are kappa, let by a dragon-blooded tyrant. When they take enough damage they hide in their shell, and may come back out later. Magic mushrooms can either make you grow bigger, or give you an extra life by…creating a mushroom simulacrum.
Power ups in general are easy–single use items that last for an hour or until you take enough damage. More D&D magic items should work that way. Use themed adventure settings–ice, underwater, sky tower, etc.
Platforming is hard to simulate in an rpg, so make it about choices. An Athletics check to reach a higher area can help you bypass a danger, but if you fail you’ll take damage or backtrack. If there’s not risk, no roll needed.
Sentient traps, like falling blocks, chompers, and fire-spitting statues. Just give traps a face and some personality. Lots of things to interact with–blocks to smash, things to throw, platforms that move. And they reset.
When I run D&D or other fantasy games, I do about 50/50 homebrew and published settings. And when I run homebrew, more often than not its some variation of Celtic or dark ages Britain. (When I do published its Ravenloft or Eberron usually).
I’ve done some setting guides for specific campaigns with a Celtic/British feel, but never consolidated it into a cohesive setting and really fleshed it out. This is an attempt to start doing that. I have a lot of notes from different campaigns and general brainstorming over the years, but still have a lot of details to nail down and connections to make.
Starting with, just choosing a name for the setting is hard. I like Albion because its a romantic older name for the island of Britain. However, I like to draw from Irish myth as well. There’s also other games that include Albion in the name or setting, including one ttrpg by a crappy person. So for anyone interested in a British-themed setting there’s a lot of noise around the name already.
I ran a one-shot called Knights of Prydain, which is a Welsh name used by Lloyd Alexander in The Chronicles of Prydain series (the first book was the inspiration for the Disney animated film The Black Cauldron). Eiru is an old name for Ireland but both of these terms are specific to one of the islands, and I want to blend legends from both. Tir na Nog worked as a name for all of the Celtic lands in the Sláine comics, but its Irish in origin.
So sticking with Albion as a working title for the island for now, but open to changing it. Maybe a more poetic name like The Island of Kings, and still draw place names from real sources.
Going back to where I’m drawing inspiration from, its good to get more specific about that. I can list a lot of influences and that gives this setting richness and depth, but its still more focused than the “kitchen sink fantasy” of D&D. Some of my past campaigns, and many other published settings, are tied to a specific time frame–Iron Age Celts for Sláine, Arthurian mythos for Pendragon, etc. I wanted a broader approach to include as many ideas as I could and to cover as many D&D game elements as possible.
History: I’ll go into more detail on another post, but I’m drawing from pre-Roman Celtic culture of the British Isles and continent, the post-Roman “dark ages” that’s the backdrop for Arthurian stories, and the Viking age a few centuries later.
The Broken Sword: my favorite fantasy novel by Poul Anderson, the same author who inspired the D&D troll and paladin in Three Hearts and Three Lions. This novel is set during the Viking age, features changelings, truly alien elves, a war with troll armies, a cursed sword…I can’t believe none of it made it into early D&D. He also wrote the Hrolf Kraki saga, a collection of legends around a Danish king that has echoes of the King Arthur stories.
Sláine: the comic book series by Paul Mills draws from various Celtic sources and mashes them up into a great fantasy series, which is part of what I’m going for. I ran a 4E campaign based on the world of Sláine and had a lot of fun with it.
King Arthur: his stories are deeply ingrained in British folklore and are full of symbolism that give the fantasy meaning. I’m focusing more on the oldest legends with Welsh roots, many elements were added later by Malory and other authors–including Lancelot, Mordred being Arthur’s son, etc.
World of Darkness: Werewolf and Changeling were early rpg faves for me, and I like how they handle Faerie and spirits, as a supernatural mirror to the mundane world. This is similar to the Celtic Otherworld, and how I want to handle magic for the setting. The primary focus is the “real world” of politics, mortal villains, and warfare, and supernatural elements are hidden pockets of magic or symbolic reflections of the world and the characters.
Other influences: Hellboy, The 13th Warrior, Lord of the Rings (Rohan in particular), Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles and Saxon Stories, Nancy Farmer’s Sea of Trolls, Vinland Saga
Other rpg influences: Wolves of God by Kevin Crawford, Rædwald by Lee Reynoldson, Codex Celtarum by Brian N Young, Romance of the Perilous Lands by Scott Malthouse, and Beyond the Fence, Below the Grave by T AKW
I’ve been running a 5th Edition D&D game in Theros, using a lot of inspiration from the indie rpg Agon for adventures. Sessions have mostly focused on small locations where the machinations of two or more gods have created strife that the heroes have to set right. I gave the players a few options for paths to pursue next and they chose a week long race through the Nessian Wood.
Setessan hoplites guard the Nessian Wood in honor of Nylea
This scenario doesn’t involve any conflict between the gods but still has their influence, as any adventure in Theros should. I got some ideas from the Forbidden Lands exploration rules and Encounters in Theros from the DM’s Guild. The race starts at Hunter’s Crossing, where the party can learn about the other teams competing, and ends a week later at the Cypress Gates.
Hunter’s Crossing is the last rest point before entering the enormous forest, and all the racers are gathered there. PCs learn that by Nylea’s word no one can hunt elk, rabbit, or boar; and by the command of Iroas racers must not use magic or mounts to travel faster, and may not interfere with other teams.
Teams
Kalliaxos (Lagonna centaur) on coming of age protporos; two centaur servants who follow his lead; challenges someone to archery contest
Phormos, Kastor, and Adras (satyrs), red haired louts who are upset about the hunting restrictions
Ani and Nico, twin followers of Heliod seeking challenge; offer prayers to everyone
Night Runners (leonin Tal, automaton centaur Chryseos, satyr Komast), Setessan athletes who boast at other teams
Belemachus, thief and adventurer who has traveled across Theros
Race Rules
Teams split up at dawn on the first day of the race and move through the unmarked wilderness of the Nessian Wood. For simplicity, each team moves at roughly the same pace, but can be slowed down by complications or push themselves to gain extra ground. Each team starts at a Pace of 0.
Each day, one person acts as Guide and makes a Wisdom (Survival) check. DC is 20 if travelling fast in the dense forest, 18 if the party is moving normal speed. On a failure, roll 1d8 to see which complication came up, and how to avoid it. Failing a complication or taking too much time gives -1 Pace. Generally everyone in the race will be moving fast, meaning Stealth is impossible and -5 on Perception checks. Stopping to take a short rest (to spend Hit Dice or regain any abilities), puts the party at -1 Pace.
The party can move at a forced march to gain +1 Pace, but everyone makes a DC 15 Constitution save to avoid a level of exhaustion. During the race, a character only loses levels of exhaustion if they haven’t gained exhaustion during the current day and complete a long rest.
Every day a random encounter will happen. Depending on the nature of the encounter it could be during travel or at the end of the day.
Complications (if the guide fails their Survival check)
Obstacle (trees, overgrowth, rocky water): group Athletics check to avoid -1 Pace
Difficult terrain (rocky, marshland, streams): group Acrobatics check to avoid -1 Pace
Dangerous terrain (razorvine, landslide, floating rocks): Dexterity save for each character, gain exhaustion on failure
Poisonous (wasps, fungi, water): Constitution save for each character gain exhaustion on failure
Offering cairn (food, arms, or potions): stealing offerings will relieve a level of exhaustion, but triggers divine visit (either random encounter 1 with an angry god, or attacked by Alseids)
Lost: group Survival/Perception/Investigation check to avoid -1 Pace
Random Encounters (once per day)
Brush with Divinity–travelling armorer asks for stories, green eyed wolf sniffs for food, or storm shelter hermit asks riddle (Who walks at once in shadows and starlight, Is mortal and yet divine, A concept and yet a creature?)
Red rabbit–asks for help, followed by Setessan hoplites, Phormos poached in forest
Laid to rest–Ani wants to bury brother Nico (slain by Returned) but is constantly attacked by skeletons due to a curse
Broken Hart–falls in a flash from the sky, wings can be repaired with Intelligence check
Lost Bears–orphans Tevas (minotaur), Akekos (satyr) and Zosime (human) looking for Setessa for refuge
Sudden Storm–thick rain, wind blowing hard from mouth of waterfall, statue of Thassa with pearl missing
Mirror of Klothys–still pond answers questions, but only one per character without triggering a time doppelganger
Omen–eagle carrying serpent, an hour later a basilisk attacks
Chimera–goat body, eagle/snake/unicorn head, second snake for tail, Lightning breath; will flee if brought to half hit points
Belemachus speeds by with stolen item (something useful for a character, or something sacred to Nylea or Iroas)
Playtest
I’ve run two short sessions and had a lot of fun, here’s what happened. Party is a nyxborn satyr Ranger who follows Klothys, a human automaton Wizard who follows Kruphix, and an iconoclast leonin Monk.
Day One: The guide fails her check, two characters gain exhaustion from a wasp nest. As they are making camp, Belemachus comes flying past with a bag over his shoulder–the wizard catches him in a web spell. Belemachus escapes, but not before losing his fleetfeather sandals (winged boots).
Day Two: The party decides to track Belemachus, correctly guessing that he had stolen something sacred. They make a successful Survival spell to track him, but because he failed his own guide check, they know they’ll be heading into a steep ravine. Two out of three fail Athletics check so they are at -1 Pace, but the satyr decides to push himself to catch up with Belemachus. I used Swashbuckler stats for Belemachus, with one level of exhaustion. The satyr is victorious, and as he settles into the thief’s camp, a giant green-eyed wolf approaches and eyes him. Returning the stolen item (the cloak of a golden hind) to the wolf appeases the nature goddess, and he finds bracers of archery as a gift, and his companions suddenly catch up with him. End the day at +1 Pace.
Day Three: No complications after a successful Survival roll, so the party will be able to remove any exhaustion when they long rest tonight. I improvised some floating rocks and a myth about Keranos as a lure, and a chimera dropped out of the sky to attack. Surprisingly they were able to bloody it fairly quickly and it retreated.
During the session break I figured out how the other teams would fare based on a spread of good, average, and bad rolls. Since some teams can come up as random encounters I didn’t specify yet: one team at +1 Pace, two at even Pace, one at -1 Pace, and Belemachus was out.
Day Four: A successful Survival check, and the party pushes themselves to get another +1 Pace, but two characters have exhaustion. At camp a travelling armorer shares stories with the characters and offers to buy any unusual magic items. [I played this as an opportunity for the characters to get rid of the “cheating” fleetfeather sandals and gain the favor of Iroas, but of course they didn’t want to even mention they had such a magic item, and they weren’t using it to cheat anyway. In retrospect I should have had Belemachus use a one-use item to fly if I didn’t want the players to have a flight magic item. Always a learning process.]
Day Five: Another successful Survival check for easy travelling, and I rolled yet another “1” for Brush with Divinity. A monster researching scholar offers shelter from a sudden rainstorm, and poses a riddle she learned from a sphinx. The party almost says “Nyxborn” but instead guesses “the gods”. They continue to have a good metaphysical discussion but fail to gain the favor of Keranos. They do sleep off their exhaustion and are still sitting at +2 Pace.
Day Six: A failed Survival check and the party comes across a raging river. The satyr uses a Jump spell and a potion of giant’s strength to get everyone across quickly. I rolled for the omen and decided to add the twins Ani and Nico getting ambushed by the basilisk because the PCs like to pick on followers of Heliod. Again, they bloodied the monster fairly quickly and escaped. The twins drop out of the race but mention that the Night Runners team is nearby.
I’ll run Day Seven this week, with a neck and neck race to the finish with the Night Runners. The winning team will lead a bacchanalian festival parade to the Skola Vale.
Dungeon Journal 
